Chapter 301: Can’t believe he was in love!!

Few years back.

After the Paris mission.

Deep inside the forests where the Graveyard base existed like a hidden scar upon the world...

The atmosphere felt colder than usual.

The sky above remained gray.

The sound of metal clashing echoed endlessly from the training grounds where operatives sparred without mercy.

Gunfire occasionally echoed from distant ranges.

Young recruits trained with exhaustion written across their faces while senior operatives watched silently like predators.

And through the middle of all that...

Ghost walked alone.

His black combat boots pressed against the wet stone pathways slowly.

But every single operative nearby unconsciously moved away from his path.

Because something about him felt dangerous today.

Very dangerous.

Not the calm danger they were used to.

Not the controlled Ghost everyone admired and feared.

This felt different.

Like a volcano barely holding itself together.

His face remained expressionless.

But his eyes...

His eyes carried something violent inside them.

Something unstable.

Even the air around him felt heavy.

The operatives training nearby quietly whispered among themselves the moment he passed.

"That is Ghost..."

"I heard he lost control during the mission..."

Another rookie lowered his training knife nervously.

"What exactly happened in Paris...?"

"No idea."

"But Commander summoned him personally."

A senior operative watching from nearby quietly muttered.

"Just imagine what happens when a monster like him loses control..."

Another slowly swallowed.

"He already fights like a demon normally..."

Ghost walked past them without reacting.

It was unclear whether he heard them or not.

But honestly...

No one dared stop him.

His mind was elsewhere.

Far away from the base.

Far away from the forest.

Far away from the present.

Fragments of Paris still remained trapped inside him.

Gunshots.

Blood.

Chloe crying.

Louis trembling.

Gabriel collapsing.

That final look in Chloe’s eyes.

The hatred.

The heartbreak.

The questions.

Every single one of them still echoed inside his head like knives.

And the more he tried burying those memories...

The heavier they became.

Ghost finally reached the Commander’s camp.

The guards outside silently saluted him and stepped aside.

Ghost entered quietly.

Inside the tented command room...

The atmosphere was calm.

Maps spread across tables.

Radios softly buzzed.

A kettle quietly released steam nearby.

The Commander sat calmly behind a desk reviewing documents.

The moment he looked up at Ghost...

His eyes slightly narrowed.

Not in anger.

In concern.

Ghost immediately saluted.

"Commander."

The Commander calmly nodded.

"Have a seat, Ghost."

Ghost quietly sat down.

For a moment neither of them spoke.

The Commander slowly prepared tea himself.

The sound of hot water pouring into cups quietly filled the room.

Then finally...

The Commander spoke.

"You know..."

His voice was calm and steady.

"Back then..."

"When we first brought you here..."

Ghost remained silent.

The Commander lightly smiled at the memory.

"You accidentally walked into the place where our operatives were butchering a wild boar for dinner."

"The blood splashed all over you."

"You were terrified."

Ghost quietly lowered his eyes.

The Commander continued. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"You used to run away from blood."

"Every single time."

"That trauma you suffered inside that ship..."

His voice became quieter.

"It took years for you to recover from it."

Ghost’s fingers slowly tightened slightly.

The Commander looked directly into his eyes now.

"But today..."

"I can see bloodlust in your eyes."

Silence filled the room heavily.

"I know something happened to you in Paris."

"But I do not know what."

"And honestly..."

"I will not ask about your personal matters."

His expression hardened slightly.

"I am not like the old Commander."

Then he sighed deeply.

"But whatever happened there..."

"You need to let it go."

Ghost remained completely still.

But inside...

His heart was chaos.

The Commander’s voice became more serious now.

"You almost denied the President’s order."

"Civilian lives were at stake."

"You created a massacre there Ghost."

"What kind of personal grudge do you have against Aveline...?"

Ghost said nothing.

Not because he did not want to answer.

But because he genuinely did not know how.

How could he explain it?

How could he explain the feeling of watching innocent people suffer while monsters smiled?

How could he explain the hatred burning inside him after seeing her cry?

How could he explain the feeling of losing the right to love someone the moment blood stained his hands again?

The Commander quietly observed him.

Then sighed.

"I do not know what exactly you are going through..."

"But you are in no condition for missions right now."

Ghost immediately raised his head.

"Commander..."

But the Commander interrupted calmly.

"You need to understand something."

His voice carried weight now.

"Too much bloodshed changes people."

"It affects the mind."

"The heart."

"We are not cold blooded killers, Ghost."

His eyes became sharper.

"We kill to protect the right things."

"Bloodlust..."

"Leads people somewhere they can never return from."

Then he slowly walked around the table and stood beside Ghost.

The Commander placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tell me honestly..."

"Who are you fighting for now, son?"

Ghost froze slightly hearing that word.

Son.

Not operative.

Not soldier.

The Commander quietly looked at him.

"Look at yourself."

"Sometimes..."

"I regret what this organization turned you into."

"You were just a child."

Ghost’s eyes slowly trembled slightly.

The Commander continued quietly.

"You are a great fighter."

"You saved countless people."

"Even the President worries about you."

"But right now..."

"You look broken."

For the first time in a very long while...

Ghost finally spoke honestly.

His voice sounded tired.

"I apologize Commander..."

"There are too many things in my head right now."

"I never felt like this before."

His eyes lowered again.

"I feel like..."

"The more I fight..."

"The more I try to avoid this heavy feeling in my chest."

The Commander quietly listened.

Then he sighed deeply.

"Feels like Graveyard finally broke you too."

Silence filled the room again.

Then suddenly...

The Commander picked up a file from the table.

"I arranged something for you."

Ghost looked up slightly.

The Commander handed him the file.

"I am sending you to China."

Ghost blinked once.

"China...?"

The Commander nodded.

"There is someone there you need to meet."

"Spend one month there."

"Calm your mind."

"Let your heart synchronize with your brain again."

Ghost looked confused now.

"A person...?"

The Commander lightly smiled.

"You can consider her a doctor."

"You need rest."

Then he sat back down while sipping his tea calmly.

"She will give you three stars."

Ghost frowned slightly.

"Stars...?"

The Commander chuckled.

"Yes."

"Think of them as achievement trophies."

"You need all three."

"Return with all three stars..."

"And I will allow you back on missions."

Then his expression became serious again.

"Until then..."

"This itself is your mission."

Ghost quietly looked down at the file in his hands.

For the first time in weeks...

His mind paused slightly.

China.

A doctor.

Three stars.

It sounded absurd.

Yet somehow...

The Commander looked completely serious about it.

Present.

Evening.

Pearl Villa.

The lights inside the house had already turned warm and cozy.

Miles slowly walked back inside after finishing another rehabilitation session with Nurse Maya from the Maple Forest.

His recovery was progressing well now.

He could walk normally again.

Though the injuries still remained hidden beneath his clothes.

His ribs still hurt sometimes.

His muscles still felt stiff after long movement.

But compared to before...

He looked far more alive now.

The moment he entered the living room...

He saw Elena and Monica sitting together on the large sofa near the window.

The two women were talking quietly.

But the second they noticed him approaching...

They suddenly became silent.

Miles narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Secret talks?"

Monica immediately answered without hesitation.

"Women’s talk."

Miles blinked.

Then slowly pointed toward himself.

"So..."

"Do I need to go somewhere else?"

"Or am I allowed to sit here?"

Elena immediately smiled warmly.

"You can sit here dear."

"We were only casually talking."

Miles relaxed dramatically.

"Thanks mom."

He carefully sat down beside them while stretching slightly because of the soreness in his shoulders.

The soft evening atmosphere inside the villa felt peaceful.

For a moment nobody spoke.

Then Elena suddenly looked at him curiously.

"I heard you are investing in games now?"

Miles smiled slightly.

"I am investing in game development, mom."

Then he casually added.

"But honestly..."

"I also just want to play the game."

Elena softly laughed hearing that.

Then slowly

Her smile became smaller.

A little nostalgic.

"You know..."

"When you were little..."

"You once asked me to buy you a gaming device."

Miles quietly looked toward her.

Elena’s eyes softened with old memories.

"At that time..."

"I could not afford it."

"So I slowly started saving money."

Her voice became quieter.

"I wanted to give it to you as a birthday gift."

Then sadness slowly touched her face.

"But..."

"I could not fulfill your wish."

The room became quieter after that.

"It became one of my biggest regrets after you disappeared."

Miles immediately looked toward Monica for a second.

Almost checking if Elena was emotionally alright.

Monica remained calm.

That relieved him slightly.

Then Miles suddenly smiled gently.

"My dear mom..."

"I kinda want a game now."

Then he leaned closer playfully.

"Will you buy one for me?"

Elena instantly smiled again.

"Yes."

"I will."

Miles nodded proudly like a child who just won an argument.

Then he immediately looked toward Monica.

"Learn something from mom."

"She was younger than you when she started saving money to buy me games."

"But you..."

"You always laugh at my obsession with these things."

Elena burst into laughter hearing that.

Monica immediately crossed her arms.

"Oh really?"

"Says the person with zero gifting skills."

Miles looked offended instantly.

"My gifting skills are amazing."

Monica stared at him blankly.

"You literally gave me envelopes full of cash as birthday presents."

Elena turned toward Miles slowly.

"What...?"

Monica nodded dramatically.

"Yes aunt."

"He would just hand me money and say..."

"Buy whatever you want."

Then she sighed heavily.

"He never even asked what I liked."

"What kind of present is that?"

Miles defended himself immediately.

"I was busy."

Monica pointed at him accusingly.

Elena laughed so hard she had to hold her forehead.

"What could I even say back then?"

Monica continued dramatically.

"I was only an employee."

Miles narrowed his eyes.

"You still spent the money."

Monica instantly replied.

"Obviously."

"Why would I reject free money?"

Even Elena could not stop laughing now.

The atmosphere inside the living room became surprisingly lively.

Then Miles suddenly paused.

"Wait..."

"Your birthday is in two days right?"

Monica blinked slightly.

"At least you remember the date."

Elena immediately looked excited now.

"Really?"

"Then we should celebrate properly."

Monica quickly shook her head.

"We can just spend time together aunt."

"That is enough for me."

"All these fancy things tire me."

Miles slowly stood up from the sofa.

"Wait."

"I will give you a proper present this time."

Then he pointed confidently toward Monica.

"And after that..."

"You will finally acknowledge my skills."

Monica looked unconvinced immediately.

"We will see."

Miles started walking toward the stairs carefully.

"I am going upstairs."

"I need to change clothes."

Elena watched him leave with soft eyes.

The sound of his slow footsteps echoed lightly upstairs.

Then Elena smiled quietly.

"He seems happier nowadays..."

Monica leaned back comfortably.

"Honestly..."

"I think the painkillers are affecting him."

Elena laughed softly again.

Then suddenly...

Her expression became thoughtful.

Gentler.

Almost emotional.

"Still..."

"I cannot believe..."

"He was in love once."