Chapter 66: Paying a Visit to Seth’s Father’s residence
"Are these guys monsters? How can they be this strong!" An injured guard wheezed as he applied pressure to his bleeding abdomen.
Steeling himself, he poked his head from the side of the car he was using as cover.
He wanted to know why... why was everywhere suddenly silent?
He blinked as he peeked from his cover, and his eyes widened as he gasped at what he saw.
Strewn corpses of his colleagues lay limp across the pavement.
His expression went grim. How had things become this bad?
They had received orders from the higher-ups to capture intruders who had sneaked into the estate, dead or alive.
And naturally, his unit went for the easier option — dead.
But this turned out quite differently than they hoped. Not only were their targets strong, but exponentially so.
There was a complete power gap they couldn’t breach, leading to their unit being wiped out effortlessly.
The bleeding guard retracted his head and sighed, then looked up...
"Hey there!" Brandon smiled innocently as he squatted before the guard, waving.
The guard’s eyes turned bloodshot.
’Shit! I didn’t even sense him coming!’ Chills crept down his back.
He couldn’t do anything. This guy was the culprit behind his wiped-out squad. He stood no chance, especially now with a fatal injury.
Brandon seemed unconcerned with his thoughts and spoke, still carrying the same laid-back smile.
"Tell me something, man. Have you heard of Seth Duskreaver?"
Hearing that name, the guard’s pupils constricted. Understanding dawned on him.
’So that’s why they’re here — to save him?’
Brandon’s gaze lit up at the reaction. "Good. I’ll give you your options: tell me what I want to know, and I kill you cleanly. Deny me, and you’ll wish you died cleanly."
The guard quivered. The fear of death was chilling, but the fear of a drawn-out, torturous death was worse. He was already in too much pain.
"I’ll tell you all I know." The guard caved, his eyes listless.
Brandon smiled. "Good. Can you tell me what happened to Seth Duskreaver when he came back to the family estate?"
The guard hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I-I’m not sure, but my brother, a personal guard in the main house, informed me they detained a disgraced bastard of the family."
Brandon frowned. "Seth has been detained? How? And why?"
His gaze flashed. "Do you know why this was?"
The guard hurriedly shook his head.
Brandon nodded, then twisted the guard’s neck, killing him on the spot.
The reason they killed their foes wasn’t because they wanted to — but to keep the enemy in the dark about their identities for as long as possible.
He stood up, mired in thought, as a silhouette drew close from the side.
"Did you get any info from him?" Jack asked, walking up with his hands in his pockets.
Brandon nodded, his demeanor now grim. He turned to Jack. "Let’s go meet up with the others. I think I know where Seth’s being held."
Jack’s eyes flashed as he pondered the word ’held’. His thoughts ran wild.
’Who could possibly hold Seth Duskreaver? This feels like a red flag.’
He became more cautious. He couldn’t take this adventure carelessly, or else he wouldn’t even have a chance to regret it.
He followed Brandon, and they quickly got to the rendezvous point.
Sure enough, Uriel, Elaine, and Seth’s little aunt Maya were waiting.
"We didn’t find anything useful. What about you guys?" Uriel asked Brandon and Jack right away.
Brandon nodded solemnly. "We did find out something, but it isn’t good news."
He then told them what the guard had revealed before dying.
"The family house? I know where it is." Maya’s gaze flashed with worry as she heard Seth was possibly detained.
Uriel shook his head. "That’s not the problem. The issue is the family house. Unlike these bums we’ve been confronting so far, that place will be littered with Elites.
Overcoming them won’t be easy. If we’re not careful, we could also be caught."
Uriel’s words made all their expressions grim. Indeed, he was right.
So what could they do now?
Maya pondered for a few seconds before speaking. "If there’s someone I know who won’t agree to Seth’s detainment, it’s his father — my Big Uncle Simon Duskreaver.
I say we go to Seth’s father’s residence. I’m sure he’ll help us."
The four shared glances among themselves.
Before Uriel asked, he had to be certain Seth’s father wasn’t in on it. "Are you sure his father would help us? Seth is his illegitimate son, after all — a taint in his perfect image. How are you sure he’s not part of this?"
Maya’s expression became resolute as she shook her head. "Big Uncle would never harm Seth. He doesn’t care about status — he only cares about blood.
Plus, after years of constantly fighting for Seth’s benefits, never backing down, and even suffering backlash because of it, I doubt he’d suddenly change his stance now."
Hearing Maya’s explanation, the group became more assured.
Uriel nodded in understanding. "Good. Then we head to Seth’s father’s residence. Maya, lead the way."
Following behind Maya, the group quickly departed.
Unknown to them, this decision not to go to the family mansion just saved their lives.
At Seth’s family mansion...
A cloaked elder sat in the reception hall, his eyes glued to the grand doors.
At any point now, those intruders should come barging in, and he was here to put an end to their rampage.
So far, they had cost the Duskreavers countless men, and they still didn’t know who was behind it.
"It could be that little bastard. Could this be his way of getting revenge?"
Whatever the case, he’d wait here and see for himself.
If that bastard half-breed dared show his face, he’d end him here.
But somehow, he doubted it could be that child. After all, the boy knew their strength — he should know revenge was hopeless.
Unless he could evolve to the Awakened Rank like them, which needed time.
Unlike this generation, the elders weren’t connected to the system or the Origin, so they had none of the features of modern-day evolvers.
They didn’t get drops on kills, nor did they gain stats.
Instead, they cultivated essence — a much inferior method in comparison.
And if Seth were here, knowing what he knew now, he’d be able to trace the truth and realize these ancestors advanced when humans had yet to become the hegemon race of Earth.