[Little master, little master! Wake up, please wake up!]
Leo was frantically screaming within Joshua's subconscious. His only function was to relay the script and transport Joshua across different worlds. He couldn't detect that there had been a sedative in Joshua's food, nor could he save Joshua in critical moments like this.
He needed to find a way to contact Lord Adonis, but he was afraid that if he left, Joshua might encounter danger that he wouldn't be aware of… Still thinking about how the longer Joshua remained trapped, the more dangerous it would become, Leo finally decided and went straight to find Adonis!
At this moment, in the old residence of the William family—
Mr. William had never expected that one day, Adonis would come to him willingly. But based on what his people had observed, he had already guessed the reason for Adonis' visit.
Adonis looked at Mr. William with cold eyes. Before he could say anything, Mr. William spoke first:
"No need to question me. I would never harm my son and certainly never harm my grandson."
Mr. William was now over fifty years old and looked frailer than others, even though he didn't have to do manual labor. Wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes, his forehead, and the sides of his mouth.
He had foolishly spent his youth chasing after the woman he loved, only to lose her. As a result, their only son never wanted to see his father again.
Thinking of this, a sorrowful expression surfaced on Mr. William's face. But Adonis wasn't concerned with any of that. Facing the father who had driven his mother to death, he truly wanted nothing to do with him—no matter what his mother might have meant to him.
Throughout his childhood, neither parent had been present. They were too busy "fighting" with each other. Ultimately, one left, leaving behind a curse that still haunts him today.
He looked at Mr. William, still not fully trusting him. It wasn't that he outright suspected the man, but the William family was massive—there were always people doing things beyond Mr. William's knowledge.
Right then, Mr. William suddenly let out a faint smile and said:
"I'm sure you've already guessed some of this, which shows you understand where you and Joshua stand. Adonis, you're not a fool—I've always known that. I also know you're willing to make compromises for Joshua's sake. I can tell you how you look at him—you truly love that child."
Adonis looked at Mr. William and said nothing.
Mr. William continued slowly:
"I'm truly getting old now. I want to spend the rest of my life mourning your mother. I need someone to inherit this entire family—and you've always been my top choice. Say yes, and you'll have full access to the William family's power to do things like, say, search for Joshua."
Adonis had never cared for the William family. To him, this place only brought nightmares.
But the fog clouding his vision had started to lift since Joshua appeared. He now understood where the absolute nightmare had come from. He still doesn't like Mr. William, but he also realizes that power is never destructive, especially when it comes to Joshua.
He wanted Joshua to grow up in peace and happiness. This public-facing job of his no longer suited him.
"Fine," Adonis replied slowly.
His answer was so decisive that Mr. William couldn't help but be surprised. After all, in the past, he could barely get more than two sentences out of Adonis. Every time inheritance was brought up, Adonis would walk away immediately.
But now, his gaze was calm and sharp—like someone who had finally figured out what he wanted. As if this were the first time he'd ever been truly clearheaded.
Mr. William suddenly laughed:
"Good. Very good. That's my son. Find Joshua. Bring my grandson home—and deal with those who covet things that were never theirs."
Mr. William had already gotten wind of something.
Robert's anger was never unjustified—because the truth was clear:
In Mr. William's eyes, the only son that ever mattered was the one born from the woman he had loved so passionately.
Robert's presence in the family was only to help with work, like a tool. As long as he was useful, he had a place. But the moment he couldn't be useful anymore, discarding him wouldn't be a problem at all.
"Mewww! Meww!"
As soon as Adonis stepped out of the William family's mansion, he heard a loud, shrill cat cry—so intense it didn't even sound like a cat anymore.
He looked back and saw Leo—its long fur now matted together, its paws stained with dirt—staring up at him with wide eyes, crying out relentlessly. And yet, Adonis could see the urgency in its gaze at this very moment.
As if responding to some instinct, a strange and powerful sense of trust suddenly surged within Adonis.
"Let's go."
He spoke, then got into his car, with the cat dashing out ahead at an astonishing speed. At the same time, Adonis also called his people—he didn't believe the police would listen to his logic and go chasing after a cat. Even to him, this all felt a bit wild.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned house on the mountainside—
Zarukel was pacing anxiously around Joshua, who still lay unconscious on the ground. The boy's eyes held a chill—far too cold for someone his age.
Eventually, thinking that Joshua might get cold lying on the floor, Zarukel sat down and embraced him. Joshua's petite frame was completely enveloped in his arms. Yes, Joshua was tiny—just a child. How could anyone be cruel enough to kidnap such a pitiful little kid?
As Zarukel gently stroked Joshua's hair, he glanced down at the small watch on his wrist. It was equipped with a locator. He could only hope that the Curtis family would hurry up. With Joshua still unconscious like this, Zarukel was genuinely starting to panic.
"Both these brats look decent—just one look, and you can tell they come from rich families. Are we gonna kill them? Can't we at least get some ransom money?"
A man's voice rang out, rough and hoarse, dripping with greed.
Another, deeper voice replied:
"We already got paid—a lot! Don't get greedy. Just follow the boss's orders."
The others had no choice but to obey this man. He seemed to be their leader.
Then another voice spoke up hesitantly:
"But... we're going to kill two kids?"
Someone scoffed:
"Come on, after all the things we've done, and you're scared of this?"
"No, it's just... they're kids..."
"Shut it. If you have a conscience, you won't get to eat."
Someone said, followed by a burst of loud, mocking laughter.
They were speaking just outside the warehouse. Their voices rang out boldly, utterly unafraid of the two children hearing them. And why would they be? What could a couple of kids possibly do?
Besides, just looking at the one who had paid them, anyone could tell he was someone with serious power—he had managed to arrange the kidnapping without leaving a trace. But still, the thought of actually killing two children left even them feeling slightly uneasy.
The leader spoke in a low voice:
"Forget it. Let's take them far away, dump them somewhere, and let fate decide. Or sell them to some poor village that doesn't have sons—at least we'll still make money."
He said this, and no one objected.
They were even getting ready to move out within thirty minutes.