Chapter 179: Past and Present Collide [1]
Chapter 179: Past and Present Collide [1]
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Name: Craig Marron
Age: 43
Status: Healthy (Experiencing minor fatigue)
Rank: 6th Circle (Mid Stage)
Current Mana Level: 1,745,784
Mental State: Serious, Focused, Slightly Strained
Abilities: Sovereign Aura
Affinities: Ice (Grade 7 - S Rank), Earth (Grade 4 - C Rank)
Hidden Talent / Traits: None
Potential: 7th Circle (Estimated Peak)
Investment Value: Very High
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’So his ice affinity is the same grade as mine. And... he doesn’t have hidden talents either.’
Soren analyzed the president’s updated status before using Advanced Appraisal on the Icebreaker Emperor.
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Name: Hector Vance
Age: 114
Status: Stable
Rank: 7th Circle (Peak Stage)
Current Mana Level: 3,620,150
Mental State: Calm, Observant, Curious
Abilities: Winter’s Dominion, Glacial Soul
Affinities: Ice (Grade 8 - SS Rank)
Hidden Talent / Traits: Master Knitter (Possesses an unnatural, flawless precision when it comes to knitting and repairing fabrics)
Potential: 8th circle (Estimated)
Investment Value: Very High
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’Whoa! He’s 114?!’ Soren barely managed to mask his surprise.
However, recalling the stories surrounding the Icebreaker Emperor, the age actually made perfect sense. This was the man who had single-handedly frozen the entire Eastern Gulf to halt a massive marine beast tide fifty years ago. He was the vanguard who executed a calamity-class frost dragon during the northern expansion. A century of life was practically a prerequisite for anyone who had shaped the modern borders of human territory.
His current mana level was staggering as well. If Soren remembered correctly, the only other 7th circle he checked, his father-in-law, had possessed around 2.9 million units of mana at the mid-stage of the seventh circle. Emperor Hector sat comfortably well above that, meaning he was a monstrous genius in his own right.
Then there were the abilities. Winter’s Dominion and Glacial Soul. Soren suspected that Winter’s Dominion was the legendary figure’s domain ability, a manifestation of pure intent capable of transforming the surrounding environment into an absolute frozen wasteland.
’His affinity is a grade higher than both mine and the president’s as well.’
’Oh? He has a hidde—’
Soren’s internal analysis suddenly ground to a halt. His mental track derailed as his eyes locked onto one line.
He blinked, utterly bewildered. It was not that surprising for a powerhouse like Hector to possess a hidden talent, but the actual nature of it left Soren speechless.
’Master Knitter...?’
The mental image of the stern Icebreaker Emperor sitting in a rocking chair, meticulously knitting a tiny sweater with flawless precision, was almost too absurd to process. Soren took a slow sip of his coffee just to keep his face from twitching. ’...Does he even know he has that?’
"Alright," the President said, his casual demeanor dropping away as his eyes locked onto Soren. "I have already set up sound and vision blocking barriers. Now, let’s speak plainly."
He placed his coffee cup down on the glass table with a click. The ambient light of the rooftop lounge caught the sharp line of his jaw as his expression turned uncharacteristically grim. Hector remained silent beside him, his gaze fixed on the steam rising from his tea, his presence adding a suffocating weight to the air.
"Soren..." The President leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, pinning Soren with an intense stare. "Do you know your wife is being targeted?"
"Huh?" Soren’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before his expression quickly hardened, while his mind was thinking something else. ’As expected. It really is about her.’
He let out a slow breath, his brows furrowing just enough to display the proper amount of confusion. "What exactly do you mean by that, Mr. President?"
"There is no need to pretend with us, Soren," the President replied smoothly, leaning back into his chair. "I distinctly remember you rushing out right after waking up, stating she was in danger. That means you know something. And if you are not a fool, you should have figured out she was the primary target after everything that transpired. Am I right?"
Soren fell silent before letting out a deliberate sigh, shifting his gaze between the two powerful figures sitting opposite him, watching their faces closely for the slightest tell.
"You’re right," he admitted. "I am certain of it now myself, considering how coordinated everything was. Truthfully, I already had my suspicions before this because there was an assassination attempt on our wedding day."
The President remained perfectly calm, his expression unchanged, while Hector slightly raised a brow, a sign of his interest.
’Did the President already know?’ Soren thought, keeping his tone measured as he explained the events of that day. He detailed the ambush, keeping the description grounded, before adding, "At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure if it was a targeted assassination attempt or just a random attack by a burglar."
"Then you don’t know who the enemy is?" the President asked, tilting his head slightly.
Soren nodded. "As you probably already know, I was just an unawakened guy until that very day. I knew almost nothing about cultivation or the world of the awakened."
"But," he paused, letting his words sink in before turning a piercing look toward the President, "how do you know she is being targeted?"
"First, I knew about the burglar incident thanks to your records," the President replied, entirely unbothered by Soren’s sudden display of suspicion. "Second, the way you acted, how the gate opened, the unnatural behavior of some monsters all pointed to a deliberate setup. And finally, that abnormal dragon trapped you inside its domain and tried to kidnap her at the end."
Soren’s eyes widened, this time with genuine shock. "K-Kidnap?!"
The President nodded slowly. "You were unconscious by the end of it, so you missed the rest. Let me share what I know..."
He briefly laid out the sequence of events, explaining how the situation had escalated before Hector had ultimately stepped in to rescue them.
"Fortunately, they don’t seem to want her dead. Otherwise..." the President concluded, his tone turning heavy as he trailed off.
Soren nodded with a grim expression. He understood exactly what the President was implying. That single detail struck a deep chord; it was the exact unanswered question that had been eating away at him from the very beginning. If their goal were simply to get rid of her, she would already be gone. They wanted her alive because they needed something from her. But what were they after? Did Ethea have something they needed? An artifact? Or some kind of secret?
It seems like he really needs to talk with her soon. For now...
’Let’s use this opportunity to the fullest.’
He raised his head and stared at the president.
"Sir... Do you have any idea who they might be?"
"Unfortunately, no." The President shook his head. "I’ve been in this city for a long time and only met your wife a handful of times, and even then not face to face, so how could I know the details of her enemies?"
Soren nodded in understanding. The logic was sound. He then turned his gaze toward the Icebreaker Emperor, but Hector simply gave a slow shake of his head as well.
But Soren didn’t give up. He adjusted his posture, looking the old legend directly in the eyes. "Senior... can I request something of you?"
Hector stared back at him, the silence stretching for a few seconds before he finally spoke.
"...Speak," the old man grunted.
"Can you... tell me about Ethea?" Soren asked, his voice steady but intense. "I want to know about her past."