On a hospital bed lay a severely injured man—one of the trio responsible for setting fire to the hotel. Contrary to appearances, they weren't mentally ill; the Whitlocks had fabricated their records to avoid investigation.Ultimately, the Whitlocks decided to eliminate them and dispatched someone to the mental hospital to end their lives.After a daring escape, the Combat Department eventually located the injured individual.Upon regaining consciousness, he divulged the entire truth. The mastermind behind the arson plot was Benedict.-Armed with the evidence, Miller paid Dominic another visit, accompanied by six grandmasters.Dominic noted the tension but still greeted him with a smile. "Mr. Smithson, what brings you here again?"Miller calmly took a seat and fixed his gaze on Dominic. "Mr. Whitlock, is there anything else you'd like to confess now?"Dominic was momentarily taken aback. This time, Miller's tone signaled a shift from their previous encounter. It appeared to Dom
Miller clenched his fists, feeling insulted by Dominic's attempt to bribe him with money—an affront to his profession and principles."Seize Dominic and bring him back to King City for questioning!" he roared."Yes, sir!"Several grandmasters from the Combat Department swiftly moved forward to apprehend Dominic."Ignorant fool! Since you refuse to yield to me, I'll end you all here!" Dominic declared. Suddenly, several grandmasters emerged out of nowhere.This was his second plan. If Miller refused the bribe, Dominic would get rid of him here. However, Dominic was unaware that his actions had further sealed his fate."Get him!" Miller ordered, springing into action. In fact, he was curious about something. Sunridge was not a big city. With the Whitlocks' resources, it was impossible to raise four grandmasters.His initial intention was to talk Dominic into confessing his crimes. However, he did not expect Dominic to try to bribe him with money.When his bribery attempt fail
The workers eagerly awaited their long-overdue wages, which had been pending for over half a year.Representatives from the bank and the Combat Department gathered at Whitlocks Construction, and tears of joy flowed as the workers learned they would be paid in full today."Jake Mason, the Whitlock Group owes you a total of 30,000 dollars. Considering the losses to your family due to delayed wages, we estimate an additional 5,000 dollars. In total, you will receive 35,000 dollars."Upon hearing they could receive more money, the workers were elated."Ethan Carpenter, the total amount of your overdue wages is 30,000 dollars. Including your personal losses of around 3,000 dollars, you'll be paid a total of 33,000 dollars."Unfortunately, Royce Green met with an accident on the way to Salt City. According to standard compensation, his family is entitled to 50,000 dollars. Adding the overdue wages, the total they'll receive today is 80,000 dollars."Similar announcements were made for
Fiona was saddened.Sylvia smiled, gently wiping away Fiona's tears. "We'll come back, Fiona. Study well and listen to your parents. Next time, we'll buy you new clothes, okay?"Fiona nodded reluctantly, and Eric and Sylvia bid farewell to the city.After completing follow-up work, Miller led the team to depart. He had trailed Eric from Westlake to Sunridge. With matters concluded, they still had to escort the prisoners to King City and continue the search for other clues.-At Salt City. Sylvia eagerly visited the children in the orphanage.In the afternoon, Amelia called, instructing Eric and Sylvia to return home.-"What's wrong, Mom?" Sylvia asked.Amelia sighed, glancing at Misty's bulging belly."Misty is about to give birth, but why aren't you pregnant yet?" she remarked.Sylvia recalled her medical examination before going to Sunridge and realized she hadn't picked up the report.She smiled and retrieved her phone. "Mom, don't worry. I'll check with the hospital.
Unable to resist the pressure from Amelia, Eric and Sylvia stayed with the Williams family.In the morning, Amelia prepared black chicken soup—one serving for Sylvia and another for Misty. Moreover, she also prepared an expensive tonic specifically for Eric."Mom, aren't you a bit... Eric is healthy, and these tonics can be harmful!" Sylvia felt a bit embarrassed.Eric smiled. "It's okay. Holistic medicine is different from modern medicine. It's fine to take some tonic."After breakfast, the two practiced martial arts in the yard.The project in Westlake progressed smoothly, while the project in Sunridge was indefinitely postponed. The third data center had no issues for now, and the overseas market was fully supervised by Michael, leaving Eric and Sylvia with little to worry about.Consequently, they took leave from the Innova Group.Meanwhile, Sylvester and Seraphine had gone to King City after being urged by Amelia. She advised them not to engage in a long-distance relationsh
Andy's A6 had been replaced with a Mercedes registered under the Innova Group."When there's a lot going on, let Andy share more of the workload," Elly suggested. "You two are always running around while he just stays in Salt City."Sylvia and Eric continued shuttling around.After finishing matters in Westlake, they headed to Sunridge. Even Michael was unable to return from abroad for a long time. Elly would have suspected that Andy had been marginalized if they weren't family.Sylvia smiled. "Elly, don't worry. Andy's working hard, too. He's been taking care of everything at the headquarters when we're outside."Rest assured. Andy and Eric founded the company together. They have absolute leadership unless they voluntarily give it up."Andy is crucial to the company. Without him, no one is there to manage the headquarters when Eric and I are away."Sylvia naturally knew what Elly was worried about. However, Andy was indispensable to the Innova Group. Without him, there would be
Sylvia cautiously sipped only a few spoonfuls of the medicinal soup, hesitant to consume more. On the contrary, Misty flatly refused to partake, fearing potential over-nourishment."Eric, I came across information online stating that the nutritional value of ashwagandha is comparable to maca. Is that accurate?" asked the naturally curious Brook.Some online voices asserted that the nutritional value of ashwagandha equaled that of maca, casting doubt on the supposed benefits of consuming ashwagandha.Eric glanced at the medicinal soup and suggested, "Brook, why not give it a try? Drink this bowl and see if you notice any difference."Skeptically, Brook raised the bowl and gulped down its contents in one go.Sylvia was taken aback. "Eric, is it safe for Brook to consume so much soup?""He'll be fine," assured Eric with a smile.Brook licked his lips in satisfaction. "It tastes good, but there's no reaction at all. How is it different from normal soup?" he commented, patting his st
Sylvia rose early in the morning, determined to shed a few pounds. Failing to do so would mean enduring the hassle of picking out clothes and having the store measure her size, a process she found quite troublesome.Around noon, Amelia set another table with nourishing dishes.Seeing the spread, Sylvia was at a loss for words.Just then, Eric's phone rang—it was Leopard, and he answered the call."Leopard.""Mr. Johnson, are you in King City? Something happened to Mr. Gurth!"Eric furrowed his brows. "What happened?"After hanging up, Eric turned to Sylvia. "We need to go to King City."Sylvia was thrilled—she could finally escape her current predicament.However, curiosity lingered. "Eric, what happened to Seth?""There's a bit of trouble. His bank account has been frozen. The bank claims he owes them over half a million dollars, and Leopard's men couldn't resolve it," Eric explained.If Leopard couldn't handle it, it was definitely not a small issue.After bidding farewel
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