"Queenie!" Nox called out to her, but Queenie did not respond. He darted over to her and checked her pulse. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. "Just a regular drug."And then someone opened the bathroom door. Out came Silas, draped in nothing but a towel. He was drying his hair, humming a tune happily, but that was cut short when he saw a stranger standing in the room.He glared at Nox and demanded, "Who are you? How did you get in?"Nox slowly got up and turned around."God—" When Silas saw who he was facing, he slipped and almost fell. "Y-You?" He couldn't believe Nox would show up.Nox looked at Silas coolly. He hissed, "I distinctly remember our last meeting. I told you if you tried to hurt Queenie again, I will kill you myself. That time is now."Silas felt fear settling in. He knew how powerful this man was. "Guards? Guards, come in!" Silas shouted at the door.Nox interrupted icily, "Save your breath. I've slaughtered your thugs."'What?' Silas wondered in fear. 'Dawg an
Nox didn't even look at Silas' body. He turned around and approached Queenie. Carefully, he picked her up and put his hands on her back. He injected slivers of energy into Queenie, and not too long after, Queenie spat the drug out.Still, she needed rest before she could wake up. Nox looked at her again and took her away from the hotel.…It was eleven at night. George and Yvette were in the courtyard, waiting for Queenie."Why isn't she home yet, honey?" George was pacing around, looking at the entrance with worry."Oh, what's the rush? It's only eleven. Rich people's parties always take a long time," answered Yvette."You have a point, but I wonder how far she's gone with Mr. Weeks," George muttered."Don't you worry. Queenie is a nice and pretty lady. I bet Alexander is going to reward us well."And then someone opened the door. George and Yvette watched Nox coming in, bringing their unconscious daughter. They wondered what happened."What? Queenie? What did you do to my da
And George left. Nox didn't take what he said to heart. Just like that, the night came to an end, but the aftermath was just beginning to take place.The next morning, Silas' death was exposed, and it sent ripples throughout the city. Centersea's heir's death was bound to do that. However, Queenie was still peacefully asleep in her house. But eventually, she was woken up by some noise.Her eyes snapped open, and she shouted, "Help!"Yvette was holding a cup of honeyed tea. Shocked by her daughter's scream for help, she asked, "What's wrong, Queenie?"Queenie was surprised to hear her mother's voice, and she stared at Yvette, wide-eyed. "Mom? Why are you here?""Where else would I be, child?" Yvette handed the tea to Queenie. "Did you have too much to drink last night? You're not even a drinker. Why'd you drink so much?"'I had too much to drink?' Queenie wondered in confusion. She massaged her head and stared at the room around her. It looked familiar. 'I'm at home? But didn't Si
Nox scratched his head and came up with a random excuse. "Just a coincidence."Queenie frowned. She had a lot of questions, but she asked none of them. "Thanks for saving me again, Nono," she blurted.Nox answered, "Don't mention it. I promised I'd keep you safe forever."Queenie went red. "Damn that Silas. That bastard. He waited until I was alone outside and kidnapped me. Thank God you came just in time, or I…" Her heart was racing, and she shuddered at the memory of what happened the night before.Nox consoled, "It's alright. That scum won't be harassing you again.""Did you whoop his ass?" Queenie asked."In a sense." Nox didn't tell her Silas was killed. After all, civilians like Queenie would absolutely find murder to be unacceptable.Queenie brushed the ordeal aside. Unbeknownst to her, if Nox hadn't arrived in time, Silas would've assaulted her. She had no idea what Silas had in mind for her.After some small talk, Queenie went for breakfast. She wanted to bring Nox alo
The TV was showing Riverton's news. The announcer was in a hotel, holding a microphone in their hand. "Latest news. A murder took place at Royal Hotel at ten last night. The victims are Silas Joshton, heir to the Centersea Corporation, as well as four thugs."George's cutlery fell out of his hands. "What? Silas is dead?"Queenie's eyes went wide, and they were glued to the screen. "Silas got murdered?"The announcer went on with the news. The screen showed the bodies of Silas and the thugs, but all of them were covered in white cloths, though the blood in the room still oozed.Queenie's heart sank. 'Silas is dead? Who did it? The thugs kidnapped me last night, and Nono saved me. Did he kill—' She cut off that thought, and panic settled in.Queenie charged off, and her parents watched in confusion."Nono! Nono!" Queenie ran up to Nox's room.Hearing the shout, Nox opened his door. "Queenie? What's wrong?"Queenie screeched to a halt and grabbed Nox's hand. "Tell me, did you kill
Gold consoled his grieving wife, "Calm down, honey. I'll find out who the killer is, and I'll make them pay tenfold! Take the lady to her room. She needs to rest."A servant took Sarah to her room quickly, and then footsteps echoed in the air. Gold raised his head only to see his brother coming in. A couple of armed soldiers followed him. Rivera quickly asked, "What happened, Gold? I heard Silas is…"Gold plopped down on his chair, his eyes red. Tremulously, he said, "Yes. He was murdered last night.""What?" Rivera slammed his fist on the wooden table before him, and it was crushed into pieces. "Who's the bastard? How dare he kill Silas?"Gold shook his head. "All I know is he went to Royal Hotel last night. As for the reason? I have no idea."Rivera said, "It's alright, Gold. I'll tap into my connections and find out who the killer is. They'll pay with their lives."…While the Joshtons were looking into Silas' death, Nox was living a quiet life in the Sanders Residence. He di
The mention of Queenie stirred up a storm in Gold's eyes. Rivera asked, "Why was he with that wench?"The bodyguard looked at Gold, and he stammered, too scared to answer."Speak!" Rivera harrumphed.The bodyguard answered, "According to our investigation, Silas and a team of four thugs kidnapped Ms. Sanders and took her to Royal Hotel.""What?" Rivera was shocked. "Silas took her to Royal Hotel? What is the meaning of this, Gold?"Gold knew how cruel his son could be. He wasn't surprised Silas did that to Queenie. He took a deep breath. "Rivera, Silas was young. Sometimes he could be a bit impulsive, but that is no reason for them to kill my son!"Rivera knew what his brother was getting at. He mused over it for a moment and decided to stay quiet about it. "So what will you do, Gold?"Gold was black as thunder. The memory of his son's lifeless body stirred up hatred in his soul. "They will pay with their lives. I am sure that bitch has something to do with Silas' death."River
Before the attacks could land, someone said, "Stop it! Don't hurt my parents!" Queenie came in from the backyard, and Nox was behind her.The sight of Queenie made Gold's temples throb. "You're finally here, bitch."Queenie ignored Gold. Instead, she checked on her father. George was fine, and Queenie stood up. "What do you want, Gold?"Gold's eyes were red with fury. "What do I want? You killed my son, and you have the gall to ask me what I want?""Nonsense. I didn't kill Silas," Queenie snapped."Lies! My son came to you at the ball of the bluebloods, didn't he?" Gold asked.Queenie looked uneasy. "And so what?"Gold said, "That's as good as a confession. Guards, take her down!"The bodyguards tried to attack Queenie, but Queenie roared, "Hold it right there! Gold, your bastard of a son kidnapped me! You're trying to capture me before I even hold him accountable for his crimes?"Queenie told him what happened that night, but Gold said coldly, "I don't know anything about the
Their targets were the relics around the altars. The moment the whirlpool showed up, the black energy conjured black walls and kept Brundela on lockdown, cutting off all communications.Possessed by evil spirits, gods from ancient civilizations came back to life. In the underground graveyard, the dead came bursting out of their coffins, and skeletons with phantom flames flickering around them charged at the holy knights and James' secret agents.Nothing more needed to be said. The holy knights' leader led the charge. The other knights resolved to fight to the death as they battled the skeleton gods.James and his secret agents fired off at the enemies, but the bullets did nothing to the skeletons. All they managed was to light a big spark. Only grenades and howitzers could deal damage to them, and even then, the damage was light.The battle was fierce. Though the knights did not fear death, they were still weaker than the prehistoric gods. These skeletons were nigh invincible, and
Nox was hovering higher than the Ice Temple Lord, and he got everyone's attention."Who's that?""It's a Faeastian!""My God, it's the Nine-State Lord!" Nox was known throughout Faeast and the world. Brundela's council members had recognized him the moment he showed up. They had nothing but fear for gods, yet Nox was the strongest man in the Mortal World, so they respected him.The clouds in Brundela's skies were hanging heavily over the ground, and the icy aura they radiated was making everyone shiver. Winter seemed to have come early for Brundela. The temperature was dipping fast.Back in the control center, intelligence agents were watching the surveillance footage closely, and they noticed the altar. The Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators were there, strengthening the altars' seal the best they could. There were soldiers guarding the altar as well.For some reason, the secret agents had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Murphy's Law, as they said.Suddenly,
A sliver of energy flew out of the puppet and gathered natural energy around it. Then, the temperature rose at a blistering rate. Fortunately, Bard's reminder came just in time, and Vermilion Bird was prepared for this. She led her team away from the spot.A pillar of fire engulfed the building, and heat waves shot off in every direction, lethal and deadly. The light eventually faded, and all buildings in a few hundred yards were razed to the ground.If Vermilion Bird had killed the puppet without thinking just now, she would have lost all her men and suffered serious injuries. "That bitch! I'm going to make her into a human swine one day! I'll give her hell!" she cursed.Bard gasped. 'Yeah, women can be really terrifying.' Not one General was a normal person.This incident didn't escape Nox, of course. He saw it through his divine sense. "Heh, you can't fight the flow of history? You say that, Aphrodite, but you've done the same thing more than once. Schemes and plots when your ey
Aphrodite was a master manipulator. She knew the weaknesses of Nox's underlings, and she praised Bard, "At least you know where you stand, Bard. You never overreach. Though we failed to make you one of us, I still thought it'd be a shame to kill you."Bard smiled. "Oh, you're such an actor, Ms. Mousse. You know why we don't like you? Queenie is a genuine lady, just like our lord. You're far inferior to her. And don't flatter yourself. Of course, I know where I stand. I can't even reach the pinnacle of martial arts, let alone cultivation."No matter how smart I am, my lack of talents holds me back. I can never be made an important leader." He was only spared because he couldn't become a threat to the Mousses.Nox didn't use schemes because he didn't need them. Absolute power could trump any plot.Vermilion Bird clenched her teeth. "What is the meaning of this? The lord knows that the bitch is here?"Bard shook his head. Vermilion Bird was a smart woman, but Aphrodite made her lose
Aphrodite felt nothing but sorrow, and Vermilion Bird burst into laughter. "I expected nothing less from these people. Your men are just like their employers. Hey, knights, you guys want to find out more about Faeast martial arts? See those Mousse guys? They're masters. Deal with them."Vermilion Bird gave her orders. She knew these people would escape the moment she showed up. The knights flew off, going after the escaped Mousses. The Mousses were a family of warriors, while these knights were cultivators, to an extent. They wore mystical artifacts, and the Mousses' guys didn't have something like that.The battle was fierce but short. The Mousses' powerhouses were taken out, and the rest were dealt with by the Shadow Division."And now only you're left. Interesting, isn't it? Karma always bites you in the ass. You betrayed my lord, and now your men betray you. You deserve this," Vermilion Bird cursed."Yes, I deserve this, but as long as he wants to be the Nine-State Lord, then w
'The beating heart of this land?' The woman's underlings looked grim. They were supposed to be the master tacticians here. Yet, Nox played them like a cheap kazoo. 'He's a far better tactician than we expected!'Nox began his counterattack not long after the Ocean of Death incident. This woman was none other than Aphrodite, Nox's old flame. When she saw Brundela's fate stabilizing, she knew right then that things had gotten out of her hands."Tell the Mousses in Eropa to retreat right away. There is no need to stay here any longer. He's not attacking us because he's waiting for us to do the same. The moment our men try to start anything, he'll swoop in and take them all out. "No one can beat him if he decides to go all the way. Not even me," said Aphrodite.Suddenly, the Mousses' powerhouse noticed something. "I sense bloodlust. Who goes there? Show yourself!" The powerhouses unsheathed their weapons and stood around Aphrodite, protecting her.A group of black silhouettes appeare
Now they had one, and it was Elizabeth. Her speech awakened the bravery and courage lying within the people of Brundela. An overwhelming majority of the council members stood up and chanted, "Long live the queen! Long live Brundela!""Good." Nox noticed something. The fate of Brundela stopped its downward shift and was stabilizing."The Mortal World and mortals. The Realm of the Gods has been here for millennia, and still, I can't figure out how mortals work." The Ice Temple Lord was confused. These mortals were prone to deception and scams. They were weak and frail. Yet, they had the potential to unleash strength that could shock even the gods."It's solidarity. You guys wouldn't get it. You call yourselves gods and lock yourselves up in the Realm of the Gods. You try to enslave the world despite being so out of touch with it."Do you know why I call you false gods? True gods are omnipotent. Their word is law. They can change the rules that govern this world just by saying it, b
Ice Temple's Lord didn't even look at Dickson. The man was so crushed that there wasn't even a hint of arrogance left in his soul. The Ice Temple's Lord's technique locked his spirit. So, it was not severely weakened. Thus, He would die very soon, even without the Ice Temple's Lord attacking him."Please, leader of gods. You are the only true god. I swear my undying loyalty to you. Spare me, please!" Dickson begged for his life.Dickson finally met his match. The arrogant would-be king couldn't even do anything against the Ice Temple's Lord."Oh, I can save you, but what makes you think you're worth it? You're lower than scum, and you think you have the right to ask for my favor? Repent and pray, then I might make it quick for you. Refuse, and only unending hell awaits."That threat scared Dickson. He cried and begged for mercy. He cursed his own soul and put his faith in a god stronger than his master."And you think you deserve the gift of life, maggot? Open your eyes, mortals
Two cultivators were fighting in mid-air, while the other Ice Temple cultivators made an invisible barrier to keep them in, or the council hall would be destroyed from the impact of the fight.The battle was awe-inspiring, and Dickson became smug. So what if his enemy was a leader of gods? Perhaps he was no match for one, but the Assad gods could easily destroy him if a slave could fight him for a prolonged period.Ice Temple's Lord realized that Dickson couldn't feel pain as the essence had nearly devoured his spirit. He was nothing if not feral, and he did not fear death at all. A brilliant idea appeared in his mind. He could create an army of fearless gods if he could get his hands on this technique.Nox said telepathically, "How much longer are you going to take? He's just a useless tribute. Do you honestly want to keep this up until he burns himself away?"Ice Temple's Lord's pupils contracted, and he looked at Nox. Nox looked up from his book. The Ice Temple Lord thought th