Chapter 384
"Mr. Sanders, I'd like to see Bruce. Is that possible?" Sebastian asked with his gaze directed at Francis.
"Why do you want to see him?" Francis asked, puzzled.
"I'm facing some hurdles in my cultivation. A chat with him might yield some insights," Sebastian explained.
"You should be seeking help from your own family or other Elders. Why would Bruce, who now despises us, agree to help you?" Francis asked.
"With the right approach, he might open up. But if it's inconvenient for you, forget I asked," Sebastian replied casually.
"No, not at all. I'll take you to him now," Francis agreed.
Francis had risen to his position as the patriarch with the backing of the Lennon family, so he was keen to fulfill requests from their Elders to maintain a positive relationship.
The others saw no issue with Sebastian's request as they didn't suspect Ethan's true identity. Besides, they considered Bruce worthless now, with little time left.
Soon, Francis led Sebastian to a dungeon beneath an artificial hill in Sanders Manor's backyard. The place was dim, damp, and smelled of mold, a testament to its years of neglect.
This dungeon, constructed by the Sanders family ancestors to imprison traitors, had seen little use over the years.
As they walked, Sebastian extended his spiritual sense to probe the area.
What he found were numerous traps and mechanisms, including crossbows, poison gas vents, huge stones rigged to fall, and poisoned needles. Triggering any of these would spell certain death, even for a divine grandmaster.
The dungeon wasn't extensive, and they soon reached a cell. Inside, the scene was one of complete disarray, with torture devices that sent shivers down one's spine.
In a corner lay a disheveled man. His clothes were torn and soaked in blood-some dried, some fresh-a stark testament to the regular torment he endured.
Despite his pallid and haggard appearance, Sebastian immediately recognized him as Bruce. It was hard to reconcile this sight with the once-proud patriarch of one of Phaedra Island's four major families. Sebastian couldn't begin to comprehend what Bruce had endured to be reduced to this state.
To maintain his composure, Sebastian clenched his fists tightly in his pockets.
"Bruce, are you dead yet?" Francis yelled.
Bruce lay silent and motionless like a corpse, though his shallow breaths betrayed his living
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Francis turned to Sebastian. "Look at him. He either curses us or says nothing at all. Even torturing him doesn't work. I doubt you'll get anything out of him."
"Maybe, but I'll give it a shot."
Sebastian flashed a confident smile before addressing Bruce directly. "Bruce, I'm here to talk. If you stay silent, don't blame me for what happens to your daughter."
At Sebastian's threat, Bruce finally stirred. His eyes glinted with intense hostility as he glanced up at Sebastian, but the defiance was fleeting, and he soon lowered his head again.
Sebastian continued, "You probably think I wouldn't dare harm her since Mr. Luke would marry her. Well, if that's what you think, you're sorely mistaken.
"I have nothing else than guts. If I don't get the answers I need today, your daughter will bear the consequences of your silence."
Bruce shot Sebastian another venomous look with his teeth clenched. "She's about to marry Mr. Luke. Do you think he'll let you off if you lay hands on her? Even if you're an Elder, you'd be dead."
Sebastian scoffed, "Your daughter is indeed beautiful, but beauty is abundant in this world. Without her status as the Sanders family's eldest daughter, she's nothing exceptional.
"We can easily find a replacement. By the way, you might not know this, but I've recently become a middle-stage divine grandmaster.
"Do you really think the patriarch would risk an Elder's wrath over a woman who's lost her value?"
"Middle-stage divine grandmaster! Is that true, Mr. Ethan?" Francis asked urgently.