Chapter 30 1 Day Until Contagion | 3 Days Until Apocalypse

Evalyn walked down the halls of Lockheed University, nervously trying to avoid or hoping to run into Kaze. She couldn't decide.

Either way, she wanted to avoid Gregory, Timothy, and Samuel.

Her secure phone buzzed in her black shoulder purse. She pulled it out discreetly and checked the message.

—

Uncle: Have you talked to Kaze yet?

—

Her eyes glided down the hall, trying to assess the situation. She decided to move to the bathroom to avoid people completely. Once she closed the door, she replied.

—

Uncle: Did you talk to Kaze?

You: No. Not yet.

Uncle: Then don't make contact with him until we figure out the situation.

—

Evalyn gave her phone a wry smile. Kaze had warped her world perception so extensively that she didn't know how to respond.

While she didn't want to look like she was enabling him, he had information integral to everyone's life.

She took a deep breath.

—

You: I'm avoiding him, but it won't matter after tomorrow.

Uncle: What do you mean?

You: Just trust me. Tomorrow, no government will have the time to focus on the incident.

—

Evalyn put her phone back into her purse, ignoring the next notification, and looked into the mirror to examine her eyes.

They had sloppy eyeliner, proof that her eyes were puffy when she applied it that morning.

She took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom. When she did, she immediately hid in a panic.

"I heard you're throwing a party Friday. Is it true?" A cute brunette asked a familiar face.

"It seems you heard correctly." Kaze replied with a charming smile, making the group of girls blush.

"He's throwing a party!?" Evalyn cried breathlessly.

"Can we come?" A blonde asked while playing with a lock of hair.

"Of course." He laughed. "Do you think I'd disregard flowers of your caliber?"

The women turned bright red and turned away coquettishly. While they were embarrassed, they enjoyed the attention. They swayed back and forth in their white skirts.

Evalyn froze in disbelief when she noticed their outfits. She was staring at her fellow tennis team members! It was annoying and left her horrendously jealous immediately.

"Where are you holding it?" Another with dark brown hair asked.

"I'm not sure, as I'm uncertain where I can find a location large enough to house such an event." Kaze replied arrogantly, "We'll need a central block with plenty of space."

The women giggled in bewilderment. "You sound quite confident."

"But of course. There are benefits to fame, no matter how disagreeable it may be." He replied with a slight smile.

"All fame is good fame." The blonde giggled, triggering the others to join in.

Evalyn scoffed breathlessly and hid. "No, it's not."

"I'm not sure everyone would agree with that." Kaze chuckled, causing all the women to laugh awkwardly. It wasn't particularly funny, but they were wrapped around his finger.

The cute brunette covered her mouth when she giggled. "By the way, my name is Laura."

"Whitney." The blonde followed with a charming smile.

Lastly, the dark-haired brunette turned away shyly. "Sammy. Also… my block might work."

"Hoh? It would be helpful if you have a suitable location." Kaze said with a bright smile.

"But… I don't want trouble. How big are you thinking?" Sammy asked.

"Big enough to cause substantial trouble." He replied, triggering a round of giggles.

Evalyn scoffed breathlessly behind the wall she was stalking from. "They don't even know."

"However, I have unlimited funds to reimburse any damage and will personally deal with cops and anyone else that comes." Kaze said with a confident smile, "I'll take full responsibility."

"You sound so confident dealing with the cops you're certain will come." Laura giggled in bewilderment.

"Of course." He chuckled, "I'm accustomed to dealing with authority figures. I wouldn't hold a party if I couldn't do something so trivial."

"Do you have an insider with the police?" Sammy asked in confusion.

"No." Kaze chuckled, "But all people are the same. If you make them offers that they cannot refuse, they'll acquiesce."

Evalyn's eyes shot open, and she reflexively shot out from her hiding spot.

"Hoh, Evalyn." Kaze said with a charming smile, "I was wondering if you'd ever join us from behind that wall."

Evalyn froze and blushed, triggering her team members to burst into bewildered giggles.

"Wait. So you too [are] close!" Whitney giggled mockingly.

"No, we're—" Evalyn awkwardly began before being cut off.

"Come now, Evalyn. Anyone that watched the [Scrawn Fu Courts Honor Girl] video knows as much." Kaze chuckled, "There's no reason to hide it when 100 million people know it's true."

The video was filmed after she burst into his classroom to take him to the administration building. He charmed her in the hallway and ran his fingers down her face to heal her eyes.

It was an instant sensation that swept the internet yet again.

Evalyn shut her eyes in embarrassment. "Our relationship aside, that video grossly misinterpreted the situation."

"Just like this one?" Kaze asked while pointing his thumb at the people taking videos.

She sighed in disbelief. Her uncle told her five minutes prior to avoid Kaze; now she'd be plastered on the internet speaking to him!

While her uncle had never seen Kaze in his non-illusionary form, he knew who the man was because his names matched; both Kaze and [Emperor].

"Kaze. We need to talk." Evalyn said in annoyance.

Kaze turned to the others. "Please excuse me. I have a conversation to have."

"W-Wait!" Sammy cried, "I need your number… you know… to help set up the party…."

He gave her a charming smile. "Do you think I'd forget?"

The women watched in bewilderment as he pulled out business cards.

No, they weren't business cards. They were blank cards with one line embossed and lined with gold leaf.

Kaze Lexicon: 888-283-1111

The cards, printed on luxurious 18pt thick paper, were extremely charming and excessively arrogant. The message was that it was an honor to get his phone number.

"When did you get time to make those?" Evalyn asked in disbelief.

Kaze laugh-scoffed in disbelief. "When something is as important as this, people make time."

The women giggled as he handed them cards and waved, indicating he was off.

All three watched Evalyn walk away with him with narrowed gazes. She stole the spotlight, as always, and they were determined to win the strange man.

Everything was captured on video, and they were determined to make the most of it.

Meanwhile, Evalyn led Kaze to a Lamers Park bench facing the lake.

"Is this your way of saying you want me to be serious?" Kaze asked mockingly, staring at the lake he was thrown into over five millennia ago.

Evalyn averted her gaze. She shamelessly did so, knowing he'd understand. Still, she needed him to take things seriously.

"Kaze, are you reaching out to my teammates to ensure I go to this party of yours?" She asked in a serious voice.

"Of course. I'm not sure who they are, so I'm inviting everyone." He replied charmingly, "I'll be teaching everyone the technique. Don't you want them to be part of the faction?"

Her eyes shot open. "Kaze. You sent me off last night to think through things. Now you're making decisions for my life? That's manipulative."

Kaze scoffed in bewilderment. "And you're stalking me in a hallway you had no reason to walk down today. But you don't see me calling you a stalker."

Evalyn sent the sky a wry smile. "Kaze, do you want me to love you or not?"

"Of course, I want that." He laughed breathlessly.

"Then kiss me." She replied while turning to him.

He gave her a mocking smile. "So what? You have a reason to throw a fit later?"

Evalyn scoffed aggressively. "Well, that was rude. It's not like I'm offering myself to you two days after you murdered thirty people in self-defense or anything."

Kaze scoffed and shook his head. "You're throwing a jealous fit that I was talking to your teammates."

She pursed her lips and glided her eyes away. "Just kiss me, asshole."

"You'll regret it." He replied, "I'm a sex cultivator, Evalyn. I will not change my ways after four and a half millennia. I don't have time to deal with emotional conflicts at this critical time."

Evalyn's eyes glided to the left as she noted that number for the future.

"Kaze. I just… I want to experience this before the world goes to hell." She whispered.

Kaze turned to her with a conflicted gaze and then clapped, standing up. "Okay, we're off."

"You won't kiss me in public, but you'll take me home?" She giggled with a malicious smile.

His eyes widened, and then he turned his head, rolling his eyes.

"Taking you home?" He asked sarcastically, "Woman, if I could be swayed and give into your desires so easily, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Her eyes widened, and then they relaxed into a dead expression. "Then where are we going?"

"To learn the Frosted Blades technique." Kaze replied with a slight smile, "You've been busy helping me, so you haven't practiced it."

Evalyn's expression went blank as she considered it.

"Now come," He chuckled, "We'll be able to go out into the forest. If you practiced it with your cultivation, you could destroy this area."