"It really is a coincidence." Frank sighed earnestly."Let's pick up where we left off, Mr. Lawrence. What would you like as your reward?" Gene asked.He was certainly not worried that Frank would try to con him—he was worried about some unusual requests.It was known that specialists could be eccentric, asking for things that money could not buy.And if it was just money, Gene had plenty, or he would not have Draconia's top songstress as a partner."Alright, then I'll be frank." Frank smiled. "Earlier today, my wife and I made a bid for several land lots in South Zamri, but someone beat us to it.""Hmm?" Gene murmured, and quickly realized that Frank wanted those land lots and chuckled, "Oh, it's no big deal. I'll ask Zorn Woss right now and see if he left the bid yet. If he is, I'll tell him to handle the paperwork—you can have all the land lots, Mr. Lawrence.""What?!" Rory Thames snapped right then, folding her arms before her chest and frowning. "We spent a fortune buying t
"Well…"Frank murmured awkwardly, shooting a glance at Rory as she stood in the distance."Hmm…?"Gene quickly caught his meaning and waved Rory off for her to leave.A hint of annoyance showed on Rory's face for an instant, and she was staring thoughtfully at Frank even as she headed into her bedroom.With her gone, Gene asked, "Alright, you can speak freely now, Mr. Lawrence. Does my illness have something to do with Rory?"Frank nodded slightly. "Actually, I need you to stay calm and listen to what I have to say to you now, Mr. Pearce.""Tell me." Gene's mood dampened even as he saw the scowl on Frank's face."Someone is growing Chestbursters inside you… Actually, there are three of them, each half a meter long. Once they mature, they will tear a hole out of your ribcage."Gene's face fell even though Frank had warned him to stay calm.He started panicking even though he almost could not, and he seemed to see the worms squirming around even as glanced at his abdomen.Stil
Gene had his hunches before, but all his doubts were erased thanks to Frank's hint as he realized who the culprit was.He had no heirs, so he wrote a will early on, stating that both Zorn and Rory would jointly inherit his estate."Rory Thames… Zorn Woss…" Gene's face contorted in rage even as he clenched his fist.He already had the feeling that Zorn and Rory were more than 'close', and if anything, they should be hostile against each other over his estate if he died.Weirdly however, they were even more friendly than before, showing no signs of discord.Gene thought that they were trying to keep things peaceful for his sake before his death, but now the whole thing was simply suspicious.He certainly did not want to admit it, but he was now dead sure that those two were working together to kill him for his money!Frank could see various expressions alternating over Gene's face, and he could see that the man had realized who the culprit was.He certainly did not need to say an
Zorn then pulled Rory toward himself, grinning. "No one would ever come between the two of us.""But… I'm worried." Rory frowned, glancing at the direction where Frank and Gene were. "Noel York worships Frank Lawrence. He's not much of a looker, but I've been to his farm resort in Riverton. It's really as amazing, and—""That's enough!"Zorn's expression became stern, but he assured her, "Since you hate him that much, I'll just have to come up with a subtle plan to get rid of him. I'm Birthright rank, y'know—dealing with some brat couldn't be easier!"Rory beamed right then. "Alright, you promised!""Hehe, of course." Zorn smiled. "As long as it makes you happy, I'd brave hell and high water—""Ahem!" Frank suddenly cleared his throat resoundingly."Huh?!" Zorn promptly turned in Frank's direction, at once wary.However, there was a wall between them, and Frank should be busy treating Gene, so Zorn was convinced that Frank could not hear him whispering with Rory.In reality
Gene worked hard for over a dozen minutes and suddenly yelled, "Argh!!!"Rory and Zorn hurried toward the washroom, but Frank raised a hand, stopping them.He walked up and knocked on the door with a smile. "How did it go, Mr. Pearce?""Mr. Lawrence, it's amazing! Y-You're…" Gene had obviously seen what just came out of him and was left flabbergasted."Haha!" Frank chuckled. "I shall excuse myself now that you're fine, Mr. Pearce… but may I ask when I could expect payment?""Tomorrow—wait, argh!!! No!!!! Mr. Lawrence, help… it's the pain again! It's worse! Argh!!!"Frank had presumed that Gene was fine and was ready to leave, only for the man to start screaming again!"What?!" He exclaimed in shock—did he miss something?Without another word, he rushed into the washroom and found Gene leaning on the wall.Gene still appeared weak, but he did not appear to be in pain like his screams suggested.In fact, he had a finger on his lips—a gesture for Frank to stay silent.Frank u
Zorn watched as Frank left, his lips curling into a sneer. "So, he's done for tomorrow? Fate is really on my side…" "Rory… Zorn…"Gene called out feebly from the toilet just then.Zorn and Rory traded a gleeful smile just then but quickly composed themselves to look worried as usual.-After Frank took a cab back to Lanecorp, he found Cindy throwing a major tantrum in one of the hallways.Picking up a vase, she threw it at Will and screamed, "You promised you'd help Helen get those land lots! Well, look what you've done now, not getting even one after I bragged so much! Do you know how that makes me feel?! I can't even bear to face Helen!"Her outburst was naturally drawing a crowd, even as Will dodge the oncoming vase.He had come to talk to Frank and explain himself, only to run into the crazy bitch who snapped at him before he could say a word.He really would have slapped her twice if he did not have to keep pretending to be her boyfriend!"What's happening here?" Frank
Helen continued, "And Gene is buying all those land lots on a blank check. Is Lanecorp supposed to spend every last capital to outbid the richest man of the east coast? You might as well demand that we go bankrupt directly!"Every staff member of Lanecorp was nodding repeatedly. Helen was right—Gene had nothing but money, and it was suicidal to compete against him in that front."Hah! I don't care!" Nonetheless, Kallum rolled his eyes and laughed—he could not care less about anything and was even more radical after his son's death. "That still meant you failed to achieve the second task I asked, no?"Helen frowned. "It's true, but—""No buts." Kallum sneered. "All I care about is results. You failed, and that's it. Hell, I don't mind telling you how much money I've siphoned off this company now… It's twelve billion dollars!"The Lanecorp staff around them gasped right then.They were aware that Kallum had been embezzling company money… But twelve billion was still a dizzying nu
"Pfft…"Cindy was the first to break the silence, sneering at Frank as she asked sarcastically, "Are you alright, Frank? Do you need to get your brain checked? The richest man on the east coast would just hand over tracts of land to a nobody like you, just because you asked… What, are you his son, grandson, or perhaps… lover?"Frank did not bother responding to her insults. Instead, he calmly turned toward Helen and said, "Don't worry. The issue is settled—we just have to go to Drenam Limited tomorrow with the transfer agreement.""Really…?" Helen was caught off guard by the abrupt news and unsure how she should react.After all, she was despairing… only to feel hope now.It was certainly a rollercoaster of emotions, and she was certainly overwhelmed, pressing a hand over her chest."Of course." Frank grinned. "When have I ever lied to you?""Frank, y-you're so… so…" Helen could not find the words to describe how she felt.Beaming in delight right then, she threw herself into F
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