"Fine. If you want to throw your life away, I''ll tell you," Drake sighed, giving in. "Thest time I came back, I made people believe I was dealing withpany affairs. In fact, I was looking for a raw stone."


    "A raw stone?" Debra echoed.


    "Yes, a rare and expensive one. I heard someone bought it decades ago. Since then, there hasn''t been any information about it."


    "So, how did you get it?"


    "After I discovered the Illuminati, I started looking into its origins. In a church, I noticed a colorful pattern on the ceiling that looked like a phoenix. I did my research, and it turns out the Illuminati has been around for over a century."


    Drake reached for his phone by the pillow, pulled up some photos, andid them in front of Debra.


    He continued, "This phoenix is probably their symbol. Behind it, you can see something like the sun. You know, in ancient stories, the phoenix dies and is reborn. I think there''s a connection between them."


    Debra mused, "So, you''re saying this symbol is the cause of the Illuminati''s existence?"


    Drake nodded. "Exactly. Like how the Lowe family crest has a scorpion coiled around a poppy, it''s not much different. A symbol often represents the core values of the group. I think the fluminati worships rebirth or renewal, so I dug into its origins. I found out that when it first started, it attracted a lot of wealthy businessmen. Over the past century, it''s be incredibly powerful. Now, there are influential figures from all over the country, even overseas. Its structure isplex. Those cloaked figures in white masks you saw at the Jovial Hotel are probably some core members. They''re big-time yers, both rich and powerful."


    Debra chewed over his words. If it was true, those people were no joke.


    That exined why they could


    upy the Jovial Hotel and make Conrad do their bidding. No ordinary


    people could afford to mess with


    them.


    им


    "So, they''re looking at that stone, right?" she asked.


    Drake nodded. "I found out the Illuminati has been collecting rare stones from all over the country.


    They paid a high price to buy t.


    legendary stone from a wealthy businessman. The thing''s been around since the dawn of time, and after millions of years of refinement, it''s developed a unique glow."


    Marion chimed in, "You found that?"


    Drake paused. "Yeah. Why?"


    "Just asking," Marion replied casually.


    Debra didn''t notice Drake''s strange reaction. "But with something so valuable,


    how did you afford it?"