Chapter 69: Traitor (2)
Sector One, Inner District. Grey’s Mansion.
Time passed by swiftly, and it was already the next day. After spending some time with his family, he came back to his mansion, one to speak with Eterna, and two, to solidify his foundation.
After using the Death Ascension Art, his foundation had become extremely unstable. Luckily, he took his time and stabilized it, or else he could’ve kissed his chances of reaching the 2nd Rank goodbye.
Grey was still sleeping. However, just then, an alarming sound rang within his mind and he groggily woke up with a yawn.
"Where did this alarm come from?" Grey mumbled in annoyance.
He definitely didn’t set an alarm himself.
However, he soon had his answer. Eterna had magically manifested within his interface.
"Grey," Eterna said, her tone solemn. "You need to run. Leave Nova City immediately. It’s no longer safe."
"Hm?" Grey tilted his head as he got up from his bed. "What happened to you all of a sudden?"
"There is no time for questions," Eterna replied. "Check the news feed. Leave now or you’ll die. Current projections show a zero percent survival rate if you stay. Even I cannot change that."
Grey didn’t move immediately. Instead, he swiftly opened Starling and entered Nova City’s Local News Site.
Immediately, several news feeds popped up on his screen.
[Potential Mastermind? Evolver Grey Lockhart Revealed as High Order Member — Cold-Bloodedly Murders the Duskwood Family’s Descendant, Cedric.]
[The Duskwood Family Demands Justice! An Elite Squad Dispatched to Hunt Grey Lockhart.]
[Duskwood Family Places a Bounty of 50,000 Union Credits on Grey Lockhart — Dead or Alive!]
[WANTED — Grey Lockhart, Age 17...]
And below it was a video of Grey killing Cedric while wearing the demeanor of a High Order member.
Seeing this, Grey frowned.
"Is that... me?"
"I didn’t think they would go this far." Grey had a solemn look on his face.
The news article already had over a million views, meaning almost every citizen in Nova City had seen it.
[He deserves death! That bastard killed someone from the Duskwood Family!]
[Wasn’t he a student from Nova-5 High? I heard he wasn’t a good person]
[He killed Cedric Duskwood. That’s already a death sentence by itself!]
[Someone said the Duskwood Family dispatched the Elite Evolvers of the family! Run all you want, Grey Lockhart, you’ll still die!]
[If I see him, I’ll report him immediately! I want those 50k Union Credits!]
[People like him shouldn’t exist. The High Order should be wiped out completely!]
[He probably planned the entire High Order attack! He’s a spy who infiltrated the city!]
[City Lord Liebert, what are you doing? The citizens are demanding justice!]
[Justice?! I lost my brother in that battle! That scum should be executed publicly!]
[No wonder the corruption field erupted like that. It was all planned!]
[People like him hide in plain sight, they could be anyone, even your neighbor!]
[Can someone track his signal? Someone from the Tech Division, locate him!]
[Why hasn’t the Federation announced anything yet? Are they trying to protect him?!]
[If the City Lord protects that murderer, he’s no better than the High Order themselves!]
[Execute him! Execute him! Execute him!]
Comments poured in like a flood, most filled with anger, confusion, and hatred toward the High Order. And with no real target to direct their rage at, the civilians of Nova City cursed Grey Lockhart, who was now officially identified as a High Order member.
Grey stared at the screen for a long time. The bright headlines and hateful remarks reflected in his eyes, each word echoing in his mind.
He neither frowned nor sighed. His expression didn’t change.
"...So this is how they want to play it," he murmured quietly.
"I expected retaliation from the Duskwood Family, but I never thought they would go this far." Grey spoke softly and sighed. "There goes my dream of living a calm, quiet life and developing quietly."
As he watched the comments pour in, Grey realized one thing—his normal life was over. Starting today, everything would change completely.
"It’s likely an illusion crafted by a High Order illusionist. Because of that, I cannot confirm whether it’s true or false," Eterna’s voice echoed in his mind. "We could try putting the videos you captured into the corruption field using the leftover drones."
"It’s useless." Grey sneered. "Who do you think they will believe? Me, a nobody with no background, or the Duskwood family that has stood for years as Nova City’s so-called protectors and backbone? The answer is obvious."
"There’s no time to waste." Grey clicked his tongue and swiftly made his way to the wardrobe.
This mansion was under the radar of the three families. It had risen suddenly without prior notice, and there was no information about its owner. If they were to begin searching, they would definitely start with a place like this.
And being eerily close to the three big families was also not a good option. It was like letting himself be caught on purpose.
He had to leave Nova City. There was no place for him here anymore.
Starting today, Grey Lockhart would be a criminal.
At the same time, numerous notifications began flooding his interface—missed calls from both Richard and, surprisingly, Alissa as well. There was even a missed call from Evan.
But he didn’t have the time to answer their calls. And he probably wouldn’t be able to speak to them for a very long time after this.
He swiftly packed all his clothes inside the mansion with a calm yet cold expression and left without turning back.
His next destination was the Outer Ring. From there, he would enter the deep forest and leave the Tri-City Province entirely. Blue Spirit City and Crimson City weren’t safe either, as they were both directly connected to Nova City.
He would flee to the very ends of the Southern Region.
He dashed through the streets, his figure flickering as he passed through Sector One, then Two, Three, and Four. With no taxi willing to pick him up and every public transport system on high alert because of the bounty, there was only one option left: run.
He emptied one energy potion after another, feeling the burning surge of energy coursing through his veins, yet he didn’t stop, not even for a breath.
Only when the towering walls of Sector Six came into view did he finally slow his pace.
He stood there quietly, overlooking the residential area in the distance.
He knew the news had already reached Richard and Alissa.
Part of him wanted, just for a moment, to tell them he wasn’t in the wrong. That everything was a setup.
But no amount of words could change anything now. Not until he dragged the real culprits into the light.
And besides, time was no longer a luxury he possessed.
On the way here, he had crossed paths with countless low-level Duskwood family members. He avoided them without alerting them and successfully made it to the outer sectors.
As long as he crossed Nova City’s final boundary, he would be beyond their jurisdiction.
However––
Grey’s expression suddenly changed.
Several powerful auras exploded around the area like a tightening net, each one belonging to a late-stage first-rank evolver, most likely at the eighth or ninth level.
A dozen figures burst forward and landed heavily on the road ahead, their footsteps cracking the pavement beneath them.
Each of them wore a combat uniform marked with a black bird insignia.
The symbol of the Duskwood Family.
"It’s him! Grey Lockhart!"