“Chu Tianfan's a God among men! If my deductions are correct, he must have left a trump card behind before attacking the Chu Sect. After all, he'd have needed to protect his friends and family in Jiangdong,” Bill said solemnly, his deep voice resonating across the secret chamber. “Take them with you to Jiangdong. I'm sure you'll be safe and sound there!”
Upon hearing that, Michael froze.
“W-What about you, Dad? It's a grave offense to release the Four Supremes, and there's no way the Chu Sect will let you off the hook once they find out about it. Why don't you leave with us?” he advised.
Alas, his father shook his head. “I can't leave yet, especially not when our family's businesses, properties, and centuries-old legacy are all here. Even though I've secretly transferred most of our assets to China in the past years, we still have family members living here. We can't possibly leave them behind to fend for themselves.”
After a pause, Bill added, “In any case, don't worry about it. Once you're gone, I'll secretly arrange to transfer them out, and we can then reunite in
Jiangdong. Okay, that's all for now. Run along and start packing. I'll check on your sister one last time.”
As he had already made up his mind, he swiftly urged his son to make the preparations for the escape.
With that, only Bill and Angie remained in the secret chamber.
As Bill sat quietly by his daughter's bed and stared at her beautiful, serene sleeping face, memories began flooding back.
He recalled that when Angie was born, she did not wail at the top of her lungs like other babies. Instead, she merely tugged at his beard and laughed.
Later, as she got older, she gradually showed signs of extraordinary abilities, to the point where her peers considered her a freak.
Left with no other choice, Bill decided to keep her home and away from the rest of the world.
Oddly enough, though, Angie never seemed to mind that arrangement. Even when she was alone, she could still play to her heart's content, and if no one chatted with her, she would turn to the bugs and animals for company.
The more Bill recalled the past, the more it made him teary-eyed.
“Angie, it's all my fault. I'm a useless father. It's bad enough that I haven't given you a good childhood or a happy life, but I've made it worse by letting you get hurt...” he murmured, eyes closed as tears rolled down his cheeks.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Immediately after, the door was flung open, and Michael, who had left earlier, came rushing into the room frantically.
“Dad! I have bad news!” he said anxiously. “The Chu Sect has dispatched a large group of fighters, and they're already on their way to us!”
What?
As soon as he heard that, Bill grew ashen-faced with shock.
“How are they so fast? Can't they at least wait for a night?” he bellowed, realizing he had grossly miscalculated.
He had assumed that the head of elders would only come round in the morning to confront him, regardless of how anxious the latter was.
Yet, to his surprise, the Chu Sect had come over so soon.
“No, it's too late. You have to leave this instance, Michael,” Bill ordered, not wanting his son to stay a moment longer. “Forget about packing up. Take your sister and the Four Supremes now and get far away from Mount Chumen and us! Go!”
As for himself, he would try to buy some time for Michael by leaving the secret chamber and leading his family's experts to deal with the Chu Sect.
“Hurry! Get in the car! Leave by the back door before the Chu Sect gets here!” he urged. “There's an airport a hundred miles away, and I've already arranged for someone to meet you there. Remember, no matter what happens later, you're not to turn back. I want you to board the aircraft and fly straight to China!”
Meanwhile, the once peaceful and quiet Jones residence plunged into a sudden flurry of activity.
Many guards had been mobilized and tasked to defend the perimeter of the manor.
At the same time, Bill selected ten of their family's best fighters to protect Michael and the others along the way.
Before long, someone had carried the unconscious Angie into the car.
Even the four disheveled men, who still had their hands and feet chained, were soon led to the car.
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