Chapter 385: Chapter 361: Kane Family Boxing (3)

At the sound of Wesley Lawson’s voice, all the Kanes turned to look at Dawn Miles.

Her face was devoid of expression as she asked coolly, "You’ve seen me before?"

"To be precise, my captain has. He thinks very highly of your potential and has always wanted to invite you to join the base."

"Who’s your captain?"

"Sean Russell. He used to be your instructor."

Dawn Miles found the name familiar. ’He must be someone I haven’t remembered yet,’ she realized.

Wesley Lawson’s words surprised Fletcher Kane. His nephew was the most promising of his generation in the Lawson family.

He had been sponsored for admission to a military academy right after college, and over the years, he had become quite worldly and experienced.

It was clear from his tone that the young woman before them had an extraordinary background; she was likely from one of the great families.

If that was the case, her coming to help his nephew might have a deeper meaning.

"Wesley, you know her?"

Wesley Lawson glanced at him and explained, "Miss Sinclair is the second young lady of the Sinclair Family of Kingsford. She’s a student in the archaeology department at Arcadian University, though she’s currently on a leave of absence..."

This was all information his captain would ramble on about in his spare time.

Apparently, because of her leave of absence, his captain had been so agitated he’d nearly stormed over to Arcadian University to demand an explanation.

According to Aurora Sinclair’s normal academic track, she would have been sponsored for admission to the military academy right after completing her four-year undergraduate program. But her sudden leave of absence meant her matriculation would be delayed.

"Miss Sinclair, if you don’t mind my asking, why did you take a leave of absence?" Wesley Lawson was asking on behalf of his captain.

Dawn Miles tensed. She felt like a student who had been enjoying her freedom for a long time, only to suddenly be cornered by a teacher asking for homework. After a moment’s hesitation, she looked away and replied, a little guiltily, "Health reasons." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"My captain knows quite a few famous Martial Healers. If you need one, I can help you contact him..."

Dawn Miles quickly shook her head. "I’ll be fine after some rest."

She noticed that this man was paying a little too much attention to her, and a hint of wariness crept into her eyes.

"Wesley, I bought you a wool sweater earlier. Come and see..."

Catching a look from her husband, Leona Lawson quickly cut Wesley Lawson off, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward a bedroom.

Once only Dawn Miles and the Kane men were left in the living room, Fletcher Kane suddenly stood up and performed an Ancient Martial Ceremony before her.

His nephew had made her identity perfectly clear: daughter of one of the Great Families of Kingsford, student at Veridia’s most prestigious university, and a person highly valued by the base.

Her status was that of the rich and powerful. Perhaps, this time, the Kane family was truly in luck.

"Miss Sinclair, please, come with me."

***

Fletcher Kane led Dawn Miles through the front hall to a locked door.

It was an inconspicuous courtyard door, but the lock was quite intricate. The pattern on it gave her a sense of déjà vu.

’She seemed to recall seeing this pattern somewhere before.’

With a crisp CLICK, an image in Dawn Miles’s memory sharpened into focus.

’It was the pattern from a shrine room in the Sherwood Clan.’

"Miss Sinclair, please—"

Fletcher Kane pushed open the door, inviting Dawn Miles into the courtyard.

This was the Kane family’s ancestral hall.

A stone stele over two meters tall stood in the courtyard, densely inscribed with ancient characters.

Many of the characters were blurred and indistinct with age.

Fletcher Kane invited Dawn Miles to sit in the courtyard while he, Lucas Kane, and Kyle Kane entered the ancestral hall, apparently to retrieve something for her.

Dawn Miles stood before the stone stele and began to read it.

It seemed to record the history of the Kane ancestors’ rise to prominence. One passage, in particular, made Dawn Miles’s eyes narrow.

By Emperor’s Order, Basil Kane was stationed in Sypan for over forty years. Upon return, he was enfeoffed as General of Cavalry...

Sypan was the name for Niphoria in Ancient Times.

"Miss Sinclair, thank you for waiting. Please, step into the inner room."

Fletcher Kane gestured for Dawn Miles to proceed, his heart filled with apprehension.

What they were about to ask was, in fact, a gamble with the entire fortune of the Kane Clan.

It was a desperate move, but they had no other choice.

His father had left them with a final message: The last four stances of Kane Family Boxing are a curse, but they are also a blessing.

At the time, they hadn’t understood what he meant, but now...

This might be the opportunity for the Kane family to re-establish itself.

"Please—"

Dawn Miles watched him for a moment, then slowly walked toward the ancestral hall. Just before entering, she suddenly stopped, raised her hands, and performed a traditional salute to the numerous memorial tablets inside the main entrance.

Fletcher Kane froze.

A powerful feeling washed over him. ’The Kane family didn’t misjudge her this time.’

***

Fletcher Kane led her to a side room adjoining the ancestral hall.

The furnishings inside were simple: a table and chairs, and a wooden cabinet of indeterminate age.

Lucas Kane was seated in one of the chairs, with Kyle Kane standing respectfully beside him.

On the table beside them sat an ancient wooden box.

The lid was open, revealing a familiar-looking Sheepskin Scroll and a yellowed boxing manual.

"Miss Sinclair, this is the legacy of our Kane Clan."

Lucas Kane carefully opened the boxing manual, presenting its contents to Dawn Miles.

She pinched the paper of the boxing manual. The texture was different from that of the Radiant Void Boxing Manual; it couldn’t be too old.

Lucas Kane said, "The original boxing manual was destroyed in a fire over a hundred years ago. This is a copy my father transcribed from memory. The last four stances are on this Sheepskin Scroll."

He put on gloves and carefully unrolled the Sheepskin Scroll, as if it were some fragile treasure.

A dozen or so diagrams, drawn with special pigments, were visible on the Sheepskin Scroll. They depicted the final four stances of Kane Family Boxing.

"May I feel it?" Dawn Miles asked.

Lucas Kane nodded.

Dawn Miles reached out, pressed a corner of the Sheepskin Scroll, then pinched it lightly. It felt slightly different from the scroll in her silver case, as this one wasn’t oily to the touch.

Seeing her pensive expression, Lucas Kane thought she had found something wrong with the Sheepskin Scroll. "Miss Sinclair," he asked softly, "is there something amiss?"

She replied hesitantly, "I’ve seen a type of Sheepskin Scroll where hidden content is revealed when it’s placed in Water, but this scroll doesn’t have any oily residue."

Upon hearing this, a strange expression crossed Lucas Kane’s face. He glanced at Fletcher Kane, who gave a slight nod. Only then did Lucas say, "This Sheepskin Scroll does indeed have hidden text. But it’s not revealed with Water, it’s revealed with fire."

"Fire?"

"That’s right. When the Kane family’s legacy was destroyed in a great fire years ago, only this Sheepskin Scroll survived intact. My father later discovered the Kane family’s secrets hidden within it."

As he spoke, he had Kyle Kane bring over a lighter.

As the flame drew near, obscure, ancient characters began to appear on the Sheepskin Scroll.

"This is a script from Ancient Times, the same as the characters on the stele outside. My father consulted numerous historical records and managed to roughly translate the meaning."

"A Kane family ancestor named Basil Kane served as a Colonel during the Harrow Dynasty. For his role in suppressing a rebellion, he was promoted to Central Lang General. He then escorted the rebellious clan to Sypan, where he was stationed for forty years. Afterward, he was made General of Cavalry..."

Dawn Miles had just seen this passage on the stele. She nodded slightly. "Does it mention the name of the rebellious clan?"

Lucas Kane’s expression grew solemn. "The clan’s surname was Azure. My father later went to Niphoria specifically to investigate and confirmed that it was the Sherwood Clan."

Dawn Miles’s hand paused. After a moment’s thought, she asked, "Is there anything else recorded about the Sherwood Clan?"

"Yes. It says that the Members of the Azure Clan were exiled to Sypan by Emperor Harrow for spreading dangerous falsehoods and disrupting the order of the court. The Members of the Azure Clan pleaded their innocence to Basil Kane, but he did not listen. It wasn’t until forty years later that an orphaned daughter of the Azure Clan offered up her family’s secret martial arts in exchange for the Emperor’s forgiveness for her descendants..."