Chapter 369: Lucilla’s Illness
Daniel's encouraging words ignited a spark of excitement among many members of the Australian Ninja League. The prospect of a prosperous future after joining the Kingslayer Alliance was a vision they couldn't resist. They truly believed that following a powerful leader would lead them to glory.
However, as Mandel watched this display of blind optimism, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. 'These people have no idea what they're getting into,' he thought with a sigh. 'They're dancing on a knife's edge, thinking they're aligning with a big fish, when in reality, they're walking straight into danger.'
Meanwhile, as the world of martial artists was on the brink of a major shift, John Lopez found himself doing what he did best—helping people.
Lucilla, the daughter of Hugh, the head of the State of New York, had been stretching when an odd thing happened. She failed to lower her arm in time, leaving it suspended uncomfortably above her head. This caused quite a spectacle, especially since Hugh had guests over at his house, all of them discussing the death of the King of Horizon. The atmosphere was tense, but when Lucilla's strange position was noticed, the room erupted in suppressed laughter.
Lucilla, who was already embarrassed, now had to deal with the added discomfort of her father trying to hold back his own laughter. In a mixture of irritation and embarrassment, she shot back, "Are you really my father?"
Hugh, caught between reprimanding his daughter and laughing, couldn't help but chuckle. "What are you talking about? Nonsense!"
Lucilla was even more flustered now, especially when her father failed to maintain his composure. "I think Uncle Wood is better than you!" she retorted, throwing her father off balance.
"Uh..." Hugh froze, his smile vanishing instantly. The reference to "Uncle Wood" was a sensitive one, considering the history between Hugh and Alton Wood. Alton was an old friend, someone Hugh had been close with when they both pursued the same woman years ago. In the end, Hugh had won her heart and married her. Lucilla, aware of this backstory, used it to tease her father, knowing it would throw him off balance.
To ease the awkwardness, Hugh quickly tried to deflect. "Your uncle is my old friend. He treated you well because of our past friendship, but trust me, he's even fiercer with his own daughter than I am with you."
His colleagues, who had witnessed the back-and-forth between father and daughter, quickly joined in to diffuse the tension. "That's right," one said, "I only scold my own children, not my niece!"
"Yes," another added, "Lucilla, your father talks about you all the time at work. You have no idea how proud he is of you!"