Hector scanned the surroundings upon entering the living room.Eric sensed Hector's purpose but remained silent.Shortly afterward, Hector stated, "Hol. Johnson, tonight I am here on behalf of the Visionary Group, Larsons, and Feynmans to talk to you.""Go ahead," Eric said indifferently.Eric knew Hector's discussion would likely revolve around the company or the people captured earlier that day."On behalf of the Visionary Group, Larsons, and Feynmans, I sincerely apologize for offending you, Hol. Johnson."Unlike earlier, Hector lowered himself and showed sincerity.Eric remained silent, observing."Hol. Johnson, we truly are sorry. Can you release the group of people who went to the department yesterday?" Hector added, noticing Eric's silence.He knew Eric and his group must have detained his men, though he didn't know their capabilities."So, you're here to ask for their release?" Eric was clearly displeased.The group had aggressively attempted to reclaim the departmen
Hector firmly believed that there was nothing money couldn't solve."We've assessed the Innova Group's value. Based on the current market, your revenue is projected to hit around 3 billion dollars this year. Factoring in the optimizations made in product and production capacity, the estimated profit for this year is approximately 600,000,000 dollars. Taking into account your fixed assets, we're prepared to offer 10 billion dollars to acquire the Innova Group!"Remember, when the Innova Group started, it had only 200 million dollars in funding. I believe Hol. Johnson will perceive our offer as sincere!""10 billion dollars?" Eric feigned surprise."Are you undervaluing the Innova Group? Consider the worth of the three major international giants. Their valuation exceeds hundreds of billions! The Innova Group will catch up with them sooner or later, and you're offering only 10 billion dollars? Further discussion is unnecessary if your offer is less than 100 billion dollars!"Hector's
The Larsons and the Visionary Group had finalized their plan to deal with the Innova Group, focusing on Eric. After all, Eric was the co-founder and CIO of the Innova Group, as well as the technological core of the company.Owen and the others speculated that the Innova Group's competitiveness may be attributed to Eric's identity as a prominent holistic physician.Taking care of Eric would eliminate the Innova Group as a concern. However, determining how to deal with Eric had become a significant challenge. Eric had two formidable bodyguards, Vince and Matthew, by his side. Unbeknownst to them, they believed that Vince and Matthew had subdued their men.After much consideration, Owen felt it was necessary to consult with Shadow. It would be better if Shadow could intervene in this matter. However, Shadow was currently not at the Larsons' residence. Instead, he had appeared at Dante's house.The Combat Department possessed substantial intelligence on the Crimson Order, but the latte
After Pierce stepped down, the likelihood of him assuming the role of General seemed slim. Unbeknownst to Shadow, Eric had ascended to the position of Lieutenant General in the Combat Department.Dante only revealed that the Combat Department had a General and two Lieutenant Generals but kept Eric's identity concealed. He recognized the need for caution when dealing with individuals like Shadow."You've made significant contributions to the country and the Combat Department. In my view, you're on par with Pierce! You're more than qualified to be the next General!" Shadow expressed."Shadow, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we enemies? Why assist me? What are your intentions?" Dante asked."Ah, it seems that the Crimson Order has suffered greatly due to our recent actions, and you're at a loss in dealing with the Combat Department. So, you're attempting to sow discord within the Combat Department. Am I right?"Shadow's expression remained unchanged. "Vermillion, you are quite
Owen coughed violently, spitting out a large mouthful of blood. His horror deepened as he noticed Shadow's presence in the room.Owen acknowledged his wrongdoing despite the backing of three major international giants. He had mishandled the situation, and now he faced Shadow's retribution.Feeling the weight of responsibility, Owen urgently sought to swiftly remove Eric and the Innova Group. Failure to do so would result in Shadow holding him accountable. The vast gap between Owen and Shadow became painfully apparent. Even as the head of a top elite family, Owen found himself easily manipulated by Shadow.-Meanwhile, Eric kept a vigilant eye on the department's situation. He anticipated that Hector's group wouldn't relent easily after suffering a significant blow.Contrary to Eric's expectations, they didn't return to the department. Losing over a dozen members was undoubtedly a setback for them.At this point, the Innova Group's crisis had temporarily subsided. Hector understoo
The pitch-black surroundings intensified Shadow's menacing appearance. He chuckled, remarking, "I knew you would contact me."Dante's expression remained stoic. "Tell me about your plan. Dealing with Pierce isn't a walk in the park, and the Combat Department is brimming with experts. They hold Pierce in high regard. Changing their minds won't be easy.""Difficult?" Shadow replied nonchalantly. "Your loyalty and constraints make you weak. In my opinion, you're filled with weaknesses."Dante furrowed his brow. Did that imply he had numerous weaknesses, too?"Don't beat around the bush," Dante said, clearly annoyed. "I'm here. At least share your plan, so I know you're not just using me."He wasn't keen on participating in a flawed plan, risking trouble without reaping any benefits."I have a general plan. You can use the incident at the border and frame Pierce with charges of treason. Careful planning is crucial. If you can establish charges against him, involve the McClain girl, a
Dante had planned to use Shadow, unaware that Shadow had set him up.After Dante departed, someone approached Shadow."Did you record everything?" Shadow asked with a smile."Everything has been recorded, Mr. Shadow," the person replied."Good!" Shadow glanced in the direction Dante had left. "Simple methods are the most effective! Now we don't have to worry about Dante not following our orders!"-While awaiting Shadow's message, Dante carefully concealed his intentions, trying not to let Pierce notice anything.Eric was correct—the Visionary Group and the Larsons didn't stay idle for long. In the afternoon, while Eric and Sylvia had dinner at the Montgomerys, they learned about the Larsons' actions."There have been some losses, but it hasn't reached a critical point yet. We are taking countermeasures.""They also targeted the Hernandezes. Their losses are even greater than ours!" Grace informed.Unable to deal with the Innova Group, the Visionary Group and Larsons turned t
"The Feynmans seem unrelated to the Crimson Order, but we've uncovered information on the Larsons. If they decide to act, we'll seize the opportunity to bring them down," Pierce stated.With the Combat Department providing support, Eric felt a boost in confidence. He hoped the Larsons would act swiftly to resolve the situation in King City."Just to be safe, I'll send some trustworthy individuals to the Montgomerys and Hernandezes. You don't need to worry about their safety," Pierce assured.Pierce harbored concerns about a potential spy within the Combat Department. How else did the Crimson Order obtain information about their operations? Despite his meticulous work, there were always places that could be overlooked.-At King Prison.The gate slowly opened, leaving Kenneth bewildered. He was sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment and not known for good behavior, so he wondered why he was being released.At the entrance, a dark figure stood tall. "Kenneth."Startled, Kenneth
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