After the bearded master left the manor, something kept nagging at him.
"Wait… did I just reveal my identity without meaning to?"
He thought about Ethan's strange smirks and teasing attitude, and the more he thought, the more convinced he became—Ethan had probably guessed who he was.
That whole "free lesson" routine? It wasn't a mistake. That smug attitude from Ethan? Clearly, it was meant to get under his skin.
Now, if his identity really had been exposed, organization protocol demanded a report, and once headquarters found out, they would definitely contact Ethan.
They'd have two choices: either force Ethan to sign a secrecy agreement, or directly recruit him into the organization.
The bearded master remembered Ethan's performance in the livestream not long ago. Based on that, Ethan definitely had the strength and potential to join. But would he actually say yes?
He also recalled how Ethan clung to life in that recent fight, practically hugging his insurance contract like a lifeline. That kid probably wasn't eager to dive into danger.
The bearded master sighed. "He'll probably reject the offer."
But then he frowned.
"Still... I've suffered way too many losses in this kid's hands."
That smug little face kept replaying in his head.
Besides, if Ethan could be tricked into attending Ravenshade University, he might fall under the bearded master's mentorship. And that... would be the perfect chance.
"If I become his mentor, I'll train him however I want!"
He remembered the other students he had mentored. Most had been scared off by his intense teaching style, running for their lives. But Ethan? He wanted to see if this little guy would panic too.
An idea struck him. Ethan didn't know how the organization operated. Maybe he could make the organization sound a little... darker.
Just enough to scare Ethan into joining.
"If you don't join... we'll come for you. We'll eliminate you. You'll have no choice but to agree."
With a mischievous glint in his eyes, the bearded master called his subordinates to pick him up. Then, with no effort at all—since the manor was in a remote part of town—he easily intercepted the ride Ethan had ordered.
As soon as Ethan entered the car, he grinned and said, "Wow! What a coincidence, Ace Mentor. You promised if we met again, I'd get a free ride. You're not going to break your word, are you?"
The bearded master's blood pressure spiked immediately.
"This brat's still hung up on the cab fare?!"
But now wasn't the time to argue. His main goal was to get Ethan talking and figure out what the boy really knew.
So he played it cool.
"Haha, yeah, what a coincidence. What were you doing at the City Lord's mansion, anyway?"
Ethan replied without missing a beat. "Reporting illegal private car charges."
"..."
"Wait—what?"
The bearded master coughed. "C-City Lord? Aren't you going to look into this?"
He had tried to change the topic, but Ethan's next words hit like a truck.
"I noticed the City Lord's car speeding back just now. Looked serious. Maybe something's going on inside?"
He nodded to himself. "Good to know the City Lord cares about road regulations."
The bearded master silently screamed.
"This kid's heart is way too black. You're really reporting me for charging you one extra gold?!"
Seeing his tactic had failed, he changed strategy.
"I saw your livestream ranking earlier," he said. "You did pretty well—first place, right?"
He leaned closer. "You're a beast master, right? What summoned beast are you using now?"
"Last time you used my favor to earn three million—did you buy a new summoned beast? What kind?"
This time, he had turned off the ride-sharing app's voice notifications—so Ethan couldn't "coincidentally" report him for chatting with passengers.
The bearded master stared at Ethan intensely, watching for any sign of discomfort.
But Ethan was just quietly tapping away on his phone.
A traffic jam slowed them down.
The bearded master leaned over, casually peeking at Ethan's screen—only to see the words:
"City Lord's Mansion Complaint Box: Report for illegal vehicle charges, talking to passengers, and more."
Blood pressure... rising... again.
"Alright, new strategy!"
He cleared his throat and said, "Didn't I mention before that I'm the ace tutor at Ravenshade University?"
"How about it—want to enroll? I can train you myself."
Ethan stayed silent.
So the bearded master went all in. "I'll be honest. I'm Level 67. A third-turn SS-Class Martial Arts Master. If you stay with me, no one in Ravenshade will be able to touch you."
"Things might get messy in the city soon. It'd be much safer if you became my student."
The meaning was clear: Ethan was being watched now. Joining the bearded master might be his only way out.
But Ethan just shook his head. "No thanks. I've got options. The principal of Shanghai University is from my hometown. I've already decided to stick with her."
The bearded master froze.
He had heard of Shanghai University's principal. Not only was she from Ravenshade, but she was an SSS-Class professional—a rank that held undeniable power and authority.
Ethan claiming a connection with her… might not be a bluff.
In fact, it sounded perfectly logical.
"This brat has serious backup?"
Even the bearded master had to admit—if Ethan had the principal's support, there was no need for him to be intimidated by secret organizations or hidden threats.
"Is this kid trying to warn me off? That I shouldn't try anything shady?"
If that was the case, he'd done a perfect job.
For a brief moment, the bearded master even considered ripping off his disguise and revealing the truth.
After all, most people begged to join the organization.
If he hadn't personally verified Ethan's background and seen Ethan's real combat strength in that morning battle, he would never have believed this random teen had the qualifications to enter.
The bearded master thought back to his own entry into the organization. He had to fight tooth and nail to get where he was.
But Ethan? With a single connection, he could skip the line.
It didn't seem fair.
The bearded master was steaming.
If Ethan really went to Shanghai University, there would be no chance to train him anymore.
"No! I can't let that happen!"
Just as he was about to speak up and spill everything—
Ethan glanced out the window and casually said, "Hey... shouldn't traffic be moving by now?"
The bearded master paused.
Ethan continued, "It's not the weekend. Not downtown. And this part of Ravenshade is usually quiet."
"Why are all the cars stopped?"
Silence.
That's when it hit the bearded master like a thunderclap.
"Wait... how could there be a traffic jam here at this time?"
He looked around. The road ahead was still. Too still.
Not just one car—but everything had gone silent.
And the surrounding air... felt wrong.
"Oh no."
Ethan looked over, smiling.
"Ace Mentor... still think this is just a coincidence?"
---
To be continued...
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