CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 9.9 : MIDNIGHT INTRUSION

It was late at night in the main estate of the Virellano family. A gentle night breeze swept through the trees in the backyard garden. Inside, the luxurious lights had dimmed, leaving only soft illumination along the long marble hallways.

Clarista, David, and Fani had just returned from dinner.

Fani—who had been working as David’s private tutor for the past few weeks—decided to stay over for the night. It wasn’t unusual, considering her tight schedule and close relationship with Clarista.

Over the last three years, Fani had made a name for herself in the private education scene as a rising pro tutor, particularly skilled at handling children from high-status families. She had even tutored Elena and Lysha for the past two years.

That night, as usual, she stayed in Clarista’s room. She was well-known to the Virellano household, with many of the maids and bodyguards already treating her like family.

However...

At exactly midnight, something changed.

Fani—still awake—slowly sat up in bed and glanced at Clarista, who was fast asleep beside her. She then raised her right hand. A faint blood-red energy flowed from her palm, channeling toward Clarista’s head.

No chants. No whispers. Just a stream of subtle, perfectly controlled energy.

Clarista twitched slightly but didn’t wake up. She simply exhaled deeply... and fell into an even deeper sleep.

Once Fani was sure Clarista was out cold, she quietly got out of bed.

She walked over to the mirror and swapped her cute pajamas for a revealing semi-transparent nightgown—accentuating her slender waist and perfectly shaped curves. She tied her hair up, exposing her graceful neck and deep red lips, transforming herself into someone completely different from the persona she normally presented. She smiled at her reflection, then opened the bedroom door and stepped out.

Before leaving, she glanced up at the CCTV camera in the hallway and released a red mist that disrupted all surveillance systems in the house. A faint, transparent haze now cloaked the building—undetectable by normal sight, yet enough to obscure visibility.

And with that, she confidently walked into the dimly lit hallway.

Silence.

Only a few small night lights glowed from the wall sconces.

Fani moved lightly down the western corridor of the Virellano estate—an area that was normally secure and highly private, yet strangely, tonight it seemed to welcome her presence. Her alluring stride revealed glimpses of her long, bare legs as she approached a door she knew belonged to David.

Sure enough, when she gently knocked, the door opened immediately.

David stood there, wearing a thin t-shirt and lounge pants.

"You came..." he said softly. "Everything okay? Clarista’s still asleep?"

Fani gave a small nod, flashing a playful smile.

"Relax. Once she’s out, not even a meteor strike would wake her..."

David nodded.

"Which means..." he said, "we can do whatever we want tonight."

Fani chuckled, "You naughty boy."

She leaned in closer, eyes locking with his.

Their faces were inches apart.

David lifted his hand and gently touched Fani’s chin.

"You... look stunning tonight."

Fani lowered her gaze, a light blush coloring her cheeks. But behind her smile, there was more than just shyness. Something David failed to see.

She tilted her head up again, hands slowly wrapping around his neck. David smiled, oblivious to what was about to happen.

Slightly shorter than him, Fani stood on tiptoe and leaned toward David. Her face brushed past his ear, as if she were about to kiss the sensitive spots first—what seemed to be the start of foreplay. But...

A dark aura began to seep from her body, enveloping them both, as though trying to swallow David whole. He felt something strange... but the rising desire dulled his instincts, allowing Fani to proceed unchecked.

As their bodies grew closer—

Fani’s lips parted.

And from beneath those luscious red lips, a pair of sharp fangs extended.

"David... I can’t hold back anymore..." she whispered, her voice like a devil’s murmur in a lover’s embrace.

David stood still, smiling—completely unaware of what was about to happen.

Her mouth neared his neck.

But then—

BOOOOM!!!

A thunderous explosion shattered the silence of the night. It came from outside the main estate grounds—like a blast of concentrated energy slamming into the perimeter.

The windows rattled. The security alarms blared.

David and Fani both jumped in surprise.

Fani immediately pulled away, holding herself back. Her eyes turned pitch black for a moment... then returned to normal.

Damn it... she cursed internally. Who dares ruin my plan?!

They exchanged confused glances. But the danger outside was too urgent to ignore.

David rushed out of the room, heading toward the window to check the source of the explosion.

Fani stood motionless at the doorway, her expression sharp, jaw clenched—clearly enraged.

"Who dares... interrupt me... just when I was about to get him?" she whispered to herself, inaudible to anyone else.

Unable to get a clear view, David decided to check it out himself. He hurried downstairs, still flushed from the steamy moment that had almost happened. But as he opened the front door, he froze.

The courtyard of the Virellano estate was filled with heavily armed personnel. Some were elite guards, others unfamiliar faces—likely reinforcements. They all surrounded a pile of rubble that had once been a small outbuilding.

Al’s private room.

Thin smoke rose from the debris. Amid the dust and scattered stones, Al sat calmly on the ground, arms resting on his knees, face expressionless. A bit of dust clung to his cheek and shoulder.

But his eyes—those eyes were ice cold.

"You’re clearly an intruder!"

The deep voice came from a man whose presence radiated discipline and authority. A heavy gold ring, set with a dark crimson stone and etched with the Virellano crest, adorned his finger—a mark reserved only for the highest ranks of the family’s top three combat units.

---

Just moments earlier...

Al had just returned after spending the evening enjoying a lavish dinner at a high-end restaurant.

It was exactly midnight when he arrived at the estate. Not bothering with the main gate, he scaled a side wall he knew wasn’t covered by CCTV.

He stealthily made his way toward his room, slipping past David’s shadow guards undetected. But just before entering, Al glanced at the main house. Something felt... off.

Coincidentally, as Al had crossed the wall, several black vehicles had pulled up. One particularly sleek car slowly rolled down its window, revealing an older man with a medium beard and a thin mustache. His frame was lean but still showed signs of strength. He wore a gray-white batik-patterned shirt with long black dress pants and cloth shoes that, while fragile-looking, were incredibly flexible. A black cap covered most of his graying hair.

Inside the car with him were two young men in formal black suits seated up front—his guards or assistants. Their attire matched those in the accompanying cars, all of whom were welcomed by the gatekeepers and allowed inside.

"It’s been a long time," the old man murmured, his eyes scanning the Virellano estate with a sense of nostalgia.

But his reverie was cut short when he sensed strange movements from the western perimeter. He exited the car—before it even stopped. His swift, floating motion brought him to a small building near the garden.

David’s shadow guards sensed a powerful energy approaching. Despite their cloaking skills, they grew uneasy and quickly vacated the area.

Meanwhile, back in his room, Al felt a sinister aura from the main house and prepared to investigate—suspecting Fani’s involvement.

But—

WHOOSH!

A massive energy surged toward him.

Before he could move—

BOOM!!!

His room exploded. Al narrowly avoided the blast, though the structure was obliterated.

Now, sitting amidst the rubble, Al glared at the old man who had just called him an intruder.

The man stood tall, radiating strength—clearly a practitioner of internal energy—vita.

In a flash, he leapt again, gathering energy into his leg.

Martial Arts Skill: Sky Break Kick.

His leg ignited with white energy. Wind howled around him. He launched a direct kick at Al.

Al stared, calm but piercing. This man had no idea who he was trying to fight.

But—

CRASH!

The kick was blocked—by Dedy, the senior bodyguard who had been secretly loyal to Al.

Unfortunately, Dedy was sent flying, slamming into the garden wall and crashing to the ground, groaning in pain—his shoulder visibly fractured.

"Dedy?!" several guards shouted.

The old man in batik shirt looked shocked.

"Dedy? Why are you protecting this intruder?"

Dedy slowly got up, breathing heavily, and bowed.

"Sir... he’s no intruder."

"He is... the true young master of this family."

The crowd erupted in confusion.

The old man looked stunned, struggling to process what he’d just heard.

Still skeptical, he studied Al’s face more carefully. But he knew—Dedy rarely spoke, and never lied. If Dedy was willing to oppose him, then this boy... might really be the Virellano family’s young master.

"But the young master is David, isn’t he?" he asked.

Dedy wanted to explain, but the pain was too much.

At that moment, Vianna and David arrived. Vianna still wore her usual combat sleepwear, while David had hastily thrown on a jacket.

David said nothing. His eyes scanned the ruins, quickly realizing a misunderstanding had taken place. But frustration simmered when he saw Al still looking calm despite the chaos, and Dedy—kneeling in pain, clearly having protected him.

Vianna looked confused. She wanted to explain... but decided against it. Let the orphan boy handle his own mess.

The old man turned to them and saluted.

"Young Miss Vianna, Young Master David, good evening. Apologies for the commotion. I assumed this individual was an intruder, so I attacked." He pointed at Al. "Is it true, as Dedy says, that he’s a young master of this family? If not, allow me to eliminate him."

Al stared back at him, his eyes burning with restrained fury.

And no one realized...

...just how terrifying the rage of this so-called lazy boy could be.