Because Maxwell Jing was using Quentin Hua's name!
When the time comes, he can simply feign ignorance and cling to Quentin Hua without letting go!
But why is he so fixated on Quentin Hua? Is it because of the Hua Family? Everyone knows Quentin Hua and the Hua Family have a strained relationship, so that can't be it. Then, could it be because of the Lotus Sect?
Does the Xu Family have some grudge against the Lotus Sect? Or does Master Xu simply have his eyes on Quentin Hua and want his daughter to marry him?
Quentin Hua glanced at Master Xu in the distance and murmured, "We'll find out soon enough." If it wasn't something he wanted, no one could force him!
When the third round ended, only three contestants remained—Maxwell Jing among them. Originally, one more round would have eliminated the other two, but just then, Master Xu suddenly announced that the final round would be held tomorrow.
The three who would compete tomorrow were all kept at Xu Mansion.
With Maxwell Jing staying behind, Ethan Gu naturally refused to leave. After all, Miss Xu—the 'love rival'—was still here! How could he possibly let Maxwell Jing walk into the lion's den alone?
Roxy Shangguan wanted to know what Master Xu was plotting, so she stayed with Quentin Hua as well. Master Xu, ever the gracious host, invited Sylas Ren and Nathan Saint to remain too.
Wendy Hua and Joyce Du insisted on returning to Hua Mansion, so Master Xu did not press them to stay.
In the dimly lit room, Raymond Lei stood respectfully to one side and reported, "Master, my observations confirm that Quentin Hua truly feels nothing for the Hua Family."
"Mm." In the darkness, a shadowy figure sat at the table, uttering a soft response—emotionless, neither pleased nor displeased.
Raymond Lei stood quietly, waiting for instructions. After a long pause, the figure finally spoke: "Have you identified the little girl at his side?"
Raymond Lei replied respectfully, "She is the Ghost King's daughter, Princess Roxy."
Silence fell again in the darkness. After a while, the shadow sighed, "Damien Gray's daughter..." Pausing, he murmured, "Let’s hope she doesn’t ruin my plans."
He wasn't surprised by this; clearly, he had already guessed as much.
Still, that little girl seemed far too clever. And as Damien Gray’s daughter—remembering how Damien once threw the entire world into chaos, leaving many still haunted by the memory—his daughter was unlikely to be an ordinary child.
But then again, she was just a two-year-old. Even if she was a bit smarter than most, she surely couldn’t be more troublesome than Quentin Hua. Thinking it over, he realized he was being overly cautious.
Still, the sudden appearance of Maxwell Jing and Ethan Gu at this moment could not be ignored!
Originally, he had planned to start with the Hua Family, but Quentin Hua turned out to have no feelings for them at all. Unexpectedly, he discovered Quentin Hua’s connection to Huayi Kingdom, and Evan Hua seemed to value him highly. Winning him over could not only bring the support of a major martial force, but also strengthen ties with Huayi Kingdom—an outcome that was all benefit, no harm.
Raymond Lei waited a long while before the figure finally spoke, "Play your part well—don't let Quentin Hua catch on. You may go!"
"Yes!"
Once Raymond Lei left, the room fell utterly silent. If not for the earlier conversation, no one would have known someone else was still inside.
"Who's there?" On the bed, Quentin Hua suddenly opened his eyes and looked toward the window, catching sight of a shadow flitting past.
Roxy Shangguan's wide eyes were filled with thought.
After a moment's consideration, Quentin Hua said, "I'll go take a look."
Roxy Shangguan frowned, "Be careful!"
Quentin Hua nodded. "Let Reaper One stay with you!" With that, he slipped out the door. He felt safe leaving Roxy Shangguan behind, knowing her abilities rivaled his—and she had those unpredictable spirits as well.
Roxy watched him leave, then lay back on the bed, lost in thought. After a while, she heard a faint noise. Turning her head, she saw a short bamboo tube poking through the window, releasing a cloud of smoke.
Smoke? So this was a diversion tactic—meant for her? When did she make such an enemy?
She always thought she’d done well in life—rarely offending anyone openly. So who was trying to target her now?
Roxy Shangguan calmly closed her eyes. If you want the tiger’s cub, you have to enter the tiger’s den. She was determined to see what this person wanted. Worried Quentin Hua might be anxious if he returned and didn’t find her, she instructed Reaper One to stay behind.
After waiting a while and hearing no movement inside, the person outside slipped in quietly, picked up Roxy Shangguan, and carried her out through the window.
"Huh? Did someone just pass by?" Maxwell Jing wasn’t sure if he was seeing things—his mind was scattered and unfocused.
"Pay attention!" Ethan Gu, annoyed, pinched his waist.
Maxwell Jing nudged the person leaning against him, rubbing his forehead. "You’re drunk!"
He’d just been proud of finally outsmarting Ethan Gu for once, but now, having tricked him, he realized he was the one suffering for it!
Ethan Gu’s eyes were clear, but his actions were odd. Others might not notice, but Maxwell Jing did. He worried—could something be wrong?
Ethan Gu wasn’t drunk on wine—he was drugged by Maxwell Jing. Yet Maxwell wasn’t sure exactly what the drug did; he only knew it wouldn’t kill, but could it make someone foolish?
Realizing things might be serious, Maxwell Jing pushed Ethan Gu away, holding him down to keep him from moving. He patted Ethan’s face, "Han, wake up!" At this moment, he had no time to worry about whether a thief had snuck into Xu Mansion.
Ethan Gu looked at him, appearing perfectly fine, but Maxwell Jing couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Oh no... he regretted it now—what if Ethan really had been made a fool?
Meanwhile, after realizing he’d fallen into a trap, Quentin Hua guessed the real target was likely Roxy Shangguan. He rushed back to the room, only to hear from Reaper One that Roxy had left with someone. Instantly, he gave chase, heart pounding with worry. Even knowing Roxy’s skills, he couldn’t help but be anxious.
Regret gnawed at him—he’d thought Master Xu was targeting him, which was why he’d let himself be lured away. He hadn’t expected to fall for such a simple diversion!
[Omitted: Automated reading prompt. Not part of the novel’s narrative.]