140 Chapter 140: Investigation (1/2)

The first thing Kureha Franklin did when she returned to Jing Tian City was to contact an old friend. The moment she saw that her smartphone had cell reception, she swiped the screen to summon her contacts list and tapped on the name Alicia Violet.

Alicia and Kureha had been friends for a few years now. Even though the Violet family was not part of the ten great families, it was still a prestigious clan. They had a few connections with the ten great families. Well. Just the Stuart and Franklin clans, though, and even so, just a few members. For example, Alicia didn't know who Shawn Franklin was, and had no reason to through her limited encounters with the Franklin family.

However, she did befriend Kureha when they met each other at a social gathering a few years ago, and exchanged contacts. Kureha would sometimes visit her when dropping by Jing Tian City for business. Which was why she was familiar with the city to begin with, despite not living here.

A video of Alicia appeared in front of her, the blue-tinted holographic image hovering in the air. The Black Rose Society president beamed happily when she saw her friend.

”Kureha! It's been a while!”

”Hi, Alicia. It has, indeed.” Kureha nodded somberly. She tried to muster up a weak smile, but found her lips rigidly and unnaturally curving up. Sensitive as she was, Alicia noticed her friend's mood.

”What's the matter, Kureha? Did something happen?”

”…yeah.” After the mission…after everything, Kureha finally felt a wave of emotions hitting her hard. The loss of her sister…witnessing her grisly demise…it was just too much. It took her everything she could to hold back her tears. ”Alicia…I need a favor.”

”Anything, Kureha. Where are you now? Are you outside?” Alicia glanced at the background and saw the buildings and trees behind her friend. ”What happened?”

”A long story.” Kureha wiped at her reddening eyes. ”I'm…um…at Jing Tian City right now. Do you mind if I come over for a visit?”

”Sure! You can even stay over!” as much as Alicia wanted to ask when she arrived, she didn't pursue the issue. Instead, she rose from her desk, where she had been studying. ”Where are you right now? I'll go over and pick you up.”

”Thanks.” Kureha sent the coordinates. Alicia acknowledged them, and then hung up to hastily make her preparations. While waiting for her friend, Kureha sat on a nearby bench.

Then she cried.

*

”You should have told me when you first came to Jing Tian City,” Alicia told her gently. ”My home may not be as safe as yours, but at least you won't have to worry about kidnappers here.”

The Violet family was not as rich as the Franklin family, but they still lived in quite the huge mansion. Even though the vast halls seemed empty, there were quite a few security personnel watching the place.

”I wanted to keep a low profile. Didn't want to stand out. Also didn't want to trouble you.” Kureha took a deep breath, and accepted the tissue that Alicia offered. She suppressed a sob. ”I'm not supposed to be here. If the elders find out, they'll order me and my sister to return.”

She closed her eyes as the memories of her sister welled up inside her. Gritting her teeth, she clenched her fists and forced herself to calm down.

Alicia didn't press for details, having heard the gist of it from Kureha. She had found her friend sobbing on a bench, crying by herself, and quickly bundled her into the back of her father's car. It wasn't long before Kureha informed her of the abduction, and Kurenai's gruesome death at the hands of murderous rapists.

”Your sister…the people who did this to her…we'll definitely hunt them down.” Alicia promised determinedly. Kureha shook her head.

”They're dead,” she replied plainly as she wiped her eyes. ”We killed them.”

”…eh?”

”Sorry. When Kurenai was kidnapped, I went and hired a couple of students from your school to help me track her down. We were too late.” Kureha took a deep breath, and vengeful wrath flashed in her eyes. ”We made them pay.”

”…I see.” Alicia sighed and nodded. ”That's good then.”

She hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity got the better of her.

”Who did you hire?”

”Richard Huang and Troy King. They were extremely helpful.” Her face fell. ”It's my fault they both got hurt. We managed to get some treatment, but Richard is still suffering from mana depletion. He needs a little longer to recover…hmm?”

She caught the expression on Alicia's face and trailed off. Alicia blinked and then closed her mouth.

”You hired Richard and Troy!?”

”Yeah…oh, that's right. They mentioned something about being Black Rose. So they are your members, huh?”

”How's Richard? Where is he right now?!” Alicia was grabbing Kureha's shoulders, and the latter could only stare at her, stunned.

”Um…he's fine. He's sleeping off his mana exhaustion in a military camp just north of here. He'll be fine once he recovers his mana.”

Alicia sighed as she let go of her stupefied friend and sat back in her chair, relief written all over her face.

”That's good. Jeez, that guy never fails to worry me. At least both he and Troy are all right. I assume Troy has also returned to Jing Tian City?”

”Yeah…we went our separate ways shortly after that. He says he needs to track down his brother after we found out that there is a link between him and the Research Foundation Group.” she lowered her voice. ”That's why I need a favor from you, Alicia. I need every information you can find regarding the Research Foundation Group.”

”The…Research Foundation Group?” Alicia repeated, puzzled. Kureha nodded.