“Do you have a plan in mind, Mr. Rhys?” Natasha asked.“I need to get a clear understanding of the situation first. I hope you don’t mind if I ask you some questions.” Dustin cleared his throat before continuing, “Where did you go today, and did you meet anyone there?”“I met Edwin today. We talked about work, and he asked about us being in a partnership, but I rejected his offer,” Natasha answered truthfully.“I see. Did you drink anything he offered you?”“Of course not. That man has been eyeing my family business for ages. I’d never let my guard down around him.”“Then it really is strange how you got drugged, sis,” Ruth piped up.“Truly.” Natasha rolled her eyes.“When you two met, did you smell or touch anything in particular?” Dustin then asked.“Now that you mention it…” Something suddenly dawned on Natasha. “When I stepped into the place, I did smell something particular. I didn’t pay much attention because I thought it was just perfume. But then, after a while, I start
Dustin drove over to the Nicholsons’ home at noon. The villa was in a secluded neighborhood, with flowers and hedges decorating the front yard.Dahlia was right outside. Dustin tried to avoid her but was still spotted.“Stop right there! I need to talk to you!”“What is it?” Dustin asked. Their backs were to each other as they spoke.“I haven’t told Granddad about our divorce because of his condition.”“Do you think we can keep him from finding out?”“I’ll find a chance to tell him after, just not today.”“Alright. Anything else?”“Nope.” Dahlia turned and went inside the house without another word.They never once looked at each other, acting like complete strangers.Dustin took a deep breath and went in as well, wine in hand. The living room was filled with people, including most of the Nicholsons.Only John, Dahlia’s father, was absent, still outside on his trip.Yet someone was sitting in his usual seat this time, an outsider too—Chris Nolan.“How rude to have us elder
The wines were quickly unboxed for everyone’s viewing pleasure.“Tch, and here I thought they were decent quality. Looks like these are just craft brews, worth no more than two thousand dollars, I bet.” James had a look of disdain on his face. “How could these compare to Grand Crus?”“Craft brews have long lost their value on the market. We don’t even give our servants these!” someone exclaimed.Craft brews weren’t actually that terrible in terms of quality, but they were nothing compared to Grand Crus.“What a cheapskate!” Florence scoffed.“How are craft brews cheap when they’ve been on the rise in the country? Is your taste in fine wine only limited to those brewed overseas?” Dustin casually responded.“How is it not cheap when they cost only a couple thousand? Chris’ wines cost more than 100 thousand dollars.” James rolled his eyes.“Wines don’t have to be expensive to be good. Plus, you don’t know how much exactly my wines cost.”“Are you still trying to make a comeback?”
“You must be kidding, right, Dad? This can’t be aged wine!” James’ eyes were wide as dinner plates.“Look at how yellowish it looks, though. It must be fake!” Florence accused.“You guys must not have seen brews like this before. Aged craft brews get this color, and it only darkens the longer it’s been aging. Every wine connoisseur knows this.”The looks on everyone's faces quickly changed. Their accusations had just been dampened significantly, not by just anyone but by John Nicholson himself, a well-known wine enthusiast. His judgment couldn’t be wrong.“I was blessed to be able to try such a fine wine years ago with a government official, but this brew right here must be finer than the one I had—that body and finish tell me it must’ve been aged for at least 50 years!” John smacked his lips, still enjoying the brew’s aftertaste.“How much would it cost on the market?” James asked curiously.“It’s priceless. You couldn’t find a willing seller even if you offered a city’s worth.
Chris rapped on the table, calling for everyone’s attention.“Everyone, I would like to share some good news with you all. Nolan Pharmaceuticals has been looking to increase its share pool, so we are currently welcoming new investors. Is anyone here interested?”“New investors?” Everyone’s attention was immediately captured.Nolan Pharmaceuticals was an industry-leading corporation with very limited shares available. That was why Chris’ announcement came as a shock to everyone at the table.“Hasn’t the company been doing alright, Mr. Nolan? Why the sudden invitation?” Dahlia asked curiously.“Of course, it has been. We’ve just been planning to list our company publicly, that’s why. As everyone knows, our company is not short on talent or the capability to overcome competition. This share listing is just so we have some funds to give our employees a good bonus this season.” Chris smiled. “We haven’t officially announced this to the public yet, and the spots are limited. If anyone
“What did you say?”Chris froze, thinking he had misheard him.“I said I’m not interested in a business that’s about to go bankrupt,” Dustin repeated.“Bankrupt?”Everyone was too stunned to react to his words. “How dare you! That’s nonsense!” Chris was shocked, but he quickly denied it. “Nolan Pharmaceuticals is raking in profits every day and is at its prime. How could we go bankrupt? Stop fear-mongering!” “Only you know whether this is fear-mongering or not. Anyways, I’ve received news that Nolan Pharmaceuticals will be investigated due to the sale of counterfeit illicit drugs. It’s just a matter of time before they go bankrupt.” Dustin’s words were very shocking. “Counterfeit drugs? Investigated?” Now, everyone was even more puzzled.Their gaze turned to Chris. “Nonsense! All of it is nonsense!”“Dustin, stop spreading these rumors. Nolan Pharmaceuticals is a law-abiding company. How could it go under investigation? I can sue you for defamation!” Chris threatened.
Chris’ words made everyone nervous.How could they let this opportunity to make a fortune slip away so easily?“Chris, ignore this fellow. He’s obviously jealous of you. But we’re not, we all believe you!” Florence immediately took a stand. “That’s right! Chris, you promised us about the stocks. You can’t just forget about it.”Everyone agreed right away. As they spoke, they turned and glared at Dustin.“Dustin Rhys, don’t stop us from making a fortune! Otherwise, I won’t let you off so easily!”“Yeah! Get lost if you wish to continue on with this nonsense!”The crowd chattered and chimed in one after another. From their perspective, Dustin was slandering Chris and preventing them from making money. He had such malicious intentions!“Do all of you really trust Chris? Hasn’t anyone ever doubted if he was lying?” Dustin asked with a frown.“That’s none of your business! We’ll do what we want!” James glared at him. “That’s right! Even if we were cheated, it would be on our own
Edwin, the richest man in Swinton, was drinking tea leisurely with an old man at Hummer Villa the next morning.“Mr. Lawson, it’s too bad that the lady was so cautious and left before the drug could take effect. Otherwise, I will definitely have subdued her!” Edwin lamented.“Don’t worry, Mr. Hummer. She doesn't have the antidote for the drug I gave her. She will definitely come begging if she doesn’t want to die. You can have your way with her then,” Fletcher joked. “Is that so? That’s perfect!” Edwin’s eyes lit up. He had been longing for a thorny rose like Natasha for a long time. The thought of toying with such an exquisite woman in bed made his heart race. “Sir Hummer…”Suddenly, a bodyguard came and whispered something in Edwin’s ear. “What? Trevor is dead?”Edwin’s face darkened and he demanded, “Who did it? Who dared touch my men?” Trevor was his right-hand man and did his dirty deeds. His sudden death was quite a loss to Edwin. “It was rumored to be his adopted s
"Step forward, and you're dead!" Facing the onslaught of desperate assassins, Dustin showed no mercy. With a swing of his long sword, a dazzling sword aura swept through the darkness like a crescent moon and briefly illuminated the night sky. The assassins only saw a flash of white light and instinctively stopped in their tracks. When the brilliance faded, those at the front stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell.A moment later, heads tumbled to the ground, like ripe fruit falling from a tree. The headless bodies stood upright for two seconds before collapsing, blood splattering everywhere.The gruesome sight shocked everyone. They exchanged uneasy glances and were hesitant to move forward. No one had anticipated Dustin's sword to be so fast that the fallen couldn't even defend themselves.The assassins who had just been killed were among the elites. Yet, none of them could block even a single strike. The difference in strength was clear."What are you standing aroun
The people who emerged from the fog wore masks that hid their faces, but each had the Hall of Gods emblem on their bodies. Among them was a small group led by Dustin.After sensing a battle nearby, Dustin had deliberately left his team behind to investigate alone. He hadn't expected another group to lead them out of the fog formation."What's going on? Why are there so many bodies scattered around?" "Looks like they ran into a strong enemy. Stay sharp, everyone!" The sight of scattered corpses put everyone on edge. Their eyes darted between Dustin and Aven."Dustin, what are you doing here alone?" The leader of the group recognized him immediately.The Hall of Gods had recruited several teams, each marked by different colored masks, with team leaders wearing a distinctive emblem."Hank?" Dustin narrowed his eyes as he recognized the voice. "What happened here?" Hank asked tentatively."I don't know. I just stepped out of the fog formation." Dustin shook his head."Really?"
Though Marcell was momentarily stunned, he still explained patiently, "This man is the guardian of the Forbidden Ground. If we kill him, we'll be able to take the treasure." He was gravely wounded and had to rely on Dustin to deal with Aven, so he needed to be persuasive."We can talk about the treasure later. Right now, it's time to settle some old scores." Dustin stretched out his hand, and the long sword on the ground shot up into his grasp."Settle old scores? What are you talking about?" Marcell blinked in confusion, especially when he saw the sword in Dustin's hand. A feeling of unease spread through him."You and that big guy planned to use me as bait. Then, you sent me into the fog to clear the way for you," Dustin said flatly. "Did you really think I didn't hear that? Since you want to harm me, don't blame me for being ruthless.""What… What are you going to do?" Marcell panicked. "We're both working for the Hall of Gods. There's no need for this kind of betrayal. If thi
When the black death energy entered his body, Aven felt as if his entire being was being ripped apart. The pain was unbearable, as though a swarm of venomous insects was gnawing at him from the inside. It wasn't just his body that suffered, but his soul was being torn apart as well."Curse you! Get out of my body!" he roared in fury as he tried to force the black death energy out of his system.The death energy seemed to have burrowed deep into his bones. It was invasive and siphoned away his life force with every passing second. Even his internal energy was being drained to feed it. If this continued, he would be completely drained in less than three minutes."Won't leave, huh? Fine. We'll die together!" Aven's anger boiled over, and he went all out in his attack.He raised his hand, and dozens of Divine Talismans shot into the air to form a formation above his head. As it spun, a massive black thundercloud began to take shape. Lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled with terrifyin
The once frail Marcell began to undergo a rapid transformation. His muscles and bones grew at an astonishing pace. In the blink of an eye, his height jumped from five feet three inches to nearly six feet, and he kept growing.His once skeletal frame rapidly filled with dense muscle, and his skin stretched taut as if it might tear. His hunched back straightened, and his entire frame became incredibly imposing.Within just a few seconds, Marcell had transformed into a completely different person. Standing close to six feet five inches, his muscles bulged, his eyes burned with bloodlust, and he radiated a terrifying presence. If he had once been a frail wildcat, now he was a ruthless tiger.At that instant, Marcell was surrounded by swirling dark energy. His face twisted into a menacing and bloodthirsty expression. He looked like a demon straight out of hell."It is so delicious." Marcell licked his lips after absorbing the surrounding death energy and resentment.The Soul Abyss Tech
The poisoned needles zipped through the air with blinding speed. They were impossible to avoid, and each was aimed directly at vital points. One hit meant certain death."Hmph! What a simple parlor trick." The gray-robed elder, Aven Foyer, stood motionless. A sudden burst of golden light flared around him. The needles struck the light but bounced away, which left him completely unharmed."Glow Incantation?" Marcell seemed to have expected this. He smirked but didn't stop attacking. With a quick motion, his hands moved in rapid succession. A new wave of poison needles poured out like a torrential storm and swept toward Aven."Get him!" Marcell shouted as he signaled his men to attack.He knew well that the guardian of Sacred Wyrm Summit's forbidden ground wasn't someone he could take down alone. So, he had no choice but to overwhelm Aven with numbers."Kill him!"Without hesitation, the two groups of men drew their weapons and charged toward Aven in a coordinated assault. Pois
"Open up!" Danny roared as he slammed his fist into the bronze door. A surge of internal energy exploded from his body.The door shook with a deafening boom, and dust scattered, but nothing unusual happened. The symbols on its surface flickered briefly before fading."Hmm?" Danny froze as he stared at the undamaged door in disbelief. With his natural strength and the power his techniques granted him, he had expected the bronze door to shatter easily. But what he saw before him completely defied his expectations.The murmurs behind him only added to his unease. He had boasted so confidently about smashing the door open, yet it hadn't budged an inch. His face flushed with embarrassment."I don't believe it!" Danny took a deep breath and channeled all his internal energy into his fists before striking the bronze door again.Another loud crash echoed as the bronze door trembled, and the dust fell off. The mysterious symbols on the door glowed once more. Like before, the door remain
"Mr. Sadrick, we're trapped in this enchantment circle. What should we do now?" Danny looked around frantically, but he couldn't make sense of the direction.He had thought that following Dustin would keep them safe, especially with someone ahead scouting the path. But as soon as they entered the Forbidden Ground, the thick fog blocked their vision, and they lost track of everyone."Don't panic. Just keep moving forward, and we'll get out of here." Marcell's gaze scanned the ground.There was only one path. The faint footprints left by Dustin and the others would be their guide. As long as they followed the trail, they should be able to catch up with the others."Stay close, everyone! Don't fall behind, or you'll face the consequences!" Danny shouted at the group.Everyone responded and tightened up their formation. At this critical moment, falling behind could mean running straight into danger.Under Marcell's lead, the two groups merged and started moving forward. Everyone was
When the fire broke out on Sacred Wyrm Summit, Dustin received the order to launch the attack. He immediately led a team to infiltrate the Forbidden Ground as planned.With the Hall of Gods' large-scale invasion in full swing, the summit was in chaos, with people scrambling to extinguish the fire. This left the Forbidden Ground unprotected, as most regular guards had been reassigned. Only the mountain itself stood alone and was isolated in its stillness.Still, he didn't underestimate the Sacred Wyrm Summit's defenses. Even without guards, the Forbidden Ground wasn't a place anyone could simply enter. After all, the summit was known for having the most powerful enchantment circle in the martial world.When Dustin and his team reached the back mountain, they discovered that two other teams had already arrived ahead of them.These groups, hired by the Hall of Gods, were primarily composed of shady individuals. While their ethics were questionable, their strength was unquestionable.