Tyler leaned back into the seat. Even as he took a rest with his eyes closed, he exuded an air of danger. "Tyler! That wretched girl Natasha is really too much! We need to bring her into line!" Jayla sat beside Tyler, still indignant over Natasha's words. Her brother was such a remarkable person who was outstanding in every aspect. Natasha should have counted her blessings and thanked every deity she knew that he even wanted to marry her! But not only did she not appreciate him, she dared to call off the marriage alliance in front of such a crowd. This was humiliation through and through!"Say something, Tyler! That bitch cheated on you! Are you really not pissed off by that?" Jayla was even more disgruntled by Tyler's silence. His fiancée had cheated on him with another man and even got herself pregnant! This was something that would never sit well with any man!"There's no point getting all worked up," Tyler said with indifference. "I am not marrying Natasha because I like her. I
Over at Spices Diner, Florence sat in a booth and took in the sight around her, occasionally commenting on what she saw. "Look, Dahlia. Things are so different here in Millsburg. Every other diner here looks so posh! I've decided! I'll stay here in Millsburg for good! This is such a huge and advanced city! Everything's so convenient here, and it's way better than stuffy old Swinton!"There was nothing much Dahlia could do but listen helplessly. She had planned on coming to Millsburg to assume her position alone, but Florence and James insisted on tagging along. They claimed that they didn't want her coming to Millsburg alone with no one to rely on and that they'd be more at ease knowing that they'd be able to help her and take care of her. "Mom, does Aunt Victoria live nearby?" James suddenly asked out of nowhere."She does! And I've invited her to join us for lunch. She should be here by now." Florence nodded.As they spoke, a group of three came in through the door, led by a gla
"I guess you can say that I have quite an influence here in Millsburg, so if any of you ever run into any problems here, you can come to me," Terrence said as he handed out his name card. As he spoke, he shot Dahlia one too many glances. A hint of lust flashed in his eyes. Dahlia was, after all, a bombshell. Not only did she have a perfect figure, but her face was also exquisite. She was unlike any other woman he'd seen before and definitely in a much different league compared to Julie."Very impressive, Mr. Stone! Here, take a seat, everyone." As Florence gestured for them to take their seats, she called out to the waitstaff, "Excuse me, we're ready for our meal now!""Hang on," Dahlia piped up. "We're missing one person.""Oh? Who else are we expecting?" Florence looked around them, puzzled.Just as Dahlia was about to speak, Dustin gracefully made his way in through the doors. "Over here!" Dahlia stood up and beckoned for Dustin to join them. Her company turned around to see who
"My man, this is a pretty decent salary. You won't get a better offer anywhere else! If you do a good job, I might even give you a bonus!" Terrence jibed."You're lucky that Terrence is offering you this position as his chauffeur, Dustin. You'll regret it if you pass on this opportunity!" Julie said proudly."That's right! Terrence is the manager of Brooks Corporation, and he has a bright future ahead. You'll get a lot of extra perks working for him. What's there to not like about it?" Victoria echoed."Is Brooks Corporation that big of a deal?" Dustin still wasn't convinced."You don't know Brooks Corporation? It's a huge enterprise worth over hundreds of billions! You'll live a life of luxury if you're even the least bit affiliated with it!" Victoria scorned. He truly was a country bumpkin who knew nothing."I'm sorry, I've never heard of it before." Dustin shook his head yet again. He didn't know much about the business sector in Millsburg."Alright, so you've never heard of B
"So what? What can you do to me?" Terrence taunted, unaware of the impending trouble he had brought upon himself."I'm Roderick Brooks, and you work for me. What do you think I can do to you?" Roderick asked coldly."Still keeping up the act, I see. Do you think I'd really buy this crap you're spouting?" Terrence snorted."Terrence Stone, I'm officially informing you that you have been fired by Brooks Corporation, effective today. You need not come to work tomorrow." Roderick wasted no time in making the decision."Hahaha! You're firing me? You're something else, aren't you!" Terrence guffawed. "Truth be told, I have a powerful person backing me up in Brooks Corporation. Even Roderick Brooks is in no position to fire me, much less an impostor like you!""Is that so? Well, would you be so kind as to enlighten me who the person backing you up might be?" Roderick asked sternly. If someone like this was the manager, it was high time Brooks Corporation had a restructuring."You have n
"That's strange. Why are they headed our way? They look like they're up to no good. They're not here to give us trouble, are they?" Florence fidgeted anxiously in her seat."They're here for me," Dustin piped up."You? Have you offended someone again?" Dahlia frowned. She noticed that Dustin ran into quite a lot of trouble these days."I wouldn't exactly say I offended him, per se. I simply beat him up to teach him a lesson on how to behave," Dustin said calmly."This is not Swinton. There are influential people all around. There are some people that we simply cannot afford to cross!" Dahlia whispered. Though she was now chairwoman of Cardinal Group, the handover had yet to be completed, so she had neither funds, connections, nor experience. At this stage of her life, what she needed to do was to make more connections, keep a low profile, and stay out of trouble."Don't you worry, Miss Dahlia. I'm here. I'll make sure that nobody kicks up a fuss here." Terrence shot her a confiden
With a loud smack, Duncan's hand made contact with Terrence's cheek. The force was so strong that he staggered backward, nearly tripping over himself. The crimson outline of a palm blossomed on his face, clear for all to see.Julie, along with the rest of them, were astonished by what they saw. It was beyond their expectation that these thugs would be so dauntless as to assault the manager of Brooks Corporation. Were they out of their minds?"You—How dare you hit me!" Terrence held his cheek in his hand, gasping in disbelief. "Do you not know who I am? I am a managerial level in Brooks Corporation!""So what?" Without another word, Duncan gave him another hard slap. "I'd probably be intimidated if Roderick Brooks himself were here. But a mere manager? Do you think I'd be afraid of you?""You scumbag! You're done for, I'm telling you! How dare you hit me! I'll make you pay if it's the last thing I do!" Beside himself with rage, Terrence pulled his phone out and was about to call for
"Ah!" There were a series of loud cries as the henchmen were caught off-guard, falling to the floor one after another and rolling around in pain. In a blink of an eye, the floor was littered with people. Everyone had a fork or a knife lodged so deeply in their thighs that they couldn't even pull it out."What?" Duncan couldn't help but be startled by the sight.He had carefully handpicked these henchmen. All of them had gone through extensive training and were highly skilled. Typically speaking, a ten-against-one battle would have ended in an overwhelming but predictable victory on one side.Yet, never in his dreams would he have expected that all of his men would have fallen just like that.Were cutleries supposed to be this deadly?"What? That bastard is this strong?" Victoria couldn't help but be shell-shocked by how nonchalant Dustin looked. In her mind, Dustin was just an insignificant small fry.How was he capable of that?"Fuck! Turns out he's had some training. Why did
"This is interesting." Dustin smirked as the dense barrage of swords came slashing down at him. In the blink of an eye, his figure dissolved into a wisp of smoke and vanished.A storm of sword shadows carrying the force that could split rivers and overturn seas crashed down on the fishing boat where he had just been standing. The entire vessel broke apart in an instant—some sinking into the depths while others drifted across the water."What? He dodged it?" Warrick's eyes flickered with surprise.Mulder's attack just now had been a 360-degree attack. Once caught in its range, there was no chance to dodge—only the option to endure. He couldn't understand how Dustin had managed to avoid it. Did he just teleport?"Hiding like a coward? What kind of warrior are you? Come fight me face-to-face."Frustrated after his attack missed again, Mulder grew desperate. His enhanced serum would only last for 15 minutes. If this dragged on, he'd collapse from exhaustion before Dustin even touche
"Oh? Are we going all out now?" Dustin smirked, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.Mulder, who had advanced to become a grandmaster martial artist through drugs, had a weak foundation. Even after taking the enhanced serum, he still posed no threat to Dustin. If Mulder were a hundred times stronger, he might just barely be able to fight Dustin.As the serum's effects pushed his body to the limit, Mulder suddenly let out a furious roar. His muscles swelled rapidly, and his bones cracked as they expanded. His body grew larger at an alarming rate, and his clothes tore apart under the strain.His six-foot frame stretched to nearly seven feet in mere moments as his body swelled to monstrous proportions. His face twisted fiercely, and his skin darkened as black scales surfaced.With another guttural growl, his roar turned beastlike. He grabbed his shredded shirt and ripped it away, exposing his broad chest covered in dark scales. A faint, eerie sheen flickered across their surface."D
Dustin's words made Mulder frown.Mulder knew all too well that Warrick was the kind of man who had no sense of loyalty or honor. If Warrick could kill his own personal guards without hesitation, what would stop him from killing a stranger? Mulder was certain that the moment things went south, Warrick would be the first to flee. Given the choice, he'd never willingly risk his life as Warrick's sacrificial pawn. But now, there was no turning back.With his undercover identity exposed and him helping Warrick escape, Mulder became a sworn enemy of West Lucozia. His name was now on the most-wanted list.Tonight was their best chance to escape. If they missed it, finding another way out would be nearly impossible.There was only one path left for him—kill whoever stood in his way and make it onto that escape boat."Enough talk, punk. Let's see what you're really made of," Mulder said.After weighing his options, he gritted his teeth and finally decided to draw his longsword. His fig
"You had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next," Dustin said.With a slight squeeze of his fingers, the steel blades clamped between them shattered with a sharp clang.Before the two Hall of Gods members could even react, Dustin waved his hand.The two men were sent flying as if they'd been hit by a truck, hurtling over 30 feet through the air. Blood sprayed from their mouths and noses before they hit the ground. They were critically injured and on the verge of death.Dustin slowly turned his head and looked at the man who had just tried to ambush him.The man glanced at the broken sword in his hand, then at Dustin, who looked utterly unfazed. He hesitated for a split second—then bolted.With a powerful leap, he dove straight for the sea. He knew Dustin's strength was on a completely different level. There was no chance of outrunning him on land, so the only hope was to disappear into the water.It might have worked—if not for what happened next.Just before he hit
"You're not a fisherman? Who the hell are you?"Mulder's guard shot up the moment he got a clear look at the young man's face.Fishermen who spent their days at sea were usually tanned from the sun, but this one had a fair complexion. It felt a little strangeNoticing something was off, the men behind Mulder drew their blades and fixed their sharp gazes on the fisherman.The so-called fisherman standing guard wasn't just anyone—it was Dustin, who had been waiting for them all along.Since his plan was set in motion, he'd been stationed there from morning until midnight. After what felt like an eternity, his targets had finally arrived."Isn't it obvious? I'm here to capture you."Dustin rose from the deck and rolled his shoulders before speaking in an even tone. "If you don't want to die, surrender now. Otherwise, it'll be too late.""Watch out! It could be an ambush." Mulder swiftly pulled out his dagger. His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings for any sign of hidden troops.
As night fell, Warrick sat motionless in his room as he tried to calm his mind through meditation. He had always been able to clear his mind with ease. But tonight, no matter how hard he tried, focus eluded him. A restless unease settled over him and refused to let him relax.Nearly two hours passed before Mulder's scouts finally returned. This time, they brought good news.The smuggling route they had scouted was completely safe, with no signs of an ambush. The West Lucozia army had yet to discover this potential escape route.Once everything was confirmed, Mulder let out a breath of relief. Warrick, too, finally felt the weight lift from his chest."Since the route is safe, we should set out immediately to avoid any unexpected complications." Warrick said. He had no intention of waiting any longer. He was a wanted man, and every moment in West Lucozia increased his chances of capture. There was no telling when the army might surround him. Only by escaping to Thaloria would he
After a hearty meal, the burly Warrick sprawled lazily onto the bed and dozed off. He slept soundly till dusk, lost in a deep dream. When the sky was painted in brilliant hues of the setting sun, only then did he wake up leisurely.The exhaustion from the previous day seemed to have melted away. He felt invigorated, refreshed, and in high spirits.At that moment, Leigh had already set the table in the hall with quiet efficiency. Compared to the first meal, this spread was far more lavish.At the center of the table sat a whole roasted pig. Its golden-brown skin glistened with a rich, crispy sheen. The mouthwatering aroma filled the room, making it impossible not to crave a bite.Warrick had never been one for formalities. The moment he saw the feast, he didn't hesitate. He strode over, took a seat, and started digging in. He ate with zero restraint without sparing a single thought for Mulder, who was still out gathering intel.After a while, half of the roast pig was gone. His fac
"Who is it?" Warrick's grip tightened around the hilt of his steel blade. His eyes, sharp and alert, were like those of a startled predator—full of caution and menace.For the past few days, he had been on edge, like a cornered animal. He barely slept and was constantly on high alert, fearing danger would strike at any moment.The door slowly creaked open. An elderly man with gray hair stepped inside with a tray of fruit and pastries in both hands.Before he could even register what was happening, a flash of cold steel appeared, and Warrick's blade was at the elderly man's throat.The elderly man trembled with fear. The tray slipped from his grasp, and fruit and pastries scattered on the floor."Easy, Sir Prescott. He's one of us." Mulder stepped forward and pressed down on the flat of Warrick's blade with a finger. He smiled and explained, "His name's Leigh Houston. He's mute and has served the Hall of Gods for years. He keeps watch over this tunnel entrance and has never slipp
"Here's the problem—even if we know Warrick's intentions, how do we stop him?" Austin asked.Right now, Warrick had already disappeared without a trace. Austin's team hadn't even come close enough to get a hold of him, so there was no way to track him down.West Lucozia's vast territory and resources made it impossible to seal off every exit route completely. While it might be manageable in the short term, prolonging such an operation would significantly impact West Lucozia's economy. Wasting resources on a single fugitive wasn't a wise move."Warrick is a wanted man across the entire city. There's no way he's leaving through official channels. He'll have to sneak his way out," Dustin analyzed. He continued, "According to the maritime charts, if he's traveling from West Lucozia to Artea, he'll have to go through Thaloria. That's our lead. Get someone on it immediately—find out how many smuggling routes there are from West Lucozia to Thaloria.""Got it. I'll get it done right away