When Leah said those words, Kayden’s heart sank.
Georgia hadn’t gotten engaged to Luther Falcon? What was going on?
Ever since Kayden left Hiphia, he hadn’t bothered to ask about Georgia. The day he left, he had been stripped of his position, with the Dragon Lord personally ordering the retrieval of all his powers.
Although he cared about Georgia, he had stayed away from her affairs during this time. It wasn’t because he didn’t care-he would always show up the moment she was in danger or if she needed him. In his world, there was no such thing as Georgia harming him. That girl held a special place in his heart, and no matter what she did, Kayden had neither the reason nor the right to be angry with her.
“I heard that after you left, my sister ran off too,” Leah explained. “I don’t know what happened, but she didn’t get engaged to Luther Falcon. The Falcon family is furious and searching everywhere for her.”
Kayden pondered this for a moment. It wasn’t the Falcon family’s anger that concerned him-it was Georgia’s whereabouts.
“Where is she?” he asked, cutting straight to the point.
Leah shook her head. “I don’t know. After that day, I haven’t seen her in Hiphia. I have no idea where she went.”
As she spoke, she kept a close eye on Kayden’s expression. His face betrayed every emotion-sometimes dark and brooding, sometimes relaxed-but all of it showed just how worried he was about Georgia.
“Kayden, you’re not mad at my sister, are you?” Leah asked cautiously.
Kayden shook his head. “No. Why would I be mad at her?”
Of course, he wasn’t angry-he loved Georgia deeply.
Leah nodded firmly. “Don’t worry. My sister will be fine. She’s not the kind of person to break down over some trouble. I think she just feels guilty and doesn’t have the courage to face you.”
“I’m asking some friends to help track her down. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
Kayden nodded in acknowledgment, falling silent.
The season had shifted to autumn, and the evening breeze carried a faint chill.
Kayden stood on the balcony, gazing at the distant scenery. The sun, now devoid of its usual brilliance, hung low over the far-off mountains. Its fading light blended with the evening glow and the silhouettes of migrating geese, painting a picture as serene as a traditional ink wash.
His heart was heavy with countless emotions. He couldn’t pin down exactly what he was thinking, but his mind was in turmoil.
This wasn’t like him. It wasn’t how he lived his life.
Kayden had always been decisive, never one to overthink or dwell on things. His philosophy was simple: life and death were trivial matters, and he faced challenges head-on. That was his way.
But Georgia… she was the only person in the world who could make him feel like this.
With that thought, he picked up his phone and made a call. “Find out where Georgia is.”
After hanging up, his gaze returned to the distant sunset.
Leah watched him from behind, her heart filled with emotion. This was the first time she had seen Kayden like this. Perhaps this was love-deep, unwavering love.
She couldn’t help but feel envious. To have someone like Kayden love her sister-it was enough to make anyone jealous.
As his thoughts wandered, Kayden’s phone buzzed. It was a call from Wood Faulkner.
Answering the call, Kayden heard Wood Faulkner’s voice on the other end. “Commander, have you heard of the Blood Guild?”
“Blood Guild?” Kayden repeated, unfamiliar with the name. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Wood Faulkner explained, “The Blood Guild is one of the three major Cultivator Guilds in Zlando. The top guild is Zen Guild, which handles a wide range of affairs. Whenever there’s a difficult issue in the country, Zen Guild is usually called in to resolve it. The second is Lynx Guild, a powerful and mysterious organization that specializes in compiling lists of cultivators. The third is the Blood Guild, which deals with international matters. For example, when foreigners come to Seclela for business and try to stir up trouble or form factions, the Blood Guild steps in to handle it.”
Kayden responded indifferently, “And?”
He had no interest in these so-called Cultivator Guilds and didn’t understand why Wood Faulkner was telling him about them. If they ever crossed him, he wouldn’t hesitate to destroy them.
Wood Faulkner continued, “These three guilds operate independently and have no ties to Hellblazer. I think you could conquer them and bring them under your command. They could prove extremely useful to you.”
Conquering the three Cultivator Guilds…
Kayden considered the idea. Right now, he was practically alone, with only Wood Faulkner as a reliable ally. Adding the three guilds to his forces wouldn’t be a bad move.
“Currently, the guild leader of the Blood Guild, Mark Beveridge, has been poisoned and is gravely ill. Lewis Henderson recommended you to them, suggesting you could treat him. This could be a good opportunity to win them over.”
Kayden paused for a moment before replying, “Do I really need to win people over this way?”
It was true-Kayden didn’t need to use such tactics. If he wanted to become the leader of the Blood Guild, all it would take was a single command.
“However…” Kayden’s tone shifted. “I’ll give it a try.”
He had other reasons for going to Zlando. Sooner or later, he needed to confront Maddox Hale. That man likely knew the truth about his father’s death. After disappearing for years, Maddox had reemerged as a prominent businessman in Zlando. There was no doubt that secrets lay buried in his past.
Three days later, Kayden set out for Zlando.
He was accompanied by Leah and Wood Faulkner. Wood Faulkner, of course, stayed by his side at all times. As for Leah, she insisted on coming along, saying she wanted to familiarize herself with Zlando before starting school there.
With two beautiful women in tow, Kayden’s departure drew plenty of envy.
The trio chose a simple, common mode of transportation: high-speed rail.
Before leaving, Kayden had instructed Vivian and Ivy Taylor to take care of Blood Fox. The rare creature was too valuable to bring along on unpredictable journeys. Leaving it behind ensured its safety. At least, no powerful cultivators would bother the mother-daughter pair in his absence.
Vivian was reluctant to see him go, clinging to his leg and crying her heart out.
After much comforting, she finally calmed down and grew stronger. But before he left, she made one final request: she wanted Kayden to spend one last night with her and her mother.