"Stop throwing a tantrum, Dahlia." Dustin frowned. Dustin said, "I wouldn't mind giving you anything else, even if it costs millions. But I just can't give you my Panax root.""You're right. I am throwing a tantrum! If you don't want to give it to me, I'll think of something else!" Dahlia turned her head away furiously. In the past, Dustin would get it done no matter what request she made. Now, all she was asking for was a Panax root, yet he turned her down firmly. He obviously didn't care about her anymore. It seemed like she wasn't that important to him anymore after he got a new girlfriend. "Dahlia is giving you a chance to prove yourself, Rhys! You better not ignore her kindness!" Florence exclaimed. "Exactly! With Dahlia's looks and influence, many other men would be clambering to gift her Panax roots! You better appreciate this chance!" Julie jeered."If you need a Panax root, I can use my connections to help you get one. However, I can't give you the one I have becau
"I had just finished reporting back to the military base, so I decided to drop by." Gavin Killian smiled. "Greetings, Mr. Killian." Dahlia tried to stand up. "No need for formalities." Gavin placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. "You need to rest, Ms. Nicholson. You're hurt.""It's nothing." Dahlia smiled. "And this is?" Dustin looked at Gavin, puzzled.He could tell from the badge on Gavin's arm that he was a major general. For someone to be a general in his thirties, he must either be from an influential family or be incredibly talented."This is Mr. Killian. He was the one who saved me this morning," Dahlia introduced.This morning's incident was still fresh in her mind. Without Gavin's help, she'd be dead by now."I see. Thank you, Mr. Killian." Dustin thanked. "It was nothing," Gavin answered with a smile. "And you are?""Oh, he's my friend, Dustin Rhys." Dahlia blurted."Friend?" Dustin frowned, unhappy with her answer. Still, he regained his composure
"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Killian, but I can't accept such a precious gift." Dahlia got over her surprise and became upset again. She hadn't even repaid Gavin for his earlier kindness, so how could she accept his Panax root?"Ms. Nicholson, a Panax root is meant to cure sickness anyway. I don't need it for now. So you might as well use it to save someone's life. Think of it as an act of kindness." Gavin smiled. "But—" Florence cut Dahlia off before she could refuse again. "Dahlia, you should accept it. You can always repay the favor later."Florence kept looking at Gavin eagerly. "She's right, Dahlia. Saving a life is much more important. Without this Panax root, what are we going to do about Sir Regulus?" Julie advised. "But …" Dahlia was at a loss for words. It would be difficult to repay the favor, but she had no choice but to accept the gift since Regulus' life was at stake. "Ms. Nicholson, if you want to thank me, I do have a favor to ask," Gavin suddenly said. "
"I'm just stating the truth. It's always better to be careful," Dustin replied calmly."Dustin, Mr. Killian isn't that kind of person," Dahlia retorted firmly, unhappy to hear Dustin talking bad about her savior. "Do you really know him well enough? Besides his name, what else do you know about him?" Dustin asked back. "I—" Dahlia was taken aback. When she came to her senses, she immediately declared. "Anyway, Mr. Killian isn't a bad person. You better not judge him with a petty mindset!""Petty?" Dustin chuckled unhumorously. "You're right. I am petty. And since you seem to believe him so much, this petty man will take his leave now. Goodbye." Dustin turned around."Dustin, stop right—" He left before Dahlia could stop him. "Let him leave! What the hell is wrong with him? We just said a few words!" Florence scoffed."Yeah. Mr. Killian is a thousand times better than a petty man like him!" Julie snorted. "That's enough! He's gone now, so stop talking about this!" Dahlia
Dustin didn't resist as he was dragged into the car. He was blindfolded, and a hood was placed over his head to ensure he couldn't see anything. That was the start of a long, shaky drive. Dustin could tell that they had driven out of the city, so these enforcers were definitely not from the investigation bureau. After some time, when Dustin began to feel sleepy, the car finally stopped. The doors opened, and the metallic stench of blood pierced his nose. He could also smell the disgusting scent of rotting flesh."Where are we, sir?" Dustin asked curiously. "Shut your mouth and get in!" The man beside him snapped as he dragged Dustin forward. They passed through several checkpoints and heavy iron gates before riding an elevator that kept going deeper underground. After a while, the elevator came to a halt with a clang. Different noises instantly surrounded Dustin—cries, wails, shouts, and laughter. There was also a nasty, damp stench. The man took the hood off Dustin's he
The same went for everyone else. At first, their eyes had been filled with hostility. However, after hearing Dustin's answer, they smiled welcomingly at him. "If you had done an evil deed, you'd be dead by now. Fortunately, you were just avenging your wife, so you're a real man!""It seems like Shadow Gang will have a new member!"Everyone in the cell studied Dustin carefully. Although they didn't seem happy to see him, they didn't seem as hostile anymore. "What are you guys talking about?" Dustin was confused. "Over here, there are all sorts of guilds and gangs. Ours is Shadow Gang. Our rule is simple: settle scores fairly. You can kill your enemies, but you can't hurt innocent people. If you're caught, you'll be heavily punished." The bald man grinned. "He's right. We might not be good people, but at least we're honorable men who won't allow others to hurt innocent people!" The other men agreed.Dustin was surprised. It seemed like not everyone here was evil. "You're one
"Azkaban?" Dustin was alert when he heard the name. Azkaban was known throughout Balerno. Rumors had it that the inmates here were either extremely wicked or caused great harm to the country. And there were all sorts of criminals–assassins, despised martial artists, bloodthirsty maniacs, and more. The prison had one rule: once you entered the place, there was no way out. Unlike other prisons where inmates who performed well would be given chances to reduce their sentences, the inmates here only had two choices. They could either stay here for the rest of their lives or die. Therefore, no one has ever left or escaped the place. This was also the place where Duane Welch had been sent to. "Do you understand the seriousness of the situation now?" The older man asked, concerned. "This place is a different world. Everything on the outside no longer has anything to do with you now.""Is there no way to get out?" Dustin questioned. "Get out? How?" The older man shook his head wi
"It's me." Dustin stepped forward. The well-dressed, portly man gave him a look over and asked, "Do you understand the rules in here yet?""What rules?" Dustin asked. "Everyone needs to get a beating when they first arrive. Naturally, I'm the one who determines how heavy the beating will be. Got it?" The well-dressed, portly man made a point to tap his baton. "So, you want money?" Dustin raised an eyebrow. "Smart boy!" The other man nodded, pleased. "My men and I have to take care of trash like you every day. So we deserve that much, don't we?" He rubbed his fingers greedily. "Sorry. I don't have any money." Dustin shook his head."You don't have any money?" The well-dressed, portly man frowned and snapped, "Then write a letter to your family to ask for money! Your punishment will be lighter the more you pay.""I come from a poor family. We don't have any money." Dustin shrugged. "Fuck, you're just a hobo! What a waste of my time!" the well-dressed, portly man spat.