Chapter 523 - 368: Clansmen

Paige Summers was noncommittal in response to Summers Twelve’s question, but he had already taken her silence as confirmation.

He was instantly overcome with emotion. Fat tears rolled from his eyes, but a smile touched his lips.

He was genuinely happy, his joy mingled with hope and a trace of pain.

Paige Summers’s hand faltered.

The tear landed on the back of her hand, and she snatched her hand back as if she’d been burned.

For some reason, her own heart began to ache.

’Although I’m not the original Paige Summers, ever since I arrived, I’ve been slowly integrating into this world and into this identity.’

’I feel sorrow for what happened to the Summers Family, and I want to avenge their downfall.’

’I felt indignant on behalf of my father, but in the end, I even came to accept my mother.’

’Right here, right now, I *am* Paige Summers!’

’A descendant of the Summers Family!’

’I had also hoped that members of the Summers Family were still alive...’

’But seeing Summers Twelve, and guessing what his situation was, it’s impossible not to feel heartbroken.’

But now, Summers Twelve’s tears and his genuine joy made her realize something. He hadn’t abandoned the Summers name; he was still proud that the family had an heir!

At this thought, her cold, sharp voice couldn’t help but soften slightly.

"Tell me. What... what exactly happened back then?"

Paige Summers was the daughter of Dylan Summers and the granddaughter of the Clan Leader, a descendant from the main branch of the Summers Family.

Once he confirmed her identity, Summers Twelve no longer held back, finally explaining the whole story from beginning to end.

"Back then, we did encounter a storm at sea. But the ship wasn’t so easily sunk. We were seeking temporary shelter when we came to this island. Morindale Island wasn’t as prosperous as it is now; you could say it was just in its infancy. But there were already quite a few Rovarians on the island. When we arrived, their attitude was unexpectedly friendly, even enthusiastic. They gave us materials to repair our ship and agreed to help us restock fresh water, salt, and other supplies..."

"We were all very grateful."

"On the third day, the storm at sea subsided, so we decided to set off again to the coast of the Cerulean Sea to meet the Clan Leader and the others. But in those two days, Summers Eight had fallen for a Rovarian woman. He was like a man possessed, insisting on staying and even trying to persuade us to stay as well. Of course, we refused. But just after we boarded the ship, he drugged all of us."

"When I woke up, we were back on the island..."

As he spoke, an expression of agonizing regret crossed Summers Twelve’s face.

"I was locked up. They told me the others had woken up before me. They were furious with Summers Eight and had nearly killed him. The woman he’d fallen for was the Island Master’s cousin. When she saw how badly he was injured, she flew into a rage and threatened to kill the rest of us. I was frantic with worry, but I couldn’t think of a way out. I could only beg them to let me see Summers Eight."

"Summers Eight was indeed gravely injured and on the verge of death. The woman he loved was at his side, weeping as she cared for him. She said that if Summers Eight died, she would make sure we all died with him. So I told her that if she let the others go, I would stay behind at her mercy. In the end, she agreed."

Paige Summers’s eyebrow twitched. She couldn’t help but ask, "Why?"

Summers Twelve’s lips twisted into a bleak smile. "Because I can build ships. I’ve loved doing it since I was a child, and I never expected that my superpower would be related to it. I can build a complete model of a ship in my mind and then draw up the full blueprints from it. The dimensions for every single part are perfect. It was because of this superpower that the Clan Leader chose me for the island expedition."

’So that’s how it is...’ Paige Summers was beginning to understand.

She sneered inwardly. ’Those Rovarians... their friendliness from the start was just a diversion. They had ulterior motives all along!’

"What happened then? Did the others really leave?"

Summers Twelve nodded, his eyes filled with boundless sorrow.

"Yes. I inspected the ship myself, and I saw them off... But they never made it back. About a month later, wreckage from their ship washed ashore nearby. It had been caught in a storm. At first, I refused to believe it, so I stole a boat and went to our own island. Only then did I have no choice but to accept it... My cousin, who was stationed there, said no ship had ever arrived. They were still waiting."

Summers Twelve gritted his teeth. "Later, we discovered that the Morindale Islanders had landed on our shores. They had been following me the whole time! They claimed I had broken my promise, and as compensation, they occupied our island... All I could do was save the lives of my cousin and the others. The island... it fell into their hands."