Everyone knew that the downfall of the Frost family was entirely Chris’s doing. This time, their collapse brought Emberwood Estate back into the spotlight. Before Archer Wintersong left, Emberwood Estate was already well-known. However, with the Frost family attempting to demolish it and facing Chris’s retaliation, no one dared to touch Emberwood Estate again.
Families that had previously sided with the Frost family in planning to destroy Emberwood Estate were now gripped with fear. Chris quickly became the most talked-about figure in Middleton. Many smaller families began currying favor with him, hoping he would support them in replacing the Frost and Sterling families as members of the prestigious Ten Noble Families.
What they didn’t realize was that Chris’s return had also earned him more enemies. Among them was Eamon Rivers, the apprentice of Ethan Stone, whom Chris had severely injured. The Noire family, the leader of the Ten Noble Families, suffered heavy losses when Eagle Noire led an attack on Emberwood Estate.
—
That evening, Chris approached Esther’s room, only for the door to suddenly close in front of him.
“Esther, what’s going on? Open the door!” Chris asked, bewildered.
Esther snorted coldly. “I’ll let you in, but first, explain how you’re going to deal with Candace and Seraphina.”
Chris’s head began to ache at her words. “Esther, I swear, Seraphina and Candace are just friends. That’s all.”
“You’re lying!” Esther retorted. “Candace took a bullet for you last time, and Seraphina came back to Middleton with you. Do you still dare to claim you’re just friends?”
Chris was at a loss for words. His relationships with both Candace and Seraphina were indeed innocent, but he couldn’t ignore their feelings for him. He had always feigned ignorance, pretending not to notice their affection.
Seeing Chris’s silence, Esther grew angrier. “You can come into my room when you’ve figured out how to handle this!” She slammed the door shut.
Chris sighed helplessly. He had already turned down countless women for Esther’s sake, but his charm seemed to attract more admirers no matter what he did. Though Esther trusted him, she couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable seeing so many women drawn to him. She resolved to keep a closer eye on him and prevent any wandering.
—
The next day, Lynx came to see Chris.
“What’s the situation with the Noire family? Any updates on Eagle Noire and Eamon Rivers?” Chris asked.
Chris remained vigilant regarding the Noire family, knowing they were the leading force among the Ten Noble Families. Their recent silence only deepened his suspicions.
“I’ve had people monitoring the Noire family around the clock,” Lynx replied. “So far, there’s been no movement. As for Eagle Noire and Eamon Rivers, they’ve completely disappeared. Even the Dragon Order. It’s strange.”
Chris nodded thoughtfully. According to what Seraphina had told him, Ethan Stone had recently led a large group of Dragon Order cultivators to a mysterious location and hadn’t returned. The last time Eagle Noire and Eamon Rivers led a team of Dragon Order cultivators to attack Emberwood Estate, they were utterly defeated by the Emberwood Guards.
For now, Chris believed the Dragon Order wasn’t in a position to make any moves. However, the memory of sneaking into the Dragon Order’s hidden base lingered in his mind. There, he had seen a mysterious woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Victor Yellowbird’s wife, Amy. Her aura was both powerful and enigmatic.
Though Chris had asked Seraphina about her, she explained that the area was a restricted zone, even for Dragon Order members. No one, apart from the organization’s leaders, was allowed to enter.
“When will Master return?” Chris muttered to himself, letting out a sigh.
It had been nearly six months since Archer Wintersong left, and there was still no news of him. Chris couldn’t help but worry that something might have gone wrong.
—
As Chris pondered, Esther and Candace walked out of the house together.
“Where are you going?” Chris asked curiously.
“Just some shopping,” Candace replied with a smile.
“Shopping? I’ll come with you,” Chris said. With Middleton still in turmoil, he couldn’t rest easy letting them go alone.
Driving his Range Rover, Chris took Esther and Candace to a commercial street in Middleton. They parked and began wandering through the shops.
Suddenly, the sound of commotion caught Chris’s attention. He turned to see a crowd gathering nearby. Intrigued, he walked over to investigate.
In the center of the crowd, a group of thugs surrounded a young woman, taunting her.
“Hey, pretty girl, why don’t you come have some fun with us?”
“I don’t even know you. Why would I go anywhere with you?” the woman replied nervously.
The voice sounded familiar to Chris. Looking closer, he froze in surprise. It was Ellis, the girl who had saved him in Peace Village.
Though her attire was plain, her natural beauty couldn’t be hidden, drawing the thugs’ unwanted attention. The onlookers were visibly angered by the thugs’ behavior but too afraid to intervene.
“Haha! You don’t know us now, but you will soon!” one of the thugs sneered, grabbing at Ellis.
“Help! Somebody help me!” Ellis cried out in desperation.
At that moment, Chris stepped forward. Without hesitation, he delivered a powerful kick, sending one of the thugs flying.