Chapter 003: Crushing Force

The little girl nestled obediently in Ethan Thubron's arms. Although her large eyes were filled with tears, she did not cry out loud. Throughout, her tiny hands clutched tightly at Ethan's clothes, as if afraid he might suddenly disappear.
Gently holding the child who shared his bloodline, Ethan's cold gaze swept over the men on the ground, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes. However, after a moment, that intent gradually faded.
After all, this was no longer the starry realms. Killing people here would bring unnecessary trouble. More importantly, his Nascent Soul was damaged, and without his cultivation restored, it was best to keep a low profile.
Moments later, Ethan suddenly turned his head, looking toward the open warehouse door. His keen hearing had picked up faint sounds from a distance.
Outside the warehouse, a group was quickly approaching. Judging by the footsteps, there were no fewer than fifteen people, all adults.
Could they be accomplices of these men?
With this thought, Ethan felt no urgency to leave. Since they were coming, he might as well deal with them all at once.
"Don't move! Police!" A sharp voice called out from the warehouse entrance.
Hearing this, Ethan couldn't help but furrow his brow, silently regretting his misjudgment. He had assumed the newcomers were allies of the thugs he'd just subdued, but they turned out to be the police.
Well, this could be troublesome.
At the doorway stood a strikingly attractive female officer, exuding confidence and vigor. In her hand, she held a pistol, its muzzle wavering slightly.
As she stepped into the warehouse, Quinn Zorn surveyed the scene, her beautiful face momentarily frozen. Her gaze swept over the groaning men on the ground and the four military crossbows nearby, indicating that a fierce confrontation had just taken place.
After a brief pause, her eyes settled on the young man standing and holding the little girl.
At first glance, the youth appeared ordinary, nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, standing there, he was impossible to ignore.
More than a dozen uniformed officers filed in behind her. Quinn advanced cautiously, her pistol trained steadily on Ethan throughout the entire process. Coming from an ancient martial family, her instincts told her that this unassuming man was dangerous.
"Don't move! Put down the child, place your hands on your head, and lie down on the ground!" a male officer behind Quinn shouted at Ethan.
Holding the girl, Ethan stood there with a calm expression on his unremarkable face. His eyes glanced over the array of firearms, and he let out a cold snort.
There was a time when he held deep respect for guns. But after years of battles across the starry realms, he'd seen far more terrifying weapons—some capable of obliterating entire planets in a single strike.
The firearms crafted by Earth's civilization hardly concerned him. Even with his Nascent Soul damaged and his cultivation lost, these people posed no real threat to him with just a few guns.
If he wished, he could eliminate them all in mere breaths.
However, he had no intention of doing so.
He had returned to Earth, to his homeland, at great cost, all for the people he cared about. If he were to harm these officers today, he'd undoubtedly face relentless pursuit.
If his powers were intact, he could make those who threatened him learn their place, just as he used to. But now, with his Nascent Soul in disarray, being hunted by national authorities would be highly problematic.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, it was best to keep a low profile until his powers recovered.
"First, let me clarify—I am not associated with these men. I acted against them to protect this girl and mean no harm," Ethan said, taking a step back.
He felt a brief explanation was necessary, even though he hadn't offered one in centuries.
The atmosphere in the warehouse was tense. The dozen or so officers stared intently at Ethan, treating him as a significant threat.
After all, anyone who could single-handedly take down ten armed kidnappers would be seen as dangerous. Until they had him under control, it was natural for them to be on edge.
As Ethan spoke and inadvertently stepped back, the already tense situation intensified.
Bang!
A gunshot suddenly shattered the heavy silence.
At the sound, Quinn Zorn quickly glanced sideways, seeing a young officer beside her looking shocked, his hand trembling as he held his pistol.
"Damn it," she cursed under her breath, realizing one of her officers had accidentally discharged his weapon. If someone were injured because of this, she, as the team leader for this operation, would bear significant responsibility. The department would surely investigate.
Her nerves tightened as she turned back toward Ethan. Seeing him standing unharmed, she felt a surge of relief.
Fortunately, the shot had missed.
At that moment, Quinn didn't notice the expressions of shock on the faces of her fellow officers as they looked at Ethan—eyes wide, as if they'd seen a ghost.
She hesitated briefly before stepping forward.
"Detective Zorn, don't go over there! That man is dangerous!" Nearly all the officers behind her shouted in unison.
Quinn, already in motion, turned her head in surprise. She couldn't help but wonder why these usually fearless colleagues were suddenly so apprehensive.
Despite her confusion, she continued toward Ethan. Meanwhile, the officers behind her tensed up, slightly crouching, their firearms locked onto Ethan.
They were resolved: if this dangerous man made any move against Detective Zorn, they would all open fire.
He might have dodged a bullet just now, but could he evade a volley from multiple guns?
Ethan tilted his head, observing the female officer approaching him.
He had to admit, this young detective was quite striking. Her attractive features were one thing, but her physique, honed by long hours of training without an ounce of excess fat, combined with her uniform, exuded a spirited elegance that could fulfill any man's uniformed fantasy.