John had no intention of joining another family to serve as a mere guard dog, not even nning to stay with Hidden Stars for long.


    He was not a person who craved fame or power.


    What he desired was to enhance his own strength, continually pushing his limits.


    However, with his talents exposed, every move he made would now be scrutinized and magnified by those with ulterior motives.


    Far from seeing any benefits, John could only foresee endless constraints and troublesing his way.


    What exactly was going on? John wasn''t sure, but he harbored a strong suspicion that House Carter was likely involved.


    After the Carter House guard returned, he would undoubtedly report Lucas''s death and John''s information to House Carter.


    John''s talents and the Legacy of the Crimson Demon would certainly not remain secrets.


    House Carter would not let him go easily.


    It was possible that even his identity as a ck Cloak had been uncovered by House Carter.


    Given that House Carter had offended both House Fairfax and Theodore within the Crimson Realm, they surely wouldn''t let House Carter off easily either.


    Considering the current circumstances, the maniptions of the major families and powers might very well revolve around him…


    John felt a headacheing on and decided not to dwell on it further.


    With his identity and power, he could only take things one step at a time; overthinking was futile.


    After a short chat, the nurse went off to tend to her duties.


    A colorful light shimmered into the room.


    Yina, fluttering her wings, her silver hair catching soft glints of sunlight,nded on John''s chest with her bare feet.


    Her beautiful, colorful eyes sparkled mischievously as she teased, "How does it feel to be treated as a hero?"


    John rolled his eyes, responding, "I don''t know how it feels, but I definitely don''t want a second round."


    Thest moment of killing Rean, if not for Victor''s timely arrival, he reckoned he''d be nothing but a pile of mush by now.


    Nobody would want to go through that again.


    However, to be fair, ying awakeners is one of the fastest ways for John to enhance his power currently.


    If he finds the timeter, he could consider returning to his old profession as a bounty hunter and assassin.


    Earning money while gaining attributes, why not?


    Yina, munching on a strawberry, seemed to catch on to John''s thoughts.


    She frowned slightly, advising, "You should be careful with that knife from the Crimson Demon; there''s something off about it."


    John was momentarily stunned, "The Bloodthirsty de? Is there a problem with it?"


    He had used it a few times and hadn''t noticed any significant issues with the de.


    Yina exined, "Seven days ago, I sensed the aura of the Crimson Demon on the de. That guy might not be dead, and worse, he might be hiding in that de, nning to resurrect himself using you as a conduit."


    Yina''s words startled John.


    The Crimson Demon wasn''t dead and was hiding in the Bloodthirsty de?


    John pulled out the Bloodthirsty de, immediately wanting to discard it.


    This was a bona fide dark god, who knew what nefarious ns it had.


    Yina rolled her eyes, "Since He has stayed by your side and even granted you His domain, it actually shows a certain attitude. You don''t need to worry about Him. If He dares any mischief, I''ll help you teach Him a lesson."


    Not sure if it was an illusion, but after Yina''s words, John felt the Bloodthirsty de in his hand tremble slightly, as if responding.


    The Crimson Demon was really inside it?!


    John suddenly felt a bit queasy, akin to wielding the Crimson Demon himself to strike down his foes, which was rather eerie.


    As John was lost in his thoughts, some noise suddenly came from outside the door.


    Yina nced towards the door, grabbed a bunch of grapes, and vanished in the blink of an eye, likely returning to the Contract Space.


    Before John could ponder any further, the door was opened again.


    Albertus, Scarlett, Daniel, Dark Fox, Silver Tear, and others streamed in, followed by some of John''s ssmates.


    The once somewhat quiet hospital room instantly became lively.


    Daniel burst in, eximing loudly, "Damn, John, you finally woke up. You really had me fooled! You promised to be a loser for life, and here you are, secretly turning into a genius?!"


    As he spoke, Daniel began to grumble incessantly.


    He had thought John wasn''t much talented and had even consoled him.


    Now, discovering John was a supreme genius, he felt like a clown kept in the dark.


    Seeing Daniel, John couldn''t help but smile.


    He teased, "Don''t worry, once I be one of the Federation''s top powerhouses, I''ll definitely take you with me to soar."


    His words mirrored what Daniel had once said tofort him, only now the roles were reversed.


    Daniel sighed repeatedly, then continued toin about John''sck of fairness.


    After a pause, he suddenly said, "I''ve decided to join the military. We probably won''t see each other for a long time."


    John paused, puzzled, "You''re joining the military? Didn''t your father arrange for you to attend a college in the capital?"


    Upon hearing exnations from other ssmates, John finally understood.


    Daniel had been greatly inspired after learning about John''s exploits outside Sterburg and decided to join the military against his father''s wishes, aiming to make a name for himself.


    Daniel''s father was nearly apoplectic with rage.


    He had spent a considerable sum to secure Daniel a spot in a prestigious college in the capital, only for his son to secretly enlist, choosing the highly dangerous Northwest Citadel, no less.


    Positioned in the northwest of the Federation, it serves as a bulwark against the Demon Realm, where Alexander and Shadowcloud were stationed.


    Daniel was about to head to the Northwest Citadel to serve alongside Alexander.


    John''s lips twitched at the thought.


    Daniel was an only child, and one could imagine how furious his parents must be.


    But at this point, there was likely little they could do but ept his decision.


    Daniel mentioned that his parents were already considering having a second child, which left John both amused and speechless at his friend''s audacity.


    Albertus also came to say goodbye, having initially left home without his family''s consent.


    Now that it was time to return to the capital, he had something serious to share with John: "There''s something you need to know. House Carter has been looking to target you. Although they were stopped by Hidden Stars, House Harris, and our House Fairfax, the Carters are known for their vindictiveness and will surely find another way to get back at you. You must be careful."


    From Albertus''s hints, John gathered that House Carter had indeed made moves against him, which was blocked by others.


    This aligned with his expectations, and John expressed his gratitude.


    Before leaving, Albertus left John a contact method and a card as a small gesture of goodwill.


    John didn''t refuse; he indeed needed the money right now.


    Dark Fox and Silver Tear brought some gifts, mostly fruits and healing items.


    However, their expressions were somewhat troubled.


    Dark Fox seemed to want to say something but, after ncing at Scarlett, ultimately remained silent.


    After a brief chat, Dark Fox and the others departed, leaving Scarlett behind.


    "You''re quite popr now. I heard that the daughter of the city lord has been visiting you frequently," Scarlett said, sitting by John''s bed and peeling an apple for him.


    Her face was devoid of smiles, yet her words carried a hint of jealousy.


    "Maybe my charm is just too overwhelming," John replied nonchntly, changing the subject, "How have things been recently?"


    He had noticed the unease in Dark Fox and Silver Tear''s demeanor.


    Compared to the information he got from the nurse, Scarlett surely knew more.


    At John''s question, Scarlett paused in her apple peeling.


    She fell silent for a moment before calmly stating, "Old Dog and a few others are buried in ck Mountain Cemetery. General Shadowcloud barely survived but has be incapacitated; he''s still unconscious in the next room. Captain Victor has been relieved of hismand, and I''ve been dismissed."


    John''s breathing halted for a moment, and the smile on his face slowly faded.


    He frowned, "What exactly happened? And what about those news reports?"


    Scarlett sighed and exined one by one, "There were spies embedded among Sterburg''s officials, leading to numerous deaths at the hands of the Dusk Sect within Sterburg, ultimately deemed as Hidden Stars'' negligence."


    "Captain Victor, having offended someone from House Wilson, was scapegoated during this opportunity. To appease the popce, the merits were attributed to you."


    "To prevent retaliation from House Carter, House Fairfax and House Harris seized the opportunity to amplify public opinion, offering you ayer of protection to deter hidden enemies."


    "However, someone has been stirring the pot, aiming to ce you in the spotlight and make you a target."


    With Scarlett''s exnation, John finally understood the entirety of the situation.


    He hadn''t realized there was so much going on behind the scenes and remained silent for a long time.


    Even someone as strong as Victor could be manipted and targeted, what could he possibly do?


    Without sufficient strength, one is merely a pawn in others'' games; he was lucky to have survived this far.


    Instead of dwelling on these matters, it was better to focus on how to enhance his own strength.


    John still held an invitation to the "Red Moon Secret Realm," a hell-level secret realm suitable for levels 15 to 25, capable of rapidly increasing his strength in a short period.


    However, before entering the secret realm, John had a few matters to attend to.