Chapter 344

Isolated Riverdale, east of Lovell City, was uninhabited, its surroundings fraught with unknown dangers. Under the night sky, a pitch-black castle stood silently. The desolate, slightly cold surroundings amplified the castle's sinister and terrifying aura. An autumn wind blew, punctuated by the occasional chirp of insects.

A tall figure walked slowly, unhurriedly. The man, Richard, possessed sharp eyebrows and determined, dark eyes. Noble and mysterious, he exuded a powerful aura that commanded both fear and submission.

John followed from a distance, muttering, "Why does he live in such a strange place? The castle's perfectly fine, but so gloomy." The castle was Felix's lair.

Richard had left Lovell City under the pretense of a business trip; his true purpose was far different. He was hunting a group of "bugs," the most dangerous of which was Felix. Felix, not long ago, had drawn up a death list for a legendary, undiscovered treasure box, committing countless sins in the process. Royal Bay and Isolated Riverdale had previously been left alone, but this time, Felix had targeted Tiffany. This left Richard with no choice but to act.

His expression grim, Richard approached the ancient castle step by step. A rustling sound, like something crawling, broke the quiet night. John looked around, shocked. More than ten terrifying, dark-red insects crawled toward them, appearing incredibly sinister in the darkness.

Disgusted, John ran forward. "Richard, bloodbites!"

Richard raised an eyebrow. With a wave of his hand, the insects instantly turned to powder, dispersed by a gust of wind, leaving no trace.

"Any more?" he asked.

Stunned, John shook his head. "No…"

They continued walking.

When they reached the castle gate, it opened automatically. John's face was vigilant; his gun at the ready. "Richard, I'll check for traps!"

Richard, seemingly ignoring him, calmly walked in. His posture was elegant, his aura powerful; he showed no nervousness, instead projecting the regal demeanor of an emperor, commanding obedience.

John was taken aback, filled with admiration. So what if Felix is vicious and cunning? Even if he's powerful, he'll only be beaten in front of a true powerhouse! he thought.

Inside the castle, the lights illuminated exquisite, luxurious surroundings beyond ordinary imagination. Rare murals adorned the walls, and the floors were inlaid with gold. An extravagance reigned.

Before them sat Felix, dressed in black, in a diamond chair. He had clearly been waiting.

"Mr. Hampton, it's been a while," Felix greeted with a faint smile.

Richard said nothing. Seeing Felix, he raised his hand; Felix was uncontrollably flung from the chair. Richard grabbed his neck. "You've lived long enough. Go to hell now."

Richard's cruel voice held no inflection, but his grip tightened. Felix, unprepared for such an immediate, brutal attack, used a strange movement technique to escape Richard's grasp, stumbling back. The pain in his neck was evident; he coughed to recover.

"As expected, Mr. Hampton, you're still as ruthless as ever," Felix said, aware of the deep mark on his neck.

Richard, impatient, attacked again. Felix couldn't withstand more than three moves before being ruthlessly kicked away, shattering his diamond chair. He fell, spitting black blood. He'd fought Richard before, but aside from one instance where Felix had poisoned him, there was a vast disparity in their strength; he was no match.

Felix looked up to see John's gun pointed at him, the trigger about to be pulled.

"Wait!" Felix shouted, then looked at Richard, his face pale, almost demonic. A mysterious smile touched his lips. "Mr. Hampton, I have a secret about the girl you care about most. Don't you want to hear it?"

Meanwhile, in Lovell City, Tiffany had locked herself in her room, refusing dinner. Eric waited pitifully outside her door with a tray, finally gaining entry.

"Tiffany…" he called.

"Leave it here," she replied.

Tiffany sat on her bed, rapidly typing on her laptop. Lines of words appeared – a new script she was writing for Mr. Lester, though it was repeatedly rejected. It felt more like an outlet for her frustrations, though she wasn't sure what she was venting.

Eric, feeling rebuffed, called out again, timidly, "Tiffany?"

Tiffany took a deep breath, closed her laptop, and looked up at her brother. "What's wrong?" she asked gently.

The boy held the tray, refusing to put it down, determined she would eat. "Eat," he said.

Helpless, Tiffany got out of bed. "Fine. I'll eat."

She sat at the table and ate. Eric smiled. "That's more like it."

Tiffany finished her food, wiped her mouth, and said, "Alright now. It's time for you to sleep. Go back to your room."

Eric carried the empty plates, turning back to say, "Tiffany, I will always love you."

"Okay," Eric replied seriously, as if taking an oath.

Tiffany was stunned, touched. She sighed at her silly brother. After Eric left and the door closed again, Tiffany smiled, then turned off the lights, silently moving away from the window, disappearing without a trace. There were things she needed to find out.