Rodney frowned and asked, "Are all these markings indicating entrances?"Steven affirmed, "Yes, those are the markers for the research facilities, each with blast-proof doors. Once they're locked, not even a cannon could blast it open."Sam's expression sank. "Upon our entrance, it dawned on me that if all the security measures within the underground palace were to be activated, infiltrating from the outside would become incredibly arduous."Steven shook his head firmly. "No chance of breaking in once they finish construction. The Hannibal boss has fitted the doors with state-of-the-art blast-resistant technology, each costing millions. It's safe to say this fortress will be the most secure place on Earth."Despite successfully infiltrating their ranks and assuming control of the surveillance operation, we're only scratching the surface of what's being constructed underground. "While we've acquired the blueprint for the underground palace, the central area remains a mystery. The
Belle decided to turn her attention to the structure of the underground palace as the "boss" no longer served any purpose to her.Despite her deep-seated hatred for the boss, she couldn't deny her admiration for his remarkable competence and patience.The construction of such a vast underground palace must have demanded considerable time and resources. But where did the money come from?Her previous investigation into the Hannibal family revealed assets totaling only a hundred billion, insufficient for such an extravagant project.Every aspect of the underground palace boasted state-of-the-art technology, indicating substantial investment. Additionally, funding was required for the recruitment and maintenance of soldiers, further deepening Belle's curiosity about the origins of the resources.It occurred to Belle that the Hannibals might not have acted alone in building the underground palace. While she dismissed the involvement of other Mandorian families, she considered the poss
The "boss" bellowed, "What are you staring at? Keep moving!"Belle frowned and continued walking ahead. Unable to resist her curiosity, she inquired, "Why are all these animals locked up?"The "boss" shot her a glance before ignoring her. Belle couldn't discern if he had no idea or if he just didn't want to answer her question.As they roamed through the research labs, they eventually reached an unmarked area. There were no guards stationed except for two burly men in white lab coats, clearly not doctors or researchers. They were built more like professional bodyguards. The guards seemed to be anticipating their arrival as they didn't interrogate them like the soldiers earlier. One of them stepped forward and guided Belle and the "boss" further inside.They passed through several equipment storage rooms before arriving at an office. The bodyguard knocked on the door. "Sir, they're here."A man's voice from inside responded, "Come in."Belle focused intently on the room, eager t
The man fell silent for a moment before responding, "I see. You may leave now.""Yes, sir."The real boss finally turned back to Belle. "Please, have a seat."The woman returned with a cup of coffee and respectfully offered it to Belle. "Please enjoy a cup of coffee, Ms. Belle."Belle sat down but refrained from drinking the coffee.The woman asked, "Are you concerned that I might have poisoned it?"The woman was unmistakably of the same nationality, yet Belle couldn't fathom why the former would align herself with the Hannibal family. She pondered this as she recalled how their fellow countrymen were being exploited in Mandoria.Belle glared at her and replied, "I don't drink coffee. It's too bitter for my taste."The woman smiled. "What would you prefer then?""I'd rather have a milkshake.""Very well, I'll prepare one for you."The woman exchanged a glance with the boss before leaving. Shortly after her exit, several men in white lab coats entered the room. One of them
Mikkel remained composed. "I hope you grasp the gravity of your situation. But rest assured, while your childhood home may be lost, your grandfather remains safe. Noah is quite slippery, isn't he? I've lost track of his whereabouts. However…"It's only a matter of time until I catch up to him. My best men are already on his trail. You'll be reunited with him soon enough."Belle's fist clenched with fury. "Do you have a death wish?" She never tolerated threats against herself, let alone her loved ones.Mikkel remained unfazed. "You misunderstand. Threatening you by capturing Noah is my only recourse. But as long as you comply with my demands, your grandfather will remain unharmed. Frankly, I have no interest in Noah, Grayson, or your associates. My concern lies solely with you—with the Aspens."All this time, I believed you were dead. It was only recently that I discovered you're alive, and that is after investing considerable resources to locate you. I've come to understand you val
"Your family took you to your ancestors' tomb before you were even a month old. The elder of the Aspen family declared you the future successor at 18 years old right then and there. He proclaimed the entire family would serve you, even if it meant sacrificing themselves to protect you."Everyone sought to uncover the secret within you that garnered such devotion from the Aspen family. Perhaps you held the key to further longevity for the family?"That's why you're still alive. No one wanted to harm you. Everyone wishes to study what makes you special, and you need to be alive for this. Many other families are pursuing the same goal."Belle was at a loss for words.Mikkel continued, "I've heard that several children were born around the same time in the Aspen family. Yet, they only cared about you. Rumors even suggest your presence alone, even as an infant, restored one sick family member to perfect health. Speculation abounds that the secret within you can bring someone back to lif
Mikkel stood up and issued his orders. "Bring in the doctor. The rest of you, clear out."The bodyguards scrambled to stand up before making a hasty retreat. The doctor then entered the office to assess Mikkel's injuries. "Your wrist is broken. Recovery will take time. You'll have to get used to asking for help.""Fuck!" shouted Mikkel.Yelena returned to the office in tears. "Sir!"Mikkel's glare was sharp as he snapped, "Stop crying already! It's not like I'm dead or something. Where's Ms. Belle's milkshake?"Yelena turned to Belle, rebuking, "You're treated as an esteemed guest, yet you show such disrespect. You should understand that you're a prisoner here. "Despite how formidable you are, you're never getting out of here. Remember, you're only alive because Mr. Hannibal permits it. So know your goddamn place!"Yelena then left the room to continue making the milkshake.Belle frowned as she watched Yelena leave. Belle's frustration was simmering not from irrationality but
Mikkel sighed softly. "I gave you a choice. But it seems we'll have to do this the hard way. I know that you're skilled in both medicine and combat, and I also know that you have Grayson backing you up. "But honestly, that doesn't scare me. We wouldn't have wiped out the Aspen family if we feared such things. Making enemies of you and your loved ones isn't a concern."Powerful people throughout history have sought immortality or at least a long life. That's why the Aspen family became so notorious among the elite. Anyone who knows about the Aspens wouldn't hesitate to capture you for research."You can refuse my offer now, but the hunt for you will last for as long as you live. And when they do catch you… it won't be pretty. "I genuinely want to work with you, Belle. That's why I've treated you with decency and respect. I've even spent a fortune to build such a luxurious palace just for you. You won't find such humane treatment elsewhere." Belle frowned. "Who else is after me?"
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