Within the Inner City was the City of Aylka, symbolizing supreme power. It was a sacred place that countless ambitious individuals dreamt of being in. It was also where Dustin intended to seek the truth and justice. However, now was not the time for that. Inner City was quite congested, as it happened to be rush hour. Even though Dustin had left an hour early, it was already dark when he finally arrived at his destination. Natasha hosted the celebration at Skylight Heights Hotel, a luxurious five-star hotel. The venue was perfect for hosting a grand celebration as it offered a wide range of entertainment facilities. It was a high-end establishment with excellent service, making it the ideal choice for hosting such an event.Meanwhile, inside Banquet Hall One on the top floor of the hotel, a group of young men and women had come together. They were all elegantly dressed, toasting their drinks and chatting happily. On stage, song and dance performances were constantly entert
"Harper, do you realize how powerful she is now?" Cody's face displayed a hint of pride. "As long as Ms. Harmon is willing to step in, the Swansons won't be able to do anything," he finished. "You're right …" Harper nodded enthusiastically. She was filled with delight.She had made up her mind. She was going to impress Natasha no matter what it took. By doing so, she could turn her situation around. Plus, she could also rise to the upper circle of Oakvale's elite."By the way, Cody, how do you know all this?" Harper suddenly became curious."To be honest, my uncle is a military advisor in the monarchy working under the Duke of Lachshire. He has a lot of connections. So it's easy for me to learn about all these secrets," Cody replied proudly. In fact, Natasha's identity was already publicly known within the powerful circles. It wasn't much of a secret. Rather, it was something most ordinary people wouldn't come across."Cody, you're truly amazing!" Harper gave him a thumbs u
"Stop joking. Ms. Harmon is pursued by many outstanding people in the industry. How could I compare to them?" Cody shook his head. Even though he was flattered, he was self-aware. The gap between their social status was far too wide. "Cody, if you put your heart into it, you can achieve anything. No matter what, you should give it a try. What if you happen to be Ms. Harmon's type?" Harper encouraged him."Really?" Cody was somewhat uncertain."Why would I lie to you?" Then, Harper added, "Look at yourself. You're handsome, tall, poised, and charming. "Most importantly, you're skilled in medicine, attentive, and have great character. A man of your caliber is truly a rare find in this world!""Is that so?" Cody ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his tie. His confidence surged, and he looked delighted. After all, he considered himself an outstanding and nearly perfect man. He also had tremendous potential. It didn't seem too far-fetched to marry the granddau
"What? She's yours?" Both Cody and Harper exchanged puzzled glances when they heard that. They began to wonder if they had heard him wrongly.Natasha was, after all, a siren who ranked third in the Beauty Ranking. Besides, she was also the Duke of Lachshire's granddaughter. She was basically the dream of countless young men! How dare a poor loser like Dustin so shamelessly claim that she was his? Had he lost his mind?"Dustin. Are you … serious?" Cody probed."Of course," Dustin answered confidently. "Pfft!" Cody burst out laughing as though he'd just heard the greatest joke of the century. "Oh, Dustin! Do you even hear yourself? Did you just say that Ms. Harmon is yours? Hahaha!" Cody clutched his belly as he laughed with an exaggerated expression."Hmph! How shameless!" Harper folded her arms in front of her chest as she huffed. "Don't you have any self-awareness?"Don't go around thinking that your identity has changed just because you put on new clothes. A loser will alw
"Greetings, Ms. Harmon!""Hello, Ms. Harmon!"After a short moment of silence, the entire hall erupted in loud chatter. Everyone began crowding around Natasha to greet her.Those who could show up at the event were either high-ranking officials or top executives of major corporations. It was only natural that they knew Natasha's identity. There were even some who had attended the event for the sole purpose of sucking up and currying favor from her. "No need for formalities, everyone. Please make yourself comfortable."Natasha remained composed. She showed no reaction to the crowd, who flattered and fawned over her. Her alluring eyes swept across the hall as though searching for something."Cody, could that be Ms. Harmon?" Harper discreetly pointed at Natasha."She should be. I cannot think of anyone who has such captivating beauty apart from Ms. Harmon!"Cody's eyes were bright, his face flushed, and his heartbeat accelerated. He had seen many beautiful women, but never one
"I've missed you, dear!"Under the incredulous stares of the guests, Natasha jumped into Dustin's embrace and hugged him tightly. They truly looked like a pair of lovers who were finally reunited after having been apart for a very long time. They were both intimate and passionate.However, their bold actions had everyone staring and gaping in shock and disbelief.Cody and Harper, especially, stood frozen in place as though they'd been struck by lightning. They simply could not believe what they saw.What was going on? She was the chairperson of Dash Corporation and the woman who ranked third on the Beauty Ranking. And most importantly, she was the granddaughter of a duke!What the hell was happening? Why was she so eager to show affection toward a poor loser?Cody's hand was still extended, but without realizing it, he had already turned his head to stare at Dustin and Natasha. The smile on his face stiffened, and his emotions churned. He was shocked beyond belief. Could Du
The crowd exchanged bewildered looks and began to whisper among themselves when they heard what Natasha said."Who's Dustin Rhys? I've never heard of him before. Do we have such a person in Oakvale?""That's weird. As someone with wide connections, I've never heard of him before, either.""So, do you mean to say that he's not someone special? But why would Ms. Harmon be interested in someone like him?""Well, he does have decently good looks. Perhaps he's just one of those men who pleases women and makes them feel good so that he can mooch off them?"The influential elites whispered, all looking baffled.As people of the elite circle, they were always very well-informed. However, none of them had ever heard of the name Dustin Rhys. Thus, they deduced that he wasn't someone from their circle, nor was he anyone of importance.But what they did not understand was why the high and mighty Natasha would get involved with a small fry like him? Was it true love? Or was it just an infatu
The entire event hall became silent as the man in military uniform made his appearance. Everyone moved aside to make way for him and avoided him like the plague.After all, the young man was hot-tempered and unreasonable. He was known to have severe mood swings. He also had a strong background. It allowed him to throw his temper around without facing any repercussions. Thus, nobody dared to cross him.People normally kept their distance from him to avoid getting into any trouble."Cody, who's that? He looks impressive."Harper was both surprised and curious. The man must be a formidable character to be able to silence the whole event hall."If I'm not mistaken, he should be Dexter Fallon of the Fallon family!" Cody remarked as he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly."Dexter Fallon? You mean one of the four Chaos Demons?" Harper's eyes widened in disbelief."That's right. He's the one." Cody nodded. He dared not even look straight at Dexter and only stole a peek at him out of th
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
"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
"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
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
"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
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
"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
"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
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