Frank then turned toward the troublemaker. "Gigi, was it?"Gigi was on her feet, glaring at him in turn and oblivious to who she was messing with. "Yeah. What about it?""Let's set things straight for the record!"Frank ignored her completely and turned toward a confused Jason. "Bob is telling you the truth. That woman's life isn't as tragic as she makes it out to be. It is true that her salary is low, but their tips are also sizable—do you really think that she would miss that much money?"Don't lose yourself to the alcohol and disappoint a brother."Jason actually sobered up at Frank's lecture, coming to his senses just then.And seeing that Jason's attitude was changing, Gigi promptly clung to him, pouting. "Don't listen to him, Jason! He's just running his mouth!"However, Jason shook her off and snapped in annoyance, "I have money, but I'm not stupid! Don't think that everyone would fall for your tricks! Now leave!" Gigi shot Frank a furious glare but merely stormed off.
Jason laughed loudly in turn."I can have all the money I need, but I still won't spend anything on a chick like you! Also, aren't you cheapening yourself, trying to get payback over spare change?"Jason's retort left Gigi incensed, and she snapped, "Go! Kill them all!"At her orders, all the thugs Gigi brought did not waste a moment, charging straight at Jason and the others.Jason smirked and waved in response, and his three henchmen leapt forward as well.They left everyone stunned the next instant. Despite their weak appearance, they were strong enough to floor each of the thugs with a single punch, and there was nothing those thugs could do about it!"Not bad! I'm surprised you can put up a fight!"Gigi suddenly rolled up her sleeves as she leapt toward the three henchmen, flooring each of them with a second punch.Then, before she could hurt Bob further for exposing her earlier, Jason leapt forward, seized her wrist, and squeezed.There was an audible crack as Gigi's wrist
The following days were uneventful, and it was soon time to leave.Whitney went all out to prepare Frank's departure, with blankets, clothes, and everything else he would need.She also reminded him diligently, "Mr. Frankton, the city is different from our village. There are all sorts of villains—you have to be careful!"Jason was unsure if he should laugh or cry. "Don't worry, Whitney. I'm doing fine in the city—I'd never allow Mr. Frankton to be bullied! You, on the other hand… don't be so sad that he's leaving!"Whitney rolled her eyes at him, and he threw his hands up. "Just kidding. No offense!"Still, his tone soon became serious. "I'm counting on you to help my dad, though. I've already hired contractors to renovate the house, so please keep an eye out."Whitney nodded. "Don't worry—I'm the village chief here, and I'll have both eyes on your old man. You're the one who shouldn't bother your old man too much when you're out in the big city. He's old now—quit making him worr
The ladies of the PR department flocked around Jason as soon they saw him, all of them flirting brazenly."Where've you been, Mr. Chand? We missed you!" one of them exclaimed."Where else would I go?" Jason chuckled. "I went home to check on my dad and make sure he's comfortable."Also, let me introduce you to your new manager—this is Lugh Frankton, who's a student from Shagan Agricultural University!"The ladies were certainly overjoyed and immediately flocked around Frank instead."Hey, handsome. You're still a student? Come closer, let us have a good look… Oh, such a fresh face!" Jason could only flash an awkward smile at Frank—he was the boss, but even he could not do much against those spirited women. It could not be helped either, as they were good workers despite lacking awareness when it came to seniority."Well, hang tight—I'm going now," he said, scratching his head. "The ladies can teach you anything you need to know."Watching as Jason left, Frank was unsure if h
Frank could only smile in wry amusement, as there was nothing else he could do either. "Fine, it's a gentleman's agreement. Just don't break our promise later."It was also just his luck he had to run into this bunch.Later, even before 5 PM, one of the PR ladies knocked on his door, saying, "Mr. Frankton, our working hours are more flexible than the rest, and we have nothing to do anyway. Why don't we get started?"Frank sighed as he rose to his feet. "Alright. Let me tidy up here, and I'll catch up!""Don't think about running away now!" The lady smiled mischievously.Frank was not just exasperated at that point—he felt like he was a lamb, walking straight into the lion's den!Still, just as he was done tidying, he stepped out to see Jason rushing toward him. "Oh, perfect timing! Come, we're attending a social dinner!""Wait, Mr. Chand!""Mr. Frankton and the rest of us are going drinking later. Don't be a buzzkill now!"The ladies were suddenly in between them, and Jason fl
Frank nodded. "Nice to meet you.""Well, I'm going to keep drinking. Make yourself at home!" Linda nodded cheerfully and chugged her glass once more.While Frank followed suit, the tall lady in red from earlier came up as well. "Hello, Mr. Frankton. I'm Nora Frankton—guess we share a last name!""Hello!"As Nora raised her glass with clear intent as well, Frank finally understood—these women were going to keep toasting him and get him drunk!Still, he answered the challenge nonetheless, undaunted.These ladies were definitely better drinkers than the rest, but that was all there was to it—he really doubted that they could get him drunk.Even as other staff members arrived, Frank had been pressed into finishing two whole bottles of rum in under fifteen minutes!For their part, the PR ladies were mentally prepared, knowing that Frank was well-connected since he was airdropped as a manager of the department.It went without saying that they were all shocked to see Frank perfectly
Linda was not counting on Frank to understand anyway—he could hold his liquor, but he would not know much about drinking games since he did not work in PR."Someone brought two decks of cards!"As Nora soon returned with two decks of playing cards, Linda shuffled them masterfully before saying, "Well, I'll be the dealer for the first round!""Sure." Frank shrugged.Linda quickly distributed three cards to everyone, and seeing that was a third of all the cards, Frank understood why there were two decks."One shot, Mr. Frankton. Do you yield?"Frank picked up his cards: a straight flush to king.Since it was a good hand, he shook his head. "No!"Linda could tell from his reaction that his hand was good too and turned toward Nora. "What about you?""Three shots!"Nora was clearly more used to the game than Frank and bluffed convincingly despite having a bad hand."Three shots it is!""I'm not yielding even with three shots," Nora pressed, her tone clearly challenging. "Showdow
Linda had her pride as a PR officer.However, just as she was about to return to the good fight, she suddenly bumped into a towering figure.The man was over six feet tall and had a cold visage despite his pudgy look. He was just going to start yelling, but his expression changed as he studied Linda lustfully when he saw that it was a woman."Sorry."Feeling uncomfortable from the brute's stare, Linda apologized and was ready to leave.However, the brute caught her. "Come on, girl! Do you think it's over just because you said sorry? Have a drink with me, at least!"Linda scowled in disgust right then—she might be a PR officer, but that was legitimate work, and she would not drink with just anyone!"It's my fault for bumping into you, so I'll apologize again," she said. "I can even pay up if you're asking for damages, but I'm not drinking with you!""Shit! Just look at the way you dress—I know you're not the pure type, so don't bother acting like it!"He raised her arm, fueled
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