Chapter 176 - Unwelcomed Guests

His face couldn't be clearly seen because of the shadows, but Hecathe was still able to tell that the man looked to be completely calm and didn't even flinch as he watched the wall being shattered into bits. 

"Now there's the man we were looking for," Hecathe commented with a small smirk as he straightened his back. 

Marvin didn't bother putting the saber away as he saw this and he simply stood beside Hecathe and waited to see what happens next. 

LeiLei's eyebrows creased together as she saw this and in the very next second, she used her ability to teleport them up to the room. 

"Hello there," Hecathe was the first to greet the man. 

"How polite of you to break the wall just to come over and greet me," The man sarcastically responded as he leaned his head back on the back of the chair. 

The three could finally see the man's face clearly but they were still not able to recognize him. 

"Who the hell are you?" LeiLei asked with a frown as she glared at the man.. 

"Me?" The man repeated with a bit of amusement as he tilted his head, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question? Who are you three and why are you trespassing inside my home?" 

"..." 

Hecathe chuckled dryly as he heard this question and nodded his head as he apologized "Sorry for coming uninvited, but it's not like your main gate is very welcoming to strangers." 

"There is probably a reason why it's not welcoming," The man spoke sarcastically as he glared at Hecathe. 

Hecathe nodded his head as he agreed with the man, "You're right." 

"Then why might you be standing here?" 

"Of course, because I can," Hecathe shrugged his shoulders as he responded casually. 

"..." The man pursed his lips into a thin line as he heard this and didn't bother saying anything as a response to that. 

"You still didn't answer my question," LeiLei pointed out with a frown, "Just who are you?" 

The man tilted his head and felt a little amused by LeiLei as he heard the girl repeating this question.

"I'm the owner of this house, but I guess that was already pretty obvious," The man replied sarcastically. 

LeiLei opened her mouth to say something to that but was immediately stopped by Hecathe who gently pulled her back by the wrist and gestured for her to stay quiet. 

"We were just here to ask you a few questions if you don't mind," Hecathe spoke politely with a friendly smile. 

"And what if I do mind?" The man asked back without missing a beat.

"Well, we're still here to ask you a few questions."

"..." 

Hecathe wasn't really leaving the man any choice and the man didn't look to be very pleased with this. 

"Six years ago or something, this house belonged to another family, is that correct?" Hecathe didn't bother beating around the bush or engaging in useless conversations anymore as he got right to the topic and asked without any hesitation. 

"I guess so," The man nodded his head as he responded. 

"Can you give us more information on the original family that used to live here?" Hecathe asked with great interest as he heard the man's cooperative response. 

"I'm afraid I can't share this info with just anyone," The man sighed as he shook his head and refused to answer the question. 

"Eh?" 

"If you want me to say anything about them, you'll need to be somehow related to them and only if you can show proof of your connection with them can I tell you the answers that you need." 

Hecathe couldn't help but frown a little as he heard this, but after thinking about it for a minute, he felt as if this made sense. 

"LeiLei is the daughter of that family," Hecathe revealed firmly with a smile as he gestured towards the girl, "As for proof, I guess you already saw her abilities just now." 

The man looked to be a bit surprised as he heard this and he immediately turned to look at LeiLe with great interest as he thought about something. 

"Is that really true?" The man asked as he leaned in forward. 

"Do you have a doubt?" LeiLei clicked her tongue as she snapped back and the man chuckled as he shook his head. 

"I guess you really do fit the character," The man commented as his eyes narrowed down on LeiLei, "But the daughter of the original family died with her parents that night." 

Hecathe's eyebrows creased together as he heard this, "Are you sure about that?"

"Why would I lie to you about this?" The man asked back, almost mockingly as he continued with a sigh, "Even her corpse was found so how can it not be true?" 

Hecathe side-glanced at LeiLei as he heard this and although he trusted LeiLei and her words, now that he was hearing about this proof, it was only natural that he felt a little suspicious of the girl. 

"How can you be so sure?" It was Marvin who questioned this time, "Did you see her corpse with your own eyes?" 

The man sighed as he shook his head and explained, "It wasn't something that one would enjoy seeing." 

"Why is that?" Hecathe asked as his frown deepened. 

"She had been burnt to death," The man sighed as he spoke and Hecathe couldn't help but feel a little shocked as he heard this. 

"Then identifying the corpse must have been impossible," Marvin clicked his tongue as he pointed out, "It could have been someone else as well. How can conclude it to be their daughter." 

"This room was enough of a proof," The man spoke with a small dry chuckle, "You see, this room used to belong to her and this was the place where her corpse was found." 

Hecathe felt a shiver run down his spine as he heard this, but he didn't dare say anything. 

"You're right," LeiLei spoke as she nodded her head, "This was indeed my room but I refuse to believe that the corpse found belongs to me." 

"That may be the case, but... Can you prove it?" The man looked straight at LeiLei and met her eyes as he asked without any hesitation, "Do you have anything that can be used as proof?" 

LeiLei pursed her lips into a thin line and couldn't help but shake her head as she sighed. 

It was just as he had said. Although she was sure that she was the daughter that was believed to have been burnt to death that day, she still had no proof to prove her claim. 

"Her abilities can be used as proof, can they not" Hecathe raised his eyebrows as he asked. 

"Her ability may be rare but even one of the willows had such a power so how can it prove anything?' 

Marvin, "Then let us ask you for a favor. Can you give us more information on her parents?" 

The man smirked in satisfaction as he heard this and turned to look at Marvin with a smile, "Finally, someone around here has the manners to ask instead of demanding. However, I'm afraid I won't be able to give you the answer that you are looking for." 

Hecathe felt extremely unhappy as he heard this and immediately reacted, "Why do you keep saying that? Just what do you want from us?" 

"It was a request from the one who sold me this house," The man spoke up as he explained, "I am not allowed to reveal the truths that had long been buried behind these walls." 

"..." 

Hecathe had the sudden urge to smash something on the man's head but he tried his best to control his temper. 

"What if we try to bribe you?" LeiLei asked as she innocently tilted her head. 

Hecathe and Marvin gulped in unison as they heard this. 

Even the man looked to be speechless as he heard this question. 

"Excuse me...?" 

LeiLei sighed as she repeated herself, "You heard it right. I asked you whether you'd be interested in a little bribe?" 

The man raised his eyebrows as he asked, "Are you sure you can afford to bribe me?" 

"Aren't you looking down a bit too much on us?" LeiLei scoffed as she asked back and the man couldn't help but chuckle as he heard this. 

"You guys are surprisingly fun to talk to," The man complimented them, "Well, in that case, I guess you are free to bribe me." 

LeiLei smiled in satisfaction as she heard this, "Then let's talk now. What would it take to get an answer out of you." 

"Money really doesn't interest me, honey," The man sighed as he responded, "I have an abundance of money so it simply has no more use for me. On the other hand, there is still something that you can give me instead of money." 

"I'm not selling you my body," LeiLei spoke firmly as she shook her head and the man chuckled as he heard this. 

"You have me wrong. Your body doesn't interest me either," The man spoke with a chuckle.

"Then what do you want?" LeiLei asked with a frown as she glared at the man.