A figure clad in black stood in front of Eric. Despite the mask concealing their face, Eric discerned a striking resemblance to Michael.Surprised, the person exclaimed, "You're Eric? The founder of the Innova Group?"Genuine astonishment filled him. The punch he had just thrown was intended to be lethal, yet Eric had effortlessly blocked it.As a member of the Crimson Order, he was well-informed about the Innova Group's predicament. Eric's distinctive features were too conspicuous, and he never anticipated the founder of the Innova Group to be such an extraordinary martial artist!Eric was relieved upon hearing the voice. "You're not Michael?""He is Shadow! Capture him!" Ruth had heard the entire conversation and identified the person who had shot the arrow as Shadow.The wind howled, and an intense battle ensued. Elaborate moves were unnecessary at this point—only fists served as techniques.Eric swiftly retreated while neutralizing the formidable force from the punch.Shado
None of them had accomplished this feat before. Just as Eric prepared to charge at Shadow to conclude the fight, Ruth abruptly spat a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness."Ma'am!" the subordinates shouted.Eric instantly grasped the situation. He turned around just in time to catch the collapsing Ruth. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that Ruth's lips appeared dark, indicating possible poisoning."Hahaha!" Shadow laughed heartily, declaring, "She'll die by my hand today!"Following his laughter, he turned and fled, seemingly aware that if Eric was free, escape would be impossible.Observing Shadow attempting to flee, several members rushed forward. Despite their efforts, they were no match for Shadow. Even injured, he proved formidable against ordinary opponents. With a swing of his fist, Shadow effortlessly repelled them, vanishing into the night.Shadow escaped, leaving Ruth severely injured and teetering on the brink of death.-Ruth awoke the next day, greeted by the
The two women fixed their gaze on Eric simultaneously, causing him to blush. In the realm of practicing medicine, breaching certain boundaries was unavoidable.Eric considered it normal. The late Orion had even mentioned it before. However, why did it sound different coming from Ruth's mouth?"You were on the brink of death, and the hospital couldn't identify the poison even after an extensive search. So I had to act swiftly," he explained."You should have just let me die..." Ruth mumbled.This time, she suffered significant losses.Changing the subject, Eric stated, "Now we can confirm that Michael is not Shadow. The Innova Group and the Hamptons have verified this. When Shadow appeared last night, Michael was negotiating with the Hamptons about relocating Frontier Digital to Salt City.""Before this, the Battle Department could only speculate. After all, individuals like Shadow are cunning. Alright, I need to swiftly send the person we captured yesterday to King City and draft
"Eric, something significant has occurred! My mentor and high-ranking officials from the Combat Department have headed to the northern border. Now, as a Lieutenant General, you must go!" Ruth said solemnly."What happened?" Eric asked involuntarily.Ruth pursed her lips. "Trouble is brewing at the border. We've lost a few lives, and there are war plans in the making. As the leader of the three armies, the Combat Department not only needs to avert the outbreak of war but also bears the responsibility to bring it to an end!"Eric realized the gravity of the situation."Vince and Matthew will accompany me on this overseas mission. Don't worry. Everything will be fine," Sylvia reassured him.She understood that Eric's numerous questions stemmed from concern for her. However, as a member of the Combat Department, Eric had duties to fulfill.Eric nodded. His concern wasn't primarily for Sylvia's safety. As a representative of the domestic industry, the Innova Group's adversaries wouldn
Eric's expression shifted subtly. During his time in Salt City, he held the belief that war was a distant prospect, possibly not occurring in the next few decades.However, skirmishes and even full-fledged battles were commonplace at the border. For soldiers, this was the reality of war.Pierce, driven by ambition, sought to decisively quell the border disturbances. Perhaps this explained why he and the Battle Department had come to the border. Only someone with Pierce's grand vision could muster the determination to resolve the issue with a single decisive battle.Eric was not deeply involved in such matters, so he refrained from forming strong opinions. Ruth was more informed than Eric, so she voiced her perspective. "Master, handling the other side alone is manageable. But if the Crimson Order is involved..."Upon hearing that, even Eric couldn't help but be astonished."The Crimson Order has the capability to incite such incidents?" he asked.The Crimson Order was just an o
Eric nodded in acknowledgment. Given his unique characteristics, Pierce's expectations for him seemed reasonable. Eric listened attentively, committing every word from Pierce to memory. They conversed late into the night before Pierce finally retired for the night.As Eric lay in bed, he tossed and turned, missing the comforting presence of Sylvia by his side. He messaged Sylvia, who promptly responded, informing him that the Innova Group had just arrived, and due to the time difference, they hadn't commenced their work yet.The couple avoided discussing border issues, understanding that those topics were off-limits. After chatting for a while, Eric reluctantly rested.-The following morning, Ruth sought out Eric and handed him a tablet. "Most of the Battle Department's information is here. Take some time to review it. After you finish, destroy the device. Utilize your time for studying."Taking the tablet, Eric didn't say much and delved into examining its contents. He became
Ruth couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly.Eric looked puzzled, wondering if there was something wrong with her. Suddenly bursting into laughter like that was quite unsettling."Master said I'm proud and arrogant. If I recall correctly, we first met in Salt City. At that time, I saw your face full of scars. After checking your information and knowing your age, I was quite repulsed when Master sent me to recruit you. Seeing you even made me feel uncomfortable," Ruth said.Eric raised an eyebrow and teased, "Miss, you might be unwanted, but my heart belongs to someone, so don't think about having any ideas about me."The atmosphere at the border was too oppressive, and Eric just wanted to lighten it up a bit. Ruth sneered. "I didn't realize you're quite narcissistic. Your appearance is enough to frighten any woman. I must say, Sylvia is admirable. Does she not have nightmares sleeping next to you?"Eric glanced at Ruth and said, "Has your mentor or your father told you that
Eric was unaware of the assassin's plan for his operation. Nevertheless, he soon discovered it as he witnessed the assassin extracting an object, spraying it toward Pierce's room, and then standing still as if anticipating something."Such an ancient technique." Eric chuckled, advancing toward Pierce's residence.Just as he neared, Pierce suddenly materialized behind the assassin.As if deliberately taunting the assassin, Pierce patted the assassin's shoulder, nearly startling him to the core. However, the assassin reacted swiftly—the moment Pierce touched his shoulder, he twisted and threw a punch.Pierce raised his hand to block, but he still staggered back several steps."Pierce?" The assassin was puzzled. "Aren't you in your room?"Pierce laughed heartily. "I knew you were coming to kill me! You must be someone I know!"Having spoken, he immediately engaged in combat.The assassin looked serious, as Pierce remaining conscious posed a significant disadvantage. It would alert