Cody and Harper were taken away, howling. It didn't matter how much they explained or how much they begged for mercy.Dante was already upset, and these two idiots provided him a channel to vent his anger. Cody and Harper only had themselves to blame. They met him at a bad time.There was nothing to fight about. But they just had to stand up and pick a fight. Without a doubt, they brought it upon themselves. Eighty strokes from the military whip were anything but fun. Even a sturdy army personnel would be out sick for at least two weeks after the punishment.Needless to say, for a normal person who had never undergone training, it wasn't rare for them to be crippled or dead after the punishment."Dear, those two seem to hate you a lot. Have you ever upset them?" Natasha asked curiously when she saw Cody and Harper being taken away forcefully."They're just two crazy dogs. Let them be." Dustin shook his head.Harper and Cody were typical bullies who looked down on the powerless
Natasha smiled and took Dustin by the elbow. "Let's go. I'll show you around, and we'll drop by Dash Corporation."…In South City, the Swanson family room was bright and spacious. Ezra sat across Eleanor at the table, talking and eating dessert."Ezra, why is Sir Crane still not here? Do you think he stood us up?" Eleanor looked at the time, appearing upset. She'd been waiting for an hour, but no one showed up."Eleanor, be patient. Sir Crane is a very busy man. Let's wait for a little longer. He should be here soon." Ezra flashed her a charming smile.As soon as he was done talking, someone opened the door. Soon, an old man dressed in an all-black suit with a stern and cold expression strode in. The old man had his hands behind him. His facial expression was icy, and his gaze haughty. He had this mysterious air around him."Sir Crane, you've finally arrived." Ezra's eyes lit up, and he stood up to welcome him."Have you prepared what I requested?" Theodore sat down slowly. H
Eleanor's cruel expression gave Ezra the chills. He thought that she might hesitate. He never thought that she would want Dustin to experience excruciating pain from the beginning.After all, Dustin did help her once. Wasn't that too cruel? When Ezra thought of what he had done before, he was a little frightened. It was lucky that he still had the support of the Swanson family. If his fate was in the hands of this crazy woman, he knew he'd end up with a horrible ending."Ezra, is there a problem?" Eleanor looked at him again with an innocent smile. She looked completely different from the cruel and vengeful person a few moments ago."No, no problem at all!" Ezra laughed. "This guy has it coming. He actually had the guts to upset my girl. He must pay for it!""I knew it! You love me most!" Eleanor smiled sweetly. Then, she pointed at the green wooden container and said, "Sir Crane, we'll use the venomous thing in this. We must teach this goon a good lesson.""You've paid for
"Y'see," Theodore began."The critters I keep need to feed on my blood to forge a bond. Over time, it forms a connection. Once that connection's solid, I'll know it in a heartbeat," he explained.Eleanor raised a curious eyebrow. "Sounds pretty otherworldly.""It's occult, something a high-society girl like you might not grasp," he said with an air of secrecy."But what if it doesn't work?" she prodded."Hmm?" Theodore furrowed his brow. Was she trying to test his patience?"Don't worry, Eleanor, you don't need to worry about that," Ezra chimed in, flashing a reassuring smile. "Sir Crane's mastery of the occult is legendary. There's no room for failure.""But I'm talking about the 'what if,'" Eleanor insisted."Hmph! There's no room for 'what ifs'!" Theodore's expression grew cold. "Unless that kid has the skin of steel and a spirit beyond, disaster is certain.""I don't get all this magic stuff. I just want to know, will there be a sign if it fails?" She kept pushing.Theo
"Sir Crane!" Ezra shouted. His voice was filled with urgency as he rushed to Theodore's side.But as they gathered around Theodore, they witnessed an alarming transformation. His body convulsed uncontrollably, blood streaming from his nose, and a look of terror in his eyes."What's happening to Sir Crane? Could he be possessed?" Eleanor's eyes widened with shock. Theodore's condition had changed abruptly. He was fine before, but now, he was convulsing strangely. It was utterly perplexing."Quick, to the hospital!" Panic swelled in Ezra's voice as he gave orders to his assistants. They carefully carried the stricken Theodore out and rushed him to South City Hospital. After all, Theodore wasn't any ordinary person. He hailed from the enigmatic Mystic Arts Order. So, his untimely demise within the Swanson family's estate could bring them huge trouble. The night deepened as they arrived at South City Hospital. The doctors fought to stabilize Theodore in the ward.Ezra paced b
Usually, a mere backfire might leave you dizzy and disoriented. At worst, you'd feel a little under the weather for a few days. But the sheer force of the backfire Theodore had just experienced was enough to cost him his life!That could only mean one thing—the person he had crossed paths with was not to be trifled with. If they came knocking for revenge, there would be nowhere to hide!"Sir Crane, did you maybe take a knock to the head just now? What else could explain these nonsensical words of yours?"Eleanor chimed in, her voice dripping with skepticism, "Dustin is just a doctor. What could he possibly do to reduce you to this quivering mess? You look like you've seen a ghost, for goodness' sake. Is it really that terrible?""Yeah, Sir Crane," Ezra added, puzzled. He'd done a bit of digging into Dustin's background. Dustin was nothing more than a rustic, real small-town guy. He had some fighting skills, some medical know-how, and a few tricks up his sleeve. Even so, those c
As the clock struck midnight, Dustin bid Natasha farewell and returned to his villa in South City. Their parting carried a tinge of sorrow. Even so, it was necessary to avoid drawing attention. Dustin was going on a dangerous journey. He was determined to keep Natasha out of harm's way. From now on, they would meet in secret, or they would minimize their encounters. Natasha was Simon's granddaughter. That title made her shine too brightly. Thus, spending too much time with her risked exposing Dustin's true identity.The night faded away like mist in the morning sun. The following day, Dustin headed to the Regal Court to meet Lana. They sat in a private chamber, having tea and discussing their plans."Handsome," Lana began. "The Camron family fully supports our partnership. We're committed to investing all our resources in developing and promoting Dew Balm."She skillfully made tea and filled two cups. The room was then engulfed in its delightful aroma."A wise decision," Dust
Lana's lips curled into a sly smile. "Among the Eight Great Families, the Langfords, Dawsons, Killians, and Sawyers stand as equals. Meanwhile, the Welches, Swansons, Carmens, and Forrests closely trail behind. "If we secure an alliance with the Dawson family, it'll make dealing with the Swansons and Welches much easier."Dustin nodded approvingly. "Excellent choice to go with the Dawsons. It seems you've done your homework well. Have you already established contact with them?"Lana cooed in a playful tone, her smile enchanting. "You're quite clever, Handsome. You've guessed right. I've identified a target within the Dawson family. Convincing him to cooperate won't be a problem."Dustin's curiosity got the better of him. "So, who's this person?""He's the youngest son of the Dawson family's patriarch, Bo Dawson," Lana revealed."Bo Dawson?" Dustin raised an eyebrow. "A rather unique name, isn't it?"Lana's smile held a hint of mischief as she replied, "Handsome, don't underes