Chapter 36: MEETING THE 12 ECHELONS

In a quiet area near the cafeteria, a lone figure sat comfortably, his legs propped up on a second chair. His head rested gently against the wall, eyes shut, and his breathing was so slow and calm that it seemed as though he wasn’t breathing at all. The stillness around him exuded a sense of peace, as if he had retreated from the noise and movement of the world around him.

Not far off, another figure—a woman—was approaching, her steps tentative and unsure. Uncertainty was clear in her expression, her brows slightly furrowed as she glanced toward the relaxed man. She hesitated, as if questioning whether this was truly the person she had been searching for. From where she stood, his face wasn’t entirely visible, and his unbothered posture did little to confirm her suspicions.