Ch. 911..920
Chapter 911
James had no choice but to return home and wait for the news.He hailed a taxi back to Cynthia’s villa.
Maxine hurriedly asked as soon as he entered the house, "How was it? Did you find her?"
James shook his head.
He walked over and sat down on the sofa.
Cynthia also asked, "Did you not find her?"
Maxine had already discharged the excessive Cold Energy in Cynthia’s body, allowing her body temperature to return to normal for the time being.
Cynthia looked at James worriedly.
He took out his phone and opened the surveillance footage sent by the Blithe King.
Maxine leaned over and took a look.
After watching the footage, she asked with concern, "Who’s that old man? Why did Tiara leave with him?"
James’ expression was bleak.
"Judging from his appearance, it might be my grandfather.However, he was supposed to have died in the fire ten years ago.I've already requested the Blithe King to use his authority to track down the man in the footage.I’ve also asked the underground intelligence network to investigate his identity."
"Thomas?"
Maxine exclaimed in disbelief and asked, "Did you say he’s your grandfather, Thomas Caden?"
James nodded, then shook his head again.
"Just by his appearance, it does seem to be him.However, my memory of him is slightly fuzzy since it’s been ten years.I can’t be certain whether it’s him through the surveillance footage alone."
Maxine suddenly fell into thought.
With so many things happening recently, Tobias and Maxine had both suspected that Thomas was still alive.
"James, I think it’s very likely that’s your grandfather."
James looked at her and asked, "Do you also think it’s my grandfather?"
"Yeah."
Maxine nodded and said, "There have been a lot of unexpected events recently, especially the sudden emergence of the God-King Palace.Grandpa couldn't find out who had been interfering with the overall situation and could not find any clues.He analyzed and concluded that it was most likely Thomas.However, there was the premise that Thomas had to be alive.Now that we’ve learned about this man who looks similar to your grandfather, I think Grandpa must be right."
She paused and took a deep breath.
"If this man in the footage is Thomas, then some of the previous mysteries could be solved."
"What mystery?" asked James.
"The Johnstons suddenly kidnaped you, and they demanded the Cadens to come forward to save you.However, Grandpa never agreed to it.In the end, someone disguised as me rescued you from the Johnstons and left you at the gate of Caden’s mansion," Maxine explained.
"So?"
James looked at her puzzledly.
Maxine continued, "I’ve been wondering how Thea could immediately recognize me and know about the details in the Capital.No matter how hard I thought about it, it simply seemed impossible.I finally came to a realization."
James’ heart skipped a beat.
"A-Are you suggesting that the person who rescued me from the Johnstons was Thea disguised as you?"
"Yes," Maxine nodded.
"That would be the only way to explain everything.I’m guessing that Thea already knows that Thomas is alive.However, this is just my conjecture, and it can’t be proven unless you confront Thea about it."
James leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and fell into thought.He harked back to the day when he killed the Emperor.
The masked woman in a black dress suddenly crossed his mind.
At that moment, he did have a feeling that she resembled Thea.
Moreover, the figure that fought against Hades resembled Thomas from the footage.
After analyzing it for a while, James also was convinced of Maxine's assumptions.
"I'll go look for Thea to confirm it."
James stood up.
"Wait."
Maxine suddenly stopped him.
James looked at her.
Maxine thought for a moment and said, "Even though this person might be your grandfather, I’m afraid he is scheming something because he refrained from meeting you and caused so many incidents from the dark.Although I don’t know him, I’ve heard from Grandpa that Thomas is a vile and scheming man.Rashly approaching Thea about it will only arouse his suspicion."
"He's my grandfather, so what if I arouse his suspicion? I believe he won’t cause me any harm."
James was confident in his grandfather.
Chapter 912
Grandpa had always treated him affectionately when he was young.
Thomas taught him to read the ancient language and helped him build a solid medical foundation.His grandfather's teachings were the reason he was capable of comprehending medical books ina short period.
"James, how can I make you believe me? Your grandfather was the person that started the conflict within the Cadens back then.Do you know how many of our family members he killed? So many of our relatives died at his hands.He's a cunning man that would do anything to achieve his goal, even if it meant killing his own family.Even if you’re his grandson, he won't show you mercy if you get in his way."
Maxine tried to warn him.
She did not want James to be blinded by the truth and lose his judgment because it concerned his grandfather.
"I’m sure my grandfather isn’t someone like that.He must’ve had a reason."
James shook his head.He doubted everything Maxine said because he believed that he knew his grandfather very well.
James had lived with his grandfather for 18 years and was aware of his grandfather’s virtue.
He trusted that Thomas would never kill innocent people.
Maxine sighed helplessly.
James was unwilling to listen to her advice.
She gave up and said, "It’s up to you.Do as you please."
James turned around and left.
After leaving Cynthia's villa, James took out his phone and called Thea.
The call was connected very soon, and Thea’s feathery voice could be heard.
"James, what’s up?"
"Where are you?" James asked with a serious tone.
Thea was at Messiah Corporation.
She sensed that James’ tone was unusual and quickly put down the documents in her hands.
"I'm at Messiah Corporation.What’s wrong? Did something happen?"
"Wait for me.I’ll come to you right away."
James hung up the phone.
He quickly caught acab and headed to Messiah Corporation.
James established Messiah Corporation to stop Centennial Corporation, and Quincy was the founder in the public eye.
The headquarters was a huge 18-story building.
With a grim expression, James walked into Messiah Corporation.
A security guard tried to stop him and said, "Stop right there! Hey, you! I’m talking to you! Why’ re you rushing inside? Who’re you looking for?"
James stopped and said, "I’m here for Quincy."
Initially, James wanted to mention Thea’s name but realized that the security guards might not be aware of her yet since she had only been in the company for a few days.
The security guard looked at him doubtfully.
"Do you have an appointment with Ms.Xenos? Hey! Stop..."
The security pointed at James, took out his walkie-talkie, and shouted, "Send support! An unauthorized visitor is forcing his way into the building."
Soon, many security guards rushed over and barricaded James’ way.
James was incredibly anxious because Tiara was likely kidnapped.
Moreover, he suddenly learned that his grandfather might still be alive and was possibly the mastermind behind everything.
On top of that, Maxine described his grandfather as a heinous villain.He was in a rush to question Thea about everything.
"Get lost!" he growled.
"Take him down!"
Following the security captain’s order, dozens of security guards quickly dashed toward James.
"What're you doing?! Stop!"
Just when a battle was about to break out, Quincy happened to walk out of the elevator and witnessed the scene.She quickly shouted to stop the fight.
Chapter 913
“Ms. Xenos.”
The security guards charging at James halted their steps and greeted Quincy respectfully.
“Go back to work.” Quincy scanned the security guards and ordered them to return to their posts.
“Understood!”
The security guards left.
Quincy looked at James and asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be looking for Tiara? Why are you at the company?”
“I’m here for Thea.”
“Why’re you looking for her?”
“I need to ask her some questions.”
“Alright, I’ll take you to her.”
Quincy took James to an office located on the top floor.
After Thea received James‘ call, she patiently waited for him to arrive. In less than an hour, he showed up.
“James…” She stood up and greeted him.
James walked toward the office’s lounge area and sat on the sofa. Thea went over and sat down opposite him, while Quincy also remained in the office.
He took out his phone, opened the surveillance footage sent to him by the Blithe King, and pushed his phone on the table toward Thea. “Watch it. Tell me, do you know the person in this video?”
Thea picked up the phone with confusion. She looked at the screen and saw Thomas.
Thomas was seen speaking to Tiara, and she followed him into a vehicle for some reason.
Her expression slightly changed, but she forced herself to calm down. After a few seconds, she put down. the phone and looked at James cluelessly.
“Isn’t this Tiara? I heard from Quincy that Tiara left in the morning. What’s going on here?”
Quincy took the phone and watched the footage.
James asked, “You know I’m not talking about Tiara but Thomas.”
“Who’s Thomas?” Thea asked puzzledly. “I don’t know him.”
“Thea, I need you to be honest with me. Last time in the Capital, were you the masked woman leading martial artists from the God–King Palace to assist me in killing the Emperor? And did you disguise. yourself as Maxine to save me from the Johnstons and leave me at the Cadens‘ doorstep?” James asked with a serious tone.
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
Thea refused to admit it.
Quincy also finished watching the video and put down the phone. She asked puzzledly, “James, what’s going on? What does this have to do with Thea? Isn’t Thomas your grandfather? Are you saying that this old man in the video is your grandfather?”
James did not answer Quincy but kept staring intently at Thea.
“You have no idea? Then how did you recognize Maxine at first glance? Is it possible that you’ve known Thomas for a long time now? Is he the founder of the God–King Palace?” James bombarded her with questions.
Bang!
He slammed the table and stood up, shouting, “Thea, you better tell me the truth!”
James hit the table with such force that it caused the water glasses on it to topple to the ground. The glass cups immediately shattered into a pile of glass shards.
Thea was taken aback by his abrupt shouting. She had known James for a long time but had never seen him lose his temper.
It took several seconds for Thea to recover from her stupefaction. She shook her head and said, “I–I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Thea wanted to tell James the truth, but Thomas had repeatedly warned her not to say a word. The only way to help James live was to help him in secret.
She denied his questions so that James would not die.
Quincy looked at Thea and tried to persuade her. “Thea, I can sense that you’ve changed a lot after disappearing for a few days. If there’s anything you know, you should tell James about it.
Chapter 914
“I’ve really no clue at all.”
Thea denied it again.
“If I find out that you lied to me… Hmph!” James snorted, stood up furiously, and turned to leave.
“James…” Quincy called out for him. She cast a glance at Thea and quickly chased after James. She grabbed his arm and asked, “What happened, James?”
James took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
He explained, “Tiara was taken away by someone. This person is most likely my grandfather. However, he is supposed to have died in the fire ten years ago, so I can’t be certain. On top of that, Maxine had. suggested that the God–King Palace was created by my grandfather, Thomas. He had secretly been in contact with Thea and got her to help me twice.”
“I–Isn’t this a good thing? Your grandfather is helping you from behind the scenes. Is there a problem with that?” asked Quincy.
James explained, “Yes, but Maxine described my grandpa as cunning and heinous. Plus, Tiara disappeared with him, and I don’t know where they went.”
“W–Why is everything so complicated?” Quincy gently massaged her temples. The information revealed by James was too much for her to digest.
James did not further explain anything and simply turned to leave the building.
Quincy did not chase after him and returned to the office. Thea was still sitting on the sofa without saying a word.
“What’re you doing, Thea? If you already knew of James‘ grandfather’s existence, why did you hide it?” Quincy walked over and asked.
“I don’t know him.” Thea firmly denied it again. She stood up and said, “I’ll head back to work. I’ve got some important documents to look through.”
Quincy sighed and turned to leave the office.
After Quincy had left the room, Thea sat back in her office chair and fell deep in thought. She tried to think about what Thomas had said to Tiara for her to follow him so willingly.
After thinking about it for a few seconds, she buried herself in work. She planned to give Thomas a call after clocking out.
Meanwhile, James had already returned to Cynthia’s villa.
“How did it go, James?” Maxine immediately asked after seeing James return home. “I already told you that it’d be too reckless to go straight to her like that. She’s definitely going to contact Thomas after this.”
“Let her contact him. It’ll save a lot of trouble trying to figure everything out myself. If it’s really my grandfather, he’ll come to look for me after finding out that I’ve learned about him. When that happens, I can easily uncover the mysteries.”
“I can’t believe you became the Dragon King with how naive you are. Thomas would have come to you long ago if he had good intentions. Why would he deliberately hide in the dark and use Thea to help you? He must have an ulterior motive to assist you and stir chaos in the Capital.”
Maxine was shocked that James was still wet behind the ears. He was the commander of the Black
Dragon Army. Maxine expected James to consider the overall situation before acting.
She never knew he would act recklessly and unrestrained just because it concerned his grandfather. However, it was reasonable for him to be anxious since a person that died ten years ago had suddenly reappeared.
James looked at Maxine and asked, “Then tell me, what I should do instead?”
Maxine said, “If that man really is your grandfather, Thomas, then Thea must have been the one who disguised herself as me to help you in the Capital. Thomas‘ goal was to disrupt the forces in the Capital. Some time ago, the ancient painting held by the Johnstons was stolen. I think the person who stole it might be Thomas.”
“What do you think my grandfather is trying to achieve, then?”
While James had rushed off to question Thea, Maxine had carefully analyzed the situation.
“I think he has two goals. First, he is trying to collect the four paintings protected by the Ancient Four. Assuming that this is the case, then he must be the mastermind behind the raid on the Prince of Orchid Mountain’s tomb.
“Secondly, he must have other ambitions. Thus, he deliberately used you to disrupt the overall situation, trying to crumble the Ancient Four and other forces.“
Chapter 915
Maxine stated her analysis of the situation.
However, her assumptions could only be possible under the assumption that Thomas was alive and the person who took Tiara.
Many things would change if the person who took Tiara were an imposter. Her analysis would not be tenable, and it could be easily overturned.
“Cut to the chase. What do you suggest | do right now?”
Maxine explained, “Tiara wouldn’t be in danger if the person who took her was Thomas. I believe that he is planning to take action very soon. This time, he intends to unleash great chaos involving the Ancient Four and major Capital forces. What you have to do is quickly improve your strength. You will have to at least enter the fifth rank before you’ll have the ability to make a difference. Otherwise, you’re going to be led by the nose.”
James calmed down and carefully analyzed the situation.
The masked woman dressed in black at the Capital was undoubtedly Thea. The fake Maxine, who rescued him from the Johnstons, must also be her.
Maxine’s speculations made sense. He was indeed incapable of doing anything in his current state. The only thing he could do was to increase his strength as much as possible within this short period.
“I honestly think the heavens are looking out for you, James. Although the current situation is chaotic, you’ve regulated your body’s meridians. The only thing left for you to do is cultivate your True Energy again. Moreover, Cynthia’s body contains a powerful Cold Energy that you can absorb to cultivate True Energy. Even if you can’t reach the fifth rank in time, you’ll make it to the third rank within a month.”
James had activated his Governor Vessel, Conception Vessel, and Eight Extraordinary Meridians. This would allow the True Energy in his body to flow continuously without obstruction. Consequently, he would improve at a rapid speed. With just a few months of cultivation, he would surpass martial artists who had trained for decades.
“Mhm.” James nodded.
Since they were at a stalemate, the only thing he could do was to improve himself.
Concurrently, he still had Jay and the Blithe King doing their best to track down the person suspected to be James‘ grandfather.
James stayed at Cynthia’s villa the whole day, waiting for updates from the Blithe King and Jay.
After waiting for the whole day, he still had not received any news. Impatient, James made a phone call to the Blithe King.
The Blithe King said, “James, we haven’t traced them down yet. The person in the surveillance footage is nowhere to be found. Moreover, the vehicle Tiara got on is untraceable. It’s as if it had disappeared into thin air. It vanished after leaving the airport and wasn’t spotted in any of the city’s surveillance footage.”
The Blithe king’s voice sounded from the phone.
“Alright, thanks.”
James hung up the phone and called Jay. However, he was met with the same results.
Even Jay’s underground intelligence network could not find the origin of the person who took Tiara away.
Faced with all the bad news, James started to become worried.
Maxine comforted him. “Calm down. I believe Tiara is unharmed. Don’t overthink it. You should listen to my advice and start improving your strength.”
“I’m exhausted. I’ll go rest in my room.” James brushed it off and returned to his room on the second floor.
After he left, Cynthia parted her lips and said, “You’re incredible, Maxine. I feel like nothing can get past your eyes. You’re sharp and can always analyze the situation thoroughly.”
Maxine smiled faintly.
At the same time, Messiah Corporation…
Thea got off work and walked out of her office room.
As soon as she walked out, she bumped into Quincy waiting outside her door. She looked at Quincy and asked, “Working hours are over, and you should be heading home. What’re you doing outside my office?”
“I’m here to talk. Let’s go.” Quincy smiled and gestured for Thea to come with her.
Chapter 916
Thea folded her arms and looked at Quincy. “I know you want to ask about the things James mentioned. this afternoon, right? Let me make it clear to you again. I’ve no clue what he was talking about. I’m completely clueless, okay?”
After speaking. Thea turned and walked away.
“You’re on point, but the more you act this way, the more suspicious you are.” Quincy murmured.
Thea ignored Quincy and walked into the elevator, heading directly to the underground parking lot. She took out her car key and pressed the button.
A car nearby beeped a few times. Thea walked over, opened the door, and got into the car. An old man. was already in the passenger seat.
However, Thea was immersed in her thoughts and failed to notice him. When she saw him, she jerked and patted her chest. “What’re you doing, Sir Caden? You’re always appearing out of nowhere. And why didn’t you answer the call in the afternoon?”
Thomas smiled and said, “I know that James had gone to question you and that you must be confused. It would’ve been hard to explain everything on the phone. That’s why I showed up in person.”
“What did you say to Tiara? Also, why did you suddenly take her away? James came to question me today and got angry because I refused to tell him anything,” Thea questioned him.
Thomas asked, “You didn’t say anything, did you?”
Thea shook her head. “I didn’t, but you should at least tell me your plans.”
Even now, she was still unaware of Thomas‘ motives. However, everything Thomas had asked her to do up until now was to help James.
The first thing he asked of her was to help James kill the Emperor. The second time was to save James from the Johnstons. She only agreed to it since it was beneficial to James.
This time, Thomas took Tiara away.
“Isn’t it good that I’ve taken Tiara away? You’ll have one less rival.” Thomas smiled.
Thea pouted. “I don’t want James to misunderstand me.”
Thomas smiled and said, “You don’t have to worry. Tiara’s fine, and I’m keeping her safe. James seems to be slacking off and hasn’t been motivated lately, so I took her away to give him a push.”
“Is that so?” Thea looked at him doubtfully.
Thomas replied, “Of course. Do you have any idea how strong James‘ enemies are? How can he resort to relying on a woman’s protection? It seems I’ll have to find a chance to kidnap Quincy tomorrow.”
“That won’t do.” Thea immediately disapproved of his idea. “Sir Caden, you shouldn’t cause any more trouble. James is already suspicious of me. If even Quincy disappears, James will be furious. I won’t be able to explain myself if that happens.”
“Then you should also go missing too. He won’t have any trouble if there aren’t any women around him. He has already regulated his Governor Vessel, Conception Vessel, and Eight Extraordinary Meridians. It’ll be a waste if he doesn’t focus on improving his martial arts.”
Thomas‘ explanation did not seem convincing enough.
“Sir Caden, are you sure you did all this to motivate James?”
“Certainly!” Thomas shrugged and said, “He’s my grandson. Why would I harm him? What’s the matter? Even you are worried that I’ll harm James? Why would I have waited so long if I had ill intentions?”
Hearing his explanation, Thea’s doubts dissipated immediately.
“I also want to help James solve these troublesome matters as soon as possible so he can retire from his duties.” Thea sighed.
“Great! Come with me. You shall go missing tonight.” Thomas pointed ahead and said, “Let’s go. Start driving.”
Thea asked with a frown, “How long do I have to do this?”
Thomas thought for a while and said, “Two or three months? Everything should be resolved before the new year. You can return by then.”
Thea contemplated for a while. ‘Two to three months isn’t very long.’
If James could strengthen himself within two to three months, he could quickly solve the problems and retire peacefully
Chapter 917
James had been resting in a room on the second floor of Cynthia’s villa.
Throughout the day, he came down to have something to eat.
After eating, he headed back to his room. He sat in a lotus position, meditating and cultivating his True Energy.
The night passed by silently.
The following day, James called the Blithe King and Jay for updates. Unfortunately, he could not find the person suspected to be his grandfather through either official or underground intelligence networks.
James got dressed and went downstairs.
Cynthia and Maxine had already woken up.
“James.”
The two women greeted him.
He nodded and sat down on the sofa.
Maxine asked, “How is it? Is there any news from the Blithe King?”
James shook his head and said, “No. The person who took Tiara seems to have vanished and is untraceable. The Blithe King used every connection he could but he still can’t track down the car. I’m baffled by how a vehicle could disappear into thin air when the whole city is full of surveillance cameras.”
Maxine comforted him, saying, “Don’t worry. We can’t panic in such critical times.”
Suddenly, James‘ phone rang. He picked it up and looked at the screen. David was calling him.
His brows furrowed, and he said, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
David’s voice sounded from the phone. “James, is my sister with you?”
“No, why?”
“Thea didn’t come home last night, and her phone is turned off. We thought she was with you.”
“What?”
James stood up abruptly and asked, “She didn’t go home the whole night?”
“Yeah. Since she’s not with you, there’s nothing else.”
David hung up the phone.
Maxine asked, “What happened?”
James sat down and said, “The Callahans called and asked if Thea was with me. They said Thea didn’t return home last night, and her phone was turned off.”
After explaining, James dialed Quincy’s number. Thea and Quincy worked in the same company, so maybe they were together at night.
“Sorry, the number you’ve dialed is unavailable. Please try again later.”
James‘ call did not connect. Suddenly, he had a bad premonition in his heart.
Maxine immediately noticed that James‘ expression was off and asked worriedly, “How is it?”
“I can’t reach Quincy. I think something bad must’ve happened. I’ve got to check Quincy’s place. Cynthia, borrow me your car.”
Cynthia quickly instructed. “Luther, drive James there.”
Standing aside, Luther nodded and said, “Mr. Caden, I’ll drive you there.”
Maxine stood up and said, “I’ll come with you.”
“Alright.” James nodded.
Chapter 918
The house was neat and spotless.
James rushed up the stairs to Quincy’s room. The door was closed, so James knocked on the door. However, no movement could be heard from inside.
He twisted the doorknob and found it unlocked, so he gently pushed it open.
The blankets inside the room were neatly stacked. James walked over and reached under them. The bed was cold, and it was evident that no one had slept on it throughout the night.
Maxine scanned the room and said, “I don’t think she came back last night.”
“That’s strange. Where else would she go?” James panicked. He would not be as worried if only Quincy was missing, but even Thea had disappeared without a trace.
“Let’s check the company,” Maxine suggested.
“Alright.” James nodded.
The two walked out of the villa.
Luther acted as their driver and took them to Messiah Corporation.
It was already nine in the morning when they reached the company, which was during the company’s office hours, but Quincy had not arrived.
Outside Messiah Corporation, inside a Bentley…
James gently rubbed his temples and asked, “Maxine, what’re your thoughts on this? Please enlighten
me.”
Maxine analyzed the situation and said, “First, it was Tiara, then Quincy and Thea. The same person must be responsible for it. To be honest, I’m a little confused about what the person behind this is trying to achieve.”
Maxine was also perplexed by the incident and unable to explain it.
She continued, “One thing for sure is that he’s not after money. Otherwise, you’d have already received a phone call by now. Since he went through the trouble of kidnapping them, he isn’t out for their lives.”
James slumped into the car seat. His mind was a mess.
Maxine took his hand and comforted him. “Don’t worry. Let’s go back and analyze it carefully.”
Feeling his hand suddenly being touched by Maxine, James‘ whole body froze. She sensed that James was tensing up with an unnatural expression and quickly let go of his hand.
He recollected himself and instructed, “Mr. Depp, head back to the villa.”
“Alright.” Luther drove back.
Soon, they arrived at Cynthia’s villa.
Seeing them return, Cynthia hurriedly inquired, “James, Maxine, how did it go? Did you find them?”
James shook his head. “Quincy’s house was empty. They weren’t at the company either. Neither of their phones can be reached. It’s as if they just evaporated from this world.
“Huh?” Cynthia was startled. “W–What in the world happened?” she asked.
James remained silent. Maxine also did not reply to her question. She was confused and could not grasp the situation.
The room fell into dead silence.
After a while, Maxine said, “Quincy and Thea have gone missing, but Messiah Corporation can’t be left alone. Someone needs to take control of the company’s operation for now.”
“I do have someone in mind.” James snapped out of his thoughts and took out his phone. He searched for Scarlett’s number and dialed it.
Scarlett was part of the grave robber gang that entered the Prince of Orchid Mountain’s ancient tomb. However, an unexpected attack occurred there, and she snatched the key and fled. Afterward, she followed Floyd back to Cansington, where she met James.
Ultimately, she started working for James and was tasked to secretly buy Transgenerational New City.
The call was connected shortly. An excited voice sounded from the phone. “James! You’ve finally contacted me.”
James informed Scarlett of Cynthia’s address and instructed her to come over as soon as possible. “Sure!” Scarlett agreed without hesitation and hung up the phone. Then, she hurried over to the location. James leaned into the sofa with his eye closed, thinking about everything that had happened.
His thoughts drifted back to when he left the Southern Plains and arrived in Cansington, then marrying into the Callahans.
After thinking about the events that happened in the past few months, he felt that everything seemed to be progressing according to a plan.
“Scarlett. Whose side are you on?” James murmured.
He was suddenly suspicious of Scarlett.
Chapter 919
James‘ suspicions were not groundless.
“Scarlett used to be part of a grave robber gang. However, she was clueless about her employer, claiming that someone else was responsible for communications.
“Additionally, although Scarlett has considerable strength, it isn’t anything overwhelming. So how would it be possible for her to snatch the key and escape from the enemy? On top of that, she even located Floyd and secretly followed him to Cansington without being noticed.
“That’s simply outrageous.”
Maxine noticed James murmuring to himself and could not help asking, “What’re you saying, James?”
“Maxine, try to analyze this for me.”
James turned to Maxine and explained how Scarlett’s gang robbed the Prince of Orchid Mountain’s ancient tomb and escaped with the key, following Floyd to Cansington.
“Do you think there is another mastermind behind Mr. Gabriel who was backing up the Emperor? Could Mr. Gabriel also just be a puppet?”
Maxine fell into thought.
After a while, she said, “The person who robbed the Prince of Orchid Mountain’s ancient tomb is probably not from the Ancient Four. According to my and Grandpa’s speculation, we think the mastermind is Thomas. However, our speculations only hold water if Thomas is still alive.
“I think Thomas employed the grave robbers to excavate the Prince of Orchid Mountain’s ancient tomb. It’s possible the Emperor was not just obeying Mr. Gabriel’s orders, but another mastermind who keeps himself in the dark, Thomas.
“It’s highly likely that Thomas directed the incident in the ancient tomb. Perhaps even Scarlett is unaware of the reason she survived. He deliberately a
llowed her to escape so that you’d acquire the ancient chest. and cause a dispute.”
James questioned, “What good does it do for him to get me involved in this?”
Maxine shook her head. “I’m not sure. These are baseless speculations. There are countless possibilities for why things have developed this way. It might even be possible for Thomas to be dead and this person who showed up is an imposter. Until everything is unraveled, anything could be possible.”
“Do you think Scarlett is trustworthy?” James used to be confident in his judgment of people in the past, but now he was slightly unsure of himself.
Maxine thought for a moment and replied, “Judging by the current situation, she does seem trustworthy. Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge is a famous painting passed down for thousands of years. Its existence has been known to outsiders for a long time. The painting is one of a kind and is priceless, so everyone is trying to get their hands on it. It makes total sense for Scarlett to seek your protection to
survive”
After hearing Maxine’s view, James did not ask any more questions. He slumped back into the sofa and
rested
In less than an hour, Scarlett arrived at Cynthia’s villa
Scarlett had ditched her glamorous appearance while she was the nominal chairman of
Transgenerational Group and showed up in casual clothes with her long black hair tied up, giving off a girl-
next–door vibe.
“James,” Scarlett greeted with a smile.
James pointed to the sofa beside him and said, “Have a seat.”
Scarlett sat down, looked at James, and asked, “Do you have a task for me?”
James said, “Not too long ago, I had Quincy establish a group called Messiah Corporation. However, she disappeared unexpectedly, and I need someone to manage the company for the time being. You did a good job with Transgenerational Group, so I’m appointing you to help manage this company for now.” Scarlett had remained in Cansington. She had heard of Quincy’s company and desperately wanted to help, but James never called for her, nor did she dare to ask him about it.
Scarlett stood up abruptly and said confidently, “I’ll take good care of your company!”
James waved his hand and said, “Sit down.”
“Alright.” Scarlett sat down.
“By the way, do you know Thomas?” James asked casually.
“Thomas? Who’s that?” Scarlett was confused by his question.
“Never mind if you don’t.” James simply wanted to test the waters. Scarlett’s expression made him conclude that she probably did not know Thomas. She would react differently if she had secretly been in contact with him.
“Do you know Messiah’s purpose?” asked James.
Scarlett nodded and said, “I’ve bumped into Quincy, and she told me a few things about it. I have a
general understanding but don’t know the details.”
James did not hide anything and explained the reason for the company’s establishment.
“The main purpose is to keep an eye on Centennial Corporation and compete against them to seize the domestic pharmaceutical market.”
“Okay.” Scarlett nodded.
“You head to the company to report for work.” James waved his hand and dismissed Scarlett. The company needed someone to manage it, or else it would cease to operate.”
Chapter 920
Scarlett did not linger any longer and left after James dismissed her.
After she left, James stood up.
Maxine asked, “Are you going to Sovereign Antique Shop?
James looked at Maxine. ‘This woman is incredible. She can immediately guess what’s on my mind,’ he thought.
“My admiration for you keeps growing daily. I feel like there’s nothing I can hide from you,” James praised her sincerely.
Maxine stood up and said with a smile, “Sovereign Antique Shop is the only clue we have right now, so it wasn’t hard for me to know.”
James nodded and said, “Yeah. I plan to head over and investigate a little. The ancient chest that contained the ancient scroll was stored in Sovereign Antique Shop. The shop’s owner used to be the Emperor’s subordinate. Now that the Emperor is dead, I’ll have to go there and find clues to solve the mysteries.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Alright.”
Luther came over and asked, “Do you need me to drive you both there?”
James waved his hand and said, “No, just pass me the car keys. We’ll drive ourselves.”
“Can I come with you guys, James?” Cynthia stood up and looked at James pleadingly.
She had been recuperating at home and had not stepped outside for a long time. Now that her physical condition had improved, she wanted to go for a walk and relax.
James disapproved. “We’re going there for serious business and not to have fun. You still haven’t fully recovered, so just stay home.”
“Fine,” Cynthia replied dejectedly.
Luther handed over the car keys to James. He took the keys and left the villa.
They headed to the garage, got into the car, and headed to Cansington’s antique street.
Soon, they arrived at the antique street and walked into Sovereign Antique Shop.
An employee quickly approached and greeted them. It was the same old man who served James the last time.
“Hey there, Mr. Caden! It’s you again.”
James asked, “Is your boss in today?”
“Yeah, he’s in his office upstairs.”
James said, “I have some questions for him.”
After James finished speaking, he headed up the stairs.
Outside the office room…
The door was closed, so James gently knocked on the door. No movements could be heard from the other side.
He knocked again. Still, there was no response.
Maxine said, “Is he not inside the office?”
James forcefully pushed open the door and the two walked into the office room.
A middle–aged man dressed in black leather clothing was seen lying lifeless on the desk. James walked closer and immediately noticed the large pool of blood on the floor. The man was shot in the back of his head and died.
“We’re too late.”
James scanned the scene and observed the blood that had dried up on the floor. Then, he said, “It seems he’s been dead for a few hours.”
Maxine observed the office surroundings and said with a frown, “Could it be that he knew some inside information and was silenced?”