The guests were all buzzing about Liam, looking at him with faces twisted in mockery and chilling laughter. They were scoffing at his self-delusion, laughing at his absurd behavior!To him, Liam, who had supposedly left Drunham City, was then back at the Hughes residence, which was akin to walking straight into a trap!In the crowd, Reginald and the Stone family members reacted with shock at the sight of Liam, the instigator of their troubles. Some were agitated, others panicked, but most were seething with anger.Cheryl's face lit up with excitement when she saw Liam. His presence meant her parents would be safe. However, then, remembering that it was all because of Liam that her parents had nearly met with disaster, her excitement quickly turned to fury. She could not help but sneer as she watched Liam make his outrageous claims."Grandpa, look closely at Liam. He's totally out of his league. Can you believe he's still running his mouth at a time like this? As if he, the good-for
Trevyn's words were as frosty as his stare, fixed on Liam as he continued his frigid tirade. "Now, tell me, Liam, what makes you think you can take down the Hughes family? Why should we siblings lower ourselves to that trash, Celena? Is it because you're the Cole family's reject or because you're just a nobody who married into the Stone family? In my eyes, you're nothing more than a bug!"Trevyn's voice thundered through the grand Hughes estate, his rage reverberating in the ears of the stunned guests. They all watched, eager for a spectacle, as Liam was on the brink of reaping the bitter consequences of his pride.However, then, an unexpected voice cut through the tension at the entrance."Who has the authority? I do! The commander of the Drunham City garrison and the Mayor of Drunham City, Malcolm!"With that, Malcolm charged in, leading a troop of over a hundred soldiers decked out in full gear, guns at the ready.Malcolm, radiating a fierce aura of wrath and a chilling intent
How was that even possible?Liam was nothing more than a stray, a man who had married into the Stone family, a nobody!How could he be a commander-in-chief?The words that Malcolm and the warriors had just spoken shattered everyone's previous image of Liam!Cheryl's face was a picture of shock, her eyes glued to Liam, a mix of bewilderment and terror in her gaze. She blurted out, unable to believe her ears, "What!!? Isn't Liam a nobody? Has Malcolm lost his mind?"Qemal looked equally troubled, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open as he stared at Liam from afar, murmuring to his sister, "Did I just hear that wrong? Malcolm actually called Liam 'commander-in-chief' and spoke of himself as if he were a lowly subordinate... That's how you talk to a boss..."The rest of the Stone family were just as incredulous, murmuring their disbelief to each other.Reginald, with a troubled look, watched Liam's retreating figure, overhearing the endless whispers of his family. He hushed them ste
"Liam! You've got some nerve showing up here!"Patrick's face was a picture of icy menace as he ascended the stage, looming over Liam with a glint of murderous intent in his eyes. "Liam! Today, I'm going to make you suffer. Look around! Your wife and daughter are being treated like animals, chained and caged, sold off like they're nothing but objects!"It's all your fault, and soon, I'll have someone ruin Celena right before your eyes, and I'll send your daughter off to the mountains. I'll make sure you die drowning in your own regrets!"Brianna's face was an icy mask, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she sneered at Liam. "Can you believe it? That nobody Liam dragged in here actually had the nerve to threaten us, saying he'd wipe out the Hughes family. He even had the gall to demand that we bow down and apologize to that tramp Celena!""Pfft, the guy's living in a fantasy world!"Patrick's eyes flashed with a deadly chill, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Oh, Liam,
When the truth came out that Liam and Malcolm's confrontation was all an act, the crowd erupted with biting curses, all aimed at Liam. After all, Malcolm was a general like Trevyn!Celena's initial doubts and excitement chilled to a frost when she heard Trevyn's words. Her eyes swirled with a mix of confusion, shock, and mostly fear.Liam was not a commander-in-chief at all. Were they just putting on a show?Out of nowhere, Jovie, nestled in Celena's arms, started to squirm and stood up, yelling at the top of her lungs, "My daddy's no liar! He's the best! My daddy's the commander-in-chief! He's the mighty Dragon Commander! The great King Pendragon! You can't call my daddy a liar! He told me he's a big hero, with lots of big brothers working for him!"Jovie, who had been in a bit of a haze, snapped to attention the moment she heard the crowd bad-mouthing Liam. Her earnest eyes and resolute voice brought the room to a stunned halt.However, the silence lasted only a few seconds befo
Absolutely terrifying!Malcolm could not shake the image of a warrior, drenched in blood, striding from the depths of hell itself.He knew, no doubt, that tonight spelled the end for the Hughes family. After today, they would cease to exist.Trevyn? His fate was sealed as well.Onstage, Trevyn faced the audience, his eyes locking with Liam's, who was practically vibrating with lethal energy. With a deliberate motion, Trevyn removed his military cap and methodically unbuttoned his uniform. With a flourish, he sent it soaring through the air to be caught by his aide-de-camp.Clad in a white shirt, tucked neatly into his army uniform, Trevyn cut an imposing figure. His black boots anchored him firmly, and under the harsh stage lights, his shirt gleamed brilliantly.Cracking his knuckles and neck, Trevyn issued a bone-chilling challenge to Liam, "I hear you're a soldier fresh from the warzone. Let's settle this the soldier's way! Step up and challenge me! Beat me, and you can leave w
"Liam's lost it, right? Spouting off like that?""General Hughes's not his match? Looks like Liam's got jitters and is just blowing smoke!""That loser Liam's definitely backed down. Everyone's heard about General Hughes from Northern Biskeland, the big-shot War King with four stars to his name. And Liam? He's a nobody, and now he's got the nerve to say Trevyn's not in his league?"The crowd had never had much respect for Liam, and his bold claim just fanned the flames of their disdain, sparking a barrage of cutting remarks.The title of War King was reserved for the baddest of the bad in the war zone, and those stars were not just for show. They meant they were a force to be reckoned with.In the fierce battlegrounds that span the major war zones, only a select few, barely a hundred, have claimed the coveted title of a four-star War King. Each one was a titan in their own right, making it clear that snagging such a title was a Herculean task.Trevyn, the youngest War King in Nor
"This is too scary! General Hughes is truly the strongest War King in the military zones. He's strong, it's terrifying. It's no wonder why he would be highly valued in Northern Biskeland!""You're right! General Hughes is incredibly outstanding! He has a bright future ahead of him. The Hughes family will be soaring to greater heights in the future!""He's so powerful, yet that loser Liam dared to boast his ability. Let's just wait and see. He's going to suffer a miserable death in a while!"Everyone could not stop singing praises about Trevyn. While they praised and fawned over Trevyn and the Hughes family, they kept insulting Liam. After all, everyone believed Trevyn was the most powerful person while Liam was the polar opposite.The Stone family stood among the crowd and watched nervously the whole time. After they saw Trevyn attacking Liam, they could not help but start to mock Liam.Cheryl was the first to speak. With a ferocious expression and a sneer, she said, "Hmph! As t
Meanwhile, Celena and the group were taken out of the hotel and shoved forcefully into a couple of jeeps waiting at the entrance. They were whisked away to a nearby military base. Before they could even get their bearings straight, they found themselves being tossed into holding cells. Celena, on the other hand, was taken separately to a small, dark room, illuminated only by the barest sliver of light that peeped in through a tiny window. The room was entirely empty, save for a metal bed frame. A sour stench hung in the air, and it was clear this room had been abandoned for a very long time. A soldier shoved Celena roughly into the room, and before she could realize what was happening, the soldier slammed the door shut.The soldier had pushed Celena so hard that she fell onto the ground, but upon seeing that her captor was about to leave, she leaped to her feet and sprinted over to the door. "Sir, can you tell me what I did wrong? Can you please have mercy on me? Can you at least
Tristan seemed just as baffled as they were. He returned their puzzled gazes with an equally perplexed one of his own. "I… I have no idea…"The general glanced sharply in their direction, then gestured to his soldiers and declared sternly, "Take them away!"His soldiers obliged and stepped forward to restrain the members of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, who all shrieked in alarm, "Why are you taking us away?""General, what did we do wrong? We didn't do anything illegal, so why are you arresting us?""Mr. Xander, save us! They've got this all wrong!""What's going on here? Why are they arresting only us?"Celena's entire body was shaking like a leaf. She eyed the soldiers around her and asked, stammering, "General, what did we do wrong? Why are we being captured? Where are you taking us?"Tristan, stricken with panic, shoved a soldier aside and shouted at the general, "General, I'm the president of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, and I want to know why we're being taken away. Wh
Celena was utterly terrified by the sudden turn of events. She stared pale-faced at the soldiers around her, not daring to move even a muscle. What was going on?All of a sudden, a man in a uniform stepped into the room. The badge on his shoulder indicated to everyone that he was a general. The heavy thumping of his boots echoed through the silent room with every step he took. All eyes were on him as he stepped onto the stage.He carried himself with great authority, and clearly, this man was not one to be messed with. He scanned the room as if searching for someone. Finally, he announced in a deep, resounding voice, "Do not fear, ladies and gentlemen. We are here on a routine check after receiving a tip-off regarding your conference. We will release you all once we have carried out our investigation, and the process will be quicker and smoother if you all cooperate. "Now, I would kindly request you get your documentation ready so that my men may confirm your identity."Everyone
Derek nodded earnestly and replied, "Of course it's true. My sources have never failed me. I wouldn't have trusted you with this information if I didn't think you'd be interested."Celena stared at him for a moment, then turned to glance in the direction of the people he had pointed. She could not help but be tempted by the offer. She considered this for a few moments, then accepted his offer. "Alright then, Mr. Duncan. I'll go with you. Thank you for inviting me."The smile on Derek's face widened. He could hardly believe his luck—Celena had agreed to go with him! Taking that first step was always the hardest, but he had done it!Unbeknownst to Celena, Derek already knew her long before their first meeting at the conference. Her name was known far and wide in Drunham City, not least because of her beauty, but because of her—in the eyes of the public—tragic marriage. Celena had earned herself a reputation as one of the most beautiful women Drunham City had ever seen, and although
The attention they received, however, was large due to Celena and her young, handsome companion, who was a man named Derek Duncan. Their attractive looks, both individually and combined, were easily the topic of discussion that night. Everyone who laid eyes on them admired both their good looks and brains, for certainly only the cream of the crop were allowed to attend this prestigious event. What made this feat even more impressive was the fact that they were both so young!Aside from her beauty, Celena's name was already known far and wide in the business world, not just because of her strong leadership but due to her association with Liam and her company's connections with many international corporations. She had started her business from scratch, but within a few short months, she had single handedly built it up to become one of the top ten grossing companies in Drunham City.There were hundreds of people gathered there tonight, and their seats had been allocated according to t
The moment Clifford left, Kastor turned to Liam with a wide grin, all hint of his hostility now gone. "Mr. Cole, thank God I arrived just in time."He raised his brows as he said this, and Liam took this to mean he was trying to claim credit. Truth be told, he would have been able to handle things on his own even without Kastor's help, but he decided this was a detail Kastor did not need to know. Instead, he returned Kastor's smile graciously. Kastor, like a child, burst into laughter at this. No further words were exchanged, but they understood the message nonetheless.Jeffrey also grinned. "Kastor, what brings you here all of a sudden?"Kastor replied, "Ah, you might not know this, Mr. Stein, but I actually own this very restaurant that you're sitting in right now. One of my employees called me for help, citing that a brawl was about to break out, so I rushed over immediately. I had no idea it would turn out to be you and Mr. Cole!""Ah, what a pleasant surprise, then!" Jeffrey
Clifford scowled upon hearing this. He cracked his knuckles menacingly as he stared at Kastor through narrowed eyes.Kastor did not seem at all intimidated by this. Instead, he brushed past him and approached Liam, smiling. "Mr. Cole, I apologize for the delay. I rushed over as soon as I heard the news, but I was late anyway. I'm so sorry for the wait."Liam's expression eased up slightly. He tugged the corners of his mouth into a strained smile but did not reply. Clifford's expression turned even more sour when he sensed Kastor's tone. He asked sharply, "What is the meaning of this, Kastor? Are you intent on making me your enemy?"Clifford's reputation was known far and wide, and many feared him, but Kastor was not one of them. He shot Clifford a look of utmost disdain and replied, smirking, "Yes, Clifford, that's exactly what I'm going to do. So what if we will be enemies from now on? What are you going to do about it?"He was confident that Clifford would not dare to retaliate
One of the muscle-bound goons stowed his submachine gun and drew a hefty machete, nearly a foot long, from his side. He advanced on Liam with deliberate steps.Calum and Cirocco were poised for a fight, ready to jump in at Liam's command and wipe out the roomful of petty thugs.However, Liam had other plans. He remained seated, an unfazed smirk playing on his lips, watching the approaching thug with the machete.The thug, mistaking Liam's calm for fear, grinned viciously and raised his machete, aiming for Liam's arm.However, in a flash, the scene changed.A figure hurtled through the air, and with a resounding crash, the thug was sent flying into the wine rack. The rack toppled, bottles shattering, their contents spilling and perfuming the air with the scent of alcohol.The thug hit the ground, blood spurting from his mouth, his eyes wide with shock. He lay there, lifeless, staring at Liam, dead before he hit the floor.The room plunged into a deathly hush.Corie clapped a h
Corie was also shaken, her fists clenched tight under the table as she watched Liam with wide, fearful eyes, barely managing to whisper, "Liam!"Liam stood there, steady as ice, without a trace of fear. "Don't worry, I've got this," he assured.Corie, seeing Liam's calm dismissal of the threat and recalling his proven strength, felt her fear ebb away.She could not explain it, but she had an unwavering faith in Liam.Across from them, Clifford lounged back, his legs thrown carelessly over the table, his gaze dripping with disdain. "You don't know who you're messing with, do you?" he sneered. "Karpos works for me, Clifford. And yet, you've got the gall to attack my men in broad daylight? You're in over your head!"Jeffrey was about to chime in, but one look at Liam's icy demeanor and he thought better of it, choosing instead to watch the scene unfold in silence.He was curious to see just how Liam would handle that.Liam chuckled, a sound as cold as the winter wind, and fixed Cli