Whoosh!The strong bow and sharp arrow flew without hesitation. Like a harbinger of death, it interrupted Raquel's speech.Rage surged in Gerard's eyes.He turned abruptly, his long blade flashing coldly as he slashed with a howl.Clang!Sparks flew.The strike cleaved Raquel's arrow in half.Austin's pupils contracted, his heart pounding.Was the gap between them so vast, even with only two ranks' difference on the Death List?Raquel's archery was unparalleled, he has experienced it firsthand.That first night, when an arrow carried the message, if Raquel had truly intended to kill him, he wouldn't have survived a second shot.But now, Gerard had deflected Raquel's arrow!"Die!"After splitting the arrow, Gerard moved like a phantom. A smoke bomb burst, filling the air as he charged at Raquel with his long blade."Raquel, watch out!"Austin's face changed drastically. He instinctively tried to get up and help, but a sharp pain made him grunt and fall back to the ground.
With a fierce swing of his right hand, Austin yanked the razor floss tightly."Foolish!" Gerard shouted angrily, feeling the tremendous pulling force on his long blade.Instead of letting go, he gripped it tightly and quickly retreated backward."Raquel!" Austin's face darkened as he saw Gerard moving back rapidly. He shouted urgently.Gerard was about to redirect the strike meant for Raquel onto him!Raquel's face changed drastically, her eyes filled with murderous intent.In an instant, she bent her bow and nocked an arrow, aiming at Gerard, and released it.The arrow whizzed through the air with a piercing hum.Just as it was about to hit Gerard, he quickly drew a slightly shorter blade from his waist and spun it in front of him, creating a barrier of steel that deflected the arrow."Let go!" Austin seized the moment, yanking his right hand hard.The razor floss wrapped around the long blade finally pulled it from Gerard's grip, sending it flying out of his hand."Foolish
The intense pain made Austin's whole body tremble uncontrollably. The sound of the blade cutting into flesh and Gerard's roars echoed in his ears.Gritting his teeth, Austin's right arm bulged with veins as he used all his strength to resist Gerard's downward force.But one arm couldn't hold off Gerard!Blood flowed down from his left shoulder, soaking half of Austin's body. The heavy blood loss made Austin's consciousness gradually blur."Let go of Mr. Campbell!" Suddenly, a cold, stern voice shouted.Austin's heart stirred.He saw Raquel had reached Gerard's back.She swung her long bow fiercely, smashing it against the back of Gerard's head.Then, Raquel quickly twisted the bow, using the bowstring to choke Gerard's neck, pulling back with all her strength.Squelch!The tremendous force yanked the short blade out from Austin's left shoulder, bringing a gush of blood.Gerard staggered backward, frantically trying to tear the bowstring off his neck. But the sharp string cut
It felt like a sharp needle piercing Cecily's heart.She could no longer hold back, tears streaming down her face as she ran towards Austin, her voice breaking as she shouted, "Liar! Austin, you big liar!"Austin gave a bitter smile, not denying it.Meanwhile, Ezra and Wolf saw Austin's injuries, and their faces changed dramatically. When they saw Raquel lying on the ground, a murderous look appeared on both their faces."Kill him!" Ezra ordered, raising his gun. The earlier shot had been fired by him!As Ezra raised his gun, the bodyguards behind him also aimed their weapons.It was finally over!Austin felt a huge sense of relief, grateful that he had held on until Ezra and the others arrived!With so many people around, even if Gerard had wings, he wouldn't escape today!However…Bang!Before anyone could fire, Gerard suddenly pulled out several smoke bombs from his chest, filling the area with thick smoke and instantly obscuring him from view.Damn it!Austin's heart c
Austin's cold, stern voice echoed through the bamboo forest.In an instant, the temperature in the bamboo forest dropped to freezing. Killing intent surged.The sudden scene left Ezra and the others in a panic.Austin's reaction and chilling words sent shivers down everyone's spine, making them feel as if they had fallen into an ice abyss.They had never seen Austin like this before!Even Gerard, who was glaring back at Austin, felt a massive shock to his spirit. In a daze, one word surfaced in Gerard's mind.Death!At that moment, Austin felt to him was like the Grim Reaper incarnate.Gerard was a top assassin, ranked 20th on the Death List! This feeling was something he usually inflicted on others, not the other way around!Even when he was under a barrage of bullets earlier, he had remained calm, planning a final counterattack.But now, he bizarrely felt a flicker of fear.Instinctively, Gerard tried to pull the short blade out of Austin's shoulder.But to his horror, Au
Gerard was in a state of abject terror, and his throwing knife movements slowed.Squelch!The short blade sliced across Gerard's chest, causing him to scream in agony and stagger back. One slash after another, blood splattered everywhere.In a gruesome display, Austin's relentless assault almost looked like a scene of torture.Not only was Gerard paralyzed with fear, but even Ezra, Wolf, and the others watched in horror, their hearts pounding with dread."Mr. Lockwood... sir shouldn't be this strong, right?" Wolf's eyes were wide, his voice trembling.He had fought Austin before, and despite Austin's rapid improvement under Aldus's brutal training, he shouldn't have grown this terrifyingly powerful.Wolf had seen Gerard's strength firsthand at the Bamboo Parlor earlier. This should not be happening, yet it was unfolding right before their eyes.Ezra's gaze was deep as he slowly looked towards Cecily in the distance. "When one loves deeply, they can become a god of death.""A g
Drip…The sound echoed in his ears.Austin was no stranger to this sound, having spent years caring for Dahlia during her illness in the hospital. It was the sound of a heart monitor.He slowly opened his eyes.He found himself still in the bedroom at the Bamboo Parlor. But what he saw was entirely different from before he had lost consciousness from his injuries.An IV pole stood upright, with fluid bags hanging from it. And… the strong smell of disinfectant.Austin couldn't help but smile faintly. It seemed that anything related to medical care always involved the smell of disinfectant.Various medical instruments were arranged around the bed, all in place.Looking down at himself, Austin chuckled helplessly.His entire body was wrapped in white bandages, giving him the appearance of a mummy.Any slight movement sent waves of intense pain throughout his body, making him grimace and gasp.The room was empty.Austin lay there helplessly, silently replaying the details of th
Austin couldn't hold it in anymore and cried out in pain."Sorry, honey." Cecily's face turned pale with fright, and she quickly started gently rubbing Austin's chest."Are you so mad that you'd murder your husband?" Austin joked, pretending to be in pain."It's because you lied to me!" Cecily's face was flushed with anger."You're always like this, carrying everything on your shoulders, whether in the past or now. Do you even consider me your wife?""Of course, you're my wife!" Austin said seriously."Then why do you carry everything alone? I'm your wife, I want to face things with you!" Cecily said earnestly.Austin was momentarily taken aback, then gave a bitter smile. "Because you're my wife, I want to bear everything myself and keep you away from all the troubles and dangers.""So you lied to me? You tricked Raquel and me into going to my parents? And then you almost got killed here?" Cecily's anger grew with each questionCalled him a "big liar," she raised her hand as i
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