Chapter 8: Repaying Emotional Debts

Layla couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was so astonished that her eyes went wide, and she stared at Henry without blinking.

 

"Henry, are you... are you serious?"

 

He tilted his head slightly, looking at her with a half-closed eye:

 

"Is there a problem with your listening comprehension? Or else, get going, I will devour you right here and now!"

 

Layla's tears of joy fell. With Henry's help, the journey to find her father would be much smoother.

 

Actually, Henry was not as tyrannical as rumored. He no longer forced Layla to offer herself to him, instead, he changed his mind and wholeheartedly helped her.

 

When Henry was young, Barrett was the one who saved his life. At the age of ten, Henry nearly drowned in a lake. Thanks to Barrett William's rescue, Henry survived.

 

He owed Barrett a debt, so he would repay it to his daughter in the most worthy way.

 

After Layla left, Henry quickly entered the bathroom, pouring cold water over his body to clear his mind.

 

"Layla?!"

 

Mervyn had been patiently waiting for Layla outside. After instructing his four younger siblings to go ahead, he stayed, sitting in front of the temple gate. As soon as he saw her, Mervyn immediately smiled brightly, spun Layla around in a circle before he sighed with relief: "Thank God! Thankfully that scoundrel didn't harm you!"

 

Layla dared not tell Mervyn about the condition Henry had set. She just chuckled awkwardly, replying: "Henry is quite careful. He discussed with me... for a long time, until we reached a satisfactory agreement. I didn't realize it got dark so quickly."

 

Mervyn nodded slightly, then pulled Layla to leave. They would temporarily stay at a small inn nearby, to facilitate work the next morning.

 

That night, Layla was too excited to sleep. She pondered and planned, looking for all possible contingency plans just to get Henry's agreement. Unexpectedly, he could easily accept it like that.

 

Father, Layla will definitely clear your name!

Her eyes stung as if thousands, tens of thousands of dust particles were incessantly creeping into her eyes.

 

Early the next morning, while Henry was still not fully awake, Layla, Mervyn, and Conal were already present in the waiting room.

 

"Oh! And an uninvited guest as well?"

 

Mervyn did not understand why this powerful Young Master always ignored him, even though he had not touched a single hair of Henry's.

 

Mervyn tried to endure, stood up to shake hands with Henry, not forgetting to force a smile: "We meet again. It's an honor for me, Young Master!"

 

However, Mervyn's extended hand was directly dismissed by Henry. He breezed past Mervyn, leisurely sitting down on the gold-trimmed armchair, legs crossed with authority: "Let's get to the main point! Saul, bring the Mountainview map here!"

 

Old man Saul Robbins obeyed, quickly bringing an aged leather map, presenting it on the large table. Layla and Mervyn's eyes widened as they watched him, then they also took out another map from their bags. Conal leaned towards Mervyn, quietly asking: "Two Mountainview maps, but the paths are different. Strange!"

 

Layla spread both maps side by side, carefully observing every smallest detail. The paths were completely different, moreover, the illustration of Mountainview mountain also differed between them.

 

Mervyn gently stroked his chin, whispering softly:

 

"Young Master, could this map of yours possibly..."

 

Before Mervyn could finish, Henry immediately smirked dismissively:

 

"Throw it away! Your map is a fake!"

 

Refusing to believe that the map he held was a counterfeit, Mervyn immediately retorted:

 

"You're lying! On what basis do you claim our map is fake?"

 

His anger was not unjustified. After all, this map was personally handed to Layla by his own master, who was considered infallible. How could he randomly distribute fake items to them?

 

Layla, more gentle in demeanor, glanced at Mervyn, signaling him to cool his temper, and asked politely:

 

"Young Master, please don't mind Mr. Mervyn; he's just concerned about our master. This is the map our master has kept for fifty years, so your statement has shocked us."

Henry scoffed, giving Mervyn a disdainful look:

 

"The map your master has kept for fifty years, whereas this map of mine has existed for over a hundred years, crafted from human skin."

 

Once again, everyone present was left bewildered, thrown from one surprise to another by Henry.

 

He stood up, lifting the human skin map high, then passed it over the fire. Strangely, the map did not catch fire. Instead, under the influence of the heat, a layer of grease quickly evaporated, revealing strange red markings and designs.

 

"Do you see the red ink imprints pressed into the map?"

 

Henry asked indifferently.

 

The three, including Layla, nodded in agreement. They had heard that Oakwood's most renowned feng shui master, Wendell Wright, would secretly employ his unique technique to seal red marks into his maps after completing them.

 

Could this be the seal of Wendell Wright?

 

As if he had read their thoughts, Henry replied with a faint smile:

 

"This is indeed the mark of Wendell Wright. Layla, he drew this map exactly one hundred and twenty-five years ago. Any more doubts?"

 

At this point, Mervyn and the others fell silent, no longer voicing any objections. Henry then sat back down and continued:

 

"Last night, I told Ms. Smith here that if we hurry, we could reach Mountainview by the afternoon. However, I've just received an urgent call that needs immediate attention. Please, the three of you, stay at Lotus Flower and study the map to find the exact location we need to visit. Once finished, we will devise the most suitable travel plan."

 

As Henry was about to leave, Layla hurriedly called out to him. Her cheeks turned crimson as she shyly responded:

 

"Young Master, thank you!"

 

Henry's broad back stiffened. He turned his head, smirking mockingly at her:

 

"No need! I hope next time you'll be more proactive."

His words were laden with dark undertones, leaving Layla feeling embarrassed and wishing she could hide away. Mervyn quickly tapped her arm, trying to inquire:

 

"What did he mean by that?"

 

Layla did not answer, shaking her head to avoid the question. This made Mervyn even more suspicious.

 

Henry, upon leaving the waiting room, immediately went upstairs to change his shirt. He put on sunglasses, his hair neatly combed to one side, revealing his broad, high forehead. Among hundreds of outfits, Henry casually chose a white dress shirt and trousers that accentuated his tall stature, paired with a black coat that extended to his knees.

 

Waiting for him to change, bodyguard Youssef Young was already outside.

 

Youssef quickly stepped forward, then strapped a small, state-of-the-art gun to Henry's belt.

 

"Those fools are demanding again. Tsk, it seems, if we don't eliminate this rabble soon, they will take advantage and proliferate even more!"

 

He parted his lips, blowing a cold breath in Youssef's face. His handsome face slightly moved, exuding an extreme malevolence. Then, Henry slipped his hands into his pockets, striding forward with his subordinate holstering the gun, respectfully following behind, creating a perfect formation.

 

The convoy quickly departed.