Chapter 598

Grace Lorenz turned to look at Evelyn Ross.

"Come with me."

Evelyn followed.

The two walked down the corridor and arrived at the door to the archives.

Grace pushed open the heavy wooden door.

"Archives here cannot be borrowed. You can only read them inside."

Evelyn stepped into the room and glanced around.

"What exactly is the Special Operations Division?"

She had never heard of this agency.

Grace walked over to a shelf of files.

"On the surface, it handles disputes among wealthy families. Privately, it deals with bizarre cases involving mysterious phenomena."

"Mysterious phenomena?"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

"Are there really things in this world that science can't explain?"

Grace shook her head with a slight smile.

"You're overthinking it. This is the twenty-first century. There are no ghosts or deities."

Evelyn pressed her lips together.

She couldn't be blamed for that.

The Sterling Family she had encountered recently was mysterious enough.

Their location couldn't be found by global satellites.

Mr. Valentine and Alexander Vance had used their overseas connections, but they still couldn't trace this family.

If living in the United States was considered exile...

What level of existence did the Sterling Family represent?

A realm of immortals?

Was she living in a fantasy world?

Would she need to cultivate immortality and ascend to save her mother?

That was too absurd.

Evelyn shook off these thoughts.

Grace's voice sounded.

"The Earth is vast. Humanity has existed for thousands of years. There are always some mysterious forces. The Sterling Family is one of them."

She paused.

"Everything that seems unreasonable can ultimately be explained by science."

Evelyn nodded.

Her imagination had run too wild.

The Sterling Family's hidden location might just be due to advanced cloaking systems.

She had lived for over twenty years without ever encountering such a family. That was why she had mythologized the Sterlings.

Grace led her deeper into the archive shelves.

"The Sterling Family files are here."

She pulled out a bound volume and handed it to Evelyn.

A fine layer of dust covered the volume.

Clearly, no one had opened it for years.

Evelyn turned to the first page.

The records began a hundred years ago.

She was slightly taken aback.

The United States had been founded less than a hundred years ago.

Grace explained from the side.

"The Special Operations Division was established a century ago. It started as a civilian organization, seeking a path for the nation and recording certain things. Later, it was handed over to the government and taken over."

She looked at Evelyn.

"My family holds a special position in the division because my great-grandfather founded it. The government trusts us. Every leader has been from the Lorenz family. Right now, it's my grandfather. My father became a forensic pathologist to avoid the appearance of nepotism. After me, I don't want to take over."

Evelyn understood.

So Grace wasn't just from a family of forensic pathologists.

She continued flipping through the file.

The record from a hundred years ago contained only one sentence.

"The Sterling Family is an ancient clan. If we could gain their help, the nation might still be saved. Unfortunately, we cannot make contact."

Flipping further.

There were records every five years.

"The Sterling Family appeared, passed through the nation, and left."

"Members of the Sterling Family reappeared, showing interest in the nation."

The record from over forty years ago.

"It seems someone from the Sterling Family has come to the nation."

Records about the Sterling Family decreased over time.

From initial importance to gradual indifference.

Evelyn closed the volume.

The fact that the Sterling Family warranted a separate file in the Special Operations Division already marked them as unique.

Others recorded were forces like the British royal family.

Her understanding of the Sterling Family was refreshed once again.

She placed the file back on the shelf.

Grace looked at her.

"What exactly is the origin of the Sterling Family? They're so mysterious."

Evelyn shook her head.

"I don't know."

Grace pressed further.

"Why is your sister a member of the Sterling Family? Why was your mother taken into the Sterling Family, but you are not a member? And why do they want to kill you?"

Evelyn's jaw tightened.

That was her question too.

The only possible explanation was that her sister had been taken by someone from the Sterling Family long ago.

Her mother had hidden in San Francisco for so many years. Perhaps, like her sister, she was avoiding some conflict.

The specific details would only become clear when she saw her mother or caught the real "fox."

Evelyn turned.

"Let's go."

Grace nodded.

The two prepared to leave.

Evelyn's steps suddenly halted.

She looked at a sealed file on the shelf.

Grace followed her gaze.

"That's the Special Operations Division's strongest external support. The Cortez Sect."

Evelyn was stunned.

"Who did you say?"

Her expression was complicated.

Grace lowered her voice.

"This is a division secret. It hasn't been publicly disclosed. When the Special Operations Division executes missions and personnel are insufficient, the Cortez Sect is the strongest external aid. Core disciples of the Cortez Sect are considered internal personnel."

She looked at Evelyn.

"The Cortez Sect's martial arts are formidable. You've been in New York for a while now. You must have heard of them, right?"

Evelyn's mouth twitched.

"I have indeed heard of them."

She, the Cortez Sect's First Senior Sister, didn't even know she was considered internal personnel.

No wonder when she asked her master, the Sect Leader, to write the First Senior Sister's name as Grace Valentine, he was so cautious.

She had thought it was because the Cortez Sect's internal registry was important.

She hadn't realized it was about getting a government position.

No wonder he was so careful.

Later, because of the Evans family, she had revealed her identity.

Now, the name Grace Valentine was synonymous with the Cortez Sect's First Senior Sister.

Grace led her out.

"This is the list submitted last time. I heard their First Senior Sister has returned. Her name hasn't been added yet."

Her tone held a note of longing.

"The Cortez Sect's First Senior Sister has been praised to the skies by the Sect Leader. Sometimes I wonder what kind of dashing, heroic figure she must be."

Evelyn coughed lightly.

"She's... alright, I guess?"

Grace shook her head.

"You don't understand. The Cortez Sect's disciple selection is extremely strict. The First Senior Sister was chosen by the Sect Leader after twenty years of searching. It would be amazing to carry out a mission with her."

She paused.

"I don't even know her name."

Evelyn followed behind, silent for a moment.

"Well, actually... that's me."