The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

"Don't forget, it was us who watched that plane blow up and plummet into the ocean, with not a soul left alive. The boss himself checked it out. How could Percival possibly have survived that and swum back from the depths?" Mrs. Thompson, the wife of Mayor Thompson, voiced her disagreement with the emerging theory. "And with Sebastian being around us for so many years, we would've been the first to notice anything off. You know it as well as I do, don't you?"

She couldn't wrap her head around the idea that Sebastian could have been replaced by Percival. It seemed utterly implausible.

"Remember, this is the boss's orders. You said it yourself; we can't go against him. Whether it's true or not, we've got to look into it, just to be safe," Mayor Thompson, adjusted the documents Connor had sent over and stepped out of the room. As he descended the stairs, he saw Sebastian walking down the corridor towards him.

Pondering over the recent events, he followed Mrs. Thompson towards Sebastian.

Sebastian had noticed the two from early on but chose to remain silent as they approached.

Mayor Thompson, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, stepped forward. "Sebastian, what are you doing out here?"

Sebastian, not turning to face him, responded indifferently, "Something on your mind?"

This casual demeanor was typical of Sebastian, making Mayor Thompson's blood boil. "You're not usually one to bask in the sun, now, are you?"

"What sun?" Sebastian's glance was filled with disdain.

The sky was overcast all day, yet Mayor Thompson was spouting nonsense.

Changing the subject without a hitch, Mayor Thompson asked, "Did the master and his apprentice come to detoxify you today?"

"Not yet," Sebastian answered truthfully.

"And when do they usually do it?"

It seemed Sebastian's patience was wearing thin with Mayor Thompson's prying, as he sharply withdrew his gaze, "Aren't you more aware of this than I am? Why play dumb?"

After leaving Mr. and Mrs. Thompson's presence, Sebastian's mood was evidently soured, visible even from his back.

"I told you, no one could mimic his exact attitude to death itself!" Mrs. Thompson fumed as they watched Sebastian walk away.

Mayor Thompson didn't agree this time, his gaze lingering on Sebastian, deep in thought.

"We must continue our investigation. We can't afford to overlook anything that might spoil the boss's plans. Whether it's Sebastian or Percival, they're both dead men walking!"

As Vivienne left Carly's house, she spotted Mayor Thompson accompanied by several people, including Gregg.

His usual demeanor had shifted to a welcoming smile as he addressed Vivienne, "Dropping off some medicine for Carly?"

Vivienne nodded, her expression serene, turning to leave before Mayor Thompson could continue.

However, Mayor Thompson wasn't about to let her off so easily, signaling his men to block her path. Vivienne's aura instantly turned icy, "What's this about?"

Despite having encountered her formidable presence before, Mayor Thompson still found himself intimidated by Vivienne's aura, causing him to falter before speaking, "You claim to be a disciple of the Thousand-Hands Heater, yet it's always you solving the problems. Are you hiding something?"

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Vivienne scoffed, her laugh making Mayor Thompson momentarily lost for words.

After a brief glance, Vivienne left, leaving Mayor Thompson to stew in his frustration, "Why didn't you stop her? Have you all forgotten why I called you here?!"

Gregg and the others were at a loss for words; how could they stop someone they couldn't even touch, their attempts to reach her failing before they could even graze a hair?

The mere thought of confronting her sent shivers down Gregg's spine; this woman was terrifying beyond belief.

Back in her room, Vivienne immediately sensed something was amiss; someone had been there and had tampered with her belongings.

Thinking they had covered their

tracks well, Vivienne smirked,

deciding to play along. Sitting in front of a potted plant, she pulled out a notebook, browsing and jotting down notes, treating it with great

Card

before hiding it away as if it

contained secrets.

Mayor Thompson, watching from afar, narrowed his eyes, "I knew it; there's something off about that girl!"

Mrs. Thompson,

Mayor Thompson's wife, had never thought of installing a mini surveillance system in their room, and she certainly didn't expect to stumble upon such critical information the very day it was set up.

"Let's go over there tomorrow whenCcontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

she's out and grab that thing. If she's

hiding something important, we

could really make a name for ourselves," Mayor Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, said, a determined glint in her eye. It seemed like everything was going according to her plan.

After showing them exactly what they wanted to see, Vivienne cut off the feed.

Late into the night, Vivienne shared the day's findings with Percival. "This is what Carly's been up to these past few days. They're hiding people deep in the woods. We need to step it up."

"Did they try to test you today?" Vivienne asked, turning to Percival. Upon receiving his affirmative nod, she smirked devilishly. "They sure are getting impatient. We can't afford to waste any more time."

"Alright, I'll follow your lead," Percival said, planting a kiss on Vivienne's cheek before they took advantage of the night to reach the fork in the road Carly had marked on the map.

It was just the two of them this time. The moment Draven received the message, he had his men encircle Luck Village, making it impenetrable. Trucks loaded with explosives were being sent to designated locations. "Everything awaits the young master's order!" Draven looked towards Luck Village as the last truck of explosives arrived. The moving red dots on the monitor made his heart race.

Vivienne and Percival were about to cross a small creek when they heard footsteps from behind. They exchanged glances and hid in the bushes.

The voices grew louder as they approached, and Vivienne listened intently to their conversation.

"I wonder when the boss will make his move. It's really exhausting, especially having to watch out for wild animals. Haven't all the women been rounded up? Why hasn't he acted yet?"

"Well, although we've got all the women, apparently the last two key individuals are still at large. But we're closing in on them, should be just a few more days. Hang in there!"

Their voices faded away, and only when they could no longer be heard did Vivienne and Percival emerge from their hiding spot.

What did they mean by the last two individuals?

Vivienne felt like they were missing a piece of the puzzle.