She was the type to make men fall in love with her at first sight. Thus, she was shocked to learn that Dustin had forgotten about her after just one night. Was her presence so insignificant?“Um… you do look familiar. I think I've seen you somewhere.” Dustin tried to dig through his memories.“Yesterday, at the hospital. You treated my grandfather. Do you remember now?” The girl uttered through gritted teeth.“Oh! You're Natasha's sister, Roth. Am I right?”“Who the hell are you calling Roth? My name is Ruth! Ruth Harmon!” Ruth nearly exploded out of exasperation. She wanted to step on the gas pedal and run Dustin over with her car. All this time, she'd never been treated this way. How insulting!“I'm sorry. Ms. Ruth, are you looking for me for some reason?” Dustin quickly changed the topic.“Of course! Why would I be here otherwise?” Ruth rolled her eyes and ordered, “Hurry up and get in the car. Natasha has fallen sick and is demanding to see you.”“Hmm? What happened to her?”
“Sorry, I didn't mean to.” Dustin instantly came to his senses and rushed to push Natasha away. His face was etched with awkwardness. Everything happened so quickly that he hadn't had time to think.“It's okay. It was my fault. The drug might have been too strong, as I really couldn't control myself,” Natasha replied coyly. While speaking, she cast a glare at Ruth, silently cursing her sister for ruining the rare opportunity for her to get a man. “Ruth could've just left. Why did she have to scream? I'm cutting her allowance this month!” thought Natasha.“Ruth, help your sister to lie on the bed,” instructed Dustin.“Hmph! Of course, I will. Did you think you could take advantage of her again?” With a roll of her eyes, Ruth went to hold the grumpy Natasha and walked her to the bed.“Ms. Harmon, please remove your shirt and lie on your front,” Dustin added.“What? You pervert, what are you trying to do!” Ruth's anger immediately flared. “Don't get me wrong. I have to use a need
“Do you have a plan in mind, Mr. Rhys?” Natasha asked.“I need to get a clear understanding of the situation first. I hope you don’t mind if I ask you some questions.” Dustin cleared his throat before continuing, “Where did you go today, and did you meet anyone there?”“I met Edwin today. We talked about work, and he asked about us being in a partnership, but I rejected his offer,” Natasha answered truthfully.“I see. Did you drink anything he offered you?”“Of course not. That man has been eyeing my family business for ages. I’d never let my guard down around him.”“Then it really is strange how you got drugged, sis,” Ruth piped up.“Truly.” Natasha rolled her eyes.“When you two met, did you smell or touch anything in particular?” Dustin then asked.“Now that you mention it…” Something suddenly dawned on Natasha. “When I stepped into the place, I did smell something particular. I didn’t pay much attention because I thought it was just perfume. But then, after a while, I start
Dustin drove over to the Nicholsons’ home at noon. The villa was in a secluded neighborhood, with flowers and hedges decorating the front yard.Dahlia was right outside. Dustin tried to avoid her but was still spotted.“Stop right there! I need to talk to you!”“What is it?” Dustin asked. Their backs were to each other as they spoke.“I haven’t told Granddad about our divorce because of his condition.”“Do you think we can keep him from finding out?”“I’ll find a chance to tell him after, just not today.”“Alright. Anything else?”“Nope.” Dahlia turned and went inside the house without another word.They never once looked at each other, acting like complete strangers.Dustin took a deep breath and went in as well, wine in hand. The living room was filled with people, including most of the Nicholsons.Only John, Dahlia’s father, was absent, still outside on his trip.Yet someone was sitting in his usual seat this time, an outsider too—Chris Nolan.“How rude to have us elder
The wines were quickly unboxed for everyone’s viewing pleasure.“Tch, and here I thought they were decent quality. Looks like these are just craft brews, worth no more than two thousand dollars, I bet.” James had a look of disdain on his face. “How could these compare to Grand Crus?”“Craft brews have long lost their value on the market. We don’t even give our servants these!” someone exclaimed.Craft brews weren’t actually that terrible in terms of quality, but they were nothing compared to Grand Crus.“What a cheapskate!” Florence scoffed.“How are craft brews cheap when they’ve been on the rise in the country? Is your taste in fine wine only limited to those brewed overseas?” Dustin casually responded.“How is it not cheap when they cost only a couple thousand? Chris’ wines cost more than 100 thousand dollars.” James rolled his eyes.“Wines don’t have to be expensive to be good. Plus, you don’t know how much exactly my wines cost.”“Are you still trying to make a comeback?”
“You must be kidding, right, Dad? This can’t be aged wine!” James’ eyes were wide as dinner plates.“Look at how yellowish it looks, though. It must be fake!” Florence accused.“You guys must not have seen brews like this before. Aged craft brews get this color, and it only darkens the longer it’s been aging. Every wine connoisseur knows this.”The looks on everyone's faces quickly changed. Their accusations had just been dampened significantly, not by just anyone but by John Nicholson himself, a well-known wine enthusiast. His judgment couldn’t be wrong.“I was blessed to be able to try such a fine wine years ago with a government official, but this brew right here must be finer than the one I had—that body and finish tell me it must’ve been aged for at least 50 years!” John smacked his lips, still enjoying the brew’s aftertaste.“How much would it cost on the market?” James asked curiously.“It’s priceless. You couldn’t find a willing seller even if you offered a city’s worth.
Chris rapped on the table, calling for everyone’s attention.“Everyone, I would like to share some good news with you all. Nolan Pharmaceuticals has been looking to increase its share pool, so we are currently welcoming new investors. Is anyone here interested?”“New investors?” Everyone’s attention was immediately captured.Nolan Pharmaceuticals was an industry-leading corporation with very limited shares available. That was why Chris’ announcement came as a shock to everyone at the table.“Hasn’t the company been doing alright, Mr. Nolan? Why the sudden invitation?” Dahlia asked curiously.“Of course, it has been. We’ve just been planning to list our company publicly, that’s why. As everyone knows, our company is not short on talent or the capability to overcome competition. This share listing is just so we have some funds to give our employees a good bonus this season.” Chris smiled. “We haven’t officially announced this to the public yet, and the spots are limited. If anyone
“What did you say?”Chris froze, thinking he had misheard him.“I said I’m not interested in a business that’s about to go bankrupt,” Dustin repeated.“Bankrupt?”Everyone was too stunned to react to his words. “How dare you! That’s nonsense!” Chris was shocked, but he quickly denied it. “Nolan Pharmaceuticals is raking in profits every day and is at its prime. How could we go bankrupt? Stop fear-mongering!” “Only you know whether this is fear-mongering or not. Anyways, I’ve received news that Nolan Pharmaceuticals will be investigated due to the sale of counterfeit illicit drugs. It’s just a matter of time before they go bankrupt.” Dustin’s words were very shocking. “Counterfeit drugs? Investigated?” Now, everyone was even more puzzled.Their gaze turned to Chris. “Nonsense! All of it is nonsense!”“Dustin, stop spreading these rumors. Nolan Pharmaceuticals is a law-abiding company. How could it go under investigation? I can sue you for defamation!” Chris threatened.
Thousands of golden whips lashed out with the force of a storm, and it was impossible to dodge.The group led by Bailey launched their attacks to block and continually struck the golden whips. With each collision, energy erupted, followed by loud booming sounds.Arion stood firm like a mountain. His body was enveloped in golden light as he swung his whips. Even though he was outnumbered, he still held the advantage.Bailey and the others couldn't break through at all. A few slightly weaker gods from the Hall of Gods were forced to retreat with each lash and struggled to withstand the onslaught.At that moment, everyone finally realized the terrifying power of Dragonmarsh's strongest martial artist. Even the attacks evolved from the Glow Incantation were enough to throw them off balance."I don't believe these things can stop me!"Bailey roared as his body began to change. His already large frame grew even bulkier, like a small mountain. His shirt tore as his muscles expanded, and
The sudden turn of events took everyone by surprise. No one had expected Arion to strike so suddenly; he was so fast that they couldn't even see his movement.Even Willem, renowned for his speed, couldn't react in time. One slap had sent him flying—simple, brutal, and unstoppable.At that moment, they finally realized that the seemingly harmless Arion was much more formidable than they had imagined.Willem staggered to his feet and reached up to straighten his twisted neck. His collapsed cheek began to heal at a visible rate. Fortunately for him, vampires possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities. Without it, the slap would have crippled him."You're strong for an old geezer, but it'll take more than that to finish me off," Willem hissed through clenched teeth. The bloodthirst in his eyes was unmistakable as he glared at Arion. If he could drain Arion's blood, his strength would surge to unimaginable heights."Oh? This is interesting." Arion raised an eyebrow with a faint smi
The battle between the Hall of Gods and Sacred Wrym Summit raged with unrelenting intensity. The Hall of Gods had made meticulous preparations for this invasion. Besides recruiting powerful martial artists from around the world, they also distributed valuable enhanced serums to everyone. To counter Sacred Wrym Summit's Stormcraft technique, they developed a special combat suit capable of resisting such attacks. Generally, a divine martial artist struck by Stormcraft would instantly lose their combat ability, but this special suit reduced the effectiveness of the attack by half. Even if struck, they could recover after a brief moment to continue fighting. The defensive capabilities of this gear were nearly flawless.In addition, their greatest strength was the sheer weight of their numbers. They had at least ten thousand people, including hired outlaws, under their command. During the siege, they were densely packed like a swarm of bees.In contrast, Sacred Wrym Summit had only
Willard's ultimate move cleared the battlefield in an instant. The martial artists who had rushed forward were either dead or critically wounded, with no ability to defend themselves."This… How is this possible?" Hank's eyes widened in terror as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.Under the restriction of the sealing formation, even ultimate grandmasters couldn't unleash their full strength. But Willard, with nothing more than a flask of liquor, had managed to tap into a supreme divine power far beyond his cultivation level.Though he was only at the grandmaster level, his move, Infinite Spirit Manifestation, carried the might of an ultimate grandmaster. If he were to use it again, the outcome would be grim for everyone, including himself."Retract!" Willard took a deep breath and the thousands of illusory images that had surged forth earlier instantly retracted into his body. His face turned red and pale as his breath grew heavy and ragged.The toll of using Infinite Spirit Manif
"Take a guess." Willard didn't answer. Instead, he took another sip from his flask.His cultivation had been sealed, but his strength came from the wine in his hand. The wine was refined with valuable herbs and contained dense spiritual energy, which he could absorb and convert into combat power.In short, every sip made him stronger. Even with his cultivation sealed, he could still execute powerful techniques."It's the wine, isn't it?" Garrett's gaze landed on the flask, and a quick realization set in. Willard drank before and after every attack, which hinted at something suspicious."Bingo. But no prize for you." Willard smirked and launched forward with a palm strike aimed at Garrett. Though his strength wasn't at its peak, the attack remained a deadly threat to the already injured Garrett."Mr. Styles, save me." Garrett knew he had no chance of blocking it and cried for help."Go to hell, traitor!" Hank saw the internal commotion unfold and threw a powerful punch at Willard
With a longsword in hand, Dustin plunged into the crowd like a tiger among sheep and cut down his enemies with brutal efficiency.Though he couldn't tap into his mystical energy, his physical strength far outstripped that of an average martial artist. His speed, power, reflexes, and combat skills crushed anyone in his path.Every swing of his blade was precise and targeted the enemy's vital spots with deadly accuracy, which left no room for defense.Under his relentless assault, the assassins were helpless. The air rang with their screams as bodies fell one after another.Unlike the tournament match, Dustin now unleashed his full power in this life-or-death fight. His attacks were becoming more brutal and relentless than ever."This kid's tougher than I thought." Hank frowned as he watched his men struggle.He hadn't expected Dustin to have such formidable combat prowess, even with his sealed cultivation. If an unmatched genius like Dustin couldn't be made an ally, he had to be e
"Step forward, and you're dead!" Facing the onslaught of desperate assassins, Dustin showed no mercy. With a swing of his long sword, a dazzling sword aura swept through the darkness like a crescent moon and briefly illuminated the night sky. The assassins only saw a flash of white light and instinctively stopped in their tracks. When the brilliance faded, those at the front stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell.A moment later, heads tumbled to the ground, like ripe fruit falling from a tree. The headless bodies stood upright for two seconds before collapsing, blood splattering everywhere.The gruesome sight shocked everyone. They exchanged uneasy glances and were hesitant to move forward. No one had anticipated Dustin's sword to be so fast that the fallen couldn't even defend themselves.The assassins who had just been killed were among the elites. Yet, none of them could block even a single strike. The difference in strength was clear."What are you standing aroun
The people who emerged from the fog wore masks that hid their faces, but each had the Hall of Gods emblem on their bodies. Among them was a small group led by Dustin.After sensing a battle nearby, Dustin had deliberately left his team behind to investigate alone. He hadn't expected another group to lead them out of the fog formation."What's going on? Why are there so many bodies scattered around?" "Looks like they ran into a strong enemy. Stay sharp, everyone!" The sight of scattered corpses put everyone on edge. Their eyes darted between Dustin and Aven."Dustin, what are you doing here alone?" The leader of the group recognized him immediately.The Hall of Gods had recruited several teams, each marked by different colored masks, with team leaders wearing a distinctive emblem."Hank?" Dustin narrowed his eyes as he recognized the voice. "What happened here?" Hank asked tentatively."I don't know. I just stepped out of the fog formation." Dustin shook his head."Really?"
Though Marcell was momentarily stunned, he still explained patiently, "This man is the guardian of the Forbidden Ground. If we kill him, we'll be able to take the treasure." He was gravely wounded and had to rely on Dustin to deal with Aven, so he needed to be persuasive."We can talk about the treasure later. Right now, it's time to settle some old scores." Dustin stretched out his hand, and the long sword on the ground shot up into his grasp."Settle old scores? What are you talking about?" Marcell blinked in confusion, especially when he saw the sword in Dustin's hand. A feeling of unease spread through him."You and that big guy planned to use me as bait. Then, you sent me into the fog to clear the way for you," Dustin said flatly. "Did you really think I didn't hear that? Since you want to harm me, don't blame me for being ruthless.""What… What are you going to do?" Marcell panicked. "We're both working for the Hall of Gods. There's no need for this kind of betrayal. If thi