The Young Master in the Shadows

Chapter 380: Bruno

Margret sat in her room, a popsicle in her mouth as she typed on her computer.

“Fuck…” she cursed. Her revenue from stocks was not as big as she was expecting. Victor was right, some other time traveler was messing with the timeline.

Although they were working very subtly and only making profits on the margins, their effect was getting bigger and bigger, affecting Margret’s predictions.

There were a few things that she could figure out though.

Firstly, the other side was not a lone person, they were acting through an organization so it was very hard to pinpoint their origins. They are like a swarm of rats in the stock market, nearly indistinguishable from the average broker!

Secondly, they started their actions more than five years ago as there were few things from back then that diverged from Margret’s memories.

So, after cursing for another five minutes, Margret finished her herbal tea as she set a few random Buy positions before turning the screen off. She pushed her chair back and relaxed wondering what to do.

Victor did give her a few ideas for investment projects, but they were not feasible in the short term.

Suddenly her phone rang… It was Lily!

“Did you finish cucking Victor?” Margret asked immediately.

“Not yet…” Lily replied. “Do me a favor, can you get the company’s private plane to be at my disposal?”

“Didn’t Victor prepare one for you and your sisters?”

“It won’t work, I need a second one to lose a rat who is tailing me… I didn’t expect their surveillance to be this thorough.”

“Oh… Fine, I will tell the men there to be expecting you…” Margret said. Such things were usually handled by Aria, but that girl didn’t really understand what the word ‘Subtle’ meant and tended to ask too many unnecessary questions. Margret on the other hand, asked nothing. Every girl had the right to keep some secrets.

“Thanks…” Lily said. “By the way, I met Lulu… You owe me one…” she added then hung up immediately.

“Thanks… I guess… Wait… Didn’t she just ask me for a favor… Whatever…” Margret said to herself as she sent a message to Aria’s secretary to prepare the plan then threw her phone on her desk and looked at the ceiling.

So the idiots were back, and they were already making trouble… She really didn’t like her aunt's family. But those guys did take care of her when she was in need so she was taking care of them in her own way. Educating them and taking some revenge in the process.

It seemed like sending them to work the mines for a month was not enough to fix their crooked ways, maybe she should try sending them on a whaling boat instead. Lulu always complained that she was not tan enough.

Wait… Since Lulu was already in town, Abe would surely be here too. Maybe she would be able to put those two to good use after all.

Cracking the popsicle in her mouth, Margret quickly began to plan her next move.

…

“Elder Theodore, Young Master Mike, Young Master Victor, this way please!”

As soon as the helicopter landed on the island's port, the family of three was invited into an electrical train cart that quickly drove on a golden engraved track toward the entrance of the Ruins that were located in the middle of the island. That area was technically within the Ruin’s boundaries, so engines like the ones used in helicopters didn’t work! Even the electrical engines used by the carts that were meant to transport people and materials barely worked.

It took them 10 minutes to reach the entrance which was guarded by a grand 30-foot-long heavy metal gate that can only be operated manually by a group of muscular men.

“Welcome!” A mean-looking man with a bald head and a hooked nose welcomed the group of three as soon as they descended from the cart.

“Manager Tin, it’s been a while…” Theodore said with a bright smile.

“It has been a while indeed, Master Theodore! This way please!” Tin, who shot Mike and Victor an inspecting glance, quickly began guiding them toward the gate that was open at the moment.

Victor just followed quietly as he looked around. This entire island became a giant hole that was swallowed by the ocean the last time he was here. And the family records concerning this place were all ransacked with it, so Victor had no idea what to expect here.

Behind the gates, the three were welcomed by a huge stone-floored corridor that headed deep into the mountain with a slit inclination downward.

It was dimly lit by flickering electrical lights and its stone walls. Those lights seemed to dim as they walked further inside, a proof of the gradual change of world rules.

On the ground, more than one metal track was laid above the stone. They should be used to transport ore from the mines inside but at the moment they were empty.

Looking at the small debris left on the ground, Victor casually used his appraisal skill. He wanted to know for real what the materials they extracted from this mine were as the family documents were not always reliable.

As the materials here are mostly otherworldly, his X-ranked appraisal skills should work on them! It is the first time he tried using it like this.

Victor gasped, then began to cough…

“Young master… The area here is a little dirty because they transport the ores here, so be careful not to cause a lot of dust while walking,“ Manager Tin advised.

Victor just ignored him. His mind was just racing too fast to comprehend things.

No wonder that shit bastard Light lord took this entire mine. It had fucking SACRED IRON, a material so precious that wars would be fought over small chunks of it!

This thing was the exact opposite of HELL IRON, it not only restricted the use of Mana and skills, but it even absorbed their energy weakening all skills' effects.

When it was first discovered, it was used as both shields and shackles for players. They even built an entire prison out of it.

It was only later when it was purified enough that they found out it was possible to create a Mana semiconductor by combining it with Hell Iron. This was just before Victor returned in time though, so he was not sure.

Damn it… The family must have known something, that’s why they were using mortals to mine this place! If a player were to inhale the dust created here for a long time, their skills would deteriorate.

The question was whether the family had a way to extract and purify this material… Probably not. They don’t even know what was causing this effect as Sacred Iron is notoriously hard to refine without a proper technology.

If Victor's guess was correct they were either using the ores as building materials or extracting just the metals in the ore and using it to create shields…. Those will have a tiny amount of the material so they will offer some magic resistance.

“Did something happen here?” Theodore asked. “Why are there no workers around?” he added as he looked around. It was rare to see this place empty like this.

“Ah… There was an accident in the mines, so we had to stop the mining operation temporarily, I am sorry, but I don’t have the liberty to discuss it now. I believe the supreme elders inside will inform you!” Tin quickly said making Theodore face's change. He knew something.

An accident? Did anything like this happen before? Victor wondered. He had no recollection, and Lily would surely have told him if there was anything of importance.

The family documents did say something about an old incident though, but it didn't go into much detail.

“I see…” Theodore nodded with a grave face. “I hope you are taking care of Luke…” Theodore whispered as they walked, making Victor raise one eyebrow. It seemed like Theodore had arranged for someone to take care of his son who was ordered to work the mines as a punishment.

“Don’t worry elder, although he had some tough bones, after a few rounds of ‘education’ he learned his place… I made sure to ‘take care of him’!” Tin said with a knowing smirk, making Theodore’s smile disappear as she began to glare at Tin. When he told Tin to take care of Luke, he meant to do it literally, not figuratively!

“Ah…. Manager Tin… I think you didn’t really understand what I told you last time. I meant that you should really take care of Luke’s safety… He is my son after all…” Theodore, who managed to hold his anger, said finally as they walked a little further in.

Theodore had no real power over Manager Tin, who although technically just a servant, belonged to the Hall of Secrets and had some autonomy in the family.

“Oh…” Manager Tin paused. “Ah….” he said as he turned and bowed to Theodore. “I am sorry master… I misunderstood you… This slave should die….” he began to apologize repeatedly.

“It is my fault for not making things clear…. Let’s keep going now… We are already late!” Theodore, who didn’t want to make a scene, said. It was not really good for his image if it was known that he told someone to take special care of Luke. The family’s judgment should be carried impartially!

“Yes, elder…” Elder Tin who seemed nervous said as he stood up and turned to continue walking. Strangely enough, he didn’t seem sorry, but only Victor could notice that in the darkness.

This guy was not an idiot, but a snake! Victor really hated snakes.

“How is Luke now?” Theodore asked as they walked. The corridors became really dim at the moment.

“Ah… “ Tin hesitated. “He is fine… He broke some rules and we had to ‘lightly punish’ him a few times, but he seemed to have figured out his place lately, so I think he would be able to continue serving his sentence with ease,” Tin said nervously, meaning that he will make sure to help Luke from now on.

“Good…” Theodore said. He didn’t intend to leave Luke here for long, as he would make sure to include him in the first batch of awakeners who would be using the mirror once it was introduced!

Soon the dim tunnels all of a sudden turned bright. They seemed to have finally entered the effective range of the Ruin. Here the tunnels were lit by magical stones that used the Mana in the air to work. The walls here didn’t contain any Sacred Iron, confirming Victor’s guess that the family must have extracted all the metals from the rocks that they mined here and then recycled to reinforce the tunnels.

In fact, this place was no longer looking like a tunnel, but it was more like a giant underground fortress with gates and sentries everywhere.

“This is as far as I can go with you elder… Please make sure to wear your token on your chest at all times… “ Tin finally said as they reached a gilded gate protected by two burly guards. The words “ELDERS MEETING ROOM 3” were engraved in the obsidian that surrounded it.

Theodore nodded to elder Tin, took his token and placed it on his chest then walked in with his two sons.

It was a grand hall that had a dome ceiling all built from the same black obsidian bricks that shimmered under the magical lights.

Inside there were a few tables with refreshments and around those many of the family elders and elite disciples were standing and waiting while having little conversations.

It looked like some sort of social gathering.

There were 23 young men with elite disciple badges on their chests, 19 elders, and 4 of the 7 supreme elders, including some who had no business here like Supreme Elder Frank who controlled the family’s external affairs, and Supreme Elder Bruce who controlled the treasury. They must be here to root for their offspring.

Victor didn’t remember many of those people, but looking at them he could make out some familiar faces.

“Theodore! Come on in!” someone said, it was Elder Alfred who was the first to notice the newcomers. He made everyone turn to look at The Door with vastly different looks on their faces.

“Supreme Elder Alfred… Nice to meet you here!” Theodore said politely, wondering why Alfred was so friendly. He quickly forgot that thought as many family members hurried to greet him and Mike with smiles, while some only nodded from afar.

As for Victor, other than his loyal dog, Alfred, who gave him a secret nod, everyone else totally ignored him. As far as the family was concerned, he was just bait created by Ann to fool the other families and maybe to enhance Mike’s position in the coming inheritance battle.

In fact, he was not completely ignored, many of the female heirs shot him a hateful glare before they looked away. They all heard the rumors.

Victor sighed... Maybe he shouldn't have disguised his charm. If he were to really reveal what he really looked like now, those girls would wet themselves on the spot.

He already tried it at the moon dungeon... It was super effective!

Suddenly, Victor felt someone inspecting him, looking up he spotted his great cousin Bill, who was surrounded by some other elite heirs. He was carefully inspecting Victor as if he was expecting him to be suffering from something.

Deciding not to provoke this idiot Victor looked away.

“Victor!” someone suddenly said and hurried toward the family of three. It was none other than Zoe.

“Cousin! It has been a while!” Victor said, making her glare at him hateful and then turn to great Theodore. She was still feeling angry after what happened in the moon dungeon where he made her help him scam those poor girls.

“Uncle…” she bowed to Theodore. “Cousin…” She greeted Mike. They got to know each other during the wedding.

“Zoe! I hope you have been well!” Theodore smiled as he checked the girl. He felt as if she was just like a daughter to him.

“Yes, it is all thanks to Uncle’s care!” she said. She had been staying in Vein City after all, and as someone who didn’t have elder support in the family, Theodore had been taking care of her.

“Is Alice here?” Theodore asked looking around.

“Yes… She seems to have been arguing with some other elite heir a while ago, and she was taken by some elder to be scolded…” she said nervously pointing in one direction toward one of the smaller doors that seemed to lead to other side rooms.

“WHO DARES TO SCOLD MY DAUGHTER!” Theodore howled then hurried to make some trouble. If he didn’t kick some idiots’ asses every once in a while, people would forget to respect him! Mike, who felt he could calm his father down, quickly followed.

Victor ignored them and hurried to find the refreshments table to the side where he began to help himself with some expensive delicacies as he waited. Zoe, who didn’t know anyone here and seemed to have nowhere to go, went with him.

“Why don’t you go make friends with some other elite heirs?” Victor asked her as he fished some salmon sandwiches from the side. Those were made from really expensive stuff.

“They are too snobbish and proud for my taste…” Zoe spat as she grabbed the sandwich Victor gave her and bit into it. She was beginning to wonder if she could really fit in this place, unlike Victor and his siblings, most of the others were too proud and doubtful when they talked to her.

It was as if she was some servant or something like that.

The girl had no idea that those in the family didn’t like her because she was from a distant line, and they believed she didn’t really share their pure bloodline. And getting to know her held no benefits for anyone, as she had no backer in the family! Her uncle Falcon, despite his reputation, was only a butler after all.

“Well... The family is just getting too polarized lately, so you just have to take it easy and treat them as if…” Victor began to speak when someone interrupted him.

“You are Victor?”

Victor turned and looked up. It was a very tall and muscular young man with purple hair and a square face.

“No…” Victor directly refuted him. This guy must have been coerced here to come to challenge him under the pretense of defending the elite heirs’ honor.

“Oh… Sorry…” the young man said.

His name was Bruno and his class was a Titan Avatar. Among the elite disciples, he was the one with the greatest raw physical power and lowest intelligence.

The only reason a muscle head like this guy could become an elite is because he was simply too strong. For the coming tournament, he was the perfect contestant. A perfect Tank!

Victor never met this guy in his previous life, but he heard about him. He also knew that he died in the tournament. It was a big deal back then because this confident idiot bet something big with the opponent and ended up making the family pay!

Victor sighed… No matter how strong one is, there is always a way to kill him. He reminded himself to be careful.

As Victor appraised Bruno, the latter, who came here to make trouble, began to look around searching for ‘Victor’, then after failing, turned to behind him with a questioning look.

He was looking at none other than Bill who pushed him here!

The latter who heard Victor’s answer and wanted to kick Bruno’s ass but didn’t dare to make trouble could only turn away as if he didn’t notice anything.

“BILL! This one is not VICTOR!” Bruno yelled, making Bill almost curse at him then turn and slowly head toward his two cousins… Many of the heirs and elders who were not on his team began to look at him with mocking smiles waiting to see him make a joke out of himself, so he had to act.

“Cousin Victor… You mustn’t really joke with cousin Bruno, he is a very… eh… ‘Sensible and Righteous’ man!” he said casually as he kept his composter.

“AH… ARE YOU JOKING WITH ME?” Bruno, who got angry all of a sudden, asked. He didn’t like it when the others made jokes about him.

“He is the one calling you ‘Sensible’ and ‘Righteous’, not me!” Victor quickly said, pointing at Bill.

“What? How dare you!” Bruno turned to face Bill. This guy was as gullible as it was rumored.

“I…” Before Bill could say anything, one of the side rooms’ doors opened and a distinct sound of high heels on the stone floor sounded in the room making everyone turn to look, including Bruno who shrieked immediately as if he saw the scariest thing in the world.

The newcomer was none other than Grandma Ann, accompanied by the patriarch Morris who followed her as a puppy.

Behind them, Theodore, Alice who seemed angry and an elder who seemed to have just had his ass handed to him hurried after.

“WE GREAT THE PATRIARCH!” Everyone bowed. They were in fact bowing for Ann, but officially it was for the patriarch.