Right after that, they heard a click as the door to the manager's office flung open. Then, Cole ran out in a great hurry and almost stumbled over."Who's Dustin Rhys? Is there a Mr. Rhys here?" He searched high and low with an anxious look."That's me." Dustin took a few steps forward."Mr. Rhys, I'm so sorry for not recognizing you just now. I didn't properly greet and receive you and your guests. Please forgive me." Cole jogged up, his previous arrogance wiped off as he bowed deeply at Dustin. His respectful demeanor came as a surprise for Julie and Dahlia. A while ago, Cole was acting all righteous and refused to show Terrence leniency. Why did he suddenly grovel at Dustin? They were left scratching their heads at the reason behind his abrupt change."Mr. Suzman, that wasn't necessary. Let's talk business." Dustin went straight to the point."Right, right …" Cole nodded furiously and plastered a smile on his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, this way, please.""Ladies first." Bea
It was afternoon when Dustin arrived at the Harmon estate in a hurry after getting the news. He was greeted by the sight of armed soldiers surrounding the compound. Hundreds of armed men from the elite forces of the Harmon Family guarded the entrance in what appeared to be a standoff, and both sides weren't about to back down."Harmons, I will make myself clear—hand over the suspect, or we'll subject everyone to the same punishment!" The commander-in-charge bellowed, his full voice echoing through the compound. Behind him, the soldiers stood stiffly while holding their guns. Once the commander gave his orders, these soldiers would shoot mercilessly."What's all this about?" Dustin frowned at the violent confrontation. He wondered how the Harmons got involved with the military."Sir, what calls for the mobilization of these forces?" Dustin went up to him and questioned."I was ordered to capture the suspect. Unrelated personnel, please leave the grounds right now!" The commander bar
"Dad, did you do anything else than drink?" Natasha pressed on."What do you mean?" He was puzzled by her questions."Dad, think carefully! You can't make a mistake here!" She was dead serious."I think I blacked out from drinking. I can't remember a thing. What happened?" Hector frowned softly. Natasha finally dropped the bomb. "Dad, Sir Moran's daughter was dead!""She's dead?" He was stunned by the news. "How did that happen?""We don't have the details yet, but rumors had it that you were the murderer!" Natasha informed him."Did they say I was the murderer?" He was completely lost. Eyes bulging, he shook his head vehemently. "No, that's impossible! No matter how drunk I am, I would not kill someone!" He might be a lightweight, but he was a well-behaved drunk. Normally, he'd be dead asleep after he was drunk and never made a scene."I don't believe them either, but witnesses claimed they saw you murder her. Sir Moran's forces are at our door, and they will force their way
"They barged in?" Natasha's expression dropped. "Quick! Get someone to stop them!"Before the truth prevailed, she would never allow them to arrest her dad."Stop!" Suddenly, Hector yelled at Jack, "Let them in. No one shall stand in their way!""Dad, what are you doing?" Natasha frowned."The truth will speak for itself. I have nothing to fear if I didn't commit the crime," Hector declared loud and clear."But …""Have you ever given it some thought? If I make a move now, I'll never clear my name." Hector wore a somber expression on his face. Fighting against Sir Moran's forces could be perceived as resisting arrest, or, worse, staging a revolt. The Harmons could not afford to be accused of this grave crime."Hector's right. We can't butt heads with them. Tell all the Harmon disciples to stand aside!" Jacob yelled."Yes, sir." Jack helplessly took the orders. Natasha and the rest were worried, but they were aware of the importance of not adding fuel to the fire. Otherwise, the
Jessica had always believed her husband, but the result at the moment had left her completely stunned. "Hector, look at what you have done!" Trent was exasperated. "Y—you son of a bitch! You're not worthy to be the patriarch!" Flying into a rage, Jacob threw a punch at Hector's face.Such a scandal was going to bring extreme humiliation to the entire family. "Dad, you ..." Knitting her brows, Natasha wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat. At first, she firmly believed that her father had been framed. However, looking at the pieces of irrefutable evidence now, she was at a loss as to how to defend him. Even Hector was inexplicably shocked. It was indeed his face that appeared in the video. On top of that, the way that person dressed up was also just like his."Did I really kill someone after getting drunk?" Hector muttered inwardly. At the thought of that, Hector coughed up a mouthful of blood, not able to withstand the shock. His face was ashen white
The fact that Hector was arrested caused quite a stir among the members of the Harmon family.Everyone was rushed off their feet, using whatever connections they had to prove Hector innocent. Hector was the patriarch of the Harmons; he represented the family. If he was really charged with murder, not only would he be ruined, but the whole Harmon family would also be terribly criticized by the public. After giving out the order, Natasha called some of the trustworthy people to her room to discuss the countermeasures. Not everyone in the family stood on the same side. Trent and Jacob harbored their own thoughts. She naturally didn't trust them. "What do you think about this matter?" Natasha asked, glancing around."Could it be that Dad got sloshed for real, so he ..." Ruth trailed off.Before Ruth saw the video, she was sure that her father was not the kind of person who would commit such a crime. However, now that the evidence was right before her eyes, she couldn't help but doub
"Azalea?" Natasha arched her brow. "Do you know her?""If I guessed it right, it was her who disguised herself as Celeste," Dustin said. The fragrance lingering on the silver hairpin was exactly the same as that of the woman from that day."It's her?" Natasha frowned slightly. "Could it be she's the one behind this?""We'll know more about it after I meet up with her tonight." Dustin narrowed his eyes. Since that person had invited him out, it was clear that she must have known something."This woman is full of guile and good at using poison. Do you think this is a trap?" Natasha was worried. "Don't worry. Even if it's a lion's den, I'll be able to come out unscathed." Dustin smiled faintly. "No, it's too dangerous for you to go alone. I'll send a group of shadow guards to protect you," Natasha said with a solemn expression.The Dark Lord's disciple was nowhere near kind. Natasha didn't want Dustin to risk his life.With how insistent she was, Dustin didn't refuse her anymor
"Whoa, I've never seen such a hot body before!""I don't need to look at her face. Her fair and slender legs alone are enough to get me hooked for a year!" "Damn, I can't take it anymore! She is fucking seductive!"The moment the veiled woman showed up, all the black-clad men had a hard time holding back their lusts. The sexy curves of her figure were flawless, especially her wonderfully-proportioned legs. They were literally perfect for those with foot and leg fetishes.Rubbing his chin, Steven ogled at her. "Hey, beauty. Are you the owner of this restaurant?" "That's right. What do you want to eat?" The woman wore a sweet smile and slowly walked up to them. "What a nice smell!" The men kept sniffing, immersing themselves in her fragrance that was tickling them pink. "Can I eat you?" Steven gave her a lascivious grin."Me?" The woman chuckled. "I'm a thorny person; I don't think you'll be able to stomach me.""It's okay. There is no rose without a thorn," he uttered, lic
"Damn it! This punk's tougher than I thought. We're in real trouble if this keeps up," Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel's vital points.But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time."Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There's no point dragging this out. Let's fall back."Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't about to waste his life for nothing.Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed."You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me."Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren't making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley's entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and comple
"This punk's a real pain in the ass!"Connor glanced over his shoulder and noticed Axel was still hot on their trail.The squad he had sent to intercept Axel was completely outmaneuvered, and they couldn't get anywhere near him.To Connor's dismay, Axel kept shooting off signal flares as he pursued them. Each flare gave away their position. At this rate, it didn't matter which direction they ran—they were bound to be intercepted."Connor! Dave! Make a move and swat that damn fly," Warrick ordered decisively."If we leave, who's going to protect you?" Connor hesitated.Warrick was in bad shape. Without them guarding him, a single attack from an expert could be fatal."If you don't take out that fly, I'll be in even more danger. Get moving now!" Warrick snapped."Yes, sir!"Connor and Dave exchanged a glance before splitting up with their squads to surround Axel.They both knew what was at stake. If they didn't take Axel down quickly, their entire force would be stranded and do
"Kill them all!"At Warrick's command, the Red Legion charged without hesitation. Blades flashed as they stormed toward the elite enforcement unit.This time, nearly a thousand Red Legion soldiers arrived. With their sheer numbers, they launched a pincer attack from both flanks, leaving the enemy with no way to fend it off."Form the Shield Formation!" Axel shouted upon seeing the dire situation. His men immediately sheathed their blades and raised their shields to form a defensive line. Their pursuit had cut them off from the main force. Since they were up against an enemy ten times their size, forming a defensive line was their best option.If they could stall for even a moment, reinforcements from the castle would arrive, and the tide would turn in their favor. Once that happened, the thousand-strong Red Legion would be the ones on the defensive.After a brief charge, the two forces collided.Warrick had personally trained the Red Legion. He selected only the most loyal and
Axel had no time to hesitate. He lunged forward and grabbed the overturned Dragon-Binding Net. Then, he used every ounce of his strength to pin Warrick down again."Get over here! We have to keep him restrained."As the net strained under Warrick's sheer power, Axel let out a roar and pushed his cultivation to the limit. His veins bulged and blood pounded in his ears. He threw every last bit of strength into holding Warrick down.For now, he managed to pin Warrick down, but the elite enforcement unit on the other side wasn't faring well. Warrick thrashed wildly, sending more than a dozen men swinging through the air. Some slammed into trees, while others crashed into walls. Within moments, the Dragon-Binding Net flipped over again.Several elite enforcement units tried to rush in and help, but they barely got close before getting hit by their own airborne comrades and sent flying.Against Warrick's Divine Strength, they were utterly outmatched. The regular guards didn't stand a
If Warrick had been at his peak, Axel might have been more cautious. But with Tranqurin coursing through his vein, Warrick had barely a fraction of his usual strength left. His power was still fading, and Axel wasn't about to waste the opportunity. He had to capture Warrick while he had the chance."Get the hell out of my way!"As the enforcers closed in, Warrick let out a furious roar and slammed his massive fist into the floor.With a loud explosion, the earth shook violently. The ground within dozens of yards cracked and caved in, splitting apart like a spiderweb. A powerful shockwave tore through the air, sending dirt flying and walls shattering. The entire meeting room collapsed into ruins.The elite enforcers, caught in the blast, were flung backward like ragdolls. They crashed to the ground, disoriented and battered. Even Axel was thrown back more than ten yards.Warrick panted heavily, his face pale and drenched in sweat. Forcing his internal energy into action had only
Austin's words were strong and commanding, each one landing like a thunderclap.Warrick felt the weight of his presence. His brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the so-called evidence on the floor, showing no sign of panic or guilt. Instead, he said indifferently, "Your Highness, these dead men were nothing more than ants. Is this really worth making such a fuss over? I doubt you haven't killed anyone before."As the old saying went, the higher one climbed, the heavier one's purse. Warrick had clawed his way up, risking his life at every step for the sake of rising above the masses. Everyone had their own desires—some sought fame, others fortune. Some were greedy for money, some for power, and others reveled in the adoration of the masses. To achieve those things, one inevitably had to engage in shady dealings. It was an unspoken rule among officials, and Warrick saw nothing wrong with it."Ants?" Austin sneered. "Without these 'ant
The ashen-faced Huxley was dragged away. With his crimes exposed, his fate was sealed. His entire family would be implicated, and their assets would be seized.Those guilty would be punished, and even those who had merely benefited from his corruption would be held accountable. To put it bluntly, Huxley's entire family was about to be annihilated.Austin issued his next order once the bloodstains were cleaned up. "Axel, it's time to bring in the mastermind."With Huxley dealt with, the next step was to confront Warrick. Unlike Huxley, Warrick wouldn't be easy to deal with. After all, he commanded a large number of troops. If backed into a corner, he could become a major threat."Understood!" Axel responded respectfully, then turned to his subordinates. "Gather more men and come with me."Warrick had earned his prestigious position through years of fierce battles. On the battlefield, he was a one-man army, a warrior capable of taking on thousands. His strength was beyond what mos
"You bastard! With all this evidence in front of you, what do you have to say for yourself?" Austin barked."Your Highness, please let me explain…" Huxley broke out in a cold sweat, his voice trembling with panic."This is a lie. Someone's trying to frame me! I've always followed the law—how could I possibly be involved in something so vile?""The evidence is right in front of you, and you're still trying to weasel out of it?" Austin shot back. "Looks like you won't confess until death is knocking at your door."He raised his hand and ordered, "Guards, throw him into Grimhold Keep. Use whatever means necessary—let's see how long he keeps up this act.""Yes, Your Highness."A squad of enforcement team members rushed in and surrounded Huxley.Cornered, Huxley finally lost his nerve. He dropped to his knees with a thud and begged, "Your Highness, I admit I made a grave mistake."His voice cracked as he continued, "I wasn't thinking clearly at the time. Please, for the sake of my y
Night had fallen. Austin sat in the meeting room, quietly reading a book as he waited for the results of the investigation.After successfully turning Percival against his allies, it was only a matter of time before they uncovered solid evidence of Warrick and Huxley's crimes.For years, the castle had turned a blind eye to their shady dealings. After all, corruption among officials was nothing new.But this time was different. The two had secretly orchestrated Jovian's murder, a direct challenge to the authority and dignity of the royal family. Such defiance couldn't be ignored. If Austin didn't set an example, others would surely follow."Your Highness!"Axel burst into the meeting room, panting heavily. He had clearly run the whole way to avoid any delay.Austin set his book aside and asked calmly, "Well? How did it go?""Your Highness, we've completely shut down all of Warrick and Huxley's illicit operations. Every hidden network they had built over the years has also been d