?Chapter 938:


    Davin’s shock over Maxine’s ruthlessness ran so deep that silence clung to him for what felt like an eternity.


    Finally, Maxine’s voice broke it. Her gaze slidzily toward him, her tone smooth as ss. “Does my decision astonish you so much, Davin?”


    “Yes,” he answered honestly, his voice rough with disbelief. “I don’t understand your reasoning at all. If you give up on Katrina, why not simply strip her of her role? Why create this borate death trap?”


    Before she could respond, he pushed forward with his questions. “And if you value Elliana as highly as you im—if you genuinely want her to carry the next generation of Griffiths—then sending Katrina to hunt her down seemspletely counterproductive. You’ve put the entire Serpent Society at Katrina’s disposal. No matter how skilled Elliana might be, how can she possibly survive against an entire organization? What happens if Katrina actually manages to kill her?”


    A soft, chillingugh escaped from Maxine’s lips, the sound as cold as winter wind through dead leaves. “It seems you underestimate Elliana just as much as everyone else does, Davin. I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.”


    Her eyes gleamed with something that might have been anticipation. “The Serpent Society is indeed a powerful weapon, but even the sharpest sword is worthless when wielded by ipetent hands. This will serve as a trial for both of them—a final test for Katrina to prove her worth and a baptism of fire for Elliana to show her true strength.” She paused, her smile growing even more unsettling. “I don’t particrly care which one of them survives this encounter. I only care about the victor.”


    Her expression shifted dramatically, the casual amusement melting away to reveal something far more dangerous. In its ce burned a fierce, calcting ambition that made the air around her feel colder. “I will create an heir capable of leading the Griffiths family to absolute power across the globe,” she dered with unwavering conviction. “Only when that mission isplete will I allow myself to rest.”


    These weren’t hollow words. Maxine meant every syble. Despite being nearly seventy years old, she would likely walk this earth for decades toe, perhaps even centuries.


    Every matriarch who had ruled the Griffiths family served as the guardian of the Medical Codex, an ancient text filled with secrets of extending human life far beyond its natural limits. They spent their entire reigns studying its mysteries, unlocking knowledge that granted them extraordinary longevity.


    These days, Maxine favored flowing ck gowns that reached the floor, always paired with dark veils thatpletely obscured her features. But if anyone were brave enough to lift that veil, they would refuse to believe the woman beneath it was approaching her seventieth year. Her skin remained as smooth and wless as it had been when she was thirty. Her body still moved with the deadly grace of a trained killer, her fighting abilities undiminished by the passage of time.


    Extended lifespans had always been a hallmark of Griffiths’ leadership. Unless they met violent ends through idents or assassinations, most matriarchs lived well beyond their hundredth year. ording to family records, the longest-lived ancestor had reached the remarkable age of two hundred and six. The family harbored elderly matriarchs whose true ages would shock the outside world. This was one of their most closely guarded secrets.


    Unlike traditional monarchs who clung to power until death imed them, previous Griffiths matriarchs had chosen to step down voluntarily. When they felt ready, they would pass their authority to the next generation and retreat into peaceful istion for their remaining centuries.


    By Griffiths’ standards, Maxine was practically still in her youth.


    Davin had served the Griffiths family faithfully for his entire adult life, earning Maxine’splete trust and ess to their deepest secrets. He understood that for generations, the Griffiths’ philosophy had centered on careful survival and gradual power umtion, always staying hidden from public scrutiny. Wasn’t Maxine’s hunger for worldwide domination a dangerous break from that careful tradition? But he knew better than to voice such concerns openly. He kept his doubts to himself.


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