I Forged the Myth of the Ancient Overlords
Chapter 613 - 613 612. Storm Villa_1

Chapter 613: 612. Storm Villa_1 Chapter 613: 612. Storm Villa_1 The person was wearing a deerstalker hat, a double-breasted coat, draped in a long cloak, with shiny leather shoes, and holding a heather-root pipe, dressed just like Cui Siter.

But this was not Cui Siter.

Lu Ban recognized him at first glance. It was Stone, the young man who once stirred up blood and violence in the Gangs of Abandoned Capital.

Only now he was close to Cui Siter’s age and looked even more mature and efficient, much like the former Cui Siter.

Stone’s gaze swept over the room and quickly landed on Lu Ban and Shia. His expression unchanged, he walked into the room, lit the tobacco in his pipe, took a deep breath, and then spoke up.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have been commissioned by Mr. Bronning to conduct an investigation after his death.”

Upon hearing Stone’s words, the flamboyant lady of the house was the first to speak.

“Investigate? What for? Father died of a heart attack, and his physician, Roger, also emphasized this. I don’t see any need to call in a detective for investigation.”

She seemed displeased with the arrival of this detective, Stone.

“I haven’t mentioned what I’m investigating yet, Miss Emma,”

Stone chuckled lightly, causing the lady’s expression to stiffen and her eyes to become evasive.

“Don’t worry, what I’m here to investigate is the inheritance Mr. Bronning left in this room.”

“Inheritance?”

Hearing this word, the eldest son Lorne, holding a pocket watch, suddenly lit up.

“Yes, do you know of this estate?”

As the others turned their attention to him, Stone took a puff from his pipe, waited for the smoke to fill his lungs and bring a pleasurable sensation, and then exhaled a long breath, surrounding himself with swirls of smoke.

After building suspense, Stone finally continued.

“This property is now Mr. Bronning’s personal estate, but before he purchased it, the mansion was known as Storm Villa. It’s said that this is the house overseen by Taoist Crane Cry during its construction. He lived here, immersed in his Daoist practices, in the years leading up to his ascension on the night of a thunderstorm.”

The reactions to Stone’s words varied among the people present.

Lorne’s expression relaxed, a greedy look appearing on his face as if he had thought of something.

Emma seemed a bit puzzled, but maintained her silence due to the previous setback in her verbal exchange with Stone.

Lily appeared even more perplexed. As a maid, her only impressions of the likes of Taoist Crane Cry came from the bedtime stories used to scare children during her youth.

The bulky Gaude raised his eyebrows but otherwise showed a quite indifferent response.

Hearing the name Storm Villa, Lu Ban had a sense of inevitability, as well as a subtle sense of the workings of fate.

This was not his first time hearing this name.

Before heading to He Dao to undertake the task of “Springtime without Warfare”, Lu Ban had come across Storm Villa of Abandoned Capital, where he remembered the task was likely about the owner inviting guests over, presumably to find the secrets of Taoist Crane Cry.

It seemed that, had Lu Ban chosen that task at the time, he would most likely have met Mr. Bronning while he was still alive.

Of course, even though he had not chosen it then, Lu Ban was now standing here regardless.

Such is the marvel of fate.

Or perhaps, it was destined that Lu Ban’s future would converge here.

“Everyone is well aware of Taoist Crane Cry. After his ascension, his sect faced misfortune and declined, his disciples concealed their identities, dispersed, and the method of ascension was taken in parts by different disciples, rendering ‘Nine Chapters of the Crane’s Cry Secret Scripture’ impossible to be completely reassembled. I believe Mr. Bronning bought this estate surely for the true transmission of Taoist Crane Cry,”

Stone, while explaining, glanced at Lu Ban.

“I had promised Mr. Bronning that I would come here this weekend to begin my investigation, but unfortunately, Mr. Bronning died of a sudden illness. However, he had already paid the fee, and as a detective, I keep my promises. Even if the client has passed away, I came here, ready to investigate the estate,”

He spoke righteously, but to Mr. Bronning’s children, it seemed this detective was probably also eyeing the treasures of Taoist Crane Cry and hence came to investigate regardless.

“In six days, it will be The Conjuring Night. I heard that Mr. Bronning also found a true master of the Crane Cry Sect?”

Stone inquired of the old butler.

“Indeed, Master Byron had a good relationship with my employer, and this mansion was purchased through his introduction,”

the old butler replied courteously.

“However, Master Byron’s whereabouts are unpredictable. He only told me he would come but did not specify an exact time.”

“Has he not arrived yet?”

Stone asked.

“That’s correct, but Master Byron is a man of his word and would not miss an appointment,”

the old butler asserted confidently.

“Hmm, I believe in him as well,”

Stone nodded.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I will be conducting an investigation in the mansion in the coming days, and I may require your cooperation. As for anything I find, it naturally belongs to Mr. Bronning’s inheritance, and you are free to dispose of it as you wish.”

He spoke again to reassure those present.

“Dear guests, we have arranged a luncheon for you all. Please take a seat, and I will instruct the servants to serve it immediately,”

the old butler added.

Everyone casually picked seats and settled down; shortly after, the servants brought out a sumptuous array of dishes.

Roast chicken, steak, sausage, fish soup, fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as rice and bread.

For someone like Lorne and Aima, heirs of wealthy families, such a meal was everyday fare, but for Shia, it was nothing short of a feast.

She didn’t concern herself with appearances, gobbling down the food voraciously, swallowing everything on the table like a bottomless pit.

Seeing this, several members of the Bronning family felt somewhat embarrassed.

As for Stone, he ate the food on his plate with graceful poise, all the while observing the others, like a cunning fox.

After the meal, everyone dispersed, leaving only Stone, Lu Ban, and Shia in the dining room.

“Burp—”

Shia let out a satisfied belch and lay contentedly on the sofa, patting her rotund belly.

“What exactly is going on?”

Lu Ban asked Stone.

“Where has Cui Siter gone?”

“The story is somewhat lengthy; I’ll give you the conclusion first,”

Stone, putting down his pipe and rubbing his fingers on its rough briar surface, sighed deeply before speaking.

“Mr. Cui Siter is dead, I have become Chosen by Gods, and I inherited his detective agency. I also know everything there is to know about the Silent Lands.”

“All of this happened ten years ago.”

Hearing Stone’s words, Shia looked over.

“Ten years… burp.”

“Yes, ten years ago, I found Mr. Cui Siter who was in the hospital. He took me in and let me work as an assistant in his detective agency. Sometimes he would suddenly disappear for a while. Before vanishing, Mr. Cui Siter would typically leave me with some tasks, almost like a testament. Looking back, that must have been when he went to the Foreign Domain to complete his missions,”

Stone said with a hint of emotion.

“Afterward, as you have seen, Mr. Cui Siter didn’t return from one of his disappearances. A few days after he left, I was chosen by the Silent Lands to become Chosen by Gods, and I inherited everything from Mr. Cui Siter, up to today.”