Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 271

Chapter 271: Hijacked
As Matriarch Whitmore and her entourage prepared to depart, the various family heads stood in unison, bowing respectfully to her.

Ethan, unfamiliar with the proper etiquette, could only follow their lead.

The old matriarch moved briskly, saying nothing as she headed straight back to the Whitmore residence.

Upon entering the main hall, they found Ryan and the others already waiting, anxiety written across their faces. Matriarch Whitmore stepped inside, then immediately turned to face Ethan.

“I didn’t let you attend the banquet because I knew you’d have questions!” she declared.

“That so-called Lyla who would come out to greet everyone, wouldn’t be the real one!

You’re familiar with her. You would’ve seen through the disguise immediately—and caused a scene. If that had happened, you wouldn’t be able to participate in tomorrow’s tournament.

I had to think about the Whitmore Family’s next ten years. I’m sorry.”

To Ethan’s astonishment, the old matriarch gave a slight bow as she said this. Ethan quickly stepped aside, uncomfortable with the gesture.

But at the same time, he understood.

“So that’s what it was. How did Grand-Aunt find out? And why would the Silverwood Family use an impostor to deceive everyone?”

He asked the questions in quick succession.

Matriarch Whitmore shook her head, signaling she didn’t know the full story, but added, “When that steward entered, this old woman overheard something.”

Ethan’s mind flashed back—just before Lachlan Silverwood announced they would move to the banquet hall, he had seen Liam approach and whisper something to Lachlan.

To think Matriarch Whitmore, despite the distance, had caught part of that exchange…

With that realization, Ethan grew even more concerned about Lyla. Why had the Silverwoods arranged for a double?

Had something happened to her? Troubled by unanswered questions, he left the hall.

Markham guided him to a guest room.

“Brother-in-law, we’re bunking together tonight!” Markham said, grinning as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Ethan stared at him, speechless. There were plenty of rooms—why insist on sharing? What kind of preference was this?

“Don’t call me that,” Ethan muttered, turning and collapsing onto the couch.

His thoughts kept circling back to the Silverwood banquet. By now, it had probably already begun.

Since he couldn’t attend, he figured he might as well enter Ethereal. Otherwise, he’d just spiral deeper into worry.

He pulled the VR headset from his backpack, gently brushing his fingers over the engraved numbers.

Lyla had given him this headset—twice, in fact, both in the previous life and in this one, after his rebirth.

But the Lyla who would appear at tonight’s banquet… she was a fake. So what was Lachlan Silverwood planning? What did this mean for the tournament?

He sighed. ‘One step at a time.’

Ethan slid the headset on and entered the character interface.

Suddenly, a flash of movement startled him. Markham was standing beside the couch—having pulled the headset from his head.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ethan snapped.

Markham looked sheepish. “Brother-in… uh, Bro, you play Ethereal too? What level are you? Want me to help you grind?”

Ethan wasn’t in the mood. He snatched the headset back.

“Level forty-five,” he replied flatly, then put it back on.

“Forty-five? Who are you trying to fool?” Markham called after him. “Hey—what town are you in?”

But Ethan was already immersed. He didn’t hear a word.

“Hmph… Level forty-five, my ass,” Markham muttered. “The current highest level in the world is forty-six. That’s Druid God.”

Bored, he left the room and headed to find Bobby and Rook.

A few minutes later, he returned, still grumbling.

“Damn it. Everyone’s playing Ethereal. Is there even a signal out here?”

As he spoke, he waved his hand.

With a thunderous crash… a Gaming capsule appeared out of thin air, slamming directly onto the tea table in front of the couch.

The table splintered instantly.

“Uh…” Markham circled the capsule and leaned down to peek at Ethan.

Their eyes met.

Ethan had just entered the game and activated his mini-radar and 360-degree holographic monitoring. This allowed him to view everything within a fifteen-meter radius in the real world—even while in Ethereal.

So when Markham returned, Ethan had already seen him approach.

He watched as Markham muttered to himself, waved his hand, and summoned something—then a heavy shadow dropped beside him.

Startled, Ethan immediately exited the game and pulled off his headset.

Just in time to see Markham leaning over him.

“S-sorry,” Markham said awkwardly. “Didn’t judge the distance properly when I summoned it.”

Ethan was beyond words.

How much could this guy’s spatial storage even hold? He had an entire Gaming capsule tucked inside?

Resisting the urge to punch him, Ethan glared in silence and put the headset back on.

Markham shrank back and climbed into the capsule himself.

[Ding… Welcome to Ethereal!]

It was the second time tonight Ethan had heard that message.

Back in Ethereal, a familiar sensation washed over him. He glanced at his Character panel. Level forty-six.

Right—he suddenly remembered. Last time, when he discovered the changes in the sapling inside him, Morzan had explained that the avatar had been auto-leveling, and all the experience had been directed toward him.

He checked the experience bar. It was almost full. Leveling was happening fast. Curious, he opened his avatar’s panel—level thirty-seven.

It was even a level higher than Skyblade and the others. He checked its coordinates—and found it was currently inside a dungeon.

Wait… his avatar had gone into a level thirty-five dungeon on its own?

Earlier, when players had just reached level 34, Ethan had sent the strategy guide for the Crimson Legion Fortress dungeon to Skyblade.

He’d also sent it to Trusty 007.

That side business—selling dungeon strategies—was going smoothly.

The Crimson Legion Fortress was currently considered a high-level dungeon. Players would need time to grind their way up to level forty-five. No one else had his divine ability that gave double experience.

Still, Ethan hadn’t expected to make much from this latest strategy. The proceeds from selling guides wouldn’t even put a dent in what he owed Trusty.

Ethan summoned his avatar, preparing to call it back. He wanted to test the Wishbound Relic transfer.

He pressed the summon button. A few seconds passed. Nothing.

“Huh?”

He pressed again. Still nothing.

[Ding… You have received a private message. Please check.]

Puzzled—was his avatar glitched?—he opened the chat and his eyes widened.

NotARogue: “Fighting a boss. Don’t disturb. Will return your avatar later.”

“What?” Ethan exclaimed, standing at the Harmony City teleportation point.

“Are you mental? Why yelling, you trying to scare someone to death?” Two nearby players turned and cursed at him.

Ethan didn’t pay attention to them as his mind reeled from what had just happened.

His avatar could talk? Had it somehow gained sentience, or was it an Ai feature?

Opening private chat, Ethan typed: “Who are you?”

NotARogue: “Morzan.”

“What the hell… then why are you sending messages?” Ethan mentally shouted. “Just talk to me directly! Speak in my head or something!”

What was this?

He had painstakingly gotten an avatar. Hehad plans for it, and now this guy was saying: “I’m busy fighting a boss, I’ll give it back later…”

Was it still his avatar?

It had been hijacked like a rental car with no return date