Tales of the Commander-in-chief of Pendragon were always making the rounds in the Abashidze war zone.He was Biskeland's toughest military leader, a five-star general with an undefeated squad in his Pendragon Warriors, holding a record of unbroken victories!Even Matthias, with his own hefty rep for strength in Abashidze, was seriously on edge about the Commander-in-chief of Pendragon.What really got to Matthias was the guy's sheer power—and the fact that nobody had a clue about the full extent of his abilities.Not long ago, the Commander-in-Chief of Pendragon had single-handedly charged into a sea of over a hundred thousand enemies, taking down a top commander and eight God of War warrior aces.Matthias had to admit, he would not have had the guts to pull off something like that!So, without a second thought, Matthias barked at his underling, "Move it! Get back in touch with them. I'm gonna hash this out with the Commander-in-chief of Pendragon myself!"Matthias ditched the p
However, Liam was unfazed by Matthias's threat, and to Matthias's surprise, he chuckled."Well then, if that's how it is, war it is."Liam gave a mocking nod, locking eyes with a shocked Matthias. "However, let me make something clear to you, General Matthias. You might have three aircraft carriers at your disposal, but we won't be sending out any troops." The smile on Matthias's face disappeared, replaced by a dark scowl. He stared at Liam and said icily, "Really? So, the mighty Commander-in-chief of Pendragon is saying Biskeland won't send a single soldier? Then what's your grand plan to take us on?" Liam's grin was all the answer he needed. "Just me. That's all it'll take." Matthias's face froze in disbelief. He could not fathom the arrogance. Sure, Liam was a force to be reckoned with, having once charged into an enemy force of tens of thousands all by himself. However, that was on land. The sea was a different beast, where aircraft carriers ruled supreme. There was Liam, c
"Yes, sir... they're... they're dead in the water..."Matthias's face darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes. Panic clawed at his chest.A carrier was a beast when it was moving but dead in the water? It was just a sitting duck. Sitting ducks in a war zone? They were just target practice.Matthias and his officers knew the score, and that was exactly why they were freaking out.Just then, Matthias caught the icy, mocking smirk on Liam's face. "Did you do this, Commander Liam of Pendragon?"Liam's nod was calm, almost dismissive. "That's right."Matthias exploded, fury radiating off him as he shot to his feet. "Commander Liam, this is way out of line! Remember, we're supposed to be negotiating!""Are you challenging us to war, Abashidze? You've really done it now! You've made me angry, and your little Biskeland is going to regret your stupidity!" They were in the middle of negotiations, and starting a fight during talks was a big no-no by international standards! However, Liam
As Liam's words thundered in the room, a palpable, dominant force radiated from him, sending shivers of dread through the crowd. With his message delivered, he shot Matthias a final, icy look and left the negotiation room without another word.Matthias was completely taken aback by Liam's commanding presence, and it was not until Liam had walked away that Matthias snapped out of it, realizing he had been utterly cowed. In a sudden fury, he roared out loud."Damn it!"Blinded by rage, Matthias upended the negotiation room table with a single, powerful sweep!He then quickly got on the line with Abashidze's war zone headquarters to report the day's negotiation fallout and the aircraft carrier's damages.The headquarters wasted no time ordering Matthias to pull out of the Razcland waters.So, under the cover of night, as soon as the carrier was patched up, Matthias and his crew beat a swift retreat from the sea zone.Meanwhile, Liam made his way back to the Northern Biskeland headq
"Yes, sir! It's this super-secretive group in Westernia packing some serious muscle. The Darkveil Organization's got six big shots running the show, each one a bona fide God of War."And that's not all. They've got twenty regular members, and even the least of them is a top-tier military king. If you want a shot at Wraith Island, you've got to get past these guys!""Got it. Keep digging for Wraith Island's exact spot," Liam instructed, then gestured for his man to leave."Understood!"With a respectful nod, the subordinate vanished in a blink as if swallowed up by the villa's shadows.Liam strode into the living room and sank into the couch, his face etched with concern. He had heard whispers about the Darkveil Organization but never grasped its full scope. What threw him for a loop was their tie to the mythical Wraith Island. Armed with the key to Wraith Island, it was time to reshuffle his plans and gear up for what lay ahead.As dusk settled, Celena and her daughter Jovie ar
Finnegan's angry shout echoed through the entire Knowles family hall. Seeing his outburst, everyone in the hall fell silent, not daring to say a word.The tension in the hall was palpable as silence fell over the room.Yarden might have been a big shot in public, but under his father Finnegan's roof, he was nothing but a scared kid, especially then with Finnegan fuming. Yarden's heart thudded in his chest, fear gripping him tight."Dad, it's not fair. I swear I wasn't causing trouble this time. Someone attacked me..."Yarden's voice broke as he pleaded, looking every bit the victim of some great wrong done to him out in the world.Ruby, the middle-aged woman sitting by Finnegan, had been dabbing at her eyes ever since Yarden stumbled through the door. Hearing her son's pitiful sobs then, she was overcome with compassion. She quickly wiped away her tears and hurried to Yarden's side, examining his bruises with a mother's worry."My boy, are you alright? Let me see."The more Ru
"You have to set them straight, honey. They've crossed the line. Just look at what they've done to our boy," Ruby implored, her tears falling as she spoke with aching tenderness.Finnegan's gaze hardened at the sight of his son Yarden's injuries. With a sharp snort, he declared harshly, "They've got a death wish, that's for sure. Some lowly son-in-law from the Stone family in Drunham City thinks he can beat up my boy and get away with it? Not a chance!""The head of our family has to come down hard on that nobody. If we don't, people will start thinking the Knowles family can be pushed around," one family member insisted."Absolutely! If some nobody son-in-law thinks he can strut around like he owns the place, he's got another thing coming. Does he really think the Knowles family is a pushover?" another added."And don't forget about the Stone family. A no-name clan from Drunham City dares to ignore the Knowles of Anneshire? Unbelievable!" a third chimed in.The great hall buzzed
Liam suddenly stopped scrolling. A frosty glint gleamed in his eyes and a sneer appeared on his face.Then, Liam held his phone and walked up to the intersection causally before turning into an empty alley.Kenneth kept tailing Liam. At first, Liam was standing at the bus stop. There were surveillance cameras all over that place, so it was hard for Kenneth to strike. However, he saw Liam turn into the alley.Seeing that made Kenneth sneer and thought, 'Hmph. You brought this onto yourself.'Then, Kenneth followed Liam into the alley. After he saw that there was nobody around them, he whipped out his dagger and attacked Liam's back.However, he failed to attack Liam. Liam simply turned his body and dodged it. In the meantime, Liam used the force of the turn and attacked Liam's head with a sidekick.Kenneth was stunned. He did not think Liam could dodge his attack and counterattack in such a short time.However, he quickly regained his composure. He pulled back the hand that was h
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