Everyone snapped out of their stupor and demanded answers. "Who did this? Who dares disturb the peace of Cascade City? Don't they know this is the Storm Serpent Society's territory?""How dare he attack Mr. Sanders, the vice president of the Storm Serpent Society himself! What a great dishonor to our name!""This is outrageous! We must not tolerate such blasphemy! No one shall get away with messing with the Storm Serpent Society!"Milo, who was already furious enough at Jaden's incompetence, could not hold in his anger any longer."Thud!" He smacked the table so hard that it wobbled and bellowed, "Very good! It seems that we have laid low for so long that everyone has forgotten what the Storm Serpent Society is capable of!"Summon all the members! I would very much like to meet this fool who dares to challenge the Storm Serpent Society's honor!""Yes, sir!" the subordinate stammered in response and quickly left. He had barely reached the door when another subordinate burst in, pa
This infuriated his opponent greatly, and his fury was evident in his beady little eyes. He scoffed. "You think you're so great, do you? You underestimate us, you fool, and this shall be the most fatal mistake you have ever made! If you do not wish to die, apologize and cripple yourself in compensation, and your sin may be forgiven!""Indeed! You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, you punk! You are a mere inches away from death, without knowing it!""The Storm Serpent Society will not be dishonored! Get on your knees and apologize right this instant, or we'll pulverize you on the spot!""We must teach him a lesson! His arrogance cannot go unpunished!"Liam did not seem the slightest bit fazed by the fierce outcries from the members of the Storm Serpent Society. Instead, he smiled, seemingly pleased at the attention he had garnered.The grin on his face infuriated everyone even more, and some of them cracked their knuckles as if preparing to strike. "The Storm Serpent
The moment the last word hung in the air, Milo's entourage, a solid crew of the Storm Serpent Society's elite, whipped out their pistols. The ominous barrels were then trained on Liam and his troop of soldiers.Simultaneously, a swarm of Storm Serpent Society members, at least fifty strong and armed to the teeth, burst from the manor, their guns also aimed at Liam and his men.Milo's lips twisted into a mocking sneer. "You think you're the only one packing heat? You're way out of your league. Did you actually believe my Storm Serpent Society would roll over? You're begging for a death wish when you storm into our turf with your little squad!"Some of Milo's henchmen clutched pistols, while others brandished homemade airguns and antiquated hunting rifles.Regardless of the weapon, it was clear: unless they were military or law enforcement, carrying a gun was a big no-no.Yet there they were, the Storm Serpent Society's goons, flaunting their firepower like they had an ace up their
The other big shots of Storm Serpent Society caught sight of it too. As they watched the sea of dark growing behind Liam, their smirks turned to stone.Milo's face darkened on the spot, his eyes darting to the troops materializing around them, his expression souring with a mix of shock and disbelief.It was clear then that those soldiers had been lying in wait the whole time.He had not caught a whiff of it.With that realization, Milo's scowl deepened, his gaze drilling into Liam as he demanded, "Just who the heck are you?""Heh!"Liam chuckled icily, retorting, "Mr. Jolls can't place me? I dropped off a 'lovely' present for you earlier today. Seems like it didn't quite hit the mark, did it?"That was then it clicked for Milo and the rest of the Storm Serpent Society crew. The man before them was Liam, the infamous do-nothing son-in-law from Drunham City!Milo narrowed his eyes, taking a quick look at the soldiers standing behind Liam. A flicker of doubt crossed his gaze as he
The Storm Serpent Society's inner circle was seething with rage at Liam's bold claims, their voices rising in a chorus of fury."Really, kid, you think you're untouchable? Take a good look around Cascade City—our Storm Serpent Society runs this town. And you have the gall to spout off like that!""Pure arrogance! Forget about tonight, if you could wipe out the Storm Serpent Society, I'd personally apologize to you!""Damn, boss, I think this kid's got a death wish. Does he really think a bit of muscle means he can strut around like he owns the place?"Milo listened to his underlings' jeers without intervening, nodding in agreement with their words.What a joke!Storm Serpent Society had carved out their empire in Cascade City over many years. It was not something that could be toppled just by snapping one's fingers.Liam ignored their taunts, his icy stare drilling into Milo, his eyes dark and bottomless like an abyss."Alright then! It looks like you won't face reality until i
Liam cocked an eyebrow and flashed a grin at the burly, bald man. "Looks like you're having doubts. Why not give your places a call? See if they're still up and running.""Oh, I'm dying to see how tough you really are!"With a mocking sneer, the bald man whipped out his phone and hit up one of his guys. Dead air, no answer.He did not sweat it, quickly ringing up another spot. Still, nothing but silence.Thinking back to earlier times, when Jaden could not get through to Adalee or the Twin Dragon bros, the bald man's heart started racing.Sweat beaded on his forehead as he dialed yet another number. This time, someone picked up.He barely breathed a sigh of relief when an urgent voice burst through the line."Mr. Randall! We're in deep trouble! Our joints have been shut down, and the crew's been nabbed!"The voice on the other end was hushed, tinged with fear, like they were ducking from someone's prying eyes.The bald man froze, his mind reeling. "What... What are you talking
However, Storm Serpent Society was a titan in Cascade City, and Jonah was its beating heart. Zayden, just a rookie in blue, stood no chance against such might. His quest for vengeance left him with nothing but a beating that broke him even further.From that day on, Zayden was a shadow of himself, haunted by pain and burning with hatred.He thought his chance for revenge was gone forever, but fate had a twist in store. Today, out of the blue, he got the order: shut down one of the Storm Serpent Society's joints.The news hit Zayden like a thunderbolt, filling him with a shock that quickly turned to a fierce thrill. Someone up high wanted the Society gone, and he was the hammer to fall on them.That was it!Tonight, Cascade City would be free of the Storm Serpent Society's grip.Zayden? He would finally settle the score.Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Storm Serpent Society's headquarters in the Cascade City estate was far from pleasant.Jonah, with a scowl etched deep into his
Milo's face was a mask of disgust, and for some reason, a nagging sense of dread lingered in his heart.The sight of Liam's smug, nonchalant face sent Milo into a sudden fury, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Liam, do you really think you can rattle Storm Serpent Society that easily? You're sorely underestimating us..." he said icily.However, before Milo could finish his threat, the shrill ring of a phone call cut him off.Milo's expression plummeted, his face turning stormy as he whipped out his cell phone. It was one of his guys on the line.Every member of Storm Serpent Society in the room watched with bated breath as Milo stared at the caller ID. After a tense few seconds, he pressed the answer button with a swift motion.He did not even get a chance to speak. The voice on the other end was frantic, almost hysterical. "Sir! Disaster struck! They've shut down everything... all our places, even the mines, they're all sealed off."We're done for, Boss! They've sealed off all our
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