It was the day of Lu Ri. Zhong Shenxiu woke up early, "because today he and Robin had an urgent errand to run"—and not for any small reason, but for what he had promised Clyde yesterday!

Before leaving, however, Zhong Shenxiu handed the small pamphlet detailing the auction items to Kaini. He told Kaini that whatever was circled in it absolutely had to be acquired!

Kaini nodded; such minor matters were naturally easy for her to handle!

Xia Luo and the others had no idea what had transpired the day before. When they saw a strange, small old man suddenly by Kaini's side, they were all startled. They wondered inwardly who this person was, as they had never seen him before!

And where were Zhong Shenxiu and Robin? Why were they nowhere in sight?

Kaini only provided the group with a brief introduction. She omitted any truly critical information. Thus, Xia Luo and the others only learned that this little old man was named Clyde and that he would be working for Zhong Shenxiu from now on!

As for Zhong Shenxiu and Robin's whereabouts, Kaini merely glossed over it, neither saying what they were doing nor when they would return.

Stanley and Faraday were quite warm hosts; soon enough, they were deep in conversation with Clyde, and the more they talked, the more animated they became, giving the impression that they had met too late in life!

Stanley and Faraday discovered that this old man possessed insights and experience far more unique than their own, especially showing remarkable aptitude in product promotion and management!

Through casual chats, Clyde also gleaned much about the situation, at least gaining some initial understanding of what his future duties would entail!

Enough preamble. Two days passed quickly.

Following the instructions Zhong Shenxiu left behind, Kaini successfully bid on all the marked goods. Although she didn't know what use these items would be, she instinctively knew that anything caught the eye of Zhong Shenxiu could not be ordinary.

Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin had been completely out of contact for these two days. This made Clyde, who had been waiting anxiously, quite worried about the progress of their undertaking!

.

In a study within a certain family compound in a certain city.

A middle-aged man was listening intently to a subordinate's report.

"What!" the middle-aged man exclaimed loudly, his face etched with astonishment. "You say seven major families have been mysteriously wiped out in succession?"

"Yes, my Lord. I have dispatched men multiple times for careful investigation, yet we still cannot ascertain who is responsible!"

"This is impossible!" The middle-aged man found the fact difficult to accept. "Such a massive event, and not a single clue can be traced!"

"My subordinate also finds it strange. All signs suggest that the perpetrator(s) could not have been numerous, as nearby residents reported seeing no large gatherings of people. Even more bizarrely, on the very day these families were annihilated, no sounds of fighting or screaming were heard by anyone!"

How could this be? What kind of person possessed such terrifying strength that they could silently erase an entire major family with only a few individuals? Even a Sword God couldn't achieve such a feat!

The expression on the middle-aged man's face grew increasingly severe. He then asked, "Did you examine the corpses? Did you find anything at all?"

"Reporting, Master. Apart from some bloodstains at the scenes, we did not find a single body. It is as if the members of those families vanished into thin air!"

"Not a single one?" The middle-aged man's eyes nearly bulged from his head.

"Not one was recovered!" The subordinate's expression was equally grim; clearly, he too was unnerved by such bizarre circumstances!

"How is that possible? How can this be possible??" The middle-aged man’s face turned somewhat pale, and his back was drenched with sweat!

This matter was too eerie, too horrifying!

This middle-aged man knew neither how nor why these great families had been destroyed. Did this imply that their own family might be next?

"Immediately dispatch more men to continue tracking this matter; we must get to the bottom of it!" After a moment of silence, the middle-aged man suddenly roared.

This terror was almost driving him mad. He felt as though a fierce beast lay hidden in the darkness, ready to launch a fatal attack at any moment!

This family was not the only one feeling the tension; other families who had learned of the incidents were gripped by panic, fearing they would be the next target!

.

At noon on the third day, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin finally returned in triumph.

When Clyde saw Zhong Shenxiu, he rushed forward, utterly thrilled. Though he spoke no words, the expression on his face conveyed his profound anxiety perfectly!

Even the usually composed Kaini could not hold back her excitement. "I have brought the people back!" Zhong Shenxiu’s words sounded sweeter than celestial music to the ears of Kaini and Clyde!

"Young Master, where are they now?" Clyde, unable to bear the wait to see his son any longer, finally spoke.

"This place is too small!" Zhong Shenxiu surveyed the room's surroundings.

The two were taken aback by Zhong Shenxiu’s statement.

"Xiao Xiu, how many people are there in total?" Kaini couldn't help but ask.

"Thirty-seven!"

Kaini felt a surge of joy mixed with melancholy, realizing that her once great family was now reduced to only this number!

These thirty-seven people were currently sleeping within Robin's bracelet, all perfectly safe. Zhong Shenxiu had treated them before his return.

After discussion, they ultimately decided to wait until they returned home before releasing them.

However, Clyde, desperate to see his son, hurriedly described his son's features to Zhong Shenxiu, asking if he was among the thirty-seven.

Zhong Shenxiu did not answer but gave Robin a meaningful look. Robin understood, waved his hand, and released one person from the bracelet.

Behold, a man of about thirty years, with a square jaw, tightly closed eyes, and a chiseled nose—it was Clyde's son, Yast!

Although Yast's injuries were nearly healed thanks to Zhong Shenxiu's treatment, he was missing an arm; his right sleeve hung empty, a shocking sight!

Clyde froze, unsure whether he felt surprise or joy!

At that moment, a soft light flashed from Yast’s body, and shortly after, he awakened.

Opening his eyes, he was initially dazed, then abruptly sprang to his feet with a "whoosh."

Just about to speak, he caught sight of the stunned Clyde, and he too froze.

"Yast!" The old man could no longer contain himself and called out.

"Fa... Father!" Yast's lips trembled, as if suppressing a wave of emotion.

This was a reunion after a long separation, yet there was no scene of them weeping in each other’s arms.

"Yast, you have suffered!" Clyde lamented softly.

"Father, why are you here? Where is this place? And wasn't I locked in a secret chamber? How did I end up here?" Yast blurted out a string of questions instead.

Clyde briefly recounted the entire incident. "The Eldest Miss? You are Kaini?" Yast looked at Kaini beside him in disbelief.

Kaini merely smiled, saying nothing—perhaps because she didn't know what to say in that moment, or perhaps fearing that speaking would unleash her overwhelming emotion.

In short, after an emotional exchange, everyone’s feelings finally settled into calm. Clyde’s anxious heart was finally eased. Although the loss of his son's arm saddened him deeply, the fact that his son was alive brought him immense satisfaction!

Just then, a knock suddenly sounded at the door from outside.

Opening it, they found Amanda, the woman who had sold Zhong Shenxiu the "Qiaolianshi" earlier. To their surprise, she had indeed hurried back!

"Um... I brought the items back. Would you like to see them?" Amanda said after a moment of hesitation.

Zhong Shenxiu was delighted and quickly urged, "Bring them in for a look!"

Amanda paused, surprised that the speaker was this young boy again, but considering he was wealthy and the buyer, she paid it no mind. She simply stated, "The things are in my room; there are quite a few!"

Since she couldn't afford the magic ring, she had to carry the items back to her room in large bundles.

Upon reaching Amanda's room, there were indeed many things; the entire bed was covered, and a large portion of the floor space was also occupied.

Zhong Shenxiu only needed a cursory glance to form a general understanding of the materials. While some items were decent, they were far from the level that would excite him; they were only suitable for refining simple magical artifacts.

However, given that Amanda had gone to the trouble of transporting everything such a long distance, Zhong Shenxiu decided against making her carry it all back. So, he asked calmly, "How much are you planning to sell all these things for?"

"You plan to buy all of it?" Amanda was first surprised, then delighted, her gaze shifting towards Kaini.

Kaini had no choice but to speak for Zhong Shenxiu again: "Name your price!"

Amanda hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "You can give what you think is fair. These things weren't of much use just sitting at home. I'm glad someone likes them!"

Her heart was quite good; she wasn't trying to fleece them!

Zhong Shenxiu appreciated this quality in her and said, "How about one thousand Diamond Coins? Will you sell?"

Amanda nearly fainted, stammering, "How... how much?"

One thousand Diamond Coins was an astronomical figure to her. She didn't know how many years it would take her to save that much money.

If she truly had that much money, she could buy her younger brother a decent sword, ensure he ate well, and she wouldn't have to be so stressed!

Holding the heavy bag of Diamond Coins, Amanda felt as if she were living in a waking dream!

While she was lost in her reverie, a sentence from Zhong Shenxiu snapped her back to reality: "Hey, girl, I have a job offer for you. Interested?"

"What?" Amanda stared at Zhong Shenxiu in bewilderment.

At this moment, a smile once again curved the corner of Zhong Shenxiu's lips; who knew what scheme he was hatching now.