Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!Adrian suddenly made his move, his speed astonishing. Although he had no weapons when he first infiltrated Jelzuc's headquarters, he had acquired a few along the way, including several darts taken from the enemies he had defeated.He flung the darts at the guards, targeting their throats with pinpoint accuracy. The guards barely had time to react before they were struck down. They didn't even have the chance to scream.With a few muffled thuds, the guards fell, effortlessly defeated.Adrian spat disdainfully, "Useless trash. You’re not worth my time."Defeating the enemies so easily didn't make Adrian proud as these guards were not particularly strong to begin with. Under his assault, they were completely helpless, and he quickly dispatched them all.Adrian went on to search their bodies but found no keys, which surprised him. "These guys are more cautious than I thought. They know better than to carry keys on them to prevent intruders from unlocking doors
Rhys, fortunately, was conscious. Seeing Adrian approaching, he gasped. "Mr. Adrian, how...how did you get here?""I'm here to rescue you," Adrian replied. "Don't say much now; we'll talk once we're out."Rhys, too weak for prolonged conversation, nodded weakly. "Okay..."Adrian quickly unlocked the chains binding him. Everything was going smoothly until an eerie occurrence transpired just as they were about to leave.They heard urgent footsteps approaching rapidly, and Adrian immediately realized it was the Jelzucs. He became alert, scanning the surroundings, and quickened his pace.But before they could escape, a group of people charged toward them, led by Malik and his men. Shockingly, those who were previously imprisoned with Rhys were now with them, standing resolutely by Malik's side.Adrian was initially stunned but quickly regained his composure. He laughed coldly. "I never imagined you’d betray Rhys. I regret rescuing you."One of the traitors retorted, "Don’t blame us.
Adrian seized a random knife from the ground and advanced toward his opponents, knowing retreat wasn't an option. Without hesitation, he unleashed his full power, his eyes blazing fiercely. With a roar, he charged at incredible speed, swinging the knife.The blade whistled sharply as Adrian slashed it down toward one of the men, who instinctively raised a steel pipe to block it. Adrian deftly angled his blade, scraping it along the pipe toward the man's hand. Terrified, the man let go to avoid injury, and the steel pipe clattered to the ground.Adrian followed with a powerful kick, his leg like a steel whip, sending the man flying with a scream. The force knocked over several others behind him, buying Adrian precious time.Without pause, Adrian charged forward, grabbing the fallen pipe with one hand and swinging it fiercely with the other. His relentless assault left all the Jelzucs reeling, unable to defend themselves. Screams filled the air as his attacks overwhelmed them.Alone,
Whatever Adrian's capabilities, Jelzuc's failure to defeat him was undoubtedly a disgrace. Despite their size, they could not overcome one person. In Fallen City, such failure would have led to their quick demise. This gave Adrian ample opportunity to mock Malik relentlessly.When Adrian taunted Malik, the latter became furious. He shouted, "Are you really pushing me to use my last resort?!"Adrian was briefly surprised at the mention of "last resort" but dismissed it. He knew Malik had no real trump card; otherwise, Malik wouldn't be losing to him or be under Kayden’s thumb. Adrian sneered as he swiftly defeated surrounding enemies and charged straight at Malik.Malik, seeing Adrian approach, was terrified. He knew Adrian's strength well. His bravado had only come from his followers, but now Adrian had effortlessly defeated them and was closing in on him, and his pride evaporated.But before Malik could react, Adrian's knife was at his throat. He froze in fear, staring wide-eyed a
Malik's conviction was clear to Adrian as he listened, observing the earnestness in the former’s expression. Malik truly believed in what he was offering.In response, Adrian scoffed coldly. "Seems like you think everyone operates like you do, but that is not what I want."With a swift motion, he swung his knife at Malik, declaring, “Right now, all I want is your life."Swish—Malik realized he had no chance against Adrian. A bitter smile of resignation crossed his face, sorrow evident in his eyes. Without resistance, Malik fell to Adrian's blade and died.Malik's death shattered the resolve of his subordinates. They stared at Adrian in terror, seeing him as a fearsome presence. Adrian, however, remained composed and indifferent.Breaking the silence, Adrian challenged them, "Anyone have something to say? Anyone else want to fight? Go ahead and try."With a wave of his knife, Adrian shattered their remaining resolve. Immediately, they dropped their weapons and fled in panic, dis
Adrian knew they wouldn't dare to attack him. From their words, it was clear they considered themselves important. Nevertheless, he said icily, "Since we can't reach an agreement, we’ll let Rhys decide. But I doubt you fair-weather friends will earn his forgiveness."Everyone turned to Rhys, who after taking a short rest, felt a little better albeit still far from his peak. With everyone's eyes on him, Rhys finally made his choice. Without acknowledging the others, he said to Adrian, "Mr. Adrian, thank you for saving me. Let's leave."Rhys limped toward the exit, leaving the others stunned and disbelieving. The man who had spoken earlier approached, pleading, "Rhys, how can you do this? We've been friends for so long!"Rhys ignored him and kept walking. Frustrated, the man tried to grab Rhys, but Adrian intervened swiftly. His eyes flashed fiercely as he shouted, "Who do you think you are? Back off!"Adrian grabbed the man's arm and effortlessly threw him to the ground, humiliating him
After Adrian finished speaking, he noticed Rhys' eyes darken with despair. The car crept along the road in silence, only the engine's hum breaking the quiet.Then, unexpectedly, Rhys broke the silence. "Mr. Adrian, I was thinking… May I join your organization? If you'll have me, sir.""Absolutely!" Adrian eagerly welcomed the idea.Despite their brief acquaintance, Adrian sensed Rhys' strong leadership abilities. While Adrian had established power here, his main goal wasn't to expand influence but to confront Kayden and the elusive Prime Oracles. Having Rhys join his cause would be invaluable.When Adrian arrived back at the outpost, everyone greeted him warmly. "Mr. Adrian, you're back!" Relieved by his safe return, the team rallied around him.In the days that followed, Adrian introduced Rhys and planned their next moves. With Rhys on board, motivation soared. Under Rhys’ guidance, Adrian managed to fortify the outpost even further, transforming it into a thriving center. Adrian
Rhys was busy fortifying the outpost when he saw Adrian approaching. Immediately, he set down his tools and asked, "Is there something you need, Mr. Adrian?""Yes," Adrian replied, "I have a question for you."Rhys, surprised by this, asked, "What is it?"Adrian sat down beside him. "I want to ask you about the Prime Oracles. Do you have any impressions of them?"The mention of the Prime Oracles made Rhys' expression freeze. Initially, he thought Adrian’s question was trivial, but he quickly realized its seriousness.Noticing Rhys' reaction, Adrian's tone turned grave. "What’s going on? Are the Prime Oracles really that formidable?"Rhys nodded. "Are you somehow involved with the Prime Oracles, sir? If so, you need to tell me. This concerns your safety.""What’s going on? Tell me everything.""Sir, the Prime Oracles is the most ruthless faction around these parts.""The most ruthless faction? How do they compare to Kayden?"Rhys looked Adrian square in the eye. "Nothing."Ad