Suddenly, Henry's composed face became inscrutably deep. He walked towards his car, stretched his shoulders gently, then raised his face to ask his subordinate standing at attention beside him:
"Is everything arranged properly?"
The subordinate immediately nodded vigorously:
"All set, Young Master!"
Henry didn't drive away immediately. He leaned back in his seat, curled his lips into a silent chuckle, occasionally glancing at a timer.
Stephen, indulging with two girls in the bedroom, suddenly received news that Henry's convoy hadn't left yet. Curious and furious, he hurriedly dressed, intending to go outside and confront them. Suddenly, a major incident occurred at the mansion next door to the Armstrongs.
The sound of an explosion thundered through the air, dust and smoke filled the atmosphere, and flames engulfed an area in bright red fire. The large mansion was instantly blown to pieces, bricks and soil scattered in disarray. The fire spread to the remaining Armstrong mansions, causing everyone in the Armstrong household to scream and hastily try to extinguish the fire.
"That mansion was Stephen's main headquarters, secretly storing hundreds of thousands of tons of contraband. This time, the Armstrongs are bankrupt!"
Henry softly uttered a sentence, then snapped his fingers, signaling his convoy to quickly follow him as they left.
"Stephen, this is the first gift from Lotus Flower to you!"
Stephen knelt before the mansion gate, watching as all the goods he had invested his fortune in were buried under the massive flames. The explosion was so large that it also set ablaze twelve neighboring villas he owned.
"Master... Young Master, Henry didn't just plant bombs, he also secretly had oil spread over the surrounding villas from the air. That's why the fire spread so easily!"
"Dammit! Henry!!!"
Stephen screamed in rage. Was this the 'secret gift' Henry had mentioned?
"Stephen!"
From outside the gate, his father hurried over. Seeing the scene before him, he was utterly devastated. The Armstrong family's wealth was all entrusted to this son. And now, and now...
He kicked Stephen fiercely, causing him to roll on the ground.
"You fool! How dare you provoke Henry, you are audaciously bold! You still have your miserable life, but he will surely come for you soon. Incompetent!"
Henry returned to Lotus Flower, just as the three Laylas had finished sketching the route on the map.
"Mr. Henry, to shorten the time to Mountainview, we have decided to take a shortcut through the mountains. What do you think?"
Choosing this path meant they would be isolated from the outside city. Mountainview was a remote, desolate mountain area, rarely visited by anyone. Not only due to the harsh weather, which could experience all four seasons in a single day, but also because of the presence of various animals and strange tribes.
Many had chosen to explore Mountainview, yet none returned, becoming desiccated corpses.
Henry stared at the sketched paper, a fleeting thought arising in his mind. However, he quickly dismissed it and simply nodded:
"It's up to you! I'm just following to assist!"
With that, he stood up and went upstairs to rest, leaving the three Laylas sitting in silence in the hall.
They would all depart this afternoon. Henry had prepared all the necessary equipment, so Layla needed to acquire nothing more.
After cleansing his palate with a glass of cold wine, Mervyn voiced out:
"Actually, I think we could reach Mountainview on our own strength, without Henry."
Hearing this, Layla immediately shook her head in disagreement. Henry's role in this journey was crucial. Without him, she feared...
She wanted to reveal all the secrets she had painstakingly kept from Mervyn but ultimately decided against it. The fewer people knew, the better. This time, the trip included six members: the three Layla siblings, Henry, Youssef, and Santiago Wilson, one of Henry's most trusted aides.
"Saul! Leave all matters of Lotus Flower to you!"
Henry carefully instructed Saul. Although Saul was very concerned for the Young Master's safety, he dared not argue with Henry's decision.
Before Henry left, Saul boldly pulled him aside to remind:
"How long will this trip take, Young Master?"
Without hesitation, Henry answered succinctly:
"At least two months, at most five months!"
"No way!"
Saul immediately objected. The idea of him being away for so long made him uneasy.
"Young Master being away for so long, I fear Lotus Flower might be counterattacked by enemies! I am old and can no longer fully protect our people!"
His concerns were valid. Outside, many forces envied Lotus Flower, waiting for a chance to strike and plunder.
Henry patted his shoulder, smiling softly:
"We will use a private jet to get to the foot of Mountainview, then walk deep into the forest. It will take less time, rest assured!"
Before Saul could say anything more, Henry turned and walked away, directly boarding the plane. Watching the plane disappear into the distance, Saul suddenly felt a burning unease. A sinister feeling crept into his senses.
He stepped into the church of past Young Masters of Lotus Flower over hundreds of years, gently lighting incense, murmuring prayers. Hoping, Henry and the rest would return safely!
"Serenity Solutions Real Estate in Harmony, sponsored by Centa City, is a standard, classy, refined, and civilized urban area, owning a prime location, shining like a precious gem in Harmony land."
From a thousand meters high, Henry merely smirked. The return date of this trip was uncertain. In fact, Henry had once set foot in Mountainview. However, he had to turn back halfway through.
When Henry was nine, he and his parents took a trip to Mountainview. He does not remember the events that followed. The last memory etched in his mind is of his father carrying him on his shoulders, running desperately out of the forest. When he came to, his father was severely injured, blood dripping. His mother had vanished in the dark Mountainview forest.
This time, apart from helping Layla search for her father's whereabouts, Henry also wanted to uncover why his mother did not return that year.
"Young Master! Prepare for landing!"
Pilot Ronald slightly tilted his head, reminding him and everyone to fasten their seatbelts.
After nearly eight hours in the air, they finally reached the edge of Mountainview forest. From above, Henry saw a smooth, rain-eroded path known as the forest's entrance, a sign of the way into Mountainview.
RI... ri...
The plane slowly landed.
They were about to set foot on the ground when the sky began to pour heavily. The large raindrops thudded against the plane's body, forcing the group to stop.
"Damn it! It seems this place might not be welcoming us!"
Henry scuffed his feet against the plane's side, speaking sarcastically. Layla, sitting in the row behind, stood up, stepped next to him, and softly asked:"From here to Mountainview's prime location, how much more time do we need?"Henry glanced at Layla, thought for a moment, then answered:"Seven days, six nights. If I remember correctly. That's if the path is clear, and the weather doesn't mock us like this!"Following his gaze, Mervyn and Conal also looked out of the airplane window. The dark forests, with trees as tall as five-story buildings and dense foliage, seemed like they wanted to engulf everything within.Layla shivered involuntarily, her hands clutching tightly onto the small, now yellowed photograph of her father.The heavy rain poured down for more than an hour before it stopped. By the time the weather cleared, it had already turned dark. They all decided to spend the night on the plane and start heading into the Mountainview forest early the next morning.Santiago W
Youssef assisted Henry with the hand sanitizer. Mervyn, silent and unspoken, turned and walked away.After a short rest, the group continued on their way. If they did not accelerate their pace, they feared they would spend another one or two days wandering in the forest. Henry still led the way, continuously checking the compass to prevent them from losing their direction.The deeper they went into the forest, the weaker the signal became, eventually disappearing completely. They all had to rely solely on their own survival skills.Layla did not know whether this journey of hers would end in success or failure. She carefully tucked the old necklace left by her mother into her collar, then quickly merged with the group into the dark forest.Boom... boom...A series of loud thunder continued to resound across the vast sky. Henry glanced up, stopping his steps entirely."If I remember correctly, about seven meters ahead, there should be a small cave. We can go in there to avoid the rain
The weather seems to have improved somewhat. This is an appropriate time for everyone to continue their journey to Mountainview.Henry leads the way, occasionally plucking leaves off the roadside trees, tearing them up, and tossing them into the air like a child. Layla watches, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.Every action of Henry is caught by Mervyn's envious gaze. After last night, the conflict between the two of them has become even more distant.The deeper into the forest, the more spacious the vegetation becomes. Instead of the rows of trees taller than a person, there are now large boulders obstructing the path. Henry looks up at the towering
After bandaging was completed, everyone continued on their way. Since Layla was injured, Mervyn decided to carry her for a while.Layla shook her head in refusal:"I can walk myself!""Can you walk alone, or are you trying to destroy your left leg?"Henry bluntly dropped a cold comment. Layla did not argue, obediently listening to him.The group continued to move forward. At this moment, the most important thing they needed to do was to find a temporary shelter to r
As Layla passed by the chapel, she saw a series of spirit tablets scattered on the ground. She suppressed her pain, bent down to pick up each tablet, placed them neatly on the wooden rack, and then felt at ease to head down once more.Henry, engrossed in observing the corpse, suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He swiftly turned around, seeing Layla pinching her nose, her beautiful face slightly panicked, coldly saying:"You're injured, it wouldn't be good for you to be near the dead!"Layla dismisses him, not caring about what he says, carefully sits down next to him, examining the corpse together with Henry.&nb
The pain as the skin was sliced made Layla bite her lip. She wasn't sure if this method would work or fail. However, as long as there's hope, it's worth trying once.Swipe!She pulled the tattered mat covering the corpse forcefully away. Immediately, a foul smell began to severely invade her nostrils, her senses. Layla did not care, she flipped the corpse over, using her blood-stained hand to press onto the Bagua mark.The moment her palm touched the dead man's skin, a chilling sensation quickly ran down her entire body. Layla shivered, her palm beginning to numb. It seemed to her, every drop of fresh blood on her palm was being absorbed into the corpse.
The city of Los Angeles...- Mr. Henry, I beg you to accept the marriage!In the lobby of the Palace Lotus Flower, an old, harsh figure kneels on the ground, constantly begging the young man in front.At the top, his tall, fierce but majestic silhouette seemed to radiate a tremendous power flow, filling the entire Palace Lotus Flower.Henry Richard sat cross-legged on the jade chair, the corner of his lips bent up:- As Walter's son-in-law, you're asking me to drown myself in a fucking hole?The older man heard that, and his face immediately changed, shaking his head in a hurry.- Before the old master died, he made a will. The will requires Sir Henry to go down the mountain and be Walter's son-in-law for three years. Mr. Henry, you can't resist. Consider it, sir.As soon as the older man finished speaking, all the officials at God of Electricity bowed down and begged simultaneously.Until now, Henry Richard hated to see people kneeling and begging. Right now, they're putting him in a
When Henry Richard returned to Walter's mansion, Clara Walter and Raymond Vincent had already said goodbye. Seeing her husband's crummy appearance, Clara Walter immediately raised her contemptuous lips:- It's Walter's son-in-law, and the naughty ones are always dirty.Henry Richard didn't want to have much sex with women, so he just smiled and turned a blind eye, then walked up to his room.Down the hall is constantly transmitting to Clara Walter's loud and small.- Henry Richard, what's your attitude?Although the two married for five months, they have never been physically touched or slept in the same room. Clara Walter forced Henry Richard to live in a cramped storage room at the end of the second-floor corridor.Henry Richard did not speak out against it. They happily accepted it.He lay in bed with his hand wrapped in a red necklace, the exclusive symbol of the Lotus Flower empire. Henry Richard signed. The master ruled a kingdom, which now had to live the life of a mediocre man