It seemed to be made from a metal that was neither gold nor bronze and had many tiny etchings carved into it which seemed to form a vague eye at the center.
Everyone stared at it, curious but confused because it seemed nothing more than an ordinary piece of metal with a fading etching pattern.
Different from them, the moment Max saw it, his pupils constricted into pinholes because at that moment, he felt a strange sensation wash over him—his blood began to heat up with desire to possess it.
Fortunately, this sensation only lasted for a brief moment otherwise he really would have reached out for it.
"Did you feel something?" Robert asked, his murky but wise eyes staring at him with some excitement flickering within them.
Max looked at him for a moment in contemplation before he slowly nodded in confirmation.
Immediately, Robert's shoulders relaxed and he nodded twice, "Good, Good."
"What is it?" Max asked while looking at the plaque.
"It's something that belongs to the Williams Family. Maybe it's some special heirloom or... a magic artifact." Robert answered, his eyes shining.
"Then why..."
"Why do I have it?" Robert finished for him and explained, "Sarah told me it belonged to you, but if it was with you, you would be in danger. So, she brought it when she came over and handed it to me for safekeeping."
Max raised his brows slightly.
If it was dangerous, she could have left it with his father. Why did she bring it here?
He briefly thought about asking the old man, but from the way he said it, he didn't seem to know the reason, and if he knew, he had no intention to tell him. So, he didn't bother asking.
However...
"So, you think with this, we can overcome the coming disaster?" He asked.
"Yes, I do." Robert nodded but he didn't look very confident.
"I don't know much about your family because most of my family's records about them had been either destroyed or went missing with the passing of the time, but I know that your family had some special magical artifacts."
Max noticed when he mentioned the records being destroyed, the old man's expression was a bit unnatural, even a bit guilty.
Then recalling what he had told him about the Williams Family, the traitors and their enemies... he reached a conclusion—Most likely, the Foster Family used to be one of the Williams Family's subordinate forces.
'No wonder despite being someone from an ancient family, he let mother marry father.' He thought.
If the Foster Family was either a traitor or one of the enemy families or even a family that didn't attack the Williams, not only would he have not let Sarah marry John, John might have already been killed.
Robert looked at the plaque and continued, his gaze solemn, "One of those magic artifacts was called The King's Eye. It had many uses, but I only read about one–It can be used to artificially awaken a person. And I believe this plaque is that artifact."
Max didn't need to glance at Mark and others to know they must be wearing fiery expressions on their faces now.
"I understand. So, how do I use it?" Max asked.
"To use it, you must be able to use Mana. So, just hold onto it for now. After you awaken, you can help your aunts and cousin sisters awaken too."
Max raised his brows, glanced at Mark and others before calmly nodding. "Okay. So, how about we talk about Samuel now?"
"You don't need to worry about him yet because he himself won't take action until the Mana appears or those people achieve whatever they are after." Robert said.
Then with a grim look on his face, he continued, "But this doesn't mean we are safe. His people are already here and they won't stop trying to destroy the Foster Family unless... They are dead. Moreover, after realizing we have killed all those people, their next move would be even more deadly."
"So..." He looked at Mark and others, "You guys keep staying in the bunker. Unless absolutely necessary or I call you myself, don't come out. I don't want my Foster Family branch to die out."
Saying this, he waved his head, "Now, leave everyone. I have something to talk to little Max alone."
"Yes, Father." Mark was the first to stand up, nod at Max and walk out of the room. And others followed suit.
Soon, only Max and Robert were there, sitting opposite to each other. While Max was looking at him, the old man was staring at the ceiling blankly.
After a few moments, Max broke the silence.
"Why?" He asked.
Sigh!
Robert let out a weary sigh and looked at him with what could only be called a miserable smile on his face, and a helpless, almost despairing look in his aged eyes.
"Because my heart isn't sturdy enough." He said. "I can't bear to watch them spend their last few days in despair."
Max sighed in his heart and decided to offer some comforting words, "I understand, Grandfather. If I was in your place, I would have done the same."
Just now, when he said Max could use the plaque after his awakening, he was lying.
While the Plaque was indeed Williams Family's famed magic artifact, the King's Eye, and could indeed artificially awaken people, it was damaged. So, even though Max was a Williams and could feel the resonance with it, he could not use it even after awakening.
Now, while it made sense that Robert knew it because the plaque had been with him for years and he would have researched it all he could, how did Max know the old man had lied?
He clearly hadn't seen it in his status since the [Discerning Eyes] was useless on him due to his level being too high. So how?
Well, the answer was rather simple.
The moment his resonance with the Plaque ended, he somehow knew there was something wrong with it and he would not be able to use it. While this was just a feeling, he strongly believed it to be true.
Still, he could not be sure, but when he had frowned and looked at him, the old man had singled him to keep quiet. This was all the confirmation he needed.
Robert didn't say anything in response and just closed his eyes, appearing utterly desolate.
'Wait! Why does he look as if nothing is left?' Max suddenly had this thought and in the next moment, his pupils constricted.
Snapshots of moments where he felt a little off while the old man talked flashed in his mind and he had a startling realization.
Taking a breath, he asked, "Grandfather... Uncle Mark and others, they also don't have a chance of undergoing the awakening, do they?"
Robert's eyes snapped open and he looked at him in surprise.
"You are a very sharp kid." He said, a bitter smile on his face. Then, he shook his head and said, "They can undergo the awakening, but that's only if they have enough time, at least a few days, to acclimate with the Mana. However..."
The old man didn't finish his sentence, sighed and closed his eyes once again.
Max didn't need him to because he understood. Before they were done acclimating with the Mana and were ready to undergo the awakening, the radiation would have claimed their lives.
Max was silent for a while, his eyes flickering in thought.
Then, he curiously asked, "Grandfather, earlier, how did you determine that I was not an Awakened?"
Though he would not assume all the things written in the fantasy novels were true, but in every one of them, unless the other person wasn't an awakener himself or had some special ability, it was very difficult to tell whether someone was an Awakened.
"Because when I was young, I visited a place that still had some Mana and underwent a partial awakening," Old Man Robert answered.
"I see. So, you won't need much time to acclimate and will directly awaken when Mana reaches this place?" Max asked.
Without opening his eyes and without any particular expression on his aged face, Robert shook his head, "No. Since my awakening was interrupted, I won't ever awaken."
Max furrowed his brows and asked, "You can still awaken via an artificial awakening, no?"
"No. Because I have failed my natural awakening, the chances of me successfully awakening via the artificial one are less than one-tenth." The old man murmured in a low voice before adding, "Don't bother worrying about me, son. I have lived a long enough life. I just wish... Sarah could get better and my family line would not end here."
Seeing how hopeless and helpless he sounded, Max said, "Grandfather... I may have a way to save everyone. However—"
Before he could finish, the old man's eyes snapped open and he shouted out in disbelief, his voice trembling with hope, "W-What did you say, little Max?"
Max calmly repeated his words, "I may have a way to save everyone." Then, giving the old man no chance to say anything, he added, in a decisive tone,
"However, for that, it's important that I be the person in charge here. If this is acceptable to you, I will do my best to make sure none of the Foster Family died, neither to Samuel's goon's attacks, nor to the radiation."
The old man stared at him for a few moments before his lips curled up into a smile, "You are indeed your father's son."
The sudden compliment took Max off guard and he looked at him in surprise.
What was wrong with the old man? Didn't he hate his father more than anything? Why was he suddenly complimenting him?
For a moment, he had even thought it wasn't a compliment but an insult. However, his expression told him it was the former.
"What do—"
"From this moment onwards, you'll be the person in charge. Everyone, including me, will listen to your orders. If anyone disobeys, you can punish them as you see fit." Robert solemnly declared, interrupting him.
Max looked at him in surprise. While he knew the old man would agree in the end, he had expected him to ask him a few questions at least.
Robert smiled, no trace of the earlier gloom on his face, "No need to be surprised. I have long been unfit to hold the reins. The only reason I still haven't given my position to someone else is because no one could handle the pressure.
However, you can.
Besides, given the responsibilities you are accepting, you naturally need the corresponding authority."
Saying this, he stood up, "Now, come with me. Let's make it official."
...
Half an hour later, all the people living in the Governor's Mansion were gathered in an auditorium, looking at Robert and Max sitting on the sofas on the podium with curiosity and unease while talking amongst themselves in hushed voices.
A gathering in these troubled times would not be about anything good.
In the front row, Mark, Peter, Evans, Sunny, Alex and others were feeling confused and apprehensive.
Robert hadn't said anything about the gathering earlier, meaning it wasn't supposed to happen. But since it was happening, something urgent must have come up.
"Husband, why do you think father-in-law gathered everyone?" Mark's wife, Penelope, asked.
"No idea, but we'll find out in a bit. So, just be patient." Mark said.
"Look, Grandpa is about to speak." Alex cried out and everyone became silent, fully focused on the old man.
...
Robert swept his gaze across everyone before he began speaking.
"Everyone, as you may have already heard, my grandson here has resolved the situation outside." He said while glancing at Max.
Then, his expression became grim, "However, the danger isn't over yet, and I'm not talking about the danger of people... It's the danger of nature..."
He explained how the radiation will permeate the New Island in a matter of a few days.
By the time he finished speaking, everyone was panicking, scared out of their wits.
Mark and others frowned, not understanding why he informed everyone. Did he not know people would panic and would cause chaos?
On the podium, Max looked at the old man, impressed.
...
A while ago...
While they waited for everyone to gather, Robert looked at Max and said, "If I break the news to them as is, many would be dissatisfied and might not listen to you. I'm sure you don't want that, right?"
Max nodded. "You are right. I need everyone here to obey me without any hesitation or question."
"I know a way to make it possible, but first, you tell me... Can you save others too?" Robert asked,
Max frowned, "You want me to save people who mean nothing to me?"
"That's not what I meant." Robert shook his head, "However, if it's not too much trouble, I would advise you to save as many of them as you can because while the chances aren't too high, some of them might be able to awaken."
With a serious expression, he said, "Believe me when I say this, unless you are omnipotent and omnipresent, you will definitely need others' assistance in your future endeavors. If you save them now, they will be very loyal to you and you can rely upon them."
However, if it's too troublesome, forget what I said." Robert casually added.
Max furrowed his brows. While what he said made sense, it would cost him a very significant amount of Harem Points to buy the Anti-Radiation Potions needed.
'Do I really need more people to burden me?' He thought and began imagining how it would be if only his family, Martinez family, and the Foster family were alive in this city.