Russell sat quietly in the vehicle dispatched by the Thousand-Legged Cavern base, his eyes fixed on the scenery passing by outside the window.
Seated beside him was Director Graham.
If someone had told Russell that this training mission would end with him meeting Master Whitaker, he would've thought they were joking.
After all, in the Federation, there were only three officially recognized Master-level Cardmakers. Among them, "Yama" Whitaker was stationed along the eastern coast, charged with preventing deep-sea dimensional breaches.
People spent fortunes trying to meet someone of his caliber.
And yet here Russell was, granted a private audience simply because he'd taken down a rogue Iron-rank Cardmaker. That alone told him this was far more serious than it seemed.
Noticing the tension on Russell's face, Director Graham misread his thoughts. "Relax, Russell. You've done a great service. Master Whitaker just wants to meet the young man who helped expose a hidden threat."
Snapped out of his thoughts, Russell gave a modest smile. "Thank you, Director Graham."
Before long, their car arrived at the New Metro Cardmaker Association's headquarters.
Director Graham led Russell to a sleek, high-security elevator clearly reserved for upper-level personnel. "President Sterling has already cleared access. Go straight up."
With a swipe of his ID, the doors opened.
Russell took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The elevator doors slid shut, and the car surged upward.
Ding.
The doors opened at the top floor, revealing the president's office—an expansive space with a towering glass wall that offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline.
But Russell had no time to admire the sights.
He stepped forward respectfully and greeted the two men waiting for him—an older man with white hair and a gentle smile, and a sharp-eyed middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed goatee.
"Master Whitaker, President Sterling. I'm Russell."
The white-haired man—none other than "Yama" Whitaker—looked nothing like his fearsome title implied. He offered a surprisingly kind smile. "No need to be nervous, Russell. Please, sit."
Russell obeyed, perching on the edge of the chair.
President Sterling chuckled at the sight. "You've helped us greatly, Russell. Without your report, we would've taken far longer to get to the bottom of this."
He was right. Even though the Association would've eventually uncovered the truth—since only a limited number of people had entered the space—the evidence Russell provided had significantly accelerated the investigation.
Still, Russell was curious. "So... may I ask why you asked to see me?"
Master Whitaker's expression turned serious. "We heard you retrieved a special material after the rogue's death."
Russell blinked. Is that all?
He nodded and pulled out the card without hesitation. There was no way someone at Whitaker's level would covet a mere Iron-grade material—gold-tier or not.
"This formed after the attacker died," Russell explained, handing it over.
The moment Whitaker touched the card, he sighed.
Years of experience guarding sea-based rifts gave him instant recognition. "As I feared… this is from the Demon Nest."
He looked up gravely. "This confirms it. The incident was orchestrated by the Soulseekers."
Russell's heart skipped a beat. He immediately thought of the final word the dying rogue had tried to say—qi…
"I think the attacker tried to say something before dying. He said 'qi…' but didn't finish."
President Sterling and Master Whitaker exchanged a glance.
"Keep that detail to yourself," Sterling said solemnly. "Don't mention it to anyone else."
It wasn't that the Association didn't trust him—they were concerned for his safety.
But their caution was unnecessary. Russell had already shielded the attacker's face from the security cameras back in the space, realizing the implications. He nodded firmly. "Understood. Thank you for your concern, I won't speak of it."
The two men smiled—Russell's maturity far exceeded their expectations.
Just as President Sterling was about to offer more praise, the elevator chimed again.
A young assistant stepped out with a folder in hand, quickly approaching Sterling. "President, here's everything you asked me to gather."
With a respectful nod, he handed it over and left.
President Sterling flipped through the pages, and his brow furrowed. He handed the file to Whitaker. "Take a look. All the spaces that had attacks had one thing in common—a temporary Cardmaker was stationed there."
Whitaker reviewed the information, his expression darkening.
"I was wondering how the Soulseekers managed to plant so many agents so quickly," he murmured. "Now it makes sense."
He tapped several profiles. "Look here—every one of them had financial troubles. A sick parent… gambling debt…"
Sterling was stunned. "They betrayed the Association over money?"
Whitaker shook his head. "They probably didn't know they'd become monsters. But I've dealt with the Soulseekers for years. This has all the markings of their leader—The Balancer, Gideon King."
He turned to Russell, eyes full of gravity. "Russell, if someone ever offers you a generous sponsorship with no strings attached—be cautious."
Russell nodded. "Thank you, Master Whitaker. Should I take my leave now?"
Part of him felt he'd overheard enough secrets already.
Whitaker returned the card to him with a warm smile. "Go on, Russell. And take care."
After the elevator closed behind him, President Sterling turned to Whitaker. "What do you think? Any doubts about the kid?"
He hadn't fully trusted Russell—not as the head of the New Metro Cardmaker Association.
Whitaker shook his head. "The Soulseekers wouldn't sacrifice someone this promising just to cover their tracks."
"Besides," he added, glancing behind him, "Lucian saw nothing wrong."
As he spoke, a red-robed figure stepped silently out of the shadows, holding a token of office.
Inquisitor Lucian, Judge of the Internal Tribunal.
Seeing the man, President Sterling finally relaxed, a long breath escaping him.
"Then it's settled. Russell's clean."
"But that still leaves one question…"
He stared out the window.
"…Where did the Soulseekers get that kind of money?"
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