Back in the interrogation room, Dustin and Dahlia sat with their backs against each other for warmth. Such peaceful moments were rare from the moment they were married until their divorce. No one spoke anything as they remained silent for a while. “Dustin, do you think we will walk out of here alive?” Finally, Dahlia broke the silence. She couldn’t stand the damp and dark surroundings that forced her to think depressive thoughts. Furthermore, Mr. Gardner wasn’t easy to deal with. Her heart thumped with fear at what would happen to them. “Don’t scare yourself. We will definitely leave this place in one piece,” Dustin comforted her. “What if we don’t? Do you have any last wishes?” Dahlia murmured glumly. “There’s no possibility of us dying. Let’s talk after we get out,” Dustin replied. “Not after we have offended Lord Asmon. With his connections and resources, getting rid of us would be as easy as killing a gnat.” Dahlia sighed. Even if she pooled all her resources
Dustin kicked the limp body of a man lying beside him. It flew like a bullet and crashed into Mr. Gardner, who was attempting to escape. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground, unable to run any longer. “I’ve warned you not to touch her.” Dustin strolled up to him and hissed murderously, his eyes boring dangerously into Mr. Gardner. “Kid, don't forget you’re in the police station! You can't go too far!” Mr. Gardner backed away on all fours.“Too far? What will you do about it?” Dustin chuckled as he crushed Mr. Gardner’s arm with his foot. The immense pain from his broken arm caused Mr. Gardner to howl in agony. “Dustin! Stop it!” Blood drained from Dahlia’s face. Even though they were innocent, they could be charged with excessive self-defense if they fought back against the police. It would only complicate the situation! “Come back to your senses, kid! Confess and turn yourself in so that you still have a chance to save yourself. If not, there will be no mercy!”
“Stop this right now!” A loud voice rang out. A group of men in suits and armed to the teeth filed into the room. “Who are you? How dare you enter the interrogation room without permission! Are you starting a riot?” Mr. Gardner screamed in fury. At this moment, he was stewing with rage. The only thought in his mind was to rip Dustin up into pieces, and anybody who stood in his path would be his mortal enemy as well!“Mr. Gardner, what an honor to see you!” The crowd of people parted like the Red Sea as a gorgeous, alluring woman stalked into the room in her high heels. “Natasha?” When Mr. Gardner saw who it was, the expression on his face fell as the burning rage in his eyes died down. “You’re lucky, Dustin. Your girlfriend is here to save you.” Dahlia said sarcastically when she saw Natasha arrive. She felt a little frustrated. Although she was relieved at the thought of being rescued, she felt a twinge of annoyance at receiving Natasha’s help. As she was Dustin’s
Hunter pulled the trigger immediately after his countdown. With a loud bang, a bullet went through Mr. Gardner’s ear. He let out a bone-chilling cry and hold on to his bleeding ear, staggering backward. “Are you crazy? How dare you shoot me!” Mr. Gardner shouted hysterically. He thought Hunter was just all talk. Who knew that Hunter would really pull the trigger? “The next time, I won’t miss my aim.” Hunter cocked the gun and aimed it toward Mr. Gardner’s face.“I’ll ask again. Will you release Dustin, or will I?” Mr. Gardner shivered in fright. At this rate, it was highly possible that Hunter would go crazy and murder him in cold blood. As Mr. Gardner was stuck in a dilemma, a ruckus was heard at the door of the interrogation room again. An elderly man with snowy white hair rushed in with his men. “Mr. Granville?” At his arrival, the whole interrogation room went silent. The elderly man standing before them was the mayor of Swinton, the highest-ranking official
“We are finished!” When Draco saw that Mr. Gardner had been apprehended, his face paled in shock. From Mr. Granville’s appearance until the arrest of Mr. Gardner, Draco couldn’t make sense of what was going on as everything had happened in a flash. The only thing he could be sure of was that Mr. Granville did not let his son-in-law off the hook. This meant that he was going to be in trouble as well. Draco thought that Mr. Granville was their savior. Who knew that he was here to bring them to justice?This world could be so unpredictable! Draco turned back and glanced at Dustin, who had remained silent all this while. He had an expression of indifference on his face, as if he had known this would happen all along. Who was this man, and why was Mr. Granville treating him with such respect? Why would Lord Asmon have a grudge against such a monster? “Arrest all the other men as well!” Mr. Granville barked an order. Draco and Mr. Gardner’s men were all apprehended. Mr. G
At this moment, in a beautiful villa. Duane was talking to a young man dressed in luxurious clothes. Behind that man, two female bodyguards stood at attention. They were armed with swords and emitted an unapproachable aura. “Duane, what’s this gemiphen that you are talking about? Is it really that powerful?” Oliver Williams took a sip of his coffee. “Mr. Williams, I can assure you of its effects. I have personally tried the pill myself!” Duane boasted confidently, “A gemiphen pill saved my life when I was close to death from internal injuries. I’m not exaggerating when I say this medicine could heal almost anything!” “Talk is cheap. Where’s the pill? Let me have a look.” Oliver stretched out his palm. “Due to the rarity of gemiphen, I do not have one with me right now.” “Are you joking? You called me here in the dead of the night for a deal. How could you not be prepared with the goods?” Oliver’s eyes glinted coldly. “Mr. Williams, please calm down. I would never dare
“Duane, come out and meet your maker!”Dustin’s roar of anger echoed through the villa like a clap of thunder. When Duane heard this contemptuous challenge, he was furious. “Which idiot is dumb enough to cause trouble on my property?” Duane thought as he rushed out in a hurry. However, when he saw Dustin in a distance, he couldn’t help but be taken aback. “It’s you, Dustin! Weren’t you arrested? How did you escape?” He had bribed Mr. Gardner to arrest Dustin and detain him in the interrogation room. Even if Natasha were to intervene, she couldn’t have helped him escape. “Was it you who framed me for the crime?” Dustin demanded coldly. “Since you are already here, it means that you know the answer to your question. You’re right, I am the one who framed you! However, you only have yourself to blame. I had to go to such lengths because you did not appreciate the chances that I have given you.” Duane smirked.“At the very least, you confessed to your crime. Now, I’ll giv
Duane exclaimed in terror, cold sweat pouring down his back. As a martial artist, Duane was well-known for his agile and deadly attacks. At his peak performance, the massive energy from his sword could move mountains! How was Dustin able to intercept his attack? What kind of monster could shatter swords with his bare hands? Dustin could not be human!“Don’t you already know who I am?” Dustin closed the distance menacingly and glared at him with icy-cold eyes. “Stay—Stay away!” Duane backed away in a panic. “I don’t need the gemiphen’s prescription any longer. Please let me go!” “I have given you a chance to redeem yourself, but you didn’t take it. It’s too late to regret now!” Dustin clapped his hands on Duane’s shoulders and squeezed tightly. With a loud crack, Duane’s arms were dislocated from their joints. An agonizing howl escaped Duane’s lips as intense pain spread throughout his body. Without hesitation, Dustin added a punch to his abdomen. The force of D
When the castle's gate swung open, every eye turned toward the entrance. Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Austin strode out with his two guards. His posture exuded confidence and authority."Your Highness!"The gathered officials instantly rushed forward to greet him. Grins spread across their faces as if they couldn't wait to please him. Whether it was Huxley, Percival, or Warrick, all wore the same ingratiating expression.After all, Austin was the infamous hellraiser. Though he had reined himself over the past two years, his past reputation still loomed over them.At least Rufus could be reasoned with. But Austin? He was a wild card—utterly unpredictable, like a ticking time bomb. Every last one of them had suffered his wrath before.Percival approached with a flattering smile. "Your Highness, you finally come out. I have something important to discuss with you. If you'd be so kind as to listen—"Before he could finish his sentence, he was dismissed by Austin, who found h
"Get lost! I'm not in the mood for anything right now. If you want to eat, go on your own." Warrick snapped, looking annoyed."I'm not going either," Percival refused flatly. "I'm on a health regimen these days—only tea, no alcohol.""Fine. If you're going to wait, then keep waiting. I won't be sticking around." Huxley forced a smile and acted like he was about to leave.But as he turned, he almost bumped into Boston, who was approaching from the other direction."Sorry, Sir Thatcher! I hope I didn't startle you." Since he was surrounded by so many high-ranking officials, Boston was already on edge. He had momentarily spaced out and almost caused a mishap by running into Huxley, which left him flustered and a bit tongue-tied.Unlike the other generals, Boston didn't come from an influential background or have any powerful connections. He had worked his way up from the bottom, and the last thing he wanted was to offend Huxley and risk losing everything he had fought so hard for.
After parting ways with Boston, Jovian checked into a nearby hotel to await the good news. Boston wasted no time. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he headed to the castle to deliver a letter of introduction. But when he arrived, he was stunned by what he saw.The gates of the West Lucozian monarchy had already gathered quite a few people, and among them were several figures he immediately recognized. These included Huxley Thatcher, the Commander of the Militia; Warrick Prescott, the Major General of the State Guard; and Percival Wentworth, the Chancellor of the National Academy.These three were first-ranking officials. In West Lucozia, they were nothing short of kingmakers who wielded immense power and influence. Warrick, in particular, was two ranks above Boston. Hence, he felt the need to be cautious in his presence and was eager not to make a bad impression.Alongside these three prominent figures, several second- and third-ranking officials also stood in line at
The following morning, Jovian stood at the entrance of West Lucozia Airport, wearing a sharp suit.Before the trip, he had contacted his comrade with whom he had fought side by side in the military. After earning military merit and with the Ballard family's influence, he was fortunate enough to stay in Oakvale and secure a decent position.His comrade, on the other hand, had moved to West Lucozia to carve out a life for himself. Years of hard work had paid off—he was now a third-rank general with considerable power, influence, and a strong network of connections. Jovian's meeting with the Prince of West Lucozia would depend entirely on his comrade's connections.Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the air as a military jeep pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, and the first thing that came into view was a bald head gleaming in the sunlight like a lightbulb. The glare nearly blinded him.Under that shiny dome was a face that looked ordinary at first glance. But w
"Grandfather, I understand why you sent Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Jensen to the Spanner and Fallon families to gather information," Natasha began. "But West Lucozia is thousands of miles away."She shook her head slightly. "They've always stayed out of the government's political matters. Sending Uncle Jovian there wouldn't achieve anything. He'd likely just be turned away." Oakvale and West Lucozia were worlds apart. The fight for the Oakvale throne didn't really affect the West Lucozian monarchy. Both sides had long adhered to an unspoken agreement to avoid meddling in each other's affairs."I know, but it'll be different this time. The royal throne is at stake, and every faction will do whatever it takes to secure West Lucozia's support. If the West Lucozian monarchy picks a side, the balance we've maintained for years will collapse. That's why I need to be ready for whatever happens," Simon replied.It would be best if the West Lucozian monarchy stayed out of the political strug
At the Ballard estate, Dustin was warmly welcomed to stay after dinner. This was the first time Natasha had brought her boyfriend home, so the Ballards made a big deal of it.Simon personally accompanied the young couple and invited them to the study to chat over tea. With his sharp eye, Simon could tell Dustin was no ordinary martial artist. His manners, speech, and broad knowledge set him apart from most people."Dustin, I fully support your relationship with Natasha. Your background or status doesn't matter. What matters most is that you two are happy together." Simon paused and said earnestly, "I want you to understand that she's been pampered all her life and hasn't faced much hardship. Now that she's with you, I hope you'll take good care of her.""Don't worry, Mr. Ballard. I would never let her down," Dustin replied sincerely.Though they had known each other for some time and hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level, they had already made their feelings clear
After hearing Nathaniel's words, Tristan's expression darkened. His brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought.It seemed he had underestimated the situation. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry between brothers; he hadn't anticipated Seamus seizing the chance to further his own agenda.Seamus already wielded considerable influence. Under the guise of supporting Matthias' ascension to the throne, he had been forming alliances and recruiting talents. His influence had grown to rival the royal family's.If Seamus really supported Matthias' ascension, he'd overshadow the king, and no one would be able to stop him. The worst-case scenario would be Seamus using Matthias as a puppet to overthrow the House of Linsor."Nathaniel, is everything you said true?" Tristan frowned."Absolutely. Every word," Nathaniel replied solemnly. "Of course, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate.""I believe you. But… taking down Seamus won't be easy. Do you have a plan?" Tr
An hour later, Nathaniel quietly entered a private mansion wearing a disguise.Inside the living room, Tristan had already prepared tea and refreshments. He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time."Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tristan." Nathaniel took off his coat and walked forward with a smile."No need to apologize. I'm happy that you made the effort to arrange this. A few extra minutes are nothing, especially since it's rare for us to meet." Tristan gestured for him to sit while he poured two cups of tea and handed one to his brother.Nathaniel accepted the cup and discreetly set it aside. Whenever he was out, he was always cautious about food and drink—this wariness had become second nature."You asked to meet me on short notice. Is this about official matters or something personal?" Tristan took a sip from his cup and got straight to the point."Both," Nathaniel replied, still smiling."Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it, then.""Given how things
In another luxurious mansion in the Inner City, a female spy dressed in black, cloaked in a hood, was reporting the results of her investigation to Nathaniel."Your Highness, the Moseys have been particularly active recently and are rallying allies. Many of the eight great families and other influential factions have already allied with them. If left unchecked, they'll pose a serious threat to us," she said, kneeling with her head lowered slightly."So the Moseys are backing Matthias, huh?" Nathaniel sat quietly, his expression unreadable."The Moseys have grand ambitions. While they claim to support Prince Matthias, they're merely setting him up as a puppet to rise to power and expand their own influence," she revealed.She had been infiltrating the Moseys' mansion for years and had gained a deep understanding of their operations, from the smallest details to the key players.Though Seamus appeared as a benevolent philanthropist, it was all a façade. Behind closed doors, he was r