Relationships and Power: Understated Dominance by by Marina Vittori

An Understated Dominance: By Marina Vittori​

Dahlia Nicholson and Dustin Rhys have been married for three years. After Dahlia achieves rapid success, she decides to end her marriage with Dustin, viewing him as a burden. Little does she know that all her accomplishments were actually thanks to him.​

CHAPTER 1
My wife is a CEO, she always hates me for being lazy and wants to divorce me. But she doesn't know that her success is bestowed by me.

“Dustin, here is the divorce agreement prepared by Ms. Nicholson. All you need to do is sign them.”

In the president’s office of the Quine Group, the secretary, Lyra Blaine, placed a piece of A4 paper on the table. A man sat opposite her, dressed in plain clothing.

“Divorce? What do you mean?”

Dustin Rhys was taken aback.

“Do you not understand what I’m saying? Your marriage with Ms. Nicholson is over. You’re not even on the same level anymore. Your existence is nothing but a smear on the president’s reputation!”

Lyra pulled no punches as she spoke.

“A smear on her reputation?” Dustin frowned. “Is that how she thinks of me?”

Back when they first got married, the Nicholson family was in ruinous debt. He was the one who helped them when they were at their lowest point. Now that they were rich, Dahlia Nicholson was ready to just kick him out.

“Something like that.” Lyra poked her chin toward the magazine on the table. A photo of a beautiful woman was printed on the front page. “Look at the headline on this magazine, Dustin. Ms. Nicholson’s net worth has hit one billion in the course of just three years, a feat no short of a miracle. She’s now the most desired woman in Swinton! With all this, she’s destined for greatness. But you, you’re just a regular joe. You don’t deserve her at all. I hope that you’ll see some sense and do the right thing.”

When Dustin remained silent, Lyra frowned.

“I know you’re not happy with this, but this is reality,” she continued. “You might have helped Ms. Nicholson when she was in trouble, but she has repaid you for everything you’ve done for her over the last three years. In fact, you’re the one who owes her now!”

“Is our marriage just a business deal to her, then?” Dustin took a deep breath to suppress the emotions within. “If she wants to divorce me, let her speak to me herself.”

“Ms. Nicholson is very busy. She doesn’t need to trouble herself with such trifling matters.”

“Trifling matters?” Dustin was stunned. Then he laughed bitterly. “Is that so? Is divorce a trifling matter to her? She can’t even find the time to speak to me. Truly, she’s that unattainable now!”

“Dustin, don’t delay this any longer.” Lyra pushed the divorce agreement toward him again. “Just sign here and you’ll get a car and a house as compensation. On top of that, you’ll also get eight million dollars. This is more than what you’ll be able to earn in your lifetime!”

“Eight million dollars is a lot, but…I don’t need it. I will sign the divorce papers if she comes personally. Otherwise, I won’t sign anything,” Duston said coldly.

“Don’t go too far, Dustin!” Lyra slammed her hand on the table. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. With all her power and resources, Ms. Nicholson can divorce you easily. It’s only because she appreciates her past relationship with you that she’s allowing you to keep your dignity intact. Don’t provoke her!”

“My dignity?” Dustin was a little amused by that. She didn’t even want to speak to him directly to divorce him. What kind of dignity was that? Moreover, if she really did appreciate their relationship, then why was she threatening him now?

“I don’t think we have anything else to talk about, then.”

Unwilling to argue, Dustin stood up and made to leave.

“Dustin Rhys! You—”

Just as Lyra was about to lose her cool, a curvy woman in a long black dress walked in. Her skin was as white as snow, and her features were delicate. Her lofty aura and curvaceous figure made her look like a goddess right out of a painting.

“You’re finally here.”

Dustin felt complicated emotions when he saw the beautiful woman. They had been married for three years, during which they treated each other with care and respect. But this was how it ended. He still didn’t know what he had done wrong.

“I’m sorry for being late, I was caught up with something else.”

Dahlia Nicholson sat down. Her expression was as impassive as ever.

“You certainly are busy, if you need your secretary to help you deal with your divorce,” Dustin said.

Hearing this, Dahlia frowned slightly. However, she did not explain herself. Instead, she said, “Since you’re here, let’s get straight to the point. Let’s end this on a pleasant note. I’m sorry I have to do this to you, so you can have the car and the house, plus eight million dollars as alimony. How does that sound?”

At that, she placed a card on the table.

“Do you really think our relationship can be measured by money?” Dustin asked.

“Too little? That’s alright. Let me know what you want. I’ll give you anything within my power,” Dahlia said placidly.

“I don’t think you understood me. Let me rephrase my question. Are money and power that important to you?” Dustin was truly bewildered.

Dahlia went over to the windows and looked out over the city. There was determination in her eyes when she said, “To me, yes, they’re very important.”

“You’ve earned enough to feed yourself for the rest of your life. Why do this?”

“Dustin, that’s where you and I diverge in philosophy. You’ll never understand what I really want.” Dahlia shook her head in disappointment.

They weren’t just incompatible in status and power; they were also incompatible in their principles. Most importantly, she did not see any hope for the future in him.

“You’re right. How would I know what you’re thinking?” Dustin laughed bitterly. “All I know is to cook for you when you’re hungry, prepare your coat when it’s cold out, and carry you to the hospital when you’re sick.”

“There’s no point in going into this now.” Dahlia’s expression held complicated emotions, but it was soon covered up by determination.

“You’re right.” Dustin nodded without any emotion. “I heard that you’ve been close with the heir of the Nolan family. Is it because of him?”

Dahlia was about to deny it when she gave it a second thought. In the end, she nodded.

“You can say that.”

“Okay. I hope you’re happy with him.” Dustin smiled and signed the divorce agreement without any more hesitation. All he felt now was disappointment. Ironically, today was also their wedding anniversary. There was cruel humor in divorcing him on the day they had gotten married.

“I don’t want the money, I just want that crystal necklace back. My mother left it to me before she died so that I can give it to my wife.”

“Okay.”

Dahlia nodded and gave him the crystal necklace.

“From today onward, we will have nothing to do with each other!”

Dustin put on the necklace and left. He had no more gentleness in his expression; all that was left was distant aloofness.

“Did I do the right thing, Lyra?” Dahlia asked hesitantly.

Even though she was the one who asked for the divorce, she didn’t feel happy at all when it was finalized.

“Of course you did!” Lyra nodded. “You have the right to pursue happiness. Dustin does not deserve you at all. He’ll only bring you down with him. You’re destined to be the most powerful woman in Swinton!”

Dahlia did not answer her. As she watched Dustin leave, she felt as if she was losing something precious.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 338

Because of Maximus’ appearance, the situation turned against the Langford family. While a few highly-skilled martial artists from the Langford family were eager to take action, they were cautious, afraid of hurting Luis.

“Both of you should leave first. Leave this place to me, Dustin,” Maximus said confidently. After the battle at Mount Halgue, he’d finally achieved divinity, and his skills improved tremendously.

“Leave?” Luis sneered.

“Where do you think you can hide? Even if you survive today, you will never escape our wrath!”

Dustin was about to leave when he heard Luis and stopped in his tracks. Turning around, he asked coldly, “Are you threatening me?”

“So what if I am?” Luis laughed diabolically. He had no qualms about confronting Dustin.

“I don’t know how you met this friend of yours, but if you think he can go up against me single- handedly, then you’re too naive for your own good.

“Do you really think you’re that powerful?” Dustin questioned him.

“Against you? Absolutely!” Luis grinned. “Not only you, but Dahlia and everyone around her will get a taste of our revenge! I’m going to make your lives a living hell!”

Dahlia found herself unsettled by his words. In the end, she couldn’t avoid the very thing she dreaded most. When she made the decision to elope with Dustin, she put her entire family in danger. That burden was overwhelming for her to bear.

“How about it? Are you scared now?” Luis was pleased with Dustin’s silence. “Rhys! If you don’t want to die like a chicken, get down on your knees immediately! Also, you’re going to send your woman to my bedside personally. Perhaps, then, I will let you live!”

He’d just finished speaking when a resounding slap landed on his cheek, and Dustin’s bright red handprint was clearly imprinted on his face.

“Huh?” Luis cradled his burning face, dazed. Everyone else looked on in shock. Dustin must have truly gone insane to actually strike Luis in public.

“You dare hit me?” Luis’ expression grew dark as he finally came back to his senses.

“So what if I did? That slap was for your shameless boasting!”

As he spoke, he raised his hand and landed another vicious slap on Luis’ face. That was for your arrogance!”

“Slap!” “That was for threatening Dahlia!”

“Slap!” That was for being unrepentant!

“Slap!” Dustin slapped him left and right, with every earsplitting slap landing heavily on his face. The force turned his face bloody and swollen beyond recognition, and he lost a few teeth in between the slaps.

As the crowd took in Luis’ battered state, they were shocked into silence. They knew blood would be shed today. Nobody would survive when the Langfords sought revenge.

“Y-you … You’re dead meat!”

“Everyone related to you will pay as well!”

The members of the Langford family screamed one after another, their anger reaching a tipping point.

“Dahlia, leave this place with Maximus first. I’ll handle the rest,” Dustin said as he turned to look behind him.

“What are you going to do?” Dahlia’s brows knitted. She couldn’t explain the uneasiness she felt. At that moment, regret washed over her as she realized the gravity of her actions. Dustin wasn’t only taking her away from Luis; he was also challenging death head-on!

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” He smiled. “Maximus, bring her away to somewhere safe.”

“Alright!” Maximus nodded. “Dahlia, please follow me. Dustin knows what he’s doing. He won’t be in any danger.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 339

“But-” Dahlia wanted to say more.

“Just go. I’ll be distracted if you’re here,” Dustin interrupted.

Left with no choice, Dahlia bobbed her head in agreement helplessly in the end. Since things had come to this point, there was no turning back.

As long as Dustin could come back unscathed, she was willing to give up everything and roam all over the world with him.

After making sure that Dahlia had left safely, Dustin’s gaze scanned around the place and then fixed on the Nicholson family. “What are you waiting for? Hurry up and leave!”

“Let’s go.” Dakota and Jane exchanged a glance. Then, they turned around and left on the spot.

Dahlia’s breach of promise had caused the Langfords to have a fallout with the Nicholsons. If the latter continued to stay there any longer, trouble might land upon them.

“What a jinx! Look at what you have gotten us into Florence stomped her feet in anger before fleeing away.

Now that the wedding ceremony had been ruined, the Nicholsons’ dream of living a wealthy and comfortable life went up in smoke. Most importantly, they had offended the Langford family. From now on, their days would no longer be peaceful.

At that time, Luis’ fourth uncle, Kingston Langford, suddenly stood up and said flatly, “You’ve got a nerve of steel, young man. No one has ever dared to humiliate us in public. You’re the first, and of course, you will also be the last! Frankly speaking, I’m quite impressed with your courage. But today is the day you die!”

As he spoke, he made a hand gesture.

Right then, a large group of armed guards barged in from every direction and surrounded Dustin, leaving him no way to escape.

“This is bad. Mr. Kingston is doing it for real. That brat is going to be done for.”

“He snatched the bride away blatantly and even got Mr. Luis red in the face. Even if he has ten lives, they are not even enough to pay back for what he has done.”

“Well, he only has himself to blame.”

The guests couldn’t help but mutter among themselves as they watched Dustin get trapped in the middle.

If you let go of Luis now, I will let you die in one piece.” Kingston had an indifferent expression as if he had control over everything..

Are you trying to scare me off since you have the strength in numbers?” Dustin glanced around without feeling any ounce of fear.

Yeah. You’ve got that right.”

“Sure. Let’s see who has more people, then!” Dustin took out his phone and dialed a number.

Five minutes later, the door of the banquet hall burst open. Mason rushed in aggressively with hundreds of gangsters.

“Mason Zims from the Drey Group is here with the gang under Mr. Rhys’ orders!”

At the sight of this, everyone was stunned for a moment before they burst into laughter.

“Is this a joke? Are you trying to fight against us with this group of thugs?”

“Hmph! What an ignorant person! You’re thinking too highly of yourself!

“I’ll be so disappointed if this is your trump card.”

The group of guards led by Kingston had disdainful looks on their faces. They couldn’t believe that even some random thugs had the guts to provoke the Langford family.

“Hey, Rhys! Are you in your right mind? Do you actually think that you can outdo us with this bunch of small fry?” Luis laughed uncontrollably.

However, the smile on his face immediately dropped when the next group of people rushed into the hall. This time, Hunter was in the lead.

“The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Hunter Anderson is here to listen to Mr. Rhys’ orders!

Seconds later, another group of people showed up, and it went on for a few more rounds. “The chief inspector of the investigation bureau, Aspen Cruiser, is here to assist Mr. Rhys!” “Roderick Brooks from the Brooks Corporation is willing to do his best to help Mr. Rhys out!” “The mayor of Swinton, Alex Granville, is willing to stay till the end with Mr. Rhys!”

As the groups barged in one after another, the ridicule directed at Dustin gradually disappeared. It was replaced with shock and fear.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 340

Looking at the groups of elites barging into the banquet hall one after another, all the guests at the scene were dumbfounded.

None of them expected Dustin to have such great connections. All he did was make a call, and hundreds of people came over to assist him. Not only were there underground organizations and official armed forces, but there was also help from a business tycoon. On top of that, even the mayor of Swinton was here to back him up in person.

In other words, as long as Dustin said the word, all the forces in Swinton could be under his command.

That was a terrifying connection he had.

No wonder he dared to be insolent in front of the Langford family. He had come prepared.

Now the Langfords were not fighting against Dustin alone, but the whole of Swinton. “Who is he exactly? How come he can have influence over so many forces?”

The guests exchanged glances with one another, shocked at the turn of events.

At that moment, the arrogant Langford family finally sensed that the current situation wasn’t favoring them. Even though these forces wouldn’t be able to weaken their foothold, the former could still bring trouble to the latter. After all, the Langfords’ power was in Stonia. Requesting immediate help was simply impossible.

“It looks like I have underestimated you.” After being stunned for a moment, Kingston quickly regained his composure and said, “But if you think that you can win against us with their help, then you’re wrong.

The Langford family had been an influential family in Stonia for generations. Whether it was power or connections, they were way stronger than the ones in Swinton.

“Rhys! Indeed, you have more people with you. But what can you do about it?” Luis sneered, “They are just a bunch of shrimp.”

In his eyes, Swinton’s powers were akin to ants. He could even easily get rid of them if he wanted. This was how strong an affluent family from Stonia was.

“If they can’t, what about me?” Right then, a loud and clear voice pierced the air.

A well-dressed, handsome man walked dauntlessly into the banquet hall with a few female officers. He carried such an overwhelming aura with him that everyone lowered their heads subconsciously the moment they saw him.

“Adam Spanner-the God of War?” Kingston’s eyes widened in fear.

It had never occurred to him that the chief commander of the West Army, who was in charge of 300 thousand soldiers, would appear here.

“What’s wrong, Uncle Kingston? Do you know him?” Luis quickly noticed that something wasn’t right.

That is Adam Spanner!” Kingston exclaimed

Hearing that, Luis was stunned and could no longer maintain his composure. “What? He is…

Adam?”

As the heir of the wealthiest family in Stonia, Adam was not only a wunderkind but also a living legend. His outstanding battle achievements at a young age had earned him the title of “God of War ” and the command of hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

In the whole of Stonia, there was barely anyone of his age who could be on par with him.

“That’s quite arrogant of you. How dare you bully my friend!” As Adam strode in, the crowd automatically stepped aside to make way for him.

“Friend? Could it be… him?” Kingston’s gaze shifted to Dustin in shock.

“How could someone from this insignificant place know Adam?” Kingston thought.

“Mr. Kingston, you said that these people weren’t able to drive the Langfords away. But what about with my help?” Adam stared piercingly at him, his eyes filled with provocation.

“M-Mr. Spanner, what brings you here?”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 341

Kingston forced out a smile.

“Stop acting like we are close friends!” Adam wasn’t giving Kingston any respect. “Weren’t the Langfords full of themselves just minutes ago? Come on, show me how arrogant you can be!”

When Kingston heard that, his expression darkened. If it had been someone else who humiliated him today, he would have flipped his lid long ago. However, he just couldn’t afford to offend the man standing in front of him.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Weren’t you all high and mighty just now? You even had the guts to bully my friend!” Adam pointed at them and hauled them over the coals.

Kingston and Luis dropped their heads, falling into silence.

At the sight of that, the guests were stunned. Who would have expected that there would be a day when Kingston from the Langford family would be chewed out publicly and dared not talk back?
It was indeed shocking.

“What are you waiting for? Kneel down and apologize to my friend now!” Adam shouted.

“This…” Kingston frowned, his expression gloomy

As the direct descendants of the Langfords, how could they possibly get down on their knees for someone else?

If outsiders knew about it, their reputation would be tarnished.

“Adam, you shouldn’t go too far!” Luis was slightly bent out of shape.

Raising his hand, Adam slapped Luis in the face. “Do you think you can stop me?”

“You” Luis parted his lips. However, before he could say anything, he received another slap across his cheek.

“I’ll break your legs if you don’t apologize today!” Adam was extremely assertive.

Luis’ eyes blazed murderously as he gritted his teeth. Although he was livid, deep down, he knew that he couldn’t afford to mess with such a powerful man.

“Get on your knees and apologize!” Adam shouted again.

Just as Luis was about to yield to them, a majestic voice floated across the air. “Adam, don’t you think you are going to the extremes by treating my Langfords like this?”

At the same time, a bearded, burly middle-aged man with an imposing demeanor walked in.

It was the head of the Langford family, Ethan Langford!

“Uncle Ethan!”

“Ethan!”

When Kingston and Luis saw Ethan, their eyes lit up at once. It was as if they had found their savior. They couldn’t afford to offend Adam because they had no real power in their hands.

However, Ethan was different. Not only did he have an official position, but he also possessed great authority, just like Adam. When it came to seniority, even Adam had to show Ethan to show him a certain degree of respect.

With Ethan around, it was hard for Adam to take advantage of the situation.

“Oh, it’s Mr. Ethan I didn’t know you would be here too.” Adam was quite surprised.

“Today is my nephew’s engagement ceremony. As his elder, it’s natural for me to attend,” Ethan replied faintly. “Luckily, I came here in time, or else the Langfords would end up at the mercy of others ”

“Mr Ethan, it was them who threw their weights around. I was just helping you teach them a lesson” Adam faked a smile.

“Hmph! Even if they made a mistake, an outsider like you is in no position to punish them!” Ethan’s gaze was frosty.

“What if I insist on doing so?” Adam arched his brow.

“Well, then we’ll have to see if you have the ability to walk your talk.” Ethan waved his hand.

Right then, two white-haired men appeared behind Ethan. One of them was taller than the other. Just looking at their stance, one could tell they were unfathomably powerful.

Upon seeing them, even Adam couldn’t help but frown.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 342

It was said that the Langfords had two master-level martial artists working for them. They were an extremely powerful pair and wouldn’t show up normally. It seemed that they had come over with Ethan today.

Adam rubbed his chin, thinking about how to seek revenge. It wasn’t easy to take the Langfords down with the pair around.

“Hmph, what’s so great about the God of War? He still can’t do anything to the Langfords when Uncle Ethan is here,” Luis muttered inwardly. There were traces of arrogance on his face.

“As expected of Ethan!” Kingston held his head up, having regained his previous confidence.

Although the Spanner family was powerful, the Langfords weren’t weak either. Now that Ethan was around, members of the Langford family would become unrelenting.

Adam turned to look at Dustin and asked, “Dustin it seems like they are not going to let me have my way. Shall we force our way through?”

As long as Dustin agreed to it, Adam would launch his attacks straightaway. After all, someone else would deal with the aftermath.

“Since Mr. Ethan is here, forget it, then,” Dustin said flatly.

He wasn’t afraid of the Langfords, but he didn’t want to cause trouble for Adam

“Alright, whatever you say.” Adam shrugged.

“Discipline your nephew properly, Mr. Ethan. If this happens again, I won’t let the matter slide easily,” Dustin threatened firmly before he turned around to leave.

“Stop right there!” Ethan’s expression darkened.

“Do you actually think you can just walk away like that after beating up my nephew and humiliating the Langfords? What do you take us as?”

“Exactly! You have to pay back for what you did!” Luis echoed from the side. He was determined to even the score with Dustin.

“Ethan, I’m holding back out of respect for you. You shouldn’t go overboard!” Adam’s gaze was laced with hostility.

“Adam, this is concerning the reputation of the Langford family. I can’t just gloss it over! I can spare his life for your sake, but he has to get down on his knees and apologize to my nephew!” Ethan refused to back down.

Wealthy families cared about their reputations the most. If the Langfords let the matter go today, it would be equivalent to saying that anyone could walk all over them.

“Kneel down and apologize!” Luis looked down his nose at Dustin.

“So what if you have Adam backing you up? I can still trample you underfoot!” Luis mocked him in his heart..

“Kneel before you? Are you worthy of it?” Dustin was indifferent to their demands.

However, Ethan was different. Not only did he have an official position, but he also possessed great authority, just like Adam. When it came to seniority, even Adam had to show Ethan to show him a certain degree of respect.

With Ethan around, it was hard for Adam to take advantage of the situation.

“
Adam turned to look at Dustin and asked, “Dustint seems like they are not going to let


“So what if you have Adam backing you up? I can still trample you underfoot!” Luis mocked him in his heart.

“Kneel before you? Are you worthy of it?” Dustin was indifferent to their demands.

“Hmph! Don’t assume that you can behave insolently just because you have the Spanner family behind you The world is larger than you think,” Ethan warned coldly.

With the Langford family’s power, getting rid of a person was simply child’s play to them

“Ethan, heed my warning. You can’t afford to offend this friend of mine Don’t get yourself in the soup If you are on the outs with him for real, it’ll be too late for you to beg for mercy,” Adam wamed them

“What a joke!” Ethan snorted. “Adam, since when have you learned to boast so shamelessly? In the whole of Stonia, nobody stands a chance against me!”

Those he feared were all thousands of miles away

“Ethan, are you sure you want to do this?” Adam raised his brows

“Let me tell you frankly, I’m so going to take this punk down today. You’d better stay out of it!” With a snap of Ethan’s fingers, the skilled fighters of the Langford family drew their swords and surrounded Dustin, ready to fight.

“Ethan is not giving any respect to Adam. It looks like the punk will be doomed today!”

“Even the Emperor won’t be able to save him for disgracing the Langfords!”

“This is the price for offending someone powerful in Stonia”

The guests couldn’t help but sigh when they saw the scene. Dustin’s forces were indeed impressive However, they were nothing in Ethan’s presence.

“Rhys’ Weren’t you acting like you were great earlier? Why aren’t you saying anything now? The Langford family has a long-standing reputation Even if you have the Emperor backing you today, you will still have to show us respect! If Uncle Ethan orders you to die, you’ll have to do it too!” Luis cackled with arrogance.

In Ethan’s presence, Luis was a cock who crowed upon his own dunghill.

“Oh? Who is asking my son to die?”

Right then, a flat voice came through. It wasn’t loud, but everyone could hear the voice clearly When they looked over, what hove into their view was a thin, middle-aged man limping in His looks and clothes were ordinary, and so was his physique Other than being a little lump and having a little hump on his back, there was nothing special about him If he were to walk in a Crowd, no one would pay any attention to him

However, it was such an ordinary person who drained the color from Ethan’s face. His gaze was filled with not only shock but also fear

“H-how could it be? No, this is impossible! He stays in the military encampment all year round How can he be here?” Ethan was in a fit of panic

The moment Ethan saw the hunchbacked man, it was as if he had bumped into a ghost His fingers couldn’t help trembling as he broke into a cold sweat

“What’s wrong, Ethan? Do you know this person?” Kingston, who was standing at the side, quickly sensed that something was amiss

“H-he. He is Rufus Rhys!” Ethan’s voice quavered.

That was a bolt from the blue. When Kingston heard that, his face turned pale at once. “What?! Rufus Rhys?”

Rufus Rhys, the current head of the Rhys family, was someone who had made great contributions to the nation. He was the bravest in the army when he was young and took the lives of eight hundred thousand people during his time.

He had watched over West Lucozia for 20 years and attacked countless barbarians. On top of that, his means of doing things were impartial, and he never infringed on the citizens’ rights. His achievements were so great that he possessed the authority to go against anyone.

When he was 30 years old, he was appointed Prince of Theswe and was the second most powerful person in the nation. His status was on par with that of the Emperor, and that made him a truly terrifying figure.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 343

Looking at the hunchbacked man, who appeared as if he had zero prestige, Ethan was scared out of his wits. He dared not say anything. This man in front of him was someone noble from Stonia. Even the crowned head would have to show him respect.

Hence, it wasn’t exaggerating to say that Rufus could easily take their lives at will.

When Dustin saw him, his expression darkened. There was fury in his eyes.

“It looks like a good show is coming up.” Curling up his lips, Adam gloated and immediately retreated to one side.

Under the crowd’s gaze, Rufus limped in, looking like someone of ordinary status. Nevertheless, the people in the hall unconsciously made room for him to walk past them.

Finally, he stopped in front of Dustin. “It’s been a while. I didn’t expect you to have grown this much.”

Staring at Dustin, who was taller than him by half a head, Rufus couldn’t help but part his lips and grin. His broken front teeth made him seem a little comical.

“I didn’t expect you to be still alive too,” Dustin said frostily with a sharp gaze.

Hearing that, Ethan and Kingston were shocked. They wondered who Dustin was for him to speak to Rufus in such a manner.

Rufus laughed. He didn’t look like he was angry at all. “Well, it’s said that good people die early but not the bad ones. Someone like me, of course, has to live longer.

“Really? But you don’t look like someone with a long lifespan,” Dustin replied coldly.

“Hey! How can you curse your dad like this?”

“Do I have anything to do with you? Don’t think so highly of yourself.”

“No matter what you say, it’s not going to change the fact that you’re my son.” Rufus shrugged.

“Hmph! Ten years ago, I paid you back all that I needed to. We have nothing to do with each other anymore!”

Dustin had held a grudge against him for a decade

“It has been ten years, and you’re still a stubborn one.” Rufus shook his head helplessly.

Deep down, he knew that what happened between them couldn’t be solved in a day or two. Nevertheless, he would do his best to make it up to his son.

“Hey, old man!” At that moment, Luis was starting to get impatient. “I have no time to see how affectionate you are with your son. If you don’t want to die, buzz off quickly!”

Ethan and Kingston were stunned as Luis spoke. They stood there in a daze, feeling at a loss as to what to do. No one in Stonia ever had the guts to be so presumptuous toward Rufus. They wondered if Luis was out of his mind.

“And who are you?” Rufus spared him a glance.

“I’m Luis, a member of the Langford family.” With his head held high, he continued loudly, “Your son has humiliated us publicly today, and he needs to pay for that! If he isn’t willing to kneel down and make his apology, you’ll have to do it on his behalf!”

“You’re asking me to kneel?” Rufus let out a chuckle, appearing to be harmless.

“That’s right! You’re his father, after all!”

“Do you know who I am? I’m afraid you can’t afford to have me kneeling before you.” The corner of Rufus’ lip curled up into a smirk.

“I don’t care who you are! Even if the Emperor is het
re today, he will have to get down on his knees and apologize! Otherwise, he’ll have to die!”

As soon as Luis finished saying that, Kingston fainted on the spot.

Meanwhile, Ethan’s face was as pale as death, and his legs were trembling uncontrollably.

“It’s all over now. We’re doomed. Why does the Langford family have such an idiotic fool?” he thought.

“Ethan, your family member is quite a character.” Rufus faked a smile.

“I” Ethan opened his mouth to explain.

However, before he could say anything, Luis butted in, “Hey! Who do you think you are to be calling my uncle without any honorifics?”

“How should I address him, then?”

“Call him Mr. Ethan!”

Rufus laughed and looked at Ethan. “Mr. Ethan, is this the right way?”

The moment Ethan heard that, he fell directly to his knees. “I beg your mercy, Your Highness!”

Upon seeing such a scene, everyone was astonished

After all, that was Ethan, the head of the Langfords. They wondered who could make a big shot. like him kneel on the floor.

“Uncle Ethan, what’s wrong? What are you doing on the floor? Get up quickly!”

Luis immediately stretched out his hand to help Ethan up. However, before Luis could touch him. Ethan smacked him hard in the face. “Fuck! Don’t touch me! I have nothing to do with you! From now on, you are no longer a part of the Langford family!”

“What?” Covering his reddened cheek, Luis was confused “Uncle Ethan, what’s going on? Why are you kicking me out of the family all of a sudden? I’m your nephew!”

“Get lost! I don’t have such a moronic nephew like you!” Ethan sent another slap across Luis’ face. Even if the person who offended Rufus was his biological father, he would have to cut ties with him there and then, let alone his nephew. Sacrificing one person was better than dragging the whole family down.

“What’s going on exactly?” Luis was on the verge of lears

This person standing here is none other than the Prince of Theswe. How dare you act so disrespectfully in front of him? Even the Emperor won’t be able to save you!” Ethan reprimanded him fiercely.

“What?”

Luis froze and stood there in a daze with disbelief on his face. It had never occurred to him that this ordinary man in front of him would be the dignified Prince of Theswe.

“Wait… If he is the Prince of Theswe, then isn’t Dustin the renowned skilled martial artist, Kirin? Oh, God! What kind of person have I offended?” Luis muttered inwardly.

At the thought of that, Luis’ legs turned to jelly, and he slumped down to the floor. His gaze was filled with despair. Not only did he fight with Kirin over a woman, but he also called the Prince of Theswe an old man.

Was there anyone in the world who would do anything much worse than him?!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 344

Meanwhile, Florence was frantically rummaging through the drawers and cabinets in the Nicholson Villa to pack up their things.

“Dahlia, quick! Go and get all the jewelry we have in the house! We can’t stay in Swinton anymore. Let’s quickly pack up and flee abroad for the time being. I’ve already bought the flight tickets. We still have several million dollars of savings and some valuables at home. Those will be enough for us to survive for a while.” Florence was on tenterhooks.

Dahlia’s breach of promise had not only humiliated the Langfords but also offended the Glenstead Nicholsons. Even if they were in Stonia, Dahlia and the rest wouldn’t be able to find a safe place to stay, let alone in a small place like Swinton.

When Florence saw that Dahlia wasn’t responding to her, she became even more anxious. “Dahlia! What are you waiting for? Quickly pack your stuff!”

“Mom, the matter has yet to reach that extreme. We don’t need to run away.” Dahlia shook her head.

“Alas, don’t you realize how serious the current situation is?” Florence slapped her forehead in frustration. “It’s the Langfords, the cream of Stonia, that we have fallen out with! They are a terrifying existence. How can they possibly let us go when we Nave gotten them hot under the collar?”

“I understand what you’re trying to say. But Dustin said that he has a way to solve the problem. I believe in him,” Dahlia replied firmly.

“Are you crazy? How can you put your trust in that loser?” Florence was breathing fire at that point.

“Who does he think he is to go against the Langfords? If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have run away from the wedding, and we wouldn’t have come to this point. He’s simply a jinx!”

The Nicholsons could have led a silk-stocking life. However, Dustin ruined everything in the end. Florence just hated him to the core.

Dahlia frowned. “Mom! I breached the marriage promise on my own accord. It has nothing to do with Dustin!”

“You’re still defending him at times like this? Do you have to wait until our family is destroyed in his hands for you to come to your senses?” Florence asked bitterly.

“Enough. I won’t go anywhere without Dustin.” Dahlia was firm.

Bent out of shape, Florence reproached, “Y-you… You’re hopeless!”

“How did I raise her up to be such a foolish daughter? She’d rather be with someone penurious than marry into a rich family. What a stubborn child!” Florence muttered inwardly.

At that moment, James staggered down the stairs with the two large suitcases. “Mom, I’m done packing up our things. When are we leaving?”

“Hmph! Your sister is insisting on waiting for that loser!” Florence flumped onto the couch angrily.

“Sis, why are you waiting for him? Hasn’t he made our lives miserable enough?” James frowned.

“You leave with Mom first. Don’t worry about me.” Dahlia shook her head.

“Leave? Where do you think you are going?” Right then, Dakota burst through the door with several people following behind her. “Are you trying to shrug off all the responsibilities after what you have done?”

“What are you implying?” Dahlia knitted her brows

“It’s natural to be punished for making a mistake. I’ll have to hand you over to the Langfords so that the conflict between the two families can be resolved!” Dakota declared in a stern voice.

“What?” When Florence heard that, her expression changed in an instant. She stood up and put on an apologetic smile. “Dakota, you don’t have to be this ruthless, do you? Aren’t we family?”

“Ruthless?” Dakota snorted humorlessly. “It wasn’t easy to have the chance to be in-laws with the Langfords. However, not only did you not cherish this opportunity, but you also dragged the whole family down! Tell me, who is more ruthless?”

“Dakota, this has nothing to do with my daughter. It was all because of Dustin. If you need someone to blame, go and look for him!” Florence said in a hurry.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Dustin is with the Langfords. Perhaps he has already been skinned alive by now. But Dahlia has yet to make amends for what she did, so she has to come with us!”

As Dakota spoke, she made a gesture. Seconds later several burly bodyguards barged into the house.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 345

“Take her away!” Dakota pointed her finger at Dahlia

“Let’s see who has the guts to do that!”

All of a sudden, a loud and stern voice came through the door.

Then, Dustin strutted in with Maximus. “Don’t blame me for being merciless if you dare challenge. me today!”

“Dustin?” Dahlia brightened up.

At the sight of him, she finally felt relieved. He had promised her that he would come back safely. Indeed, it wasn’t a lie.

“You. You’re still alive?” Dakota’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She clearly saw him surrounded by the Langfords before she left the banquet hall earlier. “How could he escape from that?” Dakota thought.

“Do you want me to die so badly? No matter what, I am still your mom’s life savior. Don’t you have any sense of gratitude toward me?” Dustin replied flatly.

“Hmph! Stop playing dumb! I don’t care how you escaped! You have offended the Langford family, and now you’re going to suffer because of that!” Dakota shot daggers at him.

“So what if I offended the Langfords? I have my ways of dealing with them.”

“You have your ways?” Dakota snorted. “Like what? A mere doctor like you is simply courting death by going against the Langfords.

“Don’t look down upon people. Not only can I resolve the current problem, but I can also get Luis to come here and apologize in person.”

“Apologize?” Hearing that, Dakota was stunned for a moment before she burst into laughter.” Dustin, are you in your right mind? Who do you think you are to ask Mr. Langford to apologize?”

“You’re only good at bragging. I seriously don’t understand why my daughter will take a fancy to you,” Florence said disdainfully.

Luis was a wealthy aristocrat from Stonia. He could easily get Swinton squashed if he said so. It was already considered extremely lucky to have one’s life spared after offending him. Asking a big shot like him to make an apology was simply wishful thinking.

“Well, what if I really do get Luis to apologize?” Dustin asked in a provoking manner.

“If you can do that, I will change my last name!” Dakota sneered.

As soon as she finished speaking, countless luxury cars roared and pulled up outside the Nicholson Villa. Within seconds, the villa was surrounded from all sides. Luis and his men hurriedly got out of the car.

When Dakota saw that, she couldn’t help but laugh and gloat. “Rhys, you’re dead meat! The Langford family is here to get you!”

“This is bad! Dustin, hurry up and leave!” Dahlia’s expression also changed at the sight.

The other party was nowhere near friendly.

“It’s all over now. We should’ve left just now, but you kept insisting on waiting for Dustin. Look, the Langfords have arrived. Now we can’t leave even if we want to!” Florence’s face fell.

“Alas! Why are we so unlucky?” James uttered mournfully.

Just as everyone thought that a great misfortune was impending over them, Luis walked up to Dahlia and directly fell to his knees without hesitation.

“Ms. Nicholson, I was too ignorant. Everything was my fault. I’m sorry. Please forgive me!” As Luis spoke, he repeatedly knocked his head to the floor as he bowed.

That was completely unexpected. Everyone at the scene was dumbfounded. They wondered why Luis, a powerful figure, would kneel down and apologize to Dahlia.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 346

“We beg for your forgiveness, Ms. Nicholson!”

The rest of the Langfords followed suit and kneeled down on the floor.

At the sight of that, Dahlia was stunned, and so was Dakota. Even Florence, who had been whining until a moment ago, stood there in a trance.

They thought the Langfords were here to seek revenge. However, it had never occurred to the Nicholsons that the Langfords would behave so humbly all of a sudden.

“Ms. Nicholson, I’m sorry. I thought too highly of myself. Please forgive me!”

When Luis saw that Dahlia wasn’t making any responses, he began to slap his face like he was crazy, even though his cheeks were already red and swollen. Despite the pain, he dared not stop.

Half an hour ago, after finding out Dustin’s true identity at the banquet hall, Luis was frightened out of his wits. He thought he was doomed. Ethan even wanted to kick him out of the Langford family and cut ties with him.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Dustin was willing to let Luis off the hook on the premise that Luis had to ask for Dahlia’s forgiveness.

Luis was, of course, happy with what Dustin said. Hence, he immediately rushed over to the Nicholson Villa to apologize to Dahlia. As long as his life could be spared, he didn’t mind swallowing his pride.

“What is going on?” Dahlia raised her brows, at a loss as to what to do.

A while ago, Luis was still acting all high and mighty, having control over her life, and now he was kneeling before her. She found it hard to comprehend such a drastic change in character.

“Am I seeing this wrongly?” Florence kept rubbing her eyes in disbelief, wondering if that was still the powerful aristocrat.

When Dakota finally came to her senses, she immediately reached out her hands to help Luis up. What are you doing, Mr. Luis? Get up quickly! They aren’t worthy of having you kneel down to them.”

“Out of my sight!”

However, instead of letting her touch him, Luis slapped Dakota in the face so hard that she almost fell.

If Dakota hadn’t asked him to marry Dahlia, then he wouldn’t have offended Dustin.

“Mr. Luis, why did you hit me?” Dakota asked aggrievedly as she cupped her cheek.

Shut up, or I’ll rip out your tongue!”

After shooting a fierce glare at Dakota, Luis continued to apologize to Dahlia. It was a complete change of attitude.

Dakota bit the bullet and asked, “What happened exactly, Mr. Luis? Why don’t you get up first?”

I-it’s okay. I’ll continue kneeling. It’s better this way.” He then said to Dahlia, “Ms. Nicholson, I’m extremely remorseful for what I have done. Please give me a chance. I promise I’ll never show up in front of you again. If you’re still angry, I can cut off my finger to prove my sincerity!” As he spoke, he took out a knife and cut his finger off directly.

“Huh?” Dahlia was startled.

She did not expect Luis to cut his finger for real and be so cruel to himself.

“If it’s not enough, I’ll cut off another one!”

Clenching his teeth, Luis endured the severe pain and cut another of his fingers.

With beads of sweat forming on his forehead, he asked, “Ms. Nicholson, has your anger dissipated?

If it hasn’t, I can continue cutting them.”

“Enough… It’s enough.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 347

Dahlia shook her head fervently with a bewildered expression. “Mr. Langford, we’d be more than thankful if you didn’t find any faults with us. We would never dare blame you for anything!”

“Exactly! Please get up, Mr. Langford. Look at you! You’re bleeding so much! I’ll go get you a Band- Aid!” Florence quickly went into the bedroom to get the first-aid kit.

“A Band-Aid?” Luis could not believe his ears. He’d severed two of his fingers, for goodness sake! What use did he have for Band-Aids?

“Why don’t you go to the hospital, Mr. Langford? Your bleeding doesn’t seem to be stopping,” Dahlia suggested cautiously.

“Have you forgiven me, Ms. Nicholson?” Luis asked expectantly.

“I guess so. As long as you don’t come and bother me anymore, you’re forgiven.” Dahlia nodded.

“No problem at all! I’ll make myself scarce now and never bother you again!” Luis was elated. He nodded at both Dustin and Dahlia as a sign of apology before he made a run for it with his men in tow.

“Hey, Mr. Langford! Your Band-Aid!” Florence raised the bandage in her hand and waved it around, but Luis did not even turn back at all. If anything, he picked up his speed.

“Dahlia Nicholson, just you wait! I’m not done with you yet!” Dakota saw that the situation wasn’t favorable for her, so she escaped too. What happened today was nothing but peculiar. Why did the great Mr. Langford apologize to Dahlia? And he even got down on his knees! How unbelievable. How absurd! She had to thoroughly investigate what exactly was the reason behind all this. “Say, Dahlia, what exactly came over Luis Langford? Has he gone cuckoo?” When everyone had left, Florence couldn’t hold back her curiosity. From how she saw it, the only plausible reasoning behind everything was that Luis had lost his mind Why else would he apologize to them? He even went to such lengths as to amputate himself! Which person in their sane mind would do something like that?

“I have no idea either.” Dahlia shook her head. Then, her gaze swiftly fell on Dustin. “Did you do something?”

“Truth be told, I did nothing. It was Luis himself who offended a big shot, so he had to atone for his actions today.” Dustin shrugged.

“Is that so?” Dahlia had her doubts. Dustin had told her before that if she faced any sort of difficulty, he would be able to straighten things out for her. And now he really did clear things out for her. She refused to believe that there wasn’t anything fishy going on behind the scenes. “Alright, alright, I’ll admit, I’m acquainted with an influential person.” Seeing that he could not hide things any further, Dustin decided to come clean.

“Do you remember the man I had dinner with the other night? He’s the scion of the prestigious Spanner family. Both his power and his status greatly exceed those of Luis Langford. He was the one who helped me out.”

Mr. Spanner?” Dahlia immediately recalled Adam Spanner.

“How do you know such a prominent person?” She asked dubiously.

“I helped him before, so I guess he’s just repaying me a favor.” Dustin chuckled.

Adam had been a sickly kid who had constantly been bullied, so Dustin would stand up against those rich and arrogant youths of Stonia for him and often taught them a lesson for messing with Adam. Because of that, Dustin even earned himself the nickname “vile demon”.

“I never would have guessed that you’d be affiliated with such an important person. How did I not know this before?” Dahlia asked, curious.

“These are old-time stories. No point bringing them up.” Dustin shook his head.

“Alright then. I will not probe too much into your past. But in the future, please do not act rashly,” Dahlia warned in all earnestness. “It’s not every day you get favors from people like him. If you bother him too often, Mr. Spanner won’t want to help you all the time. You have to rely on yourself.

“You don’t have to worry. I know what I’m doing.” Dustin smiled.

As they spoke, a hunched, middle-aged man with gray hair knocked on the door and made his way in. It was none other than Rufus Rhys, the King of Theswe!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

348

“Wha-” Dustin’s smile immediately dropped from his face the moment he saw who it was that came in through the door His smile was replaced by hostility “Who let you in? Get out!”

“Don’t be mistaken, I’m just here to see my daughter-in-law This has nothing to do with you” Rufus chuckled merrily as he hobbled in through the door

“Do you do you know each other?” Dahlia looked from one to the other, perplexed.

“You’re Dahlia, aren’t you? As expected, what a beauty! Rufus beamed brightly “Oh, right, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Dustin’s father, your father-in-law

“Dustin’s father?” Dahlia was taken aback by the piece of information Though there wasn’t exactly anything special about Dustin, he had exceptionally good looks He was a fine specimen of a man if anything However, this old man before her was the farthest thing from handsome The two were vastly different in the looks department

“What? We don’t look alike?” Rufus chuckled nonchalantly This lad looks like his mom, so it makes sense that we look nothing like each other If he looked like me, I guess he’d never find himself such a beautiful wife like you ”

‘Don’t say that, Mi Rhys You carry an air of prowess about you Dahlia felt a little awkward that he saw through her doubt so easily

“Rufus Rhys’ You saw the person you were here to meet Now, would you please leave? You’re not welcome here” Dustin exclaimed out of nowhere

“Hey, watch it! That’s rude” Dahlia shot Dustin a glare. Then, she swiftly turned around and smiled apologetically at Rufus ‘Mr Rhys, Dustin’s just in a foul mood today Don’t mind him. Please, have a seat I’ll go make you a cup of tea

“Great Rufus grinned

“Hmph’ Another freeloader” Florence looked Rufus up and down as she studied him haughtily. She could tell from his attire that he wasn’t a wealthy person Sure enough, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree The slacker’s father was a bum too

“This must be my in-law Unfortunately, I haven’t got much for you. As this is our first meeting, all I’ve got for you is this little gift. Please don’t mind it Rufus produced a box from his pocket and handed it to her

Florence was awe-struck when she opened up the box to take a quick look inside. A sapphire the size of an egg was laid inside the box. It was so clear and exquisite. “This thing. It isn’t a fake -stone, is it?”

Florence strongly doubted that it was a genuine gemstone. It was rare enough to come by a regular sapphire the size of one’s fingernail. But this one was the size of an egg! It was shocking, to say the least.

“No way. This is a family heirloom” Rufus laughed

“An heirloom? That’s great!” Florence immediately broke out into a wide smile when she heard that. She reckoned that he was a fool to give her something so precious. A sapphire of that size

“How do you know such a prominent person?” She asked dubiously.

“I helped him before, so I guess he’s just repaying me a favor.” Dustin chuckled

Adam had been a sickly kid who had constantly been bullied, so Dustin would stand up against those rich and arrogant youths of Stonia for him and often taught them a lesson for messing with Adam. Because of that, Dustin even earned himself the nickname “vile demon”.

“I never would have guessed that you’d be affiliated with such an important person. How did I not know this before?” Dahlia asked, curious

“These are old-time stories No point bringing them up. ” Dustin shook his head.

“Alright then. I will not probe too much into your past. But in the future, please do not act rashly,” Dahlia warned in all earnestness. “It’s not every day you get favors from people like him. If you bother him too often, Mr. Spanner won’t want to help you all the time. You have to rely on yourself.

H

“You don’t have to worry. I know what I’m doing.” Dustin smiled.

As they spoke, a hunched, middle-aged man with gray hair knocked on the door and made his way in. It was none other than Rufus Rhys, the King of Theswe!

“Wha-” Dustin’s smile immediately dropped from his face the moment he saw who it was that came in through the door. His smile was replaced by hostility. “Who let you in? Get out!”

“Don’t be mistaken, I’m just here to see my daughter-in-law. This has nothing to do with you.” Rufus chuckled merrily as he hobbled in through the door.

“Do you do you know each other?” Dahlia looked from one to the other, perplexed.

“You’re Dahlia, aren’t you? As expected, what a beauty!” Rufus beamed brightly. “Oh, right, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Dustin’s father, your father-in-law.”

“Dustin’s father?” Dahlia was taken aback by the piece of information. Though there wasn’t exactly anything special about Dustin, he had exceptionally good looks. He was a fine specimen of a man if anything. However, this old man before her was the farthest thing from handsome. The two were vastly different in the looks department.

“What? We don’t look alike?” Rufus chuckled nonchalantly. “This lad looks like his mom, so it makes sense that we look nothing like each other. If he looked like me, I guess he’d never find himself such a beautiful wife like you.”

“Don’t say that, Mr. Rhys. You carry an air of prowess about you.” Dahlia felt a little awkward that he saw through her doubt so easily.

“Rufus Rhys! You saw the person you were here to meet. Now, would you please leave? You’re not welcome here!” Dustin exclaimed out of nowhere.

“Hey, watch it! That’s rude!” Dahlia shot Dustin a glare. Then, she swiftly turned around and smiled apologetically at Rufus. “Mr. Rhys, Dustin’s just in a foul mood today. Don’t mind him. Please, have a seat! I’ll go make you a cup of tea.”

“Great!” Rufus grinned.

“Hmph! Another freeloader!” Florence looked Rufus up and down as she studied him haughtily. She could tell from his attire that he wasn’t a wealthy person. Sure enough, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The slacker’s father was a bum top.

“This must be my in-law! Unfortunately, I haven’t got much for you. As this is our first meeting, all I’ve got for you is this little gift. Please don’t mind it “Rufus produced a box from his pocket and handed it to her.

Florence was awe-struck when she opened up the box to take a quick look inside. A sapphire the size of an egg was laid inside the box. It was so clear and exquisite. “This thing… It isn’t a fake –stone, is it?”

Florence strongly doubted that it was a genuine gemstone. It was rare enough to come by a regular sapphire the size of one’s fingernail. But this one was the size of an egg! It was shocking, to say the least.

“No way. This is a family heirloom.” Rufus laughed

“An heirloom? That’s great!” Florence immediately broke out into a wide smile when she heard that. She reckoned that he was a fool to give her something.so precious. A sapphire of that size

“How do you know such a prominent person?” She asked dubiously.

“I helped him before, so I guess he’s just repaying me a favor.” Dustin chuckled.

Adam had been a sickly kid who had constantly been bullied, so Dustin would stand up against those rich and arrogant youths of Stonia for him and often taught them a lesson for messing with Adam. Because of that, Dustin even earned himself the nickname “vile demon”.

“I never would have guessed that you’d be affiliated with such an important person. How did I not know this before?” Dahlia asked, curious.

“These are old-time stories. No point bringing them up.” Dustin shook his head.

“Alright then. I will not probe too much into your past. But in the future, please do not act rashly,” Dahlia warned in all earnestness. “It’s not every day you get favors from people like him. If you bother him too often, Mr. Spanner won’t want to help you all the time. You have to rely on yourself.

“You don’t have to worry. I know what I’m doing.” Dustin smiled.

As they spoke, a hunched, middle-aged man with gray hair knocked on the door and made his way in. It was none other than Rufus Rhys, the King of Theswe!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 349

“Lunch is ready!” Florence had quickly whipped up a lavish meal, and every dish looked. sumptuous.

Dustin had been prepared to make an excuse and slip away but was stopped by Dahlia. In the end, he had no choice but to stay for the meal with Rufus. It was the first time the father and son pair had had a meal together at the same table.

As they ate, Rufus’ eyes gradually welled up with tears. It felt like it’d been a lifetime for him, but the day finally came when he could sit down and have a meal with his son.

He had yet to receive his son’s forgiveness, but what he had now was good enough. He was already very satisfied. Of course, many people out there would never believe that the ruthless and formidable Prince of Theswe would get teary-eyed over a meal.

Once he had his fill, Rufus tactfully took his leave He knew that if he stayed on any longer, his son would most likely lose his temper.

Rufus left the Nicholson Villa with a spring in his step.

“How did things go, Sir?” When he got into the car, Albert, who sat in the passenger seat, asked inquisitively.

“Hahaha! I had a meal with my son today!” Rufus laughed heartily. Anyone could see that he was pleased

The driver found it strange that he’d be so glad because of a meal. “So you had a meal with your son, what’s the big deal? Does it really warrant such joy from you? You’re the Prince of Theswe! Where’d your dignity go?” He thought to himself.

“Congratulations, Sir! That’s one step closer to success!” Albert smiled. He was the only one who knew how much it meant to Rufus to have a meal with his son. Even winning ten cities was nowhere near as important as that.

“We’re indeed off to a good start, but knowing that rascal, it’ll be difficult to make much progress.” At the thought of that, Rufus was once again troubled.

“Take it slow, Sir. I believe that one day, Mr. Logan will find it in him to forgive you,” Albert consoled him.

“I sure hope so…” Rufus sighed before he continued “Oh before I forget, is my daughter-in-law related to the Nicholson family of Glenstead?”

“Yes, according to my investigations, she is from the prestigious Nicholson family of Glenstead. -Albert nodded.

“Very well, give that fella-what’s his name? Reggie?”

“Regulus Nicholson.”

“Ah, right, give Regulus a call. Have him take good care of my daughter-in-law, but make sure that he isn’t exposed. I wouldn’t want to frighten her,” Rufus said after some consideration. Gaining his son’s forgiveness would be a challenge, but he could get his daughter-in-law on his side first. That would make things much easier for him.

“Rest assured, Sir. I know what to do.” Albert nodded.

“Great. Let’s go visit the Drunken Maniac at Peaceful Medical Center. It’s been a long time. You old buddies should catch up.”

Back at the Nicholson Villa, Dustin watched emotionlessly as Rufus’ car drove off. He knew perfectly well that what happened back then had nothing to do with Rufus, but he still could not forgive him. He was but a mere mortal. He wasn’t above his emotions.

All his life, he had known that kindness should be repaid with kindness and that revenge must be sought for any wrongs. He would willingly go against the world for his family and loved ones. It was different for Rufus, however. As a person of status, his priority was always what benefited him, and his gains and losses. Outsiders might think that Rufus did nothing wrong, but to Dustin, his one mistake was that he did absolutely nothing at all.

“Why are you spacing out?” Dahlia picked up a cup of hot tea and walked over to Dustin to pass it to him.

“Nothing.” Dustin smiled and took a sip of tea.

“Didn’t you tell me that both your parents had passed away? Who was this father of yours today?” Dahlia found things puzzling.

“He’s as good as dead to me,” Dustin stated calmly.

“I guess there must be some sort of major conflict going on between you. Can I ask what it is about?” Dahlia tried to make sense of the situation

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 350

Dahlia was genuinely curious about Dustin’s past. After getting to know him better these days, she found that he was indeed a mystery.

“It’s along story.” Dustin shook his head.

“Alright, I’ll be here whenever you feel like talking about it.” Dahlia gave him a warm smile.

“Sure.” Dustin nodded.

“It’s getting colder these days. Let’s go to the mall to get some new clothes for winter,” Dahlia suggested.

“Sure, we can get some new clothes, but I’ll have you know, I’m broke!” Dustin shrugged.

“Ugh! What a miser!” Dahlia rolled her eyes. “I’ll pay for everything today. Will that do?” “Why, thank you, Ms. Nicholson!” Without another word, Dustin hurried off to bring the car over. It’s been three years since they got married, but they rarely went out shopping together.

The moment they left, Florence immediately took out the sapphire and had a good look at it. “Oh, my precious honeybunch of a sapphire! What luck I’m in today!”

The more she studied it, the more she loved it.

“Aunt Florence, what are you looking at?” Right then, Julie walked in.

“Julie! You’ve come at just the right time! Come have a look at this!” Florence showed off the sapphire to Julie and handed it to her.

“A sapphire?” When Julie had a good look at it, her voice raised a pitch and she sounded so excited. “Aunt Florence, where did you get such an enormous sapphire? It must be worth a fortune!

“Haha! You might not believe this, but it was Dustin’s father who gave this to me.” Florence beamed proudly.

“What? Dustin’s father?” Julie was shocked and could not believe her ears. “Aunt Florence, didn’t you say that Dustin’s as broke as can be? How can his father afford to give you something so precious?”

“I find it strange too.” Florence rubbed her chin. “I was wondering if Dustin secretly came from a wealthy family. Maybe he’s just kept a low profile all this while so we never noticed.”

“Him? The son of a wealthy family? Does he look like one?” Julie wondered out loud.

“If he isn’t, then how can his father afford to give me such a huge sapphire just like that?” Florence continued to expound on the situation.

“Aunt Florence, let’s put that aside for now. The matter of utmost importance now is whether you’ve found someone to verify if the sapphire’s genuine?” Julie piped up.

“But it’s so pretty! It can’t be a fake gem, can it? Besides, Dustin’s father said this is a family heirloom!” Florence refused to believe that the gem could be a fake.

“Aunt Florence, how can you believe everything he says? You’re too gullible! For safety’s sake, it’s best if you get it appraised! You never know if it’s a sham!” Julie instigated.

“You’re right.” Florence nodded. “But where should I get it appraised?”

“Don’t you worry, Aunt Florence. I know just the right person to get it appraised. Just let me have the sapphire for a while, and we’ll soon have our answer,” Julie affirmed confidently.

“Alright, then. I’ll be waiting.” Florence did not doubt Julie even for a moment, and passed the sapphire along with the box it came with to her. Half an hour later, in the gemological laboratory.

“What? This is a genuine sapphire worth billions? You–you’re not mistaken, are you?” Julie was dumbfounded when she heard the results.

“We’ve run multiple tests on it. It can’t be wrong. In fact, this is an extremely rare variety of sapphire. If it were to be auctioned, the starting bid would be one billion, at the very least,” the expert appraiser told her.

“Great! This is just great! We’ve struck gold this time!” Julie burst out laughing. A sapphire worth billions! How did they run into such luck?

Just then, Julie’s phone rang. She answered the call. It was Florence.

“Hello, Julie. How did the appraisal go? Is it a genuine sapphire?”

“O–of course it’s… It’s a fake one!” An idea came to Julie. She feigned disappointment. “Aunt Florence, you’ve been deceived by Dustin and his father! I just had the sapphire appraised. They confirmed that it’s just a synthetic gemstone. It’ll just cost you maybe 20 or 30 dollars to get your hands on one. It’s trash. I’ve thrown it away!”

“What? It’s synthetic? Those darned loafers! How dare they trick me! I’ll make them pay!” She let out a curse and cut the call.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 351

That evening at Peaceful Medical Center, Natasha waltzed in through the doors happily with two bottles of wine in her hand. “Honey, I’m back! Look what I brought! These are aged wines, I’m sure you’ll love them!”

All of a sudden, the smile on her face froze as she noticed that not only was Dustin not inside, but there were also two strangers in there instead. Gregory, who was usually in a drunken stupor, now sat upright with a stern expression on his face. How peculiar.

“Mr. Jones, who are they?” Natasha’s curiosity was piqued.

“You’re back, lass? Here, let me introduce them. This one here is Dustin’s father, and this one is an old pal of mine.” Gregory gestured to Rufus and Albert, respectively, as he introduced them to Natasha.

“Dustin’s father?” Natasha’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, so my father–in–law is here! I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you!” As she spoke, she immediately got up and poured them each a cup of tea. Then, she smiled sweetly and said to Rufus, “Please have some tea, Father!”

“What?” Rufus took a while to adapt to such enthusiasm. “Young lady, may I know who you might be?”

“As this is our first time meeting, it’s only expected that you do not know me, Father. My name is Natasha Harmon, and I’m Dustin’s wife, so I’m your daughter–in–law.” Natasha beamed brightly with confidence.

“My daughter–in–law?” Rufus was taken aback momentarily. Then, it quickly dawned on him what exactly was going on. He broke out into a hearty laugh.

“That’s great, that’s great! How lucky my son is to have such an enchanting wife like you! This is amazing!” As expected of a man from the Rhys family. Dustin managed to snag two charming ladies without anyone knowing. He sure had his way with women! Rufus was delighted.

“Oh, you flatter me too much, Father. I’m the lucky one to have Dustin. He’s such an amazing man. I’d say he’s quite a catch!” Natasha chuckled.

“Oh, is that lad really such a fine man?” Rufus teased.

“Of course he is!” Natasha did not go easy on her praise. “Not only is he capable intellectually, but he’s also skilled in martial arts. Besides, his medical skills are top–notch. It seems like there isn’t anything he can’t do! And to top it off, he’s such a gentle and caring man who shoulders his responsibilities well. You don’t come by men like him these days!”

“Hahaha! You sure know your man well!” Rufus chortled loudly when he heard his son being praised. He beamed so brightly that his wrinkles showed, but pride was evident on his face. He was beyond himself with joy. What was more delightful than hearing one’s own child being praised by others?

“Of course, it goes without saying that you must have taught him well for him to turn out into such an amazing person, Father. Now that I think about it, ultimately, you’re the one who has the wisdom to raise such a brilliant son!” Natasha took the opportunity to praise Rufus as well.

“Hahaha!” Rufus was truly over the moon. He laughed so much that his cheeks started to hurt. He had never been so happy in the past ten years.

Albert, who sat beside him, smiled brightly too. He was happy for Rufus that he had yet another daughter–in–law.

“Oh, you do have your way with your words, young lady! Since you called me ‘father‘, I must give you a present.” After Rufus calmed down from his joyful laughter, Rufus took out a dagger and handed it to Natasha. “This dagger has been by my side for many, many years. It shall be my gift to you to mark our first meeting.”

“This is too precious! I cannot have it!” Natasha waved her hands in protest. With her sharp eyes, she could tell at a glance that the dagger wasn’t just any other dagger. Just the gemstones embedded on the hilt for decoration alone were worth an exorbitant amount, much less the blade itself.

“Have it. It isn’t worth much. It’d be good to carry it around as protection,” Rufus chuckled. Seeing how understanding his daughter–in–law was, he would gladly give her the stars above if she so wished, let alone just a dagger.

“Just accept it, lass. This is your father–in–law’s affection towards you.” Mr. Jones winked at her. The dagger was listed as one of the top ten blades in the world. Even the Sword Whisperer, who was obsessed with swords, had requested to have the dagger multiple times before, but Rufus had never been willing to part with it.

“Alright, then. Thank you, Father.” Natasha smiled sweetly at him and quickly stashed the dagger away safely.

Then, they both had a good chat and quickly bonded with each other, so they decided to just address each other as father and daughter, respectively.

For a moment, all was warm and cozy in the medical center.

“Natasha, when did you come?” Right then, Dustin, who was just done shopping, entered. There was a smile on his face when he saw Natasha, however, when he caught sight of Rufus, his smile died down.

“Oh, not too long ago. And what a coincidence that I met Father! Why did you not tell me that Father was coming? I had nothing prepared!” Natasha whined. Had she known that Dustin’s father would drop by, she would have prepared some presents for him to win him over and gain her future father–in–law’s favor.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 352

“Natasha, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you? Come on, I’ll treat you to dinner.” Dustin did not answer her and changed the topic instead.

“Now that you mention it, I am feeling a bit hungry. Father, shall we go grab a bite?” Natasha turned around to ask Rufus.

“Don’t worry about them. We’ll go get dinner, just the two of us,” Dustin insisted.

“Well…” Natasha paused. She could sense that something was off between the two.

“Natasha, go ahead and enjoy your meal together. We, old folks, won’t tag along and ruin your fun. Run along now.” Rufus smiled and nodded at her.

“Alright, Father. We’ll be quick and buy some food back for you.” Natasha did not try to pry further. After she made sure they were alright, she left with Dustin.

All was quiet in the car before Natasha broke the silence. “Your father… Did you have a fallout with him?”

“A fallout?” Dustin laughed dryly. “If only it was that simple, things would be much easier.”

“So then what is it? Can you tell me?” Natasha coaxed softly. She had never seen such a melancholy expression on Dustin.

“Say, if a man’s wife and son were harmed, and he did absolutely nothing about it, do you even still consider him a man?” Dustin did not straight up tell Natasha what had happened between him and his father, but he threw her a hypothetical situation instead.

“Well, could it be possible that the man had his dilemmas too?” Natasha asked warily.

“As long as he puts his mind to it, there isn’t anything that he can’t do. Dilemmas? They’re just excuses.” Dustin shook his head.

“As I have not experienced what you’ve been through, I’m not in a position to offer you any advice. However, I do believe that one day, all truths will come to light.”

“Forget it. Let’s not talk about this anymore. Where do you want to have dinner tonight?” Dustin changed the topic yet again.

“Shall we go to Hillview Restaurant?” Natasha suggested with a smile.

“Sure!” Dustin nodded. Then, with a step on the accelerator, they sped off towards Hillview Restaurant.

As the car went around a bend, there was suddenly a loud bang. They seemed to have hit something.

“Oh no! We’ve run someone over!” Natasha paled. She saw clearly through the rearview mirror that an old lady was groaning in pain in the middle of the road.

“Are you alright, ma’am?” The moment Dustin pulled the car over, Natasha rushed out of the car and hurried over to check on the old lady. But just as her hand touched the old lady’s shoulder, the old lady leaped up and pulled out a dirk, intending to stab Natasha with it.

Utterly shocked by the turn of events, Natasha failed to duck in time. Just as she thought that would be the end of her, a hand reached over and grabbed the blade of the dirk. With a forceful jerk, the dirk snapped into two.

“Who sent you?” Dustin stared icily at the old lady, chucking the blade away as it clattered to the ground.

“You have a bounty of a hundred billion on your head, and she has ten billion on hers. What a waste! I was just inches away from having ten billion dollars in my pocket.” The old lady cackled maniacally, showing off her yellow teeth.

“A Bounty Killer.” Dustin squinted. Edwin Hummer had offered a bounty of a hundred billion dollars to have Dustin killed. Though they had put an end to the Hummers, Edwin Hummer was still alive, so the bounty had yet to be called off.

The old lady sniggered evilly. “Since you know that I’m a Bounty Killer, then you should understand that today is the day you meet your maker!”

“You wish to kill us? Just you alone?” Dustin asked contemptuously.

“There’s such a huge bounty for you! Of course, I’m not the only one after you! Look around you!” The old lady lifted her chin to the side.

Dustin looked in the direction she signaled to find that they had been surrounded. He could see that eight figures were closing in on them. Though there weren’t many of them, they were all adept assassins.

“I know you’re gifted, young man, so I deliberately sent for the Eight Giants today. Skilled as you may be, you stand no chance against them! The more you struggle, the more suffering you’ll put yourself through, so don’t even think about escaping,” the old lady taunted.

“The Eight Giants? Are they powerful?” Dustin was unfazed.

“Hah! Are they powerful? Truth be told, young man, once the Eight Giants have their eyes set on someone, not a single one of their targets has ever escaped alive!” She announced confidently.

The moment she finished speaking, Dustin flicked his wrist, and a loud whooshing sound was heard. Immediately, the Eight Giants stopped in their tracks and crashed heavily to the ground. On closer inspection, there was a silver needle buried smack in the middle of each of their foreheads.

All eight of them died right then and there.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 353

The old lady stood frozen in place as she watched the Eight Giants crash to the ground with dull thuds, one after another. All the calmness and confidence she had earlier on had completely vanished into thin air and were instead replaced by downright fear. Those were the Eight Giants! They were renowned bounty hunters who had yet to fail before this!

Ever since they set foot in the field, they had been revered by all and had never missed a single target. No matter how great their opponents were, they had been able to wipe them out without breaking a sweat. She had thought that with the Eight Giants working alongside her, everything would have gone smoothly without any hiccups. Who would have guessed that they’d be defeated in a matter of seconds? They did not even have time to react! What freak of nature was this man standing before her?

“Those are the Eight Giants that you’ve been harping on about? Pretty weak, aren’t they?” Dustin shook his head. How dare mere mortals who had yet to achieve divinity dream about assassinating him?

“Y–y–you… What tactics did you use?” The old lady was so flustered that she stumbled several steps backward. Panic was evident on her face.

“I have only one question for you. How many more of you Bounty Killers are after me?”

“I–I don’t know. We Bounty Killers work independently. I—”

“That’s enough. You can go straight to hell now.” Before she could even complete her sentence, Dustin sent another silver needle flying with a flick of his wrist. She, too, dropped dead on the spot.

The Bounty Killers was an extremely mysterious organization of bounty hunters. Every individual in the organization was an expert at what they did, and each one was more powerful than the one before. He had to call off the bounty on him and Natasha as soon as possible, or it was going to mean more trouble for them.

Just then, his phone started to ring. He answered the call to find that it was from Maximus. ” Dustin! Things are looking ugly here. The Boulderthorns have surrounded the medical center!”

“The Boulderthorns?” Dustin frowned. “Were they sent by Royal Valor?”

“You’re right! Royal Valor sent all their elites along too! Even their best warriors are here. They’re here to kill you! Go hide somewhere, and whatever you do, remember to stay away from here!” Maximus warned him.

They were severely outnumbered. As powerful as Dustin was, he could not hold up against all of Royal Valor’s warriors surrounding him.

“I know what to do. Take Caitlyn and bring her out of there.” Dustin ended the call.

“What’s wrong?” Natasha asked worriedly from beside him.

“Nothing much. There’s just a minor complication over at the medical center. You head back to Park Place first. I’ll make it up for dinner tomorrow.” Dustin smiled at her assuredly.

“Okay. You take care!” Natasha nodded at him and drove off without any further questions.

“What an exciting evening. Who would have guessed that Royal Valor would join in on the fun.” Dustin scoffed. He hailed a cab and went straight back to Peaceful Medical Center.

Boulderthorn was a major sect of the Balerno martial arts discipline. Dustin had intended to keep things peaceful between them, but since they refused to back off, he would gladly face them head- on.

At that moment, there were more than 20 cars pulled up around Peaceful Medical Center, surrounding the place tightly. All surveillance cameras in the vicinity were destroyed, and every alley in the area was blocked by Boulderthorn guild members. Not a single person could get past their barricade.

Several hundred elite Boulderthorn guild members stood at the door; a murderous aura
l surrounded them. They looked like they were prepared to annihilate whoever and whatever that stood between them and their goal.

“Maximus Kane! I’m asking you this for the last time, where is Dustin?” A young man in a white shirt stood at the forefront of the crowd with the tip of his sword pointing squarely at Maximus. The person was none other than Keane Tovello, the second–most senior guild member of Royal Valor. After the death of Tatum Thunders, he became the ace of Royal Valor. In order to win the guild members over and for them to accept him, he had to avenge the previous ace of the guild.

“Keane Tovello, if you must know, Dustin has already left Swinton. If there’s anything you need from him, you can come to me!” Maximus declared loudly.

“Hah! You ignorant fool! I see you’re the type who refuses to cry until death stares you in the face!” Keane was infuriated. With a light tap of his feet, he swiftly leaped towards Maximus in an attempt to take him down.

“I have long since heard that you’re adept with a sword. Let’s have a look at how good you are, then! Maximus wasn’t daunted by him in the least. As a burst of energy coursed through his body, the sword that he carried with him on his back was unsheathed, and with a single–handed forward motion, the sword launched through the air, aimed straight at Keane’s chest.

Keane let out a grunt and sliced through the air with his sword. He brought down a shower of sparks on himself as his sword made contact with Maximus‘ sword, which sent it flying.

Maximus sprang upwards with a “whoosh” and accurately caught his sword mid–air. Then, with a quick flick of his wrist, he used the Illusory Sword technique. As the name suggested, it was a technique that cast an illusion on its opponent, causing a momentary distraction.

With Dustin’s guidance, Maximus advanced in his swordsmanship. Now that he had mastered the Illusory Sword technique, he used it and cast an illusion of countless swords flying around in the air, all aiming at Keane. It was an extremely impressive technique.

“Superior skills indeed! No wonder you’re behaving so arrogantly!” Keane shot Maximus a glare and no longer held back, unleashing all that he had.

In a split second, the calmness of the night sky was broken by the sparks of swords coming into contact with each other and the whoosh of rapid movements. The crowd of elite Boulderthorn guild members instinctively backed off to make space for them.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 354

Amid a fierce battle between two divine–level masters, ordinary warriors would never stand a chance to approach them.

While the battle was in full swing, Rufus, Gregory, and Albert were happily drinking inside the medical clinic.

Used to such chaotic scenes, they naturally paid no mind to such minor scuffles.

On the other hand, Caitlyn, who was pouring them drinks, wasn’t as calm as them. She anxiously peered through the doorway, her worries evident.

How could Maximus handle all the opponents alone?

“Only if Mr. Rhys was here.” As soon as this thought crossed her mind, Caitlyn immediately shook her head.

No! Those people were here for Dustin. If Dustin were here, things would only get more dangerous!

“Kid, stop fretting over there. That lad will be fine for now. Bring us another bottle of wine!” Gregory shouted.

“Alright. I’m coming…” Upon hearing his words, Caitlyn promptly retrieved another bottle of wine from the counter.

Observing the calm demeanor of the three men, she frowned and curiously asked, “Mr. Jones, aren’t you all worried at all? If those bad guys were to barge in, you would be in danger!”

“What’s there to worry about? Life’s a cheap thing, and if we die, we die,” Gregory answered casually.

“Gosh, don’t be such a doomsayer!”

Caitlyn pouted and said solemnly, “Mr. Jones, you will live a long and healthy life. Even if there’s danger, I will protect you!”

With that, she grabbed a mop nearby and acted like a bodyguard, vowing to defend the medical.center. Her actions caused the three men to laugh in amusement.

“She’s truly an interesting girl.”

Rufus grinned. “Don’t worry. None of us will die today.”

“Really?” Caitlyn’s eyes lit up.

“Of course. Do you think I would lie to you about such matters?” Rufus chuckled and pointed at Albert. “See this old man here? He’s a powerful guy. Dealing with these minions is a piece of cake for him.“–

“Is that so?” Caitlyn sized Albert up. She seemed skeptical.

He was an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, walking with a cane. How could he withstand a fight? The wind could even blow him down!

After observing everyone, she realized she was the youngest and strongest of the four of them.

Indeed, it seemed like the responsibility to protect them all would fall on her shoulders. With this in mind, Caitlyn raised the mop again and stood guard at the entrance. Clearly, she didn’t trust these three oldies.

“Rufus, these minions are indeed nothing to fear. However, people have found out about your arrival in Swinton. I guess Streuqua will not let this opportunity slip by,” Albert suddenly said, his tone serious.

“Are you suggesting that someone will come to assassinate me?” Rufus raised his glass and took a sip.

“Yes.” Albert nodded.

As the Prince of West Lucozia, Rufus stood like an invincible barrier. He could single–handedly intimidate the Gods of Streuqua.

If Rufus encountered an assassination attempt, it would undoubtedly lead to a border conflict.

In West Lucozia, there were numerous experts to protect him. No matter how powerful Streuqua was, they would not find the slightest loophole. However, the situation was different in Swinton.

Without the protection of the West Lucozia army and death warriors, it presented a rareopportunity for Streuqua to carry out an assassination attempt.

Therefore, Albert was sure there would be chaos in the coming days.

“Let them try all they want. It’s not like it’s the first time,” Rufus shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

Even in West Lucozia, assassination attempts would occur every now and then. So, of course, it would happen in Swinton.

Outside the medical center, the duel between the two swordsmanship prodigies had reached a white–hot stage. Both sides had sustained injuries, and it was difficult to determine the victor.

Maximus‘ movements were fast and accurate. He was particularly fierce and used ruthless. techniques. In terms of swordsmanship alone, Maximus was superior to Keane.

However, Keane had higher cultivation and was in a more stable state. He was closer to divinity. Thus, their battle was neck–and–neck.

“When did this kid become so powerful?” Standing among the crowd, Luther watched the two fight with a look of astonishment on his face.

Keane was a Divine–level martial artist and a sword prodigy. Yet, he couldn’t defeat Maximus. Did Maximus already reached divinity as well?

“Hmph! What a waste of time!” Meanwhile, Clement looked displeased as he peered through the window of his car at the battle ahead.

He had thought that his second disciple could easily claim victory, but he hadn’t expected him to be unable to handle a mere minion.

Seeing the deadlock persist, Clement flicked his wrist, and a chess piece precisely struck Maximus‘ knee. Maximus groaned and fell to his knees. In that instant, Keane thrusted his sword at him!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 355

“Go to hell!” Noticing an opening, Keane immediately seized the opportunity and fiercely swung his sword down.

At that moment, a silver needle suddenly appeared, flew past the crowd, and struck Keane’s sword. “Clang!” With a clang, Kaene’s long sword shattered.

“What? Who the hell did that?” Keane quickly retreated and had his guard up.

The fact that someone could use the needles as a weapon and break his sword demonstrated the profound internal energy of the assailant.

“To bully the weak with strength is one thing, but resorting to sneak attacks as well? Are all the people from Boulderthorn so despicable?” A cold voice came from behind.

Everyone turned around and saw a handsome man slowly walking out of the shadows. He then stood tall under a street lamp.

It was none other than Dustin, who had just arrived!

“Sir Lincoln, that’s the guy! That’s Dustin! He’s the one who murdered Tatum’s nephew!”

Seeing the newcomer, Luther immediately roared, “Kill him! Kill him quickly! We must avenge Tatum!” Brody and Oliver stood up, their aura intimidating.

Ever since their father was crippled, the status of their lineage has plummeted. Naturally, they harbored a deep hatred toward Dustin, the one responsible for everything.

“Young man! So you’re the one who killed my two beloved disciples?” Clement narrowed his eyes, his face filled with hostility.

“I killed Joshua, but not Tatum. I only crippled him,” Dustin said calmly.

“Nonsense! You killed Tatum!” Brody shouted angrily.

“That’s right! We saw through you a long time ago! You took advantage of Tatum’s severe injuries and launched a sneak attack. How despicable and shameless!” Oliver chimed in.

“I wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble if I wanted to kill Tatum. I would have finished him off directly in the arena. But of course, if you don’t believe me, you can assume I killed him,” Dustin replied indifferently.

Looking at the current situation, Dustin knew there was no hope of clearing up the misunderstanding. No matter how much he explained, it would be futile.

“Hey, Sir Lincoln! Did you hear that? This brat is extremely arrogant!”

“If we don’t tear him limb from limb, how will Boulderthron continue to stand on in the martial world?”

Luther and his two sons continued to fuel the flames.

“Young man! According to the rules of the martial world, a life for a life. If you offer your neck for the kill, I can give you a quick death!” Clement declared.

“Go ahead if you want to fight. Stop talking so much nonsense,” Dustin replied rudely.

“Not bad, kid! You’re surely arrogant!” Clement’s face darkened. “If I personally take action, others will accuse me of bullying the weak with strength. So today, let my disciples have a go at you. If you manage to survive by some stroke of luck, I’ll spare your life!”

“Formation!” With a single gesture from Clement, seven of Keane’s disciples stepped forward and surrounded Dustin from all sides.

Those disciples were the best in Royal Valor. All of them were powerful. Among the seven, three had already reached divinity, while the other four were High–level martial artists.

Royal Valor was truly showcasing its experts!

“Dustin, I’ll help you!” Maximus quickly realized that something was amiss.

“No.” Dustin raised his hand and rejected Maximus‘ offer. I want to see how formidable Royal Valor, one of the eight sects of Boulderthorn, truly is!”

“Hmph! Today, I’ll make you admit defeat willingly! The Star–shifting Technique! Transform!” Keane shouted, and suddenly, the seven disciples changed their positions. They trapped Dustin in a peculiar formation.

“The Big Dipper Array? Haha. This brat is doomed!” Luther’s face couldn’t help but light up with joy when he saw the scene before him.

The Big Dipper Array was a well–known formation in martial arts. In the formation, each of the seven participants took the positions of Dubhe, Merak, Phkeda, Megraz, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid. With this, they would trap their enemy.

The seven individuals would continuously move in an unending cycle as the formation changed.

Once the formation took shape, no one could break it!

“Attack!” Keane attacked from the front with three people, while the other three attacked from behind.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 356

Displaying a perfect balance between offense and defense, the seven individuals worked together seamlessly. They complemented each other with no discernible flaws.

As the formation came into motion, the sharp, sword–like aura was formed and ran rampant instantly. A swirling gust of wind sent the sand and stones flying.

“Interesting.” Dustin frowned. His figure flickered as he dodged. He moved like a fish swimming in the water, constantly evading attacks within the sea of swords.

It seemed dangerous, yet he managed to dodge every strike at critical moments. The sharp, sword- like aura grazed his body, but it couldn’t harm him in the slightest.

Brody and Oliver clenched their fists, their expressions filled with excitement.

They would loudly cheer whenever Dustin seemed to be in danger. However, they gritted their teeth with hatred when they saw him narrowly escape.

“Calm down. The Big Dipper Array grows more powerful as it faces stronger opponents. Once the offensive is in full swing, it becomes like a raging wave, one wave after another, and it becomes unstoppable. The longer he drags it out, the more dangerous it becomes for that brat,” Luther explained calmly.

In his eyes, Dustin’s defeat was only a matter of time.

“Dustin, catch the sword!” Maximus called out to Dustin.

Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, Maximus quickly thought of a clever idea. He threw his sword directly into the middle of the deadly formation.

“Alright!” Dustin stepped on the ground and instantly soared into the air before grabbing the sword in his hand.

“He must be seeking death!” Seeing Dustin leap into the air, Keane smirked. He commanded the sword formation to attack from bottom to top.

In a battle between experts, showing weaknesses was the last thing one would want to do. Being in the air without support was like presenting oneself as an easy target.

“Hah…” Looking at the sword formation beneath him, Dustin sneered disdainfully.

He forcefully swung his sword downward.

“Swish!” Like a meteor descending from the heavens, the shining sword slashed into the formation.

“Clang!” The formation was instantly shattered into pieces.

Keane and his seven companions were forced to retreat because of the powerful force. All of them were stunned.

“How is this possible?” Keane furrowed his brows.

The strength of the Big Dipper Array laid in harnessing the power of seven individuals to launch a combined attack. There was only one possibility of the formation breaking. And that was someone with strength surpassing the combined force of the seven members of the Big Dipper Array.

Did Dustin’s strength far exceed their expectations?

No! It couldn’t be possible! It must be an accident!

“Cycle of the Sun and Moon! Change formation!” Keane shouted loudly, commanding everyone to change their formation again.

The Big Dipper Array had seven variations and styles. It could attack, defend, and move at any speed. It was ever–changing and unpredictable.

“I’m just playing around with you. Are you even taking this fight seriously?” Dustin said, losing interest as he watched Keane and the others scattering away.

He swung his long sword. The sword flashed and shot out of his hand instantly, heading toward the chests of the seven guys.

“Defend!” The faces of the seven individuals fell slightly. They instinctively raised their swords to block Dustin’s attack.

Soon, Dustin’s sword struck them, and all seven of their swords shattered to the ground.

The relentless force of the impact sent the seven individuals flying backward and coughing up blood.

One person was severely injured, while the rest died on the spot!

For a moment, everyone at the scene fell into complete silence.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 357

As they looked at the six corpses on the ground and Keane, who was heavily injured and coughed up blood, all the disciples of Boulderthorn were dumbfounded.

They never expected Dustin would break the Big Dipper Array and simultaneously kill six top- notch experts from Royal Valor with just one sword

Was their opponent hiding his true strength all along?

“How … How is this possible?” Luther widened his eyes in disbelief.

Dustin actually broke the renowned Big Dipper Array. Not to mention, he did it so effortlessly.

Just how powerful was this guy?

“No way! The seven top experts of Royal Valor couldn’t defeat him?”

“This guy must be on some kind of drug; otherwise, how could he be so powerful?”

Brody and Oliver exchanged glances, their faces full of confusion.

“This guy is on a different level!” Even Clement’s face turned grave at that moment.

Dustin wiped out the Big Dipper Array so effortlessly. Not to mention he only used a sword!

From that incident, it could well be said that Dustin was about to reach divinity. His martial talent must be extraordinary to possess such formidable power at such a young age!

It was definitely a bad idea to provoke such a monster.

The only thing they could do now was use all means to exterminate Dustin. Otherwise, if they waited another two years, even Clement wouldn’t be able to suppress him.

“All disciples of Royal Valor, listen up! Surround him!” Clement suddenly shouted.

“Yes, sir!” Hundreds of elites from Royal Valor quickly surrounded Dustin. They faced Dustin, oozing a murderous aura.

“You people from Boulderthorn are truly unreliable. I can’t believe you’re going back on your own words,” Dustin said, looking at them with disdain.

He was not surprised by Clement’s treacherous actions. Those who resorted to sneak attacks when their disciples were in battle could not be trusted.

“Young man! Pardon me. Blame yourself for being too threatening to be left alive!” Clement said coldly.

“Good! Then today, I will eliminate the entire Royal Valor!” Dustin waved his sword, and a tremendous pressure exploded at once.

Instantly, a howling gale blew up. His robe fluttered, and his hair stood on end. He exuded an aura of invincibility, as if he could defeat every one of them alone!

“Ah!” Just as the two sides were about to erupt into a full–scale battle, a piercing scream suddenly resounded from the crowd.

Everyone instinctively turned their heads and saw that a burly man with blond hair and a foreign appearance had appeared out of nowhere.

He was holding the head of a Royal Valor disciple with his bare hands.

“Haha…” The blond man grinned and then forcefully put pressure on his finger.

With a loud “pop“, the head of the Royal Valor disciple exploded like a ball.

His methods were extremely cruel.

“This is outrageous!”

“How daring!”

“Who is this guy? How dare he kill a Royal Valor disciple? He must have a death wish!”

Seeing this scene, everyone raged. Unanimously, they aimed their weapons at the blond man.

While internal conflicts within the martial world were one thing, all martial artists would unite when facing an external enemy.

It was an unwritten rule.

“You bunch of weaklings!” The blond man showed disdain and extended his hand, beckoning the crowd to come at him as if inviting them to attack him all at once.

“How dare you?” Several Royal Valor disciples were furious and immediately wielded their weapons. They began slashing at him.

“Clang, clang, clang…” Accompanied by the sound of metals colliding, all the weapons that struck the blond man were shattered.

“What?” The disciples were shocked.

However, before they could react, the blond man suddenly made a move.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 358

He slapped two of the guys hard on the head.

Two loud bangs rang out the next second, and their heads exploded like watermelons.

The remaining two individuals instinctively tried to step back, but the blond man caught them and crushed their skulls with his bare hands.

It was bloody, cruel, and savage. Onlookers felt their scalps tingling with horror.

“Attack together! Kill him!” Clement’s face darkened. He immediately ordered his disciples to take action.

“Attack!” Over a hundred disciples of Royal Valor shouted angrily and launched a coordinated assault.

Grinning, the blond man slightly bent his legs and jumped off the ground.

“Boom!” The ground exploded, and a pit formed.

Like a bullet fired from a gun, the blond man directly landed in the crowd.

Wherever he went, bodies were strewn across the ground, drenched in blood. Anyone blocking his path was brutally crushed by his unstoppable force!

“Hahaha…” The blond man laughed wildly, growing more excited as he killed the disciples. He was like a ferocious beast unleashed from its cage

The Royal Valor disciples were like lambs waiting to be slaughtered. They couldn’t fight back at all.

“Beast! Stop this madness!” Seeing more than half of his disciples dead or injured, Clement could no longer contain his anger. He shouted furiously and leaped up, delivering a full–force palm strike to the back of the blond man.

“Boom!” A muffled sound echoed.

The blond man’s body trembled slightly, but then he casually turned his head. There was a hint of disdain on his face.

“How is that possible?” Clement’s eyelid twitched, and his face paled with horror.

The opponent had taken his full–force palm strike directly without the slightest injury.

Was this guy even human?

“Go to hell!” Clement gritted his teeth and forcefully delivered a powerful kick to the blond man’s head.

“Boom!” Another muffled sound rang out.

The blond man’s head only turned to the side slightly, then quickly returned to its original position, completely unharmed.

Clement was terrified by the scene. Cold sweat began to drip down his forehead,

“You weakling!” The blond man smirked and threw a light punch.

Clement closed his eyes and instinctively raised his arms to block the attack.

“Boom!” A loud explosion reverberated.

Clement’s arm instantly fractured, and his entire body was sent flying over ten meters before crashing heavily into a tree. Blood spewed from his mouth.

“What …?” Witnessing this scene, everyone was dumbfounded.

No one could have imagined that Clement, the esteemed guildmaster of Royal Valor, who was halfway to becoming a grandmaster, couldn’t withstand a single punch from the blond man!

What the hell was this creature?

Terrified, the crowd scattered in all directions, not daring to get close.

“Who… who are you?” Both astonished and scared, Clement laid helplessly on the ground.

There was only one possibility for the person to defeat him with just one move. He must be a formidable grandmaster!

“I am from the Hall of Gods, bestowed with the name Ares!” the blond man proudly declared.

“The Hall of Gods from Streuqua? You’re the God of War, Ares?”

Everyone was shocked at his introduction.

The Hall of Gods was the most prestigious martial organization in Streuqua.

It was home to numerous formidable individuals, each with their own unique abilities and talents. Any one of them can wreak havoc wherever they go!

Not to mention those who were bestowed with divine titles. They were truly unmatched powerhouses.

Take the current figure, Ares, the God of War, for example.

In Dragonmarsh, he would be considered a martial arts grandmaster and would stand out as one of the best among the grandmasters.

An existence like him could easily overpower not just Royal Valor alone, but even if all eight sects joined forces, they would still be unable to stand against him.

However, Clement didn’t understand why a top–tier powerhouse from the Hall of Gods suddenly appeared in Swinton.

Also, why did he unleash such a merciless onslaught against the disciples of Boulderthorn?

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 359

“Dad, what’s going on? Why is the God of War from the Hall of Gods here?”

“Could Sir Lincoln have crossed some big shot from the Hall of Gods?” Both Oliver and Brody cowered in fear when they saw the man with blonde hair who was brimming with a murderous air.

“How the fuck would I know? Why are you even asking me?” Luther gulped nervously and chided them. They had been there to ambush Dustin and had never expected to be assaulted by such a formidable individual from the Hall of Gods. This was mind–blowing!

“Your Excellency, I have never offended any of you from the Hall of Gods. Why have you come to massacre the members of Boulderthorn?” Clement asked, his face pale with fear.

“What? Arent you all the West Lucozian army?” The blonde–haired man asked with confusion. “Huh? West Lucozian army? We’re members of the Boulderthorn guild!” Clement exclaimed defeatedly. After all the mess, it turns out that the members of his guild died for no reason. “Oh, so you’re not the West Lucozian army? No wonder you’re all so weak! But that’s alright. There’s nothing we can do about the dead anymore. I’ll just take this as a warm–up exercise.” The blonde–haired man laughed hysterically.

Clement stood there, dumbfounded. But there was nothing he could do. He dare not retaliate either. This was a grandmaster they were talking about! He could kill them all as easily as one would kill an ant.

“Ares, stop messing around. Stay focused on our mission.” Right then, the crisp voice of a woman rang from a distance. Immediately after, a purple–haired woman donned in full armor made her way towards them from the shadows. She held a sword in her left hand and a shield in her right The shapely and sexy woman exuded an overwhelming aura all around her.

“You know that my power heightens along with the number of people I kill, Athena. I’m merely warming up. It’s no big deal.” The blonde–haired man chuckled.

“Athena?” The crowd was once again astonished. Never in a hundred years would they have foreseen the Goddess of War from the Hall of Gods to be there too. This was another powerful god who was no less formidable than Ares, the God of War! Just Ares alone was enough to wipe out Royal Valor in its entirety. With Athena there, even if the eight major guilds joined hands, they would stand no chance against these two!

“Come on out, you two. No point hiding anymore,” Athena suddenly called out. As she said that, two more figures emerged from the shadows. One was a handsome man with his hand holding a bow and some arrows, and the other was a ripped and bulky man who was about six and a half feet tall.

“Apollo of the Hall of Gods,” the handsome man said first, not forgetting to flex his muscles. “Heracles,” the built man grunted, obviously not a chatty person.

The moment they spoke, Clement and the rest of the Boulderthorns were utterly flabbergasted, looking ashen.

“Apollo, the God of Sun?”

“And Heracles, the God of Strength?”

“Well, fuck me! Four of the major gods from the Hall of Gods are here! Are we doomed?”

The crowd was terrified.

Ares, the God of War, Athena, the Goddess of War. Apollo, the God of Sun; and Heracles, the God of Strength! They weren’t just any other gods from the Hall of Gods! These were major gods!

It was already a great enough deal to see one of them, much less all four of them! Who would have thought that all four of them would appear in one place together? This was truly shocking! These four put together were enough to go against the entire Boulderthorn guild!

“How could this be? Why has the Hall of Gods sent so many major gods here? What’s going on?” Clement felt weak in his knees. Nobody could care less for the guild master of Boulderthorn when there were four major gods here! He was nothing compared to them!

“Oh no, we won’t die here today, will we?” Oliver and Brody were drenched in sweat and in a state of

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 360

Both Oliver and Brody felt their knees start to buckle.

“Why are such legendary beings here?” Luther’s face was as white as a sheet as he lamented inwardly. Had he known that he would meet these masters here, he never would have come in the first place!

Everyone was silenced by the presence of the four major gods from the Hall of Gods. An overwhelming, murderous aura permeated every inch of the place. The crowd stood idly in place, and no one dared to speak, move, or even so much as breathe loudly.

At that moment, they knew that they were no longer in control of their lives. And the fact was, they weren’t wrong. Not in the least. In the presence of the four major gods, their lives were as insignificant as ants. Beneath their fear and terror, there was also a genuine curiosity as to what exactly brought the four major gods there.

“Mr. Rhys, we know you’re in there. Would you please come out to meet us?” The four major gods stood in a row, and it was Athena who first broke the silence.

“How merry it is out here!” Rufus walked out with a glass of wine as he laughed heartily. “Since the Hall of Gods sent all four of you, I guess they’re really intent on ending me today!”

“Mr. Rhys, the Hall of Gods really admires talented people like you. As long as you agree to join us, not only will you walk away unscathed today, but you will also gain our protection!” Athena declared loudly.

“Haha! From what you’re saying, I gather that you’re proposing that I betray my country?” Rufus asked with amusement.

“We can give you everything that Dragonmarsh has to offer and more! You will be able to fully unleash your talents in Streuqua,” Athena persuaded unceasingly.

“I’ll have you know, there are three things I’ll never do. First, I’ll never kill the weak, the old, women, and children. Secondly, I’ll never put up with corrupt bureaucrats. And finally, I’ll never betray my country. So, unfortunately, I’ll have to disappoint you today.” Rufus‘ smile remained as wide as ever.

“If you do not agree, then today is the day you’ll meet your maker!” Athena’s gaze was cold.

“Are you able to kill me with just the four of you?” Rufus took a sip of his wine.

“We might not be able to go to war against you, but there’s nobody out there who does a better job at assassinating than us!” Athena announced confidently.

“Cut the chit–chat! I can’t wait to get things started!” Ares laughed maniacally and began to move. With an agile leap, he charged toward Rufus like a bullet.

“Get him!” With Athena’s command, all of them charged toward Rufus immediately. Though all four of them were major gods, none of them dared slack off in the slightest because the person standing in front of them was someone worthy of being taken seriously by them.

“Major gods? Hah! I call bullshit on that!” Albert, who stood behind Rufus, scoffed. In one swift motion, he stepped in front of Rufus and met the four major gods head–on.

In an instant, thunderous sounds echoed from all around as fierce gales howled unceasingly and waves of true energy swept across their surroundings. The members of Royal Valor backed off as quickly as they could, lest they got caught in the middle.

Dustin stood at the entrance to the medical center and squinted as he watched the battle between the five of them. The Rhys family had three great generals, namely the Sword Whisperer, the Executioner, and the Drunken Maniac. Out of the three of them, the Sword Whisperer was undoubtedly the most powerful. However, the most ruthless of them all was none other than Albert, the Executioner. Albert had reached peak level grandmastery ten years ago. Now that ten years had passed, he’d refined his skills so much more that he was on par with the four major gods.

“Oh my goodness! Who’s this old fella? How can he hold up against the four major gods so well?” Oliver and Brody were amazed by what they saw. From their point of view, the four major gods were deities who had total control during any battle! And when four such unrivaled beings teamed up and were still no match for an old man, it was truly mystifying!

“Damn it! I’m lucky I didn’t barge into the medical center earlier on! I’d be dead meat if I did!” Clement broke out in a cold sweat when he saw the ongoing fight. Never in his dreams had he ever thought that there would be such a powerful master in the tiny medical center! He wouldn’t even know how he died if he actually went and challenged such a person!

Hang on… The old man was someone from Peaceful Medical Center. And Peaceful Medical Center belonged to Dustin. Could it be possible that Dustin was somehow related to the old man? Ashen- faced, Clement dared not even continue his train of thought.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 361

As the battle raged on, Albert held his ground firmly against the four major gods‘ attacks. The five figures moved around so fast that they seemed to be intertwined, and it was impossible to tell them apart. It was quite an overwhelming sight to behold. Everywhere they passed by, trees would fall and houses would collapse. The entire place was in ruins.

Dustin stood at the entrance to the medical center, blocking out the occasional stray bursts of true energy that went their way. It was a good thing that Albert had the sense to lead the fight away from them or the medical center would also have been destroyed.

“Dustin, who would have thought that you had such a powerful elder in your family! Even the four major gods cannot defeat him!” Maximus stared straight ahead at the five figures who were engaged in a tight battle. They moved so fast that he could not even make out who each person was.

“He’s not an elder,” Dustin said coldly,

“He’s not? Then why is he with your father?” Maximus was intrigued.

“He’s just a servant working for the Rhys family,” Dustin answered aloofly. He didn’t particularly like Albert.

“A servant?” Maximus could not believe his ears. He was awe–struck, to say the least.

“You have such a powerful person as a servant? Are you royalty, Dustin?” Maximus wondered to himself.

“We’ve got trouble.” Suddenly, Dustin seemed to detect something. His head whipped up, and he stared intently down the street. The lights along the street briefly dimmed before they started to flicker.

In the blurriness, a figure could be seen coming towards them. When the lights came on, the figure disappeared, and when the lights went out, the figure materialized again. He approached closer each time the lights flickered, and in just a matter of seconds, the person appeared before the crowd. It was an old man with a black beard who wore a dark cloak. He was shrouded in a dark mist and emanated an air of demise.

“I–I–I… I know him! He’s Hades, God of the Underworld from the Hall of Gods!” Someone from the crowd exclaimed all of a sudden.

Chaos broke out instantly!

“Good heavens! Even Hades, God of the Underworld is here! What on earth is going on today?” The three Williams men were scared out of their wits and reduced to a flustered state.

The reason behind their shock was that Hades, God of the Underworld, was a royal god! His status and power far exceeded those of major gods like Athena and Ares. They were on two completely different levels. There was no mistake in saying that his presence in the Hall of Gods was unparalleled.

If the strongest of major gods were comparable to grandmasters in Dragonmarsh, then a royal god would be equivalent to the most superior of ultimate grandmasters. There were only a handful of ultimate grandmasters in Dragonmarsh, and each of them was regarded as a national treasure. They usually busied themselves with protecting the country’s borders or guarding the palace grounds, and they rarely ever made public appearances.

The same could be said for the royal gods of the Hall of Gods. They were never deployed unless their nation’s security was at risk of being breached. Akin to nuclear weapons, they were more often used to intimidate and deter enemies rather than to engage in actual battles.

But today, it was truly beyond anyone’s imagination that the most elite person in Streuqua, a royal god from the Hall of Gods, would actually make an appearance here in Dragonmarsh! Were they here to initiate war?

“It’s been a long time, Mr. Rhys.” Hades took off his cloak and nodded at Rufus like he was greeting an old friend.

“The Hall of Gods has truly gone all out this time around! Even a royal god has been deployed! Wouldn’t it be a calamity if your nation lost you here?” Rufus raised a brow, looking as calm as ever.

“Mr. Rhys, if you were in West Lucozia, it goes without saying that I would not act rashly. Unfortunately, you have chosen to leave your own safe zone, so don’t be surprised that we’re taking action,” Hades said with a smirk.

“Oh, so do you think that you’re able to kill me?” Rufus asked lightly.

“We’ve done our investigation. You only have a grandmaster guarding you now. Athena and the rest of them will be able to keep him busy. And that would leave me to deal with you alone, and I’m fairly certain I can take your life.” Hades was very confident in their plan.

There was an ace in the West Lucozian army who was extremely accomplished in his swordsmanship, and Hades knew that he was no match against that person. But luckily for them, person was not here today, so this was the best chance for the Hall of Gods to launch an attack on them.

As long as Rufus died, West Lucozia would be left without a leader, and Streuqua could boldly invade them, and they wouldn’t stand a chance. This was a vital step for them, and they would not allow themselves to fail!

“Since you already have everything planned out, come on then,” Rufus invited impassively. “Have your last look at the mortal realm, Mr. Rhys!”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 362

Hades mimicked a courteous Dragonmarshian gesture before he raised a hand and swiftly brought it downward. As a loud thunder boomed around them, the dark shadow of a palm the size of a hill materialized out of nowhere, and with the downward motion of Hades‘ hand, it too slammed down upon Rufus.

Under the enormous shadow, Rufus looked as tiny as an ant. Had the impact been brought down anywhere else, it would have reduced the entire medical center to a pile of rubble, much less any human.

“Boom!” Even from a great distance away, most of the Boulderthorn members fell to their knees and threw up blood from the remnant of the force. Vulnerable bystanders were always the ones who bore the brunt of the consequences whenever there were conflicts between those of greater power.

Ultimate grandmasters were basically nuclear weapons in human form! Just one move from them was enough to bring down mountains and cause the earth beneath their feet to part! Of course, these mere mortals would not be able to withstand it.

“Huh?” Dustin’s brows furrowed when he saw the huge shadow of a palm overhead. Just as he was hesitating on whether he should go ahead and make a move, an old man dressed in white emerged and pulled Rufus behind him.

At the same time, the old man emitted dazzling golden rays from his body, and a golden giant about 15 feet tall arose from behind him. In one swift motion, the giant’s fist made contact with the enormous palm–shaped shadow. With a reverberating bang, the shadow, which was about the size of a hill, instantly shattered into fine shards. The golden giant stood motionless and steady behind the old man, looking very much like a golden statue.

“Who are you?” Hades demanded maliciously. He had thought that they had their assassination plan down to a tee. It had never occurred to them that there would be a secret master hidden under their nose.

“You may call me Wilkins. I’m just a regular attendant in Aylka.” Though the old man had white hair, he had a childlike appearance. When he spoke, his gaze was cast downward to the ground, showing extreme humility and submission, and he lacked any sort of authority.

“Mr. Wilkins?” Hades squinted as he studied the man in front of him.

Then, it suddenly seemed to dawn on him. “Oh! I remember now. So you’re Nestor Wilkins? The legendary, unrivaled master within the palace gates?”

“That’s just a rumor. Nothing of the sort.” Still, the old man hung his head low, as if embarrassed.

“I do not care if that’s a rumor. I need you to get lost right now, or I’ll make sure you never get to see the next sunrise!” Hades ordered haughtily. They were in Dragonmarsh territory now, so he needed to get things done as fast as possible. The longer things dragged on, the higher their chances of failing were.

“I can’t.” Nestor shook his head. “I’ve come bearing two orders, and the first one is to protect the prince.”

“Oh? And what of the second one?” Hades asked nonchalantly.

“To annihilate the gods of Streuqua.” And as he spoke, Nestor suddenly disappeared into thin air. When he took form again, he stood right in front of Hades with less than three feet between them.

“Huh?” Hades blanched. He felt like he had fallen into an icy stream. His scalp crawled, and all his hair stood on end.

Just as he was about to make a move, Nestor grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up over his head. Hades stiffened all over, and he could not feel his limbs. He could not even lift a finger. Gasps of astonishment broke out all around as they saw how weak Hades was in this person’s hands.

“We have laws here. And when you’re in our territory, you’ve got to obey our laws. It doesn’t matter if you’re a human, a demon, or a god; if you break our laws, you will pay for it. Oh, and I forgot to mention, no gods allowed in Dragonmarsh!” And with that, Nestor’s grip on Hades‘ throat
tightened, and with a deafening crack, his neck was snapped in two. Hades ceased to exist right then and there.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 363

A deathly silence fell over the crowd. Even the fierce battle that raged on between Albert and the four major gods came to a standstill. Everyone gaped with disbelief as they watched on. Hades, the God of the Underworld, a royal god of the Hall of Gods, had died just like that? With just one move? By a mere mortal? How the hell was that possible?

He possessed powers no less than those of ultimate grandmasters and was a supreme expert in Streuqua! His level of destruction was supposed to be on the same level as nuclear weapons! But such an impressive person just had his neck snapped by an old man! How horrifying!

After a short moment of eerie silence, a commotion broke out.

“I wasn’t hallucinating, was I? A royal god from the Hall of Gods had just been killed in one move?” “Oh goodness! What’s going on? Am I dreaming?”

“An impressive fight! An impressive fight indeed!”

The members of Boulderthorn watched everything with their hearts in their mouths. From the Williams men to the guildmaster, Sir Lincoln, every one of them was gripped by fear. Who would have thought that an attendant was so mighty? Was this truly the power of the unrivaled master in the palace? He was fearsome!

“Lord Hades died?” Athena and the rest of the major gods were horrified by the sight before them. Their original plan had been to let the four of them hold the West Lucozian army back while Lord Hades delivered the fatal blow to Rufus.

They had predicted every possibility that could happen during the assassination, rehearsed a million times, and had a success rate of over 99%. But in all of their predictions, they had never expected Nestor to arrive so soon, and that even Lord Hades was no match for him. As much as they were unwilling to accept defeat, they had no means of denying it. They were utterly and completely defeated!

“Ares! Get out of here!” Athena hissed through clenched teeth as she made a dash for it.

“Damn it! We were so close!” Ares roared defiantly. However, he had no other choice but to escape along with his comrades. If the person was able to kill Lord Hades, then they clearly weren’t a match for him.

“Do you think that you can escape?” Nestor’s eyes narrowed before he disappeared once again. When he appeared again five minutes later, he held four heads in his hands.

Athena, Ares, Apollo, and Heracles… The four major gods from the Hall of Gods. Not a single one of them escaped. All four of them died at the hands of Nestor Wilkins.

The crowd inhaled sharply at the grotesque sight of four bloody heads hanging from his hands. To even have the chance of escaping was a luxury in and of itself in the face of true power. At that moment, Nestor was a person who was many times more daunting than any God they ever believed in.

With a dull thud, Nestor chucked the heads aside. Then, under the disbelieving gaze of the crowd, he got on one knee before Rufus and Dustin. “Nestor Wilkins at your service, Your Highness,

Prince of Theswe! And at your service, Your Grace!” With that, he bowed deeply with such humility towards them.

“What?” The crowd felt as if they had been struck by lightning and were all shocked silly. They had not even gotten over the fact that four major gods and a royal god had been killed today, and now they had even more surprising news to digest.

Never in their dreams had they ever imagined that the unrivaled master from the palace, someone who had killed Hades with just a single move, would get on his knees and bow to another person. in public.

How the hell was that possible? They had always known that only the strong were respected. The old man, Nestor, seemed almost invincible! He was definitely the most superior person in all of in all of!Dragonmarsh

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 364

A person as mighty as him should have been respected and admired by all, no matter where he went. His presence alone should be worshiped like that of a god, so why was he behaving so humbly?

“Prince of Theswe? Your Grace?” Clement stared dully, first at Rufus and then at Dustin. He felt an immense fear that he had never experienced before crept up on him and spread throughout his entire being.

There was only one person in the whole world who was known as the Prince of Theswe, and that person was the ruler of West Lucozia, the person who had total control over the Rhys household, and the one person who reigned Dragonmarsh. It was the remarkable Rufus Rhys. Could it be possible that the ugly and hunched old man was the indestructible Prince of Theswe?

At the thought of that, Clement was so terrified that he broke out in a cold sweat and looked as white as a sheet.

And if the hunched old man was the Prince of Theswe, then wouldn’t Dustin, who was addressed as “Your Grace“, be the son of the Prince of Theswe? Which would make him… the renowned Kirin, Logan Rhys?

Clement’s knees buckled, and he fell heavily to the ground on his backside. His face was ashen, and his gaze was full of despair. He wasn’t the only one reduced to such a state. By then, all three of the Williams men were also trembling and shaking in fear.

Brody, especially, quivered like a leaf, and his pants were dripping wet. He was so scared that he had wet himself! None of them had ever thought that the person they had assumed to be just a small fry would turn out to be the son of the Prince of Theswe! And they had offended him!

“Get up, Mr. Wilkins. What’s a grown man doing staying on his knees everywhere he goes? Oh, wait. I nearly forgot. You’re not a man, are you?” Rufus mocked with the hint of a smile teasing on his lips.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Nestor’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he resumed his humble and submissive facade.

“You’ve come just in time today. You must have followed me the entire way here?” Rufus asked intentionally.

“The master was worried about your safety, Your Highness, so he sent me to secretly protect you along the way. I beg for your pardon ” Nestor lowered his head.

“To protect me? I’m sure you meant he sent you to spy on me?” Rufus smiled ambiguously.

“Please do not get the wrong idea, Sir. You are of esteemed status, and your identity dictates the destiny of the whole of Dragonmarsh. Even the slightest scratch or injury on you would threaten the fate of the nation,” Nestor explained humbly.

“Hah! What a good attendant you are!” Rufus reached out to give Nestor a pat on the back.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Nestor nodded.

“We shouldn’t stay here any longer, Sir. Please return to West Lucozia immediately to ensure that you face no mishap.”

“Oh? Are you telling me what to do now?” Rufus‘ expression darkened.

“I would never dare to.” Nestor held his head low.

“If you’re a servant, then act as a servant should. Don’t you ever dare tell me what to do, or you’ll be sorry,” Rufus warned.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Nestor remained submissive and kept his gaze fixed on the ground.

“Well, why are you still here? Get lost!” Rufus waved his hand impatiently.

“Yes, Sir,” Nestor answered.

Just as he was about to take his leave, he was stopped by Dustin. “Hold up! Did I say you could leave?”

“Do you have any orders, Your Grace?” Once again, Nestor kept his head low.

“Tell me, were you involved in the incident ten years ago?” Dustin asked coldly.

“I do not understand what you’re referring to, Your Grace.”

“Do you not understand, or are you feigning ignorance?” Dustin’s gaze was frosty, and killing intent was starting to surface.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Did you have anything to do with my mother’s death?”

“You must have been mistaken, Your Grace. I know nothing about it.” Nestor shook his head. “Who, in the whole of Aylka, could stop my mother, if not for you, an ultimate grandmaster?” Dustin clenched his fists, and fury burned within him.

“From what I know, the princess consort had passed on due to an ailment.” Nestor sidestepped.

“F*ck you and your ailments! Go to hell, vermin!” Dustin pulled out his sword and charged head- on toward him.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 365

With a whoosh, Dustin’s sword immediately emitted blinding rays. Swift as the wind and with such immense strength, he drove his sword toward Nestor’s chest.

Out of nowhere, an enormous and translucent golden bell came down out of the sky and landed around Nestor with a dull thud, shielding him from Dustin’s attack. As the tip of Dustin’s sword made contact with the golden bell, rings of ripples spread out from the point of contact as they would on the surface of the water.

There weren’t any sounds produced, no explosion, and not even so much as a tiny clang from the impact. The true energy that Dustin channeled was completely absorbed by the bell and did not harm Nestor at all.

“What are you doing, Your Grace?” Nestor’s expression remained unchanged.

“I’m doing away with you!” Dustin kicked himself off the ground and propelled himself forward, stabbing the golden bell forcefully. Strong ripples spread out across the bell once again, but still, it remained intact and did not even budge an inch from its position.

“Your Grace, I came bearing orders from the master. Do you think this is a good idea?” Nestor asked calmly.

Dustin did not say a word and merely drove his sword against the bell continuously. With his ceaseless effort, the bell gradually started to vibrate, and the ripples on it grew more violent.

After another ten stabs or so, Dustin’s sword suddenly snapped with a clang and fell to the ground noisily. It was just an ordinary sword that could not withstand the constant surges of true energy channeled from Dustin.

“That’s enough!” Rufus stopped Dustin when he saw that Dustin was still intent on attacking Nestor.

“You’re no match for him. There’s no point carrying on.”

“Who’s to say I’m no match for him? We’ll never know until we end this!” Dustin retorted defiantly. “He came under orders, and he has someone behind him. If anything were to happen to him here, you wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences!” Rufus warned him.

“So? Are you telling me that I should stand idly by and watch as my mother’s murderer walks away without doing anything?” Dustin’s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked much like a bloodthirsty beast.

“Hear me out, Logan. Now’s not the time yet.” Rufus shook his head. Nestor was the King’s most trusted guard. If, for any reason, he happened to die in their hands, it would have many repercussions.

He did not wish for his son to be entangled in the mess that took place all those years ago. At least, not yet; it was still not the time yet.

“Rufus Rhys, if you do not wish to be implicated, then just back off! I will take full responsibility and bear all the consequences of my actions today. This has nothing to do with the Rhys family!” Dustin roared menacingly before once again charging toward Nestor with his broken sword.

This time, Nestor no longer played the part of the defensive party. He removed the golden bell that shielded him from Dustin’s attacks and let Dustin do as he wished.

Just as Dustin was about to make contact with his target, a dragon cane parried his sword, blocking his advances.

“Mr. Logan! Please calm down! Many will die if you harm him!” Albert warned gravely.

“How dare you block me!” Dustin’s expression darkened even more. He looked feral and seemed intent on murdering anyone who dared stop him from achieving his goal of killing Nestor.

“Quit messing around, lad!” Gregory, who stood a little way to the back, called out to him.

“All this fighting is meaningless. If you really have a mind to get revenge, you might as well just march right up to Stonia and launch an attack on Aylka!”

Dustin clenched his jaws and took a deep breath when he heard that. Finally, he suppressed his urge to kill and backed off. Of course, he knew that Nestor was nothing more than a puppet and that there was someone else behind the scenes.

Gregory was right. If he really wanted revenge, he would have to go up to them with his head held high and kill openly without any restraints. He would make those who were in power in Aylka tremble with fear!

“What are you still standing around here for, scum? Get the hell out of here now!” Rufus struck Nestor harshly with his foot.

“I shall take my leave now,” Nestor said humbly before he nodded at them and turned to leave. But before he left, he deliberately turned back and shot Dustin a challenging glance.

“Listen up, Wilkins! I will personally go to Aylka for you in a year! I will fight you to the death at the highest fort in Aylka!” Dustin’s fury was overwhelming and unbridled.

“I await for your presence, Your Grace.” Nestor smiled curtly before quickly disappearing into the darkness.

“You acted too rashly, young man! Even though he’s just an attendant, he’s an unrivaled master in Aylka! The Sword Whisperer is the only person in the whole of West Lucozia who can put up a fight against him! Did you really think that it would be so easy to kill him?” Gregory asked huffily.

His words seemed to have more effect on Dustin than Rufus‘.

“Of course, I know that it wouldn’t be easy to kill him off. I was just putting on a show.” The resentful and feral expression on his face had completely dissolved away and was instead replaced by his usual calmness and nonchalance.

“Putting on a show?” Gregory did not understand what he meant.

“A decade ago, he designed such an intricate scheme just to do away with me. I do not believe that his desire to get rid of me will change after a decade. If I did not make a move earlier on, he’d still find a means of assessing me. If that were the case, I’d much rather make the first move and show him what a vengeful and aggressive young rascal I am,” Dustin said aloofly.

“Have you been acting the whole time, lad?” Gregory quickly caught on to what he meant.

“Not exactly acting. I was dead serious about wanting to do him in. I simply made myself seem more impulsive and quick–tempered, and I also showed him how little progress I’ve made over the years so that they would not be too wary and guarded against me.” Dustin looked up calmly into the sky with bright eyes. He had ten years of practice that allowed him to mask his emotions and not let anyone see past his true feelings.

“The strong show weakness to their enemies, whereas the weak show strength. Well done, young man! You truly have some tricks up your sleeves!” Gregory laughed heartily.

“Hah! He takes after his father!” Rufus lifted his chin proudly.

Dustin paid him no heed and raised his sword. With a quick swish, he brought his sword down in an arc, and Clement, who had been secretly attempting to escape, was sliced in half.

“Pl–please don’t kill me… I’m begging you, please don’t-” Luther and his two sons were begging on their knees as tears ran down their faces. But before they could even finish their words, Dustin brought his sword down on them, and all three of them were beheaded.

“I gave you lots of chances, but you never treasured them.” And then, he turned around and walked into the center as though nothing had ever happened.

“Albert, spare no one,” Rufus ordered impassively.

“Yes, Sir.” Albert nodded. Then, a murderous glint flashed in his eyes as he turned to face the members of Royal Valor. He looked like a ravenous beast who had spotted a flock of lambs. They were going to pay with their lives for angering Rufus!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 366

After he left Peaceful Medical Center, Nestor quickly got into a car. The driver was a pale young man with handsome features who had a layer of thick makeup and bright red lipstick. It was hard to identify his gender at first glance.

“Who would have thought that Logan Rhys would have gone into hiding in such a pathetic medical center for the past ten years that he’d been missing, Mr. Wilkins? And it seems like he’s still very much hung up on the incident back then. Should I put an end to him when the opportunity arises so that we won’t get into any trouble with him in the future?” The pale man had a shrill voice that carried a hint of malice.

“We can’t kill him yet,” Nestor said calmly with his eyes closed. “So long as Rufus is still in power, nobody will be able to harm him.”

“Every mortal goes through life and death, Sir. I promise I’ll make his death look so natural that nobody will suspect anything amiss.” The pale man chuckled venomously.

“Don’t be silly. Things aren’t as simple as you make them out to be.” Nestor shook his head. “Do you know why Rufus willingly stayed cooped up in West Lucozia serving our master when he has such impressive skills and a troop of 500,000 men at his disposal?”

“Of course, it’s because he’s intimidated by our majestic and powerful master!” The pale man declared proudly.

“It’s partially true that he’s intimidated, but more importantly, it’s because he’s worried about the potential consequences.” Nestor gave a slight smile. “As long as the so–called Kirin is around, Rufus will never take action, no matter how ambitious he is. On the contrary, Rufus would be an uncontrollable beast with nothing left to lose once his son was dead. And when that day comes, Stonia’s destiny will be rewritten.”

When the Princess Consort of West Lucozia died a decade ago, Rufus had attempted to deploy his armies from the borders several times. But in the end, he always held back.

Was the reason behind it because he feared death? Or was it because he feared the King? What a joke! The true reason behind his retreat was to protect Logan. Simply put, the influential and great Prince of Theswe only had one last precious treasure left, and that was his son, Logan. If anything were to happen to him, mayhem would break out in Stonia.

“Sir, I’m just worried that when Logan returns to West Lucozia and inherits the throne, it’ll bring great disaster upon us!” The pale man reminded Nestor.

“Hah! The so–called Kirin that people claimed to be an unrivaled genius is just a rascal who’s still wet behind the ears. He’s impulsive and easily angered; he’s utterly transparent. Even if a person like him inherits the throne, he’d just be a reckless man who does not warrant our fear. I’m certain. that once Rufus Rhys dies, the entire Rhys family, and even the whole of West Lucozia, will fall apart and end up in a mess!” Nestor smiled vilely.

“But Rufus is only in his fifties. What if he still has a long life ahead of him? Will we continue living in fear for another twenty or thirty years to come?” The pale man frowned.

“It wouldn’t take so long. Just wait. Things will soon come to an end.” A meaningful smirk crept up on Nestor’s face. The master had waited for ten years; it was ten years‘ worth of laying out their tactics. It was almost time to carry out their plan and reap the fruits of their labor.

When Dustin woke up the next morning, the medical center had been thoroughly cleaned, both inside and out. All traces of the fight that took place the night prior had vanished, and all relevant information had been hidden away.

Everything was as calm and peaceful as before..

“Lad, your father has returned to West Lucozia.” Gregory walked down the stairs toward him. As opposed to his usual drunken state, he seemed exceptionally sober today.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 367

“He should have left long ago. He’s only going to bring us trouble if he stays here,” Dustin said frostily.

“Before your father left, he asked me to talk you into returning to the Rhys family. I refused.” Gregory sat down on a chair and poured himself a cup of tea.

“I told him that the Rhys household is a dangerous place to be in. I’d much rather see you do what you love and live your best life out here than be constantly caught in power struggles and deceitful manipulations back there. Surprisingly, he agreed. He told me that all he wants is for you to be happy, and that the Rhys family will always be there to back you up. His only wish is for you to make time to go back and visit your mother’s grave to pay her respect.”

Dustin stood there, frozen in place, when he heard that. He felt a prick on his chest, right above his heart. He reached up to find that it was the crystal necklace that his mother had left him.

Taking in a deep breath, he said, “I’ll go back. But now’s not the time. The day the murderer pays with his life will be the day I return!”

Because how could he visit his mother’s grave now knowing that her death has yet to be avenged?

“Alright then, I’ve said all that’s left to be said. You make your own decision.” Then Gregory downed the cup of tea and went upstairs, ready to go back to bed again. As for Dustin, he sat on a chair and started to ponder over his great vengeance scheme.

“What’s on your mind?” Dahlia walked in and waved a hand in front of Dustin’s face.

“Hey, when did you come in?” Dustin was surprised to see her.

“You didn’t even see me coming in? What are you so lost in thought over? Is it me you’re thinking about, or is it Natasha that’s occupying your thoughts?” Dahlia probed inquisitively.

“Neither.” Dustin shook his head. That was a trick question, and he knew better than to answer it. “Oh? Is there someone else that you’ve got your mind on?” Dahlia asked, looking at him questioningly.

“Of course not!” Dustin was amused by Dahlia’s question.

Then, he quickly changed the topic. “Did you come here so early in the morning to ask me about this?”

“Hah! Do you think I have nothing better to do with my time?” Dahlia rolled her eyes at him. “I’ve come to share some good news! The Nicholson family in Glenstead has finally accepted our family again! We’ll be reunified. From now on, we’ll be scions of a prestigious family!”

“Oh? Is that so? Well, congratulations!” Dustin chuckled.

“That’s not all!” Dahlia smiled proudly. “Not only have we been accepted to return, but the patriarch of the family, Regulus Nicholson, has also listed me as a potential successor! I’ll stand a chance of competing against the rest of his offspring as the future head of the household!”

“So what you mean, is that as long as you perform well, you stand a chance of becoming the head of a prominent family?” Dustin was quick to catch on.

“Precisely!” Dahlia snapped her fingers and giggled excitedly. “So many people dream about being listed as potential successors of the family. I never would have guessed that the patriarch would choose me! What a pleasant surprise!”

Truth be told, she hadn’t held high hopes of being reunited with the Nicholson family of Glenstead. She knew that even if she were to return to the prestigious family, she would not be properly recognized or appreciated as she wasn’t part of the direct lineage.

But things were different now. To be selected as a potential successor was a big deal.. It put her at a different standing and status from all the other descendants who weren’t on the list. This was her one chance to take control of her destiny and break free from the oppression of her family. All she needed to do was prove her worth and defeat her competitors, and she’d be able to emerge as a successor and rise above them all.

“Congratulations! Seems like the patriarch is placing great importance on your family!” Dustin smiled.

“Well, of course!” Dahlia lifted her chin confidently. “Now that the chance presents itself, you better butter me up nice and well or you’ll be sorry you missed the opportunity to do so when I become the successor!”