My Mysterious Life VII

Chapter 351

Abigail, Natasha, and the others were devastated. They knew that the force Marlon used was enough to kill his opponent. Even the strongest martial artist would have died on the spot from that attack. There was no way Mr. Robinson was fine.

“That piece of shit dirtied my clothes.” Marlon tried to dust the blood off his pants legs, disgusted. “I’ll kill you!” Abigail howled. She grabbed her dagger and charged toward Marlon.

Marlon sneered and grabbed her wrist, effectively pressing her onto the ground.

“No one’s going to interrupt us now, honey. Let’s do it here.” Grinning perversely, he tore off her jacket, exposing her voluptuous figure.

“Fuck off!” Abigail slammed her knee into Marlon’s groin with all her might, her eyes bloodshot.

“Aargh!” Marlon wailed. His face was twisting in pain. “You b*tch! How dare you harm me! I’m going to kill you!” He pulled out his sword and swung it toward her.

The blade was going to slice through her, but a bloody hand appeared from nowhere and grabbed the tip of the blade. “Huh?” Marlon lifted his head. The person who

stopped his attack was Mr. Robinson! However, he seemed like a completely different person.

This Mr. Robinson was no longer timid and fearful, Instead, he was cold and ruthless.

“How are you still alive?” Marlon’s expression sobered.

“Why did you have to push me?” Mr. Robinson sighed. “Couldn’t you have just let this matter slide?”

“What the hell are you talking about, old man?” Marlon frowned uneasily. He realized that the air around the older man was slowly shifting.

“I’ve already given you a chance, but you didn’t appreciate it, so don’t blame me.” Mr.

Robinson tightened his grip slightly, and Marlon’s sword instantly shattered into a million pieces. At the same time, a burst of energy exploded out of him. It rippled through the wind and caused snow to whirl up. Even the plants around them began to sway and shake as if they were marveling at his strength.

Mr. Robinson inhaled deeply, and all the joints in his body cracked. He gradually absorbed all the natural essence surrounding him into his body. Soon, he became so powerful that it was hard for others to even look him in the eye.

“W-who are you?” Marlon s crambled backward in terror. He never expected the timid old man to undergo such a drastic change. Now, Mr. Robinson was like a ferocious dragon who had just woken up from his deep slumber. A mere peek at the man was enough to send shivers down one’s spine .

Marlon had met countless masters in his lifetime, but Mr. Robinson was the scariest person he had ever seen. In fact, Mr. Robinson might even be considered a god at this point being who stood higher than any human.

“You shouldn’t have hurt my daughter.” Mr. Robinson shook his head. He pointed in

Marlon’s direction, and without warning, the man’s body exploded like a balloon.

Marlon died in an instant.

“What?” Everyone gaped incredulously at the bloody mist that used to be Marlon.

Marlon was a Divine -level martial artist strong enough to take all of them down effortlessly.

However, a finger was all Mr. Robinson needed to kill him. How terrifying! Was this really the cowardly old man they all knew?

“Run!” Once they got over the shock, the group of large men spun around and began to flee. They had no idea what had happened, bu t they knew Mr. Robinson was far stronger than expected. Marlon had been killed easily, so there was no way they’d stand a chance against that man.

“You shouldn’t have done all that if you were afraid of dying.” Mr. Robinson waved his hand casually, and the men immediately burst apart. They turned into a bloody mist.

“Uh…” Everyone was shocked by the sight, especially Abigail. Her eyes were wide open. She couldn’t believe that her cowardly father had suddenly turned so strong.

“Wow, he really kept his skills well hidden!” Dustin, who had just arrived, gaped at Mr.

Robinson. He always thought he had a good eye. However, he never realized such a strong individual had been hiding under his nose this entire time.

“Mr. Robinson? Is that really you?” Natasha asked hesitantly, astonished.

“I apologize for scaring you, Ms. Natasha.” Mr. Robinson lowered his head. He quickly returned to how he was earlier. However, no one could look down on him anymore.

“Dad, how…” Abigail was at a loss for words. She couldn’t understand why her father would hide his powers and let others walk all over him.

“I’m sorry for deceiving you all these years. I wanted you to grow up as an ordinary person, but I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.” Mr. Robinson sighed. He knew how dangerous the martial world was, so he hoped his daughter could stay out of it.

Alas, things didn’t always go as planned.

“Who are you? Why are you so strong? And why did you lie to me?” Abigail fired questions rapidly. Her head was completely blank at the moment.

“It’s a long story. I -” Mr. Robinson began.

Suddenly, a group of people emerged from the snow ahead. It was the rest of the

Harmon family. The Harmon family’s strongest fighters, which consisted of hundreds of Harmon family elite guards and aids, were being led by Hector.

“Natasha, Ruth, are you gir ls alright?” Hector asked as he and his group braved the blizzard and trudged toward them. He stared at the bright red snow fearfully.

“We’re fine. We ran into some bastards earlier, but fortunately, Mr. Robinson was around.” Natasha forced a smile. “Mr. Robinson?” Hector was taken aback. He surveyed the mess in dismay. After all, the pieces of flesh littering the ground could only have b een caused by using powerful true energy to blast the bodies apart.

It would take at least a Divine -level martial artist to do that. Mr. Robinson was merely a servant in had ever seen. In fact, Mr. Robinson might even be considered a god at this point being who stood higher than any human.

“Hurry! Let’s head over to the banquet hall!” Hector ordered immediately.

“No need. I’ve taken care of it.” Dustin emerged from the darkness. His white clothes were stained red as some murderous air lingered on him.

“That’s good.” Hector sighed in relief before asking, “Dustin, did you catch sight of the

Dark Lord?” “Not yet?” Dustin shook his head..

“As long as the Dark Lord is alive, our family will be in danger. All members of the

Harmon 1 family, listen up! Split yourself into groups of five and root him out!” Hector commanded.

“There’s no need for that. I’m already here.” Just then, a sinister voice spoke out.

Everyone turned and saw a man standing proudly on the gazebo nearby. He wore a black cape and a mask that covered half of his face. The air surrounding the man was so poisonous that the ring. of plants around him had already withered. Even the snow that fe ll on his body turned black.

“The Dark Lord?” The Harmon family instantly had their guards up and their weapons drawn. The past few years have traumatized them. They couldn’t see or catch him, so they had to be constantly on guard against him since his methods were always baffling. He  was skilled in poison, curses, and witchcraft and could easily kill

someone undetected. His skills made it extremely difficult to anticipate his next move.

The Harmon family couldn’t help but feel a little scared. They could finally meet this nightmare in person.

“You’ve finally shown yourself.” Hector narrowed his eyes, his expression grim.

Knowing the Dark Lord’s personality, the man must have something up his sleeve if he was willing to show himself today.

“We should end things now. It’s been a long time coming, after all.” The Dark Lord sniggered. “You have two choices right now. You either hand over your treasure, or your entire family will perish!”

“Our family will perish? Because of you?” Hector humphed. He prepared well just to fight against the Dark Lord. However, dealing with the man would have been difficult if he had been hiding in the dark. Now that the Dark Lord had shown himself, they could finally take him down!

“I can deal with all of you myself!” The Dark Lord clasped his hands behind his back, his clothes dancing in the air.

“How dare you!”

“Insolent bastard!”

Chapter 352

The Harmon family cried out angrily. The Dark Lord was feared for his mystic arts. So, the Harmon family had nothing to fear as long as everything came down to a battle of the fists.

“Move out of the way! I’ll deal with him!” Dylan stood forward and swore, “You’ve harmed our family for years, Dark Lord! Today, you will pay for your sins with your blood!”

“Foolish brat.” The Dark Lord humphed disdainfully

“How dare you look down on me! Go to hell!” Dylan drew his blade and leaped into the air. With a powerful swing, he brought his sword down with all his might.

There was a whistle as the force melted the snow in its path and headed toward the

Dark Lord, “What a powerful swing!” The Harmon family watched the battle animatedly. As the genius of the family, the time Dylan spent on the battlefield completely changed him. His sword was much more powerful than it once was.

“Oh, my genius boy!” Jacob watched his son proudly. Defeating the Dark Lord would make Dylan the family’s hero.

“Tree Flicker.” With a snicker, the Dark Lord struck out with his palm. A shadow phased through Dylan’s sword and planted itself into the young man’s chest.

“Aargh!” Dylan wailed as he collapsed onto the ground. He spurted blood everywhere.

“What?” Everyone was shocked as they watched Dylan land on the ground. The way he had leaped into the air tricked everyone into thinking that he had a winning chance against the Dark Lord. However, his opponent was able to get rid of him effortlessly, shoc king the crowd.

“Dylan!” Jacob paled. He rushed over to hold his son up.

“I slipped, Dad…” Dylan forced out before his head fell to one side as he passed out.

Jacob was tongue -tied. He couldn’t believe how stubborn his son was.

“How could he act so foolishly when he’s so weak? Does the Harmon family have no one else to send?” At the gazebo, the Dark Lord sneered at them scornfully.

“Don’t be cocky. We’ll deal with you!” A voice was heard as nine people emerged from the group of people. There was a mix of men and women, as each of them were powerful fighters well -known in the martial world. Without doing much, they gave off immense pr essure on those around them.

“To tell you the truth, these are skilled martial artists we hired. With them around, you’ll meet your end no matter what tricks you use!” Trent declared, pleased.

“You better surrender if you don’t want to die!” Hector shouted.

The Harmon family called upon many martial artists for help, but most of them were nothing but smokescreens. Their true trump card was actually these nine fighters.

“Pfft! I can get rid of these nine pests easily.” The Dark Lord sniggered, unfazed.

“Insolent bastard!” His answer pissed off the nine fighters.

They were well -known fighters in the martial world and were confident they could each take on the Dark Lord by themselves, much less as a team “Guys, on my mark, let’s get rid of this evil man!” An elderly man shouted as he sprung toward the Dark

Lord, swo rd first. “Kill him!”

The remaining eight fighters followed closely behind, each using their best skills to fight the Dark Lord Blades glinted, and gusts of wind rippled through the air as the trees and bushes around them were sliced down. Even the freshly laid snow had evapora ted.

“With those skills, no wonder they’re the best fighters around.”

“With those nine people attacking him at the same time, there’s no way he can avoid their assault!

“Since he dared to invade our house, let’s make sure he never leaves!”

The Harmon family watched intently as the nine fighters surrounded the Dark Lord, eagerly waiting for the latter to be shredded into pieces.

“What a bunch of losers.” The Dark Lord chuckled before striking outward with both palms. There was a loud rumble as the two fighters closest to him were flattened into human pancakes. The Dark Lord then spun around and did the same to the two fighters beh ind him, killing them instantly.

Within seconds, nearly half of the nine fighters were dead.

While the Dark Lord was busy with the four fighters, the remaining five rushed toward the Dark Lord and swung their swords fiercely.

Sharp clangs rang out as their weapons hit the Dark Lord’s body. As if they had hit solid steel, sparks flew from the points of contact.

“What?”

The five fighters’ eyes widened in shock, and they paled. When they tried to jump backward, they realized that the true energy surrounding the Dark Lord’s frame had glued their weapons to his body like a magnet.

“Who gave you the courage to fight me with those measly skills? You guys must have a death wish!” The Dark Lord’s body shook, and a gust of terrifying true energy burst forth.

As if they had been struck by a train, the remaining five fighters were brutally thrown backward and landed in a pile of snow.

Some died, while others were severely injured, and none of them were able to stand up again.

“What? The nine fighters lost?” The Harmon family was devastated to see that the skilled fighters they spent a hefty amount to hire hadn’t even been able to touch a hair on the Dark Lord’s head.

“Who’s up next?” The Dark Lord stood at the same gazebo, and he peered down at those useless fools.

“Even those nine fighters lost to him. There’s no way anyone could win against him.”

The Harmon family exchanged fearful glances, none of them daring to step forward.

Was this the end of the Harmon family?

“The two of us will have some fun with you, Dark Lord.” Suddenly, a grave voice broke the silence.

Everyone turned to see two shadows emerging from the sky, nimbly making their way toward them. They moved as stealthily as a cat, making it hard for others to spot them.

“They’re awesome!” Everyone was amazed by the two men, who moved past the trees and toward the Dark Lord.

As they approached, everyone finally realized who the two elderly men were.

“Master Herman! Sir Leon!” Caelus was overjoyed to see them.

“They’re finally here!” Ivy and Maria cheered at the new arrivals, who were none other than the leader and assistant leader of the Invincible Guardians, Herman, and Leon

Delgado.

1 “You’re finally here.” Hector and the rest of the Harmon family heaved sighs of relief. Now that the leader of the Invincible Guardians was here, the Dark Lord couldn’t do too much damage. After all, these two men were martial artists who were close to b ecoming grandmasters.

“I hope you can forgive us for arriving late, Hector. Herman lowered his head respectfully.

“Of course. Having you two here is already a godsend.” Hector smiled. Things had seemed quite bad earlier, but fortunately, there hadn’t been much real damage.

“Let’s not waste time. We’ll take care of things from here.” Herman turned around to face the gazebo. “Dark Lord, you’ve committed grave sins Bold ofyou to not surrender yourself now that the two of us are here!”

“No wonder you guys weren’t afraid. You had the Invincible Guardians protecting you.” The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes.

“If you’re scared, you better kneel and apologize right now. We might spare your life that way.” Leon bellowed.

“Scared? Pfft! Guilds like yours always like to bully people with numbers. How strong can you be? I challenge you to a one -on-one fight!” The Da rk Lord taunted.

“Why would I need Herman’s help to deal with the likes of you?” Leon snorted.

“You better remember what you just said.” The Dark Lord’s gaze darkened, a sinister smile on his face.

“Hold on!” Dustin suddenly called out. “Sir Leon, you’re no match for him on your own. You have to work together if you want to have a winning chance” “Nonsense!”

Leon glared at him. “I’m nearly a Grandmaster martial artist. I can take care of this fat

Divine-level bastard easily!”

“I’m just giving you a piece of advice. Even animals give it their all when catching prey much weaker than them, so there’s no need to risk it,” Dustin responded.

“Shut up! How dare a stupid brat like you tell me what to do! Step aside!” Leon was pissed that Dustin would question his capabilities.

“What?” Dustin frowned, and his expression turned cold. “If you insist on doing things your way, forget I said anything.”

He only gave that piece of advice because of the Harmon family, but since Leon refused to listen to him and even insulted him, he might as well just turn a blind eye.

Chapter 353

“Hmph, foolish brat!” Caelus glanced at Dustin and sneered. “What would a stupid pig like you know about Sir Leon’s strength? You could never even hope to reach his level!”

“Dustin, Sir Leon is a semi -Grandmaster. You shouldn’t talk about things you don’t know. Others might laugh at you,” Ivy grumbled in displeasure. “She’s right. You should watch how Sit Leon takes his opponent down!” Maria echoed. All of them saw

Dustin as someone who liked to talk others down to make himself feel good. The

Dark Lord might be a powerful person, but he was still a Divine -level martial artist, which was nowhere near the level of a semi -grandmaster.

“Let’s hope things turn out the way you’re hoping they will,” Dustin simply responded.

He’s said everything he needed to say. If he said anymore, he would just make a fool of himself.

“Sir Leon, I think he’s right. If you’re too scared to fight me alone, you can ask your leader to join the battle.

Otherwise, you might suffer an embarrassing loss,” The Dark Lord taunted, aware that guilds like these cared more about their pride than anything else.

As he expected, Leon was furious at his words. “Yeah, right! Killing you is a piece of cake. I don’t need anyone’s help! Here I come!” He jumped into the air and unsheathed the long sword behind his back. Clutching the sword with one hand, he thrust it tow ard the Dark Lord at an incredible speed.

“His sword is so fast and powerful!”

“No wonder he’s a semi -Grandmaster. He’s so strong!”

The crowd marveled at his strength. They had never seen someone as strong as Leon.

“You’re doomed!” Leon bellowed, and his sword shone as his attack increased in power.

“Foolish bastard.” The Dark Lord chuckled coldly before swinging his hand, which was curled into a claw

This caused Leon’s blade, which was less than twenty inches away, to stop mid -air.

The sword trembled violently but didn’t move at all.

“How is that possible?” Leon was shocked. Before he had time to react, the Dark Lord reached out and struck Leon’s chest with his palm. Immediately, blood spewed from

Leon’s mouth, and he flew backward.

“Go to hell!” The Dark Lord took advantage of this opportunity and struck again. A huge shadow in the shape of a palm hit Leon hard.

“Leon!” Herman paled. He quickly drew his sword to counter the Dark Lord’s attack.

There was a loud bang as the two attacks clashed before the shadow palm disappeared.

Herman reached out to catch Leon when the Dark Lord suddenly fused with the shadows and slammed into him.

“You must have a death wish!” Furious, Herman brandished his sword. Instantly, thousands of shadow swords appeared. They trapped the Dark Lord from al l directions and then flew in the Dark Lord’s direction. However, they didn’t seem to affect the Dark Lord, who was able to phase through the shadows and counter with another strike.

“Oh no!” Herman’s eyes widened, and he instinctively raised his sword to block the oncoming onslaught. The blade shattered on impact, and the Dark Lork quickly followed up with another strike to Herman’s chest, crushing the man’s bones and causing him to c ough up blood.

Herman flew in the air before crashing into the ground, head -first.

It had only taken the Dark Lord two seconds to defeat Herman and Leon. “What?”

Everyone exclaimed, flabbergasted. No one had expected the two semi -Grandmasters to lose so terribly to the Dark Lord.

“Master Herman!” Terrified, Caelus, Ivy, and Maria dashed toward their mentor.

Herman and Leon were severely injured; they bled profusely from their noses, and they couldn’t get back onto their feet “How is this possible? The leader of the

Invincible Guardians actually lost?” The Harmon family couldn’t believe their eyes.

The two semi -Grandmasters had been their final trump card, and they’d thought they’d have a winning chance against the Dark Lord, yet the latter had eventually won, which begged the question: if the Dark Lord was stronger than Herman and

Leon, which Harmon  family member would stand a chance against him? “If the two of you had come at me together, you could have won against me.

Unfortunately, your confidence and pride blinded you.” The Dark Lord peered down at them.

“A aren’t you just a fully developed Divine -level martial artist?” Herman gasped, clutching his chest.

“How was I going to lure you out if I didn’t hide my true strength?” The Dark Lord chuckled. Although he had been confident that things would turn out in his favor, he still didn’t want to take any risks.

“You treacherous and shameless bastard!” Jacob swore.

“Nothing matters as long as I can win.” The Dark Lord grinned. “Also, aren’t you curious as to why I finally decided to show myself after all this time hiding?”

“Why?” Hector asked uneasily.

“I’ve been biding my time and building my strength” The Dark Lord puffed out his chest. Actually, I’ve already evolved into a Grandmaster martial artist!”

His words shocked everyone, causing them to break out in a cold sweat. There were many skilled fighters in the martial world. However, it was rare to find anyone so strong. Countless geniuses spent all their lives trying to break that barrier and evolve.

Herman and Leon were the perfect examples. Although they were Grandmasters who were halfway to becoming Grandmasters, the gap they had yet to fill was so profound that they’d been stuck at their current level for the past decade and still hadn’t seen any i mprovements.

Therefore, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that becoming a Grandmaster was near impossible.

Everyone finally understood why Herman and Leon had lost. Their opponent was a

Grandmaster! “Shit! We’re doomed!”

“How are we supposed to fight against such a strong opponent?”

“That’s the end of our family!”

The Harmon family wore devastated expressions. The opponent they were facing was a Grandmaster, which meant they had no chance of winning and could only let the

Dark Lord do as he pleased.

“You’ve lost, Hector. I’ll let you guys live if you hand over the treasure.” The Dark Lord commanded. He was powerful enough to crush the entire family.

“Knowing you, you won’t let us go even if we hand over the treasure.” Hector shook his head.

“You don’t have a choice in this matter.” The Dark Lord smiled coldly. It was true that he hadn’t been planning to let any of them go since obtaining the treasure map and getting rid of the Harmon family had been his target from the start.

“Since we’ll die no matter what, we might as well die honorably.” Hector took a deep breath. He suddenly raised his hand and shouted, “All Harmon family members, listen up! Draw your weapons and fight!”

This kind of event will not be posted on the current date

“Draw your weapons and fight!” Hector bellowed, his determined gaze psyching the rest of the family up.

“Fuck, let’s do this!” “Charge!”

The Harmon family yelled and drew their weapons. Their conflict with the Dark Lord had been going on for years, and there was no way he would let them go easily. So, they might as well give it their best shot if they were going to die.

“You pests dare challenge me? You will all die!” The Dark Lord’s expression hardened.

“Hector, since you’re being so stubborn, I’ll turn this place into a bloodbath today!”

He slowly pulled his hand back before slapping the ground harshly. Instantly, the ground shook, and snow exploded everywhere. A huge shadow palm fell from the sky and onto the Harmon family members, making it hard for them to breathe or even move. They rea lized that when their opponent was a Grandmaster martial artist, they couldn’t even run if they wanted to.

“Hmm…” Dustin frowned. He was just about to make his move when a pebble shot toward the shadow palm. There was a bang as the dark cloud dispersed.

Freed from the attack, the Harmon family began panting.

“Who the hell did that?” The Dark Lord studied the people around him with a sharp glare. He might have only used less than a third of his powers, but it was still more than what regular martial artists could withstand.

“Why do you insist on killing everybo dy? Can’t you just forgive them?” With a sigh, Mr.

Robinson emerged from the crowd.

“Mr. Robinson?” Everyone was shocked. They never expected a family servant to stand up for them when things got rough. Alas, it wasn’t enough.

Everything was useless when faced with a Grandmaster.

“Who are you? How dare you stop me!” The Dark Lord glared at the older man.

“I owe the Harmon family a debt, so I hope you could be generous enough to let them go.” Mr. Robinson requested politely.

“Hmph, who are you to talk to me like that?” The Dark Lord shouted.

“Come on, you come from the same family, so why do you have to fight them like this? You should stop now.” Mr. Robinson’s tone was grave.

“And if I don’t?” The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes, which glinted murderously.

“I’ll have to try and stop you then,” Mr. Robinson replied seriously. “You stubborn, old thing!” The Dark Lord snarled. He launched himself forward and thrust his palm at Mr.

Robinson’s chest. The devastating force was so strong that it ripped through the air, causing the snow around them to evaporate and the trees around them to explore.

“Watch out, Mr. Robinson!” “Dad, duck!”

People cried out from the crowd. However, Mr. Robinson seemed to have frozen up in fear.

“Shit, he’s a goner!”

“No one can stand the attack of a Grandmaster.” Everyone shook their heads, sighing silently.

Mr. Robinson’s courage was commendable, but he was still far too weak to save them.

With a loud bang, the Dark Lord’s palm landed on Mr. Robinson’s chest.

Just as everyone thought that Mr. Robinson would be injured and die on the spot, a miracle happened. The small figure withstood the attack perfectly and without moving.

Chapter 354

“How is that possible?” Everyone’s jaws dropped. Even Herman hadn’t been able to withstand a single strike from the Dark Lord, so how was the feeble old man still standing?

“I-is this really happening? Mr. Robinson blocked the attack with his body?” Jacob’s eyes were wide.

“Holy shit! When did he become so powerful?” Trent gulped, his face stunned in disbelief. Although Hector didn’t say anything, the shock was written all ov er his face.

“I didn’t know there was someone so strong in the Harmon family!” Herman and Leon were secretly in awe. Even if the Dark Lord hadn’t used all his might, his attack was still more than what most people could withstand.

“What?” The Dark Lord staggered backwa rd, flabbergasted. He had used eighty percent of his strength just now, yet Mr. Robinson had blocked his attack like it was nothing.

“You should stop now.” Mr. Robinson shook his head, a clear warning in his eyes.

“Shut up! I’m going to kill you!” The Dark Lord’s gaze hardened. He took out a red ball and flung it at Mr. Robinson, which exploded midair.

“Watch out! That’s Demon Fire! It can burn anything and kill you instantly!” Hector paled and cried out a warning.

Demon Fire was an infamous weapon in the martial world. Anything it touched would immediately turn into ash, and its killing power was incred ible.

Mr. Robinson was unfazed by the flame. With a gentle puff, a strong gust of wind raked by, putting the fire out instantly.

“What…” Hector was taken aback. How did such a terrifying weapon get put out so quickly? Was this even humanely possible?

“How is this possible?” The Dark Lord paled. Demon Fire had been his trump card. It was so powerful that even Grandmasters would have a hard time defending themselves, yet Mr. Robinson had blown it out so easily. How terrifying!

“You’ve had your turn. Now, it’s mine.” Mr. Robinson slowly raised his hand and pointed.

Bang! The Dark Lord’s body slammed backward with tremendous force, blasting through trees, a fake hill, and the gazebo before eventually crashing into the snow somewhere back, unconscious.

“Holy shit!” Everyone was stunned and tongue -tied into silence. The Dark Lord, who

was a Grandmaster, someone countless martial artists yearned to become, had been defeated by a single attack from Mr. Robinson. That’s incredible!

“W-who are you?” The Dark Lord staggered to his feet. His hair was tousled, and blood trickled out of his nose and mouth. He looked as though he would collapse at any moment.

“Michael Robinson,” his opponent answered frankly

“M-Michael Robinson?” The Dark Lord paled and stammered, “Y -you’re Michael

Robinson, one of the five ultimate grandmasters in Balerno?”

“Michael Robinson?” As soon as everyone heard the name, their jaws dropped in shock. Michael Robinson, one of the five ultimate grandmasters in Balerno, was just as renowned as Paul Hill and was a legendary figure with an amazing reputation

Ten years ago, he single -handedly d efended Westward Fortress by himself.

He defeated three foreign ultimate grandmasters and repelled tens of thousands of enemies from breaking in. With him alone as defense, his opponents hadn’t been able to step a single foot in, and this battle had made him famous. In a short year, word of hi s achievements spread far and wide, making him known as one of the strongest people in Balerno.

No one expected the same person, who had gone missing for years, to suddenly appear here as an ordinary family servant. It showed that one should never judge a book by its cover.

“Mr. Robinson is the Grandmaster Michael Robinson? How is that possible?” Hector was dismayed. Michael Robinson was their family’s ultimate trump card. His father had once told Hector that a distress signal could only be sent when the entire family was on the brink of destruction. However, never in his dreams did he expect such a legendary figure to be hiding right under his nose, blending in well with everyone else.

“No wonder Mr. Robinson was so strong.” Natasha was astonished. Being able to kill

Marlon by pointing at him and defeating the Dark Lord with a single strike was more than enough to prove Michael’s identity.

“How unexpected!” “With his capability, no wonde r he’s such a legendary figure.”

“I can’t wait to brag about being served by a Grandmaster before!”

The Harmon family was excited after finding out the truth, their views of Michael turned respectful. No one expected the timid servant, who was full of smiles, to be one of the five ultimate grandmasters in Balerno.

“Dad…” Abigail was at a loss for words, her head blank. She still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that her father was such an important figure.

“It must have taken you a long time to reach such a level. I don’t want to kill you, so stop now,” Michael stated calmly. No one dared to look down on him after what had just transpired.

“As a Grandmaster myself, I doubt you can kill me!” The Dark Lord gritted his teeth in displeasure.

“You should know that there are strong Grandmasters, and there are weak ones.

You’re still a fresh Grandmaster, so it wouldn’t be difficult to get tid of you.” Michael shook his head.

“Cut the crap! I’ll kill you today!” The Dark Lord bellowed, black fog b ursting forth from his body.

“Watch out, sir. He’s going to go all out!” Herman warned.

Almost immediately, the Dark Lord made his move. With a powerful stomp, he shot in

the opposite direction like a rocket. H -he had run away! the five ultimate grandmasters in Balerno?

The Dark Lord snuck away giddily, praising himself for the quick thinking that saved him from his death. There was no way he could have won against a monster like

Michael. Only an idiot would have challenged that man.

After getting over the scare, the Dark  Lord thought of something and smiled. “So what if my opponent is the legendary Michael Robinson? I still got away. He’s just a piece of trash!”

Suddenly, his grin froze as he sensed danger coming from behind. He instinctively turned around to see a beam of light shooting toward him at lightning speed.

“Aargh!” The Dark Lord shrieked in terror. He immediately used all his energy to form a shield. However, the barrier shattered as soon as it touched the light, which pierced his body. He howled in pain as he fell out of the sky and into the bushes.

“Great job!” The crowd cheered. They thought that the Dark Lord would get away once more, but all it took was for Michael to throw his sword like a javelin to take the Dark

Lord down.

Just as they were basking in the happiness of defeating the Dark Lord, there was a red flash of light as the injured Dark Lord sprung up and dashed away rapidly, disappearing in a flash.

“A Blood Shield?” Michael was taken aback.

Blood Shield was a type of rare black magic. It drew energy from the user’s life force and allowed the user to have sudden bursts of strength and speed, which was extremely effective for both fighting and running away. However, it came at a cost.

Each time a person used this technique, ten years of their life would drain away.

Using a Blood Shield when injured was even worse, so even if that person didn’t die afterward, their fighting skills would drop significantl y, and there was no way they could remain a Grandmaster anymore.

“He didn’t die. What a pity.” Hector sighed.

“That lucky bastard!” Trent gritted his teeth angrily

“The Dark Lord has been injured. He won’t get far. Men, go after him immediately!”

Jacob ordered, leading the Harmon family’s elite guards. Everyone was aware that if they let the Dark Lord slip away today, the man would retaliate tenfold in the future.

“Mr. Robinson means, Sir Robinson, thank you so much for helping our family today!”

Hector lowered his head respectfully.

“Thank you, Sir Robinson!” Natasha and the rest of the family followed suit.

Mr. Robinson was no longer the timid old man they all knew. Instead, he was the renowned -Grandmaster Michael Robinson!

“Don’t mention it. Mr. Harmon Senior helped me before, so I’m just repaying the favor,” Michael answered kindly as usual. However, his gaze was conflicted as it swept over Abigail. He had tried to keep his daughter safe by hiding his identity.

Unfortunatel y, the truth had still come to light. If he became Michael Robinson once more, things would only become more troublesome.

Chapter 355

Amidst the heavy snowfall, a figure in black dashed on frantically, ignoring the fierce winds. Blood trickled out of his wounds and dripped onto the fresh snow beneath him. “That piece of shit. He nearly killed me! Thank God I used Blood Shield, or I’d be dead meat by now! * The Dark Lord gritted his teeth, only letting out a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was on this trail, his face still ashen.

Michael’s final attack had been so strong that it had pierced his protective barrier and even managed to cut through his ametrine armor, leaving a deep gash on his back. If it weren’t for that armor, he’d be dead by now. No wonder so many people feared the  five Grandmasters. Fortunately, he managed to survive, and he even got some shocking information.

The Dark Lord wheezed and coughed out blood as he dragged his battered body

toward his hiding spot. After ten minutes, he finally reached a hidden area in the courtyard.

“Who are you?” Several masked women jumped out, firmly clutching swords.

“It’s me.” The Dark Lord unveiled himself.

“Master?” The women immediately lowered their heads.

“Where’s Azalea?” The Dark Lord croaked.

“She’s standing guard in the hall,” one of the ladies answered.

“Keep an eye out for danger,” the Dark Lord reminded before heading over to the hall.

Meanwhile, Azalea was intently observing a wooden jar. She watched, amused, as a poisonous scorpion and centipede fought furiously.

“Azalea!” Just then, the doors opened, and the Dark Lord tottered into the room.

“Yes?” When Azalea saw the man, she paled and rushed over. “Master! What happened? Who did this to you?”

“Michael Robinson was helping the Harmon family, so I lost.” The Dark Lord scowled.

“Michael Robinson, one of Balerno’s Grandmasters?” Azalea frowned. “Didn’t he disappear years ago? What’s he doing here?”

“He was hiding his identity, so no one knew who he was. Today’s just my unlucky day.” The Dark Lord sighed. He thought he’d finally be able to destroy the Harmon family after becoming at Grandmaster, yet Michael’s sudden appearance nearly cost him his life . He must have the most rotten luck!

“As long as you’re alright, we’ll have many more chances to take revenge. Let me treat your injuries.” Azalea immediately got to work, swiftly applying medicine and patching the man up. However, his internal injuries would require constant medication befor e they could heal.

“I might have lost this time, but at least I’ve obtained a valuable bargaining chip,” the

Dark Lord. mused.

What is it?” Azalea asked curiously.

“You’ve heard of the Mystic Arts Order, haven’t you?”

“Of course. It’s the greatest dark faction of all time. It’s even on par with Stonia’s

Celestial Alliance, “Azalea answered.

The Mystic Arts Order was a mysterious faction. Despite having only a few disciples, everyone in the group was trained in the mysti c arts as well as martial arts. And because of their ruthless way of killing their targets discreetly, they quickly became the strongest dark faction of all time.

“I used to be part of the group,” The Dark Lord said wistfully. “I might not have been the brightest disciple there, but I was still a talented individual with a bright future.

However, I was kicked out after committing a crime.”

“Do you still wish to retu rn there?” Azalea asked.

“Of course.” The Dark Lord nodded. “That place is like heaven to people like us. It’s filled with numerous secret arts and is home to many powerful fighters. If I can get back in, I’d be far stronger than I am now!”

“You sound like you have a plan.” Azalea watched her mentor.

“You’re such a smart girl.” The Dark Lord smiled softly. “Michael Robinson is my ticket to return to the Mystic Arts Order. Do you know who his wife is?”

“No.” Azalea was puzzled.

“Their Grand Sorceress, Katherine Hunter!” The Dark Lord revealed. “The Grand

Sorceress?” Azalea was astonished. The Grand Sorceress was the successor of the

Mystic Arts Order and stood higher than anyone in the group. Most of the time, the leader would ke ep themselves hidden from the world outside, so the responsibility of taking care of the order would fall onto the Grand Sorceress’ shoulders.

“Hang on…” Azalea suddenly recalled something. Didn’t the Grand Sorceress die a long time ago?”

“Katherine Hunter might be dead, but she has a daughter.” The Dark Lord smiled sinisterly.

“Very few people know that she gave birth to a daughter after eloping with Michael

Robinson. The leader of the order only discovered this after tracking Katherine down a decade later. To prevent their daughter from being taken away, Katherine and

Michael f ought against the order, and Katherine died during the battle. Michael then immediately fled with his daughter and hid – himself from the world. I didn’t expect myself to discover this secret today.”

Azalea finally understood what the Dark Lord was implying. “Master, do you intend to trade this information with the Mystic Arts Order so that they accept you again?”

“Bingo!” The Dark Lord smiled. “Since Katherine died, Michael Robinson’s daughter naturally became the next Grand Sorceress, and the Mystic Arts Order would do anything to get their hands. on her.”

“I see…” Azalea’s eyes lit up. “We sure hit the jackpot today.” Exactly! As long as we bring the Grand Sorceress back to the order, they will worship us endlessly,” the Dark

Lord boasted. He laughed manically before he began to cough violently.

“Are you all right?” Flabbergasted, Azalea quickly comforted the Dark Lord.

“Michael managed to injure me earlier, and I was forced to use Blood Shield. I only have ten percent of my power left.” The Dark Lord wiped the blood off the corner of his lips. “But that’s nothing. As long as I can bring the Grand

Sorceress back to the Mystic Arts Order, I’ll recover in no time. I’ll be stronger than ever!”

“I can’t believe you’re letting me know such a huge secret.” Azalea was touched.

“You’re my favorite disciple and like a daughter to me. What’s a little secret? As soon as I secure a position in the order, I’ll make sure to promote you too!” The Dark Lord smiled.

“Master, thank you so much. I don’t have anything to repay you with, so please accept my small gift.” Azalea lowered her head.

“What is it?” The Dark Lord inquired. Before he had time to react, a sharp dagger pierced his chest, shocking him.

“Here you go.” An evil smirk appeared on Azalea’s face.

“Ugh…The Dark Lord was stunned. With his eyes wide open, he looked at the knife in his chest, then up at the smirking Azalea. His pale face was a mix of shock, disbelief, and confusion. It happened so suddenly that he still hadn’t registered that he had been stabbed.

“W-why?” The Dark Lord asked in disbelief. He never expected his most beloved disciple to kill him.

“Your skills have greatly plummeted since you’re seriously injured, rendering you defenseless.

Today is the best day to kill you.” Azalea smiled. “By the way, I applied some

Tranqurin on my blade. You’re just like a little lamb waiting to be sacrificed now.”

“I’ve treated you well. Why would you betray me? Just when have I ever treated you badly?” The Dark Lord trembled, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth.

“You’ve never treated me badly. In a way, you’ve been quite kind to me.

However, you still have to die,” Azalea said plainly.

“Why why? Why!” The Dark Lord’s emotions surged as he grabbed Azalea’s hand, and his eyes turned red as he roared, “I’ve treated you like my daughter since you were young. The other disciples have yet to receive such an honor. Why would you do this?”

Azalea slapped his hand away, her expression growing colder by the second. “You want to know why? Fine, I’ll tell you. It’s because you killed my parents!” The Dark

Lord froze at her words, his eyes betraying his shock.

“Why are you silent now?” Azalea scoffed. “15 years ago, on New Year’s Eve, you led a group of men in the middle of the night, broke into my house, and slaughtered my entire family. My father was killed at your hands, while my mother was violated to death.  I watched as you, beasts, massacred the people close to me! I could never forget, nor will I ever forget, those horrifying scenes! “I endured 15 years of humiliation, all to find an opportunity to kill you!

However, you were too strong, and you got suspicious easily. I never felt confident enough to make a move. That was why I tried my best to please you in every way, lowering your guard slowly. Finally, I succeeded. It’s been 15 years! I’ve waited exactly

15 years for this opportunity!” By the end of it, Azalea was seething.

Nobody knew how she endured those 15 years. She hid right beside her enemy, putting on a fake smile and acting thoughtful throughout the day. However, she had endless nightmares at night, never getting a peaceful night’s sleep. Every night, to prevent hers elf from sleeping talking, and revealing her identity, she sealed off her acupoints, rendering herself mute.

For 15 years, she was extremely cautious and walked on thin ice, for she knew that once her cover was blown, it would not only put an end to her plans for revenge but also put her in a situation.

worse than death. Fortunately, after 15 years of waiting, determination, and hard work, she finally had a chance at revenge.

“H-how did you find out? Who told you?” The Dark Lord’s lips trembled. It was true that he slaughtered the Larsons back then. However, when he stormed into the final room and saw the little girl asleep on the bed, his heart was stirred with compassion.

The little girl reminded him of his late daughter. Since he hadn’t exposed his identity, he made a bold decision. He killed all of them, taking her under his wing. He never

expected himself would lead to such a calamity. used every one of your killings with my own eyes!

Chapter 356

“No, impossible! You were only six years old back then, and you were fast asleep! The

Dark Lord shook his hend furiously.

Azalea responded, “I’d be dead now if I hadn’t pretended to be asleep ”

“You” The Dark Lord was at a loss for words He could not believe an experienced fighter like him had been played by a six -year-old “Since you now know the truth, you can die now” Azalea flashed a smile again.

“Wait! You can’t kill me!” The Dark Lord panicked as he clamored, “Don’t forget that you still carry the curse that I planted in you If I die, you won’t survive either!”

He would plant a venomous curse on every new disciple The first reason was to control them better, while the second was to prevent betrayals The current situation was a perfect example.

“The curse? You mean this?” Azalea smiled playfully and took out a clear glass bottle.

Inside was a red centipede.

“H-how did you get it out?” The Dark Lord’s expression shifted. The curse he planted was connected to him, no one was able to break it unless  the elder of the mystic arts personally intervened “I knew today would come, so I asked a miracle doctor to break the curse in advance. What else do you have to say?” Azalea reached out and squeezed, crushing the bottle with the centipede inside.

“Azalea, let me live, and I’ll teach you everything I know!” The Dark Lord panicked and pleaded. Due to the effects of Tranqurin, he wasn’t able to muster an ounce of internal energy and was rendered useless.

“There’s no need. Once I find the Grand Sorceress and join the Mystic Arts Order, I’ll

naturally get what I want.” Azalea was unfazed.

“Azalea! Even if you kill me, your parents won’t come back to life. Vengeance only breeds more vengeance. Put down your blade and seek redemption. As long as you spare me, your soul can be saved!” The Dark Lord preached, desperately trying to live.

However, as soon as he finished his plea, Azalea raised her sword and swiftly severed his neck, showing no mercy. “Ugh The Dark Lord’s voice choked. The bloody line on his neck spread rapidly, and in the next second, his head rolled off his shoulders and onto the ground with a thud. He had died with discontentment.

“Only when you die can my soul be saved.” Azalea kicked the Dark Lord’s headless corpse, sending it flying several feet away. Carrying his head, she walked out of the hall, coming to a stop in the courtyard. Looking up at the sky, the chilling snowflakes fell upon her face, carrying at sense of desolation and sorrow.

“Mom Dad… Can you see it? This bastard is dead I personally killed him. I did it. I fulfilled my promise. I avenged the both of you!” With a thud, Azalea dropped to the ground heavily. As she knelt, two lines of tears streamed slowly down her face. She had endured 15 years of humiliation. Today, she finally slayed the murderer.

Vengeance was hers

As night fell deeper, the snow fell heavier.

Meanwhile, Hector and the others stood outside the Harmons’ meeting room, waiting in silence. They occasionally stole glances inside, where Michael and Dustin were engaged in a hushed co nversation. Half an hour earlier, Michael had asked everyone to leave so he could speak to Dustin privately.

“Mr. Rhys, that’s the gist of what happened. I concealed my identity to hide from the enemy and protect Abigail from harm.” Michael poured his hear t out, finally releasing all the feelings he had bottled up “I never expected that Abigail’s mother would turn out to be the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order” Dustin was shocked.

The Mystic Arts Order was known as the most formidable dark faction in existence,

composed of talented individuals and high -level experts. The position of Grand

Sorceress was prestigious Dustin had always been curious about the protective seal inside Abigail. With her mother’s identity as the Grand Sorceress revealed, everything now mad e sense.

“Though the title of Grand Sorceress sounds grand, they don’t even have the basic right to freedom. I don’t wish for Abigail to follow in her mother’s footsteps.” Michael sighed.

“Mr. Robinson, I don’t understand. Why are you sharing your secrets with me?” Dustin was confused. The Mystic Arts Order’s Grand Sorceress was a prestigious position in which few had the privilege of knowing their identity. “It used to be a secret, but it won’t stay a secret much longer.” Michael shook his head. “From the moment I attacked the Dark Lord, I had exposed my identity.

The Mystic Arts Order will probably be making a move soon.” The disciples of the

Mystic Arts Order were spread all over the world. The Dark Lord was one of them.

“So, what’s your plan?” Dustin asked.

“I’ve been on the run for so many years. It’s time to face reality and resolve things once and for all.” Michael frowned. “Abigail is the only one I have left. I have a favor to ask of you -I hope you can take care of her for me.”

“Me?” Dustin was shocked. “But I’ve never been a father.”

“You don’t have to be her father, you can be her mentor instead. ” Michael smiled. “I know you’ve been guiding Abigail in martial arts. Since she inherited her mother’s genes, she has a strong foundation. I sincerely hope you will take her in as your disci ple.”

“Mr. Robinson, you think too highly of me. You’re a martial arts grandmaster. How could I dare accept her as a disciple with you here?” Dustin scratched his head.

“Mr. Rhys, you are too humble. I’ve been part of the martial arts world for over a decade. I’m good at reading people, too. However, I can’t seem to read through you. If

I’m not mistaken, you should have already attained the level of a grandmaster. Am I right?” Michael smiled profoundly.

“You have a good eye. It’s no wonder that you are one of the five ultimate grandmasters.” Dustin didn’t deny it. Some things could be understood without being said aloud.

The younger generations are talented!” Michael’s expression was full of wonder. “A young grandmaster martial artist is hard to find in Dragonmarsh. It would be Abigail’s greatest honor to be your disciple.”

“You’re too kind, Mr. Robinson. Talents like Abigail are sought after by countless people.” Dustin smiled in response.

“Does that mean you’ve agreed?” Michael was surprised.

“As long as Abigail is okay with it, I naturally have no problems with it.” Dustin nodded. Abigail was talented, and they got along well. He would be happy to take her in as a disciple.

“Thank you, Mr. Rhys! I’m extremely grateful.” Michael stood up and shook Dustin’s hand.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Robinson. Perhaps I was fated to meet Abigail.” Dustin returned the gesture.

“Alright, I’ll send Abigail over to you officially as a disciple tomorrow.” Michael nodded in acknowledgment. After another short exchange, Michael left.

Dustin’s expression turned heavy as he watched the father -daughter duo depart.

From their conversation earlier, he could tell from Michael’s tone that he was already passing on his final wishes.

“Dustin, what did Mr. Robinson tell you?” At that moment, the members of the

Harmon family walked in.

Chapter 357

The Harmons were naturally curious since Dustin and Michael’s conversation went on for some time.

“Nothing much. Mr. Robinson just requested that I take care of Abigail in the future,”

Dustin replied.

“That’s all? That can’t be.” Trent was suspicious.

“Yeah.” Dustin shrugged. He knew that Abigail’s identity as the Grand Sorceress shouldn’t be made known for her safety.

“Alright, let’s set aside other matters for now. Our priority is to capture the Dark Lord.

As long as he is alive, the Harmons will be in danger.” Hector changed the subject.

“Jacob has gone after him with some of his men. I wonder how he’s doing.” Trent was slightly worried. Although the Dark Lord was severely injured, he was still a

Grandmaster martial artist. It would be a challenge to capture him. “Mr. Hector…” At that mome nt, the butler rushed into the meeting room, holding a square gift box.

“What’s wrong?” Hector looked over at him.

“Mr. Hector, someone outside just passed us a gift earlier, asking us to deliver it to

Mr. Rhys,” the butler responded.

“For me?” Dustin was perplexed. “What is it?”

“I’m not sure. That person said it was a surprise.” The butler shook his head. “A surprise? I’m curious now.” Dustin smiled as he slowly opened up the box. Everyone else in the room watched, and their expressions transformed instantly. Inside the box was t he severed and bloody head of the Dark Lord!

Meanwhile, inside the Grant family mansion, Tyler sat alone in his study, engrossed in a game of chess. Suddenly, a fleeting shadow glided by the corner. Moments later, a woman with a mask resembling a water droplet emerged slowly from the shadows.

“What?” Tyler remained focused on the chessboard, never once looking up.

“Master, I just received news that the Dark Lord failed. He didn’t manage to get his hands on the treasure map,” the masked woman reported in a hushed voice. “What?”

Tyler’s brows furrowed. “That trash! I spent all those resources to help him attain the

level of a grandmaster, but he ends up not being able to deal with the Harmons? He’s better off dead!”

“Something unexpected happened today, master. Michael Robinson appeared and injured the Dark Lord,” the masked woman said.

“Michael Robinson? What was he doing at the Harmons?” Tyler was confused.

The masked woman replied, “Based on my investigation, the Harmons helped out

Michael once. I guess today was the day he repaid the favor.”

I didn’t expect the Harmons to have hidden a trump card.” Tyler was deep in thought.

Master, should we kidnap Natasha and threaten Hector to reveal the treasure map?”

The masked woman suddenly asked.

“That’s a bad idea.” Tyler shook his head. “Once the existence of the treasure map is revealed, it will attract others’ attention. Not to mention, Natasha’s identity is somewhat special. Her maternal grandfather is no ordinary person.

We can’t make a move on her for now. Hector is also stubborn and persistent, so it will be hard to snatch the treasure map from him: Since it’s difficult to deal with

Hector, let’s change our approach.”

Tyler smiled as if he thought of something. “Traditionally, the treasure map has always been kept by the family patriarch. As long as we can sow discord among the

Harmons and manipulate the succession of a new patriarch, our problem will be resolved natura lly.”

“Master, you are a genius.” The masked woman caught on immediately.

“Go on. There is no room for failure this time.” Tyler waved his hand, gesturing for her to leave. “Yes, master!” The woman responded and vanished right away.

Inside the chairman’s office at Nicholson Corp., Dahlia stood before the expansive floor -to-ceiling windows, gazing pensively at the falling snow. The city shimmered with vibrant lights, yet she Was there alone

Her mother had returned home yesterday while she remained in Millsburg to settle pressing work commitments. On one hand, she truly had matters to attend to, but on the other, she was hiding. She didn’t know how to explain James’ death to the family.

Until the real culprit was caught, Dustin remained the prime suspect.

While she was lost in her thoughts, her phone suddenly rang. She was surprised to see that it was a call from Regulus Nicholson, the Nicholson family patriarch.

“Hello, Grandpa Regulus. How can I help you?” Dahlia was quick to greet him.

“Dahlia, I heard from your grandpa that you won’t be spending New Year’s at home and will be working overtime at the office instead?” Regulus asked in concern.

“I have pressing matters to attend to at work. It’s more convenient for me to stay here.” Dahlia   smiled

“Dahlia, it’s good that you’re devoted to your work. But you need to balance work and rest as well. Don’t overwork yourself.”

“Thank you for your concern, Grandpa Regulus. I’ll take care of myself.”   “Right, I called you tonight as there is something important I wish to discuss with you.”

“Please go on.” “As I’m getting old, I’m no longer able to take on as many responsibilities. That is why

I have decided to step down from my position and appoint you as the new head of the family,” Regulus declared, dropping a bombshell.

“What? You want me to become the matriarch?” Dahlia was shocked and refused immediately. ” Grandpa Regulus, that won’t do! I’m too young. How can I possibly be worthy of taking your place?

“I’ve witnessed your talents and capabilities firsthand. You are entirely capable of taking on the position and leading the entire Nicholson family,” Regulus said in a serious tone.

“Grandpa Regulus, I’ve only recently returned to the family. I won’t be convincing as the successor. Besides, there are plenty of talented individuals in our family who would be more suitable for the role.”

Dahlia was in a dilemma. Managing Nicholson Corp. alone was already giving her a headache. Since her current standing within the family was still low, leading an entire

aristocratic family would be an immense challenge.   “Our family indeed has talented people, but they are not ready to lead the family.

You, on the other hand, are different. You built up your own family with your own hands and have long been ready to take on this responsibility. You’re the best among the young members of the Nicholson family. No one else is more suited for the role.”

“Grandpa Regulus, you’ve overestimated me. Firstly, I don’t possess the family’s wealth. Second, I  lack connections, and third, I don’t have the resources. I’m simply not qualified.”

Dahlia was. feeling helpless. Even though she was ambitious and had considered fighting for the position, it was too early with her current standing.

“I can provide you with the wealth, connections, and resources you need. As long as you agree, I will personally support your succession,” Regulus declared boldly.   “I…”

Dahlia was at a loss for words. Regulus was not merely valuing her but showering her with affection by sweeping away all obstacles for her.

“Grandpa Regulus, I don’t understand. Why did you choose me?” Dahlia inquired cautiously. With Regulus’ abilities, wouldn’t it be better to groom his grandson to be his successor? Why did he choose an outsider like her?

“Because you are the most suitable candidate and have the greatest potential to bring our family to greater heights!” Regulus sounded resolute. If he were honest, he made the decision not solely based on Dahlia’s exceptional talent but mainly because she h ad the support of a nobleman. 1

“But-” Dahlia was about to continue when Regulus interrupted her.

“Dahlia, stop refusing. Some things are meant to be fought for. I trust in your abilities. If you won’t be the matriarch, nobody else can!”

Since Regulus put it that way, Dahlia had no other reason to refuse. She could only nod, saying, ” Thank you for having confidence in me. I will try my best. Please guide me when I fall short.”

Chapter 358

Regulus chuckled heartily. “All right, as long as you agree! I’ll arrange a family meeting tomorrow morning and officially announce you as the new head of the

Nicholson family!”

The surprising news came without warning, leaving Dahlia in a daze even after

Regulus had hung up. She hadn’t achieved much, yet she was suddenly the Nicholson matriarch, dramatically elevating her status.

It felt unbelievable. Although Dahlia believed she had the talent, she lacked the confidence to lead such a prominent family at this time. However, she also realized that this was an opportunity for her to rise, and she shouldn’t let it slip away. She had to give it a try, regardless of whether she was prepared.

The next morning, the heavy snowfall had stopped, and it was finally the New

Year. Dustin had just returned to the Flame Dragon Gang when he saw

Nelson approaching him happily. “Sir Rhys! I have good news!”

“What? Did your wife give birth?” Dustin asked curiously.

“It’s better news than that.”

“She gave birth to twins?”

“Sir Rhys, can you have a better imagination?”

“A better imagination? Oh… I get it now. The children are not yours?”   Nelson was speechless, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Dustin’s responses were getting   more absurd.

“Sir Rhys, I’ll just tell you. We found James’ killer.” Nelson was not going to let Dustin continue guessing. Dustin might just say his wife ran off with another man next.

“The killer? Where are they?” Dustin’s gaze grew cold, and he turned serious.   “We beat him up half to death. He’s unconscious now, but he already ratted out the mastermind,” Nelson responded.

“Who was it?” Dustin asked.

“Nicholson Corp.’s Vice Chairman -Hank Hoffman!” Nelson’s expression was serious.

Dustin was surprised. “Hank Hoffman? Are you sure?”

Nelson explained, “Based on the statement, Hank intended to remove Ms. Nicholson forcefully from her position, but he couldn’t do so with you backing her. So, he decided to sow discord between the two of you. It would be easier for him to accomplish his go al if you weren’t on good   terms with Ms. Nicholson.”

“I can’t believe he resorted to such underhanded methods to gain a small advantage.

This bastard deserves to die!” A murderous gaze flickered in Dustin’s eyes. He had previously rejected Hank’s attempts to bribe him. He didn’t expect Hank to retaliate by setting him up. If he hadn’t investigated the situation thoroughly, he would have fallen into Hank’s trap.

 “Sir Rhys, what Hank did was unforgivable. I’ve already obtained his address and will send someone to capture him immediately!” Nelson said furiously.   “There’s no need.

I’ll handle it personally this time. Show me the way,” Dustin said with a hardened expression.

“Right away!” Without hesitating, Nelson quickly went to get the car. The gravity of the situation was evident since Dustin had decided to get involved personally. Hank wouldn’t be able to escape this time!

In a luxurious private room at Ibiza Club, Hank was enthusiastically entertaining a bald man in glasses. A few alluring hostesses were by their sides, providing attentive service.

“Mr. Niles, thank you for traveling all the way here. This is our show of sincerity. We hope you like it.” Hank took out a check and placed it on the table, sliding it forward.

The bald Niles only glanced at it before ignoring it, and he continued to drink  with the beautiful women beside him.

“Oh, look at me. I almost forgot to pass you a welcoming gift as well.” Hank caught on immediately and took out another gift box, passing it to him with both hands. Niles opened the box and saw a gold bar that weighed a few kilograms. It was worth around o ne to two million dollars.

Niles chuckled gleefully. “Hank, that’s so generous of you. There’s no need for such extravagant gifts between us,” he said as he put them away nonchalantly.

“Considering you traveled from Stonia, these are nothing.” While Hank smiled politely, he inwardly mused that this cunning individual seemed to be growing greedier. However, since he   needed Niles’ assistance, he could only remain silent.

“Mr. Niles, I’m wondering if you brought anything with you on your trip this time?”

Hank asked tentatively.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget. This isn’t the first time anyway,” Niles said as he took out a small, purple vial from his pocket and passed it to Hank.   Hank’s eyes lit up as he reached out to receive the vial. However, Niles retracted his hand with a   warning.

“Mr. Hoffman, I’m just reminding you that this is an extremely valuable item. There is  only one such vial made every year, and your grandmother relies on this precious herb to live. You   better not lose it.”

“Never. This treasure is more valuable than my life. I assure you, I won’t lose it!”

Hank nodded   incessantly.   “Very well, I’m entrusting it to you now. You’re responsible for anything that happens after,” Niles said, placing the purple vial in

Hank’s h ands.

“Thank you, Mr. Niles!” Hank was delighted. He took out a safe he had brought with him, carefully placing the vial in it. This item was worth a fortune and couldn’t be bought with money. It was also a precious item that Alma relied on to survive.

Naturally , he had to take extreme care of it.

“Hank Hoffman!” Suddenly, the private room was violently kicked in, and a group of fighters with. menacing expressions barged their way in furiously. Each of them had a knife in hand.   “Who are you? How dare you make a scene in my area?” Hank’s expression darkened.

“You seem to be having fun, Mr. Hoffman. How is it that you have the time to be drinking here?” The men stepped aside to make way for Dustin and Nelson, who slowly walked inside.

“It’s you!” Hank’s brows furrowed. “Mr. Rhys, what is the meaning of this? There are no grievances between us, why have you brought your men here?”

“You son of a b*tch! You’re still pretending, I see. What do you mean by ‘no grievances’ when you set up our leader?” Nelson bellowed.

Aldon’t understand what you mean.” Hank acted clueless.

You ordered James to be killed, didn’t you?” Dustin asked out of the blue.   James?

Hank shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who that is. There must have been a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” With a frosty smile, Nelson gestured. “Bring him in!” On his orders, a man covered in injuries was forcefully brought in. Hank’s expression shifted at the sight of the man. He finally realized something was up. These people had come prepared.

“Hank Hoffman, do you know this man?” Dustin asked calmly.

“No, I don’t. Who is he?” Hank remained unyielding.

“You son of a b*tch!” Nelson raised his hand, delivering a forceful slap that sent Hank sprawling to the ground. Nelson berated. “You’re still trying to argue at this point?

This man confessed to everything, and you were the one who hired him!”

“Nonsense! I don’t know any murderers! Stop making false accusations!”

Hank shouted in fury, I’m warning you. I have the matriarch of the Glenstead

Nicholsons backing me!”

“You dickhead! I don’t think you realize the gravity of the situation!” Nelson was furious and was about to smack Hank again when Dustin stopped him.

“You mean the Nicholsons were involved in this?”

“Why, are you finally scared?” Hank sneered. “That’s more like it. You’ll be offending the Nicholsons if you offend me. Now, get out of here!”   “I’m giving you one last chance. Confess and surrender yourself to the authorities, and I’ll let you go” Dustin’ s expression was cold.

“What a load of crap!” Hank glared at Dustin. “Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you’re the   leader of the Flame Dragon Gang! Your small gang is nothing compared to the aristocratic   Nicholsons! They could exterminate you in seconds!”

“It seems like you won’t talk without a lesson. Slice his hand off!” Dustin cut through the  nonsense.   “Yes, sir!” Nelson smirked. He ordered two of their henchmen to pin

Hank to the table.

“Wait! I’m warning you, don’t you dare touch me! The Nicholsons will not let you get away with it if you do!” Hank panicked and struggled desperately.

“Go on, don’t stop! Let’s see how long you can keep up this act!” Nelson raised his knife and   ruthlessly brought it down on Hank’s wrist.   “Ah-!” Blood splattered everywhere as Hank’s blood -curdling scream echoed throughout the room.

“Y-you!” Hank’s expression twisted in agony as he groaned. He couldn’t believe they had hurt   him. Weren’t they afraid of the Nicholsons’ wrath?

“Still not going to talk? Slice off his other hand,” Dustin ordered again.   “Yes, sir!”

Without another word, Nelson raised his knife once more.   “Mr. Niles, save me!” Hank screamed in fear.

“Stop right there!” At that moment, Niles, who had been silent the entire time, finally stood up.   “Who are you? I’m warning you to mind your own business!” Nelson’s expression was hostile.

“Hmm?” Niles’ expression darkened. “Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that?   You must not want to live!”   “I don’t f*cking care who you are!” Nelson was getting impatient.

“The audacity! He’s a prominent figure from Stonia -The Killian family’s butler!” Hank cried out.

“The Killians?” Nelson could feel his eyes twitch, and his earlier arrogance disappeared instantly.   The Killians were one of Stonia’s prestigious aristocratic families. As a family with a history spanning over a hundred years, they wielded immense power.

Even the Tremend ous Three of Millsburg were inferior to the Killians. After all, Stonia was the capital city. Any random, minor aristocratic family from Stonia was already leagues above any family in Millersburg, let alone an influential one like the Killians.

“Hah! Why did you go silent? Where’s all that arrogance now? I dare you to try anything with the Killian family’s butler here!” Hank’s expression twisted into a hideous sneer. He knew that few would dare to provoke the Killians.

This is between us and Hank. It’s best if the Killians stay out of it,” Dustin responded calmly.

“Hey, kid, are you lecturing me?” Niles took his time lighting a cigar before taking two deep puffs. With an air of arrogance, he declared, “You seem oblivious to my status.

Listen up; I’m not going to repeat myself. I am the Killian family’s butler. You a nts will always remain beneath me, as I hold the power to play with your lives! I can have all of you killed with just one word! Now, I order you to immediately -”

Before Niles could finish his sentence, a thunderous noise similar to an explosion rang out. He had been sent flying, crashing heavily into a wall. His bones shattered as he spewed blood, and he was rendered unconscious on the spot.

Chapter 359

“My ears hurt.” Dustin’s expression turned frosty. Without hesitation, he sent Niles flying with a brutal kick.

“What?” Nelson and their men were dumbfounded at the sight. Hank couldn’t believe his eyes either, and he momentarily forgot about his pain. Nobody expected Dustin to act so ruthlessly without uttering a single word

He had just kicked the Killian family’s butler and a prominent figure from Stonia! One simple word from him could end their entire lives. Most importantly, the butler represented the Killians. Humiliating their butler was akin to humiliating the family themselves. How could Dustin be so daring and seemingly unconcerned about his own life?

“Y-you… Did you dare harm Mr. Niles? Do you know what you just did?” Hank was scared and furious as he cried out.

“He’s just the Killians’ servant. What’s the big deal?” Dustin turned his attention back to Hank and warned coldly, “You, on the other hand, will be in big trouble if you don’t start talking.

After meeting Dustin’s icy stare, Hank felt a chill run down his spine. He was genuinely terrified at that moment To him, Dustin seemed like a madman for daring to harm Niles.

“Silent still? Cut off all his limbs,” Dustin ordered once again   “Yes, sir!” Nelson grinned as he raised his blade once more.

“Wait! I’ll talk…” Hank was terrified and surrendered immediately.

However, despite that, the steel knife still came down with a whoosh, slicing Hank’s hand off Hank’s mind went blank as he met Nelson’s twisted smile.   “You damned -!”

Hank’s words were cut off by the intensity of the pain, and he lost consciousness.

“Light ly bandage up his wound. We’re heading to Nicholson Corp., Dustin ordered.   “Yes, sir.” Two henchmen dragged Hank out after wrapping his arm up

“Sir Rhys, take a look at this. Suddenly, Nelson’s sharp gaze noticed the safe on the table. After they opened it up, they saw a delicate purple vial inside.   Dustin picked it up and brought it to his nose. After a sniff, his expression betrayed his surpri se.

“I didn’t expect it to be Zirtanium. Interesting.”   “Zirtanium? What is that?” Nelson was curious.   “It’s a slow -acting poison, but taking it induces a comfortable and energized feeling. They won’t even feel any more pain. It’s effective in treating specif ic illnesses.

As it is extremely rare, it is worth a fortune,” Dustin explained.   “Is it really that amazing?” Nelson’s eyes lit up.

“Indeed it is, but it is still poison after all. One will get addicted easily, and it has been banned in the martial world, Dustin responded.

“What would Hank need it for?” Nelson scratched his head.   “Who knows? Let’s just hold onto it for now It’s worth a lot anyway Dustin replied nonchalantly and kept the vial in his pocket. He knew it could act as a lifeline for certain people   In the chairm an’s office at Nicholson Corp

Dahlia was going over some documents while drinking coffee. Suddenly, her office door was pushed open. Florence and Julie rushed in energetically, their expressions filled with happiness.

“Mom? Didn’t you go back to Swinton already? Why are you back so soon?” Dahlia was confused.

“Dahlia, tell me truthfully, have you been chosen as the next matriarch?” Florence asked with a sense of urgency.

“How did you find out?” Dahlia was surprised.

“Hahaha… It is real!” Florence was extremely excited. “Last night, your grandfather told me you were going to be the matriarch of the Nicholsons. I didn’t believe him at first, but I can’t believe you’ve come this far! This is amazing news!”

“Congratulations on your achievement, Dahlia! From now on, you are the queen of the aristocrats!” Julie flattered. While she was jealous and unyielding toward Dahlia in the past, it has now been replaced with flattery.

The Glenstead Nicholsons were the most wealthy and influential aristocratic family, and Dahlia’s sudden rise to wealth and power was something most could only dream of.

“I don’t think you should call me that. I’m still learning. It’ll take a long time for me to truly be able to lead the Nicholsons.” Dahlia had a clear head. Although the

Nicholson matriarch title sounded good, she considered it merely a facade. She still required Regulus‘ guidance and support to succeed.

“No need to be humble, Dahlia. The patriarch already chose you as his successor, and that is enough proof of your skills. Sooner or later, the Nicholson family will be yours!” Florence looked proud, taking pride in her role in raising an exceptional daught er.

“That’s right! Next time, we will be able to enjoy these fortunes with you!” Julie said with a grin. Since Dahlia had become the matriarch of a wealthy family, their entire family would also bask in the glory.

“Dahlia, it has only been a few days since we last met, yet you’ve become the matriarch. Congratulations.” At that moment, Dustin walked into the office, and the smiles on everyone’s faces disappeared instantly. “Rhys! Why are you here?”

Florence’s express ion darkened, and her gaze was hostile.

“Hmph! Did you find out Dahlia is now of a different status and came here on purpose to suck up to her?” Julie looked at him in disdain.

Only a vile person would come and curry favor right after they heard the news! “I said

I would catch James‘ murderer in five days. I’m here to fulfill my promise.”

Dustin gestured as he spoke. Soon, Nelson and a few more people dragged a bloody

Hank into the office. “He’s the murderer!” Dustin grabbed Hank by his hair and lifted his head.

“Mr. Hoffman?” Dahlia frowned when she saw him. “Hmph! Enough with the tricks! Do you think you’ll be able to clear yourself of guilt just by capturing a random person?

Dream on!” Florence’s expression was filled with hatred.

“That’s right! Who knows if you’ve found a scapegoat? Julie chimed in.

“Hank, why don’t you tell them what happened?” Dustin shot him a cold glance.

“Hoffman! If you tell the truth, the worst you’ll face is around ten years in jail. If you lie, don’t blame me for being merciless!” Nelson glared at him fiercely.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk…” Hank eyed his surroundings and freed himself when nobody noticed. He threw himself at Dahlia’s feet and cried out.

“Ms. Nicholson, save me! I beg you. Please save me! “It’s Dustin! Dustin is framing me!

He asked me to take the blame. When I refused, he beat me up and tortured me! Look at my hands. He cut them off! I didn’t do anything, Ms. Nicholson! I know nothing about what happened! Dustin did it; he killed your brother. He is the real murderer!”

Dahlia and the others‘ expressions darkened as he spoke.

“What?” Dustin’s expression darkened as Hank twisted the truth, and a murderous gaze flickered through his eyes. Hank deserved death for biting them back at this stage.

“You fucking slanderous dickhead, I’m going to kill you!” After a moment of disbelief, Nelson’s anger erupted, and he brandished his knife, ready to attack.

“Ms. Nicholson, save me!” Hank panicked and hid behind Dahlia.

“Hold on!” Dahlia took two steps forward to stop Nelson. “Until everything is clear, you’re not going to touch him!”

“Ms. Nicholson, this scumbag is full of lies. I need to teach him a lesson!” Nelson’s expression was murderous. On their way here, Hank had promised to confess everything and surrender himself However, in the end, he went back on his word and even bit back  at them. It was abominable”

“Hmph! You’re just trying to silence the witness!” Julie suddenly cried out. “Are you furious that Hank refused to be your scapegoat and told the truth?”

“Rhys! You’re a bastard framing the innocent! You not only killed my son, but you’re also deceiving my daughter! You’re despicable!” Florence criticized Dustin.

“That’s right! You’re despicable!” Hank hid behind them and cried out. He knew very well that if he confessed to murdering James today, he would be a dead man himself.

He’d rather gamble and use Dahlia’s sympathy to pressure Dustin into backing off.

“Nelson, stand down.” Dustin gestured backward.

“Yes, sir.” Nelson gritted his teeth and took a few steps backward. However, his murderous never left Hank.

gaze “Hank Hoffman, do you think you’ll survive by playing tricks in front of me?” Dustin was calm “There you go! Did you hear him, Ms. Nicholson? He’s planning to silence the witness. Get someone to apprehend him immediately!” Hank screamed in panic.

Dahlia wa s solemn.

“Dustin, you said Hank was the mastermind. Do you have any evidence? This was a crucial moment. If Dustin didn’t have evidence, he wouldn’t be able to clear his name

“That’s right! All you said were just empty words. Why should we trust you? Bring out the evidence if you have it!” Julie chimed in.

“Hmph! He is the murderer! What evidence would he have?” Florence spat out. “You want evidence? Fine.” Dustin nodded and gave Nelson a look. Nelson caught on immediately and made a phone call. Moments later, the man from earlier who was covered in multiple  injuries was brought to the office.

“This man right here was the man Hank hired He confessed to everything Ask him if you don’t believe me “Dustin pointed at the man “Did you have something to do with

James’ death? Dahlia sized him up, her expression heavy “Y -yes, but Hank ordered me to do s o! He paid me three million to kill James with a poisoned needle,” the man explained in fear.

He’d rather go to jail than be tortured to death “You’re spouting nonsense! I don’t know you!” Hank glared at the man as he bellowed “Rhys’ Do you think a random actor you hired would be able to trick us? Do you take us as fools?” Florence scoffed loudly “ Oh, Dustin, you’re spending so much effort to frame Mr. Hoffman Don’t you think you’re vile for stooping so low?” Julie pushed “Ms Nicholson, the both of them have teamed up to frame me You can’t believe them!” Hank started fanning the flames.

“I have evidence to prove that Hank is the mastermind” the man suddenly claimed.

“What evidence?” Dahlia questioned immediately.

“I thought ahead when Hank asked me to kill someone and recorded our entire conversation. Here

Chapter 360

The man took out his phone as he spoke and played a video for everyone present. In the video, Hank was seen sitting across from the man at a cafe. Their voices could be heard, and they were discussing their plan to kill James and frame Dustin. Hank even paid a deposit on the spot. The entire process was recorded clearly, leaving everyone dumbstruck after watching it.

Florence, who was hostile earlier, was in disbelief. The sarcastic Julie was also rendered speechless. They had been so sure that Dustin was the killer, yet he turned out to be innocent. For a moment, they couldn’t accept the truth.

As for Hank, he stood frozen in his spot, his face drained of color. He thought they would have nothing against him as long as he didn’t confess. He didn’t expect the cunning guy to secretly record their interaction as a precaution.

“See that!” Nelson was indignant. “All of you kept suspecting Sir Rhys and even hurled multiple insults at him. The truth is out now! What else do you have to say?”

“I …” Florence and Julie exchanged glances, looking embarrassed.

“Hank, you bastard!” After regaining her composure, Dahlia turned around and slapped Hank hard on the face. Hank stumbled from the hit, almost falling to the ground, and his face swelled quickly.

“I’m going to kill you for taking my son from me!” Florence roared and lunged at

Hank, kicking and punching him. She poured out all her pent -up anger. How could she hold it in when her son’s murderer was right in front of her?

Hank was overwhelmed by their attacks and covered his head, begging for mercy.

After a while, when the three of them had had enough, Dustin said impassively, “Nelson, take him away. Find a place to bury him.”

“Yes, sir!” Nelson grinned and immediately gave the order to tie Hank up. “N -no, don’t kill me! I’ll confess and surrender!” Hank panicked and started crying.

“You’ll confess and surrender now? You should have done that much earlier! Take him away!” Nelson didn’t bother with his nonsense and forcefully dragged Hank out the door.

“Hold it right there!” Suddenly, they heard someone yell. A white -haired elderly woman walked in angrily with a group of people.

“Madam Alma?” Dahlia was surprised. The white -haired elderly woman was no ordinary person. It was the Nicholson family’s matriarch and Regulus Nicholson’s first wife-Alma Hoffman. Her standing in the family was second only to Regulus. Her authority was unq uestionable, and no one dared defy her commands.

“Aunt Alma, save me!” Hank was ecstatic at Alma’s appearance. He kept calling out to her for help, looking like he had seen his savior.

“Madam Alma, why are you here?” After Dahlia returned to her senses, she immediately went up to greet her. However, in the next second, Alma landed a resounding slap across Dahlia’s face, stunning everyone into silence.

“Huh?” Dahlia clutched her burning face, feeling confused. She never provoked Alma.

She wondered why Alma hit her as soon as they met. “Hey, you crazy bitch! How dare you hurt my daughter?

You need to be taught a lesson!” Florence lost her temper immediately after she witnessed her daughter slapped. She rolled up her sleeves, prepared for a fight.

“How dare you!” At that moment, a huge man stepped forward, and said with a fierce tone, “Be careful of how you speak to my grandma, or else I’ll shut your mouth up forever!” Intimidated by the man’s imposing manner, Florence stopped in her tracks but cont inued with her insults.

“What? You think I’m afraid of you because you have more men?”

“Security! Chase these people out of here!” Julie ordered, “Chase us out?” The man sneered coldly and said, The entire Nicholson Corp, belongs to our family. Who would dare chase us out?”

“Oh, you have quite the attitude. Who the hell are you? How dare you be so arrogant?” Julie mocked Tm Julian Nicholson, Regulus Nicholson’s eldest grandson!”

The man puffed up his chest slightly with a proud look and continued, “As for my grandma, she’s th e Nicholson family’s matriarch!”

“The Nicholson family’s matriarch?” Julie and Florence were shocked by his revelation. Their earlier arrogance vanished instantly and was replaced by fear.

Among the Glenstead Nicholsons, the matriarch was only second in power to the patriarch, Regulus Nicholson. She had the power to mobilize all the resources of the

Nicholson family freely, and a single word from her could determine the fate of many lives. T hey couldn’t afford to offend these prominent and powerful figures.

“Hmph! What a bunch of ignorant country bumpkins!” Julian sneered with disdain.

Julie and Florence exchanged glances, remaining silent. “Madam Alma, I don’t understand what I have done to make you angry.” Dahlia took a deep breath, trying her best to keep her composure.

“What? Do I need a reason to teach you a lesson?” Alma said coldly. Dahlia frowned at her words. They were simple, yet they carried an overwhelming sense of authority.

“Madam Alma, there is nothing wrong with teaching me a lesson, but can you at least tell me what I did wrong?” Dahlia’s expression never wavered. “Hank is one of my men. Look at how you hurt him. Don’t you think you deserve a lesson for that?” Alma questio ned.

“Madam Alma, there is a reason for everything. You should be asking what Hank has done.” Dahlia stood her ground. “I don’t care what he did. He’s not someone you can touch” Alma’s tone was stern. “You should think twice before beating someone up.

If you dare beat up my people, don’t blame me for what I do next!” Dahlia furrowed her brows upon hearing her words. She didn’t expect Alma to be so overbearing.

“Hey! Be reasonable. Hank is at fault. How can you blame us?” Julie couldn’t hold back her anger any longer. “Reasonable? Hmph! Everything I said is the most reasonable!”

Alma’s expression was frosty. “You -!” Julie gritted her teeth. In the end, she had no choice but to remain silent since Alma had a few powerful bodyguards behind her.

“Madam Alma, Hank hatched a plan and had my brother killed. Are you going to protect someone like him?” Dahlia’s expression grew cold.

“That’s right! He must pay for killing my son!” Florence yelled.

“How would I know if you are telling the truth? Do you have any evidence?” Alma’s expression never faltered

“The evidence is here. Please have a look.” Dahlia received the phone and tapped on the video before handing it to Alma.

Chapter 361

Dahlia thought that would be enough to change Alma’s mind. However, in the end, instead of watching the video, Alma threw the phone on the ground. She stomped on the phone hard, shattering it completely.

“The evidence is gone now,” Alma said impassively.

Dahlia and the others‘ expressions darkened instantly upon witnessing the scene.

How could she openly destroy the evidence to cover up for the murderer? Where was justice in this?

“Madam Alma, what do you mean by this?” Dahlia frowned.

“You saw everything. Is there a problem?” Alma asked with a scrutinizing expression.

“If you insist on doing this, then I’ll have to report it to Grandpa Regulus.” Dahlia’s expression was frosty.

“Do you think you are worthy of using the patriarch’s name to threaten me?” Alma scoffed.

“Why not? Sir Regulus himself has appointed my daughter as his successor, and she will rise as the new matriarch of the Nicholson family soon. When that time comes, all of you will have to show deference to her!” Florence’s voice gained volume as her confi dence grew.

“Successor? New matriarch? Who said so?” Alma looked at them with condescension.

“Sir Regulus said so himself. If you don’t believe us, you can call and ask him yourself!” Florence declared and lifted her head proudly.

“Call him? I’m afraid that won’t be possible now.” Alma continued impassively, “Last night, Regulus suffered from a brain ailment. His condition is critical. He is now in a coma.”

“What? A coma?” The sudden news left everyone in shock.

“How could that be? Grandpa Regulus was perfectly fine last night. How did he suddenly fall ill?” Dahlia exclaimed in astonishment. When Regulus called last night, he sounded strong and energetic, not like someone who was ill. How could he just suddenly fa ll ill overnight?

“With Regulus‘ age and the burden of his responsibilities, which led to exhaustion, he fell ill. As a result, I am now in charge of the family’s affairs. Any objections?” Alma’s icy gaze swept across the room.

“I …” Florence and Julie exchanged glances, both at a loss for words. Dahlia, on the other hand, had her brows locked in a frown, her expression gloomy. They were just celebrating her promotion not long ago, but now, everything had changed in a blink of an  eye.

“Alright, since there are no objections, I will take Hank away with me.” Alma gestured, and the two bodyguards behind her helped Hank to his feet. Hank chuckled gleefully.

“You didn’t expect it to turn out this way, did you?”

Hank taunted. sarcastically, “That’s right, I hired someone to kill James. But, so what?

Without evidence and power, you can only watch as I go free. How sad!”

“You -!” Florence and the others were seething with anger, but none of them had the power to do anything.

“And you.” Hank turned his attention to Dustin and mocked, “Rhys, even when you tried so hard to have me captured and dragged here, you still had to let me go. How do you feel? Are you mad? You should be! It’s so much fun to see you guys stare at me in ang er, unable to do a thing. Hahaha!” As Hank spoke, he suddenly howled in laughter, displaying an unruly attitude. He was the epitome of a dickhead taking advantage of his backing.

Right at that moment, Dustin suddenly moved forward and kicked Hank hard in the abdomen. A deafening blast reverberated through the room as Hank was sent flying, crashing through the glass windows. He plummeted from the 30th floor, meeting a gruesome end.

Everyone was quiet as a dull thud was heard. None of them could react in time to what happened. It was all too sudden. One second, he was laughing uncontrollably.

Then, the very next second, he fell to his death.

“How dare you? How dare you murder so openly?! Who gave you the audacity?” After a brief moment to collect herself, Alma roared furiously. Hank was not only someone who worked for her, but he was also her nephew! How could this bastard just kill

Hank on a whim and blatantly disregard her?

“Madam Alma, please don’t go around accusing others! I did nothing! He was the one who leaped off of his own initiative,” Dustin said nonchalantly “There were so many of us watching you. How dare you deny it?” Alma pressed with evident displeasure.

“Who saw it?” Dustin looked at Nelson and the rest. “Did any of you see it?”

“No, I saw nothing.” Nelson shook his head.

“Did you see it then, Dahlia?” Dustin turned to look at her.

“Me neither.” Dahlia, too, shook her head. Hank killed her brother. He deserved it.

“There you go, nobody saw it.” Dustin shrugged and said with a smile, “Madam Alma, is your age catching up with you already? Maybe you need to get your eyes checked.”

“Playing the fool with me, aren’t you? I’m telling you, you lot are messing with the wrong person!” Alma growled with a dark expression.

“Madam Alma, you have to be careful of your words. Please provide evidence for everything, or else refrain from making unfounded claims,” Dustin said airily.

“Oh, right, I’ve noticed that you’re pretty pale, you’ve barely got anything holding your skin to your bones, your gaze looks dull, you’re emotionally unstable, and your fingers tend to twitch every so often. I’m guessing that you don’t have long to live. I suggest you take care of your health.”

“You impudent bastard! How dare you curse my grandmother? Do you have a death wish?” Julian fumed, ready to throw hands. Florence and the rest of them were also startled at how brazen Dustin was to offend the matriarch of the Nicholson family, but they did n’t show it.

“Don’t you dare try to provoke me, you brat! You’ll regret it.” Alma spat through gritted teeth, her gaze icy cold. “Madam Alma, you best keep your temper at bay.

Getting angry often may speed up your aging,” Dustin advised calmly.

“You pesky bastard! I see you’re the type to only cry and regret when it’s too late!”

Alma could not hold it in any longer. She roared exasperatedly, “Men! Get him!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Her bodyguards immediately charged forward on her orders. “Don’t you dare lay a finger on Mr. Rhys!” Nelson instantly pulled his sword out and began slicing his way through them to protect Dustin. The men he brought with him today were all el ites in their gang.