Sam suddenly snapped his eyes open, his hand instinctively reaching for his chest, but he was dumbfounded when he couldn't feel any pain, nor could he find any trace of the stab wound.
He became even more bewildered as he realized he was perfectly fine. He stood up, his body feeling strong and whole, and paused for a few moments, trying to comprehend or at least make sense of what was happening.
"Okay, calm down," he muttered to himself, his mind racing. To test his reality, he pinched his arm and felt the sharp pain. "I am not dreaming... but then, how do you explain this?"
His gaze fell upon the knife nearby, a chilling reminder of the attack. The memory of what those thugs had done to him made his eyes turn ice-cold. "I'll make you experience what hell feels like, just wait for me," he whispered under his breath, his determination unwavering.
Curiously, he glanced to the side and noticed that the burgers and fries he had purchased were still in pristine condition, untouched by time or decay.
"What the hell?" Sam mumbled, his senses sharpening. He could see things even more clearly than before as if a veil had been lifted from his vision.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pushed aside the strange occurrences and hastily made his way back home with the food.
To his surprise, he realized that he was in peak physical condition, feeling as if he had consumed a nourishing, protein-rich meal and experienced a rejuvenating night's sleep.
That's how he felt right now, strong and full of vitality.
However, apart from those unusual occurrences, there were no other changes. His belly still appeared flat, devoid of any noticeable muscle or excess fat—perfectly normal.
Sam was sure he hadn't suddenly transformed into Spider-Man or anything else, as there were no bite marks resembling a spider's bite on his body. This realization left him feeling slightly disappointed.
Upon arriving home, he pressed the calling button, and a woman with soft white hair and sparkling blue eyes greeted him with a small smile. She was Sam's mother, Helena Hailstorm.
"Sam, you're late," she remarked.
"It's nothing, Mom. I ran into some classmates on the way, that's all."
His mother raised an eyebrow, sensing that something was different about her son, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed.
'He hasn't awakened his bloodline, has he?' Sam's mother thought to herself. 'No, I can't sense any spiritual energy from him. He's not awakened yet.'
With lingering doubts, she decided not to dwell on them. She and her son proceeded to the dining room and took their seats.
Sam noticed that his Aunt Lor was already seated at the dining table. He immediately took a place opposite her and sat down, ensuring he had a clear view of her assets.
Sam's aunt noticed his lingering gaze and couldn't help but smile slightly, but her smile vanished as soon as she felt the intense glare from her sister, Sam's mother.
Aunt Lor also sensed that something was different about her nephew, but like her sister, she couldn't quite pinpoint what had changed.
"When did you come back, Aunt Lor?" Sam asked, trying to divert the conversation.
"Just this morning. How was your day?" Aunt Lor replied.
"Nothing unusual, but I did accidentally tear my T-shirt on my way back," Sam pointed to the hole in his shirt, a result of the recent stabbing incident. He mentioned it deliberately so that his mother wouldn't grow suspicious later. He still wanted to figure out what exactly had happened to him.
Sam had no intention of divulging the details of the encounter with the thugs from his class. Furthermore, he had no idea how to explain the inexplicable changes in his body.
"Oh, you have to be more careful," his mom scolded, concern evident in her voice.
After enjoying their burgers and fries and chatting for about an hour, Sam excused himself and headed back to his room to get some sleep.
Once Sam had left the dining area, Aunt Lor couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. She turned to her older sister with an intense gaze.
"Okay, what was that all about? Did he awaken his bloodline or something?" Aunt Lor inquired.
"I don't know," Sam's mother replied, her expression thoughtful. "But I can't sense any spiritual energy from him, nor could I detect our bloodline within him. So, it's safe to assume that he hasn't awakened yet."
Aunt Lor nodded, understanding the situation. "So, when are you planning to tell him the truth, sis?"
"I don't know," Sam's mother replied, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "But not now."
"Would you like me to tell him?"
"No, but I want you to be there when we do tell him. After all, his life will undergo a significant transformation after that."
"More importantly," Sam's mom said, her eyes glowing with a hint of power as she glared at her sister, "what are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" Aunt Lor asked innocently.
"You know exactly what I mean," Sam's mom continued.
Aunt Lor feigned ignorance. "No, I don't."
"Are you trying to seduce my son, Lor?"
"What? No, he's my nephew! Why on earth would I do that?"
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Yes."
Sam's mom fell silent for a moment, contemplating her sister's response. "Do whatever you want, just don't break my son's heart. Do you understand?"
Aunt Lor nodded. "By the way, hypothetically speaking, if I were to enter into a relationship with him, you wouldn't be angry with me, right?"
Her sister's gaze remained fixed on her for a few moments before she replied, "No."
....
SLAP!
A resounding slap echoed through the mansion, and the recipient of that slap found himself on the ground, clutching his stinging face. He looked up at the man who had slapped him, his expression filled with fear.
"What do you mean you dropped it on the way?" The man who had administered the slap had blonde hair and hazel eyes. Under normal circumstances, he might have appeared quite handsome, but anger had distorted his features, making him look unlikeable.
He turned to the other figure dressed in dark clothing. "Do you have any idea how valuable that book is? And you just dropped it on your way here?"
The man couldn't help but chuckle, a bitter self-loathing creeping into his tone as he reflected on the trust he had placed in these individuals to deliver something so precious to him.
"You had one job, and you guys managed to screw it up perfectly," he said, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Veins pulsed on every part of his face as his frustration boiled over. "Just perfect."
Tap! Tap!
"What? Did you find it?" the man inquired with a glimmer of hope, addressing his men who had just returned after an hour of searching for the ancient book.
"My lord, we searched everywhere—every alley, every street. We even questioned the beggars, but we couldn't locate the codex," the burly man replied, casting his gaze towards the two dark-clothed figures.
The man couldn't contain his anger any longer. He lashed out and struck the individual who had dropped the book with such force that the man was sent hurtling, crashing into the wall.
Coughing up a mouthful of blood, the injured man groaned in agony. Several of his bones were broken, and it would take a significant amount of time to heal, even with the aid of pills and healing potions.
"I don't know what you guys do, and I don't care how many people you may have to eliminate. Bring me my Codex," the man declared, his voice unwavering.
His men, including the two dark-clothed figures, vanished from the spot, embarking on a relentless search for the highly ancient artifact—The Codex Of The Supreme Immortals.