It was noon. Xena and Jordan were having lunch in a private room at one of Avesburgh's restaurants."I'm sorry, Xena. My mentor is focusing on researching new medical techniques, and it's been years since he's treated anyone. If not for that, I would've asked him to check on your grandfather," Jordan said.Xena nodded. "I appreciate the sentiment. Dr. Fielding has already verified that Grandpa's been poisoned with the Phantom Poison. I don't mean anything else by inviting you for lunch. Anyway, I doubt your mentor would be able to do anything even if he were around."Phantom Poison? As one of the best traditional medicine practitioners of the younger generation, Jordan had definitely heard of it before."Phantom Poison? Xena, you might have to prepare yourself. Only the miracle doctor has ever managed to cure it, and that was for someone who'd been poisoned for a few days. Mr. Summers Senior has already been suffering from it for a whole year."He couldn't bring himself to say any
Felix was sure the energy in the teapot wouldn't lead him astray. If that were the case, perhaps the porcelain teapot had a hidden side.A middle-aged man in a suit approached. He looked spirited. "I'm honored and pleasantly surprised by your presence, Ms. Kinsley."Wendy said helplessly, "Oh, don't tease me, Mr. Camden. We're short on time, so we'll get straight to the point."Felix pulled out the porcelain teapot and said, "I don't think this porcelain teapot is as it seems. I'd like to ask you to take a look at it and see whether you can restore it, Mr. Camden."Thomas took the porcelain teapot and started appraising it. Over ten minutes later, his eyes lit up. "You've got a good eye, young man. You've got a treasure here! "There's a layer of special material enveloping the teapot—only the teapot makers of the era knew how to create this. Ordinary people have no idea this even exists. Even I only learned about it after a recent gathering with a few old friends. "Once this la
Anyone else would have leaped at the opportunity without a second thought. After all, Thomas had already mentioned how much he had sold the other Mystic Drake Teapot for, proving how sincere his offer was.Selling a teapot bought for 10,000 dollars for over 20 million dollars was like a golden ticket to financial freedom.But Felix shook his head. What he found somewhat amusing was that Mike's supposedly false claim was, in fact, true. The teapot had indeed originated from Henry Davies, the famous teapot maker of the Clearwater era."Sorry, Mr. Camden, but I plan to give this to an elder. It's not for sale," Felix said.Thomas noticed Felix's expression didn't waver even when over 20 million dollars was mentioned. Felix obviously didn't care about money, and raising the price further would be futile."But I can tell you who will receive this porcelain teapot. It'll be entirely up to him whether he decides to sell it," Felix added.Thomas saw a glimmer of hope and nodded politely.
Warren's expression shifted. His deep love for antiques had honed his eye for detail far beyond the average person's.Sasha was confused when she noticed that the porcelain teapot seemed a bit different from what she remembered. But deep down, she knew it was the same teapot. She couldn't help but scoff inwardly.Did Felix really believe that a few cosmetic alterations could somehow make it more valuable? She thought he was such a fool and dismissed him as nothing more than a country bumpkin."Yeah, Dad! This is pretty pricey. I actually saw Felix drop a whopping 5,000 dollars on it at the antiques market. He's so considerate, isn't he?"The sarcasm in her voice was impossible to miss, and Milo laughed right on cue."5,000 dollars? Felix, that's an insult to Uncle Warren! Every guest here brings gifts worth tens, even hundreds of thousands of dollars! How could you—""Shut up!" Warren cut him off sharply. In a deep voice, he said, "It's the thought that counts. Do gifts always ha
"Dad, I'm leaving now. You know you and Ruth share the same birthday, right?"Feeling she'd stayed long enough at the birthday party, Sasha stood up and kissed Warren on the cheek. She had promised Ruth she would be there for the second round of celebrations."Okay. Take Felix with you," Warren replied.Felix felt a wave of helplessness. Warren was clearly eager to see him and Sasha together, but he probably had no idea how different Sasha could be when she was away from home.Seeing no point in arguing with Warren, Sasha smiled and said, "Alright, Felix. Let's go."Warren seemed to have something else in mind and added, "I'll call you later. Make sure Felix picks up."A flash of irritation flickered in Sasha's eyes. Warren had her exactly where he wanted her. She had intended to part ways with Felix as soon as they left, but now, it was clear she'd have to bring him along.Felix had been hoping for the same thing—to go his own way—but now, it was obvious that those plans were r
Warren shot back at Nattie, "You don't know a damn thing! This is a genuine antique. A masterpiece! Do you even know who Thomas is? Would he lie to me? If I bring this to him now, we'll get 25 million dollars on the spot!"Nattie's eyes lit up with excitement. "Then, what are we waiting for? Warren, I know you're passionate about these antiques, but 25 million dollars could change everything for our family."Even if Warren were a billionaire, his wealth was tied to the scale of his company. The reality shifted once his bank loans and other debts were factored in.That was how things worked in the business world. When a company failed, the owner's financial ruin could come immediately. It was a stark contrast to the losses faced by ordinary people who rely on personal savings.Milo's face was a mix of emotions. After all, they were discussing 25 million dollars. Who wouldn't be tempted by that?"No way! This was a gift from Felix, and I have to return it. It's worth far too much. I
Everyone's faces were drained of color. Fear etched into their features at the mere mention of Lord Kane.Kane's fearsome reputation as the lord of the underground was well known in Avesburgh, and crossing him was a sure path to a nightmarish end."W-We didn't do anything to anger Lord Kane." Ruth, Sasha, and the other women were trembling, barely holding back their tears.Kane's reputation was so fearsome that just hearing his name sent everyone into a panic. The terror in the room made it clear what would happen when he actually arrived."Yeah! Who would be foolish enough to cross Lord Kane?""I swear I didn't!"Everyone scrambled to defend themselves.Suddenly, Sasha's eyes locked onto Felix, and she stormed over to him. "It's you, isn't it? You're always lurking around and swindling people. You must be the one who crossed Lord Kane."Felix frowned. He had never even heard of this person. "No. It wasn't me."The others in the room were all close friends who knew each other
Nobody who offended Kane would ever appear again. It was rumored that they were either buried alive or jumped into the river, but in any case, they would certainly die. There was no other possible result.Felix stood up slowly and walked over. "I'm very sure that I don't know you." Kane said, "Of course. You aren't worthy of knowing me, but I'm sure you haven't forgotten Ted, have you?"Felix laughed at the mention of the name. "Oh, so you're Ted's backup. You should have said so earlier instead of wasting time. Let's start, then."Felix crossed his arms. He didn't look afraid at all, nor did he look as if he was ready to fight. He looked more like someone who was there to see what would happen. As Kane raised his hand, he suddenly saw that Felix was wearing a very unique-looking ring on his left hand. His expression changed at once. "You… You…" Felix was confused by Kane's actions. "Why?"Kane swallowed and hastily took out a gold card. There was a very life-like dragon engr
Nelly had always maintained professional distance with all her clients, which had worked to discourage Huxley's advances since he was never really interested in buying property. However, Felix's arrival completely disrupted that delicate balance.After a long moment of internal struggle, Nelly agreed. "Fine, I'll have dinner and karaoke with you tonight, but that's all."Huxley smiled darkly, knowing she would not have any control over what happened once she was there, especially after he slipped something into her drink."That won't be necessary," Felix interrupted firmly. "I actually appreciate having all these people guarding my clinic. Nelly, please go home."Upon seeing Huxley's expression turn venomous, Nelly panicked. "Mr. Zeller, please stay out of this. I know what I'm doing.""I said it's not necessary," Felix repeated calmly.Huxley's expression darkened as he grabbed Felix's collar. "Do you actually think having Clement back you up makes you untouchable? What's your c
Xena nodded slowly. "Of course, I've heard of them! Everyone who joins gets that training at headquarters. "How could anyone not know about the legendary Chief Commander? But what does this have to do with Felix?"She had tried calling Conan earlier, but he had been too scared to say anything. Hence, she was now questioning Alistair."The legendary Chief Commander appeared today—she's Felix's senior," Alistair explained. "One call to Hugh, and within minutes, they discovered the forensics team had falsified everything on the phone.""What?" Xena shot up from her chair. "Are you absolutely certain Felix's senior is the legendary Chief Commander?"Though Alistair only responded with a telling look, she knew it was true. The news was absolutely staggering—this connection was far more significant than knowing any warlord."Based on Mr. Spade's reaction, the Chief Commander hasn't aged a day," Alistair added thoughtfully.Xena gave a bitter laugh. "Of course not. One can only imagin
Conan did not want to stay a second longer in this place. After all, this was the legendary Chief Commander, someone even Lionel respected. He had really shot himself in the foot this time, wishing he had shown better judgment.After they left, Felix breathed a sigh of relief, finally understanding why the forensics results were compromised. It seemed John had timed his report precisely for this reason."Thank you, Mira," Felix said sincerely.Averill immediately protested with a mischievous grin. "What about me? Don't forget you did nothing but lie in bed last time. You should thank me for my hard work too."Felix felt his face burning with embarrassment—only Averill would make such suggestive comments in front of Mira."How did you two end up coming together?" he asked, trying to change the subject.Mira's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I was too lazy to track you down, so I had Averill do the legwork." She turned to Averill and added, "Don't you have a flight to catch?"Ave
Conan whirled around to find another stunningly beautiful woman, and he widened his eyes. He could not help but think, "Damn! What kind of luck does Felix have to have such gorgeous seniors?""Of course! What, are you planning to interfere too?" he challenged, trying to maintain his authority.Felix stood up, surprised to see that Averill's mentioned senior was none other than Mira, who had gracefully entered the room carrying a distinctive purple umbrella—the kind of accessory that demanded attention whether you wanted to give it or not."Well, well, headquarters has really gone downhill if this is the caliber of agents they're producing these days," Mira remarked with a cold smile.Conan's face reddened with rage at the insult to headquarters, but his anger suddenly froze as he took a closer look at Mira's face. He stumbled backward several steps. "Y-You're..."Ignoring Conan, Mira pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Listen here, Hugh. Just because you're retired doesn't
A flash of annoyance crossed Alistair's eyes, but he still made the introduction. "Mr. Zeller, this is Mr. Conan Spade from headquarters, a joint investigator. Given the international implications of this case, they're taking it quite seriously." Conan scoffed at these words. "Mister? Really, Alistair? You're getting soft—since when do we address suspects as 'mister'?""How I address people is my business," Alistair shot back. "As long as the investigation is thorough, my manners aren't your concern." Ignoring the exchange, Conan dropped heavily into the chair across from Felix. "The voice recordings and videos from your phone have been authenticated—it's definitely you, Felix. No amount of denial will help unless you can provide an alibi, so you'd better come with us right now."He added with menace, "And if you resist, we're authorized to use lethal force!"Conan's hostility was crystal clear, but Felix chose not to dwell on it. He replied, "I actually do have an alibi, though
Felix's first thought was that they had found out that he killed Mason, but he quickly dismissed it. First, he had been meticulous. Since Mason had come to kill him, he would have surely avoided cameras himself. Secondly, the Jacobs family would learn about his death first. There was no way they would ask the cops for help instead of taking revenge themselves. These two points made it unlikely. So, what was it? "Xena, don't joke around. How could I have murdered someone?" "That's not for you to decide. Did you think I'd call you if this wasn't official? Alistair's coming for you. I hope you'll cooperate, or I'll issue an arrest warrant." The call ended right there, and Felix was left bewildered. He could only go home and wait. An hour later, Alistair found his address. He sat in Felix's living room with two Wolfie troopers. The fact that they had not even given him a heads-up despite their relationship meant this was official business. "Mr. Zeller, I apologize, but we mus
If Felix wanted to have regular interactions with Willow, he first needed a job. Maintaining his usual air of mystery would only create distance.After consideration, he decided that continuing his career as a doctor made the most sense. It was the fastest way to connect with people. After all, everyone would get sick sometimes."There's a traditional medicine clinic for rent just a block away. But you should see it yourself first." Nelly's efficiency was impressive. After all, she was familiar with the industry. "Thanks again. Just call me Felix." "Sure, Felix." Nelly's colleagues had been right when they said she was a reserved woman. She had not been putting on an act when she always maintained professional distance with wealthy clients. Her different approach with Felix stemmed from her intuition. His eyes were always filled with sincerity whenever he looked at her. The clinic was about 800 square feet. Though it was not big, it was sufficient for use. It had thrived un
Almost immediately after Mason's death, a scarlet thread shot out from his body straight toward Felix. The thread moved so fast that Felix could not react before it vanished. Quickly sitting in a meditation pose, Felix located the thread within himself."Even with my current power, it'll take a month to fully dissolve this Scarlet Thread." Since the thread was not harming him, Felix guessed it had to be some kind of ancestral protection to identify who killed their descendant.Though Felix had instantly suppressed it to its limit, total elimination would take at least a month. This was why he was frustrated. While his suppression had reduced the thread's tracking range greatly, it was not gone. Within a certain distance, it could still instantly identify Felix as Mason's killer. Whoever created this thread was powerful. They were definitely beyond Felix's current ability to fight. But nothing could be done about it now. He would have to take things one step at a time.Seven
Unless? Melissa's eyes lit up eagerly. "Don't keep me hanging! Unless what?" "Unless he's from one of the two most mysterious sects or the Greene family. I can't think of any other possibility." Melissa's expression turned worried as she pondered. "What should I do? Should I heed his calls? And is that mark real?"Her mentor answered without hesitation, "Of course the mark is real! If he wanted you dead, you'd be dead already. You have a chance to connect with a supreme prodigy, and you're thinking of avoiding him?"Has all that phone-stealing messed up your brain? Best case scenario, you could have his child, then—"Melissa hung up. That old man was being ridiculous again. But recalling Felix's appearance, she stroked her chin with a playful smile and said, "Having his child might not be so bad... Oh, my, why am I feeling butterflies?"…Around 1:00 am, Mason had just entered the living room of Villa No. 3 in Heavenly Meadow when he found Felix waiting at the stairs. "You