"Alright, if you''re looking for trouble, I''m not afraid to spill the beans."


    Odie said, "Last time I went back to Summerfield, it seemed like I was there for Minton''s business, but honestly, I was on the hunt for a rare gemstone." "A rare gemstone?" Sophie raised an eyebrow.


    "Yeah, a gemstone. It''s worth a fortune. Word is, it was snapped up by some private collector overseas decades ago, and getting details has been like pulling teeth." Sophie looked puzzled. "You mentioned a private seller. How''d you manage to get it?"


    "Well, back in Summerfield, after stumbling upon The Silent Shadows, I dug into their origins. In this old church, I spotted a pattern in the stained ss, a phoenix, you know? So I did some digging and found out The Silent Shadows have been around for over a hundred years."


    Odie picked up his phone from beside the pillow, scrolled through some photos, and showed them to Sophie. "This phoenix is likely their totem. Behind it is something like a sun. Remember those ancient tales of the phoenix rising from the ashes? I reckon there''s a link here."


    Sophie considered this for a moment. "So, this totem is what The Silent Shadows is all about?"


    Odie nodded. "Exactly. Just like the Mintons have a scorpion on a poppy as their emblem, a totem usually spells out what a group stands for. I figure The Silent Shadows are all about rebirth or starting anew. They''ve been drawing in wealthy folks for ages. Over the years they''ve built quite thework, with influential businessmen and officials joining their ranks. Those cloaked figures with white masks you saw at the Pearl Hotel? They''re likely the big shots within The Silent Shadows."


    Sophie fell silent, taking it all in. These were not the kind of people you wanted to cross.


    "No wonder they could take over the Pearl Hotel in a heartbeat. Even Daniel, the second-inmand in Summerfield, is at their beck and call, They''re way out of our league."


    "So this gemstone you''ve been talking about, it''s something they''re after?"


    "Yeah," Odie replied. "I found out they''ve been on the lookout for rareN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    stones all over. So, I forked out a hefty sum to buy this legendary gemstone from a wealthy


    businessman. It''s said to have been around since the beginning of time, gaining a unique shine after billions of years."


    Just then, Colby nced at Odie. "You found it?"


    Caught off guard, Odie quickly masked his surprise, frowning slightly. "Yeah, I found it. Why?"


    "Just curious," Colby shrugged it off.


    Sophie missed the tension in Odie''s voice and asked, "But such a precious gemstone, where''d you get the cash to buy it?"