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An Understated Dominance Chapter 96
Duane was still smiling confidently at the start of the battle.But it was not long before he noticed something was very wrong. Dustin was much stronger than he had expected. He could feel terrifying surges of energy rushing at him like waves in the ocean. They made the bones in his hand tremble. They would break any minute!Duane's expression darkened, and he couldn't take it anymore. He threw a hard punch at Dustin, trying to make him fall back. However, Dustin did not dodge and faced it head-on instead.Their fists collided, and Duane's chair was smashed into pieces! The force of the punch shoved Duane backward until he hit the wall to catch his balance.Even so, Dustin remained seated calmly. They both knew who was more powerful!"Damn! I never knew you had tricks up your sleeve. I underestimated you!" Duane's eyes narrowed as a complex mix of expressions clouded his face. With how young Dustin was, Duane had never expected him to be so powerful. Considering how young he was,
An Understated Dominance Chapter 97
“I’m just trying to remind you to think twice before you act. Just because you have support from the higher-ups doesn’t mean you can run amok.” With a solemn look, Dahlia added, “Dustin, you must realize that your worth has to be backed by ability. Currying favors with powerful people can propel you to greater heights, but it won’t last unless you can prove you’re a person of high caliber. So don’t think you’re all high and mighty—consider this a lesson from me.”Dustin snickered upon hearing this. “How can you be sure that I’m currying favors with the powerful?”“Is that not the case? If it weren’t for Ms. Harmon’s reputation, would the Cobra have let you go so easily?” Dahlia didn’t hold back with her remark.“Whatever you say. I know that, whatever I do, I’m nothing but a useless prick in your eyes,” Dustin sneered as he shook his head.First impressions truly were tough to change. Even with the evidence in front of their eyes, some people would simply refuse to believe it. They
An Understated Dominance Chapter 98
Nighttime, in the interrogation room of the police station.Dustin and Dahlia sat with their backs against each other, bound to the chairs in the middle of the room.The air in the room was cool and damp, and darkness shrouded them completely. They could feel an invisible weight on their shoulders.“My bad, I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess,” Dustin spoke first.“They claimed you stole some valuables. Is that true?” Dahlia asked, cutting to the chase.“What do you think?”“You don’t look that bold to me, so my guess is someone is trying to frame you. Does this have anything to do with the Cobra?”“The Cobra is merely a pawn. The mastermind is none other than Duane Welch.”“Duane Welch? Are you talking about Sir Anderson?” Dahlia was dumbstruck. “Weren’t you on fairly good terms with him before? Did you strike a nerve? How?”“I punched him,” Dustin admitted flatly.“What?” Dahlia choked, struggling to keep her calm, “You…You dared hit Sir Anderson! Are you out of your m
An Understated Dominance Chapter 99
The night progressed slowly. Florence, James, and the others waited anxiously outside the police station.Dahlia was the backbone of the Nicholson family. If something were to happen to her, the Nicholsons would undoubtedly fall apart. Therefore, to save themselves, they did everything they could to arrange for her release, which meant pulling every string possible.A policeman appeared out of nowhere.James immediately stepped forward and asked, “Mr. Clarke, how’s it looking? Can you let my sister go?”“James, I dug around and discovered that Gardner is the inspector in charge of this case. A mere policeman like myself won’t be able to do much to help,” the man said with a shake of his head.“What else can we do? Do you have any other ideas?” James lamented with panic.“Mr. Clarke, we would be eternally grateful for whatever you can do to help us!” Florence pleaded.“I’ll try my best, but I can’t promise anything. Plus, don’t forget the sum of money.”“Sir, I’ve just forked ou
An Understated Dominance Chapter 100
As the chaos unfolded in the outside world, nothing but peace and calm hung in the air of the inspector’s office at the police station.“What’s the situation, Mr. Gardner? Has the kid confessed yet?” asked the Cobra impatiently as soon as he sat down.“It doesn’t matter whether he has or not. Any prisoner who falls into my hands is sure to give in eventually.” The fat inspector took another drag of his cigar with a smug expression.“It’s not a problem if you’re on-site, but you can’t guarantee that things won’t take a turn for the worse. I think you ought to get it out of the way while you can,” the Cobra suggested.“Why do you say that? Are you trying to teach me how to do my job?” Gardner cast a cold glare at him.“Of course not. I wouldn’t even dream of it. It’s just that the kid has someone backing him up. If this isn’t resolved soon, trouble may arise,” the Cobra explained with a quick apology.“What trouble could possibly arise? I’m just doing my job. Plus, this is my terri
An Understated Dominance Chapter 101
Back in the interrogation room, Dustin and Dahlia sat with their backs against each other for warmth. Such peaceful moments were rare from the moment they were married until their divorce. No one spoke anything as they remained silent for a while. “Dustin, do you think we will walk out of here alive?” Finally, Dahlia broke the silence. She couldn’t stand the damp and dark surroundings that forced her to think depressive thoughts. Furthermore, Mr. Gardner wasn’t easy to deal with. Her heart thumped with fear at what would happen to them. “Don’t scare yourself. We will definitely leave this place in one piece,” Dustin comforted her. “What if we don’t? Do you have any last wishes?” Dahlia murmured glumly. “There’s no possibility of us dying. Let’s talk after we get out,” Dustin replied. “Not after we have offended Lord Asmon. With his connections and resources, getting rid of us would be as easy as killing a gnat.” Dahlia sighed. Even if she pooled all her resources
An Understated Dominance Chapter 102
Dustin kicked the limp body of a man lying beside him. It flew like a bullet and crashed into Mr. Gardner, who was attempting to escape. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground, unable to run any longer. “I’ve warned you not to touch her.” Dustin strolled up to him and hissed murderously, his eyes boring dangerously into Mr. Gardner. “Kid, don't forget you’re in the police station! You can't go too far!” Mr. Gardner backed away on all fours.“Too far? What will you do about it?” Dustin chuckled as he crushed Mr. Gardner’s arm with his foot. The immense pain from his broken arm caused Mr. Gardner to howl in agony. “Dustin! Stop it!” Blood drained from Dahlia’s face. Even though they were innocent, they could be charged with excessive self-defense if they fought back against the police. It would only complicate the situation! “Come back to your senses, kid! Confess and turn yourself in so that you still have a chance to save yourself. If not, there will be no mercy!”
An Understated Dominance Chapter 103
“Stop this right now!” A loud voice rang out. A group of men in suits and armed to the teeth filed into the room. “Who are you? How dare you enter the interrogation room without permission! Are you starting a riot?” Mr. Gardner screamed in fury. At this moment, he was stewing with rage. The only thought in his mind was to rip Dustin up into pieces, and anybody who stood in his path would be his mortal enemy as well!“Mr. Gardner, what an honor to see you!” The crowd of people parted like the Red Sea as a gorgeous, alluring woman stalked into the room in her high heels. “Natasha?” When Mr. Gardner saw who it was, the expression on his face fell as the burning rage in his eyes died down. “You’re lucky, Dustin. Your girlfriend is here to save you.” Dahlia said sarcastically when she saw Natasha arrive. She felt a little frustrated. Although she was relieved at the thought of being rescued, she felt a twinge of annoyance at receiving Natasha’s help. As she was Dustin’s
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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
