Chapter 74: Terrence’s Presence
Terrence instantly became a major name across all of Suran City following the public revelation that flying beasts actually existed. Not only did the news shock the general public, but it also sparked intense, heated discussions among niche groups of beast researchers, illegal contractors, and even the watchful eyes of the city’s powerful pillar families.
While the shocking news had not yet reached other distant cities, it was only a matter of time before it spread across the entire region.
Now, wherever Terrence walked, he drew an overwhelming amount of unwanted attention.
Well, it was the direct consequence of his rushed decision. He really should have thoroughly checked the exact nature of a Sky Dragon before returning to the city center or on the very same day he received it as a reward.
Yet, there was absolutely nothing he could do to reverse what had already happened. All he could do now was ride the wave of attention. He might discover new opportunities through this public exposure, or it might simply attract an endless stream of dangerous problems.
Well, it wasn’t that big of a deal to him either way...
...
But for the Lee Family, it was a massive deal! They had completely missed out on the golden opportunity to acquire a legendary flying beast for themselves and boost their family’s political influence.
Terrence knew for a fact that they would continue trying to woo him back into the household fold. They were utterly obsessed with the massive influence they could gain from his presence, which directly translated to power and long-term survivability for their entire family chain.
Terrence let out a weary sigh as a familiar face appeared from a distance along his path toward the local Contribution Agency.
Now that he needed to properly test his beast’s capabilities in real combat, he figured he might as well earn some valuable contribution points while he was at it.
However, Noli was currently approaching him at a deliberate, controlled pace, showing no signs of rushing.
When both of them reached the heavy front doors of the agency at the exact same time, neither of them spoke a single word. They acted as if they didn’t even know each other.
The two young men stepped together into the bright, white-tinted interior of the establishment. Naturally, the surrounding crowd locked their eyes on them the moment they recognized the prominent figures entering the building.
Both were highly promising young men of Suran City. One was a widely recognized genius of the elite Lee Family, while the other was a former member who had recently made waves across the city.
Quiet murmurs instantly arose among the onlookers as people questioned why the two had entered together. The simple possibility of a random coincidence didn’t even cross their minds, as it seemed far too slim.
Were Terrence and Noli actually getting along behind closed doors? Was there some sort of secret business partnership forming between the two of them?
The crowd could only speculate, as no one present had the guts to approach such pressuring, intense personalities directly.
"May I know if there are any active A-Rank rifts near the city outskirts right now?" Noli asked a front-desk attendant first.
Standing right beside him at the adjacent counter, Terrence made his own request: "Bring up the available A-Rank dungeon rifts list, please."
The two female attendants looked at each other, briefly communicating with their eyes as their cheeks flushed a soft pink.
Terrence tilted his head slightly, feeling a sudden wave of forming annoyance. But he knew he just had to live with these awkward situations following his public declaration of war against his former family and his recent exposure.
"An A-Rank rift... about that, young master," Noli’s attendant spoke up hesitantly, glancing between the two young men. "We currently have one active site registered near the Looming Bridge."
Terrence glanced over at Noli’s attendant and immediately understood the situation. He was being assigned the exact same rift location, meaning he would have to clear it alongside his cousin.
As if driven by sheer twist of fate, the two cousins were forced to cross paths once again.
Letting out a soft, resigned sigh, Terrence stepped closer to Noli, who maintained a completely indifferent, cold expression in his eyes.
"I still can’t believe that you’re actually my cousin," Noli said first, his sudden words catching Terrence slightly off guard.
Terrence stretched his lips into a small, amused smile. "Yeah. Trust me, I know the feeling too."
"Wanna apologize for everything?" Noli asked, his voice dripping with obvious sarcasm.
Terrence’s brows furrowed slightly, though there was zero aggression behind his expression. "Why on earth would I do that?"
Noli shook his head lightly, a brief breath escaping his nose. "Just kidding."
Despite that brief, prickly interaction, the heavy tension blowing between the two young men visibly normalized.
...
Meanwhile, Terrence remained the central topic of discussion among the highest elders of the Lee Family.
Irad stood nervously at the absolute center of a semi-circular convention hall, directly facing the council of elders. His face looked visibly dejected as he delivered news that he desperately wished he didn’t have to announce to the family leadership.
One of the senior elders let out a cold, heavy sigh that sent immediate chills running straight down Irad’s spine.
’Why do all these old men feel so overwhelming?’ Irad thought bitterly to himself, his hands trembling slightly behind his back. ’They are just ancient, decaying rags, so where is this suffocating pressure even coming from?’
"Are you genuinely serious about what you just reported to us?" an old man with a terrifying, fully-scarred face voiced in a deep, stern tone that echoed off the high walls.
Positioned directly behind each elder were polished mahogany desks, each stacked with various levels of confidential documents depending on their specific administrative roles within the family.
Hearing that icy voice reach his ears, Irad couldn’t stop another sharp chill from running down his back.
"There is no need to be so terrified, Irad. Mistakes are normal," another elder spoke up, his tone slightly amplified to carry across the hall. "But why do we elders constantly have to meddle in such basic executive matters? Isn’t it a given that these routine tasks should run smoothly without our intervention? Do we really have to do the thinking all the time for you brainless idiots?"
Despite the harsh insult, no one in the room dared to call the elder out, given how undeniable his logic was.
"Please forgive my shortcomings, elders," Irad stammered out, gulping hard as he hesitated to formulate his answer. He forced himself to summon whatever courage he had left. "I am still actively trying to win Terrence back over to the family. But it seems like his resolve is exceptionally tough to break."
The entire council room instantly fell dead silent as everyone shifted their gazes toward the patriarch, who had just arrived and taken his seat behind a thick, translucent dark curtain at the head of the chamber.
To be completely honest, Irad was far more terrified of the patriarch than all the elders combined. The patriarch possessed a deeply mysterious personality, having ruthlessly led the Lee Family for thirty years ever since he claimed the throne.
Just the thought of displeasing him made Irad fear for his life.
"Do you really need to win that kid over?"
Gasps echoed across the hall as a surprisingly smooth, deep voice resembling that of a young man emanated from behind the patriarch’s dark curtain.
"Was the mission a success, my lord?" a senior elder asked cautiously, breaking the silence. "Have you successfully acquired the Reverse Potion?"
The patriarch offered zero reply to the question, creating an intensely awkward atmosphere for the elder who had dared to ask.
Slowly, everyone’s eyes turned back onto Irad.
The patriarch spoke once more, his youthful yet commanding voice cutting through the room like a blade. "The flying beast is infinitely more important than the boy’s actual presence. We can produce standard geniuses whenever we wish without worry, but that flying beast is a one-of-a-kind strategic asset. If you cannot bring him back to the family, then do whatever it takes to strip those beasts from his hands."