520 Bad News
As they arrive at midnight, the convoy has a quick trip back to the Shen Mansion. It only took them less than half an hour from the airport toward the exclusive estate.
“Feel at home, Liam.” When they arrived at the mansion, Frederick warmly invited him inside.
Rodney took every opportunity to despise Liam, but other men immediately stopped and appeased him.
“Rodney, take a rest now. I have important matters I want to discuss with Liam,” said Frederick when his nephew attempted to follow him. He saw Rodney open his mouth, so he hurried to add, “... alone.”
Rodney wanted to insist on coming, but his cousins had already dragged him to the bar lounge to have a few drinks. All he could do was throw a murderous glare at Liam.
As for the bodyguards arranged by Klein to accompany Liam, they were allowed to follow Fred upstairs.
Sheena and Deana’s family were in deep slumber. The mansion was utterly silent as Fred didn’t notify his daughters about his arrival.
At Fred’s study on the second floor, he opened the lock in the room and invited Liam inside. Fred did not delay. He walked straight toward the secret door of the mansion’s safe room and gestured at Liam to follow him.
Liam gasped in awe upon seeing what was inside. The safe room was full of antiques that belonged to the Shen ancestors.
.....
Having a glimpse of the particular sword inside a golden glass box, Liam made hurried steps to get closer to the artifact.
“It’s been so long already….” Liam sighed. Suddenly, emotion clouded his eyes.
“This sword…” Standing behind him, Fred narrated, “When the crowned Prince Xing Shen became the new Emperor. He gifted this sword to his Loyal General whom he regarded as a brother.”
Of course. Liam perfectly remembered the day the Prince was crowned as the new Emperor. On the same occasion, the new Emperor proclaimed his Imperial Army Major General by presenting this sword made from the finest material on earth and the handle made of Imperial Jade.
After four hundred years, he finally reunited with his very own sword.
“I can’t believe it! How did the sword fall in your hands?” Feeling thrilled, Liam asked Fred.
“According to my ancestors’ records in their books. The survivor from the last battle you had against the General of the new Emperor, Wu Feng, brought your sword after they buried your body. Then, they sailed south to look for the Xu family, who fled with the Xing prince. After years of traveling nonstop, the survivors finally reunited with the Xu family. Then they handed over General Zhang Jiang’s sword to my ancestors. Since then, we kept it safe and passed it down to the oldest son, the next head of the family.”
“And you only have one son,” Liam uttered.
Looking at his sword, Liam fell into deep thoughts and dug into his previous life memories.
‘My last battle.’
His last battle happened on the island now known as Hong Kong. When Wu Feng’s armies found them, he gave out the order to the Xu family to flee with the Xing crowned Prince along with the Emperor’s sword.
Unfortunately, he died in that battle while saving everyone. Now he learned that they buried his corpse on that island.
Liam remembered that before closing his eyes, he had an enormous weight on his heart if the Crowned Prince had safely arrived in P Country.
Now, he was relieved that the Crowned Prince had lived and his descendants lived well.
“Thank you so much, and you kept my sword. It’s been four hundred years.”
“Hmm… It has become a family treasure. I am glad to give it back to you,” Fred smiled.
“Again, thank you, sir.” Liam bowed as he continued to express his gratitude.
“Don’t mention it. In fact, it was Vincent who informed me to ensure you get your sword back.”
Liam blinked. Then, he mused, ‘So, what Vincent meant for me to pick up is actually my sword. That man has never changed.’
“Now, let me show you the other sword,” said Fred, walking toward the mid-table covered with red silk cloth. After removing the cover, it revealed a golden box. “My ancestors built this box to keep the sword safe through time. And after Vincent found out about it, he built the latest digital lock. He told me the password was the day he married your sister.”
“Last July?” Liam marveled.
Fred shook his head. “No. He meant his marriage in their past lives.”
Liam creased his forehead, wondering. “Isn’t Vincent just recently regaining his memories?”
“Yes. But here’s what happened. When he inputted the password, he just chose a random date that came to his head. Now he realized it was actually an important date to his life and Hailee.”
Listening to Fred, Liam was astounded. These memories are only buried deep in Vincent’s memory bank, but his heart never forgets this important date.
“Then, let me open it.”
Liam taps the screen and inputs the numbers playing in his head. Without a problem, the code was accepted on the first try, and it unlocked the box.
With great awe, Liam felt a warm feeling in his heart.
‘The Emperor’s Sword!’
~
Somewhere in the Indian Ocean…
Sailing around V Country seas, Klein Williams stood on the flight deck and gazed at the skyline.
“Master Williams?” Halted on his right side, Andre called out to the man.
“Hummed…” Klein hummed but did not look in Andre’s direction. Despite that, he is all ears to listen to the report.
“Liam is now leaving Metro City via a fighter jet. Soon, he will join us.”
“That’s good. Anything else?”
“Don’t you feel freezing out here?”
“Nah. I’m fine. My body is immortal, the same as my soul,” Klein boasted.
What to say? There’s none; thus, Andre rendered his silence.
He just assumed that the guy was talking about how beautiful the night sky was. And because he remained quiet, Klein carried on.
“If I will be reborn in this lifetime. I wonder if it would be great to be a commander of a ship like this.” After a brief silence, Klein had wondered this.
They boarded an aircraft carrier, and it was the biggest one.
“You were a navy yourself back in the 1700s. Right?” Andre had enough information about the history of Master Shun Crow, which is why he was thrilled. Now he was eager to learn more of their past story.
Klein cast a glance at Andre. “That’s right. I am the ship captain back and forth. I sailed toward the Newfoundland that you now call Canada. I fought battles against the British Navy while Carlisle protected the French Prince on land.”
“Hmm… I could not imagine myself surviving in that era.” Andre mumbled.
“Heh. Do you want to time travel with me? I can ask Lady Isabella to let you taste the battle in the past.”
“No, thank you! I’m good.” Andre declined immediately.
Klein chucked. He pulled the corner of his mouth and continued reminiscing his distant memories.
“My hardest battle in Newfoundland is not against the British, but my twin brother Carlisle. And then, the dark shaman sees through my heart’s dark desire. He offered to turn my soul into an immortal, so I could be reborn whenever I wished. I now live in Joseon Era and fight against the French Naval during the Korean Gulf War.”
Immersed in listening to Klein’s story, Andre contemplated. He then said afterward, “That was during the 1800s.”
“Yes. But… Ugh!” Klein suddenly groaned in pain.
“Master Williams! What’s the matter?”
“He… He senses me.” Klein stuttered, bearing the pain he felt all over his body after a potent force squeezed his soul.
“What are you talking about?” Andre bent down and held Klein on the back, but his hand felt like it burned him. “Ouch! What is happening to you, Master Williams?”
“It was him! I haven’t completely freed myself from him because I don’t want to leave Hwa-Young… If I choose to be free, my immortality will disappear… Ahh!”
Klein fell over on the deck, embracing himself while crying with pain. Andre was startled to see him being like that.
“What do you want me to do, Master Williams?”
“Just stay back! I will try to fight him. If he succeeds in killing my soul, Shun and Cassandra will be trapped in the Joseon Era, and Hwa-Young will stay here… Ahhh!”
“Master Williams!” Andre, who never panicked quickly, was extremely anxious at the moment, watching Klein rolling on the deck in pain. “Maybe Levi can help you!”
Andre called Levi, who hung up the call soon to contact Isabella while he rushed to his wife, who was eyeing the four babies. After listening to Andre over the phone, Madison looked for Hwa-Young.
“Hwa-Young, please lend me your strength!”
Hwa-Young is playing with Arabella when Madison waltzes into the room.
“Alright!” Hwa-Young carefully placed the child and followed Madison into an empty room.
Facing each other, Madison and Hwa-Young hold hands and close their eyes. Hwa-Young has a telepathic ability, and it may be that Cassandra didn’t have this ability in this lifetime, but her body has enough force for Hwa-Young to use it.
Hwa-Young struggled to reach her husband’s location, but she and Madison never stopped and gave all their vitality to fight against their father, the dark shaman.
~
Lamandi Palace, V Country
Strange lights illuminate the palace’s top floor, followed by a loud shattering sound of crystals.
“Madisoooon!” Master Robert Lee bellowed at the top of his lungs. After his terrifying scream, creepy laughs resound. “As expected of my daughters! Hahaha, hah!”
The palace guards shivered while listening to those terrifying laughs as something creepy crawled into their souls.
‘This man is really crazy!’ Nothing they could do was cry inwardly.
Inside the bedroom, Master Robert Lee had a wide grin on his face.
.....
“So, Cassandra learned to use her ability. Ah, my daughters! I can’t wait for us to reunite soon! When we encounter each other, I will kill you first, Madison, and then your sisters!” Master Robert Lee swears with a thrill lingering in his chest.
Master Robert Lee was in the middle of his self-chit-chat when he felt his assistant’s presence, who was hesitant to knock on the door.
“What is it?”
He lifted his hand to open the door and invited his assistant.
The assistant was in a panic, seeing the sharp glare his master was throwing in his direction. He hadn’t begun reporting yet but felt he had died again.
“Ma—master Lee! There’s bad news!”
Master Robert Lee narrowed his gaze, annoyed to look at his assistant squirming as he was like peeing on his pants.
“Spill it out!”
The assistant jolted after his master bellowed at him. Clattering his teeth, he gathered his courage to relay the bad news.
“Master Lee! I received a call. All of your assets and properties were frozen! The Central Bank would not allow us to make any transaction!”
“What!!!?”
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