Chapter 525

After a dozen attempts, the call still wouldn't connect. Chris' legs had gone numb. Evelyn, at 70 and paralyzed, was drenched in sweat. "Mom, maybe we should stop calling? Grandpa might be busy." "Foolish boy, you don't know your grandfather at all. He's angry. Keep calling," Evelyn insisted. The Sykes family had a vast lineage, governed by successive patriarchs with iron fists. Blood ties within the family were weak, making it operate more like a conniving medieval court. After all, the allure of absolute power and the privileges that came with it were too tempting for many to resist. In the Sykes family, Owen reigned supreme. His word carried more weight than the entire family council combined. He managed even his wives with the same authoritative control. Owen once had 12 wives. His last wife was a beautiful 20-year-old woman who married him when he was 80. However, this young woman couldn't bear the loneliness as Owen was too old to satisfy her needs. So, she ended up fooling around with a young disciple. When they were caught, both of them were tied together and thrown into Luna Lake as a grim punishment. According to the Sykes family's rules, Evelyn's mistakes could strip her of her role as one of the four family heads. Losing this position would make it difficult for her son, Chris, to compete for power with his siblings. Moreover, Jessie and James would have no chance to rise to this level within the family. Thus, Evelyn had to convince Owen to give her a chance to ensure that Chris could secure his rightful inheritance in the future. After the 15th call, Owen finally answered. On the other end of the video call sat an old man, well over a hundred years old, with a ruddy face. He was clad in a gray robe, his hair and beard a lustrous white. Chris was awestruck upon seeing Owen for the first time. His youthful appearance, despite his age, was almost otherworldly. It was easy to see why he was regarded as a master of the Majestic Doctor Realm as his physique exuded health and vitality that belied his years. Owen had been meditating and only opened his eyes after ten minutes. Evelyn quickly grabbed a chair for support. Clenching her dentures, she straightened her posture as she knelt and said, "Dad, I've let you down. We've lost control of Jordan Pharmaceuticals to Cyrus." Owen was already well-informed about this matter. His other children often reported to him, always eager to gain his favor. He said slowly, "Your brother's 50 years of work was undone in an instant. Now, all four major families in Jorsproburgh are under Cyrus' control. How long do you think it'll take to reclaim our grip on power?" "I deserve punishment. Dad, please punish me," Evelyn said. "Punishment? How? By stripping you of your position?" Owen asked. "Please give me a chance to redeem myself." Owen closed his eyes and resumed meditating. "Temporarily withdraw from the Jorsproburgh market. Avoid direct conflict with Cyrus. Get the venom puppet, Wilson Foster, out of Jorsproburgh and kill him. He must not fall into Cyrus' hands." "Dad, shouldn't we teach that insolent Cyrus a lesson?" "I'm not afraid of Cyrus. I'm concerned about the young lord of the Hippocrates Sect," Owen said. "Dad, do you think Cyrus is backed by the young lord of the Hippocrates Sect?" "Yes. The one who destroyed Mount Hippocrates hasn't shown himself. The young lord won't appear either. Cyrus is just a pawn to draw fire." This was why Owen hadn't punished Evelyn. If the young lord of the Hippocrates Sect was behind Cyrus, even a hundred defeats would be an expected outcome. "If Wilson is captured by Cyrus, the consequences would be dire." "Exactly. Besides destroying the venom puppet, try to get someone close to Cyrus to gather information." "Understood. Dad, my granddaughter, Jessie, knows Cyrus. She's perfect for this." "Good. Go ahead and deal with it. If you fail again, don't contact me anymore." "Yes, Dad."