Chapter 152: Under Currents in Paris

Outside Paris, France.

Deep into the night, a sprawling classical French manor blazed with light.

This was the headquarters of the Valois family.

In the manor's most secluded and secure reception hall, a roaring fire crackled in the hearth.

Priceless Renaissance paintings adorned the walls, while the air hung thick with the rich aroma of premium Cuban cigars and Romanée-Conti wine.

The current patriarch of the Valois family, Louis Valois, stood slightly hunched at the edge of a luxurious Persian rug, his posture almost servile.

Meanwhile, on the velvet sofa at the center of the room—a throne symbolizing absolute power—sat a strikingly conspicuous man.

He appeared to be in his thirties, Caucasian, dressed in an impeccably tailored pure white bespoke suit. With golden hair, blue eyes, and features as handsome as a sculpture of Apollo from Greek mythology, he cut an arresting figure.

Yet at the collar of that pristine white suit, embroidered in dark gold thread, was a Templar cross insignia—the mark of the Evernight Order's supreme martial force.

One of the twelve knights of the Templar Order under the Evernight Order—codename "Ashfall."

"Ashfall."

Louis wiped the cold sweat from his brow and reported cautiously, "Just confirmed—highly classified intelligence. The Gray Cloaks' headquarters in the Alps has been completely razed. Wayne and all of the Gray Cloaks' Round Table knights are wiped out."

"That American, Leo—he's an absolute lunatic who doesn't play by any rules."

Hearing Louis's report, Ashfall, seated on the sofa, showed not even a flicker of surprise. Instead, he lazily swirled the wine in his glass.

"Wiped out?"

Ashfall drained the wine in one gulp, his lips curling into undisguised mockery and contempt. "The Gray Cloaks—those worthless trash who've been scraping by in the shadows, strutting around under the guise of assassins for years—couldn't even handle some American upstart. They got what they deserved."

Louis swallowed hard and echoed, "You're absolutely right. The Gray Cloaks and Nightfall were nothing but watchdogs we kept in plain sight. But... that Leo's abilities are genuinely bizarre. Even Kyle died by his hand. Shouldn't we—"

"Shouldn't we what? Be afraid?"

"Crack!"

Ashfall's slender, delicate fingers suddenly clenched, and the solid crystal wine glass in his hand shattered into glittering powder!

Sharp glass shards pierced his palm, but the wound visibly healed in seconds before Louis's eyes!

Witnessing this supernatural phenomenon that defied human logic, Louis flinched, bowing his head even lower.

"Louis, your courage is shrinking by the day."

Ashfall casually brushed the glass dust from his hand, his eyes gleaming with the arrogance of a deity looking down on mortals. "Don't measure the power of our Templar knights by the standards of secular assassins and mercenaries. Before the secret arts the Evernight Order has inherited over seven hundred years, mortal force is nothing but child's play."

"This Leo character makes a little noise in North America and Central Europe and thinks he's the invincible Reaper?"

Ashfall sneered, his tone dripping with absolute confidence. "If he's smart, he'll tuck his tail between his legs and crawl back to America. But if he dares set foot on French soil, I guarantee I'll crush every bone in his body, one by one—and drain the blood from those women around him right in front of him."

Hearing Ashfall's supremely arrogant declaration, the weight crushing Louis's chest finally lifted.

With this kind of monster guarding the manor, what did he have to fear?

"Ashfall, you're absolutely right!"

Louis straightened his back, his face regaining its aristocratic arrogance and smugness. "Paris is our territory. We have the Evernight Order's most sophisticated intelligence network and defense system here. Even if that Leo had the guts of a god, he'd never dare come to Paris to die!"

"And even if he did show up, the moment he reveals himself, the bottom of the Seine will be his eternal grave!"

...

However, Louis could never have imagined.

Even as he confidently declared that Leo wouldn't dare come to Paris.

In the penthouse suite of a super five-star luxury hotel near the Champs-Élysées in central Paris.

Leo stood draped in a black trench coat before massive floor-to-ceiling windows, a Cuban cigar clamped between his teeth, his deep eyes coldly surveying the brilliantly lit Eiffel Tower in the distance.

He'd already arrived.

And he'd been standing here motionless, smoking two full cigars.

Inside the suite, Kyle stood like an iron tower with his arms crossed by the door. Ivy, Serafina, and Charlotte Montes each maintained their lethal weapons, while Olivia sat at a control station, fingers flying across the keyboard.

The suite door opened from outside with a keycard.

Accompanied by a rich, intoxicating scent of Chanel perfume, a dangerously alluring figure in wine-red glided in on red-soled heels, her movements sinuous and captivating.

Victoria.

She wore a French-style trench coat that perfectly blended sexy and elegant, her thick wavy hair cascading loosely down her back.

The moment she entered, she habitually walked to Leo's side and naturally plucked the half-smoked cigar from his lips, placing it between her own scarlet lips for a drag.

"Got intel?" Leo ignored her flirtation, turning to sit on the sofa like an emperor orchestrating his campaign.

"Mmm..."

Victoria exhaled a stream of smoke and stubbed the cigar out in an ashtray, a rare gravity settling over her seductive features.

"Reaper, this Paris trip runs deeper than we thought."

Victoria settled into a nearby armchair, crossing her long legs, and began slowly, "First, the Evernight Order has definitely made their move. A Templar knight called 'Ashfall' arrived at the Valois Manor last night."

At the mention of "Templar knight," Kyle's gray eyes flashed with wariness.

"Leo, don't underestimate the Templar knights."

Kyle's voice was grave. "Twenty years ago, when I was with the Gray Cloaks, Wayne mentioned them. Those guys aren't normal humans—they wield bizarre secret arts granted by the Evernight Order. Extremely dangerous."

"No matter how dangerous, just takes two bullets." Ivy dismissively toyed with her clawed gauntlets.

Leo made no comment, only looked at Victoria. "Continue."

Victoria nodded and went on, "Beyond the Templar knight threat, the Valois family internally isn't as united as they appear on the surface. Louis's position isn't exactly secure."

"Factional struggle?" Leo seized on the key point.

"Exactly. Bloody family warfare."

Victoria gave a cold laugh. "You think Louis is the legitimate patriarch of the Valois family? Twenty-five years ago, he seized power through bloodshed by assassinating his own older brother—the previous patriarch!"

"But he didn't eliminate every threat. The former patriarch's son, Erwin, only five years old at the time, was rescued and escaped. He's been living in hiding under a false identity ever since."

Victoria lowered her voice. "Over the years, Erwin has secretly consolidated a significant portion of the Valois family's old guard who are dissatisfied with Louis. Seems he wants to reclaim the patriarch position."

A glimmer flickered in Leo's deep eyes.

"What about concrete intel on the Evernight Order?" Leo asked.

Victoria spread her hands helplessly with a bitter smile. "Leo, the Evernight Order's existence is too ancient, too secretive. I deployed every intelligence network, even dropped tens of millions in bribes to various informants, but still can't locate the Evernight Order's core stronghold."

"Their only point of contact in Paris is Louis Valois. Once Louis dies, the trail goes completely cold again."

After hearing Victoria's report, Leo fell into brief silence.

The Valois Manor now had a Templar knight stationed there. Storming it wasn't the problem.

But if Louis got killed in the chaos, or sensed danger and destroyed his communication channels with the Evernight Order first, everything would be back to square one.

He didn't just want to crush a few flies—he wanted to uproot the Evernight Order's entire nest!

Leo's fingers drummed lightly on the sofa's armrest.

After a moment, his lips curved into a cold, brutal smile.

"Since we can't find the Evernight Order's trail from the outside, we'll tear open a gap from inside the Valois family."

Leo stood, pulling up his trench coat collar, his deep eyes gazing out at the Paris nightscape.

"Victoria, make the arrangements."

Leo commanded, "I want to meet this usurped Erwin."

"The enemy of my enemy makes the most useful tool."

"Since he wants to reclaim the patriarch position, I'll grant him that opportunity. In exchange, I want complete structural blueprints of the Valois Manor and every secret communication channel with the Evernight Order!"