Chapter 42: Whispers in the Dark

The streets outside Ethan's apartment were quiet, but the silence felt unnatural. After the interview, everything seemed to be falling into place, but deep down, he knew it was too calm before the storm. The Council had been struck, but they weren't going to retreat without striking back hard.

Ethan sat at his desk, staring at his phone. The anonymous message from earlier still lingered in his mind. No one had followed up, and that worried him more than any direct attack. The Council was biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to tear him apart. And now, his entire career—no, his very existence—was hanging by a thread.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Not a message this time, but a call from someone he didn't expect: *Sophia*. His heart skipped a beat.

Sophia was one of the few people from his previous life who still had any sort of presence in his new one. She had been his friend, his confidante, and at one point, even something more—before life and the chaos of fame tore them apart.

"Hey," he said, trying to keep his voice steady as he answered.

"Ethan," Sophia's voice was soft but urgent. "I just saw the interview. You're playing with fire. Do you realize what you're up against?"

Ethan leaned back in his chair. "I know exactly what I'm up against. I'm not backing down."

"Look, I get it," Sophia said, her voice filled with concern. "But The Council isn't just some shady organization. They have power—real power. They could destroy you in ways you haven't even imagined yet."

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don't have a choice, Sophia. This is bigger than me. If I don't expose them, they'll keep controlling everything—everyone. I won't let them."

There was a pause on the other end, and Ethan could almost hear her biting her lip. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again, Ethan. You're... different now. Stronger. But they don't play fair. You know that."

Ethan's chest tightened. She was right, of course. The Council had already tried to destroy him before, and they'd almost succeeded. But this time, he had something they didn't—a system guiding him, pushing him forward with every task. He had power too, and it was growing.

"I appreciate the concern," Ethan said softly. "But I have to do this. For me, for everyone trapped under their thumb."

Sophia didn't reply for a moment, and Ethan could feel the weight of the unspoken words between them. She was scared for him. Maybe, in some small way, she still cared about him, despite everything that had happened.

"Okay," she finally said, her voice a whisper. "But promise me something?"

"What?"

"Don't let them change you, Ethan. No matter how bad it gets, don't become like them."

He smiled, though it was bittersweet. "I won't. I promise."

They said their goodbyes, and Ethan hung up, staring at the screen for a long moment before setting the phone down. Sophia's words echoed in his mind, but the system's voice soon cut through the fog of doubt.

---

**[Ding!]** 

*New Task: Find the Mole* 

- **Objective:** Identify the traitor leaking information to The Council from your inner circle. 

- **Reward:** 70,000 System Points + *Trust Mastery* (Enhance your ability to determine who is truly loyal to you). 

- **Hint:** Someone close to you has been feeding The Council information. They must be stopped before they ruin your plan.

---

Ethan froze. A mole? The very thought sent a chill down his spine. He quickly scanned the people closest to him: Serena, his team, his few remaining allies in the industry. Could one of them really be working for The Council?

It couldn't be Serena, could it? She had been by his side through everything, guiding him, strategizing. But the system's tasks had never been wrong before. Someone was feeding The Council insider information—and they had to be stopped.

But who?

---

The next day, Ethan met with Serena at their usual café, a small, inconspicuous place away from the prying eyes of the media. As she sipped her coffee, she seemed calm, composed, as always. But Ethan couldn't shake the gnawing suspicion that lingered in his gut.

"You did well in the interview," Serena said, smiling faintly. "The public's on your side. For now."

"For now," Ethan echoed, his voice slightly flat.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?"

He hesitated. The system had told him to find the mole, but accusing Serena outright would be dangerous. If she wasn't the one, he'd alienate his closest ally. If she was, he had to tread carefully.

"Just... thinking about the next steps," Ethan said, forcing a casual tone. "The Council's going to hit back harder. We need to be ready."

Serena nodded, her expression unreadable. "They will. But we've anticipated this. You're prepared."

Ethan watched her closely, searching for any sign of deception, but her face gave nothing away. She had always been a master of controlling her emotions, a strategist to the core. Was it possible she was hiding something from him?

But if not her, then who?

---

Later that evening, as Ethan sat in his apartment, his mind raced. The mole could be anyone—someone close, someone trusted. But the system had never led him astray before. He needed a plan.

His phone buzzed again. Another anonymous message, but this time, it was an audio file. With a knot of dread in his stomach, Ethan pressed play.

A familiar voice filled the room. **"Ethan doesn't have a clue. He's playing right into The Council's hands."**

It was unmistakable—Serena's voice.

Ethan's blood ran cold. It couldn't be. Serena had been with him through everything. She had fought by his side. But the evidence was damning. She was the mole, the one feeding The Council information all along.

Betrayal cut deeper than he could have imagined.

---

**[Ding!]** 

*Task Completed: Find the Mole* 

- **Status: Completed** 

- **Reward Unlocked: Trust Mastery + 70,000 System Points.**

---

The notification felt hollow. Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as the weight of Serena's betrayal settled over him. He had trusted her with everything, and now, she was working against him.

But why?

As Ethan's mind raced, the system delivered another task, its cold, emotionless tone piercing the silence of the room.

---

**[Ding!]** 

*New Task: Confront Serena* 

- **Objective:** Expose Serena's betrayal and confront her about her alliance with The Council. 

- **Reward:** 100,000 System Points + Special Skill: *Deception Mastery* (Enhance your ability to see through lies and manipulation). 

- **Consequence:** Failure to confront Serena will result in irreversible damage to your career and reputation.

---

Ethan clenched his fists. The time for subtlety was over. If he was going to survive, he had to confront Serena and put an end to this betrayal once and for all.