The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 198. Investigation

Chapter 198: 198. Investigation

Mana’s father, Vale Redwood, and her uncle, Valir Redwood, were the sons of the infamous Redwood Pirates, a feared pirate couple who terrorized the seas for years. Their parents had discovered a mysterious treasure containing clues about a secret known as the "Orion Project." However, the cost of this discovery was their lives.

After their death, Vale chose to follow in their footsteps, taking over as captain of the Redwood Pirates. He vowed to continue their legacy, seeking the truth behind the Orion Project. In contrast, Valir refused to follow the same path. He turned away from the pirate life and decided to settle in their hometown, wanting a quiet life far from the chaos of the sea.

Despite being born at sea, Mana always considered her father’s hometown her own as well. She spent her childhood traveling with Vale across the oceans, learning the ways of pirates and adventure, but she held a deep connection to the Redwood homeland where her uncle Valir lived. She only met them during her childhood.

After returning to the island, Mana was filled with excitement and hope, eager to reunite with her uncle Valir and his family. She flew swiftly through the familiar streets, her heart racing as she approached the family home. But when she arrived, something was wrong. Instead of the warmth of her uncle’s embrace or the familiar faces she had expected, she found strangers living in the house.

Confusion and shock hit her all at once. Mana didn’t confront the occupants or investigate further, her instincts telling her something was terribly wrong. Instead, she used her powers to possess a random woman walking down the street. Speaking through the woman’s mouth, she inquired about the Redwood family.

The new owner of the house revealed the devastating truth: "The Redwood family was targeted by the Woodcutter Association. They were punished for their crimes and banished from the island. After that, they disappeared."

Mana’s heart sank. She released the woman from her control, her mind swirling with disbelief. The news of her family’s exile hit her harder than she expected. Unsure of what to do, she rushed back to Tyler, tears forming in her eyes. But she saw a place that she used to play when she was little. She just stood there watched the moon. Tyler and the girls came to Mana. Mana unconsciously turned into her actual form.

"Mana," Tyler called out, his voice carrying across the cool night breeze.

She turned around, revealing her true form—no longer the small, mischievous devil-child but a tall, graceful figure. Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran toward Tyler, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. For a moment, Tyler felt awkward, realizing that in her true form, Mana was now taller than him. But despite the oddness of the hug, he gently patted her back, his concern overriding everything else.

"What happened?" Tyler asked softly, feeling the weight of her distress.

Mana pulled back slightly, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears. "Something happened to my uncle’s family," she whispered, her voice shaking.

This was the first time Tyler had ever heard young Mana speak in her original form, and it struck him how different she sounded—more mature, more vulnerable.

She didn’t use her usual illeism either.

Tyler listened carefully, his expression serious. He understood the gravity of the situation. Now, their next goal was clear—they needed to find out what truly happened to Valir and his family, and uncover any clues that could lead them to the truth.

Tyler held Mana tighter, sensing her trembling. "We’ll figure this out," he assured her, glancing at Lily, Astrid, and Silvia. "No matter what happens, you’re not alone.

As Mana wiped her eyes, Zuzia, the dragon in her adorable cat form, crawled onto Mana’s shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. It was a small gesture, but it brought a fleeting smile to Mana’s face, the warmth of Zuzia’s affection giving her some comfort.

"I’ll take care of it," Lily said after a moment, her expression hardening as she stepped forward. She knew what had to be done. "I’ll find out everything we need to know about the Woodcutter Association and what they did to your family."

Without wasting any time, Lily slipped away into the shadows, her skill in gathering information unmatched. The Woodcutter Association was notorious on Cedar Island, one of the top powers with immense control over the cedar trade. If anyone could uncover their secrets, it would be her.

The rest of the day passed slowly for Tyler and the others. Mana remained quiet, lost in her thoughts, while Tyler stayed close, trying to reassure her with his presence.

By evening, Lily returned to the mansion, "I’ve paid off the local guilds and got us some solid leads," she announced. "We’ll know more by tomorrow."

Tyler’s eyes narrowed as he processed the news. "Good work, Lily. Tomorrow, we get to the bottom of this."

They all knew it wouldn’t be easy, but Tyler and the crew were ready.

That night, as the mansion was enveloped in darkness, two shadowy figures slipped inside. Their movements were careful, deliberate, expertly avoiding all the Detection Alarm Arrays Tyler had set up. Both wore long cloaks, their faces hidden, and short knives hung at their waists, glinting in the faint moonlight. They crept through the halls, their footsteps silent.

But just as they reached the main corridor, a soft, unexpected noise caught their attention.

Chomp chomp.

The intruders froze and slowly turned to find a small girl with dragon horns, holding a plate of steak. Zuzia, oblivious to their shock, was eating the steak sneakily, her cheeks puffed up as she stared at them.

For a moment, nothing happened. Zuzia simply continued to chew, her eyes meeting theirs.

Chomp.

Suddenly, Zuzia flinched and tried to hide the plate behind her when a tentacle wrapped around her waist, gently pulling her back.

"I t-told you not to steal food," came Taka’s deep voice as he appeared from the shadows, reprimanding her like a scolding parent. But as soon as he saw the two strangers standing in the hallway, his eyes widened.

"Let’s kill them," one of the intruders muttered, drawing his knife. Aura gathered around their blades as they prepared to strike.

Without hesitation, they hurled the knives toward Taka, but before they could reach him, another tentacle shot out and effortlessly caught the blades in mid-air.

"Seriously? Using a k-knife at m-me?" Taka chuckled, shaking his head. "Heh..."

Before the intruders could react, his tentacles moved with lightning speed, binding both of them. They struggled in vain as Taka easily disarmed them. With a swift flick of his knife, their cloaks and masks were torn away, revealing their faces.

A tentacle gently covered Zuzia’s eyes. "Y-you shouldn’t see this," Taka said in a protective tone.

"Hehe... V-Vice Captain Lily’s training really made me s-stronger," Taka smiled smugly, proud of his growth.

"You did well," came Lily’s voice from the darkness as she stepped into the hallway. Taka’s tentacles tightened, and the two intruders slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Lily gave Taka a nod of approval. "We’ll find out who sent them. But first, let’s make sure there aren’t more lurking around."

Taka grinned and blushed. He is little shy when people complimented him.

The next day, Tyler woke up, feeling the warmth of the morning sun seeping through the windows of the mansion. He stretched and got out of bed, ready to discuss last night’s events with Lily. As he entered the common room, he saw her lounging comfortably, a satisfied smirk on her face.

"So, your plan was to make some noise and let the enemy make the first move?" Tyler asked, piecing together what had transpired. He realized that Lily’s decision to openly gather information the previous night wasn’t careless—it was intentional, designed to bait the enemy into action.

"Hehe..." Lily responded with a sly grin, clearly pleased with how things had unfolded.

Tyler leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "Did you get any information from those guys?" he asked, knowing Lily wouldn’t have gone through all that trouble without a reason.

Lily nodded, her expression becoming serious. "Turns out, the assassins weren’t from the Woodcutter Association like we thought. They were sent by the Adventure Guild itself."

Tyler’s eyes narrowed. "The Adventure Guild? Why would they get involved?"

"They must have their reasons, but it doesn’t change the fact that they made a move against us," Lily said, her voice cold and calculating.

Tyler raised an eyebrow, his hand already moving to the hilt of his sword. "Should we pay them a visit? Maybe send a message?"

Lily shook her head, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "No need for that. We’ll ask them for information like nothing happened. Let’s keep them guessing about what we know. Besides, if they sent assassins, they’re hiding something valuable. Let’s figure out what it is first."

Tyler grinned, already anticipating the game she was about to play. "You’ve got something planned, don’t you?"

Lily smiled, standing up and walking past him. "Of course. But patience, Captain. We’ll have our answers soon enough."

As Tyler watched her walk away, he couldn’t help but feel Little confused. The Defective personality of Lily is vanishing little by little. Tyler doesn’t know if it is good thing or bad thing. He sighed and decided to Focus on Mana’s matter.