Under Elena's command, the two groups of guards rushed in through the door. One group was the Forrest family guards, while the other was the Welch family guards. Both groups consisted of carefully selected elite guards and outnumbered Julie's guards. They surrounded the Camron Medical guards as soon as they appeared, turning the situation around instantly. Onlookers retreated when they saw the standoff for fear of getting implicated in the conflict. No one dared to involve themselves in a confrontation with imposing forces consisting of two elite families and one ancient house. "It seems like you came prepared with the number of guards you have." Dustin narrowed his eyes, unafraid even as he was surrounded. "Dustin, considering our previous friendship, I can ask Elena to spare you as long as you apologize and grovel before us," Eleanor suddenly said. The more arrogant Dustin acted, the more she wanted to crush him beneath her feet and humiliate him thoroughly! How dare a n
Although they weren't sure what was going on, it was clear that the poison was extremely potent. "What is going on?" Eleanor, Elena, and Julie exchanged puzzled looks, their brows furrowed. The hall was filled with people, yet only their guards were affected. It was astonishing to think that the poison could differentiate between friend and foe. "Rhys! Are you responsible for this?" Julie was quick to conclude. "Don't blindly accuse me. I didn't do anything." Dustin shrugged. "You still dare deny it? You clearly did this, you rotten bastard!""Rhys! You'd better hand us the antidote! Otherwise, if anyone dies here, I will send you with them!" Elena yelled.The guards she brought today were from the elite ranks of the Forrest family. They weren't only skilled but also extremely loyal. The Forrest family had invested considerable resources in training these elite guards. She would be held accountable if they all died here upon her return. She might even be punished by house
Abigail looked just like the girl next door. However, Eleanor, Elena, and Julie felt a chill run down their spines as they gazed at her, breaking out in cold sweat. Despite her harmless appearance, the words that came from her lips were horrifying. She poisoned them yet was telling them to endure it. What a psycho!"Who are you? How dare you poison us?" Elena screamed fiercely. "That's not important. The issue now is, what will you choose?"Abigail smiled. "You only have two options. Either you succumb to my poison, or you apologize to Dustin and pay reparations.""We'll never apologize!" Elena declared indignantly. However, as soon as she spoke, her headache intensified, and she groaned."I don't care who you are! Hand over the antidote right now! Otherwise, you'll suffer the consequences!" Eleanor attempted to continue with her threats."Consequences?" Abigail squatted down with a smile and looked at Eleanor quietly. She then said, "Your last name is Welch, right? If … I
"The antidote … Give me the antidote!""I was wrong. I'll apologize! Give me the antidote!"Tormented by the pain, Elena couldn't take it any longer and started to cry for mercy. Abigail remained squatted, her hands supporting her chin. She showed no signs of reaction."My head is killing me! I can't take it anymore either! I'm willing to apologize and pay reparations! Now give me the antidote!" Julie gave in as well. Suffering humiliation was nothing compared to losing their lives. It wasn't the first time, anyway. Abigail continued looking at Eleanor without any reaction. "Eleanor! H-Hurry up and apologize! This woman is insane! If you don't apologize, we're going to die here!" Elena panicked and shouted in desperation. "If you don't speak soon, your friends are going to die," Abigail said with a smile. "Eleanor! What the hell are you doing? Just apologize already! Even if you want to die, don't bring us down with you!" Elena roared at her. Why did she insist on
"She's so beautiful and dignified!""Who is this beautiful woman? Why haven't I seen her before?""Just look at her posture and presence. She must be ranked high on the Beauty Ranking."Dahlia's appearance caused quite a stir. Regardless of gender, everyone was captivated. Even though there were many beautiful women in the refined and sophisticated city of Oakvale, which was filled with talented individuals, a woman of her allure was a rare sight. Her cool and noble temperament appeared almost otherworldly. It was as if she had just stepped out of a painting. "Dahlia!" Upon seeing the newcomers, Julie's face brightened as if she had encountered her savior. She immediately went up to greet them."I asked you to come here to discuss business. Instead, not only did you fail, but you also ended up having to pay 100 million for the damages. What exactly happened?" Dahlia asked coldly. "I—" Julie found herself at a loss of words. She couldn't admit that she had flaunted the Mosey
"So, what you mean is that only they can bully us, but we aren't allowed to retaliate? So powerless people like us can only ever be terrorized and humiliated by powerful people like you? "Is it a sin to even think about protecting ourselves?" Dustin mocked. Despite losing her memories, Dahlia remained the same. She was still prejudiced and self-righteous. She never got the situation straight before jumping to conclusions. "I don't understand what you mean." Dahlia frowned slightly."My people came today to discuss business. As a shareholder of Camron Medicals, you should treat them with courtesy instead of resorting to threats." "We would naturally welcome them if they were guests. But if they are enemies, don't blame us for being rude," Dustin retorted. "What? You've made a mistake and stirred up trouble, yet you don't feel any remorse?" Dahlia frowned."Ms. Nicholson, this was a misunderstanding." Lana suddenly stepped up and smiled apologetically. "Ms. Amberson here in
"Dustin, did you hear that? Get on your knees and apologize to me. Then, pay me 300 million in compensation for my mental distress. "Otherwise, I'll make sure you stay in prison forever!" Julie's hands were on her hips, appearing domineering. With her cousin backing her, she had nothing to fear. Julie might be a fake heiress, but her cousin was Sir Mosey's favored god-daughter. He had entrusted over half of his businesses to her. Dahlia's current status was no less than that of Dragonmarsh's princess. Everyone had to treat her with respect. Dustin might be capable, but he was nothing in front of Dahlia."Rhys! Dahlia is a prominent figure among the Moseys. You'd better think about your situation carefully!" Elena sneered, looking pleased with the turn of events. Once Dustin apologized, she would take the opportunity to humiliate him. If he resisted, that would be even better. Because once he angered Dahlia, there would be no way out for him!Dahlia wouldn't even need to tak
Julie subconsciously swallowed. After she realized what had happened, she immediately pushed a finger down her throat in an attempt to vomit the pill out. However, no matter how hard she heaved, it was useless. The moment the pill went into her mouth, it had already dissolved.At that moment, her expression shifted, and her voice trembled, "W-What … did you just give me?""Nothing, just some supplements," Abigail replied with a smile."You're lying! It's obviously poison!" Julie panicked."Oh hey, it seems like you've guessed it. Sorry." Abigail's smile never faltered. "You witch! Give me the antidote!" Julie roared."I'd advise you to calm down since getting agitated would only speed up your death. Oh, by the way, this poison won't take effect immediately. "It will slowly torment you until your intestines rot and you perish," Abigail explained. "What?" Julie's legs went numb. "Dahlia … save me!" "You witch! How dare you harm a Mosey? You must have a death wish!" Scott
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