As soon as he stepped inside the basement, Dustin’s face went cold. There were dozens of iron cages scattered throughout the basement, each holding one or two teenage girls. The girls, all stripped to the waist, wore expressions of pure terror. Most of them were covered in bruises, cuts, and other signs of abuse. It was a pitiful sight to behold. Two of the cages held the bodies of two young girls. They were curled in a fetal position. Their stench wafted through the air. They were left alone for too long, and their bodies had already become food for vicious rats.The sight ignited a surge of anger within Dustin. "Are you responsible for bringing all these people here?" His gaze turned sharply toward Russo."No ... I swear it's not me," Russo stammered, gesturing frantically. He explained, "Aster is the one behind this. He has a twisted obsession, deriving pleasure from tormenting these girls. Every month, he captures one or two slaves and locks them in the basement. It jus
Dustin walked out angrily as he emerged from the underground chamber. He noticed that the profligates in the meeting hall were sprawled on the floor, writhing in agony.Meanwhile, Grace stood silently near the entrance. "These guys never learn. They were just about to ambush me, so I gave them a little lesson," she said."Too lenient," he remarked, scanning the room. All the profligates had only lost a leg. It was a trivial consequence compared to the atrocities they committed."How about Lisa? Have you found her?" she asked."I found her in the basement. But she's not alone. There are dozens of innocent girls," he responded with a grim expression."Huh? What's going on?" Grace asked, puzzled."You'll know when you see it for yourself," Dustin replied without further explanation.Grace nodded and headed into the basement.Dustin then pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After a moment, Rodrigo entered with several female undercover agents, each carrying two suitcases.
Dustin's voice rang out, filled with an unyielding determination, "Bring out the leaders, Aster and Russo. The rest can be killed.""Understood," Rodrigo responded promptly.His blade rose to cleanse the room of its corrupt occupants.Chaos erupted in the meeting hall. Cries, pleas, and threats filled the air as the entitled profligates faced their impending demise."Please, spare my life! I'm wealthy, incredibly wealthy! Name your price, and I'll pay whatever you want!""You punk! My dad is a deputy general with a vast army. If you harm me, he'll shred you into pieces!""Good sir, spare my life! It's a mistake. As long as you let me go today, I promise unimaginable wealth and prosperity!"Faced with the imminent threat of life and death, the once arrogant profligates now wore expressions of fear and panic. At that moment, their former audacity had been completely stripped away.However, Dustin remained unmoved. He observed silently.Rodrigo and the undercover agents showed no
Dustin closed the door quietly, allowing Lucas and Lisa the time and space they needed for their heartfelt reunion. For most people, the aftermath of such an experience would take a considerable amount of time to erase the haunting memories."Logan, what are your thoughts on what happened today?" Grace asked, breaking the silence as she studied the man beside her."I'd eradicate every last scum like them if I could." His tone held an icy determination.She said solemnly, "West Lucozia is larger than Oakvale. What occurred today is likely not an isolated incident. In places beyond our view, there may be more people suffering oppression and hardship."She went on, "With your current abilities, you can save one or two, maybe even ten or a hundred. But you can't save thousands or tens of thousands.""What do you mean?" Dustin raised an eyebrow."I know you don't like authority and that you lean more toward the martial world, but some things require a high position. Vermin like th
Under the shroud of midnight, a sleek black SUV screeched to a sudden stop at the Vern residence. The car door swung open, tossing out a weighty burlap sack saturated in blood, potentially containing a person."Hey! What the heck are you doing?" The guards stationed at the Vern residence entrance swiftly detected the anomaly and shouted at the vehicle.The black SUV roared to life, swiftly departing from the scene.The guards cautiously approached, nudging the sack with their feet. The burlap sack quivered, revealing a face stained with blood. It was Russo who was severely injured and hovering on the brink of death."H-Help ... S-Save me ... P-Please save me ..." Russo groaned, his life hanging by a thread.Upon closer scrutiny, the guards' expressions underwent a dramatic shift. "It's Mr. Russo! Quick, get him to the hospital!" Without hesitation, the guards rushed the critically injured Russo to the hospital for immediate attention.Soon, the entire Vern family was plunged
Russo's countenance reflected weakness as he explained, "I don't know ... I'm not familiar with that person."But he's connected to the Ashen family. He came after me to rescue a woman named Lisa Ashen.""Ashen family? Lisa Ashen?" Reuben's face darkened, prompting him to issue a swift command. "You've got an hour. Fetch Lisa and her family immediately. We need to extract the truth from them!""Yes, sir!" Acknowledging the order, the Vern family members dispersed promptly. In the heart of Celestria in West Lucozia, the Vern family commanded substantial influence. Beyond their wealth and prosperity, Reuben, as the family patriarch, held the dual roles of city general and commander of a formidable army numbering over ten thousand. His authority, which entailed control over the lives and deaths of ordinary citizens, was unquestionable.Seeing Russo battered and bruised, Reuben was resolute. He was determined to capture the assailant and ensure severe consequences for anyone as
"Sir, it's Mr. Aster!" The butler conveyed the report through the closed door."Aster?" Ambrose's brow furrowed. "What trouble has that boy stirred up now?"Among his sons, Aster posed the greatest challenge when it came to keeping him in line."It's not another trouble. Mr. Aster has been assaulted!" the butler hastily clarified."Assaulted?" Ambrose leaped out of bed upon hearing the alarming revelation. He swung open the door and demanded, "What happened? Who dared to assault my son?"Ambrose could wrap his head around his son getting into trouble. But if his son was physically harmed, that was a line he couldn't bear."The details are unclear, sir. We found Mr. Aster at the doorstep, injured. The assailant had already fled," the butler explained."Take me to him!" Concern etched Ambrose's face as he rushed out without even donning his coat.Upon entering the estate's infirmary with the butler, he was confronted with a grim scene. Aster lay on the sickbed, pale and blood
At the crack of dawn, within the grandeur of West Lucozia Castle's central hall, Rufus draped himself in a robe adorned with the sinuous coils of a serpent. The stoic captain of the royal guard was seated at the epicenter with his left guarded by Jaxon. And on his right stood Albert, a figure more known as the Executioner than by his given name. The harsh brilliance of overhead lights illuminated Rufus as he meticulously sifted through the abundance of letters strewn across the table.Each missive held revelations from the covert efforts of the castle's undercover agents.These written accounts unfolded tales of bloodshed, and the table groaned under the weight of hundreds of letters.The damning dossier was evidence exposing both the Vern and Linden families, even their shared history of criminal exploits.As Rufus delved deeper into these missives, concern etched lines on his forehead. The unveiled misdeeds within his jurisdiction pointed to corrupt officials who had ruthle