They had always wanted to expand their companies into Aqua City but were consistently stopped by Ethan. However, when Stephen took over, he welcomed them all without hesitation. Now, Aqua City's economy had become entirely dependent on them, and for that, Oliver and his associates were genuinely grateful to Stephen.Unfortunately, one of Stephen's friends quickly snatched the gift box and threw it violently to the ground. An exquisite blue and white porcelain piece fell out and shattered instantly.Stephen's friend froze when he saw it was not a phone or a recording device. It was a genuine gift!They immediately realized their mistake. They had smashed the wrong thing!An elderly man rushed over and picked up the porcelain fragments to examine them. As he looked, he became even more aghast."This porcelain is over 500 years old! It’s a true one-of-a-kind antique! How could this happen?"He was devastated. The blue and white porcelain was not just valuable—its collectible and his
Under everyone's gaze, Stephen slowly opened the box. When he saw what was inside, his eyes widened in shock.His hand trembled, and the box fell to the ground, its contents rolling out. Inside the box was not a ring symbolizing friendship but a blood-stained bullet!The moment everyone saw the bullet, their hearts skipped a beat.The South Regent had sent Stephen a bullet on his wedding day? What did it mean? Was he suggesting Stephen should kill himself or that he should kill someone else?Whatever the meaning, they all knew it was not a blessing from the South Regent, nor was it a peace offering.The gift bearers explained, "Three years ago, the Grand Marshal's mentee forced one of the South Regent's most capable commanders to commit suicide, and this bullet was extracted from his body.""The South Regent sends this bullet now to signal that he will seek revenge against the Grand Marshal's mentee!"Stephen's head snapped up, and he looked nervously at those men.The Grand Ma
Everyone now knew that Stephen had been mocked by all his enemies at his wedding. The South Regent had even sent him a blood-stained bullet, signaling his intent for revenge.In spite of such a massive show of disrespect, Stephen did not dare to say a word. All he did was call the police after the aggressors had fled, making him look pathetic."He's destroyed the Quinn family's reputation.""Is he really the Grand Marshal's mentee? He's such a coward.""If he were truly the Grand Marshal's mentee, would the South Regent act so brazenly?""If he can't handle it, maybe we should bring back the person who used to manage Riveria."Reading the online comments almost made Stephen throw his phone in rage.Rachel, who had just showered and changed into casual clothes, glanced at Stephen and said, "Don't come near me until you figure out what you did wrong."Then, she went upstairs to her room, and the door slammed shut.Stephen hung his head low. Sitting on the sofa, he could not unde
Back in Metropolis, Andy quickly sought out his mentee, Marcus West, a true military expert."Sir, I was bullied! Please help me get revenge!" Andy immediately asked for help upon seeing Marcus.Marcus frowned. "Who would dare to bully you?"Andy was the young scion of the White family in Metropolis. Having been trained since childhood, his skills were unmatched among his peers. Given his noble status and exceptional abilities, no one in Metropolis dared provoke him."This guy in Riveria. I couldn't beat him, and worst of all, he was disrespectful to you too. He actually told you to go to him for training!""Oh?" Marcus's expression shifted slightly.He had retired from serving Riveria.Three years ago, after Ethan pacified Riveria, he had told them to leave. Now, Marcus was married with children and had been tasked with training Andy by the Whites. Life was good.Occasionally, he still thought about Ethan. Before the Grand Marshal passed away, he had tasked them with taking ca
Having once served alongside Ethan, Marcus knew just how terrifying Ethan could be.…Three years ago, there were nine fighters from beyond the border whose combat abilities matched or exceeded those of military experts like himself. Some had even crawled their way up from battlefields of corpses, their abilities surpassing Marcus and his peers. They were known as the nine deadliest assassins beyond the border. Among them, Number Three was the strongest as he could face any three opponents simultaneously without losing ground. Marcus believed that even in one-on-one combat, he would not be a match for Number Three. It was during that time that the South Regent offered 300 million dollars to the nine fighters to eliminate Ethan. The Grand Marshal had only recently passed away back then, and the military experts were concerned about Ethan's safety. If anything happened to Ethan, the consequences would be disastrous. Marcus, in particular, wanted to give Ethan full-time protection
He was confident that he could fight three at once while maintaining the odds, but he could not see Ethan’s movements. Had Ethan harbored murderous intent against him, he would not even have time to react. With such power, Ethan could easily fight nine men at once. Number Three could not understand why Ethan would rely on strategy when he clearly had the strength to dominate through sheer force. Ethan tossed the gun to Marcus and then said to Number Three, “Fighting is too inefficient. Besides, you’re not even worth me stepping outside to deal with.” Number Three stood there, dumbfounded. The nine of them were known assassins, mentors of not just close combat but also firearms and poison. They prided themselves on being unbeatable, no matter the target, and yet, here was Ethan, telling them they were not even worthy of his time. He did not take them seriously at all! Number Three’s confidence shattered. The nine of them had accepted the mission with utmost confidence, only to
Andy’s mind was filled with questions. He could not understand why his mentor would sit down when his foe invited them to. It was humiliating! Ethan calmly said, “There’s tea in the pot. If you want some, help yourself.”Marcus picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Ethan and himself. Holding the hot tea cup in his hands gave him a small sense of comfort. “Your tea is as good as ever.” Ethan smiled. “How’s life been over the past three years?” “Not bad.” “I heard you got married.” “Yeah. I have a daughter now, and she’s two this year. If I knew I was meeting you today, I would have brought her along.” Ethan’s smile widened as he said, “Congratulations.” Marcus simply smiled and nodded. Ethan then asked, “It’s been three years. I suppose you’re still sharp?” Marcus immediately tensed up, a nervous smile appearing on his face. “I guess so.” Ethan could tell Marcus had grown complacent over the years. “Don’t worry. The blood you shed for Riveria is enoug
Marcus got up on his feet and glared at Andy as the young man walked away. “Stop right there!” Andy turned a deaf ear and continued walking. Ethan took a sip of tea. “I see your choice of students needs to be improved. I’ve told you before that it’s not just about someone’s abilities—character matters most.” Lowering his head, Marcus muttered in embarrassment, “I’m sorry. Andy is still young and foolish. I apologize on his behalf. Please don’t mind the boy’s temper. I’ll teach him better from now on. Please excuse me.” He then went after Andy and found the boy inside the car. “I told you to apologize. Why are you being so stubborn?” Marcus said, exasperated.Andy replied, “I did nothing wrong. Give me time, and I will surpass him. I don’t need to apologize to him.” Marcus could only sigh. “Surpass him? Do you have any idea what he’s done in the past? One word from him and the nine infamous assassins beyond the borders were taken down, with seven dead and two crippled.“