Aldus?Austin was utterly shocked.At this moment, the entire hall seemed to fall silent.All the shouts, cries, and jeers vanished abruptly.Austin stood there dumbfounded. He stared in horror at Brian, who had already descended from the ring.He had been suspicious after seeing Brian's wrestling techniques earlier.After receiving confirmation from Brian, Austin felt like he was in a daze.Did Brian just say that the person who walked out of The Grave Prison 10 years ago was Aldus?How was Brian related to Aldus?He wondered why Brian and Aldus had the same wrestling techniques.Not to mention he was even more proficient and formidable than Aldus.One after another, these questions swarmed Austin's mind. Soon, Brian's voice rang out again. "Oh, by the way, today's the first!" Austin felt like lightning had struck him. Instantly, he snapped to his senses. The first?Did that mean there were only 14 days left until the 15th? At this moment, he suddenly felt a
They had to admit that Austin was indeed powerful.At least, none of the people in this cell could compare to him.In the law of the jungle, the weak ones could only bow down to the strong ones."Nashville."Austin, whose eyes were closed, suddenly opened his eyes.His sharp gaze made Nashville tremble. Nashville felt a sense of fear creeping into his heart. Terrified, he looked at Austin. "Mr. Campbell, h-how can I help you?"They began to address Austin with respect. "Come here," Austin said.A hint of panic flashed across Nashville's eyes, but he still cautiously approached Austin.He hadn't fully recovered from the injury that Austin had given him. Hence, he was struggling to walk. His mouth twitched with pain as he moved forward."Mr. Campbell."Nashville respectfully stood before Austin.Austin asked, "What's the way to leave The Grave Prison?"Nashville was utterly taken aback. The four prisoners, who were standing in front of the door, were dumbfounded too.
Austin's laughter echoed within the cell.Nashville and the other four prisoners were all stunned.They wondered if Austin had lost his mind.Nashville felt somewhat speechless.He thought Austin would back down after he made himself clear enough.He never expected this outcome!In the prison, the hierarchy of each cell was also related to the strength of the leader in the cell.The higher the ranking of the leader, the higher the status and resources they could share within the cell.Before Austin arrived, Nashville was the strongest individual in the cell. But he was nothing compared to all the other leaders.However, Austin's display of strength over the past three days had significantly boosted their cell's ranking.If Austin were to be killed, their cell's status would decline to what it was before.So, Nashville advised again, "Mr. Campbell, please think twice. All the 10 leaders are as strong as Brian."Austin furrowed his brow.But the determination in his eyes gre
Meanwhile, thunderous roars and cheers had filled the hall once again.Two figures stood on the spacious ring.The inmates' recreational time had passed.However, the position of the district leader was supreme within the prison. Even the management trod carefully around them. They were wary of their power and influence.With the leaders' support and prestige, they could incite a riot within the district at any time. Challenging the leaders to a deathmatch was no doubt a significant matter within the district. Everyone cheered, their faces flushed with excitement.No one had expected that a newcomer would repeatedly stir up waves of excitement within The Grave Prison. The once quiet and lifeless prison had suddenly come alive in just a few short days. "Barette, kill him! You must kill him!" "Barette, don't be like Brian. Act like a man and kill him directly!" "Hurry up and fight! I want to see you twist this bastard's head off and kick it like a ball!" …Compared to
Fresh red blood scattered across the arena like wine stains.Austin felt a wave of panic wash over him.He was taken aback by the gap between his and Barette's strength.He knew that Brian had been holding back during their fight. But he believed he had a chance of winning even if Brian went full out.Besides, according to what Brian and the others had said, Barette's strength was not far off from Brian's.He thought he might be able to defeat Barette.Austin didn't expect Brian to go so easy on him in their fight just now!Deafening cheers erupted in the cells.They turned this deathmatch into a long-lost raucous celebration.Barette stood his ground. He didn't press his advantage.His ferocious face was full of disdain. "You couldn't even withstand one punch. How are you going to defeat me?"Barette's confidence surged after he saw Austin waver from his attackHe turned to face the furious Brian, who was standing at the gate.Then, he shrugged and said calmly, "Brian, I'
Austin threw a pitiful look at Barette, as if he were mocking him.Barette's expression sank for a second before monstrous anger appeared on his face.His eyes turned red, and veins could be seen popping out across his face.The muscles on his body were even making clicking sounds as they tensed up from intense anger.As the de-facto leader within the prison, his reputation was not built upon by the praises of others, but it was built upon by the death of his victims.Not a single soul within the prison could match Barette in terms of physical strength or speed.Even Brian had to be more careful than usual when dealing with him.And yet a newcomer was already making such snarky remarks after barely avoiding his attacks."You…! Wanna die?" shouted Barette.Barette rushed toward Austin like a human tank with terrifying speed. He raised his hands and started to strike with his palms.Austin was surprised, but he managed to maintain his composure. "That's like a sumo wrestler…"
Amidst the uproar, all the inmates were thinking of the same thing. They wondered if Austin had gone crazy.A double hammer fist from Barette was powerful enough to crush even the toughest skull.And yet, Austin would pounce forward and meet the attack head-on rather than defend himself in such a grave situation.Many of the inmates could not help but close their eyes or look away as they realized that Austin was going head-to-head against Barette's attack.They were already expecting that Austin's head would be crushed into pieces like a watermelon.At the entrance of the prison, Brian suddenly smiled. "What desperation… This actually reminds me a lot of Aldus."When Austin rushed toward Barette, a trace of surprise could be seen flashing within Barette's eyes.Neither Brian nor any of the leaders from the nine other prison districts would have dared to face his hammer fist head-on like Austin.This newcomer sure was arrogant! Barette's fists did not slow down despite his co
Austin's calm demeanor in the face of danger was enough to convince everyone of his victory.Brian, who was still at the prison's entrance, shouted, "Bring Barette to the doctors."One of his men was taken by surprise as he explained, "But sir, the inmates aren't allowed to be given access to the medical facilities!" Everyone involved with the prison had already gotten accustomed to seeing corpses being moved out of the prison on the daily.Inmates within the prison were locked up like wild beasts and were denied any basic rights, including the right to receive medical treatment.Not even the leader of the prison could regain such rights.Even if Barette were to die, he would just be tossed out of the prison as a cold corpse like any other.Brian's expression sank as he shouted, "Rules are made to be broken. Just do as I say!"The rest of his team was slightly frightened, and no longer tried to argue with Brian. They immediately ran into the ring and carried the unconscious Ba
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