Chapter 213
The Vance family’s extended branch had never possessed even a hundred thousand Hunter Coins total.
Sharon casually dropped two hundred thousand per person to hire high–ranking martial artists for their protection.
Walter’s emotions were all over the place as he signed the contract, his hand trembling. They had all misjudged that girl.
Yes, her methods with Roxanne had made some uneasy.
But when it came to them? She hadn’t hesitated to do what no one else ever had.
Before long, mid- and high–ranking martial artists began arriving one after another.
Walter stood in stunned silence as every villa was assigned its own security detail. They even had staff assigned for their housing and meals.
The presence of the high–rankers changed the atmosphere completely. Even the most skeptical branch members were visibly shaken.
Only now did they truly understand what it meant to be backed by a powerful family.
Main branches had full retinues of martial artists. But the Vance branch? They’d always struggled. They had to train their own people from scratch. Now, that was no longer the case.
Late into the night, Walter sat on the living room couch, looking at the martial artists standing guard outside. He turned to the others. “Go get some rest. The Vance family is only going up from here.”
Elise’s eyes were red. She helped Walter to his feet as they climbed the stairs.
Her voice rasped, “Grandpa, I want to follow Ms. Vance’s lead.”
Walter paused. “To me,” he said slowly, “you and Merrick were always the best candidates to lead the branch. But now that Merrick’s been injured, the burden falls heavier on you.”
“I know. But I believe he’ll recover. And didn’t you say we’re supposed to rise and fall with the main family? I believe in her. If it weren’t for Sharon, none of us would’ve made it back alive.”
Only those who were there could understand what she meant.
Elise had been terrified during the Velvyn attack.
But after that battle, something inside her had changed.
She’d watched Sharon–small, delicate Sharon–stand at the front, cutting down monster after monster. ‘If she could do that, what excuse do I have to
hide?‘
She still regretted hiding in the inner circle while everyone else fought to protect her.
Walter sighed. “Do what your heart tells you. I’m getting too old for this. Maybe it’s time to let go.”
He, too, had once assumed Sharon survived because she was backed by the Baxter family.
But after what he’d witnessed today… maybe not.
So he would gamble–betting everything the branch had on one person. If it worked, they would rise. If it didn’t… they’d return to how things had always
been.
He didn’t know how much time he had left, how long he could keep planning for their future.
Chapter 213
“I won’t let you down,” Elise whispered.
She had made her choice. From now on, she was working under Sharon.
Back at Silver Hollow Reserve, Nicholas stood at the edge of the swamp, surveying the terrain.
The magnetic interference here was strongest near the center of the marsh.
“Nick, you should eat something.”
Night had fallen, and they’d been working nonstop.
Nicholas took the protein bar and water, biting down without much interest. “How’s the Vance branch holding up?”
“From what I heard, Sharon uncovered tampered surveillance footage. Apparently, she’s some kind of hacker genius. Even the Academy’s techs didn’t notice.”
Everyone had been shocked when the decoy tools were found.
The setup had been simple–but effective.
Nicholas‘ eyes narrowed. ‘So she has even more secrets than I thought!‘
“And?”
“They tried to trace the devices, but no fingerprints. Odds of finding the source are low. Also, after Sharon left, the Vance branch suddenly had a bunch of martial artists show up. Word is, she posted a bounty on the Hunter Forum.”
Nicholas nodded slightly. That didn’t surprise him.
“Do you think she doesn’t trust us to protect them?” someone asked.
“When this investigation ends, we’ll be leaving anyway,” Nicholas replied.
But until they found whoever was behind this, the Vance family’s branch remained vulnerable.
As family head, Sharon’s response made perfect sense.
Nicholas chewed slowly. The bar tasted awful–but it kept him going.
“Nick, you’re no fun. Sharon just dropped stacks like it was nothing. Mid–rankers get 100,000 Hunter Coins a month. High–rankers get 200,000. Honestly? I’m tempted to apply.”
He whistled. “That’s insane money.”
Nicholas smirked. “She’s sending a message, a warning.”
“Really? I thought she was flaunting it.”
“Flaunting it in a way that crushes her enemies,” Nicholas chuckled.
Sharon was possessive, viciously loyal, and petty when it came to payback.
Every move she made screamed, “I’m not afraid of you. Try me again.”
And Nicholas suspected this wasn’t just an attack on the Vance family. It was a hit on her.
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Chapter 213
His expression darkened. He would find out who was behind it. And when he did, there would be no mercy.
There were far too many Velvyn in the swamp. If they’d all awakened…
Even Sharon might not have made it.
Whoever planned this hadn’t just gone after the family. They’d wanted Sharon dead.
Nicholas‘ jaw tightened. Whoever was behind this? They’d just earned a very personal enemy.
Brent, standing nearby, shivered and subtly edged away.
‘Whoever did this… you pissed off both of them. Enjoy your last days.‘
AD
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