Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime-Chapter 21: Level 0

Kendrick sighed, knowing Levy wouldn't let this go easily. He reached out and ruffled her hair, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I'm sorry, okay? Don't cry. You look ugly when you cry."

Levy gasped, smacking his arm lightly. "Excuse me?! If I'm ugly, then you're uglier. We're siblings, after all."

Kendrick chuckled at her pouty expression. "You're a lady now. Act like one."

"Nah, I'll always be your little sister, whether you like it or not."

Their playful banter was cut short when the door swung open. Their mother, Christy, walked in, still in her nurse's uniform. The exhaustion in her eyes was evident, but her worry for Kendrick overpowered it. She approached the bed with quick yet controlled steps, her sharp gaze scanning his face like a seasoned nurse assessing a critical patient.

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"You're finally awake, son." She reached for his hand, squeezing it gently.

Kendrick gave her a sheepish smile. "Yeah... sorry for the scare."

Christy sighed, her fingers tightening over his. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," he admitted, "but okay."

She studied him, as if trying to detect any lies. Finally, she exhaled in relief and ran a hand through his messy hair. "You gave us a scare, you know."

"I didn't mean to," Kendrick said lightly, though guilt clung to his voice.

"You never do," Christy murmured, shaking her head. "But you have to start taking care of yourself. I don't want to see you in a hospital bed again."

Levy huffed in agreement. "Yeah, because next time, I really will turn your room into a library."

Kendrick let out a small laugh, grateful for their warmth despite the situation. But as the lighthearted moment faded, a nagging thought crept into his mind.

Something felt off.

His body still ached, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized—this wasn't just exhaustion. Something else was wrong.

And he wasn't the only one.

---

Somewhere else in the hospital...

A sharp beep echoed through the sterile room. The overhead lights were blindingly bright, making Zephany wince as her eyes fluttered open. A dull pain throbbed behind her temples, and for a few seconds, she struggled to understand where she was.

Then it hit her.

She was in a hospital.

Her fingers clenched the blanket beneath her, a deep unease settling in her chest.

"What happened?" she whispered, her throat dry. "Why am I here?"

Memories came rushing back.

The mission. The pain.

They were so close. Just one ride in the elevator and they would have reached the top floor where the Erasers were waiting.

Then, everything had gone black.

Her entire body had been seized by an unbearable pain, so excruciating she couldn't even scream. And now—she was here. Alone.

Her breath quickened.

Something wasn't right.

She frantically searched for her phone, her hands shaking as she scanned the bedside table. Relief flooded her when she saw it resting beside a small cup of water. She grabbed it, her fingers trembling as she unlocked the screen.

The first thing she checked was the time and date.

Her stomach dropped.

Three days...

Three whole days had passed since the mission.

Her hands shook as she navigated to the hidden app—The Archive.

The moment the interface loaded, her heart nearly stopped.

Her profile had reset.

Code Name: Eclipse (Level 0)

Total Null Points: 0

Alliance: Partnered with Obscura – Team Bacon

Status: No current mission

Zephany's breath hitched.

No. This wasn't possible.

Her fingers tapped the notification button, and a single message popped up.

> MISSION Null14zk+ FAILED

All previous achievements and records will now reset back to zero, except alliance.

Her grip on the phone loosened. It slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a soft thud.

For a moment, she didn't react. Then, as if in a daze, her eyes darted downward, locking onto the screen where it lay face-up on the floor.

Her breath caught in her throat.

No way.

No way they had actually failed.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out. A hollow chill spread through her chest, her hands trembling slightly as she stared at the glowing screen, hoping—praying—that if she looked long enough, the words would change.

I must be dreaming...

She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again. The words on the screen didn't change.

No. This couldn't be happening.

She had been so close.

Her father—she was almost there. She had almost uncovered the truth.

And now, it was all gone.

Her breath turned ragged, panic clawing at her throat. Without thinking, she lifted her hand and slapped herself—hard.

Pain shot through her cheek. It wasn't a dream.

A choked sob escaped her lips.

Her vision blurred as silent tears slipped down her face. No one was there to see her break. No one was there to comfort her.

She had lost everything.

---

Outside the ward...

Christy adjusted the clipboard in her hands as she walked down the hallway, making her usual rounds.

She paused near one of the wards, noticing a subtle movement through the small window in the door.

It was the same young woman who had been admitted the same day as Kendrick. For three days, she had been unconscious—and no one had come to visit her.

She raised her hand, about to call out softly, but then—

She heard it.

A muffled sob.

Christy's fingers stilled over the binder separating the ward from the rest of the room.

The girl was crying.

But it wasn't the loud, uncontrolled kind of crying. It was the kind of crying someone did when they were trying their hardest to stay quiet, to suppress their emotions.

Christy stood there for a moment, listening.

Then, she silently turned around and walked away.

For now, she would give the girl some space.

At least she was awake.

Christy planned to return in a few minutes.

---

Back in Kendrick's ward...

The moment Kendrick was finally alone, he wasted no time.

He hurriedly searched for his phone, heart pounding.

The moment he saw it, he grabbed it and opened The Archive.

His eyes widened in horror.

His ranking—

Level 0.

No...

His hands tightened around the phone.

His mission had been wiped. His achievements—everything—gone.

They had actually failed.

He had been so close. So damn close!

And now?

Now he was back at the bottom, drowning in the abyss once again.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips, but it was void of humor.

What now?

What the hell were they supposed to do now?

What's more, if they find out that they only have 180 days left to live?