Chapter 142: Chapter 136: Tired of Living?

Dean Morgan immediately grew wary and stepped in front of Alvin Morgan, concentrating all his Power into his palms. But Master Aerion merely shot him an indifferent glance before saying something that made his face drain of color.

“The techniques I taught you, I can just as easily take away. Young Lord Morgan, your investigation into the Vance Family ends here!”

But Alvin Morgan just smiled. “Are you afraid I’ll uncover Titus Miles’s real identity?”

Before he could finish, Master Aerion appeared behind him, his hand clamping down on his shoulder. “Kid, don’t think I won’t touch you just because you’ve protected my apprentice a few times! This whole affair is dangerous. Do you have a death wish?”

“If I were afraid of death, I wouldn’t be one of the Morgans,” Alvin Morgan said lightly, as if he didn’t care about his own life in the slightest.

But in front of him, Dean Morgan had turned pale at his young master’s words, his muscles trembling. He wanted to protect him, but Jared Miles had him restrained, unable to move an inch.

’He never imagined that the Nameless Master who taught them martial arts all those years ago was Master Aerion, standing right here.’

The tension was thick, especially with Master Aerion’s hand so close to Alvin Morgan’s neck. So close that with just a slight squeeze, he could stop him from breathing.

Dean Morgan held his breath, slowly gathering the Power in his hands.

But then, Master Aerion suddenly laughed. He clapped Alvin Morgan on the shoulder and praised him, “Kid from the Morgan family, you’ve got guts! You, come with me—”

***

Master Aerion directed Alvin Morgan to drive to a secluded house in the Kingsford Outskirts.

It was built behind an abandoned factory, so dilapidated and decaying it looked like a haunted house.

The interior was plastered with numerous yellow Exorcism Charms, making for a creepy sight.

Master Aerion pressed something, and the lights in the house flickered on.

“Have a seat…”

The room held two dilapidated sofas. The walls were covered in old photographs, all of them of children. Most had an ’X’ drawn over them, a few had question marks, and only two photos were left unmarked.

In the very center was a childhood photo of Aurora Sinclair, though it had the letter ’A’ written on it.

“These are all the children who have been kidnapped over the past twenty years. I’ve posted them chronologically, from left to right. The ones with an ’X’ are confirmed dead. The ones with question marks are unaccounted for. These two without any marks are Leigh Miles and Titus Miles.”

Master Aerion picked up a battered old thermos from the floor and poured a cup of water for himself and Alvin Morgan. “Want some?”

“I’m fine…” Alvin Morgan politely declined, his gaze fixed on the various photos on the wall.

Aside from Aurora Sinclair’s photo, a dozen or so of the other pictures marked with an ’X’ also had an ’A’ on them. All the remaining photos were marked with an ’S’.

Master Aerion sipped his water, his eyes on the wall of photos. He spoke with pointed significance, “All these children… they’re the result of the sins your Great Families committed back then.”

Alvin Morgan’s expression darkened. “But wasn’t that project shut down by the Warner Family?”

“But the Warner Family made a fatal mistake. They thought destroying all the data on Project A would be the end of it. However, many of the original researchers had memorized most of the experimental theories and procedures. They continued the experiments in secret, hiding it from everyone. They called this ’Project S.’ Leigh Miles and Titus Miles are both victims of Project S…”

Master Aerion grabbed a black folder from the cluttered table and tossed it to Alvin Morgan.

The folder was filled with photographs taken inside laboratories. The scenes they depicted were horrific. Alvin Morgan’s face gradually darkened, his expression tinged with suppressed fury. “Where are these laboratories?”

Master Aerion glanced at him. “These locations are extremely well hidden. The fact that you’re seeing these pictures means I’ve already destroyed the labs. These were all just Initial Rank facilities. There are Mid Rank and High Rank labs, too, but they’re all overseas, and I can’t get to them.”

Alvin Morgan thought about Master Aerion’s status and nodded in understanding.

Master Aerion then produced a black notebook filled with pasted newspaper clippings. He handed an old-fashioned magnifying glass to Alvin Morgan.

“Take a look at these few images.”

The images showed a laboratory belonging to the IBG Group in Crestland. At first glance, there was nothing unusual, but the arrangement of the vials on a lab bench was identical to that in the photos of the destroyed labs from the folder.

That was certainly intriguing.

The IBG Group had always collaborated with biopharmaceutical companies across continents, jointly developing various anti-cancer and anti-epidemic drugs, and it enjoyed a stellar international reputation.

Their chief researcher, Dr. M, in particular, had won the highest award in the pharmaceutical world and was named a world peace ambassador just last year, earning international acclaim.

Their partner company in Veridia was the Trent Family’s pharmaceutical group. Thanks to IBG’s funding, Trent Pharmaceuticals had grown rapidly, becoming nearly as prominent as the Warner Group in the last two years and showing signs of a potential comeback in Kingsford.

Master Aerion took another sip of water, his eyes landing on Aurora Sinclair’s photo on the wall. He said softly, “In this world, there is no absolute good or evil, only the inscrutable nature of humanity. The innocent… how truly innocent they are…”

Alvin Morgan followed his gaze, and his own eyes sharpened. “I will get to the bottom of this.”

***

At noon, a jarring doorbell rang through the house.

Aurora Sinclair opened the door, her eyes heavy with sleep. She saw Master Aerion standing there, hands behind his back, a broad smile on his face. “My dear apprentice, look at the time! Are you still sleeping?”

“They didn’t get home until after four in the morning,” Alvin Morgan, who was standing behind him, explained.

Master Aerion shot a displeased look at Alvin Morgan behind him. “So what if it was four? Back when you were all training on Sunstone, you could go a whole night without sleep and be just fine. The moment you leave the mountain, you all get lazy. Everyone, up, up—”

Aurora Sinclair immediately ran to the bedroom to wake Leigh Miles and Titus Miles.

“Master, have guests arrived? I will boil some water for tea.”

The sudden voice from Ditto Miles startled Master Aerion. “What is this thing?”

“Ditto Miles. A smart robot butler,” Alvin Morgan explained.

After receiving a command from Alvin Morgan, Ditto Miles glided to his side and said in a human-like voice, “It is a pleasure to serve you.”

Master Aerion looked at Ditto Miles with interest. “You gave this to her?”

Alvin Morgan nodded slightly and said calmly, “It’s equipped with a small radar that can detect thermal weapons within a one-kilometer radius.”

Master Aerion paused, then chuckled. “Kid, at our level, our own ability to sense danger is far more reliable than any of your flashy gadgets. Still, it’s the thought that counts.”

Once the three were ready, Alvin Morgan drove the master and his three apprentices to lunch.

The car moved at a slow, steady pace. As they approached an intersection, they were suddenly stopped by traffic control.

After waiting for quite some time, Master Aerion asked curiously, “What’s going on?”

Traffic from the other direction was flowing freely, but their lane was at a complete standstill.

Alvin Morgan glanced at his phone and said calmly, “The Arcadian Martial Alliance is holding its conference in Kingsford for the next couple of days.”

Just as he said that, a convoy of black sedans approached from the other direction. Each car had two small flags mounted on the front, representing different nations and Ancient Martial Families.

As a car with a white flag bearing a distinct green emblem flashed past, Aurora Sinclair suddenly spoke up, “Neve drew that…”

Alvin Morgan smiled in reply. “That’s the clan emblem of the Sherwood Clan from Niphoria. Neve Sherwood belongs to that family.”

“Dawn, you’ve met someone from the Sherwood Clan?” Master Aerion asked, turning to look back at her.

Aurora Sinclair nodded.

“Where did you meet her?”

“At the hot spring resort. Neve works for my aunt.”

As if he’d just realized something, Master Aerion chuckled. “Your aunt is quite bold, daring to shelter the young heiress of the Sherwood Clan.”

Aurora Sinclair’s eyes widened in shock. Master Aerion continued, “If I’m not mistaken, the ’Neve’ you speak of is the Sherwood Clan’s own heiress from the core lineage, the one who mysteriously disappeared right before she was to inherit the position of Family Head: Grace Sherwood.”

“Why would she leave?”

“Dawn, in the Martial World, people revere strength and power. The stronger you are, the more respect you command. But if you’re too weak, unworthy of your station… then you’re just a lamb for the slaughter.”

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