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Chapter 1381
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An Understated Dominance Chapter 1382
Ezra smirked as he watched Dustin leave the restaurant. "Did that sore loser really think he stood a chance with Eleanor? He thought too highly of himself!"He pondered, his thoughts flowing naturally. "No matter how hard he tried to get closer to Eleanor, it only took a bit of my sweet words to win her back. That's the difference between us."Eleanor gazed at Dustin's retreating figure, her expression a mix of confusion and disappointment. She'd always believed Dustin liked her, which is why he'd gone to such great lengths to help her. But his nonchalant exit without even a backward glance left her wondering. "Is he heartbroken or just playing hard to get?"She mused, "Dustin, I thought you were a good person, so I wanted to bring you into my world and help you achieve great things. I never expected you to be so oblivious to what you're missing." You've missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a beautiful life. It was your choice, and I gave you the chance, but you di
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1383
The next morning, Dustin sat cross-legged in a guest room at the Welch residence, deep in meditation. A brisk knock on the door abruptly shattered his peaceful moment."Who's there?" Dustin asked as he slowly opened his eyes."Dr. Rhys, it's me, Feiver. I've brought your breakfast," a familiar voice from the other side replied."Alright," Dustin replied, getting up to answer the door.Fifteen-year-old Feiver, a humble orphan and a housekeeper in the Welch family, stood outside with a finely crafted food container. He had been taking care of Dustin since his arrival the day before. He was always ready with a cup of tea and a friendly word."Thank you for your hard work," Dustin said, stepping aside to welcome Feiver inside."No trouble at all," Feiver responded with a respectful nod. He placed the food container on the table and unveiled the morning meal. "Dr. Rhys, today's breakfast is quite a feast," he explained as he revealed each dish."The first dish is a Spicy Shrimp C
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1384
Dustin smiled and encouraged, "Go on, don't be shy."Feiver hesitated, holding onto his plate and avoiding eye contact."You're still growing, and you're way too skinny, bud. You've got to eat more," Dustin said, adding food to Feiver's plate.Feiver mumbled a reluctant "thanks". His smile was strained, revealing his nervousness."'Not hungry? Maybe it's not to your liking? No worries, try the shrimp or the beef stew." Dustin added more food to his plate, playing the role of a doting father. "Okay, Dr. Rhys, you shouldn't worry about me. You should eat, too!" Feiver trembled with the plate in his hand as he tried to avoid eating. "I'm not hungry; you go ahead," Dustin smiled."I-I'm not hungry either," Feiver stammered, trembling occasionally. "That's fine; think of it as a tasting session. Go ahead, dig in." Dustin nodded. As Feiver refused to eat, Dustin suddenly joked, "Why? Do you think I've poisoned the food?" "Wha—?" Feiver paled, and he managed a forced smile, bea
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1385
With a swift, ruthless swing, Feiver's head parted from his body, thudding to the floor and rolling like a soccer ball. His saucer-wide eyes showed his disbelief. He never imagined that his life wouldn't be taken by Dustin but by his foster father.Joaquin, the Welch family butler, was actually Feiver's foster father. When Feiver had nowhere to go, Joaquin rescued him, bringing him into the Welch family and giving him a place to stay. He had always been grateful and dutiful.So, when Joaquin instructed Feiver to poison Dustin, he didn't hesitate. Feiver felt it was time to repay the kindness he had received. To gain Dustin's trust, he even risked his own life, completely willing to sacrifice it.But now, he was betrayed by the man he considered as family. It was the reality that he couldn't wrap his head around."What?"Dustin furrowed his brow upon seeing Feiver's lifeless body. He fixed his gaze squarely on Joaquin and asked calmly, "Mr. Yaxley, care to explain what's goin
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1386
Dustin asked politely, "Mr. Welch, I've heard that your father has awakened. Is that correct?" "Yes, my dad has indeed woken up, but he's still weak. His mind is somewhat clouded. I believe he needs some time to rest," Alistair replied. Dustin reassured him, "No worries, those are just some aftereffects. He'll be back on his feet in no time." Changing the topic, he continued, "Now, Mr. Welch, about our deal. You promised me the Emerald Corolla and the Iceheart Lotus. When can I get them?""Well …" Alistair exchanged a glance with those beside him and hesitated.Joanne quickly interjected, "Dr. Rhys, we have no intentions of going back on our word. However, it might take a while since we're swamped with other things, and your request isn't our top priority.""Mrs. Welch, it seems you had a different stance when we made the deal." Dustin shook his head. "Precious herbs are rare and can't be easily acquired. We'll notify you when we have any information. Your patience will be a
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1387
"What's this? You want to do this the hard way?" Dustin scanned the Welch family members and smirked. "I've saved your daughter, handed over the formula, and pulled Mr. Welch Senior from the brink of death, all for the Welch family. And yet, you're turning on me now. "If word gets out, what will that do to your family's reputation?"His words sent a shiver down Alistair's spine, and the others squirmed. Alistair had orchestrated the poisoning to protect his family's reputation as a backup plan in case things went south. But with Feiver dead, openly confronting Dustin posed a risk of leaving themselves vulnerable. The reputation of the Welch family would be tarnished if it became known that they had committed murder and repaid kindness with enmity. After careful consideration, Alistair ultimately chose to step back for the time being"Joanne, what's running through that mind of yours? Dr. Rhys has done us a great favor. How can you be ungrateful?" Alistair scolded his wife
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1388
"Call for help right now! I'm on my way!" Dustin said urgently before hanging up the phone. He floored the gas pedal and raced toward Harmony Healers.With no time to waste, he ran the red lights, zipping like a lightning bolt. A drive that usually took 20 minutes became a ten-minute drive instead.When he arrived at the scene, the fire department was still on its way. Harmony Healers stood engulfed in a furious blaze. The first floor was gone, and the flames were creeping up to the second floor. Despite neighbors helping with water buckets, their efforts felt like a drop in the ocean. At this rate, the fire would reach the third floor in less than five minutes!"Quick! We need more help!" Brooke shouted, holding a fire extinguisher in his hand and spraying it frantically. His clothes were in tatters, his face smudged with soot, and he had burns on his skin. He looked absolutely worn out."Dr. Busch! Is Mr. Shaffer safe?""Cinna is still inside, and the fire has gotten out of
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1389
Engulfed in flames, Dustin leaped high into the air before landing heavily on the ground. The resounding impact left several deep cracks under his feet. A gust of wind swept over him, extinguishing the flames that had clocked his body. They could see white mist rising from his skin; it looked straight out of a movie. "What in the world?" The crowd stood in utter shock at the incredible scene they had just witnessed. Even the firefighters were rendered speechless. No one had expected a person to emerge unscathed from the raging fire, especially not after jumping from the third floor. His crazy and daring actions left everyone astonished. "Am I seeing things? The guy that went in actually made it out alive?""Not only did he survive, he even rescued someone!" "Oh my God! Who the hell is this guy? Even fire can't harm him. This is out of this world!"After a brief moment of silence, the crowd commented excitedly over the scene. Everyone looked at Dustin as if he were some sort
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An Understated Dominance Chapter 2529
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2528
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2527
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2526
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2525
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2524
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2523
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2522
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr
An Understated Dominance Chapter 2521
Austin's expression also turned serious as he saw the doubt in Dustin's eyes. He knew Dustin wouldn't worry over nothing.There were many strange beings in Streuqua, including vampires, werewolves, and the like. These supernatural species were notoriously hard to kill. Even after being decapitated, they weren't necessarily dead.Austin wasn't sure if Poseidon had that kind of ability. After all, the Hall of Gods and its so-called royal gods were still a mystery to most people in West Lucozia.To play it safe, they needed to recover Poisedon's head for their own peace of mind.Out on the water, Jaxon led a team of soldiers and ship crews to comb the sea in search of Poisedon's severed head.At the docks, all eyes turned to Warrick, Mulder, and the others. They had been tied up and were now being dragged before Dustin and Austin one by one.Warrick looked pale, but there was a certain defiance in his eyes. He knew his fate was sealed. After Dustin killed Poseidon, Warrick knew his
