In the quiet shooting range, where the only sounds came from the mechanical movement of the automatic targets, Rian stood behind Ashley.
His large hands gently guided her smaller ones, helping her aim and fire the gun toward the target.
They had gone through quite a few bullets that night. Yet even with Rian's guidance, Ashley's shots kept missing the bullseye.
The weapon's recoil was still unfamiliar to her, and her focus… wasn't exactly at its best.
The night went on with light conversation during breaks, reloading magazines, and a few more attempts that ended in either complete misses or near hits.
By midnight, Ashley finally managed to hit the red center—just once. Rian clapped softly.
"Impressive. You've officially leveled up to Ashley version 2.0," he said teasingly.
Ashley lowered her head, smiling shyly without daring to look directly at him. "Don't praise me like that."
"All right, My Princess," Rian replied lightly.
As the night grew later, Rian decided to take Ashley back to the White House — in the same way their evening had begun.
Without many words, he once again lifted her into a princess carry and dashed through the darkness at incredible speed, taking routes where few people passed by.
The truth was, this carrying style wasn't purely for the sake of efficiency.
Sure, it was faster… but there was another reason — a rather simple one: Rian hadn't learned how to drive yet.
Yes, it was really that simple.
Still, Rian chose not to mention it.
After all, as long as he could look cool and make the most of the situation, why not? Consider it a moment of seizing opportunity in true handsome-man fashion.
He would, of course, learn to drive someday.
But for now, let this remain his little secret… and perhaps, a sweet memory for the girl in his arms.
The return trip to Ashley's room at the White House went just like before — leaping from one rooftop to another.
Upon reaching the White House grounds, Rian moved with effortless agility, slipping past tall fences, security cameras, and patrolling guards as if the night itself were his private stage for a silent performance.
Before long, they arrived at the balcony that connected directly to Ashley's private room — spacious, elegant, and gently lit by the soft sway of curtains in the night breeze.
"Come in, don't just stand out there on the balcony," Ashley said as she stepped inside and turned to face him.
"All right," Rian replied, walking in and glancing around the room.
Even though the lights were off, his Six Eyes allowed him to see perfectly. He noticed something immediately — the two boxes of martabak that Ashley had set on the table by the window earlier were now gone.
A mischievous smile spread across his face.
"Hm… but," Rian said, folding his arms and fixing his gaze on Ashley, who now stood near the bed, "isn't it a little dangerous to let a handsome man into a lady's bedroom this late at night?"
Ashley quickly turned toward him, her eyes sharp — though there was a flicker of curiosity behind them.
Rian smiled teasingly, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Aren't you afraid… that this handsome man might suddenly do something inappropriate?"
Ashley pursed her lips and turned slightly to the side, crossing her arms over her chest.
"If you keep teasing me like that… I might just report you to my father," she said, her tone firm — though the sparkle in her clear eyes betrayed the smile she was trying to hide.
Rian chuckled softly, still wearing that calm, confident expression. "Go ahead. But don't blame your father if he ends up laughing and tells me to take his daughter out more often."
Ashley let out a quiet huff — half embarrassed, half amused.
But before leaving, Rian stepped closer to her and reached into the inner pocket of his shirt. From it, he pulled out a small vial filled with a bright blue liquid, complete with a syringe.
"Ah, almost forgot," he said quietly, showing her the vial. "This is an immunity vaccine serum. It's designed to protect your body from all kinds of biological viruses."
Ashley looked at it with growing curiosity.
"Besides granting immunity," Rian continued, "it also slightly enhances your physical strength, speed, and natural regeneration. The effects are permanent — but don't worry, it won't turn you into a monster."
Rian looked at Ashley for a moment and gave a small smile. "This handsome man used it too. Or rather… this particular serum was made from my own DNA, so it's more stable."
Of course, what Rian had just said was only half the truth — or rather, a neatly packaged lie.
Still, in his mind, it sounded far more convincing than explaining what was actually inside.
It was true that the serum used his DNA as a primary component.
However, behind that bright blue liquid lay a far more complex and dangerous secret — a fusion of the G-Virus, T-Virus, and Rian's own DNA acting as the biological stabilizer.
This wasn't just some ordinary vaccine. It was a purified biological weapon, synthesized with extreme precision two days earlier using the advanced technology of Eden Lab.
In other words, Rian had asked Alice, the AI overseer of Eden, to synthesize and stabilize the serum's composition so it could be safely used by humans — without causing wild mutations.
Ashley's eyes widened slightly, caught somewhere between awe and confusion. But before she could ask anything, Rian spoke again.
"Ashley, do you know how crazy this world really is? There are so many B.O.W.s and insane experiments out there."
"So… you want me to use this vaccine serum?" Ashley asked softly, taking the small vial from Rian's hand.
Her eyes lingered on the glowing blue liquid, shimmering faintly in the darkness of her room.
"Exactly," Rian replied with his usual warm and reassuring smile. "But this handsome man doesn't force anyone. The choice is entirely yours."
Ashley lowered her gaze slightly, her expression serious as she thought deeply about the possibilities ahead.
After everything that had happened, she knew the world wasn't always safe—and if something like that ever happened again, she didn't want to be just a burden.
Meanwhile, behind his dark sunglasses, Rian's bright blue eyes glowed faintly as he activated the Item Appraisal function from his System, rechecking the full description of the serum now in Ashley's hands.
_____________________
S-Virus
Type: Consumable Item
Description:
The Seraph Virus is an experimental serum that grants total immunity to all known viruses and harmful parasites. It also enhances physical strength, endurance, speed, and natural regeneration capabilities.
Note: Minor side effects have been observed in female users. There is a 2% chance of pregnancy due to biological interaction with the serum's DNA composition.
_____________________
'Pregnancy? Heh… only two percent. That's hardly a big deal,' Rian scoffed inwardly. Besides… even if Ashley happens to be unlucky, there's no way she'd actually experience such a minor side effect.
He closed his eyes briefly, murmuring to himself in thought, "And even though this handsome man is fond of her and treats her this way… the truth is, I never intended to pursue anything romantic."
In other words, Rian's intentions were clear—he didn't seek love. He simply wanted to protect her, to do what he believed was right, and to fulfill the role he had chosen for himself.
Moments later, determination flickered in Ashley's eyes. She tightened her grip on the vial, and without a word, pressed the needle to her arm and injected the serum.
Ashley winced slightly, her brow furrowing as she braced herself for the sting—but it never came.
As the blue liquid flowed through her veins, there was no pain at all. In fact, it was almost… gentle.
Watching her decision in silence, Rian smiled faintly. Quietly, he gave a small, approving nod.
The next moment, the serum's effects began to take hold. Faint blue veins appeared along Ashley's arm, spreading across her body—followed by a gentle warmth radiating from within.
Then, a thin mist of glowing blue vapor began to rise from her skin, wrapping around her like a soft, ethereal fog.
Startled, Ashley tried to speak, but her consciousness quickly began to fade. Her body weakened, sinking slowly onto the bed—her expression peaceful, as if she had drifted into a long, serene dream.
Rian stood there for a moment, quietly watching her.
"Good night…" he whispered softly, turning toward the open window. "…May your dreams be beautiful."
And like a graceful shadow of the night, Rian leapt from the balcony, vanishing silently into the darkness that blanketed the Washington sky.