Regarding Sylvester, it was just a sense of duty. He believed Seraphine was already his woman."Is that right?" Eric chuckled. "Sylvia and I are still deeply in love!"Seraphine rolled her eyes, thinking Sylvia and Eric were the epitome of true love.-The Pettersons' mansion in Dortmund City had become desolate after several months. Fallen leaves were scattered, and the landscape had grown wild, losing its shape. The place hadn't been cleaned in a while.A few days ago, it had been auctioned and bought by a mysterious buyer.A figure stood at the mansion's entrance, gazing at the desolate building. Several tall, burly men were behind him.Kenneth Petterson had returned to Dortmund City."How's it going in Salt City?" He clenched his fist. "What's the progress?"One of the men stepped forward and said, "Mr. Petterson—"Before he could finish, Kenneth glared at him. He quickly corrected himself, "Mr. Johnson... Everything is going smoothly. We've gathered a lot of information,
Kenneth had worked hard to impersonate Eric effectively. The Hernandezes saw him as their key player. If played well, it could bring unexpected results.Eric and Sylvia had no idea Kenneth was in Salt City. Life was peaceful for the married couple. The Innova Group's product lines expanded, and Sylvia considered visiting Williams Corp.After Lucas had slashed her face, she hadn't been to Williams Corp. In the eyes of the company's senior executives and employees, Sylvester had become the CEO in Sylvia's absence.Still, Sylvia's authority remained. When she entered the building, the employees greeted her."Ms. Williams!" Her former secretary almost cried, "You're finally back."Sylvia smiled. "I'm just here to look around. Sylvester is running the company now. If I join another company in the future, I'll bring you along."While she had a secretary she was accustomed to, she needed retraining. She wasn't familiar with many business aspects and wasn't proficient in them. Andy still
The group chatted until the afternoon, then headed to the Williams residence.Eric occasionally checked the rearview mirror on the way, his brow furrowing."What's wrong?" Sylvia asked.Eric shook his head. "Maybe it's just my imagination, but I keep feeling like someone is following us."Sylvia glanced at the rearview mirror but saw nothing behind their car. Still, she couldn't shake her worry. This situation felt all too familiar. When Lucas had posed a threat to her in the past, he had sent people to track her and Eric. Could their enemy be employing the same tactics?Sensing Sylvia's concerns, Eric reassured her, "We should stick together. Let's not separate."Little did they know that, in the past, it was Lucas who had monitored Sylvia, leading Eric away from her. However, this time, their target was Eric.-After dinner at the Williams residence, the couple returned to the Rosewood Estate.Eric once again felt they were being followed and kept checking the rearview mirro
Andreas was known as Scar among his peers due to a fierce scar on his face. The scar, left by a swordsman, was a source of pride and motivation for him.Sitting beside him was Kenneth, whose face bore many scars. Scar assumed Kenneth to be ruthless, thinking he had intentionally disfigured himself. He also marveled at the Hernandezes' wealth, which allowed such transformations. Money could indeed work wonders.A person entered the room and addressed them, "Mr. Auer, Mr. Kenneth. I've tracked the person you mentioned. He's living in the Rosewood Estate, had dinner at the Williams' family mansion, and then returned home. That's all we've found."They were tracking Eric, acting on Kenneth's orders.Scar drummed his fingers on the table and glanced at Kenneth. "Who do you want to deal with first?"Kenneth replied indifferently, "He can't die yet. If he dies, Mr. Hernandez's plan won't work."There was another layer of meaning that Kenneth didn't express. If Eric died, Kenneth would l
"Mr. Kirkby," David called out as he nervously took a seat in the chair indicated by Tiger. Tiger was a prominent figure in Salt City's underworld scene, leading the local gangs for years. His presence commanded respect, striking fear even in the younger gang members.Tiger nodded and had someone bring a cup, placing it in front of David. He was generally courteous to his subordinates.Tiger said calmly, "Speak. What's the situation?"David took a sip of his tea, trying to ease his anxiety. "Mr. Kirkby, I've located the people you mentioned."Tiger frowned upon hearing that. "Get to the point. Where are they?""They..." David hesitated. "They are... right outside the villa."Tiger stood up in anger, slamming his hand on the table. "David—"Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of a fight erupted outside. A battered man rushed in and said, "Mr. Kirkby! Someone has broken in!""Arm yourselves!" Tiger shouted.His men hurriedly went upstairs.David was bewildered, won
At Tiger's residence.The sound of a gunshot echoed, and the fierce combat came to a sudden halt.Blood pooled around several of Scar's men, and Tiger's group had also suffered casualties, especially among those who had guarded the entrance.Tige stepped out of the building with an assault rifle and barked, "Everyone, freeze!"A path cleared on either side of the area, and even Scar's wounded men were swiftly moved out of harm's way.Scar's intense gaze locked onto Tiger, and his attention fixated on the assault rifle hanging from Tiger's shoulder. He had brought many seasoned fighters tonight, including a few of his best. Scar's face darkened as one of his top fighters fell victim to a single gunshot.The presence of firearms was an unexpected development. Such weapons had become increasingly rare due to crackdowns by the authorities. One gunshot equaled a dead end, as both the authorities and the criminal underworld would want you eliminated.What astonished Scar even more was
Tiger nodded and said, "Scar, you know how powerful we are in Salt City. I'll let you and your men go if you promise to remove your people from Dortmund City. Let's maintain peace from now on, alright?"Upon hearing that, Scar's eyes lit up. For him, this night was a dire situation. If Tiger had any intentions of killing him, he and his men wouldn't make it out of Salt City alive.For Tiger, this night was a last resort. He wouldn't have resorted to using the hidden assault rifles on the second floor if it hadn't come down to a life-or-death situation. He also realized that his forces weren't a match for Scar.He issued a warning to Scar tonight, believing that after they reached an agreement, Scar wouldn't return to Salt City."Is what you're saying true?" Scar asked."Absolutely," Tiger assured. "You can leave and never return, or you can attempt to challenge my rifles with your men.""Alright," Scar replied swiftly, not daring to be reckless. "We will leave Salt City tonight a
Chase understood the gravity of the situation. He knew Eric wouldn't take kindly to someone impersonating him, and this added an extra layer of difficulty for Kenneth's plans. It was now easy for his cover to be blown."You're not going to talk?" Eric's icy words hung in the air.After realizing he was no match for Eric, Chase remained silent. It was evident that they would need to capture him and interrogate him methodically.As Eric moved closer, Chase hesitated, then threw a knife as Eric closed in.Swiftly dodging the knife, Eric continued approaching him.Chase seized the opportunity to bolt into the darkness. Eric refrained from pursuing him, suspicious that it might be a ploy to lure him away from Sylvia. He resolved to remain by her side to ensure her safety."Faster than a rabbit," Sylvia remarked as she joined Eric. "Is he the one who was guarding the door in the video?"Eric nodded. "Yes, that's him. Let's go. We should head to Tiger's place."The two of them quickly
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