Ivela had the nagging sense that something about Maizart felt off today, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.After hearing his words, Maizart forced a faint, strained smile.“It already means a great deal to me that you care this much.”“Even now, you still haven’t found any leads?”Ivela quickly shook his head. “Father, my elder brother hasn’t made any progress either. When I called him, he was still at a loss.”“But we’ve already agreed—no matter how difficult it gets, we won’t give up!”His expression was earnest, tinged with worry, as though he were genuinely concerned for Maizart.And perhaps because of that, Maizart found himself momentarily unsettled.Anyone who saw that face would find it impossible to believe he could commit something so monstrous.“No leads… Then what about you? Have you uncovered anything? Any clues, any direction at all?”Facing the son he cherished most, Maizart still clung to a faint hope.Even if Ivela were to admit his wrongdoing, he,

To rise as the unrivaled magnate of the jade industry in the Kingdom of Ganz, Maizart was, by nature, a man who drew clear lines between gratitude and grievance—and who acted with ruthless resolve.In an instant, a chilling murderous intent surged from him.Maizart fixed Ivela with an icy stare, while Ivela let out a bleak, hollow laugh.“I know you won’t forgive me, Father. Go on—do it.”As he spoke, a calm smile spread across his face.Before anyone could react, Ivela moved with startling speed. From the sofa, he drew his gun and pulled the trigger without hesitation. At such close range, not even a god could have evaded the shot.Maizart’s eyes widened in disbelief, as though he were staring at a complete stranger.“Didn’t you say you wanted me to inherit your empire? Then consider this… an early succession.”Ivela understood all too well—by now, whatever remained of their bond as father and son was beyond repair. No matter what he did, Maizart would never forgive him.Worse still,

“Take him somewhere else. I don’t ever want to see him in the Kingdom of Ganz again.”Maizart cast a brief glance at the bodyguards. The captain immediately stepped forward with his men and dragged Ivela away.After everything that had happened, Maizart had no energy left for anything else. He simply arranged for Adrian and Lincoln Ashford to be escorted back to their hotel.The hotel offered late-night meals, but Adrian had no interest in them.Now that he was in the Kingdom of Ganz, he intended to sample the local street fare.It was already deep into the night, and Lincoln Ashford had long since gone to sleep.Adrian left the hotel alone. After wandering for a while, he came upon a lively street lined with food stalls.The street food scene here was distinctly different from that of the Novaland Republic.He picked a stall at random and asked the vendor to serve a selection of their most common dishes.He had barely taken a few bites when a commotion from nearby drew his attention.

“What ‘destined opportunity’? Sounds more like your master got tired of you and made up an excuse to send you away.”Adrian shook his head in irritation. It was an offhand remark, nothing more—he hadn’t expected any response from the monk.To his surprise, the monk’s eyes widened, and he scratched his bald head thoughtfully.“You know… that actually makes a lot of sense!”Adrian let out an awkward chuckle. Why did the monk sound almost proud of that possibility?What a peculiar man.Still, if he believed it, all the better. At least now there was a reason for him to stop following.“In that case, I’ll be on my way.”Yet before he could leave, the monk grabbed his arm again.Adrian suppressed his temper and turned back.“What now? Don’t tell me your master gave you more instructions.”This time, it wasn’t about his master.“My master said nothing further. But I observe that your complexion is clouded, Mr. Doyle—you may be facing a fatal calamity…”Before he could finish, several black

“How did you end up here? Didn’t I send people to kill you?”Before Adrian could speak, the burly monk answered for him.“You mean those men? They’re all dead.”Angbitai’s expression changed at once. Adrian’s sudden appearance had already shocked him—but the men he’d dispatched were all dead?He had sent nearly a hundred people. Not just armed bodyguards, but a number of Mythical-tier fighters as well.On top of that, they had been supplied with restricted drugs.And even so… all of them were wiped out?Angbitai could hardly believe what he’d heard. Yet now that Adrian stood before him, he had no choice but to trust what he saw.“You walked straight into my room? What were the guards outside doing—sleeping on the job?”“Where are they? Get in here, all of you!”Adrian spread his hands casually. “They won’t be coming in. They’re all lying outside. Not all of them are dead, though.”Only then did Angbitai grasp the gravity of the situation. Adrian hadn’t merely dealt with the men sent t