Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Thinking about this, Mira felt a deeper sense of genuine respect for the decisive and ruthless Shura.

Following a leader who had both strength and heart was always better than serving a cold-blooded tyrant.

"Understood, April. I'll go take care of what you asked."

"Go ahead."

While April and the others were taking over Moon Goddess Temple, Victor was on a plane with his eyes closed, resting.

He'd barely slept these past few days, and even with his strong constitution, exhaustion was starting to catch up with him.

Just then, someone gently touched his arm.

He opened his eyes, puzzled.

Ruby was carefully holding the wooden box containing the Fire Spirit Core, offering it to him with both hands.

"Sir, please accept this."

Victor glanced at it and shook his head.

"That's a family heirloom of the Wells family."

"Helping you get revenge was just something I did in passing. If I actually took this, I'd be no better than a thief kicking someone when they're down."

With that, Victor was about to close his eyes again.

But Ruby stubbornly held the box out, refusing to pull it back.

"Sir, this thing is useless to me. I was born with blocked meridians — I can't cultivate at all. Besides, there's no crime in being ordinary, but carrying something this valuable only puts a target on my back. The Fire Spirit Core in my hands will just bring another attempt on my life."

"You've given the Wells family a second chance at life. If you won't accept it, I truly won't be able to eat or sleep in peace."

Victor smiled. "That's simple enough. Just rebuild with your own strength and restore the Wells family to its former glory."

"Your ancestors will be proud of you. They won't care about something like this."

Ruby bit her lip, a look of firm resolve crossing her eyes.

"If you refuse, then you're looking down on me. I have no other way to repay you — I can only kneel here until you do."

And with that, she actually moved to kneel right there in the narrow aisle of the cabin.

Victor sighed helplessly and reached out to stop her. "Alright, alright, I'll take it. I'll hold onto it for you for now — is that good enough?"

He took the box, already thinking that he'd find a good moment later to return it to Ruby.

He tucked the box away, leaned back in his seat, and drifted off to sleep again.

When he woke up, eight hours had passed.

A sharp ring from a satellite phone jolted him awake.

As a first-class VIP on this flight, his dedicated line wasn't restricted by flight mode.

Victor rubbed his brow and picked up the phone.

It was Eagle — the fourteenth-ranked fighter of Shura Sanctum, who had been left in command while April went to take over Moon Goddess Temple.

"What is it, Eagle?"

"I'm still on a plane. Whatever this is, it better be worth it."

Eagle's voice came through, noticeably tense. "Sorry, it's urgent. Our inside source just sent word."

"Eric's backed into a corner and he's reaching out to every family that has a grudge against you, trying to pull them into an alliance. They've also made contact with an organization called Black Sun Cult. They're planning a joint move against us."

Black Sun Cult?

The name meant nothing to Victor.

He thought for a moment, then called Mira.

"Ms. Collins, have you heard of something called Black Sun Cult?"

Mira's voice turned serious immediately.

"Sir, why are you asking about them? Don't tell me you've gotten on their bad side?"

Victor's tone was calm. "I didn't go looking for trouble. They're coming to me."

Mira drew a sharp breath.

"Sir, Black Sun Cult is an extremely old and secretive cult."

"Their history goes back even further than Moon Goddess Temple. They worship something they call the Black Sun God. Their methods are unpredictable and brutal."

"Their followers are fanatics who cultivate through human sacrifice."

"In ancient times, this organization caused bloodbaths on multiple occasions. It took a joint effort from numerous sects to wipe them out, and they've been silent ever since."

"But recent intelligence suggests they may have risen again." Mira paused, her voice growing heavier.

"From what I know, their current leader goes by Romanov — a Quasi-Ascendant Lord level cultivator."

Victor let out a quiet laugh at that.

"Quasi-Ascendant Lord?"

"Your Moon Goddess Temple's Grand Elder was practically at the upper Ascendant Lord level, and I still sent him straight to hell."

That said, Victor quietly filed it away as something to take seriously.

Any cult that had survived this long clearly had something going for it. He wasn't about to underestimate them.

"But if they want to play, I'll play along."

Mira relaxed slightly at that. "True. With your strength, I'm probably worrying for nothing."

As they spoke, the plane touched down smoothly.

Victor had barely stepped out of the boarding tunnel when he spotted Amelia and the others waiting for him.

"Welcome back."

Amelia came forward, her gaze quickly moving to Ruby, who was walking behind Victor.

Victor gave a slight nod. "Let me introduce everyone — this is Ruby, my new subordinate."

A flicker of cold passed through Amelia's eyes, though she kept it well hidden. She hadn't forgotten that this woman had once poisoned Victor.

But in front of everyone, she kept her composure.

"Miss Wells, is it?"

"Welcome to Atlanta. If you need anything, just ask."

Amelia's smile stayed in place, but there was a subtle distance in her tone.

Ruby lowered her head slightly, making herself small.

"Thank you, Ms. Martinez. I'm new here and only hope to be of some small help to Lord Shura. I look forward to your guidance, Mrs. Ashford."

That "Mrs. Ashford" landed perfectly — it made her position clear in an instant, and she'd read the room exactly right.

Victor followed up naturally. "Ruby's good with intelligence and strategy. Having her here will be useful going forward."

"There are plenty of spare rooms at the estate. She can stay there for now."

Rowena and Celine exchanged a glance at that, both looking a little uncertain.

Letting a woman who had once poisoned him move into the estate — that was a bold call.

The smile on Amelia's face stiffened for just a moment.

But she took a quiet breath and smoothed it over.

"Of course. There's no shortage of rooms."

"Having Miss Wells around means we can all look out for each other."

Ruby caught the wariness in Amelia's eyes but said nothing, simply giving a respectful nod and letting it go.

Victor glanced at the darkening sky outside and waved a hand.

"Alright, it's getting cold out here. Let's head home and talk there."

Back at the estate, Amelia had a full dinner spread ready to welcome Victor home.

White Wolf and the others were set up to eat on the second floor.

Downstairs in the dining room, it was just Amelia, Celine, Makoto, Anna, Rowena, Victor, and Ruby.

At the table, Amelia sat beside Victor, naturally serving food onto his plate while quietly asking about what had happened in Riverton.

But her eyes, casual as they seemed, kept drifting across the table to Ruby — a look that made no real effort to hide its wariness, or its claim.

Ruby wasn't about to be outdone. She knew exactly who she had chosen to follow, and that was Victor alone. What did Amelia have to do with that?

She hadn't managed to sit next to Victor, but she had a knack for finding just the right moment to join the conversation, steering things back to Victor's exploits in Riverton — the battles, the close calls, the moments they'd faced together. Every word subtly reminded the table that the two of them had been through something real, side by side. She played it just right, never too much, never too little.