Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening-Chapter 44: Foolishness (1)

Since meeting with the knight commander, Jess had begun her own investigation.

As an adventurer, she was aware of the underworld but had never involved herself in it—she had no reason to.

However, with recent events, she couldn’t ignore it anymore. Still, Jess was careful not to draw attention to herself or provoke the organization Jetro belonged to.

To avoid suspicion, she refrained from using his name outright.

Instead, she hired a third party familiar with the shadows of society to gather the information she needed.

In a world like this, finding an organization contracted for shady dealings wasn’t difficult.

Jess’s hunch proved correct. Her agent uncovered the information she was after, including Jetro’s alias: Lux.

"So, a restaurant is their front," Jess muttered to herself. "But if I walk in there now, they’ll see through me in an instant."

She wasn’t concerned with what this group did to others—justice wasn’t her cause.

They had come after her and her party, and that was all that mattered.

Whoever ordered the hit would pay for it, and Jetro was the key to finding them. Once she had what she needed, she would make sure he didn’t get away.

....

A few days after obtaining the information she needed, Jess found herself observing the restaurant under the cover of evening.

Dressed in her usual adventurer’s outfit and a hooded cloak—common attire in the area—she blended in seamlessly with her surroundings.

From her vantage point, she kept watch. Part of the intel she had gathered revealed a less conspicuous path used by members of the organization to avoid public attention.

They often took this route at night, disguised as workers heading home after their shifts.

As the evening deepened into night, Jess’s patience paid off. She spotted her target leaving the restaurant, cloaked and seemingly alone.

"He’s alone," Jess noted, her gaze scanning the surroundings for any signs of backup. Seeing none, she followed, moving casually to appear like a passerby.

Her pursuit led her through the winding streets of the city, and she quickly realized the man’s route was taking him out of the city.

But just as Jess thought she had the upper hand, the man suddenly bolted, darting through the streets with practiced precision.

"Damn it! He knows," Jess hissed under her breath, abandoning stealth as she broke into a sprint. "I should’ve known it wouldn’t be this easy!"

She chased him relentlessly, fully aware this could be a trap. But Jess wasn’t about to let him escape—she had a trump card up her sleeve if it came to a confrontation.

The chase led them beyond the city walls and into the woods, where storage facilities used by local farmers dotted the landscape.

The man ran with purpose, leading her to a fenced compound surrounding one of these facilities.

Finally, he stopped in front of the main building. He turned slowly to face Jess, his posture calm yet menacing.

Jess paused just outside the fenced area, her instincts on high alert. She scanned the surroundings, searching for signs of an ambush.

The darkness of the night, broken only by a faint, pale moonlight, offered little reassurance. When she sensed no one else nearby, she turned her full attention to the man.

The man pulled back his hood, finally revealing his face—it was exactly who Jess had been hunting.

"You’ve been busy, cat," Jetro said with a mocking grin. "Did you really think we wouldn’t notice your little agent snooping around?"

His sneer made Jess grit her teeth, anger surging through her. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to pummel him into the ground.

Jetro, unfazed by her expression, continued with a smug tone. "I knew you’d come looking for me, but I didn’t think you’d be this stupid."

The insult hit hard, and Jess nearly lost her composure. But she forced herself to hold back. Something about his words felt calculated, and she knew there was more he wasn’t saying.

"You’re weak, cat," he said, the amusement in his voice cutting deeper than any blade. "You should’ve learned that the first time we fought. If Caleb hadn’t shown up, you wouldn’t even be here right now.

"And yet, here you are, chasing after me on your own." He smirked, his words striking their mark. "Unfortunately for you, your precious man isn’t coming to save you this time."

Jetro laughed, a cold and grating sound that made Jess’s fists clench tighter.

"Enough!" she growled, her voice sharp and filled with rage, cutting off his laughter.

"You’re going to tell me who ordered the hit, and you’re not leaving here until you do."

Jetro shook his head, his amusement turning into something darker. "You don’t get it, do you, cat? You should’ve stayed away. If you had, no harm would’ve come to you." freewebnøvel.com

He took a step closer, his tone shifting to something more menacing. "But instead, you decided to come after me. You’re making this personal, woman..."

His eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice low and threatening. "...and when it gets personal, I respond however I see fit."

Jess quickly dropped into a fighting stance, her center of gravity low and balanced.

The air between them grew heavy with tension, and her instincts screamed that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary fight.

Suddenly, Jetro’s figure flickered and vanished from sight, only to reappear directly in front of her in an instant.

Though the distance he covered wasn’t vast, it was enough for Jess to catch the speed at which he moved.

BOOOOM!

Jess leapt back just as Jetro’s magic-fueled fist crashed into the ground, leaving a crater in its wake.

The magic amplifying his physical strength and defense made him a deadly opponent—one wrong move could mean instant death.

She didn’t waste the opening his attack created. With a quick motion, she summoned her dual daggers in a reverse grip from her storage artifact and lunged forward.

The odds weren’t in her favor, but Jess wasn’t fighting to win outright—she was searching for an opening to unleash her true plan.

Jetro’s sharp eyes caught the gleam of her blades as they sliced toward him. He leaned back smoothly and stepped out of reach, his movements as effortless as they were precise.

"It’s going to take more than that, cat!" he sneered, dodging another swipe with ease.

Jess didn’t respond, her focus entirely on closing the gap. She pressed forward, her strikes faster and more unpredictable.

But Jetro had seen enough. Deciding to put her in her place, he waited for her next move. When her daggers missed again, he seized the opportunity, using her momentum against her.

A powerful jab slammed into her stomach, driving the air from her lungs. Jess stumbled back, but Jetro wasn’t finished.

He followed up with a brutal combo—a strike to her face, then a crushing blow to the side of her head.

Each hit landed with the force of a battering ram, leaving her bloodied and disoriented.

"Ugh!" Jess gasped, pain radiating through her body.

With a final, savage kick to her stomach, Jetro sent her skidding across the ground, the impact leaving her coughing and struggling to get up.

"Pathetic!" he spat, glaring down at her as she lay on the ground.