"Dustin, don't!""Mother fucker! Don't you dare!" When Dustin raised his weapon, everyone was shocked and immediately yelled to stop him.However, Dustin turned a deaf ear to their shouts and decisively struck at Jayla. Jayla's wild laugh came to a stop in an instant. The next second, her head fell from her neck, rolling on the floor like a ball for a while before it stopped. Her widened eyes were filled with disbelief. As if she didn't expect Dustin to kill her for real in front of so many people. The power and status that she had been bragging about were completely of no use at this moment. Everything was over for her. "S—she died?"Looking at Jayla's chopped-off head, everyone was scared out of their wits. That was the daughter of the Grant family, who was also Tyler's sister, and at the moment, she had gone the way of all flesh. "This is bad!" Natasha paled. If Dustin had only killed the lupine guards, there were still chances to turn the situation around. Howev
The brawl finally ended ten minutes later. Although dozens of Flame Dragon Gang disciples were injured in the process, they managed to completely annihilate the Grants' elite men."Sir, I did not fail you. I have eliminated all these pests!" Nelson and his men rushed toward Dustin eagerly."Well done. It must have been tiring." Dustin nodded. "Not at all. It's our honor to serve you!" Nelson responded with a grin."Clean this place up. Don't leave any evidence behind." Dustin ordered. "Yes, Sir!" "Boys, it's time to clean up!" Nelson hollered at his men, and they immediately got to work."I didn't know you were the Flame Dragon Gang's leader." Natasha's surprised expression quickly turned into a frown. "Still, even with the gang's help, we can't win against the Grants. We're in real trouble this time.""The Grants might be powerful, but that doesn't mean they can't do whatever they please. There's always someone more powerful than them," Dustin replied nonchalantly."As if it'd be
Meanwhile, at the Grants' mansion, Tyler Grant was practicing with a terrain model. As a gifted individual, he excelled in everything he did, including terrain model training. Since few could compete against him, he usually trained by himself. "Something terrible has happened, Mr. Grant!" One of the butlers barged into his study anxiously. "Get out," Tyler ordered icily without looking at the butler. "But—"The butler swallowed the rest of his words when he received Tyler's menacing glare and scuttled back to the door to wait patiently. It took a while for Tyler to finish his practice. When he was finished, he asked, "What is it?""Sir, we just received news that Ms. Layla was killed!" The butler cried in despair. "She was killed?" Tyler's brows furrowed. "What happened?""She wanted to take revenge for you, so she set up a trap for Natasha Harmon." The butler quickly briefed Tyler on what happened. "That idiot. How could she do something like that without permission?" Tyler hum
Back in the Harmon estate."There, all done. You'll be fine in a few days." Dustin carefully applied medicine to Natasha's wound and bandaged it up nicely. Although the wound was shallow, it would still hurt. "Will it leave a scar on my face?" Natasha picked up a mirror and examined her face worriedly. "Why? Do you doubt my skills?" Dustin asked in mock displeasure."I'm just worried I'll look ugly if I have a scar, and you won't like me anymore," Natasha answered seriously. "Don't be silly." Dustin was amused. "I promise you, your face won't scar. Besides, even if it does, you'll still be the prettiest person in the world to me!""Hmph! Such a sweet talker." A small smile appeared on Natasha's face, and her worry eased. Although she wasn't as superficial as other ladies, she was also afraid of turning ugly."Dustin, get your ass over here!" Someone suddenly roared, sending the door flying with a powerful kick, and a group of people led by Trent instantly filled the room. "What ar
There was an ear-splitting bang as the bullet embedded itself inches before Jacob's foot, making the man jump back in fear. "H—how could you pull the trigger on me?" Jacob cried, outraged. He never expected Natasha to be the type to do something like that to her elder. If the bullet's trajectory had been slightly off the mark, he would've lost his foot!"You better not mess around, Uncle Jacob." Natasha threatened frostily."How dare you!" Trent roared. "Natasha Harmon, he is your uncle! You'd be disgracing our family if you had hurt him just now!""I don't want to hurt anyone, so you better not force me to," Natasha responded unrelentingly. "Y—you bastard! Do you intend to betray your family for that boy?" Trent was furious. The Harmon family had always lived by a rule—nothing mattered more than the family's interests, which meant that they could sacrifice anyone if it meant saving their family. Therefore, Natasha's contradictory actions were seen as a sign of disloyalty."All I ca
"Of course not, Father. You will always be the head of the family." Trent smiled sheepishly. "Fine. Since you said that, I'll give you my opinion." Andrew surveyed the room. "Dustin has saved my life, as well as helped our family multiple times. We are in his debt, so anyone who tries to take him today will be going against me!""What?" The group shared dismayed glances. They never expected Andrew to stand up for Dustin during this crucial time. "Father, this bastard killed one of the Grants' daughters! He will only drag us deeper into this mess!" Trent rebutted. "Trent is right! We're doing this for the greater good of the family!" Jacob seconded. "You bunch say such lofty things when you're just cowards!" Andrew struck the floor with his cane forcefully. "The Grants have been stepping all over us, and instead of standing up against them, you choose to grovel and please them? What an embarrassment to our family!""Fath—""Silence!" Andrew cut off Trent's words. "Our family has go
The Harmon family had placed their hope in the Grant family's help before knowing the truth, but now, they finally understood that running away in fear was useless. If the Grants were willing to go as far as to frame the leader of the Harmon family, there was no way they would care about Hector's survival."What? Cat got your tongue? Remember to use your head next time!" Andrew reprimanded them before turning to look at Dustin. "Dustin, I'm so sorry you had to suffer because I didn't educate them properly.""Not at all, Sir Andrew. Thank you for defending me in time." Dustin smiled in gratitude. Although the Harmon family had a few ungrateful individuals, there were still people who were reasonable and just."I feel so ashamed … I don't know what would have happened to our family if you hadn't helped us catch the real murderer." Andrew sighed. Their family prided itself on being a powerful family with countless elites. Yet, when something happened to their leader, it was a young outs
The previous night had been a nightmare. Fortunately, the truth was out, and nothing much happened to him. Suddenly, Hector noticed something, and his smile stiffened. "Natasha, your face …" "It's just a minor injury," Natasha replied indifferently. "What happened?" Hector frowned. "A lot of things happened while you were gone, Hector." Jesicca calmly briefed him on what happened. Hector was livid. "The Grants again? They're crossing the line!"It was bad enough that they set him up, but they have even hurt his daughter? That was unacceptable!"Don't worry, Dad. I'm fine now." Natasha consoled."It's my fault, Natasha. You suffered because I was useless." Hector blamed himself. If he had known how despicable the Grants were, he would have never agreed to the marriage proposal. "Nonsense, Dad. We're lucky just to have you back. Let's talk more inside." Smiling, Natasha took her father's arm and walked into the estate.Just as they arrived at the meeting room, their butler rushed i
"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
"Damn you, Mulder! You've really screwed me over this time." Axel gnashed his teeth as rage boiled inside him. Mulder's betrayal hadn't just implicated Axel's sister, but it had also dragged Axel himself into the mess.Mulder had climbed the ranks to assistant chief of the City Defenders in just a few years, and Axel had played a major role in backing him.Now that this mess had blown up, Axel was right in the middle of it. No matter how he tried to explain, he was going to take the fall for it."Everyone, follow me! Let's capture that traitor."After learning Mulder's escape route, Axel waved his hand and led his enforcement team out at full speed.He had already messed up by failing to capture Warrick, which was a serious lapse in duty. Now, with his brother-in-law openly rebelling against them, things had only gotten worse.If Axel didn't turn this situation around and bring those traitors to justice, his days as an enforcement team captain were numbered.After a thorough s