Carson Flores moved a chess piece and looked at his grandfather Dawson Frost across the table with a grin.
Dawson Frost moved his piece calmly and chuckled, "Thinking of capturing my chariot, not so easy is it?"
Carson laughed, "Just borrowing, merely borrowing it for a moment."
As the two were immersed in their game of chess, a sedan pulled up outside. After parking the car, Uncle Antonio Frost and cousin Adriel Frost got out with somber expressions.
Leah Frost held a coffee lazily, squinting her eyes and basking in the sun. She saw the two enter and said with a smile, "Oh, what wind has blown you two this way?"
Antonio Frost’s gaze fell upon Carson, who was playing chess, and his expression was complicated, "The Vasquez Family has issued an Inquiry Order."
Leah Frost’s eyes narrowed slightly, "Looking for who?"
Antonio Frost bitter-smiled, "I hadn’t realized Carson was that formidable."
Carson looked up and asked with a smile, "What’s an Inquiry Order?"
Adriel explained, "It’s a sort of request published by a family. Anyone who can fulfill the request will receive a reward from that family; you can think of it as a bounty."
Carson gently set down the chess piece in his hand and smiled, "What does the Inquiry Order say?"
Adriel looked at Carson with a complex expression, "It says you killed six Great Grandmasters and two Grandmasters of the Vasquez Family. The Inquiry Order has been spread amongst all the martial families in Western Capital, seeking your whereabouts. Anyone who can disclose your location will be handsomely rewarded by the Vasquez Family. If someone captures or kills you, the Vasquez Family will grant them a request."
Carson stood up with a smile, "Grandfather, it seems this game won’t be finished."
Dawson Frost looked at Carson with astonishment, "You killed six Great Grandmasters of the Vasquez Family, is it true?"
Carson nodded, "Yes."
Everyone was dumbfounded, their faces showing shock.
Although the Inquiry Order had already stated as much, Carson’s frank admission still managed to shock everyone deeply.
Adriel asked incredulously, "How did you manage it, are they saying you’re a Great Grandmaster?"
Carson stood up and bowed to Dawson, "Grandfather, I apologize for not telling the complete truth before. I came to Western Capital not only to look for news about my parents but also to settle scores with a few enemies. I meant to act quietly, but I encountered them earlier than planned, and they took the initiative, leading to the current situation."
"The Vasquez Family is after me. I will leave the Frost Family so I won’t cause any trouble. Once I’ve resolved the matter, I’ll come back to visit you all."
Dawson glared at Carson, "What nonsense! You might have kept quiet about it before, but now that we are aware, we won’t stand by and watch you be bullied by the Vasquez Family!"
Carson shook his head, "Grandfather, you don’t need to get involved. I killed six Great Grandmasters from the Vasquez Family, and now their Innate Great Grandmaster has stepped in. This isn’t a simple fight—you can’t just apologize and get past it. Either I or the Vasquez Family must kneel or die; there’s no need for you to muddle in."
Dawson snapped, "If the Vasquez Family has an Innate Great Grandmaster, are you saying the Frost Family doesn’t have one?"
Carson smiled, "The Frost Family does have an Innate Great Grandmaster, but I am a Flores, not a Frost. Would the Frost Family’s Innate Great Grandmaster fight to the death with the Vasquez Family’s Innate Great Grandmaster over someone with the Flores surname?"
Dawson’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, he had no response.
Ordinary issues could be resolved by Dawson, or even Antonio, but now it was the Vasquez Family’s Innate Great Grandmaster who had stepped up to a fight to the death, a battle for the very foundations of their families!
Dawson truly did not know how the Frost Family Patriarch would decide; although Dawson held a not insignificant position within the Miller Family, he certainly couldn’t make decisions for the Frost Family Patriarch.
Dawson stood up and took out his phone, "You sit tight, I’ll call for advice from Seventh Uncle!"
Seventh Uncle was Finn Frost, the Frost Family Patriarch, the number one person in the Frost Family, holding a position equivalent to that of Isaias Vasquez in the Vasquez Family.
Carson reached out to stop Dawson, "Grandfather, please don’t make that call—there’s really no need."
Dawson shoved Carson’s hand away, huffing, "Yes, you’re right. You are a Flores, and the Frost Family’s Innate Great Grandmaster is a Frost, they might not be willing to take action for someone with the Flores surname, but I am a Frost, right? You’re my grandson, and if the Vasquez Family wants to kill you, they’ll have to kill me first. If Seventh Uncle isn’t willing to act for you, if I die, he would have a reason to!"
Dawson walked to the side and dialed Finn Frost’s number.
The call lasted for about five minutes before Dawson hung up and returned, his expression unreadable.
Antonio asked, "What did the Patriarch say?"
Dawson looked uncomfortable and didn’t speak.
Seeing his reaction, the others knew what the result was, and their expressions grew even more solemn.
Dawson stared at Carson and said, "You’ll just stay here; I refuse to believe the Vasquez Family would dare come after me!"
Carson smiled, "Grandfather, if I stay here, I will truly be in danger. The Vasquez Family certainly won’t kill you all, but an Innate Great Grandmaster can knock you all unconscious, can restrain you, and then kill me. So, there’s no stopping them. Alone, I’m a smaller target, easier to hide and harder to capture once I leave—safer that way."