Everyone could tell that Dustin truly cared for Nikki. "You should freshen up. I'll be holding a banquet for you tonight. "It'll be a good opportunity for you to get closer to the gang's members." Dustin patted her shoulder and waved two female disciples over to help Nikki to her room."Aren't you being too nice to her, sir?" Cornelius asked. "I owe Nelson my life, so I should help her however I can." Dustin's eyes turned sad. "I just hope she doesn't disappoint you." Cornelius was envious. Dustin didn't just save Nikki. He helped her escape from that hellhole and would give her the Jade Maiden Scripture. He was even going as far as to pass her the position of guildmaster! There was no one as lucky as Nikki. If Cornelius were a woman, he would be throwing himself at Dustin by now.…Night soon fell. Kirin Gang's executives sat together in Zephyr Lodge's ballroom, enjoying their drinks. All five of Kirin Gang's guildmasters were present. They were Cornelius from Dar
Dustin stared at Nikki in disbelief from across the table. He couldn't believe that she had been the person who drugged them. "Why is it you?" Cornelius' widened eyes were full of dismay, confusion, and anger. He never imagined that the traitor would be Nikki, whom Dustin had treated so well. "I'm sorry … I'm sorry." Nikki looked away guiltily and kept her head down. "Why?" Dustin could only ask.Because of Nelson, Dustin treated Nikki like his sister and tried to do everything in her best interest. He even reigned in his temper in front of Jade Maiden Sisterhood just to free her, so he never imagined that she would betray him in return. "Jade Maiden Sisterhood is my home, and they are my family. I—I didn't have a choice. I'm sorry …" Nikki apologized as she repeatedly shook her head. She felt guilty toward Dustin but couldn't go against Edith and the Jade Maiden Sisterhood's wishes."I just don't get it. Why are you still so determined to stay when they mistreated you? J
Nikki couldn't bear to see anger in Dustin and the others' eyes and wanted to leave. "There's no rush. The show's just begun," Edith sniggered. "This bastard insulted us and hurt Brittany. There's no way I will let him off so easily."Dustin knew too many secrets, including the Jade Maiden Scripture. Edith was determined to keep the information inside the scripture to herself. No one else could have it. So, she must kill Dustin. "Madam Edith, you promised me you wouldn't hurt him." Nikki suddenly felt uneasy. Although she had betrayed Dustin, she didn't want to see him hurt either. "Really? I don't remember promising that, though." Edith feigned ignorance. "Nikki, if blood makes you queasy, you can leave first. I won't blame you for that.""Madam Edith, you wanted the scripture and have it now. Please let him go!" Nikki begged, aware that Edith intended to kill Dustin. "Nikki, you should know that you're a Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciple, so you should only be thinkin
Nikki staggered toward Dustin with her sword, feeling torn. However, her sword fell to the ground with a clang before she could reach him. "I—I can't do it! I just can't do it!" Nikki turned around and sobbed, guilt written all over her face. "You piece of shit!" Pissed, Edith slapped Nikki across the cheek, causing her to fall. "What use do I have of you when you can't even kill a man?""Madam Edith, she may be unable to do it, but I can!" Just then, Brittany emerged from the crowd, limping to the front. She shot Dustin a glare. It was bad enough that he hit her, but she couldn't stand him being unfazed by her beauty. "Good. This man is yours to kill." Edith nodded, pleased. As expected, no one made her as happy as Britanny. "I bet you never thought you'd end up like this, did you, Dustin?" Brittany sniggered. She drew her sword and limped toward him. "How dare a shitty, measly man like you defy me! I'll make sure to castrate you in front of everyone tonight!"If s
"You fucking asshole! How dare you hurt me! "You better fucking die! Madam Edith, kill him for me!" Brittany screeched."What? Didn't you drug him, Nikki?" Edith narrowed her eyes, displeased. Only someone stronger than a grandmaster could be unaffected by the drug she made. "I did. I put the drug in his wine," Nikki replied. She was confused as well. She watched Dustin drink the wine earlier, so why was he completely unaffected?"I was careless." Edith nodded and drew her sword. "You must be a genius if you've already achieved divinity. However, I love killing geniuses. You'll have the honor of being killed by me tonight.""I might not be the one who dies," Dustin responded calmly. "I shall give you a chance now. You can grovel for forgiveness, and I'll spare you life."The Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples were surprised and burst out laughing. "Hey, are you crazy? Who the hell do you think you are? How could you say something so foolish?""Stupid man! Madam Edith i
"Um …" Those from Jade Maiden Sisterhood were astonished as they stared at Edith. They couldn't believe that Edith, who was the head of the Jade Maiden Sisterhood, a semi-grandmaster, and one of the best sword arts martial artists, had been defeated by Dustin with a single move. There was no way this was real. "Madam Edith lost? H—how is that possible?""M—my eyes must be playing tricks on me. There's no way she would lose!""Why? How did things turn out this way?"There was an uproar as the disciples struggled to accept that their invincible leader had lost."Who … who are you?" Letitia was aghast.Although Edith had been injured, she was still much stronger than most. "You caused a ruckus in my territory, yet you ask who I am?" Dustin's expression was murderous. "That's impossible! You're no match for Madam Edith! You must have used one of your tricks!""How dare that shameless bastard use tricks on Madam Edith! He's disgusting!"Edith's disciples began yelling.
"This is for looking down on others."This is for breaking your promise."This is for being a shitty mentor."This is for being an ungrateful wench."A crisp slap accompanied each of Dustin's remarks.Edith's face was swollen beyond recognition when he was done. "Um …" The Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples had been rendered silent. Fear was written all over their faces.They initially assumed Dustin must have used a dirty trick to defeat Edith. However, the sight before them made them realize how wrong they'd been. Although Dustin continued smacking Edith, none of her disciples tried to stop him since they knew they were no match for him. "Stop!"Edith was on the brink of death when Nikki ran forward and threw herself over Edith.With a determined look, she said, "You can hit me, but not Madam Edith!""What?" Dustin frowned and raised his hand. Suddenly, Nelson's face appeared in his mind. Dustin could only lower his hand. "I know I betrayed you, Dustin. But she's m
"Unreasonable? Oh, Nikki. You're more biased than I expected!" Dustin laughed out loud. "Why didn't you try to reason with Edith when she broke her word? Or when she stabbed me in the back or ordered you to drug us? "And why didn't you tell her to be reasonable when she tried to kill me earlier?"Dustin sneered, "You're only telling me to be reasonable because you're going to lose. Don't you think the way you're acting is repulsive?"Nikki kept quiet when he was in danger. However, now that Edith was in trouble, Nikki jumped out and tried to guilt him into letting Edith go. How disgusting."I …" Dustin's rapid-fire questioning rendered Nikki speechless. She ran out of excuses and could only put on a tough front. "I'm doing this for you, Dustin! Madam Edith is well-known in the martial world. Being on her bad side would mean that you have more enemies. "That'll just be dangerous for you.""I've already become enemies with most of them anyway. What's one more?" Dustin sho
"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