Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 418 Hate me all you want, sister!

The thunder outside was getting closer.

The first raindrop landed on the windowsill, making a crisp sound.

Then came the second drop.

The third drop.

The rain poured down.

The sound of water drowned out everything.

Susie looked at Risa's face.

That face—

Amidst the sound of the torrential rain.

In the dim light.

Suddenly, it overlapped with certain scenes from the past.

The stormy night before my mother passed away.

The moment when my mother, in her final moments of lucidity, tightly gripped her own wrist.

Mother said—

"Treat your wife well and don't disobey her."

Susie's lips moved slightly.

It's very light.

So soft it was almost inaudible.

"Mother."

she says.

"I can finally avenge you."

Risa's face drained of all color in an instant.

She suddenly took two steps back.

His back slammed against the cold stone wall.

"Someone come here!"

She screamed.

"Guards! Someone's here—"

No one responded to her.

Only the sound of rain could be heard outside the door.

And bloodstains.

Susie raised her hand slightly.

The sparks on the rune paper swirled between her fingers—from the size of a firefly, coalescing into a tiny point of light.

The light was very pure.

It was Susie who, through four years of forbearance, painstakingly painted it stroke by stroke with her own blood.

No one taught her.

No one helped her.

Only the few old books that Daisy secretly slipped to her.

And countless nights spent alone curled up in bed, biting my lip and silently practicing runes.

"lady."

Susie said calmly.

"I've been cultivating so diligently—"

She paused.

"This is the day we've been waiting for."

Risa's eyes widened.

She opened her mouth as if to say something.

But that spark of fire had already shot out from Susie's fingertips—

silent.

Precise.

It runs through Risa's brow.

Risa's body stiffened for a moment.

Then--

Slowly.

Along the wall.

He slid down and sat on the ground.

Her eyes were still open.

But you can't see anything anymore.

The sound of the downpour grew even louder.

Susie stood there, staring at Risa's body.

She had no expression.

It's not indifference.

It's empty.

Like a container whose internal organs have been emptied.

She had nightmares for four years.

My dreams are always filled with torrential rain.

My mother's face is always in my dreams.

In my dreams, it's always Risa walking in, with that look in her eyes that's like she's checking if her prey is dead.

Now I'm awake from the dream.

The hunter fell.

But Susie discovered—

The world I woke up to was just as quiet as the one in my dream.

It was just as empty.

It's just as cold.

She turned around, pushed open the iron gate, and walked out barefoot.

There were two servants lying on the floor in the corridor.

She went around them.

I didn't watch it.

The torrential rain lashed against her through the window.

She didn't wipe it.

I walked back to my room step by step.

Enter the door.

close the door.

Locked.

Her hands began to tremble.

It's not because I'm afraid.

It's because—their strength has been depleted.

The rune paper had already turned to ashes between her fingers.

She walked to the basin of water beside the bed.

The water is cold.

She soaked a towel and wiped the blood off her hands and face.

The blood of the two servants outside the door splattered onto her sleeve.

She wiped her cuffs as well.

Then roll the dirty towel into a ball and stuff it into a corner under the bed.

After doing all this.

She climbed into bed.

She pulled the blanket over herself.

Wrap yourself up tightly.

They curled up in a ball.

Just like countless nights before.

But this time—

She didn't have nightmares.

She fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The torrential rain outside the window stopped at some point.

Moonlight peeked through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating her pale face.

There was an old book on the bedside table, halfway through.

The pages of the book were densely covered with rune notes copied down in tiny handwriting.

This page—

Mystical wisdom runes.

Finally, he helped her escape the nightmare of her childhood.

Its daybreak.

Xilun let out a sigh of relief.

He stood at the window of a guest room in the west wing of Link Manor, looking at the gray sky.

Last night's torrential rain washed over the entire manor, leaving shallow puddles on the ground that reflected the leaden clouds and the dripping eaves in the distance.

everything is over.

Or rather—the part that needed to end has finally come to an end.

From the moment David was shot through the lower back by Lund, the conflicts that had been building up within the Link family for five years burst forth like a dam being breached, and all the dirty, secretive, and unspeakable things came to the surface.

When news of David's patricide spread, the manor was plunged into brief but intense chaos.

But the chaos lasted shorter than Siron had anticipated.

Because Roy's old subordinates—those loyal veterans who had been marginalized, sidelined, and even ousted from the core by David over the past year—united as soon as they heard the news.

They moved very quickly.

It was even faster than Xilun had anticipated.

Elder Calvin was the first to defect.

The old man, who had been hesitant and secretly sided with David when Roy convened the council of elders, immediately dropped his pretense the moment he saw David kneeling in a pool of blood. He then seized control of the East Wing guards with his confidants.

Next came the Second Elder, the Fourth Elder, and the Sixth Elder.

They swarmed around like sharks smelling blood, quickly taking control of key parts of the manor—the armory, communications room, main gate, back door, and cellar.

Luo Wei, the deputy captain of the armed guard, did not resist.

This young man, who once drew his sword to strike Xilun out of jealousy, silently relinquished command and retreated to the end of the line after realizing the situation.

He is not stupid.

He was just—constantly pushing in the wrong direction.

The entire process lasted less than three hours.

By the time the first rays of dawn shone into the manor hall, the internal strife within the Link family had largely subsided.

The church people came.

Siren didn't know who had notified them. Perhaps it was someone in the council of elders, or perhaps one of the servants on the estate.

The church has always been keenly aware of such matters.

Three of them came.

A judge.

Two court clerks.

The judge's face was mostly obscured by his hood, but his gait and the aura he exuded told Siron that he was at least a second-tier extraordinary being.

The trial was swift.

The evidence is readily available.

Roy's body.

Bloodstains on the bedroom floor.

David's blood remained on the tip of Lund's gun.

The timeline provided by Xilun.

And—the elders' eager testimonies.

In the face of power transitions, loyalty is an extremely fragile thing.

The judge read out the verdict.

David Link, patricide and treason, is an unforgivable crime.

According to the disciplinary rules of the Victorian Church—

Burning at the stake.

The execution took place in the backyard of the manor.

Xilun did not go to see.

He stood by the window and heard sounds coming from afar.

The crackling sound of the flames.

The whispers of the crowd.

Then—a very short, forcibly swallowed scream.

And then—

It's quiet now.

It was completely quiet.

Xilun withdrew his gaze and turned back to the table.

On the table were several documents—link family records that he had his butler, Rod, transcribe for him amidst the chaos.

Additional notes on the concept of pure intention resonance.

Key points for advanced practice of life techniques.

Important notes regarding the maintenance of purity in the spiritual world.

These things were more valuable to him than the gold and jewels of the Link family.

He opened the first page, scanned a few lines, then closed it and stuffed it into his bag.

I'll look at it again when I get back.

Not urgent.

He walked to the door and opened it.

Lund stood in the corridor.

His teacher leaned against the wall, his left arm wrapped in bandages, holding a cup of hot tea that he had somehow gotten his hands on.

The two exchanged a glance.

Lund spoke first.

"I remember you and Daisy were quite close."

He gestured with his chin towards the east wing.

Why didn't she come to see you off?

"Perhaps they can't accept such a change," Siren said calmly.

He paused.

"Overnight, both her parents passed away."

He said this in a very indifferent tone.

It's like talking about something that has nothing to do with you.

But Lund knew him.

Lund knew—the more subdued Siren's tone, the more he was thinking.

"No one could accept that." Lund nodded, took a sip of tea, and then looked at the briefcase in Xiren's hand. "Did you take everything you needed?"

"Um."

"Let's go then."

Lund straightened up and placed the teacup on the windowsill in the corridor.

The two walked side by side through the courtyard of the manor.

The ground was still covered with water from last night's heavy rain.

A strange smell filled the air—the dampness of the soil, the fragrance of flowers and grass, and a very faint, almost indistinguishable, burnt odor.

It was left behind by burning at the stake.

Xilun glanced unconsciously in the direction of the backyard.

The area has been fenced off.

Several servants were cleaning.

He looked back.

Just as they reached the main gate of the manor—

The elders' representatives stopped them.

It's not about obstruction.

It's a notification.

"Mr. Celen," Elder Calvin bowed slightly, "after deliberation, the council of elders has nominated Miss Daisy, the eldest daughter of Lord Loy, as the new manager of the Link family."

His tone was respectful and formal.

Xilun glanced at him.

The old man had deep dark circles under his eyes, clearly having not slept all night. But his expression was calm—even carrying a hint of relief.

The cancer within the family has been removed.

Although the cost was severe.

But at least—he's still alive.

"Miss Daisy," Celen repeated the name.

He thought for a moment and nodded.

"She would be a good manager, perhaps."

Calvin seemed to want to say something, but in the end he simply bowed again and stepped aside.

Xilun and Lund walked out of the manor gate.

A horse-drawn carriage was parked outside the gate.

It was arranged by Rhodes.

Xilun stopped before getting into the car.

He glanced back at Link Manor behind him.

A tall wall.

Exquisite wrought iron gateposts.

Neatly trimmed bushes.

Everything looked exactly the same as when he first came.

Quiet.

Decent.

Bright and shiny.

But he knew—

The world inside the walls is completely different from when I came here.

He turned back and got into the carriage.

"Teacher," he said, "I had the housekeeper copy down some necessary information; I'll look at it slowly when I get back."

Lund sat down opposite him and stretched.

The injury to his left arm made him grit his teeth.

"Don't get too caught up in books," Lund said. "Gunslinging is your foundation."

Xilun nodded.

The carriage slowly started moving.

The wheels rolled over the damp stone pavement, making a dull thud.

They left Link Manor.

……

the other side.

Susie arrived at Daisy's house.

She stood at the door.

There was no knocking.

Because the door was ajar.

She peeked through the crack in the door.

Daisy stood in the center of the room.

She had changed out of that light blue dress—her favorite color.

Instead, she wore a dark gray, more tailored long dress.

The neckline of the clothes was very tight.

The top button on the cuff was fastened.

Her hair was no longer casually draped over her shoulders as before, but was neatly tied back and secured with a dark silver hairpin.

She was holding something in her right hand.

Susie recognized the thing.

It is Roy's cane.

That rosewood cane that Chief Link often played with, used as a support while walking, and rested against his knees when sitting.

A silver family crest is inlaid at the top of the cane.

Daisy held it.

They held it very tightly.

The knuckles are turning white.

She stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself.

The person in the mirror is no longer the older sister who would run over with a smile to share pastries with Susie.

The person in the mirror looks more like—

Her father.

Or rather—she had to become her father.

Susie gently pushed open the door.

"elder sister."

Daisy turned her head.

She saw Susie.

I don't know why—

The moment Daisy saw Susie, a surge of resentment welled up inside her.

It wasn't directed at Susie.

Yes--

It applies to everything.

The weight of her father's death, her mother's betrayal, her brother's madness, and the collapse of her family—all of this—suddenly found an outlet when she saw Susie's familiar, pale, and unguarded face.

"What are you doing here?"

she says.

Her voice was cold, unlike her usual self.

Susie did not back down.

She walked into the room, went to the table, and reached out to touch her chest.

Her fingertips touched a thin silver chain.

That was a necklace.

It's very old.

The silver chain had oxidized and turned black, and the pendant was a thumb-sized copper round plate with simple rune patterns engraved on its surface.

Susie took the necklace off her neck.

The movements are very slow.

It was so slow, it felt like saying goodbye to something.

She placed the necklace on the table.

"This is a lucky charm left by my mother."

she says.

The sound was very soft.

She protects me and keeps me safe and sound.

She looked at the bronze medal.

"Now I'm leaving her with you."

She looked up at Daisy.

I hope you will be safe and sound.

Daisy looked at the necklace on the table.

She recognized the necklace.

She had seen Susie wearing it—she never took it off.

She never took it off when she showered, never took it off when she slept, and even when she contracted leukemia and nearly died, she desperately crawled to her door, her whole body burning hot, the only thing she didn't loosen was the necklace on her chest.

Susie has now taken it off.

It's left to her.

Daisy's throat tightened.

But she didn't answer.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

Susie said, "I want to leave here."

"Where to?"

"Let's go to a place that's a little unfamiliar."

Susie's voice remained calm.

It's like talking about something very ordinary.

"I'll miss you, sister."

she says.

"Once I've settled down... I'll come back to find you."

Daisy did not speak.

She gripped her cane tightly.

Then--

She snorted coldly.

"Who cares?"

She turned around, her back to Susie.

"If it weren't for you—"

Her voice suddenly lowered.

So low that only he could hear it.

"My mother will be with me."

"They will protect me."

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Susie knew what Daisy was talking about.

Risa is dead.

He died in solitary confinement.

When he was found this morning, his body was already cold.

A small, charred hole between his eyebrows.

The marks of rune burns.

Nobody knows who did it.

But Susie knew.

Because that's what she did.

She looked at Daisy's back.

The older sister who protected her since childhood, gave her cookies, let her sleep in her own bed, and was the first to rush out to save her when she contracted leukemia.

That now—because she killed Risa and may never forgive her sister.

Susie did not bow her head.

There was no backing down.

She straightened her back, a rare occurrence, and spoke in a tone she had never displayed in this manor before:

"Sister, please hate me as much as you want."

Daisy's shoulders trembled slightly.

"That's only natural."

Susie continued.

"I did such a thing... I don't expect your forgiveness."

She paused.

"The more you hate me—at least it won't overwhelm me with guilt."

She took a breath.