Chapter 10: What Happened Back Then

The motorcade rolled toward Magnificent Garden at an unhurried pace. A convoy made up entirely of Rolls-Royce Phantoms was impossible to miss. Along the way, it drew countless stares-some startled, some envious, some openly resentful. Reginald Lyson watched the shifting faces beyond the window and spoke in an even tone. "Zayn Vincett. Say it. What did you want to talk to me about?" In the back seat, aside from Reginald, there were only the elderly Zayn Vincett and the beauty Red Feather. As if the matter were too important to risk a stray word, Zayn reached over and pressed a button. A soundproof partition rose between the rear cabin and the driver's compartment. "Sovereign," Zayn said, "I want to ask you to return to Nine Heavens and take command." "That doesn't need to be brought up again." Reginald flicked his hand dismissively. "I still have unfinished business in River City. I'm not leaving." Zayn exchanged a look with Red Feather. From her, he had already learned why Reginald had stayed in River City. He had never expected that after a hundred years, the Sovereign would be entangled with a woman again. "Besides," Reginald went on, "I established Nine Heavens' nine elders so Nine Heavens would remain under control when I wasn't around. If I have to go back, what use are any of you?" Zayn hesitated, then asked carefully, "Sovereign… if you intend to remain here, that's fine. But I want to know something. Three years ago, you suddenly became unreachable. Back then… did something happen?" Reginald lifted a brow. "Why are you asking?" "To be frank, Sovereign, these past three years, I've felt something was off inside Nine Heavens." Reginald reached into his pocket for a cigarette case. Red Feather immediately offered a lighter at his side, as if she had been waiting for the smallest cue. He lit one, took a slow drag, and asked calmly, "What kind of 'off'?" "Reporting to Sovereign," Zayn said, voice low, "Nine Heavens has seemed stable on the surface, but we've had several missions fail." "Afterward, when we reviewed everything, it looked like mere accidents. But I investigated further, and those 'accidents' felt… man-made." "It's as if someone has been deliberately weakening Nine Heavens." "Three years ago," Reginald said, exhaling a thin veil of smoke, "while I was traveling through the Southern River Region, I was ambushed." The words were plain. His tone never changed. Yet Zayn and Red Feather both stared, stunned. Zayn had only suspected there might be hidden circumstances behind Reginald's disappearance. He had not expected the truth to be so direct. As smoke curled between his fingers, Reginald's thoughts drifted back three years. Back then, he had traveled alone through the Southern River Region of the Fire Nation. In a valley, he had been targeted for assassination by experts from hostile organizations spanning six different countries. They were the best of the best, elites among elites. In Reginald's eyes, they were still nothing more than ants. Assassination? It had never been worth mentioning. And yet that day, Reginald had suddenly sensed something wrong with himself. He checked again and again, until the conclusion became unavoidable. He had been poisoned. It was almost laughable. With his Immortal Ability, there were few poisons in this world that could truly threaten his life. What Reginald hadn't expected was that this poison was not meant to kill him at all. Instead, it interfered with his mind, muddling his thoughts and warping his clarity. Under its influence, he truly could not fight at full strength. In a razor-thin moment, he slipped the pursuit. Then, suspecting the poison's origin, he cut off contact with Nine Heavens and went into hiding alone, intending to wait until the effects wore off. He never imagined the poison would be far more vicious than he'd assumed. It stole his memory. It erased his identity. Worse, it twisted his temperament, turning him into a spineless nobody that anyone could trample. If he hadn't met Rylie Norrell… what would have become of him was almost unthinkable. The memory ended. Reginald spoke as if he were stating a fact with no weight at all. "Three years ago, someone poisoned me." "They seemed to understand the secrets of my Immortal Body. They used a poison that didn't kill, but blocked memory and changed a person's nature." "I lost three years to it. I became a worthless coward. I didn't recover my memories until yesterday." "Bastards!" Zayn's face tightened with fury. "Who the hell did it?!" If he had only suspected before, he was certain after hearing this. There had to be someone inside Nine Heavens colluding with outside enemies. Otherwise, how could anyone have used such a poison against Reginald? The Immortal Body was Nine Heavens' highest secret. To the outside world, people only knew the master of Nine Heavens was called Divine Emperor Lord. But the truth that every Divine Emperor Lord across centuries had been the same man was known only to the Nine Heavens Elder and a very small handful of others within Nine Heavens. Zayn, though he looked well into his seventies or eighties, couldn't stop himself from cursing under his breath. He was genuinely enraged. Reginald, on the other hand, didn't seem to care. He lowered the window and flicked the cigarette butt away. "Enough," he said. "If you've got the energy to be angry, use it to investigate what happened three years ago. Who poisoned me? Where did that poison come from? Was it someone inside Nine Heavens, or did an outsider buy someone off?" "There's plenty to dig into. You'll have your work cut out for you." Zayn fell silent, then let out a helpless laugh. "Fine. If Nine Heavens truly has an internal traitor, then it's better that you remain here, Sovereign." "Still… for your convenience, I'd like to leave Red Feather in River City, so you can use her as you wish." "Alright," Reginald said. Then he glanced at Red Feather. "But remember this, Red Feather. If there's nothing urgent, don't show yourself. You're too beautiful. You'll only bring me trouble." "I understand, Sovereign." Red Feather's cheeks warmed faintly. It was the first time she had ever heard him praise her looks. Before long, the convoy stopped near Magnificent Garden. Reginald pushed the door open and turned back to the two of them. "I'm leaving. Do your jobs." "Yes, Sovereign… Father, take care," Zayn said softly. Reginald smiled and stepped out. Nine Heavens was vast, yet only Zayn and Red Feather earned his deepest trust. Why? Because both of them were orphans Reginald had taken in and raised with his own hands. Eighty years ago, Reginald had found Zayn on a battlefield and raised him to adulthood, eventually making him the foremost of the Nine Heavens Elder. Twenty years ago, Reginald had saved the sole survivor of a plane crash-Red Feather-and raised and trained her into Nine Heavens' Top Assassin. Their ages were worlds apart, yet to Reginald, they were both his children. Their loyalty to him ran bone-deep. That evening, Reginald was at home preparing dinner when hurried footsteps sounded in the living room. His mother-in-law, Evangeline Heyland, dressed up as if for a gala, rushed toward the front door. Behind her, Yosef Norrell asked in confusion, "Honey, where are you going?" "Rylie's company is holding a cocktail party. They said I should attend too!" "Huh? Then what about dinner?" "Of course I'm eating out!" Evangeline scoffed without slowing. "Who wants to eat food cooked by that useless coward?" After she left, only a few minutes passed before Reginald's phone rang. It was Rylie Norrell. "Reginald Lyson, get to the Intercontinental Hotel right away!" "Our company is hosting a cocktail party here tonight. The vice president said Mom and you both have to come. I told Mom to bring you with her, but she refused. So you come on your own." "A cocktail party? Why do they want us there?" "I don't know either. Just get here first. We'll talk when you arrive." She hung up. Reginald frowned slightly. He could already guess why the vice president had insisted on him attending. If nothing else, it wouldn't be out of kindness. But since Rylie had said so, he would go and see what they were trying to pull.