Griffin fretted that Percival might actually break Leopold in two, so she quickly wheeled his chair away from the scene.


    Percival nced in the direction the pair had escaped.


    “Fine,” he thought, “Someday I''ll show ‘em some old-school roughhousing!”


    “Mr. Wolf, any luck running into Keh?" Vivienne strolled up and asked.


    Suddenly inspired, she considered creating a new fragrance, apanion to the "Old Man" scent—calling it "Old Ruffian".


    Percival nodded. "Yeah, he looked pretty down, not even watching where he was going."


    "Ah, to be young again." Karen chuckled.


    After a brief discussion outside the ward about Dracon and Gillian''s situation, the group was about to head out for a meal when


    Karen''s cell phone rang.


    It was Wi Perez.


    Ever since Karen had returned to the Perez family, Wi had been conspicuously absent.


    Karen had tried to reach out a few times, but Wi''s obsession ran deep; she wanted to track down F-Poison before returning to


    the Perez family.


    Karen respected that. Wi had her own path to follow.


    The unexpected message from Wi now piqued Karen''s curiosity.


    The text contained a photo of a university gate abroad.


    That very university was where Flynn had studied overseas—the same ce F-Poison had once been.


    Karen took a deep breath. "Wi''s on to F-Poison''s trail. Hopefully, she digs up some leads."


    In Scepter Country, Wi stared at the university''s gate and strode through with determination.


    The campus was alive with the vigor of youth.


    Every student, regardless of gender, wore bright smiles as if nourished by honey.


    Wi, d in a ck leather jacket, walked across the field, her attire shing with the sundresses and t-shirts around her.


    Thankfully, the freedom of college fashion spared her any undue attention.


    Only a few whistle-blowing guys, intrigued by Wi''s cool demeanor, hesitated to approach.


    She walked on, ignoring all the signals around her, and headed straight for a war memorial.


    There, a monument stood in memory of a shooting that had urred years before.


    Engraved with names from around the world, the monument bore inscriptions in multiplenguages, followed by the victims’


    names.


    Even after all this time, fresh flowers stilly at the base, a silent tribute to the lost.


    Wi scanned the names and found the one that was both familiar and foreign to her.


    Elliot, also known as Five-Poisons.


    Such a tantly provocative nickname, yet it hadin hidden here for so long,memorated and mourned.


    Shameless!


    Wi''s gaze hardened as she studied the name, her eyes betraying scorn, anger, and aplex web of emotions.


    She couldn''t understand how someone so full of venom could be her progenitor.


    Who was her mother?


    What was the purpose behind her birth?


    Could a remorseless, conscienceless monster truly love his wife and child?


    Wi was baffled.


    What was the point of her existence in this world?


    Other children were legacies, treasures, and the continuation of their families.


    And her?


    She was darkness, sorrow, a living apology to the world—if there was anything she shared with other children, it was


    continuation.


    Continuation of a creator''s evil, shadowy legacy.


    Wi''s fists clenched as she stared at the name.


    The sun warmed her jacket, but it couldn''t match the heat in her gaze.


    "Does this monument honor someone you knew?" A voice came from behind her.


    Wi turned to see an older man dressed as a gardener, his hair silvered with age.


    "No, nobody,” she replied.


    “Well, that''s fortunate. You looked so sad; | thought maybe you were missing a family member. It''s best that you''re not," the man


    said as he arranged the flowers neatly and wiped the dust from the monument.


    It was unclear if he was speaking to himself or Wi when he added, "I was here cleaning when the shooting happened, right in


    this spot. Scared the daylights out of me, peed my pants even. If it hadn''t been for Elliot, my name would be on this stone too."


    Wi was taken aback. Elliot?


    She pointed to the name, "Him?"


    The gardener looked up, smiled at Elliot''s name, and said, "Yes, him. A very genteel man from Veridia, my hero."


    Wi''s brow furrowed. He saved people?


    How is that possible?


    "Excuse me, could you tell me more about what happened back then? I''m very curious."


    The gardener stopped his cleaning, nodded, and said, "I''d be d to."


    In the cafeteria, Wi sat across from the gardener, listening to stories of F-Poison''s time abroad.


    "Elliot didn''t like us calling him that.


    Preferred his nickname; said it was a


    challenge to himself. My janitor''s


    quarters were na isdormeandi ve


    go} forkToWedch other through small


    favors. When he stayed on as a


    faculty member, we grew even


    closer. Oh yes, he had a good friend,


    a handsome Veridian man who was


    obsessed with nts—quite the


    heartthrob at the school." Please read


    the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    Wi knew he was talking about Flynn.


    The old man continued, "They were


    inseparable, often drinking and


    chatting together, dsjametirhes'' |


    they’ inuit@me! didn''t understand


    their technical jargon, so | just drankContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    with them. Then came the shooting,


    so sudden and chaotic. Please read


    the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    Many died that day, students and teachers. | was in the garden when the shooting started, knew it because a bullet whizzed past


    my leg. | was petrified, too scared to move, wet myself. If it hadn’t been for Elliot..."


    The old man with snow-white hair


    wiped a tear from his cheek as he


    recounted the harrowin ale-"But! |


    ghsheniaten enw to run or


    even scream for help. | just knew |


    might be done for. Just when |


    thought | was about to meet my


    maker, Elliot showed up. Please read


    the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    He grabbed my hand, and we bolted with that criminal hot on our heels. We were cornered, and that''s when he stood in front of


    me like a human shield."


    As the old man spoke, his voice trembled, and more tears spilled over. "Elliot''s blood sttered all over me as he fell to the


    ground right before my eyes.


    We were this close... the cops arrived momentster. If we had just held out a little longer, we would have been saved."


    The old man was visibly shaken, clearly filled with regret over the events of that fateful day.


    But Wi couldn''t help but feel skeptical. The man the old-timer spoke of, he couldn''t be F-Poison.


    That guy wouldn''t pick up a gun unless it was to use it, let alone save someone''s life.


    It sounded like a fairy tale, too good to be true.