Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 182
“Dad…” Harrison’s voice cracked as he and Lauren rushed to the bed, their faces pale with shock and sorrow. Hubert and his family followed, their steps heavy with grief.
Within moments, the hospital ward was filled with cries and wails, the sorrowful sounds echoing through the sterile walls. Herman had passed, leaving a gaping hole in the lives of those who loved him.
Far away in Capiton, in an estate so grand it could rival ten average communities, a figure dressed in a smiling mask appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The estate’s tallest villa, a nine-story tower, loomed over the landscape, but this figure had no need for conventional means of ascent. With a sudden leap, the masked man soared from the ground and landed effortlessly on the balcony of the ninth floor.
Inside the villa, an old man with silver hair, lying in a luxurious bed, suddenly stirred. His eyes snapped open as he gazed at the figure seated across from him.
The man, his face concealed behind the mask, met the old man’s gaze with a chilling calm. His eyes were sharp, his presence unsettling.
The old man frowned slightly. “Smiling Grim Reaper?”
The masked man’s voice was low and clear, carrying a slight edge of anger. “You went too far in Jonford.”
With a wave of his hand, the old man dismissed the warning. “It’s not your place to intervene in the Klein family’s affairs, no?”
Before the old man could react further, the figure blurred, appearing directly in front of him in an instant. The Smiling Grim Reaper’s blood-red, diamond-shaped dagger pressed against the old man’s neck with a swift motion. The room seemed to freeze as the masked man’s chilling voice broke the silence.
“If you continue to attack the Lewis family, I’ll kill you.”
The old man’s eyes flickered as he regarded the dagger’s sharp edge against his throat. Slowly, he inhaled, his expression calm. “Herman is already dead. We won’t lay another hand on the Lewis family.”
The Smiling Grim Reaper’s grip on the dagger tightened for a moment, then he retracted the blade, vanishing in a flash, leaving only the faintest trace of his presence behind.
Within seconds, three middle-aged men appeared in the room, moving with remarkable speed and precision. Afterimages lingered in the air as they assessed the situation. One of them rushed to the window, only to see the Smiling Grim Reaper’s figure rapidly disappearing into the distance, several hundred meters away.
“Sir, are you alright?” one of the men asked, his voice filled with concern.
The old man, now lightly grazing the wound on his neck, looked at the bright red blood staining his skin. He responded casually, “I’m fine.”
The middle-aged man with a boxy face walked over to the window, his eyes narrowing as he studied the traces left by the Smiling Grim Reaper. “Who was that person just now? They don’t seem to be weak.”
The old man’s lips curled into a slight smile. “That’s the Smiling Grim Reaper.”
The man with the boxy face frowned. “What is he doing here?”
The old man’s laughter filled the room, though there was little humor in it. “He wants us to let go of the Lewis family.”
The man scoffed. “He’s just the Smiling Grim Reaper. Who does he think he is?”
The old man fixed him with a cold, mocking gaze. “He almost killed me right under your noses, and you still look down on him?”
The man’s face fell as he immediately lowered his head. “We were ineffective in our protection. Uncle, please punish us!”
The old man waved his hand dismissively. “Forget it. Just train with peace of mind and focus on helping your ancestors break Johnathan’s seal as soon as possible.”
The man with the square face hesitated before asking again, “Then what about the Lewis family?”
The old man’s smile deepened, but it held no warmth. “Herman is already dead. There’s no one left who knows about the Young family’s secret anymore.”
Hearing this, the man’s expression darkened, his brow furrowing in frustration. “Recently, a young man with incredible medical skills appeared in Jonford. He seems to be a student of Johnathan Calcraft. Should we send someone to kill him?”
The old man shook his head, a glimmer of caution in his eyes. “Johnathan may have ascended, but there’s still Francis. He possesses terrifying strength. If we lay a hand on Johnathan’s little apprentice, Francis will definitely not stop until he destroys us.”
The square-faced man gritted his teeth, frustration clear in his posture. “Are we just going to let him grow? That kid will become a terrifying existence like Francis in a few years!”
The old man’s gaze turned icy, his words cold as steel. “Francis is the Smiling Grim Reaper. He’s capable of entering the empty Klein family’s residence and killing me without a trace. Do you really think I can count on you, a bunch of trash?”
The powerhouses of the Klein family, once the undisputed leaders of the martial arts world, had all been stationed in their distant castle. The Klein family was now a shadow of its former self, with less than 1% of its former strength remaining. Yet, even in their weakened state, the Klein family still held the title of being at the pinnacle of the martial arts world.