"Grandfather! You must go. It's Mason Jacobs!"Rosalyn was frantic. The current most famous figure among the Eight Great Martial Families was undoubtedly Mason of the Jacobs family.The Ruby family had been pushed to the second spot because of him. And just yesterday, news spread that Mason had broken through to Innate Realm and entered Aetherial Realm.Considering his age and rapid advancement, his achievements were truly unprecedented and unmatched."What nonsense! He's just a junior. Do you think I need to get involved? It's merely a traffic accident. Go back inside."Despite his dismissive words, Rosalyn acted decisively. "I have to go. Felix was riding in our family's car. Mason isn't blind. There's no way I'm letting Felix get dragged into this mess because of him."…Meanwhile, at an intersection not far from Ruby Manor, Felix had already stepped out of the car. It was, in fact, a simple traffic accident, with clear fault on the other party.Felix's car had been turning
Half an hour later, Felix arrived at a nearby upscale mall.Malls like this were abundant in Aleshire, but he had specifically chosen this one because he had learned in advance about a shop selling high-quality, locally made scarves. Since he was picking out a gift, he wanted something with a regional flair. A luxury handbag, while expensive, lacked creativity—it could be bought anywhere as long as one had the money.While waiting for the elevator, a sudden scream startled everyone."Ah! Where did this little beggar come from? My dress!"Everyone turned to see a distressed woman glaring at her dress. Nearby stood a six-year-old girl. Her clothes were tattered and dirty, and her face was smudged with grime."Miss, don't you recognize me?"The little girl reached out toward the woman again. Furious, the woman recoiled, clearly unwilling to let her pristine white dress accumulate more smudges. She raised her hand and slapped the child. "Get lost! Where's security?"Felix interv
Felix extended his perception for a while but found no suspicious movements or individuals. He had no choice but to give up. Perhaps, as the two bystanders had mentioned, this notorious thief had already moved on to another location.Given that this mall had already been hit, it was likely the thief had left.Still, Felix couldn't shake one big question. Why did they target phones? For someone capable of stealing from someone as skilled as himself, they could undoubtedly pull off far bigger heists. Why did they go through the trouble for something so minor?Unable to make sense of it, Felix decided not to dwell further. He headed to the top floor and immediately spotted the scarf shop he had come for. However, the sign at the entrance stood out more than anything else."Members only. Non-members, please do not enter".That one sentence alone showcased the shop's trust and exclusivity. Inside, the store was much larger than it appeared from the outside, with over a dozen sales coun
"Hah! What a disgrace to men. I can't imagine what Nancy was thinking, getting involved with trash like you," Ronald sneered.Bertha felt vindicated, knowing she would soon have her revenge. Ronald Sullivan wasn't just anyone—he was a second-generation elite in Aleshire who was wealthy and well-connected. On top of that, she had shared a bed with him a few times, giving her some leverage in their relationship."Mr. Sullivan is one of our highest-tier Platinum members. He could slap dozens of people like you to death with a single hand."Ronald's sudden appearance was unexpected, but Felix had no interest in wasting his time on this group of clowns. There were plenty of scarf shops in Aleshire—this one wasn't unique."If I want to leave, who can stop me?"Ronald stepped aside, but his two bodyguards moved in to block Felix. Just as they reached for him, their bodies trembled simultaneously, and they stepped back, backing away."Useless!" Ronald snapped, his face darkening. These
An older woman entered. One could tell she was a beauty when she was younger. Her lashes fluttered when she looked at Felix."A-Aunt Yvette?" Felix dropped his phone out of shock when he recognized Yvette.When Yale staged a coup, he had taken Yvette hostage. They had to beg Averill to save Yvette.Although Felix wasn't particularly close with Yvette, he understood that Yvette had been Cordelia's hope. He couldn't possibly feel nothing when he finally met Yvette in person."Felix, is that really you?" Yvette dashed over and agitatedly caressed Felix's face. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Where were you these past few years? I looked for you a few times at Avesburgh. You rascal! You worried me so much."Felix was not used to the love and care Yvette displayed. Had Yvette learned to cherish family after his parents passed away? He recalled not being that close with Yvette, though she was at least not as heartless as the Zellers."I'm fine, Aunt Yvette. How are you and your family
"Let's have dinner at home. I will cook for you. Your mom learned her cooking skills from me. There's nothing good at the restaurants nowadays," Yvette suggested."Okay," Felix agreed.He was at a stage where he craved family bonds, and Yvette was technically a relative. Otherwise, he would have no relatives showing up to his wedding."Ronald has lived a pampered life. His mom spoiled him rotten. If he offended you in any way, I hope you won't take it too personally.""Alright."Yvette's phone buzzed during the drive. She answered the phone on Bluetooth. "Hi, Margaret.""I've secured an appointment with Mrs. Walsh. Hurry over!"Yvette furrowed her brows, looking troubled. "But Margaret, I can't make it.""What's more important than meeting Mrs. Walsh? You knew she could help put in a good word. It'll help immensely with that business deal! I dropped you the location. Just come now."A thought struck Margaret Holmes. She added, "By the way, I nearly forgot that Ronald told me
A while later, Yvette and Felix showed up."Margaret, this is my nephew, Felix Zeller," she introduced Felix.Felix greeted Margaret for Yvette's sake."Felix? You look like a fine young man. I've heard about the incident at the scarf boutique. It's all Ronald's fault."Ronald offered an apology, saying, "I didn't know you were older than me. Consider us acquainted after that fight. Sorry about that."Felix absentmindedly answered him. It seemed like Margaret had since enjoyed a better status in the Sullivan family. It was either that, or Shaun was highly respected in the family. Otherwise, Ronald would never apologize.Felix regarded himself as having dealt with people from all walks of life. He believed in his judgment of character. Ronald, an impudent man, would not say sorry unless he was pressured by someone superior."Felix, the woman who will join us is Mrs. Walsh. She's a respectable figure in Aleshire. Since we're asking for her favor, please keep any grudges to yours
Who could have imagined such a thing would happen? Yvette hurried to explain, "Margaret, there must be some misunderstanding here! Let's be honest. With Felix's status, how could he possibly come into contact with someone like Evelyn York? Besides, he doesn't even reside in Aleshire."Felix was searching through his memory, trying to figure out if he had ever met someone named Evelyn York. In the end, the answer was clear—he truly hadn't."Yvette, stop defending him. I think he did it on purpose. Didn't you say before that there wasn't much point in reconnecting with old relatives? That already shows your relationship wasn't that close. He's clearly looking for trouble," Margaret said, cutting her off before she could respond."There's no need to explain further! I'll tell Nathaniel everything about this, and I'll inform Shaun as well," Margaret declared, leaving no room for discussion.At this point, Felix couldn't stay silent any longer. "If this is truly my fault, I'll take re
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
"I have a few questions I'd like to ask you." After Felix said that, the woman, who had gotten close enough to him, gave him a mischievous grin. "Better keep those questions to yourself. You feel paralyzed now, don't you? Don't worry. I just struck some of your acupoints. It'll wear off in two hours! "Consider it a gentle lesson about following pretty girls." Though her movements had been incredibly fast, Felix had been prepared and had noticed them. Even so, he was amazed by her skill. As she started humming and turning to leave, Felix grabbed her arm. "I really do have some questions for you." Her face instantly changed, staring at her arm in disbelief. "Impossible! My acupoint technique can immobilize even Aetherial Realm masters. How can you move?" She realized something alarming—Felix might be at Oceanus Realm. But how could he possibly have achieved it at his age? "Please forgive my rudeness! Have mercy on me. I have elderly parents and children to support!" She bur
Felix frowned as he glanced at Mason before asking, "What exactly do you want?" "Isn't it obvious? I want you to treat my friend. Rosalyn said you're a traditional medicine practitioner. If you're good enough to work with the Ruby family, you must be skilled. My friend's condition isn't critical, but he's my friend, so we can't wait around." If Mason really could not afford to wait around, why would he be in a mood for pizza here? "I'll give you an answer, then. No. I won't go." Mason smiled cruelly and scoffed. "Do you think I won't touch you in public? Or did you think I'm just bluffing because you're a doctor and have powerful connections? "Well, you're wrong. I'm Mason Jacobs, a prodigy of the Eight Great Martial Families. I can crush you effortlessly in every way, so I suggest you wise up." Getting no response as Felix walked away, Mason cracked his neck. "You're the first to dare ignore me ever since I became famous. After midnight, you won't even get a chance to regr
"Stop!" Just as the men raised their iron bars to attack Felix, a thunderous shout rang out. It was Clement, who had emerged from his villa fully dressed. He looked like he was about to head out. "Damn it! Who the hell dares to interfere?" The young man snarled as he turned around, but his expression instantly changed. "Mr. Parson?" Clement's face darkened as he pointed at the young man. "Huxley Linton, are you itching for trouble again? Why are you attacking people in broad daylight? Has your father stopped disciplining you?" Hearing their conversation, it was clear they knew each other, and Huxley was afraid of Clement. "Come on, Mr. Parson. It was just a joke to scare him. We weren't really going to hurt him! We're leaving right now."After Huxley left with his men, Felix seized the opportunity to become friendlier with Clement. "Thank you, Mr. Parson. Honestly, I'm completely lost here since I've just arrived in Gray City. I don't even know that young man." Clement conside
"Smart girl," Felix thought with a smile. "Thank you. I'd appreciate that." Moving in would require lots of shopping, and taking cabs would be inconvenient. As they drove off together, two men watched from the office entrance with annoyed looks. "Damn it! That villa listing was supposed to be mine. I can't believe someone actually bought it, and now, this flirt gets the commission." His colleague teased, "That's fate for you! This sale's worth more than several of our regular deals combined. Isn't Nelly usually the reserved type? She's always keeping clients at arm's length, but she's making moves now." "Hah! That's all an act! This Felix guy's young and loaded—who wouldn't fantasize about dating him? If she plays her cards right, she could end up a rich man's wife instead of selling houses. But she stole my meat, so she'll pay for it."Smiling, his colleague stayed silent as he knew the real reason behind his bitterness. He had pursued Nelly before and been rejected. "Wait. Y