Chapter 1

Oasis Vale was isolated from the rest of the world. Few knew that in this peaceful valley lived a group of extraordinary people, including the overlords of the criminal underworld, business magnates with net worths that rivaled countries, and even core government officials of various countries.

It was noon, and Gideon Snow walked out of the cottage with a basket in hand.

"Sir!"

Ajax Bale, a burly, heavily bearded man, scrambled up to Gideon as he herded the goats around him. "As per your punishment, I have tended to the goats for a month. Today is the last day. What should I do next?"

"You can start harvesting the wheat next."

"That's my job, sir! What am I supposed to do if Ajax takes over?" Donald Ingleson, Cherony's minister of defense, asked with a pitiful expression.

"You can be in charge of cleaning up the dung."

"You got it, sir."

Gideon had only taken a few more steps when someone approached him and reported, "Sir! Justin Mugler, the military commander of Magaria, and Paul Hodge, the King of Destruction, are fighting!"

Frowning, Gideon asked, "Why?"

"At noon, Justin harvested some of the spring onions from Paul's fields to use in his cooking. Paul found out and took some of the lettuce Justin planted, so the two got into a brawl."

Gideon rubbed his forehead, vexed at the pettiness of the issue.

"Tell them I'm ordering them to stop at once! For their punishment, they are to help Hercule Wagner, the King of Strength, with his task of relocating the mountain."

"Understood, sir!"

"Why are these people doing nothing but causing me trouble every day? Are they bored out of their minds and feeling restless? Well, they can join me in a training session or two, then."

Immediately, everyone in the vicinity shuddered in fear. The most horrifying thing in the world was to train with Gideon! They would rather toil in the fields for the rest of their lives instead.

"Focus on your work and stop causing trouble!" Gideon barked with a scoff before heading to the mountain peak with his basket.

Situated up there was a small burial mound.

After placing a bottle of whiskey in the basket before the tombstone, he sat down with a sorrowful look.

Gideon once belonged to the Snows of Goldspire in the state of Verdura. As the oldest son of his generation, he lived a wealthy, carefree life with his family. Alas, no one could predict how life would turn out.

Five years ago, Gideon's parents abruptly went missing. Following that, Cormac Snow, one of the Snow family elders, seized control over the family and kicked Gideon out, going so far as to send hitmen after Gideon.

Finally, at the end of his wits, Gideon chose to throw himself into the river and take his own life. It was then that Titus Laird saved him.

Titus became Gideon's mentor, and he inherited all of Titus' remarkable abilities. From time to time, Titus would give him assignments, which led to the gathering of the world's most powerful figures in Oasis Vale—they had all been captured during such assignments.

Three years ago, Titus gave Gideon an extremely difficult and important task, and that was to capture Alistair Nixon, also known as the King of Vice, who was the international kingpin of the entire criminal underworld.

However, when Gideon brought Alistair back to Oasis Vale, Titus had disappeared and left nothing but a letter behind.

According to the letter, he knew he was on the verge of death and chose to bury himself. He asked that Gideon stay in mourning and guard his grave for three years. He also said he would be leaving Gideon a treasure that was buried inside the grave.

Once the three years were up, Gideon had his permission to dig up the grave and retrieve said treasure.

"You asked me to watch over your grave for three years, Titus. Well, today's the last day. Here's my offering of wine to you. I'll be digging up your grave soon, so enjoy it one last time."

Three minutes later, Gideon hopped back on his feet, pushed aside the grass nearby, and picked up the shovel he'd prepared a long time ago.

"Three minutes should be enough time. I'm going to start digging now, Titus. It's on your orders, so you can't get upset with me for desecrating your grave."

Just as Gideon was about to start shoveling, a voice called out to him, "Someone's looking for you, sir!"

"Huh?"

Gideon turned around and looked at the owner of the voice, Ian Jackman. Known as the King of Information, Ian was the head of Cipher, an intelligence network.

"Who is it?"

"It's an extremely pretty woman. I think she's in the military. She brought two guards with her. Maybe she's one of your paramours, sir."

"How ridiculous!" Gideon snapped with a glare.

"You should take a look anyway, sir," Ian urged.

"What a nuisance!"

Setting down the shovel, Gideon went down the mountain.

…

"Ms. Mosley, why do all these people who are passing by seem so menacing? They're giving me goosebumps."

"He's right, Ms. Mosley. They terrify me, too."

Beside the lake in the middle of Oasis Vale, two armed military guards, Benny Quall and Derek Boole, made comments in hushed voices.

Lavinia Mosley, who stood by the edge of the lake with her hands behind her back, brushed them off indifferently. "They live deep in the forest, where they often encounter wild animals and even hunt them. It's only natural that they develop a menacing air.

"However, despite how menacing they seem, they can't compare to you two in a fight. You are military officers who have fought real battles before. These people are hunters and butchers, at most. They can't hold a candle to you."

Benny and Derek nodded in realization.

"Someone's approaching, Ms. Mosley!"

Lavinia turned around, and when she saw Gideon walking closer, her gaze sharpened.

"Are you Gideon Snow?"

"And you are?"

"Such insolence!" Benny fumed. "This is Ms. Lavinia Mosley, Dasovia's youngest and the only female war hero! Hurry up and greet her properly!"

"Lavinia Mosley?" Gideon repeated. The name rang a bell.

"It's fine," Lavinia said as she signaled for her guards to stand down. In a doubtful tone, she asked, "Gideon, hasn't your father ever told you about the marriage agreement between us?"

That jogged Gideon's memory of a story his father had told him. He'd once saved the life of the scion from the Mosley family of Jasburg, and the two men had agreed to matchmake their children.

Gideon didn't expect this fiancée of his to come looking for him after more than two decades had passed.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not here to follow through with the wedding. I'm here to break off the engagement," Lavinia said with a standoffish air.

Gideon froze in shock, which made Benny and Derek react with derision. They couldn't believe that a countryside farmer dared to think he could latch onto Lavinia, a war hero! Was there no end to his audacity?

"Gideon, I know this is a tough pill for you to swallow, but I'm sure you can tell that we belong in entirely different worlds. If you were still the well-regarded son of the Snow family, I might've considered marrying you. After all, your father did save my father's life. We owe your family a great debt of gratitude.

"However, the Snows have fallen from grace. You have been kicked out of the family and are forced to live as a farmer in this remote forest! My husband can never be a mere farmer!"

Gideon was still sporting a dumbfounded expression. What was wrong with her? Why was she tooting her own horn?

"Of course, this doesn't mean that we, the Mosleys, are being ungrateful. Since your father saved my father's life once, in return, if your life is ever in danger, I will save you once, too.

"Here's my phone number. Put it away for safekeeping," Lavinia said before holding a card with her details out to Gideon.

Meanwhile, Gideon finally couldn't keep his silence any longer. "Is there something wrong with you? Did you come all the way here just to talk about such inconsequential matters?"

"Huh?"

Lavinia was stupefied. She thought she'd heard wrongly.

Snorting, Gideon continued, "Back then, it was your father who insisted on arranging our marriage, but now, you're the one who came running over here to break off the engagement. You and your father sure know how to put on a good show. Who are you turning your nose up at, huh?

"If the engagement is to be terminated, I'm the one who gets to decide, not you. Pass me a pen and a piece of paper!"

Ian swiftly passed the pen and paper over, and with a great flourish, Gideon wrote out an agreement saying that the engagement was annulled.

"You can leave now!"

After tossing the agreement at Lavinia, Gideon turned around and walked off, feeling extremely furious.

There he was wondering who had come. He didn't expect the visitor to be a woman with a few screws loose in her head. What on Earth was her deal anyway? She had disrupted him amid his excitement over digging up Titus' grave.

Lavinia's eyes widened in shock. Even as she stared after Gideon, she still hadn't quite wrapped her head around the situation. Gideon had just canceled the engagement to her!

In an instant, rage bubbled up inside of her. Her expression was as cold as ice as a murderous air slowly emanated from her.

She, Dasovia's war hero, had just been rejected by a mere farmer! This was the humiliation of the highest order! It was unthinkable!

"Please calm down, Ms. Mosley. That man has shown you no respect. We will seize him so that you can issue him the punishment he deserves!"

Benny and Derek were about to put those words into action when the weather changed. A chilling breeze abruptly swept over them, and with it came an unnerving pressure that left them feeling uneasy.

"What's going on? Why did the weather change all of a sudden?"

"Is a storm brewing?"

Benny and Derek were puzzled. They had no idea that it was caused by the powerful figures who were busy farming around them. After hearing what these men said about wanting to capture Gideon, the powerful figures reacted with rage, their murderous airs bursting out of them.

"Forget it!" Lavinia said as she shook her head. Sneering, she continued, "I get it. He only did that to salvage his pitiful self-esteem as a man."

"No one is allowed to humiliate you, Ms. Mosley!"

"It is a crime for him to disrespect you!"

Lavinia brushed them off with a wave of her hand. "Save it. On account of the fact that his father saved my father's life, I'll let him off the hook. Come. Let's go!"

The wind settled, and everything went back to normal.

Back at the mountain peak, Gideon had forgotten all about Lavinia. He raised his shovel and started digging at the grave in great anticipation.