Although the area revealed by the puzzle greatly narrowed down their search, when they projected it onto the actual map to scale, a wave of frustration inevitably crept into their hearts.The region was still far too large—spanning several blocks and valleys, with complex terrain, abandoned factories, wild hills, and even traces of vast underground structures. Even worse, the entire zone was now under tight control by Eryx’s patrol units, who left no gaps unguarded.“This area… there’s no way we can sweep it manually,” Elias said, staring at the map with a helpless tone. “Especially without any official authority.”Marcellus clenched his fist. He knew exactly what that meant. The map had pointed them in the right direction, but it couldn’t give them a precise location. With a sigh, he muttered, “Looks like we’ll need Edgar to pull Eryx out—otherwise, we won’t even get a chance to act.”The mood grew heavy—until Livia suddenly slapped her forehead, her eyes lighting up.“Wait, I just r
Back at the castle, Livia and Elias headed straight for the hidden chamber. It was Livia’s first time entering the Marcellus family’s secret vault—Marcellus had always subtly avoided mentioning it before. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.Once the coded lock was disengaged, the door creaked open, releasing a wave of stale air tinged with dampness and a faint, woody scent of decay.Following Marcellus’s instructions, they soon found the small iron box left by his parents, still resting quietly in a concealed compartment in the corner. Elias crouched down and carefully retrieved it. Inside lay the document—its yellowed pages slightly curled at the edges, yet otherwise impeccably preserved, like a slumbering piece of history awaiting reawakening.Livia took the document and began flipping through it, her expression growing increasingly focused. Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, she pulled out a small UV flashlight from her bag and murmured, “Secrets like these… would never be
Elias was the first to speak, his brows tightly furrowed, voice laced with unease and urgency. “Just how important is that document? And how did Father and Mother come to possess it?”Marcellus fell silent for a moment, as though trying to grasp at something hidden deep within a foggy memory. He slowly shook his head, his voice slightly hoarse. “I honestly don’t know… It’s not that I won’t tell you—I truly don’t know.” He paused, a heavy look settling in his eyes. “Father handed it to me himself. He said it was ‘of critical importance,’ that he and Mother risked their lives to obtain it. It was a secret they guarded fiercely… but he never explained the whole story. He only warned me, again and again: never let anyone else see it.”At those words, a sudden gleam flickered through Livia’s eyes. She leaned forward slightly, her voice quickening with urgency. “Wait, Marcellus—have you really examined that document carefully?”Marcellus frowned. “Of course I have. I’ve memorized it. I coul
Just as the heavy atmosphere had yet to lift, Marcellus’s phone suddenly rang. The crisp tone pierced through their contemplative silence like a blade, unusually jarring in the stillness of the hospital room.The three of them instinctively exchanged glances. No one had expected a call at such a moment—especially in a ward scarcely anyone knew they would be visiting.Marcellus hesitated briefly but still reached out and answered. His throat moved slightly. “Hello?”But on the other end came a familiar, stern male voice—devoid of any small talk, as if he had long anticipated the exact predicament they now faced.“I gather you’ve run into trouble—and realized you’re no match for Eryx and his little ‘secret partner,’ haven’t you? So, what do you say? Need a hand?”It was—Edgar.The three froze simultaneously. Livia’s pupils contracted sharply. Elias opened his mouth slightly, disbelief written all over his face.Marcellus’s grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning white. He didn
Livia looked at Marcellus’s somewhat tired face and knew he had already said a lot. She understood in her heart that pressing further might only make him more guarded or put him in a difficult position. Compared to chasing after details, what mattered more to her was the direction of their next move.So, in a softer tone, she said, “I won’t ask for too many details. But you mentioned there was cooperation between you and my father—what exactly did that entail? At this stage, is there anything we can rely on him for?”A flicker of guilt passed through Marcellus’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a rare lightness. He gave her a grateful glance, as if relieved, and answered in a low voice, “It was… mainly about pushing the expansion project forward together.”There was something complex in his voice as he said this. “When we first proposed the predecessor to this plan, we were genuinely committed to making the city better—especially the outer residential zones and the healthcare syst
The next morning, the sky was overcast, clouds pressing low as if casting a grey veil over the truths about to be uncovered.Livia and Elias drove toward the hospital in near silence. Livia leaned against the car window, gazing blankly at the landscape speeding past, her mind pulled in every direction by a thousand conflicting thoughts. She had steeled herself for what was to come, but still couldn’t shake the unease—about Marcellus, about Edgar, and about a long-buried alliance.The hospital smelled faintly of disinfectant, a crisp reminder of reality.They pushed open the door to the room gently. Sunlight slanted in through the window. Marcellus sat by the bed, one hand still wrapped in bandages, the other flipping through a newspaper. He looked up at the sound of the door.“You’re here,” he said, lips curling into a faint smile. When his gaze landed on the worry in Livia’s eyes, that smile softened further. “Don’t worry. I’m not dying just yet.”“You look pretty lively for a guy wh