After leaving the Scott Mansion, Kayden walked alone down the street. He needed to find somewhere to rest and recuperate. The battle had forced out some of the congestion in his body, which was the prerequisite for him to regain his power. He was down to only thirty percent of his former power, but now he could recover up to forty percent!
He headed to the Scott family and provoked Asad on purpose, just in order to use Asad’s power to force the congestion out of his body. In this bustling city, however, it’s hard to find anyone qualified to challenge him, and even fewer have the inner strength needed to wound him.
He had originally never intended to come to the Scott family. It was a prison, a hell that held the most agonizing memories of his past. Yet Asad was the only name that came to his mind as a worthy adversary. And with the Scott family going to such lengths to invite him, he had no choice but to come.
As he had expected, his plan took effect!
To be honest, he could never forgive the Scott family for what they had done to him, but at this moment, it’s true that he had no plans to destroy them.
He had sworn that he would obliterate them all one day. But when the moment came, he hesitated.
When he had seen the sincere look in Jason’s eyes, he had to admit that he was starting to waver.
With that thought, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The phone rang briefly before a man’s voice answered, “Hello, who are you looking for?”
“Massimo?” Kayden’s tone was calm, unruffled.
The other end fell silent. After what felt like an eternity, there came the man’s voice again, “Defender? Is it really you? I heard you had returned, but I thought it was a rumor. I never expected you to still be alive.”
“Yeah, it’s me,” Kayden replied with an almost indifferent air. “Massimo, I heard you’ve left Nine Dragons’ Souls?”
On the other end of the phone, Massimo’s voice faltered for a moment, betraying a sense of nervousness. “Defender, rumors said that you had given your life for the nation, and from then on, I left Nine Dragons’ Souls. I believe it wasn’t just me-many must have made the same choice. You are the heart and soul of Battlefield. The only reason we stayed was because of you. To fight alongside you was what we all truly wanted!”
“Can you return now?” Kayden’s tone remained as steady as ever.
“Sure, I’m at your command, Defender!” Massimo blurted out, “I live to serve you, I die to protect you! To be by your side is the greatest honor of my life. Whatever you need me to investigate, just command me.”
Massimo, a master of all trades under Kayden’s command, was an unparalleled expert in gathering information. He knew every piece of information that could be found on search engines. And for what couldn’t be found online, he knew that too.
“There’s something I need you to look into for me,” said Kayden bluntly, “Find out the truth and all the details behind Ambrose’s death.”
Without a moment’s pause, Massimo immediately responded, “Sure, Defender. In three days, you’ll have everything you want to know.”
This was the efficiency and strength of Massimo and the source of his confidence!
After hanging up, Kayden let out a long, resigned sigh. Although he had instructed Massimo to investigate the truth of the past, it didn’t mean he would ever forgive the Scott family. The damage they had inflicted upon him was far too great. He could never forget their betrayal, and he would never, ever inherit their legacy.
A mere family head? The thought didn’t even register on his radar.
Suddenly, a car sped past him from behind and came to a screeching halt right beside him. A soft, familiar voice drifted out from the driver’s seat, “Kayden! Hey, brother!”
The car door swung open, and a girl stepped out. She wore a pair of snug jeans, and her long ponytail bounced with every movement. She had a sweet and innocent look that made you want to protect her.
This was Ann Scott, the girl who had been standing by Jason’s side just moments before. Kayden recognized her instantly.
“What are you doing here?” Kayden asked, his voice cold and laced with disdain.
A hint of hurt feeling crossed Ann’s eyes as she noticed the disgust in his gaze. Her eyes shifted, but she quickly recovered and spoke with genuine regret, “I’m so sorry, Kayden! I had no idea how much you had been through… I just saw that you were injured and I wanted to check on you. Where are you going? I can give you a ride.”
“Just get out of my face. I don’t need your pity,” Kayden dismissed her with a flat tone, turning to walk away.
But Ann quickly stepped forward, blocking his path. She shook her head vigorously. “No, I won’t leave. Maybe you don’t know who I am, but I’ve heard so much about you. Your legendary victory in defending the nation against invaders-Grandpa never stops talking about you. Every time he speaks of you, his face lights up with pride. You are his pride, and you’re the pride of our family!”
She took a breath, her voice trembling slightly. “I didn’t just come here to check on you. There’s something else I need to tell you. For years, Grandpa has been tortured by regret. He never allowed any of us to approach the room on the south side. If anyone went near it, he would get furious. Once, I couldn’t help but wonder what was behind that door, so I tried to sneak a look. When I reached the threshold, I saw Grandpa in the room, holding a portrait and crying. He kept speaking to the portrait. I could see his tears, and I could feel that his heart was broken.”
“Later, I found out that it was Uncle Ambrose’s room, and Grandpa was mourning for him. I had never seen Grandpa in such a heartbroken state before. He is always an authoritative presence in our eyes. That was not the only time because, after that, I happened to see him mourning for Uncle Ambrose a few more times. Grandpa would go in there to cry almost every few days. Kayden, Grandpa truly regrets what he did to you. I don’t know what happened back then, but… could you…”
“Enough!” Kayden interrupted her, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. “If you’re here to speak for Jason Scott, then just leave. I don’t have time to waste on you and your family.”
With that, he turned and walked away.
Ann puffed out her cheeks, watching helplessly as Kayden’s figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance.
Maybe she couldn’t truly understand the weight of Kayden’s past. Still, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sympathy every time she met him. She admired him and looked up to him as a role model. She was so proud to have such a strong-willed and powerful cousin. But more than that, she hurt for him, for all the suffering he had endured.
In the evening, Kayden focused on regulating his breath, gradually feeling his body recover. His inner strength had now returned to about forty percent. While it wasn’t even halfway to where he used to be, it was a significant improvement. He felt lighter, and his complexion had changed for the better, no longer as ashen as before.
The trip to Vernon had been worth it after all! At least he had regained some of his power.
Rubbing his stomach, he felt a bit hungry, so he decided to step out and grab a bite to eat.
After finishing his meal, Kayden passed by a bar on his way back to the hotel, where he saw a girl lying drunk on the ground. She was wearing a very miniskirt and thigh-high stockings. She didn’t seem to be wearing any panties. Maybe it fell off when she hit the dance floor in the bar, or maybe she wasn’t wearing them at all.
Just then, a young lout with yellow hair approached the girl. He called out a couple of times in her ear and began shaking her body, as if in an attempt to wake her. Getting no response from the girl, he abruptly lifted her up and carried her into his white car, speeding off into the distance.
Many passers-by were used to it. This gross scene happened every day when men went to the bar picking up drunk girls to have sex with.