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
"You think you could fool me with those petty tricks?"Liam fiddled with the handgun he snagged from Norwin's pocket, prodding his chin with the barrel, and sneered, "I really don't like it when people pull stunts behind my back, because if they do..."Norwin was completely drained, every inch of his body screaming in pain, and Liam's foot on his chest felt like a ton of bricks crushing his lungs.He could not remember ever being manhandled like that."Seriously, dude? You're way too cocky. Haven't you heard you're on Darkstone turf?" Sweat beaded on Norwin's forehead as he fought through the agony, shooting Liam a death glare. "Open your eyes, man! In Luminous, everyone knows not to mess with Darkstone. This is our house—no one dares to step out of line here."Norwin was soaked in sweat as if he had taken a dive into a pool."Darkstone's that tough, huh?" Liam's voice was calm and distant.Norwin mistook Liam's composure for fear, but before he could smirk, Liam's steady voice
Cirocco exerted force with his foot, crushing Norwin's fingers so hard that loud cracks could be heard. What followed immediately was Norwin's miserable scream. Cirocco broke all of Norwin's fingers on his right hand."Ahhh!" Norwin's face was flushed as he screamed in great pain. He wanted to pull his hand back, but no matter how much he tried, Cirocco's foot seemed to have been glued on top of his hand.Right as Norwin thought Cirocco was going to let him go, what Cirocco said next left him in despair.Cirocco removed his foot and looked at Norwin's right foot with a bone-chilling gaze as he said, "Since your right hand is broken, then your leg is next."Upon saying that, Cirocco stomped on Norwin's right calf with all his might.At the sound of another crunch, Norwin's bones were broken."Ah! My leg!" Norwin screamed miserably, holding his calf. His eyes were widened, and his face was flushed. Then, his head dropped to the side and he became unconscious.However, Cirocco did
The backyard of the mansion was buzzing as a party was being held next to the huge pool.A dozen beautiful women in bikinis were hanging around there. Some were swimming, some were drinking, and some were busting a move, dancing to the banging tunes.A bare-chested muscular man walked out of the pool, and a beautiful woman immediately put a bathrobe on him before leaning in his arms.The man's expression immediately darkened and his eyes were filled with a bone-chilling gaze after he answered a call. "You there. Tell the others that we will have two guests coming later. You guys will have to 'entertain' them well. Don't let them in," Grayson ordered icily with a sullen face after he waved at one of his subordinates by the pool."Yes, sir!" the subordinate answered respectfully. Then, he called upon a few other fighters in black clothes and walked toward the entrance of the mansion.Once Grayson gave the order, he wrapped his arms around two bikini-clad women and lay on the couch
Within half a minute, all of the fighters, except for the leader, were on the ground.The leader was shocked. He aimed his gun at Cirocco, shouting in a shaking voice, "D-don't come over!"Cirocco sneered and waved his hand. The dagger in his hand turned into a stream of light, separating the leader's head from his body as if it were a sharp sword.Liam only finished a third of his cigarette, but he threw it on the ground, putting it out by stepping on it. He had an indifferent face as he walked toward the luxurious mansion in front of him.However, as soon as both Liam and Cirocco got to the entrance of the mansion, the door suddenly opened.A hundred fighters welding weapons rushed out of the mansion and quickly had them surrounded.Then, the bodyguards at the entrance made a path, and out came a muscular man. The man was bare-chested and had a white bathrobe draped over his shoulders, and he was exuding an aggressive air all over him.That man was Grayson. He had two bikini-c
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