The strongest woman alive

"Director Murong..."

Ethan couldn't hide his surprise. She was only two years older than him.

At 21, that made her just 23. That felt way too young. He had serious doubts about whether someone her age could lead an organization as important as the Apocalypse Management Bureau.

"How do you find the accommodations, Mr. Ethan?"

Director Murong's question caught him off guard. Ethan glanced around the large villa, the spotless cleaning staff, and even the gaming room with poker tables. It was luxurious.

"Not bad. Why?" He kept his tone neutral.

"Since you find it acceptable..." A spark appeared in her eyes as she spoke, her voice calm. "You'll stay here for the next few days. When the next dungeon begins, I'll make sure you're safe. Rest assured, I will protect you."

Ethan: "..."

He understood. She was keeping him here.

"So you're saying I shouldn't leave?" His voice turned cold as he studied her expression.

"You're free to go, Mr. Ethan. But I urge you to think about the bigger picture. Your survival alone is a major contribution to humanity."

Ethan almost laughed. What a master manipulator.

"And if I refuse?"

He met her gaze—those cold, striking features; they could drive men mad—and matched her intensity. Staying here felt like a gilded cage.

He got her logic.

His Eyes of the Doomed made him a national treasure. How do you protect a treasure? You lock it away. Keep him safe, keep him controlled. Only when the next Apocalypse struck would she "graciously" step in to protect him.

"If you leave, no one can guarantee your safety." Her expression didn't change. "And I won't be able to protect you either."

Ethan's eyes drifted down.

Her face might have looked mature, but her height? Those five-centimeter platform heels did most of the work. Without them, would she even reach 160cm?

Director Murong's toes curled slightly before her icy demeanor cracked—just for a moment—into something flustered.

"If you insist on leaving," she snapped, stepping back, "your security clearance will drop immediately. And when the next Apocalypse hits? Don't expect my help."

With that, she stormed off, her heels click-clacking loudly against the marble.

"Director, wait!"

Lai Wenzhi hurried after her, his panicked voice fading down the hall. "Mr. Ethan's clearance is top-tier! You can't just—"

Silence.

Ethan blinked. That escalated quickly.

If he wasn't wrong, she hadn't been angry about his defiance.

No. What bothered her was his noticing her height-enhancing shoes.

Lai Wenzhi returned minutes later, slightly winded. "Mr. Ethan, the Director is... stressed. But don't worry—we won't restrict your movements. You're free to go anywhere, though we highly recommend bringing bodyguards. And during the next Apocalypse? Stick close to her."

He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Director Murong is the only SSS-grade Combat-class player in the Bureau. She's a genius—manages the entire organization perfectly. If even she can't survive a dungeon, no one can protect you."

Ethan's eyebrows shot up. SSS-grade Combat skill? That made her the strongest player on the planet.

The strongest woman alive.

But curiosity nagged at him. How strong is "strongest," really? Could she take down that skyscraper-sized horror from his vision?

"Lai Wenzhi, you're saying if she can't clear a dungeon, it's unclearable?"

"Exactly. If she dies, everyone dies."

Ethan smirked. "But Director Lai, don't you know? In Apocalypses, brains beat brawn."

Lai Wenzhi paused.

Well. He just got schooled by a rookie.

"Mr. Ethan, as a Prophecy-class player, you see things we can't. Of course, you think about strategy. Our intel is limited compared to yours."

Ethan clapped him on the shoulder. "Old Lai, you know why you're still Deputy Director?"

Lai Wenzhi: "..."

"Old Lai"?! Could he not sound like a debt collector?

"...Why?" He humored Ethan anyway.

"Because you're too nice." Ethan grinned. "Take notes from Murong. She's got that 'zero cares given' attitude. Sure, she's short, but at least she doesn't take crap from anyone!"

Lai Wenzhi's face lost color.

Sweating bullets around here, buddy. Was this a conversation anyone could safely have? 

BANG!

The door slammed open.

Both men jumped.

Director Murong stood in the doorway, her beauty sharp, her expression icy.

"Mr. Ethan. How fond you are of gossiping behind my back."

When did she come back?!

Ethan's mouth opened—

"You have free rein until the next Apocalypse." She cut him off, her voice filled with venom. "When it begins, I'll come to get you."

The way she stressed "personally" felt more like a threat than a promise.

The door slammed shut.

Silence.

Ethan and Lai Wenzhi stared at each other.

Well. Great.