Cedric stood aside, head bowed, barely daring to breathe. Why had Mr. Harper's aura become so terrifying?

After Robin's body was discovered that morning, Kaiden sat on the sofa, staring intently at the news footage on television, motionless, his gaze intensely frightening. After a while, he looked up, his face a mask of fear and anger, his deep eyes flickering with a horrifying light. Exhausted, Kaiden rubbed his temples. "Has Robin's body been sent for an autopsy?"

Cedric immediately stepped forward. "Mr. Harper, Mr. Hall personally ordered an autopsy. The results should be available soon, determining whether Robin committed suicide or was murdered."

Kaiden shook his head. "It's useless. If that person acted personally, there'll be no evidence. Even an autopsy is a waste of effort."

Cedric looked momentarily puzzled. "Mr. Harper, however, this doesn't appear to be a human-caused incident. The Prime Minister assigned guards to watch Robin, and they reported he ran from the hospital alone, acting erratically. It's likely he couldn't handle the competition results and committed suicide."

Kaiden's eyes darkened, his expression gloomy. Would someone like Robin commit suicide? He found it improbable. Robin's business with his brother generated billions annually. Even defeat wouldn't drive him to suicide. He knew only an instructor possessed the means to kill Robin so discreetly.

Kaiden waved his hand. "What about that afternoon match with Major General Jeremiah? Any information? What style of swordsmanship does he use?"

Cedric leaned forward. "Mr. Harper, we've found nothing yet, but I have a lead. We've been following Jeremiah's mother, Aurora. Jeremiah is the only son of Mr. Chavez Clifford from the Clusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To guarantee victory, we can target Mrs. Chavez. Should we incapacitate and conceal her, then reveal the information to Jeremiah? He'll prioritize saving his mother. Even if he returns to the competition, his performance will be significantly weakened, securing your victory."

Kaiden glanced at him. This was too risky. Failure would have unimaginable consequences. He needed to consider carefully.

Seeing Kaiden hesitate, Cedric added in a low voice, "Mr. Harper, this was secretly ordered by Mr. Hall. In this fencing competition, we can only afford to win. He'll use any means necessary. And if we lose, as you know, your father can't explain it. You need to decide quickly!" He pressed on. "Besides, we won't harm Aurora. We'll just temporarily conceal her. Once the match begins, we'll release her. Nothing will happen. If you agree, our people will act immediately."

Kaiden knew Kyle was desperate. He couldn't afford a mistake; Ybaulla's reputation couldn't be tarnished again. He lit a cigar, lowering his head, his eyes cold and ruthless. "Alright, your way. But ensure Aurora's safety. If anything happens to her, none of us survive. This is Clusia. We're dealing with Mrs. Chavez of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If something goes wrong, Mr. Hall can't protect us. Understood?" Cedric nodded. "Rest assured, Mr. Harper. Our goal is simply to ensure your victory."

Kaiden nodded slightly. "Go. I need to rest and prepare for this afternoon's match." He closed his eyes, clearly wanting no further discussion. After the door closed, Kaiden suddenly opened his eyes wide. Kyle's influence is far-reaching; those around me have likely been compromised. Cedric is finished, a ticking time bomb, unusable now. Luckily, I never considered him a close ally.

At 1 PM, Aurora and Clifford Chavez finished their Clusian meal and prepared for the competition. Clifford took a work call and left, instructing his driver to pick up Aurora. She wore a simple, elegant white dress.

In the car, while Aurora applied makeup, the car stopped. The driver glanced ahead, then turned to her. "Mrs. Chavez, there's an accident ahead. Two men are arguing, and it might take a while. This road is a detour, but the fastest route. Should we wait or take another route? A detour adds forty minutes."

Aurora lowered her compact mirror. Two men were arguing, blocking the road. But a detour will make us late. Being late at such an important event is bad publicity. "Max, go check. See if you can clear the road."

"Alright, Mrs. Chavez, but there's little traffic. Please stay in the car. I'll check it out." Max, a military veteran, possessed a strong sense of security. Aurora's status couldn't tolerate mistakes.

After Max exited, the arguing men saw him and their argument intensified, escalating to shoving.

The Eastern Hotel, the competition venue, stood next to the hall where the chess match took place. In the lobby, international media arrived early. Yesterday, they witnessed a Clusian girl's miraculous win; today, who knew what surprises awaited?

Online, netizens eagerly awaited the 4 PM match.

[Only half an hour left! I'm so excited!] [Me too! I was so excited yesterday I didn't sleep! Yesterday's chess match, the goddess brought honor to us Clusians.] [I dreamed about the goddess saying those four words all night, ‘World Champion’!] [Where are the other world champions? Didn't you see this morning's news? The jumper was preliminarily identified as Robin, right?] [Not surprising. With his fragile mental state, it's believable.] [I think so too…]

In the competition hall, Kaiden, in his fencing uniform and custom helmet, sat silently. Cedric entered.