"Cherusia?" Dustin perked up as soon as the word came out of Samuel's mouth. His voice raised a little as he asked, "Where is it?"After waiting anxiously for so long, he finally had a lead. This was the only missing herb. Once Dustin got his hands on Cherusia, he could refine the nine-fold Longevitum."To be honest, the Cherusia is at the Murray residence." Samuel explained, "The day after tomorrow is Christopher's birthday. Someone gave him the Cherusia as a birthday present."Mr. Rhys, whether you can get your hands on it depends on your abilities.""Okay, if the information is accurate, I'll pay you appropriately." Dustin was excited.He finally had a lead on where the Cherusia was. No matter how much it cost, Dustin was determined to get it. "There's no need for a reward. Let's go with what we agreed on previously. You owe me a favor now, Mr. Rhys."So, if I encounter any trouble in the future, I hope you'll help me.""As long as it doesn't go against my principles,
"Oh, I'm here to visit General Murray," Dustin answered with a smile. Vivian looked at him disdainfully and commented, "Hmph! What a suck-up!"Ever since the band-aid incident, she had a grudge against Dustin. But she had to admit that he was pretty skilled. That was because Vivian found out she had lung cancer after being shot and hospitalized. Fortunately, they detected the cancer in time. With Vivian's family's wealth, she got the best treatments, and her condition stabilized. Meanwhile, Sheila's attention was on Dustin. "My grandfather has gone out to attend to some matters. He won't be back for a while."Why don't you come in for coffee first? I have some questions to ask you, too."Without waiting for Dustin's response, Sheila immediately dragged him into the Murray residence. She finally got the chance to get close to him. So, Sheila would not let him go."Sheila, didn't we agree to practice horseback riding?" Vivian reminded. "Oh, you're right! I got so excited
"What?" The group turned to look in the direction of the voice. They saw a group of young men and women. The group strolled into the stable leisurely. A woman led the group. She wore a black vest and black riding boots. She was beautiful and had a slender figure. But she looked arrogant, giving off a high and mighty vibe.As they entered the stable, she held a black horse by the reins. It had a shiny coat and was magnificent. "Roxanne?" Sheila frowned at the sight of the woman. Roxanne Murray was her cousin, and she always liked to challenge Sheila.Roxanne had become more daring after Caden stepped down as head of the family. Roxanne would look for trouble every day, annoying Sheila very much."Sheila, I can't stop laughing when I heard you brag about Gale. He never loses?" Roxanne mocked.She did not hold back and continued to poke fun at Sheila. "Come on, you only won in previous years because everyone lets you."Did you think you're that good? Don't be ridiculous!"
The two women glared at each other. They did not take Jayden's words seriously. Sheila and Roxanne saddled up their horses. After putting on the gears, they led their horses to the racetrack.One horse was black, while the other was white. Both were the complete opposite. Sheila's and Roxanne's friends stood on either side, facing each other. "All the best, Sheila! I know you can win this!" Vivian cheered from the sidelines. Evan was confident, too. "Gale is a seasoned champion. He can't be compared to any other horses!" "You're right! As long as he performs as usual, he can win this!" the others said. Dustin remained silent the whole time. He was actually quietly judging the horses. He could see that Gale was indeed superior to Midnight Shadow. But of course, the rider's skill needed to be considered, too. Sheila had years of experience. As long as she made no mistakes, her chances of winning were high. On the other side, Elena asked excitedly, "Dahlia, which of the
The inertia sent Sheila flying into the air. Then she landed on the grass with a loud thud.For a moment, she felt dizzy. She looked like she was in a lot of pain. "Sheila!" The sudden turn of events shocked everyone. They hurriedly ran toward Sheila to check on her. Fortunately, she wore protective gear. Moreover, the soft grass cushioned her fall. Thus, she suffered no serious injuries and only dislocated her shoulder."Sheila, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Vivian asked, looking concerned. Evan was anxious. "Doctor! Someone get a doctor!" He was worried that she had hit her head. If that were the case, it would have been bad."Let me take a look," Jayden said as he quickly approached Sheila.After examining her, he assured everyone, "It's nothing serious. She dislocated her shoulder, that's all."He reached out and pressed his hand on Sheila's shoulder. Then he suddenly twisted it. A crisp sound was heard as the bone went back into place.Sheila let out a muffled g
Jayden raised an eyebrow, having no idea what was happening. But he could see that Elena disliked Dustin. "Since when did the Murray family have such low standards? How could someone like him enter our residence?"Hearing that, Sheila quickly explained, "Jayden, Dustin is my friend.""Friend?" Jayden sized Dustin up."Sheila, you must know that with your status and identity, not everyone can be your friend." An insurance agent was part of the lower class. To Jayden, someone like Dustin was not even fit to shine his shoes. "It's hard to say whether I'm qualified to be her friend. But I know that although you're Sheila's cousin, you're clearly not a kind person," Dustin retorted. Roxanne glared at Dustin, scolding, "How bold of you to say that! Who do you think you are? "How could you accuse my brother? Bastards like you deserve to be beaten up!"As she spoke, she lifted her whip and was about to strike Dustin. But Jayden raised his hand to stop her. Then he asked coldl
"What?"Everyone exchanged glances when they saw the black needle, surprised. They had seen Dustin removing the needle from the horse's head. There was even blood on it. So, someone purposely inserted it into Gale's head. "Seriously? Could this guy be telling the truth?"Everyone turned to look at Jayden, waiting for an explanation. "Now that I've found the evidence, what else do you have to say?" asked Dustin. Then, he flicked the needle and sent it flying. It landed near Jayden's feet. "What do you mean? Are you suspecting me?" Jayden frowned. "I've no idea who did this. But I can swear that I haven't done anything to harm Sheila!" Dustin replied indifferently, "Yeah, keep up with the act. "Just moments ago, your sister admitted you were the only one who touched Gale. Who else could it be if it wasn't you?""Yes, I did touch Gale. But that doesn't mean I inserted this needle," Jayden answered. "Perhaps someone had already inserted the needle before we arrived."
"Why are you so stubborn?" Jayden sighed tiredly, acting helpless. At that moment, Elena suggested. "Since no one can reach a middle ground, how about having a rematch?"Let's up the stakes, and the winner gets to decide. How does that sound?""I'm fine with that. Let's see if Sheila dares to have a rematch." Roxanne accepted the idea and looked at Sheila provocatively. Jayden acted concerned for Shelia. "Sheila just hurt herself. How can she ride a horse now? Aren't you making things difficult for her?""If Sheila can't do it, someone else can replace her. She has so many friends here; any one of them can help her." Roxanne lifted her head arrogantly and looked at Shelia's friends. "Hey! Which one of you has the guts to challenge me? One billion dollars for a race."You'll pay if you lose, and the winner gets to take Gale."Evan, Vivian, and the others looked at each other nervously. The stakes were high. After all, it was one billion dollars for a race. They knew their
Austin's words were strong and commanding, each one landing like a thunderclap.Warrick felt the weight of his presence. His brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the so-called evidence on the floor, showing no sign of panic or guilt. Instead, he said indifferently, "Your Highness, these dead men were nothing more than ants. Is this really worth making such a fuss over? I doubt you haven't killed anyone before."As the old saying went, the higher one climbed, the heavier one's purse. Warrick had clawed his way up, risking his life at every step for the sake of rising above the masses. Everyone had their own desires—some sought fame, others fortune. Some were greedy for money, some for power, and others reveled in the adoration of the masses. To achieve those things, one inevitably had to engage in shady dealings. It was an unspoken rule among officials, and Warrick saw nothing wrong with it."Ants?" Austin sneered. "Without these 'ant
The ashen-faced Huxley was dragged away. With his crimes exposed, his fate was sealed. His entire family would be implicated, and their assets would be seized.Those guilty would be punished, and even those who had merely benefited from his corruption would be held accountable. To put it bluntly, Huxley's entire family was about to be annihilated.Austin issued his next order once the bloodstains were cleaned up. "Axel, it's time to bring in the mastermind."With Huxley dealt with, the next step was to confront Warrick. Unlike Huxley, Warrick wouldn't be easy to deal with. After all, he commanded a large number of troops. If backed into a corner, he could become a major threat."Understood!" Axel responded respectfully, then turned to his subordinates. "Gather more men and come with me."Warrick had earned his prestigious position through years of fierce battles. On the battlefield, he was a one-man army, a warrior capable of taking on thousands. His strength was beyond what mos
"You bastard! With all this evidence in front of you, what do you have to say for yourself?" Austin barked."Your Highness, please let me explain…" Huxley broke out in a cold sweat, his voice trembling with panic."This is a lie. Someone's trying to frame me! I've always followed the law—how could I possibly be involved in something so vile?""The evidence is right in front of you, and you're still trying to weasel out of it?" Austin shot back. "Looks like you won't confess until death is knocking at your door."He raised his hand and ordered, "Guards, throw him into Grimhold Keep. Use whatever means necessary—let's see how long he keeps up this act.""Yes, Your Highness."A squad of enforcement team members rushed in and surrounded Huxley.Cornered, Huxley finally lost his nerve. He dropped to his knees with a thud and begged, "Your Highness, I admit I made a grave mistake."His voice cracked as he continued, "I wasn't thinking clearly at the time. Please, for the sake of my y
Night had fallen. Austin sat in the meeting room, quietly reading a book as he waited for the results of the investigation.After successfully turning Percival against his allies, it was only a matter of time before they uncovered solid evidence of Warrick and Huxley's crimes.For years, the castle had turned a blind eye to their shady dealings. After all, corruption among officials was nothing new.But this time was different. The two had secretly orchestrated Jovian's murder, a direct challenge to the authority and dignity of the royal family. Such defiance couldn't be ignored. If Austin didn't set an example, others would surely follow."Your Highness!"Axel burst into the meeting room, panting heavily. He had clearly run the whole way to avoid any delay.Austin set his book aside and asked calmly, "Well? How did it go?""Your Highness, we've completely shut down all of Warrick and Huxley's illicit operations. Every hidden network they had built over the years has also been d
At that moment, Percival truly panicked. Earlier, he had only worried about being implicated. But now, faced with such a serious accusation, he was completely caught off guard."Hmph! The evidence is irrefutable, and you still dare deny it? Do you want me to torture the truth out of you?" Austin barked."Your Highness, I'm innocent!" Percival was so terrified he was on the verge of tears. He raised his hand and swore, "If I had anything to do with Jovian's death, may I be damned for eternity.""If swearing oaths proved innocence, we wouldn't need an enforcement team," Austin said coldly. "Out of respect for your years of service to West Lucozia, I'll give you a chance to come clean and receive a lighter sentence. Tell the truth now, or I'll throw you into Grimhold Keep."At the mention of Grimhold Keep, Percival began to shake uncontrollably. Tears and snot ran down his face as he wailed, "Your Highness, I swear I didn't do anything. Who's the bastard making up these accusations?
Ten minutes later, Warrick was escorted out of Room A1 again.Axel's demeanor had completely changed since their first meeting, and he had become unusually warm."Sir Prescott, Lord Austin has concluded the investigation. It turns out this matter has nothing to do with you. We made a mistake earlier, and I apologize for any offense caused." He smiled apologetically and spoke with a humble tone."Hm?" Seeing the fawning expression on Axel's face, Warrick raised an eyebrow and looked surprised. Just moments ago, the two sides had been at each other's throats. What had caused such a sudden change?"Did you really investigate it thoroughly?" Warrick asked tentatively."Of course! According to our findings, Jovian's disappearance was the result of a personal vendetta from his enemies in Oakvale," Axel said with a straight face.He continued, "He was a tyrant and always stirring up trouble everywhere he went. He got what was coming to him. Lord Austin only launched the investigation
"After you, Sir Prescott." With one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, Axel's other hand gestured toward the door."Hmph!" Warrick shot a cold glance at Axel's subtle movement and then turned to leave the meeting room.Even if Austin had his suspicions, Warrick knew he couldn't do anything to him without concrete evidence.Axel escorted Warrick back to Room A1. After closing the door, he went to Room A2 and led Huxley to the meeting room."Your Highness, it is my privilege to stand before you." Huxley entered the meeting room with a respectful salute."Mr. Thatcher, please take a seat." Austin's face remained neutral as he gestured for Huxley to sit, then motioned for Axel to pour him a cup of tea."Do you know why I've summoned you here today?" Austin spoke calmly, and his words carried the same probing tone as earlier."Is it about Jovian's disappearance?" Huxley asked in return."Oh? It seems you're quick on the uptake." Austin raised an eyebrow. "In that case, g
The enforcement team worked with remarkable efficiency. Within an hour, Huxley, Warrick, and Percival had been brought back to the castle.Per Austin's instructions, Axel made sure the three met briefly upon arrival, though they were given no opportunity to speak to one another. Afterward, they were taken to separate rooms and were guarded individually.Due to their status, the enforcement team treated them with respect, offering them tea and wine. However, they weren't allowed to leave their rooms and had to wait for Austin to summon them.Warrick was confined to Room A1, Huxley to Room A2, and Percival to Room A3. Their rooms were right next to each other, separated only by thin walls. If they stepped out, they would see one another, but none of them knew how close they were.This, of course, was all part of Austin's plan. He knew that extracting the truth from these three cunning foxes would require unconventional tactics.…Inside Room A1, Warrick sat calmly, sipping his te
"Hm?"Even Warrick frowned at the news.The royal enforcement team was rarely mobilized. When they did, it was always for something monumental. The question was, did a minor figure like Jovian Ballard really warrant such attention from Austin?"Mr. Thatcher, are you sure the royal enforcement team has been mobilized? And it's because of Jovian?" Warrick asked skeptically."Of course I'm sure," Huxley replied with a grave expression. "I've just received orders from above. The enforcement team captain will be taking over my duties temporarily. From now on, they'll have full control over the city's defense and investigative operations.""That's strange. Why would Lord Austin go to such lengths for someone so insignificant?" Warrick was confused, his brow furrowing.According to his intel, this was the first time Jovian and Austin had even met. Even if they had crossed paths before, it shouldn't have been enough to justify deploying the enforcement team.It seemed Warrick had undere