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
That was not all. He had even called the war zone's armed forces to action.The man wielding such dread-inspiring power was beyond Milo's wildest guesses. Who could be backing Liam?Without a flicker of doubt, Milo bowed low, his plea urgent, "Mr. Cole, I admit my fault. I beg of you, show mercy, spare my life."Milo's desperate words left Storm Serpent Society members wide-eyed in shock.One by one, they dropped their weapons and bowed, echoing his plea for mercy.Their leader was begging, what more did they need to know?Liam's eyes were frosty as he stared Milo down, his voice a wintry blade, "Name the puppet master, and I'll let you live."Milo's face tensed, his mind racing. Should he betray his employer?In their shady business, loyalty and secrecy were everything.To rat out his boss was to ruin his own future in the criminal world.Liam, reading Milo's hesitation like an open book, pressed him, "Decide, Milo. Speak or meet your end. Time's running out."Milo's entire
With Milo, the only link to the mysterious employer, now gone, the case had hit a wall.Meanwhile, Liam's concern for the matter deepened, as did his sense of alarm and the tricky nature of the situation.The adversary had orchestrated their moves with chilling precision, even accounting for the chance of Milo being compromised, and had preemptively placed a mole by Milo's side.The moment Milo's cover was blown, they silenced him without hesitation.The mastermind's reach was beyond Liam's wildest guesses.His foe lurked in the shadows while he was exposed in the open—a severe disadvantage!Then, with the enemy making moves against his family, Liam's worry for Celena and Jovie's safety grew intense!After spending two fruitless days in Cascade City, Liam left the investigation to the Green Dragon Warriors and departed.However, unbeknownst to Liam, as soon as his back was turned on Cascade City, a significant event unfolded.The mayor of Cascade City was found dead in his hom
The town was a mere stone's throw from Drunham City, a quick drive, roughly the same distance as Cascade City.Liam had a car ready in a jiffy, set on driving down there himself."Stay put and wait for my word. I'll check it out," Liam said.Celena, anxiety written all over her face, insisted, "Let me come with you."Liam was on the verge of saying no, but a thought struck him, and Celena's determined gaze tipped the scales—he was in.An hour ticked by.Once they hit the small town, Celena did as Liam had said, reaching out to the contact and letting them know she had the cash in hand.Sure enough, the moment the word 'money' hit the air, the other end of the line crackled with a smug, icy chuckle. "Hang tight at the town's edge. Someone will come fetch you," the voice commanded before the line went dead.Minutes later, a black van rolled to a stop beside them. Out stepped three brutes, each one a walking nightmare.Celena's face drained of color, and she scrambled behind Liam
Liam, gun already in hand, remained unfazed as he stared down the burly man. "I told you, we play by the rules. I see my in-laws first, then you get the money.""Damn! Do you want to die? I'll give it to you!"Enraged, the man roared and readied his gun to fire.However, as he lifted his hand, a commanding voice froze him in place."Hold it right there!"The leader, a mountain of a man, barked out the order and marched over, his eyes raking over Celena behind Liam with a sleazy leer. "You're coming with me," he sneered, then spun on his heel and climbed back into his vehicle.The henchman with the busted ribs, seething with anger, shot Liam a venomous look before begrudgingly retreating to the van.The black van led the way, with Liam trailing in his own car.The injured man's face was ashen, cradling his midsection. He glared at Liam's car in the rearview mirror, his eyes burning with fury."Boss, that punk is way too cocky. Why are we dragging him to the boss? Just put a bul
Liam's gaze was so incredibly frosty that he looked like a demon straight out of hell. The thugs who were blowing whistles immediately shut their mouths. It was instantly a different world in the hall after Liam and Celena walked through the door.The decor was luxurious. A few bikini-clad dancers were performing a sexy dance on the pole in the middle of the hall.However, nobody was watching the dance. All the guests in the hall were completely caught up at the gambling table.They cut through the hall and came to a private room on the second floor.A burly man named Conrad was sitting on the couch, and he was looking ferocious. He had thick gold chains wrapping around his neck and his wrist, and he was toying with a beaded bracelet in his hand.He had two sexy women in his arms, a cigar in between his fingers, and he was enjoying the company of the two beautiful women.A few bodyguards in black suits were standing behind the burly man, watching everything in the room with a f
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