Chapter 11: The First Step of the Journey

Ethan Cooper stood before the main entrance of Millennium Corporation, a towering skyscraper in the heart of New York City. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the first step in his quest to find the former members of the Night Watchers.

Ethan had been poring over old documents for weeks and contacting anonymous sources. All roads led to one direction - a brilliant strategist, once a pillar of the Night Watchers, was hiding in plain sight here.

Ethan entered the main lobby, blending into the bustling crowd. He approached the reception desk, flashing a friendly smile:

"Hello, I'm here to submit a job application. Could you tell me who I should speak to?"

The receptionist smiled back, "You can go to Human Resources on the 20th floor. They'll handle your application."

Ethan nodded in thanks and stepped into the elevator. As the doors were closing, he heard a commotion outside. A group of men was chasing a young woman, their faces twisted with malice.

Without a second thought, Ethan burst out of the elevator. He quickly recognized the woman being pursued as Olivia Blackwood, the CEO of Millennium Corporation.

"Stop!" Ethan shouted, blocking the path of the men chasing Olivia.

The leader sneered: "Who are you to interfere in our business?"

"I'm someone who doesn't like seeing the weak bullied," Ethan replied coldly.

"Then you can die with this bitch!" The leader roared, swinging his fist at Ethan.

With superhuman reflexes, Ethan easily dodged the punch. He quickly counterattacked, taking down the leader in seconds. The remaining thugs, seeing this, rushed to attack Ethan.

Olivia watched in amazement as the stranger defeated the entire group of thugs. They were all sprawled on the floor in the blink of an eye.

"Are you alright?" Ethan asked, approaching Olivia.

She nodded, still stunned: "I... I'm fine. Thank you for saving me."

"It's nothing. I just did what was right," Ethan smiled.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Olivia asked, her eyes curious.

"I'm Ethan Cooper. I came here to submit a job application," Ethan replied.

Olivia studied him intently: "You have impressive combat skills. I need a bodyguard and personal assistant. Would you be interested in the position?"

Ethan pondered for a moment. This could be an excellent opportunity to get close to the strategist. However, he didn't want to involve Olivia in his mission.

"I appreciate your offer, but I'm afraid I'm not suitable for that position," Ethan politely declined.

"Why not? You have the necessary skills, and I trust you," Olivia insisted.

"I... I have some personal matters to attend to. I wouldn't want it to affect my work," Ethan explained.

Olivia was silent momentarily before saying, "Then let me thank you with dinner. I'd like to know more about you."

Ethan was about to refuse when he realized this could be an opportunity to gather more information about the strategist. He nodded in agreement: "Alright, I'd be honored."

That evening, at an upscale restaurant, Ethan and Olivia engaged in a deep conversation. She told him about her work at Millennium Corporation and the difficulties and challenges she faced.

"You know, I recently signed a big contract with the government. But that's made many competitors angry. They hired those men to threaten me, as you saw this morning," Olivia sighed.

Ethan listened attentively, feeling sympathy for her. He asked what he was interested in: "Have you heard anything about a brilliant strategist working at your corporation?"

Olivia raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Oh, you must be talking about Caroline Wright? She joined our company a few months ago but has already made significant contributions."

Ethan's heart raced. This was the lead he'd been looking for. "Can you tell me more about Caroline?"

"Caroline is a genius strategist. She helps us plan long-term development strategies and make crucial decisions. But she's quite reserved and rarely interacts with others," Olivia shared.

Ethan nodded, trying to hide his excitement. He had found the person he needed.

"Olivia, I've reconsidered. If your offer still stands, I'd like to accept the position of bodyguard and assistant," Ethan said.

Olivia's eyes lit up: "Really? That's fantastic! You can start tomorrow."

Ethan smiled and nodded. He had taken another step in his journey. Tomorrow, he would meet Caroline Wright and begin his plan to reestablish the Night Watchers.

As he left the restaurant, Ethan felt a surge of energy course through his body. He knew he was standing on the brink of a crucial turning point. Though the road ahead was fraught with challenges, Ethan was ready to face whatever trials lay in store.