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The City Lord’s Manor blazed with light. Servants and maids hurried back and forth in anxious haste, delivering whatever was needed to the room where a white-haired old man was at work.

Before the elderly physician lay Julius, fast asleep and deathly pale. A soft radiance enveloped his body, purging impurities and preventing contamination.

The old man held a set of delicate instruments in his hands, his expression grave and focused. Cold sweat continuously formed on his forehead, only to be immediately wiped away by the maid standing beside him.

This was a surgical operation.

Ever since the ancestor of the Immortal Cloud Pavilion had opened a passage to the outside world, not only technological inventions but also advanced medical practices such as surgery had been introduced. However, these techniques had never become widespread. The stringent requirements alone—sterile conditions and impeccably clean environments—made them luxuries beyond the reach of ordinary people.

But this was the City Lord’s Mansion. And the man lying on the operating table was the only son of the current City Lord. His status alone ensured that he received the finest medical treatment the city could offer.

Time passed, second by second. Then, the bustling room abruptly fell silent. The old man raised a hand, signaling everyone to stop. He slowly stood up and washed the blood from his hands in a basin of hot water nearby. Afterward, he walked out of the room.

A dignified middle-aged man sat in a magnificent armchair outside, his face filled with anxiety. The moment he saw the old physician emerge, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.

“Physician Qin, how is his condition?”

“Alas…” The old man let out a quiet sigh. His hunched body trembled slightly despite himself. “Young Master Song’s condition… I’m afraid it is far from optimistic.”

“What do you mean by that?” The hope in the middle-aged man’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a terrifying blaze of anger. “I summoned you here to cure Julius, not to spout useless nonsense!”

The old man lowered his head even further. The man before him was none other than the City Lord of Maplefall Town, Victor. Yet his temperament was nothing like the benevolence implied by his name.

Back then, he had been the youngest among nine siblings. Logically speaking, the position of City Lord should never have fallen to him. Yet every one of his brothers and sisters had met untimely deaths through a series of unfortunate “accidents.”

In the end, he became the sole surviving heir and naturally inherited the position of City Lord. As for the truth behind those incidents, even a fool could guess part of the story.

Perhaps it was because he had committed too many deeds that defied heaven’s will, but despite marrying more than twenty wives, he ultimately had only a single son. Even Julius’ mother, the only woman who had successfully borne him a son, had died from excessive blood loss during childbirth.

Because of this, Victor treasured his only son beyond measure. Yet now, that sole son of his, the only remaining flame of the Song family bloodline… had been kicked and crippled into becoming a eunuch. How could he possibly tolerate such a thing?

And now, the best physician in Maplefall Town, whom he had personally summoned, was telling him… that the situation was dire?

“I’ll ask you one thing and one thing only!” Victor slammed his palm onto the table in fury. The priceless antique wooden table instantly exploded into splinters. “Can he be cured or not?!”

“T-This…” The old man hesitated. He did not know how to answer.

He understood Victor’s nature all too well. Twenty years ago, he had once been called upon to save Julius’ mother; a pitiful woman who had been forcibly taken and brought into the household. At that time, when complications arose during childbirth, he had asked Victor whether he wished to save the mother or the child.

Victor’s response had been cold and merciless: “Let that woman die.”

And now, that same life-or-death decision had fallen upon him. If he lied, he might preserve his own life for a little longer. But when the truth eventually surfaced, the even more enraged Victor might very well take his wrath out on his family.

After a moment of thought, the old man respectfully prostrated himself on the ground and chose to tell the truth.

“Young Master Song’s injuries are simply too severe. This old servant has exhausted every means at my disposal and can do no more than preserve his life. As for his ability to father children…” He paused before continuing bitterly. “Unless one possesses the legendary Vermilion Pill, capable of restoring flesh to bare bones and bringing vitality back to ruined tissue, this old servant has no solution.”

“You… useless waste!” Victor flew into a furious rage. If he actually possessed a miraculous healing treasure like the Vermilion Pill, would he still be suffering from injuries that even now remained uncured?

Without the ability to have children… Even if Julius survived, what meaning would there be in that? Was he, the mighty City Lord of Maplefall Town, destined to end his life without an heir? If that happened, even after his death and burial, he would become the laughingstock of his ancestors.

“Since you’re of no further use, you may as well die.”

Terror instantly filled the old physician’s face. But he did not even have the chance to cry for help. Victor casually raised a hand and struck the old man on the forehead.

Blood immediately poured from all seven orifices. His body collapsed limply onto the floor. His lifeless eyes remained fixed on something unseen. He died with his eyes open, unable to rest in peace.

The servants showed no surprise, as though they had witnessed such scenes countless times before. They swiftly stepped forward and began removing the corpse.

“Where is Landon? What did he say on his side?” Victor asked the attendant standing nearby.

“Master Ye said he is still searching for a solution. He promised he will definitely provide a result that satisfies you, my lord.”

“Heh. Satisfies me?” Knowing full well that it was merely an excuse Landon was using to buy time, Victor crushed the teacup in his hand and let out a cold laugh.”My Julius was crippled right in front of the entire Ye family, yet Landon still expects me to be satisfied?

“Five years ago, I was injured helping him, and those wounds have yet to fully heal. And how has he repaid me? How has he treated me and the Song family? At this point, I won’t believe a single word that comes out of Landon’s mouth ever again!”

After suppressing his anger somewhat, Victor turned to the subordinate he trusted most. “Has that little girl who attacked Julius been found?”

“…Not yet. However, according to information from the Ye family, that girl appears to have been brought back by the Ye family’s Third Young Miss. Around noon, she vanished without a trace together with the Third Young Miss. The Ye family is currently searching for her as well.”

At this point, the subordinate paused before lowering his voice. “Not only the Ye family. According to reports from our informants, the Wang family also seems to be secretly searching for that little girl.”

“The Wang family? What are they meddling in this for?”

“This subordinate does not know.” He hesitated before continuing. “However… should we dispatch the Inspection Bureau? If they get involved, locating her should be quite easy.”

“The Inspection Bureau…” Victor pondered for a moment before waving his hand dismissively. “Forget it. Whether that girl is alive or dead no longer matters. The Inspection Bureau needs to focus entirely on dealing with the Moon Demon for now. There’s no need to inform them.”

“Understood.” The subordinate bowed his head in acknowledgment. Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he glanced cautiously to both sides. Only after confirming that nobody was watching did he respectfully lean closer to Victor’s ear. “My lord, regarding the Moon Demon… there is something I must report.”

“Oh? Speak.”

“The Moon Demon… asked this subordinate… to pass along his regards.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Victor’s eyes widened in shock. He stared at his most trusted subordinate, incomprehension flashing across his face. Yet the battle instincts honed over years of survival reacted faster than his thoughts. In an instant, he struck out with a palm toward the subordinate’s chest.

The man had clearly been prepared. He retreated the moment Victor moved. The palm strike landed only partially, leaving him with minor injuries. But at the same moment, a poisoned dagger had already plunged deep into Victor’s abdomen. Blood flowed freely. Victor’s face turned deathly pale.

“Why…? What did the Moon Demon offer you that made you betray me?” Facing his former subordinate, Victor demanded an answer in a furious voice.

This man had followed him ever since the days when Victor had merely been the Ninth Young Master of the City Lord’s Manor. Throughout all those years, he had remained unwaveringly loyal.

Many of Victor’s dirty deeds had been carried out by this very subordinate. One could say that no one knew more of Victor’s secrets than him. That was precisely why Victor could never have imagined that he would betray him.

“Hehe… the answer is that he offered me absolutely nothing.” The man sneered at Victor’s questioning. Then he reached up and… peeled off his own face. The discarded skin was still warm, smeared with fresh blood, as though it had only recently been ripped from a living person.

And the moment Victor saw the face concealed beneath that stolen skin, his pupils contracted sharply. “It’s you… The Moon Demon?”