And above all, Kuno had called Eron yesterday, insisting that he wanted the Earthen Dragonheart.With his daughter's savior on one end, and her future in-laws on the other, Eron decided to sacrifice Frank since he was just a healer.He just had to throw him a bit more money, and that was that.Nonetheless, Frank sprang to his feet right then. "Mr. White, we agreed that I will be given the Earthen Dragonheart for treating your daughter. Are you reneging on that promise?"Eron frowned, his smile fading as it was clear Frank was not playing along. "Haven't I told you, Mr. Lawrence? You can have anything aside from the Earthen Dragonheart. And if you don't want items, I can pay you with money.""I don't want to waste my time with you, Mr. White," Frank said icily. "I only ask that you bring me the Earthen Dragonheart soon, and stop wasting our time."Bang!Eron slammed his palm on the table, glowering. "How could you so stubbornly demand my family's treasure? Take my money, and you'
Eron appeared utterly reluctant even as he called a servant to bring the Earthen Dragonheart.Frank checked it thoroughly as he took it.It was a herb that grew in the hostile reaches of the far west, devoid of sunlight.The stem and root bore a striking resemblance to dragons, hence the name.Naturally, Frank's apprehension eased when he confirmed that it was the herb.Eron saw the look on his face and growled coolly, "It's not rightfully yours, brat. Don't believe for a moment that you'd be able to hold on to it.""That's not up to you to worry, Mr. White. See you around." Frank thought nothing of his threat and had intention of lingering in his presence a second longer."I'll walk with you, Mr. Lawrence," Kim quickly said.As she personally escorted her outside the Creek Orchard residence, she suddenly bowed. "I'm really sorry about what happened today, Mr. Lawrence."Frank studied her and found the look of worry on her fair cheeks.He said, "It's not your fault. You don't
Frank was not surprised to see Fred arriving at Hilton Hotel in just ten minutes on his electric scooter.His eyes were scarlet, and his very presence murderous.Frank had been hinting at his girlfriend's duplicity before, and he turned against Frank for that!Naturally, today's anonymous tip drove him over the brink!His girlfriend and his boss were entering a hotel in broad daylight, and the tip even included a picture of the room number in high definition!How could Fred not get upset with this?!He strode in the hotel, intent on going straight to Room 908.Seeing his furious stride, the front desk receptionist stopped him. "Sir, are you here for a stay?""Buzz off!" Fred pushed her away and dashed up the stairs, not bothered to wait for the elevator.He was seeing red and almost losing his mind—not even the gods could stop him today, and he would catch Marian in the act!The receptionist turned pale and promptly barked into her walkie-talkie, "Security, security! We may h
Fred's eyes were blood red as he pointed at Marian and Brock, bellowing, "What do you think you're doing?!"Marian simply rolled her eyes in annoyance at him. "Can you stop already? Mr. Summer and I are just doing research, and you've just ruined all our progress.""Fuck you!" Fred bellowed. "Research? On a hotel room bed?! Do you take me for a fool?!"Marian thought nothing of her duplicity, however, even shoving Fred and shouting, "Why are you yelling at me? I've been respecting you too much, haven't I? What's the problem if Mr. Summer and I just want a little bit of fun?""So you're admitting to it?" Fred bit his lip so hard that he bled. "Don't you have a hint of dignity, Marian?!""Dignity?" Marian rolled her eyes. "What good is that? Does that put food on the table? Hell, you and that dignity of yours makes you less than two grand a month—I'm basically giving you a freebie by playing with you.""What…" Fred could have a stroke even as he stared at Marian, hardly believing t
When Marian looked up, she saw Fred leaping toward Brock and grabbing his neck!"You were my brother!" he screamed in rage. "And you're fucking my girl?! I'll kill you!""Did you just fucking touch me?!" Brock bellowed back furiously, even rearing his chin at him fearlessly. "I'm warning you—Flying Sword Sect's leader is my close friend! If you hurt me, I'll make you wish you were dead!"Fred paused.He did not know that much about Flying Sword Sect. However, he had at least heard that they were a powerful organization in Riverton, boasting innumerable apprentices.And seeing Fred pause, Brock immediately thought that he was afraid and laughed. "Haha! Why bother faking it, young man? I was just playing with your girl—no need to get upset. And aren't you going to think about your mom and sister? Especially your sister… with that pretty face of hers, I wonder what would happen if she fell into the hands of Flying Sword Sect!"Fred gritted his teeth, his arms shaking—he was ready to
Frank presumed things would have ended without a fuss when Fred caught on to Marian's duplicity, since Fred was always a wuss.He certainly did not expect him to be beaten to a pulp and regretted not following him into the hotel.And Marian's nonchalant reaction to Fred's pain only left Frank further disgusted!"Could you stoop any lower, Marian Henley?" Frank growled. "You cheated on Fred, and he caught you, but you turned on him and had him beat up?!"Brock was too busy thinking what he should do to Fred to worry about Frank. "Fuck off, boy. This isn't your fight.""It's none of your business." Marian snorted haughtily beside Brock. "If anything, you should be worried about yourself."Frank promptly leapt up and slapped Marian across the face!He would rather not lay his hands on a woman, but he really could not stand scum like Marian!"Argh!" Marian screamed, and turned miserably towards Brock. "Mr. Summer! She hit me!"Brock was already furious. Seeing that Frank was bent
Frank then passed Fred a cigarette—as a man himself, he could empathize with how Fred felt.As Fred took a deep puff, Frank scratched his head and said, "She's just one woman, and one who doesn't deserve your life. I can recommend a couple too, when there's a chance."Fred slowly turned toward him and asked, "You messaged me, didn't you?"Frank made an awkward look, but nodded. "I'm sorry… I didn't think you'd attack them.""Because I was a wuss?""That's not what I'm saying…""You don't have to say it. It's all my fault that things turned out like this between me and Marian."Fred then chuckled bitterly and asked, "Can I ask you a question?""Sure. I'll tell you anything I know," Frank replied."Why are you so eager to help my family? Whether it's me, or my sister… Do you really like her?"Frank thought about it. "No… And I could tell you the truth, if you can take it.""Why not?" Fred chuckled self-deprecatingly. "What won't I believe now? Hell, it turns out that the girl
Fred had made those handmade guns himself but never used them for years.He concealed them under his clothes and stepped out of his room.Carol was already cooking, and seeing her son, she quickly said, "Dinner's ready soon. Go set up the table.""I won't be needing dinner," Fred said, walking up to her side. "I'm leaving soon.""Leaving?" Carol was taken aback. "It's going to be dark soon.""Something came up at the office," Fred explained. "Also, if anything happens, you should call Frank Lawrence."Carol's female intuition was screaming to her right then that something bad was going to happen.Grabbing Fred by the arm, she asked, "What are you hiding from me, Fred? You know you can tell me, whatever it is.""I'm fine," Fred smiled. "You're being paranoid now, Mom. I'm going now."And with those words in parting, he left, leaving Carol ruminating the seemingly loaded meaning in his words.After some thought, she called Frank. "Hello? Is this Mr. Lawrence?"Frank just arriv
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