Sylvia was frozen in disbelief. Did Eric just ask her to settle down with this ordinary life instead of aiming for something greater? It was unimaginable for her nature to accept such an idea. She had never considered what her life would be like after these three years.Settle down!?While Sylvia didn't hate Eric, it didn't mean she had any romantic feelings towards him either. She had cried out of concern when he was sent to the ER after the knife attack, but that was the extent of it."Are you kidding me?" Sylvia rolled her eyes. "You may think you won't find a better deal than me, but I still have plenty of options."Now it was Eric's turn to feel awkward and self-conscious. Her response reminded him of Sylvester, tall and handsome with a well-toned physique. Could that be her type? Did she already have someone she liked? But why did she propose they get married if that were the case? Was there some complication preventing her from marrying the person she liked?God, this was a
"Things were already difficult enough when my mom was pregnant with Elly. They had to borrow everything they needed, like bowls and spoons, from my granduncle. They even borrowed $200 from him, which was all they had to start with."Grandpa gave them around 3335 square meters of land, and my parents cleared the rest to create what we have today. Eventually, it became officially ours once my dad obtained the rights to own it."Sylvia felt appalled upon hearing that. She had heard stories from her subordinates about how being the eldest child in a rural struggling area often meant facing hardships for no reason other than being the eldest. It was common for the younger siblings to receive nicer things while the oldest child got the short end of the stick.She was surprised to learn that Eric's father had also faced the same situation. Life must have been tough for his parents when they first started their lives together after marriage.As Eric talked about this piece of history, he r
Delilah McGee, Eric's aunt, poured two glasses of refreshing lemonade for Sylvia and Eric. Lemonade was a popular beverage in the area, especially during the punishing weather. Its ability to quench thirst and refresh was unparalleled.However, neither Eric nor Sylvia took a sip."Uncle Richard, the door was broken when I arrived—" Eric said, but Richard quickly interrupted him, "It happened yesterday, kid. The thief probably targeted your house because no one has been living here for a while. I reported it to the police, but we're not sure what the thief took. I don't think it was anything valuable if anything at all."Eric's lips tightened. "It's the land ownership certificate, Uncle Richard. It's gone!""What?" His uncle's face turned pale. "Why on earth would a thief need that?"Eric shook his head, puzzled. "I don't know. Dad always kept it in the drawer next to the bed. I searched everywhere it could be, but it's just not there!"Richard grimaced. "This is bad. The official
Eric had no idea about the schemes of his uncle and aunt.At that moment, he was rushing toward the village hall. Seeing that Eric was driving a bit fast, Sylvia said, "Slow down, Eric. The road ahead is narrow!" Eric slowed down and said, "I'm sorry. My emotions got the best of me. Land means everything to farmers. If my dad loses the land certificate, it's all over for him!"Sylvia pressed her lips together and stayed quiet. She understood Eric's worry.They had sold pigs, cows, horses, and poultry, gathering just over 3,000 dollars. This amount couldn't even buy Sylvia a bottle of foundation. This money probably represented a whole family's assets in the countryside. It made sense why he felt so anxious.They soon reached the village hall.Hank was sweeping outside when he noticed a fancy black car pulling up. He put down the broom and approached. Seeing Eric step out didn't surprise him. He knew Eric's life had improved since his visit to Eric's father in the city."What
Eric was taken aback. 'Uncle Richard lied to me?' Before heading to the village hall from Richard's house, Eric had thanked him sincerely.Meanwhile, Sylvia frowned, saying, "There's a 4-dollar difference per kilogram, adding up to over 3,000 dollars for more than 500 kilograms! And that's only for the pigs. We haven't even talked about the cow and horse!""You sold the cow and horse as well?" Hank asked, "How much did you get for them?""1,200 dollars for the cow and 800 dollars for the horse.""What?" Hank was shocked, "Eric, your uncle clearly swindled you. I've seen your cow and horse. That cow is large, and it has a calf. It could easily fetch at least 1,800 dollars. And where can you buy a horse for 800 dollars these days? Even a strong horse costs around 2,000 dollars. How can your uncle act so shamelessly? First, I'll make out a certificate for you, and then we'll confront him about this!""Or... maybe we should just let it go." Eric shrugged.Settling the matter with R
"Hmph!" Hank huffed with a cold tone. "Lately, pork prices have been around 6 dollars, yet you fed Eric the lie that it's just 2 dollars! You've made a profit of 4 dollars per kilogram!"And what about the cow? You sold it for 1,200 dollars, even though it was pregnant? Would you do that if you were in his shoes?"And the horse! Less than 800 dollars? Rickard, how could you take advantage of Eric's absence from the village to deceive him about the prices?"Richard's panic grew. He had secretly taken a significant amount from Eric, exploiting his nephew's lack of knowledge about market prices.Initially, he planned to ensure that if Blake suspected something and questioned him later, he could say he had already given all the money to Eric. This would leave Blake unsure about whom to trust. Blake would then hesitate to ask about the money. But he didn't expect Eric to reveal everything to Hank."I... I..." Richard stuttered. Eventually, he said, "I earned those, right, Delilah?""Y
Hank received a call after resolving the matter between Richard and Eric.Once the call ended, he turned to Eric, saying, "I'm sorry to ask, but could you give me a ride back to the village hall? The survey team is arriving soon."Eric nodded immediately. He would have offered a ride even if Hank hadn't requested it.They passed Hank's house on their way, and Eric pulled over."Why are we stopping here? I need to get to the village hall," Hank inquired.Eric smiled and took out a carton of cigarettes from the trunk. He then said, "Mayor Jenkins, I didn't bring much when I returned, so I have this for you.""I appreciate it, but I can't accept it," Hank declined politely. "It's too kind. Helping you with your matter is part of my job as the mayor. I can't take this."Eric returned the carton to Hank and insisted, "Please, Mayor Jenkins, accept it. There's a difference between personal matters and work matters. When you visited my dad at the hospital, that was personal. It's separ
Hank was well aware of what Richard had in mind, so he barked, "What are you talking about, Richard? If this plot doesn't belong to Blake, then who does it belong to? You?" "Yes!" Richard replied, gritting his teeth. "It's mine. Just put it under my name.""How could you…" Hank was furious.He turned to Miles and said, "Mr. Upshur, don't listen to him. This plot belongs to Blake Johnson."Frowning, Miles said, "Since there's a dispute, we'll hold off on measuring this specific plot for now. We'll measure Richard Johnson's part first."Mayor Jenkins, please ensure that Blake Johnson applies for the certificate again. We'll come back in a couple of days. Otherwise, there's no other solution."Hank pointed at Richard, his finger trembling. "How could you do this, you rascal? You're ruining our village's reputation!"Richard remained indifferent toward Hank's comment. Standing beside Eric, Sylvia could not stand Richard anymore and asked, "Is your uncle always like this?"Eric s
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