. . "Dad," Hendrix said with a confident grin, "this Landon must be incredibly strong. I can’t wait to face him in battle." Just as Hendrix let out those words in excitement, his attention was suddenly seized by a booming voice that echoed through the room. The sound was so powerful that everyone in the room heard it clearly, and along with it came the overwhelming sensation of a very strong and formidable aura. “Greetings, citizens of Autumnvale, and citizens of the entire world! I am Golden Zeus, a messenger sent here by the Martial Arts Alliance to inform the world that the Deadly Path to the South will commence right here in Autumnvale in seven days!" The moment Hendrix, Carolyn, and George heard the proclamation, their expressions all changed dramatically. It was as if the weight of the message sank into each of them at once, altering the atmosphere in the room. A wide, almost predatory smile spread across Hendrix’s face as he absorbed the announcement. “Looks like I'll be
..Landon could sense that Aurora was unsure if their relationship would remain the same after his sudden revelation of being the owner of Grey Group. He could see the doubt lingering in her eyes, the uncertainty clouding her normally bright demeanor. She seemed to be struggling with the idea that their dynamic might shift now that she knew the truth about his status and wealth. However, what she failed to understand was one very important fact: Landon had always been the owner of Grey Group, even before he decided to hide his identity and pose as an intern. From the very beginning, he had been the one in control of the company, long before he ever met her. Yet, despite his hidden identity, he had chosen to befriend her. The only thing he hadn’t done was reveal who he truly was. His friendship with her was genuine, the person she had gotten to know was the real him. Now that his true identity had come to light, it didn’t mean that he had changed as a person.With a warm, reassuring
. . When the crowd heard Landon’s reply, they were all completely taken aback. After Flynn introduced himself, everyone had expected Landon to apologize immediately, as that would have been the logical response when faced with someone of Flynn’s status. However, what happened was the exact opposite. Not only did Landon refuse to apologize, but he even went so far as to rebuke Flynn! The audacity of this act left the onlookers in utter disbelief. What could this mean? To them, it was obvious: Landon was destined for a severe punishment. Perhaps, had Landon apologized for not recognizing Flynn, he might have received a lighter sentence. Maybe, just maybe, he would have been spared some of the consequences. But instead, he had chosen to rebuke Flynn, and that meant one thing—he would be made an example of. Flynn would use him as a scapegoat, a public lesson to show others what happened when someone dared to disrespect him. Even Aurora, standing beside Landon, felt her heart sink. Fear
..The moment Flynn struck with his powerful fist, everyone in the room assumed that Landon was certainly done for. Not only had this fool disrespected Flynn, but he had also displayed outrageous overconfidence by keeping his hands behind his back. Such arrogance was exactly the kind of attitude that had driven many martial artists to their graves, and now, the onlookers believed they were about to witness yet another reckless soul meet his untimely demise.Furthermore, another reason the crowd was so confident that Landon would lose was due to Flynn’s notorious reputation. Flynn of Scarlet Justice was widely known for his brute strength, a force so great that people said he could obliterate mountains with just his fists. If Landon had done his research thoroughly, he probably wouldn’t have dared to provoke someone as fearsome as Flynn. But he hadn’t, and now he was about to pay the ultimate price for his foolish actions.Flynn’s fist had not yet even made contact with Landon, but th
..“Senior Flynn!” The expressions of Flynn’s three lackeys turned into one of utter despair as they saw their senior in the same humiliating position, just like the last time. Flynn, their powerful leader, was once again laid low in the most embarrassing way possible, his defeat echoing through the stunned silence of the room.The crowd was in even more shock this time. It was Flynn who had launched the attack, and yet, just like before, he was the one who ended up suffering the consequences. The first time, they had reasoned that perhaps Flynn hadn’t taken his opponent, the young man standing so confidently, very seriously. That might have explained why he had landed in such a pitiful state. However, this time, Flynn had clearly signaled that he was getting serious, fully unleashing his strength, and yet he still met the same fate. Didn’t this imply that the young man, Landon, was far stronger than Flynn? How else could they explain such a baffling situation?Even more astonishing
..Inside a luxurious suite in one of the most prestigious hotels in Autumnvale, tension simmered beneath the surface. This suite was currently being occupied by none other than members of the renowned martial arts guild, the Scarlet Justice. Due to the upcoming martial arts competition, several key members of the guild had taken up residence here, preparing for the challenges ahead. Among them were their top representatives for the infamous Deadly Path of the South, a brutal battleground where only the strongest survived.The atmosphere in the suite had been peaceful, almost serene, until suddenly, three men burst through the suite’s door with a loud crash, shattering the calm like glass hitting concrete. A man in his fifties, who had been lounging on a chair, shot up in alarm at the sight of one of the men who had just entered. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his usually composed face twisted with panic as he called out, “Flynn!” His voice was filled with both concern and confu
. . When Carolyn heard the outburst from the smallest member of the family, a mischievous smile spread across her face, as if a new, wicked idea had just lit up in her eyes. "Oh, who’s this little rascal?" Carolyn taunted, her voice dripping with mockery. "Didn’t anyone teach you not to curse your elders and to treat them with respect? Maybe I should teach you some proper manners myself." She turned toward one of her guards and commanded coldly, "Bring that little brat to me!" Without hesitation, one of the burly bodyguards grabbed Trixie, lifting her as though she were weightless, and began carrying her over to Carolyn. "Let me go!" Trixie shouted, struggling against the guard's grip. But despite her defiant spirit, Trixie's small stature made it impossible for her to fight back effectively. There was no way she could resist someone so much stronger than her, no matter how hard she tried. She was still just a fragile little girl. "Let her go!" Daisy cried out when she saw Trix
. . “Stop!” Daisy and Aunt May got back on their feet, unable to bear the gruesome sight of Carolyn’s cruel act toward the little girl. Who could have such a heart to disfigure a child’s face and relish in it? Their fury boiled over, and they could no longer stand idly by. However, even though both Daisy and Aunt May intended to stop the horrific scene unfolding before them, they lacked the power to do anything. With a swift smack from one of the bodyguards, both Aunt May and Daisy were sent flying back like rag dolls. Neither of them got up again after that, leaving everyone to wonder if they were still conscious. The only sounds in the room were Trixie’s pitiful cries of pain and Carolyn’s excited, gleeful voice. With every movement of her hand, Carolyn continued tearing through Trixie’s delicate skin, as if she were playing a game. In a matter of minutes, Trixie’s face had been horribly disfigured, drenched in blood. “The longer your dad takes, the more I’ll keep marking up