My Mysterious Life — Volume 9

Chapter 616

“Im-Impossible!” Ronald’s eyes widened in disbelief as he gazed at his injured body. He never could have imagined that he would be defeated so badly. After all, he had the power of the Infinite Aura Technique and the Ethereal Slash assisting him.

Why? Why did it turn out like this? That was his strongest move! Nobody was able to defend against his move, let alone launch a counterattack, in the whole of Balerno! He was supposed to be unparalleled!

How? How did Dustin manage to defeat him?

Ronald’s body trembled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Then, his knees gave way. He knelt on the ground, his face ashen.

Dustin’s terrifying slash had not only severed his arm but a lot of his circulatory pathways were also damaged. At that moment, Ronald’s body was in ruins. He had no strength left to continue the fight.

Ronald fell to the ground, severely injured. The entire arena fell into a deathly silence. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was stunned and in disbelief. It was the most unexpected outcome. It was too shocking and difficult to even accept.

When Ronald unleashed his earth- shattering strike, they all believed that Dustin would lose. Because it was a divine retribution that was unstoppable.

However, Dustin not only survived the terrifying strike, but he also turned the tables. He had severely injured Ronald. The stark contrast was equivalent to a mortal slaying a God. It was simply unbelievable!

“I … I must be mistaken, right? Sir Reeds… actually lost?”

“It can’t be! Sir Reeds is the alliance leader. He is the number one martial artist in Balerno. How could he lose to this kid?”

“Oh my God! What just happened?

Everything happened so fast!”

“Incredible! This is truly incredible!”

After a brief silence, the entire arena erupted into a frenzy. It was as if a bomb had been dropped into calm waters, causing an uproar.

“How could this be? Dustin won?” Theodore’s smile froze and was replaced by shock.

“No… It can’t be. Something must have gone wrong somewhere. My brother is unmatched! How could he have lost?” Quincey exclaimed as he turned pale. It was as if he was struck by lightning.

“What kind of monster is this kid?” Woody was left speechless, his inner turmoil raging.

“He won? He actually won against Sir Reeds? Am I dreaming?” Lance’s eyes widened like saucers. He was in a state of sheer disbelief.

“What the hell? He must have cheated! “Toddy stood there, utterly dumbfounded. As Ronald’s supporters, they simply couldn’t believe the outcome.

Ronald Reeds was the leader of the Balerno martial arts alliance. He was the undisputed strongest martial artist in the whole of Balerno!

To martial artists far and wide, Ronald was an insurmountable mountain.

However, at that moment, that mountain had collapsed. Ronald’s legend and glory were completely shattered.

“He won! Dustin won! That’s amazing! “After being momentarily stunned, Lyn cheered. “As expected of the man I’ve set my eyes on. He’s truly unparalleled!” Josie was thrilled and excited. Her face began to redden.

Although she wasn’t sure what happened, she was certain Dustin had won. And brilliantly at that! In front of thousands of people, he had defeated the martial arts alliance leader. The one and only Ronald Reeds.

From that moment on, he had successfully made a name for himself. He would stand uncontested, leaving everyone in the dust.

“Excellent! What a magnificent victory! “Even the shrewd Emery couldn’t help applauding the win.

Ronald had suppressed him for a whole decade. With Dustin’s unexpected victory and a severely injured Ronald’s fall from grace, it was a joyous occasion.

Finally, he could seize this opportunity to assume the position of alliance leader. Dustin ignored the uproar. Gripping the Celestial Blade, he took purposeful steps toward Ronald. The black sword was still dripping with blood.

“The alliance leader? An unbeatable legend? Hmph… what a joke.”

Dustin’s eyes were red, and his expression was sinister. He looked like a demon that had just crawled out of hell, terrifying yet immensely powerful.

“You How are you so strong? How could you possibly defeat me?” Ronald knelt on the ground and struggled to lift his head.

His expression was a mix of shock, terror, and bewilderment. But most of all, he was filled with confusion and disbelief.

He couldn’t understand why he had been defeated. With his cultivation, he was supposed to be unbeatable by anyone below the level of an ultimate grandmaster.

“You underestimated me and overestimated yourself. That was why you lost.” Dustin raised his sword slowly.

He asked condescendingly, “Do you have any last words?”

“Don’t… Don’t kill me…” Ronald panicked, taking in Dustin’s cold, indifferent gaze.

He humbly begged for mercy, “I can give you the Celestial Pearl and give up the position of alliance leader. I can pass on all my knowledge to you.

“As long as you let me live, I’ll give away my power, position, and wealth. I’ll give you anything you want!”

He had fought hard to reach his current position and ascend to the peak. He hadn’t enjoyed it enough or achieved his life goals. He didn’t want to die and lose everything just like that. As long as he could live, he could put down his dignity and give up everything he had.

“Ronald Reeds, did you ever think this day would come? Especially after you betrayed your master, acted treacherously, and framed me.” Dustin remained unfazed.

“I was wrong… I know I was wrong! I promise to start anew and never do anything evil again. Please give me another chance!”

As Ronald spoke, he prostrated desperately. He completely let go of his pride, no longer carrying the dignity of the alliance leader.

The crowd lamented at the sight they were witnessing. Nobody expected Ronald to have such a humble and cowardly side to him. After all, he usually carried himself with pride. It turned out that even Gods were fearful in the face of death.

“Give you a chance?” Dustin scoffed.

“Let me ask you, did you ever give Sir Paul a chance? What about Mr. Robinson? And those innocent people you harmed, did you ever give them a chance?

“Since you didn’t, what gives you the right to ask me for one?”

“Dustin, nothing good will come out of killing me! It’ll only make you an enemy of the martial world!

“As long as you let me go, I promise to serve you faithfully. I’ll do anything you ask!” Ronald was panicking. He was sweating profusely as he begged fervently.

“You don’t need to do anything. I just want you dead!” Without another word, Dustin raised his sword high into the air. He was going to strike down heavily.

“Stop!” Just as Dustin was about to kill Ronald, a booming voice yelled. At the same time, an arrow shot out at an incredible speed, carrying tremendous force. With a loud clang, it accurately struck against the Celestial Sword.

“Hmm?” Dustin’s body quivered, stopping his actions. At the same time, he cast a cold gaze below stage. Unbeknownst to him, Woody had already stood up, holding a powerful bow in his hand. He had fired that arrow.

“Sir Bolts, what do you mean by this?” Dustin frowned slightly.”Dustin, you have won. Don’t overdo it.

Woody’s expression was cold. “Don’t be so eager to burn bridges and make things difficult lest it backfires!”

“Sir Bolts, our duel was a fight to the death. Only one can emerge alive in the battle ring. That is the rule of the martial world,” Dustin said coldly.

“The Martial Arts Union establishes the rules of the martial world. I hold the highest position here and wield the ultimate authority!” Woody’s tone was extremely overbearing.

His intervention was motivated by Dustin’s lack of gratitude. It was also because Ronald was still useful to him. As the leader of Balerno martial arts alliance, Ronald’s position, status, and influence were unparalleled.

If he died, the world of Balerno martial arts would be plunged into chaos. At that point, the union would have to intervene to restore order.

“Sir Bolts, the rules of the martial world should be upheld impartially. We’ve already signed a waiver. Your protection of Ronald seems biased,” Dustin said.

“Enough with the nonsense! Sir Reeds is a prominent figure in the marital world and a pillar of our nation. The union will protect a talented man like him at all costs!” Woody retorted sharply.

“Sir Bolts, if I’m not mistaken, the union has clear rules against intervening in disputes. You won’t be able to justify your actions,” Dustin reminded him.

“You want to try me? Very well!”

Woody sneered.

He turned his attention toward Ronald. Then, he said loudly, “Sir Reeds, would you be willing to join the Martial Arts Union? As long as you agree, will back you up!” the union Ronald lit up with joy at his words. It was as if he had grasped a lifeline. He nodded repeatedly. “I agree, I agree! I’ll join the union! I’m willing to work hard for the union!”

This was the best chance to save his life. As long as he had the union’s backing, Dustin wouldn’t dare to act recklessly, even if he had immense courage. Even though he would be losing his freedom, it was a small sacrifice compared to losing his life.

“There! Did you hear that? Ronald is now a part of the union. It is only natural for us to protect him. Do you still have any objections?” Woody lifted his head slightly, looking proud.

So what if Dustin was talented, skilled, and powerful? He still had to bow in submission before the union.

“Sir Bolts, are you playing games with me?” Dustin’s eves narrowed slightly.

“The union has always acted benevolent to win the people over. Since you brought up rules, then let’s talk about rules.

“Ronald has now joined the union. If you dare kill him, it will be a challenge to the union’s authority! Consider the consequences yourself!” Woody openly issued a threat.

The Martial Arts Union represented the power of the government. They stood above all guilds with overwhelming influence.

Once someone became a wanted fugitive of the union, there would be no place to hide, no matter how vast the world was.

That was one of the reasons why the union was so feared. “It’s fortunate that Sir Bolts is present today. Otherwise, we would have been plunged into chaos.” Theodore sighed in relief as he watched Woody take control of the situation.

Chapter 617

If Ronald died, Theodore would probably be next. “Hmph! With the union backing Ronald, what can that brat do? Even if he’s powerful, he still has to listen to orders obediently.” Quincey grinned widely.

He had believed the Reeds family was on the verge of ruins moments ago. Thankfully, Woody had intervened just in time to save the situation.

“What a shame. I was almost there.” Emery sighed, shaking his head in regret. Today would have been perfect if Woody hadn’t turned the situation around.

“As expected of the Martial Arts Union. They were able to intimidate Dustin with just a few words.”

“Haha… Even the most formidable figures had to bow down to the union!”

Many of the martial artists in the audience breathed a sigh of relief. Although they couldn’t accept Ronald’s defeat, the current outcome was far from disastrous. After all, Ronald was safe now. Nobody would be that foolish to go against the union.

“Dustin, I must admit that you are strong and skilled. Unfortunately, you still can’t kill me. As long as I live, I haven’t truly lost.” Ronald struggled to get up and smirked.

“Let me let you in on a secret. I’m a breath away from becoming an ultimate grandmaster. I anticipate a breakthrough within the next three months. When that day comes, I’ll turn you into minced meat!

“How about it? Are you mad? Afraid? Feeling helpless? But what else can you do other than await your inevitable demise?

“I’m now a union member, someone you can’t afford to offend. If you dare to act recklessly, you won’t be the only one who suffers. Your family and friends will suffer with you!

“Just accept your fate. You won’t be able to seek revenge, nor will you be able to change the outcome. You’ll forever remain beneath my feet!”

By the end of his speech, his earlier humble and cowardly demeanor transformed into arrogance and confidence. With the union backing him up, he felt invincible.

Once he returned from this defeat, he vowed to repay Dustin tenfold for the humiliation he suffered.

No! A hundredfold!

“Dustin, I’m ordering you to back down now!” Woody shouted. “Did you hear that? Get lost! The union is not an entity you can afford to provoke!” Ronald sneered.

“Ronald Reeds, you’re getting carried away. Do you really think Woody can save you?” Dustin asked coldly.

“What? Are you still going to kill me? Do you know how many people will die if you make a move? Do you know how many innocent souls will die with you?

“Dustin, you should think before you act. Don’t harm the innocent or yourself!” Ronald smirked, confident that he had Dustin trapped.

Even if Dustin was the strongest there was, he was just one man. Any man would have weaknesses and concerns. That was why Ronald was confident that Dustin wouldn’t dare take action.

“Dustin Rhys, I’m counting to three. If you don’t retreat, it will be considered a public challenge against the union!” Woody issued a final warning.

“You bastard, drop your weapon immediately! Or be the enemy of the martial world!” Quincey led a group of disciples in surrounding the battle ring.

“I have a tendency to follow through with my words.”

Dustin said calmly, “I’m taking Ronald’s life today, and nobody can stop me. Even if that means turning into the enemy of the union and the martial world.

“Even if it leads to my demise, I’m willing to pay the price!”

that, the Celestial Blade was raised up high. It was swung down forcefully, beheading Ronald.

the slashing of his blade, one of the greatest leaders in the martial world was slain. He had been one of the best martial artists in the Balerno martial world!

Dustin’s actions were so swift that Ronald’s head was already at his feet while he remained standing. His expression was one of shock, fear, and, for the most part, disbelief.

Even until death, Ronald did not expect Dustin to dare cross the Martial Arts Union. To kill a person was a serious violation of their regulations.

“He… He really killed him? Am I mistaken?”

“Mad! He’s gone utterly mad! How dare he commit murder when the head of the Martial Arts Union is present? That’s outrageous!”

“How brutal! He’s trading life for life!”

“In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone challenge the Martial Arts Union like him! The brat is so ignorant that he doesn’t fear authority!”

After a short silence, the crowd broke into an uproar. All the martial artists present were startled by Dustin’s fearless actions.

As Ronald had joined the Martial Arts Union, he was one of them. That meant that he was protected by official authorities. So not only did he enjoy certain privileges, but he was also unbound by the rules of the martial world.

But Dustin had killed Ronald in front of everyone. His actions were a blatant challenge to the Martial Arts Union and the entire martial world!

“Oh no! Dustin’s offended people he shouldn’t have!” Josie’s expression changed as she became nervous. Though the powerful were revered in the martial world, some rules were not meant to be broken.

Especially those set by the Martial Arts Union. Everyone, regardless of how powerful they were, wound up dead once they were named in the Martial Arts Union’s assassination list. “Darn it! Dustin had been too rash! He’s brought trouble on himself by killing Sir Rhys!” Lyn was flustered.

Though Ronald was now dead, Dustin had landed himself in the Martial Arts Union’s bad books. He was going to find himself in deep trouble.

“You insolent, ignorant brat! Seems like you still do not comprehend how formidable the Martial Arts Union is!” Lance’s lips curled up into a sinister smile.

“Has the rascal gone out of his mind? How else would he dare to challenge the Martial Arts Union?” Toddy’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Martial Arts Union held the highest authority within the martial world. No one was able to go against them.

“Dustin! How dare you!”

After taking a moment to come to terms with what just happened, Woody jumped into a fit of rage.

“You have ignored our laws and murdered a member of the Martial Arts Union! I hereby declare that you are now a criminal! You shall be the enemy of the entire martial world from now on!”

“You monster! First, you killed my son, and now you murdered my brother in cold blood! I’ll never forgive you!” Quincey’s face was distorted with fury as he roared.

“Listen up, Three Guardians! And listen up, all you disciples of the martial arts alliance! Surround the criminal. Avenge Sir Reeds!”

At that, all the disciples of the alliance pulled out their weapons. The Three Guardians of the martial arts alliance showed up like ghouls. Their eyes were fixed menacingly on Dustin.

“Sir Reeds had been righteous and upheld justice his whole life. Now that he’s been murdered by a criminal, I will not sit idly by! Listen up, Skycrane disciples! Come with me and eliminate him!”

Theodore reacted quickly, raising an arm over his head as he shouted to the Skycrane disciples

This was the best chance he had to get his revenge on Dustin with a justifiable reason. He wasn’t going to let it slip past him.

“He’s a spawn of the devil out to wreak havoc among mankind! We Combat Priests should wipe out such evil entities to restore peace on earth.”

Father Orson, who had been silent the whole time, led a group of trained priests and surrounded Dustin.

“My Soul Reapers brethren, prepare to fight and avenge Sir Reeds!”

Lance raised his spear and gave out a deafening roar.

“Hear ye, disciples of the Nephrite Sun

“Hear ye, disciples of the Deathly Hurricane-”

“And hear ye, disciples of the Starry Arches-”

“Slay the criminal and avenge Sir Reeds!”

More and more guilds joined in on the mission to kill Dustin. At a glance, the place was jam-packed with people. The arena was so tightly surrounded that there was no way out. In an instant, Dustin became the enemy of the entire martial world. He was now a villain that everyone was out to get rid of.

Ronald had been the leader of the Balerno martial arts alliance for many years. He was well-received and respected by all, with a strong following that rallied behind his every call. Now that he’d been murdered, it was a given that they’d all be angered.

But of course, the most important reason behind their agitation was that the Martial Arts Union had now declared Dustin a criminal. No matter what, Dustin would have to pay for what he had done. That was how things were in the martial world.

“Dustin! You have ignored our laws and committed a heinous crime! Surrender immediately and follow me to receive your punishment!

“If you do not, you shall be killed on the spot!” Woody roared. To murder someone in his presence was a blatant disregard for their laws and a clear disrespect to him.

“That was a private matter that had to be settled between Ronald and me. You should all stay out of it, or be prepared to face the wrath of my sword!”

Dustin stood proudly on the stage, slowly raising the Celestial Blade over his head. His sharp gaze swept across the place without the slightest hint of fear. He was publicly going up against the whole of Balerno’s martial arts scene.

“Hah! It seems like you don’t know death until it stares you in the face! “Listen up, everyone! The Martial Arts Union will handsomely reward whoever succeeds in killing the criminal!”

Woody wasted no time in delivering his order.

“Charge!”

a deafening roar, thousands upon thousands of martial artists charged forward. They were motivated by the promise of a handsome reward.

They swarmed the place like a threatening hive of bees. Suddenly, a dark glow was reflected off a blade. It sliced through the air like a scythe.

a resounding clang, It lodged firmly on the edge of the stage. As a result, a deep, long groove was etched on the sturdy stage.

The groove was about half a yard wide and 20 yards long. It drew a clear line between Dustin and the crowd, like a large trench that could not be passed. “If anyone dares cross this line, I shall show no mercy!” Dustin announced frostily.

That was his warning. If anyone did not fear death and decided to press on, he would not spare them. Seeing the mark scoured on the ground, all the martial artists were stunned. For a moment, all of them hesitated.

None dared to take the first move to go any further. Just a moment ago, adrenaline had surged within all of them. They had no time to consider the repercussions of their actions.

So when someone shouted for them to attack, they all followed suit. Now that they had a moment to calm down, it dawned on them just how fearsome Dustin was.

He was the one who had defeated the leader of Balerno martial arts alliance! They’d be seeking death if they just attacked him rashly!

“Why are you all just standing around? Go at him together and get rid of him!” Woody yelled from behind. No one could take on Dustin single- handedly.

But they had the numbers! They could charge at him simultaneously and wear him out. Once his internal energy was depleted, they could take him down.

“The Nephrite Sun is the best. You should take the lead.”

“I think you Skycranes are more valiant. You’re all so strong that each of you can take on 100 men.”

“Don’t Deathly Hurricane often boast about their powers? They should go ahead and test them!”

“Wait, you Combat Priests are trained to use the Adamantine Shield. You should lead the way.”

“We are priests. We do not take lives.”

Dustin’s sword had planted a seed of fear in all of them. They were all hesitant to challenge him and even began pushing others to go ahead first.

But in the end, no one dared to step forward.

Chapter 618

Dustin stood on the stage with his sword in hand. He alone was enough to intimidate all the other martial artists. They all stood around hesitantly, not daring to be the first ones to make a move.

But such a reaction from them angered Woody to no end.

“Hey! What are you all afraid of? Powerful as he may be, he’s just one person! “If you all attacked at once, you can easily slash him into pieces!”

Seeing that he failed to stir a reaction among them, Woody turned his attention to the leaders of the various guilds. He started calling them out one by one, “Sir Crane, Sir Williams, Father Orson, Sir Rosen, and Sir Bilmet.

“As leaders of the martial arts scene, you should stand up and be role models for the rest. Lead your disciples and get rid of the criminal!”

“Uh…” When they heard what Woody said, Theodore and the rest looked around awkwardly. They could hype others up and support the Martial Arts Union verbally. But they’d think twice about putting their lives on the line and fighting Dustin.

He had, after all, been capable of killing Ronald. Who was to say he wouldn’t be a threat to them too? If they took things too far, they might even lose their lives! So, things were awkward as they stood.

The regular martial artists were no threat to Dustin. Meanwhile, the experts treasured their lives too much to lead the battle. For a moment, things came to a standstill.

“What a disorderly bunch!” Woody was beyond frustrated. All these martial artists were undisciplined and unreliable. Had it been the enforcement team from the Martial Arts Union, they’d have carried out his orders without any hesitation.

As things stood, the only way out of their predicament was for him to personally take action. At that thought, a cold gleam appeared in Woody’s eyes. He nocked the arrow on the bow and drew the bowstring.

The arrowhead made of darksteel was aimed straight at Dustin’s heart. The bow creaked as the bowstring was drawn taut. The sound made one’s scalp crawl.

That was a custom-made bow that weighed ten thousand pounds. Regular martial artists would not be able to pull the bowstring. Not even if they used both their hands and feet and put in every ounce of their energy.

But Woody had drawn the bowstring so tight that the bow arched into a crescent shape. It was clear just how tremendous his strength was.

When Woody had drawn the bowstring as far as it could go, he released his hold on the arrow. It shot out like a bullet. The arrow launched toward Dustin’s chest with a momentum that could split the earth. The speed was so unbelievably fast that the arrow was nothing but a blur at best.

“What a powerful shot!”

All the expert martial artists were astonished by what they saw. None of them had expected such strength from Woody. It was no exaggeration to say that in an assault, this shot could kill a strong grandmaster!

As expected of a member of the Martial Arts Union! His skills were out of this world! Just as the arrow was about to hit its target, a figure descended from the sky.

The person landed right in front of Dustin, standing between him and the arrow. Then, he effortlessly pinched Woody’s arrow between his fingers. Due to the force of the impact, the arrow’s tail quivered wildly. It resembled the tail of a fish swimming against the currents.

But as it was trapped between the person’s fingers, the arrow remained where it was no matter how hard it shook.

“Decent shooting skills. Slightly lacking in strength, though.”

The person who had caught the arrow was a disheveled old man. He was crippled and blind in one eye and carried a hip flask around his waist.

He was unkempt and scruffy, looking like a beggar.

“What?”

Woody’s eyes twitched as an expression of bewilderment came over him.

He had put every bit of his energy into that shot. Besides, the tip of the arrow was made of darksteel and was exceptionally sharp. Not even someone who had reached grandmaster level dared to brave such a shot.

Never in his dreams had he ever expected a full-forced shot from him to be intercepted. And with just two fingers, at that!

Who the hell was that old man? And how could he be so powerful?

Woody was not the only one surprised. Even Theodore and all the other martial artists present were shocked by what the one-eyed old man did.

Several of them were grandmasters with extraordinarily heightened senses. Nothing that went on around them went by undetected. However, none of them noticed the old man until he appeared before their eyes. It was beguiling indeed!

And the most terrifying part was that they did not sense the slightest energy waves coming from him. He looked just like any other old man. But how could an ordinary old man intercept Woody’s shot? That was clearly impossible!

There was only one possibility as to why they could not sense his powers. And that was because the old man’s powers were way beyond theirs!

“Who are you? How dare you meddle in the affairs of the Martial Arts Union?” Woody’s brow was knitted as he roared.

It was bad enough for them to have to deal with Dustin. It would only get increasingly difficult for them to deal with this elite expert who just popped up out of nowhere.

“What’s so great about the Martial Arts Union? Back when I left, none of you from the Martial Arts Union had been able to stop me,” the old man drawled as he picked his nose.

“How dare you?” Woody shot him a glare. “Who sent you, you loony old geezer? How dare you speak so boastfully? Do you have a death wish?”

“Boastful?”

The old man raised a brow as he picked out a dark piece of booger from his nose. Then, he flicked it at Woody. The piece of booger shot through a 100- yard distance and landed on Woody like a bullet.

a loud explosion, Woody felt like he had been hit by a train. He was sent flying over ten yards away before he fell heavily to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Blood spilled out from his nose and his mouth. He shrieked in pain.

“What?” An uproar broke out among the onlookers. One had to be at least a grandmaster to be appointed as the leader of the Martial Arts Union.

But the old man had heavily wounded a grandmaster with just his booger? How unbelievable! Where did such a monster come from?

“Hey, brat, not even the head of the union, Cesar Fent, dares speak to me like that. Who the hell do you think you are?” The old man smiled menacingly.

Woody pounded on his chest as he coughed violently. There was an expression of incredulous fear on his face. “You… Who are you?”

A piece of the old man’s booger nearly took his life! How ridiculous! And most importantly, he did not fear the Martial Arts Union at all! He even addressed the head of the union by name!

If there was anything that Woody was sure of, it was that this old man wasn’t an ordinary old man. “Listen up, I go by the name Dobson Manier!” the old man announced as he continued picking his nose.

“Dobson Manier?”

Woody was taken aback when he heard the name. Then, his expression changed soon after. He looked terrified, and there was a tremble in his voice.

“You… You… You can’t be the ultimate grandmaster who spread chaos in Oakvale back then, can you? You’re…. the Drunken Maniac?”

Dobson Manier was known as the Tipsy Warrior. And because of how much he loved his alcohol, he was also called the Drunken Maniac. A decade ago, an unexpected event occurred in the City of Aylka, in Oakvale.

That night, every member of the Martial Arts Union was dispatched. Cesar Fent had personally led all of them to capture several criminals. The Drunken Maniac had been one of them.

Those from the Martial Arts Union had expected an easy fight. They thought they could complete their mission breezily. However, the moment they engaged in battle, they realized just how sorely wrong they had been.

The union had suffered a terrible defeat in that battle. Cesar was severely wounded, and the vice-head had lost his life. All the elders, guardians, and the leaders were either heavily injured or killed.

That was the only defeat the Martial Arts Union had ever experienced since its founding. It also became a taboo that was never brought up ever again.

So when Woody heard that he was the Drunken Maniac, nightmarish memories of what had happened that night hit him like a wave.

He began to tremble uncontrollably.

Woody was scared out of his wits. He trembled in fear. The Drunken Maniac’s appearance had unleashed his deepest, darkest fear. Ten years ago, he was just a small fry in the Martial Arts Union.

He was full of fighting spirit the night he received the mission to capture the criminals. Beyond excited, he thought that would be his one chance to prove himself. He was going to make a name for himself.

But it wasn’t until they reached the battlefield that he realized how cruel reality was. He saw with his own eyes how his comrades were shredded into pieces.

He saw how his leader was beheaded. And he saw how all the experts he had looked up to were murdered. They had all been utterly defenseless against their opponents and were killed upon contact.

He was thoroughly traumatized by the bloody and gory scenes that had unfolded before his eyes. To this very day, those scenes still haunt his every nightmare. He would shake involuntarily every time he was reminded of what happened.

The fact was, he had only survived that night due to pure luck. At the most critical moment, he got the brilliant idea to feign death. So he dropped to the ground and played dead. And that was how he had made it out alive.

Though he was promoted after the battle, he was scared out of his wits. He lost all the ambition he had when he started.

He had thought that he’d finally gotten over those nightmares and that they would never appear anymore. But now, the murder machine from his memories appeared before him again. All the terrifying memories from before seemed to awaken within him, stirring up all his hidden fears.

“What? The Drunken Maniac? This grubby old man is the Drunken Maniac?

“How’s that possible? Isn’t he dead?”

“My goodness! If news gets out that the Drunken Maniac is still alive and in Balerno, the entire Dragonmarsh will descend into chaos!”

“Who is the Drunken Maniac? Is he very powerful?”

“Well, but of course! The Drunken Maniac’s an ultimate grandmaster! He’s one of the top ten greatest martial artists in the entire martial world!

“He’s someone right at the pinnacle! Do you think he’s powerful?”

“Damn! He’s that great? Wouldn’t he basically be invincible if he’s one of the top ten greatest martial artists?” At that moment, Woody was not the only one scared.

After learning about who the Drunken Maniac was, all the experts from the various guilds looked at him in awe and admiration.

Even the haughtiest and proudest among them had no choice but to show respect to such a formidable person. To them, an ultimate grandmaster of such level was no longer a mere mortal. Instead, he was more like a God who held their lives in his hands.

“Hey, you. “the Drunken Maniac called out to Woody. That scared him so much that his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees.

He shivered as he begged, “Lord Drunken Maniac, I was blind! I didn’t know who you were. Please don’t take it to heart, and I hope you find it in you to forgive my unintentional offense!”

Still on his knees, he hung his head low. He looked flustered and frightened to the core. “Huh?” The Drunken Maniac raised a brow as he looked at Woody with a peculiar expression.

All he did was call out to him. Why was he so scared? Were people from the Martial Arts Union such scaredy-cats these days?

“Alright! I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let you go just this once.”

The Drunken Maniac waved his hand as he continued calmly, “Go back and convey my message to Cesar Fent. Tell him to be careful and watch his back. Now, take your men and get lost!”

“Yes, sir! We’ll be off right away!”

Woody nodded in gratitude as he sped off with his men without looking back. Wise men submit to circumstances. A wounded ego and bruised pride was nothing if it meant he could get away with his life.

Besides, few could live with their ego and pride intact in the presence of the Drunken Maniac. “Do any of you have anything to say about me defending this young man here?”

After getting rid of Woody and his men, the Drunken Maniac turned his gaze to those from the guilds. That sent a wave of panic among them.

None of them had expected Dustin to be backed by such a powerful person. It was no wonder he was so powerful at such a young age. So it turned out he had an ultimate grandmaster teaching him in private.

“Why have you all gone mute now? Weren’t you all waving your weapons about, ready to challenge me?”

The Drunken Maniac picked at his nose again. He pulled out a piece of booger and toyed with it between his fingers.

Chapter 619

His absent-minded actions carried a certain sense of authority. After all, that piece of booger held enough power to give a grandmaster a lethal blow. “Lord Drunken Maniac, it was all a misunderstanding. We do not mean to offend you.”

The guildmaster of the Deathly Hurricane was quick to react. He quickly showed his respect. “He’s right! We were only taking orders from the Martial Arts Union! We had no choice!

“Please forgive us, Lord Drunken Maniac,” the leader of the Starry Arches immediately followed suit and apologized.

“Hey! Why are you all just standing there? Put your weapons down! I’ll make you pay if you hurt Rhys in any way!”

The leader of the Nephrite Sun took things to another level. He berated all the martial artists around him, pretending to protect Dustin.

The rest of them finally snapped back to the present as they put their weapons away. All the tension in the air instantly dissipated. Even the leader of the Martial Arts Union had run away. Who else dared to act up with the Drunken Maniac still there?

Suddenly, Emery stood up. He said, ” Lord Drunken Maniac, what happened today was a mistake. As the assistant leader of Balerno martial arts alliance, I cannot escape the blame.

“To express my apology, I would like to nominate Grandmaster Rhys as the new leader of the alliance!”

A clamor broke out at that.

“What? Dustin as the next leader? Is he for real?” “The martial world has always been ruled by whoever is most powerful. I see no problem in Dustin becoming the next leader as he was the one who had defeated Ronald Reeds.”

“There’s no questioning how powerful he is. But he lacks experience. Nothing good will ever come of a leader that young.”

“That’s right! He’s merciless and lacks empathy! The entire Balerno martial world will be in trouble if he becomes the next leader!”

Emery’s suggestion brought a series of comments and whispers among the crowd. As many of them who agreed to it, there were just as many who disagreed. Many of the senior members of major guilds, especially, frowned in displeasure.

The martial world wasn’t all about killing and fighting. There were a lot of customs and interpersonal relationships that came into play.

Just because he was powerful did not mean he could lead the alliance. Instead, they needed someone adaptable who was willing to work for the benefit of the majority. From their point of view, Dustin was too young to possess such capability.

“Please calm down, everyone.” Emery gestured with his hands for everyone to settle down. Then, he continued, “This is a suggestion that I made after careful consideration. The martial arts alliance is in shambles now, and we are in dire need of young blood.

“Only a talented person like Grandmaster Rhys can turn things around and lead the alliance to glory!”

“I agree!” Josie suddenly raised her hand. She shouted, “Not only is Grandmaster Rhys young and talented, he’s also powerful! There’s no one more suited for the position than him.

“I’m in full support of Grandmaster Rhys taking up the position of the alliance leader!”

“We are in full support of the notion, too!” Several young martial artists stood out to express their thoughts. Young and passionate, they believed that strength was supreme.

Since Dustin had defeated Ronald, he had every right to be the next leader of the alliance.

“What? Are there only so few in support of the suggestion? Are the rest of you mutes?” the Drunken Maniac asked.

As he spoke, his gaze swept across all the leaders of the various guilds. They were all so frightened that they broke out in cold sweat.

“Grandmaster Rhys has proven himself, and we have all witnessed his capability. He has more than what it takes to be the next leader of the alliance!”

“That’s right! There is no other like Grandmaster Rhys, and no one else even comes close to what he is capable of. I fully support him!”

“The alliance cannot be without a leader. All of us are in support of Grandmaster Rhys becoming the next leader!”

Under the pressure exerted on them by the Drunken Maniac, all the leaders of the guilds saw no other way than to agree. No matter how much they disagreed deep inside, they could only comply.

“Sir Rhys, from now onwards, you shall lead the Balerno martial world!”

Emery was quick to react, addressing Dustin as ‘Sir Rhys’ right away. Then, he bowed to Dustin in a show of his support.

“All hail Sir Rhys!”

Josie cried out as she pumped her fist into the air.

“All hail Sir Rhys!”

The rest of the martial artists also raised their fists as they shouted in unison. Their voices echoed all around, reaching the sky and causing the ground to rumble.

The Drunken Maniac’s presence brought about a major change of events. Just the previous second, Dustin had been the collective enemy of the entire alliance. And the next second, he was nominated as the alliance leader, to be revered by all.

For a moment, things seemed to be looking up for him. But Dustin remained expressionless. He looked on coldly at all the martial artists who were acting respectfully to him.

There was not the slightest hint of excitement or joy in his eyes. It all looked ridiculously ironic to him how things were.

Apart from a handful of righteous ones among them, most of the remaining martial artists were fence-sitters who shifted their allegiance based on the circumstances.

They had just been clamoring to slay him moments ago. And now, they were all cheering for him. Their instant change in attitude was ridiculous to him.

As for the position of the alliance leader, he had absolutely no interest in it. He had challenged Ronald solely for revenge and to seek justice.

“My abilities are limited. I’m afraid I do not have what it takes to be the leader of the Balerno martial arts alliance. You should pick someone else,” Dustin announced, turning down the position. Everyone was stunned when they heard that. None of them had expected it from Dustin. Was he joking?

To be appointed as the alliance leader was an honor that many of them could only dream of ever having. It was the ultimate pursuit of all martial artists.

It signified not only a person’s status and identity but also unparalleled authority. Countless leaders of different guilds and martial experts longed for that ultimate position.

But not only did Dustin not appreciate the fortune that fell upon him, he even turned it down! Was he even thinking straight?

“Grandmaster Rhys, you’re the only person in the whole of Balerno who’s fit to take the position.” Emery was dumbfounded.

Had he not challenged Ronald for fame, power, and authority? He would be in a supreme position as long as he took up the role! He could have everything he ever wanted!

“Yes, Grandmaster Rhys, you’re a front -runner for all of us young martial artists. No one else is better fit to assume the position!” Josie persuaded. She greatly admired Dustin, so she hoped that he could take the position.

He was now just one step away from it. All Dustin had to do was accept it, and the position would be his. He would be respected by all. What was there not to like about it?

“I appreciate the gesture, but I have no interest in taking up the position of the alliance leader.”

Dustin shook his head lightly as his gaze fell on Emery. “Sir Williamson is capable and prestigious. He’s more suited for the position than I am.

“I think you’re the best candidate for the position of the alliance leader.”

“Well…” Emery showed a torn expression on the surface when he was actually overjoved deep down. Of course, he yearned to be the leader of the alliance! But Dustin’s performance earlier on had been too remarkable.

Besides, he had an ultimate grandmaster, the Drunken Maniac, backing him up. No matter how great Emery’s ambition for the position was, he dared not contend against Dustin for it.

Hence, he had gone with the flow and did Dustin a favor by nominating him as leader. What he had not expected was that Dustin would reject it!

What a surprise!

“Hey, kid, the title of the alliance leader is not entirely useless. Are you sure you don’t want to give it more thought?” the Drunken Maniac yawned as he asked Dustin.

“No. I have no time to busy myself with affairs of the martial world.”

Dustin could not be bothered to waste more time on pointless talking. He began rummaging through Ronald’s dead body. Very soon, he found a gold bead.

It was the Celestial Pearl! It was a sacred relic of the martial world. Dustin would never let a treasure like that slip past his fingers. After all, it could speed up his cultivation.

He was sure that with the aid of the Celestial Pearl, he would soon reach the level of ultimate grandmaster. Then, he would finally be able to put his plan for revenge into fruition.

“Oh? What a treasure!” The Drunken Maniac was surprised to see the Celestial Pearl.

“Let’s go, Drunken Maniac. Let’s get a drink together.”

After putting the Celestial Pearl away safely, Dustin ignored the rest of them and walked down the stage with the Celestial Blade in hand. The crowd made way for him wherever he went.

Dustin’s incredible performance today had gained everyone’s respect. Many of them could not understand why he refused to be the leader of the alliance. But, for now, it seemed like a good thing.

That was especially so with all the guildmasters dying and ready to fight for the position. An upheaval was bound to happen in the martial world. And it will happen soon.

“Oh, right…”

Dustin stopped in his tracks at the thought of something. He turned to look straight at Quincey. “I almost forgot. I’ve got this pain to deal with.”

“You … What do you want?” Quincey’s expression changed immediately as panic flashed in his eyes.

“From the moment I set foot here, you’ve been dying to kill me. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get any sleep knowing that such a threat is roaming free.” Dustin looked at him coldly.

They were now sworn enemies. Letting Quincey walk away with his life today would inevitably spell trouble for him in the future.

“You … You … You better not act rashly. I’m an elder of the alliance!” Quincey was obviously flustered. He took several steps back.

He had kept silent the whole time, trying to lay low and make it out with his life. Unfortunately, Dustin had not forgotten about him.

“I’ve just killed the leader of the alliance. What more a mere elder?”

Dustin smirked before sending a needle flying with a flick of his finger. Quick as a flash, it buried itself between Quincey’s brows.

“You-”

Quincey opened his mouth to say something. But suddenly, his body shook briefly, and he stiffened. Then, a drop of blood oozed out from between his brows.

The very next second, all life seemed to be sucked out of Quincey as he collapsed to the ground lifelessly. His eyes were opened wide, and absolute fear and hatred were etched on his face. A few of Quincey’s underlings were scared out of their wits at what they just witnessed. They dropped to their knees and began begging for their lives.

Dustin simply ignored them and turned to look at Theodore. He had a serious killing intent in his eyes. Theodore and the rest of them instantly got anxious. It was as though they were facing a fearsome enemy.

If Dustin was out to get revenge against them, they would have no choice but to give their all and fight to the death.

“Relax, I’m not going to kill you guys. But that’s only because someone out there has already called dibs. So before your worst nightmare comes knocking, you better take good care of yourselves. With that ambiguous warning, Dustin turned and left without claiming their lives.

It was not that he was being merciful to spare them. But Abigail will have to be the one to take their lives. She would be the one to avenge her father and make them pay dearly for what they did to him.

The day that Abigail returned would be the day these hypocrites paid with their lives. Dustin left them with nothing but his cold, retreating figure. However, the commotion that he stirred up lasted for a long time.

“It’s such a pity that Mr. Rhys didn’t take up the position. He missed out on a great opportunity to make a name for himself internationally,” Lyn exclaimed.

She admired Dustin for his abilities and his moralities. He drew a clear line between friends and enemies and was unmoved by fame and fortune. It was truly rare to find someone of his integrity. However, he was very much a lone wolf due to his lack of wants.

“No, you’re wrong. Dustin did not miss out on an opportunity. He simply could not be bothered by it.” Josie said, standing to the side. Her burning gaze was full of admiration.

“It might be an honor beyond reach for others, but for Dustin, it’s just something within easy reach. And such is the difference between regular people and a person marked out for success!

“Besides, after today, his reputation as a young grandmaster will certainly be made known worldwide! So there is no need for him to prove anything or to drum up support.

“He does not need any title that comes with becoming the leader of the alliance. For Dustin is already an uncrowned king!”

Chapter 620

“Hey kid, how was it? I came at just the right time, didn’t I?” On the car ride back, the Drunken Maniac crossed his legs leisurely while chugging on a bottle of alcohol.

“They couldn’t have done anything to me even if you hadn’t come.” Dustin shrugged. “Oh, come on. Quit acting strong.” The Drunken Maniac gave him a quick once over before he pursed his lips.

“You used the secret Rhys technique to forcibly boost your cultivation. Now that the time is up, there’s bound to be a recoil. Had I not shown up in time, you’d probably have died here today.”

Though the secret Rhys technique allowed one to forcibly boost their cultivation, there was a huge price to pay for it.

It could deplete one’s vitality or greatly weaken the person’s body. If the person who used it was captured by his foes in his weakest state, it was highly likely that he might die.

“Pretty observant, old man.”

Dustin chuckled. Seeing that there was no point hiding things any longer, he pulled a silver needle out of the back of his head. Instantly, he looked like a deflated balloon, completely drained of all the energy that had held him up.

What had once been a powerful aura from him, now completely dissipated, leaving him frail and worn out. Dustin panted in exhaustion. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His face was drained of color. His eyes were bloodshot, and his limbs were sore and powerless. Extreme fatigue took over him.

As the Drunken Maniac had said, the secret Rhys technique could forcibly heighten one’s powers, but it came with extreme adverse reactions. Dustin would never have used it if it had not been to kill Ronald.

“Here, have some liquor to boost your strength.”

The Drunken Maniac passed the bottle of alcohol that he held in his hands to Dustin. Dustin took it and gulped a mouthful of its contents.

As the liquor slid down his throat, he felt a slight burning sensation. And along with the burning sensation, he felt his weakened body gain some nourishment from it. Clearly, there were some other components in the alcohol.

“Hey, kid, I need to tell you something. The Drunken Maniac yawned as he settled back into the seat. “I have an old friend who’s ran into some trouble. I’ll need to leave for some time.”

“Leave? Where to?” Dustin was perplexed.

“Oakvale.” That was all the Drunken Maniac said.

“Oakvale?” Dustin’s brow creased slightly. “With your sensitive identity, I’m afraid you might run into complications there.”

Though what happened ten years ago had already subsided, his enemies from back then were still around. If he let slip his identity, there was no doubt they’d be out to get him.

“I’m Dobson Manier. When have I ever been afraid of trouble? You underestimate me,” he said airily, “When will you be leaving?” Dustin asked.

“I’d rather be early than be late. So I’ll leave today,” the Drunken Maniac answered.

“So rushed?” Dustin frowned.

“A life is at stake. I cannot afford to dawdle.”

The Drunken Maniac stretched lazily. Then, thinking of something, he pulled out a bottle of pills and handed it to Dustin.

“It’s your birthday tomorrow. Here. This is my precious gift for you.”

“Oh? Since when were you so generous? Dustin was surprised by the act. “Who knows when I’ll be back again once I leave? I’ve got to at least leave you with something,” the Drunken Maniac said.

“What’s in there?” Dustin asked curiously. Half of his medical skills came from the Drunken Maniac, while the other half came from his research on a wide range of ancient manuscripts.

“This is called Vigoritum. It’s my very own secret formula. It can boost your abilities in a certain aspect.

“It serves to revive a man’s vigor, and its effects are outstanding! There is none other like it in the world!” the Drunken Maniac boasted proudly.

“No, but why are you giving me this?” Dustin was taken aback. He had thought that they were some rare medicinal pills. But it turned out that they were aphrodisiacs!

“Well, you’ve been married for a couple of years now, and I still don’t see a baby coming along. You must be having some problems in that aspect. I figured these would serve you well,” the Drunken Maniac said matter-of-factly.

“Old man! What nonsense! You’re the one incapable in that area! I am a champion at that!” Dustin was a little flustered. He got too emotional, and as a result, he started gasping heavily as he spoke. With his pale face, he was the very picture of being weak.

“Fine, you’re the champion. I know that already. Don’t get too excited.” The Drunken Maniac nodded his head indifferently in an attempt to pacify him.

“Regardless, this is a very rare piece of treasure. Just keep it for emergencies, alright?” He slid the bottle of medicine into Dustin’s pocket as he spoke.

“You-” Dustin felt insulted. As he was about to explode, he started coughing violently.

“It’s alright. Stop talking. I get what you’re trying to say.” The Drunken Maniac gave Dustin a pat on the back. He then turned and said, “I have to leave now. I still have a flight to catch. Remember to take the medicine on time so you’ll have a child soon!”

that said, the Drunken Maniac disappeared in a flash. “Take care, old man.” Through his car window, Dustin’s gaze became complicated as he watched the Drunken Maniac’s hunchbacked silhouette move further away.

All good things must come to an end. When he cured the Drunken Maniac’s Celestial Decay, Dustin knew he would eventually leave.

He had his own goal to accomplish, and the Drunken Maniac had his as well. They had different lives, and the paths to be taken would also be different. He could only wish him well silently.

After a short break, Dustin and Cornelius went back to Zephyr Lodge. As soon as they arrived at the entrance, they saw a group of the Kirin Gang members getting busy decorating the house’s exterior.

Natasha and Scarlet were in the house, supervising the decoration on the inside. They paid attention to the most minute details, hoping to make it flawless. They were still at war with each other before this. However, they were now working together in perfect sync.

“Natasha, Scarlet, what are you doing? “Dustin walked into the house, looking curious. “Dustin, you’re back.” Scarlet turned in surprise and walked over quickly to welcome him.

She said smilingly, “It’s your birthday tomorrow. I’m thinking about how to best decorate the house. Are you happy with it?”

“It’s just a birthday. Do we have to make it this grand?” Dustin looked around and realized that Zephyr Lodge appeared as if it had been renovated.

“This is nothing. If I had more time, I would have demolished this place and built a new one.” Scarlet replied seriously.

Dustin was speechless, and the corner of his mouth twitched. From his understanding of her personality, he knew that Scarlet was capable of doing that.

“Dear, it’s different now. You’re the leader of the Kirin Gang. We must give you a grand birthday celebration to show it.” Natasha said with a smile.

“Why can’t we just eat together? Why do we have to do all this?” Dustin’s head started hurting. When Scarlet mentioned his birthday celebration, he had already told her he’d like to keep it private. Nevertheless, she got a little too excited.

“Of course, we’ll all eat together in splendor. We can’t let Tyler Grant steal the limelight,” Natasha added.

“Hold on. What has this got to do with him?” Dustin was confused.

“Don’t you know? Tyler and Kate are getting engaged tomorrow. They’ve already invited a lot of people for a grand celebration. We can’t be losing out.” Natasha replied with a determined look.

Natasha couldn’t forgive Tyler for breaking her family apart. Thus, she wanted to use this opportunity to diminish the influence of the Grant family.

“Is that so? Tyler and Kate are getting engaged? Looks like they’re destined to be together,” Dustin commented with raised eyebrows.

He wasn’t very interested initially. However, his desire to win was somehow ignited when Tyler was involved.

Tyler had been playing tricks behind him because of the treasure map. It looked like it was time to finally conclude their deepening feud.

“Ever since a new leader took over the Harmon family, the family bowed to the Grant family. They even took over the Harmon family’s properties.

I think Tyler Grant will show his true colors soon after the engagement.” Natasha’s expression became serious.

The dispute within the Harmon family brought about bad blood among the brothers. Families were now enemies. It was a serious crisis in the family.

Fortunately, she foresaw this. She had transferred the properties under her name to Oakvale. By doing so, she had protected some of the family’s foundation.

“Natasha, speaking of the Harmon family, what does your father think of all this?” Dustin asked. With Hector’s network and reputation, he had a high chance of winning if hedecided to fight back.

“My father is still trying his best to salvage the situation. He’s trying to talk some sense into my uncles. However, I don’t think it’s working.” Natasha shook her head. Her father was a good man. Too good to a fault, in fact.

He was a sentimental person and kept making compromises. All because he didn’t want to antagonize his brothers. As the feud continued, the family was slowly falling apart.

“Looks like your father still has his concerns. However, he must be decisive and ruthless to resolve the issue,” Dustin advised.

It was a good thing that he respected the relationship with his brothers. However, the situation would only worsen if he kept giving in.

“I hope that my father comes to this realization soon,” Natasha said with a complicated expression. She could turn the tide in her father’s favor. The only problem was that her father didn’t want to fight.

“Oh, and…” Natasha suddenly remembered something and took out an exquisite sachet from her bag. She gave it to Dustin. “It’s your birthday tomorrow, and this is a gift from my father.”

“Please give him my thanks.” Dustin flashed her a smile.

“Open it and take a look.” Natasha gave him a look. “Now?” After gaining her approval, Dustin untied the sachet slowly. From inside, he took out a carefully preserved piece of parchment. He unfurled the parchment and saw a mysterious but incomplete drawing on it.

“Natasha, what’s this?” Dustin was a little astounded. “This is the Harmon family heirloom, the treasure map. This is also what Tyler Grant is after. Now, my father has gifted it to you.” Natasha smiled.

“What? The family treasure map?” Dustin was stunned and immediately waved his hands.

“No way, this is too much! I can’t accept this!”

The Harmon family treasure was a gold mine, and it could potentially alter the course of events. The value of this treasure map was unimaginable.

“It’s just an incomplete piece of the original treasure map. My father sees no point in keeping it.

“He thought it’d be better to give it to you. You might have a better chance at finding the other missing pieces.” Natasha smiled.

“Natasha, this is your family heirloom. How could I possibly accept it?” Dustin shook his head again.

“My father has thought long and hard about it before giving it to you.”

Natasha explained, “With his current ability, he wouldn’t be able to keep this map safe for long. Tyler might steal it from him.

“Instead of losing the treasured map to an overly ambitious person, he wanted to give it to someone who is reliable to safeguard this map.”

“Well…” Dustin hesitated. Hector saw the treasure map as something more important than his life. Giving him the map meant that Hector had full confidence in him. Simultaneously, Dustin felt a heavy burden on him.

“That’s enough. Please don’t refuse the gift. This is a sincere gift from my father. Just accept it. It might be useful to you in the future.” Natasha smiled as she shoved the map into Dustin’s hands.

“Alright then. I’ll keep it safe on behalf of your father. I’ll return it to him when the Harmon family is at peace again.” Dustin finally nodded.

Hector gave him the treasure map because he trusted him. He also hoped that the treasure map would be used for the benefit of others.

It was night. Tyler was playing chess alone in his study in the Grants’ mansion.

Chapter 621

Trent and Kate stood beside him meekly. They didn’t dare to make any noise, and they appeared pitiful.

When they were captured by the Dark Panther Cavalry, they were released in just two days. From what they could deduce, Tyler must have convinced the Scarlet Warrior to let them go.

This was enough to prove that they had placed their loyalty on the right person. “Our engagement is tomorrow. Is everything ready?” Tyler finally spoke after finishing one round of chess.

“Well…” Trent’s expression froze when he heard that, and he instinctively looked at his daughter.

“Tyler, we almost succeeded. But Dustin Rhys, that bastard, ruined our plan and captured us.” Kate cursed as she explained.

“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear excuses.” Tyler threw them an icy glance. He continued, “I want to see results, not the process. According to our deal, you’ll get me the treasure map, and I’ll give you my support to rise to power.

“After that, we’ll unite our families by marriage and achieve greatness together. I’ve held up my end of the promise. What about you?”

“Tyler, we tried our best. Could you please give us a few more days? I promise I’ll get the treasure map for you!” Trent said confidently.

“That’s right, Tyler. With a few more days, we can definitely fulfill our promise to you!” Kate nodded.

“I hate people who can’t keep their word. The deal was to get me the treasure map before the engagement.

“If you can’t do that, tomorrow’s engagement will be canceled. From then on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other.” Tyler said without any expression.

“Huh?” Trent and Kate paled when they heard that. The situation in the Harmon family was very volatile as everyone was ready to pounce on each other to gain power.

Without the Grant family’s protection, they would lose the dominance they had just secured very soon.

“Tyler! It can’t be canceled!” Kate was a little anxious. She quickly reassured Tyler. “Please give us another chance. We can definitely get the treasure map!”

She finally got the chance to marry into an extremely wealthy family and become the wife of a general. She wouldn’t give it up so easily. She’d do anything to defend her current status regardless of the cost.

“Talk is cheap. I want results.” Tyler replied calmly. “You still have tonight. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you can’t produce the treasure map before the engagement party tomorrow.”

“Not a problem! We’ll get to it right away!” Kate nodded eagerly. She was left with no choice; she must gamble.

“Alright, then. Don’t disappoint me.” Tyler waved his hand to dismiss them. “Of course.” Trent and Kate didn’t hesitate and quickly left.

After they left the study, Trent was a little distressed. He lamented, “Kate, we only have tonight. How are we going to get the treasure map?” They had. tried so many ways but to no avail. It’d be more difficult now.

“Dad! We can’t keep playing nice. It’s time we bring out the real guns. If we miss this opportunity, we’ll never live this down.” Kate said with a vicious gaze.

“The real guns? What do you mean?” Trent suddenly felt uneasy. “We’ll abduct and torture Uncle Hector. We’ll force him to surrender the treasure map.” Kate said, looking murderous.

“Torture?” Trent frowned.

He continued, “Kate, he’s your uncle and our family. It’s a bad idea.”

Even though they had been in a feud, no one had crossed the line. They were brothers, after all. He didn’t have the heart to actually kill them.

“Dad! We’re running out of time! If we don’t do it this way, we’ll never get the treasure map!”

a terrifying expression, Kate continued, “Every man for himself! We’re this close to succeeding. We can’t let all our efforts go in vain. “The ends justify the means. This is our only chance. We have to give it all we’ve got!”

Trent fell silent when he heard that. After a while, he nodded heavily. “It’s for your sake and for the sake of our future. We’ll have to disown our family!

Trent had already lost his son. He didn’t want to sacrifice his daughter’s happiness and future as well. As such, he wouldn’t mind being the bad guy, even if it meant betraying his brother.

“Dad! I knew you had it in you!” Kate was very happy when Trent agreed to her plan. “I believe we can solve any issue when we work together as father and daughter!”

Everything else would fall into place once she had convinced her father. “Kate, I accept your idea on one condition. You can’t put your uncle’s life in danger.” Trent gave her a stern warning.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’m only doing it for the treasure map. If Uncle Hector surrenders the map to us, I won’t hurt him, of course,” Kate promised immediately.

However, if he refused to cooperate, they couldn’t blame her if she decided to be inhumane.

“Very well, I feel a lot better with your guarantee.” Trent nodded.

He continued, “Anyway, we still have another problem. There’s a very competent martial artist protecting Hector in secret. With our capabilities now, the chances of succeeding are slim.”

If they had more time, he could have hired a martial arts master to help them. But it was obviously too late now.

“Dad, I know of someone who should be able to help us,” Kate said suddenly. “Really? Who is it?” Trent was a little curious.

“Vlad Grant!” Kate said with a smile.

“Vlad? Isn’t he a trust-fund baby? How would he help us?” Trent frowned slightly.

Vlad might be Tyler’s brother, but he wasn’t as competent and powerful as Tyler. The brothers were as different as night and day.

“Dad, you underestimated him.” Kate shook her head. She added, “Vlad might not be like Tyler, but he’s very well-connected.

“In addition to knowing a lot of martial arts masters, he has a huge following in the martial world. Abducting Uncle Hector will not be a problem with his help!”

“What do you plan to do?” Trent wanted to know.

“A magician never reveals their secret! Kate gave him a mysterious smile and said, “Dad, why don’t you rest in the living room. I’ll be back soon.”

She left as soon as she said that. After half an hour, Kate knocked on Vlad’s door with a plate of steaming ravioli in her hands.

“Kate, what brings you here?” Vlad’s eyes lit up as soon as he opened the door. Kate was very pretty as she inherited the good genes of the Harmon family. Her looks and physique were exquisite. For a hot-blooded young man, she was definitely a huge temptation.

“Vlad, I heard that you were injured yesterday. I came here to see you.” Kate flashed him a seductive smile and walked into his room without waiting for his invitation.

She put down the plate of ravioli and cutlery on the table and said, “I think you look hungry? Here, I made these myself. Come try it.”

“Is that so? I must really savor it then.” Vlad immediately sat down with a grin and started stuffing his face.

He kept his eyes on his future sister-in- law as he ate the ravioli. He appeared very greedy as he looked at Kate’s voluptuous body up and down with his burning gaze.

“How do you like the dish?” Kate acted as if nothing was happening and smiled brightly as she sat beside Vlad.

“It’s really good! You make really good ravioli!” Vlad nodded vigorously with a face filled with anticipation. Since they were sitting closely, he could clearly smell Kate’s fragrance. It was very irresistible.

“I’m happy that you like it. I’ll make more when I’m free.” Kate said with a smile.

“Thank you, Kate!” Vlad swallowed his saliva as his eyes shone brightly.

He had seen many pretty women. However, he had never met a vixen like Kate. She knew how to flaunt her charm to its peak.

The most important thing was this exceptional beauty before him was his future sister-in-law. The real abyss of desire was the excitement of committing the forbidden. It was tempting. Kate suddenly let out a sad sigh.

“What’s the matter? Is there anything bothering you?” Vlad asked. “It’s nothing. Please enjoy your meal. It’s just a small issue. It’s nothing.” Kate forced a smile, pretending to be reluctant.

It would be very suspicious if she asked for help directly. But, if the other party insisted on finding out, it’d be a different scenario.

“Kate, we’re family. Please tell me if something is troubling you. I’ll definitely help!” Vlad appeared to be very sincere, placing a hand on his chest.

“It’s fine. You’re injured. I shouldn’t trouble you.” Kate shook her head pitifully.

“Kate! What are you talking about?” Vlad put down his fork. He said unhappily, “What do you mean trouble me? Are you looking down on me or what? Do you think I’m useless and couldn’t help you?”

“Oh no, I didn’t mean that.” Kate waved her hand.

“Kate, if you think of me as family, please tell me what’s on your mind. As your brother-in-law, I promise I will make sure your problem is properly resolved,” Vlad said confidently.

“Vlad, will you really help me?” Kate appeared extremely touched. “Of course! You’re my sister-in-law. I will always help you!” Vlad said candidly.

“Please don’t make fun of me when I tell you my problem. It’s actually related to Uncle Hector.”

Kate sighed and continued, “Even though my father is the family’s head, Uncle Hector holds the real power. My uncle is overly ambitious and deceptive. He has always wanted to be the head.

“He has tried all the tricks in the book and used a lot of despicable maneuvers to rise to power. He doesn’t see us as his family at all.

“My father is kind and would never be able to fight my uncle. He is left with no choice. He cries every day and has even considered suicide.

“I could feel his pain as a daughter. However, I’m weak and can’t rise against my uncle. I could only be patient and hope for the best.” When she finished speaking, Kate let out a long and sorrowful sigh.

“Hmph! This Uncle Hector of yours is too shameless. He’s worse than a dog!” Vlad slammed his hand on the table in anger. He was indignant.

“I’ll let the bygones be bygones. However, my uncle is getting worse lately.” Kate continued to add fuel to the fire and made herself the victim.

“My uncle stole our family heirloom and used it to threaten my father to surrender his position as the family head.

“If we don’t get the family heirloom back, death will be my father’s only option. We have no one else to turn to!” Kate started sobbing as she spoke.

pitiful appearance with teary eyes was truly heart-wrenching. Vlad’s instinct to protect was immediately ignited. He stood up suddenly and said with conviction, “Kate, don’t you worry! I’ll take care of this for you!

“I’ll send someone to capture Hector Harmon and interrogate him. I will make him surrender the family heirloom and deliver justice to you!”

“Vlad, my uncle is cunning and is protected by a competent martial arts master year-round. It’s very difficult to capture him,” Kate sighed.

“Hmph! He’s only a despicable man! I never saw him as a worthy opponent!” Vlad said proudly. He continued, “Kate, you wait for my good news at home. I’ll give you a very satisfying answer tonight!”

that, Vlad walked out the door, full of confidence.

“Vlad, please be careful,” Kate shouted, feigning concern. The smile on the corner of her lips was slowly showing.

Men were truly animals that thought with their lower bodies. She had easily riled him up.

Chapter 622

It was late at night. The crescent moon shone with a faint silver glow as a black car stopped in front of the Grant mansion.

Vlad was the first to get out as the door swung open. He quickly directed his men as they carried a huge burlap sack and rushed into the house.

Silently and discreetly, they made their way to a secret room. These were the lupine guards of the Grant family, and the secret room was a place for interrogation.

“Open it!” Vlad ordered as he sat on a chair, pouring himself a glass of wine. One of the men deftly tore through the sack with a knife.

Out tumbled a man, his hair disheveled and wounds visible across his body. It was Hector!

“Old man. do vou know who I am?”

Vlad asked with an icy gaze, swirling the wine in his glass.

“Are you Vlad Grant?” Hector took a careful look at him. He was quick to notice that something was amiss.

“Hey! You’re quite smart. You actually know me.”

Vlad took a huge gulp of wine and said coldly, “Since you already know who I am, this will be easy. Hand over the treasure map, and I’ll spare you.”

“Treasure map? Ha!” Hector burst out laughing. “Has your patience finally worn thin? I thought you wouldn’t want to risk your reputation and reveal yourself.”

Tyler had been careful while working meticulously to get his hands on the map. He didn’t come for the map personally, as he had his own considerations. Plus, he was trying to keep his motives hidden from prying eyes.

From the looks of it, the Grant family couldn’t wait any longer. “Enough with the nonsense! Surrender the treasure map now or suffer!” Vlad shouted.

“The treasure map is the Harmon family’s most prized possession. Why would I give it to thugs like you?” Hector shot back.

“Old man! Even in the face of death, you choose to remain stubborn? I’ll cut you in half!” Vlad yelled.

“Everyone dies, so what if I die a few years earlier?” Hector laughed as he kept a calm expression. He looked ready to risk his life.

“Fuck! You’re putting on a brave front, aren’t you? Let me see, are you really that brave, or are you all bark and no bite?”

Vlad stood up and picked a boning knife from the torture rack on the wall. It wasn’t a huge knife. In fact, it looked small and delicate. Even so, the smaller the torture instrument, the greater the fear it instilled in others.

“Can you see this knife? I’ll use it to skin you alive. Then, I’ll slowly slice your muscles off piece by piece. You will suffer!” Vlad snickered cruelly as he flashed the knife in front of Hector, showing off his brutality.

“Give me all you’ve got!” Hector remained steadfast and showed no fear. “Very well!” With a sinister smile, Vlad raised the knife and stabbed Hector’s shoulder.

As the knife pierced his flesh, Hector trembled a little as he furrowed his brow. However, he quickly regained his composure, not making a single sound.

“Oh wow! You resist quite well. Let’s see how long you can keep that up!” Vlad seethed with anger as he stabbed Hector two more times.

In an instant, blood sprayed everywhere. Hector gritted his teeth and remained silent. Regardless, beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead.

“Let me ask you again, are you going to surrender or not?” With a cruel expression on his face, Vlad stabbed Hector’s shoulder again and this time, he twisted it around slowly.

“If you’re a man, kill me now!” Hector snorted coldly.

“You want to die? Haha, not so fast. I shall torture you slowly.” Vlad sneered as he applied more pressure on the Knife.

Hector’s muscles on his face began twitching uncontrollably, and he was sweating profusely. Nevertheless, his gaze remained steadfast despite the extreme pain inflicted upon him.

“Well, well! It looks like if I don’t up my game, you won’t give up the map easily. “Vlad was annoyed. He chucked away the boning knife and browsed through the torture rack again. As such, many torture instruments of different sizes and functions began piling up on the table.

“See these treasures? I will use all of them on you. I hope you don’t die quickly!” Vlad sneered, picking up another torture instrument.

that, the endless cycles of physical torment continued. Time ticked by slowly. The secret room stank of blood while things appeared calm and well just outside the room.

Kate paced outside restlessly. It had been three hours since they started interrogating Hector. However, they still got nothing.

Time was running out as they only had a few hours till the break of dawn. If she didn’t have the treasure map by then, all her efforts would be wasted, and all hopes would be lost.

The door to the secret room slowly opened. Vlad couldn’t stop cursing as he walked out with blood stains all over him.

“Vlad, how was it? Did you get the map? “Kate asked anxiously.

“Kate, Hector Harmon is too damn stubborn. I’ve pulled all the stops and tortured him for a long time. But he remained tight-lipped. I’ve never seen anyone as crazy as him.” Vlad looked annoyed yet impressed at the same time.

If it was someone else, they would have caved in and soiled themselves within minutes. Hector endured the torture for three hours without even making a sound. His grit and resilience were impressive.

“He refused to say anything?” Kate furrowed her brow, not looking too happy. “How is he now? Is he dead?”

“He fainted. But he’s still breathing. If we continue, I’m afraid he’ll die.” Vlad shook his head.

“I’ll go have a look now,” Kate said nothing else afterward as she walked in with a grim expression. In the secret room, Hector was tied to a column with his head lowered, and he appeared very weak.

His body was severely injured, with countless open wounds. No part of his body was spared, and he was covered in blood. It was impossible to tell who he was at a glance. Some of his wounds looked horrendous, and blood was still dripping from them. It was a chilling sight.

Kate might have prepared herself before walking in, but she still felt nauseous. She quickly covered her nose and mouth when she saw the sight before her.

“Kate, this place is too dirty for you. Why don’t you leave first?” Vlad suggested gently. Such a bloody sight was rare for anyone to witness. She was already considered brave for not screaming and running away.

“I’m fine.” Kate took a deep breath and quickly got used to the sight before her. With a cold gaze, she said, “Vlad, the treasure map is very important to me. Is there anything else you could use?

“As long as you can help me get this done, I’ll make sure to express my gratitude wholeheartedly.” Kate even emphasized the last few words flirtatiously.

Vlad swallowed his saliva as he looked at Kate’s voluptuous body. He tried to calm his nerves and said, ” Kate, Hector can’t take any more torture. Besides, I don’t think we’ll get any information from him just by torturing him. We need a different method.”

“What do you mean?” Kate was stunned.

“Everyone has their weak spot, their Achilles’ heel. The same applies even to the strongest man. If we can find his weakness, we’ll have a higher chance of succeeding.” Vlad suggested.

“Weakness?” Kate narrowed her eyes and understood what he meant quickly. “If this is the case, he only has one weakness.

“What’s that?” Vlad was curious to find out.

“His daughter, Natasha Harmon!” Kate said with a gruesome expression.

At the break of dawn, in a luxurious mansion somewhere. Natasha, who was sleeping, suddenly opened her eyes when she heard something moving.

She got up, walked to the window, and opened a slit between the curtains. Under the hazy moonlight, she was shocked to see the bodyguards on night duty lying on the ground.

“Hmm?” Natasha furrowed her brow. She quickly took out a pistol from a drawer in her headboard. Opening the door gently, she carefully observed her surroundings before going into the room next door.

“Ruth…” Natasha patted her sister, who was still asleep. When Ruth woke up, Natasha covered her mouth and signaled her to keep quiet. “Don’t make any noise. There’s an intruder.”

“Intruder?”

Ruth rubbed her sleepy eyes and mumbled, “Natasha, are you dreaming? Our house is surrounded by exceptionally skilled bodyguards day and night. Who would risk their lives?”

“They have been defeated. It’s very dangerous now. Come with me now!” Natasha said with a serious expression.

“What?” Ruth became alert when she heard that. “Natasha, who’s coming for us? Should we call Dustin?”

“There’s no time. We need to get out of here first.”

Natasha was very decisive. She opened a window immediately and looked around to make sure that the coast was clear.

She held Ruth next to the window and said, “Ruth, I’ll count down to one, and we’ll jump together.”

“Jump?” Ruth gulped and said, Natasha, this is too high. I am scared.” “It’s just two floors. Besides, we’ll land on grass. We won’t die.” Natasha comforted her.

“Natasha, do we have no other choice?

“Ruth asked while trembling.

“Yes, you can choose between jumping or dying,” Natasha said coldly.

“What?” Ruth was so scared that she shrank backward.

“No time for nonsense. It’ll be too late. Three, two, one, jump!” Natasha couldn’t wait any longer as she held Ruth’s hand and leaped out from the second floor.

Both of them landed heavily on the field, and they struggled to get up. It was fortunate that the field provided them with a soft landing. The house wasn’t too high either, and they didn’t sprain their feet.

“Let’s go!” Natasha held Ruth’s hand and held the pistol in the other. They gingerly skirted around the corner to get to the backdoor.

When they got to the wall, she looked around carefully and made sure that there was no one outside before running out at full speed. However, just as they were about to leave, they heard someone calling out behind them mockingly.

“Miss Harmon, where are you going?”

Natasha turned pale when she heard the voice. Without hesitating, she turned around with the pistol raised and was ready to fire.

Nevertheless, before she could get a hold of the situation, a shadow flashed beside her. Immediately after that, she felt a painful jab in her neck before she blacked out and collapsed to the ground.

“Natasha!” Ruth shrieked. Before she knew what was happening, the person in black was already behind her. With a quick jab on the neck, she fainted.

“Take them away!” With that order, Natasha and Ruth were put in burlap sacks and lifted into the car.

The car sped on the road and finally stopped in front of the Grant mansion when the sky slowly turned light. Soon, two burlap sacks were quietly transported to the secret room.

“Mr. Vlad, we’ve already got who you asked for. There’s also an extra,” the leader said with a smile.

“Good job. You may have your reward now.” Vlad nodded with satisfaction as he gave them the signal to leave. “Open it.”

Chapter 623

Kate was impatient as she quickly ordered them to open up the burlap sacks. Very soon, the unconscious Natasha and Ruth were freed from the sacks.

“Great, we’ve got both of them. There shouldn’t be any problem now.” Kate was pleased about the current turn of events. Hector would definitely surrender the information with his two weaknesses in their hands now.

“What? It’s her!” Vlad was stunned when he saw Natasha. “Why? Do you know her?” Kate frowned. If they knew each other, there’d be trouble.

“I saw her once.” Vlad replied solemnly and continued, “I was injured by an ignorant man when I got into a fight at the hotel yesterday. She’s with that man.

After he was defeated, he sent his henchmen to investigate Dustin. However, he couldn’t find Dustin’s whereabouts. What a coincidence; they actually kidnapped his woman.

Things were really going in their favor now. “Vlad, the person who defeated you yesterday, was his name Dustin Rhys?” Kate quickly asked.

“I think that’s his name.” Vlad nodded.

“That’s right!” Kate continued with a cold expression. “This bitch couple is in cahoots and has been bossing others around, and they have done many despicable things!”

“Ha! What a small world. Other than hitting me, they upset you as well. Now that they are our common enemy. It’s my chance to exact revenge on them!”

Vlad snickered.

He looked Natasha up and down with a greedy gaze. It’d be a waste to not have fun with such a beautiful woman.

“Vlad, the treasure map is our top priority. You can do whatever you want to these two women after we know where it is.” Kate instantly picked up on his motive.

“Ha, thanks, Kate!” Vlad sneered and licked his lips excitedly. He could have two women at the same time! How lucky. They doused the unconscious Hector with a pail of cold water. He shivered and slowly came to his senses.

“Uncle Hector, we meet again,” Kate said calmly. She didn’t even bother to hide herself as time was running out.

“It’s… it’s you!” Hector opened his eyes with great difficulty and was very stunned to see the familiar face. “W- why?”

“Uncle Hector, I won’t beat around the bush. Give us the map, and I’ll let all of you go,” Kate said frankly.

“Kate, we’re family. Do you really have to be this cruel?” Hector spoke with a raspy voice. He had no idea that it was his niece who kidnapped him.

“Cruel?” Kate snorted coldly, “Uncle Hector, you gave me no choice. You’re no longer the patriarch of the Harmon family. Why do you insist on keeping the treasure map? It rightfully belongs to my father!”

“Kate, do you know that if Tyler Grant gets his hands on the treasure map, it’ll be the end for the Harmon family?” Hector asked in a concerned tone.

“Nonsense!” Kate glared. “Uncle Hector, are you demented? The Harmon family is no longer powerful. Working together with the Grant family is the only way for us to regain our glory!”

“Do you not understand? Tyler Grant is just using you. Once he gets the treasure map, you’ll be useless to him. By then, your life will be at risk!” Hector spoke with great difficulty.

“Shut up!” Kate slapped Hector and shouted, “I’m warning you, don’t try to drive a wedge between Tyler and me. We’re engaged. After today, I’ll be Mrs. Tyler Grant, the most powerful woman in Millsburg!”

“Don’t be delusional. You are just a pawn to him.” Hector let out a long sigh.

“Stop the nonsense! Give me the treasure map now. If not, I’ll kill both your daughters!” Kate was enraged as she picked up the knife on the table and held it next to Natasha’s neck.

The sharp blade sliced through her skin, leaving a glaring and bloody trail on her neck.

“Natasha?” When Hector looked carefully, he was instantly agitated. ” Kate Harmon! Don’t do anything stupid! She’s your cousin!”

“What cousin? She’s just a bitch!” Kate yelled. She added, “She has always liked to compete against me since we were kids. It remains the same even to this day.

“Whenever there was something good at home, you always gave it all to her. I could only use whatever that was left. What right did you have to do that? How am I inferior to her?”

“Kate, I have never been biased toward any of you. Natasha worked hard for her success today. Both of you started with the same resources.” Hector said sincerely. In fact, he gave more resources to Kate than he did to his daughter.

“Nonsense! Do you think I’ll believe your bullshit? If you weren’t secretly