I'm a proper student; I only take nine kinds of potions every day.

"What's wrong with you?"

Karp's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Ivan turned around.

Karp walked back to the door of the private room and looked at Ivan's eyes, which were red and tear-streaked from the pain and repeated stimulation of self-healing. His brows furrowed slightly.

Ivan shook his head to regain his composure, then carefully made the sign of the cross on his chest.

"I am giving thanks as I see the instruments of the healing church."

His face was devout, and his eyes were brimming with joy.

"The church has been kind to me when I was suffering."

"Their medication helped me get through the toughest week."

"I suddenly saw this sacred object today. I couldn't help but shed tears."

These words were spoken with utmost sincerity, every word coming from the bottom of their hearts.

Karp looked at the almost innocent gratitude in his eyes, paused for a second, and then reached out and patted him hard on the shoulder.

"He's a child who knows how to be grateful."

Ivan wiped away his tears and asked casually.

"Sir, what happened?"

Garp snorted and glanced at the other side of the corridor.

"A few frivolous and filthy members of the Phoenix Brotherhood used their connections at the station to get in early, hoping to make an impression."

His tone was clearly one of disgust.

"I sent him back."

Upon hearing this, Ivan immediately patted his chest, revealing an eager expression that said, "This is my chance."

"Sir! Add some money. I guarantee none of those guys will dare come near!"

With Hearst as their backer, this is an excellent opportunity to take the initiative and test the waters.

Upon hearing this, Garp quickly recalled the information he had previously reviewed.

This kid had clashed with members of the Phoenix Brotherhood back in school and even beat up several of them.

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"I'll give you an extra dollar today."

"I don't want to hear those guys yelling in the corridor of this carriage."

Ivan straightened his back and answered crisply.

"Yes, sir!"

He immediately turned around and strode to the other end of the carriage.

As they walked, they discreetly glanced at the other private room doors, using the corridor lights as a guide.

On the inner wall of each door, there is an identical brass incense burner.

The spread of the copper epidemic continues to climb steadily.

He felt a sudden itch in his heart.

I really want to use the Demon Hunter's Vision to scan the other private rooms again, so that Copper Plague can increase its curse progress a bit more.

But he forcefully suppressed the impulse.

"Let's digest this wave first."

He told himself this in his heart.

"We've seen too much of the Copper Curse; what if we can't defeat the Copper Plague..."

"At that time, I would really become the bronze statue in the priest's room."

"But this also shows that..."

"The Healing Church is indeed secretly protecting the Hearst family."

Each private room is equipped with an incense burner containing a cursed artifact, which directly activates a benevolent copper effect on any unauthorized intruders.

This defense system is neither cheap nor simple.

"Since the carriages have this level of protective measures."

Ivan walked along, pondering the situation.

"Then Eldin probably carries some kind of protective amulet or something similar."

"When I scanned her with my Demon Hunter vision just now, I couldn't find a single trace of her."

"It seems there are limits to a demon hunter's vision, senior brother. Certain levels of magical artifacts can be hidden quite well."

While he was thinking, he had already reached the connecting area between the carriages.

The passageways between the carriages were separated by heavy red velvet curtains.

Two flight attendants in dark green uniforms stood on either side of the curtain, ready to greet passengers.

It was at this moment that...

A large number of passengers began to board the train.

Erdin and several other young female students walked in through the red velvet curtain with happy expressions.

Behind them followed several dignified governesses and diligent maids.

The group was chatting happily, and the topic was about a pianist from a salon the previous night.

Ivan stood at the carriage door, and the girls didn't even notice him as they rushed past him and entered the carriage.

Followed by.

Another group of noble children followed.

Leading the way was a young man wearing a dark blue bespoke suit.

Her blonde hair was combed perfectly, with a precise parting.

He was of medium build, and his features were so perfectly proportioned that they made him appear somewhat plain.

If you left him alone on the street, probably no one would give him a second glance.

But he was surrounded by a whole circle of glamorous noblemen and young women in the center, like an ordinary yet radiant sun at the core.

Botte Alcott.

"Miss Hearst!"

Alcott's voice was gentle and clear, with a sunny, kind, and approachable quality, like that of a friendly older brother next door.

Erdin had just stepped inside the carriage when he heard the sound and instinctively wanted to turn around.

But the governess with pince-nez glasses next to her reacted very quickly, immediately taking Eltin's hand and half-pushing, half-leading her and several other girls into the carriage.

Their figures disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Standing at the carriage door, Evan never made eye contact with Eltin.

This is one of the basic logics of how the world works.

Alcott didn't seem to care.

He smiled and continued walking forward with a large circle of followers behind him, seemingly ready to step directly into the Hearst carriage.

Without making a sound, Ivan took half a step forward, blocking their way.

"Where did this stray dog ​​come from?"

His voice was calm and clear, but his tone carried a deliberate contempt and arrogance.

"Is this a place you're allowed to come?"

He diligently played his role as the "fierce gatekeeper."

He wanted to take advantage of this opportune moment to provoke Alcott.

Let's see if this guy is a cunning schemer or just a spoiled brat with no real strategy.

Upon hearing this, the faces of the group of people behind Alcott instantly darkened.

Dennis, who was walking at the front, stepped forward and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.

"You lowly thing. Do you even know who's standing in front of you?"

He raised his chin.

"Get out of here!"

Ivan crossed his arms and slowly leaned against the carriage door frame.

Who is it?

He tilted his head and looked Alcott up and down.

"Hey, why are you in such a hurry? Is he your daddy?" (Note 1)

A flush of color appeared on Dennis's face.

"presumptuous!"

He raised his hand and slapped him across the face.

The speed of that slap, within Ivan's vision, which had already broken through to 5.4 physique, seemed as slow as a 0.3x slow-motion playback.

He didn't hide.

He simply raised his left hand, palm up, and caught Dennis's forearm.

Then, following the force of the opponent's swing, gently push that elbow forward.

Snapped.

That perfectly round slap didn't hit Evan.

Dennis's entire body was carried by his own inertia, turning in place in a 90-degree arc.

Then his palm, the one that should have landed on Ivan's face, instead slapped him squarely...

On Alcott's left cheek.

The entire corridor fell silent for half a second.

"Hahaha!"

Ivan slapped his knee and burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Kid! If you're unhappy with your dad, just say so. Why go through all this trouble?"

Dennis froze on the spot.

His face went from flushed to ashen in an instant, and then from ashen to deathly pale.

"President!!!"

His face was filled with anxiety, fear, and shame.

Alcott's smile vanished completely after being slapped.

Five red finger marks appeared on his left cheek at a visible speed, and the edges of the marks began to swell rapidly.

He didn't get angry immediately.

He simply squinted and stared at Evan for a few seconds.

Those eyes were filled with coldness and an indescribable depth.

[Warning: Your resistance is decreasing!]

A prompt suddenly appeared on the panel.

In an instant, Ivan felt an extraordinary peace within him, as if everything in the world had nothing to do with him anymore.

But less than two seconds later, the prompt appeared again.

Your resistance has returned to normal!

At the same time, out of the corner of his eye, Evan clearly saw Alcott's subtle movement with his right hand.

He raised his head slightly several times and then lowered it again, as if he wanted to do something but held back.

In the end, he said nothing and turned away.

"Let's go."

He gave an order to the person next to him, his tone still calm, but it was clearly stiff and dry.

Then he led the long line of people behind him into the opposite carriage.

The group passed by Ivan one by one and entered the opposite carriage.

Every male member who passed by stared at him with a fierce, "just you wait" look, a look full of naked threat.

Meanwhile, the four girls beside them leaned on their male companions' shoulders with infatuated expressions, not even glancing at Evan.

Their eyes followed their male companions' jawlines, each glance filled with an almost too perfect, idealized adoration.

Watching the backs of the group, Ivan slowly smiled.

"Just as my senior brother predicted, he's a newbie."

"He can control his emotions, but it's unlikely he can."