The Million-Dollar Heart

As he rose from his seat, Vance poured a cup of coffee for Percival and continued, "Take the Sheldon family; they're known for their fortune-telling and longevity. The Perez have a knack for telekinesis, and the Martinez? They can communicate with animals. The Abernathys, they can read minds. As for the Grimshaws, I'm not sure about their family secret. But I do know they've stolen something very important from others."

Percival, his curiosity piqued, asked, "What's that?"

"Our family's heirloom technique," Vance revealed. "It allows one to alter a person's meridians without any harm in a very short period of time."

Percival stood up abruptly, his voice cold, "You're saying that the method to alter meridians is your family's?"

Vance noticed Percival's serious demeanor and felt a sense of unease.

It was as if Percival had heard of this technique before.

Vance stood as well, "You don't mean to say you've seen this technique in action?"

Percival nodded, "Recently, Vivienne and I encountered a woman with extraordinary martial abilities. Yet, her meridians seemed no different from an average person."

That day, Percival and Vance discussed many things in the office.

When Percival left, he even took some documents from Vance's drawer with him.

Stepping out into the afternoon sun, Percival thought about everything he had learned and was about to call Vivienne when he saw Arthur approaching.

"War God," he addressed Arthur, clutching the documents from Vance's office. He intended to exchange brief pleasantries and move on.

After all, as someone who had long since resigned from Vanguard Agency, lingering around could stir up trouble.

coolly. He was about to pass by when he remembered that the man before him had been engaged to a lady

your fiancée

father is from the Hawthorn branch of the

relationship with Scott, nor did he reveal her biological father, choosing instead the only father Vivienne

that Percival was withholding something, but he wasn't concerned. He got straight to the

Percival furrowed his

where he had heard it. But as far as he knew, no woman by that name existed in either the Brooks or Hawthorn families, "No, I haven't. Are

to Percival, and this

Percival, he felt a newfound

else, War God?" Percival asked, already inching toward

notice his eagerness to leave and spoke again, "I

brow twitched

among the Linklater family, with Dracon being one of them. Why then did War God seem unaware?

to go on, and he hadn't expected Percival to actually know the Specter Healer. He said, "It's my father. Ever since he was poisoned, his health has been declining. I've heard of

don't you know that my wife treated Yorick's poisoning? She is the Specter

your father a pill she developed, which greatly aids in recovery. If his condition has worsened, perhaps you should consider other causes." Percival rarely spoke so much, but he did now for two reasons: respect for War

eyes suddenly narrowed, and a chill emanated from

Excellent!

behind his father's poisoning and would have taken action if not for

smart enough

"If there's nothing else,