Offering Anything

Zane's eyes snapped open. His body tensed as he swiftly stood from the bed.

Who could it be at this hour?

Another soft knock followed, then a familiar voice—smooth, alluring.

"It's me, Zane."

Calista.

His fingers hovered over the door handle for a second before he finally turned it.

The door swung open, revealing her standing in the dimly lit hallway. She had changed into a sleek black dress that hugged her curves in a way that left little to the imagination. The plunging neckline revealed a tantalizing valley between her full breasts, making Zane momentarily lose himself in a trance.

The soft glow from the corridor lights accentuated her flawless skin, while her sharp green eyes shimmered with an unreadable expression.

It's really a honey trap! he thought, his instincts screaming at him to be cautious.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with tension—unspoken words, unspoken intentions.

Then, Calista's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile.

"May I come in?"

Zane hesitated, then stepped aside, allowing her to enter. Before closing the door, he quickly glanced down both ends of the hallway, ensuring no one was watching. Satisfied that they weren't being observed, he shut the door behind him.

He walked back to his bed and sat down, gesturing for her to take a seat. However, instead of sitting beside him, she chose the chair by the table. Crossing one leg over the other, she rested an arm on the table and tilted her head slightly, studying him.

She finally spoke, her voice laced with amusement.

"Looks like we met sooner than you expected." She let out a small, melodic giggle.

Zane remained impassive. "What do you want?" He cut straight to the point.

Her playful demeanor faded. She exhaled softly before speaking in a flat, serious tone.

"I need your help to put Kent and his gang to sleep. If we don't stop them, every single person in Metro City will die."

Zane narrowed his eyes. What the hell is she talking about?

He had gathered bits of information about Kent and Calista Veylen on his way here. The whispers he had heard all pointed to the same thing—Calista was Kent's partner, possibly even his lover. That was why many of the people working in the Metro City ship called her 'Madam' out of respect.

"What's the connection between putting Kent and his gang to sleep and the people of Metro City dying?" Zane asked skeptically. His gaze hardened. "And aren't you his lover? What happens after we 'put them to sleep'? How do I know you're not just using me to take him down for your own reasons?"

Zane fired off his questions one after the other, his tone firm.

Calista remained calm, unfazed by his suspicion. "You're probably wondering how I know about your skill," she said, folding her arms.

"To make you believe me—I have the 'Appraisal Daily Diary' skill. It's at C-grade. Let me see many things."

Zane's expression didn't change, but inwardly, he felt a flicker of surprise.

My guess was right.

She continued, her voice carrying an urgency that hadn't been there before. "Putting Kent and his group to sleep is necessary. If we don't, everyone here will die."

Zane still wasn't convinced. He stared at her, waiting for her to spill the full truth.

Calista hesitated for a moment. A shadow passed over her face.

"If you want my help, you need to earn my trust," Zane pressed.

She exhaled deeply. "Fine. It's related to the dragon."

Zane's brow furrowed. "And?"

"You've probably already heard from the people living here how the number of monster attacks has been increasing, even though this area is supposed to be a safe zone," she continued, gauging his reaction.

Zane nodded. He had noticed that as well.

"The reason for that," she said, her voice lowering slightly, "is because Kent somehow got his hands on a dragon egg."

Zane's body stiffened.

"A dragon egg?"

"Yes," Calista confirmed. "And because of that, the mother dragon has been searching the surrounding territories for her stolen child. Her presence has scared the other monsters, driving them away from their usual hunting grounds and forcing them to move into the safe zone."

"What does Kent plan to do with the egg?" Zane interrupted.

She clenched her jaw. "He intends to use it to increase his strength. But if he succeeds, the mother dragon will sense her child's death... and when that happens, she will annihilate everyone here."

Zane felt a chill creep up his spine.

"Why would she kill everyone here?"

Calista met his gaze. "Because the egg is here. The mother dragon will come for it, and when she does, she won't just take back her child. She'll burn this entire place to the ground in vengeance."

Zane's mind raced. If what she was saying was true, then this entire ship—this entire area—was unknowingly sitting on a time bomb.

Silence filled the room.

Zane clenched his fists. If Kent really had a dragon egg and was planning to use it for power, then this wasn't just some way to become stronger. This was a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Dragons were legendary creatures—kings among monsters. With immeasurable strength, they could reduce entire ships to ashes in an instant, and to them, humans were nothing more than insignificant specks.

But there was still one thing bothering him.

"If this is all true," Zane said slowly, "why haven't you left? You've had the time."

Calista's lips trembled slightly. For the first time since their conversation started, her composure cracked. Her emerald eyes shimmered with something raw—something painful.

"Because he has my brother."

Her voice broke, and before she could stop them, tears spilled down her cheeks, glistening like pearls against the black fabric of her dress.

Zane had heard rumors about Calista Veylen having a younger brother—only ten years old. He had disappeared two days ago inside the Metro City Ship. Kent and his gang had searched the entire ship but failed to find him.

"Why does he have your brother?" Zane asked, his tone sharp.

Calista clenched her fists. "I-It's because of my skill," she admitted, her voice trembling.

"When my brother and I arrived here four days ago, we had to prove our worth to stay. Everyone needed a skill or had to work as a guard outside to protect the Metro City Ship."

She took a shaky breath before continuing. "Because of my skill, I was allowed to work inside. But… I made a mistake."

Her emerald eyes shimmered with pain as she met his gaze. "I accidentally used my skill on Kent."

Zane's expression darkened.

"He realized what I had done," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And to make sure I wouldn't expose his secret or try to run away… he imprisoned my brother in the lower decks of the ship."

Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks like glistening pearls.

"I begged him," she continued, her voice cracking.

"I told him to return the egg or take it back to wherever he stole it from. But he refused. Instead, he grounded me, forbidding me from leaving the ship. And when he returns…" Her hands tightened into fists. "He'll do whatever he wants—starting with destroying the egg."

Zane exhaled sharply as he rose from the bed.

"It's unlucky," he muttered, stretching his limbs lazily before turning his gaze toward Calista.

"You should leave."

Her tear-streaked face lifted, green eyes brimming with disbelief.

"Why?"

She asked, her voice quivering. She stood from the chair, confusion evident in her expression.

Zane smirked, tilting his head slightly. "This is far beyond what I care to handle," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"I have no interest in making an enemy of the so-called Invisible Monster Hunter—or getting involved in a mess that leads straight to a dragon's fury."

He let out a dry chuckle. "That's just asking for death."

"But you said you'd help me if I earned your trust!" Calista's eyes widened in desperation.

"Guess I lied," Zane said coolly, his tone devoid of remorse. He shrugged. "I should leave before the dragon gets here."

Her breath hitched. "What?" she nearly screamed.

"You're just going to let Kent do whatever he wants? Let all these innocent people die?"

Zane raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by her outburst.

"And why should I care? These people mean nothing to me." He crossed his arms, voice utterly devoid of concern.

"Risking my life for strangers? Now that would be stupid."

Calista trembled with rage. "How can you be this heartless? You're no better than Kent—you're both selfish monsters, willing to sacrifice others for your own survival!"

Zane let out a dark chuckle, his brown eyes gleaming with amusement as he leaned closer.

"The difference between me and Kent?" he whispered, his voice dripping with malice.

"He hides the dragon egg beneath this ship, using these people as shields. They'll all die without ever knowing why. I, on the other hand…"

His smirk widened, eyes glinting like a predator's. "I make sure my enemies know exactly why they're dying."

A visible shudder ran down Calista's spine. For the first time, true fear flickered in her emerald eyes.

Zane stood up and opened the door, signaling for her to leave. He had already decided that the first thing he would do in the morning was get out of this damn place.

Calista hugged him from behind, her soft, full breasts pressing firmly against his back through the thin fabric of her black dress.

The warmth of her body seeped into him, her small, delicate hands sliding over his chest, gripping him as if afraid he'd slip away. Her breath, hot and uneven, brushed against his neck, sending a slow, teasing shiver down his spine.

Zane could feel the shape of her, the curves molding against him in a way that left little to the imagination. Her scent—sweet, intoxicating—clouded his thoughts, dragging them into darker, more wicked places.

Her fingers tightened around him, her touch laced with desperation, but there was something else there too. A quiet, subtle allure.

"Help me save my brother," she whispered, her lips so close to his ear that the warmth of her breath sent a delicious tingle down his skin. Then, softer, more inviting, she added, "And you can have anything you want. Just… help me."

Zane's smirk returned, slow and wicked.

"Anything, huh?" he mused, tilting his head slightly, his mind already wandering into sinful possibilities.

He reached down, his fingertips lightly brushing over her hands. Not pushing her away, not pulling her closer—just enough to let her feel the teasing graze of his touch, the silent promise in his hesitation.

"You really are desperate," he murmured, his voice dropping into a low, wicked purr.

Calista swallowed hard, her grip on him tightening, her body pressing just a little more into his.

Zane let out a dark chuckle, his brown eyes gleaming as he finally turned his head, close enough now that their lips were mere inches apart.

"Careful, sweetheart," he whispered, his breath ghosting over her trembling lips.

"Offering everything to a devil like me? You might just lose your soul."