Frank somehow floored those dozen over men with relative ease without breaking a sweat.There was no doubt about it—the man was a martial artist!How unlucky could he be?! Martial artists were far and few between… but he somehow ended up messing with one, and it had to be some backwater bumpkin at that!Cato certainly knew he had messed up big time now.At the same time, Frank dropped to a crouch before Cato and grabbed him by the hair, impassive even as he asked, "You were saying you're going to have some fun with my girl, weren't you?""Frank!" Helen rolled her eyes in the distance, exasperated.Was that the only thing Frank heard?Frank simply ignored her as he flashed a sickly sweet smile at Cato. "So? Are you still going to do it?"Cato shook his head so violently his neck could break, already scared out of his mind."Well, you certainly can talk…" Frank sighed, his eyes flashing sharply as he suddenly snapped, "I've never even had fun with her myself, y'know!""Please!
Luna was heartbroken, not because Cato tried to cheat her of her money, but because Cato would rather kidnap Helen than lay a finger on her even though she was basically offering herself up for him!"Is there really so much difference between me and Helen?" she mused miserably even as she drank herself silly at the bar.Meanwhile, Frank and Helen took a booth seat and were waiting for someone. Around half an hour, Ned arrived. "Mr. Lawrence." He was no longer his meek self from before, and was brimming with energy even as he took a seat.Seeing Helen sitting beside Frank right then, he asked hesitantly, "She's…?""My ex-wife, Helen Lane," Frank smiled as he made the introductions. "And I've asked you here because she needs a favor.""Ex-wife?" Ned appeared stunned for a moment, but got up and shook Helen's hand politely. "You really are dazzling, Ms. Lane—I actually wondered for a moment if some top star graced this bar."Then, shooting Frank an upset look, he sighed in disap
"Oh, right!" Ned chuckled as he added, "My family will foot the bill for materials and construction service up front. You can pay everything at once after the acceptance test.""Asking for payment after you finished construction? What even is this godly business?"Helen could hardly believe that there was a subcontractor company that was this reliable. Did Ned not care that he might not be paid?Seemingly seeing Helen's confusion, Ned smiled. "I understand that you might be confused, but I can tell you that it's Mr. Lawrence's character that I trust. His judgment is above question, and he vouches for you—not to mention that you're his ex-wife. And given my partnership with Mr. Lawrence, a billion is really nothing. Hell, I wouldn't mind footing ten!"Helen's mouth was hanging wide open, understanding profoundly how reliable Frank was just then."In that case, I must thank you before all else," she exclaimed, ready to bow.Ned quickly stopped her, chuckling. "Please, Ms. Lane! N
"However!"Luna then reached out to smack Ned repeatedly on the cheek, chuckling. "There's one other family that one must never underestimate too… and that's the Janko family. Rumor has it that they're ready to replace the Lawrences, who are falling into decline."Leveling a look of pity at Helen, Luna grinned. "So, do you really think that the heir to such a grand dynasty of enormous influence would go out of his way to help you with something so frivolous? That's what I've been saying all along… you've been scammed!"Luna then clapped Ned on the shoulder while sneering, "You really know how to put up an act, kid. How much did Frank spend hiring you? Honestly, did you forget about bringing bodyguards? I guess those clothes must have cost you your entire budget, huh?"Ned smacked her hand away before she could reach his shirt and turned toward Frank. "Who is she, Mr. Lawrence?""Helen's cousin. Just ignore her," Frank said, shooting Luna a look of contempt."Oh, you're going to k
The fact that Ned offered to take payment after building the mansion already disproved Luna's insistence that it was a scam. If anything, asking for a single full payment after the acceptance was a gesture of faith—that they really were not eager for their money.If anything, Luna was obviously trying to harass Frank, as she was taking out on him the disdain Cato showed him.Though Frank was the one who saved her from that conman, she somehow considered Frank the reason her love life went up in smoke.She wanted Frank to suffer because she did!"In that case…"Frank was just about to take up Ned's invitation to visit Janko Gardens and disappoint Luna when Helen's phone rang."Sorry, I have to take this." Helen smiled apologetically at Ned as she hurried away.At the same time, Luna was still rambling on. "Hah! Just look at you pigs… I can tell you're all involved in this scam, refusing to show proof… I'll call Mommy! I'll tell her that you ruined my love life and harassed me—"
Talnam was a country neighboring Draconia down south. Things had always been hostile between them, and border conflicts were frequent.In fact, if not for the intimidating presence of the Lord of the Southern Woods in Southdam, one could expect more skirmishes and intrusion into the country. After all, he was the most feared Draconese in Talnam.As such, this kidnapping was utterly bizarre—what could possibly have driven the Talnamese to sneak into Morhen, the very heart of Draconia?And being the Lord of the Southern Woods' son, Frank, had no reason to ignore the kidnapping, whether it was for Gina's sake or his inherited distaste for the Talnamese.After some thought, he nodded. "In that case, I'm going over. The fact that the Talnamese are showing up in the country means things are probably more complicated than we think."Ned nodded in turn. "Then I'm coming with you."Frank agreed reluctantly—he would rather not, but he needed directions or he would have trouble finding th
Helen certainly did not understand why Frank would go all out, even sending for bodyguards."It is." Frank nodded solemnly, and he was concerned over none other than the Talnamese's presence here.The only person who had a connection with them was most likely Frank himself. After all, the Talnamese still held a grudge for the time when the Lord of the Southern Woods led an insurgency into Talnam and almost abducted their king.As the only son of the Lord of the Southern Woods, Frank was worried that the Talnamese were after him.And those folks were known for their savagery—if they really had Gina, Frank would not risk letting Helen get caught by them too.And most of all, he would not allow himself to be used as a bargaining chip against his own father. He would rather die than allow himself to get involved with that man again, especially if it was because of his own competence.With that, Frank brought Ned along in his Maserati and drove straight to the outer reaches of South M
Picking up the phone with shaking fingers, Gina dialed a number, and her call was soon answered."Hello? Frank? It's me, Gina… I've been kidnapped, and they're demanding three billion dollars… Yes, three billion. Please, can't you and Helen do something? Take a loan from Ms. Turnbull or something? I'm begging you… they're going to kill me."Gina felt utterly drained after the call.Never could she have imagined the day would come when she had to beg Frank to save her. The sheer humiliation left her hanging her head, especially after Frank replied nonchalantly over the phone, "Calm down. It's just three billion."He was certainly in no rush.If anything, Gina believed that her death was exactly what he wanted—he could do anything he wanted with her daughter at that point, and no one would dare to take Helen's side.A venomous look appeared on her face at the thought, and she promptly sat up, flashing a fawning smile at the Talnamese. "Gentlemen, it's better to look into my son-i
Frank was not only the smart guy out there in the whole right world. In other words, Mr. Creston had that in mind too!He was helping because he had felt insulted after Frank flexed on him earlier, and Dani was still useful to him—for now.When she handed over the company, however, he would not hesitate to kick her out! On top of that, he would make sure that she took the fall for all the dirty deeds they did together.In the end, she would not even be able to defend herself, while suffering lawsuits and public condemnation!Even so, she said, "I understand now. But it's never too late—I swear I'll change if you give me a chance!"Frank simply turned to Zein. "Actually, this man had the right idea—if he gave you a chance, who would give him one?"We're all adults here, so act your age. I'm sure you understand how a good opinion, once lost, is lost forever.""I get it!" Dani quickly said. "You don't have to keep me around, just—""No!" Frank snapped and crushed her left hand und
Dani was under the impression that even if the goons were not the best, they were on the cusp of reaching that level anyway.It turned out to be just her wishful thinking—when against the truly powerful, she was a lamb at the mercy of the butcher's knife, no matter how many people she brought! "To be honest, I'm curious as to what you're thinking." Frank snorted as he strode up to Dani. "Why dump a man who loves you dearly for some prick you don't even know? Being abused in that state and still thinking that you'd chosen wisely—do you actually have a brain?"Seeing her launching, he knew she was not listening, and he tore her ear off!The horrific pain jolted Dani to her senses, and she was left clutching what remained of her ear as she stared at the seemingly handsome man.She was under the impression that Frank would let her live even if she lost, but it was once again wishful thinking.He would kill her, and savagely at that!And she was certainly right, since Frank had ne
Drunken Moon quickly shook her head. "Don't worry about rewarding us. Nothing's better than getting you back on your feet. Did you know that you looked just like a zombie when I saw you again? You really gave me a scare there."Zein chuckled. "Can't help it—I really had no idea what I could do against them, so I could only flounder. But with this man recovering my mother's ashes, it's over for them."Turning to Frank, he nodded. "Don't worry, brother—I'm no ingrate. I'll definitely make this worth your while."Frank shook his head too.It was a simple thing for him to do, and he had volunteered in the first place. Why leverage grace for trinkets?Even as the thought crossed his mind, someone kicked open the door, and soon, a dozen goons stormed inside. With their black tank tops, machetes, and muscular figures, they were clearly not to be trifled with.And they were led by none other than Dani herself, striding inside like a queen, as if she had everything under control.Zein
"Argh!!! This place is haunted!!!"Horrified, Dani clung to Mr. Creston, eager to earn his comfort.Contrary to her expectations, Mr. Creston was much more knowledgeable and pushed her away, growling, "There's no such thing as haunting, only reckless brats. So tell me, who are you, boy?"Frank smirked. "I'm surprised you're that knowledgeable. But to be honest, who I am doesn't matter—what matters is that you're a subhuman piece of shit!"Then, as Mr. Creston and Dani looked on, the box of ashes vanished.While Dani screamed again, Mr. Creston was ready to call for help when he felt someone seizing his throat, and he could not make a sound."Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you—I'll just make sure your reputation would go up in smoke before you go to jail. That's the best either of you could hope for."As Frank's voice became distant, Mr. Creston could move again and promptly slapped Dani across the face.Amusingly, she did not get upset from that. In fact, she hung her head
It was superstition, as even fools knew that reincarnation was not real. But the richer they were, the more superstitious they got.Still, Drunken Moon said, "I'll get your mother's ashes back."Zein signed. "Thanks for the offer, but it's too dangerous. And she'd really do it if she's pushed too far."Drunken Moon would not want to bother Frank since this was her friend's problem and not hers, and he was not obliged to help. However, she honestly did not want to let people like Dani strut and leveled a pleading look at Frank.She simply did not know that Frank was always eager to help, and he had to agree that Dani was too sickening to be left at large.Putting a hand on his chest, he assured Zein, "Just tell me where the urn is. I'll definitely recover it for you."Zein was rubbing his brow as he said, "The people you're dealing with aren't as simple as they appear."Frank chuckled. "That applies to others too."And with those words, he disappeared.Zein—who had been lou
As Frank and Drunken Moon chatted, a thirtyish man opened the door. His tailored suit was draped lopsidedly, and stubble grew all over his chin.On top of that, there were wide dark circles under his eyes, both of which were bloodshot."Drunken Moon?" His eyes lit up when he realized who it was, but only for a second as his gaze soon dulled again.Drunken Moon turned to Frank. "Allow me to introduce you to a friend, Lugh Frankton. Lugh, this is my friend Zein Dunham. You can just call him Zein."After the men shook hands, Zein ushered them inside and made them tea.Then, he curled into himself as he sat on a couch, looking miserably insomniac."You don't look like yourself," Drunken Moon pointed out, puzzled. "Did you suffer some sort of trauma?"Zein smiled wryly. "You never know what could happen to you, I guess. Live and let live."Drunken Moon looked around and realized that all of Zein's wedding photos were gone.In fact, anything that had to do with Dani Farron, Zein's w
Damn their horrible luck! They would not be in this situation if Lanky Man was not eager to get himself a wife!Meanwhile, as Frank and Drunken Moon left, the latter giggled and asked, "Hey, could you come along while I visit a friend? It's rare that I can be out and about, so I'll just treat this as a holiday. That means I should properly unwind instead of going back right away."Frank nodded. He had nothing else to do anyway and followed Drunken Moon to a luxurious residential area.They could have entered directly, but since Drunken Moon did not know which house her friend lived in, she asked the security guard, "Do you know Zein Dunham? I'm a friend. Would you happen to know where he lives?"Though Drunken Moon was very polite, the security guard studied her from head to toe before scowling in contempt. "You can't go in without an appointment, lady, and I definitely can't give you any resident's address either—I'd get fired."Stepping out of the security shack, Drunken Moon ap
Lanky Man could not help flashing a thumb-up at Frank.However, the gesture changed just as Frank was not watching—with a flash of blue light, countless needles rained down on Frank!Nonetheless, Frank did not move.The needles continued toward him before clanging loudly as they came to a stop near him, as if striking a wall.Lanky Man could not help being stunned—that was his killing stroke, and he launched it at Frank when he let his guard down.However, the kid was somehow able to cast some barrier that nullified his attacks. What the hell was that even?!"Curious, aren't you?" Frank asked just then. "I'm sure the people you butchered would've been curious about your powers too. Now that the tables have turned, I must ask—has it ever crossed your mind that you're the same as them?"At those words, Lanky Man's knees buckled and he dropped to his knees.It was only natural that he imagined his defeat, but not one this pathetic.Frank never even broke a sweat, but nothing work
Despite Drunken Moon's agility, a needle struck her in the left shoulder after she dodged them multiple times.Gritting her teeth in pain, she smirked. "I'm surprised you're this strong."Lanky Man laughed. "It's not just you—I don't know why I'm this good either."Ever since I was a child, every person I've met, regardless of age or sect, could never win against me. It's really a pain being so strong—normal folk really wouldn't catch my eye, so I was hoping you'd change your mind, priestess."Drunken Moon sighed. "Then it's a shame that you've run into someone you shouldn't, or you might really have gotten your chance at showing off."And with those words, she chanted her incantation.Soon, blue light converged and formed a human silhouette.It was naturally Frank himself in the flesh!Even as Frank studied his own body, he actually found it interesting—in a way, he was able to teleport.In that case, would he not be making bank if he worked as a courier or pizza boy?"Who a