At the Williams residence.Two well-dressed men stood at the entrance, appearing imposing and possibly serving as bodyguards. Their defined cheekbones and rough hands hinted at their expertise in martial arts.Eric and Sylvia exchanged confused glances. They knew they had never hired bodyguards of this caliber before, which raised questions about the visitor's identity and purpose.Shortly after, Sylvia's brothers returned home, all curious about the distinguished guest who warranted such vigilant protection. The presence of these bodyguards hinted that this visitor was not an ordinary person.Upon entering the living room, they discovered a woman engaged in conversation with Henry. She exuded elegance and grace, her appearance comparable to Sylvia's.Eric and the group were baffled. They didn't recognize this woman and had never seen her before."Ah, here they are." Henry chuckled and pointed to his children. "These are my kids, all around your age."He introduced them one by o
Montgomery Corp. had a vast business reach, extending even into unexplored sectors like energy.If Montgomery Corp. got involved in Salt City's business, Williams Corp. would likely have little left to do.Seraphine visited to inform the Williams family that Montgomery Corp. planned to open a branch in Salt City but wouldn't engage in local business activities.This puzzled Henry. Why establish a branch with no business purpose? Was it just to assert their presence? Yet, the Montgomerys had no need for such an assertion.Seraphine turned to Sylvia, asking, "Ms. Williams, do you mind us setting up a branch in Salt City?"Sylvia smiled faintly. "It's the Montgomerys' right to do so.""Very well." Seraphine nodded, rising. "I must visit the Sonnexes now. I won't bother you further."As Seraphine left with the Williams family's escort, Henry pondered. "This is puzzling. Why create an empty shell company?"He remained baffled. Seraphine's visit had been solely to inform them about t
"I..." Eric felt a bit uneasy under Sylvia's scrutiny. "I really don't know her! I've never met her before."Today marked Eric's first encounter with Seraphine, and he had no previous knowledge of her existence. Her intense stare left him utterly bewildered. Did she genuinely like him? It didn't add up."You really don't know her?" Sylvia asked, her gaze fixed on Eric. "If you're a complete stranger to her, why would she lock her eyes on you for a solid ten seconds?"You see, she belongs to the Montgomerys, and they're known for being very selective. Without any connections, what's her interest in you?"Sylvia's jealousy and insecurity were evident. The Montgomery name carried significant weight, and though Seraphine might not have been as stunning as Sylvia, her family's influence made her a formidable contender.Sylvia feared Eric might succumb to Seraphine's charms. After all, few could resist such a woman."I honestly have no idea!" Eric responded, caught off guard by Serap
Puzzled, Eric shook his head. "I don't know either..." -Eric and Sylvia headed to the nail salon early in the morning after breakfast.Andy joined them quite early, possibly because it was the weekend. He assisted Elly in opening the shop and diligently cleaned the area."Elly, is there anything else I can do?" Andy asked, setting the broom aside.Elly rolled her eyes and replied, "You can take a break."She was a bit frustrated as Andy seemed unshakeable. She had even asked him what he liked about her so she could adjust herself accordingly. However, Andy had boldly declared that he'd still like her no matter how she changed."Hello, Eric and Sylvia!" Andy greeted them with a smile.Eric's lips twitched slightly—he was still adjusting to this relationship.Just then, Sylvia's phone rang. Seeing an unknown number, she answered and questioned, "Who is this?"Upon hearing the response, Sylvia frowned. She then said, "He's with me at Elly's nail salon. Come over."After endin
"I apologize, Ms. Williams," Seraphine said. "My intentions toward Eric aren't what you think. To be honest, I'm more interested in Sylvester than him."Sylvia frowned, finding Seraphine's behavior strange. She was fixated on Eric one moment, yet she seemed more drawn to Sylvester the next.Ignoring Sylvia's reaction, Seraphine asked, "Eric, were you born and raised in Salt Province?"Sylvia felt uneasy about Seraphine raising such a question.Without hesitation, Eric handed over his ID card and stated, "It's all there. You can see for yourself."Seraphine briefly examined the ID card, snapped a photo with her phone, and returned it to Eric."Why are you doing this?" Eric asked, clearly displeased.Seraphine shrugged. "I'm just curious about you." "Wait a minute!" Eric stepped forward, but Seraphine's bodyguards quickly blocked his path.His eyes gleamed as he considered testing the bodyguards' abilities.However, Sylvia grabbed his arm and shook her head, signaling him not
Sylvia grew suspicious when she saw Seraphine staring at Eric at the Williams' mansion yesterday. After pondering for a while, she concluded that Seraphine intended to come to Salt City to find Eric. To be precise, it was Seraphine's aunt who sought Eric!With this in mind, Sylvia turned to Eric and said, "Eric, I have a daring guess.""What is it?" Eric asked, puzzled."Seraphine might have been staring at you because you resemble someone she knows. More precisely, she thinks there's a connection between you and someone she has met before." Sylvia suggested, "The most likely scenario is that person could be your biological father."Elly dropped the razor she was holding, shocked by Sylvia's speculation. Despite their father's years of searching, no one had ever come looking for Eric.Eric frowned. He had no emotional attachment to his biological parents and had never thought about them. As such, he was somewhat reluctant when Sylvia suddenly brought them up."Why mention this? I
Seraphine had never witnessed Grace losing her cool before. Despite her elegant name, Grace lacked gracefulness—she had a reputation for being merciless.Grace had ruthlessly claimed the CEO position at Montgomery Corp. by eliminating various members of the Montgomery family. Just the mention of Grace sent shivers through those connected to the Montgomerys.Thus, it felt rather strange to observe her maternal instincts emerging. Although it was unconfirmed whether Eric was truly her son, Grace strongly believed he was the child she had lost 29 years ago. Perhaps it was instinctive due to their shared bloodline. Besides, their eyes bore a striking resemblance."My boy..." Tears welled up in her eyes.Sylvia watched in silence.Could Eric really be Grace's child? It wasn't entirely implausible. Otherwise, why would Grace warmly embrace Eric?It was her first time in Salt City, so how could she have known Eric was her son?Eric took a step back. Although he didn't strongly reject G
Elly felt just as anxious.After a long silence, Eric shook his head and uttered, "You're not my mother."Grace couldn't hold back her tears."Aunt Grace," Seraphine whispered and held Grace.She then fixed her gaze on Eric and said, "Eric! My aunt gave birth to you! No matter how wrong she may have been, you can't change the fact she's your mother!"You keep saying she's not your mother, but have you ever asked why she abandoned you back then? Do you think she became the CEO of Montgomery Corp. so easily?"If you doubt it, why not do a DNA test?"A DNA test seemed unnecessary at this point, but Eric still nodded. "Fine! Let's do the DNA test!"Grace kept crying. She knew Eric didn't believe her, and perhaps only a DNA test could convince him.-The group headed to a testing facility in Salt City.Eric remained silent as Sylvia drove. She was worried about Eric.Eric had previously stated that he did not want to find his biological parents, as Blake and Melinda were his tru
In terms of innate talent, Eric was unparalleled, having reached the pinnacle of martial arts. With a single punch, he sent the 'God' flying."Good!" Stealthbane shouted with excitement.The ultimate enemy had finally been defeated, bringing peace to the world. Eric sighed in relief.However, in the next moment, the 'God' stood up again. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he revealed a bloodthirsty smile. "You have successfully enraged me!"Everyone braced for a potential massacre, but instead, the enemy turned and fled.Could Eric let him escape?"Chase him!" Stealthbane commanded.Allowing this foe to escape would spell endless trouble.A group of people pursued the enemy, who soon reappeared clad in iron armor."Not seen this before, have you?" The 'God' seemed to have recovered somewhat. "Did you think I only research viruses? Wrong! I control global resources and global wealth!"This is our newly developed Doomforge Exosuit which amplifies a person's battle prowess tenfol
The sturdy floor lay in utter disarray.In desperation, Ruth shouted, "Eric, don't give him any more chances! Finish him off swiftly, or we'll face endless trouble!"Eric was well aware of this logic. As he fought, he said, "He's incredibly strong. Taking him down quickly isn't possible! We must fight to the death!"Eric had never feared battle. Besides, this might very well be his final fight.Their fists clashed fiercely.The 'God' also noticed that Eric was growing more formidable as the battle progressed."How do you have so much strength? Wouldn't it be better if we joined forces to control the world? We could have anything we desire!"All the world's wealth, women, and resources would be ours to enjoy. Why won't you listen to reason?" he roared.Eric's momentum didn't falter. "I don't share your grand ambitions. I just want a simple life with a job that pays 1,000 dollars a month and a warm home with my wife and kids. But you, you've disturbed my peace!"The 'God' was fu
The 'God' grew more courageous as the battle raged on, causing Stealthbane to worry incessantly.In another high-stakes clash, Eric and his opponent both retreated. Eric sensed his opponent's growing strength, finding it rather peculiar.The 'God' clenched his fist. "I must thank you! My techniques were slightly incomplete, but I've managed to fill the gaps through this battle!"Eric marveled at his opponent's genius. To mend something incomplete was indeed a rare talent.Despite Eric training with the complete manual, he could only match the 'God' blow for blow. This person was terrifying!The opponent's confidence soared. Although Eric had trained with the full manual, the 'God' felt his innate talent far surpassed Eric's. If he could match Eric with an incomplete manual, now that he had perfected it, wouldn't he be unbeatable?"I thought you had potential and considered inviting you to share this world with me," the 'God' said, his tone turning icy. "But now, I see it's unnece
Stealthbane even felt that Eric might not be a match for the "God."The power was overwhelming.The terrifying aura was enough to crush everything. To an ordinary person, this was a real deity—the strength possessed had already transcended human limits.Eric made his move with a burst of speed. The clash of their fists created a thunderous explosion, and the sound was so intense that Stealthbane felt his eardrums might shatter.This was a battle of the highest caliber, one that even a legend like Stealthbane could not hope to join.Seeing the two evenly matched, Stealthbane sighed in relief. At least there was a chance that the strongest combatants were neutralizing each other. The outcome was still uncertain.Eric shook his aching fist, his expression grave. The opponent's strength was as he had anticipated. If the ultimate boss of the Luminous did not possess such combat power, it would be absurd.Clearly, this "God" had also gauged Eric's strength.He extended a hand toward
Stealthbane knew that the figure facing them must be the ultimate leader of the Luminous.Suddenly, he no longer wanted to die. If he could hold on just a little longer, it would all be over."Mr. Johnson, these people don't seem ordinary. Could that leader be the ultimate figure of the Luminous? Are we about to complete the game?" he whispered.To him, this mission to the Ark felt like a game: defeat the final boss, and victory is achieved."If I'm not mistaken, it should be. This person gives me... a sense of danger," Eric said.Upon hearing this, Stealthbane felt reassured.Just a sense? That meant the problem wasn't too grave!The leader on the opposite side turned to Eric. "I didn't expect you to make it this far. I underestimated your strength, believing my Ark was impregnable, that no enemy could breach it. But why are you so persistent? Why such determination?"He suddenly screamed in a fit of hysteria, "I have so many people! Such a grand scheme! It has all succeeded!
Brent shouted desperately, "After you get on your knees, they'll kill you all, and we won't survive either! Kill them! Kill them all!"He understood the situation with stark clarity. Kneeling meant certain death. If they had to die anyway, fighting back would be their only chance of survival.Eric sighed. "Mr. Rogers, in the end, it was we who implicated you. But this place must be eradicated, and the Luminous must be destroyed as well! Everyone, attack!"As the battle commenced, the masked man immediately struck Brent with a punch.Eric charged in. "Die!"He knew that Brent was unlikely to survive. This punch was his way of avenging Brent.The masked man spun around, trying to block Eric's punch. But the speed of the blow was too much—the gust of wind from the punch arrived before the fist did.It was an instant kill.The masked man had no time to react before Eric's punch collided with his chest. The terrifying force shattered the mask on the man's face, revealing an unfamili
Stealthbane was blinded by rage. He was killing anyone in sight, his fury unrelenting. They had ventured deep into enemy territory, where every encounter seemed to be with an adversary.Eric and his team from the Combat Department showed no mercy.Yet even Stealthbane's resolve was wearing thin."I can't kill them all! It feels like every master in the world is concentrated here!" he shouted in frustration.He felt the number of people he had brought was insufficient. If he had brought a few thousand more, he might have been able to overrun the place.Stealthbane was overwhelmed by the sheer horror of their situation. Fortunately, they had arrived. If anyone else had come, they would have met their end here.The numbers of the masters seemed endless."Damn it!" Stealthbane cursed angrily. "There are too many of them, and they're all exceptionally powerful. What kind of game is this?"He was tempted to retreat, but where could he go?Eric sent an enemy flying, pushing forward
"I was opposed to coming in from the start, but as you all know, the Rogers family is extremely complex. If we hadn't entered, I might have ended up dead. At least if the virus isn't a threat, that's something!" Brent poured himself a cup of coffee and continued. "These people are ruthless! They want to kill everyone outside the Ark and establish a new order, managed by a select few. It's insane!"You don't need to tell me—I know you're here to kill them."He then pulled a small token from his pocket. "This is our Rogers family's privilege here. It allows us to move freely between different levels. With this, you can go anywhere!"Stealthbane grabbed it eagerly. "Why didn't you mention this earlier? Things will go much smoother with this!"Brent sighed. "Once you've handled everything, could you take me out with you? I really don't want to stay in this dreadful place any longer.""Sure!" Eric nodded. "We'll definitely call you when we leave. For now, we're heading out."Brent e
Everything was ready, but they couldn't just walk in.Ruth instructed the Combat Department to conduct a three-day intensive training for everyone, focusing on coordinated combat.-After three days, the forces led by Stealthbane moved out, first dismantling the outer defenses of the Ark. This was their specialty!A large group of several hundred arrived in front of the Ark's entrance. At first glance, it resembled a mountain.Jack scratched his head and said, "Is this the gate? I don't see any door."The Holy Templar's people arrived as well. St. Pius said, "Everyone, don't rush. Wait for two minutes. Once the gate opens, we need to get in quickly. I have other plans inside, but once we're in, it's going to be a life-or-death battle! No one should show any mercy!"Stealthbane flexed his fists and replied, "Do I look like a good guy to you? Just watch me deal with them!"No sooner had he spoken than there was a tremendous roar. The ground shook, and the door of the Ark swung