Austin kept a close eye on the small guy.In a tone even he could hardly believe, he said, "From the way he moves, I feel like he's a beast waiting for a chance to strike. He's waiting. He's waiting for the best timing to deal the lethal blow!"Aldus' eyes widened, and the smile on his face was replaced by shock.Back when he was a mercenary, the killings he experienced on the battlefield were even crueler than those in the metal cage.At the same time, he had developed fearsome combat abilities, and Wolf was no match for him.A professional like Wolf had failed to notice this detail, but Austin, who had only fought a real battle once, surprisingly caught on!Even Aldus felt his heart skip a beat when he witnessed Austin's terrifying fighting instinct.Austin had just finished speaking when a furious roar sounded from the metal cage.It came from the small guy, who kept getting beaten."Now!"Almost at the same time, a gleam appeared in Austin's eyes.In the metal cage, the
Austin was stunned.He looked at Wolf in surprise. For a moment, he had no idea how he should respond.Lowering his head, Wolf said sincerely, "Mister, please allow me to follow you."Austin smiled bitterly as he shrugged. "I'm here to gain combat experience, not to take in students."He didn't want to look too much into Wolf's identity.But before he came to the underground boxing ring for the first time, Aldus had told him some things about the underground boxing ring.Part of the fighters in the underground boxing ring were just people who liked to fight. Like Austin, they came to the underground boxing ring to gain experience through battle.Another part of the fighters were shady people who could only earn money through fighting in the underground boxing ring.Back then, Austin even asked Aldus which category had the majority.Aldus' reply was something he wouldn't forget anytime soon.Back then, Aldus just smiled and said meaningfully, "Sir, how many hobbyists do you th
"As for Hellspawn, he seems to live up to his name. It's like he's a demon from hell, and every strike from him threatens to kill."He fought ten continuous battles in the underground boxing ring, and he won every single one. Three died, six were gravely injured, and one ended up in a vegetative state."Austin couldn't help but take in a sharp breath when he heard Hellspawn's record.Putting aside his 100% win rate, just the outcomes alone were terrifying to hear.Austin had heard from Aldus that even though the battles in the underground boxing ring were gory, the death rate was quite low. As Wolf had said, the veteran fighters would choose to let their opponents live.Just now, the small guy had kicked Hippo to death. Everyone present had fallen silent because it was just too shocking.After taking a deep breath, Austin looked at Aldus warily. "Aldus, why did you arrange for me to go up against a grim reaper?"Aldus smiled. "It's only when you're on the brink of death that you
In the darkness, deafening shouts could be heard.No one cared about the situation inside the metal cage.They only cared about the bloody scene of flesh being hit and the bets they had placed on the fighters.Many people had deep impressions of Austin in his white mask.After all, Austin was the reason they had lost money in the battle last time.Outside the metal cage, Aldus frowned deeply as he asked in a low voice, "Wolf, does this underground boxing ring not have any restrictions?""Restrictions?" Wolf was stunned.Aldus replied, "Weapons!"Wolf felt like he had been struck by lightning as he looked disbelievingly at Hellspawn in the metal cage.Wolf didn't doubt Aldus' words at all, for Aldus' capabilities were the best evidence to support his words.But… where was the weapon?Meanwhile, in the metal cage, Austin tried to move his left arm.Even though Hellspawn didn't break his arm, after his bones were cracked, his left arm would be in agonizing pain with every slig
Due to his surroundings and the completely unequal fighting conditions, no matter how hard Austin tried to suppress it, he couldn't calm his emotions."Calm down… You have to calm down…"In his heart, Austin kept telling himself that. He even wounded his tongue with his teeth.He had done the same thing last time, but now, it had no effect at all.Because of the cracked bone in his left arm and the wound on his chest, he couldn't regain his calm.Hellspawn stood where he was, letting out that odd and ear-piercing chuckle of his.He wasn't in a hurry to strike.When demons were going to kill someone, they would force the person to the brink of insanity before dealing the final blow."Mr. Aldus, aren't you going to stop the fight?"Wolf was no fool. Before this, he had wondered where Hellspawn's weapon was, but now, the wound on Austin's chest had already proved Aldus' words.Austin was fighting with his bare hands, but Hellspawn was armed.In the metal cage, this battle was s
There were the deafening shouts, the blinding lights, and the threat of death.But at that moment, Austin was calmer than he had ever been before.He stood where he was, unmoving as he stared at Hellspawn opposite him.He wasn't a pampered brat. He had experienced much more than normal people of his age had.He was a fleeting moment away from death.He wished he were dead, but he had to wait for ages.Fear of death was a common instinct, but after experiencing true hell, anyone would have the courage to face death."Impossible. How can this be? He shouldn't be in this condition…"Hellspawn was deeply troubled. He was used to forcing his opponents into a corner before dealing the last blow. It satisfied his sense of superiority as the winner.But now, Austin's reaction was completely out of his expectations.With a flick of his right hand, the cold dagger sprung out of his ring once again."Die!"As he growled through gritted teeth, Hellspawn dashed right toward Austin.He
Austin smiled self-mockingly."Have you seen a four-year-old braving the winds and the snow, when everyone was gathering for Christmas, to knock on doors to beg for money to help save his mother?"In the end, as the people mocked him and called him a 'mutt,' they gave him a little money, and he finally managed to save his mother."Have you seen a mother with graying hair in her 30s, enduring intense mistreatment, mockery, and beatings for decades just to raise her child?"Austin slowly turned around. His eyes were already red.He smiled as he looked at the stunned Aldus. "I've seen one… for more than 20 years!"Aldus hesitated, and he wanted to say something.But then, Austin rubbed his face and calmed down. "I know that you crawled your way out of a pile of corpses, but you don't know the difference between death and wishing you were dead."You wanted me to walk out of hell, but you have no idea that I was trapped in a hell where I wished I were dead for more than 20 years."
While Dahlia was hospitalized, Austin never told her about him suddenly becoming rich overnight, or about the father he had never met.The man had abandoned his family for more than 20 years. Austin feared that if he mentioned this matter, it might be too much for his mother to handle.Still, he should come clean to his mother about this matter today.When Dahlia heard Cecily say that it was a surprise, she smiled and nodded. She didn't ask further.After packing up and completing the discharge procedures, the five of them got into two cars. Then, they headed to Heavensgate Residence together.Throughout the journey, with Cecily and Raquel keeping her company, Dahlia was in a great mood. They enjoyed their time together.Meanwhile, Austin was wondering how he should tell his mother about his recent experiences.When the cars drove up Heavensgate Hill, Dahlia's expression turned from joy to shock."Austin, is our new home on Heavensgate Hill?"Heavensgate Residence had the most
Austin never expected that Nancy would come back.As he returned to the Tetra Club, he remained sullen, his eyes dark with unresolved anger.Seeing Austin like this, Cecily felt a pang of sadness.She gently tried to comfort him, "It's all in the past now, isn't it? I'm here with you, and we have our baby on the way.""I can't just let it go," Austin shook his head."The best I can do is not seek revenge against them, but to truly forgive and forget—I can't do that."The actions of Nancy's family were still fresh in his memory.Austin wasn't someone who sought revenge for every slight, but he was far from the kind of person who could simply forgive and forget, moving on with a carefree "Hallelujah."Dahlia's despair as she lay in bed, the arrogance and cruelty of the Welch family…In the eyes of the Welch family, Dahlia's life wasn't worth as much as Harvey's wedding.Even when the time had passed and he was about to finally be happy with Cecily, the Welch family not only dem
After leaving this city, Nancy put in a tremendous amount of effort to "rebirth" herself.Meeting Ethan had shown her a different side of life.While he wasn't part of the uppermost echelons of wealth and power, he had enough. Most importantly, he treated her with the utmost respect.She understood Ethan's background, which made that respect all the more valuable.A man of his stature could have any woman he wanted in his bed the same night.Yet Ethan had shown her incredible patience, making her question whether the rumors about him were true.Tonight, returning to this city was her way of bidding farewell to the past and embracing the future.After all, people need to look forward, don't they?Meanwhile, Ethan was feeling more dejected than he'd ever been.Lying in his luxurious bed in Brook Villa, he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning restlessly.He had hoped to establish a connection with Austin. A figure like him would be incredibly valuable to have on his side.He tho
The river breeze was cool, and the lights reflected on the water flickered softly.The figure in front of them wore a long black coat, standing quietly by the railing. Her fair, delicate profile, partially obscured by a few strands of windblown hair, carried a hint of melancholy."Sir, Mrs. Campbell, is something wrong?" Aldus noticed the change and quickly stepped forward to inquire."Let's go home," Austin suddenly said, his previously cheerful expression now somber, with a touch of disdain.Go home? They had just arrived.Aldus was surprised and quickly followed Austin's gaze. When he saw what Austin was looking at, he immediately understood.Without a word, he turned to leave with Austin.But a soft hand gently grabbed Austin's arm."It's been so many years, aren't you going to say hello?" Cecily asked."I have no desire to greet her," Austin said, his disdain clear and unhidden.Three years of marriage, filled with nothing but pain.Even when Dahlia was gravely ill, Nan
After a busy day, just as Austin was about to finish up, a new invitation appeared on his desk."Who delivered this?" Austin asked."Ethan," Wolf replied.Austin chuckled, didn't bother opening the invitation, and instead tossed it directly into the trash."I've got to get home to Cecily."When he returned to the Bamboo Parlor at Tetra Club, Raquel had already prepared a delicious dinner.The dishes were beautifully presented, with vibrant colors and enticing aromas.After dinner, Austin and Ezra stepped out into the courtyard."Mr. Lockwood, any news from the Campbells about my dad?" Austin asked, the text message from Walter still weighing heavily on his mind.Considering the Campbells' efforts to find Walter, and given their intelligence resources, they should have been some leads by now.But Ezra shook his head. "Nothing, Not a trace.""The Campbells' intelligence network has never been this weak, has it?" Austin frowned, speaking in a low tone.Ezra gave a wry smile. "
"Childhood?"Austin stopped his workout, wiped the sweat from his face, and smiled bitterly.His childhood had been bleak.Only Dahlia had brought some light into the darkness.Seeing Austin's pained smile, Aldus immediately realized his mistake.He quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Sir. I spoke without thinking. You don't need to answer that.""It's fine," Austin replied, gesturing towards a nearby bench, and inviting Aldus to sit with him.Once they were seated, Austin slowly began to speak. "There's not much to tell about my childhood. It was mostly just being called an 'illegitimate child' and living day to day, never knowing where my next meal would come from."If it weren't for my mom fighting tooth and nail to raise me, I'd probably be dead by now."With just a few simple words, he conveyed a world of suffering.Aldus felt a wave of guilt. He had only been trying to find clues from Austin's past that might explain his exceptional combat instincts and incredible physical
Austin's gaze softened as warmth flooded his heart.Who hasn't longed for a light left on just for them in a sea of lights? But in reality, how many actually have that?Cecily did that for him.Given her background, the fact that she went to such lengths truly surprised Austin.In the three years he spent in the past, he had never experienced something like this.His nose tingled with emotion as he pulled Cecily into his arms, speaking softly, "Thank you. Marrying you is the greatest fortune of my life.""Alright, alright, I asked Raquel to prepare breakfast earlier this morning. You go to the dining room, and I'll have her bring it over," Cecily said as she gently slipped out of Austin's embrace, her graceful smile lighting up her eyes."Doesn't Bamboo Parlor have a kitchen?" Austin asked, curious.Cecily gave him a playful look. "The chairs in the living room are so hard, and you spent the whole night on one—how could you have slept well? If Raquel had been clattering around
The room fell into a heavy silence."Deactivating the phone number… was Dad trying to prevent me from tracking his location?" Austin murmured with a frown.Ezra pondered for a moment, his voice low and serious. "Perhaps he was more concerned about someone else tracking him."Austin's eyes widened in realization.Of course—if Walter could send him a message to let him know he was safe, he wouldn't be worried about Austin tracking himDeactivating the phone was likely to prevent others from tracing his location."But who is he trying to avoid?"Ezra shook his head, remaining silent.Having followed Walter for many years, he knew the man's temperament and habits. But this time, he was truly baffled.He couldn't even begin to piece together a clue.Taking a deep breath, Ezra forced a bitter smile. "I'm afraid I'm at a loss this time, sir. There's no sign of anything unusual from the Campbells either."This statement only deepened Austin's confusion.If there were anyone who cou
Austin knocked softly on the door.Almost immediately, he heard the sound of shuffling from inside.Ezra opened the door, his face full of curiosity. "Sir, what's going on?"Austin quickly made a shushing gesture, worried about disturbing Cecily.Then he gently pushed Ezra back into the room."Sorry to bother you so late, Mr. Lockwood," Austin said.Ezra smiled. "It's no trouble at all. The older you get, the less you need. I was just reading."Austin glanced at the book on Ezra's bedside table and couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.This old rascal!Ezra blushed and quickly shoved the book under his pillow.Austin sat on the bed and pulled up the text message from Walter, showing it to Ezra."I just received this message."When Ezra read the text, his eyes lit up with a sharp gleam, and he was overjoyed. "This is from Mr. Walter!"Austin nodded, his expression serious. "But I've sent several messages back, and there's been no reply. I called twice—once it was immedi
"The underground king of Eastbrook bows down."This news swept through Eastbrook like a storm.Ethan knew that by doing this, he would become the laughingstock of the entire city. But he also knew he had no choice—he had to do it!Even if he became a joke, he would remain the underground king. But if he refused to lower his head, he would end up a dead man.He understood the situation perfectly.In fact, that very night, a message was released from Brook Villa.No one is to compete for the land!This is a clear warning to all real estate companies in Eastbrook. It was also a gesture of goodwill toward Austin.But Austin didn't pay it much mind.If not for Derrick's involvement, he had no idea how Ethan would have responded—but Austin knew his response would have been much tougher.A mere city's underground king? He didn't even compare to the richest man in Basin City or the capital—he wasn't even worthy of carrying their shoes!After leaving Brook Villa, Austin didn't linger