"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.
"B-buddy?!" Seeing Adam's friendly expression, General Jenkins was stunned. His mind went blank. The man in front of him was none other than the renowned God of War! He was also the youngest chief general of Dragonmarsh! He reported to no one, while thousands reported to him! However, this all-powerful figure had actually called Dustin his buddy? What the fuck was going on? "No, that's impossible! How could that bastard know Chief General Spanner?!" Jade was thunderstruck. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and her face was filled with disbelief. According to her investigation, Dustin was just an irrelevant small fry. How could he have a relationship with the famous God of War? "Now that you mention it, we indeed haven't seen each other in a long time." Dustin regarded him up and down, then said happily, "I must say, you're doing quite well for yourself, you rascal. I think I may need to start relying on you for money soon." "Don't joke like that!" Adam said with a stran
The person he had arrested turned out to be the eldest son of the Rhys family, an existence that could shake the military effortlessly. "We … we're doomed …" Blood had drained out of Jade's face the moment she heard Dustin's real name, feeling unbelievably sorry for herself. She shouldn't have tried to avenge Joshua. There was no way a loser with broken arms and a shattered core was worth the lives of her entire family. "Jade Grant, this is what you fucking call a nobody?" General Jenkins spun around and shot Jade a vicious glare. "I never did anything to you, so why the hell are you dragging me into this mess?""I–" Jade was about to burst into tears. "How dare you trick me! You're dead meat!" General Jenkins roared before leaping toward Jade with his mouth wide open. Things became chaotic as he tore up the woman's face with his teeth. "Come on. Let's go have a drink." Dustin ignored them and left with Adam. …Meanwhile, inside the East Swinton Hospital ward, Dakota's fa
"Hello, is this Mr. Langford? Dahlia has something to say to you." Florence shoved the phone to Dahlia as soon as the call got through. "Dahlia? Let me know if you need any help. I'll definitely get it done if I can," a voice drawled. "It's me, Mr. Langford," Dahlia responded stiffly. "I'll get to the point. I have a friend who's in trouble and has been arrested by the military. I hope you can help me save him." "Arrested by the military? Your friend must be into hot water," Luis guessed arrogantly. "I wouldn't have turned to you if I had another choice," Dahlia responded tiredly. "What's your friend's name?" "Dustin Rhys." "Alright. I'll help you on one condition." "What is it?" "Treat me to dinner tonight," Luis responded frankly. "Um …" Dahlia stiffened, instantly understanding what he meant. "You won't refuse such a small request, would you?" Luis teased half-jokingly. "Of course not." Dahlia forced a smile. "It's nothing compared to what you're willing to h
"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
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