Chapter 276 - 268: Everyone Is a Suspect, Including You
Seth Sterling froze, carefully trying to recall.
"That’s right! His old injury flared up, so he was a little late coming from the hospital and only participated in the team competition. It was all over the news..."
The light in Aurora Sinclair’s eyes dimmed slightly. December 24th was the day her master had died.
"Aurora, let’s try an experiment," Alvin Morgan said suddenly.
Aurora Sinclair said goodbye to Seth Sterling and hung up the phone.
Alvin Morgan had someone bring a 28-inch suitcase and asked Aurora Sinclair to get inside.
According to the airport’s security footage, the West Family Head acted completely normal the entire time. He was just pushing a 28-inch suitcase, both on his way there and on his way back.
Alvin Morgan suspected someone might have been hidden in the suitcase.
Especially since he flew on the Quincy Family’s private jet and went through a special security channel.
Someone with a cultivation level similar to Master Aerion’s could very likely bypass security and get into the special channel.
"Only someone with Junior Sister’s build could fit in this suitcase. If they really used a suitcase, it could only hold a petite woman or a child. Elias Lennox couldn’t fit; he’s about my height."
Jared Miles said in a low voice, watching as Alvin Morgan successfully helped Aurora Sinclair into the suitcase.
’He didn’t really believe Elias Lennox was a suspect. After all, he was the biological nephew of their Eldest Martial Uncle, which meant he had ties to Sunstone.’
Alvin Morgan opened the suitcase and helped Aurora Sinclair out, replying in an exceptionally flat tone, "The truth is often unexpected."
***
「In the competition lounge.」
Arthur Lockwood saw Elias Lennox fiddling with his phone and walked over to make small talk. "You performed well today. There will be an interview in a bit..."
Elias Lennox looked up, his handsome face breaking into a playful smile. "How much of a bonus is Mr. Lockwood planning to give me?"
"If you sign with DAF, the sky’s the limit," Arthur Lockwood said with a laugh, raising a hand to pat his shoulder.
Elias Lennox sucked in a sharp breath.
Seeing this, Joanna Monroe slapped his hand away. "Watch where you’re patting! Elias injured his shoulder in a car accident. If you make it worse, who’s going to play in the postseason?"
Arthur Lockwood gave an awkward laugh. "How is it not better yet?"
The mere mention of it made Joanna Monroe angry, and she shot several glares at Elias Lennox.
"He was injured, but instead of staying in the hospital like he was supposed to, he was running all over the place and ended up getting hurt again by two people who were fighting..."
Arthur Lockwood replied with feigned sympathy, "You really have some bad luck. I’ll order some pig’s trotters for you at the celebration party to help you heal..."
Elias Lennox’s expression darkened. He held up his phone and waved it. "Can’t make it this time. Master Rory is looking for me. I have to head back."
"Master Rory is back in the country?"
"Let me see..."
Everyone in the room crowded around.
In the end, the entire DAF team decided to head back to Kingsford first and have their celebration party with Master Rory.
Arthur Lockwood secretly sent a message to Alvin Morgan:
[He’s acting normal, nothing strange. Tell me, what did he do?]
But the only reply he got was an "OK" emoji.
「Three hours later.」
The DAF Team returned to their Kingsford headquarters.
"Belle! Flora! Your master has returned..."
Arthur Lockwood announced, walking in with his usual carefree Kingsford drawl.
But there was no one at the front desk.
Puzzled, Arthur Lockwood took a few steps forward, only to see two girls in DAF uniforms hunched over, peering through a decorative cutout wall.
"Ahem... Ditching your posts in broad daylight. That’s a fifty-dollar fine."
Arthur Lockwood cleared his throat softly behind them, but one of the girls immediately clamped a hand over his mouth.
She whispered, "Mr. Lockwood, look quickly! Isn’t that the president of EM Group? Is he here to discuss a partnership?"
Jared Miles was a big name in the gaming world, but he was a private person who avoided the camera. Even when he was on camera, he always wore sunglasses that obscured his face. It was a surprise that these two receptionists recognized him.
"Mr. Lockwood, if you cover his eyes, doesn’t he look a lot like the person in this photo?"
Belle asked, picking up a nearby gaming magazine and pointing to a small photo in it.
Arthur Lockwood froze. He seemed to recall seeing this man at the EM Group’s Syland City branch.
"Eldest Senior Brother..."
Elias Lennox dropped his suitcase, spread his arms wide, and ran over, his enthusiastic voice startling everyone in the room.
Jared Miles dodged him with a look of disgust. Elias then turned to hug Aurora Sinclair. "Junior Sister..."
But he was instantly stopped, his arms grabbed from both the left and the right with incredible speed.
Elias Lennox flashed a smile and winked at Aurora Sinclair. "Junior Sister, are you feeling better? Did you miss me?"
"She didn’t..."
The two men said in unison.
Elias Lennox raised an eyebrow, glanced at them, and gave a flirtatious smile.
"Junior Sister, how about adding me to your entourage of protectors?"
But there was no trace of a smile in Aurora Sinclair’s eyes. She looked directly into his and asked, "Where were you on December 24th?"
"December? Who remembers what happened a month ago?"
"Where were you?"
Seeing she wasn’t joking, Elias Lennox’s smile faded slightly. He glanced at Jared Miles and Alvin Morgan, then asked suspiciously, "What happened?"
A short while later, they were in the DAF conference room.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy.
Aurora Sinclair placed one hand on Elias Lennox’s Energy Sea Acupoint, seemingly checking his injuries.
Elias Lennox’s expression was a bit strange. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the way Jared Miles and Alvin Morgan were looking at him was odd.
"What’s with you guys? Why the serious faces?"
Alvin Morgan propped his elbows on the table, clasped his hands to support his chin, and stared directly into Elias’s eyes. "Why were you late for the competition on the 28th?"
Elias Lennox thought for a moment, then complained, "I was at the hospital getting acupuncture. The Martial Healer was a novice and took forever. I ran as fast as I could and was still late."
"Then where were you on the 24th?"
"At the hospital, getting acupuncture..."
Elias Lennox trailed off, then paused. He frowned and asked probingly, "You’re not interrogating me, are you?"
Alvin Morgan’s expression was impassive.
"I hear you’ve been to many places. Are you aware of a Cultivation Technique that can absorb a Martial Artist’s Vitality?"
Elias Lennox’s brow furrowed even deeper. After a moment of thought, he suddenly said, "I know that someone in Crestland used to practice a Cultivation Technique that absorbed a person’s Power."
"How do you know that?" Alvin Morgan asked.
"My uncle told me... You don’t suspect me, do you?" Elias Lennox looked at him in disbelief.
"Recently, disciples from Veridia’s Ancient Martial Families have died after having their Power drained. Based on our analysis of the Cultivation Technique, this skill could rapidly heal internal injuries and enhance one’s own strength..."
"So you suspect I did it?" Elias Lennox’s voice rose.
Jared Miles shot Alvin Morgan a displeased look and said in a low voice, "We don’t suspect you. This is just routine questioning. It’s possible the killer was staying at the same hospital as you."
Elias Lennox looked at him for a moment, then sighed in resignation. "Junior Sister was the one who gave me this internal injury. I was being treated by the Warner Family at first, but then they had me go back to that hospital. On the 24th, I went to the Warner Family for a follow-up appointment..."
He recounted everything that had happened to him recently, down to the last detail.
Many of the details didn’t line up with the timelines of the several cases.
Specifically, when the incident at Sunstone occurred on the 24th, he was getting acupuncture at a hospital run by the Warner Family.
Alvin Morgan verified this with the Warner Family.
Beside them, Aurora Sinclair withdrew her Power, returned to Alvin Morgan’s side, and shook her head.
Elias Lennox’s internal injuries had not fully healed.
"Junior Sister, what happened on the 24th?"
Seeing how they kept asking about the 24th, Elias Lennox’s expression turned much more serious.
Aurora Sinclair didn’t speak, her eyes staring blankly ahead.
Jared Miles was about to speak, but Alvin Morgan cut him off. "On the 24th, the Lowell Family colluded with an outside enemy to attack Sunstone."
"Attacked Sunstone? Are they insane?" Elias Lennox’s eyes widened in shock, his handsome features stretched in disbelief.
"The Lowell Family’s Martial King practiced an Evil Skill, causing his power to soar. Naturally, his ambition grew as well..."
"Is Martial Uncle okay?" Elias Lennox frowned again.
"He’s fine. The Lowell Family members were crippled and exiled from the Martial World." As Alvin Morgan said this, his eyes remained fixed on Elias, not missing the slightest change in his expression.
"That’s good, that’s good..." Elias Lennox let out a long sigh of relief.
***
After leaving DAF, Alvin Morgan said to Dean Morgan in the car, "Have someone keep an eye on him."
Hearing this, Jared Miles’s brow immediately furrowed. "You still suspect him?"
Alvin Morgan said flatly, "Except for the people who were at Sunstone that day, everyone is a suspect. Including you."
"You..."
Jared Miles grew angry. The Power of a Martial King began to surge from him, but it was suppressed by Aurora Sinclair.
"Junior Sister, you trust him that much?" Jared Miles stared hard into her eyes, a hint of hurt in his gaze.
But Aurora Sinclair’s gaze was calm as she said firmly, "Senior Brother, I trust him!"