Abyssal Chronicles

Chapter 636 - 637: The Ainor Group

Sorry for not posting as usual; I just finished my final exam. Starting from tomorrow, I will resume posting two chapters daily along with bonuses. Thank you for your patience! :)

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??!

Huh?

As his brother spoke, Eldric was suddenly taken aback, his expression one of shock:

"Missing?!!"

Tiger Beast King Laurence,

The great swordsman Tamburlaine Gis,

Leader of the Magic Wolf Mercenary Corps - Poppirov,

Legendary ranger Bruselo...

These four were undoubtedly long-renowned and highly esteemed powerhouses on the Anqieka Continent, all being high-ranking or even peak seventh-tier existences.

How could such powerful beings just mysteriously disappear? What kind of joke was this?

"Brother, they’re missing? What exactly is going on?"

"I’m not sure."

Amon shook his head honestly:

"They’re not in the embassy, and we can’t make contact with them. Not just us, their companions are in the same situation. It’s as if they’ve vanished from the face of the earth, leaving no trace. After an unsuccessful search in the inner city, I came to check the recent city exit records with you."

"But there’s nothing. If such powerful figures had left through the north gate, we would definitely have recorded and reported it."

"Sigh, I thought as much. It was just a slim hope, asking just in case. Not to mention, the High Priest of the Beastmen is already continuously questioning us. They seem to start suspecting that we’re using the holy war as a pretext, luring them to Anvika with sinister intentions. If we can’t find the missing people soon, unity within the allied forces might suffer."

"Brother, do you have a way to find them?"

"I’ve already dispatched the people from the secret investigation department to investigate thoroughly; now, we can only wait."

Amon said with a grave expression.

If one powerhouse went missing, it might be due to some urgent matter that made them leave without saying goodbye. But if four powerful individuals consecutively disappeared, it surely indicated someone’s interference.

Who could it be?

Was it their respective opposing forces?

After all, among the powerhouses gathered this time, many had tense relationships with each other. It’s possible they took this opportunity to settle scores in secret.

However,

Knowing that a holy war is about to begin, they shouldn’t be impulsive enough to infight at this moment, right?!

Could it really be the Blood Butterfly acting? Did she sense our intentions and thus prepared a counterattack?

Amon couldn’t help but speculate in his mind. As this speculation emerged, he suddenly shivered, feeling a chill. But soon after, Amon shook his head, dismissing his own speculation.

"No, it shouldn’t be her..."

There was no sign of unusual activity detected by the agents near Luminous, and no residual aura of the power of Silent Shadow where they disappeared.

Even if the Blood Butterfly was strong, she couldn’t possibly silently kill so many powerhouses in the city without unleashing her power.

Impossible, just impossible...

If that were true, if the Blood Butterfly was indeed that powerful, then Amon couldn’t understand how humanity had survived until now. Reality shouldn’t be that bleak.

"If it’s not the Blood Butterfly... then who could it be..."

In that instant,

The imperial third prince, Eldric, sharply narrowed his eyes and muttered coldly in his heart,

"Could it be... those bastards from Sky City?"

Devouring power?

At this time, turning against their own?

Damn, beasts.

Thinking this, a rare chill flashed in Amon’s eyes.

This release of coldness made Eldric shiver involuntarily beside him, hesitantly waving his hand in front of his brother:

"Brother, did you think of something?"

"No, nothing."

Amon shook his head once again.

Clearly, he didn’t want to involve his younger brother too deeply in this matter.

"I’ll handle this. You don’t need to worry."

"Brother?"

"Oh, right."

Seemingly to divert the topic, Amon then shifted his gaze to the inner city:

"Your reception duties ended this morning, right? The delegation from the Holy Lomar Empire should be arriving in the afternoon."

"Yes, they are. What about it, brother?"

"If you have time now, could you first make preparations with the transportation troops? And then come with me."

"Hm? Come where?"

"To meet someone."

"Who?"

"The heiress of the Ainor Group."

"Huh?!"

--

An hour later,

With a mix of anxiety and anticipation, Eldric, the third prince of the empire, followed his brother, Amon, to a lavish hotel in the inner city area. Welcomed by the white-clad guards, the two brothers made their way to a luxurious suite on the top floor of the hotel.

Taking a deep breath,

After instructing his younger brother on some matters, Amon slowly pushed open the door.

In a flash,

A luxurious suite, resplendent in gold and jewels, unfolded before the princes.

"Wow..."

Eldric couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

As his father, the king, was a very frugal monarch, Eldric, though a prince, had followed in his father’s footsteps, living a simple life. Therefore, seeing this suite adorned with ancient paintings and various gems, he couldn’t help but feel amazed and even a bit envious.

However,

Soon, Eldric regained his composure and focused his attention on a young girl reclining on a sofa not far away.

At the sight of her, Eldric’s eyes trembled, a hint of astonishment flickering in them.

On the sofa was a tall and slender young girl with blue-gold gradient hair,

Her figure was graceful, and her posture dignified.

With delicate fingers and skin as smooth as cream, pale yet flushed with a hint of pink, it seemed as if water could be wrung out of it. Her cherry lips spoke and smiled charmingly, every gesture filled with mesmerizing elegance and nobility.

Her beautiful, soft, blue-gold hair cascaded down like a waterfall, reaching her ankles.

The young girl was dressed in a white off-shoulder long gown with blue accents, elegant and noble. Her beautiful collarbone was faintly visible under the white fabric that reflected light subtly. The hem of the dress formed a graceful arc from high to low, elegantly flaring out and revealing her long, white legs. The hem and cuffs were adorned with sparkling, crystal-clear gems, like countless beautiful dewdrops.

The beautiful attire, coupled with the charming young girl, undoubtedly composed a breathtakingly picturesque scene.

The only flaw, perhaps, was the eyepatch covering her left eye.

But this minor imperfection seemed insignificant.

After all,

Compared to the reclusive, plump heiress Eldric had imagined, the girl before him exceeded his expectations. Although not as beautiful as Mengxi and Teacher Yu, she still ranked among the top five girls Eldric had ever seen.

"She is the heiress of the Ainor Group?"

Eldric marveled silently, his mouth slightly agape.

Amid his astonishment, Eldric composed himself, showing a serious and solemn expression.

The Ainor Group,

Their business encompassed transportation, food trade, magic tool auctions, weapon manufacturing, and more, a commercial empire spread across the continent. After acquiring their rival, the Hui Le Commerce Alliance, a few years ago, they had become one of the most powerful and influential business groups on the Anqieka Continent.

Their rapid development was truly astounding.

Wealthy enough to rival nations, that was how most people viewed the Ainor Group.

Despite the Ainor Group’s wealth, they still could not be compared to top-tier forces like the Red Lotus Leaf Royal Family. The visit of two princes to their heiress seemed somewhat against the norms.

However, Eldric was not displeased,

For he knew well that the Red Lotus Leaf Royal Family needed the Ainor Group.

To prepare for the upcoming war, the empire needed money, and the Ainor Group had plenty of it...

Setting aside their status,

Eldric and his brother Amon courteously greeted the blue-haired young girl first.

On the other hand,

Upon seeing the arrival of the two imperial princes, the blue-haired girl set down her teacup and slowly rose from the sofa. She greeted the princes with a sweet smile and a friendly curtsy, bending her knees slightly:

"I am Fenghua, daughter of Chairman Gibson of the Ainor Group, and I welcome the arrival of the princes."

Eldric was quite pleased with such a graceful and kind greeting.

Unfortunately,

He failed to notice.

Beneath the young girl’s smile, there was a hidden hint of mockery...

-------

"Hello, Miss Eileen."

Facing her friendly greeting, Amon naturally responded with a smile.

Meanwhile,

As he observed the graceful lady before him, Amon’s eyes were filled with seriousness and respect. Indeed, Miss Eileen’s first impression was that of a pampered, innocent heiress, seemingly harmless.

However, Amon would not underestimate the young lady based on her appearance.

The rapid development of Ainor Group in recent years had caught Amon’s attention.

Years ago, this second prince had ordered the Secret Investigation Department to probe the Ainor Group, aiming to understand the reasons behind its swift growth.

After the investigation, Amon learned that the rapid expansion of Ainor Group was inextricably linked to this young heiress. After her father Gibson suffered a stroke, Miss Eileen controlled the entire Ainor Group, using her father Gibson as a puppet.

Under her guidance, the Ainor Group defeated many competitors, absorbed countless smaller business groups, and gradually became the giant it is today. Not only did she possess a unique business acumen, but her style was also ruthlessly efficient.

Many competitors and forces eyeing the Ainor Group’s wealth were cruelly eliminated by her in unknown ways. This led to suspicions that the Ainor Group might be secretly maintaining a powerful mercenary army.

This seemingly innocent and cute Miss Eileen was, in reality, far removed from the word ’naive.’

Nevertheless,

To be honest, even though Amon had learned much about Miss Eileen, meeting her in person still surprised him.

Mainly because Miss Eileen looked so young... as if she was just out of her teens?

According to the intelligence,

Eileen took control of the Ainor Group over a decade ago. She should be in her thirties or forties by now, right? Why does she still look like a young girl?

Indeed,

On Ancita Continent, practitioners can exhibit signs of rejuvenation as their strength improves. However, Miss Eileen’s aura was only at the third-level, far from the level where one could reverse aging.

Really well-maintained?

Of course,

Amon only briefly pondered these thoughts in his mind and did not dwell on them. His visit to the heiress of the Ainor Group had a more significant purpose.