Chapter 1080 Zhane Taking Action
If Dave’s political enemies managed to seize control in his absence, reclaiming that authority later, even after his return, would become exceedingly difficult. That was precisely why Rafael had to suppress any news of Dave’s abduction for the time being.
Allowing such information to reach the media would not only incite public unrest but also expose the nation’s security as fragile and unreliable.
While Rafael handled matters on his end and Zhane assisted Luke, Hera quietly observed the three of them, her mind racing.
She tried to recall whether anything like this had ever occurred in the novel Athena had recounted after transmigrating inside the novel, ’The Thin Line Between Love and Lust’. Yet no matter how hard she searched her memory, she couldn’t remember any of the male leads ever being placed in genuine danger.
There were moments of jealousy, misunderstandings, and minor setbacks, yes, but never a situation this serious.
In the novel, it was almost always the female lead who was put in peril. Those scenes existed to highlight the competence and devotion of the male leads, who would inevitably rush to her rescue with their bodyguards and subordinates, showcasing their strength and reliability to the readers.
But this situation... was completely different from the original storyline.
There had never been a single instance in the novel where any of the male leads were seriously hurt. Because of that, Hera couldn’t understand how Dave could have fallen into such danger in the first place.
But perhaps... this was the butterfly effect.
After all, even if this world had once followed the storyline of the novel, it was now her reality. Every decision, every change she had made could alter the course of events and lead to outcomes completely different from what was originally written. She had already accepted this truth long ago, especially after taking deliberate steps to change her own fate.
Now that the male leads had become her lovers, the story was already diverging far beyond what she and Athena once knew. The plot was no longer unfolding the way it had in ’The Thin Line Between Love and Lust.’
Realizing this, Hera slowly exhaled. Relying on the novel as a reference point was no longer useful. No matter how much she tried to recall its events, it would not provide any clues for what was happening now.
Hera had the sudden urge to pull at her hair in frustration, but she forced herself to stop. Instead, she took a few slow, steady breaths, trying to regain her composure.
In the end, what else could she do but wait for results?
All she could hope for now was that Dave’s male lead halo would play its role and ensure his safety. If the logic of the novel still held any influence at all, then he should not fall so easily.
Yet, without realizing it, Hera had already lost some control over her emotions. With the call still on loudspeaker, the tension in her expression did not go unnoticed.
The three men in the room exchanged subtle glances, silently reaching the same conclusion. They could not leave everything solely to Hera. They, too, could mobilize their families’ power, influence, and networks to discreetly deploy their own people to assist and coordinate with her efforts.
However, Luke remained quiet. His forces had already clashed with the Northern Faction and were intercepted during their retreat, which ultimately led to Dave’s abduction. If he made any obvious moves now, it was highly likely that his enemies might notice since they were likely still monitoring him.
For the time being, he could only stay silent and act cautiously, while Rafael and Zhane began making arrangements on their respective ends.
After tending to Luke, Zhane quietly took out his phone and made a call.
Because his family had long been deeply rooted in the medical field, he possessed connections that extended beyond formal institutions, even reaching into underground clinics that operated without licenses or dealt with black-market cases.
He contacted a few trusted intermediaries who had ties to these facilities and asked them to discreetly check whether any recent patients had been treated there, particularly in large numbers.
These underground clinics were accustomed to treating injuries of any severity, especially those connected to mafia conflicts. After all, members of the underworld were frequently wounded during territorial disputes, skirmishes, or internal conflicts, making such cases a routine occurrence for these establishments.
If patients with gunshot wounds or suspicious injuries were brought to licensed hospitals, the incidents would inevitably be reported to the authorities, complicating matters and exposing their activities.
Because of this, individuals from the underground world had little choice but to seek treatment in unregistered clinics, places that asked fewer questions and prioritized discretion over legality.
After all, during the clash between Luke and Dave’s forces and their enemies, many on the opposing side had likely been injured too, some of them severely. They wouldn’t dare seek treatment in legitimate hospitals, as gunshot wounds and suspicious injuries would immediately attract police attention and trigger investigations. Their most plausible option would be unlicensed or black-market hospitals willing to treat them without asking questions.
If any such influx of patients had been recorded, it might provide a clue connected to Dave’s abduction.
Although Hera could also obtain similar intelligence through Gerald’s network, Zhane’s direct contacts meant the information could be gathered far more quickly and efficiently, and in a situation like this, speed was crucial.
Zhane did not hesitate to reach out.
As a renowned medical prodigy, his name was well known even among doctors and nurses working in underground clinics and black-market hospitals. Many of them respected and even idolized him, so small favors like this were requests they were more than willing to assist with.
Sure enough, it did not take long before one of his contacts sent back a report. A large number of patients had recently been admitted to one of the largest underground clinics in the area.
Although none of them openly revealed their identities, several bore tattoos bearing the insignia of the Northern Faction. The medical staff had noticed the markings but, as expected in such places, asked no questions and maintained strict discretion. Instead, they quietly relayed the information to Zhane through their intermediary.
Upon reading the report, Zhane’s expression hardened. At last, they had a tangible lead.
He rose to his feet without hesitation, already preparing to head out and investigate personally. Waiting idly for further updates would only waste precious time.
"I need to go out for a while," Zhane said, his tone calm but firm.
His face remained stern as he looked at the message on his phone, the seriousness of the situation clearly reflected in his eyes. However, the moment his gaze shifted toward Hera, his expression softened ever so slightly.
"Where are you going?" Hera asked instinctively.
Ever since Dave’s abduction, she had been on edge. The fear that the other male leads might also be placed in danger lingered heavily in her mind. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was some form of retaliation from the world’s consciousness for taking Alice’s female lead halo, and was now redirecting the danger toward the men who were originally meant to revolve around Alice.
Or perhaps it was simply the butterfly effect of all the changes she had made to the storyline.
No matter the reason, the uncertainty unsettled her. The thought of leaving them to act on their own made her uneasy. For a fleeting moment, she even considered gathering all the male leads into one place, her room, just to ensure their safety and ease the tightness in her chest.
So when Zhane suddenly announced that he was going out, her heart jolted, a quiet sense of worry rising almost immediately.
"I have an emergency to attend to at the hospital," Zhane replied, his tone serious and composed.
Hera carefully scrutinized his expression, but she found no trace of hesitation or deceit. In truth, she had no grounds to restrict his movements. After all, he was a doctor. Being suddenly called away for a complicated surgery at any hour was something she had long grown accustomed to.
Without needing further explanation, Hera naturally assumed that the "emergency" he mentioned referred to a critical medical case that required his immediate attention.
That was precisely the impression Zhane intended to give.
In reality, he planned to visit the underground clinic to personally verify the information he had just received before deciding on his next course of action. However, with Dave already abducted and Hera’s nerves stretched to their limit, he did not want to burden her with more worries.
If he revealed his true destination now, she would only overthink and become even more anxious.
So instead, he allowed her to believe that he was heading back for an urgent surgery, something entirely normal for a top surgeon like him, and far less likely to alarm her.
"Oh... okay," Hera replied softly, the tension in her expression easing as she forced a small smile.