The Seymours all sported strange expressions. They didn't know what to say about Matthew, who'd fled off quicker than anyone would've thought. What was he doing here now?Matthew also felt awkward, but he tried to explain himself. "You've misunderstood me, everyone. I only ran off to get help!""To get help?""Of course! How could I have possibly abandoned you guys? If not for the backups I found, Ella wouldn't have been able to return unscathed."Gideon's lips twitched. He couldn't believe how shameless Matthew was. From the looks of it, Matthew was trying to twist things around.However, Marion's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "It's all thanks to you, then! Here we were thinking it was Gideon who saved Ella."Matthew was secretly pleased. He'd only made it up on a whim to see if he could get lucky. He didn't expect to actually succeed.Was it Gideon who saved Elara? Regardless of whether it was the case, Matthew was certainly going to take the credit for it.He thought, "Oh, G
"I also get a share?" Matthew asked."Of course! If not for you, Ella would've had to suffer, and we wouldn't have gotten five million dollars. You deserve half of it."Matthew was tickled pink. Why would he reject such a windfall? He was getting 2.5 million dollars without having to do anything."Well, in that case, I won't stand on formalities, Mrs. Seymour," Matthew said as he cast a smug look at Gideon.He no longer thought it was Gideon who saved Elara, either. Only a big shot could get Nino to humble himself and hand over five million dollars as a token of his apology. Neither Gideon nor the Snows could do it.Gideon was also thoroughly disappointed with Marion and Elara. Why didn't they use their brains? Did they not stop and consider what kind of family the Carters were? How could they get Nino to back down?"I'm heading home, Dad," Gideon said before leaving the room. He didn't want to waste any more of his breath on them.Marion glared at Arnold and complained, "See th
"I won't take the 2.5 million dollars you're offering me, either. Let's put all five million dollars as an investment in your name. Would that be alright with you, Mr. and Mrs. Seymour?""We couldn't possibly do that, Matthew," Marion said. "It'll be at your expense."Matthew replied, "Ella and I are such good friends. This means nothing to me. It's not like I need the money, either. I'd feel bad about taking 2.5 million dollars from you guys. Let's just invest everything to save you the trouble of having to put the money in the bank."Arnold was a little hesitant. After all, five million dollars was a massive sum of money. He was a bit worried about handing everything over just like that."What's there for you to think about?" Marion questioned. "Matthew is clearly doing us a favor. We should be overjoyed. There's no reason for you to hesitate."While speaking, she passed the box of cash to Matthew."Here. Take it all. We'll invest all five million dollars. I wish you all the be
"Ms. Mosley, I have received an urgent report!" Benny cried out as he came rushing up to Lavinia, who was in the Mayor's Mansion discussing something with Caius Grayson, the mayor of Goldspire.She shot Benny a look and said in displeasure, "Can't you see that I'm talking to Mr. Grayson? What's so important that it can't wait until we're done?"Benny lowered his head before saying, "I'm afraid it's something major, Ms. Mosley."Seeing that, Caius smiled and said, "It's alright. Ms. Mosley. Why don't we hear what it is? I doubt your guard would be impolite enough to interrupt us if it wasn't something serious."Thinking he had a point, Lavinia said, "Go on.""Ms. Mosley, we received an urgent report saying that Reaper, the ninth-ranking hitman on the hitman tier list, has come to Goldspire.""What?" Lavinia exclaimed. She was a little taken aback.Caius' expression stiffened as well. As the mayor of a major city like Goldspire, he was well-informed. The Hitman Guild was a dark do
Meanwhile, Gideon was at the lakefront, looking at the figure in black with keen interest. He chuckled and asked, "You seem strong, but I don't recognize you. Where are you from, or rather, who sent you?" "Tom," the man replied flatly. "Ah, I see. That fat pig's got some nerve to be still causing trouble," Gideon remarked.Reaper's gaze turned ice-cold. He stated, "Tom is my friend. Insulting him is insulting me, and doing so is a death sentence. "Take ten seconds to savor the sun and this world one last time because I'm sending you to meet your maker soon." Gideon laughed, genuinely entertained. "At least tell me who you are, so I don't die clueless.""Reaper—Ninth on the Hitman Guild's Shadow Ranking!""Hitman Guild?" Gideon pondered thoughtfully. He suddenly remembered the self-proclaimed King of Hitmen, Jeremy Boisclair, who ranked first in the Hitman Guild's Shadow Ranking. Jeremy had been caught and brought to Oasis Vale years ago, initially defiant but eventually b
"Staying in Goldspire was the right choice," Lavinia thought, her mood significantly improving. She even believed Dominic would change his mind in time and agree to help her deal with Tylland. She looked at Reaper's body again, her expression turning cold. "Take photos and send them through Cipher. Let the entire Hitman Guild know that Shadow Ranking's Number Nine, Reaper, has died." "Yes, Ms. Mosley!" her guards immediately complied.Poor Tom was still waiting for good news at his mansion, unaware that Reaper had already crossed to the other side.…Elsewhere, Gideon casually strolled into Snow Corporation, completely unbothered by his earlier encounter. Killing Reaper had been such an insignificant matter to him that he had not given it a second thought."Mr. Snow!" Fred greeted him as soon as he entered the building. Fred, now appointed as the company's CEO by Gideon, wielded considerable power and was immensely grateful for the promotion. The company had been on the brink
Gideon arrived with his entourage and surveyed the scene. Besides Eric, there were five other young men, all dressed in designer brands and wearing watches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. They were clearly spoiled heirs from wealthy families. Fred leaned in and whispered, "We might have a problem. Those are the heirs from the Mackenzie, Winston, Campbell, Lane, and Torres families—all second-tier families with close ties to the Gross family."Gideon nodded slightly, understanding the situation.Meanwhile, Eric's laughter dripped with mockery. "Gideon, you finally decided to show yourself. I was starting to think you would hide like a coward." Gideon smirked. "After yesterday's beating, you should know better by now. Look at you. Your face is still swollen and bruised. Do you really think I'd back down?"Eric's face turned ashen, unable to respond. At that moment, Ivan Mackenzie stepped forward with a sneer. "Gideon, long time no see! I heard you've been farming for the
"Are you done laughing?" Gideon asked, causing Eric and his group to fall silent immediately. "If you're done, get out of my sight," Gideon continued. "And Eric, don't forget about the acquisition—tell your father to prepare the contract."Eric's face twisted in fury. "You've got some nerve, Gideon! Talking like you actually can do it. Well, I came here for two things today—first, to buy this worthless company, and second... to settle the score for what you did to me."At that moment, about 60 intimidating men burst into the lobby. Fred and the others paled instantly. They could tell at a glance that these men were clearly dangerous criminals and were far more than their 20 security guards could handle.Eric sneered, his tone dripping with malice as he said, "Since you're such a tough guy, Gideon, we brought some friends for you. These 58 gentlemen are hardened criminals with blood on their hands. I hope you don't disappoint them." In seconds, the thugs encircled Gideon, makin
Gideon declared coldly, his voice void of any sympathy, "That's not something I can allow. I'm afraid this is the end for you." The instant the young man clad in black stole the inner core, his fate was sealed."No!" The man screamed in desperation, his face contorted with unwillingness.Suddenly, a fighter jet roared into view, and a startled voice called out, "Giles, what are you doing here?"The young man in black, Giles Terrell, looked up to see a figure dressed in purple standing at the jet's cabin door. Hope surged within him, as if he'd found a lifeline.Giles cried out, "Francis! Help me!"However, Francis Hurst's eyes were riveted on the inner core, a greedy gleam flickering within them.Francis thought that it was fate for him to stumble upon the alpha beast's inner core. If he seized it and used it for his cultivation, he'd surely surpass the young leaders of factions like Martialgarde and Warbringer Gate. Giles had truly given him a wonderful opportunity.Wi
"Why are you pursuing me so persistently? Whoever reaches the inner core first should rightfully claim it. You were careless, so consider this a learning experience. Isn't that reasonable? Must we really end in a situation where both of us lose?" the young man taunted. "A learning experience? That's truly amusing. You steal my inner core and have the nerve to call it a lesson. You certainly have a lot to say," Gideon retorted coldly. He extended his hand, and a massive shadow hand materialized from above. It was the Clausum Palm. The alpha beast, ridden by the young man in black, sensed the immense power of the handprint and froze in fear, dropping to the ground. "Blast it!" The young man in black was so furious that he nearly coughed up blood. Forced to leave the alpha beast, he continued fleeing on foot. He retaliated with a punch, smashing the hand. "Oh? You still have the energy to fight back. Impressive. You're quite the young talent. What a shame you chose to seek you
Out of nowhere, a chain shot up from below, snagging the inner core and swiftly dragging it away. "What?" Gideon erupted in fury. Who would dare snatch from a tiger's jaws? This person had some guts. "Stop!" he roared. With a thunderous force, he cut through the toxic miasma, reaching for the chain. But the thief was no ordinary being. They were a formidable opponent, retracting the chain with remarkable speed. Gideon caught a glimpse of a flickering figure in the jungle. "The inner core I captured isn't something just anyone can take. Let's see if you can escape my clutches," Gideon threatened, his voice resonating with intensity. The figure in the jungle hesitated, a chill running down their spine, yet they didn't relent and fled with the inner core.The fighter jet descended rapidly. But with the dense canopy of ancient trees in the jungle, aerial navigation was not possible. Gideon landed a backhand strike on Kori, rendering him unconscious to prevent any interferenc
Jake let out a terrified scream. He quickly adjusted the fighter jet's course, but just then, a tentacle burst forth from the dense, poisonous fog. The tentacle was black and moved with alarming speed, reaching the jet in mere moments as if intent on tearing it apart. "Fire!" Jake activated the attack system, and over a dozen missiles were launched. The attack was successful, as the tentacle was blown into a gruesome mess. In the distance, a thunderous roar echoed, shaking the heavens and earth—the Shadowgnaw Overlord had felt the pain. Suddenly, more than 30 black shadows emerged from the toxic cloud."Damn it!" Jake swore. He struggled to continue operating the fighter jet amid the overwhelming number of tentacles. Their firepower was no longer enough. Desperately, he called out, "Sir!" At that moment, Gideon sprang into action. Rather than destroying the tentacles, he reached out and seized the one lunging at them. With a powerful yell, he unleashed the strength of
Luckily, Gideon's fighter jet was a state-of-the-art model, so flying through the poisonous haze wasn't a significant problem. Suddenly, a piercing scream reverberated inside the jet, making it shake violently. Kori's face went white as he yelled, "This is bad! It must be the Shadowgnaw Bug. They're venomous creatures that can survive in this toxic fog. An adult Shadowgnaw Bug can reach the size of a lion or tiger, and the Shadowgnaw Overlord is even scarier, being as big as an elephant." Just as he finished speaking, another high-pitched cry sounded. The fighter jet shook uncontrollably and began to dive. Jake did everything he could to keep the jet stable. If the jet had been a regular aircraft, it would likely have broken apart by now. Kori looked deeply concerned. "Based on the strength of that cry, it seems we've run into the Shadowgnaw Overlord." "What's the big deal about one bug? Can it really be that dangerous?" Gideon scoffed, signaling Jake to open the cockpit door.
Gideon trusted Kori completely, as Kori's life depended on him, leaving no room for hidden agendas. The fighter jet soared eastward at high altitude. Gideon was immersed in studying the Book of Medicamentum. He vaguely remembered Titus once mentioning the pure-essence physique and other rare physiques, such as the pure solar physique. These were subtly referenced in the Book of Medicamentum. His current task was to uncover information about the pure-essence physique in the latter part of the Book of Medicamentum. If successful, he might learn how to harness the methods concerning the pure-essence physique himself, enabling Elara to fully awaken and transform. Silence enveloped the entire fighter jet.That evening, the jet touched down on the summit of a large mountain. The pilot, Jake Clythe, was weary from hours of flight, was instructed by Gideon to take a one-hour break. Gideon and Kori also disembarked from the aircraft.The landscape was filled with overlapping mountains
Kori was overwhelmed with fear. "What are you doing? What have you done to me?" he exclaimed. Gideon smirked. "Don't worry. I've just set up three 'fuses.' As long as you behave, nothing will happen. But if you try anything funny, I can make your head explode with just a thought. And don't think about removing the golden needles. I won't be responsible for what happens if you do." Kori's expression flickered between anger and resignation. It was deeply humiliating for someone who had traveled the world all his life to be treated as such in his later years. However, he had no other options. Taking a deep breath, Kori calmed himself and dismissed his hostile thoughts, turning his focus to assess Elara's condition. Gideon observed from the side. No one could tell what secret method Kori was using, but gradually, the air temperature rose. This was due to the contraction of pure essence energy. Half an hour later, Kori wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled. "It's done. The
"Do you want me to be honest with you?" Kori prodded. "What? Can't you solve it? Then, you're destined to fail." A fierce, murderous intent flashed in Gideon's eyes. Kori quickly responded, "The pure-essence physique is extremely rare. If it were a martial artist with a robust constitution, I could safely help them awaken it. But your wife is just an ordinary person. Her body is too fragile, and I can't take that risk. "Though your medical skills are impressive, you can't guarantee her safety. The only solution is to find Mr. Ruggeweyn or Mr. Warth. They possess secret techniques that can awaken the pure-essence physique without risk. "However, I'm not entirely helpless. I can use a secret technique right now to suppress the essence, preventing any leakage of pure essence energy. This could safeguard your wife's body and possibly help her regain consciousness. Do you want me to proceed?" Gideon asked, "Where are Mr. Ruggeweyn and Mr. Warth? If you can reach them, do so qu
"Who on earth are you?" Kori asked. His face twisted with fury as he ran desperately, with Gideon relentlessly pursuing him like a hawk after its prey. It was both insulting and disgraceful! "Argh!" Eventually, Kori couldn't bear it any longer. He stopped and bellowed, "I'd rather die than be shamed. Kid, I'll fight you to death!" Kori spat out a mouthful of blood, unleashed a secret technique, and launched a powerful attack. Gideon's expression turned serious at that moment. He calmly extended his fist and declared, "Doombringer Knuckle!" The brilliant glow of his fist surged forward with determination. Kori's attack was instantly destroyed, and he was sent flying, his body nearly breaking apart. He crashed hard into a dirt pit and couldn't rise again. "Sir, watch out!" Harper yelled with all her strength just then. Gideon raised an eyebrow. More and more advanced weapons were being launched. Several missiles sped toward them. In fact, the high-tech weapons had been re