Even now, their conversation remained focused on their high school memories.Eric had a few drinks while Sylvia stuck to fruit juice. As they enjoyed their beverages, Gary approached, holding a wine glass, and he said, "Sylvia, my dear, here's to you."Sylvia smiled faintly and replied, "I'm sorry, but I have to drive later, so I can't have alcohol. Can I have juice instead?"Gary didn't hide his disappointment. After all, she had shared drinks with him at last year's class reunion, so why this change? Was it because Eric was drinking, and she had to drive?With a forced smile, Gary said, "You can always call an Uber later. There are plenty of them waiting at the entrance. If we all stop drinking, they might go out of business."Sylvia wasn't sure how to respond and simply said, "How about Eric drinks for me? Besides, I'm not really up for drinking these days...""Are you pregnant?" Justin blurted out, making the atmosphere tense. Was Sylvia expecting Eric's child?"Yes." Sylvia
Gary had too much to drink, and he vented his frustration. "Gary, just let them go," someone advised.Gary shrugged it off, saying, "Let them go? I've spent thousands on this gathering. How can I just let it go? It's not that simple!"They must come! I've booked the VIP room, and it's not far from here! Why wouldn't they come? This is disrespectful!"As there was a second part to the gathering, everyone except for Gary had refrained from excessive drinking. Fueled by alcohol, he blocked Sylvia and Eric from leaving.Justin stepped in, positioning himself between Eric, Sylvia, and Gary, and said, "Eric, you two go ahead. We'll handle this."Eric was about to agree, but Gary cut in, "Justin, are you trying to pick a fight? Do you want me to call my buddies to deal with you?"The rest of the classmates disapproved of Gary's arrogant behavior. Such remarks were inappropriate at a gathering.Sylvia took Eric aside and suggested, "Let's go there for a while. Besides, that place is p
Gary cried in pain, bellowing, "How dare you mess with me?! You'll regret it!"He swiftly grabbed his phone and made a call, which caught Justin and a few friends' attention. They urged, "Eric, Sylvia, you should leave now!"Gary sneered. After ending the call and stashing his phone away, he said, "Leave? No one's leaving! I'll show you who's boss tonight!"Eric wondered about Gary's audacity and his connections in the underworld. He hadn't witnessed anyone under Tiger's influence acting so arrogantly.On the other hand, Sylvia remained calm and took a seat. She felt angry as she remembered Gary's relentless pursuit from their high school days. This venue belonged to her family, and Eric had a strong bond with Tiger. Also, Brook held considerable influence in the underworld. Sylvia wanted to see how much trouble Gary could stir up.Justin anxiously pressed, "Why haven't you left?"Eric smiled and replied, "Let's wait and see. I'm eager to find out his standing in the underworld
After landing a few hard blows on Gary, David approached Eric, almost addressing him by his full name. However, considering Eric's influential position in the underworld, he quickly changed his approach and said, "Mr. Johnson, Ms. Williams, please forgive us."Gary is just my friend, and I haven't been strict enough with him. That's why he acted so recklessly in front of you. My apologies, Mr. Johnson."Gary was shocked. Did David just refer to Eric as Mr. Johnson? Did Eric hold such a high status in Salt City's underworld?David promptly opened three beer bottles, saying, "Mr. Johnson, as a gesture of my sincerity, I'll start by drinking three bottles myself!"He quickly finished all three bottles.Seeing that Eric hadn't spoken yet, David smiled and continued. "Everyone, enjoy the night. I'll cover the expenses here!"David looked at Eric. "Mr. Johnson, if everything is fine, should I take him away now?"Finally, Eric nodded.David breathed a sigh of relief and quickly escort
Even Tiger had to show respect to the Williams family, not to mention David.Gary was shocked by this revelation—he never expected Sylvia to have such a background. Finally, he understood why David called Eric "Mr. Johnson".Gary sighed and exclaimed, "I never thought she was the heiress of the Williams family, and I could never have imagined Eric ending up with such a wealthy and beautiful woman."David wasn't pleased with Eric, but he couldn't help but retort, "So, you think Eric only achieved his current status because of the Williams family?"Gary quickly nodded, refusing to believe that Eric had reached his current position in Salt City's underworld without external assistance.David sneered. "He earned his current status with his own efforts. Even Tiger addresses him as Mr. Johnson. Would Tiger use that title if it were solely due to his connection with the Williams family?"He's a true rags-to-riches success story! Don't cross paths with him in the future, or I can't guara
The Williams family members fixed their gaze on Sylvia, perplexed by her statement. Connor was sick? The way she said it didn't sit right.Realizing her words were off, Sylvia said, "Isn't that why Connor is seeking Eric?"Henry pursed his lips and addressed his son, "Connor, even though Brook is involved in shady dealings, we still have principles."Eric can help you, but you must promise to stay out of trouble in the future. Otherwise, it might be better not to save you!"Amelia chimed in. "Once you're healed, you must marry someone who can keep you in line."The couple was most worried about Connor. Maybe they could use this chance to pressure him into getting his act together.Connor scratched his head and glanced at Eric, who remained silent. Connor often frequented places full of temptations, so everyone in the family was concerned about him. The Williams family knew what was going on when he sought Eric's help.After some thought, he nodded and said, "I promise, but I'll
While Eric was speaking, his phone rang. It was a call from Gavin, so Eric answered with a simple "Hello."Gavin got straight to the point, "Eric, can you find out if Williams Corp. is hiring?"Petterson Corp. had gone under, and Gavin had received some money during the liquidation, though not a lot. The compensation the company owned would remain unpaid because Frederick and Lucas were gone, and Kenneth's whereabouts were unknown.Eric hesitated, but Sylvia chimed in. "He can apply for a job there. If he's qualified, he can join Williams Corp."The issues with Eric's family had been resolved, and Sylvia didn't hold as much grudge against Gavin. Although he had spread rumors about them in the past, Sylvia was forgiving by nature. If Eric's family had changed their ways, helping them would be no big deal.Eric passed this message to Gavin, who was grateful. Gavin had his eyes set on Williams Corp. and Sonnex Corp. Since Eric was part of the Williams family, he thought getting into
After visiting a few neighborhoods, Hank had a general idea in mind.Eric initially wanted Hank to stay in Salt City overnight, but Hank was eager to return, gather the villagers, and hold a meeting.Eric returned to the Williams residence after seeing Hank off at the train station.-Seraphine was talking and laughing with another woman there."Eric!" She waved at him. "Come over, and let me introduce you to my good friend, Jessica, from the Watson family in King City!"Seraphine didn't think too much about it. With his talents and as Orion's apprentice, she believed Eric would likely develop his career in King City. Besides, Eric would likely interact with other prominent families' heirs and heiresses in King City in the future. As such, getting to know each other now seemed like a good idea.Eric politely nodded at Jessica."Where's Sylvia?" he asked.Sylvia was his main concern—nothing was more important than her. It had only been half a day, but he missed her immensely.
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