He recalled feeling something amiss about the boys’ behaviors, but he was too preupied with Nelly’s matter, so he did not dwell much on them.


    Now that he thought about it, it was not strange for them to follow him here. Nevertheless, to make sure he would not wrongfully use them, Alpha Kilian called Alpha king Larry. “Grandpa.”


    “Oh? Did you just remember you have a grandpa?” Alpha king Larry sarcastically said the moment he picked up the phone.


    “I’ve been busy, Grandpa.”


    “Yes, yes. You’re so busy, and I’m so free,” Alpha king Larry continued.


    Alpha Kilian pursed his lips at that. Knowing that Alpha king Larry’s words were born out of anger, he changed the topic and asked, “How are you feeling?”


    “Great, since you’re not here to make me mad!” Alpha Kilian was rendered speechless.


    Alpha king Larry knew when to stop with the sarcasm, so he stated, “Go on. Why did you call me?”


    “Nothing. I just wanted to ask how you’re doing.”


    “Are the pigs flying now? I’m surprised you’re actually concerned about my health!”


    Alpha Kilian was used to his grandfather’s tone, so he ignored it and went straight to the topic. “By the way, where are the kids? Have they been good at home?” he asked.


    Alpha king Larry gloomily muttered, “Donna went to join the film crew, and the boys followed Thalia out to have fun. They haven’t been back for days. Once Nelly’s away on a business trip, you’ve all run away, too. You left me and Alpha Wade -two lonely elderly men-at home.” Just then, someone else chimed in, “It seems like a woman is really needed at home, or else no one can keep a rein on you all.”


    Alpha Kilian furrowed his brows upon hearing the other voiceing from the other end of the line. “Are you ying chess with Old Alpha Jackson?”


    “Yes…” Alpha king Larry muttered distractedly. Then, he grumbled, “Alpha Wade, can’t you do a normal move!” “It’s none of your business!”


    “Fine. In that case, you can’t me me for resorting to tricks. I’ll move here!”


    Hearing the busy voices, Alpha Kilian remarked, “Continue with your chess match with Old Alpha Jackson, then. I have something else to do now, so I’ll call you another time.”


    “Bye,” Alpha king Larry uttered.


    Once the call ended, Alpha Kilian furrowed his brows again.


    The two boys had asked if they could tag along when he departed the other day. Now, it seemed like his answer was irrelevant-regardless of whether he said yes or no, the boys were going toe.


    At the end of the day, he was to me for underestimating them.


    Right. They can even join Darz. These things are nothing inparison.


    At that, Alpha Kilian’s gaze darkened. Since they’re lying to me, I guess I’ll have to deal with the problem from its roots.


    After keeping his phone, Alpha Kilian turned and walked back.


    Dave nced at him and asked, “What’s the matter? Did something happen?”


    Alpha Kilian mulled over it for a while before answering, “How’s your rtionship with Darz recently?”


    “Darz?” Dave snorted when he heard that name. “What else? Everything’s fine if we don’t encounter each other, but if we do, we end up fighting.”


    Alpha Kilian remained calm, for he had expected that answer from Dave.


    Nevertheless, he still could not help but feel a little worried when he thought about Tony’s rtionship with Darz.


    I wonder what Darz will do when they find out about Tony’s rtionship with me.


    Upon hearing silence from Alpha Kilian, Dave narrowed his eyes. “What’s the matter? Why are you suddenly asking about this?”


    “Nothing. I’m just asking,” Alpha Kilian replied.


    “Just asking?” Dave studied him. “Are you someone who will just ask random questions? There must be a reason for this. God knows what you’re up to this time,” Dave teased. He knew Alpha Kilian quite well, after all.


    Alpha Kilian only gave him a smile in response.


    Dave did not insist on an answer, either. They were adults, and adults knew when to not push their luck. If Alpha Kilian was not going to say anything, then Dave was not going to keep asking.


    Right then, Miguel muttered, “I’ve filtered through the surveince footage along the road, but I lost track after reaching this junction.”


    Hearing him, Alpha Kilian walked over.


    “Alpha Morris, is the person you’re looking for aputer expert? Or could it be that they have aputer expert helping them out?” Miguel abruptly asked.


    Alpha Kilian froze for a moment before asking in deliberate nonchnce, “Why would you say that?”


    “To ess the footage, I needed to connect to these centralworks, but it seems that the other person did this with ease.”


    Dave whipped his head over to look at Alpha Kilian. “She’s only a normal programmer.”


    “Then…”


    Right then, Alpha Kilian pointed at the upper part of theputer screen. “Are you talking about this?”


    Miguel’s attention was instantly distracted as he nced at the screen and nodded. “Yes. There are several seconds of gaps in each footage, but there isn’t a gap at this junction. I tried to filter through these two sides, but coincidentally, the surveince cameras are undergoing an upgrade, so they’ve been temporarily switched off. I won’t be able to follow this lead.”


    “That coincidental?” Alpha Kilian wondered out loud.


    “I heard that the area was getting an upgrade, so this shouldn’t be intentional,” Miguel replied.


    Alpha Kilian observed the unfolding events with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. His lupine senses heightened as he watched Miguel grapple with the consequences of his actions, his face contorted in frustration. The alpha’s piercing gaze bore into Miguel, eager for an exnation.


    Miguel hesitated, his words caught in his throat. The weight of his failure hung heavy in the air, and Alpha Kilian’s raised eyebrow only deepened his difort. Yet, the truth could not be denied. With great effort, he managed to nod, confirming his defeat. A taunting revtion emerged-his adversary had not only discovered his vignce but also their mutual whereabouts.


    Alpha Kilian’s skeptical tone invited further exnation. Miguel’s brows knitted together, a clear indication of his humiliation under the alpha’s intense scrutiny. He faltered, fumbling for words that would adequately express his thoughts. Eventually, he spoke, stumbling over each syble. “In this world, few possess the prowess I have in this realm. Only Shadow Seeker and Anonymous stand above me, though thetter two have kept their distance since the Hacker Community’spetition rankings were published. So, rest assured, I hold fifth ce.”


    The alpha’s eyebrow arched higher, skepticism etched across his face. “Fifth ce, you say? Can you be certain?”


    Miguel’s agitation grew in response to Alpha Kilian’s dubiousness. “Undoubtedly. At least, that’s what the Hacker Community’s rankings state,” he replied.


    Alpha Kilian’s gaze pried deeper into Miguel’s anxious demeanor. “And what if we disregard those rankings?”


    Miguel hesitated, unsure how to respond. After careful contemtion, he finally managed to utter, “If we remove the rankings, it bes difficult to ascertain. The Hacker Community acts as a hub for hackers topete and showcase their skills. Without it, who could truly determine who reigns supreme?”


    Gloom settled over Miguel’s features as he cast his eyes upon theputer screen. “Why do I keep encountering these experts? It’s rather peculiar,” he mused aloud.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Engaging in conversation with his opponent, Miguel typed a question on the keyboard, his fingers tapping away in anticipation. “May I have the honor of knowing your name?”


    A brief period of silence passed before a response materialized on the screen. “I am nameless.”


    Miguel inquired further, puzzled by theck of recognition. “Nameless? Why have I never heard of you before? Did you not participate in the Hacker Community’spetition?”


    The screen flickered with the enigmatic reply, causing Miguel’s eyes to widen. “Miguel, it seems you are not as intelligent as I presumed.”


    Anxiety gripped Miguel as he hastily typed a response. “You know who I am? How is that even possible?”


    The other person’s answer resonated with disheartening finality. “Frankly speaking, I fail toprehend how you secured a position in the top five with such limited cognitive capabilities.”


    Speechless, Miguel absorbed the weight of his opponent’s words.


    In that moment, he realized that his adversary possessed skills far superior to his own.


    Yet, the other person harbored no malicious intent, prompting Miguel to defend himself. “I admit that I may not rival your expertise, but you cannot im that Ick intelligence. My IQ is rather exceptional!”


    The person on the other end dismissed his ims with nonchnce. “Sure, sure. Believe what you will.”


    Miguel pressed on, determined to unveil the identity of his mysterious counterpart. “Who are you, truly?” he questioned, his fingers dancing across the keyboard.


    A pause followed before Miguel ventured a guess. “Are you Shadow Seeker?”


    The response shattered his assumptions. “No. I am a fan of Shadow Seeker.”


    Miguel gasped, his fingers propelling him forward. “You’re Anonymous, then?”


    The confirmation left him speechless once more.


    His deduction had been based on others’ conversations and whispers about how Anonymous admired and protected Shadow Seeker, even though thetter held first ce while Anonymous ranked second. The bond they shared surpassed a mere rivalry, and Miguel’s excitement soared at the prospect of conversing with the legendary Anonymous.


    Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Miguel poured his thoughts onto the screen. “I never imagined I would have the chance tomunicate with you. I have long admired your work; I am your fan!”


    Anonymous remained silent for a beat, stunned by this unexpected promation. A thought lingered-were fans so easily obtained?


    Finally, Miguel continued, unable to contain his excitement. “Where are you? Can we meet?”


    A swift rejection crushed his hopes. “Sorry, I can’t.”


    Disappointment washed over Miguel, his desire to connect with Anonymous left unfulfilled. Desperate, he made a final plea. “Can you at least leave your contact details? I want to know you!”


    Anonymous wasted no time in delivering a resolute refusal. “No.”


    epting defeat, Miguel responded with solemn resignation. “Alright…”


    A sense of destion seeped into Miguel’s being as he grappled with Anonymous’ unequivocal rejection. At that very moment, Alpha Kilian caught a glimpse of the conversation, his face riddled with confusion. “How did you know it was Anonymous?”


    Miguel’s voice trembled as he recounted recent encounters and discussions with fellow hackers. “A few days ago, I was speaking with some hacker friends, and one of them had a rare opportunity to converse with Anonymous. During that interaction, someone attempted to incite conflict between Anonymous and Shadow Seeker. However, Anonymous revealed that they were Shadow Seeker’s fan and dered that anyone who wished to challenge Shadow Seeker would need to go through them first. News of this incident spread quickly among the hackermunity, though its authenticity remains unverified. Today, I simply made an educated guess.”


    Alpha Kilian’s furrowed brow deepened as he absorbed this new information.


    Guarding Shadow Seeker? Why had he never heard of this anonymous protector before? The enigma surrounding Anonymous only grew more captivating, and Alpha Kilian’s wolfish instinctspelled him to dig deeper into the secret realms of the hacker world.