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An Understated Dominance Chapter 1350
Upon hearing this, Pablo's smile faded, and his expression hardened. "Mr. Rhys, I can't bear to be rejected again. I have been patient long enough, so don't disappoint me," he warned menacingly."Dustin, you need to be wise. It is a privilege to earn Mr. Hans's favor; stubbornness could only get you in trouble," Cody cautioned."Enough with the chit-chat!" Pablo roared, growing impatient. "I want that Dew Balm formula today! Give it to me, and you'll be safe and get a lot of cash.""What if I say no?" Dustin asked."What if you say no? Hmph!" Pablo sneered, clapping his hands together.The VIP room door burst open, and about 40 to 50 gangsters in suits came storming in. They looked like a bunch of wolves."Kid, this is my territory. A word from me will determine your fate," Pablo said, glaring at Dustin. "If you don't give up that formula today, you may never leave this place.""Mr. Hans, I don't want any trouble. But if you continue to be stubborn, I'm pretty sure I'll en
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1351
"Mr. Hans, we all come to the Golden Balcony for a good time. What's gotten you so worked up?" Lana askedHer hips swung as she stepped into the room with a dazzling smile.As soon as she entered, she caught everyone's attention. Her voluptuous figure and the unique allure radiating made her look like a cunning fox."Ms. Camron, I've got some work to attend to, but If you're here for fun, I can arrange a private room," Pablo said, his voice softening though he still held his gun tightly."Mr. Hans, this young man is actually my friend. I hope you can cut him some slack." Lana smiled as she took Dustin's arm affectionately.Dustin was confused but didn't argue. After all, Lana was trying to help him, and he didn't want to embarrass her in front of everyone."A friend?" Pablo glanced around and said icily, "Well, Ms. Camron, your friend is quite bold. "He has refused me multiple times and threatened to damage my Golden Balcony. He does not show me any respect at all.""Really?
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1352
Lana smiled flirtatiously at Pablo. "Lana, if you want to have some fun, I'll be happy to join you later," Pablo said, then grabbed her wrist and gave her a wicked grin. "But first, I have to deal with this kid here, so stay put and stay out of trouble.""Mr. Hans, you're hurting me!" Lana complained, her face twisting into a scowl. She tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let her go."Slut, weren't you trying to seduce me earlier? Once I'm done with this kid, I'm sure your night will be one to remember." Pablo grinned wickedly, drawing Lana closer to him. He looked at Dustin tauntingly. "Kid, it seems like something is going on between you and this slut here, doesn't it? "I doubt your scrawny arms and legs will do her any good, but I'll make sure she has the best time of her life. She'll be on cloud nine.""Mr. Hans, please don't be reckless. I'm from the Camron family!" Lana panicked."What about the Camron family? I'll do whatever I want with you today. Your fami
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1353
Pablo's breath caught in his throat, his face flushed, and his forehead veins bulged. He tried to struggle but found his limbs weak. He felt a sudden surge of fear. He had always thought of Dustin as weak as a kitten, but now he looked like a fierce tiger. His strength was so great that Pablo had not doubted that Dustin could snap his neck easily."This is insane!""He's out of control!""Let Mr. Hans go right now!"After a short pause, the VIP room erupted into chaos. The group of gangsters in suits began shouting."Dustin! Have you lost your mind? How dare you touch Mr. Hans? You're only getting yourself into trouble. Let him go!" Cody exclaimed."Rhys, we're at the Golden Balcony. If you hurt Mr. Hans here, you'll suffer consequences you can't imagine," Harper said worriedly. She had brought Dustin in, and any harm to Pablo would put her in a difficult position."I didn't mean to do this, but you put me on the spot. You think I'm easy, don't you?" Dustin said, taking Pa
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1354
"Alright, we got it sorted out. Let's put our differences aside and have a good time together." Cody chuckled, exchanging a secretive look with Pablo.Pablo quickly caught on, stepped into the crowd, and shouted, "Hey, bastard! You dare to threaten me? You're asking for trouble! Someone, grab him!"Instantly, the group of gangsters in suits surrounded Dustin."Hold on!"Lana abruptly stepped in front of Dustin. "Mr. Hans, we had a deal. Why are you resorting to violence now?""Humph! I agreed before, but now I've changed my mind," Pablo declared."You've got a reputation to uphold, so you're not afraid of public criticism?" Lana frowned."Criticism?" Pablo scoffed. "This is my turf. After I'm done with this kid and have my way with you, I'll keep all this under wraps. No one will ever find out.""Yo-you're so shameless!" Lana exclaimed."I'll tell you what I've got in store. When we get closer later, you'll get it," Pablo leered."Pablo, I've given you a chance. If you thre
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1355
After dealing with the gangsters, Maximus glared maliciously at Pablo. "Dustin, what do we do with this big guy?""Let's break one of his arms first," Dustin calmly proposed."Sure, no problem!" Maximus rushed forward and pinned Pablo to the ground immediately."Wai-wait! Let's talk this out. I believe we can resolve this—Ah!" Pablo panicked, but Maximus twisted his arm before he could say anything. Pablo screamed in agony.Cody and Harper watched in horror. Their backs stiffened with fear at the sudden downfall of the haughty Pablo."Pablo, you made a grave mistake," Dustin asserted as he approached the giant-like figure."I gave you two chances that you didn't take. Instead, you chose a path that will lead to your death. How am I supposed to handle this now?""Kid, I surrender now!" Pablo gritted his teeth and conceded, "You've beaten and humiliated me. Let's end this now. "We won't cross paths again. Can we agree on that?""You think I'm a gullible fool, don't you?" Dust
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1356
Cody's words were a mixture of determination and a heartfelt plea that might have convinced any ordinary person to change their mind.However, Maximus was quick to react. He raised his hand and slapped Cody across the face, yelling, "You talked too much!"Cody's head spun, and his mouth was knocked open. He was dizzy, and his nose was bleeding."You ... how dare you hit me?" Cody blurted out. He covered his throbbing face with his hands, trying to comprehend what was happening. As the young master of the Ostrower family, he had never been so publicly humiliated."Why did I hit you? Keep talking, and I'll have to shut you up for good," Maximus threatened sternly.Cody was trembling with fear, and he dared not utter another word. He couldn't believe that Dustin and Maximus had acted so recklessly, disregarding Pablo's position and their safety."You two bastards sure are bold!" Pablo, who lay on the floor, roared in anger"This is the Golden Balcony, my territory, and part of t
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1357
"Hey! Who's causing a ruckus at the Golden Balcony?"The atmosphere grew tense as a young man stormed in. His eyes were sharp as daggers, casting an intimidating presence upon arrival. All those who met his fierce gaze instinctively lowered their heads."Isn't that Hugo Langford, the fourth young master of the Langford family? What is he doing here?""Remember, the Langford family is the big boss behind the Golden Balcony. If there's a ruckus here, they won't turn a blind eye.""They've not only beaten up Mr. Hans but also messed up the Langford family's establishment. These two kids are in deep trouble today!""Hah, youngsters nowadays think a few punches make them kings of Oakvale. What a joke!"The unexpected turn of events ignited a flurry of discussions among the guests in the VIP hall. Now that the Langford family was here, there was no way this situation would end well."Mr. Hugo ... please, help me!" Hugo's arrival had Pablo shedding tears of relief. He struggled t
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Chapter 2530
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
Chapter 2529
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the
Chapter 2528
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
Chapter 2527
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
Chapter 2526
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
Chapter 2525
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
Chapter 2524
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
Chapter 2523
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
Chapter 2522
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr
