"Send someone to look for Hunter. His lineage thrives underground, so I doubt he's truly dead. Dead or alive, I need him here! I want him brought before me if he's alive, or his remains if he's not! And one more thing, figure out a way to extract Hunter's father from the clinic.""Huh?" Mikkel was taken aback. Capturing Benjamin hadn't been part of their initial plan when they went after Hunter. "What's the point? The man's practically on death's doorstep already, and he's still holed up in Belle's clinic. "Simon and Grayson's security detail are keeping a tight watch. It'd be next to impossible for us to infiltrate, let alone sneak him out."Yelena's irritation flared. "Use your brain and devise a scheme to extract him if he's alive!""Why the sudden interest in Hunter and his father anyway? We've already found the treasure."Yelena shot Mikkel a disdainful glance and pursed her lips. "Nobody designs traps like the Sanders family. We'll need another plan if Hunter's truly gone."
Myr Sandford stood as the most distinguished and revered expert in human genetics study in modern living history.Although research on human genetics was outlawed worldwide, the nation of Frydom clandestinely pursued such studies with full government backing.Myr was very interested in Belle and the Aspen family and had even voluntarily flown his entire team from Frydom to Mandoria just to get their hands on Belle."Have you taken a sample of her blood yet?" asked Myr."We already did. It has been sent to the lab.""Good," replied Myr as he turned to the men who had just brought Belle into the room. "Your job is done here. You may leave now."The bodyguards respectfully nodded their heads before leaving the room.Myr continued, "Close the safety doors and put her into restraints. After that, insert all of these into her body. Be extremely careful not to hurt her. Her body's extremely important to our research."The rest of the researchers got to work putting Belle into clothes
Grayson had already arrived in front of the equipment room. He hid in a nearby corner and thought about getting through the heavily guarded entrance.Forcefully breaking inside would sound the alarm and alert Mikkel and his men.Grayson didn't want to take such a risk with Belle still in their hands.As he was still coming up with a plan, a maintenance worker in orange overalls just so happened to pass by.The maintenance worker was a man in his 40s, and Grayson could tell that he was also Quelorian.The man was surprised when he noticed Grayson in the corner. "What… You scared me! Why are you just standing here in a corner? Shouldn't you be on guard duty or something? Are you alright?"Grayson narrowed his eyes with intrigue as he carefully examined the man and their surroundings, confirming that they were alone."How about a smoke?" replied Grayson as he handed one to the maintenance worker.The man was somewhat terrified, but he quickly calmed down after realizing he was tal
Grayson turned to the soldiers and said, "Something's wrong with the pipes, and I need to get there as soon as possible. It's going to be dangerous whether it's water or electricity leakage. The boss will get angry if anything goes wrong."The soldiers looked at each other and agreed to let him inside.It would be disastrous if something were to happen because they kept delaying the maintenance worker's entry.Several patrols arrived right after Grayson entered the room. "Did something happen?"The soldiers replied, "Nope. Everything is as usual."The patrols then left.Grayson narrowed his eyes with anticipation as he disappeared into the equipment room.The room was not as heavily guarded as anywhere else, and it could also lead to every other area within the underground palace.Grayson opened the topographic map from Steven to check on his location before climbing up and into the pipes. After several twists and turns later, he would finally arrive at the research labs.Gray
Yelena said, "It's extremely rude to show up in someone's home uninvited, my friend."Grayson's expression sank as he realized that he had been fooled.He removed his mask since there was no need to keep the disguise on.Mikkel smiled at Grayson. "It's good to see you, Mr. Page. Here I was, wondering why my security guards hadn't been doing their job. As it turns out, the intruder was none other than Grayson Page himself. I guess my men weren't able to keep up with you."Grayson ignored him and turned to look at the container.Belle was soaked in the container with her eyes closed, seemingly unconscious.Grayson was starting to get emotional as he stepped toward Belle.Yelena immediately fired a shot and warned, "I advise you to stand still, Mr. Page— Ah!"Yelena's wrist was suddenly struck with a heavy force, causing her to scream as the gun slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground.The guards inside the room swiftly drew their guns while the remaining researchers i
Yelena swiftly activated an alarm within the room and quickly concealed herself in one of the conference rooms located further inside.The remaining researchers began to panic, scrambling to their feet and hurrying inside as well.The room was soon left with only Grayson and Mikkel, along with the unconscious Belle.Yelena and the rest of the researchers hid inside the conference room and watched them through the large glass window.A dense cloud of white-colored smoke billowed into the lab, prompting Grayson to hold his breath.Mikkel turned to everyone else hiding in the conference room and shouted for help. "Hey! I'm still out here! Hey!"A red ray of light swept through the room. Grayson immediately let go of Mikkel and ducked away.Mikkel was still shouting for help. "What are you doing? I'm still out here! Let me—Ugh."The laser met its first obstruction, cleanly slicing Mikkel's body in half.Grayson frowned, trying to ignore the gruesome sight. He flipped his gun aroun
Yelena began to panic, offering frantic excuses. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm just a secretary! The boss is the guy out there! You can ask Dr. Sandford if you don't believe me!"Belle rolled her eyes and turned to Grayson. "I was suspicious from the moment I met them today. The boss already knows who I am. He would have likely chosen to speak with me alone, at most assigning two bodyguards. But when I entered, I encountered this secretary as well."Think about it—not even the boss' lover would typically be permitted to listen in on such critical discussions, let alone a mere secretary. Moreover, she showed no surprise when Mikkel attempted to prove his credibility as the boss by displaying his official seal. It's as if she's accustomed to it all.""Why would she be allowed near such an important item? It doesn't align with the boss' usual caution. I played along to uncover their true intentions, planting trackers on both of them before feigning unconsciousness."Yelena
Belle explained, "You may be the best in your country, but you're still nothing before me. Our true capabilities are not something you could even imagine. "Your country built itself from the suffering of others, while mine built itself with generational foundations laid one step at a time for millennia. Our ancestors may have made mistakes along the way, but we've learned from them to be better."Stop placing your mind in a bubble, thinking that you're the best in the world just because you're the best in your country. Your country's existence is like that of a mere child compared to mine! "If you dare to experiment on humans again, I will… Fuck it, like I'm going to give you a chance to do that ever again. I'm handing you over to the authorities. Maybe they'll let you have a taste of your own medicine, literally, as an experimental subject.""You—"Belle angrily snorted at Myr and proceeded to ignore him.She couldn't believe his audacity.Belle was determined to ensure Myr f
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