Despite the elder's gentle demeanor, Frederick couldn't shake the feeling of immense pressure radiating from him.It wasn't the kind of power associated with wealth, like Sirius, but something far deeper—an unparalleled aura.Frederick instinctively understood this wasn't a man to be trifled with.The old man approached Frederick directly and sat down beside him.He crossed his legs and said with a smile, "Whenever you face a challenge, there's always a solution. Don't let anger cloud your judgment. You carry a heavy darkness within you, young man. Sit with me, and let's find peace together."After a moment's hesitation, Frederick mirrored the elder's posture and settled down. The elder then began to gently chime a small bell in his hand.The deep, resonating tones echoed in Frederick's ears.Chink... Chink... Chink…Both men closed their eyes, entering a meditative state. As the solemn sound of the bell washed over him, Frederick experienced an unfamiliar wave of tranquility.
A chilling memory surfaced for Frederick. Back in Motheca, he'd stumbled upon a horrifying scene. A group of thugs from a notorious organization savagely murdered young girls. Consumed by rage, his murderous persona had taken the wheel. When Frederick finally snapped back to reality, he was surrounded by a gruesome tableau of dismembered bodies. The incident left him deeply shaken. Thankfully, no innocent bystanders were present, or they wouldn't have stood a chance. Since then, Frederick had built an ironclad wall within himself, forcibly suppressing his murderous persona. While occasional leaks of killing intent did occur, he'd always managed to regain control swiftly.Mr. Faith inquired urgently, "Young man, how did you manage to sense this divine grace? I've spent decades in contemplation, yet not a whisper of it has graced me. If only I knew the method, perhaps I could help more people find solace."Frederick furrowed his brow. "Divine grace?" He echoed the term in his
As they played chess, Mr. Faith shared his military knowledge with Frederick."Brigades, regiments, battalions, companies, platoons—each has a crucial role. The general oversees them all, responsible for every soldier and the entire battlefield. Soldiers defend the nation and build character. Would you like to join the army? I could help," Mr. Faith offered.Frederick smiled gently and declined. He still had to uncover his parents' murder and had no interest in the military."Thank you, Mr. Faith, but I have other priorities."Mr. Faith's face fell."A young man like you should consider serving the nation," he said sternly.Surprised by his reaction, Frederick realized Mr. Faith was quite traditional."Mr. Faith, serving one's nation isn't limited to the military. I have other contributions to make."Mr. Faith persisted, "True service is in the army, deterring enemies and protecting the homeland. Ordinary people can't safeguard the nation." As he spoke, Mr. Faith expertly use
Noticing Mr. Faith's disappointment, Frederick offered a gentle explanation. "Mr. Faith, it's not that I'm more skilled at military chess. Your general's hesitation led to your loss."Mr. Faith gazed at his captured flag and murmured, "The general must be protected. If he falls, the entire army loses its ability to fight."Frederick was puzzled by Mr. Faith's rigid belief that the general couldn't move freely in a game. Perhaps on a real battlefield, the general's life was paramount, but this was just a game.Frederick said gently, "Mr. Faith, you've placed too much weight on the general. It's become a mental burden. Only by releasing it can you see the whole board."Mr. Faith's body trembled slightly as he repeated, "A burden? The general has become a burden? Is that why I can't see the whole picture?"At that moment, the bell's glow turned golden once more, all the black energy having seeped into Mr. Faith.He suddenly began coughing violently, then collapsed in convulsions.F
In Sirius' office, Albert watched with amusement as Sirius' expression soured.Priscilla and Grace passionately argued that Frederick was a charlatan with no medical knowledge. They presented compelling evidence, detailing four failed treatments of Vivianne's patients.Sirius was shaken, recalling Frederick's simple antidote when he'd been poisoned.Did this mean Frederick lacked skills and had been lucky? Was it the same with his grandfather?Despite his growing doubts, Sirius knew he couldn't reveal them, especially to Albert. He sensed Albert had orchestrated this confrontation with Priscilla and Grace to weaken his position. Maintaining his composure, Sirius declared, "I still trust Frederick. Please stop talking about this.As the future leader of the family, Sirius was determined to project strength and confidence at all times.Grace was already hoarse from talking. She became anxious when she heard Sirius say that he still trusted Frederick."Mr. Sirius, why don't you b
Albert watched Sirius disappear down the hallway, his eyes narrowing suspiciously"Mr. Faith? Personal officer? Sounds more like..."A realization dawned on Albert, and his expression shifted dramatically. "Could that be... Sacred General Mr. Faith?The revelation sparked a peal of laughter from Albert. "If this esteemed guest Sirius mentioned truly manages to tick off Sacred General so badly he falls ill, well, there might not be a Monroe family left in Stanva City. That would certainly be a source of amusement for the Harmon family."The exchange didn't go unnoticed by Priscilla and Grace. Though unfamiliar with Salmasia's major powers, the name "Scared General" rang a faint bell. Mr. Faith was a revered military leader, commanding the entire northern Salmasian army. Like any soldier, his youth was spent on the battlefield, his hands inevitably stained with the blood of enemies.But unlike others, Mr. Faith held a unique belief—that death ended an enemy's sins, allowing for a
After settling Mr. Faith, Sirius felt like he'd been dunked in the ocean. Sweat plastered his clothes to his skin.Wayne spoke up in a hurried tone, "Mr. Sirius, since Mr. York is the one who caused Mr. Faith's illness, perhaps he can heal him too. His supposedly miraculous medical skills might be just what we need."Sirius's fury boiled over. He lashed out, a stinging slap connecting with Wayne's face. "Don't be ridiculous! Mr. Faith is simply sickened by Frederick's actions. We might still avoid blame for this. But if we suggest Frederick treat him, and Mr. Faith dies... that makes us accomplices to murder!" Wayne cradled his throbbing cheek and stammered in confusion. "Didn't you say Mr. York could extend life?"Sirius slumped in defeat, letting out a helpless sigh. "There's a chance his medical skills are a hoax. Even Grandpa might have been fooled. It's too early to tell for sure, but one thing's clear. Frederick has brought us nothing but trouble."…Meanwhile, Frederick d
Witnessing the scene before him, Tyger's mind reeled in confusion.Wasn't Scarlett plotting to use Frederick for their own gain? How had the situation devolved into two women vying for the same man's attention?The concept of conquest seemed laughably misplaced.As Tyger entered, Scarlett, seemingly embarrassed by the sight and mindful of his seniority, quickly disentangled herself from Frederick. However, she seized the moment. "Uncle Tyger, has the big shot arrived?"Tyger was brimming with excitement as he said, "Indeed, Ms. Samson. Anticipating their arrival tonight, Jacob and I took turns watching the Imperial Suite. We just witnessed them being transported inside. Perhaps his old ailment has resurfaced."A spark of delight flickered in Scarlett's eyes. It meant an opportunity.Though she felt a pang of sympathy for Jacob and Tyger, who were forced to stand guard despite their age, she couldn't deny her own motives. Here she was, bickering with Vivianne in Frederick's room
Mary's case was the most severe, while Ivan's symptoms were the mildest, and Frederick could roughly deduce the sequence of transmissions among them. It was clear that Mary infected Nigel, who then passed it to Kimberly, then finally passed it to Ivan. Frederick also saw that Ivan was actually a decent person who unfortunately ended up being betrayed and infected. However, Nigel was primarily worried that Ivan might start trusting Frederick, as he wanted Ivan to believe in his capabilities to carry out his plan.Originally, he intended for Mary to insult Frederick for being poor and unskilled, but she ended up attacking him for having an unpleasant odor, which backfired when Frederick exposed her for contracting syphilis. Now, Nigel had no choice but to take matters into his own hands, he then said to Frederick, "Hehe, Frederick. We all know Ivy is a director, what exactly do you do to be worthy of her?"Nigel assumed that Frederick was just a low-level salesperson, something
Hearing Frederick's words, Kimberly jumped with joy and stopped crying. While wiping her tears, she pointed at Mary, laughing and said, "You're covered in syphilis, yet you're making fun of me.""Slut, I wonder how many people you've slept with!" After being pointed and insulted, Mary was furious and she was ready to fight Kimberly. "You bitch! I am going to teach you a lesson!" At this moment, Nigel felt terrible. If Mary was diseased, he'd be the first victim. He grabbed Mary and shouted, "Bitch, let me teach you a lesson first. Now I know why you always wanted the lights off! I thought you were shy, but you just didn't want me to find out."In a fit of anger, Nigel slapped Mary hard across the face. Just as Mary was about to explain, she was interrupted by another slap. Holding her face, she yelled angrily, "Nigel, how dare you hit me?! Do you want me to expose all your little schemes and tricks?"Nigel froze in horror; if Mary exposed him, it would have been disastrous.
Kimberly heard her laughter, and body odor had always been a sensitive issue for her; a wound she'd tried to cover up over the years. For Frederick to bring it up in front of everyone felt like rubbing salt into an open wound. Yet what hurt even more was Mary's laughter; as a fellow woman, it felt like salt to the wound, then roasting it. Kimberly was furious, pointed at Mary and said, "What are you laughing at? Do you want me to come over there and shut you up?"Mary felt wronged, she had only let out a reflexive laugh, but now Kimberly's anger was directed at her. "Did I laugh at you? What proof do you have that I laughed at you?""You're the one with body odor, yet you're taking it out on others. You're such an unreasonable woman!"Kimberly grew even angrier after hearing Mary's retort. "You're the one with body odor, your whole family has it!" "Look at what you're wearing, it's like you just threw on two pillowcases. You're a shameless woman, just trying to show off t
When everyone heard Ivy's words, they laughed even more. Her words effectively confirmed that Frederick did indeed have an unpleasant odor. It wasn't entirely her fault as Kimberly's words had been a bit of a trap. "Haha, if you smell, just take a shower and don't embarrass yourself here.""With all that cheap stuff on, no wonder he has a smell."Hearing this, Frederick simply gave a slight smile and then asked Mary and Kimberly, "Are two really that fragrant?"Mary and Kimberly lifted their heads proudly after hearing Frederick's words. "Why don't you ask everyone here, ask them if we smell good or not?""Exactly, go ahead and ask."Both of them considered themselves beautiful, and of course, they would smell pleasant. The men around them quickly chimed in, especially those eager to admire Mary, who was dressed in a way that gave them a bit of eye candy. "Of course, they smell good. How could these two beautiful ladies not smell good?""Hehe, Frederick with his cheap, th
In a hidden corner, Nigel said to Mary, "Damn it, that bumpkin Frederick keeps stealing my spotlight. I am worried that our plan won't go well later.""You should help me humiliate him properly, and Ivan's girlfriend will back you up."Mary pursed her lips and said to Nigel, "Every time something comes up, you just ask me to handle it. My bag hasn't been bought yet, and you've lost 300 thousand dollars"Although Nigel was annoyed by Mary hitting a sore spot, he kept his tone calm and replied, "Help me humiliate Frederick and talk him down in front of Ivan. After that, leave the rest to me. Once it's done, I'll get you more than one bag, I could get you ten bags and it wouldn't be a problem. I don't care about that small amount of money. You saw that Porsche just now, right? I wouldn't mind burning it if I had to." Hearing this, Mary was delighted and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, babe." She hadn't realized that Nigel was so wealthy and even had a Porsche. Up until th
Knowing Martin as someone who knew a lot about wood, everyone immediately looked as though they were ready for a good show. They were convinced that the Saint George statue couldn’t possibly be made of anything valuable.Martin let out a strange exclamation. "What the hell!"Kimberly, thinking that Martin was angry, quickly said, "Mr. Lawson, tell us what’s so disastrous about this wood. Are you saying it’s just a piece of junk?"Contrary to expectations, Martin replied angrily, "I’m saying that whoever preserved this Saint George statue was a jerk. This is genuine sandalwood, and yet it’s completely neglected, covered in dust."Most of the group had no idea what sandalwood was worth, but judging by the name alone, it sounded impressive.Kimberly asked curiously, "Mr. Lawson, are you saying this is really antique wood?"Martin examined the statue carefully, scrutinizing every detail. "Judging by the texture, this carving must have been made at least 150 years ago."Everyone was
"The Saint George statue was indeed a fitting choice for a karaoke." Nigel chuckled, turning to Ivy.“Why didn’t you just go on Amazon and buy a new one for a few dozen bucks? This one is obviously second-hand. Or was it picked up from some junk stall?”Frederick heard Nigel’s mockery and nodded in agreement, a faint smile on his lips. “You’re not wrong. This statue actually was picked up from a street stall.”“At the Treasure Hall in the antique trade market, no less. And yes, it’s an antique.”The truth was, the statue was from the Victorian era. Even the owner of Treasure Hall, Dominic, had recognized its age but dismissed it as worthless, tossing it onto a stall outside.Frederick had picked it up casually, thinking it would come in handy one day, and now it was the perfect gift for Ivan.Hearing this, Nigel burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. “An antique? Treasure Hall? You’re really trying to fool us.”Kimberly chimed in, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she glance
The group’s attention was fully captured by Frederick’s words, their eyes all on him. Nigel, knowing that Kimberly had informed Ivy at the last minute and that she likely didn’t have a gift, sneered at Frederick."Well, if you’ve got a gift, go ahead and show it.""Considering Ivy and Kimberly’s relationship, the gift should be pretty decent, right?"Everyone was now staring at Frederick with anticipation, curious to see what kind of gift he could produce.Ivy, on the other hand, was completely flustered. She hadn’t handed any gift to Frederick, though she understood he was trying to help her out of a tough spot. But wasn’t this making things even more awkward?Nigel continued to press him, "Where’s the gift? Come on, take it out already.""After all this time, you still can’t take it out. Don’t tell me you don’t even have one."Frederick glanced at Nigel with a calm smile. "Oh? Are you planning to bet 300 grand with me again?"Nigel froze. There was no way he had another 300 t
Ivan was deeply moved, feeling as though all the unpleasantness from their school days had been swept away. A sense of childhood nostalgia, unique to old classmates, welled up within him.The crowd continued to shower Nigel with praise, giving him thumbs up one after another."A gift worth 10 grand is no small amount. Nigel is truly generous.""That’s right. These days, even classmates hesitate to prepare gifts, but Nigel has shown such generosity.."Most of the attendees had come because of their connection with Kimberly. Each had prepared gifts with costs ranging from a few hundred dollars. Compared to Nigel’s grandiose gift worth 10 thousand, their contributions paled in comparison.Hearing the compliments, Nigel waved his hand dismissively, feigning modesty. "It’s nothing, really. After all, Ivan and I are good friends from way back."Then, Nigel’s expression shifted slightly as he added, "Speaking of good friends, I’m sure it’s not just me and Ivan here who share a special b