"What kind of trouble could that shrewd brat have run into?"
Da Finney spoke as he took a seat at the round table.
"He did something he shouldn't have. He shouldn't have contacted the family," Vantel said solemnly.
Da Finney was stunned, then his expression grew agitated.
"Wait, what did you say!?"
"Ahem."
Inside the hall, a suit of armor struck its sword against the floor, sounding a warning.
"Do you want to attract the self-annihilator with that much noise?" Vantel frowned.
Realizing he had lost his composure, Da Finney made a zipping motion over his mouth.
"What did he do?" Da Finney asked in a hushed tone.
"Ayin Winter. He was too hasty; he actually went to find that man."
At the mention of the man's name, Da Finney seemed to think of something and fell into a brief silence.
"Ayin, huh..."
Just then, a third figure appeared outside the door. A woman with a peaceful smile nodded to the two men in the room before taking her seat.
"Why are you so late?" Vantel asked.
"It's nothing. I ran into a child I quite like. Who wouldn't like such a strong child? I used to watch her silently from afar, but today she suddenly came to me, saying she wanted to take a leave of absence."
"Sevia?" Da Finney spoke up.
"Her name isn't Sevia; it's Tang Xin," Vandoni said with a smile.
"Were you just talking about Ayin? Please continue."
"Lancelot is too young and naive. He acts too hastily and lacks a comprehensive view of things. He hasn't seen through a fellow like Ayin."
"He thinks Ayin is the same kind of person we are; he hasn't seen the true face of that ambitious schemer."
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. It's an old cliché. Why worry so much about his business?" Vandoni asked.
"But Ayin is different. I know that guy very well. He seems easygoing, but he's actually incredibly sinister, stopping at nothing for his own interests."
"His real purpose in marrying that woman was to make his brothers lower their guard and shift their attention away from him. This allowed him to sink his roots deep into the family's intricate web. He never once thought about giving up his right of succession to the head of the family."
"Just watch. Once those legitimate sons have fought each other to the death, he will surely tear off his hypocritical mask."
Vantel's expression grew increasingly grim.
"Lancelot, oh Lancelot, haste makes waste. Out of everyone to work with, you had to choose that man. You're being used as a pawn."
"We don't have to view things so pessimistically. At least for now, we and the family are on the same side," Vandoni said softly.
"The family is indeed the enemy of the Starry Gallery, but events from a hundred years ago proved that they are also our enemy!" Vantel's speech quickened.
"It's just that the Starry Gallery has grown too massive, its roots intertwined with the entire system of the Star of Art, and the family has lost its original say in things."
"Ayin only cares about the family's interests. He needs a stepping stone that can settle the matter of succession once and for all. That's why he took the initiative to handle the matter regarding Diesel."
"If this fire ever spreads to him, I guarantee he won't hesitate to hand Lancelot over!"
Da Finney also fell into silence.
"Lancelot is the student council president and the second legitimate son of the Withered Flower family. His influence cannot be ignored. He is very important to us; we must not let him be put in danger."
Suddenly, Vantel shifted the topic.
"And Ayin's purpose in marrying that woman wasn't entirely to deceive others. That woman's daughter is a starry singer. Although her talent isn't much to speak of, her potential is great."
"I recall that Ayin places quite a bit of importance on this stepdaughter of his, though likely only because of her utility..." Vantel's tone was flat, as if he were stating a common fact.
"If we can control her and use her to balance Ayin, then when it comes to Lancelot's matter, that man might think twice—"
"Vantel!"
Both men turned at once. Vandoni's face was now etched with anger, her eyebrows arched as she stared into the man's eyes, as if she had heard something utterly unbelievable.
"Do not involve the children in our business! This is our path; it has nothing to do with them!"
"Especially Tang Xin. I will never stand by and watch you use and manipulate her!"
"Soft-heartedness," Vantel said coldly. "For this path, the Tree of Eternal Life has sacrificed the lives of practitioners one after another. Think of the students who died, our colleagues, and Diesel."
"They joined our cause with naive and beautiful ideas, only to die in obscurity with the light fading from their eyes. In the end, they didn't understand why they had to pay with their lives just because they wanted people to see art in its most original form."
"You've changed." Tears welled in Vandoni's eyes. "How are you any different from Belvedere now? Cold-blooded and ruthless."
"Why did I ever marry you and walk this path with you?"
"You truly disappoint me, Vantel."
The woman departed.
Da Finney and Vantel were left in a long silence in the room.
Vantel let out a long sigh and rubbed his brow. He seemed to be communicating with someone, but the curtain beside his ear did not light up.
"The afternoon is approaching. Are they all ready?"
"Mhm. Lancelot will lead people to the scene immediately to cover their escape. Find a way to distract the tuners."
"Collecting evidence? What kind of evidence is Lancelot collecting? Wait." Vantel stood up.
The communication seemed to be interfered with and was cut off. Suddenly, as if sensing something, Vantel let out a sharp shout:
"Who's there!?"
He looked toward the entrance of the underground hall. Behind the ajar door, a figure seemed to shrink back.
In the next moment, violent sparks of electricity danced in his palm. As he thrust his hand downward, a spiral thunderbolt surged from his palm to the ground, then blasted toward the door!
The entire door burst open, leaving a charred mess.
"Damn it, someone was definitely behind that door. We can't let them leave!"
His entire body was covered in lightning, looking like a lightning wielder. He lashed out with whips of electricity, and ancient, mysterious patterns surfaced on his skin. He lunged across the floor, turning into a streak of blinding lightning that flashed through the underground hall and chased out the door in an instant!
Da Finney also ran out. Vantel and the figure outside the door had already disappeared. He struck his forehead in frustration.
"He blamed me for attracting the self-annihilator earlier, yet now he's making this much noise..."
Suddenly, his eyes moved as he noticed a piece of birch bark on the ground. After picking it up, he saw a strand of golden hair stuck to the back, and his expression shifted several times.
Finally, he seemed to make a decision. After scanning his surroundings, he tucked the piece of birch bark away and hurriedly left.
At the same time, in the corridor, inside a suit of armor just two meters away from Da Finney, a golden-haired figure withdrew her gaze, the flames in her palm gradually dying out.
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