Her words set off a chorus of jeers from the privileged kids at the scene."Dude, are you here for laughs? Everyone in the Luminous state knows of Mr. Quantz's reputation.""Yeah, remember that other rich kid from out of town? He got on Mr. Quantz's bad side and ended up with both legs broken. His parents didn't even dare to complain; they came crawling back with expensive gifts to apologize!""Ha, no kidding. Just last week, some newbie thought he could hit on Mr. Quantz's girl. Look how that turned out—he got wrecked by Mr. Quantz!""Listen, buddy, if you value your life, you better apologize to Mr. Quantz now, or you're the one who's going to pay the price!"Liam listened to their taunts and got the picture of who Yorgos was—a classic case of a rich brat.Any normal person would have quaked in their boots by then.However, Liam? He was as cool as ice, his gaze steady on Yorgos. "What's the matter, Mr. Quantz? Can't handle a little defeat? You lost a race to me, and now you wa
"Hey, you want to up the ante? Fine. If I lose, I'll hand over my crown as the top racer of the Luminous state to you, straight from Yorgos's own mouth."However, Liam was not having it. He shook his head and replied, "Mr. Quantz, I couldn't care less about some racing god title. That bet's a yawn."Let's do this instead. If you lose, you'll be my sidekick for a week, doing whatever I say!"Yorgos's face darkened on the spot, his eyes narrowing as he shot Liam a frosty look. "What's that? You want me, Yorgos, to be your sidekick?""You heard me! You've got some nerve, thinking Mr. Quantz would ever play sidekick to you!""Hey, don't let it go to your head, kid. Winning one little race doesn't give you the right to strut around like you own the place!""Mr. Quantz, I say we stop wasting our breath on this guy. Let's just put him in his place already.""I'm telling you, this punk is just here to stir up trouble. Can you believe he actually had the nerve to ask Mr. Quantz to be his
Yorgos wrapped an arm around the woman named Noelle and kissed her passionately. Hearing her encouragement, he flashed a wicked grin, "Alright then! Make sure you're ready to party with me tonight!"After that, Yorgos released Noelle. She caught the hint, blushed and stepped back.Yorgos, smug with confidence, shot a challenging look at Liam in the black sports car and scoffed, "Pfft! Kid, you're the first one brave enough to step up to me in ages."Liam just offered a steady smile, his demeanor unshaken, not showing the slightest bit of fear, as if victory was already in his grasp.Watching Liam's unfazed stance, Yorgos's frustration bubbled up, and he took it out on a nearby cotton bale with a punch.The crowd erupted into cheers as the flag girl, a vision of allure at the head of the race, swung her flag down with a flourish.In the blink of an eye, the red Ferrari leaped forward, its engine roaring like thunder, becoming a blur of light that disappeared in an instant.Liam's
"Absolutely, this is your turf, and he's got the nerve to step to you? He's clueless.""Right? With all of us here, there's no way this kid won't learn his lesson."As the crowd buzzed with talk of teaching Liam a lesson, Yorgos just shook his head and put an end to it with a firm voice, "Forget it! I'm Yorgos, and I don't go back on my word. Enough said."Though Yorgos looked like he had swallowed a lemon, he faced Liam and declared, "You win, you win. I'll be your sidekick for the next week, fair and square."Liam was caught off guard. He had not pegged Yorgos, the typical rich kid, for someone with a sense of honor."Mr. Quantz, you're a straight shooter. Alright then, I'm outta here. I'll hit you up if I need anything."With that, Liam crushed his cigarette underfoot and hopped into his car, peeling away from the mountaintop.The moment Liam was out of sight, the rich kids, who had been all quiet before, went off like fireworks."Mr. Quantz, why'd you let him walk? We've go
Yorgos had no clue that after he walked away, two gorgeous girls were green with envy over him, nearly coming to blows.Once he descended from the peak, the sting of defeat weighed heavy on his heart, driving him to speed off to the suburbs for some car racing to clear his mind.Meanwhile, Liam made a beeline from the mountaintop straight to his hotel.After shedding his racing gear, Liam stood by the panoramic window, gazing out at the city's twinkling lights, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, I'll be, the Quantz family's golden boy isn't as useless as I thought," he mused.Cirocco was taken aback. From what he had dug up, the Quantz heir was just a spoiled brat.Liam glanced at the clock and decided, "There's plenty of night left. Let's hit up the Western Precinct.""At your command, Boss!" Cirocco saluted, and together, they drove off to the infamous no-man's-land, the Western Precinct.Every city had its wild side, a place where chaos reigned, and the streets were lined wi
Another lady was even more brazen, grabbing Cirocco's hand and plopping it onto her thigh, suggesting, "Right? Playing solo's no fun. It's still early. We can hang out here, and then all go grab some late-night eats, yeah?"It was clear to anyone with half a brain that she was not talking about their typical midnight munchies.The second her hand touched his, Cirocco froze, the overpowering scent of her perfume invading his senses and making him scrunch up his face.Liam edged away smoothly and turned her down with a grin, "Thanks, but we're just here for a quick break before heading out."The woman, snubbed, shot up from the couch with a scowl and shot them a venomous look.Her sweet tone was gone, replaced by a biting sneer, "Ugh! Just my luck, thought you were loaded. Turns out you're just a couple of broke nobodies!""No cash, and yet you strut into a fancy joint like this? Should've just hit up a street cart; would've been more your speed!"The woman in charge gave a nod to
"Stop right there! What's your business?"The pair had not even gotten close when one of the guards stepped up to block their path, eyeing them with a frosty glare.Liam chuckled, belched loudly, reeking of booze, and said with a grin, "Sorry, man, I'm just dying to hit the john."The guard responded with a chilly snort, "This ain't the bathroom. It's back the other way. This place is off-limits, so beat it!"With that, the guard pointed with an icy finger toward the restroom around the corner in the hallway."Got it, got it, thanks a bunch, man."Liam kept up his thankful act, but his eyes were sharp as hawks. He quickly checked to make sure no one was watching and gave Cirocco a subtle nod.In perfect sync, they lunged, each grabbing a guard by the throat.Snap!They twisted sharply, and the guards' necks broke with a sickening crunch.Meanwhile, the bar's thumping music drowned out any noise, and the revelers, lost in their own world of drinks and dance, did not notice a t
Norwin's face twisted into a savage sneer at those words, his voice dripping with scorn, "Kid, got a death wish? Do you know where you are? You've got some nerve, dropping names and demanding to see the big man Grayson."One of the goons stepped up, a nasty grin plastered on his face, as he waved his gun at Liam. "See this, kid? Think I won't feed you a bullet right now?" Liam faced down the threats with calm indifference, "I'm not one for repeating myself. If you want to live, do as I say."Norwin's face twisted into a scowl, his anger boiling over at Liam's words. "You're asking for it, kid!" he bellowed.With a dramatic sweep of his arm, Norwin signaled his goons to fire at Liam.Gunshots ripped through the silence of the empty conference room.However, Liam? He did not even flinch. As the henchmen squeezed their triggers, Cirocco became a blur of dark teal, darting toward them with the speed of a shadow.The goons barely registered the streak before them when they felt a wa
The new plan was a hit; every assassin in the room was on board.One of them, posing as a bellhop, stood at Liam's door, ready to knock.However, he never saw it coming. Before his knuckles could rap on the door, it burst open from the inside.Wham!The would-be knocker was sent flying, slamming into the corridor wall with a thunderous crash.The others barely had time to register what happened when Liam burst out, a quintuple-edged dagger in hand.He was a shadow among them, his blade a flash of silver that danced across their wrists, disarming them of their scimitars.In moments, the hallway was a cacophony of clattering blades and piercing screams that filled the hotel.The leader, clutching his bleeding wrist, stared at Liam in horror, leaning casually against the doorframe. Liam's dagger dripped crimson. He watched the fallen assassins with an unfeeling smirk."You think you can play assassins, skulking around in the dark?" Liam's voice dripped with scorn. With a casual f
Noel was a name that turned heads in Rasford City, especially since the Noel family ran a successful pharmaceutical business. In any place, those in the medicine game hold sway, and Noel was no stranger to the city's shadowy bigwigs. After all, nobody was immune to getting sick!Noel was quickly taken to the hospital for emergency care. Meanwhile, the assassin he had hired had pinpointed the hotel where Liam and Sunniva were hiding out.Sunniva was still visibly shaken when they reached the hotel. Too frightened to be alone, she could only gaze at Liam with watery eyes, silently pleading to stay in his room.Liam, left with little choice, let Sunniva take his room while he made do with the couch in the living room.After the night's earlier ordeal, combined with the alcohol and the drug slipped into her drink, Sunniva washed up and promptly fell asleep in Liam's bed.Liam, however, remained on the living room sofa, poring over the mysterious Arcane Manuscript.Out of nowhere,
"Thud!"Then, without missing a beat, Liam grabbed Noel by the throat and landed another punch on him. He struck him squarely on the chin, dislocating it and forcing a couple more of his teeth to fly out. "Ahhh!" Noel shrieked. His face was swelling up to twice its usual size, and he could not help letting out a cry of agony. Liam did not stop there, though. His fists rained down all over Noel without ceasing, his every punch striking where it hurt the most. "F*ck! You're going to pay for this!" Noel grunted. He would make this twat pay! What gave him the right to attack him? He was an heir of the great Noel bloodline, and he would make this cocky, self-righteous prat pay!Liam scoffed, then swung his fist and struck Noel squarely in his abdomen.Noel spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to utter another word from the sheer pain, but this did not stop Liam. The next moment, he grabbed Noel by the hair and bashed his head against the wall behind him.A sickening crunch alerted
The words had barely left her mouth when Noel lost his patience, swung Sunniva around and slapped her hard across the cheek. "D*mn it, you f*cking sl*t! What the f*ck are you shouting for? Let me tell you this—no one will come to save you, not even if you cry yourself hoarse!"The slap came so abruptly that Sunniva was momentarily stunned. Her cheek soon swelled up, and a bright red mark in the shape of Noel's palm began to take shape. Noel had hit her so hard that the back of her head struck the wall behind her, and all she could feel was an intense, throbbing pain that reverberated through her skull. Blood seeped out of the cut on the back of her head, and she could feel the warm liquid trickle down her neck. She suddenly felt strangely faint and stopped resisting. Noel seized the opportunity to strip her naked, grinning. "Ms. Bristow, I suggest you stop wasting your energy. You're mine tonight, and there's no running now!"He had long since heard of Sunniva's beauty, and he was
"Mr. Noel? What is the meaning of this?" Sunniva shrieked in alarm. Noel was wiping his face with a towel when she spoke, and upon hearing her voice, he slowly moved toward her. "Ms. Bristow, do I really need to spell this out for you? You're a gorgeous woman, and I admire you very much. There's nothing to be afraid of, darling. We're all adults here, so there's no need to be shy. I promise that I'll make this the most memorable night you've ever had. "Ms. Bristow, do you know how many women would die to be in your position? Women everywhere bend over backwards to keep me happy, and most of them are willing to please me just to get my business. If you still want this partnership, you better be a good girl and keep me satisfied. If not…"Noel trailed off, for at this point, he had already reached the bed and was just inches away from Sunniva. His flesh quivered with his every move, and he was so tall that he loomed over Sunniva's tiny body like a beast eyeing its prey. "You… you
Noel was not used to being rejected so outwardly. Sunniva's indifference infuriated him greatly. He scoffed, then brought his hand up to his nose and took a deep breath as if trying to catch a whiff of any scent that Sunniva had left on his skin. He sneered. "Ms. Bristow, it seems you are intent on challenging me?"Sunniva replied curtly, "So what if I am?""Very well then! You like to do things the hard way, eh? Let me make this clear—the moment you step out the door, the partnership will be called off! I will no longer do business with Bristow Group!"The audacity!With a smug grin, Noel cast Sunniva one last look before returning to his seat. He watched her coolly and made no move to stop her from leaving again, for he knew he had her cornered. Sunniva stood rooted to the spot, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. Noel knew he had Sunniva caught in a dead-end situation. He smirked and raised his glass to his lips. "How about this, Ms. Bristow? Just one last drink with
A glimmer of annoyance flashed through Noel's eyes, but he continued to reach toward Sunniva, grinning. "Ms. Bristow, I really, really admire you…"Sunniva froze. The next moment, she leaped to her feet, still holding her wine glass, and ducked out of Noel's reach. She replied, raising his glass in an attempt to disguise her nervousness, "Mr. Noel, I greatly admire your success as a businessman as well. Cheers to our partnership!"Noel's arm hovered in mid-air, looking awkward and forlorn as it dangled out of reach of its target. A strained silence fell over them. The tension lasted only a few minutes, though, because Noel soon regained his composure and drew his arm back. He clinked his glass against Sunniva's as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The two of them had been drinking for quite some time now, and Noel was growing more and more inebriated by the minute. He was a pale man, and so the alcohol gave him an unnatural flush that made him look as though he was
"Thank you, Uncle Leonardo." With that, Liam and Cirocco left the manor. They returned to the hotel to meet up with Calum and Sunniva. Liam and Cirocco were waiting in the hotel's presidential suite, going over their plans for the upcoming days, when Calum burst in, looking flustered. Liam was the first to notice how strangely nervous Calum seemed. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"Calum explained hastily, "Sir, Ms. Bristow was just taken away by a group of locals. She claimed that they were the businessmen we were here to meet. Since you weren't back yet, she decided to go meet them herself. She wants me to inform you that they have gone to the Saint Louisiana Hotel and that you can meet them there."Liam furrowed his brows at this. Calum asked, "Sir, are you going to check on them?"Liam considered this a moment, then grabbed his phone and stood up. "I think I should. You and Cirocco should stay here and go over our plans. I'll pop by the Saint Louisiana Hotel. If Jeffre
"Unfortunately, I cannot reveal to you the identities of the remaining five yet, but don't you worry—when the time comes, you will find out soon enough."Just remember, Liam, you are not alone! No matter what happens, the six of us will be here to help you the best we can!" Leonardo said, squeezing Liam's shoulder in reassurance. His expression was solemn, but there was a spark in his eyes. Liam was even more stunned to hear this. What was going on? Had his grandfather planned this for over twenty years ago? Did he somehow know that Liam would come searching for him?"Uncle Leonardo, what's going on here? Is Grandpa still alive?" Liam asked nervously.Leonardo's face fell, and he shook his head gravely. "Truth be told, I am just as confused as you are. I've been trying to track your grandfather down for years, but the last I heard, he was still being kept on Wraith Island. I haven't heard any news about him since, but I refuse to believe your grandfather would die on Wraith Island