"Aunt Autumn, I'm serious!" Grace said, her voice earnest. "The day I went to the City God Temple with Aunt Maya, it vanished and still hasn't come back!"
"Autumn!" the Old Madam suddenly called out.
"Yes, Old Madam?" Aunt Autumn asked from the side.
"Search her. Now." the Old Madam commanded.
"Uh..." Aunt Autumn shot Grace a troubled look.
"Grandma, Queenie Zhu tried to snatch my stuff and got bitten by the Antler Serpent. You didn't even scold her, just made me apologize—and I did!"
Grace stared right at the Old Madam. "Today I didn't steal or rob anyone, but you want to search me? Even if the Antler Serpent wasn't hiding out, I don't have to lend it to her, do I? Isn't this a little unfair? Playing favorites much?"
"You don't even have a Spirit Root! You're born second-rate! And you want to talk fairness with me?" The Old Madam's face darkened, her voice heavy with authority. "Search her!"
"Yes, ma'am." Aunt Autumn walked up to Grace. "Miss Lawrence, sorry about this!"
Grace lowered her eyes, hiding the chill in her gaze, and kept silent.
Aunt Autumn apologized, then searched Grace from head to toe—apologetically, but thoroughly.
Grace fought the urge to kick her, but stayed perfectly still.
Of course, Autumn found nothing.
When she finished, Aunt Autumn reported, "Old Madam, the Antler Serpent isn't on Miss Lawrence."
"Then send someone to search Serenity Pavilion again! Don't leave a single corner unchecked. I want to see if it's really not there!" the Old Madam said, her tone ringing with authority.
Maya Summers frowned as things got more and more ridiculous. "Mom! It's just an Antler Serpent, is this really necessary?"
"Aunt Maya, Grace is always full of lies. She totally deserves to be searched!" Kevin Zhuo said, gloating. "If you find it, someone as selfish as her should get twenty whacks! That'll teach her to behave!"
The Old Madam took a deep breath and barked, "Send the guards to search right away!"
Aunt Autumn nodded and turned to leave.
"Grandma, Grace might've been a bit headstrong before, but she's always honest. She doesn't lie," Jason Zhuo spoke up. "If she says the Antler Serpent isn't there, then it's really not there."
Kevin Zhuo shot Jason Zhuo a look and snorted, "Oh really? How about a bet?"
"What's the bet?" Jason Zhuo frowned.
"Heard Dad opened the vault yesterday and took out the Sunset Bow. Said he wanted to get you a commission and match you with a top-tier bow," Kevin Zhuo said, dripping with sarcasm. "Let's bet on that, shall we?"
The Sunset Bow is the best weapon in the Lawrence Clan's inner vault.
Its body is forged from high-grade Mythril, the bowstring spun from ten thousand strands of golden silkworm thread. The draw weight? Ten thousand catties! It can take down high-level spirit beasts.
"Gambling isn't my thing," Jason Zhuo replied.
"You're just scared!" Kevin Zhuo sneered. "Cowards like you don't deserve a special commission from the General!"
"That's not—"
"If not, then bet!" Kevin Zhuo cut him off, all bluster. "If they find the Antler Serpent in Serenity Pavilion, the Sunset Bow's mine—deal?"
Jason Zhuo took a deep breath, eyes cold. "And if they don't find it? Shouldn't you put up something too, Second Brother?"
Kevin Zhuo unbuckled his sword and tossed it onto the table with a flourish. "How about this?"
It was a top-grade spirit weapon, just as valuable and prestigious as the Sunset Bow.