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An Understated Dominance Chapter 391
Was the bodyguard made of steel? Even a knife could not penetrate his skin!"Hmph! Cougar is a martial artist who's at the height of internal energy cultivation. Do you seriously think you can hurt him with that toy knife of yours?" Dakota scoffed in disdain. Gloria had called in the two martial arts experts who worked for her to make up for her loss of dignity earlier. No matter how powerful Dustin was, he was destined to be defeated."Get lost!" With a slap, Cougar subdued Florence. Gloria strutted up arrogantly and rested her walking stick on Florence's face, saying, "I'm giving you a chance to get Dahlia and Dustin to come home. If you don't, I'll break the legs of your son!""Have mercy on me! I'll make the call right now!" Florence frantically scrambled for her phone and called Dahlia, specifically reminding her daughter to bring Dustin home as well. However, she kept the reason from Dahlia, fearing that Dustin wouldn't show up. That would only land the whole family in greater
An Understated Dominance Chapter 392
Edwin pulled the trigger, sending a bullet in Gloria's direction. At the life-or-death moment, the bulky Cougar positioned himself to shield her, arms crossed over his chest in a protective stance. At the same time, two heavy metal rings slid out of his sleeve.The sound of metal clanking was accompanied by flying sparks as the bullet was sent flying astray after it came into contact with the metal rings. Cougar sneered as he stood in front of Gloria like a mountain. He clearly did not fear Edwin. Bullets from an average pistol were not a threat when he was at the height of internal energy cultivation, thanks to his speedy response in comparison to that of an average shooter. He could either dodge the bullet or stop it with his weapons. It was impossible to hurt him as long as it wasn't an ambush from the back, and that was the power of a trained martial artist!"D—did he stop the bullet?" Florence was shocked once more. At that point, they wondered if Cougar was even human for blo
An Understated Dominance Chapter 393
The short guy grinned as he flung Cougar's body against the wall, where the body left a bloody trail."Cougar!" Tarragon hugged the body of his little brother and seethed in vengeance. "How dare you kill my brother? I'll tear you into pieces!" Then, he lunged at the short guy like a crazed beast, only to have the short guy kick him in the chest.Tarragon seemed to have been run over by a truck. He was flung aside and fell hard onto the ground, where he coughed up blood. His rib had collapsed.The Nicholsons gasped at the second casualty. They knew that Tarragon was way stronger than Cougar, but even the elder brother was defeated after an attack from the short guy. That left them wondering about his origins."W—who exactly are you?" Tarragon pressed on his chest as blood oozed from his nose and mouth. He knew his opponent must have been a divine-level martial artist to win with just a move."I'm Hillcrest, a gold-tier assassin in the Bounty League." The short guy grinned widely.
An Understated Dominance Chapter 394
"What did you say?" Dahlia frowned at him."Was it not clear enough? I shall repeat myself then." The smile disappeared from Edwin's face. "I will only spare one person. Either that old woman or Dustin. Now, it's your turn to decide who's living and who's dying.""Dahlia! Just let Dustin go! It's your chance to redeem yourself!" Dakota started yelling."Right! If you save me today, I will forgive your wrongs and even help you secure the chairman position!" Gloria dangled a promise as well. She lost her mind at that moment because of Edwin's mercilessness. He could not be reasoned with, and he would take any life without hesitation. She still had a lot to live for and refused to be sacrificed."Edwin Hummer! We do not have grudges against you! Why do you have to come after us?" Dahlia frowned deeply."You don't?" Edwin laughed maniacally, throwing his head back. "Oh, Dahlia Nicholson, why don't you ask the people around you about the grudges between us?"After Edwin's son and daug
An Understated Dominance Chapter 395
To Tarragon, the fact that Edwin assembled the best to take down an average man like Dustin, was rather puzzling."After all the hoo-ha, it turns out that their target is Dustin! Thank God." Dakota let out a sigh of relief in secret. There was a saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Since Edwin shared the same goal as the Nicholsons in wanting to get rid of Dustin, she believed they should not be stuck in a confrontation."Evil defeats evil. Dustin Rhys, you'll be dead today!" Gloria chuckled gleefully. She had heard of the Bounty League and understood the severity of having a gold-tier assassin here. A humble doctor like Dustin would never defend himself against one."You really splurged to get me killed." Dustin shook his head, appearing fearless at the threat."I'm willing to give up my family fortune as long as I get my revenge." Edwin sniggered."I'm afraid you'll be disappointed today. This bunch can't kill me," Dustin replied."Can't they? Wow, you jerk. Look at you,
An Understated Dominance Chapter 396
The Nicholsons stared at the three gold-tier assassins before shirting their gazes at the expressionless Dustin with great alarm. No one had anticipated Dustin to be so powerful. If they had not witnessed the scene with their eyes, they would have laughed at the idea of a good-for-nothing person being talented in martial arts."Is there something wrong with my eyes? When did the trash become a hero?" James widened his eyes in disbelief. His impression of Dustin was that he was a kept man who only learned a few useless martial arts tricks that were no match for the top assassins. However, Dustin's performance shattered James' preconception. He was shocked to learn that his ex-brother-in-law was a martial arts expert."Heavens! Is that really Dustin?" Florence was equally astonished. Even though she was clueless about the gold-tier assassins from the Bounty League, she was aware of the capabilities of Tarragon and Cougar. Logically, Dustin beat Hillcrest in terms of expertise, which wo
An Understated Dominance Chapter 397
"Now! Kneel down immediately!" Edwin bellowed at Dustin. Dustin narrowed his eyes. "What if I don't?""No? Then I'll take it out on her!" Edwin grabbed Gloria and pointed the gun at her temple. Knowing that Dustin was powerful, he needed to get himself a human shield."Edwin Hummer! You'd better be careful! That's Madam Gloria from the Nicholson Family!" Dustin's expression sank."Oh, she's your Madam Gloria? Sounds like you care a lot about her, don't you?" Edwin chuckled. "Listen to what I say if you don't want her to die!""Dustin! What are you standing there for? Quick! Kneel!" Dakota urged him frantically. "You punk! Kneel! Do you want me dead?" Gloria's face paled."Madam Gloria, please be patient. I'll save you real soon." Dustin faked an angry expression and challenged Edwin, "Edwin Hummer, just come at me! If you lay a finger on her, I won't let this slip!""Oh, you don't know what it means to be desperate." Enraged, Edwin shot Gloria in one of her knees. She yelped
An Understated Dominance Chapter 398
Dakota grunted as her body trembled and came to a stop, just like her voice that died down. The darkness within the muzzle and Edwin's cruel face started blurring as she lost consciousness. Finally, she collapsed flatly onto the ground with a thud. Everything happened too fast, and she had not expected herself to die in such a manner. "I-is she dead?" Florence and the rest of the people were shaking in fear when they stared at Gloria and Dakota's bodies. It felt so surreal to see the two arrogant ladies killed. Meanwhile, Dustin glanced at the scene without much emotion. Evil defeats evil. Dakota and Gloria had always been impudent bullies who did not reflect on their actions even after being taught a lesson. Not only that, they came to him to seek revenge. Their deaths meant nothing to him, partly because he was never a merciful person to start with. He saw no issue with getting rid of the trouble by pulling some tricks. "Hah! How does that feel? Are you feeling the rage and pai
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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
