Huub was trembling uncontrollably when he remembered the terrifying geezer's face, which left Paul really concerned. "Are you alright, Huey?""I'm fine, Grandpa."Eventually, Huub slowly calmed down.Glancing at Nux just then, he realized right away that the terrifying geezer from earlier was as scary as he looked, even able to decide Leino's fate with just one word.Not only was Droitner Inc. helpless against such people, but there was no way that Nux, the mayor of Bralog, would lie outright with so many people watching.As such, Huub was completely convinced that it was all over for Leino.And with Leino arrested, Droitner Inc. would soon be implicated as well, and as Huub and Paul were the brains of the organization, he knew that the worst punishment awaited them.They were involved in everything, from stealing historical and cultural artifacts, to who knew what else. Even nine lives would not be enough.At that thought, Huub was at once regretful—why did he mess with Frank
Hence, Frank strode to the center amid everyone's confusion. "You must be Paul Droitner, the current CEO of Droitner Inc," he said, watching Paul impassively. "Leino Himmich has already confessed to his shady dealings with your company, including smuggling and sale of historical artifacts. He was taken away, and Droitner Inc. will soon be put on ice as well. So you should give up on wishful thinking—confess now, so that you can be afforded leniency.""What…"Paul was left stunned—why would his grandson not tell him if Leino was taken away?!"Don't fall for his lies, Grandpa!" Huub cried anxiously when he saw that Frank was exposing him and urged, "That man is lying to you! He's trying to frame us into a fake confession! Don't fall for his lies!" "Paul Droitner!"Nux bellowed furiously as well, "Leino Himmich has already surrendered. Confess now, and you might be afforded leniency, or you'll have no chance when Leino accuses you!"At the same time, Huub was urging, "Grandpa! Yo
"Yeah!!!"At Frank's orders, the Lanes and the Yimmels all combined, whipping out their weapons as they dashed forward."What…"Nux was left scowling.As the mayor of Bralog, he certainly did not want to see two factions waging an all-out war in the middle of the street.However, he did not dare to say a word because of who Frank was, and he was just standing right beside him.One of his guards strode up, asking in confusion, "Mr. Mayor, shouldn't we…?"Nux rolled his eyes and snorted in annoyance. "What, do you think this isn't bad enough already?""No, but Droitner Inc.'s crimes are as good as judged…you'd be criticized if you don't help!" Nux's cheek stiffened at the man's words. "Urgh… Fine! Go ahead!""Okay!"At Nux's orders, his guards joined the fray as well, causing further chaos.-Meanwhile, Frank had spotted Huub in the crowd, pushing his way through to flee.He ran, circumventing the crowd, and cornered a flustered Huub in a dirty, quiet alley."Frank Lawren
"What?!"Huub felt a chill running down his spine, seeing that the hostages were free.He also spotted the seemingly unassuming geezer in the photo, his eyes widening in realization.He remembered his goon reporting that Frank had come to Bralog with another man, which was that geezer in the photo."What… Did that old man take down all the martial elites in my basement and save the hostages?!"The geezer looked like an elderly security guard at best, but he turned out to be a martial elite as well?!Putting away his phone, Frank smiled at Huub. "So, Mr. Droitner, are you going to pull any more tricks?""I…"Huub was stumped, because he was really out of options now.Physical strength? Frank had already pulverized his greatest martial elite.Connections?!Huub himself was kowtowing and begging as soon as Frank's maternal grandfather showed up!And his only trick—his hostages—had already been rescued.He had really lost everything and certainly could not holler at Frank no
Huub was absolutely terrified, as Frank's grin reminded him of Governor Quill's."Rise… Five-Peat Archaeus!"Frank held out his hands as he pulsated the pure vigor inside him, projecting a fire that he usually used to refine pills.Huub could immediately feel the flames with no name burning him from the inside out, and he was in so much pain that he could not even scream.In just half a minute, he fainted and recovered over a dozen times!"K-Kill me… Just kill me…"Huub's tears gushed, covering his face miserably as he clenched around Frank's leg, pleading through sobs. "Just kill me… I'm begging you…"Frank simply chuckled. "I won't make it quick, Mr. Droitner. Now, take your time enjoying your punishment for burning down my house and everything inside." Huub could barely hear it, and he was at once despairing even as Frank continued. "And now comes the best part. It's for daring to hurt my friends… so you'd better hold on now.""Argh!!!" Huub finally screamed.The groups o
"What?!"Paul was left thunderstruck by the news that Leino had already been arrested and sent to Blackwater.He turned stiffly to look at his dear grandson Huub, finally realizing just then that Huub had tricked him just to use him as a meat shield… or indeed, a scapegoat.All Huub wanted to do was to use him to buy time so that he could flee abroad and enjoy life, even if it meant adding to Paul's list of crimes. There was a troubled look on Paul's face, but he could not get upset even if he wanted to as he turned to look at Huub, who was now a blackened puddle of blood and guts.In the end, all Paul could do was look up in the skies and sigh, even as Huub continued to laugh maniacally.And with that, there was no longer a Droitner Inc. in Bralog, and the Droitners were gone as well.Frank naturally was not interested in staying at Bralog at that, turning down Nux Hamner's invitation to let him stay.Instead, he drove the Droitner Inc. bus with his friends and returned to Za
Helen Lane, Lanecorp's ice queen girlboss, actually had tears in her eyes.Who knew whether she was hurt or just crying, though?"I'm sorry…" she murmured."It's fine." Frank sighed. "Like I said, just watch out from now on.""I'm sorry…""Are you listening?""Sorry…"Frank was actually left a little overwhelmed by Helen's apology just then.-After driving for a long while, the tour bus finally returned to Zamri.Vicky was already there, waiting and smiling as she welcomed everyone back.Nodding at Helen, she then threw herself into Frank's arms. "Good job, darling!"Frank felt a little embarrassed by Vicky's straight ball, though he was relieved to see Helen merely watching them with a smile and nothing else."Come on!" Vicky pulled Frank along just then, having generously rented out an entire hotel in Zamri as temporary lodgings.As Mona alighted, she found Winter staring at Vicky and Frank, and she yanked Winter by the sleeve."What? Oh!"Winter finally came to her
Frank raised a brow and flashed a provoking smile. "I've always been forward, haven't I?'"Tch."Vicky rolled her eyes, clearly skeptical.Still, seeing that the others were in the hotel, she turned serious as she turned to Frank. "By the way, I'm here for business too."Frank's heart seemed to stop at her serious stare. "Really? What business?""It's about a spiritron vein…"Vicky sighed lengthily, shaking her head. "My family's spiritron vein… is missing.""Missing?!"Frank was stunned. "How?"Vicky shrugged. "That's exactly what I asked Uncle Glen, but it seems that a family executive was unhappy with the plan to reintegrate the branch families, so he sneaked into our family's ancestral shrine and stole it."Frank was speechless. "Wait, was there no security? Where were the blackguards? Is your family really just going to watch someone steal something so important?!""You're wrong there, darling."Vicky shook her head at Frank's exclamation. "For us Turnbulls, what's mos
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