"Charles?"
Grayson's eyes flickered, a subtle tension creeping into his expression.
Surprised, yet not entirely unprepared.
The Li family of Magic City—now known as the Grierson family—was linked to the Lu family of the Ironwood Empire through marriage.
Twenty years ago, Li brook, head of the Griersons, had married into a distant branch of Grayson's clan.
Their union had produced a son: Charles.
By strict family hierarchy, Grayson, though younger by two years, held a higher seniority and stronger bloodline.
As such, Charles was expected to call him "uncle."
But Grayson had never cared much for titles.
He and Charles had grown up treating each other more like brothers than anything else.
After Grayson arrived in Magic City, Charles had been his primary liaison, managing his accommodations, smoothing his entry into local society, and naturally—arranging all manner of less respectable entertainment.
Late nights.
Brothel visits.
Drunken revelry.
They had shared many reckless memories.
On the surface, their relationship was close—tied by both blood and friendship.
But now...
Now, doubt clouded Grayson's mind.
The second Villain Simulation had exposed something unsettling.
When he was ambushed last time, how had the assassins found his exact location so easily?
Why had no one from the Grierson family come to his aid during the bloody chaos?
It didn't add up.
Not unless the Griersons themselves were part of the conspiracy.
Zhao Kun and the Zhao family might have just been pawns.
Disposable scapegoats.
The true mastermind?
The Grierson family—his supposed in-laws.
And now Charles had arrived at his door, smiling pleasantly.
[At this moment, you were instantly on guard.
In your heart, suspicions about the Grierson family solidified.]
[The timing of Charles' arrival confirmed your fears: the enemy was about to make their next move.]
Grayson hesitated only a moment before deciding how to proceed.
He would play along.
Observe.
Learn.
Strike back.
First, he arranged a deception.
He instructed Jude, his skilled stand-in, to assume his identity once more.
Meanwhile, Grayson used the Simulacrum technique to disguise himself as Shawn, the loyal protector.
The real Shawn hid silently in the shadows, ready to act.
Soon after, Charles swaggered into the room, his face painted with the usual rakish grin.
"Mr. Lu. Senior Shawn," Charles greeted warmly, bowing with exaggerated respect to the disguised Grayson.
He showed no sign of suspicion.
(now Jude—had trained meticulously under Shawn.)
Their act was flawless.
Charles didn't notice a thing.]
Grayson, wearing Shawn's face, merely nodded coolly, maintaining the aloof demeanor expected of a powerful bodyguard.
He stood to the side, watching as Jude played the role of Grayson to perfection, responding to Charles' chatter with just the right mixture of arrogance and casual disdain.
After a few pleasantries, Charles got to the point.
"We're hosting a Magic City University Party at the Magic City Manor tonight," he said with a grin.
"Some of the students have been dying to meet you, Mr. Lu. And—" he paused dramatically, winking, "—we've prepared a surprise just for you."
Jude hesitated briefly, unsure how to respond.
["Agree," you transmitted secretly through a strand of spiritual energy.]
He nodded in character.
If the Grierson family was plotting something, Grayson needed to see it unfold firsthand.
[This was a perfect opportunity to test Charles' true intentions—and to sniff out whether the Grierson family was truly complicit.]
Soon, Grayson took the wheel himself, still maintaining his role as Shawn.
He drove the small convoy through the familiar streets toward Magic City Manor.
The luxurious estate sparkled under the evening lights, opulent and grand.
As the group approached, the boss of the manor hurried out to personally greet them.
[You and your party were led into the deepest VIP area—an exclusive wing reserved only for the highest dignitaries.]
Inside, several figures were already waiting.
Among them, two faces immediately caught Grayson's attention.
Zhao Kun.
And... Anya.
The moment Grayson's gaze fell upon Anya, his heart instinctively tightened.
He forced himself to remain calm.
After all, he now wore Shawn's face.
[Thanks to your mastery of Shadow Mimicry, even Shawn himself had been unable to distinguish the real from the fake.
But whether Anya—a possible celestial-level existence—would be fooled was another question entirely.]
Grayson inwardly cursed his luck.
Of all the people he hoped to avoid in Magic City, Anya topped the list.
Yet here she was.
And it made a twisted sort of sense.
Anya was the celebrated beauty of Magic City University.
Given that most attendees tonight were students, her presence was natural.
Still, it didn't ease his nerves.
[The other guests included several other glamorous young women—likely classmates of Grayson and Anya.]
Grayson's thoughts sharpened.
[Clearly, tonight's party was designed as a trap for you.]
Zhao Kun's obsequious behavior around Anya was telling.
Grayson quickly pieced it together.
[The Grierson family intended to use Zhao Kun—and the Zhao family—as scapegoats once again, shielding themselves from suspicion.]
Perhaps during the second simulation, Grayson had wrongly blamed the Zhao family entirely.
They were pawns, too.
As Jude—disguised as Grayson—stepped into the room, the atmosphere shifted immediately.
The sons and daughters of noble families rose to their feet instinctively.
Even among the elite, Grayson's status commanded absolute respect.
Charles stepped forward with a beaming smile.
"Mr. Lu," he said in a half-flirtatious, half-scheming tone, "I went through a lot of trouble to make tonight happen.
And thanks to your fame, I even managed to invite School Beauty Anya."
Grayson narrowed his eyes slightly behind the disguise.
[Charles was clearly baiting you, trying to play on your previous pursuit of Anya.]
In the past, at Magic City University, Grayson had indeed been infatuated with Anya.
It was public knowledge.
Charles was counting on history to repeat itself.
Grayson could already predict the plan:
Anya would get drunk.
Someone would propose "helping" her back to a hotel.
And then... a staged scandal.
A trap, simple and brutal.
But tonight was different.
Grayson wasn't the one they were targeting.
Jude was.
And Grayson was just another shadow in the corner.
[All attention remained focused on Jude, who flawlessly played the role of the decadent young master.
Only Anya's keen eyes flickered once, a slight frown creasing her forehead.]
Grayson caught it.
His heart tightened.
Did she sense something?
Had she detected the subtle difference?
[You chose not to guide Jude further via spiritual communication—too risky.
Better to let him act naturally.]
Jude raised his glass, trading toasts with the gathered scions of Magic City.
He laughed loudly, embraced a few friends, played the part of a wastrel aristocrat perfectly.
Grayson, still posing as Shawn, stood silently by the wall, his presence ignored.
The evening wore on.
The atmosphere grew more raucous.
The wine flowed.
The laughter turned a little too loud, a little too forced.
Grayson remained tense beneath his calm mask.
At any moment, the real plan would unfold.
A slight misstep...
And everything could collapse.
But for now, the pieces were still in place.
And Grayson was ready.
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