An Understated Dominance (Chinese Version) Chapter 701-800

“Madam Alma, I don’t understand what I have done to make you angry.”
Dahlia took a deep breath, trying her best to keep her composure.
“What? Do I need a reason to teach you a lesson?” Alma said coldly.
Dahlia frowned at her words. They were simple, yet they carried an
overwhelming sense of authority.
“Madam Alma, there is nothing wrong with teaching me a lesson, but
can you at least tell me what I did wrong?” Dahlia’s expression never
wavered.
“Hank is one of my men. Look at how you hurt him. Don’t you think you
deserve a lesson for that?” Alma questioned.
“Madam Alma, there is a reason for everything. You should be asking
what Hank has done.” Dahlia stood her ground.
“I don’t care what he did. He’s not someone you can touch” Alma’s
tone was stern. “You should think twice before beating someone up. If you
dare beat up my people, don’t blame me for what I
do next!” Dahlia furrowed her brows upon hearing her words. She
didn’t expect Alma to be so
overbearing.
“Hey! Be reasonable. Hank is at fault. How can you blame us?” Julie
couldn’t hold back her anger any longer.
“Reasonable? Hmph! Everything I said is the most reasonable!” Alma’s
expression was frosty.
“You-!” Julie gritted her teeth. In the end, she had no choice but to
remain silent since Alma had a few powerful bodyguards behind her.
“Madam Alma, Hank hatched a plan and had my brother killed. Are you
going to protect someone like him?” Dahlia’s expression grew cold.
“That’s right! He must pay for killing my son!” Florence yelled.
“How would I know if you are telling the truth? Do you have any
evidence?” Alma’s expression never faltered
“The evidence is here. Please have a look.” Dahlia received the phone
and tapped on the video before handing it to Alma.

Chapter 705
Dahlia thought that would be enough to change Alma’s mind. However,
in the end, instead of watching the video, Alma threw the phone on the
ground. She stomped on the phone hard, shattering it completely.
“The evidence is gone now,” Alma said impassively.
Dahlia and the others’ expressions darkened instantly upon witnessing
the scene. How could she openly destroy the evidence to cover up for the
murderer? Where was justice in this?
“Madam Alma, what do you mean by this?” Dahlia frowned.
“You saw everything. Is there a problem?” Alma asked with a
scrutinizing expression.
“If you insist on doing this, then I’ll have to report it to Grandpa
Regulus.” Dahlia’s expression was frosty.
“Do you think you are worthy of using the patriarch’s name to
threaten me?” Alma scoffed.
“Why not? Sir Regulus himself has appointed my daughter as his
successor, and she will rise as the new matriarch of the Nicholson family
soon. When that time comes, all of you will have to show deference to
her! ” Florence’s voice gained volume as her confidence grew.
“Successor? New matriarch? Who said so?” Alma looked at them with
condescension.
“Sir Regulus said so himself. If you don’t believe us, you can call
and ask him yourself!” Florence declared and lifted her head proudly.
“Call him? I’m afraid that won’t be possible now.’ Alma continued
impassively, “Last night, Regulus suffered from a brain ailment. His
condition is critical. He is now in a coma.”
“What? A coma?” The sudden news left everyone in shock.
“How could that be? Grandpa Regulus was perfectly fine last night.
How did he suddenly fall ill?” Dahlia exclaimed in astonishment. When
Regulus called last night, he sounded strong and energetic, not like
someone who was ill. How could he just suddenly fall ill overnight?
“With Regulus’ age and the burden of his responsibilities, which led
to exhaustion, he fell ill. As a result, I am now in charge of the
family’s affairs. Any objections?” Alma’s icy gaze swept across the room.
“I…” Florence and Julie exchanged glances, both at a loss for words.
Dahlia, on the other hand, had her brows locked in a frown, her
expression gloomy. They were just celebrating her promotion not long ago,
but now, everything had changed in a blink of an eye.
“Alright, since there are no objections, I will take Hank away with
me.” Alma gestured, and the two bodyguards behind her helped Hank to his
feet.
Hank chuckled gleefully. “You didn’t expect it to turn out this way,
did you?” Hank taunted sarcastically, “That’s right, I hired someone to
kill James. But, so what? Without evidence and power, you can only watch
as I go free. How sad!”
“You-!” Florence and the others were seething with anger, but none of
them had the power to do anything.
“And you.” Hank turned his attention to Dustin and mocked, “Rhys,
even when you tried so hard to have me captured and dragged here, you
still had to let me go. How do you feel? Are you mad? You should be! It’s
so much fun to see you guys stare at me in anger, unable to do a thing.
Hahaha!” As Hank spoke, he suddenly howled in laughter, displaying an
unruly attitude. He was the epitome of a dickhead taking advantage of his
backing.
Right at that moment, Dustin suddenly moved forward and kicked Hank
hard in the abdomen. A deafening blast reverberated through the room as
Hank was sent flying, crashing through the glass windows. He plummeted
from the 30th floor, meeting a gruesome end.

Chapter 706
Everyone was quiet as a dull thud was heard. None of them could react
in time to what happened. It was all too sudden. One second, he was
laughing uncontrollably. Then, the very next second, he fell to his
death.
“How dare you? How dare you murder so openly?! Who gave you the
audacity?” After a brief moment to collect herself, Alma roared
furiously. Hank was not only someone who worked for her, but he was also
her nephew! How could this bastard just kill Hank on a whim and blatantly
disregard her?
“Madam Alma, please don’t go around accusing others! I did nothing!
He was the one who leaped off of his own initiative,” Dustin said
nonchalantly
“There were so many of us watching you. How dare you deny it?” Alma
pressed with evident displeasure.
“Who saw it?” Dustin looked at Nelson and the rest. “Did any of you
see it?”
“No, I saw nothing.” Nelson shook his head.
“Did you see it then, Dahlia?” Dustin turned to look at her.
“Me neither.” Dahlia, too, shook her head. Hank killed her brother.
He deserved it.
“There you go, nobody saw it.” Dustin shrugged and said with a smile,
“Madam Alma, is your age catching up with you already? Maybe you need to
get your eyes checked.”
“Playing the fool with me, aren’t you? I’m telling you, you lot are
messing with the wrong person!” Alma growled with a dark expression.
“Madam Alma, you have to be careful of your words. Please provide
evidence for everything, or else refrain from making unfounded claims,”
Dustin said airily. “Oh, right, I’ve noticed that you’re pretty pale,
you’ve barely got anything holding your skin to your bones, your gaze
looks dull, you’re emotionally unstable, and your fingers tend to twitch
every so often. I’m guessing that you don’t have long to live. I suggest
you take care of your health.”
“You impudent bastard! How dare you curse my grandmother? Do you have
a death wish?” Julian fumed, ready to throw hands.
Florence and the rest of them were also startled at how brazen Dustin
was to offend the matriarch of the Nicholson family, but they didn’t show
it.
“Don’t you dare try to provoke me, you brat! You’ll regret it.” Alma
spat through gritted teeth, her gaze icy cold.
“Madam Alma, you best keep your temper at bay. Getting angry often
may speed up your aging,” Dustin advised calmly.
“You pesky bastard! I see you’re the type to only cry and regret when
it’s too late!” Alma could not hold it in any longer. She roared
exasperatedly, “Men! Get him!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Her bodyguards immediately charged forward on her
orders.
“Don’t you dare lay a finger on Mr. Rhys!” Nelson instantly pulled
his sword out and began slicing
his way through them to protect Dustin. The men he brought with him
today were all elites in their gang. Several bodyguards were no match for
them at all. In just minutes, all the Nicholson bodyguards were on the
ground, all battered up.
Alma’s expression darkened further at the sight. Julian, too, was
beyond furious. He hadn’t brought any men with him, as he had rushed over
in a hurry. Had he known this would happen, he would have brought the
best guards the Nicholson family had along with him.
“Dahlia Nicholson! How dare you! Are you trying to go against the
family?” Alma roared. Seeing that she couldn’t use force against them,
she immediately turned on Dahlia and put the blame on her.
“Madam Alma, I was the one who beat them up. If there’s anything
you’re not happy with, you should come at me instead,” Dustin reminded
her nonchalantly.
“Hah! You lot are all in this together!” Alma yelled angrily. “Dahlia
Nicholson! You let your guards go against your elders and harm your
family. I am officially dismissing you from your position! From now on,
you are no longer chairman of Nicholson Corp.!”

Chapter 707
“Dismissed?” Everyone was shocked by Alma’s announcement.

“Do you have the authority to do that? My daughter was personally
appointed by the patriarch of the Nicholson family! You have no right to
dismiss her!” Florence was furious.

“Exactly! Ever since Dahlia assumed her position as chairman, she has
brought in great revenue for the company! She managed to bring in over
500 million in profit within just a month! What right do you have to
dismiss her from her position?” Julie was extremely pissed by Alma’s
actions.
Before Dahlia became chairman of Nicholson Corp., it had always been
in a state of loss. It was only through Dahlia’s hard work and
determination to reform the company that it was brought back to life. Now
that it was finally starting to pick up, Alma was going to dismiss her as
she wished. How ungrateful!
“I am now standing in as head of the family, so what I say goes! None
of you have the right to interfere with my decisions!” Alma bellowed.
“Y-you you’re too much!” Florence and Julie were beyond furious, but
there was absolutely nothing they could do.
As for Dahlia, she only watched with a dark expression and said
nothing. She might be the chairman, but a majority of the company’s
shares were held by the Nicholsons. She had no grounds to object to their
decision.
“Madam Alma, are you sure you want to do this?” Dustin squinted his
eyes at Alma
“What? Are you afraid now? It’s too late! My decision is final, and
nobody is changing that!” Alma was arrogant, thinking she had the upper
hand.
“Madam Alma, don’t say I didn’t warn you, but I’m the only one who
can cure you. If you insist on being stubborn, I’m afraid your days are
numbered,” Dustin said coolly
“Nonsense! Do you think I’d buy your treacherous lies?” Alma looked
annoyed.
“It’s up to you whether you believe me or not. After all, it’s not my
life that’s at stake.” Dustin seemed unbothered.

“Hmph! What a load of crap! I don’t want to waste my breath with the
likes of you. Let’s go!” With that, Alma turned and left with her men in
tow.
She had not been able to find fault with Dahlia in the past. But now
that the opportunity presented itself, she would grab ahold of it and use
it against Dahlia. She was going to be merciless.
“This is all your fault, Rhys! If you didn’t attack them, Dahlia
would not have been dismissed!” The moment Alma left, Florence unleashed
all her anger on Dustin.
“That’s right! Dahlia had a bright future ahead of her, even possibly
becoming the next head of the Nicholson family! But because of you, now
everything’s gone down the drain!” Julie complained.
“This isn’t Dustin’s fault. He did that for us.” Dahlia spoke up for
Dustin because, though he acted impulsively, he did nothing wrong.
his way through them to protect Dustin. The men he brought with him
today were all elites in their gang. Several bodyguards were no match for
them at all. In just minutes, all the Nicholson bodyguards were on the
ground, all battered up.
Alma’s expression darkened further at the sight. Julian, too, was
beyond furious. He hadn’t brought any men with him, as he had rushed over
in a hurry. Had he known this would happen, he would have brought the
best guards the Nicholson family had along with him.
“Dahlia Nicholson! How dare you! Are you trying to go against the
family?” Alma roared. Seeing that she couldn’t use force against them,
she immediately turned on Dahlia and put the blame on
her.
“Madam Alma, I was the one who beat them up. If there’s anything
you’re not happy with, you should come at me instead,” Dustin reminded
her nonchalantly.
“Hah! You lot are all in this together!” Alma yelled angrily. “Dahlia
Nicholson! You let your guards go against your elders and harm your
family. I am officially dismissing you from your position! From now on,
you are no longer chairman of Nicholson Corp.!”

Chapter 708
As Alma left Nicholson Corp., she was in a terrible mood. A person of
her status has never had anyone question her decisions. But today, she
was publicly challenged and even lost one of her loyal aides. There was
no doubt that she’d be in a foul mood. However, they are currently in
Balerno. If she wanted to get revenge, she’d have to arrange for her
trusted confidants to come over from Glenstead.

“Grandmother, Dahlia was personally appointed by Grandfather to be
chairman of the company. Will it put you in a predicament when
Grandfather comes around to find that you’ve dismissed her from her
position without consulting him about it?” Julian asked hesitantly.
Although Alma’s actions had pleased him greatly, he was certain that such
overbearing actions would be frowned.

upon.
“What do I have to fear when we don’t even know if he’s ever going to
come around?” Alma said nonchalantly.
“Isn’t Grandfather just suffering from some of his old ailments? He
should be alright after resting up for a bit, shouldn’t he?” Julian was
curious about what Alma meant by that.
“It isn’t an old ailment. I poisoned him. He most likely won’t ever
be coming around anymore,” Alma said coldly.
“What?” Julian felt like he’d been struck by lightning as he stared
at Alma in bewilderment. “Gr grandmother, you’re joking, are you?” Julian
said in a trembling voice, his eyes grew wide as
saucers.
“Do I look like I’m joking to you?” Alma looked at him frostily, her
gaze just as cold to match.
“B-but why? Why would you do that?” Julian seemed to lose his cool as
a cold sweat broke out. It was a major crime to harm the family head.
There were unthinkable consequences if anyone found out. Most
importantly, his grandparents had been married for half a century! Though
they did not publicly show their affection for one another, they had been
through thick and thin for 50 years! Julian could not comprehend why his
grandmother would want to poison his grandfather. Was there some sort of
deep grudge between them?

“Your grandfather had not been in the right mind when he thought of
appointing Dahlia as the next head of the clan. He had intended to
announce his decision to the whole family today. I advised him against
it, hoping he would change his mind. But the old geezer was so stubborn
and insisted on doing so. I was left with no choice. I could not let him
do that, so I poisoned him last night. He’ll spend the remainder of his
life on the bed,” Alma said calmly, as though it were the most reasonable
thing to do.
“B-but even so, y-you shouldn’t have harmed him.” Julian gulped
dryly.
“Who do you think I’m doing this for? I’m doing this for you!” Alma
huffed. “You’re my grandson and the first legitimately born grandson of
the Nicholson family. No matter what, you are the rightful heir of the
family. But look at what that old man did. Not only did he not put you in
a position of importance, he even insists on appointing an illegitimately
born brat as the next family head! I consider myself merciful for not
taking his life!”
Julian fell silent at that, his thoughts were a mess. No matter how
he saw it, he was indeed the
one who should have been the next head of the family. He genuinely
refused to accept Dahlia as the next head.
“Alright now, stop overthinking things. When the time is right, I’ll
support you so that you become the next head of the family. Whoever
stands in your way must die!” Alma said decisively
“Thank you for your support, Grandmother!” Julian quickly came to
terms with what Alma said Since his grandfather no longer seemed to be
thinking straight, he might as well just stay in bed. In the future, he
would be the one in control of the Nicholson family!
“Grandmother, I’m just curious about one thing. Since Dahlia is the
threat, why didn’t you take action on her instead?” Julian suddenly
quipped.
“Even if I kill Dahlia, there’s always going to be a second one. The
Nicholson family has a lot of descendants, and they are all threats to
you. To solve the issue once and for all, we have to address the problem
at its root.”

Chapter 709
“I see. But why did you get Hank to murder James, then? Isn’t that
unnecessary?” Julian wondered why his grandmother would waste such effort
to have James dead. James was an unimportant side character, and it was a
waste of resources to even deal with him.

“James? I don’t even know who that is. Why would I want to kill him?
I suppose Hank decided to take things into his own hands and just get rid
of him. Anyway, that’s not important. It doesn’t affect us in the least
what happened to him.” Alma waved her hand dismissively.

As she spoke, she suddenly shuddered, and her breathing became
erratic. A piercing pain hit her and spread out across her entire body.
“Are you alright, Grandmother?” Julian immediately noticed that Alma
didn’t look good.
“It’s nothing new. Go and get me my medicine from the car. Hurry,”
Alma instructed.
“Yes, Grandmother.” Julian dared not hesitate even for a moment and
quickly ran over to the Rolls- Royce parked in front of them before he
started rummaging around. In no time, he came back with a purple bottle.
“Grandmother, your medicine.”
Alma quickly opened the bottle and poured out its contents, only to
find it empty. “Where’s the medicine? Have I run out of them so soon?”
She frowned as the pain in her body increased in intensity, and she began
shivering uncontrollably. “Quick! Go, search Hank’s body! My medicine is
with him! Hurry!” Alma reacted quickly.
She did a mental calculation and recalled that it was scheduled for
today the Killians should have provided her with the medicine Previously,
Hank had always been in charge of retrieving the medicine from them and
then secretly sending it over to Glenstead and into her hands. Usually,
the transaction should have already been completed by this time.
“Hang on, Grandmother.” Julian immediately left with two men and
hurried over to where Hank had fallen to his death.

A short while later, he came running back, drenched in sweat.
“Grandmother, I’ve searched him thoroughly. The medicine is not with
Hank.”

“He doesn’t have it? Could it be possible that he hasn’t gotten it
yet?” Alma frowned and hastily urged Julian, “Call the Killians’ butler
right away. Have him send the medicine over!”
By then, Alma was already having difficulties standing up and had
broken out in a sweat.
“Yes, Grandmother!” Julian fished out his phone and made a call. But
nobody answered. He made multiple calls, but they were all left
unanswered.
“Grandmother, I can’t seem to reach the Killians’ butler!” Julian was
at his wit’s end.
“That useless piece of trash! He’s never there when you need him!”
Alma gritted her teeth as the pain got unbearable. “Call Mr. Killian
immediately. Ask him what all this is about!”
Without a moment to waste, Julian made another call. He managed to
get hold of Mr. Killian and asked him a series of questions to clarify
the situation. His face fell. “Grandmother, Mr. Killian said that the
medicine had been passed to their butler, and the transaction was
completed not too long ago.” Julian looked perplexed.
“If the transaction has been made, then where’s my medicine?” Alma
was panicking.
“Mr. Killian said that someone showed up to disrupt the transaction.
The medicine has likely been intercepted.
“Who? Who dares take my medicine?” Alma roared, furious.
“They do not know yet. But they are looking into it now.” Julian
shook his head.
“Hurry! Go, find out who it is! I don’t give a damn how many men you
dispatch or what price you have to pay. Get me my medicine!” Alma roared.
“Yes, ma’am!” All their men dispersed without a moment’s hesitation.
“Please calm down, Grandmother, I’ll help you to the car.” Julian
helped his grandmother over to the car for a rest. But before they could
get far, Alma’s legs gave out, and she fell weakly to the ground. Her
body convulsed, and she foamed at the mouth as her condition worsened.

Chapter 710
“Grandmother!’ Julian was terribly shaken when he saw Alma collapse
suddenly. Without a moment to spare, he quickly started the car and sent
her to the hospital.

After the doctors tended to her, Alma was no longer in lifethreatening danger. But her condition was far from good.

“Doctor, how’s my grandmother doing?” Julian immediately went up to
the doctor the moment he stepped out of the ward.
“Mr. Nicholson, has your grandmother been frequently taking some
special medication?” the doctor asked.
“Yes. She’s been feeling unwell, so she takes some supplements
occasionally,” Julian admitted.
“I’m afraid those aren’t as simple as supplements.” The doctor shook
his head. “The patient’s heavily reliant on the medication, and she has
great amounts of toxins in her body. And with her old age, I’m afraid
there isn’t much we can do for her.”
“How is this possible? This is the best hospital there is! Is there
nothing you can do?” Julian frowned
The best solution now is to let the patient resume her medication to
keep her body running for the time being. If we stop the medication so
suddenly, I’m afraid she’ll have less than three days left to live.” The
doctor sighed.
Julian was shocked by what the doctor had said. If his grandmother
were to die, what was he going to do? He wasn’t the head of the family
yet. Without his grandmother backing him up and his grandfather in a
coma, things would be difficult for him in the future.
“Julian…” Right then, Alma, who was on the bed, slowly opened her
eyes. Though the doctor had administered her painkillers, it was only a
temporary relief that did not solve the problem at hand.
“Yes, Grandmother?” Julian swiftly went up to her and held her hand.

“My medicine… Have you found it yet?” Alma asked weakly.

“There’s no news of it yet.” Julian shook his head.
“How about Mr. Killian? Have him send another bottle of the medicine
over. I’ll pay double the price,” Alma said.
“Mr. Killian said that the medicine is too rare and that there’s a
limited production of it annually, so even if they manufactured it
immediately, it’ll take at least a month for us to get it,” Julian said
sombrely
“A month? I can’t wait that long! Think of something else!” Alma was
getting anxious.
“I…” Julian was at a loss for words. He couldn’t get his hands on the
medicine, and there was nothing the doctor could do. What was he supposed
to do?
“Ma’am, we’ve got news!” One of the Nicholson guards barged in and
reported. “Based on our investigations, it was a man by the name of
Dustin Rhys who intercepted your medicine.”
“Who’s Dustin Rhys?” Alma frowned. She could not recall knowing such
a person, even after
racking her brain.
“Ma’am, Dustin Rhys is the person who kicked Hank off the building!”
the bodyguard replied.
“So it was him!” Alma’s expression darkened. “So you mean to say that
Dahlia has my medicine now?”
“That B*tch! She looks like a decent person. Who would have guessed
that she’s so rotten within? How dare she mess with your medicine?”
Julian hissed through clenched jaws. From how he saw it, this was
Dahlia’s ploy. She had planned to threaten his grandmother by taking her
medicine away. How ambitious and wicked!
“Julian, go find Dahlia right away! Make her give me back my
medicine!” Alma spat.
“Yes, Grandmother!” Julian immediately left with several of their men
upon receiving her orders.
Over in the chairman’s office at Nicholson Corp.

Chapter 710
“Grandmother!’ Julian was terribly shaken when he saw Alma collapse
suddenly. Without a moment to spare, he quickly started the car and sent
her to the hospital.

After the doctors tended to her, Alma was no longer in lifethreatening danger. But her condition was far from good.

“Doctor, how’s my grandmother doing?” Julian immediately went up to
the doctor the moment he stepped out of the ward.
“Mr. Nicholson, has your grandmother been frequently taking some
special medication?” the doctor asked.
“Yes. She’s been feeling unwell, so she takes some supplements
occasionally,” Julian admitted.
“I’m afraid those aren’t as simple as supplements.” The doctor shook
his head. “The patient’s heavily reliant on the medication, and she has
great amounts of toxins in her body. And with her old age, I’m afraid
there isn’t much we can do for her.”
“How is this possible? This is the best hospital there is! Is there
nothing you can do?” Julian frowned
The best solution now is to let the patient resume her medication to
keep her body running for the time being. If we stop the medication so
suddenly, I’m afraid she’ll have less than three days left to live.” The
doctor sighed.
Julian was shocked by what the doctor had said. If his grandmother
were to die, what was he going to do? He wasn’t the head of the family
yet. Without his grandmother backing him up and his grandfather in a
coma, things would be difficult for him in the future.
“Julian…” Right then, Alma, who was on the bed, slowly opened her
eyes. Though the doctor had administered her painkillers, it was only a
temporary relief that did not solve the problem at hand.
“Yes, Grandmother?” Julian swiftly went up to her and held her hand.

“My medicine… Have you found it yet?” Alma asked weakly.

“There’s no news of it yet.” Julian shook his head.
“How about Mr. Killian? Have him send another bottle of the medicine
over. I’ll pay double the price,” Alma said.
“Mr. Killian said that the medicine is too rare and that there’s a
limited production of it annually, so even if they manufactured it
immediately, it’ll take at least a month for us to get it,” Julian said
sombrely
“A month? I can’t wait that long! Think of something else!” Alma was
getting anxious.
“I…” Julian was at a loss for words. He couldn’t get his hands on the
medicine, and there was nothing the doctor could do. What was he supposed
to do?
“Ma’am, we’ve got news!” One of the Nicholson guards barged in and
reported. “Based on our investigations, it was a man by the name of
Dustin Rhys who intercepted your medicine.”
“Who’s Dustin Rhys?” Alma frowned. She could not recall knowing such
a person, even after
racking her brain.
“Ma’am, Dustin Rhys is the person who kicked Hank off the building!”
the bodyguard replied.
“So it was him!” Alma’s expression darkened. “So you mean to say that
Dahlia has my medicine now?”
“That B*tch! She looks like a decent person. Who would have guessed
that she’s so rotten within? How dare she mess with your medicine?”
Julian hissed through clenched jaws. From how he saw it, this was
Dahlia’s ploy. She had planned to threaten his grandmother by taking her
medicine away. How ambitious and wicked!
“Julian, go find Dahlia right away! Make her give me back my
medicine!” Alma spat.
“Yes, Grandmother!” Julian immediately left with several of their men
upon receiving her orders.
Over in the chairman’s office at Nicholson Corp.

Chapter 711
“Dahlia, are we really leaving?” Julie seemed reluctant to part with
the huge and luxurious office. Due to her position as the chairman’s
secretary, she got to enjoy lots of benefits. No matter where she went,
people were ready to shower her with attention and flattery. As a result,
she even slept with several young and attractive men. But now that Dahlia
has been dismissed from her position as chairman, Julia was no longer her
secretary.

“We’ve got no choice. They have the final say. Before the head of the
family comes around, we have no choice but to obey their instructions for
now.” After she cleared up the office, Dahlia sighed softly. It had not
been easy for her to get to where she was. Of course, she wasn’t ready to
give up yet. But Alma was now in charge, and Dahlia had no means of going
up against her.

“This is all your fault! If you hadn’t crossed the matriarch of the
Nicholson family, Dahlia would not have been dismissed from her
position!” Julie turned to glare at Dustin, who was leisurely sipping on
a cup of coffee. They were almost about to be kicked out of the company,
and there he was, still eating and drinking like he had no care in the
world! How heartless!
“Why are you so flustered? Didn’t I tell you that it wouldn’t be long
before the old lady comes and apologize? She’ll even grovel at Dahlia’s
feet to ask her to resume her position as chairman’ Dustin said
confidently
“Hmph! She’ll do that? Do you think I’m naive even to believe you?”
Julie rolled her eyes at him. Alma was the matriarch of the Nicholson
family and had noble status. Dustin might be well-off financially, but he
was no match for the prominent Nicholson family.
“Rhys! Don’t forget what you promised. If Alma doesn’t do as you
predicted, you’ll have to return us the plot of land free of charge!”
Florence suddenly quipped. Though her daughter had lost her position as
chairman, it would make up for their loss if they could get their hands
on that plot of
land
“Don’t worry. I never go back on my word,” Dustin assured.

“Alright, the car’s here. Let’s go.” With one final lingering glance
around the office, Dahlia turned
and left.

Just as they made their way out of the building, a white Toyota
Alphard pulled up in front of them. The car door opened, and Julian and
several bodyguards came out. They stormed up to. them angrily.
“Dahlia, isn’t that Julian? Why is he back?” Julia wondered aloud.
“Are they back to give us trouble?” Florence cowered, an unknown
panic creeping up on her.
“They’re not here to give us trouble; they’re here to beg us for a
favor.” Dustin smirked.
“Hey! Are you delusional? Don’t you see the vicious look on their
faces? What makes you think they’re here to beg for anything? You should
thank your lucky stars if they don’t just come up to you and start
chopping you up!” Julia huffed angrily.
“Dahlia Nicholson!” Julian roared the moment he got near. “Give me
back my grandmother’s medicine right now!”
“Medicine? What medicine?” Dahlia was caught off guard and stared at
him quizzically.
“Hah! You’re playing the fool now? You think we don’t know that
you’ve sent someone to intercept my grandmother’s medicine?” Julian
glared threateningly at Dahlia
“This has nothing to do with her. I was the one who did it.” Dustin
took two steps forward and said with full confidence, “The medicine
you’re referring to, I assume, is this? The Zirtanium?” He took out a
purple bottle from his pocket.
“That’s right! Give it back!” Julian’s eyes lit up, and he
immediately reached out, ready to snatch it out of Dustin’s hand. But
Dustin easily dodged him
“What’s the meaning of this?” Julian asked with a dark expression.
“I can give you the medicine. But I have three conditions,” Dustin
said calmly.
“You have no right to talk about conditions! Give me the medicine
now, or I’ll see to it that today is the day you die!” Julian threatened.
Without another word, Dustin lifted his hand and delivered a hard
slap across Julian’s face.”
Where are your manners? Can’t you speak properly?”

Chapter 712
Thrown off by the sudden slap, Julian held his burning cheek with his
hand in disbelief. No one had ever dared to hit him all his life, so it
took some time for the fact to settle in with him.

Florence and the rest of them exchanged looks between themselves and
stared with bewilderment. Dustin was too bold to slap the eldest
legitimate grandson of the Nicholson family! “You… How dare you slap me?”
When Julian finally came to his senses, his expression was dark, and his
gaze looked like he could murder them at any moment.

“Yes, I’ve slapped you. So what? You speak so arrogantly. Did you
think you didn’t deserve that?” Dustin countered calmly.
“You impudent bastard! Get him!” Julian bellowed.
“Yes, sir!” The bodyguards pulled out their weapons and charged
toward Dustin.
But before they even managed to lay a finger on him, Dustin kicked
each of them and sent them all sprawling to the ground. Just like that,
the fight was over.
Julian’s face fell as he stumbled backward. They were the most welltrained bodyguards the Nicholson family had’ And Dustin managed to wipe
them all out single-handedly? It was clear that he was a skilled martial
artist.
“Now, can we speak like civilized adults?” Dustin asked.
“How dare you, Rhys? Do you know what you’ve done? You’re blatantly
challenging the Nicholson family!” Julian roared as he glared at him.
“Cut the crap. If you wish to strike a deal, talk properly. If you do
not wish to do so, I’ll just dispose of the medicine as I see fit.”
Dustin had had enough of Julian’s big talk.
“You-” Julian gritted his teeth. But in the end, he swallowed his
anger and asked, “What on earth do you want?”

“I told you, I have three conditions. If you agree to my conditions,
I’ll give you the medicine,” Dustin stated calmly.

“What are your conditions?” Julian asked with annoyance.
“First, I want you to apologize to Dahlia sincerely, and I want you
to mean every word. Dustin held up one finger.
“Apologize? Why should I?” Julian’s pride would not allow him to do
so. He was the first legitimate grandson of the Nicholson family, the one
who should have been the rightful heir. It was embarrassing for him to
apologize to some illegitimately born brat of the family.
“Because I have this.” Dustin raised the purple bottle in his hand.
“Now, will you do it?”
Julian faltered for a moment, but his eyes still burned with rage.
But for his grandmother’s sake, he complied and went up to Dahlia with
his head hung low. “I’m sorry. I apologize for my previous
actions.”
Dahlia, Julie, and Florence were all astonished by Julian’s actions.
They had never imagined that Dustin would be able to deliver what he had
said earlier on. He had indeed succeeded in getting
Julian to apologize without a fuss.
“Are you happy now?” Julian straightened up and asked frostily,
“What’s the second condition?”
“It’s simple. Let Dahlia return to her original position.” Dustin
raised a second finger.
“Okay. I can promise you that.” After a few seconds of contemplation,
Julian nodded.
“This is great!” Julia cheered happily. “Dahlia, we don’t need to
leave anymore! You’re still the chairman of the company!”
“This kid is pretty impressive! But there goes my plot of land worth
two billion.” Florence shook her head disappointedly.
However, Dahlia wasn’t too surprised. Instead, she fell deep into
thought.

Chapter 713
It would not change a thing if Dahlia was reinstated. If the
Nicholsons weren’t happy with her performance, they could still dismiss
her at any moment they wished.

“And the third condition?” Julian pressed.

“My third condition is for you to transfer all the shares of
Nicholson Corp. to Dahlia with absolutely no charges.” Dustin raised
three fingers.
“What? All the shares? You might as well rob a bank or something!”
Julian’s frown deepened. Nicholson Corp. was worth over 100 billion
dollars, and the company had a promising future ahead. With the shares
that they currently had, they would be worth at least 60 to 70 billion if
they converted them into cash. Even for a family as wealthy as the
Nicholsons, it was considered a huge amount.
“It’s quicker to extort you than to rob,” Dustin said reasonably.
“Anyway, I’ve listed my conditions. It’s up to you whether you agree to
them.”
“No way! That’s impossible!” Julian turned him down without much
thought. Once he becomes the family head, these assets would all be his.
How could he just give them away like that?
“Well, if you do not agree, then forget it.” Dustin gave a nonchalant
shrug.
“Dustin Rhys! I have already fulfilled your ridiculous conditions!
Not only have I apologized, but I even reinstated Dahlia to her position
as chairman. You better not push your luck!” Julian did not look like he
would bend to Dustin’s will anymore.
“Let’s be real. Zirtanium costs a bomb. Of course, if you want it,
you have to pay a price.” Dustin. shook the bottle, and the pills rattled
inside.
“Dustin Rhys! Don’t bite off more than you can chew! You can’t have
the shares of Nicholson Corp. If you insist on having it, you’re just
asking for trouble. And if it comes to that, don’t think that Dahlia will
be reinstated to her position of chairman anymore!” Julian threatened.
Florence and Julie’s expressions immediately darkened when they heard
that. All they wanted was for Dahlia to maintain her position as
chairman. They dare not even dream about the company’s shares. They knew
that if they were too greedy, they might end up with nothing at all,
and that would be terrible for them.
“Dustin, take what you can get and stop while you’re ahead. Pushing
too hard will get you nowhere!” Florence went up and persuaded him.
“That’s right… We can’t afford to offend the Nicholsons. It’s good
enough that we can benefit a little from this,” Julie echoed.

“I need to make the most of this opportunity. We won’t be getting
another opportunity like this anymore.” Dustin shook his head stubbornly.

“What do you mean you need to make the most of this? Who do you think
you are? Do you believe that you can get the better of the Nicholsons?”
Florence was on edge. She considered themselves lucky enough that Dahlia
was reinstated. It would be greedy of them to ask for more.
“Dustin, you have only two options. Give me the medicine, and Dahlia
gets reinstated, or I’ll give
you hell, and you end up with nothing. The choice is yours to make.”
Seeing Florence back down. gave Julian the confidence he needed to throw
his weight around.
“I stand by what I said. If you’re unwilling to give up the shares,
then we don’t have a deal,” Dustin insisted.
“Are you really so adamant about burning bridges?” Julian snarled.
“Don’t scare me. I’m easily frightened. Who knows? I might just
tremble and drop this bottle of medicine into the sewers. We’d be in
trouble then, wouldn’t we?” Dustin gave the bottle another
shake.
“You!” Julian was so furious. But he had said and done all that he
could, and nothing seemed to
work!
“If you can’t call the shots, call your grandmother. Ask her if she
agrees to my condition.” Dustin suggested to Julian
Julian took a deep breath and fished out his phone, giving his
grandmother a call. It was true that he wasn’t in a position to call the
shots on such a huge matter that concerned the entire family.
“Hello, Grandmother. The medicine is indeed with Dustin. But, he has
a condition that I can’t agree with…” Julian started discussing the issue
with Alma once she picked up the call. His expression was quite a sight
to behold, it changed with every second that passed. No one could tell
what Alma was saying on the other end of the line.
“Dustin! Are you out of your mind? If the matriarch of the Nicholson
family loses her temper, not only will we not be getting anything out of
this, but we’ll also be implicated and get into trouble because of you!”
Julie grumbled.
“Rhys! If my daughter loses her position as chairman because of you
again, you’re never going to hear the end of this!” Florence was
agitated.
Wouldn’t things have turned out just fine if he’d just agreed to give
them the medicine? Why did he have to insist on making them pay such a
ridiculously high price for it? Things would get out of hand if they
burned bridges!
Just as Florence and Julie were about to lose their cool, Julian
ended the call with a frown on his face. “Grandmother has agreed to your
condition

Chapter 714
“Madam Alma agreed?” Both Florence and Julie were dumbstruck when
they heard that. All their grumbles and doubts transformed into pure
shock. They hadn’t expected the Nicholsons to agree to the unreasonable
request from Dustin. Those were shares worth billions! Could they bear to
let it go like that? Wasn’t that too much of a price to pay?

At that moment, even Dahlia looked surprised. She could not
comprehend why the Nicholsons were willing to pay such a ridiculous price
for just a bottle of medicine.

“Since she’s agreed, then get your grandmother to make a trip here to
sign the papers. We’ll make a fair transaction.” Dustin smiled. He wasn’t
the least bit surprised by Alma’s choice. He knew very well what people
heavily reliant on Zirtanium were like. They would never be able to
resist the temptation. After all, the Nicholsons had trillions in assets!
Sacrificing one company wouldn’t hurt them too much.
When Julian finally drove off, Dahlia could no longer hold back her
curiosity. “Dustin, what was that medicine you had with you? How did you
manage to make Madam Alma buy it at such a ridiculous price?”
“That was Zirtanium. It’s a type of chronic poison. But for Madam
Alma, this is what she needs to stay alive.” Dustin explained,
“So that’s what it was.” Dahlia nodded in understanding. No wonder
the Nicholsons yielded to his absurd request. So it turns out that Dustin
held Alma’s lifeline in his hands.
She had initially been worried that the Nicholsons would go back on
their word and dismiss her from her position as chairman after
reinstating her. But now that Dustin had gotten the shares of the company
from them, there was no way they could do that anymore.
“The older a person gets, the more they value their life. To Madam
Alma, paying several tens of billions to live another year amounts to
nothing.” Dustin smiled.
“This Zirtanium, where did you get it from?” Dahlia wondered
“I intercepted it from Hank Hoffman, of course.” Dustin wasn’t one to
hide his actions.
“Hank Hoffman?” Astounded, Dahlia quickly understood what he meant.
“So you mean to say that you used what had originally belonged to Madam
Alma to threaten her?”
“You could say that.” Dustin nodded.
“Um…” Dahlia and the rest of them were all rendered speechless

It was one thing to be greedy but to threaten someone with what had
originally been theirs without even having to give anything up for it was
something else. Dustin was basically a con man! Despite being shocked,
they had to admit that his ways were indeed effective.

What followed next was a smooth transaction between both parties.
When Alma arrived, she signed the papers that approved the transfer of
shares to Dahlia without any hesitation.
Once Dustin made sure that there was nothing wrong with the signed
papers, he returned the Zirtanium to her.
Dahlia finally heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the
company’s shares were now hers
From that moment on, she would have full control over Nicholson Corp.
As for Florence and Julie, it would be an understatement to say that
they were over the moon because they would also benefit from Dahlia’s
ownership of the company.
“Grandmother, do we give them the shares?” Back in their car, Julian
was very upset when he saw how pleased the group of them looked.
“Hmph! I’ll give it to them now. But we’ll just wait and see if
they’re able to handle it!” Alma didn’t look any happier about the
situation than Julian did. “Go back to Glenstead and get our men here
immediately! I want them to give back everything that they’ve taken from
us and more!”
“Yes, Grandmother!” A cruel smile broke out on Julian’s face. As
expected from his grandmother. She wasn’t one to let anyone get the
better of her! Dahlia and the rest of them were up for a tough
time ahead!
“Dustin, you’ve helped me out once again! Thank you.” It was rare to
see such a radiant smile on Dahlia’s face.
“Why are you thanking him? He was the one who brought all this
trouble on us! He was only doing what he needed to do to rectify the
problem!” Florence huffed.
“Exactly!” Julie nodded. “Dahlia, never praise your men too much. It
gets to their heads.”
“Hey, isn’t it time both of you upheld your end of the deal?” Dustin
wasn’t pleased by what he
heard.
“Deal? What deal?” They looked at each other quizzically.
“Don’t go back on your word. We promised this. If you lose the bet,
you’ll have to bark like a dog,”
Dustin reminded.
“Who agreed to that? Why don’t I remember ever agreeing on something
like that? Do you recall this, Aunt Florence?” Julie resorted to playing
dumb.
“Of course not!” After a slight pause, Florence promptly shook her
head. “Rhys! Don’t go around spreading lies! We never said anything like
that!”
“You’re playing dumb, are you?”

Chapter 715
Dustin simply smiled and pulled out his phone before playing the
voice recording of their conversation. Their agreement on the bet was
loud and clear. After listening to the recording, both Florence and Julie
blushed a crimson red. They hadn’t expected Dustin to record it.

“Dahlia, there are things to handle in the company, so I’ll be off
now!” Julie quickly wormed her way out.

“Oh! Right! I’ll go help her out.” Florence nodded furiously. Then,
the two of them escaped in a flash, without a moment to lose.
“That’s just how they are. Please don’t take it to heart.” Dahlia was
exasperated too.
“Forget it. I’ll let it slip this time. But only for your sake.”
Dustin appeared benevolent.
“Thank you. You’re the best!” Dahlia smiled. Then, as though having a
sudden thought, she bit her lip and said shyly, “Dustin, I appreciate you
always being by my side. Why don’t we get married again?”
“What?” Dustin was stupefied the moment he heard what she said. For a
moment, he simply didn’t know how to react!
“To be honest, I’ve been giving it some serious thought for the past
few days. I had acted too rashly in the past. I’d like to make up for my
mistakes, and I hope that things can return to how they were before.”
Dahlia had a serious look on her face. Because of how shy she felt, both
her ears were flushed red, but still, she plucked up the courage to say
the words that had been on her mind for quite some time. She just never
found the right opportunity to say them. She knew that if she didn’t say
them now, someday he’d be taken by someone else.
Dustin began to sweat profusely. Had it been in the past, he would
have nodded straight away without a moment’s hesitation, but now, things
were different. He realized that his feelings were more complicated now
that Natasha was present.
On the one hand, it was his ex-wife, with whom he had three years’
worth of memories together, and he still had lingering affection. On the
other hand, it was a gentle and caring friend who had romantic feelings
for him. He really could not choose between the two.
He considered himself both courageous and witty and was always
decisive in various situations. However, when it came to love, he had to
admit that he was a mess. Sometimes he resented himself for his
indecisiveness when it came to things like this.

“What, are you not willing? Or do you despise me?” Dahlia’s brows
knitted together slightly when she saw Dustin staying silent.
“Of course not! It’s just…” Dustin broke off mid-sentence.
“So, it’s because you can’t bear to part with Natasha?” Dahlia had a
wistful expression. “Then answer this: between Natasha and me, who do you
like better?”
Dustin’s thoughts became even more of a mess when he heard that. Who
did he like more? Honestly speaking, he didn’t know either!
Dustin was anxious as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Then his
phone began to ring. That
seemed to be a lifeline for Dustin, and he quickly fished his phone
out to answer the call. “Hello? Who’s this?”
“Hey, Rhys! It’s me, Adam.” A familiar voice came from the other end
of the line.
“Oh, hey buddy! Is anything the matter?” Dustin was pleased to
receive the call from Adam. At least he proved himself useful in Dustin’s
time of need.
“To be honest, I’ve got some good news for you.” Adam beamed and
chuckled. “My sister has taken a leave from work, and she’s making her
way to Millsburg as we speak.”
“Scarlet?” Dustin’s eyes widened. “What’s she coming here for?”
“To meet you, of course!” Adam feigned helplessness as he let out a
sigh. “You have no idea how much she’s tortured me just to get out of me
some information about you. I had no choice but to give in and tell her
your whereabouts. Please don’t blame me for betraying you, brother. You
have no idea what she is capable of. I really couldn’t take it any
longer. I believe you have the means to handle her. Of course, you don’t
need to worry too much. She doesn’t listen to anyone else but you.
Everything will end up just fine if you can deal with her.”
“You fuc-”
“Oh right, I have some matters to attend to. I’ll hang up now. Good
luck!”
Dustin was so frustrated that he was a hair’s breadth away from
cursing, but before he could curse at him, Adam had already ended the
call. Dustin could only clench his teeth to suppress his rising anger.
That bastard really knew how to make things difficult for him. He was
already having such a hard time handling both Dahlia and Natasha at the
same time. If another person were to be added to the equation, a catfight
might just break out!

Chapter 716
Somewhere on the outskirts of Millsburg, in a military base, several
thousand soldiers stood neatly at attention. From generals to privates,
everyone stood with their backs straight. They all stood in well-arranged
rows, and it was a grand sight to behold. Other than the usual troops,
prominent figures from both the military and political fields were there.
They all stood there in anticipation, a little nervous.

“General Winslow, will the Scarlet Warrior really be here today?”
Dylan, who stood near the front, whispered to General Winslow, who stood
in front of him. He had suddenly received notice from the army that the
Goddess of War, Scarlet Spanner, would be visiting Millsburg. As a highranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry and a direct subordinate of
Scarlet Spanner, he rushed over immediately.

“Of course! Don’t you see that both of her trusted aides are here?”
General Winslow gestured for Dylan to look in front of them.
Dylan looked over, and just as General Winslow said, there were two
graceful and stunning female generals standing at attention right in the
front row. They were both major generals of the Dark Panther Cavalry and
considered third-ranking officials. They stood out in stark contrast to
all the other high-ranking officials around them just because they were
Scarlet Spanner’s trusted confidants. Because of that, they held a higher
status than those around them, so much so that even the second-ranking
officials had to show them a certain level of respect.
As though noticing something amiss, one of the major generals turned
around and met Dylan’s gaze with her own cold and stern gaze.

Startled, Dylan lowered his head guiltily, not daring to meet her
gaze. When facing such a person of authority, his arrogance disappeared,
and there was only fear. It was true that he looked down on others.
Regardless of their gender, the generals of the Dark Panther Cavalry were
all elites, whom he was in no position to look down on

Just then, a whirring sound came from above. Everyone lifted their
heads and looked up, only to see a military chopper quickly making its
way toward them. The wind from the whirring blades
hit them all.
“She’s here!” Dylan’s expression turned serious as he straightened
up, puffing his chest out.
When the chopper reached the military base, it hovered overhead for
quite some time, not making
its descent.
“What’s the matter?” Just as everyone began to wonder, the
helicopter’s door opened up, and a figure fully clad in red stuck its
head through the door, looking around inquisitively. Then, amidst the
troops’ stares of horror and bewilderment, the figure leaped out the
door, jumping down from over 300 feet in the air.
With a loud thud, the red figure landed heavily on the ground,
appearing like a deity that had descended from the sky. For a moment, the
ground shook, sending billows of dust into the air.
What just played out shocked the crowd silly as they all gaped in
amazement. How could someone survive jumping at such a height?
As the smoke and dust cleared, they noticed a huge crater, and right
in the middle of it stood an elegant figure in red.
It was a lady dressed in a red tracksuit who had a long sword in one
hand. She had her silver hair cropped short and had looks that were to
die for. She could captivate someone with just a single glance. However,
unlike the usual gentleness of women, there was a deep set of strength
etched in her brows, exuding grace and grandeur. Her eyes, especially,
were aloof and indifferent, seeming to see through everything. She seemed
uninterested in everyone. Just one look from her was enough to make one
feel inferior and ashamed of themselves.

Chapter 717
The lady was none other than Scarlet Spanner, one of the two wellknown aces of the Spanner family and the best Goddess of War Dragonmarsh
ever had.
“As expected of the one and only Goddess of War. It’s truly amazing
how she made her appearance! “Dylan exclaimed inwardly, marveling at her.
She had just jumped from a height of over 300 feet and appeared to be
perfectly fine. That was no feat that an ordinary human could accomplish!
Though he was from the Dark Panther Cavalry, he had only ever seen her
heroic moves from afar. To be able to see her pull such a dangerous stunt
up front and near truly left him shell-shocked.
“Welcome, General!” Her two trusted aides bowed and greeted her
first.
“Welcome, General!” The rest of the troops followed after them,
bowed, and greeted her. Their voices reverberated throughout the entire
military base.
Scarlet gave them a sweeping glance. It was nothing more than a
simple act, but everyone felt an inexplicable pressure just from her
gaze, making it difficult for them to even breathe. It wasn’t until
Scarlet looked away that the pressure gradually disappeared.
She walked up to her two confidants and asked casually, “Do you have
any information on the person I was looking for?”
The two major generals were named Georgia and Bridget, respectively.
“We’ve searched the entire Millsburg for someone with the same name,
but none of them was the person you wanted. We suspect that the person
isn’t here,” Georgia said with her head bowed.
“That’s impossible!” Scarlet said. “Adam would never have the guts to
lie to me. He must be here but under a different name. Keep searching!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Georgia answered and quickly left with her men.
“I plan to stay here for an extended period. Get me a place to stay,”
Scarlet ordered.
“I’ve already arranged for that, General! It’s at Fallonge estate,”
Bridget reported.

“Lead the way!” Scarlet wasted no time on small talk.
“Yes, ma’am!” Bridget nodded and drove off with Scarlet, leaving the
rest of the troops in their dust.
“Who exactly is the Goddess of War here for, General Winslow? She
seems so anxious to find that person.” Dylan could no longer hold in his
curiosity when he saw the car leave.
“How would I know?” General Winslow rolled his eyes. “Who dares
meddle in her personal affairs?”
“You’ve got a point there.” Dylan chuckled awkwardly. Scarlet was an
intimidating figure in the army, so nobody dared speak freely about her.
“I’m not sure who she’s after, but I’m certain that it’s a man,”
General Winslow said thoughtfully.
“A man?” Dylan’s eyes widened. “No way! What kind of man can make the
Goddess of War place such importance on him?”
Scarlet was such a skilled martial artist, second to none, and was an
amazing woman who
trumped every woman in Dragonmarsh. If word were to get out that she
had traveled such a distance to Millsburg just for a man, it would create
a significant commotion among the public! At the thought of that, Dylan
could not help but feel slightly jealous. Scarlet was a gorgeous fighter
who was beyond everyone’s reach. To be able to get Scarlet’s attention
was something worth boasting about. Dylan wondered who the lucky bastard
who caught her eye was.
Over in the moving car, Scarlet carefully pulled out a well-kept
photograph. In it were a teenage boy and girl, at the peak of their
youth. The young girl leaned on the boy’s shoulder, a hint of a smile
replacing her usual aloof expression. Looking at the pair of youths in
the photo, a look of melancholy came over Scarlet, as though she was
reminiscing about the past.
After gazing at the photograph for a moment, she pressed it to her
chest and sighed. “Where are you, Logan? I’ve been searching for you for
the past 10 years.”

Chapter 718
“Achoo!” Dustin, who had finally wormed his way out of his
predicament with Dahlia, began sneezing the moment he got back to the
Flame Dragon Dojo. He wondered if someone was bad- mouthing him behind
his back.

“Sir!” Right then, someone called out to him. Dustin looked up to see
Abigail standing up from her seat, waving excitedly at him. It looked
like she had been waiting for quite a while.

“My apologies, I was caught up with something else earlier on, that’s
why I’m late.” Dustin walked up to her with a smile on his face.
“That’s alright, I just got here too.” Abigail wasn’t bothered by it.
“Oh, right, where’s your father?” Dustin looked around but did not
see Michael.
“Dad ran into some urgent matters he had to handle, so he can’t make
it here. He told me to come here myself. Also, he wanted me to pass this
letter to you.” Abigail pulled out a letter and handed it to Dustin.
Dustin opened the envelope and found two objects in it. One was a
neatly folded letter, and another was a gold pendant with an ‘R’ engraved
on it. After going through the letter, Dustin was certain that Mr.
Robinson would not be returning any time soon.
“What did Dad say in the letter, Sir?” Abigail’s curiosity got the
better of her.
“Your dad said that he needs to go away for a long time. Probably as
long as half a year. But if things get settled quickly, he might be able
to come back after a month. He says that you should pay attention to your
martial arts training and practice well.” After a slight pause, Dustin
continued, “Also, if we were to run into any issues, we can go to Ronald
Reeds with this pendant, and he’ll help us out. He’s got a deep
friendship with your father.”
“Ronald Reeds? Who’s that? Is he really powerful?” Abigail scratched
her head, wondering.
“Ronald Reeds is one of the five ultimate grandmasters of Balerno. Do
you think he’s powerful?” Dustin smiled.
“One of the five ultimate grandmasters? Of course, he is!” Abigail’s
eyes lit up.
“Consider this a good luck charm from your father. Keep it well. Make
sure you don’t ever lose it.” Dustin handed the gold pendant to her. The
value of a token from a grandmaster was priceless.
“But Sir, this pendant is a gift from my father to you; you should
have it.” Abigail quickly decided
against taking it.
“I have no use for it. Since you’re going to be my student anyway.
I’ll give it back to you. Now, you hold on to it.” With that, Dustin
stuffed the gold pendant into Abigail’s pocket.
“Thank you, Sir!” Abigail smiled sweetly at him, and then, standing
on tippy toes, she swiftly planted a peck on his cheek.
“Hey, kiddo! I’m your mentor now! Watch your manners!” Dustin tried
to look stern.
“Got it!” Abigail stuck her tongue out at him, looking naughty and
adorable.
“Mr. Rhys…” Just then, a smartly dressed middle-aged man who was
slightly paunchy made his
trumped every woman in Dragonmarsh. If word were to get out that she
had traveled such a distance to Millsburg just for a man, it would create
a significant commotion among the public!
At the thought of that, Dylan could not help but feel slightly
jealous. Scarlet was a gorgeous fighter who was beyond everyone’s reach.
To be able to get Scarlet’s attention was something worth boasting about.
Dylan wondered who the lucky bastard who caught her eye was.
Over in the moving car, Scarlet carefully pulled out a well-kept
photograph. In it were a teenage boy and girl, at the peak of their
youth. The young girl leaned on the boy’s shoulder, a hint of a smile
replacing her usual aloof expression. Looking at the pair of youths in
the photo, a look of melancholy came over Scarlet, as though she was
reminiscing about the past.
After gazing at the photograph for a moment, she pressed it to her
chest and sighed. “Where are you, Logan? I’ve been searching for you for
the past 10 years.”
Chapter 718
“Achoo!” Dustin, who had finally wormed his way out of his
predicament with Dahlia, began sneezing the moment he got back to the
Flame Dragon Dojo. He wondered if someone was bad- mouthing him behind
his back.

“Sir!” Right then, someone called out to him. Dustin looked up to see
Abigail standing up from her seat, waving excitedly at him. It looked
like she had been waiting for quite a while.
“My apologies, I was caught up with something else earlier on, that’s
why I’m late.” Dustin walked up to her with a smile on his face.
“That’s alright, I just got here too.” Abigail wasn’t bothered by it.
“Oh, right, where’s your father?” Dustin looked around but did not
see Michael.
“Dad ran into some urgent matters he had to handle, so he can’t make
it here. He told me to come here myself. Also, he wanted me to pass this
letter to you.” Abigail pulled out a letter and handed it to Dustin.
Dustin opened the envelope and found two objects in it. One was a
neatly folded letter, and another was a gold pendant with an ‘R’ engraved
on it. After going through the letter, Dustin was certain that Mr.
Robinson would not be returning any time soon.
“What did Dad say in the letter, Sir?” Abigail’s curiosity got the
better of her.
“Your dad said that he needs to go away for a long time. Probably as
long as half a year. But if things get settled quickly, he might be able
to come back after a month. He says that you should pay attention to your
martial arts training and practice well.” After a slight pause, Dustin
continued, “Also, if we were to run into any issues, we can go to Ronald
Reeds with this pendant, and he’ll help us out. He’s got a deep
friendship with your father.”
“Ronald Reeds? Who’s that? Is he really powerful?” Abigail scratched
her head, wondering.
“Ronald Reeds is one of the five ultimate grandmasters of Balerno. Do
you think he’s powerful?” Dustin smiled.
“One of the five ultimate grandmasters? Of course, he is!” Abigail’s
eyes lit up.
“Consider this a good luck charm from your father. Keep it well. Make
sure you don’t ever lose it. Dustin handed the gold pendant to her. The
value of a token from a grandmaster was priceless.
“But Sir, this pendant is a gift from my father to you, you should
have it.” Abigail quickly decided against taking it.
“I have no use for it. Since you’re going to be my student anyway,
I’ll give it back to you. Now, you hold on to it.” With that, Dustin
stuffed the gold pendant into Abigail’s pocket.
“Thank you, Sir!” Abigail smiled sweetly at him, and then, standing
on tippy toes, she swiftly planted a peck on his cheek.
“Hey, kiddo! I’m your mentor now! Watch your manners!” Dustin tried
to look stern.
“Got it!” Abigail stuck her tongue out at him, looking naughty and
adorable.
“Mr. Rhys…” Just then, a smartly dressed middle-aged man who was
slightly paunchy made his
way in. It was Roderick Brooks, who was also known as Big Bucks
Brooks.
“Mr. Brooks, what brings you here?” Dustin smiled at him. “Abigail,
go pour Mr. Brooks a cup of tea,
he instructed.
“No need for that.” Roderick raised a hand to stop her as he said
with a chuckle, “I’m here to bring you some good news today.”
“What’s the good news?” Dustin’s brows furrowed slightly with doubt.
Adam had given him a call and said that he had good news for him too.
That turned out to be anything but good.
“You wanted me to keep an eye on the Stoneray Order and to keep tabs
on the whereabouts of the 900-year green lotus, didn’t you? We have the
results now!” Roderick smiled.
“So? How is it? Were they successful?” Dustin asked with
anticipation. As he had no use for the green lotus due to its age
previously, he hadn’t bought it back then. But some time later, he heard
that the Stoneray Order had purchased it, and Dr. Linden Watkins even had
a special method to speed up the aging process. Hence, he got Roderick to
get his men to keep an eye on it and verify
if the news was indeed true.
“To tell you the truth, Dr. Linden Watkins had already come out of
his laboratory last night, and the 900-year green lotus that he had been
working on has already been transformed into a thousand-year green
lotus!” Roderick told him what he had learned.
“Great! That’s wonderful!”

Chapter 719
Dustin felt excited. He had been searching for the thousand-year
green lotus. He only needed a Cherusia to produce the nine-fold
Longevitum if he got it.

“It is wonderful, Mr. Rhys, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t be easy to get
it.” Roderick’s comment lowered Dustin’s spirits.

“I’ll buy this precious herb no matter how much it costs!” Dustin had
an unwavering determination to get his hands on it.
“It isn’t about money, Mr. Rhys. The Stoneray Order does not lack
money.” Roderick shook his head.
“Well, what do they want if not money?” Dustin wondered.
“The Stoneray Order likes collecting rare and precious objects. The
rarer, the better. Whether you are seeking medical help or special herbs,
they only want rare items as payment,” Roderick explained.
“Where would I be able to get rare objects so suddenly?” Dustin
frowned. Things would be much easier for them if they could pay them off.
But it would be tricky if the Stoneray Order did not accept money.
“Mr. Rhys, I’ve prepared some rare objects. But I’m not sure if Dr.
Watkins will accept them.” Roderick had his doubts.
“We have to give it a try no matter what. Please come with me, Mr.
Brook,” Dustin invited.
“My pleasure.” Roderick nodded.
The three of them then drove to Stoneray Valley.
Stoneray Valley, as the name suggested, was a huge valley tucked away
in a mountain range.
Mountains surrounded it on three sides, and there was only one
entrance. It had a strategic location where a large river separated it
from the outside world. There was only one way to get into Stoneray
Valley, which was by boat.
After a two-hour drive, Dustin, Abigail, and Roderick finally arrived
near Stoneray Valley. However, when they made their way to the entrance,
they were shocked by what they saw.
A little way off, the place was packed with people. The queue
stretched a long way out, and they could not begin to imagine the number
of people there.

“Mr. Brooks, is Stoneray Valley usually so crowded?” Dustin was
shocked by the sight before him.

“There is usually quite a crowd here to seek medical help, but it was
never so packed. It is quite weird.” Roderick didn’t understand why there
were so many people there either.
“With the amount of people here, we’d have to wait until tomorrow
before we can get in. “Abigail sighed. Had their two-hours journey been a
wasted effort?
“Hey, excuse me, buddy.” Roderick approached a man in front of him
and asked politely, “May I know what’s going on here today? Why is there
such a huge crowd?”
“Don’t you know? Today is the day Dr. Watkins will take a new
student. Whoever passes his
examination and gets first place will be accepted into Stoneray Order
and granted a wish,” the man informed them.
“A wish?” Roderick turned to look at Dustin. “What do you think, Mr.
Rhys?”
“Of course, we can’t miss out on such a great deal!” Dustin smiled.
It’d be perfect if they could get the thousand-year green lotus without
having to give anything in return.
“But Sir, look at the line! How long are we going to have to stand in
line for?” Abigail crouched on the ground, resting her chin on her palms
with a look of defeat.
“Who said anything about standing in line? Watch and learn.” Dustin
walked up to the few people at the front of the line and whispered
something in their ears. Once they reached a deal, he
returned and said, “Alright, that’s settled. They’ve agreed to swap
places with us. Go on over.”
“Swap places?” Abigail was stunned. “They’re at the front of the
line! Why would they agree to do
that?”
“Why not? I gave them one million each. They’re more than happy to
swap places with us,” Dustin said casually.
“A million?” Abigail could not believe her ears.
“What? Is there a problem?” Dustin asked calmly.
“Well…” Abigail was stunned. There wasn’t much she could say at this
point.
Was this the power of money? It was amazing!

Chapter 720
Dustin and the rest took a boat into Stoneray Valley after
registering themselves. They passed by green mountains, clear blue
waters, and lush trees. The scenery was beautiful. After traveling about
ten miles, they reached their destination and got out of the boat.

There was a huge building that looked like a palace. It was majestic
and breathtaking. They followed the crowd and went up a flight of stairs.
Then they entered a lavishly decorated hall.

There were already many people gathered in the hall. Everyone hoped
they would be chosen by Dr. Watkins and be accepted into the Stoneray
Order.
The Stoneray Order was famous and distinguished in Millsburg. Even
the Fabulous Five and the Tremendous Three had to show them respect. To
be accepted into the Stoneray Order was the same as making it big in
life.
But Dr. Watkins was strict when choosing his students. And he would
only accept ten students each year. It was almost a one-in-a-million
chance to be his student.
As Dustin admired the hall, a commotion broke out by the door.
They turned around to see several young people walking in with their
heads high. Leading the group were a beautiful woman dressed in white and
a man dressed in black. The others behind them looked like regular
lackeys who tagged along to show off their powers.
“Hey.. Isn’t that Miranda Killian from the Killian family? I didn’t
expect to see her here.”
“I heard that Miranda Killian is an unmatched medical genius. When
she was 18, she was already
on the same level as reputable doctors in Stonia.”

“And it’s not just Miranda Killian! That man beside her is amazing
too! He’s Preston Huffner, Dr. Bruce Darby’s best student. He’s so young,
but his medical skills are out of this world!”

The crowd whispered among themselves when Miranda Killian and Preston
Huffner appeared.
One was a medical genius and the daughter of a well-known family. The
other was a famous doctor’s best student with exceptional skills. No
matter where they went, they were the center of
attention
“Hmph! They are just a bunch of people with average skills. How
boring.” Preston looked around
with disdain.
“Preston, I guess one of us will be the best student this year,”
Miranda said with a smirk.
“If you want it, I’ll let you have the position of best student.
How’s that?” Preston seemed generous.
“I’ll thank you in advance, then, Preston.” Miranda hid her giggles
behind her hand. She was interested in something other than the best
student position.
She was only competing for that position because of the thousand-year
green lotus. She could have her wish granted if she passed the
examination and became the best student. And she had her eyes on the
thousand-year green lotus.
As Preston and the gang walked into the hall, they paused as their
path was blocked.
“Hey! Get out of the way! Even dogs know better than to block
people’s way!” Preston glared at the
group of three in annoyance.
Everyone willingly made way for them except for these three. The
three stood there indifferently, not showing them any respect.
“And dogs know better than to force their way through. So quit
complaining and get lost.” Dustin countered.
“How dare you insult me?” Preston’s expression darkened. “Do you even
know who I am? How bold of you to speak to me like that!”

Chapter 721
“Does it matter to me who you are?” Dustin shrugged.

“You insolent bastard! I am the leader of Asclepia, Dr. Bruce Darby’s
best student! Your disrespect toward me is a direct disrespect toward
Asclepia! Just a word from me is enough to make you vanish from the
medical field! Don’t test me!” Preston threatened.

The people who showed up were people involved in the medical field.
Asclepia’s power stretched across the nation. And all prestigious
entities in the medical world respected them. It was easy for them to
wipe out a small fry.
“Oh, I’m so scared. Well, go ahead and do as you wish, then,” Dustin
replied dismissively.
His unconcern attitude and disregard fueled Preston’s anger. “Y-yoyou bastard! Just wait!”
“Are you done yet? If you are, please get lost.” Dustin waved his
hand impatiently as if he was driving a bug away.
“You-!” Preston gritted his teeth.
As he was about to get violent, Miranda tugged on his arm. “Preston,
there’s no need to stoop to levels of such lowlife. People like him can
only hope he’ll ever get to our level. He’ll never be as good as us, so
all he can do is run his mouth.”
“That’s right! Only incompetent people waste their time talking.
People with real skills speak with their actions!” Their lackeys added.
“You rascal! You sound sure of yourself. If that’s the case, let’s
have a challenge.” It was clear that Preston wasn’t pleased. Since he
couldn’t win him in an argument, it was time he put his skills to
use.
“I’m not interested.” Dustin flat-out rejected.
“Hah! Are you not interested, or you don’t have the skills? Or
perhaps, you simply don’t have the guts?” Preston snickered as if he had
seen through Dustin’s brave act.
“Hmph! Here I was thinking that maybe we’ve got ourselves a worthy
opponent. It turns out he’s just a cowardly chicken!” Miranda mocked.
“This is what we call a champion boaster. They always win in an
argument. But once things start getting serious, they chicken out faster
than anyone else.”
“A slacker will always be a slacker. No matter what they say, the
facts won’t change!”
The lackeys ridiculed and mocked Dustin, looking at him as if he were
nothing more than a mere clown.

“Hey! That’s enough!” Abigail was angered. Had it not been for her
concerns for decency, she would have taken action much sooner. They were
a bunch who did not watch what they said.
“What? Are you just going to stay silent and let a girl stand up for
you? What a worthless bum!” Preston continued to taunt.
“I intended to ignore you, but you seem adamant about getting on my
nerves. Fine, you wish to challenge me, don’t you? I’ll take you up on
that challenge.” Dustin did not wish to tolerate them
anymore. Just because he couldn’t be bothered to take action did not
mean that he wasn’t capable of doing so.
“Wow! You’re finally acting like a man!” Preston gave a cunning grin.
“Alright, I won’t take advantage of you. Let’s just go through with
Dr. Watkins’ examination. Whoever gets a higher rank in the examination
wins. The loser will be the winner’s dog. How’s that? Do you dare to take
up the challenge?” Preston was dead set on winning.
Preston was going to defeat Dustin so that he could crush him under
his feet, utterly humiliating him. Only by doing so could he vent the
anger in his heart.
“Well, if you insist on becoming my dog, I’ll agree to it, then.”
Dustin had an impassive look.
“Hmph! Keep talking tough. Let’s see how much longer you can stay
arrogant!” Preston sneered.
“Everyone, did you all see that? We are all witnesses to the
challenge. The loser shall be the
winner’s dog.” Miranda was quick to back Preston up.
“That’s right! The loser will be a dog!” The lackeys followed along.
It wasn’t every day that they came across someone they could
humiliate. They were going to grab hold of every opportunity that came
their way.
“This young man is acting so recklessly. Why would he accept
Preston’s challenge? At a medical examination too! Isn’t he inviting
defeat upon himself?”
“If he doesn’t have the ability, he should admit defeat. But he
insists on being arrogant! He’s going to embarrass himself when he
loses.”
“Young people these days are too proud. They don’t know their
limits.”
The crowd around them started whispering and commenting on Dustin’s
actions. From their point of view, Dustin was too arrogant and would end
up embarrassing himself.

Chapter 722
“Silence!” As everyone got into a heated discussion, a loud voice
roared. Then, a group of elders of the Stoneray Order entered the hall.

Dr. Linden Watkins, leader of the Stoneray Order, walked before the
group. Several other elders and some of the administrative disciples
followed behind him.

“Is that Dr. Linden Watkins? He has such a grand aura coming from
him!”
“Whoever does well in the examination today will be chosen as Dr.
Watkins’ student. And will be learning from Dr. Watkins himself. The
chosen one will have a bright future ahead!”
The mood turned serious when Linden entered. Everyone looked at him
with respect in their eyes.
Linden was the best of the great three doctors in Balerno. Not only
was he a skilled doctor, but he also had many students in the entire
country. Everyone respected him. It would be a big achievement to become
his student.
“We have some interesting candidates here today.” He looked at the
crowd, briefly focusing on Preston and Miranda
Asclepia had managed to make a name for themselves in the medical
field. And now their influence increased and would soon be on the same
level as the Stoneray Order. Preston and Miranda’s presence within
Asclepia helped them recruit more geniuses. Linden paid close attention
to these rising talents of the younger generation.
“Let’s begin.” Linden nodded to the rest of the elders. Then he sat
in the center as the other elders sat on both sides of him.
“The examination will begin.” An invigilator dressed in black stood
before the crowd. Then he announced, “There are three parts to this
examination. First, you will need to identify some drugs. Second, you
will have to produce a medicine And finally, you will cure a sick
patient.”
“Now, please get ready for the first test.” With a wave of his hand,
more than ten disciples of the Stoneray Order walked in. They held a
wooden box with medicine bottles inside.
“These bottles contain medicine that we’ve prepared. For your first
test, you will taste it and identify the herbs used. Each of you will get
a piece of paper, so list its components. Ten points will be deducted for
each mistake. If you make three mistakes, you’re disqualified,” the
invigilator announced.
The hall immediately buzzed with discussion when they heard that.
“My goodness! They call this simple? How are we supposed to identify
the herbs used by just the taste of it? Can anyone even do that?”
“Exactly! I don’t think anyone can do that without at least 20 years
of experience!”
“If the first test is this tough, I can’t imagine how difficult the
next two tests will be!”
Everyone began complaining about how difficult the test was. Though
everyone knew that the Stoneray Order had strict criteria for accepting
students, this was harder than they thought.
“Silence!” The invigilator roared. “If anyone is dissatisfied, you
can choose to give up. The Stoneray
anymore. Just because he couldn’t be bothered to take action did not
mean that he wasn’t capable of doing so.
“Wow! You’re finally acting like a man!” Preston gave a cunning grin.
“Alright, I won’t take advantage of you. Let’s just go through with
Dr. Watkins’ examination. Whoever gets a higher rank in the examination
wins. The loser will be the winner’s dog. How’s that? Do you dare to take
up the challenge?” Preston was dead set on winning.
Preston was going to defeat Dustin so that he could crush him under
his feet, utterly humiliating him. Only by doing so could he vent the
anger in his heart.
“Well, if you insist on becoming my dog, I’ll agree to it, then.”
Dustin had an impassive look.
“Hmph! Keep talking tough. Let’s see how much longer you can stay
arrogant!” Preston sneered.
“Everyone, did you all see that? We are all witnesses to the
challenge. The loser shall be the winner’s dog.” Miranda was quick to
back Preston up.
“That’s right! The loser will be a dog!” The lackeys followed along.
It wasn’t every day that they came across someone they could
humiliate. They were going to grab hold of every opportunity that came
their way.
“This young man is acting so recklessly. Why would he accept
Preston’s challenge? At a medical examination too! Isn’t he inviting
defeat upon himself?”

“If he doesn’t have the ability, he should admit defeat. But he
insists on being arrogant! He’s going to embarrass himself when he
loses.”
“Young people these days are too proud. They don’t know their
limits.”
The crowd around them started whispering and commenting on Dustin’s
actions. From their point of view, Dustin was too arrogant and would end
up embarrassing himself.
Chapter 722
“Silence!” As everyone got into a heated discussion, a loud voice
roared. Then, a group of elders of the Stoneray Order entered the hall.
Dr. Linden Watkins, leader of the Stoneray Order, walked before the
group. Several other elders and some of the administrative disciples
followed behind him.
“Is that Dr. Linden Watkins? He has such a grand aura coming from
him!”
“Whoever does well in the examination today will be chosen as Dr.
Watkins’ student. And will be learning from Dr. Watkins himself. The
chosen one will have a bright future ahead!”
The mood turned serious when Linden entered. Everyone looked at him
with respect in their eyes.
Linden was the best of the great three doctors in Balerno. Not only
was he a skilled doctor, but he also had many students in the entire
country. Everyone respected him. It would be a big achievement to become
his student.
“We have some interesting candidates here today.” He looked at the
crowd, briefly focusing on Preston and Miranda.
Asclepia had managed to make a name for themselves in the medical
field. And now their influence increased and would soon be on the same
level as the Stoneray Order. Preston and Miranda’s presence within
Asclepia helped them recruit more geniuses. Linden paid close attention
to these rising talents of the younger generation.
“Let’s begin.” Linden nodded to the rest of the elders. Then he sat
in the center as the other elders sat on both sides of him.
“The examination will begin.” An invigilator dressed in black stood
before the crowd. Then he announced, “There are three parts to this
examination First, you will need to identify some drugs. Second, you will
have to produce a medicine. And finally, you will cure a sick patient.”
“Now, please get ready for the first test.” With a wave of his hand,
more than ten disciples of the Stoneray Order walked in. They held a
wooden box with medicine bottles inside.
“These bottles contain medicine that we’ve prepared. For your first
test, you will taste it and identify the herbs used. Each of you will get
a piece of paper, so list its components. Ten points will be deducted for
each mistake. If you make three mistakes, you’re disqualified,” the
invigilator announced.
The hall immediately buzzed with discussion when they heard that.
“My goodness! They call this simple? How are we supposed to identify
the herbs used by just the taste of it? Can anyone even do that?”
“Exactly! I don’t think anyone can do that without at least 20 years
of experience!”
“If the first test is this tough, I can’t imagine how difficult the
next two tests will be!”
Everyone began complaining about how difficult the test was. Though
everyone knew that the Stoneray Order had strict criteria for accepting
students, this was harder than they thought.
“Silence!” The invigilator roared. “If anyone is dissatisfied, you
can choose to give up. The Stoneray
Order will not accept incompetent students!”
His simple statement was enough to silence the crowd’s grumbles and
complaints. None of them were ready to give up so quickly after such a
long journey there.
“If we have no objections, we will begin now. You will be given a
medicine bottle and must list the ingredients within 30 minutes. Whoever
completes this within the given time will continue to the next test.” The
bottles were given out, and the timer started counting down.
Upon receiving the bottle, everyone quickly tasted the medicine.
Every second counted. Whoever finished the test in the shortest time
would show that they were better than the rest. They might even attract
the attention of the invigilators.
However, everyone frowned when they tasted the medicine. This was
much more challenging than they had thought.
There were all sorts of herbs in the medicine After they were brewed
together, it was impossible to identify the specific herbs used. The
taste was a mixture of bitter, sweet, and sour. It tasted disgusting.
“Challenging indeed. But I’ll handle this just fine.

Chapter 723
Preston smiled faintly after taking three sips of the medicine and
wrote on the paper. He listed down all the herbs in the medicine.

When he was halfway through, he took another sip to ensure he did
everything correctly. When he was sure of his judgment, he listed the
rest of the ingredients. It took him less than 10 minutes.

“I’m done.” Preston raised his hand to inform the invigilators that
he finished. Although he spoke softly, he managed to attract the
attention of everyone in the hall.
“Is he serious? He’s finished already in such a short time?”
“Hmph! I don’t believe he’s that good. I bet he just guessed the
herbs!”
The crowd whispered among themselves. Some were amazed, while some
were doubtful.
“Let me check.” The invigilator went to Preston and took his answer
script. His eyes immediately lit up after going through the list.
“Not bad at all. Your answers are all correct. There’s not a single
mistake. Perfect score.” The invigilator praised.
An uproar broke out among the crowd at that.
“Damn it! Did he get a perfect score? Is he that good?”
“As expected of Dr. Darby’s best student! He lives up to his name!”
“F*ck! I haven’t written a word, and he’s already listed every
ingredient and is continuing to the next test. We’re not even competing
at the same level.”
The crowd was shocked. Preston’s talent showed them how much they
lacked medical skills and knowledge. They had no hopes of getting first
place. So, they could only focus and try for second or third place.
“I’m done too.” Right then, Miranda raised her hand.
The invigilator approached her and nodded in satisfaction when he saw
her answers. “Very good.
Perfect score as well.”
“Another perfect score? Aren’t they too good at this?”
“Oh man… What can I say? They’re way too good for people like us.

“They are terrifying! I don’t think I’m cut out for this. I’m giving
up!”
Miranda’s perfect score destroyed everyone’s spirit. Many could not
stand the pressure and chose
to give up.
“Hey, buddy! Are you not done yet? Do you need some help?” Preston
turned to look at Dustin, a sarcastic smile on his face.
“Preston, I think he needs some help. He hasn’t even written a word!”
Miranda turned to look at Dustin’s paper and covered her mouth to hide
her snigger. She looked just like a mean B*tch.
“No way! It’s such a simple test! You can’t even manage to think of a
single herb? My, aren’t you a
dumbass?” Preston mocked him, exaggerating his words.
“What’s the rush? We have lots of time,” Dustin answered casually.
“No matter how much time you have, it won’t change anything. Trash
will always be trash. It doesn’t matter how hard you struggle. You’re
never going to succeed.” Preston taunted.
“I say, stop struggling and just be Preston’s dog. At least he might
give you a bone when he feels like it,” Miranda said with a smirk.
“Are you sure that you’re going to be the winner?” Dustin asked
suddenly.
“Why not? We’ve both scored full marks, and you have not even written
a word. Isn’t it obvious who the winner will be?” Preston’s lips curled
into a mean smile.
“Well, seeing how confident you are, I’ll teach you a lesson today.”
Without another word, Dustin quickly wrote a long list of ingredients on
the paper
He wrote with great ease, without any hesitation. The crowd was
stunned and amazed, wondering if he was secretly an expert.
Even Preston and Miranda were flustered. He wrote so fast and with
complete certainty. They began to doubt if they had chosen the wrong
person to bully.
“Done.” While everyone was still shocked by Dustin’s fast writing, he
had already submitted his answer to the invigilator.
The invigilator frowned when he saw Dustin’s answer. Then, in a
frosty voice, he said, “Wrong answer. You get zero marks!”

Chapter 724
“Zero?”

Everyone was shocked before they burst out in laughter. They looked
at Dustin like he was a fool.

“Hahaha… How hilarious! The audacity he has to act so arrogantly when
he got zero marks!”
“He looked so certain of himself that I had begun to think he was all
that. In the end, he was just pretending!”
“Even I could at least get a few points if I simply wrote some herbs.
How did you manage to get zero points? What a joke!”
Everyone started to ridicule him.
They initially thought Dustin was an expert when he wrote confidently
and quickly. But in the end, the zero he received said a lot about him
and exposed him as a fool.
“Rascal, I must say, you sure are shameless. How can you behave so
arrogantly when you’re getting zero? I am amazed.” Preston sarcastically
gave him a thumbs-up.
“If you don’t have the ability, then admit that you don’t. You are
humiliating yourself if you insist on being arrogant!” Miranda looked at
him like he was an idiot.
“Zero?” Dustin ignored the insults thrown at him and looked straight
at the invigilator. “Are you sure you didn’t make the wrong judgment?”
Dustin asked.
“What? Are you questioning me?” The invigilator raised a brow.
“I don’t think I’ve made any mistakes with listing the herbs, so I’m
just curious why you gave me zero points.” Dustin countered.
“You’ve indeed got most of the herbs right, but you added aconite to
the list,” the invigilator said icily
“Alright, let’s put aside whether I got that wrong. Even if aconite
were a wrong answer, I’d only get ten points deducted. Why did I end up
with zero?” Dustin pressed.
According to the rules, one mistake meant he lost ten points. He
would only be disqualified after three mistakes. He really could not
comprehend how he ended up with zero marks.

“If it were just a regular mistake, I would not have given you zero
points. But the problem is, you listed aconite as one of the ingredients,
which reacts with the Fritillaria bulb in the medicine and becomes a
deadly poison! If a doctor cannot even understand the difference between
medicine and poison, what makes you think you can join the Stoneray
Order? And this is the reason why I’ve given you zero points. Are you
happy with my explanation?” the invigilator asked gravely.
“Of course not,” Dustin answered. “You were the ones who brewed the
medicine. I’m only listing what I think is in there. So even if it’s
poisonous, that’s your problem, not mine.”
“How dare you!” The invigilator lost his cool right then and there.
“Why would the Stoneray Order put something poisonous into our medicine?
You are simply spouting nonsense!”
“Hey, rascal! Are you just here to create problems for everyone? You
know you can’t win, so this is your way of disrupting things?” Preston
asked with irritation
“We should drive this troublemaker out, or things will only worsen.”
Miranda looked at him with
contempt.
“Get out! Get out!” Many of the people there echoed in agreement. How
dare a person who scored zero marks behave so arrogantly? He was only
going to embarrass himself even more.
“Guys, throw him out of here!” The Stoneray Order’s disciples rushed
toward Dustin on the invigilator’s order.
“Hold on.” Just as they were about to grab Dustin, Linden, who sat at
the main seat and had
watched everything happen, spoke up. “He’s a promising talent. Let’s
keep him around.”
Upon hearing that, everyone was taken aback. No one expected Linden
to speak up for someone
who was trash.
“Dr. Watkins, this person is making baseless claims and slanderin

Chapter 725
“He said nothing wrong. There is aconite in the medicine.” Linden’s
words shocked everyone.

“What?” That invigilator froze in disbelief. “Dr. Watkins, you must
be mistaken. I remember that aconite wasn’t listed in the recipe.

The elders beside Linden did not say anything but had puzzled
expressions. The medicines were brewed according to a recipe, and no one
would dare to change it. How is it possible that it contained aconite?
“Originally, Aconite was not included. But I just felt like adding
it, so I did,” Linden said casually,
“You felt like it?” When the crowd heard that statement, they
exchanged looks with each other. Wasn’t Linden too carefree?
“Dr. Watkins, when aconite is combined with the Fritillaria bulb, it
becomes poisonous. Why would you add it?” The invigilator frowned.
He had said the same thing just now to criticize Dustin. Now, Linden
had confirmed that there was really aconite in the medicine.
“It’s to test everyone, of course,” Linden said casually. “If we
strictly follow the recipe, it would be too simple and boring. They would
easily be able to guess the ingredients.
“However, adding aconite would make things more interesting Everyone
must think outside the box to notice the little surprise I prepared for
you.
“Unfortunately, none of you noticed it. Except for this man, who was
sensitive enough to spot it. So technically speaking, he is the only one
with a perfect score!”
The crowd became uneasy when they heard that. It seemed this was all
planned by Linden. Most importantly, Dustin was the only person who
successfully noticed the special ingredient added to the medicine!
Before Linden revealed the truth, the crowd thought that Dustin was
just an attention seeker, SO they mocked him as much as they wanted. None
of them expected that they were the real fool.

“How’s that possible? I didn’t even notice that there was aconite.
How did that bastard know?” Preston’s brows furrowed as he frowned. He
was usually proud and arrogant because of his talents. He could not
accept losing to someone else.
“Does this scoundrel have some insider information?” Miranda had a
doubtful look on her face. Even though she was talented, it took her a
few years to be on the same level as her seniors. Even her mentor, Dr.
Darby, always praised her and considered her a potential successor.
She had never once made a mistake regarding medicine. That was until
today. So she was annoyed.
“So, I was wrong?” The invigilator’s lips twisted to a frown, and he
was speechless. He felt ashamed of his actions.
“Young man, you surprised me. But I have a question for you. Can you
guess why I’ve added aconite to the medicine?” Linden smiled at him
thoughtfully
“It’s to poison us,” Dustin answered confidently.
“Oh? Could you explain?” Linden raised a brow
“Based on the herbs, their properties, and the dosage. The toxic
effect should start in about 30 minutes. And if I’m not wrong, this is
all for our second test,” Dustin said calmly.
“And what else?” Linden nodded in approval.
“They mentioned that the second test is to produce medicine. But what
you want us to do is to come up with the antidote while we are poisoned.
However, it won’t be easy to produce the antidote while we are
experiencing the effects of the toxin.” Dustin revealed the truth.
“Hahaha… Young man, you sure have talent!” Linden laughed heartily,
his eyes shining with admiration toward Dustin.
“You are right! That is our next test for you. Whoever manages to
produce the antidote will move on to the next round. Whoever fails to do
so will never live to see the next day!”

Chapter 726
“What?” Everyone shouted in shock. A bottle fell out of someone’s
hand and broke into pieces as it crashed to the ground.

Nobody expected the medicine they tasted to be poison!

It was supposed to be just an easy examination to identify the
components of the medicine. How did it turn into a life-threatening
situation? Was it necessary for the examination to be so extreme?
“Dr. Watkins, isn’t this going too far?” The invigilator frowned.
Linden had always done his best to save lives, so using poison to test
them seemed unusual.
“There is a fine line between medicine and poison. There are times
when poison can also be used to save lives. It all depends on how someone
uses them. As long as it’s effective, it doesn’t matter how it’s being
used,” Linden said seriously.
“But-”
“Enough.”
The invigilator was about to say something when Linden raised a hand
and cut him off. “The Stoneray Order does not accept incompetent
students. Anyone who isn’t confident in your own skills, you may choose
to quit.
“All you need to do is walk straight to the door, collect the
antidote, and get the hell out of here. However, your life will be in
your own hands if you continue.”
“I. I’m out!”
“Forget it. I don’t want to risk it. I’m giving up.”
“Damn it! This is gambling with our lives! Who would be brave enough
to continue? I’m quitting too!”
When they learned their lives were in danger, most gave up.
Although being accepted into the Stoneray Order would promise them a
bright future ahead, nobody was willing to risk their lives for it. The
price to pay was too high.
Furthermore, if the first test was so difficult, won’t the second
test be even more challenging?
Who would want to take such a risk when they were not confident?
Before 30 minutes were over, most people in the hall had left, and
only a few people stayed. The remaining ones were either really confident
or really skillful.
Since Dustin had already made known that there were aconite and
Fritillaria bulbs in the
concoction, it increased their chances of producing the antidote.
“Alright, those who should leave have already left. Those who passed
the first test can proceed directly to the second test,” Linden
announced.

As soon as he said that, a large door at the side of the hall slowly
opened, leading to a big alchemy
room.
It had everything they would need. Many herbs, alchemy furnaces,
charcoal, and minerals were
available for them to use.
“Go in.” The invigilator led the group into the alchemy room.
It was a large room. Besides the alchemy equipment, there were rows
of cabinets filled with various medicinal herbs. At a glance, it had all
sorts of medicinal ingredients. There were even some rare and precious
herbs.
“Your second test is to produce a medicinal pill.” When everyone was
ready, the invigilator
continued, “On the table before you is a recipe. All you need to do
is produce Curax, which will be
your antidote.
“The judging criteria are easy. Whoever produces a higher-quality
Curax will receive a higher score. You have an hour. If the pill is
successfully produced before times up, it will be considered
a pass.
The timer started counting down, and the invigilator announced, “Your
test starts now!’
With no time for hesitation, everyone began moving.
Producing a medicinal pill was challenging to accomplish. And with
the time limit of an hour, it was even more difficult
Everyone had to be quick and careful to avoid making mistakes while
producing the medicine. Once there was any mistake, it would be a
failure.
“You just got lucky in the previous round, bastard! This time, I’m
going to crush you!” Preston glared at Dustin and then quickly made his
pill. He was going to beat everyone by producing the highest quality
Curax!
“Hmph! He’s just an ordinary doctor! Let’s see what other tricks he
has up his sleeves!” Miranda said angrily, unwilling to admit defeat.
She put all her effort into producing the medicinal pill. Her pride
as a genius did not allow her to be defeated a second time.
“Curax?” Dustin ignored them and read the recipe given. He smiled
thoughtfully.
Many people were able to produce medicinal pills. But to stand out
and beat everyone, one must put in extra effort and skill.
“That’s odd. Why does my head hurt?”
“I’m having a stomachache. I feel like I might shit my pants!”
“Oh no! It’s the poison’s effect!”

Chapter 727

Right then, many of them began showing signs of poisoning. Some felt dizz
y, and others experienced severe abdominal pain. Some even had cramps.

Although their symptoms were different, it would affect their production
of the medicinal pill. But giving up was not an option. They could only g
rit their teeth and continue.

“Who do you think will be number one today, Dr. Watkins?” an elder with a
white beard asked.

“Preston and Miranda are performing well and gifted in the medical field,
so they are considered geniuses. But I think the young man will do bette
r.” Linden looked at Dustin.
“Him?” The elder followed and looked at Dustin too

Then, he asked, curious, “But Dr. Watkins, he’s a nobody. Maybe he was lu
cky in the previous round. He’s still not on the same level as Preston an
d Miranda.”

No matter their family background, talents, or medical accomplishments, t
hey were not on the same level. And Dustin’s good luck would not
change anything.
“Hahaha… We’ll find out soon enough.” Linden smiled
and said nothing else. He sat and watched. He refused to believe that som
eone who could see through his plans was just a nobody.
“Bang!” After a moment, an explosion was heard in the hall.

A man’s alchemy furnace burst when he made a mistake. The hot liquid, bur
ning charcoal, and
furnace fragments splattered all over his face.
“Ah!” The man screamed in pain as he clutched his burned face.

“Somebody bring him away!” The invigilator waved his hand, and several me
mbers of the Stoneray Order moved to help the man.
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
“Bang!”

As the first person was carried away, several
others had their furnaces explode as well. They had burned faces and were
carried out too.

Some made mistakes because of the poison’s effects and the pressure they
were under to save themselves. Some burnt their pills, some could not sol
idify their pills, and some of their furnaces
exploded
The number of people who were eliminated increased quickly.

“Done!” When there were still 30 minutes left, Preston shouted as he show
ed the crowd the red pill
he had taken from the furnace.

The invigilator walked to Preston and looked at his pill. Then he praised
. “Not bad, you have indeed produced a Curax And it is a good quality one
!”
“A good quality Curax? That’s amazing!”
“As expected of Dr. Darby’s best student! Impressive!”
“He managed to produce a Curax of good quality even though he
was poisoned! That’s amazing!”
Everyone was shocked to hear what the invigilator said.
Preston
quickly completed the task under such stressful conditions. It showed how
amazing his medical skills and accomplishments were.
“Done!” Not long after Preston was
done, Miranda finished hers. The pill
she produced was like Preston’s in both looks and properties.
“Very well done. A good quality Curax too!” The invigilator
nodded, very pleased. The two geniuses from Asclepia had not disappointed
him.

As time continued, others successfully produced the Curax. Yet, they most
ly failed. Soon, one hour was almost over.

“Dr. Watkins, it seems like Preston and Miranda are winning. As for that
young man you had your eyes on, I guess he won’t pass
this test if he hasn’t produced the pill by now.” The elder smiled. Sudde
nly, Dustin’s furnace exploded with a loud bang.

Chapter 728
“Bang!” When Dustin’s alchemy furnace exploded, everyone turned
and looked at him. Some were shocked, some were confused, and some were e
njoying what they saw.

After a moment of shock, Preston and Miranda laughed out loud.

“Hahaha! His furnace exploded? And
here I thought he might secretly be an
expert. It turns out he just managed to make his furnace explode?” Presto
n ridiculed.

Because of Dustin’s excellent performance in the previous test, Preston t
hought he was a strong opponent. So, he did his best to produce the pill.
But now that Dustin’s
furnace exploded, Preston thought he had just been overreacting. If someo
ne’s furnace exploded, that person was not suitable to be considered his
rival.

“What were we expecting? Trash will always be trash. Just because he got
lucky once will not change anything. Under a bit of pressure, he can’t ta
ke it and starts making mistakes.” Miranda looked down on Dustin.
How could an ordinary doctor
compare to medical geniuses from Asclepia like them?
“Dr.
Watkins, you always had an eye for talent. But I think you might have mad
e a mistake today. The elder had a faint smile on his face.

It was a big problem for an alchemist’s furnace to explode and was consid
ered a rookie mistake. No matter how well Dustin did in the previous roun
d, the fact that his
furnace exploded proved that he was still bad at alchemy
when compared with Preston and Miranda.
“We don’t know that yet.” Linden shook his head.

“Dr. Watkins, time is running out, and that young man’s furnace has explo
ded. How will he be able to succeed?” The elder chuckled.
Linden remained silent as he watched on.
“You failed to
produce the medicinal pill, so you’re eliminated!” the invigilator
announced as he walked up to Dustin.
“Hang on… Who said I failed?” Dustin
asked calmly, not, giving up yet.

“Didn’t you fail when your furnace
already exploded?” The invigilator frowned. He
believed that Dustin was only there to create trouble for them.
“Hey, bastard. You should just admit your
defeat. There’s no point in continuing to be unreasonable. If you can’t p
roduce a single Curax, how are you
different from trash?” Preston looked at him with mockery.

“Stop embarrassing yourself here. Just leave!” Miranda glared at Dustin t
oo.
“Why are yoù two complaining non–stop? It’s true that my furnace has
exploded, but that doesn’t mean I failed to produce a pill,” Dustin said
calmly.

“What? Are you still continuing to be stubborn? Do you think that you can
just magically produce a Curax out of thin air?” Preston smirked.

“Why not? Now open your eyes wide and look here. This is the real Curax!”
With that
said, Dustin brushed aside some shards of the furnace. Then, he took out
a dark red pill from the broken pieces.
It was really a Curax!
“What the F*ck? He actually did it? Is this true?”
“It’s true! It is Curax! In fact, it looks like it’s good quality!”

“Damn it! He produced that even after his furnace exploded? That’s amazin
g!”
The crowd excitedly commented when they saw the pill
in Dustin’s hand.
Logically speaking, an exploded furnace would mean that one
had failed. But this young man had broken
all the rules and surprised everyone.
“You… How did you do it?” Preston stared at him, wide–
eyed with disbelief.
Miranda was shocked too, and she
refused to believe it. She had thought that
they’d easily be able to defeat Dustin. But he actually made it and manag
ed to produce it!
“If you
can do it, there’s no doubt I’d be able to do it too.” Dustin smiled fain
tly.
As he spoke, he passed the pill to the invigilator.
The
invigilator frowned after taking a good look at the pill. From the
looks of it, it was indeed Curax. But it seemed like there was
something else in there.

Chapter 729
The Curax that Dustin produced was different
from the regular Curax in terms of color, scent, and size.

“Hmph! So what if he managed to produce the pill? Just looking at it, we
can tell its quality is not up to standard!” Miranda folded her arms
arrogantly.

“Exactly! The test for the second round is to compare the quality of pill
s that we’ve produced. This pill that he produced from an exploded furnac
e is definitely trash!” Preston regained his confidence.

The pill he produced was good quality, and Dustin’s was a low grade. They
were on completely different levels!
“How weird…” The invigilator studied the pill for a while.

Because he was scared to make a decision by himself, he took the pill and
showed it to Linden and the rest of the elders. “Dr. Watkins and elders.
I think there’s something strange about this Curax. But I am not sure.”
“Oh? Is that so? Let me see?” An elder took the pill
and looked at it seriously. Then, he was shocked.

“Dr. Watkins, this young man is something else. Please have a look.” Afte
r studying the pill repeatedly, he passed the pill to Linden.

“Interesting.” Linden smiled widely after looking at the pill. The young
man indeed had many tricks up his sleeves.
“Dr. Watkins, what quality is this pill?” the invigilator asked.
“Can’t you tell? This is a top grade pill!” The elder said.
“What? Top grade?” The invigilator was taken aback,
Though good
quality pills and top grade pills sounded like they weren’t that much dif
ferent, there was actually a very big difference between the two. It woul
d not be an exaggeration to say
that 100 good quality pills were no match for one top grade pill.

Not even Linden could produce a top grade pill. Even Preston and Miranda
were still not capable of making top grade
pills. Was it possible that Dustin was even more skillful than Linden?

“Don’t just stand there. Go ahead
and announce the results!” Linden urged.

“Sure…” The invigilator gulped before he turned around and raised the pil
l in his hand.

With a loud voice, he announced, “According to our united decision, this
pill is a top grade pill. The person who produced this has received a per
fect score!”
“Top grade pill? How is that possible?” The crowd shouted.

However, Preston and Miranda stood there, frozen in place, disbelief on t
heir faces.
Everyone knew
how difficult it was to produce a top grade pill. Even professional alche
mists could
only make one top grade pill out of every 100 pills that they created. An
d even then, it was
“Why not? Now open your eyes wide and look here. This is the
real Curax!” With that said, Dustin brushed
aside some shards of the furnace. Then, he took out a dark red
pill from the broken pieces.
It was really a Curax!
“What the F*ck? He actually did it? Is this true?”
“It’s true! It is Curax! In fact, it looks like it’s good quality!”
“Damn it! He produced that even
after his furnace exploded? That’s amazing!”

The crowd excitedly commented when they saw the pill in Dustin’s hand.
Logically speaking, an exploded furnace
would mean that one had failed. But this young man
had broken all the rules and surprised everyone.
“You … How did you do it?” Preston stared at him, wide–
eyed with disbelief.
Miranda was shocked
too, and she refused to believe it. She had thought that they’d easily be
able to defeat Dustin. But he actually made it and managed to
produce it!
“If you can do it, there’s no doubt I’d be
able to do it too.” Dustin smiled faintly.
As he spoke, he passed the pill to the invigilator.
The invigilator
frowned after taking a good look at the pill. From the looks of it, it wa
s indeed Curax. But it seemed like there was something else in there.

Chapter 730

“What? He changed the recipe?” Everyone was surprised by Linden’s explana
tion.

Every recipe
was created only after millions of experiments. The smallest change in in
gredients or
dosage would disrupt its balance and cause the production of the pill to
fail.

For someone to change the recipe, they needed talent and lots
of experiments. For someone to be able to change up the recipe on the spo
t and succeed right away, he had to have crazy good luck,
1
or he must be a medical genius who was out of this world.

“No way! That’s impossible!” After a moment of shock, Preston continued,
“There’s no way you can change the recipe so easily! Even my mentor can’t
change a recipe that’s meant to produce a good quality pill into one tha
t produces top grade
pills within such a short time frame! How is it possible that this bastar
d can do that?”
“Exactly! He’s just an ordinary doctor! How would he be able
to change the recipe?” Miranda added.

Even with her talent, she was still unable to do something so complicated
. There was no way that bastard doctor was better than her!
“Young man, these people don’t seem to believe
in your ability. Would you like to explain how you did it?” Linden shot h
im a faint smile.
“There’s nothing to explain. I simply added
a few other herbs,” Dustin said.

“Hmph! You claim that you added other herbs. So tell me, what were the he
rbs you added?” Preston glared at him.
“Angelica root, licorice, white creepers, and honeysuckle.” Dustin
did not find it necessary to hide the information from them. He wasn’t
worried that they might steal the recipe from him, as it took skills to p
roduce top grade pills.
Besides, it was just Curax, not
some rare or expensive medicine. There was no point in keeping it a
secret from them.
After processing the information, Preston exclaimed with his
brows furrowed, “That doesn’t sound right! It is true that Angelica root,
licorice, and white
creepers can enhance the effects of Curax. But honeysuckle reacts
adversely with some other herbs in the recipe. It might cause
some harmful effects when added!”
“If you don’t understand, don’t try
to show off.” Dustin looked at Preston like he was looking at an

idiot.

“Though Curax functions to detoxify the body, all the herbs used are cons
idered to have strong effects. So when weak people take the pill, they wi
ll feel nauseous. Honeysuckle can neutralize the effects of the stronger
herbs, making the
medication easier for weaker patients. You should know this, don’t you? T
o think that you’ve been accepted into Asclepia! I expected better of you
!” Dustin’s last sentence was directed toward Preston.
“You-!” Preston was at a loss for words, and his expression darkened.

Dustin’s words made so much sense that Preston couldn’t even retort him.
Is it possible that this bastard could produce top grade pills?

“Hahaha! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!” Linden laughed and clapped aft
er hearing what Dustin said.
The more Linden looked at
Dustin, the more pleased he was with him. In fact, he even had the urge
to have Dustin marry his granddaughter!
“Who is this person, and why is he so good?”

“Who knows? But he sure is a secret genius! There’s no doubt that he will
be accepted into the Stoneray Order.”
“He beat Preston and Miranda in the first two rounds. I wonder how he
will do in the final test.”

The crowd whispered among themselves excitedly. Their view of Dustin was
now different.

“If there are no objections, then we shall continue to the third test.” W
ithout wasting any time, Linden waved his hand.

Soon, an old man in a wheelchair was pushed in by two students of the Sto
neray order. The old man’s face was pale, and he had sunken cheeks. Becau
se of long–term paralysis in the legs, the muscles in his legs
had shrunk, making them appear much smaller
compared to the upper body. “Your third test is to heal
a patient. This patient has been paralyzed for
eight years. He has recently asked us for help.
“Many of our
disciples don’t know what to do with his sickness. Your task will be to f
ind out the cause of the condition and try your best to help the patient
feel sensations in his legs.
“Within the time limit, you are allowed to observe and touch
the patient yourself. But you are not allowed to ask the patient any ques
tions. The result is based on your own abilities. Each of you will have 1
5 minutes to treat the patient. Who’s going first?”

Chapter 731
Linden looked around the place.

There were only a few who made it through the second round. They were
either very skillful or extremely gifted.

“I’ll go first!” A middle–
aged man stepped forward confidently. It was finally time he showed off h
is 20 years‘ worth of experience with acupuncture.

He walked up to the old man and examined him closely. Then, he felt his p
ulse. Finally, he took out several silver needles and inserted them into
different pressure points on the old man’s leg.

But the patient stayed expressionless and did not react at all. The middl
e–aged man frowned and continued inserting several more needles, but it
was all useless.
“Time’s up! You have failed!” the invigilator announced all of
a sudden.
“Wait! I’ll try one more time.” The middle–
aged man did not want to accept his failure

“Drag him away!” The invigilator did not want to waste any more time and
ordered other disciples to drag the middle–aged man away.
“Hah! How could he just perform acupuncture without even finding
out the cause of the sickness? What a terrible doctor!
Watch me!” A lady walked up to the patient.
Then taking out a pill
that could improve blood circulation, she fed it to him. Next, she began
massaging the patient’s leg and his hips.

The lady was confident with what she was doing. She had assumed that the
patient’s circulatory pathways were
blocked. So once she gave him a massage and cleared the pathways, he
would regain sensation in his legs.

Unfortunately, things did not go as expected. No matter how hard the lady
massaged his legs, the patient remained unresponsive even when she broke
out in a sweat as she massaged harder.
“Time’s up! You’re out too!” the invigilator announced once again.
The lady could only accept defeat with a resigned sigh.

Two other people tried treating
the patient, but none of them succeeded. The patient simply sat there, un
moving.

“What a bunch of useless people. Let me do it!” After so many failures, P
reston could not continue
watching.

Based on his observations, he was sure he knew what was the cause of the
old man’s sickness. He
was confident he could treat the old man and make him feel his legs.
“Hey, bastard! You’re better than me in alchemy. But you’re still
not as good as me when it comes to treating patients! Watch how I’ll
defeat you today!” Then, Preston began his treatment.
He first took out two silver needles and inserted them into the
back of the patient’s head. Then, he inserted a few more along
his spine, neck, back, hips, and knees. He added another ten needles in
total.

With his jaws clenched, Preston pulled out a white pill but looked unwill
ing. Then, he fed it to the old man.
“Hey, could that pill be … Tigarius? The pill that can renew one’s
blood marrow?”
“It is Tigarius! That thing’s worth is almost the same
as gold! It’s so rare that you can’t buy it even if you’re rich!”
“As expected of a member of Asclepia. He’s so rich and generous!”

The crowd commented and praised Preston for his bold and generous action.
Tigarius was
a pill that could improve someone’s health and renew their blood marrow.
If an ordinary person took it, it would promote
health and life span. If martial artists were to take it, it could greatl
y increase their powers and bring them to the next level.
It was truly a rare treasure that was hard to come by..
“You have to give some to win
some. It is worth sacrificing a Tigarius to win the competition!”

Preston drew a deep breath and waited for Tigarius’s effects. Then, he in
serted a final needle into the patient’s chest.
The next moment, the
patient sat up and his legs, devoided of any sensation, began to move.

Chapter 732
“His toe moved!”
“Oh, my God! It worked! That’s amazing!”

“No wonder he’s Dr. Darby’s best student!”
Everyone was shocked to see the old man’s toe twitch. After all,
doctors must be highly skilled and talented if they wanted to pass the
third test.
Yet all the other doctors had failed to treat the old man. On the
other hand, Preston managed to
make the old man’s toes twitch when his legs had been paralyzed for
the last eight years.
It was amazing!
“How do you feel, sir?” Preston removed his silver needle and smiled.
“I-I think I’m starting to feel my legs again!” The old man was
overjoyed. Since he lost all sensations in his legs, nothing he did could
make them react anymore.
Now, his legs felt numb, and he could even control some of his toes.
Although the results were just small changes, it was still a miracle for
someone who had been in such a state for the last.
eight years.
“That’s good to hear. You’ve been paralyzed for too long, so you’ll
take a while to recover. But don’t worry, I just have to treat you for
another month, and you’ll be fine by then!” Preston promised.
confidently.
“Thank you so much! You’re incredible!” The old man was grateful.
“No problem. It was an easy task,” Preston replied proudly.
As Bruce’s disciple, treatments like this were not new for him. And
to treat his patient, Preston was willing to use something as valuable as
Tigarius. So, it was impossible for the old man not to
recover.

“You managed to help the patient regain sensation in his legs in such
a short time. That’s impressive. You have passed the test!” The
invigilator nodded in approval.

“Congratulations, Preston” Miranda smiled. The fact that Preston
passed all three tests while others failed showed how good Preston’s
skills were
“You’re next, Miranda Let’s show that person how powerful Asclepia
disciples truly are!” Preston shot Dustin an arrogant smirk.
So what if Dustin was good at alchemy? He would merely be a
pharmacist.
Preston was skilled in everything, including alchemy, medicine, and
even witchcraft The gap between the two of them was as clear as day
“Don’t worry, Preston I’ll teach him that there’s always someone
better than him” Miranda glanced at Dustin hatefully before approaching
the old man to start the treatment.
If she wanted to pass the test, she had to continue what Preston had
begun And although the patient’s condition was hard to treat, she felt
more confident after seeing Preston’s results
“I’ll begin now.”
Miranda took a deep breath and pulled out her silver needle. She
lifted the old man’s foot and inserted it into a pressure point under his
foot.
The old man instantly hissed in pain and jerked back. Without
hesitation, Miranda immediately inserted another four needles into
several pressure points in his body. This helped to improve his blood
circulation and clear any blood clots.
Since Preston had started the treatment with the aid of Tigarius, all
she had to do was clear any blockage in his veins to let the old man
recover faster.
After dozens of needles, the old man’s legs began to tremble. He
could even control the toes on one of his legs now.
“My legs don’t hurt as much now. That’s incredible!”

Chapter 733
The old man pinched his thigh and was happy to feel a slight pain.
His legs had been completely numb before this, but he was slowly
regaining sensation in his legs. This was wonderful!
“There. All done.” Miranda grinned as she observed her work.

“You must be extremely talented to be able to treat his symptoms so
quickly. No wonder you’re a genius in the medical field!” The invigilator
was pleased.
“So I guess that means I passed?” Miranda raised an eyebrow.
“Of course. Both of you passed with flying colors,” the invigilator
answered with a smile. His answer made Preston and Miranda very happy.
They had initially received full marks on the first two tests. But
because of Dustin, their marks. dropped after the second round. Still,
thanks to this round, they’ve managed to raise their points. back up
again.
“Did you see that, bastard? That’s how good our medical skills are!”
Preston taunted. “It only took us half an hour to let this patient regain
feelings in his legs after being paralyzed for the past eight years. Can
you do that?”
“Give up if you can’t, instead of making yourself look like a fool!”
Miranda sneered.
Just because Dustin was good at alchemy, it didn’t mean he’d also be
skilled in treating patients. After all, although both fields may have
some similarities, there’s still a big difference between the two.
“Why are you bragging when you’ve only helped the patient recover
partially? Others might think. that you’ve completely cured him.” Dustin
rolled his eyes.
“With my skills, curing him is a piece of cake! Just give me a month,
and I’ll have him walking again!” Miranda puffed her chest.
“A month? Flowers would have wilted when you’re done,” Dustin
responded disdainfully.
“Shut up! At least I can treat him. What about you?” Miranda sneered.
“What’s so difficult about that? Just give me three minutes, I’ll get
him to walk,” Dustin answered.

“Three minutes?” Surprised, Preston burst out laughing. “Have you
gone crazy? You’re telling me that you can treat someone who has been
paralyzed from the waist down for the past eight years in just three
minutes? Do you think you’re a magician or something?”
“What a fool!” Miranda looked at Dustin in disgust.
After being unable to walk for eight years, the old man’s muscles
would have wasted away by now. So there was no way he could walk in just
three minutes.
“Young people nowadays are so arrogant Several Stoneray Order elders
shook their heads in disappointment
Even they were not able to do much when treating the old man, so they
were sure that Dustin would not be able to do much as well

“That proud idiot is only making a fool of himself!” The invigilator
sneered. Even Linden wouldn’t be able to get that man to stand up again.
“Since none of you seem to believe me, I’ll just have to show you.”
Dustin didn’t bother explaining further. He took out a silver needle and
approached the old man. After checking for the spot he was aiming for, he
fiercely pierced the needle into the old man’s body.
There was a hum as the needle began to vibrate. A burst of true
energy surged from the top of the
man’s skull and spread throughout his body.
The old man shuddered, and his eyes flew open. He could feel the
blast of energy flooding him from head to toe. His heartbeat picked up
its pace, and his breathing quickened.
“Done.” Dustin stepped back and waited with his hand behind his back.
“That’s it? Is this a joke?” Miranda ridiculed him.
“Who the hell do you think you are? Did you think poking him with a
single needle would be enough to cure him? If it works, I’ll kneel at
your feet and call you ‘daddy”!” Preston mocked.
Almost immediately, the old man in the wheelchair reacted to Dustin’s
treatment. His face. flushed, and he looked uncomfortable as his body
heated up and sweat built up on his skin.
“H-h-hot! It’s hot!” Seconds later, the old man jumped up like his
butt was on fire, jumping off
the wheelchair.

Chapter 734
“What?” Everyone was shocked to see the old man jump up, and their
jaws dropped in disbelief.
None of them expected the paralyzed old man to stand up so suddenly.
They also couldn’t believe that it had only taken Dustin a single needle
to cure the man’s paralysis.

“I-Is this real? Did that old man just stand up?”
“What the hell is going on? Did he really cure that old man with a
single needle?”
“Holy shit! That’s amazing!”
After a silent pause, an uproar broke out. All the scornful looks
Dustin had received earlier had
turned to shock.
“I-Impossible!”
“How can a patient like that stand up so soon?” Preston shook his
head, not believing what he was. He refused to accept that Dustin could
cure a patient in three minutes when he needed a month.
“How can this be? How did he do that?” Miranda was stunned.
As someone who claimed to be a genius in the medical field and was
better than her peers, her confidence had been destroyed by Dustin. For a
condition that she struggled to treat, he could quickly treat it while
she hadn’t been able to.
“Who the hell is he? How is he so good?” The invigilator was
dumbfounded.
Although he had also looked down on Dustin earlier, he was now
completely amazed by the other
man’s skills. After all, people would start to worship Dustin if they
found out that he was great at alchemy and medicine.
“H-he’s a genius!”

“Stoneray Order will be strong again if we can convince him to join
us!” The elders of the group. were excited. They had yet to have someone
as talented as Dustin join them in the past decade.
“He’s so skilled despite his young age. He must be a monster.” Linden
looked at Dustin with.
amazement.
What Dustin did earlier might have seemed simple, but it was much
more than that.
For others, it may look like he only once inserted the needle into
the old man’s pressure point. But Dustin had already inserted and removed
it repeatedly. However, his movements had been too fast
for everyone.
Even Linden had to admit he didn’t have the skills to do that. In
order words, Dustin was far more
skilled than he was in this field, yet Dustin was only in his
twenties! What a monster!
“Thank you so much!” the old man cried happily. He immediately got to
his knees and thanked. Dustin for helping him to stand again after eight
years.
“Don’t mention it Dustin helped the old man up “You became paralyzed
after a stroke, but now that the blockage in your bloodstream has been
removed, you should be fine again Just make
sure to rest well after this”
To be honest, Dustin’s plan only succeeded thanks to the Tigarius
Preston had administered. Without it, the old man wouldn’t have recovered
so quickly.
“Who the hell are you?” Preston demanded. He couldn’t accept that a
nobody like Dustin was better than him.
“That’s not important. What’s important is that it’s time for you to
kneel and call me ‘daddy’.” Dustin smiled.

Chapter 735
“You- Preston cut off, his face red with anger However, even Miranda
was forced to stay silent
“Well, they do that say heroes come in all ages Linden stood up and
beamed

He added, “Congratulations on beating everyone else. So, tell me your
wish As long as it’s within my power, I’ll try my best to get it done!”
Most people joined the competition to join Stoneray Order, but some
would request and ask Linden for rare gems, ancient medical texts,
panaceas, and more
“You’re as generous as rumors say. Well, Ill be straightforward I’m
actually here for your thousand -year green lotus,” Dustin answered
frankly.
“Thousand-year green lotus? It’s a rare herb. I must say, you’re
quite ambitious “Linden raised an eyebrow
“Why? You can’t give it to me?” Dustin wore a fake smile.
“It might be a valuable herb, but I don’t mind giving it to you.”
Linden chuckled. “Bring me the herb!”
“Yes, sir!” The invigilator left quickly and returned, holding a
wooden box.
The box opened to reveal a perfect, translucent green lotus with
green leaves and a yellow pod
Light shone on the herb, making it dazzle.
“That’s the green lotus!” Dustin was overjoyed.
Before this, he hadn’t bought it because it wasn’t mature enough. But
thanks to Linden’s care, the green lotus had truly transformed into a
rare, prime thousand-year green lotus.
“Wait!” Miranda suddenly called out. “Dr. Watkins, could you mind
letting me have it? I’m willing to pay any amount!”
“If you had asked earlier, you might have had a chance.
Unfortunately, it belongs to this young man now. It is his now, and he
decides what to do with it,” Linden answered.

“What?” Miranda frowned. “Hey, you! I need that herb. Name your
price!”
“Sorry, but I need it too so I won’t sell it,” Dustin refused.
“I’m one of the Killians. You better think twice before answering,”
Miranda yelled threateningly.
The Killians of Oakvale were one of the strongest families in
Millsburg, and everyone was aware of
this.
“So what? I said no. Leave!” Dustin snapped, unbothered.
“You!” Miranda gritted her teeth to suppress her anger.
“Fine! You better not regret this!” She turned around and left. If
she couldn’t buy it, she’d have to
steal it.
“Hey, kid. You’ve angered Miranda, so you’d better be careful.”
Preston sneered before following Miranda.
Although he recognized Dustin as a genius in the medical world,
Dustin still lacked the skills to survive in the real world.
“Thank you for the herb, Dr. Watkins. I’ll be leaving now.” Dustin
grabbed the herb and was about to leave when the invigilator stopped him.
“What’s the hurry? I don’t mind giving the herb to you, but on one
condition-you have to join Stoneray Order Linden smiled.
“Dr. Watkins, I don’t like being held back. The rules and regulations
at the Stoneray Order might not suit me,” Dustin declined politely.
“It’s fine. As long as you agree to join us, you can ignore all those
rules,” Linden promised.
“Furthermore, after seeing your outstanding performance, I’ve decided
to promote you to elder. You will have free access to most of our
resources!
“What? He’ll promote that guy to an elder?” Linden’s words stunned
everyone.

Chapter 736
“This is a joke, right, sir? I-it isn’t proper to promote him to an
elder when he just joined the group!
“He’s right, Dr. Watkins. This is the first time there’s been an
exception like this. That’s not normal!

“Sir, we know you favor talented individuals, but I’m afraid others
might be unhappy with your decision.”
The elders and many disciples of the Stoneray Order were upset when
they heard that Linden would promote Dustin to elder, which was only one
rank below the assistant leader.
Disciples usually started as junior disciples before becoming
intermediate disciples. Then, they would be promoted to senior disciples.
As senior disciples, if they made any major contributions, they would be
promoted to upper disciples.
Upper disciples were then categorized into three classes-upper third,
upper second, and upper first. Only upper first disciples had a chance of
being promoted to elder.
Getting promoted to a higher rank took years, so for a junior
disciple to climb the ranks and become an elder would take at least a few
decades. However, Dustin was now offered to take the top spot for free,
pissing many people off.
“You fools. His skills are more than worthy of becoming an elder!”
Linden responded firmly.
Dustin had completed all three tests perfectly, which was something
even Linden couldn’t be sure he could do. That was why Linden desperately
tried to recruit Dustin into the Stoneray Order.
“Sir, he might be skilled, but he doesn’t have enough experience yet.
It’s fine if you take him in as an upper disciple, but I think appointing
him as an elder is going overboard,” a white-bearded elder advised.
Stoneray Order has existed for centuries; there has never been such a
young elder.
“Shut up! I said that it’s fine!” Linden shouted angrily, scaring the
others into silence. After all, he was the one with the ultimate power.

Linden turned his attention to Dustin and smiled. “So, what do you
think? If you agree to join us, you can become an elder and get the
thousand-year green lotus. I also swear never to stop you from doing what
you want.”
“It’s an honor, sir. I accept your offer. Thank you.” Dustin smiled.
At this point, only an idiot would turn down such an attractive offer.
However, Dustin was more attracted by Linden’s position than anything
else. His position was very influential in the entire country. After all,
no one would claim that they never fell sick.
No matter how powerful someone was, they would still look for Linden
when they were sick. Therefore, it was easy to see why Stoneray Order
ranked first in terms of connections and influence. It was a once in a
life chance to receive an offer to become one of the Order’s elders.
“Great! We’ll start preparing a banquet to welcome our newest elder!”
Linden ordered.
His disciple immediately got to work. Although they were unhappy with
Linden’s decision, they didn’t dare to voice it.
At noon, Dustin finally left with Abigail and Roderick holding the
thousand-year green lotus and a Stoneray Order Elder Emblem With that
badge, all of the Order’s disciples had no choice but to obey him.
“You were so cool today! You got the treasure and taught those two
brats a lesson!” Abigail exclaimed excitedly in the car. She watched the
whole competition and was glad when Dustin beat those arrogant
“geniuses”.
“She’s right! They’re nothing compared to you!” Roderick praised.
“Enough with the praises. You guys should look behind us first,”
Dustin answered cooly.
“Behind us?” Puzzled, Abigail and Roderick turned around. It turned
out that several cars were following them from about 400 feet away.

Chapter 737
“Are we being followed?” Roderick frowned and ordered his driver, “Go
faster, Gary!”
“Yes, sir!” The driver, Gary, immediately stepped on the accelerator,
and the car shot forward.
Suddenly, a black van popped out from the fork in front and stopped
on the road horizontally.
Gary paled and stomped on the brake, causing the tires to screech.
Still, the momentum caused their car to collide with the van.
There was a loud bang as the impact caused the van to flip, and
Roderick’s Rolls-Royce could no longer work. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
However, when Dustin and the others tried to run away, the cars that
were following them had already caught up to them.
“Grab them!” The doors opened, and several burly men carrying
expandable batons jumped out and surrounded them. They looked scary and
threatening.
“Who are you? How dare you rob my car?” Roderick roared, pis s ed
that someone would dare to harm him when even the Fabulous Five respected
him.
Miranda and Preston got out of the car, a smirk on their faces. “How
kind of you to show up now.”
“We meet again. Are you surprised?” Preston smirked.
Dustin narrowed his eyes. “So it’s you two. Do you plan to rob us or
something?”
“And if we do? You better give us the thousand-year green lotus if
you want to leave!” Preston sneered.
“Your medical skills were worse than mine, so now you’re doing
something like this as revenge? Are all Asclepia people like this?”
Dustin scoffed.
“Shut up!” Miranda snapped, annoyed.
Then, she added, “You only have two choices right now-give us the
thousand-year green lotus, or we’ll beat you up!”
“As if you guys can do that.” Dustin smirked.
“I guess you’re going to be stubborn to the end, eh? Miranda, let’s
teach him a lesson!” Preston urged.
“I guess nothing will change your mind. Beat them up, boys!” Miranda
waved her hand, and the men in suits charged toward Dustin, Abigail, and
Roderick.
“Let me deal with them!” Before Dustin could do anything, Abigail
pulled out her bat and
Chapter 737
rushed toward their opponents.
She was skilled with the bat, and the men were no match for her. Her
attacks broke their limbs. Besides being very strong, she was also nimble
and quick, so she was able to defeat them swiftly like a wolf.
“S-she’s so strong!” Roderick was astonished. Abigail looked like a
delicate girl, so he never expected her to be such a strong fighter.
Abigail continued running after the men, and soon, all of them were
beaten up and laid on the floor unconscious.
Miranda and Preston lost their smug smiles and stared at the scene,
confused.

Chapter 738
“There! All done!” Abigail rested the bat on her shoulder like a thug
and walked toward Dustin, smiling proudly. “How did I do?”
“Not bad. You’ve improved a lot in the last few days.” Dustin nodded,
pleased.
Abigail was an extremely talented martial artist. Compared to regular
martial artists, she only needed to practice for one day to achieve what
others needed a year for. Furthermore, with Dustin’s guidance, there has
been huge growth in her skills.
She used to struggle against ten opponents, but now, she could take
them on easily.
“Duh. Don’t you know who I am?” Abigail lifted her chin smugly. For
some reason, she woke up feeling extra strong this morning, as though she
had endless bursts of energy.
“Are you two going to leave by yourself, or must I force you?” Dustin
slowly turned toward Miranda and Preston.
“I underestimated you. I didn’t expect you to have a female
bodyguard,” Preston got over his surprise and jeered. “But do you think a
girl can stop us? How foolish!”
“Do you want to get beaten up too?” Abigail turned around and glared
at Preston.
“A beating? Pfft!” Preston chuckled.
“Don’t tell me you thought Asclepia disciples were only good at
medicine? Well, geniuses like us are more than just skilled at medicine.
“We’re also skilled martial artists! We just keep quiet about this.
Of course, if you guys insist on being stubborn, I’ll have no choice but
to teach you a lesson!” Preston took his jacket off and began to roll up
his sleeves.
“Let’s see if you really are that strong!” Abigail jumped forward and
swung her bat toward him.
“Great timing!” Preston grinned.
He stood his ground and flung out his hand instead. When his palm
touched the bat, he pulled his hand back and struck the bat repeatedly.
It created an air vortex that spun the bat around to hit Abigail.
“What?” Startled, Abigail stopped attacking and turned her face.
However, she was too slow, and her bat slammed into her shoulder. She
immediately winced in pain.
“That’s impossible!” Abigail gritted her teeth and swung her bat
toward Preston again, her attack much faster and stronger this time.
“Foolish child.” Preston smirked and did the same thing, causing
Abigail to be hit by her attack. She instinctively lifted her arm to
block the bat.
There was a thud as the bat cracked under the force, and her arm was
injured.
“That’s it! I’ll kill you!” Abigail cried furiously. Her stubborn
personality caused her to attack again, but the results were the same.
All her attacks on Preston were reflected and hit her instead.
Right before the bat could bust her head apart, a stone shot out and
shattered the bat, stopping the attack.
“You’re no match for him, kid. Go and take a break.” Dustin told her.
“I can still fight!” Abigail was upset.
“Don’t be stubborn. Just watch and learn.” Dustin gestured for her to
step back.
Pouting, Abigail stood back reluctantly.
“Pfft! She’s no match for me, so what makes you think you’ll win?”
Preston mocked. He had yet to use half of his strength earlier.
“Enough with the chit-chat and do your worst.” Dustin placed his left
hand behind his back and extended his right to curl his finger, provoking
Preston.

Chapter 739
Preston’s face immediately darkened. He felt insulted by Dustin’s
actions.
“Preston, don’t you go easy on him!” Miranda demanded.
“I’m going to beat the cr ap out of you!” Preston shot toward Dustin
and struck him with both palms.
Shadow Dance was a move that could defend and attack simultaneously,
allowing Preston to catch his opponents off guard. Although Dustin’s feet
didn’t move an inch, he raised a hand and swung it down fiercely.
True energy burst forth and broke past Preston’s defense. Instantly,
Dustin slammed his palm into Preston’s chest brutally.
Blood instantly splurted from Preston’s mouth as he flew backward and
landed on the car. The car dented from the impact.
“Did you see that, kid? That’s how you’re supposed to deal with him.”
Dustin turned his head and gave Abigail a small smile.
“Um…” Abigail forced a smile. There was no way she could learn that.
He was on a completely
different level!
“Preston!” Shocked, Miranda rushed over and pulled Preston out of the
car.
Preston was as strong as a High-level martial artist, yet Dustin
smacked him away so easily. It
was shocking.
“Are you alright, Preston?” Miranda asked worriedly.
“I’m fi-
“Before he could finish speaking, Preston coughed up another mouthful
of blood that splattered all over Miranda.
“Don’t act all tough when you’re so weak. This is just to teach you
two a lesson. Don’t piss me off again, or you’ll regret it,” Dustin
retorted icily and turned to get onto their car.
“Go to hell!” Just then, Preston sprung up. He fished out a bottle of
potent poison and flung the powder toward Dustin.
“Hmm.” Dustin waved his hand without looking back.
Instantly, a gust of wind blew all the poison back to Preston.
“Aargh!” Preston cried out, holding his face.
The poison was so corrosive that it immediately burned and destroyed
his skin. Seconds later, his face had turned into an ugly mess as blood
dripped from his wounds.
“Serves you right!” Abigail spat.
It was bad enough that Preston tried to sneak up on Dustin, but how
dare he use such a dangerous poison! He deserved this!
“H-h-how dare you disfigure Preston’s face!” Miranda roared,
goosebumps rising when she saw Preston’s disgusting new looks.
“What the hell did I do? He was the one who brought it upon himself.”
Dustin shrugged.
“Shut up! I dare you to tell me your name!” Miranda snapped.
“Why? Are you going to seek revenge? Ha, as if I’m afraid of you.”
Dustin smirk. Then, he said, “Listen up. My name is Julian Nicholson!”
Miranda gritted her teeth. “Julian Nicholson? I’ll remember you. This
isn’t over! I’ll get my revenge someday!”
She got into her car and left, making sure to remember that name.

Chapter 740
“Who’s Julian Nicholson?” Abigail asked, watching the car drive away.
“Just an a ss hole. You don’t need to overthink it,” Dustin answered
nonchalantly.
Abigail sighed helplessly. She couldn’t help but pity Julian, who was
an innocent person.
Soon after the three of them reached Flame Dragon Dojo, Roderick bid
them goodbye and left. Dustin safely stored the thousand-year green lotus
and began teaching Abigail how to fight with a staff.
Abigail had finally built a solid foundation. She was also powerful,
which made her a perfect fighter. However, her attacks were too simple,
so anyone with some skills could easily beat her.
Fortunately, Abigail’s choice of weapon was a baton, so Dustin
decided to make good use of this and teach her a staff combat technique.
Dustin has been practicing all sorts of combat techniques since he
was a child and has read various types of martial arts books of different
levels. Dustin knew them all by heart, whether it was basic or advanced
techniques or even forbidden, arcane texts. It wouldn’t be an
exaggeration to call him a martial arts encyclopedia.
Two days flew by. Within those two days, Dustin guided Abigail and
conquered two other guilds with Flame Dragon Gang-Stonefur and Slythorn.
By then, he managed to get Millburg’s four dirtiest guilds under his
control. In other words, Dustin had become the king of the underworld. He
had over 4000 men and was more powerful than the Fabulous Five!
After unifying the four guilds, he renamed them the Kirin Gang. Flame
Dragon Gang, Charging Tiger, Stonefur, and Slythorn each became the Kirin
Gang’s subsidiary guilds.
With that, the Kirin Gang was ready to conquer the world!
Dustin was dealing with guild matters on the third morning when he
received a call.
Julie’s anxious voice was heard as soon as he answered the phone.
“Dustin, Dahlia was nearly assassinated just now!”
“What? What happened?” Dustin jumped up, alarmed.
“It’s hard to explain over the phone. You should just come over.”
“I’m on my way!” Dustin asked for the address and rushed over to the
hospital.
When he entered the ward, he saw Dahlia lying on the bed with a pale
face and a bandaged arm. Florence, Julie, and Victoria stood around her.
“Are you okay, Dahlia? Are you hurt?” Dustin quickly walked over,
worried.
“You’re here. Oh, it’s nothing. Just some scratches here and there.”
Dahlia forced a smile.
“What do you mean it’s nothing? You nearly died! Why are you acting
tough?” Florence snapped.
“She’s right. If you were not lucky, we might be dead by now!” Julie
was scared too. Although she hadn’t been injured, she was still shaken by
the incident.

Chapter 741
“Dahlia, what happened?” Dustin frowned.
“Yesterday, I went to Glenstead to visit the Nicholsons and check in
on Grandpa Regulus. I was on my way home this morning when someone
ambushed me. Fortunately, a general was passing by and saved us,” Dahlia
explained.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Glenstead? I would have
sent someone to protect you.” Dustin demanded, displeased.
“I brought my own bodyguards. I just didn’t expect something like
this to happen,” Dahlia replied helplessly.
If it had just been a regular fight, her bodyguards could have dealt
with it easily. However, they were no match for someone who wanted her
dead.
“Do you have any idea who’s planned the attack?” Dustin asked.
“Not yet.” Dahlia shook her head.
“You were attacked as soon as you visited Sir Regulus. It’s too much
of a coincidence. If my guess is right, your family must have something
to do with this.” Dustin narrowed his eyes.
“Our family? That can’t be right.” Dahlia’s brows furrowed.
“You’re the largest shareholder of Nicholson Corp. now. Sir Regulus
even appointed you as the heir, so everyone’s aiming for your position.
Considering all this, it’s not impossible for someone to resort to
something like this,” analyzed Dustin.
Dahlia’s current position was bound to attract envy from some people
who knew that if something were to happen to her, other family members
would have a chance of taking over her position.
To rich families like theirs, nothing mattered more than money and
power. Familial bonds
were useless to them.
“He’s right. They must be behind this!” Julie exclaimed angrily.
“Those assholes! How dare they hurt my daughter! I’ll get revenge on
them!” Florence roared.
“We don’t have proof, so we shouldn’t make assumptions. Others might
use this opportunity to cause trouble,” Dahlia stated thoughtfully.
Although she had her suspicions, that was all they were. Without
solid evidence, nothing could be proven.
“I’ll start digging and get to the bottom of this as soon as
possible,” Dustin promised.
“There’s no hurry for that. I have something more important to deal
with.” Dahlia was serious.
Chapter 741
She explained, “I hired a doctor to check on Grandpa Regulus
yesterday, and he said that we need to find a Panax root and use it to
make a medicine that could wake Grandpa up again.”
“A Panax root? It’ll be difficult to find one.” Dustin thought about
it.
“Dustin, you have one, don’t you? Can you-” Dustin cut her off before
she could finish her
sentence. “No! ”
“What?” Dustin’s response shocked her. She had only seen Dustin try
to fulfill all her requests, so she didn’t understand why he was acting
like this now.
“What do you mean by that, Rhys? It’s just a Panax root. Why are you
being so stingy?” Florence snapped.
“Dustin, if you give it to us and we manage to cure Sir Regulus,
Dahlia will officially get promoted. You’ll get recognized too!” Julie
tried to convince Dustin with words.
“I can agree to anything but this,” Dustin responded firmly.
That 500-year-old Panax root was an important ingredient for the
nine-fold Longevitum. So there was no way he could give it away.
“It’s just a Panax root. What’s the problem?” Florence glared at him.
“Exactly! You’re not using it right now anyway, so you might as well
give it to Dahlia and earn her favor.” Julie echoed.
“Dustin, the Panax root is incredibly important to me. Grandpa
Regulus won’t wake up without it. I know this sounds demanding, but I
hope you can give it to me,” Dahlia asked again.
“I’m sorry, but it’s just as important to me, so I can’t give it to
you.” Dustin refused once
more.
Dahlia frowned. “If it’s a loss to you, I don’t mind buying it from
you.”
“It has nothing to do with money.” Dustin shook his head. “I won’t
sell it no matter how much you offer me.”
“Then, what do you want? Is a Panax root more important than me?”
Dahlia’s face hardened as her temper rose.
She wasn’t angry because of the Panax root. Rather, it was because
Dustin didn’t seem to care about her.

Chapter 742
“Stop throwing a tantrum, Dahlia.” Dustin frowned.
Dustin said, “I wouldn’t mind giving you anything else, even if it
costs millions. But I just can’t give you my Panax root.”
“You’re right. I am throwing a tantrum! If you don’t want to give it
to me, I’ll think of something else!” Dahlia turned her head away
furiously.
In the past, Dustin would get it done no matter what request she
made. Now, all she was asking for was a Panax root, yet he turned her
down firmly.
He obviously didn’t care about her anymore. It seemed like she wasn’t
that important to him anymore after he got a new girlfriend.
“Dahlia is giving you a chance to prove yourself, Rhys! You better
not ignore her kindness!” Florence exclaimed.
“Exactly! With Dahlia’s looks and influence, many other men would be
clambering to gift her Panax roots! You better appreciate this chance!”
Julie jeered.
“If you need a Panax root, I can use my connections to help you get
one. However, I can’t give you the one I have because I need to use it to
save someone,” Dustin answered thoughtfully.
“Fine! You said you’re going to use it to save someone. So tell me,
who’s the person that’s more important than Grandpa Regulus?” Dahlia
demanded.
“You know this person. It’s Gregory.”
“Mr. Jones?” Dahlia frowned, her temper cooling slightly. Then, she
asked, “What happened to him? Is he si ck again?”
In her memories, Gregory was either drinking or sleeping. She rarely
saw him sober. And because he was a heavy drinker, his health wasn’t the
best.
“He’s fine for now, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stay that way. I need
to gather more herbs to treat him,” Dustin answered truthfully.
“Since he’s fine right now, you can lend us the Panax root. Once Sir
Regulus gets better, we’ll return another one to you. How about that?”
Florence persuaded.
“She’s right. Time is running out. Sir Regulus’ life is in danger
right now, so you should prioritize us first!” Julie insisted.
To them, Regulus’ life would directly impact Dahlia’s future and her
position, so it was far more important than Gregory’s life.
“My Panax root is too rare. It’ll be extremely difficult for you to
find another as mature as mine. So I’m sorry. I can’t risk Gregory’s
life.” Dustin shook his head again.
A wild 500-year-old Panax root was incredibly rare, so Dustin
couldn’t afford to take any chances.
“Geez! Why do you have to be so stubborn? We’re trying to talk to you
nicely, but if you’re still going to be so stubborn, don’t think about
meeting my daughter again!” Florence snapped.
“Do you even care about Dahlia? She’s just trying to borrow your
Panax root, and it isn’t as though she won’t return it. What’s the
issue?” Julie was pi ssed.
“Alright, alright. That’s enough.” Dahlia frowned.
“Dustin has plans of his own, so we shouldn’t force him.”
ough she understood his actions,
she was still irritated. Dustin should know how to prioritize matters
better.
Since Gregory didn’t need to use it immediately, why couldn’t he lend
it to her temporarily so that she could treat her grandfather?
“Ms. Nicholson…” Just then, a tall, handsome young man in military
uniform entered the room. It was easy to see that he was not a regular
commander.
“Mr. Killian? What are you doing here?” When she saw the man, Julie
lit up and rushed over with a bright smile.
“Mr. Killian?” Florence and Victoria exchanged glances before leaping
up to welcome the new arrival, full of smiles.
This was the first time they met a real general since they’d only
ever seen them on television, so the two ladies were excited and nervous.

Chapter 743
“I had just finished reporting back to the military base, so I
decided to drop by.” Gavin Killian smiled.
“Greetings, Mr. Killian.” Dahlia tried to stand up.
“No need for formalities.” Gavin placed a hand on her shoulder to
keep her seated. “You need to rest, Ms. Nicholson. You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.” Dahlia smiled.
“And this is?” Dustin looked at Gavin, puzzled.
He could tell from the badge on Gavin’s arm that he was a major
general. For someone to be a general in his thirties, he must either be
from an influential family or be incredibly talented.
“This is Mr. Killian. He was the one who saved me this morning,”
Dahlia introduced.
This morning’s incident was still fresh in her mind. Without Gavin’s
help, she’d be dead by now.
“I see Thank you, Mr. Killian.” Dustin thanked.
“It was nothing,” Gavin answered with a smile. “And you are?”
“Oh, he’s my friend, Dustin Rhys.” Dahlia blurted.
“Friend?” Dustin frowned, unhappy with her answer. Still, he regained
his composure after a few seconds.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Rhys. I’m Gavin Killian.” Gavin extended a
hand. Although his expression looked kind, his eyes showed an a rrogant
glint.
“Nice to meet you.” Dustin shook Gavin’s hand knowingly.
Killian wasn’t a common surname. He ran into Miranda Killian two days
ago, and now, he was meeting another Killian, so he couldn’t help but
wonder if the two were related.
“Ms. Nicholson, I heard that you urgently need a Panax root. Is that
true?” Gavin suddenly switched the topic.
Dahlia nodded. “That’s right. My grandfather is si ck, and we need a
Panax root to make his medicine. Unfortunately, finding one is quite
hard, so I doubt I’ll get my hands on one soon.”
“You don’t have to search anymore, Ms. Nicholson. I happened to have
a 300-year-old Panax root. If you’d like, you can have it.” Gavin’s words
shocked them.
“What? You’re giving it to me?” Dahlia was taken aback. She didn’t
expect him to have a Panax root and for him to gift it to her so
casually.
“Are you serious, Mr. Killian? Are you going to give us a Panax
root?” Julie asked with disbelief in her eyes.
“Of course. I always keep my word.” Gavin puffed out his chest.
“Gosh, thank you so much!” Julie was overjoyed.
“You’re such a kind man, Mr. Killian!” Florence and Victoria were
happy as well.
Just moments ago, they were thinking hard, trying to find a way to
obtain a Panax root. They never thought they’d get one so soon.
Unlike Dustin, who was stubborn and stingy, Gavin seemed much more
generous and honorable.

Chapter 744
“Thank you for the offer, Mr. Killian, but I can’t accept such a
precious gift.” Dahlia got over her surprise and became upset again. She
hadn’t even repaid Gavin for his earlier kindness, so how could she
accept his Panax root?
“Ms. Nicholson, a Panax root is meant to cure sic kness anyway. I
don’t need it for now. So you might as well use it to save someone’s
life. Think of it as an act of kindness.” Gavin smiled.
“But-”
Florence cut Dahlia off before she could refuse again. “Dahlia, you
should accept it. You can always repay the favor later.”
Florence kept/looking at Gavin eagerly.
“She’s right, Dahlia. Saving a life is much more important. Without
this Panax root, what are we going to do about Sir Regulus?” Julie
advised.
“But…” Dahlia was at a loss for words. It would be difficult to repay
the favor, but she had no choice but to accept the gift since Regulus’
life was at stake.
“Ms. Nicholson, if you want to thank me, I do have a favor to ask,”
Gavin suddenly said.
“What is it?” Dahlia raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll be hosting a banquet at Viridian Hotel tonight, so I’d like to
invite you,” Gavin answered with a small smile.
“A banquet?” Dahlia hesitated before nodding in agreement. “It’d be
my pleasure.”
Gavin had helped her a lot, so she couldn’t refuse him.
“Great. See you tonight.” Gavin smiled and left after chatting for a
moment.
“What do you think of Mr. Killian, Dahlia?” Julie blurted out as soon
as Gavin was gone.
“He’s a general despite his young age, so he’s definitely an
excellent person,” Dahlia responded casually.
“Not just that. I think he likes you.” Julie grinned teasingly.
“Nonsense!” Dahlia glared at Julie. “We’ve just met. How can he like
me?”
“Why would he give you a Panax root if he didn’t like you? He even
invited you to his banquet. Isn’t it obvious enough?” Julie pressed.
“But…” Dahlia was speechless. She glanced at Dustin and let out a
breath of relief when she
realized he didn’t seem bothered.
“Dahlia, Mr. Killian is young but accomplished. He’s an excellent man
that’s hard to come by. Why don’t you try and flirt with him a little?
Who knows what might happen.” Florence had an eager expression.
If Dahlia were to marry a general, they’d also gain fame. It would be
more fame than what they’d get if she married an aristocratic family.
After all, being powerful was more important than being wealthy.
“Mom, you’re doing it again!” Dahlia grumbled.
“Haven’t you gotten over Rhys yet?” Florence glared at Dustin
disdainfully. “He knows that you need a Panax root, but he won’t give it
to you. What’s the point of keeping a man like him?”
“Exactly!” Julie nodded. “You saw how that guy refused despite how we
begged him, yet Mr. Killian, whom we barely know, was willing to help us.
Can’t you see who’s the better choice?”
Dahlia frowned when she heard this. After comparing the two men, she
realized that Dustin seemed much more selfish than Gavin.
“Are you going to believe him when you’ve only met him once?” Dustin
suddenly asked.
“Are we supposed to believe you, then? What makes you think you’re
trustworthy?” Florence snapped.
“She’s right. Mr. Killian not only saved Dahlia, but he also helped
us in times of need. What about you? What have you done?” Julie sneered.
“First, he saved you. Now, he’s gifting you a Panax root. Don’t you
think this is too much of a coincidence?” Dustin asked.
“What do you mean?” Dahlia raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t know who that man is or his intentions, so you shouldn’t
trust him so easily,” Dustin warned.
“Hmph! I bet you’re just jealous.” Julie jeered. “You’re jealous that
he’s better and more powerful than you!”
“It’s bad enough that you’re useless, but how dare you insult Mr.
Killian! You’re despicable!” Florence yelled

Chapter 745
“I’m just stating the truth. It’s always better to be careful,”
Dustin replied calmly.
“Dustin, Mr. Killian isn’t that kind of person,” Dahlia retorted
firmly, unhappy to hear Dustin talking bad about her savior.
“Do you really know him well enough? Besides his name, what else do
you know about him?”
Dustin asked back.
“I-” Dahlia was taken aback.
When she came to her senses, she immediately declared. “Anyway, Mr.
Killian isn’t a bad person. You better not judge him with a petty
mindset!”
“Petty?” Dustin chuckled unhumorously.
“You’re right. I am petty. And since you seem to believe him so much,
this petty man will take his leave now. Goodbye.” Dustin turned around.
“Dustin, stop right-” He left before Dahlia could stop him.
“Let him leave! What the he ll is wrong with him? We just said a few
words!” Florence scoffed.
“Yeah. Mr. Killian is a thousand times better than a petty man like
him!” Julie snorted.
“That’s enough! He’s gone now, so stop talking about this!” Dahlia
frowned, agitated.
Her relationship with Dustin had only begun to improve, and she
didn’t want problems to arise
again.
Out of the hospital doors, Dustin sighed.
Although he didn’t care about Florence and Julie’s words, he was
unhappy about Dahlia’s distrust
of him.
“Dustin Rhys…” A black sedan pulled over, and the windows were
lowered, revealing Gavin’s face.
“Mr. Killian, how may I help you?” Dustin replied.
Gavin had obviously been waiting for him.
“I will only say this once, so you better listen closely.” Gavin’s
expression was cold as he said, ” Dahlia Nicholson is mine, so you better
stay away from her from now on.”
“And why should I?” Dustin narrowed his eyes. He didn’t expect Gavin
to show his true colors so
soon.
“Because I’m from the Killian family of Oakvale and a major general.
And because I’m stronger
than you. Is this answer good enough?” Gavin sneered arr ogantly.
“Those labels mean nothing to me. Here’s some advice. Don’t pi ss me
off,” Dustin retorted, unfazed.
“Hmm… Interesting.” Gavin grinned.
“A loser dares to challenge me? Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
With a snap of his fingers, his car
d rove off and out of sight.
Right after that, several other cars pulled over in front of Dustin,
and several law enforcers wearing distinctive uniforms stepped out, their
faces stern.
“Are you Dustin Rhys?” The leader asked.
“I am.” Dustin nodded. “How may I help you?”
“Someone reported you for ki lling Hank Hoffman, so you’re under
arrest!” The man yelled.
“Someone reported me? Who?” Dustin was shocked.
“Me!” Another person stepped out of the car. It was Julian!
“I witnessed you murdering my friend, so I reported you!” Julian
cried out.
“So you’re up to no good again.” Dustin narrowed his eyes.
“You kil led an innocent man, and plenty of evidence proves that.
Take him away!”, The leading enforcer signaled his men to handcuff Dustin
and haul him into the car.
Julian watched the cars drive away, sneering, “You’re dead meat this
time!”

Chapter 746
Dustin didn’t resist as he was dragged into the car. He was
blindfolded, and a hood was placed over his head to ensure he couldn’t
see anything.
That was the start of a long, shaky drive.
Dustin could tell that they had driven out of the city, so these
enforcers were definitely not from the investigation bureau.
After some time, when Dustin began to feel sleepy, the car finally
stopped. The doors opened, and the metallic stench of blood pierced his
nose. He could also smell the dis gusting scent of rotting flesh.
“Where are we, sir?” Dustin asked curiously.
“Sh ut your mouth and get in!” The man beside him snapped as he
dragged Dustin forward.
They passed through several checkpoints and heavy iron gates before
riding an elevator that kept going deeper underground.
After a while, the elevator came to a halt with a clang. Different
noises instantly surrounded Dustin-cries, wails, shouts, and laughter.
There was also a nasty, damp stench.
The man took the hood off Dustin’s head, and Dustin finally realized
that they were in an underground prison.
In the center was a long, dark corridor that seemed to go on forever.
Rows of prison cells lined both sides, each packed with dozens of people.
Some were cursing or glaring at him menacingly, while others were
begging for mercy. There were even some who began to cackle hysterically
when they saw Dustin.
“Move it!”
The man pushed Dustin forward. They walked passed a few cells before
stopping in front of the cell at the corner. When the metal gates opened,
dozens of cold, ruthless glares shot toward him.
“Get in.” Two officers pushed him into the cell and swiftly left
after locking the doors.
“Hey, kid. What trouble did you get into to end up here?” A bald,
muscular man suddenly asked.
“I kil led someone,” Dustin answered straightforwardly.
“How many?” The other man questioned again.
“One.”
“Why did you kil l that person?”
“And why do you need to know that?”
“Cut the cr ap and answer the goddamn question!”
“Fine. The guy I k illed was a rapist. He k illed my brother-in-law,
so I threw him off a building,” Dustin explained.
“Really?” The bald man stared intensely at Dustin before he burst out
laughing. “Well done. You
did the right thing!”
“What?” Dustin was taken aback by the bald man’s response. He assumed
that the bald man was going to beat him up.

Chapter 747
The same went for everyone else. At first, their eyes had been filled
with hostility. However, after hearing Dustin’s answer, they smiled
welcomingly at him.
“If you had done an evil deed, you’d be dead by now. Fortunately, you
were just avenging your wife, so you’re a real man!”
“It seems like Shadow Gang will have a new member!”
Everyone in the cell studied Dustin carefully. Although they didn’t
seem happy to see him, they didn’t seem as hostile anymore.
“What are you guys talking about?” Dustin was confused.
“Over here, there are all sorts of guilds and gangs. Ours is Shadow
Gang. Our rule is simple: settle scores fairly. You can ki ll your
enemies, but you can’t hurt innocent people. If you’re caught, you’ll be
heavily punished.” The bald man grinned.
“He’s right. We might not be good people, but at least we’re
honorable men who won’t allow others to hurt innocent people!” The other
men agreed.
Dustin was surprised. It seemed like not everyone here was evil.
“You’re one of us now, kid.” The bald man threw his arm over Dustin’s
shoulder as if they had known each other for a long time.
“Come on. I’ll introduce you. These guys here are Beardy, Limpy, and
Scarface. And here we have-”
“Don’t let my limp fool you, kid! I ki lled dozens of corrupt
government officials before being sent here!”
“I’m no slouch either! I came across of bu nch of dicks who were
raping and kil ling women, so I castrated them and tore off their limbs!”
“That’s nothing compared to what I did. There was a gang of bandits
that wiped out a village, so I took all of them out myself.
Unfortunately, the police were in conflict with the bandits, so they
blamed me for the village’s destruction.”
The men stopped being hostile and began boasting about their
achievements.
“Interesting.” Dustin smiled. He didn’t expect to find such honorable
men in prison.
“What’s going on? Is there a new kid?” a raspy voice asked from the
corner of the cell.
Everyone immediately fell silent, respectfully. Dustin turned and saw
a bony older man yawning as he sat upright on his mat.
The older man’s hair was unkept, and his face looked gaunt. His hands
and feet were bounded with thick iron chains, and metal rods pierced into
his shoulders. Metal rattled every time he moved.
“Hmm?” Dustin was surprised. He didn’t expect to run into a fully
developed divine-level martial artist here. After all, this would mean
that the older man was only a step away from becoming a Grandmaster.
“Did we wake you up, Mr. Adler? We’ll be sure to keep quiet, so you
can keep sleeping.” The bald man smiled apologetically.
“It’s fine. There’s nothing to do besides sleeping and eating anyway.
It’s been a while since we had a newcomer. As the gang leader, I should
welcome him.” The older man yawned.
“Hurry. Pay your respects to Mr. Adler.” The bald man quickly tugged
Dustin.
“No need for formalities.” The old man waved them off before asking
Dustin, “Did you offend some high-ranking official?”
“How did you know?” Dustin was surprised.
Although Julian said he was the one who made the report, Dustin was
sure that Gavin had
something to do with this.
“Everyone here is a criminal who has ki lled at least ten people, but
you’ve only ki lled one. You’ve clearly offended someone powerful,” the
old man replied.
“May I know where this is?” Dustin was even more curious now.
“This is a place you can enter but never leave.” The older man
sighed.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. Once you’re in
here, you’ll never get out. It’s just like the underworld. That’s why
it’s called ‘Azkaban”!”

Chapter 748
“Azkaban?” Dustin was alert when he heard the name.
Azkaban was known throughout Balerno. Rumors had it that the inmates
here were either extremely wicked or caused great harm to the country.
And there were all sorts of criminals- assassins, despised martial
artists, bloodthirsty maniacs, and more.
The prison had one rule: once you entered the place, there was no way
out.
Unlike other prisons where inmates who performed well would be given
chances to reduce their sentences, the inmates here only had two choices.
They could either stay here for the rest of their lives or d ie.
Therefore, no one has ever left or escaped the place. This was also
the place where Duane Welch had been sent to.
“Do you understand the seriousness of the situation now?” The older
man asked, concerned.
“This place is a different world. Everything on the outside no longer
has anything to do with you now.”
“Is there no way to get out?” Dustin questioned.
“Get out? How?” The older man shook his head with a bitter smile.
“The cells are made of indestructible dark steel. Beyond this, many
checkpoints and skilled martial artists guard the place. Nothing could
get in here, not even a fly.”
“Now that does sound worrying,” Dustin muttered.
“Stop overthinking, kid.” The older man patted Dustin’s shoulder.
“You’re lucky you met us instead of those wicked men or you’d be dead
meat by now.”
“You’re one of us now, so you definitely won’t starve!” The bald man
patted his chest confidently.
“Thanks, guys.” Dustin smiled politely. He could tell that these men
weren’t evil.
Suddenly, sounds of metals clanking resounded through the corridor.
Instantly, everyone shrank away from the bars and huddled in the corners
of the cell, terrified.
Dustin followed the sound and looked toward the dimly lit corridor. A
plump man dressed in fine clothes was approaching them with several
fierce-looking prison officers. He held a metal rod and kept striking it
against the iron doors, causing sparks to fly.
“Hey, kid. Did your family members bribe the guards before you came?”
the old man asked.
“No.” Dustin shook his head.
“Then do you have any valuables with you?” the old man asked again.
“I’m completely penniless.” Dustin spread his hands.
“Oh, dear.” The older man sighed. “Those money-grubbers are here. You
might have to endure some pain since you didn’t bribe the guards and have
no money.”
“Don’t worry, kid. It’s just 50 canes. It’ll be over in the blink of
an eye. It might keep you in bed for
about a month, but it won’t k ill you!” The bald man promised.
“He’s right. You just have to remember not to resist, and everything
will be over soon,” Others echoed, having gone through the same thing.
If someone had money, they could bribe the guards so that their
punishment was milder. But if someone had no money, they’d have no choice
but to suffer.
Those who were lucky would suffer from a bruised bottom, while those
who weren’t might end up disabled.
The well-dressed, portly man continued striking the cages before
stopping in front of Dustin’s cell.
“I heard a new guy arrived. Who is it?” The well-dressed, portly man
scanned the cell with cold eyes. Those who met his eyes instinctively
lowered their heads, scared of these men who controlled their lives.

Chapter 749
“It’s me.” Dustin stepped forward.
The well-dressed, portly man gave him a look over and asked, “Do you
understand the rules in here yet?”
“What rules?” Dustin asked.
“Everyone needs to get a beating when they first arrive. Naturally,
I’m the one who determines how heavy the beating will be. Got it?” The
well-dressed, portly man made a point to tap his baton.
“So, you want money?” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
“Smart boy!” The other man nodded, pleased.
“My men and I have to take care of trash like you every day. So we
deserve that much, don’t we?” He rubbed his fingers greedily.
“Sorry. I don’t have any money.” Dustin shook his head.
“You don’t have any money?” The well-dressed, portly man frowned and
snapped, “Then write a letter to your
family to ask for money! Your punishment will be lighter the more you
pay.”
“I come from a poor family. We don’t have any money.” Dustin
shrugged.
“Fk, you’re just a hobo! What a waste of my time!” the welldressed, portly man spat. “Drag this fker out and give him 80 canes!”
“Hang on. Isn’t it supposed to be 50?” Dustin asked.
“I’m in a bad mood, so I’m giving you another 30 lashes. Got
something to say about it?” The well- dressed, portly man glared.
“Don’t you think that you’re taking things too far?” Dustin narrowed
his eyes.
“Are you telling me what to do?” The well-dressed, portly man
sneered.
“Fine, since 80 seems too little, make it 100! We won’t stop until
you’re crippled.”
“Have you thought of the consequences of your actions?” Dustin asked
calmly,
“Pfft! Are you threatening me right now?” The well-dressed, portly
man shot Dustin a scornful
glare.
“It seems like you haven’t fully grasped the situation yet. I’m the
king here, so I decide whether you get to live. If you pi ss me off, I’ll
make your life a living h ell!”
He has seen countless people like Dustin, who arrived with ar rogant
attitudes. However, with a few canes, they immediately submitted and
became obedient.
“You’re just a prison officer. Where did you find the ba lls to make
such bold claims?” Dustin.
sneered.
“Just a prison officer?” The portly man’s face hardened, and his
blood boiled. “You don’t know
when to give up, eh? Men, drag him out and beat him up till he’s
dead!”
“Wait!” Seeing the seriousness of the situation, the old man begged,
“Sir, he’s new here and doesn’t know anything. Please spare him!”
He fished out a gold nugget from his pocket and offered it to the
well-dressed, portly man.
“F**k off!” The well-dressed, portly man slapped the gold away and
yelled, “That punk dared to challenge my authority. I must make an
example out of him. If anyone tries to stop me, I’ll take it as an act of
opposition! Grab him now!”
“Yes, sir!” The prison officers immediately opened the door to grab
Dustin.
“You were too reckless! We’re no match for them!”
“He’s right. Everything would have been fine if you didn’t talk back
to them. You’ll be ki lled if you defy their orders!”
Others expressed their sympathy, but there wasn’t much they could do.
Although the evillest of evils lived here, none of them dared to go
against these guards. It wasn’t because they were no match for them.
Instead, they were too afraid to make a move as they were worried
about getting caught by the skilled guards. If that happened, their lives
would be utterly miserable.
“I’ll show you what life in h ell looks like!” The well-dressed,
portly man seethed.
As soon as those words were spoken, bangs and crashes broke out as
the prison officers who had barged into the cell flew out, and Dustin
slowly walked out.
He went up to the well-dressed, portly man and fisted his collar.
Frigidly, he asked, “What were you saying again?”

Chapter 750
Everyone was shocked by what just happened.
The prison officers in Azkaban were far from ordinary. They were all
powerful and highly skilled. Otherwise, they couldn’t stand up to the
evil criminals inside.
No one would have expected that Dustin could have beaten these elite
fighters up so quickly.
It was truly frightening. Of course, more than shock, they felt fear.
There were all sorts of experts in Azkában, even Grandmaster martial
artists. Beating up the prison officer would catch the mastermind’s
attention.
When that happened, the consequences would be unspeakable!
After returning to his senses, the well-dressed, portly man began
yelling, “Punk, you really have big ba lls! How dare you touch me?!”
It wasn’t like nobody had challenged his authority before, but they
had all ended up tortured to the brink of death.
“So what?” Dustin said with a calm expression.
“For beating me, your punishment is now doubled! If you don’t stop
right now, not even God can save you!” the man yelled.
“Young man, let go! Don’t make things worse!”
“The prison officer is no ordinary guard. You can’t afford to anger
him. Hurry and beg for forgiveness!”
“All you suffered was some physical pain. You don’t have to dig your
own grave!”
The others began to panic, trying their hardest to talk sense into
Dustin.
Dustin would be in trouble if something happened to the portly man,
and the rest of them would get dragged down with him.
Here, there was no such thing as law or justice. The warden had the
final say.
Whether you lived or d ied was solely the warden’s decision.
“You hear that? Let go now, or I’ll k ll you!” the portly man said
with a glare.
“You’re going to k ill me, so why should I let you go? Since I’ll d
ie anyway, I should just k ill you,” Dustin said, smiling.
“Don’t you dare!” the portly man roared fiercely.
“I’m warning you. I’m the warden’s brother-in-law. If you harm a
piece of hair on my head, not just you but all your friends, family, and
everyone in this room will d ie!”
“Young man, you can’t beat them. While things haven’t completely
reached the point of no return, you must stop before it’s too late! Or
else, there will be a hor rible price to pay!” the older man, Cornelius,
was beginning to worry.
“Even if I let him go, he won’t let things go. We might as well di e
together,” Dustin said plainly.
Dustin’s unflinching attitude toward death frightened the welldressed, portly man. For some reason, he began to feel nervous.
What was his life worth?
Was it worth exchanging it for the life of a death row convict?
“Sir, what happened today was just a misunderstanding. Why don’t we
let bygones be bygones, for my sake?” Cornelius said.
“Hmph, since you spoke up, Mr. Adler, then I’ll spare his life this
once!” the portly man said, using this opportunity to dig his way out.
His biggest fear was running into hotheads like Dustin.
They would want to fight to the death whenever things didn’t go their
way. If he got ki lled, it would be a greater loss.
“Young man, the prison officer has chosen to forgive you. You can let
go now,” Cornelius said.
“Alright.” Dustin nodded and relaxed his grip.
The portly man crashed to the ground.
At the exact moment Dustin turned his back, the portly man’s
expression twisted into a hateful look.
“Di e!” He suddenly brandished a dagger and stabbed it into Dustin’s
back.
There was only one outcome for someone who dared to challenge his
authority in public-death
The dagger was rammed into Dustin’s back, but it didn’t even break
the skin.
On the contrary, it snapped into two pieces from the sheer momentum.
“What?” Looking at the broken blade in his hand, the man was
shocked.”
This was a treasured dagger that could slice through solid metal!
It was one thing not to be able to pierce the skin, but it even
f**king broke.
Just what kind of monster was he?!
“Stubborn as always!” Dustin’s face turned icy, and he slapped the
portly man.

Chapter 751
There was a crisp clap.
The portly man’s face became disfigured from the force. His big body
instantly flew dozens of feet away, crashing heavily into the jail cell.
He immediately lost consciousness.
His nose and mouth were off-center, his face was contorted, and he
had even lost a few teeth. He looked like an absolute mess.
The others’ expressions changed when they saw the well-dressed,
portly man lying on the floor like a log. “Oh no!”
Although he wasn’t powerful, he was the warden’s actual brother-inlaw.
Hitting him was equivalent to insulting the warden. At this point,
death would be a better option.
“Young man, you’re really in trouble this time!” Cornelius looked
worried.
“You-you-you psycho! Get it in your head-we’re the Shadow Gang, not
the Loony Gang!” the bald, muscular man said in dismay.
“We’re done for. Now that you’ve hit the prison officer, we’re all
going down with you!” Everyone was stricken with panic,
They thought that they’d gotten an ordinary new member. They just
didn’t expect that he was a bad luck magnet.
Immediately after entering prison, he’d turned the whole place upside
down.
What a mess!
“Don’t panic, everyone. I’ll take responsibility for my actions.”
After that, Dustin dusted his hands. off and returned to his cell.
“Young man, I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle the consequences
of what you’ve done today!” Cornelius shook his head.
“Do you know who the warden of Azkaban is? He’s an extremely powerful
Grandmaster martial
artist and a sadist!
“Back then, he personally threw me into Azkaban and tortured me
ruthlessly for seven days and nights!
“In the end, he even put a lock in my shoulder blade and sealed my
cultivation. He made me endure excruciating pain every single day.
“You haven’t experienced it before; you’ll never know how terrifying
this person is. If you fall into. his hands, you’d wish you were dead!
“If this place is h ell, then he is the fiercest, vilest demon!”
After hearing this, everyone else couldn’t help but shudder.
The warden had a terrifying reputation. To them, he was the dictator
who decided whether they lived or di ed.
The deeply rooted fear was why they didn’t even dare think about
protesting.
It was because they all knew that if they did, they’d suffer a fate
worse than death.
That evening, in the back garden of the Fallonge estate, Scarlet was
playing chess with her assistant general. She was dressed in a red
tracksuit, and her hair was streaked with gray.
After a long game, Scarlet only had her King and two pawns left on
the wh ite side of the chessboard.
She was only one step away from defeat.
“Madam, it’s your turn.” Across from her, Georgia was wearing a
smile, sure of her victory.
During training, Georgia usually got a good beating. It was time she
finally got even on the chessboard.
She just needed one more move to win.
“Checkmate!” Scarlet picked up her whi te King and knocked over the
black one. “You lose.”
“What?” Georgia was confused. She cried, “Madam, the King can only
move one square. That’s the rule!”
“Other people’s Kings can’t, but mine can. Anyway, you lose,” Scarlet
said seriously.
“Madam, you’re cheating!” Georgia was getting heated.
“There aren’t that many rules on the battlefield. I’m just
improvising,” Scarlet insisted boldly.
“You…” Georgie wanted to cry, but there were no tears.
It was one thing to cheat, but Scarlet even justified her cheating.
“Madam…” At that moment, the other assistant general, Bridget, walked
in and reported, “Madam,
I just received word that we found the whereabouts of the person
you’re looking for.”
“He’s been located? Where?” Scarlet jumped to her feet. Her normal
cold expression was filled
with surprise-a rare sight for all.
“In Azkaban!”

Chapter 752
In one of the studies in the Harmon estate, Natasha wrinkled her
eyebrows in confusion. “Dad, are you really going to make Kate marry
Tyler?”
Not too long ago, she suddenly heard the news that there would be a
union between the Harmon family and the Grant family again..
And this time, the bride and groom of this marriage were Kate and
Tyler.
“Although the Dark Lord is dead, the Grant family is still a huge
thorn in our side. This time, they brought up marriage again and even
selected Kate. I really couldn’t reject.” Hector shook his head.
“What did Uncle Trent say? Is he going to let his daughter jump into
the fire pit?” Nathasha pressed further.
“That’s exactly the problem.” Hector let out a sigh.
“Your Uncle Trent and cousin readily agreed to the marriage. They
also have the support of the family elders. I was not able to intervene.”
“What? They agreed?” Natasha was a bit taken aback.
“Don’t they know that the Grants have ulterior motives? They’re after
something else!”
“I’ve already explained the pros and cons to them too, but I still
couldn’t change their minds. If I attempt to stop them, the situation
will blow up even bigger,” Hector said helplessly.
When he initially heard about this, he naturally protested. However,
it was all in vain.
Trent and Kate wouldn’t listen; they even insisted it was for the
family’s benefit.
In the end, the argument ended on a sour note.
“Hmph, Kate is such a gold-digger!” Natasha snorted.
“Does she think she’ll rise to the top and become the general’s lady
once she marries Tyler? She’s far too naive!”
“Forget it. The final decision has been made; it would do no one any
good to speak more about it. Let’s just begin preparations early.” Hector
shook his head.
“I just wish that the two of them won’t become the Grant family’s
pawn,” Natasha said, deep in thought.
For Tyler to swallow his pride and ask for marriage once again, it
was clear that he wanted something.
It was better to have a real enemy than a fake ally. There would be
trouble if they let the Grant family’s influence seep into the Harmon
family.
“Natasha, something bad has happened!” Ruth suddenly threw the door
open and burst in.
“I just heard that Dustin has been arrested!”
“Arrested? What happened?” Natasha was stunned.
“Apparently, he ki lled a man named Hank Hoffman, and the Nicholsons
reported him,” Ruth said,
gasping for breath.
“The Nicholsons reported him?” Natasha frowned. “What is Dahlia
doing? She can’t even protect a man!”
“Ruth, do you know where he’s locked up?” Hector asked.
“In Azkaban,” Ruth said truthfully.
“What? Azkaban?!” When Natasha heard this, color drained from her
face.
Azkaban was where they locked up the most wicked felons. Not a single
person who entered could walk out of there alive.
Just the name of the place was horrifying.
Hector quickly realized something was amiss. “That’s odd. Why did he
get sent to Azkaban over the murder of an ordinary person? Could it be
that someone planned this from the shadows?”
Even if someone committed a crime, there should have been an
interrogation, a plea, and other procedures. Sending someone directly to
Azkaban was obviously fishy.
“Azkaban is not a place for humans. I have to save him right away!”
Natasha said, pacing back and forth anxiously.
“No one leaves Azkaban. There hasn’t been an exception to the rule
over the past few decades. It would be challenging to rescue him. Hector
wrinkled his eyebrows.
The mastermind behind this must be extremely influential to have been
able to send Dustin to Azkaban so easily.
“I have to try no matter what!” Natasha clenched her jaw. She seemed
to have decided something and immediately walked out the front door.
“Natasha, where are you going?” Hector shouted.
“I’m going to ask Grandfather for help!”
In the warden’s office in Azkaban, a middle-aged man with a potbelly
was puffing on a cigar while reading the newspaper.
He propped both his legs up on the desk. He seemed leisurely and
carefree.
This man was none other than the warden of Azkaban-Caius Roswell!
“Knock, knock…”
A prison officer knocked on the door before entering. He said, “Mr.
Roswell, Lord Xenos’ adjutant, is here. He says he wants to see you.”

Chapter 753
“George’s adjutant? What is he doing here?” Caius was taken by
surprise.
“I don’t know,” the prison guard said, lowering his head.
“Alright, let him in,” Caius said, gesturing.
“Yes,” the prison guard answered before leaving quickly. After a
moment, he brought a man in a gray shirt in
“Hello, Mr. Roswell,” the man in the gray shirt greeted politely as
soon as he entered.
He knew the man before him wasn’t just an ordinary warden; he was
extremely powerful and had a wide network. Even his viceroy listened to
him.
“What’s the matter?” Caius crossed his legs.
“On order of Lord Xenos, I’d like to ask you to release a person.”
The man in the gray shirt bowed his head.
“Release a person? Who?” Caius asked.
A young man named Dustin Rhys,” the man replied without beating
around the bush.
“Dustin Rhys?” Caius narrowed his eyes.
“Sorry, but I can’t give him to you. No one walks out of Azkaban.
This is a rule!”
“Mr. Roswell, I hope you can make an exception. After the deal is
done, Lord Xenos will reward you handsomely.” The man smiled
apologetically.
“Rules are rules. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I can’t
disregard the rules of Azkaban. Go back and tell Lord Xenos that I’m
sorry I can’t help,” Caius said indifferently.
“Mr. Roswell, rules are inflexible, but people aren’t…”
Before the man in gray could finish speaking, Caius interrupted him,
“What, you’re asking me to break the rules knowingly? If this reached
Oakvale, would you take accountability?”
“Well…” The man was at a loss for words.
Within the borders of Millsburg, the viceroy indeed held the highest
authority. However, Akzaban was governed by the Ministry of Penalties in
Oakvale. Even the viceroy had no power.
Not to mention, there was no need to challenge the Ministry of
Penalties for an outsider brazenly.
At that moment, a prison officer suddenly ran in. He said urgently,
“Sir, it’s bad! Outsiders have
broken in’”
“Broken in?” Caius’ face darkened. “Who is brave enough to do a
jailbreak here?!”
“It’s a very powerful woman. Our men outside can’t hold her off!” the
prison guard-replied.
“How useless! A gang of men can’t even defeat a woman. Send the eight
aces out there!” Caius
roared.
“Yes!” With that, the prison officer ran off.
Less than three minutes later, a series of bangs were heard.
A few holes suddenly appeared in the office ceiling. At the same
time, a few figures suddenly dropped in from above, crashing heavily on
the floor.
Instantly, the desks and chairs broke into pieces. Dust and debris
flew everywhere.
“What?” Caius stared intently at the figures that landed in front of
him.
To his surprise, they were the eight aces from Azkaban!
He tipped his head back and yelled, “Who is it?! Who dares wreak
havoc on my territory?!”
Instantly, the terrifying aura of a Grandmaster radiated from his
body.
Suddenly, a great gust howled, causing sand and pebbles to fly
everywhere. The entire office began to shake.
“It’s me!” a woman’s crisp voice declared. A red silhouette fell from
above and landed in front of Caius.
Two craters formed where her feet touched the floor.
“How dare you! I bet you’re-”
Just as Caius was about to lose his temper, he was slapped in the
face before he could even react.
Caius soared through the air like a cannon had launched his entire
body. He crashed into the wall, leaving behind a human-shaped indent.
The prison officer and the man in the gray shirt gaped, speechless at
what they’d seen.

Chapter 754
“Well…” The man in the gray shirt and the prison officer were stunned
by the sight of Caius plastered to the wall.
Never in a million dreams would they imagine that the almighty
warden-a Grandmaster martial artist-would be sent flying with just a
slap.
Not to mention, he was even stuck on the wall. He couldn’t even get
on.
This was simply too shocking!
They turned their heads. The first thing that they saw was a
beautiful woman.
She had silver hair and wore a red tracksuit. On her back, her threefoot viridescent sword was trembling slightly.
She looked bold and majestic, like a Goddess of War! Especially those
cold and ar rogant eyes that seemed to look down on everyone. They didn’t
dare look right into her gaze.
“How dare you hit me? Do you not know who I am?!” When Caius returned
to his senses, he was furious from the humiliation he had suffered.
He had never been hit like that before, much less by a woman.
“Release Dustin,” Scarlet spat coldly.
“You think I’ll release him just because you said so? Who do you
think you are? Let me tell you-
Scarlet didn’t wait for Caius to finish speaking. She waved her hand
and threw out a badge. With a “clang”, it stuck to the wall.
“What?” When Caius turned to look, his expression instantly changed.
To his shock, that golden emblem was actually the Dark Panther
Cavalry commander badge!
Wasn’t the commander of the Dark Panther Calvary none other than the
famed Scarlet Warrior?!
No wonder she was so strong! It turned out the woman before him was
one of the twin stars of the Spanner family, the unparalleled Goddess of
War-Scarlet Spanner!
“My Lady, what are you doing here?” Caius forced an ug ly smile and
gulped.
“Release him,” Scarlet was straight to the point.
“My Lady, this… this is against the rules!” Caius said, grimaced.
The sharp blade of the three-foot viridescent sword was pressed to
Caius’ throat.
“Say that again?” Scarlet said coolly.
Caius swallowed. In the end, he choked back his words.
Scarlet had always been resolute and decisive. She never showed
mercy.
Despite Caius’ power and status, even if she ki lled him, she would
merely get a slap on the wrist from the royal family.
It wouldn’t hurt her much.
“My Lady, I can release him. But can I at least know why?” Caius
asked. He had to settle for the next best option.
“Because you’ve captured Logan Rhys, the most important person to
me,” Scarlet responded icily.
“Logan Ryhs?” Caius’ eyes widened. He was on the brink of tears.
“There’s no way. Is he that guy from the Rhys family?”
“Who else could it be?” Scarlet deadpanned.
It was a simple response, but Caius felt like he had been struck by
lightning. He almost crumpled to the floor.
F**k! He was in deep sh it!
The two demons of Dragonmarsh to never cross were both here…
Meanwhile, Dustin was leaning against the wall in the underground
prison. He closed his eyes and tried to get some rest alone.
In the cell, Cornelius and the others paced back and forth anxiously.
The prison officers and correctional officer laid unconscious
outside.
Despite this, they were getting more and more nervous.
It was almost time for the changing of guards. The people who were
beaten unconscious were about to be discovered.
When that happened, there was going to be a disaster.
“Mr. Adler, we can’t just keep waiting. Why don’t we try to break out
of here?”

Chapter 755
The bald, muscular man had spoken out after a long moment of
contemplation.
Cornelius retorted impatiently, “Don’t be foo lish! There are
formidable barriers and numerous expert fighters out there. We won’t
stand a chance of escaping!”
When he was still powerful, he knew there wasn’t any possibility of
them succeeding. Now that he was weakened, he knew it was just a farfetched dream.
“Mr. Adler, we’ll di e anyway. Why not try our best to escape?” The
bald, muscular man gritted his teeth and said, “I’ve thought about it. If
we manage to take the correctional officer hostage, there might be hope
for us to survive.”
“That’s right! We might stand a chance of escaping if we have a
hostage.” Everyone else nodded in agreement.
Of course, it was impossible if it were just a regular prison
officer. But the correctional officer was the warden’s brother-in-law. He
would be their most powerful bargaining chip since he was important.
“No one has ever managed to escape from Azkaban, and the consequences
for those who fail are something all of you should be well aware of. It
better you abandon the idea.” Cornelius shook his
head.
“Then what should we do? Are we just going to sit here and wait for
our deaths?” the bald, muscular man said with a mournful expression.
“We still might be able to reverse the situation, but I’m worried
about this young man. I don’t know if he’ll be able to survive.”
Cornelius looked at Dustin, leaning against the wall, and felt sorry for
him.
“How can this madman remain so calm when he created chaos as soon as
he came in? I guess he hasn’t realized the gravity of the situation.” The
bald, muscular man sighed and threw a dagger at Dustin, which landed by
his feet.
“Hey, man, I truly admire your courage. Consider this knife a gift
from me.”
“Thanks, but I don’t need it.” Dustin shook his head in response.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be needing it soon.” With a serious expression,
he continued, “Trust me, once you realize that you can’t make it through,
end your life with the knife. It’ll save you from more
suffering.”
Dustin was speechless. He thought the man had given him a weapon for
self-defense. But as it
turned out, it was to k ill himself. How sweet of him.
“Someone’s coming!” Suddenly, a startled cry broke the silence.
When they looked up, they noticed a group of men rushing toward them
from the end of the corridor. To their surprise, the one leading the
group was none other than the warden himself- Caius Rosewell!
“S hit, the warden came personally. This is serious!” Cornelius’
expression turned to one of worry.
The rest of the group were similarly flustered and panicked.
Azkaban’s warden was a prominent figure to them, and he controlled their
fate.
“Hahahaha…” After seeing Caius, the well-dressed, portly guy suddenly
sprung up, laughing devilishly.
“Brat, you’re dead meat! My brother-in-law is here. Not even the
Emperor can save you now!”
“What the heck? This guy has been pretending to be unconscious all
this time?” Everyone was shocked
“You bu nch of ba stards, I’ll report all of you for planning to
escape!” With a cold smile, the well- dressed, portly man ran up to Caius
and cried out, “Caius, these ba stards have acted out of line and even
beat me up. You must stand up for me!”
“Oh, cra p, we’re done for!” Everyone broke out in cold sweat, and
their faces grew pale as they took in the scene before them.
“Quick! Everyone bow down and apologize to the warden!” Cornelius
yelled as he bowed. “Hurry!”
Everyone bowed in a neat row without hesitation, looking fearful.
They had no other choice but to beg for mercy.
“Young man, what are you doing? Bow down!” Cornelius’ eyes darted
frantically as he tried to signal Dustin.
“That’s right, surviving is all that matters now! If you admit your
mistakes, you might still have a chance at living!”
“Stop trying to be brave! The warden controls our lives and holds
absolute power here. If you don’t bow, you’ll be signing your death
warrant!”
“Come on, bow down!”
Everyone began to persuade Dustin, trying to make a last-ditch
attempt to save him.
“Caius, they beat me up. You-” The well-dressed, portly man had
huffed and puffed as he rushed forward.
“Get lost!” But before he could complain, Caius kicked him to the
ground and rushed up to Dustin. Amidst the prisoners’ shocked,
bewildered, and fearful gazes, Caius bowed and greeted Dustin in a loud
and respectful tone, “Your Grace, it’s an honor to meet you. I’m Caius
Roswell, Azkaban’s warden.”

Chapter 756
The moment Caius bowed, everyone was stunned and stood frozen in
place.
They were all dumbfounded as their expressions filled with shock.
Unbelievable!
The man before them was none other than Azkaban’s warden, a
formidable martial arts grandmaster! He was a terrifying figure who held
absolute authority over the fate of the prisoners.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the warden was revered like a God
within the prison walls. His very presence commanded respect.
The idea of such an authoritative and godlike figure kneeling before
a prisoner seemed utterly impossible.
“C-Caius? Why are you bowing? Get up…” The well-dressed, portly man
was the first to react. He quickly fushed to Caius’ side, attempting to
help him up.
“F**k off!” Caius slapped him and lashed out, “Don’t drag me down
into the grave you dug!”
“Huh?” The portly man slumped to the ground, his face ashen. Had he
offended an incredibly influential figure? His brother-in-law
disassociated himself from him without hesitation.
“Caius Roswell? Azkaban’s warden?” The sudden turn of events left
Dustin confused. “I don’t think I know you.”
“You may not know me, but your esteemed reputation precedes you. What
happened today has been a mistake, and I hope you can find it in your
heart to forgive us, Your Grace.” Caius maintained his bow.
He was anxious and broke out in cold sweat. If the Prince of Theswe
found out they were holding the Rhys family’s kirin in Azkaban, Caius
knew he would face dire consequences. After all, the Prince of Theswe had
a protective nature.
“You got the wrong person. I’m not someone of noble rank.” Dustin
responded stoically. He could tell Caius was fearful of the Rhys family’s
influence.
“Right, right. My mistake. It was a slip of the tongue. I should have
addressed you as Sir Rhys.” Caius nodded and smiled apologetically.
Caius’ fearful and servile demeanor left Cornelius and the rest of
the prisoners dumbstruck. The formidable and merciless warden of Azkaban
now appeared like a mere servant.
“Oh my God! Who the hel l is this young man? He actually made the
warden bow before him.”
“Who knows? But he’s definitely someone with a formidable
background!”
“I can’t believe our Shadow Gang managed to recruit such a formidable
figure. It’s hard to tell if it’s a blessing or a curse.”
Everyone looked at Dustin differently. At first, they thought he was
just another new prisoner. They taught him the rules, bragged, and even
played the role of a boss.
Who would have thought this seemingly ordinary young man had such a
formidable presence?
Even the warden of Azkaban had to show him deference.
“I misjudged him!” Cornelius swallowed. He recalled how he had wanted
Dustin to bow before Caius. But their roles were remarkably reversed
instead.
“Oh, Sir Rhys, by the way, someone is waiting for you outside. Why
don’t I escort you out? It’s dirt y and sm elly here. It certainly
doesn’t befit your status,” Caius suddenly changed the subject. “Someone
is waiting for me? Who?” Dustin was curious. It had to be someone
extraordinary if they could help him out of Azkaban.
Caius kept him in the dark instead of giving a direct answer. “You’ll
find out when you get out.” “Let’s go.” Dustin nodded. He had just taken
two steps forward before stopping abruptly.
He looked back at Cornelius and the rest of the group. Then, he said,
“These people are my friends. They’re not exactly bad people. Can you
release them?”

Chapter 757
“Of course! Since they are your friends, they must be righteous
people!” Caius flattered Dustin.
Then, he waved his hand and ordered, “Release them!”
One after the other, the chains made of darksteel were unshackled. It
seemed like a dream. Everyone was in disbelief.
They had thought they would spend their entire lives trapped in
Azkaban. They never imagined that they would see the light of day again.
The prisoners felt extremely fortunate.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Roswell!” Cornelius and the rest of the
group thanked him.
“You should be thanking Sir Rhys.” Caius played smart.
“Thank you very much, Sir Rhys!”
They bowed down profoundly. Tears of happiness welled up in their
eyes. At that moment, Dustin was their savior.
“I’m a part of the Shadow Gang, after all. I can’t just leave all of
you here to suffer. Let’s go out together.” With a gentle smile, Dustin
confidently strode out of Azkaban.
They had only spent a short time together, but Dustin could tell they
were people with good hearts.
They only ki lled those who deserved it.
For that reason, he decided to help them.
The cells in Azkaban were situated underground, so Dustin followed
Caius. They stepped into the elevator.
It was already evening when they reached the surface. With the sun
setting slowly, the sky was covered in hues of fiery red.
Dustin squinted and took a deep breath before stepping out from
behind the iron gates. He took only a few steps when a mesmerizing figure
caught his eye.
The iconic silver hair, red attire, three-foot viridescent sword, and
a naturally cold yet captivatingly beautiful face left Dustin stunned.
Memories from his past flooded his mind.
“Who is that woman? She looks so charming!”
“Lower your voice. Can’t you see the badge on her shoulder? She’s a
general!”
“No, she’s not a general. That’s the God of War badge!”
“What? A female God of War? Does such a person exist in Dragonmarsh?”
“Oh my God! Could that be the famous Scarlet Warrior?”
As word spread, the scene erupted into a commotion. The prisoners who
had just walked out of Azkaban almost fell to their knees.
As Dragonmarsh’s only Goddess of War, her reputation had spread far
and wide. She was an enemy of many on the battlefield and stood at the
pinnacle of the world!
She was a remarkable woman who had almost all men at her feet. With
such excellence, it was difficult to find someone worthy of her in the
entire world.
“Logan!” Scarlet’s eyes lit up when she spotted Dustin.
In an instant, her previously cold and ar rogant demeanor melted
away. She eagerly rushed toward him.
To everyone’s surprise and disbelief, she threw herself into Dustin’s
arm. She did it so strongly that Dustin took a few steps back.
“Logan, I finally found you!” Scarlet’s eyes were reddish as she
clung tightly to Dustin. She was afraid that he might disappear in the
next second.
Ten years. She had been looking for him for ten years and had never
thought of giving up. Today, by some stroke of luck, she finally met the
person she had been yearning for all this time.
“Long time no see, kid.” Dustin reached out and ruffled her hair. His
expression was filled with gentle affection.
“What?” Cornelius and the rest of the group stood, utterly frozen, as
they took in their close interaction.
Who on earth was this guy to make Azkaban’s formidable warden bow
down to him? He was also able to hold the esteemed Scarlet Warrier in a
tight hug?

Chapter 758
Their intimate behavior shocked everyone present.
It wasn’t just the recently released prisoners who were taken aback.
Even two of Scarlet’s deputy generals, Georgia and Bridget, were left
dumbfounded.
The Goddess of War they knew was decisive and ruthless. No matter who
she was fa ced with, she always wore a cold and aloof expression. She was
terrifying when angry. No one was able to stand in her way.
Usually, any man who dared to touch her would risk losing a few
limbs. But, even though she was being patted on the head in public right
now, she wasn’t furious. Instead, she was smiling in genuine joy.
If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they would have never
believed their general had a tender and gentle side to her. Was she still
the fearsome and unapproachable Goddess of war they knew?
“Logan, have you been well these years?” Scarlet felt a multitude of
emotions as she took in the familiar face before her.
They hadn’t seen each other in ten years. The once magnificent and
peerless kirin has had his edges smoothed away.
He had lost his youthful arrogance, sharp gaze, and distinctive
temperament. He now appeared profound and mature.
But no matter how he changed, he would always be the same old Logan
to her. The most important person in her heart.
“I’m doing great. I now live a relaxed life without burden nor
politics.” Dustin replied with a smile,
After ten years, the cry baby who once followed him everywhere had
grown into a graceful and elegant woman. She had even become
Dragonmarsh’s Goddess of War. A person everyone looked up to.
“Logan, why have you never contacted me? Even Adam knows about your
whereabouts, but not me. You’re too much!” Scarlet’s gaze betrayed a hint
of resentment.
“That can’t be. I asked Adam to contact you a while back. Hasn’t he
said anything?”
When Dustin feigned surprise, Scarlet’s expression darkened. Her brow
furrowed deeply. An icy, murderous gaze flickered in her eyes.
Even the three-foot viridescent sword she carried behind her back
seemed to vibrate. It sent a cold chill down the spines of those around
them.
“That da mned Adam! How dare he get in the way. When I return to
Oakvale, I will definitely break three of his limbs!” Scarlet’s
expression was filled with fiery vengeance.
“He’s still your brother. Don’t go too harsh on him. Two limbs should
be enough.” Dustin grinned, playfully enjoying the situation.
“Alright!” Scarlet nodded seriously. Sparing one limb for him to keep
the next generation going
was already a kind act from her.
“Where are you living now, kid?” Dustin suddenly thought of
something. He quickly changed the subject.
“I’m staying at Fallonge estate. Why?” Scarlet was surprised.
“Head back with your people first. I have something to deal with.
I’ll see you tomorrow after I’m done,” Dustin said.
“Logan, you won’t suddenly disappear again, will you?” Scarlet was
reluctant to leave.
Ten years ago, he disappeared mysteriously and had been missing ever
since. That incident had left her traumatized.
“Of course not,” Dustin replied with a smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll make
sure to visit you tomorrow.”
“Okay then, I’ll head back first. Don’t forget your promise.” Scarlet
waved. She took a few steps away before turning back to look at Dustin.
She repeated this a couple of times before finally leaving.
As Dustin watched her ride away, the smile on his face slowly faded.
“Mr. Roswell, may I know who used Azkaban’s authority to send me
inside?” Dustin suddenly asked.
Caius trembled from the shock. He shook his head repeatedly. “Sir
Rhys, this has nothing to do with me. I swear, I don’t know anything
about it!”

Chapter 759
“There’s no need to be nervous. I know it has nothing to do with you,
but your men have a hand in it” Dustin emphasized.
“I understand. I’ll investigate it immediately. Please hold on!”
Caius took action right away.
Soon after, he dragged the well-dressed, portly man before Dustin.
The man was covered in bruises
“Sir Rhys, he’s behind this incident. You can ki ll him or torture
him in any way you wish. If you don’t wish to get your hands di rty, I’ll
do it for you.
“Sir Rhys, don’t kil l me. It has nothing to do with me. Someone
offered me money to detain you. Please spare my life!” The portly man
panicked. He knelt on the floor, bowing down repeatedly. He bowed so hard
that his head began to bleed from the impact.
“Who gave you the order?” Dustin questioned.
“The Killians… It was Gavin Killian!” the portly man confessed
hastily.
“It really was him.” Dustin narrowed his eyes. His suspicions had
been confirmed.
“Mr. Roswell, please arrange a ride for me,” Dustin requested.
“No problem. Where would you like to go, Sir Rhys?” Caius asked with
his head lowered.
“Viridian Hotel,” Dustin said.
“Right away!” Caius waved his hand as a signal, and a military jeep
arrived immediately.
“By the way, Mr. Adler,” Dustin suddenly looked back at the skinny
old man. “If you have nowhere to go, seek out Nelson Horst from the Kirin
Gang. He’ll take care of your needs.”
“Thank you, Sir Rhys!” Everyone bowed deeply upon hearing Dustin’s
words, expressing their respect for him.
Dustin nodded in acknowledgment. Without another word, he swiftly
left in the car. Since Gavin had made a move against him, he naturally
had to respond in kind.
Night fell quickly. A group of high-ranking officials was gathered
inside the banquet hall of Viridian Hotel. They were immersed in the
pleasures of drinking and conversation.
On the second floor, Gavin leaned against the railing with a wine
glass in hand. He gazed down upon the guests passing by with an air of
superiority.
A handsome and dignified man stood beside him. It was none other than
Tyler Grant.
“Tyler, I’ve taken care of the task you entrusted to me. That Dustin
brat won’t be seeing the light of day ever again,” Gavin said with a sly
smile.
“Thanks, Gavin.” Tyler nodded slightly and raised his glass, clinking
it with Gavin’s. Having similar backgrounds and being of the same age,
the two were considered colleagues. They developed a strong friendship
over time.
“Tyler, dealing with that brat should have been a piece of cake,
given your influence. Why bother going through so much trouble?” Gavin
was perplexed.
“I could easily ki ll him if I wanted to. But that would be boring.
Let’s keep him alive for a while and have some fun.” Tyler brought his
glass to his lips and took a sip.
Although Dustin seemed insignificant, he could play a crucial role
when needed. For example, he had a hold on Natasha.
“Forget about it. He’s not worth mentioning.” Gavin waved his hand
dismissively and continued with a smirk, “Oh, by the way, I came across a
remarkably beautiful lady recently. Once I get my hands on her, do you
want in on the fun?”
“Oh? What kind of woman has caught your attention?” Tyler expressed
his surprise.
“She’s from the Glenstead Nicholsons’. I guess you could consider her
a young lady from a wealthy background.
As Gavin spoke, his eyes suddenly shifted toward the entrance. “There
she is,” he said as a wicked smile played on his lips.

Dahlia was seen walking into the banquet hall slowly, dressed in a
black evening gown. She stood out among the crowd, looking beautiful with
her tall stature and poise.
The moment she entered, she captured the attention of most people.
There were looks of astonishment, delight, envy, and admiration. Some
looks were even filled with desire.
“Dahlia, I shouldn’t have come with you. I put so much time and
effort into my look, but everyone’s attention is on you. It’s like I
don’t exist.” Julie looked upset. She expressed her frustration in a
hushed tone.
Hoping to catch the attention of prominent officials at the party,
she meticulously planned her makeover.
She also spent a fortune on her outfit. Her gown cost a hundred
thousand dollars, while her jewelry was worth millions. Yet, she had
become Dahlia’s accessory as she stood beside her, going unnoticed.
Julie wasn’t u gly, but Dahlia was just too pretty. Dahlia
overshadowed all women. It seemed like only Natasha could rival her in
the whole of Millsburg.
“Ms. Nicholson, you’re here.” Suddenly, the crowd dispersed. And
Gavin, dressed in a wh ite dapper suit, walked up to her with a smile.
“Mr. Killian.” Dahlia nodded slightly.
“Ms. Nicholson, your beauty is incomparable today,” Gavin flattered.
“Thank you, Mr. Killian.” Dahlia smiled politely.
“What about me, Mr. Killian? Aren’t I beautiful too?” Julie suddenly
asked, showing off her figure.
“Of course you are. Both of you are.” Gavin smiled as he nodded.
Julie chuckled in response, acting shy. “Thank you, Mr. Killian.”
While they continued their conversation, a prideful man and a
flirtatious woman walked through the doors. It was Julian Nicholson and
his date.
“Hey, Mr. Killian!” When Julian saw Gavin, he led his date toward
him.
He was about to give Gavin a compliment when he noticed Dahlia and
swallowed his words. He had thought of sending a girl to Gavin for his
pleasure, but it seemed like it was not the right time.
“Why are you here?” Julie asked, looking slightly upset.
“I’m here to attend Mr. Killian’s party, of course.” He then turned
his attention to Dahlia and said, Oh, right, I forgot to mention. I saw
Dustin caught by law enforcers today at the hospital’s entrance.”
“Caught?” Dahlia frowned. “What happened?”
“I heard he was charged with murder. He’s been sent to Azkaban,”
Julian said with a smile.
“Azkaban? That can’t be!” Dahlia’s expression shifted upon hearing
him. It was a well-known fact that Azkaban was no ordinary prison. It was
the scariest prison with the tightest security in the whole of Balerno,
holding the most sinister criminals. Once someone was sent in, they could
never come out.
“You must have been mistaken. Why would Dustin be sent to Azkaban?”
Julie was perplexed.
“I saw it with my own eyes. How could I have been mistaken?” Julian
smiled ambiguously. “That brat has done so much wrong and has no respect
for anyone. He finally got what he deserved.” “Could it be related to
Hank’s death?”

Chapter 761
Dahlia frowned deeply, her face full of worry.
“That won’t do. I need to save him!”
She turned around as if ready to leave the party immediately.
“Dahlia!” Julie grabbed her arm and tried to reason with her, “Just
how are you going to help? Azkaban has the tightest security there is. No
one is able to leave after getting in. If you try anything recklessly,
you might get into trouble yourself!”
“What should I do then? I can’t just let him face those charges.”
Dahlia was anxious. She was aware that Azkaban was a dangerous place. The
longer someone stayed there, the more they would suffer.
“Don’t worry just yet. Isn’t Mr. Killian here?” Julie turned her
attention toward Gavin and said, “Mr. Killian has wide connections and is
a prominent figure. It should be easy for him to get someone released
from Azkaban.”
“Mr. Killian?” Dahlia’s gaze landed on Gavin, full of hope.
“Azkaban is considered a no man’s land. Even the military doesn’t
have a say in that area.” Gavin rubbed his chin, looking troubled.
“Mr. Killian, I’ll do anything as long as you can help!” Dahlia said
seriously.
“Since you put it that way, I suppose I should try something,” Gavin
replied, putting on a hesitating front.
He then nodded. “Alright, I’ll give it a shot, but I can’t promise
he’ll be released. You know very well that Azkaban is no ordinary prison.
Getting someone out is immensely challenging.”
“I’ll be forever thankful for your help, regardless of the outcome!”
Dahlia was extremely grateful.
“No need to thank me. Just consider it a favor among friends.” Gavin
smiled and called for one of his men. He whispered something into the
man’s ear, and after a brief acknowledgement, the man. swiftly departed.
“My men will talk to the warden. Even if he’s not released, your
friend will likely face less suffering with me backing him.” Gavin
appeared confident. Even though he knew he couldn’t save
Dustin, he wanted to gain some leverage to ask for a favor.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Killian!” Dahlia thanked him. She was very
grateful.
“Don’t mention it.” Gavin quickly helped her up and smiled. “Ms.
Nicholson, this song is beautiful. May I have the pleasure of this dance
with you?”
“I… “Dahlia froze. She wasn’t in the mood for a dance when Dustin was
in danger. However, she found it hard to refuse when fac ed with his
extended arm.
Since she had just asked for a favor, she was left with no choice and
nodded reluctantly.
As the music swelled, more couples joined the dance floor. But all
eyes were on Dahlia and Gavin.
They looked like a pair perfectly matched, their presence charming.
Although many women in the room felt jealous, they had to admit that
Dahlia’s beauty perfectly complemented Gavin’s handsome features.
Just as the atmosphere was getting livelier, the door was kicked open
with a loud bang. Dustin. strode in formidably. Although he didn’t give
off a domineering air, the crowd naturally made way for him as he walked
past.
“Huh?” Dahlia looked over. Her joy was evident upon seeing Dustin.
She suddenly felt conscious and let go of Gavin’s hand, putting some
distance between them. Dustin noticed her guilty movements and furrowed
his brow.
Their gazes met. One radiated warmth, while the other emanated a cold
intensity.

Chapter 762
Julian was surprised when he saw Dustin walking through the doors.
“No way, they released him that early?”
Julian had thought Gavin was just joking. He didn’t expect him to
actually send someone to get
Dustin out.
The problem was Gavin had used his connections to send Dustin to
prison. And now Dustin was somehow released. It seemed like some kind of
joke.
Even if he wanted to impress the ladies, he didn’t have to make it
that complicated.
“That’s weird. How did he get out?” Gavin frowned slightly, equally
astonished. He knew very well that he never instructed his men to contact
Azkaban’s warden.
The timing didn’t add up, either. Dustin must have been released much
earlier. The most puzzling aspect was that Azkaban was notorious for
being a one-way journey.
How could someone so insignificant manage to escape? Did a powerful
figure help him out?
“Mr Killian, you’re incredible! You got Dustin released with just a
simple call.” Julie gave him a thumbs up, her expression filled with
respect. She realized she had underestimated his influence if he could
get someone released that easily from Azkaban.
Dahlia was overjoyed. “Thank you, Mr. Killian!”
“I-It’s nothing. It took no effort.” Gavin forced a smile. Even
though he was confused, he wasn’t about to contradict himself.
“Dustin, I heard you were sent to Azkaban. How are you? You aren’t
hurt, are you?” After thanking Gavin, Dahlia rushed up to Dustin.
“Seems like you got word.” Dustin looked stoic.
“I just found out too. Thankfully, Mr. Killian helped out and had you
released. Otherwise, you would still have been inside,” Dahlia said,
looking happy.
“Mr. Killian helped out?” Dustin laughed. Gavin was the one who sent
him inside, yet he had turned into his savior? It was absolutely
laughable.
“Dustin, hurry up and come with me. We need to go and thank Mr.
Killian.” Dahlia quickly walked up to Gavin. She pulled Dustin behind
her.
Dustin raised his head slightly, giving off an air of arrogance.
“Dustin, congratulations on your release. Feel free to eat your fill
here tonight. Take it as my congratulatory meal for you.” Gavin said with
a smirk.
“What are you doing still standing there?” Dahlia signaled Dustin,
trying to get him to
acknowledge Gavin’s efforts.
“Dustin, it wasn’t easy for Gavin to get you released. You’re so rude
for staying silent.” Julie was upset.
“That’s right. You would have died in there if it wasn’t for Mr.
Killian. You should at least show
some gratitude.” Julian gave him a look of disdain.
“You want me to show some gratitude? Sure…” Dustin nodded and raised
his hand. He delivered a sharp, resounding slap across Gavin’s face.
Gavin wasn’t the only person stunned. Dahlia, Julie, and Julian were
all stunned. Even the guests present were stunned.
Nobody expected Dustin to resort to violence. The incident happened
without provocation, and the sudden slap left everyone dumbfounded.
“Dustin! Have you gone mad? Why did you hit him?” It took Dahlia a
while to register shock. She intended for Dustin to thank Gavin, but who
would have thought he would slap Gavin instead? He was too much!
“F*ck! Is there something wrong with this guy? How dare he hit Mr.
Killian?” Julian widened his eyes in disbelief.

Chapter 763
Gavin Killian was the young master of the Killians from Oakvale. He
was also a military general who had an enormous influence in Millsburg.
Dustin could lose his life for raising a hand against such a prominent
figure.
“Dustin, you ungrateful brat! Mr. Killian should have just let you
rot in Azkaban!” Julie was furious at Dustin for repaying Gavin’s
kindness with enmity.
“How bold. Do you know the consequences of hitting me?” Gavin rubbed
his burning cheek as his expression grew dark. He had never been slapped
in public, ever.
“So what if I hit you? You imprisoned me. That was a well-deserved
slap,” Dustin spat out coldly. Dahlia frowned. “Nonsense. It was clearly
Mr. Killian who saved you!”
“He saved me? Hah!” Dustin scoffed. “He was the one who put me in
there. I wouldn’t have ended up inside if it wasn’t for his scheming.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.” Gavin narrowed his eyes.
“Do you not understand, or are you pretending not to?” Dustin
sneered. “Did you think your plan would succeed just by sending me to
Azkaban? Well, sorry to disappoint, but I’m out now. And I’m going to
make you pay for it.”
“Are you even worthy of that?” Gavin’s expression was frosty. “Out of
courtesy toward Ms. Nicholson, I won’t make a big deal out of this.
Apologize right now. And I might just let you go.
Dahlia was moved by his speech. It was rare for someone to be
benevolent after being slapped for
no reason.
“Dustin, stop it. Hurry up and apologize!” Dahlia said sternly.
“You want me to apologize to him for sending me to Azkaban? Dream
on,” Dustin said with a frosty tone.
“I don’t know where you heard those rumors. But I believe Mr. Killian
is not that type of person!” Dahlia was serious.
“He’s not that kind of person?” Dustin snorted. “You just met him. Do
you really know him? How would you know what he’s really thinking?”
“Stop being unreasonable!” Dahlia was getting upset. She saw how
Gavin had instructed his men to help with Dustin’s release from Azkaban.
However, instead of being grateful, Dustin bit the hand that fed him. He
was absolutely clueless!
“I’m being unreasonable?” Dustin’s expression grew colder by the
second. “Dahlia, I’m saying this again. Gavin was the one who sent me to
Azkaban. He’s a total hypocrite!”
“Nonsense!” Dahlia was simmering in anger as she yelled, “It’s fine
if you won’t be grateful. But why accuse him of something he’s not?”
Dustin’s brows furrowed slightly. “I’m accusing him? You think I’m
lying? You’d rather believe him and not me?”
They went through so much together. He couldn’t understand how their
three-year relationship

was reduced to nothing before an outsider.
“I only believe what I see!” Dahlia retorted.
“And what you see is the absolute truth?”
“Of course!”
“Fine, then answer me. What were you doing being so chummy with
Gavin?”
“We were just dancing.”
“Dancing? Hah! You only met him today, yet you’re already that close
to him? I guess you’ll be in his bed in a few more days of getting to
know him!” Dustin mocked.
“You-” Dahlia was exasperated. She only agreed to the dance because
Gavin agreed to save him. Why else would she subject herself to such a
situation?.
“Enough. I’m not going to argue with you. We’ll discuss this another
time. But today, I’m going to beat him up!” Dustin took two steps forward
before landing a forceful kick to Gavin’s stomach.
Gavin groaned as he crumpled to the ground.
“Stop it!” Dahlia’s expression shifted. She quickly stood in front of
Gavin. “Dustin! Are you crazy? Do you know what you just did?”
“Move!” Dustin pushed Dahlia away before aiming another kick at
Gavin.
“I told you to stop!” Dahlia turned anxious and slapped Dustin hard
on the face. It left him stunned in place.

Chapter 764
“What?” Dustin touched his burning cheek. He looked at Dahlia in
disbelief. He never imagined she would slap him in public for the sake of
someone she had just met. It felt like a stab to his heart.
“I …” Dahlia was at a loss for words as she looked at her hand.
Regret had filled her immediately after the act.
The situation was urgent, and she had acted on impulse. Gavin was a
powerful general in the army, and Dustin would have faced dire
consequences if he had hurt him.
“You actually hit me?” Dustin furrowed his brow. “You hit me for a
stranger?”
“Dustin, calm down. I did it for your own good,” Dahlia tried to
explain.
“Calm down?” Dustin’s lips formed into a wry smile. His
disappointment was evident in his eyes.
“Dahlia Nicholson, how am I supposed to calm down? I made myself very
clear. Gavin set me up and is playing the good guy in front of you. Can
you please open up your eyes and look clearly?” Dahlia’s frown deepened.
“Enough! Mr. Killian is a righteous person. He couldn’t possibly do such
a thing!”
Gavin saved her when she was ambushed this morning. He also gifted
her a precious Panax root when he found out Regulus was sick. He even
ordered his men to get Dustin released after he was sent to Azkaban.
With such a warm and caring nature, how could he possibly be a bad
person?
“So, you still don’t believe me.” Dustin chuckled. “It has always
been like this. You’ve never fully trusted me. I thought you changed, but
I realize now that I was too naive.”
“Dustin, we’ll discuss this when we get back. But don’t do anything
foolish today!” Dahlia’s expression was solemn.
“We aren’t going back.” Dustin shook his head, and his gaze grew
frosty. “Dahlia, I don’t think we are meant for each other. You’ve
climbed up the social ladder anyway, and you don’t need to bother with
someone like me anymore. Let’s part ways amicably. I wish you happiness.”
With that, he turned around and left. His heart had been torn apart
too many times now.
Gavin’s lips curled up into an amusing smile. He didn’t retaliate
earlier just to watch the unfolding drama. It was far more entertaining
than getting into a fight with Dustin.
“Dustin, let me explain… ” Dahlia panicked after she returned to her
senses. She was about to go after him when Julie held her back.
“Dahlia, why bother with him? He’s clearly an ungrateful brat. He
even resorted to violence. We shouldn’t indulge him!”
“But…” Dahlia hesitated, feeling distressed and confused. She was at
a loss for a moment.
She never expected things to escalate to this point. Dustin’s gaze as
he left sent a chill down her spine. It was as if the distance between
them was growing wider.

“Stop right there! Do you think you can just walk away after hitting
someone?” Just before Dustin stepped out the door, a few security guards
blocked his way. They glared at him fiercely.
Naturally, they couldn’t ignore the situation after they witnessed
Gavin being attacked.
“Get lost,” Dustin spat out.
“How dare you!”
“Take him down!” The security guards got angry and brandished their
batons, ready to strike. “I said, get lost!” Dustin raised a palm and
delivered a series of slaps, sending the security personnel sprawling on
the ground. They bled from their mouths and noses, unable to get up.
“Just look at that, Dahlia! This guy is a violent maniac, resorting to
violence without a second thought. He’s gone too far!” Julie added fuel
to the fire.
“Hmph! He’s nothing but a mad dog that bites anyone he sees.” Julian
sneered.
Dahlia furrowed her brows deeply, her heart in turmoil.
“You insolent bastard!”
“Arrest him!”

Chapter 765
At that moment, a group of heavily armed soldiers stormed into the
hall. They carried loaded guns and exuded a menacing posture.
They had Dustin surrounded as soon as they entered, pointing their
barrels directly at him. Ready to shoot on command.
“Mr. Killian, don’t hurt him!” Dahlia cried out.
“Since Ms. Nicholson has spoken, naturally, I’d have to give in.”
Gavin smiled as he wiped the blood off the corners of his lips. He waved
dismissively. “Back off, let him go.
“Yes, sir!” The soldiers answered and dispersed into two teams. Their
movements were organized, and they were clearly well-trained.
Dustin turned around and glanced coldly at them before walking
straight out the door. When he left the hotel, a light drizzle started to
fall. The cold wind brought a chill, mirroring his current emotions.
At that moment, a silver Bently screeched to a stop at the entrance.
Natasha got out of the car, her expression evident with joy.
“Dear, are you all right? I was so scared when I heard you were sent
to Azkaban. I contacted all my connections to get you out. I even asked
my grandpa for help. When he called the warden, he was told you were
already released.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were out already? You left me worried for
so long. How are you? Are you injured? Should we go to the hospital?” As
soon as they met, Natasha released a torrent of words filled with worry
and concern.
“I’m fine. I just went in for a walk.” Dustin forced a smile.
“That’s a relief…” Natasha smiled back. She was about to relax when
she noticed the
unmistakable red handprint on Dustin’s cheek.
“Who did this?” Natasha’s expression darkened instantly.
“Dustin-” Suddenly, Dahlia was seen rushing out after Dustin. She was
about to explain when she noticed Natasha beside him and swallowed back
her words.
“Why did you come out? Go back to Mr. Killian,” Dustin spat out
coldly.
“Dustin, can we sit down and talk?” Dahlia had a troubled expression.
“I don’t think there’s anything for us to talk about. I’ve already
said my piece. Since you don’t
believe me, then forget it.” Dustin said no more and got in the car.
“Dustin!” Dahlia instinctively tried to follow after him but was
stopped by Natasha.
She questioned her coldly, “Were you the one who gave him the red
mark?”
“The situation was complicated…” Dahlia tried to explain, but Natasha
cut her off coldly.
She yelled, “Cut the crap. Did you hit him or not?”
“Yes.” Dahlia nodded.

Without another word, Natasha slapped Dahlia hard on the cheek. Even
Dustin was taken aback as Dahlia staggered back from the force.
“Dahlia Nicholson! I’m warning you, this is the last time! You don’t
have to like him, but you can’t hurt him! You know deep down how well
he’s treated you all these years. Isn’t it enough? He just hasn’t ripped
his heart out for you.
“If you won’t cherish him, I will! If you won’t like him, I will!
From now on, Dustin is my man! I don’t care how stubborn you are
normally, but if you hit my man again, I won’t let you get away
with it!” Natasha had an imposing presence, and her words were
aggressive. She appeared like a domineering queen.

Chapter 766
Natasha was seething with rage. She knew how sincere Dustin’s
feelings were for Dahlia. It even made her envious.
But Dahlia not only took it for granted, she also resorted to
violence. How could she be so foolish? Natasha had reached her limit
today. Dahlia could raise her hand against anyone but her man. “Forget
it, Natasha. Let’s go. I have nothing else to say,” Dustin said
impassively.
“Hmph! Reflect on your actions!” Natasha sneered and got in the car
before speeding away.
“How did it come to this? How?” Dahlia muttered to herself as she
watched the tail lights disappear. She was lost and disoriented.
Although she acted impulsively earlier, she was just preventing
Dustin from making another big mistake. Why did nobody understand her?
What exactly did she do wrong?
“Dahlia, what are you doing out here? It’s cold. Let’s go back in.”
Julie had rushed out after her. She wrapped a coat around her to keep her
warm.
“Julie, do you think I was wrong?” Dahlia asked, still looking lost.
“Of course not! It’s all Dustin’s fault!” Julie said with righteous
indignation, “Gavin clearly saved him. He’s not only ungrateful, but he
even resorted to violence. He doesn’t have a heart!” “Dustin isn’t
usually like that. Why was he so different today?” Dahlia couldn’t
understand. “Why else? He was jealous, of course!” Julie explained
seriously, “Gavin comes from a wealthy family in Oakvale. He has power
and authority. Plus, he’s good-looking. Dustin clearly envies him and
feels hatred for him. Not to mention he saw you dancing with him. He must
have been furious. That’s why he hit him.”
Dahlia fell silent after hearing Julie’s explanation. She didn’t know
who to trust anymore. Her mind was a mess, and her heart felt empty. It
was as if she lost something precious.
Even though she hated to admit it, she had inadvertently pushed
Dustin toward Natasha. While she and Dustin grew more distant in the
process.
Meanwhile, in the car, Natasha couldn’t contain her curiosity any
longer. “What happened between you and Dahlia? Why did she hit you?”
“It’s almost comical to discuss.” Dustin chuckled and briefly
explained the situation to Natasha. As Natasha listened, her expression
turned cold. She cried out in fury, “She’s too much! How can she hit you
because of someone she just met? What a wench!”
She had always thought of Dahlia as a candid person. It turned out
that she was just foolish. How could she not see Dustin’s true character
after all this time? She’d rather believe a stranger than him.
To Natasha, Dahlia was the most foolish woman ever.
“Forget it. It’s all in the past now. Let’s not bring it up anymore.”
Dustin shook his head.
Their conflict started from Dahlia’s lack of trust and Gavin’s
scheming. Gavin portrayed himself as the hero, saving the damsel in
distress. He offered his timely help and appeared righteous. It made his
act quite convincing.
But if Dahlia had fully trusted Dustin, this situation wouldn’t have
happened either. In the end, a rift still existed between them.
“Does it still hurt?” Natasha asked tenderly.
Chapter 766
Natasha was seething with rage. She knew how sincere Dustin’s
feelings were for Dahlia. It even made her envious.
But Dahlia not only took it for granted, she also resorted to
violence. How could she be so foolish? Natasha had reached her limit
today. Dahlia could raise her hand against anyone but her man. “Forget
it, Natasha. Let’s go. I have nothing else to say,” Dustin said
impassively.
“Hmph! Reflect on your actions!” Natasha sneered and got in the car
before speeding away.
“How did it come to this? How?” Dahlia muttered to herself as she
watched the tail lights disappear. She was lost and disoriented.
Although she acted impulsively earlier, she was just preventing
Dustin from making another big mistake. Why did nobody understand her?
What exactly did she do wrong?
“Dahlia, what are you doing out here? It’s cold. Let’s go back in.”
Julie had rushed out after her. She wrapped a coat around her to keep her
warm.
“Julie, do you think I was wrong?” Dahlia asked, still looking lost.
“Of course not! It’s all Dustin’s fault!” Julie said with righteous
indignation, “Gavin clearly saved him. He’s not only ungrateful, but he
even resorted to violence. He doesn’t have a heart!” “Dustin isn’t
usually like that. Why was he so different today?” Dahlia couldn’t
understand. “Why else? He was jealous, of course!” Julie explained
seriously, “Gavin comes from a wealthy family in Oakvale. He has power
and authority. Plus, he’s good-looking. Dustin clearly envies him and
feels hatred for him. Not to mention he saw you dancing with him. He must
have been furious. That’s why he hit him.”
Dahlia fell silent after hearing Julie’s explanation. She didn’t know
who to trust anymore. Her mind was a mess, and her heart felt empty. It
was as if she lost something precious.
Even though she hated to admit it, she had inadvertently pushed
Dustin toward Natasha. While she and Dustin grew more distant in the
process.
Meanwhile, in the car, Natasha couldn’t contain her curiosity any
longer. “What happened between you and Dahlia? Why did she hit you?”
“It’s almost comical to discuss.” Dustin chuckled and briefly
explained the situation to Natasha. As Natasha listened, her expression
turned cold. She cried out in fury, “She’s too much! How can she hit you
because of someone she just met? What a wench!”
She had always thought of Dahlia as a candid person. It turned out
that she was just foolish. How could she not see Dustin’s true character
after all this time? She’d rather believe a stranger than him.
To Natasha, Dahlia was the most foolish woman ever.
“Forget it. It’s all in the past now. Let’s not bring it up anymore.”
Dustin shook his head.
Their conflict started from Dahlia’s lack of trust and Gavin’s
scheming. Gavin portrayed himself as the hero, saving the damsel in
distress. He offered his timely help and appeared righteous. It made his
act quite convincing.
But if Dahlia had fully trusted Dustin, this situation wouldn’t have
happened either. In the end, a rift still existed between them.
“Does it still hurt?” Natasha asked tenderly.

Chapter 767
The red handprint on Dustin’s cheek hadn’t faded away.

Dustin smiled as he replied, “No.“.

“Your cheek might not be hurting,‘ but your heart is hurting, right?” Nat
asha raised an eyebrow.” Since it’s come to this, you should just let her
go. Why torture
yourself like that? I’ll take care of you instead. Wouldn’t that be great
?”

“I’m a grown man. I can’t just rely on a woman for a living, don’t you th
ink?” Dustin scratched his head.
“So what if
you rely on a woman for a living? That takes skill too!” Natasha extended
a slender finger and raised Dustin’s chin.

She smirked and teased, “Besides, with your looks, it’d be a waste not to
rely on a woman. You’re just my type. Why don’t you clean yourself
up tonight and warm up my bed?
The corners of Dustin’s lips twitched Why did
it feel like a pervert was flirting with him?
“How about it? Have you made up your mind? Are we going to your
place or mine?” Natasha smiled at him seductively. Dustin wanted so badly
to taste her rosy lips.
“Are you for real?” Dustin’s expression betrayed his surprise.

“Did you think I was joking? Do you dare take me up on it?” Natasha maint
ained her
enchanting/ smile and lifted the corner of her dress slightly, revealing
her black pantyhose covering her thigh. “Look, I’m all ready. As soon as
you agree, I promise to make you feel special tonight.”

Dustin swallowed nervously. Natasha possessed a gorgeous face and a seduc
tive
figure. Her slim waist, curvaceous hips, slender legs, and the tantalizin
g black pantyhose made her simply irresistible. Her every smile and gestu
re drew Dustin in, making her the epitome of an enchantress.
Who could resist such temptation?
“Of course! I-” Dustin
gritted his teeth and was about to agree when Natasha
rolled her eyes at him and preempted.
“Forget it. Since you won’t agree to it, I won’t force you.”
“I didn’t say no!” Dustin felt distressed.

“Your chance flew by. It’s too late.” Natasha shook her head in regret.
“Huh?” Dustin froze. He had already pulled his
pants down. Seeing Natasha’s mischievous smile brought him back to his se
nses. He realized this vixen had been toying with him this whole time. He
was already burning with desire. How was he
supposed to quell the flames from the sudden rejection?
“You vixen, you played me on purpose. Just see what I’ll do
to you!” Dustin’s expression turned stern as he tickled Natasha around he
r waist and underarms.

Natasha giggled, her body twisting in all directions “Stop it, I’m drivin
g!”
“I don’t care. I’m going
to teach you a lesson today!” Dustin ignored her pleas and continued with
great vigor. He was determined to make her pay for teasing him.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong. Stop tickling me. I surrender.” Natasha giggled.
“Please let me off the hook. I won’t do it again. Not there. I’m sensiti
ve there. Stop it!”

Amidst their laughter, banter, pleas, and cries, the Bentley drove furthe
r away. The car sped up and slowed down erratically, resembling a drunk d
river, and the surrounding cars avoided them like the plague.

Chapter 768

The next morning at Fallonge estate, Scarlet was dressed in a s*xy silver
one–
piece dress. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she felt uncomfortab
le.

Normally, she would be seen in her
martial arts outfit, general’s outfit, or casual clothes. It was her firs
t time wearing such a tight–fitting dress.

“Madam Scarlet, you look beautiful today. Just look at that beautiful fac
e and figure. Who wouldn’t fall for you?” Georgia stood beside Scarlet, h
er eyes filled with awe.
She had
always been aware of Scarlet’s beauty, but seeing her dressed up made
her look even more stunning! Coupled with Scarlet’s heroic spirit, she lo
oked beautiful and brave, appealing to both men and women alike.

“Are you sure this looks good on me? It doesn’t seem quite right.” Scarle
t pursed her lips.
Georgia nodded solemnly. “Of course, it looks good! A tight–
fitting, one–
piece dress is supposed to look elegant. They show off your figure. It’s
a style beautiful women like. Just look at your slim waist, curvaceous hi
ps, and slender legs. You’re absolutely stunning!”

“Really?” Scarlet made a few moves, punching and kicking the air. She fel
t restricted. “This doesn’t feel right. It’s too tight. How am I supposed
to fight in this? I can’t even raise a kick. It’s so uncomfortable.”

“Madam, this is a dress, not your uniform. Why would you fight in it?” Ge
orgia said helplessly.
After spending so much time on the front
lines, Scarlet had stopped thinking like an ordinary woman. While women w
ore beautiful clothes to showcase their beauty, Scarlet thought about the
practicality of her attire on the battlefield instead.

“I should change into something else. It looks awkward.” Scarlet frowned,
disliking her dress more by the second.

“Madam, this outfit is perfect for the occasion. I promise Sir Rhys will
love it!” Georgia swore by her words.

“Really?” Scarlet looked at herself in the mirror again. She felt doubtfu
l.

“Really! As soon as he arrives, he’ll be charmed by your beauty!” Georgia
felt confident.
“Alright then. I’ll
trust you with this once.” Scarlet nodded. Although she felt uncomfortabl
e, as long as Dustin liked it, it didn’t matter.

“Madam, the dress is beautiful. But you’d need to work on your posture to
appear more charming,” Georgia added.
“How do I do that?” Scarlet asked curiously.
“Follow my lead. Sway your hips like this to make yourself look more
alluring and feminine,” Georgia demonstrated as she spoke.

Attempting to sway her hips, Scarlet felt awkward and eventually gave up.
“Nope, I can’t do it.”

“Madam, it’s simple. You’ll get the hang of it after a few more tries. Me
n like it,” Georgia encouraged her.

Scarlet took a deep breath and endured the discomfort. She practiced a fe
w more times

“Madam” Bridget suddenly walked in and reported, “Sir Rhys has arrived. H
e’s at the door.”
“Hurry Invite him in!” Scarlet took a final glance
in the mirror and rushed out.

“Madam, remember to pay attention to your posture and sway your hips,” Ge
orgia said.

Scarlet immediately adjusted her steps. She walked in small, quick stride
s. She swayed her hips, but her movements looked awkward and forced.

The gates to the estate opened, and Dustin walked in with Bridget leading
the way. He was
dressed casually.

“Logan!” Scarlet’s expression brightened with joy. But she tried to maint
ain her practiced posture. “Kid, what are you doing?” Dustin took in Scar
let’s awkward movements in confusion.

Chapter 769
“What, do I not look good?” Scarlet
looked down at her outfit, looking slightly distressed.

“Not really, it just seems awkward. I prefer the way
you usually dress,” Dustin replied bluntly.

Scarlet was a fearless female general, and her heroic spirit was her
most attractive aspect. She looked beautiful and brave in her general out
fit, exuding irresistible charm.
She looked just as gorgeous in a dress. However, it didn’t suit her.
“Huh?” Scarlet’s questioning gaze landed on Georgia upon hearing him.

“I’m going to get some drinks!” Georgia was scared. She escaped as soon a
s she could.
“Logan,
can you wait a while? I’m going to change.” Scarlet rushed back to her ro
om without another thought.

Soon after, she came out dressed in a red martial arts outfit. Dustin’s e
yes lit up immediately.

“Not bad, this outfit looks so much better.” He nodded in satisfaction.

Scarlet smiled sweetly, feeling warm inside. As expected, Dustin liked he
r true self better.

“Kid, I heard the situation up north is unstable. Won’t coming all the wa
y here affect the situation there?” Dustin suddenly asked,

Scarlet was the Goddess of War. She protected the northern gates. Thus, h
er presence was immensely important.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. They’re like a bunch of ants. Giving
them a few days‘ advantage won’t
make much of a difference.” Scarlet was unconcerned.
“I’m just worried. There
might be rebels within Dragonmarsh who are unhappy with you,” Dustin
warned.
Scarlet was
in charge of 300 thousand military personnel under the Dark Panther Calva
ry. They were a powerful force capable of turning the tides
of the battlefield.

Under normal circumstances, someone would always try to act individually
without a leader.

“Don’t worry, Logan. Nobody dares dictate my actions. I will also destroy
anyone who dares to betray me,” Scarlet replied impassively.

She had earned her position as the leader of the Dark Panther Calvary and
Dragonmarsh’s Goddess of War based on her pure talent and skills. It was
n’t because of her family background at all.

She also earned her military merit through countless battles. A trail of
bloodshed followed her on the battlefield. It was built upon the
number of bodies she had slain.
Anyone who wasn’t happy with her would be killed mercilessly.
“It’s been ten years. Seems like you can take everything head–
on now. You won’t need my protection anymore.” Dustin smiled in relief.
“Logan, I’ll protect you from now on.”

She added seriously, “I’ll beat up anyone who bullies you. I’ll also beat
up anyone you want to bully.

Dustin chuckled. This kid hadn’t changed one bit.

She was stubborn and unyielding yet fiercely protective of the people aro
und her. Adam was the only exception to that rule.

“Alright, let’s not talk about that anymore. I’ll take you around town si
nce you finally have time to rest.” Dustin changed the subject.
He added, “Buy anything you like. Don’t be shy.”
“Yay! Thanks, Logan!” Scarlet jumped for joy like a little girl.
Her
reaction left her deputy generals dumbfounded. Who would have imagined th
at the strict and fearless Scarlet had that side to her?

“Kid, I don’t go by Logan anymore. Next time in public, call me Dustin,”
he reminded her.
“Okay, Dustin,”
Scarlet adjusted immediately. What she cared about wasn’t his name but th
e person behind the name.
He used to protect her from
the world and helped her through hardships, even if it meant risking his
life.
He protected her in the past. Now, it was her turn to protect him.

Chapter 770
Dustin, Scarlet, and her two deputy generals left Fallonge
estate. They walked around the popular tourist spots in Millsburg, taking
photos. They also bought souvenirs.

Afterward, they went to Food Street downtown. They tried all the local fo
od.

They ended their day watching a movie called “Wandering Planet” at the th
eater. When they came
out, it was dark.
“Dustin, where are we going next?” Scarlet was still full of
energy. This was the happiest and most relaxed she had been in ten years.

“Madam Scarlet, we’ve been out all day. Why don’t we return home now?” Br
idget suggested.

She and Georgia had been on high alert since morning. They were protectin
g Scarlet from any potential ambush.
As Dragonmarsh’s Goddess of War, Scarlet
was highly respected. However, she was also a thorn in the eyes of many o
ther countries.

Every year, she faced countless assassination attempts. It was especially
dangerous in crowded places like this.

They had to guard Scarlet against all kinds of threats, including snipers
, suicide bombers, and the
like,

“It’s still early. Why the rush?” Evidently, Scarlet still hadn’t had eno
ugh.

“That’s right! It’s not every day you get some free time. You should enjo
y yourself,” Georgia
chimed in.

She’d never seen Scarlet this happy. Her smile today was worth ten years
combined.

In the past, Scarlet was always cold and distant. It was as if she were a
divine being, watching over everyone from above.

She was finally a regular person today, enjoying herself happily. This wa
s how life should be in
her twenties.

Other women enjoyed their time with their parents and boyfriends. But Sca
rlet carried a heavy responsibility. She could only
fight on the battlefield.

Every day, she saw blood and corpses. She heard only gunfire and cries of
pain.

Behind her glamorous appearance, she endured pain and torment. It could o
nly be understood by those who had experienced them.

The people of Dragonmarsh could live in peace because of those fighting o
n the front lines.

“Why don’t we get something to eat? I know a place that serves amazing lo
cal food. Let’s try it out,” Dustin suggested with a smile.
“Okay, anything you say.” Scarlet nodded.
Bridget felt helpless. But she could only give in.

20 minutes later, their car stopped at a restaurant called Full Moon.

Dustin and the group sat near the window. They ordered some local food,
Full Moon had a great atmosphere. It was considered a high–
end retro restaurant.

It was one of the businesses owned by Kirin Gang. After merging the four
biggest dark gangs, the Kirin Gang’s influence spread throughout Millsbur
g

They couldn’t quite rival the Tremendous Three. Yet, they were on par wit
h the Fabulous Five.
Dustin and the rest were enjoying their meal.

Suddenly, an unpleasant voice rang out. “Hey, who is that lady over there
? She’s gorgeous.”

They turned to see a skinny man‘ approaching them. He was smiling happily
. Behind him were several burly men wearing martial arts attire.
The man seemed frail and unsteady. He appeared somewhat intoxicated.

The burly men, however, were different. They were clearly powerful low–
level martial artists,

“Stop right there!” Bridget suddenly stood up. She blocked the man’s path
.

She said firmly, “Madam Scarlet is having her meal. No one is allowed to
approach her!”

“Don’t be nervous. I’m not a bad person. I just want to be friends with t
his beautiful lady.”

The man smiled. He sized Scarlet up as he shamelessly revealed his desire
s.

Ranked third on the Beauty Ranking, Scarlet’s appearance and temperament
were enough to make anyone feel inferior.

Chapter 771
She was simply irresistible to some perverts.

Bridget yelled, “You’re not worthy of being friends with Madam Scarlet, G
et lost!”

“Hey, are you looking down on me?”
Bridget had made the man upset.

“Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is? I’m Daniel Grint, so
n of Zen Order’s guildmaster!”

The expressions of the people in the restaurant changed after he said tha
t.
“The Zen Order? Isn’t that one of the
eight major sects in Glenstead?”

“I heard they have thousands of disciples, and they have a huge influence
. As a leader in the martial arts world, not many dare provoke them.”
“That’s weird. What’s the Zen Order doing in Balerno?”

“They must be here for the Knighthood Society tournament. It’s held in Ba
lerno this time, at Shinefield Lake. That’s not far from Millsburg. Many
martial artists are visiting for the same
reason.”

As they spoke, they inexplicably distanced themselves. They were afraid o
f being caught up in the commotion.

“I’ve never heard of any Zen Order. Now, get lost before I lose my cool!”
Bridget responded bluntly.
“You F*cking rude B*tch!” Daniel
was furious and made a move to punch her.
Bridget’s expression was frosty as she
grabbed onto his incoming fist. Then, she twisted it slightly.
With a crisp crack, his wrist broke.
“Ah!”

Daniel was stunned. Then, he screamed horribly. The pain left him writhin
g on the floor as his expression crumpled.
“How dare you harm Mr. Grint! Do you want to die?”
The group of martial artists
behind Daniel erupted in fury. They all attacked Bridget at the same
time.

Their attacks were laced with strong internal energy. It made them stand
out among low–level
martial artists.
“Hmph!” With a sneer, Bridget met their incoming attacks head–
on. She wasn’t scared.

Her moves were faster and more powerful. In only a few minutes, the low–
level martial artists had
been knocked to the ground.
To become Scarlet’s
deputy general, naturally, she had to have skills. Coming from a distingu
ished family, she was a genius trained from a young age.

ΟΙ
She wasn’t only talented in military affairs, but her
combat skills were also
well ahead of he peers. She had reached divinity at a young age, so fight
ing against low–level martial artists was
easy.
“Y–
You… How dare you harm us? You’re dead meat! I’m going to make you pay!”
Daniel gritted his teeth and prepared to make his escape.

At that moment, a table knife shot out with a sharp whistle. It pierced D
aniel’s knee.
“Ah!”

With an anguished shriek, Daniel fell to the floor. He held his knee and
moaned in pain.

“Did you think I’d let you escape that easily?” Georgia stood up slowly.

She was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Instead, they were filled
with a slight murderous
intent.
On
the battlefield, being kind to the enemy was no different than being crue
l to themselves. That was why it wasn’t in her nature to leave anyone ali
ve.
“W–
What are you trying to do?” Daniel’s tone betrayed his fear. He dragged h
imself backward on the floor.

“Why don’t you guess?” Georgia picked up another table knife. She spun it
around her fingers.

“I’m warning you not to try anything! I’m the guildmaster’s son! If you d
are harm me, I—
” Before Daniel could finish his empty threat, Georgia had aimed the tabl
e knife at his other knee.

Chapter 772
“Ah!”
Daniel let out another terrifying scream.
Both of his legs were now broken. His expression twisted in agony.
He just wanted a woman to sleep with. He didn’t expect to meet a
bunch of lunatics instead.
They showed zero respect for the Zen Order, daring to harm others
without hesitation or warning.
“Shit! Who are these people? How dare they harm disciples from the
Zen Order?”
“She’s pretty, but her methods are absolutely ruthless.”
The onlookers were stunned as they watched Daniel squirmed in pain.
“That’s enough. You’re disturbing our meal. Just drag him out.”
Scarlet waved dismissively,
Even as Scarlet gestured for Georgia and Bridget to drag Daniel out,
she never looked up throughout the entire situation.
Insignificant gangsters like them were not worth her time.
“Madam Scarlet is in a good mood today, so I’ll let you go. Reflect
on your actions when you get back,” Georgia said.
She then kicked Daniel stomach, sending him flying. He landed heavily
by the door.
“Who dares harm my junior?”
At that moment, a group of disciples from the Zen Order walked in
fiercely.
A tall man dressed in white led the group. He had a sharp gaze and
looked intimidating, walking in large strides.
“Joel, you’re finally here!” Daniel looked like he saw his savior and
sobbed, “Catch them! They hurt me!”
“Huh?” Joel’s expression darkened when he saw Daniel’s bleeding
knees. His cold gaze swept toward Georgia and Bridget.
“Did you do this?” he asked.
Georgia replied calmly, “So what if we did? He’s a pervert who
harassed Madam Scarlet. We were nice enough to let him leave alive.”
Bridget, on the other hand, only told him to get lost.
“How dare you be so brazen after you hurt our men? You need to be
taught a lesson!”
Joel was furious. Without another word, he shot toward Georgia like a
ghostly shadow.
“Huh?” Georgia’s pupils constricted. She immediately raised her arm
in preparation of the attack.
Joel’s attacks were quick and powerful. Each strike was laced with
strong internal energy. After a few rounds, Georgia was pushed back. She
was clearly struggling to keep up.
Chapter 772
“Let me help!” Bridget jumped in when she noticed the situation going
bad. They fought Joel together.
As the deputy generals of the Dark Panther Calvary, their martial
arts skills were exceptional among their peers. However, Joel was
evidently stronger.
He was able to hold his own even against the both of them. Each of
his strike was more powerful than the last.
Bridget and Georgia had a hard time defending themselves. They didn’t
expect Joel to be a strong fighter.
When their fists collided, Bridget and Georgia staggered a few steps
back. Their arms were numb as their internal energy surged chaotically.
On the other hand, Joel looked proud and energetic as ever.
“Good job, Joel! You sure showed them!” Daniel grinned devilishly. He
momentarily forgot about his pain.
Revenge was sweet.
“Hmph! Joel is ranked on the Heavenly Immortals. How dare you
challenge him? You think too highly of yourselves!”
“You women should just stay home and take care of children! Why
bother learning martial arts? It’s a waste!”
“That’s right! Those breasts and hips are perfect for giving birth
and feeding. Why don’t you come home with me and be my wife?”
“Hahaha …”
The disciples of the Zen Order laughed mockingly. They looked at the
two women with their perverted gazes.
“The audacity!”

Chapter 773
Georgia and Bridget were furious. They were about to launch another
attack when Scarlet raised a hand to stop them.
“You’re no match for him. Let me handle it.” Scarlet stood up slowly.
She swept a cold gaze across the room.
A chill was sent down the laughing crowd’s spine, and they turned
silent. For some reason, they felt like death was staring them in the
eye.
“Oh, I didn’t expect to see such a gorgeous woman here. I’m in luck.”
Joel’s eyes lit up in delight upon seeing Scarlet. His lips curled up
into a sly smile.
“It seems like you people look down on women.” Scarlet said
impassively, “I’ll give you a chance. If you can defend against three
moves of mine, I’ll let you go alive.”
“You’ll let us go alive?”
The group was momentarily stunned. Then, they howled in laughter.
“Hey, girl, I think you haven’t realized the situation yet. You’re at
our mercy, not the other way around!”
“You’re pretty but pretty dumb.”
“Hey, beautiful. If I manage to defend against three of your moves,
marry me, alright?” Joel smiled mockingly. He didn’t take her seriously.
“Alright.” Scarlet nodded. With a wave of her arm, a teacup on the
table zoomed toward Joel.
“That’s all?” Joel chuckled. He extended his palm toward the glass.
With a resounding bang, the teacup exploded. Tea splattered
everywhere.
However, the moment Joel’s palm touched the teacup, he was sent
flying thirty feet away. It was as if he’d been hit by a train.
He crashed into the wall with a loud thud and coughed out a mouthful
of blood.
“What?”
The unexpected scene stunned the other disciples. They couldn’t
believe their powerful senior had been sent flying by a mere teacup.
“How is that possible?” Daniel cried out in fear. He was frozen with
shock.
Joel was his father’s most beloved disciple, a senior of the Zen
Order, and a strong fighter ranked among the Heavenly Immortals!
How could one move make him cough blood? It was unbelievable!
“What trick did you use?” Joel asked, panting heavily. He looked
shocked.
He couldn’t accept the fact that a mere teacup defeated him. There
had to be something strange going on.
“Two more moves.” Scarlet remained impassive.
Her frosty gaze was terrifying. It was as if she was looking at a
corpse.
“Attack!” Joel shouted, sensing that the situation was turning
against him.
“Capture her!”
After a momentary daze, the disciples from the Zen Order attacked all
at once. They tried to overwhelm Scarlet with their numbers.
Scarlet moved among them like a ghostly red blur, inflicting pain and
groans wherever she went. In just a few minutes, the Zen Order disciples
were left squirming on the floor, moaning in pain. Daniel, who had been
hiding behind them, was rendered speechless. He stood there in shock.
“You men are nothing,” Scarlet said as she looked down on them
condescendingly.
“Stop right there!”
Suddenly, they heard a booming voice behind them. The moment Scarlet
turned around, her gaze turned murderous.
At some point, Joel had stood beside Dustin. He had three fingers
wrapped around Dustin’s throat, looking ready to kill.

Chapter 774
“Let him go, or die!”
Seeing Dustin held hostage made Scarlet see red. The temperature
seemed to drop a few degrees. Even the lights started flickering.
The Zen Order disciples who were on the ground shivered in fear.
Scarlet had only intended to teach them a lesson, but she was now
filled with murderous intent.
Dustin was her boundary, and anyone who dared to cross that line
would face her wrath, no matter where they might try to hide in the
world.
“I’m warning you! Don’t make any sudden movements, or I’ll kill him!”
Joel threatened.
He never expected Scarlet to be so strong. He knew he wasn’t a match
for her.
His only chance was to use the hostage in front of him to turn the
situation around.
“If you release him now, I won’t kill you. But if you lay a finger on
him, I’ll destroy your entire guild! “Scarlet threatened coldly.
“Cut the crap! We’re in control now!” Joel glared at her. “I order
you to step back!”
Scarlet took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger, before
taking a few steps back.
“More!” Joel demanded.
Scarlet didn’t want to risk it and continue stepping backward, her
eyes locked on Joel the entire time.
“Hmph! I admit that you are strong. But, so what? You still have to
follow my orders.” Joel smirked, looking triumphant.
“Joel, you’re the best!”
Daniel and the rest of the disciples were encouraged by the
situation. They finally saw hope to turn things around.
Everyone had their weaknesses. As long as they exploited those
weaknesses, what could their opponents do?
“Daniel, retreat. I’ll hold them back.” Joel signaled to Daniel.
“Hold on. I’ll get back up immediately!”
As soon as he said that, Daniel retreated with the rest of the group,
stumbling and staggering on their way out.
“You, get up and come with me!” Joel grabbed Dustin by his shoulder
and hid behind him. He kept a watchful eye on Scarlet in case of an
ambush.
“I’m not done with my meal. Can you wait a while?” Dustin said.
As he spoke, he took another bite of his food, chewing slowly.
Joel’s eyes twitched, feeling humiliated by Dustin’s actions.
“How can you still eat? You motherF*cker!” Joel simmered in anger,
and he kicked the table over.” Stand up this F*cking instant before I
kill you!”
“Didn’t your mom teach you not to waste food?” Dustin’s expression
grew cold as he looked at the wasted food.
“Cut the crap! Say one more word, and I’ll kill you with a strike of
my palm!” Joel cried out.
Was this guy mentally challenged? How could he be in the mood to eat
in this situation?
“I don’t believe you. Go ahead and try,” Dustin said calmly.
“You F*cking-” Joel gritted his teeth, almost losing his cool.
“Hey! Are you crazy? Why are you provoking him?” Georgia was shocked.
If Dustin died, Scarlet would definitely go crazy.
“Dustin, don’t be reckless!” Scarlet was anxious as well.
“Kid, don’t worry. This childish brat has nothing on me.” Dustin
smiled.
“Childish brat?” Joel’s anger flared. “I’m a high–level martial
artist ranked on the Heavenly Immortals!”
“So what? Weren’t you defeated by a flying teacup?” Dustin said,
insulting him.

Chapter 775
“Y–You… How dare you humiliate me?” Joel erupted in fury. “I might
not be stronger than her, but I’m surely stronger than you!”
He shouted, “I’m going to show you the Heavenly Immortals‘ terrifying
power! Die!”
Joel aimed his palm at Dustin’s back.
“No!”
The three women’s expressions shifted, but they couldn’t stop Joel in
time. They could only watch helplessly as the forceful strike hit
Dustin’s back.
A resounding explosion echoed through the room. However, Dustin
remained seated, completely unaffected.
Instead, Joel was sent flying backward like a rocket. He crashed
through the windows and plummeted from the second floor, landing right by
Daniel’s feet.
“Joel?” The group was shocked to see him fall and quickly helped him
to his feet.
Didn’t he say he was going to hold them off? Why did he end up
sprawled at their feet?
“Are you okay?” Daniel asked.
Joel spat out a mouthful of blood on Daniel’s face, as if mocking him
for even asking.
He then pointed a trembling finger at the window above, looking
horrified.
“Run! There’s a monster up there!” He fainted as soon as he said
that.
“A monster?” The group looked up at the second floor and met Dustin’s
demonic gaze. It sent chills down their spine.
“Run!” Daniel didn’t hesitate. He ordered Joel to be lifted into the
car before stepping on the accelerator.
Under Daniel’s urging, the car sped away, never slowing down.
Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a Victorian–style
mansion. It was enclosed by high walls made of sturdy bricks.
The mansion occupied a vast area and had four courtyards, giving off
an ancient vibe.
“Dad!”
“Mr. Grint!”
A group of people carried Joel inside the house in a rush. Their
actions were accompanied by loud cries, creating quite a scene.
“What happened?” A strong, middle–aged man who looked weary walked
out of the living room.
He was none other than Brutus Grint, the guildmaster of the Zen
Order.
“Dan, what happened to you?” Brutus frowned, noticing Daniel’s
injury.
“Dad, I’m in much better shape than Joel. Look at him. He’s dying.”
Daniel looked concerned.

“What?” Brutus took a closer look, and his expression hardened.
“Who did this? Who injured my disciple like this?” he asked in anger.
“Dad, it’s a long story. Let’s treat his injuries first.” Daniel felt
guilty.
Brutus stopped pursuing the matter and took out a healing tablet,
feeding it to Joel. He then channeled internal energy into him to help
with his injuries.
After around 30 minutes, Joel coughed and finally opened his eyes.
However, the fear in his eyes never subsided. That attack had traumatized
him.
He couldn’t believe that his full–on attack didn’t hurt Dustin.
Instead, it ended up hurting him badly.
Joel’s dignity as a martial artist ranked on the Heavenly Immortals
had been trampled on.
“Joel, who did this to you?” Brutus asked darkly. Joel was his most
talented student and his future successor.
“Mr. Grint …” Joel looked up at Brutus and started crying.
“Mr. Grint … let’s go back to Glenstead tonight. I don’t want to take
part in any Knighthood Society
tournament anymore,” he said between sobs.
“Why are you crying like this? You’re a grown man. What exactly
happened?” Brutus asked, frowning.
Joel continued sobbing. “Mr. Grint, I’m scared. I forfeit. Let’s go
back. It’s scary here …”

Chapter 776
Meanwhile, back at Full Moon, Joel flying away had everyone looking
dumbstruck.
Joel was a senior in the Zen Order. He was also a strong fighter on
the Heavenly Immortals. Someone like him could split rocks open with just
a palm of his hand.
Under normal circumstances, Dustin would have been seriously injured
or even killed by his attack. However, the situation was reversed
instead.
What exactly happened?
“Dustin, are you alright?” Scarlet rushed forward after a momentary
daze. She took a good look at him.
“I told you, that childish brat can’t hurt me. There was no need to
worry.” Dustin smiled.
“You scared me. I thought…” Scarlet didn’t continue. She seemed
afraid of offending him.
Georgia stared at him in disbelief. “How are you so strong?”
She was aware of Joel’s skills. She and Bridget weren’t his match. If
Scarlet didn’t get involved, they wouldn’t have been able to take him
down.
They were certain that Dustin was as good as dead earlier. They
didn’t expect such a reversal. “Nonsense! Of course, Dustin is amazing.
He used to be the genius of Oakvale!”
Scarlet was proud. Ten years ago, Logan was unbeatable among his
peers.
“Madam Scarlet, you said so yourself. That was ten years ago. Things
have changed since then, Georgia said thoughtfully.
Logan was indeed the Chosen One back then. However, that was when he
had access to the Rhys family’s power and resources.
After ten years, the top talents from Oakvale have become influential
leaders. They’ve grown into strong and respected figures.
Logan, on the other hand, had disappeared and lost the shelter of the
Rhys family.
In the eyes of many, Logan had faded into insignificance, turning him
into an ordinary citizen.
“I don’t care what other people think of him. In my eyes, Dustin will
forever be a genius,” Scarlet said seriously.
“If you really thought that way, you wouldn’t have been so anxious
earlier,” Georgia said quietly.
“What did you say?” Scarlet stared at her coldly. “You’re so full of
energy. I’m giving you extra training tomorrow.”
“What?” Georgia froze, mournful about her situation.
On the other hand, Bridget stifled a laugh, playfully happy about
Georgia’s trouble.
At that moment, Dustin’s phone rang.
“Dustin, I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Paul was on the other
end of the line.
“Of course not. Is there a problem, Sir Paul?” Dustin asked.
“Do you remember the Knighthood Society tournament I told you about
last time? Tomorrow is the official registration day,” Paul went straight
to the point.
“Already?” Dustin was surprised.
“After registration, you need to go through a series of assessments.
They will choose the final five representatives from the assessment. With
your skills, you’ll do great for sure. Just be a little serious about
it,” Paul said, smiling.
“Where will the assessment be held?” Dustin asked.
“There’s a branch of the martial arts alliance in Millsburg. It’s
held there. I’ll arrange for Patrick to assist you.”
“Alright, I’ll be there on time.” After another short exchange,
Dustin hung up.
They had an agreement. If Dustin won the top spot in the Knighthood
Society tournament, he’d get information on Cherusia. Not to mention the
generous reward.
He had all the herbs required to concoct Longevitium ready. All he
needed left was the Cherusia.
As long as he got his hands on it, Gregory could be saved.
“Dustin, where are you going tomorrow?” Scarlet asked.
“Oh, for some reason, I need to join the Knighthood Society
tournament. It’s organized by the Glenstead and Balerno martial arts
alliance,” Dustin said. He didn’t hide anything.
He added, “Tomorrow is the registration and assessment day.”
Scarlet’s eyes lit up after hearing him. “Dustin, can I come with
you?”

Chapter 777
“As long as you have time, you can join.” Dustin smiled and nodded.
“That’s great!” Scarlet’s face lit up with joy.
Obviously, she wanted to join, not to watch the tournament, but to
spend more time with Dustin. She didn’t know how much longer she could
stay with him.
The following day, Dustin met up with Scarlet and the others.
Together, they went to the martial arts alliance branch.
It was located on the edge of the city. A single large building was
its base, boasting modernized facilities.
The martial arts alliance had two major sources of income.
One was charging new students high tuition fees: The other was to put
up commissions and take a percentage of the rewards.
In this world, wealthy and high–ranking officials frequently needed
protection from martial artists. The alliance became the top place to
seek protection. They had a lot of expert fighters available.
The rewards were also generous. So, plenty of martial artists were
eager to accept the tasks. After completion, the alliance would take a
certain percentage of the rewards. It created a win- win situation for
both parties.
Previously, when the Harmon family encountered a crisis, even Hector
got help from the alliance. He had recruited a large number of martial
artists to be their guards.
In fact, many ordinary martial artists relied on commissions to
survive. Once they completed a major commission, they could enjoy a
carefree life for several years.
Naturally, with so many martial artists, the alliance also had some
problems with administrative issues.
Dustin and the others finally arrived at the base of the martial arts
alliance branch. It took an hour by car.
“Dustin, you’re here.”
Patrick had been waiting for them. He greeted them with a smile as
soon as they got out of the car. “Have you had breakfast?” he asked.
“Would you like me to arrange something for you?”
“Thanks, Patrick. We’ve already eaten,” Dustin replied with a smile.
“Alright. Then, let’s head in.” Patrick gestured with his arm,
leading them with ease.
They stepped into the open–air martial arts arena. Immediately, a
wave of intense heat enveloped them.
The arena was packed with people. It created an atmosphere far more
vibrant than a bustling marketplace.
“Dustin, today’s registration has five assessments. As long as you
can pass them all, there shouldn’t be any problem,” Patrick said.
“Five assessments? Which five?” Dustin asked curiously.
“The first assessment is strength. After that is speed, internal
energy, pressure, and lastly, physical combat,” Patrick explained.
“Why make it so complicated? Can’t it be done with just two rounds of
fighting?” Georgia asked.
“There are a lot of martial artists in the alliance. Their strengths
are different from each other.
“The first four assessments are basically a screening process to
eliminate the weak. It will leave only the strong ones behind.
“We save more time this way,” Patrick explained again.
“Alright. Let’s follow the process, then. Where’s the first
assessment at?” Dustin asked.
“Dustin, this way, please.” Patrick nodded and led them to the venue
for the first assessment. The first assessment was the strength test.
In the middle of the venue was a massive strength tester machine. The
machine was made specially by the alliance. It was constructed entirely
of metal.
It looked almost like a tank and could take up to 100 thousand pounds
of force!
Based on the standard criteria, hitting over one thousand pounds of
force was barely a pass. Hitting two thousand pounds was considered good.
Going beyond five thousand pounds was considered exceptionally excellent.
Many people were being evaluated. So, Dustin could only patiently
join the queue.
After a long wait, his turn was finally approaching. However, a group
of martial artists dressed in yellow suddenly walked, looking confident.
“Move. Everyone, get out of my way!”
The group was extremely arrogant. Their loud shouts filled the air as
they shoved their way through the others waiting in line.
As they cut the queue and stood at the front, their actions caused a
big commotion.

Chapter 778
“Hey! Where are your manners? How can you all just cut in line like
that?”
A young martial artist who was pushed aside immediately expressed his
dissatisfaction.
He had waited in line for a long time. Naturally, he was unhappy to
be just cut in line like that.
“Why not?” With a cold smirk, a chubby woman slapped the young
martial artist.
She declared, “I can because I’m capable!” Her arrogant and
overbearing attitude would make anyone furious.
“You … How dare you slap me?”
The young martial artist was stunned. Then, his anger flared. “You
B*tch! Take this!”
He raised a fist, ready to attack. But before he could hit the woman,
a muscular man quickly stood
in front of her. He blocked his attack.
With a loud thud, the forceful punch from the young martial artist
landed solidly on the muscular
man’s chest.
The muscular man remained completely unfazed. However, the force of
that punch sent the
young martial artist stumbling back.
His arm hurt from the impact. He felt as if he had punched a piece of
darksteel.
“You dared lay a hand on Gianna with those skills? You’re
overestimating yourself.” The muscular
man crossed his arms and smirked. It appeared like he was looking at
an ant.
“I’m going to show you what I’m capable of!”
The young martial artist gritted his teeth and charged forward once
more. He delivered a powerful
kick to the muscular man’s head.
However, the muscular man simply moved his head slightly before
straightening it back.
The young martial artist stumbled back, almost falling to the ground.
His anger turned into fear.
He had put all his strength into that kick. Yet he didn’t harm that
muscular man at all. Instead, he broke his own leg.
The muscular man has impressive defensive skills
“Hmph! You should have realized the might of my senior, Devon
Bradley, by now. You’re
humiliating yourself by challenging us!”
The chubby woman, Gianna Richards, lifted her chin arrogantly.
“You… you guys are too much!” The young martial artist said bitterly.
“This is ridiculous! Just because you’re good doesn’t mean you can
act entitled. Remember, this is the alliance, not somewhere for you to
act like thugs!”
“That’s right! Get out of here, or don’t blame us for being rude!”
The crowd of martial artists raised their voices in protest, their
expressions filled with righteous

anger.
The group had not only cut in line, but they also got violent. Their
behavior was just too much.
“Oh, look! They still dare go against us?”
Gianna looked around and yelled, “You bunch of losers, do you have
any idea who we are? Listen carefully. We are the personal disciples of
Noel Yancy, one of the four branch masters of Boulderthorn!”
“What? Mr. Yancy’s disciples?” Everyone was shocked.
Boulderthorn was one of the top major sects in Balerno. It had eight
guildmasters, four branch masters, and one leader of the branch masters.
The leader of the branch masters seldom showed himself in public. So,
the four branch masters largely governed the affairs of Boulderthorn.
Mr. Yancy was skillful and powerful. He was also a respected elder
within the alliance. His words held absolute authority within this
martial arts alliance branch.
In fact, just one word from him could get them expelled from the
alliance. They could even end up with a price on their head.
Anyone who offended Mr. Yancy would never survive in the martial arts
scene in Balerno.
So when the furious martial artists found out who Gianna was, they
immediately fell silent. They all looked away, not daring to make a
sound.
“Hmph! Frightened now, huh? Let me ask one more time, who else dares
challenge us?”
Gianna swept a gaze across the crowd. Those who met her eyes quickly
averted their gazes and lowered their heads.
After all, Boulderthorn branch master’s personal disciples were not
ordinary martial artists. They shouldn’t be messed with.
“Is Boulderthorn that great? You think you can break the rules and
attack people just because you’re from Boulderthorn?” The young martial
artist didn’t back down.

Chapter 779
“Hah! Guess you won’t cry till you see death in the eyes!” Gianna
glared at the young martial artist.
She said haughtily, “Devon, since this guy won’t respect us, let’s
teach him a lesson!”
“Alright!” With a smirk, Devon stepped forward. He lifted the young
martial artist off the ground and above his head.
“Let me go!” The young martial artist struggled wildly, but it was in
vain.
Compared to the muscular Devon, he seemed like a weak chick. He was
absolutely powerless.
“Don’t want to give in? Well, I’ll make sure you will with my fists!”
Devon held the young martial artist tightly with both hands. He spun
him around a few times before moving to slam him down forcefully.
If the young martial artist was lucky, he would only sustain serious
injuries the moment he hit the ground.
“He’s done for!” Many in the crowd looked on sympathetically.
Just as the young martial artist was about to meet his end, a hand
appeared and caught him gently. It skillfully neutralized the force of
the impact.
It was none other than Dustin.
“Huh?”
The crowd was stunned. They couldn’t believe someone had the guts to
step in and save the young martial artist.
“You brat! You’ve got some nerve to step into my business!” Devon’s
gaze was hostile.
“Clearly, you’re the ones at fault. Yet, you dare hurt others here.
Are all of you from Boulderthorn that overbearing and arrogant?” Dustin
said calmly.
“Who do you think you are to criticize us?” Gianna shouted, glaring
at Dustin.
“I stepped in because I just can’t stand it. In fact, I’ve always
disliked you people from Boulderthorn.” Dustin was blunt.
“You brat! Do you know what you just said?” Devon cracked his
knuckles. He spoke with a threatening tone.
“I said, I despise you idiots from Boulderthorn.”
“How dare you!”
“The audacity!”
“Devon, teach this arrogant brat a hard lesson!”
The group of formidable fighters from Boulderthron was in an uproar.
No one had ever publicly humiliated them like that.
“Damn! Who is this guy? How does he have the guts to challenge
Boulderthom like that?”
“I’m not sure where this brat came from, but it looks like he’s in
trouble.”
Dustin’s words created chaos among the crowd.
“You bastard! You have a death wish!” Devon couldn’t take it anymore.
He threw a fast punch straight at Dustin’s face.
Before Dustin could react, Scarlet suddenly grabbed Devon’s wrist and
threw him forward.
Devon’s large figure was thrown into the air. Then, it crashed
heavily onto the ground.
An explosion could be heard as the ground shook from the impact.
Devon’s figure had left an indent on the ground, shocking everyone.
However, the situation was far from over.
While Devon was still disoriented, Scarlet drew her three–foot
viridescent blade and aimed for his throat.
Her eyes were merciless like the devil. It was absolutely terrifying.
To her, anyone who dared to hurt Logan must die..

Chapter 780
“Ahh!”
Devon screamed in despair, seeing the sword coming at him. He never
could have expected the charming woman to act so ruthlessly out of
nowhere.
It was evident she held absolutely no regard for Boulderthorn.
“Stop!”
“No!”
The unexpected turn of events shocked the Boulderthorn disciples.
However, it was too late for them to stop her.
“Don’t kill him, kid,” Dustin said just in time.
There was a sharp whistle as Scarlet’s blade stopped mere inches from
Devon’s throat. A thin line of blood formed as it grazed his skin.
Had Dustin spoken out a second later, Devon would have been lying in
a pool of his own blood. Devon gulped. His face turned pale. Cold sweat
trickled down his forehead.
The terror in his eyes never went away. He had very nearly met his
end.
Just where did this crazy B*tch with such hatred come from?
They weren’t even enemies. It was scary.
“Do that again, and I will send you to hell,” Scarlet said icily.
Devon shivered involuntarily. A wave of unease washed over him. He
had no doubt that Scarlet genuinely intended to kill him just now.
“How dare you ambush Devon? You’ve got the nerves!”
The Boulderthon disciples recovered from their shock, Then, they
began to make noise. They believed that Scarlet would never have defeated
Devon if it hadn’t been an ambush.
“Desmond, Thomas, Dominic … Don’t waste your breath on them. Catch
them all as a warning to the rest!” Gianna yelled.
The four major branches of Boulderthorn were named after the Four
Symbols. Noel led the branch known as Steeljaws Fellowship.
Today, most of Steeljaws Fellowship’s disciples were present. That
was why Gianna was so arrogant.
“Get them!”
Following Desmond’s order, the disciples closed in on Dustin and
Scarlet.
“Hold it right there!” Just then, Patrick stepped forward.
He declared loudly, “I’m Patrick Hill of the Hill family. These are
our esteemed guests. Don’t you dare act recklessly!”
As he spoke, he revealed an emblem signifying his identity.
“The Hill family?” Upon hearing him, the Steeljaws Fellowship
disciples frowned.
They scrutinized the emblem. They made sure it was authentic before
softening their stance.
As one of the Tremendous Three, the Hill family held great influence
and power. Boulderthorn could never make enemies of them.
It was mostly due to their respect and even fear of Paul.
Paul was a former leader of Balerno martial arts. He was also a
formidable martial arts grandmaster.
His status was comparable to the leader of the Boulderthorn branch
masters. Even the present leader of Balerno martial arts was his student.
These were more than enough to show his influence within the martial
world.
“Hmph, we’ll let you go this time on behalf of Sir Paul. But you
won’t be so lucky next time!” Desmond sneered.
“You guys got lucky!” Gianna seethed. Although upset, she couldn’t
make a scene with the Hill family backing them.
“Dustin, just focus on the main task. Don’t bother with them,”
Patrick advised in a lowered tone.
They came here to be assessed. Things would get complicated if a
deadly incident involving Noel’s disciples were to occur.
Even if Dustin remained unharmed, he would be disqualified from the
tournament.
“I understand.” Dustin nodded.
Then, he looked at Scarlet. “Kid, put your sword away. We can’t kill
anyone here.”
“Alright.” Scarlet nodded obediently.
Her cold and aggressive demeanor disappeared completely. Her attitude
toward Dustin and the rest was really different.
”
‘Alright, let’s not waste time. Get ready for the strength test.”
Seeing that the fight was over, the staff from the martial arts
alliance began giving instructions. “The rules are simple. No one is
allowed to use internal energy. Only physical strength is allowed.
“Hitting one thousand pounds is considered a pass. Two thousand
pounds and above is considered good. Five thousand pounds and above is
considered excellent. Those who hit ten thousand pounds and above can
advance immediately.”

Chapter 781
“Now, who is going first?”
“Me!” Gianna approached the strength tester machine confidently.
The strength tester machine was made from metal. It had a flexible
punching pad right in the middle designed to absorb and measure the force
of the strike.
Upon delivering a punch, the display screen would present the amount
of strength.
“Guys, I’ll try it out for you first.” Gianna took a deep breath
before delivering a powerful punch, smashing the punching pad.
With a heavy thud, the punching pad slammed into the tester machine.
At the same time, the red digits on the display screen fluctuated rapidly
and settled at 1250.
“No way! A woman punched 1250 pounds of force? That’s stronger than
me!”
“She’s impressive to hit those numbers without internal energy.”
Whispers and murmurs spread among the crowd, expressing their
surprise. It was impressive to achieve those numbers as a young lady not
older than 18.
“See that? This is what I am capable of!” Gianna chuckled proudly.
She even waved a fist at Dustin and his group in arrogance and contempt.
“She dares show off with such measly strength? How shameless of her!”
Georgia remarked just say?” Gianna was annoyed and challenged, “If you’re
not satisfied, let’s compete!
Georgia crossed her arms and said disdainfully, “I’m not interested
in competing with a weakling like you.”
“You-!” Gianna was infuriated. Georgia’s arrogance made her feel
humiliated.
“You think Gianna lacks strength? Well… Let me show you real
strength!” Just then, Desmond stepped forward.
He warmed up his muscles and positioned himself before the tester
machine. With a slow lift of his fist, he gathered his strength to its
peak before delivering a powerful punch.
The punching pad slammed down forcefully. The red digits on the
display screen fluctuated rapidly before finally stopping at 5267.
The crowd erupted in chaos at the scene.
“What the hell? Five thousand pounds? Am I seeing it right?”
“Damn it! I exhausted myself to barely reach 800. This guy just came
and hit five thousand? That’s terrifying!”
“So these are Boulderthorn’s formidable fighters? They truly live up
to their name!”
Staring at that striking red number, the crowd was stunned and
speechless.
It was already impressive for an ordinary martial artist to generate
a force of a thousand pounds. A
force of five thousand pounds was something they wouldn’t even dare
to imagine!
“All hail, Desmond!” Unlike the crowd, the Steeljaws Fellowship
disciples were cheering and proud of the achievement.
“Hey! Did you see that? That’s a punch with five thousand pounds of
force. That’s what true strength looks like!” Gianna lifted her head
arrogantly and taunted, “You guys were so arrogant just now, so why the
silence now? Go ahead and brag some more, you cowards!”
“Is five thousand pounds supposed to be impressive? That’s normal,”
Dustin remarked causally.
“Normal?” Gianna was initially taken aback, but then she burst into
laughter. ‘Hey! Are you out of your mind? You’re saying five thousand
pounds of force is normal? How could you shamelessly boast like that?”
“You have a sharp tongue. If you’re capable, why don’t you show us a
five thousand–pound punch yourself?”
“That’s right! You’re good at exaggerating when your skills don’t
seem that impressive. If you can punch five thousand pounds of force
without using internal energy, I’ll pull down my pants in public!”
The crowd snorted and looked at him as if he were a fool.
Despite their best efforts, they could only manage a few hundred or a
couple thousand at most. Therefore, striking a punch of five thousand
pounds was rare.
“Young man, I advise you to not be arrogant. Five thousand pounds of
force relying on only raw strength are your limits,” the martial arts
alliance staff said.
He had seen many who had high ambitions but no skills. They only knew
how difficult it was to achieve that number once they tried it
themselves.
“How many pounds did you say one has to hit to be able to advance
immediately?” Dustin asked, “Over ten thousand pounds, but-” Dustin had
already punched the target Before the staff could finish his sentence.
An explosion rang out, causing the strength tester machine to wobble.
The red numbers on the display screen began to fluctuate rapidly.
One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four thousand. The
numbers climbed up rapidly.
In a blink of an eye, it was over five thousand. But it kept on
increasing with no show of stopping. A few seconds later, the numbers
finally stopped at 10001!
That was over ten thousand pounds!
For a moment, the crowd was left dumbfounded.

Chapter 782
The crowd was silent as they stared at the red number. Looks of
astonishment replaced the smiles on their faces.
No one expected Dustin to have such terrifying strength. His punch
was over ten thousand pounds of force! It was incredible!
“F*ck! Who is this guy? How can he be so strong?”
“And I thought five thousand pounds was the limit. This guy broke
through ten thousand!” “Damn it! He’s a freaking monster!”
The martial artists present began discussing among themselves and
expressed their surprise. The Steeljaws Fellowship disciples were in
shock, unable to believe it.
Desmond had exerted his full strength only to achieve five thousand
pounds of force. While Dustin easily surpassed ten thousand pounds of
force.
Dustin completely crushed them with that display of strength. It was
humiliating!
“How was that possible? How could this skinny guy have such
incredible strength? Did he use internal energy?” Gianna questioned.
“If he used internal energy, the machine would have shown an invalid
result. So that punch he threw was raw strength,” someone explained
Although they didn’t want to admit it, Dustin was strong. He had far
surpassed their expectations. “Ten thousand and one pounds. That number
should get me qualified for the next round, right?” In comparison to the
crowd’s reaction, Dustin appeared calm. It was as if he had done
something ordinary.
“Huh? Oh, right! You have advanced directly to the next round!” After
a momentary daze, the staff nodded.
He had looked at Dustin in contempt, but it was now replaced with
awe.
If Dustin’s punch was ten thousand pounds of force, he couldn’t
imagine if it was with internal energy.
“Hey, chubbs, did you see that? Now that’s strength. What you both
did was child’s play.” Georgia crossed her arms with a smirk in contempt.
Gianna was infuriated at the jab but could only stay silent. Although
strength didn’t represent their ability, they still won this round.
“Hey! Don’t get arrogant. I haven’t even made my move yet!” At that
moment, Devon stepped forward. He was burly and looked strong with
muscles that resembled rocks.
“That’s right! We can still win with Devon around!” Gianna’s eyes lit
up immediately.
She was excited. Devon had much stronger raw strength than Desmond.
“Devon is naturally strong. Not being able to use internal energy
will show you how strong his raw
strength is!” Desmond was confident.
“That’s right! Devon is the true underdog!” The others nodded in
agreement.
Each of them had their own strengths and talents.
They were either fast, strong, with great defense, immense internal
energy, or good at swordsmanship.
Among them, Devon undoubtedly possessed the greatest strength.
“You think hitting ten thousand pounds of strength is impressive,
brat? Let me tell you the truth. I achieved that three years ago!”
With a cold gaze, Devon turned to Dustin and laughed at him. “Today,
I’ll show you what strength truly is. Keep your eyes wide open!”
As he spoke, he approached the strength tester machine and deeply
breathed. He then positioned his fist and began to gather his strength
slowly.
When he stretched his arm as far as he could, he used his foot to
push off and delivered a strong punch onto the punching pad hard.
A resounding explosion shook the entire tester machine. The red
digits on the display screen started to fluctuate and ascend.
The numbers surpassed the ten-thousand mark without any signs of
slowing down.
Finally, the number settled at an impressive 14387! That was over
four thousand pounds higher than Dustin’s results earlier.
“What the F*ck? Is he for real? 14 thousand?”
“He’s a F*cking monster!”
“Damn it! This guy broke the record! That’s ridiculous!”

Chapter 783
After a short silence, the room erupted in cheers.
Everyone looked at the numbers displayed on the screen with wide
eyes. They were in disbelief.
Dustin’s ten thousand pound record was already terrifying. He could
get promoted to the next. level with that.
Who would’ve thought that another more frightening monster would show
up?
Fourteen thousand pounds completely replaced the previous record!
It was simply horrifying!
“Hahaha. Devon is just impressive!” Gianna burst out laughing and
jumped around in joy.
“That’s God-given talent!” The other disciples were also overjoyed.
They could also share some of this glory thanks to Devon’s achievement.
“You’re insane! You broke the record with just one punch!” The
martial arts alliance staff’s wide eyes were filled with admiration.
“Hmph, that was nothing. I was just warming up. Now I’m getting
serious!” Devon clenched his fists, stretching his neck from side to
side. Then, he gestured for the crowd to make way for him. He exhaled.
Then, he pulled his fist back before launching it directly on the target.
There was a loud thud. The machine trembled. At the same time, the
red numbers on the screen began to surge again.
Finally, it stopped at 15464!
Over 15 thousand pounds!
“F*ck, he broke the record again! It shot up another one thousand
pounds!”
“Fifteen thousand pounds with just one punch. Who can even top that?”
“They’re both human, so how can the gap be so wide?”
Devon’s second punch shocked everyone once more
He’d broken his own record. No one else could’ve done that.
“Well, punk, do you admit defeat?” Devon turned to look at Dustin
with a scornful smile.
What was ten thousand pounds? He’d managed to reach 15 thousand
pounds!
“Hey, you. Now you know how awesome Devon is, don’t you? He broke the
record with just a casual punch. What about you?” Gianna taunted
arrogantly
“Hey, say something! Why are you staying silent? Don’t back down now!
If you have the guts, try again!”
“Punk, if you don’t have what it takes, tuck your tail between your
legs and walk away. Next time you see me, turn the other way, got it?!”
Devon said gloatingly. He was confident that he had defeated Dustin.
72
Dustin didn’t reply to their taunts. He walked over to the strength
tester machine and raised his fist again.
“Hey, it seems like you haven’t given up. Do you want to go again? Do
you think you can break my record? How funny!” Devon said with a
disdainful expression.
“Everyone, look! This stupid fool is going to embarrass himself!”
Gianna laughed mockingly.
“Heh, he’s just asking to be humiliated!” The other disciples
chuckled along.
The martial artists in the area also shook their heads, looking at
Dustin like a fool.
Can anyone even top the record of 15 thousand pounds in strength?
Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Dustin raised his fist and threw a
forceful punch toward the target.
There was a loud noise. The strength tester machine, made of solid
metal, was punched over 30 feet away. It swayed as though there was an
earthquake.
Even the reinforced concrete base beneath it was yanked straight from
the ground, leaving a deep crater in its original spot.
The machine wreaked destruction along its path, breaking many pieces
of equipment along the way. Finally, it hit a thick wall at the back and
stopped.
The red number on the display screen was increasing rapidly.
It went from ten thousand to 20 thousand, 30 thousand, 40 thousand…
80, 90, and finally, it stopped at 100 thousand
When it hit the limit of 100 thousand, the numbers were still
blinking like crazy. Finally, there was a “boom”, and the screen
exploded.
Sparks flew, and black smoke filled the air.
In an instant, the entire room fell deathly silent.

Chapter 784
Everyone was stunned as they watched the strength tester machine fly
over 30 feet away.
They were rooted to the spot and didn’t react for half a minute.
Their eyes were as wide as saucers. Their mouths opened wide in
disbelief that an egg could fit in there.
They never expected that something like this could even happen. The
entire strength tester machine broke down from just a punch.
Was he even F*cking human?!
“My eyes aren’t playing tricks on me, right? He sent the strength
tester machine flying?”
“What the F*ck? Where did the monster come from?!”
“This is completely out of this world! Nothing like this has ever
happened before!”
After a short silence, the crowd whispered among themselves.
They all looked at Dustin like they had seen a ghost. Their shock was
written all over their faces. It wouldn’t have been such a big deal if
Dustin had scored higher. Devon would just grit his teeth and accept it.
But now, Dustin destroyed the machine with his fist. How could he
accept that?
“That’s impossible! That’s completely impossible! How can he be
stronger than Devon?” Gianna shook her head frantically. She couldn’t
believe her eyes.
Even with his God-given talent, Devon had only scored 15 thousand.
Dustin was so skinny. How was he this strong?
“Was his score… too much for the machine to calculate?!” The other
disciples looked at each other dumbfounded.
If they weren’t wrong, after Dustin’s punch sent the machine a
distance away, the number on display had jumped to 100 thousand!
Then, it began to blink wildly. Finally, it blew up when it couldn’t
handle it anymore!
If the display wasn’t wrong, that meant that the force of Dustin’s
punch earlier had reached 100 thousand pounds’
At the thought of that, chills ran down their spines.
That result was out of this world!
Dustin paid no mind to everyone else’s surprise. Instead, he turned
to the staff of the martial arts alliance. “I guess my punch broke the
record, right?”
“Huh? Oh! Y-yes, of course!” The staff paused for a moment before
nodding frantically.
He couldn’t imagine what would happen if that punch had hit him
instead.
“Do I need to pay for breaking the machine?” Dustin asked.
“N-no need!” The staff shook his head.
“That’s a relief. Thanks.” Dustin let out a sigh. Just now, he didn’t
control his strength and had gone overboard.
If he had known this would happen, he would have gone easier,
“That’s impossible! It must be fake!” Devon could not accept what had
happened.
He said, “How can someone have such strong physical strength? You
must have used internal energy!”
“Exactly! How can an ordinary person have so much physical strength?
You must have cheated. earlier!” Gianna added.
“Cheated?” The others looked at each other.
Suddenly, they felt doubtful. Everything had happened so quickly that
they couldn’t see what had happened clearly.
“Everyone, think about it. One would need at least 100 thousand
pounds of force to break the machine. That’s not possible to achieve with
just physical strength alone. I’m sure he used internal energy!” Devon
said matter-of-factly.
At this, a few people nodded.
“That’s right! It’s impossible to have so much strength without using
internal energy. This bastard could have cheated!”
“F*ck, no wonder he was so impressive! He’d secretly used internal
energy. How pathetic!”
“Just to show off, he even threw away his dignity. Screw you!”
As they sneered, they began to switch sides.
Compared to Dustin’s behavior, Devon’s explanation was more
believable.
After all, they knew that nobody had ever broken the machine.
So, they would choose to doubt Dustin instead.
Thus, the surprise and admiration from earlier quickly turned into
scorn and contempt.
“Punk, you don’t have anything to say for yourself? I’ve exposed the
truth, haven’t I? Hmph, you’ve bitten off more than you can chew for
trying to challenge me!” Devon said with a smirk.
He acted arrogant as if he’d gotten something to hold over Dustin’s
head.
“Moron,” Dustin uttered indifferently.
“Sir, this person cheated and falsified results. If it were up to me,
I’d invalidate his assessment results!” Devon demanded righteously.

Chapter 785
“Well…” The staff was in a dilemma.
Since the machine was already broken, they couldn’t verify whether he
had cheated. Of course, they could not just invalidate the results.
Not to mention, Dustin’s first punch had reached ten thousand pounds.
He could already get promoted with that. Thus, whether he cheated during
the second punch was unimportant.
After thinking for a moment, the martial arts alliance staff finally
decided. “I’ll investigate this thoroughly, but there will be no changes
to the promotion target. Please proceed with the next
test.”
“Hmph, you got lucky!” Although Devon was unhappy, he knew he
couldn’t do anything to Dustin without evidence.
“You cheated in the first test. Let’s see how you pass the second
one,” Gianna said unkindly.
“Let’s move on to the second test. We’ll find out whether he cheated
or not.” Desmond gestured for the others to follow him to the next test
venue.
The second test was called the agility test.
The candidates had to cross a row of stilts of uneven heights to get
to the other side. Some stilts were solid and could be stepped on, while
others were fake. Some of them would retract when touched.
If one wasn’t careful, they could fall.
But, the difficult part was that hidden weapons such as arrows,
boomerangs, and needles would shoot out as they made their way across.
If they get hit by these hidden weapons, they would be eliminated.
So, this truly tested the participants’ agility and reaction.
Not only did they have to be careful of their footing, but they also
had to avoid getting hit by hidden weapons.
Since the test began in the morning, no one had passed yet. That was
how difficult it was.
“Disciples, allow me to be the first to try!” Gianna stepped forward
and walked to the starting line. She took a deep breath and jumped onto
the first stilt.
“Ring!” The bell rang, and the test officially began.
Gianna’s footsteps were as light as feathers as she began to hop from
stilt to silt.
However, a few steps later, she was shot by an arrow and fell onto
the ground.
Everyone burst out laughing.
Fortunately, the arrowhead had been removed, so she wasn’t hurt.
“What are you laughing at? Shut up!” Gianna was furious from shame.
She shot a menacing gaze
at them, and they were so frightened that they stopped laughing,
except for Dustin.
“Gianna, allow us to try.”
Several other disciples of the Steeljaws Fellowship jumped onto the
stilts.
Unfortunately, it didn’t end well for them either. Not even halfway
through, they all fell. Some were shot by hidden weapons; others fell
when the stilt they stepped on retracted.
Over half the Steeljaws Fellowship disciples were eliminated in just
half an hour.
“Hmph, these are the elites of Boulderthon? They can’t even make it
across a row of stilts. How embarrassing!” Georgia said out of the blue.
As soon as she said that, the faces of all the disciples from the
Steeljaws Fellowship turned dark. “Shut your mouth! Do you know how hard
this is? It’s always the one who’s standing by and doing nothing that has
the most to say!” Gianna shouted.
“If you don’t have what it takes, you simply don’t. You don’t need to
come up with excuses,” Georgia said with a snort.
“You…” Gianna gritted her teeth angrily.
“Thomas, people are looking down on Boulderthon. It’s time for you to
step in.” Desmond narrowed his eyes.
“Thomas, you’re the most agile among us. You must show them
everything you’ve got and prove them wrong!” Devon said seriously.
“No problem! Now, watch me show you how it’s done!” Thomas laughed
with confidence.
He jumped lightly on his feet as he got ready. Then, he leaped into
the air. After making a grand somersault in the air, he landed stably on
the stilts.
“Nice!” Everyone perked up at that. Finally, it was the real expert’s
turn.

Chapter 786
After Thomas stood on the stilts, he suddenly turned his head to look
at Dustin.
“Punk, your biggest mistake is looking down on Boulderthon. I know
you’re powerful, but you are nothing compared to me when it comes to
agility. Open your eyes and watch. I’ll show you what being as agile as a
hare means!” Thomas raised his head proudly.
When it came to strength, he was nowhere near Devon. However, no one
could compete with him when it came to agility.
“Ready, set, go!”
The bell rang, and Thomas immediately moved.
Like a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface, he hopped on the
stills lightly.
Not to mention, he was swift. They could barely see his silhouette as
he moved like a shadow. They couldn’t follow his movements.
“Whoosh!” Suddenly, hidden weapons shot out at him, one after
another.
Some came from the side, while others sneaked up on him from behind.
Yet, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, Thomas dodged all the
weapons. He switched between moving slowly and quickly, jumping high, and
bending down low.
The first wave of concealed weapons all missed Thomas.
“Nice one, Thomas!” Gianna cried, clapping.
It was amazing that he could make it through the first wave. After
all, everyone else failed at that point.
“As expected of Thomas. His agility is the best of the best!” Not
only was everyone shocked, but they were also filled with admiration.
A martial artist’s power was determined by strength, speed, agility,
internal energy, technique, battle experience, and more.
Among them, agility was the most important because it could increase
combat power.
For example, although Devon had great physical strength, it would be
useless if Thomas was too quick for him to land a hit. He would just end
up tiring himself from chasing after Thomas.
It was not an exaggeration to say that if someone had great agility,
they could do well in the martial arts world, even if they lacked power.
On the stilts, Thomas was still hopping from left to right. His
figure looked as light as a feather.
Even if the stilt beneath his feet shortened, he could readjust his
posture and regain his balance.
“Whoosh!” Suddenly, the second wave of hidden weapons shot out.
This time, the hidden weapons had increased and were even faster. It
would be difficult to dodge.
all of it.
Nonetheless, Thomas managed to avoid all the attacks thanks to his
incredible agility.
After the second wave, the third wave quickly followed. The hidden
weapons had increased twofold and had gotten even quicker.
Chills ran down everyone’s spines as they saw numerous hidden weapons
drop from above. All of the Steeljaw Fellowship disciples were nervous.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!” The weapons fell from above.
Thomas’ movements increased in speed. He leaped and hopped to avoid
the glinting hidden. weapons. People were getting dizzy watching him
After much hardship and difficulty, he managed to dodge all hidden
weapons. Finally, he successfully made it to the end.
When his foot reached the ground, applause broke out.
“Amazing agility!”
“Thomas, you did a great job. You were awesome!”
“What a show! I couldn’t take my eyes off him!”
Everyone praised him non-stop.
All the martial artists before him couldn’t even handle the first
wave. Some of them lost their footing and fell as soon as they started.
So, everyone was in awe of Thomas’ amazing agility. He had cleared
all the obstacles and easily avoided all hidden weapons.
“Congratulations, you passed. Your time was 58 seconds,” the martial
arts alliance staff said. “Thomas is as amazing as we thought. He
completed the test in under a minute!”

Chapter 787
Everyone gave him a thumbs up, acknowledging his achievement.

“How was that? Do you acknowledge my skills now?” Thomas turned
around and taunted Dustin. Now, do you know what agility is? You’d better
learn a thing or two from me!”

Η
“Punk, are you scared now? Who else can finish the test in less than
a minute?” Devon said pridefully.
“That’s right! When it comes to agility, no one here would dare claim
to be better than Thomas!” Gianna boasted.
The two of them chimed in one after another, using Thomas’ glory to
act like bullies.
Dustin was speechless. “He took such a long time to cross these
stilts. What’s there to be proud of?
All he did was dodge a few waves of hidden weapons. How arrogant.
“From your tone, it seems you won’t acknowledge Thomas’ success. Come
on then, if you have what it takes, why don’t you try? I want to see what
you can do!” Devon mocked.
“Hmph, you sure know how to talk big Then get up there! Why are you
hiding at the back? You’re just like a turtle hiding in its shell!”
Gianna said sarcastically.
She simply didn’t believe that anyone was more agile than Thomas.
“What a bunch of ignorant idiots.” Dustin shook his head. He was too
lazy to respond to them. Instead, he went up on the stilts.
“Punk, if you can even make it past the first wave, that’s already
impressive in my books!” Devon looked like he was anticipating an
exciting show.
“Devon, aren’t you overestimating him? If he can even hold out for
three seconds, I-”
Before Giana could finish speaking, the bell rang. Immediately,
Dustin moved.

A silhouette suddenly flashed past. Dustin was so quick that the
crowd didn’t even have time to react. When the silhouette disappeared,
everyone was stunned to see Dustin standing at the finishing line!

Throughout the entire round, not a single hidden weapon shot out.
Dustin was just so quick that the machine didn’t detect him.
To make things worse, the chime of the bell still echoed in the air.
“What
Everyone was dumbfounded. The crowd couldn’t believe their eyes.
How the hell did he just fly over?
Was he human?
Was that even possible?
Can a human be that quick?

They must have seen wrong!
Several people were rubbing their eyes. They were beginning to
suspect that their eyes were playing tricks on them.
However, the outcome remained the same regardless of how much they
rubbed their eyes. Dustin. had indeed made it across the stilts.
He had completed the second test at a speed that exceeded most
humans’ and in a shocking
manner.
“How was that? I passed, right?” Dustin asked indifferently.
The martial arts alliance staff swallowed. He even stuttered as he
said, “You-you passed… Your time was two seconds.”
“Two seconds?”
The result caused an uproar.
Even with his exceptional agility, Thomas of the Steeljaws Fellowship
took 58 seconds to complete the test.
Yet, this bastard in front of him had only used two seconds.
It was ridiculous!
It was one thing to be strong, but he was also terrifyingly fast. Was
he even F*cking human?! “How-how could he be so quick? What level of
agility is this? Did he travel at the speed of light?”
“This is scary! I’ve never seen a monster like him before!”
Everyone was stunned and frightened.
Even Devon, who had boasted arrogantly before, didn’t dare say
another word. Thomas had just suffered a blow to his pride. He stood
there, rooted to the spot.

Chapter 788
“T-that’s impossible! How on earth did you do that?” Gianna
stuttered, utterly shocked. She didn’t have time to process everything
since it happened too quickly.

“Are you going to accuse me of cheating again?” Dustin retorted.

“I-” Gianna didn’t know what to say.
Earlier, Dustin might have cheated by using internal energy. But,
using internal energy was allowed in the agility test. Anyone who safely
got through the row of stilts naturally passed. There was no way she
could accuse him of cheating anymore. Still, she couldn’t accept it.
“Hmph! So what if he’s fast? He only passed because he used underhanded
tricks!” Desmond grumbled dismissively. “The internal energy test is up
next. I doubt you’ll pass!”
“He’s right! Internal energy determines a martial artist’s strength.
No matter how fast you are, you’re useless if your internal energy is
weak!” Gianna echoed stubbornly.
“Hey, kid! I dare you to compete with Desmond and see who has
stronger internal energy!” The winner gets to call the shots!” Devon
taunted.
They were all betting on Desmond now. After all, as a strong Divinelevel martial artist, he was the strongest among them. They were sure
that he would win when it came to internal energy.
“I guess I’ll entertain you guys “Dustin smiled. If it was an
internal energy test, he might as well enjoy himself.
“Fine! Follow me.” Demond shouted and led everyone to the location of
the third test.
The setup was simple. A stone platform in the center held a huge
beautiful, pure white crystal ball.
“How do we use this, sir?” Gianna asked after studying the crystal
ball.

“The rules are simple. Place your hand on the crystal ball and
channel your internal energy into it. The crystal’s color will gradually
change.
“The passing color is black. Silver color means distinction. Those
who turn golden will advance to the next level,” the alliance staff
explained.
“Alright! I’ll give it a shot!” Gianna exclaimed excitedly.
She put one hand on the crystal ball and channeled her internal
energy. Soon, the milky crystal began to turn black.
However, the ball stopped changing colors when it was only half
black. Gianna had nearly used up her internal energy, and sweat collected
on her forehead.
No matter how much she tried, the crystal ball refused to turn black
completely. In other words, she didn’t have enough internal energy to
pass the test.
“Let me try!” Others tried their luck after her.
However, most were also unable to turn the crystal ball black. Only a
few talented individuals managed to turn the ball black and some into
silver,
“You’re up, Desmond “-Everyone’s attention was now on Desmond. He was
the only one who could restore Boulderthorn to its former glory.
“Move out of my way!” Desmond gestured for them to move aside and
went forward.
He placed his hand on the ball. Immediately, Divine Aura began
flowing into the crystal ball.
There was a hum as the ball began to vibrate, and the crystal quickly
turned black before turning silver. After the crystal ball turned fully
silver, streaks of gold began appearing.
The Steeljaws Fellowship disciples were excited at the sight, and
their eyes twinkled eagerly. Desmond was already incredible since he
could turn the crystal ball silver. But if he managed to turn it golden,
he’d outshine everyone else and could advance to the next level!

Chapter 789
“Come on! You can do it!” Many people began to cheer for Desmond.

Nearly half of the crystal ball had turned golden. He needed to hold
out a little longer, and the crystal would turn fully golden.

“Aargh!” Desmond gritted his teeth and continued channeling his
internal energy into the crystal ball. His strength was draining fast.
His face beaded with sweat.
Seconds later, the crystal ball hummed as it turned fully golden.
Desmond collapsed onto the ground. He was relieved and exhausted.
“Hooray! He did it!”
“Good job, Desmond!”
Everyone cheered excitedly.
“You sure are strong. Well, congratulations! You get to advance to
the next level!” The alliance staff praised with a smile..
Few people could turn the crystal ball gold in one shot.
“What now, punk? Do you accept the outcome yet?” Devon sneered.
“Did you see that? That’s how powerful Desmond is. He easily
surpassed the limit and advanced to the next level. Can someone like you
do that?” Gianna gloated.
“What’s the point of being fast when internal energy is more
important for a martial artist? You should understand how different we
are now, right?” Desmond clasped his hands behind his back haughtily and
snorted.
Although he was drained, he still needed to put on a front.
“Different?” Dustin was amused. “I haven’t even started yet. What are
you bragging about?”

Desmond scoffed. “Turning the crystal ball golden is the best someone
can do. Do you still think you can beat me?”
“We won’t know unless we try.” Dustin placed his hand on the crystal
ball.
“What a fool!”
“Why does he even bother acting? He’ll just embarrass himself!”
The rest of the people smirked. But their smug smiles quickly
disappeared.
A low hum rang out as Dustin channeled his internal energy into the
crystal ball. Instantly, the entire ball turned black. Soon, it turned
silver, then gold.
It only took him a few seconds to change the crystal ball from white
to gold. The crowd was even more shocked to see how relaxed Dustin
seemed.
It was a stark comparison to Desmond, who had been sweating buckets
by the time the crystal ball turned gold.

Just then, the crystal ball began to vibrate again. A red streak
began to appear amidst the gold. Like blood, it quickly spread throughout
the ball, turning the entire thing red.
It was obvious that Dustin was much stronger than average!
“I-it turned red? How is this possible?” The alliance staff was
astonished.
Others might not understand this, but he did. Only a semi-Grandmaster
and beyond could turn the crystal ball red.
Dustin must be insanely talented to reach the level of a semiGrandmaster despite being in his twenties.
The red crystal ball exploded before the worker could get over the
shock. It seemed to have reached its limit. The worker was dumbfounded by
the sight.

Chapter 790
Everyone was stunned when the crystal ball shattered into pieces.
Their smiles disappeared and were replaced by looks of dismay and
astonishment.

Everyone had assumed Desmond would win since he had turned the
crystal ball golden. They never imagined that beyond turning golden; it
could turn red.

What shocked them more was that Dustin had channeled so much excess
internal energy after turning the crystal ball red that it exploded.
Just how much internal energy did he have to do that?
Everyone was speechless.
Desmond, who had been full of confidence, was also shaken. He didn’t
expect his internal energy, which he had been so proud of, to be so weak
compared to Dustin.
“Is this considered cheating?” Dustin smiled mockingly.
“Uh…” The crowd was at a loss for words
They weren’t blind. They had all seen how Dustin had easily passed
all three tests.
It was one thing to excel in one category, but Dustin had performed
outstandingly in all three tests, which meant that he was powerful.
In fact, he was far stronger than all of them. So they had no choice
but to submit to him.
“I guess Boulderthorn fighters aren’t that impressive, are they? They
sure know how to boast, but look at how badly they lost!” Georgia
chirped, dishing back the taunts they received earlier.
“You-” Gianna was pissed but couldn’t say anything back. She didn’t
want to admit it, but they had lost terribly after the last three tests.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s not over yet!” Desmond spat.
“Not over yet? Really?” Georgia was amused.
“The fourth test is the pressure test. It measures one’s ability to
withstand pressure. We’ll let this round’s results determine the winner!”
Desmond retorted.
“Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?” Georgia smirked.
“Cut the crap! Do you have the balls to accept my challenge?” Desmond
shouted.
Instead of replying, Georgia turned to look at Dustin since he was
the one who should decide. She could only help him retort insults.
“Why wouldn’t I? I’ll beat you guys fair and square,” Dustin replied
calmly.
“Fine. Follow me, then!” Desmond yelled, leading everyone to where
the fourth test was held.
The setup was a closed space that resembled an escalator. But, a
window in the front allowed. others to see what was happening inside.
Once a person entered the space, they would feel pressure pushing
down on them. They would.

have to form a defense against the pressure
“Desmond, this guy is quite strong. Do you think well win? Gianna
whispered. She had lost confidence after losing the last three tests
“She’s right. Why don’t we surrender now? Well embarrass ourselves if
we lose again. Devon supported Gianna. He still had not gotten over
Dustin & performance earlier
“What are you guys so afraid of? There’s no way this guy has no
weakness”

Chapter 791
Desmond lowered his voice. “I admit that he’s powerful, and his
speed, strength, agility, and internal energy are on the next level.
Still, no one in the world is perfect.

“He must have a weakness. Just think about it. Why is he so quick and
agile? It’s simple-he’s trying to make up for his weakness!”

He continued, “If my guess is correct, defense must be his weak
point! I’m sure he’s quick and agile since his defense isn’t as strong.
“The fourth test will test his defense. Among us, Dominic’s defense
is the strongest. He’s already reached the seventh level of Adamantine
Body Arts, and nothing can penetrate his body.
“I’m sure that with Dominic around, we’ll be able to target that
guy’s weakness and take him down!
Everyone’s spirits began to perk up after hearing Desmond’s words.
Just because Dustin was quick and strong didn’t mean his defense was
good.
They’d win if they used the Adamantine Body Arts in this test.
“Desmond’s right. No one is perfect. I’m sure that guy’s weakness is
his defense!” Gianna’s eyes twinkled in excitement.
“Right. If Dominic uses the Adamantine Body Arts, we can take him
down!” Devon nodded.
They seemed to have found hope again.
There was no way they could ruin Boulderthorn’s reputation, so they
had to win the next round at all costs.
“What do you think, Dominic?” Desmond asked.
“I’m not confident about the other categories, but defense is my
forte!” Dominic replied, confident in the skills he had been building for
the past decade.
“Good! We’re counting on you, Dominic,” Devon looked serious.

“Leave it to me.” Dominic patted his chest confidently.

“Let me explain the rules of the pressure test.” the alliance staff
began.
“You pass if you’re able to withstand level-three pressure. Those who
can withstand level-five pressure will be considered excellent.
“Those who withstand level-ten pressure will be promoted to the next
level. You must endure each new pressure for 30 seconds for the results
to be accepted. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Everyone nodded.
“Alright. You may begin. Who will go first?” The staff glanced
around.
“Hey, kid! To stop you from cheating, we’ll let you go first!”
Dominic pointed at the pressure machine disdainfully.
“Alright.” Dustin smiled softly and walked toward the machine. As the
metal door slammed close,
the space immediately became air-tight.
In front of Dustin was a metal lever that indicated the different
levels of pressure. The lowest
pressure level was 1, and it went up to 100
Dustin could adjust the level he wanted.
“Dominic, how many levels do you think you can withstand? Gianna
asked curiously.
“With my current abilities, I should be able to handle level 10
easily,” Dominic replied after thinking about it
“That’s great’ It’s just enough for you to advance to the next level.
I’m sure that guy can’t stand that level of pressure!” Gianna was
pleased.
“Well, if he can handle up to level ten, 111 keep one-upping him!”
Dominic smirked smugly
“You’re so smart! That’s a perfect plan.” Gianna grinned.
Just then, the sirens of the pressure machine began blaring, and its
red emergency light began to flash.
When everyone turned to the machine, they were shocked to see that
Dustin turned the lever to 100!

Chapter 792
After one minute, the metal doors of the pressure machine opened, and
Dustin walked out calmly.
He seemed so relaxed no one could have guessed that he had withstood
such high pressure.

“Sir, I get to advance to the next level, right?” Dustin asked.
“O-of course!” Getting over his shock, the staff nodded frantically.
He couldn’t believe that Dustin could withstand level-100 pressure
for a minute. Was Dustin made of darksteel? This was unbelievable!
“Damn, he’s a monster.” Georgia was in awe as well.
Dustin excelled in all four tests-strength, speed, internal energy,
and defense. It was like he was perfect.
Usually, people would struggle to pass even a single test. Yet,
Dustin managed to pass them with flying colors.
Was he a monster?
“I knew Dustin was strong.” A rare smile appeared on Scarlet’s face,
who was proud of Dustin’s achievements.
“I
guess Terry Doyle lost for a reason,” Patrick mumbled. He had known
that Dustin was strong, but he never expected Dustin to be so
terrifyingly perfect!
Fortunately, they were currently on the same team.
“I’ve finished my turn. You’re up next. Go ahead.” Dustin looked at
the Boulderthorn members and gestured toward the pressure machine.
“But…” His opponents shared unsure glances, at a loss for words.

There was no way they’d withstand level-100 pressure. They might even
be squashed into a pancake!
“Dominic, w-why don’t you try it?” Gianna asked
Dominic stiffened as he stopped himself from swearing. What on earth
was Gianna saying? What’s the use of him competing when Dustin pulled the
lever to the max?
With Dominic’s current level, no matter how hard he tried, he’d only
be able to handle up to level 10.
There was no way they’d withstand level-100 pressure. The pressure
would squash them into a pancake!
“Is no one going to compete? I guess that means I won?” Dustin held
out his hands.
“I thought Boulderthorn disciples were incredible, but I guess I was
wrong.”
The others bit their tongue with dark faces, unable to deny their
loss with the proof in front of them. They were utterly humiliated after
losing four times in a row.
“Dustin, there’s a physical combat test left.” Patrick reminded.
“Alright, then. Let’s get it done with.” Dustin nodded and led
everyone to where the fifth test was being held.
The final test was physical combat. Contestants had to pass the
previous four tests to reach the fifth test.
The rules of the fifth test were simple. Each contestant needed to
have hand-to-hand combat with two powerful invigilators. Then, the
invigilators would rate the contestant based on their performance.
“I’m here for the test, please,” Dustin walked up to the battle ring
and politely told the two invigilators.

Chapter 793
“Um…” The invigilators shared a look and shook their heads.
“You can advance to the next level without taking the test.”

“I can?” Dustin was surprised.
“We saw your earlier performance. Honestly, we’re no match for you.
You can just continue to the next level.” One of the invigilators
grimaced.
“You have potential. I’m sure you’ll become a dark horse in the
Knighthood Society Tournament.” The other invigilator praised Dustin.
Dustin had broken the records for the first four tests. They were
ashamed to admit they were far weaker than him.
“Thank you for going easy on me,” Dustin thanked them with a smile
and walked off the platform.
It was good that the invigilators avoided confronting him, or they’d
have been beaten into a pulp by now.
“What the hell? It’s unfair that he can advance to the next level
without taking the test!”
“What else can they do? He’s so strong even the invigilators are
afraid of him.”
“If it were me, I wouldn’t fight him either. There’s no way I can
take a punch that’s over 100 thousand pounds.”
“He isn’t just strong. His speed, defense, and internal energy are
impeccable. We should respect how powerful he is.”
The martial artists present gossiped about Dustin, their eyes filled
with respect. After all, the martial world always respected the strong. A
person’s background didn’t matter as long as they were powerful enough.
“The test is over. Let’s go eat.” Dustin ruffled Scarlet’s hair and
led the others out. He did not spare those from Boulderthorn a glance.
“F*ck! That bastard ruined our reputation!” Davon snarled.
“I wish Jared was here. He’d beat that brat up easily!” Gianna
humphed.
Because of Jared’s reputation, he proceeded to the final test without
going through the first five tests. That was why he wasn’t there with
them. There was no way Dustin would be talking to them so arrogantly
otherwise.

“I’m not happy with you, Dominic. Why didn’t you give it a go
earlier?” Desmond suddenly snapped.
“What?” Dominic was taken aback.
“Are you joking? That guy pushed the lever to 100! Why would I go
in?”
“Yeah, right. A 100-level pressure? Well, you were all tricked!”
Desmond overconfidently explained, “If my guess is right, he must have
done something to the machine. I’m sure the machine didn’t even put any
force on him. He must have lied!”
“That can’t be.” Devon was skeptical.
“Think about it. Which sane person would put the pressure to the max?
They’d explode if anything went wrong.
“Besides, didn’t you guys realize that he didn’t even break a sweat
during the test? How is that possible?” Desmond continued.
“You’re right! It’s suspicious how unfazed he was!” Gianna was
convinced.
“You’re right. He must have cheated!” Devon nodded.
They still couldn’t accept how strong Dustin was.
“No one is perfect. Everyone has a weakness, but that guy was too
perfect, making him seem more suspicious,” Desmond said confidently.
“Dominic, if you don’t believe me, you can give it a go. We’ll know
the truth then.”
“Alright! Let’s see what tricks that guy used.” Dominic paused before
gritting his teeth and entering the pressure machine.
Obviously, he planned to try bit-by-bit instead of pushing the lever
to the max in one shot.
“Huh?” Dominic paled when he realized that Dustin hadn’t returned the
lever to its original position after the test. It was still pointing at
100.
“F*ck!”
Terrified, Dominic reached for the lever. But before he could touch
it, the metal door slammed close. Instantly, immense pressure pressed
down on him.
“You asshole! You F*cking lied-” Dominic snarled at Desmond.
But before Dominic could finish his sentence, there was a bang as he
exploded, turning into a bloody mist.

Chapter 794
Dustin and the others left the martial arts alliance branch after the
test. Scarlet suddenly received a call that darkened her face on their
way back.

“Got it. I’ll return as soon as possible.” Scarlet hung up after the
brief conversation.
“What’s wrong, kid?” Dustin was curious.
“The call was from Oakvale. Someone accused me of gathering troops
and planning a rebellion. They are demanding an explanation,” Scarlet
replied calmly.
“A rebellion? What a load of crap!” Georgia was pissed.
“Madam, you suffered so much to protect our country at the borders
while those trash at Oakvale did nothing. How dare they accuse you!”
“Those little shits! They deserve to die!” Even the usually quiet
Bridget couldn’t help cursing.
Being accused of rebelling was a major crime. Even if they were
innocent, others would still make assumptions.
“Given your status, many eyes will be on you, and everything you do
will be watched. Others will distort and exaggerate the truth if you make
sudden moves.” Dustin shook his head.
He knew something like this would happen sooner or later. After all,
great power came with great drawbacks.
As Dragonmarsh’s Goddes of War, Scarlet commanded an army of over 300
thousand men. She was a queen without a crown. It was unavoidable for
someone with such military authority and an influential background to
incur others’ envy.
“I have to head back first, Logan. I need to eliminate some flies, or
things will worsen,” Scarlet told Dustin.
“Sure.” Dustin nodded.
A slight misstep now could quickly escalate the issue.
They arrived at Flame Dragon Dojo ten minutes later.

Scarlet sadly watched Dustin leave the car and said, “Give me a few
days, and I’ll be back.”
“Got it.” Dustin smiled. He waved and watched them leave.
With the Spanner family’s current influence, he was sure Scarlet
could quickly take care of any issue.
“Hey!” Someone suddenly patted Dustin on the shoulder, so he turned
around.
It turned out that Abigail and Nelson had stood behind him some time
ago.
“Who’s that chick? I’ve never seen her before. Don’t tell me she’s
your new girl?” Abigail teased with a grin.
“Stop spouting nonsense. That’s my sister.” Dustin shot her a glare.
“Are you serious?” Abigail gave him a doubtful look.
“You seem to have a lot of spare time on your hands. How’s your staff
combat technique coming along?” Dustin asked.
“I’ve already reached the third level!” Abigail announced proudly.
“The third level? Pfft! That’s barely anything. You should spend more
time practicing. Keep practicing another 1000 times,” Dustin instructed.
“What?” Abigail’s smile froze.
1000 times? There’s no way she’d finish before sundown.
Ugh, why did she have to have such a horrible mentor?
“Nelson, how’s the group from Azkaban holding up?” Dustin turned his
attention to Nelson.
“As you instructed, I’ve provided them with food, shelter, and money.
But they refuse to leave and insist on joining the Kirin Gang to help
you,” Nelson replied.
Those from Azkaban were talented fighters who were hard to come by,
especially Cornelius.
There was much more to the older man than meets the eye, and he could
easily take on the strongest fighters in Kirin Gang.

Chapter 795
“We’re short on talented individuals, so let them stay if they want
to. Establish a subsidiary guild named Darklaws and let Mr. Adler be the
leader.” Dustin decided.
“Got it.” Nelson nodded.

“Oh, right. It isn’t good that our guild is expanding so quickly. We
need to slow things down and cut down on the recruitment. We need to move
our headquarters to accommodate our growing numbers. I’ll leave this to
you,” Dustin instructed.
“I’ve already considered the issue about our headquarters and picked
out a location, but I’m not sure if it’s to your liking,” Nelson replied.
“Really? Where did you pick?” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
“It’s called Zephyr Lodge. It’s located on the city’s outskirts.”
Seeing Dustin’s confusion, Nelson elaborated. “It used to be the
estate of a count, so it’s spacious and has good scenery. Transportation
there is smooth as well. I searched high and low. This place seemed like
the best option.”
“Not bad. You must have put in a lot of thought for this. Well, let’s
go with your idea. Kirin Gang’s new headquarters will be there.” Dustin
decided.
“Thank you, Sir!” Nelson was overjoyed.
He didn’t expect Dustin to agree to his idea so readily. He couldn’t
help feeling touched by how much Dustin trusted him.
“While we’re on the topic of managing the gang, I just thought of the
friend I recently made who’s clever and talented. She should be able to
help you,” Abigail suddenly said.

“Really? Who?” Dustin was curious.

“She happens to be the sparring partner here. Follow me!” Abigail
pulled Dustin into the dojo.
Several of Flame Dragon Gang’s skilled fighters surrounded a gorgeous
woman in the battle ring.
The woman wore skin-tight clothes that showed off her curves and
perfect legs, tempting the men. Still, despite her looks, she could take
on all the men easily.
Using her legs like whips, she swept anyone who approached her off
their feet so none of the men could get close to her.
“Damn it! They’re useless!” Nelson swore under his breath, his
expression uncomfortable. He was embarrassed to show Dustin a bunch of
men being beaten up by a woman.
There were thuds as all the Flame Dragon Gang disciples fell,
allowing the woman to win.
“What do you think? She’s awesome, isn’t she?” Abigail asked proudly.
Dustin didn’t reply. His eyes were glued to the woman on the
platform. He looked like he didn’t trust her.
“Hey, come here for a second. Let me introduce you to someone.”
Abigail waved the lady over.
“Okay.” With a small smile, the lady brushed off the sweat on her
forehead and walked off the battle ring.
“Let me introduce you to—
Dustin cut Abigail off. “No need for introductions. I know her.”
“You do?” Abigail was surprised.
“Are you trying to flirt with me?” The woman smiled.
“Quit acting. You might have changed your looks, but your scent
didn’t change. Aren’t I right, Azalea Larson?”

Chapter 796
“Azalea Larson?” Abigail was puzzled.
Abigail knew the woman’s surname was Larson, but her name was Mandy
Larson.

“Are you going to deny it? Do I have to tear off your mask?” Dustin
asked.
“Your eyes are getting better. I spent so much time dressing up, but
it wasn’t enough to fool you.” Azalea giggled flirtatiously.
“Is your name really Azalea?” Abigail frowned. She felt like she was
tricked.
“I’m Azalea, but I’m also Mandy. I never lied to you,” Azalea
explained with a smile.
“What are you doing here?” Dustin demanded.
He was always on high alert whenever he was near this crazy woman.
After all, it was difficult to believe someone who murdered their
mentor and offered their mentor’s head to the Harmon family..
“Aww, aren’t we friends by now? Can’t you treat me more warmly?”
Azalea circled Dustin like a snake eyeing a mouse.
“What happened between us can only be considered a business
partnership, definitely not friendship.” Dustin was unfazed.
“That makes me sad. I should’ve known that all men are cheaters!”
Azalea grumbled pitifully.
“Ahem, I’m still here, you know? Do you mind toning down the
flirting?” Abagail looked at them oddly.
“Abigail, go and train. I have something to talk to her about.”
Dustin glanced at Abigail.
“Alright, then. I’ll stop bothering you two.” Abigail stuck out her
tongue and headed to the training grounds to practice her staff combat
technique.
Ugh, the smell of love!
“Spit it. What are you up to?” Dustin demanded once more.
“Nothing. I’m just here to protect Abigail.” Azalea smiled.

“She’s the future Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order, so she’ll
need bodyguards. I think I’m a good fit for the job.”
“What?” Dustin frowned. “How did you know that?”
He was the only one Micheal told this secret to, and even Abigail had
no idea. How did Azalea
know this?
“The Dark Lord used to be from the Mystic Arts Order. He happened to
share this secret with me.” Azalea smirked.
“Abigail isn’t ready. Besides, there is no way her father will allow
her to join the Mystic Arts Order,
Dustin replied cooly.
H
The Mystic Arts Order was the evillest faction in the world, and the
same could be said about its people.
Abigail was too kind, so she would be eaten alive if she got caught
up in the mess with the Order.
“Never say never. As long as the blood of the Grand Sorceress flows
in her veins, the organization will find her sooner or later.” Azalea
reminded him.
“I don’t know what will happen in the future, but Abigail is my
disciple right now. I’ll protect her with my life as long as I’m alive.
You better not try anything funny!” Dustin warned.
“Don’t worry. My future depends on her, so I’ll protect her with
everything I’ve got.” Azalea smiled.
Abigail was the granddaughter of the leader of the Mystic Arts Order,
so Azalea had to make sure to get close to her.
If Abigail became the Grand Sorceress, Azalea could ride on Abigail’s
coattails and become stronger than anyone else.
“You better keep your word.” Dustin stared at Azalea. Once he was
sure she wasn’t lying, he sighed with relief.
“I can’t beat you anyway, so you can always kill me if I do anything
bad. Still, I wonder if you can do it.”
Azalea smirked and placed a palm on Dustin’s chest before dragging it
downward.

Chapter 797
Dustin frowned and stepped back to put some space between their
bodies. “I won’t expose your identity, but you better behave yourself.
I’ll be watching you.
“You’ll be watching me?” Azalea bit her bottom lip invitingly. “I’ll
be showering later. Will you also watch me?”

“You’re crazy!”
Dustin ignored her and walked past her to go upstairs. He was certain
she wasn’t up to anything for now, but he was still wary of witches like
her.
The night passed uneventfully.
The next morning, Dustin was out with Abigail for their morning
practice when a black sedan pulled up at their entrance.
The car door opened, and Patrick stepped out with a smile.
“Congratulations, Dustin.” Patrick congratulated Dustin.
“The results for yesterday’s tests are out. You passed the test and
have been chosen to lead four other martial artists to represent the
Glenstead martial arts alliance!”
“Really? That’s great.” Dustin smiled softly, not surprised by the
news.
It would be more surprising if someone managed to get a higher score
than him, who got full marks for all five tests.
“Are you joining the Knighthood Society Tournament? Can I tag along?”
Abigail asked eagerly.
“Only if you don’t cause any trouble,” Dustin warned.

“I promise!” Abigail promised.

“Me too. I want to go, too,” Azalea chimed in.
There was no way she’d miss out on such an exciting show.
Dustin glanced at her but didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped into the
car.
Abigail and Azalea followed too. Azalea plopped herself into the seat
next to Dustin’s, her breasts jiggling from the movement.
The car began to move, starting their journey to the tournament.
The tournament was being held at Shinefield Lake, which was located
at the foot of Mount Shinefield The beautiful scenery there made it the
perfect location to host the tournament.
When they arrived, the lake was full of martial artists from
different places.
The grand tournament between the Balerno and Glenstead martial arts
alliance took place every three years Today’s battle was more about honor
than interest. Each participant must do their best to make their alliance
proud.
“Dustin, the others who will be representing Balerno are over there.
Follow me.” Patrick glanced around to ensure he was in the right
direction before leading Dustin and the others over.
“Stop right there!”
Suddenly, a group of people blocked their way. When Dustin saw who
they were, he had a smirk on his face.
They turned out to be the same people from Steeljaws Fellowship
yesterday.
“You killed Dominic yesterday, and we demand justice!” One of them
accused before Dustin could say anything.

Chapter 798
“What?” The sudden accusation took Dustin aback. “Dominic is dead?”
“That’s right. It’s all your fault, you murderer!” Gianna shouted
angrily.

“Don’t be stupid. What does his death have to do with me? Don’t pin
the blame on me,” Dustin
replied.
“Stop lying! Dominic wouldn’t have died if it weren’t for your
tricks!” Gianna shouted.
“Did you think we won’t discover that you intentionally kept the
lever at the max so you could trick Dominic into entering the pressure
machine. The moment the door closed, Dominic exploded!” Devon growled.
Dustin was speechless by their stupid accusations. He had merely
forgotten to return the lever to its initial position. 1
How could he have known that someone would be stupid enough to start
the machine without looking at the lever?
He had never met such a dumb bunch. It was ridiculous that he was
blamed for such an ignorant incident.
“First of all, I didn’t plan anything, so I had nothing to do with
Dominic’s death. He died because of his actions alone.” Dustin held his
hand open.
“Yeah, right! I know you did it on purpose!” Gianna didn’t believe a
word he said.
“I’ve already explained myself. You can decide whether to believe
me.” Dustin couldn’t be bothered to continue talking to those idiots.
“You’ve got guts, kid. How dare you walk away like nothing happened
after killing someone?” Just then, a man in black emerged from the crowd.
Although the man looked ordinary, the sword he was holding gave off
an imposing air. This man was the first disciple of Steeljaws Fellowship,
Jared Yancy.
“And where did you come from?” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
“How rude! This is Jared. He’s one of the five martial artists
competing today!” Devon shouted.
“So what?” Dustin shrugged.
“You might have some skills, kid, but that’s far from enough if you
want to challenge me. Dominic’s death can’t be in vain, so you’ll have to
pay up!” Jared retorted icily.
“What kind of payment do you want?” Dustin put on a fake smile.
“If you break both arms, I’ll let you live,” Jared demanded.

“Are all Boulderthorn people crazy or something? First, you randomly
accuse me of something I didn’t do. Then demand I break my hands. Did you
think I’ll do it?” Dustin shot them a disdainful look.
“I’m giving you a chance right now. You won’t just be breaking two
arms if I have to do it myself.”
Jared threatened.
He drew his sword lightly, exposing the razor-sharp blade as a
warning.
“You better not cross the line!” Abigail snapped, unable to control
her anger. She stepped forward and put herself in front of Dustin.
“Shut up! You have no right to talk!” Gianna slapped Abigail hard,
leaving a visible palm print.
Dustin’s face darkened, and his blood boiled. But before he could do
anything, there was a shadow as something flew toward Gianna’s arm.
It was a black venomous snake!
“Aargh!” Startled, Gianna flung the snake to the ground and crushed
it to death.
The spot where the snake had bitten her had already turned black. It
was easy to tell that the snake was incredibly venomous.
“Who was it? Who snuck up on us?”
The Steeljaws Fellowship disciples looked around furiously. They
couldn’t believe someone had used such a dirty move!
“I did it.” Azalea stepped out from behind Dustin, a cold smile on
her face. “She should pay the price for slapping my sister.”
“Give us the antidote!” Jared ordered.
The venom had already spread to the rest of Gianna’s arm. It would
spread to the rest of her organs in another three minutes.
“There is no antidote. The only way to save her is to slice off her
arm to stop the venom from spreading.” Azalea grinned.
An eye for an eye, a slap for an arm. It was a good deal.
“You’re dead meat!” Furious, Jared drew his blade, about to attack.
“Stop!”
Patrick stepped forward and took out the Hill family emblem. “Today’s
the Knighthood Society Tournament! Participants are not allowed to engage
in personal fights!”
Jared gritted his teeth but eventually lowered his sword. He didn’t
have a choice since this was the Knighthood Society Tournament, and he
was afraid of Patrick.
“Save me, Jared! I don’t want to die!”

Chapter 799
Ginna burst into tears as she watched the venom spread further,
terrified. Her arrogant attitude from earlier disappeared.
Without a word, Jared swung his sword and sliced Gianna’s arm off.

Flustered, Gianna stared at her arm lying on the floor and looked at
her shoulder. After she
realized what had happened, she cried before passing out.
“Once the tournament ends, I’ll make you pay for your actions!” Jared
spat before leading his men.
away.
“Dustin, Jared isn’t someone you want as your enemy. You should be
careful.” Patrick warned.
“He should be the one who’s careful,” Dustin replied.
If it weren’t for Patrick, he would have killed Jared!
“It’s almost time. Let’s go and find Grandpa.” Patrick gestured and
led them into a luxurious. lakeside villa.
The spacious villa had a rustic charm and a huge courtyard where
everyone was resting.
Meanwhile, Paul was chatting comfortably in the villa’s living room
with a middle-aged man. It was none other than the leader of Balerno
martial arts, Ronald Reeds.
Paul was Ronald’s mentor, so they could chat comfortably.
“Sir, I’ve heard you recently found someone with great potential. The
person managed to defeat Terry Doyle and performed well in yesterday’s
tests,” Ronald said with a smile.
“He’s incredibly special. As long as I train him properly, he might
become your successor,” Paul said thoughtfully.
“I’m curious to know the person you got your eye on.” Ronald was
excited.
His mentor had always been picky, and regular geniuses meant nothing
to him.
“Dustin is here, Grandpa.” Patrick suddenly entered.
“Right on time.” Paul smiled. “Tell him to come in.”
“Alright.” Patrick went out again to lead Dustin in.

“Greetings, Sir Paul.” Dustin greeted Paul.
“You came at the right time, Dustin. Let me introduce you to
someone.” Paul gestured to the man next to him. “This is the current
leader of Balerno martial arts, Ronald Reeds.”
“Ronald Reeds?” Dustin raised an eyebrow.
He recalled Micheal mentioning that Ronald was his good friend. He
just didn’t expect that friend
to be the leader of Balerno martial arts.
“Do you know each other?” Paul was surprised.
“Of course, I’ve heard of Sir Reeds’ accomplishments. Nice to meet
you, Sir Reeds.” Dustin greeted
once more.
“A talented individual indeed.” Ronald nodded with a smile. “The
alliance is fortunate to have young, talented individuals like you as its
future leaders.”
“You flatter me, Sir Reeds.” Dustin lowered his head politely.
“I don’t have anything to gift you besides this knife. It’s sharp
enough to cut through metal. I hope you accept this token to commemorate
our first meeting.” Ronald pulled out the knife he carried and handed it
to Dustin with a smile.
“But…” Dustin was taken aback.
“Ronald likes talented individuals very much. Since he wants to offer
you a gift, you might as well accept it.” Paul smiled.
“Alright. Thank you, Sir Reeds.” Dustin accepted the knife humbly.
“I hope you do your best to make the Balerno martial arts alliance
proud,” Ronald encouraged.
“I will,” Dustin promised.
“It’s almost time, Ronald. Why don’t you tell the other participants
to come in so we can discuss strategies,” Paul said to Ronald.
“Sure. I’ll go get them.” Just as Ronald was about to stand up, one
of the alliance workers walked in nervously.
“I have bad news, sir! We received a report that three participantsChase Newman, Andy Cannon, and Shawn Mcgee-have been poisoned. They are
currently all unconscious!”

Chapter 800
“What? Poisoned?” Everyone paled.
It was no coincidence that three participants were poisoned on the
day of the tournament.

“How could this happen? Who did it?” Ronald growled.
“We don’t know yet. We’re still investigating.” The worker shook his
head.
“Bring me to them!” Ronald headed out hurriedly.
Workers had closed all the exits at the temporary training grounds to
stop everyone from leaving.
When Ronald and the others arrived, they saw three strong men lying
unconscious in the center. Their breathing was faint, and their faces
were ashen. But their lips had turned black.
“It’s an extremely potent venom!” Ronald was displeased.
The three men were martial artists on The Heavenly Immortals and were
crucial to their tournament. What was he supposed to do now that they
were poisoned?
“Hurry, get someone from Stoneray Order!” Ronald ordered.
“No need for such hassle. Dustin can take care of this,” Paul said.
Even Nicholas hadn’t been able to treat him back when he had been
injured, yet Dustin had managed to save him.
“Do you practice medicine, Dustin?” Ronald was surprised.
“A little.” Dustin didn’t bother denying it.
“Then, please take a look at them.” Ronald stepped aside.
Nodding, Dustin walked over and crouched down to study the three
men’s conditions.
Soon, his expression turned grave.
“They were poisoned with a slow-acting poison. It’s tough to get rid
of it. Symptoms don’t appear until they do any vigorous exercise. But the
moment they do, the infected will fall unconscious and might even die,”
Dustin explained.
“Can you cure them?” Ronald asked worriedly.
These three men were important for the tournament. He couldn’t afford
to lose them.

“I can save their lives, but they’ll be weak for the next week. I
doubt they’ll be able to take part in today’s tournament.” Dustin shook
his head.
Ronald and Paul both frowned when they heard this. Clearly, the
person who poisoned these men was trying to make them lose this year’s
tournament.
“Please save them, Dustin.” Ronald suppressed his anger.
“Alright.” Dustin nodded and quickly pulled out his silver needles to
treat the men.
“Who do you think did this, Sir?” Ronald asked, pondering deeply.
“Who else could it be? It’s those bastards from Glenstead!” Paul
snarled.
“They aren’t sure whether they’d win, so they used these underhanded
tactics instead. How shameless!”
“Still, we don’t have any proof. We can do nothing about it.” Ronald
frowned.
He also knew that the Glenstead martial arts alliance had something
to do with this. The two alliances had been at odds for some time. He
never expected them to resort to such dirty tactics.
“Why don’t we push the tournament back for a few days? We’ll resume
things when they’ve recovered.” Patrick offered.
“Everyone is paying close attention to the tournament. There’s no way
we can just change the date.
Ronald shook his head.
“I guess we’ll just have to find three substitutes.” Paul’s
expression was grim.
Chase, Andy, and Shawn were powerful martial artists who were on The
Heavenly Immortals. With their help, Balerno had a high chance of winning
the tournament. But that would change if they had to switch participants.
“We still have time. I’ll go and look for decent substitutes.” Ronald
left hurriedly. He had to try no matter how little time there was left!
Time flew by, and it was soon noon.
The sun shone brightly, and the brightness reflected off the lake’s
surface.

Chapter List