<h4>Chapter 697 A Hope (1)</h4>


    Jacob reached the Unique ins without a hitch and couldn''t help but feel slightly nostalgic after seeing lush ins without gravity or water.


    However, he knew this peace wouldn''tst long because if his guess were right, the Unique ins would soon plunge into chaos, and in truth, for him, chaos was a huge opportunity.


    Nheless, he still had some unfinished business he needed to take care of in the unique ins, so he steered the flying ship in another direction, which was his next destination. Moreover, he was also on the lookout for some living beings to experiment with the Gluttony Mask.


    At this moment, Jacob suddenly thought of Zoe and Sofie, whom he hadn''t contacted for over two decades. He was supposed to help Zoe be the Dark Duke, but then his circumstances changed, and he left the dark city and the surface.


    He knew Zoe and Sofie had tried to contact him several times during his seclusion, but hepletely ignored everything and stowed his star watch in the infinity pendant.


    Now that he was back, he decided to try contacting Sofie again to get some up-to-date information about the Unique ins or what had been happening since he was in the deep ocean. But he wasn''t too hopeful about her picking up.


    However, to his surprise, she picked up the moment his call connected with her, and Sofie''s anxious voice rang, "My Lord! Is that you?"


    She really sounded worried, which made Jacob feel something foreign that he seemed to have forgotten, and he couldn''t put his finger on it. Still, hepletely ignored it and said in an impassive tone, "Indeed, it''s me, or do you think someone else can use my Star ID?"


    "Thank the heavens that you are alright. We were really worried about you when we weren''t able to reach you," Sofie said, sounding both relieved and indignant.


    "You don''t have to worry about my safety; I''m not that easy to harm." Jacob impassively stated.


    "Just, where were you?" Sofie asked in exasperation.


    Jacob wanted to refute and shut her down for some reason as he didn''t like her tone for some reason. But he didn''t because he knew Sofie and Zoe were valuable pawns, and falling out with them while he was at fault would be an idiotic move.


    "Something came up, and I had to go under. I apologize for myck of contact, but it was necessary, and even if I had contacted you, there was nothing you could''ve done, and I would''ve been able to help you. I just got back and decided to contact you and ask if any peculiar events happened while I was away?" Jacob impassively stated as he subtly exined his reason for remaining hidden all these years.


    "Then, did you solve your problem?" She asked with a hint of worry, but she didn''t ask what the problem was since she knew Jacob wouldn''t tell her if he didn''t want to, and she would only annoy him if she pushed further.


    "Not yet, but that problem is no longer threatening, so there''s no need for you to concern yourself with it."


    "Then that''s great." Sofie sighed in relief before she said, "If you want information about the events that took ce in the unique ins while you were away, then please contact Lady Zoe; she''ll be able to exin more urately.


    "Furthermore, she was also very worried about you and my lord. She had endured quite a lot because of your sudden disappearance from the Unique ins Dark City. Please help her; she''s not a bad person." She solemnly stated with a hint of concern.


    She knew that for Jacob, Zoe might be just a pawn; after all, she wasn''t any different, but she really hoped that Jacob would treat her a little nicely, not indifferently. Although Jacob had removed the parasite gem from her as well, and she was no longer his ve, she still considered herself his subordinate.


    Jacob''s eyes shed with a peculiar light before he replied, "I''ll see what I can do. After all, I promised her that I''d make her the Dark Duke when she agreed toe here with me. You don''t have to worry; if she won''t betray my trust, I''ll do what I can. Now I''ll contact her. Thank you for your input."


    Jacob was about to end the call when Sofie spoke in a hurry, "Wait, my lord!"


    "Is there anything else?" He asked with a frown.


    "N-nothing… it''s just… will I be seeing you soon, my lord? I can now properly serve you since Lady Zoe helped me with my bloodline. Now, I''m a Tier-8 Unique Rank Sorceress and Advanced Unique Rank potion, rune, and pill alchemist. Moreover, soon, I''ll break through to Tier-9!" She asked with an expectant tone, and she sounded quite proud when she told him about her progress.


    Jacob was also a little surprised to hear that Sofie had managed to reach almost a peak unique rank and three alchemist fields in over two decades.


    After mulling it over for a moment, he replied, "If you really want to follow me further, you have to be an expert in the three steps of legend. Unique Rank is nothing in front of me anymore, nor do they serve any grand purpose in the ce where I''m heading."


    "What is Three Steps of Legend?" Sofie was baffled by those words since it was the first time she had heard them, and she couldn''t help but feel her heart racing since Jacob hadn''t directly refused her and even told her she could really follow him.


    "That''s for you to find. If you can''t even find this information, then I don''t think you have any chance to progress. Now, I''m hanging up." Jacob impassively stated before he cut the call this time without waiting for Sofie''s reply.


    But he frowned deeply, ''Why did you give her hope? Are you really nning on letting her tag along? What the hell is going on…''


    Jacob''s eyes narrowed as he felt something he hadn''t felt for anyone in this ce ever since he hade to the Zodiac ins: anticipation!