Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill - Chapter 252

Chapter 252: 252:The Depth Of Emotion
Meanwhile inside the prison…

Kea and the survivors sat huddled together in the dim light. Their wrists were bound tightly with ropes digging into their skin.

“You need to do something!” one man whispered frantically.

“They might kill us for real,” another muttered, voice shaking.

Kea raised his hands calmly to quiet them, his chin tilted up with smug confidence.

“Don’t worry. We will be freed soon.”

“Freed? How?” someone asked immediately.

“Did you forget who we are?” Kea replied with a small proud smile. “We are from the World Merchant Group. We have the backing of the Merchant Association of Ruthiana.”

Hope flickered in the prisoners’ eyes.

“Also the three Guilds of Ruthiana have our back.”

“So what if he is strong… Even Master ranks are nothing but dogs with leashes under authority. And he is just a backwater Baron.” Kea scoffed lightly. “A Lord of barren land.”

“Uhh. Is that what you think?”

The new voice came from beside him. Kea froze for a moment and slowly turned his head.

Standing there was a man dressed in black clothes, wearing a mask that hid every feature. Fear stabbed straight into Kea’s chest and he screamed without thinking.

“Kyaaa.. Who are you?”

“You don’t need to know who I am.” The masked man answered softly. He lifted his hand and clapped once. The sound echoed sharply and several men stepped forward carrying a tray.

Cold metal instruments rested neatly across it.

The masked man looked at them slowly, his fingers gliding over each tool as if choosing a fine piece of art. He picked one up, turning it gently under the dim torchlight.

“What you need to know is that from today, you will feel worse than death yet you can’t die, because before you die we will heal you and torture you.” His tone remained calm, almost emotionless.

“And don’t misunderstand. I am not doing this to extract any information, rather…”

He paused. Even through the mask, everyone could sense the cruel tilt of his unseen smile.

“Rather I am acting on personal vendetta, isn’t it?”

“Yes sir..” one of his men replied quietly.

What followed was a chilling chorus of screams.

It was raw shrill screams of pure agony.

Cries of pain echoed through the stone halls, twisting like something alive, crawling under the skin and into the bones of everyone who heard them.

The night swallowed their suffering whole, yet the sound did not fade.It continued merciless and unbroken.

And the worst thing is that it had only just begun.

……

Ethan sat at his desk with his hands folded together, his eyes fixed on the open window where the starry sky spread endlessly above the estate. The night was unusually peaceful. It was one of those rare nights where he did not accompany any of his wives, instead choosing to spend his time alone in quiet thought. His mind was heavy and still simmering with leftover irritation.

When his anger finally cooled down a bit, he came to understand something important.

If Black Thorns kept sending him every tiny report and detail, then it would only burden him further. He did not have time to read every scrap of information.

Time was something he could never waste. And even though he loved his wives deeply and cherished time with them, he was not someone who spent entire days lying lazily in their embrace. He trained every day without fail, pushing his limits, breaking himself and remaking himself stronger again.

Recently, he had been working on a new type of swordsmanship. The idea was still incomplete and he was in the middle of pondering how to refine it. His gaze stayed locked on the stars, trying to form the missing link in his thoughts.

Knock…

A sudden knock on the study door broke the silence.

“Come in!”

The door opened slowly and a familiar voice came through.

“Father, you are still awake!”

Ethan’s stern expression softened immediately when he saw Ray’s figure stepping inside.

From a young boy, Ray had grown into a refined young gentleman. Ethan felt a faint warmth in his chest at the sight. Biologically, Ray almost looked the same as Ethan had when he was transported to this world. It tugged at memories he rarely revisited.

Back then, he had arrived with nothing.

The first thing he did was search for clothes and work, only to realise this world was terrifying. Even a normal person here was strong enough to slap him to death.

For two fucking years, he lived in fear, hiding, working for scraps, surviving like a rat. It was agony. Eventually he found work as a servant in the Blanks household. He saved up coins bit by bit until he could finally test his potential.

And to his horror, he had none.There was no talent.

His fate was sealed. He was bound to live as an ordinary man forever, crushed under the shadow of powerful people.

Until one woman changed everything. A lovely lady pulled him out of his lonely life. And the young man standing before him now was the fruit of that love.

“Sit,” Ethan said quietly.

Ray nodded and sat down. The room felt calmer with his presence.

Ethan reached for a fine bottle of wine. He poured two glasses, sliding one across the desk to Ray.

“I don’t like wine.”

“Have some. It will soothe your heart. When I was weak and fearful, I used to rely on wine just to sleep.”

He was telling the truth. Back then his hands trembled every night. He was just too tense and guarded.Sleep never came easily. Wine became his only escape until he finally adapted to life here.

Ray hesitated for a moment, then lifted the glass and drank it in one smooth gulp.

“You look troubled, Ray.”

“So are you father,” Ray replied quietly.

Both of them laughed lightly, tension easing for a moment.

Ethan leaned back slightly, eyes thoughtful. “Ray, you have brought me a troublesome matter.”

“Troublesome…” Ray repeated, confused.

“How?”

Ethan rested his elbow on the armrest and answered. “It’s done by those greedy bastards of the Merchant Association. Our rapidly growing business has pushed them to the back foot so they have changed sides. With the King’s permission, they are now engaging in human traffic and so in a way it’s our fault too.”

“Father, it’s not your fault that they are morally screwed,” Ray said while taking another sip.

“Also, can’t we take care of the Merchant Group?”

“That’s not the issue.”

“Then…”

“It’s a Guild.”

Ray froze.

“Adventure Guild Association is also involved with it. Years ago the top three guilds joined together to form the Guild Association and they are the ones primarily responsible for gathering slaves. With noble connections they are practically untouchable in the Capital.”

Ray’s eyes widened as the weight of the matter sunk in.

“Yes… so we poked the hornet nest this time.”

Gulp….

Ray swallowed his saliva. Even he could see the danger. For a moment he doubted if his father could handle it. But Ethan was calm, too calm. Ray steadied his thoughts.

“It’s okay. Father, I know where to step back and where to push things.”

Ethan slowly turned toward him.

“When did I say I am gonna keep quiet?”

“Huh?” Ray blinked, startled by the change in tone.

He stared at Ethan’s face.There was a smile that was neither soft nor gentle.

A smile sharp enough to draw blood and Ray felt a chilly seeing it.