CHAPTER 48: CH-48

As the night deepened I lost track of time, absorbed in mastering my skill.

Unfortunately, the room was barely big enough to practice. Just a few extra feet and I could’ve been a little messier and more creative.

I needed a Seeker License. With one I could use a proper training facility: reinforced rooms, combat sims, dummies that actually fought back. No more pretending my room was a secret dojo.

With that in mind, I meditated one last time before heading to bed.

Around three in the morning, I woke up reluctantly. My whole body was filled with energy, and no matter how many times I tried to close my eyes, sleep just wouldn’t come.

It wasn’t that I was still tired—quite the opposite. I was completely refreshed, overflowing with vitality.

Sighing, I got up and stepped out onto the veranda, letting the cool night air wash over me.

Standing there, I tried to wrap my head around it. How could a place this peaceful exist, tucked inside walls that separated it from a world of chaos?

Beyond, monsters roamed freely, and law was meaningless. The strong took whatever they wanted, while the weak either cowered in hiding or vanished entirely.

And yet here... the streets were quiet, the air clean, buildings pristine. It was as if the chaos outside belonged to another reality entirely.

I paced the veranda, letting the night air cool my racing thoughts.

Was I really cut out for a life of danger ? Or should I just aim for something simpler—like inheriting the family business and spending my days counting profits instead of corpses?

The System never said I had to be the strongest—only that I had to uncover the Mercer family’s secrets and Ace’s mother’s death. So why did my gut scream otherwise?

Speaking of the devil, I noticed Daniel’s room in the corner of my eye.

"Should I?" I muttered under my breath.

A grin tugged at my lips. "Of course, I should."

Activating Shadow Blend, I leapt from the veranda to the next one. My physical attributes had received a massive boost after awakening, and that wasn’t even counting my cultivation.

I dropped onto the balcony without making any sound. My skill was perfect for an assassin, and the idea of slipping into his room and forcing the secret out of him was tempting.

’I’ll cross that bridge when I get there,’

The room was empty when I stepped in.

Aunt Ellie wasn’t around — not surprising, since I told her to stay with Ella for the time being. The thought of her being anywhere near Daniel left a sour taste in my mouth.

Guess I’m a bit possessive.

Funny how stealing someone’s wife was charming when I’m doing it, but unforgivable when it was the other way around. Hypocrisy at its finest.

’Where is he?’

My senses were powerful enough to notice if he was here, but I felt nothing—until the floor suddenly vibrated.

Without thinking, I activated Shadow Blend and slid under the bed. In this state, even if he leaned down and checked, he would see nothing but darkness, unless he brought a flashlight.

Footsteps echoed around me.

Then, I heard a voice.

Daniel.

He was talking to someone.

At first, I thought he might be on a call, but the pauses between his words told me there was someone else in the room with him.

"You shouldn’t be here. If anyone finds out—"

A deep, husky voice interrupted him. "Is the serum complete?"

My pulse quickened. Every cell in my body screamed danger. I stayed as still as possible, careful not to make a sound.

The stench of rotting corpses filled the air as the figure neared the bed, making my stomach twist. I used shadow manipulation to cover half of my face.

Daniel’s voice came next. Gone was the confident businessman from before. Now it was shaky, cautious, like a child trying not to anger a parent.

"I’m doing everything I can. The serum is almost ready. Please, just a little more time."

"Almost isn’t enough, Daniel. Do you understand how important that thing is ?"

He swallowed hard, a tremor running through his voice. "I... I’ll work faster. I promise."

The room fell silent, then the figure spoke in a louder and colder tone.

"Remember. Your company only exists because of us. Fail, and you’ll be replaced. No mercy, no second chances."

Daniel’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded quickly. "Y-Yes. I understand,"

I thought that would be the end of it.

But the figure still has something to say.

"By the way. I heard your son has recovered and even awakened?"

"What a twist of fate. I told you to kill him before, but you insisted on merely paralyzing him... saying it would be a far more cruel punishment."

My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. I had to force myself to calm down, take slow breaths, and think clearly, but it was really hard to stay still with all this sense of betrayal crawling at me.

’Calm down.’ I pressed a hand to my chest. ’Rest easy. I’ll make that bastard pay a hundredfold’

Slowly, my heartbeat steadied. Good thing the figure hadn’t detected me, or maybe I had underestimated just how strong Shadow Blend really was.

After all, it was a skill from a higher lifeform, so normal logic didn’t exactly apply.

"How about it Daniel?"

The figure’s laugh filled the room, wild and ugly, like something that shouldn’t belong to a person.

"So? Want us to take care of him again ? We’ll make it look like a monster attack just like last time. No mess, no questions. No scandal."

I felt my muscles tense under the bed. A hot, violent part of me wanted to jump up, use everything I had, and end them both right there.

With my shadow skills and cultivation together, a surprise strike might be enough.

Still, the logical part of my mind held me back. Acting without knowing exactly who I was facing would be stupid and deadly. I had to learn more first.

On top of that, no notification had popped up. If the system stayed silent, it meant I hadn’t uncovered the Mercer family’s secret yet.

"Killing him now would be harder," Daniel replied. "I don’t even know his rank yet."

The figure let out a sneer. "Regardless of his potential, he just awakened and hasn’t received training yet."

Newly awakened can usually access only about ten percent of their potential; training and fighting monsters unlock the rest.

Right now, the system rated me as C Rank, but if I took a test, I would probably score higher—maybe even reach A Rank Potential.

"Wait until he becomes a Seeker. That way, when he’s out climbing a tower, we make it look like a monster attack."

There was a long silence.

"Daniel, Daniel... you still have a soft spot for that kid, don’t you?, But we both know you can’t let him be forever. After all, he is the son of that woman."

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Authors Note:

If you’re enjoying the story and want more mass releases, here’s some good news:

Starting now, every 200 powerstones will get a bonus Chapter. And every 20 Golden Tickets? That also earns one bonus Chapter.