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An Understated Dominance Chapter 246
After the battle concluded, Dustin, Natasha, and some members of the Harmon family had supper together. It was midnight when he returned to the medical center, which was still brightly lit. He entered the center and immediately saw the stunning Dahlia Nicholson, who was merrily chatting away with Caitlyn Lawler. At that moment, she appeared more easygoing than how she usually presented herself—icy. "Mr. Rhys, you're back." Seeing Dustin, Caitlyn stood up and greeted him. "Have a chat with Ms. Nicholson. I'll serve supper." "It's okay. I had supper before I came home." He smiled and turned his attention to Dahlia. "Why are you here?" "I'm here to thank you." She flashed him a rare smile. "If you hadn't saved me yesterday, I would have been screwed. Never in my life would I have thought that Matt Laney was a phony bastard." "You're most welcome. I'd offer the same help to anyone in that situation," he replied unemotionally. "Why? Are you still upset?" Her tone softened. "My mom
An Understated Dominance Chapter 247
Dustin decided that Dahlia must have had nothing better to do. He tossed his head, washed up, and opened the door to the medical center as usual. As the door grated and groaned, a blood-soaked figure suddenly collapsed on the floor of the room. The injured man was dressed in white, which was drenched in blood. He carried a broken sword on his back and appeared to have fainted for some time. Dustin approached the man to check him out, only to realize that it was Maximus Kane! "I did not recall hurting him yesterday. Or did I?" Dustin rubbed his chin in confusion. Although Maximus, ranked sixth on The Hundred Immortals, was not exactly the cream of the crop, he was still one of the best in tiny Swinton. How did he get himself beaten up this badly? "Consider yourself lucky," Dustin mumbled and lifted Maximus into the medical center. After all, he couldn't turn a blind eye to a dying man at the entrance of the medical center. Maximus suffered from multiple external injuries, but
An Understated Dominance Chapter 248
Dustin felt sympathetic as he stared into Maximus' reddened eyes. Not only was the poor chap taken advantage of by his mentor, but he also had his fiancée taken away. How miserable! No man could endure the humiliation and resentment of losing his future wife. Heck, not even anyone could stand losing a future spouse. It was hard to imagine that the second-in-command of Boulderthorn was, in fact, a wicked and dishonorable man. "Just focus on your recovery for now. When you're fully recovered, it'll be time to take back what you lost." Dustin gave Maximus an encouraging pat on the shoulder. To that, Maximus howled with a desolate expression, "I'll never get better again, not after my core was shattered and my nerves damaged! After losing my internal energy, I have nothing left in me to take revenge. I'm trash! I'm a worthless piece of trash!" He rolled his fists, digging his fingernails deep into the flesh of his palms until blood trickled from between his thumb and index finger.
An Understated Dominance Chapter 249
"Hey, you're being unreasonable!" "Right? How dare she scolds the others when she's the culprit? I've never seen someone as outrageous as her!" "Talk no more. Let's report her to the police!" The crowd was annoyed at Jane's arrogance and pointed fingers at her. "Shut up! All of you!" Hands on her waist, Jane yelled at them, "Do you know that we're the Nicholsons from Glenstead? Even your mayor has to show us respect, let alone you worthless plebs! Make more fuss, and I'll get you arrested!" The accusatory voices instantly died down. An average citizen would not want to get on the bad side of the famed aristocratic Nicholson family from Glenstead. "Mom, just ignore those peasants. Look at this. I'm hurt." The young woman, Dakota Nicholson, suddenly spoke up as she pressed against her wound and winced. "Are you hurt? Let me take a look!" Jane's expression crumbled, and she hurriedly checked out Dakota's injury. "Gosh, it's bleeding. This is not good …" Her face paled, and s
An Understated Dominance Chapter 250
"Mom! Are you alright?" Dakota's expression crumbled as she quickly helped her mother up. She was both alarmed and enraged. "Ouch! My teeth!" Jane wailed while pressing a hand against her face, feeling the stinging sensation. Her mouth was throbbing after it almost went out of shape from the slap. "How dare you hit us? You're dead! Your entire family is damned! Be a man and stay where you are! I'll teach you a lesson!" An incensed Dakota started making calls and requesting backup, but Dustin had no time for her as he continued applying first aid to the poor young girl. Thanks to the magical needle, the young girl's condition stabilized soon. At that time, the ambulance arrived at the scene. "Your daughter is fine now, but her wound needs bandaging and careful care to heal." Dustin placed the young girl onto the stretcher. Seeing that, the woman in white thanked him profusely before leaving in the ambulance. "You enjoy being the hero, don't you? Just wait and see. You'll get fla
An Understated Dominance Chapter 251
In the afternoon, several black SUVs abruptly screeched to a halt right in front of the entrance to Park Place. The doors opened, and the first to get out was a young man dressed in bright-colored clothes. With his handsome features and lofty demeanor, he carried an imposing presence. Following behind him were a group of martial artists clad Watching their departing figures, Stephan shouted out, "Inform Mrs. Harmon immediately!" in eccentric uniforms, each of them emanating an intimidating air with their controlled breaths. It was evident that they were far from ordinary. "This is the Harmon family's territory. All of you, leave immediately!" the two bodyguards by the entrance warned them. "Too loud." With a wave of his hand, the two bodyguards flew away as blood spurted from their mouths. It was as if they were hit by a speeding car. The group of people then strutted into Park Place. In the hall, Natasha was enjoying tea, and a copy of a financial report was in her hands. These
An Understated Dominance Chapter 252
"What? Natasha has been kidnapped?" After the news arrived and Jessica was briefed about the situation, her expression hardened, along with the rest of the people present. "How could that happen? We have dozens of bodyguards. How could Natasha be taken away?" Ruth was in disbelief. "They were too strong. We were no match for them." Stephan mourned. His legs were crippled, and his core was destroyed. He was as good as useless. "Who was it? The audacity to kidnap my daughter!" Jessica was furious. "We're not sure of their true identity, but they left a letter." Stephan signaled his men to give the letter to Jessica. She opened up the letter, and her expression grew dark as she read it. "Mom, what does it say?" Ruth asked impatiently. "It says, before the sun rises, bring the formulation of Immortunol and Dustin to Hummer Villa as ransom." Her tone was almost a growl. "Hummer Villa? Isn't that Edwin's territory?" Ruth frowned. Did this have to do with the Hummer family aga
An Understated Dominance Chapter 253
Suddenly, she clapped. Right on cue, a group of domineering martial artists clad in all-black gear strode in proudly. Taking the lead was a woman with short hair. She had striking features that gave her a cool look. Because of her tight-fitting outfit, her figure appeared exceptionally curvaceous and left an impact. Jennifer said impassively, "This is Isfrid. She leads team five of the Harmon family's shadow guards and is highly skilled. Bring her team with you so you have each other's backs." "Mrs. Harmon, forgive me for my bluntness, but our team is enough to ensure Ms. Harmon's safety. Why do we need to involve outsiders?" Isfrid gave Dustin a contemptuous once over. "Team five is well trained, and our teamwork is unparalleled. Having our members are more than enough to save Ms. Harmon. We can't afford to bring along baggage since it will make the operation riskier. I hope you will reconsider, Mrs. Harmon." "Dustin is a good fighter, and the Hummer family asked for him personall
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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
