The robed man, nearly wailing like a ghost, bemoaned his connection with Pete. Their ties stretched back to the previous generation. In his youth, the robed man had been a well-known geomancer. While working for the Carrell family, he became acquainted with Pete's father, then the family head.

However, their collaboration was short-lived. After Pete's father's passing, the robed man faced personal issues that forced him to abandon his geomancy career. Through a twist of fate, he became a reclusive mystic, eventually cultivating venomous creatures.

Through that connection, Pete sought him out, proposing a partnership. The driving force behind their alliance was the map Pete presented. Ironically, both men, scoundrels in their own right, shared an ambition to obtain the treasure tied to the legendary map. Their patience and scheming spanned a decade, all in preparation for a celestial phenomenon.

The celestial phenomenon, as the robed man repeatedly stressed, was a once-in-a-decade occurrence. Only on that specific day would the stars' alignment reveal the island's location, as depicted on the map.

The robed man believed he had confessed everything. With cautious eyes, he observed Stephan's expression and pleaded, "Mr. Russell, I've told you everything. Could you spare me now? I'm not young anymore; I can't take this kind of punishment…"

Stephan, however, showed no mercy. His deep, piercing eyes were sharp. He left the robed man no room to hide.

"And how does all this connect to Felicia?" Stephan's voice cut through the air, laced with barely restrained fury. Without waiting for an answer, he stomped down, breaking two of the robed man's ribs with a sickening crack. "You know what I want to hear," Stephan growled. "Cut the chase." He had no interest in the Carrell family's history or Pete's greed. He wanted anything and everything related to Felicia.

But the robed man hesitated. Revealing earlier details might get him killed; disclosing the truth about Felicia guaranteed a fate worse than death. If Stephan learned what he and Pete had done to Felicia, he wouldn't just break his ribs—Stephan would make him wish he'd never been born.

"M-Mr. Russell, that's all I know," the robed man stammered, his voice trembling. "As for anything about Ms. Juller, only Pete knows."

It was a blatant deflection, but Stephan didn't believe it.

"Still playing games with me?" Stephan sneered. Without another word, he turned and left, issuing a cold, ruthless order: "Beat him until he talks. Don't stop." "Yes, sir!" his men replied in unison.

Screams filled the underground chamber. The pungent smell of blood permeated the air as the robed man's cries grew weaker. His mind was a chaotic mess, torn between cursing Pete's betrayal and regretting his own carelessness.

When he could no longer endure the torment, the robed man rasped, barely audible, "I'll talk. Tell Mr. Russell he wants Felicia to live to stop this and let me go."

Stanley and the others exchanged tense glances. Regardless of the claim's validity, anything involving Felicia was of paramount importance.

"We'll inform Mr. Russell," Stanley said decisively. He signaled to the others before leaving the chamber.