"Hold on." "What now?" Dakota halted and spun around, impatient. "You haven't paid yet. This medicine is precious. You can just pay me ten million," Dustin casually told her. "What? A bottle like this costs ten million dollars? You might as well rob a bank!" Dakota fumed. "This is obviously easier than robbing a bank. You can always give it back if you find it too expensive." Dustin reached out to grab the bottle back. "You're shameless!" Dakota gritted her teeth and wrote up a ten-million-dollar check before leaving angrily. She'd made up her mind to make Dustin pay after her mother recovered. After half an hour, she reached the hospital. As soon as she returned to the ward, she saw a group of doctors gathered there, shaking their heads and sighing. Her mother, Jane, was lying on the hospital bed, unable to move. "You're back, Dakota!" Florence rushed forward and asked, "How did it go? Does he have the solution? If there's no other method, we'll have to seek out Dr. Cro
The doctors looked at each other in shock after seeing how lively Jane was. They couldn't believe that such a small pill had cured what a group of medical professionals had been unable to. It was incredible! Was that black pill a panacea or something? Getting over his shock, the bald doctor tentatively asked, "Ms. Nicholson, may I know what pill that is? Could we study it?" "Yeah, right. Fuck off!" Dakota immediately kicked him, making the man groan in pain. Knowing he had lost, he quickly led the other doctors out of the room in disappointment. "Who knew a small pill like this could be so powerful?" Florence was in awe. Despite its looks and smell, its effects were evident. "It may have cost ten million dollars, but it was worth it!" Dakota exclaimed happily. "What? Ten million?" The other two women instantly sprung up. "Are you joking, Dakota? A bottle like this costs ten million dollars?" Florence asked, wide-eyed. "Yeah! Were you tricked? How could this ordinary-l
"Enough. Stop fighting. Let us know what happened first." Florence said worriedly. "I'm not sure what happened either." James sobbed. "I blacked out after drinking with my friends. By the time I woke up, I was already in the car, and there was wreckage everywhere. I was so scared I ran away immediately, but I got caught the same night." "You did a hit-and-run? Do you know how severe this crime is? You won't be getting out without a decade or two of jail time!" Dahlia spat. "What?" James immediately paled. "I'm still young. I don't want to go to jail. Please save me!" "You have to pay the price for your mistakes. How can you think that you'll be safe after killing someone?" Dahlia sighed. Although she loved her brother dearly, she could do nothing about his crime. "Sis, Mom, help me! I swear I'll never do this again! I've learned my lesson, I swear!" James swore frantically, unable to stand the thought of living out his life in prison. "Calm down, James. I'll call you aunt r
"Fine, I'll do it …" Within an exclusive club, Luis couldn't help grinning when he heard the other voice from the phone. "Great. See you tonight. You better not stand me up again." With that, he hung up. The young men and women surrounding him immediately gave him a thumbs-up after learning what had happened. "Never thought a tiny trick like this could get that chick to obey you, Ms. Langford. You're incredible!" a blond man praised. Luis chuckled evilly. "She would never have agreed if I hadn't sent her brother in. Besides, how could I let a chick like her slip through my fingers like that?" None of the women he set his sights on have ever gotten away from him. All it took was some time and some tricks. Dahlia may look like an innocent woman, but as long as he used her friends and family as bait, she would surely bite. "I'm curious, Mr. Langford. Why would you marry her? You could have just had fun without getting married. This doesn't seem like something you'd do." The bl
Dahlia didn't pick up the first two times. It wasn't until his third attempt that the call got through. "Hey, Dahlia. Didn't you tell me to treat you to dinner? Why aren't you here yet?" Dustin asked. "About that … I'm sorry, but something came up. I might not be able to leave any time soon." Dahlia's voice sounded strange. "It's alright. Work is more important. Take your time. I won't bother you." Dustin answered understandingly despite the tinge of regret. Dahlia hummed. "I'll treat you another day." "Sure." Dustin smiled. He was just about to hang up when he heard a familiar voice. "Dahlia, who are you calling? Hurry up. You've got to drink with me—" With a beep, the call ended. "Sir, when is Ms. Nicholson arriving?" the manager asked. "She has something to deal with, so she can't come. You can put everything away. I'm sorry, everyone." Dustin smiled politely and got up to leave. Everyone exchanged confused glances. Why had the carefully planned dinner gone to wa
Inside the presidential suite, Florence helped Dahlia onto the bed and took off the younger woman's shoes. She then went to grab a basin of warm water to wipe Dahlia down. "Mom, I feel horrible. I want some water." Dahlia lay on the bed weakly, feeling parched. "Water won't work. I'll get you some milk. Wait here." Florence made up an excuse and quickly left the room, bumping into Luis straight away. "How's Dahlia doing, Mrs. Nicholson?" "She's fine. Nothing a night's sleep won't fix." Florence smiled. "Where are you heading, Mrs. Nicholson?" Luis asked again. "To get Dahlia some milk to ease her stomach ache." "I see …" Luis smiled knowingly. "No one sells milk nearby, so I'm afraid you'll have to search further. You might have to come back later too." "Are you sure? I'm pretty sure I saw a grocery store downstairs." Florence smiled awkwardly. "Are you questioning me?" Luis' smile slowly disappeared, an animalistic, cruel expression taking over. "O-of course not. G
If Luis was going to rape her, she'd rather die than suffer and be humiliated that way. "So what? How dare a secondhand good like you act innocent. Take off your clothes right now!" Luis shouted. "No!" Gritting her teeth, Dahlia ignored her weak body and staggered to the door. "Do you think you can escape?" With a sneer, the man ran after her. Just as Dahlia was about to reach the lift, he sped up and made a lunge for her, dragging her to the floor. He immediately began to tug at her clothes. Just then, the lift doors opened with a ding. The two of them lifted their heads and froze when they saw Dustin emerging from the lift with a dark face. "What are you two doing?" Dustin seethed, a murderous air surrounding him. He realized that something was wrong when he heard Dahlia's earlier reply, so he quickly told someone to track her car, and this was the first thing he saw. "So, it's you." Luis leisurely pulled himself to his feet and lifted his pants, grinning tauntingly. "A
"Why aren't you saying anything? Do you agree with what I said?" Dustin's final glimmer of hope disappeared along with Dahlia's silence. He'd given her a chance to explain herself, but she didn't give him the answer he wanted. "I'm sorry. I have my reasons." Dahlia felt her heart bleeding, and breathing became difficult. "Reasons?" Dustin sneered. "What could make you sell your body? What could stop you from explaining things to me?" "I'm sorry … I'm sorry …" Dahlia sobbed, anguished. "Don't apologize to me. We're already divorced, so I have no right to control anything you do, and you didn't betray me." Dustin's face gradually turned hard. "However, please don't ever bother me again. I'm still human. I can't keep being hurt by you. So, won't you please let me go?" "I …" Dahlia didn't know what to say. Perhaps the best thing for her to do now was to completely cut ties with him since she had no choice but to yield to Luis for her brother, her family, and Dustin. Still, she'
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