At the drill ground of a military base. Dustin had been chained to a pillar by several thick chains made of darksteel, which was extremely malleable yet also durable. The blazing sun shone down on him, and he was surrounded by a troop of armed forces. They scrutinized his every action warily. Dustin didn't seem bothered by it. He merely allowed himself to remain chained, looking poker-faced. His calmness surprised the soldiers—any ordinary person would've peed their pants long ago. It seemed there was something special about him. "So, you're Dustin Rhys?" At this moment, a man in a deputy general's uniform walked over with a troop of soldiers behind him. He had a beer belly and a round face. "Don't tell me you captured me without even knowing who I am," Dustin said coolly. "Cut the crap! Answer the general's question!" one of the military officers roared. "Fine. Yes, I'm Dustin Rhys." "Good, good …" The man nodded. "Since we didn't get the wrong guy, let's start by giving h
Each of the burly man's whips landed with a loud crack; they could be heard from miles away. Jade laughed derisively at the sound and exclaimed, "He's doing a great job!" Dustin had been so obnoxious the night before, crashing the Hummer Villa and slaughtering their men. She had to make him pay for it! "Jade, you must've been exaggerating when you said this brat was hard to deal with." The round-faced man snorted. "Look, he's nothing more than a prisoner with his life in my hands." "He's an extremely powerful martial artist, just so you know. There were several people at the Hummer Villa last night, but none stood a chance against him." Jade was still shaken from the previous night's events. "Ha. No matter how powerful he is, he's only a martial artist. Do you think he'll be able to withstand my troops?" The round-faced man looked contemptuous. "Over the years, the military's captured plenty of martial artists renowned for their prowess. Still, haven't they ultimately yielded to
"What?" The round-faced man stared at Dustin, who was cool as a cucumber, in shock. He knew very well how much the steel whip could withstand and how much pain it could cause. Not even the strongest of men could take more than ten whips in one go, yet Dustin looked perfectly fine after enduring more than that. In fact, he'd made three whips shatter. What the hell was going on? "Brat, what sort of sorcery do you have going on?" he snarled. "Look, cut the crap and do what you need to." Dustin yawned. His nonchalance made the round-faced man's blood boil. "Fucking hell. I'd like to see you survive this!" The round-faced man swiped his subordinate's sword and swung it at Dustin. There were two loud clangs as the blade came into contact with Dustin's body twice; he was fine, but the blade became chipped. "Is that—is that an Adamantine Shield?" Jade's eyes widened. As a member of the martial world, she immediately realized what was up. The fact that Dustin could make himself impermeabl
"Are those chains enough to keep him bound? He's a lot more powerful than he seems. What if he really breaks free?" Jade asked. "Don't worry. Our chains are all forged from darksteel and are designed to withstand any force. Not even an elephant would be able to break free, let alone a human. Now that he's bound, he won't be able to get away from them without the key!" the round-faced man said confidently. He'd seen his fair share of powerful martial artists; none of them had successfully broken free from the darksteel chains. "Well, that's good to know." Jade sighed in relief. However, the words were barely out of her mouth when she heard the sound of the chains breaking. She whipped around to look at Dustin—he'd only stretched, but the chains already lay at his feet in pieces. "What the fuck?" The round-faced man was so shocked that he dropped his pastry. Jade also looked dumbfounded. What happened to the chains being made of darksteel and able to withstand any force? How could
"Huh?" General Jenkins and Jade were stunned as they watched Bloodbest suddenly drop to his knees. They looked at each other, taken aback. What was he doing? He was perfectly fine just a moment ago, so why was he kneeling on the floor now? Was he saying a prayer before he tortured him? Compared to the others' surprised expressions, the skinny man appeared terrified, his face drenched in cold sweat. As a student of the Executioner, he couldn't possibly be oblivious to the true meaning of the kirin tattoo. In the entire world, the black kirin tattoo was one of a kind. Not to mention, it had already become a symbol of power! No wonder that person looked familiar. No wonder he dared to call the Executioner by his real name. It turned out that this person was the Kirin of the Rhys family, who almost incited chaos that could have devastated an entire nation ten years ago! Shit! What kind of sins had he committed? He'd actually run into a harbinger of doom of this magnit
General Jenkins puffed out his chest and declared arrogantly, "I am none other than the Deputy General of the White Tiger Army, under the command of Chief General Spanner. No matter who that bastard may be, I can take him down easily. Just wait and see!" As soon as he finished speaking, his phone ringtone began blasting. The first phone call came in. "Hello, General Jenkins. This is Hunter Anderson speaking. You've captured someone you shouldn't have. You should let him go immediately. Maybe you can still save yourself." "Who the fuck do you think you are? How dare you order me around? Fuck off!" General Jenkins replied, promptly ending the call. "Seems like someone called to beg for Dustin's life," Jade said sarcastically. She'd long predicted something like it would happen. "Hmph, they think they can get him out of my hands? It's not going to be that easy!" General Jenkins pursed his lips. With the backing of the Grant family, only a handful of people in the entire Southern
The moment Adjutant General Damon saw General Jenkins, without uttering a single word, he delivered him a resounding slap. General Jenkins was left dazed, taking quite some time to recover from the impact. He'd welcomed Adjutant General Damon with a smile, but the man fucking responded with a slap instead. That was crossing the line! "Adjutant General Damon, what is the meaning of this?!" General Jenkins' face darkened, his gaze turning hostile. Even if he was Christopher's adjutant general, it didn't mean he had a free pass to humiliate him. After all, Chief General Spanner was backing him. In terms of rank, he held an even higher position than Christopher! "General Jenkins, that slap was a lesson for you," Adjutant General Damon said with a cool expression. "You should not have captured Mr. Rhys. Release him now, or you'll have to bear the consequences!" "Are you threatening me?" General Jenkins snorted. "Damon, you're nothing but an old general's dog. What right do you h
General Jenkins' men started to face off against the Murray family's army. Instantly, the tension in the air gave way to murderous intent. "Go in and save him!" Adjutant General Damon immediately ordered. "No, you won't!" General Jenkins blocked the way with his body. He then pulled out a gun from his waist. "Anyone who dares take a step forward will be shot!" "You can try." Without a trace of fear, Adjutant General Damon stalked ahead. "You're fucking testing me!" General Jenkins gritted his teeth, fury filling his eyes. Just as the two sides were in the midst of battle, several military helicopters suddenly materialized in the sky. Whizzing through the air, they finally stopped, hovering above everyone's heads. When General Jenkins took a look, a delighted expression crossed his face. "Hahaha … that's Chief General Spanner's private helicopter! Damon, you're dead meat. Let's see what you can do with Chief General Spanner himself on the field!" He laughed in excitement.
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
The next morning, after breakfast at the West Lucozian castle, Austin tried calling Jovian. However, his calls went unanswered. After several attempts, he still couldn't get through."Huh?" Austin was puzzled. They had made plans the previous day to head to Oakvale that day. Why was Jovian suddenly unreachable? Had he stood Austin up?After thinking it over, he found that unlikely. He and Jovian had gotten along well and even called each other brothers. On top of that, they had promised to travel together and watch out for one another.If Jovian had an urgent matter that required him to leave West Lucozia, he would have at least given Austin a heads-up. Jovian wouldn't just disappear without a word."Could something have happened to him?" Austin's unease grew. He quickly summoned his trusted aide. "Go find out where Jovian is. Report back to me as soon as you have any information.""Yes, Your Highness," the aide replied before hurrying off.Austin poured himself a cup of tea