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Heir of the White Lotus (Web Novel) - Chapter 1967: New Team Member
Chapter 1967: New Team Member
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
In the days following Genevieve’s disappearance, Michael began fearing his own shadow.
He spent his days training in the yard, fighting an imaginary enemy. His mind was all over the place, and he could barely sleep at night, thinking someone might kill him in his sleep.
If it was any consolation, he acted out his part quite well. Whenever someone came to him, asking about Genevieve, he would always say to them:
"Bah! She wouldn’t listen to a word I say! A rebel, that one! Good riddance, I say!"
People cast him strange glances. But Michael did not care. If what he believed was true, then he had to build the impression that he wasn’t that close to Genevieve.
But he worried for her.
Michael didn’t know what happened to her, and why she had suddenly left the City Hall in the dead of the night. It was completely unlike her to do such a thing.
He began to suspect the upper echelons of the City Hall. But on the surface, he was full of gratitude toward them for keeping the place safe from monsters.
As time passed, he built good rapport with those around him — Leah and his teammates included. But with the passing of time, something became more and more clear.
I’m the only one left, he thought to himself with a bitter smile.
He sat on the terrace beneath the shade of the eaves, watching people harvest vegetables from the hydroponic farm. The muted sunlight fell across his face, which could hardly conceal his grief.
Kara and Koby, dead.
Darren... he might as well be dead.
Adam, dead.
And now, Genevieve...
He let out a heavy sigh.
I’m the only one left from our traveling party.
If a few months ago, someone had said to him that he’d be the only person alive from the party which consisted of heavy-hitters like Adam, Genevieve, Kara, and Darren, he would have scoffed.
But the reality was different.
Michael retrieved a tiny portrait from his inner pocket. Its color had mostly faded, and its edges had worn out with the passage of time.
It depicted a dashing young woman standing beside a young man who looked remarkably like Esmond Greene.
It was a portrait of Esmond from his youth. And the woman beside him was the very person he had asked the travel party to find and rescue in this secret plane.
Michael let out a heavy sigh, thinking to himself, So much has happened since we arrived here that I totally forgot about the true objective of our mission.
With no one else alive, I suppose that duty falls to me.
He smiled bitterly. He really felt alone.
These ’friends’ here, he didn’t see them as friends at all. As long as that shadow of doubt remained, that Genevieve’s disappearance and death had something to do with the council, he would never truly trust anyone in the City Hall. He felt like a sheep among wolves.
Worst still, he couldn’t even leave the pack if he intended to remain alive.
In the past few days, he had asked around regarding the whereabouts of this woman in the portrait, but no one seemed to have an answer.
Judging by how old Esmond and Channing were, Michael believed this woman in the portrait must have fallen into this cursed place over a thousand years ago.
Could she even be alive? A thousand years was a long time, after all.
Michael doubted it.
But he still tried to find clues. He didn’t have any hope of coming across this person. The only reason he was even looking around for her was that it was the only thing that helped him keep his mind off the darkness and loneliness he felt in this place.
The sound of footsteps came from the distance. Michael had already sensed the familiar figures approaching him. He put the portrait away inside his tunic and looked up.
"Who’s that? Your lover waiting for you back at home? You know you’re not going back home to her, boy."
Meji, one of the elves in his team, couldn’t help but taunt him.
Michael looked at him and scoffed. "It’s your mother. I miss her dearly. You got a problem with that, boy?"
Meji’s expression instantly darkened. "You—"
"Please, not again." Dell interrupted them.
Within the team, Michael and Meji never got along with one another. They were like oil and water. It always fell upon Dell to mediate between the two as he was good friends with both.
Dell turned to Michael with a helpless smile and said, "The Captain’s summoned us."
With a light grunt, Michael got to his feet. "New mission?"
"Aye." Dell nodded.
The three made their way down the stairs, toward the training yard.
"Inside the city?" Michael asked.
"No, this one’s beyond the walls."
"Can I choose not to go?" Michael felt his scalp tingle.
The city was already so dangerous, and the higher-ups had them scout different regions almost every day. He truly didn’t want to go to a place where the danger level was many times higher.
"Craven!" Dell spat in contempt.
Michael scoffed. "Fuck you too!"
"You’d have to ask Captain that," Dell smoothly interjected. "Though, I doubt she’s going to let you sit this one out."
Michael cursed inwardly. Why couldn’t he water the plants and grow crops on the terrace? At least, that way, there was a significant chance of not dying.
Hell, he wouldn’t even mind cooking and cleaning.
But venturing out beyond the city walls?
He recalled the days spent in the caves in the wildlands and couldn’t help but shudder. He also remembered Kars’s silly jokes, Genevieve’s polite smile, Koby’s food, and Adam’s strange laughter. When he thought of his dead friends, he couldn’t help but sigh dejectedly.
They finally arrived at the training yard. Leah was already waiting for them.
After briefly introducing their mission, she said, "I’ll give you the details once our new team member arrives."
Dell perked up. "Finally, a new member!"
"Yes." Leah nodded. "Unfortunately, he’s also a Paladin like us. And he’s just recently joined the City Hall."
Magi were rare even in the City Hall. Every time a new Magus arrived, the existing hunting parties would do their best to recruit them to fill any empty spots. A Magus, after all, was far more versatile than a Paladin.
Michael lost interest. He didn’t care if it was a Paladin, or if it was someone who had only recently arrived at the City Hall.
The only thing he cared about was that this newcomer was Genevieve’s replacement.
And one he thought of that, he thought of his other friends, who now lay dead in this wretched secret plane.
He let out another heavy sigh.
"Ah, there he is."
Leah’s voice drew his attention.
Michael looked toward the entrance of the training yard, not expecting much. But when his gaze landed on the newcomer, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"It’s you!!"
