BXBX NOVEL Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Betrayal Unveiled
"Hmph, I knew Garcia and Gonzalez were just spouting nonsense. You Blackwoods really keep your word," Jerry said, clearly satisfied with the transaction, as Ethan noticed the text above his head.
"Rest assured, from now on, you are our partners. The potions your alchemists make and the psychic gear your craftsmen forge can be traded through our family to other towns!"
Of course, Ethan could see that the Martinez family\'s eagerness wasn\'t just because the Blackwoods kept their promises. It was because of Amelia and Julian\'s presence. Though only ninth rank, they were hot commodities wherever they went.
As the Martinez family left, the Blackwoods were overjoyed.
"This is great! Trading with the Martinez family means we can get all sorts of resources. We\'ve finally broken the blockade of Forest Town. My Golden Psychic Bath has a future now. Just need to partner up with the Su family, and I can make even more potions!" Amelia seemed only to get this excited about potion-making.
"The Black Gleam Crystals sold to us by the Martinez family can be used to build a training room that can accommodate a hundred people. I\'ll handle this," Julian licked his lips. "And the Moonlight Stones, hand over your psychic gear, and I\'ll give them a refresh. Big bro, even your high-grade psychic sword can take a stab at it."
"Give it a shot, take it. I\'m really not used to this psychic breath sword," Lucas grinned.
"And Julian, remember my 150 sets of Black Iron Beast Blood suits, Black Blood Bows, and Black Blood Knives. Once we have a 150-person Iron Will guard squad, these items will come in handy. I\'ve even thought of a name for them—The Black Blood Hall!"
"150 sets? Big bro, you\'re really greedy. These items will keep me busy refining for years. You better check if we have enough Black Iron ores first."
"Once we take over the whole of Forest Town, everything will be within our reach," Olivia said lightly from her wheelchair, drawing the attention of her siblings.
But they had no doubts about their youngest sister\'s capabilities.
Neither did Ethan, watching from his screen.
Congratulations! Your descendants have acquired a wealth of resources, and they know it was with your approval that Olivia implemented the plan to secure the deal with the Martinez family. They hold you in even higher esteem now.
[You\'ve earned a Spiritual Tribute +100!]
In the days that followed, the Blackwoods began a bustling period of development. With Lucas\'s promise, the guard team, upon becoming Iron Will Psychics, would be granted psychic equipment, and they started intensely cultivating their psychic powers.
As Ethan continued to decode the "Forebearer\'s Psychic Formation Map" from his Divine Gift, Lucas began gathering a hundred people from Gratitude Village every day... for tattooing! The ink was made from the blood of the Blackwoods, mixed with various other materials.
Ethan saw a villager lift his shirt to reveal a beautifully inscribed \'B\' on his chest, followed by another villager who had the same letter inscribed on another part of his body, and some even wanted it on their buttocks.
It turns out that the first step to completing the "Forebearer\'s Psychic Formation Map" was to mark all those loyal to Blackwood with a symbol made from Blackwood blood. This was to gather everyone\'s strength around the Blackwoods in times of crisis.
The second step was even more complex than the branding. It involved engraving a huge formation map within the range of the big array, which would take years to complete across the entire Blackwood residence.
Finally, as spring arrived, all the people of Blackwood gathered together, anxiously awaiting in the birthing room. With the cry of a newborn baby, everyone burst into joy.
[Karen has successfully given birth to a son after ten months, named Daniel!]
[Congratulations, you\'ve earned a Spiritual Tribute +10!]
Karen, who had always been a bit lazy, didn\'t have a child as outstanding as Marcus, even though the child also had a mixed Psychic Constitution of five elements.
The strongest, the Fire Psychic Constitution, only reached a score of 48.
However, what surprised Ethan in the game was that.
Daniel had just been born, and Lucas was holding the child in the room, but he didn\'t even glance at Karen, who had just given birth. The other Blackwoods also looked at Karen occasionally, their expressions mocking or even disgusted.
"Lucas, let me hold the child," Karen pleaded, her eyes red.
Lucas thought for a moment and then handed the child to Karen, then said coldly, "Karen, I\'ve been good to you over the years. But time and again, you\'ve taken advantage of our Blackwood resources, even stealing psychic medicines and beast blood fruits from our treasury for your brother and father."
"After Daniel\'s birth, we are no longer husband and wife, and you no longer have any ties with us Blackwoods."
"Considering our past relationship, from now on you can live in Gratitude Village under my protection, and you can see Marcus and Daniel. I don\'t want them to be without a mother. But remember, sparing your lives is already a great mercy. I only hope that you and your Brown family will live quietly and obediently."
Karen cried out, "Lucas, give me another chance, I will change, I dare not do it again."
"You\'ve already had many chances," said Olivia, caressing the handles of her wheelchair, her face expressionless. "Did you Brown family really think you could get away with these deeds under my watch? But you\'ve gone too far. We Blackwoods can accept mediocrity, but we cannot accept betrayal and deceit."
As she spoke, Olivia looked towards Marcus, who was standing with his head bowed, and said softly, "Nephew, you\'ve grown up, and you should know the truth about these matters."
"Uh-huh," Marcus murmured, choking up, his head still bowed, his eyes red.