At noon, Andy remained asleep.Upon receiving the news, Eric's parents were the first to arrive.Melinda was wiping away tears while lamenting the unfairness of fate. She detailed the family's struggles, from her costly medical condition to Blake's near-fatal car accident, and now Andy's predicament. The family had endured repeated trials of injuries and illnesses.Blake sighed. "Despite all hardships, we've managed to overcome them as a family.""Our days are improving, but so are the challenges. Many times, I wish we weren't this wealthy so you all would face fewer hardships!" Melinda expressed.Unbeknownst to the elderly couple, Sylvia was detained abroad, a fact Eric and Elly kept from them due to their rural background and lack of information.After confirming that Andy was not in life-threatening danger, Blake returned to Nutikiville, where they had animals to tend to daily—pigs, ducks, chickens, and geese.Shortly after the Johnsons left, Andy's parents arrived.Seeing t
"Dad, Mom, why did you come too?" Andy asked, his expression somewhat complicated.Colin sighed. "You were almost killed. Can't we, as parents, come and check on you?"Lily approached the bed and pointed at Elly. "Son, tell me. Is it true that Elly's ex-husband wanted to kill you? I'm right! Elly is a jinx! You should leave her. Otherwise, who knows what will happen to you?!"Eric and Elly suspected Craig, but he denied his involvement."Mom, it's not him.""Not him?" Lily widened her eyes. "Son, you're not saying this to defend that jinx, are you?"Andy shook his head.Seeing this, Eric asked, "Andy, if it wasn't Craig, then who tried to kill you?"Andy sighed but didn't say anything, leaving Eric puzzled. The possibility of Craig committing the crime and having the motive were there.As for why Andy didn't reveal it, Eric speculated he might want to protect Elly in front of his parents.However, this reasoning seemed weak. Craig and Elly had no connection anymore, so what w
Andy opened his eyes, gazing at Eric with a complex expression."Eric, it's not that I don't want to tell. It's just... I didn't expect him to try to kill me," Andy confessed."Who is it?" Eric's face shifted. From Andy's expression, he must know the assailant, and it definitely wasn't Craig!Andy wrestled with his thoughts. After a moment, he closed his eyes and revealed, "My brother, Jacob."This exceeded Eric's expectations. He had considered Craig and even speculated about the Crimson Order or their rivals, but Jacob was never on his radar!"H-How could it be..."Eric was dumbfounded. Why would Jacob want to harm Andy? According to the police, Jacob had stabbed Andy with the intent to kill. Why had the brothers reached such a dire situation?Andy shook his head, "I don't know, Eric. You have to help me keep it a secret. If the police find out, Jacob will definitely end up in prison.""Andy! Protecting him like this isn't helping—it's harming him! Without understanding the r
"This has nothing to do with Elly! You and Dad should go back and rest early. I won't die!" Andy exclaimed.Without waiting for them to respond, Andy swiftly took out his phone and called his colleagues at the company, instructing them to drive over and take Colin and Lily back to their hometown. With Elly, Eric, and Melinda taking care of him there, there shouldn't be any problem.Upon learning that Jacob was responsible, Colin and Lily appeared visibly distressed. When the driver arrived, they left without uttering a word."They've always doted on Jacob since he was a child," Andy shared with Eric."Andy, your mom must be contacting Jacob right now, asking him to run away. Can you think of a way?"Knowing his parents too well, Andy nodded.Eric immediately took out his phone to contact the relevant parties. Trying to escape after committing a crime in this era? Dream on!Eric made the necessary arrangements without involving the Combat Department. A single call to the police
Jacob trembled in fear."The conflicts between my brother and me... have nothing to do with you..." he mumbled.The interrogators were rendered speechless. What they sought was the motive behind Jacob's attack. Andy's identity was exceptionally special—the Innova Group was a key enterprise in Salt City, making this case a matter of great concern for the police.After over an hour of interrogation, they still hadn't extracted the motive for the crime.Suddenly, Eric sat in the interrogation room and waved his phone in front of Jacob. "The hospital just called. Your brother... has died."Jacob's face lit up with joy in an instant! Although brief, Eric and the two interrogators clearly witnessed it.After the ecstasy, Jacob choked, "I... I never thought of killing him..."Eric said, "You may not have wanted to kill him, but the fact is your brother is dead. There's a significant difference between being alive and dead. Your brother was a well-respected figure in Salt City, the co-f
Perhaps the other party wasn't aware that Andy was already married, and Elly was the first successor. Suspicions in the case were escalating.Eric looked at Jacob and asked, "Can you contact the person behind you?"Jacob shook his head, stating, "He has always contacted me, and I can't reach him."Eric sighed. He wanted to find out who was behind Jacob.What if things developed as the other party expected?Eric dismissed this thought after some consideration. The main reason was that Andy hadn't died. Even if Andy died, it would be challenging for the person behind Jacob to reveal themselves.If Andy didn't die, he could only hide it from Jacob but not the outside world. The key executives of the Innova Group had gone to see Andy, and it would be easy to obtain relevant information from them.In the end, it was clarified that Craig was innocent, and Jacob had someone behind him! However, investigating who the mastermind was proved difficult.Eric got up and left—the case was
On that very day, Eric hurriedly headed to King City.-Confronted by the silent emptiness of his home, Eric felt a sense of disorientation.Ever since Felicia's passing, they hadn't hired a new housekeeper, and with Sylvia detained, the house seemed eerily desolate.Thinking about Felicia, Eric reached out to Leopard to ask about the 40,000 dollars Scar owed. To his surprise, Scar had encountered a crisis!Leopard arrived at Eric's residence and shared, "Mr. Johnson, do you recall when we were at Felicia's house?"Back then, Scar and his men attempted a tomb raid. Unfortunately, excessive explosives caused the entire tomb to collapse. Scar and his crew are still trapped underneath, yet to be rescued!"The once influential figure in King City had met a tragic fate. It was truly regrettable. With Felicia gone for some time, if Scar and his men were still in the tomb, chances of their survival seemed bleak. Regrettably, the 40,000 dollars had also vanished."But I heard that Sc
Given Eric's skills and background, he likely possessed the capability to handle this situation."Matteo, is this... the object Scar obtained from the tomb?" Eric asked."Yes! Scar acquired this object. He was unwilling to stop and desired more but ended up buried in the process. Many lost their lives in the underworld for it!"But Mr. Johnson, rest assured. No one knows it is in my hands, at least not for now. They won't know it's already in your hands."Eric nodded. "That should reduce some trouble."After a brief stay, Matteo departed.With nothing else to do, Eric studied the contents of the book. It was significantly more profound than the Basic Breath Regulation Method, but Eric could comprehend it. It wasn't until the afternoon that a call from Sean interrupted him.He had a basic understanding of the situation with the Rogers family. They had sought medical treatment globally to save an important member who was critically ill.They had one of the world's super conglomer
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