But for some reason, the hero and his forces vanished in the midst of their campaign—not defeated, but disappearing on the spot.In remembrance, the peasants built this coffinless tomb for the hero.However, that story was just the tip of the iceberg. The murals on the east side had been vandalized, so there were missing pieces of the story that eluded Sylvie and the others.They were not particularly invested in the story either—people in olden times were superstitious, and transportation was terrible, not to mention they had to travel dozens of miles to get from one point to the other. In all likelihood, the hero's forces were decimated, and with the peasants likely kept out of the loop, their tale was adapted into myth.As such, the expedition did not dwell on it and continued surveying the chamber.That was not the case for Frank, however.Having come with a purpose, he also had a different interpretation—the hero's so-called power must have been stolen, infused to the thug
After that, Frank did not hesitate to return and continued to move everyone up the surface by the pairs.Still, Tigris saw the look on Lara's face and went up to her to ask, "What's up, Ms. Gold? Is that your first time being carried like that?"While Lara had to be wary around Frank, she did not have to around Tigris, even snorting, "Don't look down on me. I've had more boyfriends than the number of women you've met!"Tigris was left chuckling in amusement, while Frank had moved everyone except Sylvie to the surface."I didn't know you were this good!" Sylvie exclaimed. "Why bother working as a bodyguard? You could well be the protagonist of a martial arts novel. How wonderful it'd be to live by the word!"Frank ignored her as he walked up and picked her up before vaulting on the surface.However, Sylvie remained latched around his shoulder, giggling, "My waist is quite slender, don't you agree? I don't mind telling you—I'm trained in martial arts, and I pack some muscles even i
But that was how reality was for Frank, and it kept repeating himself!On the other hand, Lara was no longer in the mood for a bath after that rat scare. She strode out of the bathroom straight up to Frank. "You saw nothing!""Indeed."Lara nodded but remained dissatisfied—Frank's eyes almost bore a hole into her, but what could she do when she was too embarrassed to ask?Whatever—he did save her life, and she was the one who asked him to bring her here. It would be shameless of her to snap at him!"Thank you… for that," she said instead.Frank was actually puzzled by Lara's unusual reaction. "Don't you feel upset?"Lara smiled in wry amusement. "Then what am I supposed to do? Demand that I get a look too?"Frank chuckled. "See? You look so good smiling. Don't you get tired of scowling all the time?"Lara sighed, and as she watched the woman working on the chickens, she had a hunch that Frank had bought them. "I guess I could let it slide if you're making it up to me with that
As everyone laughed even harder, Tigris nudged Lara with his elbow, saying pointedly, "You gotta keep an eye out, or Mr. Frankton would be stolen soon."Lara did not appear to worry, however, and ignored him as she turned to Frank. "May I ask for a favor after we're done here?""What is it?" Frank asked in curiosity.Lara brandished her phone. "It's not me—it's Mr. Chand. He owes his current success to a certain person, and that person has suddenly taken ill. He's hoping that you'll help with their treatment!"Frank was not sure how to react. "Why didn't he call me directly?"Lara shrugged. "You'd have to ask Mr. Chand about that!"Frank nodded in silence, since this meant he had a chance to peek into Jason Chand's secret. -The next day, the construction team arrived and worked for the day. Once the load structures were complete, Sylvie led the expedition down to the tomb again, moving more artifacts.They were more or less done by evening, and Sylvie was wiping sweat as she
Frank continued, "When that happens, you'll all be locked up, while he gets away scot-free. So listen to my advice—don't start a fight blindly, and do what you should be doing instead."Frank's words naturally brought the villagers to a realization—they actually did not know the fat man, and he definitely would not be arrested later.On the other hand, the villagers were locals and were not getting away!Hence, they took the olive branch Frank offered and left.Sylvie smiled as she walked up to him. "Thank you. Who knows how many relics he could've taken for himself otherwise."Frank smiled in turn and slapped the fat man across the face."You hit me?! How dare you!"The fat man was at once incensed when he woke up, yelling, "What are you spacing out for?! Go! Kill him!"It was only when he finished that he noticed something strange and turned to find that all the villagers were gone."Kill who?" Sylvie asked as she studied him coolly."Just you wait! I'll make you pay!" the
Frank quickly helped the girl to his bed, but before he could ask why, he heard a rush of footsteps.He turned and saw that several burly thugs had entered.They were led by a blond guy, who pointed at the girl as she shuddered on the bed. "Hand her over, brat!"Frank turned toward the girl named Irene, who quickly shook her head. "I-I don't know them! Please, you have to help me…"She trailed off, clearly convinced that Frank did not stand a chance, what with his scrawny form.She was kind—she did not want to be taken, but she did not want Frank to get hurt because of her either. Getting up on her own accord, she tearfully started to leave with the burly thugs…"Wait!" Frank pulled Irene back toward himself and snapped coolly at the thugs, "Get out right now, and I just might spare you."The blond guy and his thugs were surprised at first, but they soon laughed themselves silly. "Are you joking, kid? You're putting it as if we won't stand a chance against you!""That's a fact,
However, Sylvie never saw Frank move, but he had already caught her fist in his palm, and she could not budge it at all.Frank dissed her. "You're quick, but not as quick as me!""Try this on for size!"Sylvie suddenly raised her foot and kicked toward Frank's groin, but he was prepared and sidestepped it.As he caught Sylvie's ankle in return, Sylvie's heart skipped a beat as she stood on one foot, surprised that Frank was that good.Nonetheless, she teased, "You're amazing, but you're not going to be ready for my next move!""Come at me all you want!"Frank chuckled, actually interested in seeing how Sylvie would do, only for her to stand on her toes and kiss him with an audible smooch!"What's that supposed to mean?" Frank asked, confused."What, can't a girl have a taste, handsome?"Sylvie retorted and pushed him down on the bed. "We won't be seeing each other much now, so you're mine tonight!"While Sylvie's bluntness stirred Frank, he suddenly pinned her down beneath h
Frank patted Sylvie on the head. "Don't worry. I won't."Sylvie reluctantly pulled away from Frank, but just as she was about to give him her address, several vans came bounding down to the campsite.They screeched to a halt nearby, and over a dozen thugs carrying metal bats alighted."How tactless!"Sylvie leapt forward in rage, though most of her colleagues had expected that—she was never great with goodbyes, and the man in question was too damned attractive.Still, they were left puzzled as Lara soon followed after her!Somehow, the two women were not at a disadvantage despite facing off against over a dozen men and floored them in just twenty minutes.Then, as if that was not enough for them, they dragged the fat man who instigated the villagers yesterday out of the van and clobbered him.The fat man certainly felt exasperated. Forget a pretty boy like Frank being able to hold himself in a fight—the two women had to be such amazing fighters too?He certainly had no comebac
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