True Immortal Heart-Chapter 60: Dusk Under Threat

To call the Great Love Guild a criminal organization might sound extreme to some, even unpleasant to the ears. But when stripped of all romantic notions and subjective bias, the cold, harsh truth remained: at this moment, that was precisely what they were.

The guild’s origins were no secret—it had been founded by a man known far and wide as a merciless serial killer. No matter how noble their proclaimed ideals or what goals they pursued, the foundation upon which the guild was built was soaked in blood and defiance. And to act in blatant disregard of the law, regardless of the reason, was to challenge the very structure of society itself.

Anyone with a grain of sense understood one immutable truth: disrespecting the law was tantamount to scorning the societal order, and scorning the established order was nothing short of rebellion against the government. And rebellion, in any form, was considered a crime.

There might come a day—far in the future—when the tides of public opinion would shift. Perhaps more and more people would come to resonate with the guild’s ideals. If that day came, the Great Love Guild could possibly, just possibly, be seen as something more than a criminal faction. They might even be rebranded as a revolutionary force or a movement of change.

But that time had not yet arrived. Right now, as things stood, they were criminals in the eyes of the world.

And to think that their precious daughter—or perhaps granddaughter—would willingly join such a turbulent, dangerous world... It was a hard pill to swallow, even for men as shrewd and composed as them.

"You don’t have to be so hasty, child," Tharion said gently, his tone carrying a soft warmth. "There’s no harm in slowing down a little, is there?" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Lysandra paused, her eyes lowering slightly as silence stretched between them. It didn’t take her long to decipher their true thoughts. She understood—clearly and completely—what lay behind their words: worry, disappointment, even fear.

But even if the guild was viewed as criminals by the rest of the world—what of it?

’So what if they’re branded as criminals?’ she thought. ’At least I don’t see any contradiction between their goals and my own dreams.’

She lifted her gaze, eyes sharp like a blade tempered by experience. Her smile was calm but unwavering, and in that moment, the grace of her confidence spoke louder than any argument. Her tone was steady, not defiant, but undeniably firm.

"You don’t need to worry about me," she said. "I’ve learned so much from both of you over the years. I may not be drawn to the world of business like you hoped, but that doesn’t mean I’m ignorant or blind. I understand far more than I let on. So please, don’t concern yourselves too much. A little hardship or a few whispers of slander—I won’t be shaken by such things."

She took a step forward, eyes locked on theirs.

"And besides," she added, her voice dipping into a teasing tone, "aren’t both Father and Grandfather still secretly backing the Great Love Guild? If that’s the case, then what’s left to worry about? I have full confidence in your abilities. And I have confidence in myself too."

Her words, sincere and compelling, struck deep. Even the two wily old foxes, with their years of cunning and caution, could only exchange a glance and nod in silent agreement.

Despite their initial hesitation, the more they thought about it, the more they realized they could, in fact, exert considerable influence over the operations of the Great Love Guild. With that in mind, their precious granddaughter wouldn’t be in any real danger at all.

In truth, if she were to join the guild now, at this early stage, her status would be akin to that of a founding contributor—a cornerstone figure in its formation.

Yes, the chances of the guild’s success were still uncertain, teetering somewhere between ambition and collapse. But should the Great Love Guild one day rise to power and flourish, the benefits reaped by the Veilrose family would be anything but small.

From a businessman’s perspective, this was a classic case of high-risk, high-reward investment—placing a bet on a start-up with immense hidden potential.

And that potential, that core strength, was embodied in one man: Dusk.

They were no fools, no naïve investors taken in by a silver tongue. They knew perfectly well Dusk wasn’t revealing everything. In fact, the amount he had disclosed only highlighted how much he was still holding back—details of critical importance that he hadn’t yet shared.

That made one thing clear: Dusk wasn’t just a member of the guild. He was its foundation. Its very core.

Not even Darius or Garrick, despite their talents, could match the breadth of vital knowledge and vision that Dusk carried within him.

"I agree," Tharion finally said, nodding with calm deliberation.

"I’m in agreement as well," Caelan added with a slight incline of his head.

Children grow up. One day, they must step out into the world and face its storms head-on.

Only through such experience would they learn the lessons that shaped meaningful lives. And those blessed with talent had a duty to reach higher, to strive for things others dared not even dream of—only then could their lives touch the extraordinary, only then would no moment be wasted.

Dusk, who had until now been quietly observing the familial negotiation unfold like an outsider, suddenly felt two intense stares bearing down on him.

He didn’t need to look up to know who they belonged to.

Of course—it was the two cunning old foxes.

Without a word, Caelan placed a firm hand on Dusk’s left shoulder. Tharion mirrored the gesture on his right. Then, in perfect unison, they leaned in close—so close that their breaths grazed his ears—and growled their warning, voices low, measured, and filled with lethal intent.

"If you ever hurt our daughter—our granddaughter—or harbor any improper intentions toward her... start preparing for your funeral next spring."

Two seasoned businessmen, ruthless in deals and shrewd in every calculation, now acted in a way that seemed laughably inefficient in terms of personal gain—all for a single girl.

But in truth, they had never betrayed their own principles.

For Tharion and Caelan, Lysandra’s happiness wasn’t just personal—it was their greatest investment. Her well-being was the most important profit of all.

The corner of Dusk’s mouth twitched slightly—several times, in fact.

He hadn’t even done anything!

’What the hell? Why are you threatening me? I’m harmless... at least for now. And improper intentions toward her? Sure, she’s beautiful—even likely to become one of the most beautiful women in the world someday—but so what? Between her and immortality, immortality is clearly the more overwhelmingly beautiful one.’

Was Dusk a eunuch? Gay, perhaps?

Of course not. His sexual orientation fell well within the standard and most common spectrum of human society.

He liked beautiful women, naturally. His body responded—physiologically, not romantically—whenever he encountered someone like Viper or Lysandra.

Well... correction: used to respond to Viper. After spending a certain amount of time around that demon of a woman, his body simply refused to cooperate.

But that wasn’t the point. None of that mattered in the slightest.

For Dusk, the dream of achieving true immortality was the most exquisite, alluring concept in existence. Nothing else could even begin to compare.

Even if a hundred stunning women lined up before him, dancing seductively, their allure would pale in comparison to the radiance of eternal life. Compared to that divine pursuit, they were but flickering shadows, mere bundles of dancing dark energy.

Some might claim they lost control of themselves—that their bodies acted without consent, harming others unintentionally.

But was that excuse believable? Absolutely not—unless one’s brain had been swapped for an anus.

One must remember: it’s not the reproductive organ that governs the human body. It’s the brain.

Put another way, it’s willpower—the strength of one’s mind—that dictates behavior.

Even if one’s body is aroused, so what? Is it going to detach itself from your torso, punch through your pants, and act entirely of its own accord? What kind of absurd comedy is that supposed to be?

Those who insist they "couldn’t control themselves" are merely making excuses for their own lack of discipline. Weak-willed, pathetic excuses.

People like that are nothing but trash—parasites on the flesh of humanity. They deserve no tolerance, no mercy, and no explanations.

And if willpower is the yardstick, Dusk’s resolve was something few could even begin to rival.

After all, he had endured three hundred years of relentless hardship, honed his mind through countless trials of pain and purpose—an ordeal not many could survive, let alone conquer.

At that moment, Lysandra glanced at Dusk with an awkward, slightly embarrassed expression. Not the kind of flustered that hinted at romance, but rather the kind born of secondhand embarrassment.

Her father’s and grandfather’s excessively rude behavior had clearly crossed a line.

"Hehe... I’m really sorry about that," she said, looking into Dusk’s eyes with mild remorse. "I hope their, uh... aggressive warning didn’t damage the alliance between us."