The Young Master in the Shadows

Chapter 385: Critical Mission!

“So this is the first Village?” Victor asked as the tunnel seemed to come to an end, opening up to a huge cave chamber that contained the underground village. It was composed of several streets and buildings made out of black obsidian.

The entire area was lit by many light gems that shone from the 150-foot-high tunnel ceiling, making it appear as if it was right before sunset.

“Yes!” Alto nodded. “It is where the ores get collected before transporting them outside!”

Victor sighed as he looked around, he was really wondering what happened to this place in his past life. Although he was not 100% sure, he believed that this incident with the gate and the golems never occurred… Not this early anyway.

Approaching the village's steel gate, the two muscular guards who were guarding it bowed respectfully while shooting Alto some envious looks after they noticed the badges on Victor and Zoe’s chests. Main family Elite Heirs!

“This way young master!” Alto said, guiding Victor through the main street where many miners bowed when he passed by while others chose to escape to the side streets to avoid him… Elite Heirs from the main family had a bad reputation here, as they basically can do whatever they want.

“Where should we rest?” Victor asked. He was not really tired, but he wanted to take his time and get familiar with this place.

“We will be heading to the administrative building, there is a VIP resting room there,” Alto said, guiding Victor and Zoe. “I need to make a report about our location…”

“Good…” Victor nodded. “Make sure to get me a recent map of the tunnels and a list of the locations of the last appearances of the golems!” he added. He should have got a tunnel from the entrance, but he totally forgot as he was busy watching Lin and Margret scam Abe.

“I understand…” Alto nodded.

“Let’s go then!” Victor said as he casually appraised everyone. While few had low concentrations of bloodline, most people had nothing special. They just seemed unreasonably fit and healthy for people who should be spending their lives in servitude underground.

It must be those gems…

Zoe who was beside him was also looking around. She seemed to be feeling a little relieved that the people here were not as desolate as she imagined them to be. She could see several big buildings on the main street, like a school and a hospital. A proof that the family was not that bad to those guys.

Reaching the fancily built administrative building, Alto excused himself to make a report to the manager here as Victor and Zoe were respectfully guided into a lavish reception room where they were not the first to arrive.

On one of the white leather couches in the room were three young men wearing black robes and busy harassing the pretty maids who were serving them. On their chests, two of them proudly hung their family token which was purple with two black lines going over it diagonally. The last had a silver token instead.

“The large two are elites from the second branch… The other guy is a second-ranked inner disciple,” Victor whispered to Zoe as they casually walked inside.

The Von Weise family was composed of one main branch which was the descendants of Victor’s great-grandfather, and 11 side branches which were the children of other ancestors who were powerful enough to establish a branch. Each one of those branches could nominate up to five elite heirs, those guys were equal to the heirs of the main family and had the chance to rise up and become elders, supreme elders or even fight for the patriarch's seat!

Naturally, due to this, the relationship between those branches and the main family was usually very rigid and muddied with family politics.

As far as Victor remembered, of the branches only the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 10th had any real power as they had supreme elders belonging to them… They usually had the capital to fight for the power in the family and turn their branch into the main one! Most of the other branches usually took sides with the big ones.

Cassius for example, Rita’s grandfather belonged to the 3rd branch which belonged to the black fraction. Frank Titus’s father the head of the External hall and the head of the 1st branch belonged to the white faction.

Zoe, who technically belonged to the main branch just looked at those guys with a frown as they harassed the maid. She was trying hard to remember who was the backer of the 2nd Branch. Uncle Falcon taught her those things before, but at that time she didn’t care.

Victor on the other hand, casually appraised the three. Their boss was a level 23 Black Knight.

The other two were a level 9 Archer and a level 19 Rogue, they were nothing special… No, wait, that weak-looking archer guy… His name was familiar. Zack Von Weise…

Victor frowned.

Wasn’t this the guy who caused Mike to get crippled in his previous lifetime?

Victor was not sure about how it happened, but according to the report he read, Zack was acting as Mike's support in a dungeon when a swarm of scorpions attacked them, this guy shot Mike in the back with a paralyzing arrow and left him to be eaten alive as he escaped.

Thankfully Mike survived back then, but the damage he sustained caused him to lose both his legs and one of his eyes. Causing him to permanently lose the fight for the patriarch position.

As for Zack… He didn’t leave the dungeon and no one knew how he died.

“Todd…” one of the young men who was the first to notice Victor quickly nudged his friend who was busy bullying the maid to dance for them.

Todd, who seemed to be the boss of this group, looked back and noticed Victor as his friends stood up and bowed slightly… Todd didn’t. This was not a breach of the family's protocol, as those guys were technically elite heirs too, and didn’t need to show respect to Victor and Zoe, still the man’s behavior was not very respectful as it was a piece of common knowledge to show respect to those of the main family!

“Oh… You are from the main family…” Todd said disrespectfully as he grabbed the maid and made her sit on his lap. She was obviously reluctant, but she didn’t dare to object... That's what it looked like anyway.

Although many of the young maids and servants in the family dreamed that one of the heirs would fall for them or choose them, many had long learned to discern between those who were serious and those who were just playing around, like this Todd who would just dump this girl away or throw her to his men the moment he got bored with her.

If he was really serious about her, he would have branded her with his token. Giving her one of the 10 servant slots he had.

Victor who was carefully watching frowned a little then quickly hid it. The maid Todd grabbed was very pretty, all the others he saw here until now were average at best.

“We are from the main family! How did you know?” he asked as he found a comfy couch and then dragged Zoe to sit at his side. He didn’t seem upset.

“Your badge says so…” Todd replied without showing any annoyance about Victor playing ignorant, he was used to those of the main branch showing off and he knew how to deal with those. “My name is Todd, I belong to the 2nd branch, my father is Antoni, the Patriarch's brother! And this is Pier, my cousin,” he said proudly, not caring to introduce his last cousin who seemed to be offended a little.

“I see…” Victor nodded. The patriarch belonged to the second branch. According to the family history he read, when Marcos took power, a part of the deal was that the main branch would not change.

This upset many people, but under Ann’s oppression, no one dared to really object. Still, the 2nd branch which was the weakest before seemed to have gained a lot of benefits in the last 40 years but not to a degree where they could contend with the strongest 5.

“My name is…” the last young man began to speak and introduce himself, but he was interrupted.

“You don’t need to introduce yourself, Zack, I am sure those of the main family wouldn't care about someone like you…” Todd said in a smug voice while not forgetting to molest the maid in his lap, causing his cousin to stop talking with some resentment.

“We don’t…” Victor admitted shamelessly making Todd chuckle as Zack clenched his fist.

Then there was an awkward pause…

“Can I know your names?” Todd finally asked after 3 minutes.

“Well, I am Victor… This is Zoe… We belong to the main branch as you have previously deduced,” Victor said, making the young man frown a little and then smile. He heard about Victor. The one who was made an elite as bait to fool the family enemies.

“You are the one who held that harem wedding that day!” Todd exclaimed, still not showing Victor any respect as his hand began to find its way under the maid's skirt.

Zoe who was having a hard time not verbally showing her disgust quickly held her words as she noticed what Victor who was supposedly sitting at her side was doing. PERVERT!

“YES! It was a blast!” Victor exclaimed. “The family even gave me a big island as a gift!” he added then watched the envy on Todd’s face. It was natural.

“They gave you an entire island?” Pier who was silent finally spoke.

“Yes… Grandma wants me to enjoy my time there with my harem and fill it with future children…” Victor nodded, ignoring Zoe’s glares as he inspected Todd. This idiot, since they entered the room, was using a memory talisman to record their conversation. He was hiding it behind the maids' backs.

“See! That is what it means to be a part of the main branch!” Todd, who was shocked for a moment, quickly laughed it off as he violently began squeezing the breasts of the poor maid in his lap, she was shooting Victor and Zoe some pleading looks for help, but the two totally ignored her… No, not really, but that’s what everyone saw. In reality, Zoe was about to pick a fight multiple times in the last few minutes but only stopped when she watched Victor casually stand up go around the room checking all the maids then spice the wine glasses of the three with something before returning to his seat. No one seemed to notice that as they all kept looking at the place he was on the couch!

“By the way, What are you guys doing here? Are you also here for those golems?” Victor finally asked, deciding to get some info out of those idiots as he returned to his seat and naturally held Zoe’s hand again.

“In a way, we are a part of the expedition to search for the gate!” Pier was the one who answered.

“Oh…You too? Since when were you here?” Victor asked as a maid brought him and Zoe some refreshments.

“Since…” Zack was about to say something but was interrupted.

“We don’t have to tell him that!” Todd rudely. Changing his tactic. “I believe those from the main family already know everything…” he said in a provoking tone, slipping his hand under the maid’s skirt again. Tears began to fall from the poor young woman's eyes.

“We are just having a friendly conversation here… What’s your problem?” Zoe, who couldn’t take Todd’s rude behavior anymore, finally flared up but calmed down a bit as Victor grabbed her hand again.

“I don’t have a problem…” Todd said. “I just don’t want those from the main family to look down on us!” He said just as he grabbed the maid’s chest, he was clearly doing this on purpose to make Zoe angry, but with Victor holding her, she just glared back at him.

“Sorry, I was born looking down on you!” Victor replied as he wondered why Todd was acting like this. “You guys are just too lousy!” he added.

“YOU!” Pier flared, but Todd kicked his foot making him calm down at once, confirming Victor’s suspicion. He was now sure that those guys were making trouble on purpose wanting to make him or Zoe pick a fight. But why? Did they want to implicate him in some trouble and involve the punishment hall? No… this doesn’t make sense, the punishment hall supreme elder was a loyalist to the main branch.

He could only ask.

Victor pondered, then turned to look at one of the other maids in the room, “Can you get me one of those petting maids? Like the one he got with big boobs!” he ordered her unreasonably, pointing at Todd and the maid on his lap.

“Ah….” the poor maid didn’t know how to respond to that. Even Todd and his friends gave Victor a strange look.

Zoe was naturally pinching him and used her foot to step on his, but he totally ignored her as he kept looking at the maid. “What? Are you out of stock?” he asked.

“Ah… Young master… that one is a normal maid, not a ‘petting’ maid…” A second slightly older maid finally intervened.

“What?” Victor frowned and then looked at Todd. “Why are you petting a normal maid?” he asked with a disgusted look, making Todd, for a second there, wonder if he was really doing something wrong.

No… He could tell that Victor was playing with him!.... Probably. Looking at Victor's honest eyes he was not sure… But he can also play this game!

“A normal maid can also be a petting maid…” he finally said, grabbing the maid’s thin shirt and then shredding it with his hand to expose her chest. Carefully making sure to anger Zoe, and ignoring his two lower leveled friends who’s eyes began to look at the maid with lascivious looks.

“Really?” Victor asked, turning to look at the other maid.

“Ah… We are here to serve the young masters…” she finally said, resigning to her grim fate. Not really, she was in fact looking forward to it, Victor was just that handsome...

“You are too ugly for that!” Victor exclaimed. The maid was not really ugly, but he had to make an excuse. “Get me someone as pretty as her!” he said, making Todd finally smirk as if Victor had fallen into his trap.

“Ah… She is the only pretty one here…” the maid who was slightly offended said awkwardly. In fact, that pretty maid was new, she had just sent here three days ago. It was rare to send someone of this caliber down here.

“Really? Then why does this branch family member get to pet her?” Victor asked loudly, causing Todd to almost jump and kiss him for falling for his trap. YES, HE WANTED VICTOR TO BE ANGRY!

“Ah… He came here first?” The maid didn’t know how to answer that. This was getting stupid, but why were those of the branch family looking as if Victor was acting very reasonably? Not her business.

“Shit…” Victor paused. “Then I can’t do a thing…” Victor sighed and sat down.

For the next five minutes no one moved, only the sound of Victor sipping his refreshments could be heard.

“WAIT! IS THAT IT?” Pier finally flared.

“What’s what?” Victor asked.

“You are not going to pick a fight with us?” Pier asked.

“Why would I do that?” Victor asked.

“Because…” PIer looked at Todd, who nodded to him… That’s what he saw anyway. “Because we were ordered to make you do that!” Lier replied after getting an affirmation from Todd, who was in reality busy with the maid who was obviously not so reluctant anymore… Zack who was the weakest was already watching with his hand doing something lewd.

“Really? You too?” Victor asked. “I was ordered by my brother! Who ordered you?” Victor asked.

“We were ordered by Uncle Antoni!” Pier said proudly.

“Why?” Victor asked as if he was jealous.

“Ah… I don’t know… We were just told to target those of the main family and make them pick a fight with us and record it!” Pier said he really didn’t know.

“Oh…” Victor frowned and then raised one eyebrow. “If you are looking for a fight why did you bring a weakling like that Zack then?”

“To get beaten… That’s what Todd said….” Pier said.

“Oh… I see… Then is he Todd’s best friend or you are?” Victor asked as Zoe put her hand on her eyes while blushing.

“I am Todd’s best man!” Pier said. “Zack is just a lowlife!”

“Then why is Todd making him share and leaving you?” Victor asked with a strange look, the situation on the other couch was progressing in a direction he didn’t anticipate.

“Share?” Pier looked then gasped as he watched an R-rated scene unfold in front of him. The maid was no longer involved….

“Zack you piece of sh*t…………” Pier shouted then started hitting Zack. “I was the one who got you the Critical mission ticket, yet you betray me like that…” he added as he watched the scene turn from a fight to something that Zoe should definitely not watch.

Even the maids, all of them, had long escaped.

Victor frowned hearing Pier’s last words.

He jumped from his seat, grabbed Zack’s pants that were now on the ground, and searched it taking out an envelope with CRITICAL MISSION on it, looking at it briefly then returning it before he turned and dragged flustered Zoe out of the room.

Although he planned to ask Todd a few things, that guy was no longer available, and Victor already got what he needed to know.

Critical missions were issued by the family when they needed something done no matter what, and they were usually only taken to those who were ready to die and desperately wanted to prove themselves.

Those missions held great rewards and merits if they succeeded, but the downside was that they were very hard and couldn't be canceled or withdrawn after being issued.

It seemed like those idiots were using those missions to target the members of the main family. As if someone were to obstruct such a mission or a mission holder in the family they would severely punish him. And in case the obstruction caused the holder not to be able to complete his mission, the offender shall take it instead!

Zack’s mission was to investigate a very dangerous tunnel in the lowest level of the mines below. Too close to the Lava chamber.

If Victor or Zoe were to fight him, they would surely be implicated and forced to take on the mission! Not even the patriarch would be able to help them against the family rules!

The question was, why did they want them to go down there?

…

Just as Victor walked out, Alto, who seemed to have finished his business, ran to his side.

“Young master… Here is the map!” he said. “I already marked all the things you told me about on it… If you need anything else, just tell the maids to call me!” he said.

“Wait… We are already finished here…” Victor stopped him. “When did the branch family elites arrive?” he asked.

“Ahh… One week ago, the family called them to patrol the tunnels!”

“Are they part of the assessment?” Victor asked.

“I am not sure…” Alto told the truth.

“I see… Let’s go, I want to visit my brother then we'll head deep…” Victor said then turned to the still shocked Zoe. “If you need to use the restroom now is your chance…” he told her.

“Pervert…Bastards…” Zoe, who was still wondering what the hell happened in that room, hurried away with a blush.