While Victor was busy confirming Frank's identity outside the door, Cid was cringing in a corner inside Victor's office.He was still staring at Helen in shock. "Y-You and Victor are in this together, aren't you?""Victor?" Helen was puzzled—it was her first time meeting the owner of Victorget, so how was she supposed to conspire with the man?She turned toward Frank, who flashed a smile of wry amusement at Cid. "Well, if he really is a Sorano, then he would have heard of me… And if that's really true, then you're screwed.""What?! Impossible!" Cid rasped, pointing at Helen as he cried, "You're just the head of the Lane family, some moderately rich family from Southstream!"Then, he pointed at Frank. "And you're just some glorified security guard! How could you have connections to the Soranos of Morhen?!"Helen turned to level a quizzical look at Frank too, and he sighed exasperatedly as he explained, "Well, I had beef with the Soranos. When Nash Yego delivered my medicine to one
Storming Sorano Estate and forcing them to apologize? Even children would not believe such a fantasy!"We'll see!" Cid smiled darkly at Frank.Frank snorted in turn—he could not stop Cid if he was so bent on being suicidal, just as he was not obliged to stop him.Soon, Victor returned with a tray of tea and put it down respectfully on his own desk.However, before he could pour it, Cid scrambled toward him and pointed at Frank accusingly. "V-Victor, that brat just insulted your family! You have to do something about him!""Really?" Victor looked up and asked quietly, "And what did he say?""He said…"Cid appeared utterly gleeful even as he gulped. "He said he had beef with the Soranos, and stormed Sorano Estate in Morhen, hurting Willy Sorano and forcing the main family to apologize.""Hah!" Cid spat dramatically with feigned outrage. "He doesn't even look at himself before claiming such bullshit. The way I see it, he's really asking for it… So don't hold back…"However, h
"Hehe…"Victor was all smiles as he approached Frank, passing him his cup of tea and asking tentatively, "Mr. Lawrence, I've just spoken to Uncle Emilio himself, and he sends his best regards.""I see." Frank nodded—he was certainly not afraid of Victor messing around, even drinking the tea right away and nodding. "This is good tea.""Hehe… If you like it, I can have it delivered to you, Mr. Lawrence.""That's unnecessary." Frank refused, stretched his back, and turned to Helen. "Let's discuss what you owe Lanecorp. If I recall, it's 200 million dollars in investment funds, and regarding the interest…""Oh, don't worry about it." Victor smiled, stopping Frank from counting—he was plenty shrewd enough to understand. "Just take 300 million dollars from me, with 100 million as interest. Consider it a well wisher's gift to Lanecorp. Will that do?""Yeah." Frank nodded.Helen, however, frowned uncomfortably. "That's inappropriate. The debt has aged for a while, but it shouldn't be
Kallum turned pale as despair seized him, his phone sliding off his fingers and landing loudly with a thud.Cid's death was certainly traumatic, just as Kallum would never have expected Victor to turn on his son without even giving them a chance to negotiate."Frank Lawrence… Helen Lane's bodyguard? The head of the health and safety department?! W-Who is he?!"He murmured blankly before turning silent.-Meanwhile, Helen and Frank had rushed back to Lanecorp.They were going to stay out for lunch, but Helen received a call from Cindy, saying that her new boyfriend had arrived with Helen's laptop.However, by the time Helen and Frank returned, the newly transferred secretary waiting by the entrance approached them, saying awkwardly, "Ms. Lane, your cousin left half an hour ago. They left an address and asked you to go to them."Helen took the note the secretary passed her: it read Grand Coast Hotel.She almost choked right then—she and Frank hurried back at top speed, but her c
Frank looked up at him coolly. "What? Can't I sit here?" Will was at once upset—he was feisty for some measly bodyguard!"I arranged for Ms. Lane to sit here, as we have a major business deal to discuss." Will said coolly. "Can some glorified security guard like you afford the consequences if you mess this up for her?!""Of course." Frank raised his chin, appearing deliberately mystified."What…" Will was left seething."Enough." Helen held up a hand exasperatedly, stopping the men as she sat down beside Frank.Looking at Will sharply, she said, "My cousin Cindy has taken my laptop. Please return it to me if you still have it."It was certainly her priority, since there were many sensitive documents and files of Lanecorp saved in that laptop.It should never be seen by prying eyes, and the company would be hurt if Will were to find out and sell the documents to their rivals.It might be game over if that happened, especially for Lanecorp's slimy board members."Oh, of course
"Okay." Cindy nodded, and quickly turned back to the desserts on the table.On the other hand, Frank was folding his arms before his chest as he watched Will head to the washroom, his gaze darkening."Hey, what are you looking at? You're just jealous, aren't you?" Cindy gloated smugly, seeing that Frank was staring at Will. "My boyfriend isn't like you—he's an actual department head who reviews every corporation's tender. Do you even know how many people in Zamri have to obey him? All you can do is get into fights and cling to Helen, begging her to get you a job."She smacked the table repeatedly even as she laughed at Frank. "You're so screwed—you don't know anything about having an actual job, do you? And Helen's arranged for you to be the head of the health and safety department… Doesn't that mean you're just a glorified security guard? Oh, you're killing me! Does your monthly salary even amount to ten grand?!"Frank snickered at Cindy's audacity to mock him and was not bother
Helen growled threateningly, "Keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Zeller, or you'll get more than what you bargained for.""Really? Do you even know who my friends are? Hehe… You'd die from a heart attack if I told you, but I digress."Will smiled darkly, licking his lips as he cornered Helen. "Spend the night with me, Ms. Lane, and I swear by my honor that you can have the photo and all the files I made copies of… Or by tomorrow, everything in that photo would show up on the desk of your rivaling company's CEO. So what's it gonna be?" Helen closed her eyes despite his threat, silent for a moment before saying, "So I can take this as a threat, right?" "That's right." Will kept smiling, utterly gleeful as he was convinced he already had Helen.He was even beginning to imagine what goodies lay beneath her suit, and the fire in his loins flared.There was no stopping it, just as he had no reason to stop himself.He started to reach his hand toward Helen, ready to go for it—Fwip.
"Sir, what—""Move." Frank pushed away the attendants standing in his way, striding toward Will.Seizing the man by the collar, he shoved him into the men's room and slammed the door shut loudly, locking it."What do you want?!" Will growled through his teeth, his eyes flaring in rage at Frank even as he watched himself bleed profusely from the palm."What do I want? I should be asking that question instead." Frank shoved Will to the floor, sneering as he stepped on Will's pierced palm, making him scream again.Narrowing his eyes coldly, Frank growled, "First of all, let's start with who you really are… You got close to Lanecorp through Cindy, for what? To keep someone occupied?! Who is it?! Talk!""W-What are you talking about?! I don't know anything!"Will panicked at Frank's questioning, not knowing how Frank found out."Not going to talk, huh? Well, this isn't on me…"Frank shrugged—he had all the ways to make someone talk. Moreover, Will was definitely more than what he
Frank snorted. "Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm getting started over here soon.""Yeah. Good luck," Jouri replied.Hanging up, Frank looked up at the waterfall overhead, and then at Skyler, who was standing beside him. "So? Is it time yet?""Almost… Now!" Skyler's eyes were glowing even as she stared at her watch."Alright."Frank looked up just as the skies abruptly darkened. "Ah, there it is—the eclipse."The sun seemed to disappear, and the world was suddenly shrouded in darknesses.And beside him, a stone door imbued with the power of the spiritron vein also rumbled as it parted."Got it!" Frank rushed inside without another word as soon as he saw it."Hmph. I'm surprised that you could reach this place." A cold, wrathful voice resounded inside even before Frank got a hold of his surroundings.Looking up, Frank found a youth in a black cossack and sporting grey-white hair, standing upon a cliff as he looked down on him.Frank chuckled. "Hehe. Like I said, I've come to kill
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?'Crane shrugged. "I don't mind giving it to you straight—members of Torrent are actually… Ahem. A part of Torrent himself."Frank paused. "What's that supposed to mean?""You don't get it, do you?" Crane grinned. "Then let me put it to you this way—every member is a clone of Torrent.""A clone?" Frank gasped in realization."Yes," Crane nodded. "That's why I believe that challenging Crane is just suicide. You have no idea how powerful he is—only death awaits you down that path."Frank smirked. "Oh, but I don't think so."Crane rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever—now listen closely. You will find Torrent in the Mystic Trail, but you would only find that place when the sun and moon coincide, and the entrance is beneath the waterfall south of Horton."As he finished, he snorted coldly. "I have no idea if you can actually do it, but I'm hoping you do kill him… Heh. I'm getting tired of being stuck under his control for so long."Then, waving off
Frank abruptly turned, immediately noticing one of the Cranes crouching, ready to spring forward and blindside him."Got you!" He laughed."Hah! You fell for it!"Just as Frank swung a punch to pulverize that Crane, he suddenly burst into pus that splashed at Frank's face."Damn it!" Frank took a step back, surprised that the clone's presence was identical to the real Crane, and a trap on top of that!"Die!"The Cranes around him each whipped out a dagger, all of them stabbing at Frank at the same time."Get off!" Frank bellowed, unleashing a shockwave that sent all the Cranes flying across all directions."Frank! Above you!" Skyler suddenly shrieked."Yes! I'm right here!" A strange laughter sounded above Frank just as he wiped the pus off his face.Crane was suddenly directly above him, launching an aerial kick straight at Frank's head, and Frank had no time to dodge!"Die!" Crane's smile curled into a twisted angle as he saw that too.He was very confident with this kick
"Disgusting…" Skyler murmured through her hand.Despite being skinned and scalped, the women were all still alive and singing to the music that was playing despite their anguish."Talk about a terrible fetish."Frank was scowling too—why were all the members of Torrent such sick deviants? It seemed like his plan to wipe them out was absolutely correct!"So, you killed my clone?"The lanky man on the couch slowly turned to level his bloodshot eyes at Frank.His lips were wet with bed as they curled upward into an eerie smile."Clone?" Frank narrowed his eyes."Hehe. It's a sage art."Crane shrugged as he stood up and wiped the blood off his lips. "It's only natural that you don't understand… Still, you deserve praise. If you can kill my clone, that means you're not just slightly stronger than Ghost."Naturally, the man was none other than the real Crane.Still, as Skyler studied him from a corner, even she could notice the strange twitch of his fingers, and his veins were pro
Even as Crane ran, he was looking over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "No… I won't win in a one-on-one!"No, as long as I get back to my real body… we can do this together!" He frowned, having seen how Frank sliced off the pinkies of those hood rats. It hence quickly dawned on him that Frank was not just slightly stronger than Ghost, as Torrent had put it!"Almost there!" He gasped when he saw the signboard of Pegasus Showtown in the distance. "As long as I get there and rendezvous with my real body, that brat will lose—"That was when he turned and saw that a shadow had caught up with impossible speed."What?!" Crane's eyes almost popped out in bewilderment. "What speed is that?! Are you kidding—"Even as he spotted the shadow, the shadow turned into a youth with an impassive visage.His fist outstretched, he was clearly punching toward Crane's forehead!"Argh…"Even as Crane looked on, the youth's punch slowed down by tenfold, but his fist kept closing in.Then, whe
Seeing Skyler sigh, the tattooed thug presumed that his extortion worked.He strode up, grabbing Frank's shoulder. "No one's gonna help you, boy. Pay up, or you're not leaving.""Exactly! You're not getting away!" the crowd of hood rats hollered. "Last chance."Frank's eyes were cold and fixed on Dani, however. "Are you going to intervene? If you do, you can keep that check. If you don't…""Ugh. Fuck off! I don't care!" Dani spat, her expression smug as she folded her arms before her chest. "Who do you think you are to threaten me?!""Exactly! Pay up, and you can leave!""Yeah! Ten grand, at least!""You probably don't know my boss Wyvern, but when he's here, you won't get away with just ten grand!"Even as the crowd closed in, Frank shook his head. "Well, you had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next.""You're giving us a chance?! Hah! Who—argh!"Even before Dani could finish gloating, Frank was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her viciously by the wrist."Arg
"Five grand?! Did you hear that?! He just threw five grand!""Must be a rich kid coming here for a secret rendezvous, out of prying eyes? Those types are the easiest mark!""Fuck! And Dani got one of us… It hurts me more than losing at the races!"Frank could hear the buzz around him but ignored it as he strode past the men flanking him and headed toward the street that stank of blood."Stop!" A big tattooed man grinned sinisterly as he intercepted Frank.As his buddies encircled Frank as well, Frank snorted—it seemed that they took his reaction for a sign of weakness and thought that he could be cowed.The tattooed man rubbed his chin as he leered at Skyler's voluptuous figure, chuckling. "Look, boy. I'm short on cash, so let me take a loan. I'll pay you back some other day, how about that?"His friend laughed. "Exactly! You just gave Dani five grand, and we won't ask for more… just four, how about that?"Skyler scowled in turn and glanced worriedly at Frank beside her—was he
Frank himself had just stepped out of the nightclub when his eyes narrowed."Blood," he murmured, his nostrils twitching."Blood?"Skyler sniffed the air, puzzled. "I can't smell it.""It's from the opposite street… I smell the blood of over a dozen people.""A dozen?!" Skyler did a double take.He could identify the number of people who were killed?! That was just ridiculous!"Come on, let's take a look."Just as Frank led the way toward the source of the stench, a woman suddenly came up, catching Frank off guard and throwing herself into his arms."Hmmm?" He looked down to see that she had thick makeup, average looks, and a rather pudgy belly."Argh! He touched me!" she pointed at Frank and shrieked even before he realized what was happening."What?!" Skyler was staring at the woman too, mystified."Oh, sister! You just didn't see it!"The woman kept hollering, pointing at Frank's face. "Your boyfriend grabbed my ass! Is that how you teach him manners?!""Teach him ma
Wyvern screamed even as he clutched the stump that was his hand, screaming so shrilly one might mistake his voice as inhuman."Oh, just shut up." The lanky man glowered and launched a kick, reducing Wyvern into puddles of blood and pieces of innards, splattering all around the lobby. "Argh!!!" the devilish lady screamed as she watched the carnage unfolded."Another sound, and you'd end up just like him." The lanky man turned and frowned at her impatiently."Hngh…" The devilish lady promptly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled."What the hell?!"Outside, Wyvern's lackeys heard the screams and ran inside, looking for him. "Hey, where's Wyvern?!"However, the lobby was too dimly lit for them to notice the blood and guts scattered around the walls, and they only sensed that terrible stench."Hngh…" The devilish lady was too scared to speak, and tears trickled out of her eyes."Fuck!"One of the lackeys strode up and seized the lanky man