Chapter 280: The Hidden Players
Chapter 280: The Hidden Players
The Hidden Players
Felberta’s androphobia wasn’t simply a psychological issue—it was a genuine condition, one that affected both her mind and her body.
[Just a touch of a finger can cause an allergic reaction. ]
[Isn’t this already the late stage of androphobia? ]
[If it continues like this, she won’t be able to talk to men at all and might have to live in an all-women’s country if she wants to survive. ]
Julian D’Aurelius silently pieced the clues together.
His gaze settled on Felberta Ashbourne’s hand for a brief moment.
The angry red marks were still there.
Even after she had quickly pulled away from Charles Whitmore’s touch, the irritation hadn’t faded in the slightest.
This wasn’t an act.
Nor was it an ordinary allergic reaction.
As the sole inheritor of the complete Miracle Medicine Record, Julian recognized the problem almost instantly.
Her condition ran far deeper than what appeared on the surface.
It wasn’t just her body that was sick.
Her mind and body had become trapped in a vicious cycle, each feeding the other until the condition worsened.
A troublesome illness.
An exceptionally difficult one.
Across the room, Felberta listened quietly as the familiar voice echoed inside her mind.
Her face revealed nothing.
She remained as cold, elegant, and distant as ever.
But beneath that flawless composure, her thoughts were far from calm.
This bizarre phenomenon had happened several times already.
The voice unmistakably belonged to Julian.
Yet throughout the entire time...
His lips hadn’t moved.
Not even once.
The longer she observed him, the more impossible the situation seemed.
And now...
After seeing only a single symptom, he had accurately identified her illness.
Even renowned specialists needed lengthy examinations before arriving at that conclusion.
So...
How did he know?
Could he truly possess extraordinary medical knowledge?
For the briefest moment, a flicker of curiosity surfaced in her crimson eyes.
It vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, buried beneath her usual icy indifference.
Meanwhile, Julian had no idea that Felberta’s attention had quietly shifted toward him.
His thoughts had already moved on to something else entirely.
Specifically—
Toward the two men standing behind her.
The pair stood quietly like bodyguards.
At first glance, they appeared ordinary.
But Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The two men looked somewhat alike.
Clearly brothers.
Yet their appearances created an amusing contrast.
One stood nearly one meter ninety tall.
Broad shoulders.
Powerful build.
Like a human bear.
The other was only slightly above one meter sixty.
Thin.
Compact.
Almost comically small compared to his brother.
Standing together, they looked like characters who had walked out of a comedy show.
But Julian wasn’t laughing.
Because he already knew exactly who they were.
The information provided by the Tyrant System surfaced in his mind.
Black Ghost.
White Ghost.
Two capable subordinates under Steffan.
Both possessed Gold Realm cultivation.
Both were extremely dangerous.
The hall suddenly felt a little smaller.
Julian casually picked up his teacup.
Outwardly calm.
Internally alert.
So Steffan really has his people here.
Interesting.
According to the original storyline, Felberta had traveled to Silverhaven in search of medicinal ingredients for her father’s illness.
Steffan had learned about it in advance.
To ensure nothing unexpected happened, he secretly arranged for Black Ghost and White Ghost to accompany her.
On the surface, they appeared to be ordinary escorts.
In reality, they were already laying the groundwork for Steffan’s future plans.
As Julian observed them, the brothers quietly glanced at him from the corners of their eyes.
Neither dared stare directly.
Their expressions remained calm.
But internally, they were under considerable pressure.
Several days ago, before arriving in Valemont, Steffan had personally warned them.
Be careful of Julian D’Aurelius.
That warning alone had shocked them.
Because Steffan rarely praised anyone.
Yet when discussing Julian, Steffan had admitted something astonishing.
Julian’s strength was on par with his own.
The memory alone caused tension to rise in the brothers’ hearts.
They knew exactly how powerful Steffan was.
They had followed him for years.
Together, the two brothers couldn’t defeat him.
Not even close.
If Steffan himself regarded Julian as an equal...
Then they stood absolutely no chance.
Fortunately.
Judging by Julian’s expression, he didn’t seem to recognize them.
The realization allowed both men to secretly relax.
At least their identities hadn’t been exposed.
For now.
The taller brother subtly shifted his stance.
The shorter brother quietly lowered his gaze.
Neither wanted unnecessary trouble.
At the same time, both men couldn’t help feeling slightly unsettled.
Ever since returning to the country, the Obsidian Wing had encountered setback after setback.
Plans failed.
Operations collapsed.
Hidden arrangements were exposed.
Even Steffan himself had suffered losses.
Before coming here, they had assumed the country would be easy to navigate.
Now they knew better.
Valemont was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
Danger lurked everywhere.
No wonder Steffan had repeatedly instructed them to proceed cautiously.
Meanwhile, while the brothers felt uneasy...
Julian was also somewhat nervous.
These two fools were quite formidable.
Neither side knew the other had already identified them.
Neither side knew exactly how much the other knew.
As a result, the atmosphere became strangely subtle.
A quiet game of deception unfolded beneath the surface.
Nobody spoke.
Yet everyone was evaluating everyone else.
At that moment, Charles Whitmore finally finished reviewing the list in his hands.
His brows furrowed slightly.
He checked it once.
Then twice.
Finally, he looked up toward Felberta.
A trace of apology appeared on his face.
"Sorry, Miss Ashbourne, I have all the other herbs on your list, but the thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng is truly out of stock."
Charles sighed softly before continuing.
"The only one left will arrive in a few days, and Young Master D’Aurelius has already reserved it."
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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!
With love,
Saturn_Virgo_777
Creator of Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System
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