In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. Hector's funeral was over. His remains were stored in the Harmons' ancestral altar, where others could visit him.So much had happened to the Harmons that the large and influential family was on the verge of falling apart.After the funeral, Andrew, who had stepped down as head of the family, called for a family meeting. Everyone from the Harmon family was expected to be present.At that moment, Andrew sat at the main seat in the Harmons' meeting room. He held a cane in his hands with a grave expression. The important members of the Harmon family sat on both sides of him.Hector and Trent were dead, and Jacob was nowhere to be found. All his three sons were either dead or missing, and the family had other problems to deal with, too.The Harmon family was now without a leader, and there was also no unity between them. They were in dire straits. Andrew had only stepped out to oversee the situation because he saw no other way."I b
"That's right! I support Natasha becoming the leader of the family! Her Immortunol is making great profit, and she's the family's only hope of recovering!"A senior member of the family stood up in support of Natasha."Desperate times call for desperate measures. There's no one more suited to be the family head than Natasha! I agree with having her as the new head!""Natasha is exceedingly smart. I'm sure she'll be able to restore the family to its former glory! I support her, too!""Mr. Harmon Senior is right! We all support your suggestion!"Most of the Harmons agreed with Andrew's suggestion. The few voices who doubted his suggestion were quickly drowned out. Hence, Natasha was quickly appointed as the new head of the family."Natasha, everyone is supportive and approves of you becoming the family's new leader. What do you think about it?" Andrew asked."I'm not sure, Grandfather." Natasha shook her head. Her father had just passed recently. It was natural that she wasn't i
All the Harmons were stupefied. Andrew's words had shocked them. None of them had expected that the well-dressed old man was actually the noble Duke of Lachshire!In the five peerage rankings, namely duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron, the dukes were ranked first. They were of the highest ranking of nobilities and were above everyone else.Their influence exceeded even that of first-ranking ministers. They were the definition of authority!The Grants had become the leader of the Tremendous Three in Millsburg just because Arthur was an earl. The Harmons dared not even think how much power a duke possessed.But the question was, why would a duke show up at the Harmon family residence? Who among them got such an influential person to come here personally?"What are all of you doing just standing there? Quick! Bow to His Lordship!"Andrew turned to shout at the rest of them. He was so anxious that he was sweating all over.The old man before them wasn't just anyone. He was
"But what will happen to the Harmon family once I'm gone?" Natasha turned to look behind her. Her father had just passed away, and the family was on the verge of breaking apart. She'd feel bad to just walk away like that."They are them, and you are you. Why do you put unnecessary burdens on yourself? "All I want is for you to lead a happy and blissful life. Nothing else matters," Simon said."But …" Natasha was in a dilemma.She had lived with the Harmons for so many years. How could she just abandon them and leave without a care?"Fine, if you're so torn, I'll help the Harmons out just this once," Simon said earnestly. "If you promise to return with me to Oakvale, I guarantee the Harmon family will return to its former glory within a year. "In three years, I'll make the Harmon family better than it ever was and replace the Grants as the new leader of the Tremendous Three. How's that?"Chaos broke out among the Harmons as they were overjoyed to hear that.To have their f
Over in a meeting room at Zephyr Lodge.Cornelius said to Natasha apologetically, "I'm sorry, Ms. Harmon, you're one step behind. Sir Rhys has left Millsburg.""Left? Where did he leave for? When did he leave?" Natasha was full of questions."Sir Rhys left for Oakvale this morning. He said he had some things to deal with there but never gave us any details. Oh, right!"Cornelius recalled something, took out a letter, and handed it to Natasha with both hands. "Ms. Harmon, here's a letter Sir Rhys left for you. Before he left, he ordered me to hand you this letter if you ever come. He said you'll understand once you read this.""A letter?" Natasha took the envelope and opened it. It had a lengthy letter inside.The general content of the letter was Dustin telling Natasha that he had something important he needed to handle and would be there for some time before he returned. He also reminded Natasha to take good care of herself. He mentioned that he didn't want Natasha to worry
Dustin slowly raised his head. That caught his interest.The information that Eloise gave him was that Cinna was in Harmony Healers. And Harmony Healers belonged to Brooke Busch.He had been the one who had saved Cinna and kept him hidden away from pursuers back then. For the ten years that Cinna was unconscious, Brooke had been the one taking care of him."Know him? I don't mean to brag, but Brooke and I are tight. He often rides in my cab."If you're getting medical treatment from him, just tell him that you're a friend of mine. I guarantee he'll give you a discount!" the bald driver said confidently."Is that so? What's he like?" Dustin asked."Brooke's character is flawless. He's the incarnation of Florence Nightingale!"The bald driver gave a thumbs-up as he continued praising Brooke. "He basically treats the poor for free and doesn't even charge them for the medications."Even if he does, he just charges them at an unbelievably cheap price. Kind and generous doctors like
"Doctor! Where the fuck are the doctors?"The bodyguards clamored fiercely, scaring the patients in the medical center. They quickly got out of the way for fear of getting into trouble."What happened?" Several of the doctors from Harmony Healers went up to them."Move aside! I'll handle it!" Caldwell pushed the doctors aside and stepped forward voluntarily. "Is this Ms. Eleanor Welch from the Welch family?" he asked tentatively."If you know who she is, why aren't you saving her yet?" the lead bodyguard pressured."I'm on it!" A look of glee flashed on Caldwell's face for a fraction of a second. It was as though he had got his hands on a treasure.The Welch family was one of Oakvale's eight great families. They were filthy rich and extremely powerful. As a daughter of the Welch family, Eleanor Welch was known to be both rich and pretty.This was Caldwell's chance to play the hero and save the damsel in distress. He wasn't ready to pass up on such a chance! If he managed t
"I'm just offering you some advice because the patient will die if you use the wrong method. And if that happens, you'll regret not listening to me," Dustin said "Hah! That's rubbish!" Caldwell snapped rudely. "Dr. Busch personally taught me this method to save patients. It has worked every single time without fail! Do you think that you're better than Dr. Busch?""There is no hard and fast way to save a patient. You must consider the situation before using a certain method. You must be adaptable," Dustin reminded him."Shut up! One more word from you, and I'll throw you out!" Caldwell's embarrassment fueled the anger within him.He was Dr. Busch's star apprentice who would be in charge of running Harmony Healers in the future! How dare a nobody tell him what to do? He thought too highly of himself!"Well, have it your way then." Dustin shook his head, saying nothing more. "Cut the crap! Save her!" the head bodyguard urged.Caldwell suppressed the anger within him and bega
"Oh? Are we going all out now?" Dustin smirked, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.Mulder, who had advanced to become a grandmaster martial artist through drugs, had a weak foundation. Even after taking the enhanced serum, he still posed no threat to Dustin. If Mulder were a hundred times stronger, he might just barely be able to fight Dustin.As the serum's effects pushed his body to the limit, Mulder suddenly let out a furious roar. His muscles swelled rapidly, and his bones cracked as they expanded. His body grew larger at an alarming rate, and his clothes tore apart under the strain.His six-foot frame stretched to nearly seven feet in mere moments as his body swelled to monstrous proportions. His face twisted fiercely, and his skin darkened as black scales surfaced.With another guttural growl, his roar turned beastlike. He grabbed his shredded shirt and ripped it away, exposing his broad chest covered in dark scales. A faint, eerie sheen flickered across their surface."D
Dustin's words made Mulder frown.Mulder knew all too well that Warrick was the kind of man who had no sense of loyalty or honor. If Warrick could kill his own personal guards without hesitation, what would stop him from killing a stranger? Mulder was certain that the moment things went south, Warrick would be the first to flee. Given the choice, he'd never willingly risk his life as Warrick's sacrificial pawn. But now, there was no turning back.With his undercover identity exposed and him helping Warrick escape, Mulder became a sworn enemy of West Lucozia. His name was now on the most-wanted list.Tonight was their best chance to escape. If they missed it, finding another way out would be nearly impossible.There was only one path left for him—kill whoever stood in his way and make it onto that escape boat."Enough talk, punk. Let's see what you're really made of," Mulder said.After weighing his options, he gritted his teeth and finally decided to draw his longsword. His fig
"You had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next," Dustin said.With a slight squeeze of his fingers, the steel blades clamped between them shattered with a sharp clang.Before the two Hall of Gods members could even react, Dustin waved his hand.The two men were sent flying as if they'd been hit by a truck, hurtling over 30 feet through the air. Blood sprayed from their mouths and noses before they hit the ground. They were critically injured and on the verge of death.Dustin slowly turned his head and looked at the man who had just tried to ambush him.The man glanced at the broken sword in his hand, then at Dustin, who looked utterly unfazed. He hesitated for a split second—then bolted.With a powerful leap, he dove straight for the sea. He knew Dustin's strength was on a completely different level. There was no chance of outrunning him on land, so the only hope was to disappear into the water.It might have worked—if not for what happened next.Just before he hit
"You're not a fisherman? Who the hell are you?"Mulder's guard shot up the moment he got a clear look at the young man's face.Fishermen who spent their days at sea were usually tanned from the sun, but this one had a fair complexion. It felt a little strangeNoticing something was off, the men behind Mulder drew their blades and fixed their sharp gazes on the fisherman.The so-called fisherman standing guard wasn't just anyone—it was Dustin, who had been waiting for them all along.Since his plan was set in motion, he'd been stationed there from morning until midnight. After what felt like an eternity, his targets had finally arrived."Isn't it obvious? I'm here to capture you."Dustin rose from the deck and rolled his shoulders before speaking in an even tone. "If you don't want to die, surrender now. Otherwise, it'll be too late.""Watch out! It could be an ambush." Mulder swiftly pulled out his dagger. His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings for any sign of hidden troops.
As night fell, Warrick sat motionless in his room as he tried to calm his mind through meditation. He had always been able to clear his mind with ease. But tonight, no matter how hard he tried, focus eluded him. A restless unease settled over him and refused to let him relax.Nearly two hours passed before Mulder's scouts finally returned. This time, they brought good news.The smuggling route they had scouted was completely safe, with no signs of an ambush. The West Lucozia army had yet to discover this potential escape route.Once everything was confirmed, Mulder let out a breath of relief. Warrick, too, finally felt the weight lift from his chest."Since the route is safe, we should set out immediately to avoid any unexpected complications." Warrick said. He had no intention of waiting any longer. He was a wanted man, and every moment in West Lucozia increased his chances of capture. There was no telling when the army might surround him. Only by escaping to Thaloria would he
After a hearty meal, the burly Warrick sprawled lazily onto the bed and dozed off. He slept soundly till dusk, lost in a deep dream. When the sky was painted in brilliant hues of the setting sun, only then did he wake up leisurely.The exhaustion from the previous day seemed to have melted away. He felt invigorated, refreshed, and in high spirits.At that moment, Leigh had already set the table in the hall with quiet efficiency. Compared to the first meal, this spread was far more lavish.At the center of the table sat a whole roasted pig. Its golden-brown skin glistened with a rich, crispy sheen. The mouthwatering aroma filled the room, making it impossible not to crave a bite.Warrick had never been one for formalities. The moment he saw the feast, he didn't hesitate. He strode over, took a seat, and started digging in. He ate with zero restraint without sparing a single thought for Mulder, who was still out gathering intel.After a while, half of the roast pig was gone. His fac
"Who is it?" Warrick's grip tightened around the hilt of his steel blade. His eyes, sharp and alert, were like those of a startled predator—full of caution and menace.For the past few days, he had been on edge, like a cornered animal. He barely slept and was constantly on high alert, fearing danger would strike at any moment.The door slowly creaked open. An elderly man with gray hair stepped inside with a tray of fruit and pastries in both hands.Before he could even register what was happening, a flash of cold steel appeared, and Warrick's blade was at the elderly man's throat.The elderly man trembled with fear. The tray slipped from his grasp, and fruit and pastries scattered on the floor."Easy, Sir Prescott. He's one of us." Mulder stepped forward and pressed down on the flat of Warrick's blade with a finger. He smiled and explained, "His name's Leigh Houston. He's mute and has served the Hall of Gods for years. He keeps watch over this tunnel entrance and has never slipp
"Here's the problem—even if we know Warrick's intentions, how do we stop him?" Austin asked.Right now, Warrick had already disappeared without a trace. Austin's team hadn't even come close enough to get a hold of him, so there was no way to track him down.West Lucozia's vast territory and resources made it impossible to seal off every exit route completely. While it might be manageable in the short term, prolonging such an operation would significantly impact West Lucozia's economy. Wasting resources on a single fugitive wasn't a wise move."Warrick is a wanted man across the entire city. There's no way he's leaving through official channels. He'll have to sneak his way out," Dustin analyzed. He continued, "According to the maritime charts, if he's traveling from West Lucozia to Artea, he'll have to go through Thaloria. That's our lead. Get someone on it immediately—find out how many smuggling routes there are from West Lucozia to Thaloria.""Got it. I'll get it done right away
"Damn you, Mulder! You've really screwed me over this time." Axel gnashed his teeth as rage boiled inside him. Mulder's betrayal hadn't just implicated Axel's sister, but it had also dragged Axel himself into the mess.Mulder had climbed the ranks to assistant chief of the City Defenders in just a few years, and Axel had played a major role in backing him.Now that this mess had blown up, Axel was right in the middle of it. No matter how he tried to explain, he was going to take the fall for it."Everyone, follow me! Let's capture that traitor."After learning Mulder's escape route, Axel waved his hand and led his enforcement team out at full speed.He had already messed up by failing to capture Warrick, which was a serious lapse in duty. Now, with his brother-in-law openly rebelling against them, things had only gotten worse.If Axel didn't turn this situation around and bring those traitors to justice, his days as an enforcement team captain were numbered.After a thorough s