"I was, but I'm already divorced," Dustin answered straightforwardly. "Aw, damn!" Adam grinned. "If that's the case, my sister finally has a chance! I'll be your brother-in-law soon." "Get lost!" Dustin rolled his eyes. "What kind of brother are you? Why would you throw your sister under the bus?" "She threw herself in!" Adam retorted in exasperation. "You have no idea how much she bugged me after finding out that you were still alive. She would have flown back for you if the war hadn't broken out at the border.""Has Scarlet been well?" Dustin suddenly asked. "You're still worried about her? That kid's been practicing martial arts since young, and with her talent, she's already a grandmaster. I can't even win against her anymore. Who would dare to cross her?" Adam responded nervously. All his life, Adam has only ever been afraid of two people–Dustin, the person who's been throwing punches at him since they were kids, and his sister Scarlet. He always lost his dignity when i
Dustin never expected to run into Dahlia there. Worse, she was accompanied by another man, and it seemed like those two were on a date. It irked him for some reason. He had just been captured by the military, his life in danger, but here Dahlia was, carefree and relaxed, as she went on a date with another man. It was clear that Dahlia didn't give a damn about him, and it made him feel like a fool."Do you know that lady?" Adam quickly caught onto the change in mood and asked. "Yeah. She's my ex-wife." Dustin answered bluntly. "Your ex-wife?" Adam's lips twitched. "Why don't we go somewhere else?" No one would be happy to see their ex-wife happily chatting away with another man. "Forget it. I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I be afraid?" Dustin lifted his glass to his lips and swallowed a mouthful of wine resentfully. Just then, Dahlia and Luis arrived on the second floor, and the woman immediately spotted the two men. "Dustin? What are you doing here?" she exclaime
"Just friends, eh? Then you won't mind going home with me right this instant!" Dustin snapped. "But …" Dahlia frowned and glanced at Dustin and Luis, troubled. Although she didn't have any feelings for Luis, the man had helped her, so it wouldn't be right to turn her back on him now. "What's wrong? You don't want to?" Dustin sneered. "Is this what you call an ordinary friend? How am I supposed to believe you?" Dustin couldn't believe that Dahlia was still hesitating. It seemed that he was even less important than her ordinary friends, and here he thought that their relationship had been improving. It must have been his imagination. "Forget it, Ms. Nicholson. You don't have to think about it so hard. We're nothing to each other now. Enjoy your meal. I'll be taking my leave." Dustin shook his head and turned around. "Wait for me." Grabbing two bottles, Adam hurried after Dustin. He didn't have any experience when it came to love, so he couldn't help Dustin. After stepping out
"Watch out!" As the truck headed toward them, Dahlia's immediate reaction was to push Dustin away, completely disregarding her safety. Realizing that she had nowhere else to escape to, she instinctively shut her eyes tightly. Right then, she came to a realization that it might not necessarily be a bad thing to die like this. At least he would remember for the rest of his life. As her eyes closed, a strong figure dashed forward and put itself in front of her. With an ear-splitting boom, a fist landed on the front of the truck, and metal bent under the force. The sudden opposing force upturned the entire truck, flipping it around, and the truck landed on the ground behind Dahlia with a crash, debris flying in all directions. "Are you okay, Dahlia?" Dustin drew his hand back and quickly surveyed the woman for any injuries before letting out a breath of relief. "What in the world happened?" Dahlia's eyes were opened wide as she gaped at the empty space in front of her before turnin
"What?" Joshua stared at his sister's body incredulously. He never thought that Dustin would be so ruthless, killing without warning. "Anything else you want to say?" Dustin calmly asked. "D-don't kill me! Please don't kill me!" Joshua fell to his knees, begging. "I was an idiot to offend you. Please forgive me. I swear I won't go against you ever again!" "You had your chance, but you didn't appreciate it." Dustin's face was void of any sympathy. "N-no. I do. I promise! Please! I'm still young. I don't want to die! Just let me go. I'll do anything you want. I swear!" Joshua began ramming his forehead into the floor. He wasn't able to win against Dustin when he was in peak condition, so why would he have a winning chance now? For Dustin, killing Joshua would be as easy as killing an ant. "I'm pretty sure that's not what you said just now." Dustin sneered. "Didn't you say that you were going to make me suffer like never before after you recovered?" "N-no, I didn't!" Joshua
"Well done. Well done, indeed!" Edwin laughed boisterously. "This Substratumis may be expensive, but it's definitely worth the price!" While he was still chortling away, another bodyguard rushed into the room anxiously. "Sir, something bad happened back home!" The guard fell to his knees, weeping. "What?" Edwin frowned. "We just received news from Swinton that Hummer Villa turned into a slaughterhouse last night. All of our fighters are dead, and Ms. Hummer and Mr. Hummer were both killed as well. The Hummer family is gone!" These words struck Edwin like lightning, and the Substratumis in his hand crashed to the floor, shattering instantly. "Son!" Edwin wailed mournfully, collapsing to the floor. The devastated man stayed on the floor for what felt like ages. When he finally staggered to his feet, he seemed to have aged ten years, looking extremely haggard. "Get ready. I want to head to Boulderthorn's branch right this instant!" Edwin seethed menacingly. He no longer had
Meanwhile, in Park Place, Swinton. "What? Joshua Hummer is dead, and his entire family was massacred? They even burned Hummer Villa down to the ground?" Jessica, who had been relaxing a second ago, sobered when she heard her guard's report. The Hummer family was well known for being the top family in Swinton. While it couldn't win against the Harmon family, it was still a force to be reckoned with, especially with Boulderthorn's support. So who could be powerful enough to destroy that family? "Do you know who did it?" Jessica pushed. "The fire burned almost everything. It'll be difficult to trace the source." The guard shook his head. "We'll be in trouble if we can't find the culprit!" Jessica frowned, pondering. Under normal circumstances, she'd be over the moon to learn that the Hummer family was gone. However, most people now knew that the Hummer family and her daughter had something against each other, so Natasha would naturally become the prime suspect. What Jessica fear
Was it wrong for a mother to worry about her daughter's safety? So why couldn't Natasha understand her? "Isfrid!" Jessica called out. A voluptuous woman immediately hurried into the room. "Yes, Madam?" "Send an anonymous letter to Clement Lincoln to let him know everything Dustin has done," Jessica instructed. "Huh?" Isfrid was stunned. "A-are you sure, Madam?" Dustin had been severely injured just to save Natasha, yet Jessica was telling her to betray him. That was crossing the line. "Shut up and do as I say! Natasha will only be safe if we sacrifice Dustin. Hurry up!" Jessica ordered coldly. "Yes, Madam." Isfrid could only nod. Although she felt sorry for Dustin, as the Harmon family's shadow guard, she had no choice but to obey Jessica. …Meanwhile, a red BMW suddenly pulled up at the door of Peaceful Medical Center. The car door flung open, and Dakota Nicholson rushed into the building frenziedly. "I know you're here, Rhys! Come out!" she yelled. "Which uneduca
"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