Chapter 21: Forebearer

"Chill for a sec, I kinda sorted things out for you."

"Look, there's buzz that your family head got blasted to smithereens by a star-destroying cannon in the Tianhuang Star Domain. I'm not buying it. The dude's slick, a Supreme-level big shot. No way he went down that easy. Probably faked his own death."

"Then, your top brass bolted, claiming revenge or something, but maybe they just cut and run early."

"Next up, your new head honcho cut off your cash flow. From what I see, wasn't on purpose. The new boss was too busy shifting assets, didn't have a sec to worry about your allowance. If he gets offed, your clan's still kicking. But the guy's no slouch, took the whole crew and dipped, assets and all, without a peep."

"So, bottom line, your Blackwoods are moving wealth, and you... congrats, you got ghosted by your own fam and turned into a broke joke."

"Congrats my foot, huh?!"

"Thanks a bunch, Kieran." Ethan forced a grin.

"No biggie. Oh, and if you're strapped for Energy Stones and thinking of selling your villa, hit me up first."

"Beep beep."

Ethan was shook!

He thought today Kieran would send his law firm's sharks to circle Blackwood, fight a flashy lawsuit.

Maybe even take out the clueless new head and double his pocket money.

But who knew it'd spiral into this mess?

"What the heck??"

Ethan still couldn't grasp it, tearfully staring at his once grand home, now truly cut off from cash. In this vast universe, finding his family seemed next to impossible...

Overnight, he turned into a total brokester, his only asset being everything inside this villa.

"Knock knock."

Just then, the door rang. Ethan, face all gloomy, opened up, and not even Lisa's smile could thaw his numb heart, felt kinda hollow instead.

Darn new head, bolted and forgot him!

"Commander, there's a letter for you at home," Lisa said, noticing Ethan's mood, and handed him an envelope.

Ethan tore it open.

Sender, Mark, that darn new head!

"Ethan, remember when you beat me up as a kid, said I'd never make a good head, better you than me. I think you had a point. Now you're the last of the Blackwood blood on Earth, I'm making you the head of the Blackwoods. Please, make our family proud!"

"Mark, you better hope I never see you again in my life!"

Definitely premeditated, had to be!

Ethan took a deep breath, no longer dwelling on it, frowned at Lisa who was still clueless, "What do we do if I go broke, us two?"

Lisa furrowed her brows, pondered seriously for a while.

"Commander, we could do this, there are 108 households in Psychic Gear, we could crash one house a day for a meal, scrounge some Energy Stones to get by. Won't be too often, won't be too annoying."

"You've got lots of classmates, could crash at their places too."

As she spoke, her Storage Ring flashed, waving a book in front of Ethan, "Worst comes to worst, I've got this secret manual here."

[Thief's Secret Techniques]

Hmm, thoughtful.

Ethan managed a strained smile, left the house, and headed to Granny Quinn's place.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The door echoed as Ethan faced it.

This time around, Granny Quinn wasn't the warm cookie she was last time. She eyed Ethan like she wanted to explode but held it back, "Ethan, here for your stuff? It ain't ready yet."

Ethan wasn't in the mood for chit-chat with the old bird, so he just reached out his hand.

"Come on, everyone knows everyone around here. Granny Quinn's skills are legendary, how could it not be ready?" Ethan grinned, "Plus, the gatekeeper Mr. John has been raving about your craftsmanship."

"You..."

Granny Quinn's face turned beet red for a moment, her cane thumping the ground hard, "Don't think just because you've got Mr. John on your side, you can push me around!"

"That's a bit much, not trying to threaten, just being cautious. You know I'm careful, Granny, just covering my bases."

Ethan kept up his smile, though it couldn't look faker.

"Hmph!"

With that, Granny Quinn wasn't up for more talk. She tossed Ethan a ring and scoffed, "Kid, you used to have the Blackwoods backing you, and that's why folks in Psychic Gear respected you. But I've heard..."

She paused, watching Ethan turn to leave, and sneered, "Without the Blackwoods, you're nothing! Remember, the world's a cold place. When Psychic Gear kicks you out, no one will give you the time of day. Let's see what you do then!"

"Bang!"

Granny Quinn's door slammed shut.

Ethan's face darkened; he knew he'd completely burned bridges with Granny Quinn. No, maybe it was doomed when he handed over that mysterious spear to her.

Everyone in Psychic Gear knew Granny Quinn's tech skills were insane, but she was no saint.

The reason Ethan had talked so long with Granny Quinn was to feel out whether she'd swap his mysterious spear, and well... it didn't go great, so he had to bring in gatekeeper Mr. John!

"Dang, no home and now I've ticked off a tough old lady!"

He cursed under his breath.

Ethan suddenly looked up at the sky, rubbed his face, "Granny Quinn's right, without the Blackwoods, I'm nothing. But now..."

"It's time to hustle!"

He remembered the struggles of the Blackwood folks in the games.

He was a Forebearer.

How could he let his people down?

"Starting today, I'm gonna be a chief who hustles!"