Chapter 330: An Ambush in Broad Daylight
An Ambush in Broad Daylight
"Are you trying to teach me how to do things?"
The contempt in his voice was impossible to hide.
To him, this old man was merely relying on his age to lecture younger people.
His gaze shifted toward the attendant standing beside him.
He didn’t need to issue another command.
One glance was enough.
The attendant understood immediately.
Without changing his expression, he stepped forward.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly as he exploded into motion.
His fist cut through the air with astonishing speed.
The old man simply smiled.
He raised one hand.
The two figures collided almost instantly.
Their movements became blurs.
Palms.
Fists.
Elbows.
Their attacks met one after another in rapid succession.
Each exchange produced a dull impact that echoed through the courtyard.
Within only a few breaths...
Several blows had already been exchanged.
Then—
Bang!
A deep sound reverberated through the air.
The Ashbourne household’s attendant staggered backward several steps before finally regaining his balance.
His breathing had become noticeably heavier.
His expression was no longer indifferent.
Instead...
It was filled with caution.
And disbelief.
Both of them stood at the early Gold Realm.
Yet the difference between them was obvious.
The old man had remained within that realm for many years.
His foundation was incomparably steadier.
His control was flawless.
The brief exchange had already revealed the outcome.
Seeing his trusted attendant forced back, Zyan’s expression became even uglier.
His fingers slowly curled into fists.
The old man merely smiled before calmly stepping aside.
Senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood spoke once more.
"Please leave."
His voice remained as peaceful as before.
He had no desire to humiliate Zyan further.
Nor did he wish to continue the conflict.
Having spoken those words, he calmly returned to the stone table.
The old man followed with an amused smile.
The two elders sat back down before the unfinished chessboard as though nothing had happened.
The courtyard returned to silence.
Only the scattered paper fragments remained, dancing gently across the ground.
Zyan stood rooted in place.
His chest rose and fell.
Every muscle in his body tensed.
Humiliation burned within him.
He had come confidently.
Now...
He was leaving in disgrace.
No matter how unwilling he felt, he understood one thing clearly.
Today’s objective was impossible.
Grinding his teeth, he shot one final resentful glance toward the two old men before turning around.
Without another word, he led his entourage away from the Ravenswood Family Clinic.
Only after the sound of their footsteps disappeared beyond the courtyard did the old man sitting opposite senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood quietly let out a sigh.
"Valemont has been quite restless lately."
Senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood smiled helplessly as he picked up another chess piece.
"Otherwise, I wouldn’t have specially invited you to come out of seclusion."
Both men understood exactly what those words implied.
It was no longer a secret.
Nearly every influential household in Valemont had sensed the growing turbulence.
Beneath the calm surface...
Countless hidden currents were beginning to move.
Various problems were emerging within the major families, with undercurrents surging everywhere.
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After leaving the Ravenswood Family Clinic, Zyan Ashbourne’s heart burned with resentment.
The afternoon sun hung high above the streets of Valemont, yet its warmth did nothing to ease the bitterness building inside him. Every step he took felt heavier than the last, and the humiliation he had suffered at the clinic replayed endlessly in his mind.
His pride had been trampled.
His confidence had been shattered.
Most unbearable of all, he had been driven out without accomplishing anything.
His expression grew darker with every passing second.
Compared to senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood’s refusal, the person he truly hated wasn’t the old physician at all.
It was Julian D’Aurelius.
To Zyan, the old doctor was nothing more than a somewhat famous practitioner of Ancient medicine. Reputation alone couldn’t possibly explain what had happened today.
In his mind, everything suddenly made sense.
That old man who had effortlessly blocked his attendant...
That Gold Realm expert...
It had to be Julian’s doing.
He convinced himself that Julian had secretly arranged for such an expert to remain beside senior Miracle Doctor Ravenswood solely to interfere with him.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
His teeth ground together.
"So that’s your game..."
He muttered under his breath, his eyes cold enough to freeze the air around him.
He had underestimated Julian.
Ever since arriving in Valemont, nothing had gone according to plan.
Every move seemed to end with Julian somehow standing in his way.
Unfortunately...
This wasn’t Silverhaven City.
This was Valemont.
Even though the Ashbourne household possessed tremendous influence, this territory belonged to others.
There was an old saying that suddenly echoed through his mind.
Even the fiercest dragon couldn’t suppress the local serpent.
As much as it frustrated him, he had no choice but to admit that his influence here was limited.
Trying to force the Ravenswood household into submission had already proven impossible.
Remaining here any longer would only waste precious time.
His father’s condition continued to worsen with every passing day.
If Dario Ashbourne remained bedridden much longer, everything Zyan had worked toward could crumble before his eyes.
Anxious thoughts flashed through his mind one after another.
His younger sister, Felberta Ashbourne, had already begun searching for her own solution.
If she somehow succeeded before he did...
Then the position of household head would almost certainly fall into her hands.
The thought alone made his chest tighten.
He couldn’t accept it.
He absolutely refused to become the laughingstock of the Ashbourne household.
"Forget it."
"I’ll go to Valcenza and find another doctor."
His voice was low, but his decision was firm.
There were countless renowned physicians gathered in Valcenza.
If the Ravenswood household refused to help, then he would simply seek someone else.
There had to be another way.
Without wasting another moment, Zyan climbed into the back seat of the luxury sedan waiting outside the clinic.
His attendant quietly entered the passenger seat while the driver immediately started the engine.
The vehicle pulled away from the curb and merged into the afternoon traffic.
For several minutes, no one inside the car spoke.