Olly took out a box and opened it, releasing a unique scent. "This is a snakefruit. I can lend it to you for now. Have your people smell it. You might get some leads." Xena did not take it. That was because she realized she found the scent oddly familiar. She was certain she had smelled it on someone before. "What's wrong? Does it ring a bell?" Olly asked.As she was snapped out of her thoughts after hearing Olly's question, Xena quickly said, "Not yet. Don't worry, Mr. Davidson. I'll assign more people to investigate this." "Good. Thank you, Xena. He was my disciple after all, and it concerns the reputation of the Great Imperial Sect. We need answers." After Olly left, Xena suddenly froze. She remembered why the scent was familiar—she had smelled it on Felix. When she shared a bed with Felix last night, she wondered why he smelled so good. She had assumed it was a men's cologne, but now she realized it was the scent of snakefruit. Since Felix was also a martial artist who w
As expected, Jack looked at Felix while clearly trying to suppress his anger. "Felix, I've realized something. This kind of woman isn't worth pining over." Felix nodded and took out his phone. Trina continued to look down on them. "What? It sounds like you want revenge. But do you even have the means to do it, Jack? You're just a washed-up loser who tricked me into coming to Avesburgh. How dare you talk big?" Her boyfriend also threatened, "You really don't know what's good for you!" Right then, Felix's call connected. He was calling Yvonne, of course. Though their relationship was still undefined, he knew she would not refuse his request. "Felix, what's up?" Yvonne asked."I need you to fire two people from your Avesburgh branch's office. One's named Trina, and the other is her boyfriend." "Alright!" Yvonne readily agreed.After he hung up, Felix patted Jack's shoulder. "Let's go. It's taken care of." Jack immediately felt relieved and left with Felix without another wor
Felix's expression mirrored the manager's confusion. Since when did the Phoenix Legion have time for this? Or was there something more going on here? "Bro, what the hell? I've never heard of the Phoenix Legion messing with places like this before." Jack's eyes widened. He looked to Felix for answers as the hostesses scurried out. "Relax. They're probably using this as a front to catch some fugitive," Felix guessed. His explanation seemed to satisfy Jack. It made sense; otherwise, it would be hard to justify why the Phoneix Legion would come all the way to this club. "So, what about Madeline? I'm still in shock seeing our former class sweetheart here, of all places," Jack remarked.Felix's expression darkened. He could not believe it either. Back in their innocent days, he and Madeline had dated for two years. They had been naive then, and a kiss was as far as things went. There was definitely no rolling around in the sheets, but the memories they shared were still sweet. Mad
There was no way Felix did not know that man. His eyes seemed to ask if Xena had any proof of his crime."I said I don't know him. Why would I need to look closely?" Felix shot back.Xena laughed coldly and said, "You smell like snakefruit. I caught a whiff last night, and I can still smell it now! The guy in the photo had also been near a snakefruit. So I've got good reason to think you're a prime suspect in his death!" Felix leaned back on the couch. Crossing his legs, he looked completely unbothered. "Smell? That's rich. If a woman dies and you smell the same perfume on another woman, does that make her a murderer? What kind of logic is that?" Xena was fuming. She had expected this, but she had not realized Felix would be this brazen. She knew exactly how skilled Olly's disciple had been. Even someone with a gun would have had a hard time taking him out. "Fine. In that case, be ready to report to the Phoenix Legion anytime," Xena said with a huff.In the past, Felix might h
Madeline had gone home? Felix fell silent as he rested his chin on his interlaced fingers. Everyone has a golden period in their past, especially during their school days. Whether it was a real relationship or just a crush, seeing that person again as an adult felt like a good ending to their youth. This was especially true for Felix and Madeline. How could he not care when he saw her in this situation? "I'll pay 50 grand. Get her back here," Felix said.The manager shook his head. "Sir, it's not about the money. It's in her contract." Felix raised his offer. "200 grand." The manager froze as he gawked at Felix. Had he heard that right? 200 grand? "I'll throw in another 50 grand for you if you bring her back." Money was no object to Felix. He had more than he could spend anyway. "Give me half an hour, sir. She'll be here, I guarantee it." Money really could make people do anything. "Damn, first love's got some pull. 250 grand, just like that." Jack gave him a thumbs up.
By the time Jack returned to the private room, Madeline was gone. "What happened?" he asked. After Felix explained the situation to him, Jack sighed deeply. "Family can really mess you up, huh? I got kicked out, but at least I'm not drowning in debt. Damn." …It was midnight when they got back to Tabiner Bay. Instead of going home, Felix went to Yvonne's villa. He had received a call earlier. "Yvonne, what's up? It's pretty late," he said after he greeted her.Yvonne glanced at Felix. She then got up and said, "Have a seat. I'll be right back." She came downstairs a moment later, and Felix froze in his tracks. Yvonne was not even wearing pajamas. She was in purple lingerie that would make any man lose his mind. Her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes kept darting away, which made her even more alluring. "After last time, I… I've been thinking about it every night. Would you be willing to sleep with me again? I'm not looking for a commitment or to disrupt your life." F
The next morning, Felix got a call from Kane. "Mr. Zeller, we've figured out how the chief died. It was because his martial arts technique went wrong, not foul play." Since it was not murder, Felix relaxed a bit. He could now focus on Curtis' situation. "What about you?" Felix asked. Kane replied, "I've been promoted to Chief of Oasis Clinic, so I can't come back to Avesburgh. Mr. Zeller, the person I found for you should be there in two days max. Her name's Vivian. She's somewhat of a niece to me. "She's been with Dragon Alliance for almost four years and is a martial arts prodigy. She's already Deputy Chief of the Earthen Hall." The Earthen Hall? Felix was surprised. It was one of the top divisions in Dragon Alliance, as the people there handled all assassination missions. Getting in there required serious skill. For Vivian to have become a deputy chief in just a few years was indeed impressive. "Alright, tell her to contact me when she arrives," Felix said."Oh, and Mr.
"Mr. Zeller, I can't thank you enough. Our family's fate wouldn't have changed without your help," Wendy said. Felix smiled and said, "That's just how fate works. You earned this. Why thank me? You helped me plenty with those herbs, too." Wendy seemed to have gathered her courage and finally said, "Mr. Zeller, do I… do I have any chance of being with you? Given your talent, I know I don't deserve to be with you! But even if I could just be your mistress, I'd be willing to be one." Wendy was the heiress of Avesburgh's wealthiest family. Anyone who heard her speak so humbly in front of a man would have been shocked. Felix shook his head. "You deserve better. You've only seen one side of me, you hear me?" Though she had expected this, Wendy could not help feeling disappointed. "I understand. Mr. Zeller, I'll come back to visit when I can. I won't ask for much. Just answering my calls and having a meal with me would be enough." "We're friends. Isn't that what friends do?" As
The moment the topic came up, Felix's gaze flickered, avoiding direct eye contact. No matter how you put it, even though Xena would also benefit from it, it still felt somewhat unfair. It felt that way, especially since they weren't in a relationship. If they were married or at least dating, it wouldn't be an issue at all."I'm exhausted. I need another two days to rest," he said.Billy scoffed. "I know your soul energy is depleted, but trust me. Your fatigue will disappear instantly once your souls merge. The feeling is beyond words. I'm sure you've heard from the Malevolent Phantom how irresistible Soul Binding is, even for those who've already experienced love and passion."Wait, what? Felix was speechless. It seemed that there was really no way out of it."Oh, one last thing. After you and Xena… you know, your soul energy will be completely absorbed and stored away. That means you won't have any left to wield a soul-bound weapon or use any soul attacks. Are you sure you still
There was only one explanation—Felix really could heal soul damage."Of course, I healed him. Let me rest for a bit. Wake me up when the sun comes up."Felix was utterly exhausted. Even if an S-tier Malevolent Phantom appeared beside him, he couldn't be bothered to care. If Donna had truly wanted to kill him, she would have done it long ago. There was no reason for her to wait until now.As Donna watched Felix slip into a deep sleep almost instantly, her expression grew more complex.What kind of ridiculous joke was that? Even though Leonardo was a crossbreed, his soul had already inherited the traits of a Malevolent Phantom. While it wasn't exactly the same as a true Malevolent Phantom, the essence of his soul had changed.And yet, Felix had still managed to heal him. If word of this got out, it would shake the entire Malevolent Phantom world to its core.It was like finding out that some miracle doctor could cure any disease in the human world. People would go absolutely crazy.
Leonardo's body suddenly started convulsing, and with foam spilling from his mouth, even a fool could tell something had gone wrong.Damage to the soul was entirely different from physical injuries. If one got a cut, even without treatment, their body would eventually heal on its own. However, the soul wasn't like that. Any damage was permanent and had widespread consequences. Even if just a fraction of an inch of the soul was harmed, the physical reaction could be extreme.Felix let out a long breath. "Finally got it out. It sounds easy, but doing it was incredibly difficult. Even with my soul energy, I nearly couldn't hold on."The level of precision required to make such an impossibly fine cut was beyond imagination. To do it without causing any collateral damage would require soul energy beyond comprehension.Of course, Leonardo's soul had been damaged. There was no avoiding it."At least he's alive. You've done all you could," Donna said.However, Felix just smiled. "That'
At that moment, Felix turned to Norman. "Step outside and say the lines you've rehearsed. Then, I'll take your son with me. He'll be back by dawn."Norman was beyond relieved. If Leonardo could survive, nothing else mattered.He had long anticipated this day. Living on Earth, even if it wasn't intentional, he had killed more than one person. There was no way he'd be let off the hook.In the living room, Lina was in tears, bombarding him with questions, while Steve kept sighing heavily. No one could have imagined that a once-happy family would fall apart overnight."I'm taking Leonardo for treatment. I won't say it again."Seeing the scene unfold, Felix spoke up. With Norman's cooperation, things were going more smoothly. Since he had been assured that Leonardo would return safely, there was no reason for further resistance.The situation had to be handled strictly. There was no room for defiance.Just then, Xena arrived. She had actually been in Zuera since the day before but ha
Norman looked into Felix's eyes and knew there was no room for negotiation. He lowered his head in silence.Seeing this, Felix dialed Donna's number."What's up?" she asked."I found a crossbreed.""A crossbreed? Oh, you mean a hybrid? What about it?"Felix had no choice but to ask Donna for help. No matter how he looked at it, he also wanted to protect Leonardo."This crossbreed is only three years old and seems to have inherited a soul-related trait. He just killed someone out of pure instinct."Before Felix could finish, Donna had already guessed the situation. She let out a chuckle, her tone carrying a hint of eerie amusement. "Let me guess, you want to save the kid?"Felix didn't bother denying it. "That's right. I want to know if there's a way."After a long pause, Donna's voice came through again, "There is! But I can only assist. Since he's just three years old and hasn't developed much yet, I can mark the part of his soul that drives his instincts. "You'll need to
A trace of sweetness flickered in Norman's eyes, and he couldn't help but smile."Yeah, I never imagined it, either. Me, an A-tier Malevolent Phantom, actually falling in love with a human. I'm completely, hopelessly in love."Felix froze as he hadn't expected it to be true."You probably don't believe me. No other Malevolent Phantom would, either. But it's real. I truly love Lina. After experiencing what you humans call love, I was completely consumed by it. Maybe that's why, when we were together, our souls intertwined, and that's how Leonardo was born."Norman grew emotional as he spoke."Do you understand? When I realized that Leonardo had inherited the unique traits of a Malevolent Phantom's soul, I was overjoyed beyond words."But I regretted it instantly when I remembered where we were. Because it meant that if Norman was ever discovered, he would be in danger of being killed at any moment."And now, with your arrival today, I knew that moment had come. I just didn't expe
The existence of crossbreeds was classified as top secret by headquarters. If word got out, even if the general public remained unaware, just the knowledge reaching certain members within headquarters would cause mass panic.Would you dare to question whether your partner might be a Malevolent Phantom? Would you risk wondering if your child inherited some of its traits and became a crossbreed? No one wanted to shoulder that responsibility.Take Johann and his team, for example. They had absolutely no knowledge of crossbreeds, and their resistance right now stemmed entirely from their own moral convictions."Sir!"Johann didn't dare stop Felix outright, but he raised his voice to make his stance clear. The others followed suit, not to mention Lina, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, and Steve, whose eyes were red with fury as he glared at Felix without a hint of fear."Mr. Zeller! If you're really going to take my grandson, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"Tears st
"So what?" Lina asked. "Even if I lied, what does that person's death have to do with my son?"Felix suddenly roared, "Are you telling me that when you opened the door, your son never left your sight for even a second?""I—"Lina opened her mouth but suddenly found herself at a loss for words. That instinctive hesitation was the most telling of all."Get the car ready. Take her with us. We're going to Lina's house.""Yes, sir!"The convoy arrived at a luxurious mansion in Zuera. The moment Felix and his team rushed inside, they saw Steve sitting in the living room, holding a three-year-old boy in his arms."Mr. Zeller, why are all of you here?"Lina, restrained by Felix's men, screamed in a frenzy, "Dad! Save Leonardo! They're trying to take him away!"Then, she turned to Felix, shouting in fury, "You monsters! He's just three years old, and you suspect him of murder? I'll expose you! I'll take you to court!"By the time she finished, she was sobbing uncontrollably."Mr. Zel
Even though Lina knew Felix held an unimaginably high status—so high that even Steve feared him—his continued questioning and the direction of his suspicions pushed her to the edge. The mere idea that her son might be involved sent her into a silent rage.She was a mother, and when it came to her child, she did not care who the hell the other person was."I'm just asking questions," Felix said flatly. "Just answer them. Don't make me start quoting laws and rights to get you to cooperate."His voice was so calm. For a moment, Lina wondered if she had overreacted, so she took a breath and continued.She explained, "He wasn't in the stall. It's way too small in there. I left the door cracked open so he could see me, and since I had the tether on, plus the nanny and driver waiting outside, I wasn't worried about him wandering off."Felix did not say anything right away. He stood there, clearly deep in thought.Silvercrest Restaurant might have been an upscale dining place, but it was