Morgan whispered, "We've been on a negative streak on our job recently. And the boss already thinks that we're worthless. He's probably going to kill us once everything is over, so we might as well stop working for him and sacrificing our lives for nothing. We need to think about our own lives."Cadel responded, "But if the boss were to know that we're having second thoughts, he would also kill us as well, no?""I've already planned for our escape. Just stay home and recuperate while we observe how the situation unfolds. Let others take the risks, not us."The war between the Rolands and the Hannibals had officially begun, and the entire city of Mandoria fell into a state of chaos.Shane had kept his promises. He released all of the Quelorian laborers and sent them back home.Sam reached out to the border patrol to arrange for the retrieval of all the liberated laborers and their safe return to the country.Rodney had also organized a small team of soldiers to sneak into various
The Hannibal family "boss" disembarked the boat and waited for Hunter and Belle on the shore, with Max standing by. Max wore an almost smug expression as he regarded Belle and Hunter. Belle couldn't fathom what thoughts were running through his mind, causing him to treat his own countrymen with disdain.As the group disembarked and ventured deeper into the mountains, Max reported, "We can proceed without concern. My men have secured the area. This entire mountain has been under our control since Robert's capture."The "boss" asked, "Any unusual activities in the tombs?"Max shook his head. "Nothing in particular. You told us not to do anything rash, remember? So we didn't go inside or anything. It's pitch black down there, and it's pretty scary."The "boss" asked, "Is the terrain map complete?""Yes. Here it is."Max handed over a piece of paper. After perusing it, the "boss" passed it to Hunter. "Have a look."Frowning, Hunter pointed at a little red dot on the paper. "Is t
Belle waited for an opportunity to ask Hunter. "Is that entrance truly a decoy?"Hunter replied with a stern expression, "Yes. The real entrance shouldn't be that one."He harbored no desire to aid the Hannibals in desecrating a tomb, yet his curiosity about what lay beneath nagged at him.Ever since encountering mysterious paintings resembling Belle in Mount Moriah, Hunter harbored a fascination with exploring ancient tombs. He sought to uncover the truth and any potential connection between Belle and the woman depicted in the paintings.Hunter regarded Belle as an older sister he never had, reciprocated by Belle treating him with equal affection, akin to a younger brother.For the duration of his life, Hunter's father had been his solitary family until he met Belle, someone in whom he could place the same level of trust.Hunter suddenly remembered something. "Wait for me near the entrance. I'll go and take a look inside just for a while."Hunter was concerned for Belle's safet
Sam opened the door and walked in. "Mr. Page, the conflict between the Rolands and the Hannibals has escalated drastically. The entire city has descended into lawlessness. When can we expect Mr. Strauss and his troops?"Robert had mobilized his forces to advance toward Mandoria as soon as news of the conflict between the Rolands and the Hannibals reached him. His plan was to wait for both factions to exhaust themselves before intervening to defeat them both.Rodney responded, "Mr. Strauss had contingency plans in place even before his capture. The ongoing war between the Rolands and the Hannibals has provided him with the perfect opportunity to strike and seize control of Mandoria."Sam was excited. "Finally! Let's end this! I'm tired of witnessing the depravity in this city every day. But Mr. Page, should we consider retreating for now? I'm concerned about the possibility of the conflict spilling over into the residence."Grayson asked, "Have you mapped out the terrain of the Hann
The graverobbers exchanged nervous glances. "We've never tried, so we can't guarantee anything. Going underground is inherently risky to begin with. And ancient tombs often have false entrances to trap unintended visitors."The "boss" fell into a contemplative silence before sending one of his men to fetch Hunter. "Have you found the real entrance yet?""Not yet.""We don't have much time, so we'll enter through this entrance."Hunter frowned. "I'm not going down there from that entrance."Max commented, "You would dare to defy Mr. Hannibal's wishes? Aren't you one of the legendary Sanders? What are you afraid of? I've never known a Sanders to shy away from their craft!""It's because I'm a Sanders that I know this entrance spells doom. Why don't you lead the way if you're so confident?""You…" Max was left speechless.After a pause, the "boss" ordered Max to proceed. "Take a few men and enter."Max immediately turned to his men. "You two will take the lead, and the rest of yo
Belle's lips trembled. "I know you're worried about me, but I would also be worried if I don't keep you in my sights. I'll be more at ease if you let me follow you."Hunter was moved by her words. Unable to come up with a reply, he decided to just continue looking for a proper entrance.Belle continued, "Are the people who went underground all dead?"Hunter calmly explained, "Most likely, yes. Ancient tombs are built with all sorts of traps to deter graverobbers. The entrance they found without much effort was simply a false front to lure in oblivious folks to certain death. I've never heard of anyone getting back out alive from such traps."Belle was puzzled. "How could you tell that the entrance was a fake?""It's just way too obvious. No one would make their tombs easily accessible.""What if we never find any other entrances to the tomb? Do we just give up?"Hunter turned and glanced at the Hannibal family's bodyguard following after them. "Don't worry, I will find it."He
Belle and Hunter stopped halfway up the mountain, facing a waterfall. The water surged continuously from the summit, crashing forcefully at the base. They observed the waterfall for a while before passing through it without hesitation. The "boss" and his men quickly followed after them. After passing through the waterfall, two large rocks came into view, with a narrow gap between them, allowing only one person to pass at a time.Both Belle and Hunter were relatively small, so they had no problem passing through the gap. The "boss" had to strip down to fit, and his bodyguards had to abandon their firearms.Beyond the crack, a spacious yet well-lit cave entrance awaited them. They gazed upward, marveling at how the moonlight illuminated the cave's mouth, contrasting the pitch-black route they had just traversed."I believe they've already entered, sir," one of the bodyguards remarked. "I know."With the cave as the only forward path and the gap as the sole exit, they inferred t
Hunter turned to Belle and said, "Stay close to me. It's dangerous down there.""Alright," Belle responded. Addressing the "boss", Hunter continued, "Once we're inside the tomb, you need to follow my instructions. Anything could happen, so keep your wits with you. Don't try anything funny if you want to make it out alive." The "boss" didn't respond, instead turning to give orders to his bodyguards.Following Hunter's lead, the group ventured deeper into the cave. After a short while, they encountered a venomous snake. Belle whispered, "Hunter, be careful, there's a snake.""I see it… Be careful, everyone. That's a venomous snake. One bite and it's all over."The "boss" and his bodyguards remained on high alert as they followed closely behind Belle and Hunter."Be careful!" Belle shouted, grabbing a stone and hurling it toward the "boss". Reacting too slowly, the "boss" narrowly avoided being bitten by a snake that was killed by the stone.He was visibly shaken by the close c
Belle playfully reached for Sixteen again. "Come here!"Sixteen barked back, seemingly firm in his stance. "I'll cry if you don't come here, okay?" Belle then held her face in her hands and pretended to cry.Sixteen immediately calmed down as it nudged Belle's hands with its paws, trying to comfort her. Belle broke character, revealing a grin. "Are you still mad at me?"Sixteen, appeased, finally got into her arms and launched into enthusiastic licks.Grayson watched the exchange with a hint of envy. "Hey, Sixteen!"Sixteen whimpered and offered Grayson a sheepish look.Belle scolded, "Why are you scolding Sixteen? You're a bad guy!"She then petted Sixteen on its head and stood up. "Let's go! We'll get something tasty to eat! Just ignore him, okay?"Grayson was left speechless. He felt defeated by the pet dog as he watched Belle and Sixteen skip and hop into the house.Meredith had already finished preparing dinner when they arrived. She put on a gentle smile as she watched Belle
After returning to the house, Ava asked, "Why did Xenia go crazy? Wasn't she fine not long ago?"Lena wiped her hands and handed the towel back to Ava. "Someone drugged her and induced hallucinations of her worst fears. She's been on the edge ever since. After all, she did commit all sorts of misdeeds." "Someone?""Belle Walters."Ava was shocked. "Why would Belle drug Xenia?"Ava and Lena had been moving from place to place, seeking a safe hideout ever since they picked up Xenia. They had only found a relatively safe place today, so Ava finally had the chance to inquire about the details.Lena shot her a look of disgust and proceeded to ignore her question.Ava dared not press further and changed the topic. "Now that Xenia's lost her mind, can we still get her to talk?"Lena continued to ignore her and went to scribble down a prescription. She had spent the entire day with Xenia in the basement but hadn't managed to extract any useful information from her. Ava sheepishly c
Meanwhile, Ginger, too, was grappling with confusion. She'd also offered Hunter money, only to be stunned into silence by the astronomical sum in his bank statement. Compared to him, she was practically penniless. The largest amount she'd ever held was a few million Gabriel had won in the lottery—a drop in the bucket compared to Hunter's wealth."Why do you think Mr. Sanders was so wealthy?" Ginger queried, seeking Gabriel's insight.Gabriel was similarly grappling with confusion and remained quiet. However, he was preoccupied with a different mystery. His mind was consumed by the deaths of Penny and Terry. He had taken time to visit the corpses and noted the peculiarity surrounding their deaths. Their autopsies revealed unusual injuries that baffled forensics.Both victims, young adults in their prime, looked as if they'd been scared to death.Aware of Hunter's ties to the Nightwalkers, Gabriel wasn't surprised by the inheritance. Compared to the wealth amassed during the Sanders f
Belle pondered aloud, "While Hunter isn't as averse to exploring tombs as Benjamin, they share a similar disposition. Otherwise, with his expertise, he could easily be making a fortune.""The Sanders ancestors might not have been saints," Grayson conceded, "but perhaps Hunter's grandfather started a positive trend. Like Benjamin, he likely tried to shield Hunter from their legacy. A truly evil man couldn't have raised such a kind son."As Benjamin grew, he remained kind-hearted despite his timidity. And now, Hunter has grown into an upright, kind, and courageous young man. His talent for exploration makes him the pride of his lineage."Belle nodded and sighed. "Money is crucial for a comfortable life today. With what Hunter has, financial worries shouldn't trouble him. He'll be well provided for."Grayson pulled her into his arms and responded, "Don't fret. While Hunter may still be in school, he's mature for his age. He can take care of himself just fine."Belle leaned onto his s
Hunter crouched by the bed, methodically clearing away the books until a single floor tile lay exposed. Prying it open revealed a dark hole just big enough for one person. Grabbing a flashlight, he squeezed through the narrow opening and emerged into a moderately sized room of perhaps about 130 square feet. Wooden boxes, weathered with age and adorned with simple designs, filled the space.Hunter made a beeline for a particular box, brushing off the dust before prying it open. The wooden box was filled to the brim with notebooks. Hunter sat down on the floor, picked up one of the books, and started reading it.This hidden chamber and its contents were discovered by a young Hunter, seemingly guided by destiny. Hunter's father, Benjamin, had buried them, driven by a desire to safeguard their knowledge from Hunter's curious gaze. Fear had gripped Benjamin after learning about the Sanders family's history, the expertise that had seemingly drawn them toward a dangerous path. He
Nora let out a long sigh. "It's fine. Just keep it with you! I don't really need the money right away or anything. Besides, an old woman like me won't be spending much in town even if I tried."Hunter stopped Nora as she was about to leave and took a wad of money from his bag. "I have 20,000 dollars right here. It's far from the actual price, but you can keep it for now. I'll pay you the rest when I can."Nora was stunned. "Where did you get so much money?""It's the money I gathered from donations for the funeral, mostly from Ms. Belle and Mr. Grayson.""Oh, that makes sense. Here I was, wondering how you managed to get such a huge amount from donations. I can tell your friends are really kind-hearted people. You should treat them just as well as they treat you, okay? Study hard and make a name for yourself, and then you'll be able to properly repay their kindness.""Yeah, I know. Anyway, the gold nugget weighs slightly over 17 ounces. So, its worth is about 37,500 dollars. I'll pay y
As the final step of the funeral, the townsfolk gathered for a meal after Benjamin's burial. After Benjamin was buried, Belle and Ginger approached Hunter, inquiring about his plans for the future. Belle expressed her desire for Hunter to stay with her and Grayson, mentioning that their house had plenty of spare rooms. The only drawback would be that it was quite the distance from his school, but they could always arrange a driver for him.Ginger also invited Hunter to stay with her and Gabriel as their house had just finished with renovations. They also had a spare room for Hunter if he were to join their house.Hunter was genuinely touched by their offers, but he still declined them both. "I'd like to stay in my school's hostel for now. I'll think about what to do next when I graduate."Belle and Ginger recognized that they couldn't sway Hunter's decision, so they ceased their attempts to pressure him into making a choice."If you run out of space for your belongings, you ca
Hunter detailed, "I recall every person who came to offer prayers for my father... However, it was during my trip to the restroom that the dogs began barking. Upon my return, I spotted some unfamiliar footprints. Without seeing anyone there, I dismissed it. But upon hearing about Penny and Terry's deaths this morning, I began to connect the dots..."Both Gabriel and Grayson were left speechless.Gabriel exchanged a glance with Grayson before turning back to Hunter. "So, you're suggesting that the stranger who came to town also visited your house to pray for your father before departing to exact revenge on Penny and Terry for Mr. Sanders' death?""Yes.""Why didn't he meet you then?""I don't know.""Any other suspects you have in mind?"Hunter shook his head. "My father and I don't have friends other than you guys. It's just the two of us for as long as I can remember.""Could it be someone else from the Sanders family?" asked Gabriel."I don't think so. I'm an only child, and
Belle, Ginger, and the rest of the group arrived at 8:00 am. They noticed the crowd alongside police cars at the entrance to the town. The two of them then squeezed through the crowd to make it to the house as soon as they could. "What happened, Hunter?"The policemen were stunned by their sudden arrival. "Who are you?""We're Hunter's friends. You can tell us about what happened."Hunter's eyes gleamed with hope as he greeted them. "Ms. Belle and Ms. Ginger!"Grayson's car stopped in front of the town alongside a truck filled with equipment for the funeral.Without Belle and Grayson's friendship, Hunter would have had to manage all the funeral arrangements alone, and he wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet Ginger.Sam remained outside to stand guard while Grayson and Gabriel entered the Sanders family's old home.The townsfolk and the police were shocked when they saw them.They didn't recognize Grayson or Gabriel, but they could tell at a glance that they were really special peo