Chapter 99: Investigation
Nine Beast Masters with peak One-Tier strength could walk sideways in that secret realm; it was impossible that they couldn’t protect Logan.
"Loni, get up. This matter is not your fault!" Lawrence spoke. Although he felt angry at Loni, the matter couldn’t truly be blamed on him. If he himself had gone to wait outside the secret realm, the outcome would have been the same.
If he were to fly into a rage at Loni now, in the eyes of others in the family, it would just be unreasonable venting after losing his son, as if he had gone insane.
But his son could not have died in the secret realm for no reason. He had to investigate clearly who had killed his son.
"Yes, Patriarch!" Upon hearing Lawrence’s words, Loni let out a sigh of relief. If Lawrence had vented his anger on him due to the pain of losing his son, he would have had no choice but to endure it. Fortunately, the Patriarch was reasonable.
Loni stood up and said, "Patriarch, honorable elders, I believe the fact that the young master and the others all died in the secret realm is very wrong."
"I suspect that someone killed them, rather than it being the work of spirit beasts or hazards within the secret realm."
Upon hearing Loni’s words, the four Paul Family elders exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
People from other family factions had come out of the secret realm alive, yet not a single one of the ten people from his Paul Family had emerged. This was very suspicious.
That was the first point. Secondly, when the Green Valley Secret Realm had opened previously, their Paul Family had also sent people in, and six of them had come out alive.
Clearly, the inherent danger of the Green Valley Secret Realm was not high. There was only one possibility: the Paul Family members had been surrounded and killed by others in the secret realm.
"Patriarch, this matter must be investigated clearly. Logan cannot have died in the secret realm in vain."
An elder of the Paul Family, leaning on a cane, looked at Lawrence and said. These Paul Family elders held a certain amount of authority because their strength was at the level of Six-Tier Beastmaster.
"Agreed, I ask the Patriarch to investigate thoroughly!"
"We second that!"
Everyone looked at Lawrence, waiting for the Patriarch’s orders.
"Very well, I will investigate this matter clearly. Everyone else, withdraw. The four elders are to remain." Lawrence spoke slowly, his expression returning to calm.
"Yes, Patriarch!" Soon, only the five of them remained in the hall.
"Uncle, I will leave the investigation of Logan’s death to you. You may utilize all of the Paul Family’s resources and connections."
Lawrence rose from his seat and walked over to the old man leaning on the cane, his tone filled with grief.
Logan was his only son; for him to be gone just like that left Lawrence devastated.
The crucial point was that Logan’s Beast Taming Talent was not bad. Once Logan grew up, he was destined to take over the position of the Paul Family Patriarch. For Lawrence to go and raise another heir now, he simply didn’t have the energy.
"Rest assured, Patriarch, I will investigate this clearly."
"Very well. Also, to the other three uncles, you should focus on closed-door cultivation from now on. Strive to break through to Seven-Tier as soon as possible so that the Paul Family’s subsequent plans can be implemented sooner."
Lawrence nodded and looked at the other three Paul Family elders, speaking in a deep voice.
"Understood, Patriarch. Even if we have to risk our old lives, we will break through to Seven-Tier and make the Paul Family the number one family in Aquilopolis City as soon as possible."
In the period that followed, people frequently entered and exited the Paul Family estate. Some people from smaller families who had come out of the secret realm alive were also invited to the Paul Family for tea.
---
The Danver Family
As soon as Diana returned home, she saw her grandmother, Carol Danver, already waiting for her in the main hall.
"Grandma, Diana is back!"
Carol Danver stood up with a pleased expression. She took Diana’s hand and examined her carefully as they walked together.
"Good, very good. Your aura has clearly strengthened. It seems the trip to the Green Valley Secret Realm was the right choice."
Diana smiled softly, though a faint blush colored her cheeks. "Grandma, don’t worry. I feel like I’ll be able to break through and become a Two-Tier Beast Master very soon."
"There’s no need to rush," Carol replied warmly. "There is still about a month left until the Beast Taming College Entrance Exam. Take your time and consolidate your gains."
They entered the living room, where Carol dismissed the servants with a wave of her hand. Once they were alone, her expression became slightly more serious.
"Diana, the Paul Family contacted us earlier. All of their members who entered the secret realm were wiped out. Do you know anything about this?"
Diana’s heart skipped a beat. Memories of the cave, Wesley’s passionate embrace, and the intense intimacy they had shared flashed through her mind. She quickly suppressed those thoughts, keeping her face calm and composed.
"Grandma, after entering the secret realm, I did meet Logan, but we separated not long after. I don’t know what happened to him and the others."
She then recounted everything she had witnessed, carefully omitting any mention of Wesley or the private moments they had shared. No one could know, not yet. What happened between her and Wesley in that cave was still too precious, too intimate to reveal to her family.
Carol listened quietly, nodding occasionally. After Diana finished, she waved her hand gently.
"Hmm. Go and rest properly first. You’ve just returned from the secret realm and must be exhausted."
"Alright, Grandma. I’ll take my leave then."
After Diana left the living room, Carol Danver summoned the other surviving members of the family who had entered the secret realm. Their accounts were largely consistent with Diana’s, which reassured her that the Danver Family had no connection to the Paul Family’s tragic annihilation.
However, deep inside, Diana’s mind was elsewhere. Even as she walked toward her room, her body still carried faint traces of soreness and the lingering warmth of Wesley’s touch. She pressed a hand to her flushed cheek, her heart racing with a mixture of happiness and nervousness.
She didn’t know what was going to happen next, but one thing was certain, her days were going to be much more tiring from now on.
The reason was simple: she knew Wesley’s nature well. He was lustful and lecherous. Now that he had tasted the forbidden fruit, he wasn’t going to stop. She would need to prepare herself for the exhaustion that was sure to come. Her legs would likely grow sore, making it difficult to walk properly.
Yet, strangely, the thought didn’t disgust her at all. Instead, it filled her with a secret, pleasing warmth
---
The Kent Family
After Billy returned and saw his younger sister, he began to show off and boast.
"Little sister, this is a spirit fruit only found in the secret realm. Isn’t it delicious?"
"It’s delicious! Right, Skinny, is Brother Wesley injured? Ever since Brother Wesley entered the secret realm, I’ve been so worried."
Hearing his sister’s words, Billy snatched the spirit fruit from her hand.
"I’m your real brother. Why are you worrying about that shameless guy?"
Barbara immediately twisted her little face and started crying angrily.
"Waaah, I’m going to tell Dad that you’re bullying me and being mean to me!"
"Come on, sister, here you go again. Who’s bullying you?"
Billy felt a headache coming on. Every time he faced his sister, it was like this; she would bring up their father at the drop of a hat.
’It’s really tough. My sister isn’t my biological sister, and I’m not my father’s biological son either.’
"You won’t even give me Spirit Fruit anymore. Are you still my real brother? Waaah!"
"Alright, alright, here you go. I’m really afraid of you."
Billy gave the Spirit Fruit to his sister again. There was no helping it; after all, his sister was the apple of the Kent Family’s eye and was very doted upon.
"Brother, what is that secret realm like? Tell me about it."
Hearing his sister ask this, Billy got excited and immediately started talking with great animation.
Just as Billy was at the peak of his excitement, a maid from the Kent Family suddenly arrived.
"Young Master, Miss!" The maid bowed slightly first, then continued, "Young Master, the Family Head wants you to go over for a moment!"
"Heh, sister, brother is going to go meet with Dad first. I’ll tell you more when I get back!"
Billy pursed his lips and left with the maid.
After seeing James, Billy immediately put on a beaming smile.
"Father, what do you need me for?"
"Sit!" James sipped his teacup and gestured for Billy to sit down.
"Alright, alright!" Billy sat quite far away from James, perched on only a third of the chair.
If he sensed that something was wrong, Billy would immediately bolt; he would never give James the chance to discipline him.
"Billy, how did you feel about this secret realm training?" James lowered his head to sip his tea, not looking at his son as he asked.
"It felt great. There was no difficulty, it was very easy!" Billy answered without thinking. When he thought about how he and Wesley had walked sideways through the secret realm, scaring all the fierce beasts away, wasn’t that very easy?
"Is that so? Since the Green Valley Secret Realm has such low danger, why did all the members of the Paul Family perish in the secret realm?" James put down his teacup and smiled.
The news of all the Paul Family members dying in the Green Valley Secret Realm had already spread throughout all of Aquilopolis City.
James had originally been busy with matters outside, but upon learning of this, he immediately rushed back to the Kent Family.
"Damn, it couldn’t be that my son and that kid from the Wayne Family led the people from the Wayne Family and Kent Family to wipe out the Paul Family, could it?"
This was the thought that arose in James’s heart. He didn’t go to find Billy first, but instead questioned the other members of the Kent Family first.
They hadn’t gone to kill the Paul Family members at all, and they didn’t know why the Paul Family members had all died in the secret realm.
James couldn’t be sure either, so he had no choice but to call his chubby son over.
"Why did the Paul Family members die in the secret realm, how would I know? Maybe the Paul Family members did too many evil deeds and were struck down by a bolt of lightning in the secret realm."
"Hey, Dad, if the people from the Paul Family are dead, they’re dead. Why are you worrying about the Paul Family?"
Billy instantly understood the reason James had called him over. He definitely couldn’t talk about killing Logan and the Paul Family members.
"You don’t understand. Now that Lawrence’s son has died in the secret realm, the entire Paul Family is like a mad dog, biting anyone they can catch."
"Since this matter has nothing to do with our Kent Family, it’s much easier to handle. But you and that kid from the Wayne Family should be careful recently."
After James finished giving his instructions, he let Billy leave.
"Someone come here! Prepare a generous gift and send it to the Paul Family; tell them it’s the Kent Family expressing condolences to the Paul Family."
"Yes, Family Head!"
At the same time, many influential families in Aquilopolis City also sent people to give gifts to the Paul Family. Most people were faking the gift-giving; watching the Paul Family make a fool of themselves was the real reason.