Five years ago, the Supreme Commander of the Phantom Division suddenly vanished… after turning into an idiot.
Rumors said someone powerful found him wandering the streets and hid him. Others simply believed he was dead as they couldn't think of anyone powerful enough to hide a man from the roving eyes of the military.
But one thing was certain within the military: dead or alive, he was a disgrace to the Phantom Division.
As a result, his name was erased from the history of Supreme Commanders, and a new person assumed his position shortly after he went missing.
However, as a precaution and to protect the Military's name, a bounty of nine hundred million for anyone who could prove his existence was placed on his life.
And to get this bounty, proof of his body had to be presented.
So when the speeding photograph of him began circulating, several people who wanted the bounty on his head, naturally got excited and set off to hunt him.
Unaware of what was happening, Dante Wynn stood by the hospital's pharmacy, Selene's broken prescription glasses in his hand.
He had been an idiot for five years, but now that he was back to normal, he still remembered everything that happened while he was in that state.
From how Selene Ward found him wandering the streets a few months after he lost his mind… to marrying him and bringing him home.
She kept her word, fulfilling the promise she made to him fifteen years ago.
Glancing at the calendar on the wall, his eyes dimmed.
Right.
She did say she would take her own life if, by the time she turned twenty-seven, her life still held no meaning.
"What do you need my assistance with, sir?"
Hearing the attendant, he straightened up and stepped up to the counter with the broken glasses.
"I want new glasses."
"Take this to the ophthalmology department," the man mumbled, sealing the glasses in a transparent polythene bag.
Dante took it and headed to the front desk to ask for directions to the ophthalmology department.
After handing it in, he was given a number and told to return later.
So, he went back to Selene's room, watching her from outside the door.
Thankfully, the knife missed her vital organs and wasn't deep enough to harm her badly.
As he stood watching her, memories of their life at the Ward mansion flashed through his mind.
It was one thing to hate and treat him however they wanted, but the things her own family did to her…
Stepping outside, he sucked in a deep breath and walked over to use the phone booth.
He called several numbers, but the same message echoed each time before the call dropped.
Furrowing his brows in surprise, he tried each and every one of them again, but got the same message.
Clenching his jaw, he stared into nothing in bewilderment.
All of them… out of service?
"You're in your most vulnerable state. You have to make good use of it when you apologize to your grandfather. Maybe when he sees how much pain you're in, he'll remember you're still his granddaughter!"
"Ma'am, please, she's still very fragile and can't leave yet, so…"
"Shut up! I'm her father, and I already paid the hospital bills. This has nothing to do with your hospital anymore! Try to stop us again, and you'll hear from our lawyer!"
Stepping out of the booth after an unsuccessful attempt to reach members of the Phantom Division, Dante heard two familiar voices and turned to see a middle-aged couple rushing out with someone on a stretcher.
He had lived with these two uncouth, selfish people for five years not to recognize them from a distance.
He tried to rush toward them when something suddenly whipped through the air and hooked around his throat.
In the split-second it took to tighten, his eyes caught sight of three men blending nicely with the darkness around.
Considering how he hadn't even noticed their presence until now, were they…
He was cut off mid-thought as the rope was abruptly yanked roughly, sending him flying backward.
Without wasting time, the men grabbed him and darted out of the hospital, racing through the night until they reached a rooftop where they threw him down.
Two stood guard over him while the third pulled out his phone to make a call and placed it on speaker.
"Boss, are you sure we've got the right man?"
"You have him already?" The receiver's voice came through almost immediately, surprise etched into it.
The mercenary turned his back to the group, sucking his teeth.
"I don't think this is the Supreme Commander. He didn't even notice us until it was too late… and he didn't struggle the whole time we brought him here."
The other end of the line went silent for a moment before a low laugh echoed through the speaker.
"Really? Not that I expected much from a disgraced Supreme Commander… but I at least thought he'd put up a bit of a fight. Anyway, don't take your eyes off him. I'll be there soon with your bonus."
The mercenary grinned happily, parting his lips to retort but paused at the strange sounds heard something behind him.
It sounded like twigs snapping, so he brushed it off at first…
But the next moment, it hit him.
They were on a rooftop with no trees nearby. Twigs couldn't possibly be snapping if they wasn't a tree nearby….
"Boy, do you hear me? You worked hard and found him so soon, so you'll be getting a fat check." The man on the other end was too excited about the news to care about the mercenary's silence.
Carefully tilting his head, the mercenary's free hand shifted to the holster on his waist at the new sight behind him.
The man, whom he was so sure was unconscious just a moment ago… was now standing upright, his colleagues now sprawled on the rooftop, unconscious.