Free Web NovelChapter 12: Sudden change
Cole was escorted to his personal courtyard by Saint Family soldiers. It was only when the soldiers left that Cole’s expression changed.
"First the engagement annulment, then Ambrose’s words, and now this emergency lockdown... a huge conspiracy targeting the Saint Family is brewing."
His first immediate thought was to escape and go far away. After all, the original owner of this body was dead, and he had nothing to do with the family. So now that he knew the danger was imminent, why even stay?
The world was huge. He could find somewhere else to live.
This line of thought was the most instinctual and survival-driven response, however, as soon as this thought appeared in his head, Cole shook it away.
Leaving the Saint Family now would be the most stupid thing I could do in the current circumstances.
It was clear to him. Currently, the Saint Family’s situation was dangerous, but it was not as dangerous as the Lightning Worm bloodline. He needed to refine the blood-calming potion, and there was no way he could get his hands on the ingredients alone. He needed to make use of the Saint Family to survive. As such, he could not afford to abandon such a good platform. Leaving the family would only multiply his problems several fold.
Once his thoughts gained clarity, he turned to Trisha and asked.
"Trisha, do you have any idea why the lockdown was imposed?"
Trisha herself was just as shocked as he was, but upon hearing his question she answered instantly.
"Usually the lockdown is issued when the Saint Family is facing a life-threatening situation, but this time it is something different..."
Something different... Cole’s eyes narrowed at this crucial detail.
For the Trisha family, lockdowns were nothing uncommon. Total lockdowns were quite common, as every so often they would at least face the attack of either abyssal monsters or enemy races.
But never in the past had family members been stripped naked and searched. This time, something was genuinely different.
Sigh. Forget it. Thinking about the situation is not going to do me any good. I should make better use of this free time and get familiar with my newly acquired strength.
With that thought in mind, he returned to his private courtyard to practice. Time continued to pass. Without even realizing it, night came and went, and it was already morning.
A suffocating, heavy atmosphere enveloped the Saint Family estate. The expression of every family member was grim. Occasionally, a flash of worry would cross their faces.
No one talked about the emergency lockdown that had been imposed the day before.
Just then, an explosive piece of news shook the Saint Family to its core.
The Saint Family head, Cole’s father, Theodore, was no longer in this world.
Theo Saint was no simple man. He was the strongest body refining path expert in the city. If something had happened to him, it would directly flip the entire power structure of the city.
Father disappeared... then where is his body?
Cole asked this question not to anyone, but to himself. He had just finished training when he suddenly received this shocking news. Of course, his first reaction was worry, not because he cared about Theodore’s well-being, but for a different reason entirely. If Theo Saint was dead, he would lose the biggest backer he had in the family.
A complete trash with no backer. I would lose all of my privileges.
No. This cannot happen. I cannot afford to lose this platform.
Trisha looked at his shaken reaction and her heart ached. She could see her young master in such pain.
Not just Cole, but the news of the family head’s disappearance had also caught her completely off guard.
At first, she tried to deny it. Master Theo was the strongest genius of his generation, with no equal. How could anything happen to him? However, when she dug deeper, she uncovered something that made her heart go cold.
An abyssal portal... how could Master Theo take such a step? Abyssal portals — straight gateways to the abyss, allowing the monsters to invade our world. It does not matter who you are. There is no returning from an abyssal portal.
She suppressed the despair and grief in her heart and did not utter a single word about the abyssal portal to Cole. With a forced smile on her face, she said, "Young master, pull yourself together. I am sure nothing could have happened to Master Theo. He will return."
Those words also pulled Cole out of his thoughts. He looked greatly moved, and with clenched fists, he echoed Trisha’s words quietly.
"Yeah... he will return."
...
Once Trisha left, Cole was alone in the large courtyard, countless thoughts surging in his head like electricity.
Now that my biggest backer is gone, the Saint Family is no longer safe. Should I leave?
But where will I go? This world is not like modern Earth, where the law of the land prevails. Here, only the law of the jungle rules. Theo Saint, on his way to the top, had created numerous enemies. Once I leave, they might come after me to settle their vendetta.
I also cannot forget that mysterious organization that attacked the original owner first. They might attack again at any time.
Other than that, Ambrose had also shown open hostility... that bastard from that day. He must have known something. If we meet again next time, he will definitely not be as polite as yesterday.
I cannot be hasty. First, let me assess the outside situation, then make my decision.
Cole felt like he was walking on thin ice. One wrong move and he would fall into the endless abyss.
His instinct told him to leave as soon as possible, but logic told him to stay stubborn, at least until he had completely fused with the Lightning Worm bloodline, or grown strong enough to survive outside on his own.
Just as he was thinking, the sound of loud commotion came from outside. Hearing the raised voices, Cole’s eyebrows knitted together in a tight frown. He recognized one of the voices.
Trisha... who is she arguing with?
Thinking this, his steps automatically quickened as he headed outside.
...
As the heir of the Saint Family, Cole’s accommodation was one of the largest residential areas in the family, complete with a private training ground, a small library, and many other facilities.
At the entrance of Cole’s courtyard, Trisha was practically fuming, glaring at two armed guards.
"How dare you behave like this? Don’t you feel even a little shame? It has been just one day since Master Theo disappeared and you want to throw Young Master Cole out of his own residence?"
"You ungrateful bastards!"
The two guards heard her words and snickered.
"Ungrateful? If anyone should be ungrateful, it should be that pig Cole. All this time he has been eating and enjoying the best of the family for nothing. If even one percent of those resources had been allocated to us, we might have reached the next realm in our cultivation."
"Enough!"
Suddenly a cold voice cut through the air from behind, instantly silencing the guards.
Step by step, a slender woman dressed in a loose black dress with a naked sword hanging at her waist came forward. Her eyes focused directly on Trisha’s figure.
"Miss Trisha, I respect you, but please do not mistake my silence for weakness. If you obstruct us one minute longer, we will be forced to take action against you for obstructing official business."
"You respect me?!"
Trisha wanted to retort, but just at this moment Cole appeared from behind, looking at the group with a questioning expression in his eyes.
"What is the matter here? Why is everyone being so loud?"
