Marsh clapped his hands and said, "Frederick, I knew you were the bravest among us. Go on, I'll have the champagne on ice to celebrate your return."Inwardly, his thoughts were far darker. "Go play hero, kid. You'll learn your lesson soon enough. If you're lucky, it'll just be broken legs. If not, you might end up paralyzed. And Melissa, you seem quite fond of him. You'll be nursing him back to health for the rest of your life."As Frederick prepared to leave, regret filled the room. He was so handsome and kind. But he was so naive to accept such a perilous task!Everyone could already envision him being brutally beaten.Olivia, who had been quiet up until now, read the danger in everyone's faces. The thought of Frederick getting hurt twisted her stomach. He had been nothing but kind to her, helping her from the moment they met.She couldn't let him face this alone. With a sense of reckless determination, she decided to accompany him.After all, what did she have to lose?With a
Meanwhile, Frederick was unaware of the concern he'd caused back at the office.He arrived at the address Marsh had given him.It was a sprawling Euphorian-style villa. He gently pressed the doorbell.Soon, a burly, stern-faced man answered. "Hey, kid, what do you want?"Frederick glanced at the information in his hand. "I'm an employee of Timbergale Corporation. I'd like to see Ms. Nicole Stevenson."The man's eyes widened. "You picked a hell of a day to show up, kid. Get lost before you get yourself killed over this company's mess."Frederick detected no deception in the man's tone. The people living in this villa were indeed dangerous.He offered a slight smile. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Just let me in."The man smirked. He wasn't known for his soft heart; the warning was already more than Frederick deserved.If the kid wanted to risk his life, so be it."Fine, if you're not afraid to die, come on in."The man opened the door, and Frederick nodded, stepping int
Had Tigris, a figure as renowned as Tyger in Jenaire City, really been poisoned?And by a woman, no less?Zephyr smiled faintly with a brief glint of cunning satisfaction crossing his face. He spoke calmly, "So, Ursara, it turns out you're the one who caused this mess and got our boss killed!"Ursara, caught off guard and not known for his eloquence, responded with a growl. "Was I supposed to just let someone stake a claim on our turf and do nothing?"Zephyr's smile widened. "Don't try to justify it. Just admit it, your actions led us to this. Is the boss' life worth less than a petty turf war? Why didn't you come back and discuss it with us before acting rashly?"Ursara was momentarily silenced. For years, he had operated on the same principle—if anyone dared challenge Tigris' territory, he would retaliate with force. He couldn't see what he had done wrong."Someone claimed our turf, so I trashed her place. Someone killed the boss, so I'll kill her. That's all there is to it."
At that moment, Zephyr addressed the disfigured Nicole. "Mrs. Duskfang, what are your thoughts?"Nicole was still consumed by grief and had yet to recover from the shock. Her face had been disfigured for over a week, and now her husband was dead.As a woman, how could she possibly manage a gang? All she wanted was for someone to avenge her husband and provide for her in the future."Alright, I agree."With his position as the new leader solidified, Zephyr couldn't help but allow a smirk to play on his lips, barely suppressing his laughter.Suddenly, Ursara burst into a hearty guffaw.Zephyr was puzzled and asked, "Ursara, what's so funny?"Ursara clenched his fists, a sinister glint in his eyes. "What else would I be laughing about? I'm laughing because I get to avenge our boss."Zephyr felt a deep contempt for Ursara's simplemindedness. He was a blunt instrument—a hammer in a world that required finesse and cruelty.Ursara waved his hand, commanding his subordinates, "Alright
Ursara possessed strength comparable to Scarlett's with a touch more brute force.He couldn't land a single blow on Frederick.A dozen futile strikes later, Ursara panted. "Are you a man or a slippery eel? If you're a man, stand still and fight me. I'll even use just one hand. Stop being a coward!"Frederick sighed inwardly. It wasn't cowardice; he feared his single blow would cause serious injuries, making negotiations about the cosmetics incident impossible.Meanwhile, Zephyr was astounded by Frederick's prowess. He recognized that even with his own skill, joining hands with Ursara wouldn't be enough to defeat Frederick.The upcoming leadership change made having such a powerful figure around a double-edged sword. He couldn't afford errors now."Are you going to stand idly while someone disrespects the boss's coffin? Help Ursara!" he barked.The men snapped out of their shock. Ursara was practically a god to them, and this was the first time they'd seen him so outmatched.The
The sight of her husband's body in Frederick's grasp drained the color from Nicole's face.She pleaded through tears, "My husband is already dead, please don't harm his body. I'll drop the matter and won't ask for compensation. I'll even pay for your colleague's broken leg."Frederick's heart ached at the sight of Nicole's grief. He hadn't anticipated such deep affection between the middle-aged couple. With a heavy sigh, he landed a solid punch to Tigris' chest. The sound echoed through the room—a dull thud that sent a chill down everyone's spine.Ursara burst into tears. "Damn it, I'll kill you!"Suddenly, Tigris coughed up a mouthful of black blood. His previously ashen face flushed red as he opened his eyes in fury. "Who said I was dead?"It seemed Tigris had merely fainted during his martial arts practice. His subordinates had jumped to the worst possible conclusion. They'd not only prepared a coffin but had even begun discussing cremation arrangements.Tigris, a mixture
Unbeknownst to Tigris, this set of martial arts techniques not only promoted health but also had a detoxifying effect.He had been poisoned, and as he practiced, the toxins were gradually forced up toward his throat, ready to be expelled. Feeling discomfort in his throat, he mistook it for phlegm and stopped his practice to get some water. The moment he stopped, the toxins struck, causing him to collapse into a death-like state.Zephyr was the most shocked of all. He rushed over when he saw Tigris stir. "Boss, thank goodness you're alright." Tigris nodded slightly. He had heard everything that had transpired while he was unconscious and had formed a good impression of Zephyr. He appreciated that Zephyr had focused on stabilizing the gang rather than rushing to seek revenge, a decision crucial for preserving Tigris's life's work. He was satisfied with Zephyr as the new leader. If the bumbling Ursara had become the boss, all his hard work would have been undone in a matter of day
Frederick carefully examined Nicole's face and asked, "Could you show me the cosmetics our company sold to you?" Nicole promptly handed over the cosmetics. Frederick gave them a quick sniff, a subtle change coming over his face."These are all made with substandard ingredients. It's no surprise they damaged your skin."Anxiety etched on his face, Tigris asked, "Mr. York, can you heal my wife's face?"Frederick nodded. This kind of condition was nothing to him."I'll procure some herbs and prepare a topical ointment. You should see immediate results."Tigris and Nicole's trust in Frederick was absolute. They expressed their gratitude profusely and agreed to have Ursara collect the ointment once it was ready. Relieved that his wife's face could be restored and grateful for his own life being saved, Tigris decided to drop the matter.With the issue resolved, Frederick returned to the company.However, his mind was troubled by the fact that the company's products were made from in