Chapter 998: Unseen (1/2)
”Alright, you are dismissed.” When he was alone in the room again, he muttered, ”Bryan, you truly are influential... I didn't think the three families would still be beholden to you after so many years...”
......
Han Shuo was indeed the one who had solved Andre's conundrum. All he did was have Erebus ask to meet the three family heads to tell them Han Shuo's stance on the matter. Almost immediately, the family heads got in line.
Putting aside Han Shuo's current strength, his exploits across the Dominion of Darkness more than a decade ago, including his rampage in the City of Gorging Clouds and killing of Wallace and Hofs had spread far and wide throughout the entire dominion. The gods of the Dominion of Darkness were utterly floored when they heard that Han Shuo killed Wallace and Hofs in an instant and still managed to leave the dominion alive. Nobody would dare to cross such a person.
”Aobashi, Erebus, I've stayed in this city for the past couple of days and really enjoyed all the feats we had. However, I still have some matters to attend to, so I will be leaving for Hushveil City today,” he said as he was about to bid them farewell at the forest outside of the city.
During the past two days, Han Shuo had Aobashi and Erebus go around spreading some news while also dining and chatting with them, but Carmelita and Andre didn't show up at the very end. He felt a little down about it, so he was about to leave today.
”Don't overthink it. Andre's busy tending to city matters, so he doesn't have much time. Carmelita's still cultivating in seclusion. Perhaps she doesn't even know you're here,” Erebus explained.
While Han Shuo knew that it simply wasn't true, he merely smiled and didn't press the matter. Waving as he walked away, he said, ”Take care, you two. Come to the Fringe when you're free. You're always welcome there.” He then zipped away to the distance before disappearing from the horizon.
Some time later, a rustling could be heard from the forest. Carmelita came to Erebus and Aobashi's side and looked towards the direction Han Shuo had gone in. ”I guess he won't come back here ever again.”
”No, he will when he has the time.” Aobashi lifted her hand up and smiled. ”Given his strength, he must have known that you were just nearby. Even though you didn't come out, he knew you were here to send him off.”
”I wasn't here to send him off! I just happened to be passing through!” Carmelita snapped.
In fact, Han Shuo definitely noticed her presence there long ago, but merely feigned ignorance since she didn't step out on her own accord. He still felt rather sorry towards her. No matter the circumstances, he had killed her father, Wallace, under whose cruel surface was a father who doted on his precious daughter dearly. The grudge wasn't one that could be easily resolved.
Even so, he was thankful that she showed up at all and felt that his trip hadn't been in vain. Even if he couldn't hang out with Andre and Carmelita like he did before, at least he no longer had to treat them like enemies. He now felt like a huge burden had been lifted off his chest. As he headed towards Hushveil City, the figure of Donna surfaced in his mind and it put a smile on his face. He was in a really pleasant mood.
In a single night, he arrived at Hushveil City; the city's tight defenses might as well be nonexistent to him. After the Lavers family took control of the city by the God of Darkness's order, things had been taking a turn for the better for Felder. Not only did he manage to save the Lavers family, he managed to take control of one of the seven cities within the Dominion of Darkness. The miserable days back when he was in the City of Gorging Clouds was long beyond him. Now, he managed Hushveil City with a passion.
Unlike Andre, Felder seemed to have made a breakthrough in his mind state thanks to the countless hardships he had overcome. Not long after he became the city lord, he became a late-stage highgod.
With his newfound power and a stigma in his soul, his influence grew to the point he could easily suppress the patriarchs of the other influential families in the city, allowing the Lavers family to prosper under his reign. Coupled with his wit and diplomatic approach to interacting with the other families, he managed to build a rather united city.
Nowadays, the Lavers family had completely taken the Hofley family's place as the true lords of the city. Their residence located in the prosperous city center was far bigger and luxurious than the one they had back then in the City of Shadows.
Han Shuo walked at a leisurely pace within the estate of the Lavers family with not a single energy tower being able to detect him. Smiling, he sent out his consciousness to sweep the area before making his way to a room and starting to drink as he waited. It didn't take long before Donna could be heard approaching; she had been summoned by Felder to talk about some pressing matters concerning the city.