. . Tricia felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort churning deep within her. A sick feeling settled in her stomach, gnawing at her insides and filling her with unease. Seeing Landon standing there on the stage, basking in the attention of the crowd, made her feel worse. She had always believed, with unwavering certainty, that her current boyfriend, Frank, was far superior to her ex, Landon. After all, Frank had donated a generous sum of two hundred thousand dollars to the charity. Yet now, the revelation that Landon had donated a staggering one million dollars threw her entire perception off balance. The stark contrast between their donations left her reeling. The vast difference in their contributions gnawed at her pride and stirred up a storm of resentment. One of the reasons Tricia had felt so confident in her choices was her belief that Frank was leagues above Landon, both financially and socially. It brought her a twisted sense of satisfaction to think that Landon was sufferi
..Landon had been increasingly eager to uncover the truth about Frank Madden’s identity. His curiosity spiked even more once he realized Frank shared the same last name as one of the powerful families in the shadows—those elusive families known only by a select few. The coincidence was too striking to ignore. Because of this, Landon had asked his trusted assistant, Eve, to dig deeper and investigate further. He understood that the name Madden wasn’t uncommon, and that many people across the country shared it. Nevertheless, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this particular Madden.The families in the shadows were notoriously difficult to trace. One of the reasons locating these families was so complicated was because they shared their last names with ordinary citizens. This lack of distinction was intentional; it was a way for them to blend in, to stay hidden from the public eye. The families of the shadows did everything they could to avoid attracting pu
..“Fifty million dollars?” The number echoed in everyone’s minds, and shock rippled through the crowd like waves crashing over a shore.The Associate Dean, who was overseeing the event, felt lightheaded just hearing that astronomical figure. He had never witnessed donations of this scale before, let alone during a charity event. Swallowing hard, he fought to keep his composure, but his expression mirrored the shock and awe that was spreading throughout the room.The crowd shared the Associate Dean’s amazement; each person seemed to be in a state of stunned silence, scarcely able to believe what they’d just heard. Even Tricia, who prided herself on her confidence, hadn’t anticipated her boyfriend’s bold move. She knew Frank was wealthy, but a donation of fifty million dollars was beyond anything she had expected. However, her surprise quickly turned to excitement, and she seized the moment with a smirk, looking directly at Landon with barely contained glee.“Cat got your tongue now?”
..A Billion Dollars…This time, it was as though the entire world had come to a screeching halt when Landon made his startling declaration of donating a billion dollars to charity. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, leaving everyone utterly stunned. The only indication that time had not truly stopped was the sound of people’s phones slipping from their hands and hitting the ground in shock. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd, yet no one seemed able to form coherent thoughts.Before their very eyes, Landon pulled out his card, swiped it with an air of unshaken confidence, and completed the payment. The machine beeped, displaying the notification they could hardly believe was real: Transaction Successful. A billion dollars—gone from his account in an instant. The volunteer girl holding the payment machine could hardly believe her eyes. Her hands trembled as she kept glancing at the screen, desperate to confirm that the massive transaction she had just witnessed w
. . Seeing the armed men dressed entirely in black, with their faces obscured by sinister-looking masks, was enough to send chills racing down the spines of every student present. The ominous sight alone caused a ripple of fear to spread throughout the crowd like wildfire. Some students instinctively began to back away, their trembling legs betraying their fear. Others, too terrified to think clearly, attempted to hide behind their peers, seeking a false sense of security as if blending into the crowd would shield them from harm. No one knew where this group of armed and masked men had come from. Their sudden appearance was as inexplicable as it was terrifying. Equally unclear was their purpose. Why had they appeared here, of all places? What did they want? The only certainty in the air was their hostility, and that alone was enough to terrify the students into silence. Before the masked intruders could even utter a single word, chaos erupted. Frank’s elite bodyguards, highly train
..Elite AssassinsOne of the most terrifying reasons elite assassins are so dangerous lies in their unparalleled ability to move undetected, striking down their targets before their presence is even realized. They are, in every sense, silent killers—masters of stealth who thrive in the chaos of battle by using the element of surprise to their advantage. Their strength is not in open combat but in the precision of their initial attack. Their strategy revolves around delivering a fatal strike at the very moment their target is most vulnerable, ensuring the fight is over before it even begins. Once their presence is discovered, however, their advantage diminishes significantly. An elite assassin’s mastery lies not in prolonged confrontations but in turning the tide of a battle before their opponent even knows they are there.Landon’s sharp gaze quickly caught sight of several of these stealth killers weaving their way through the battlefield. Their movements were almost imperceptible,
. . Landon stood silently, his sharp eyes fixed on the chaotic scene unfolding before him. A small, satisfied smile graced his lips. He was pleased with his decision to stay out of the battle thus far. While he had the ability to confront the masked attackers and overpower them, he had chosen restraint. He wanted to observe, to gauge the situation, and more importantly, to see whether Frank would step forward to defend the students. Frank had done exactly that, and his performance on the battlefield spoke volumes. From what Landon could see, Frank was not just a skilled martial artist—he was exceptionally talented. His movements were fluid and powerful, each strike precise and devastating. The way he tore through the masked men with ease confirmed his status. Landon could tell with certainty that Frank had reached the rank of a Dragon-Level Martial Artist. This realization solidified something important in Landon’s mind: Frank Madden was indeed a member of the Madden family of th
..As if guided by an unspoken command, Frank and the leader of the masked attackers launched themselves toward one another, each with lethal intent blazing in their eyes. Their fists shot forward with incredible force, the air around them rippling from the sheer power of their attacks. Both fighters clearly aimed to deliver a decisive, life-ending blow to the other. Bang!A deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield as their fists collided with a thunderous impact. For a moment, it seemed as though the two titans were evenly matched, their strength clashing in a fierce struggle. However, the stalemate didn’t last long. “Argh!” A loud, guttural cry of pain rang out as one of the fighters was sent flying backward like a ragdoll. The figure tumbled through the air, slamming into several of the masked men with such force that their bodies crumpled instantly, their lives snuffed out in an instant. The attacker’s leader landed with a sickening thud, coughing up a mouthful of