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 83

Dustin was speechless as he faced the cold look on Dahlia’s face and a rightfully angry crowd. Eventually, after a few minutes of silence, he exited the ward. He knew no one would believe him no matter what he said.

“Humph! He should’ve left hours ago! What a nuisance!”

“I know! He has no awareness at all!”

The crowd insulted and criticized Dustin as he left the room.

Florence smiled and said, “Dr. Leister, that ignorant bastard is gone. Please calm down.”

“Ross, can you let it go this time, for my sake? Curing the patient is an urgent matter. I’ll repay you greatly for “this!” Matt chimed in.

“How could I ignore your offer, Mr. Laney? But this will only happen once. I won’t let it go next time!” warned. the doctor with glasses.

“Of course! Most definitely!”

The crowd nodded and looked at Matt gratefully.

“How maddening! That useless bastard Dustin only knows how to make things worse. Mr. Laney is the only person who could save the situation,” thought Florence.

“Alright, go fetch me some medicine.” The glasses–clad man did not waste another second. He wrote down the prescription and tossed it to Florence. Without a moment’s hesitation, she rushed to follow his instructions. Luckily, she was in a hospital, and the medicine was easy to find.

In less than an hour, the medicine was ready.

“Did someone doubt my abilities earlier? I’ll show them how it’s done!” The doctor called for the crowd’s attention before he poured the medicine into Henry’s mouth. As the treatment flowed to his stomach, his face quickly regained color. He felt his frozen limbs warm up. Even his previously weak breathing had improved.

Seeing this, the crowd praised the doctor.

“It’s working! It’s working! His face is getting better!”

“Dr. Leister, you’re incredible! You were able to cure him with just some medicine. How miraculous!”

“Now that’s Dr. Cross‘ best apprentice! Those medical skills of yours are superb! You’re probably better than your master at this point!”

The crowd’s expressions brightened as they started cheering.

“Although I’m not on the same level as my master, I’ve probably gained 70% to 80% of his skills. No illness will be able to defeat me!” Ross boasted.

“That’s right! Dr. Leister’s medical skills are beyond praise!” Florence complimented, smiling at him.

“Too bad that guy isn’t here. Otherwise, I’d show him what a great doctor looks like!” The doctor smiled proudly.

However, as he finished his sentence, there was a sudden turn of events.

Henry’s face flushed red. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead. His skin started burning as if he had a high fever.

“Ugh!” Henry sat up and coughed up blood. He fell backward as he fainted again.

The crowd was shocked at the scene. “What happened? Wasn’t he cured? Why did he cough up blood suddenly?” thought the onlookers.

“Doctor, what… what happened?” Dahlia asked as her face turned pale with shock.

“Oh heavens! He coughed up so much blood. Could he be dead?” The color drained from Florence’s face.

“That shouldn’t happen. I followed all the procedures. How could this be?” questioned the doctor, also “puzzled. “There was no way the cure could be wrong. Why would the patient cough up blood?” he wondered.

“Please think of another way, doctor! My grandfather is dying!” Dahlia was in a panic.

Henry had lost all signs of life. Blood continued to flow from his nose. It was clear that his situation was worse than before.

“Don’t panic. Let me take a look.”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 84

Dr. Ross Leister examined the patient again. However, Henry’s heart was beating rapidly as his body convulsed and trembled out of his control.

At that moment, the doctor was at a loss for words.

“This does not look good.” Ross was puzzled. He sighed and said, “The patient was previously diagnosed with other illnesses. Now that he’s got the Havaska virus, it’s impossible to cure him. It looks like he won’t make it. You should start preparing for the end.”

“What?!”

Everyone froze at bie statement.

“After treating him for so long, this is the outcome? Prepare for the aftermath?!”

“Dr. Leister! Please, you have to save my grandfather. I’m willing to spend every penny I have!” Dahlia begged.

“…” As the doctor opened his mouth to speak, the door was kicked open with a loud bang.

Dustin entered the room with a gloomy look on his face. Without a word, he swiftly pulled out a silver syringe and stabbed Henry’s chest. The fluids in the needle rushed into the man’s veins with a whoosh.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” Ross exclaimed angrily.

“Since you can’t cure him, let me do it!” Dustin replied coldly.

“Who who says I can’t cure him?” With a bold look, Ross demanded, “I already thought of a way to cure him. I could save him immediately. But now that you’ve messed around with the patient, his condition has worsened!”

“So you’re saying that this is my fault?” Dustin sneered.

“Of course it’s your fault! If anything goes wrong, you should take all responsibility for it!” Ross barked. He had been worried earlier but never thought this man would appear and become his scapegoat. “Thank the heavens!” he thought. He might finally be able to save his reputation.

“You’re not good at anything besides shifting blame. I don’t understand why Cross took you on as his apprentice!” Dustin mocked.

“You bastard! What are you blabbering on about? I’ll kick your ass!” The doctor was losing his patience.

“Go ahead and try it if you don’t mind dying.” Dustin glared at Ross. The stern look on his face managed to instill fear in the doctor’s heart.

“Dustin! What on earth are you doing? You don’t have any medical skills, so why do you insist on messing around?!” Dahlia insisted, her blood starting to boil. Everything had happened so quickly when Dustin entered the room that she had only just returned to her senses.

“Are you guys blind? This person made Granddad cough up blood! You still belleve him?” Dustin demanded coldly.

“Dr. Leister said he knows how to treat him!” Dahlia replied.

“So you just believe everything he says? Would you jump off a building if he told you to?!” Dustin insisted.

“You…” Dahlia started, but she was at a loss for words.

“Enough talking! Get out of my way!” Dustin said. His relentless manner made everyone freeze.

Ignoring the crowd’s shocked expression, Dustin grabbed a glass of warm water and slowly mixed in some antidote powder. He fed it to Henry slowly.

Although he could cure Henry with his equipment, it would take too much time and effort compared to giving him this antidote. After all, it had taken Dr. Cross three years of hard work.

" Are you sure this will work?” Dahlia questioned with a frown, clearly still filled with doubt.

“Effective or not, you will see in a minute,” Dustin replied hastily.

“Humph! How ridiculous! You think you can cure Havaska poisoning with some random powder? Do you think you’re some wizard?!” the doctor chastised. How could some random guy cure an illness that he couldn’t?

“Rhys! I’m warning you! If anything happens to grandpa, I won’t let you off easily!” Dahlia snapped.

As she finished her sentence, Henry’s eyes shot open.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 85

“He… He’s awake?!”

Everyone was stunned. No one would’ve thought that a glass of warm water was all Henry Nicholson needed to wake up. How miraculous!

“No way! Did Dustin really cure the old man’s illness?!”

“That’s odd. Even Dr. Leister couldn’t cure him. How did he do it?”

The crowd exchanged looks of surprise as they watched Henry’s breathing stabilize. For a moment, they looked at Dustin in a different light. They never imagined that Dustin, who had come from an unknown background, would have been the one to cure Henry.

“Granddad, how do you feel?” Dahlia asked hurriedly.

“That’s weird. One moment everything felt cold and then hot. It seems that I’m okay now.”

Henry ran his hands over his body, looking surprised. Earlier, he thought that his life had come to an end. He never imagined that feeling would disappear so quickly!

“Dad, you… you’re really okay?” Florence could not believe it.

“Of course. I feel refreshed and full of energy!” Henry smiled.

Hearing this, everyone sighed in relief. Despite their surprise, they were still doubtful.

“Since when has Dustin known how to cure illnesses?” they wondered.

“No! No way! The patient was clearly dying. How did you save him?!” Ross asked in surprise as he returned to his senses. No one but him knew that Henry’s heartbeat had been palpitating as he had never seen before. Itwas impossible to treat, even for him.

How had this fellow cured the patient? How could this man be more capable than he was? He was the great Dr. Rowan Cross‘ apprentice!

“You couldn’t cure him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t. You should learn more from your mentor so that you don’t keep making a fool of yourself!” Dustin remarked coldly.

“You bastard! What was that powder that you used? What did you do?!” the doctor roared.

A glass of warm water couldn’t have cured him, so it must have been the powder Dustin mixed in.

“How can you call yourself Dr. Cross‘ apprentice if you don’t even recognise Hexanavir?” Dustin mocked.

“What? That was Hexanavir?!” The doctor’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe it.

“Dr. Ross, what’s Hexanavir? Is it rare?” Florence asked.

“Rare? It was Dr. Cross‘ life’s work. He spent years producing such an antidote! With just a small sample, you can cure any rare disease. It is invaluable. You can’t get your hands on it no matter how rich you are!” the doctor replied.

“Huh? It’s that incredible?” Florence said, surprised.

“No wonder… no wonder you could cure him instantly. You used Hexanavir!” As he spoke, Ross remembered something. He asked, “Wait a second. How did you get your hands on Hexanavir? It was my mentor’s masterpiece! Tell me. Did you steal it?!”

“Steal?” Dustin scoffed. “I’m not that despicable.”

“You still dare to argue! Hexanavir is my mentor’s invaluable life’s work. He wouldn’t even give any to his apprentices. How would you have gotten your hands on it if you didn’t steal it?!” snapped the doctor.

The entire room went into an uproar. Everyone’s gaze landed on Dustin. Some were suspicious, while others looked down on him with disdain.

“Rhys! I never thought you could be so despicable. You’d steal someone’s precious medicine just to gain attention!” Florence yelled.

“That’s right! For a second, I actually thought you were skilled. After all that, you were only trying to outperform Dr. Leister!”

“You really are a piece of trash. With no skills, you have to resort to stealing!”

Everyone shook their head in disdain and continued mocking him.

“Dustin! Why? Why did you steal it?” asked Dahlia with a frown. She had thought that Dustin was capable, but now it appears he stole this Dr. Cross‘ antidote!

“I’ll say it again. I did not steal anything. It was given to me as a gift.” Dustin explained.

“Gifted to you? Who are you? Why would my mentor give his Hexanavir to you? Why don’t you look in the mirror and reflect on your behavior!” Ross spat with disdain.

“Believe me or don’t believe me. It’s your choice.” Dustin did not want to explain any further.

“What? Are you guilty? I’m warning you. Return the Hexanavir to me this instant. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with the consequences!” the doctor warned.

“Dustin! Can you have some dignity? Even if you want to be in the spotlight, you can’t do such a despicable thing. Return it this instant!” Dahlia commanded.

“I don’t want to argue with any of you. Get Dr. Cross to take it back from me!” Dustin’s face darkened. He felt anger rising through his body.

“Hey! You still think you’re all that after stealing? Give it back to me now!” Ross yelled as he reached out to snatch the bottle from Dustin.

With a resounding smack, Dustin stopped the doctor with a slap across his face. The doctor almost fell from the impact.

The crowd was stunned at the scene. They never thought that Dustin was such a wild man. After stealing someone’s medicine, he slapped someone in the face. How arrogant!

“You… you dare hit me?” the doctor sputtered in disbelief as he held his face.

“So what if I hit you? Do I need to make an appointment to do it?” Dustin smirked.

“Bastard! You’ve got the balls doing something like that! It looks like you don’t know what the Crosses are capable of! If you don’t want to die, you’d better kneel and beg for my forgiveness!” the doctor said fiercely.

“Apologize? Are you worthy of an apology?” Dustin sneered.

“Alright! You asked for this!” The doctor glared at him as he pulled out his phone, dialling a number.

“Dustin, if I were you, I would apologize to Dr. Leister immediately.”

Matt sneered, “You should know that the Crosses helped cure many big shots. If you dare hit Dr. Leister, you’re making yourself the enemy of Dr. Cross and the entire Cross family!”

“So what?” Dustin muttered unfazed.

“So what?!” Matt looked as if he was talking to an idiot. “Stubborn till the end. When Dr. Cross gets here, you’re done for!”

“Who’s done for?” a powerful voice bellowed through the door.

An older man in a doctor’s outfit appeared. His presence filled the space as he strode into the room. It was Dr. Rowan Cross!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 86

“Sir! You’re here?!”

Upon seeing Dr. Rowan Cross, Ross was stunned. He rushed to greet the older man with respect. At that moment, he looked very humble.

“Sir?”

“Could it be… this person is the great Dr. Cross?!”

After learning the identity of the older man, the Nicholson family members were excited. They surrounded him, trying to gain his favor.

“Oh my! What an honour to meet the great Dr. Cross in person!”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Dr. Cross. I’m so lucky to meet you!”

Everyone chimed in, praising the doctor.

One should know that this doctor was well–known across the seven seas. Not only was he good at curing others, but he also had a vast network of connections and was incredibly influential. Just a word from him could change one’s life.

“Dr. Cross, aren’t you resting? Why are you here?” the doctor asked curiously.

“A friend called me saying you were messing around with a patient. Did such a thing happen?” replied Rowanross. He was not happy.

Earlier that day, he had received a call from his biggest savior. He was so happy that he rushed to the hospital as fast as possible.

“A friend?”

Everyone exchanged glances before looking at Matt. In their eyes, only someone noble could be considered a friend of Dr. Cross. In this room, Matt was the only person noble enough.

“Dr. Cross, I’ve heard a lot about you!” At that moment, Matt suddenly stepped forward and introduced himself. “I’m Matt Laney, from Millsburg. I believe you’ve met my father.”

“Oh…” Rowan replied softly. He scanned the room as if looking for something. He did not even spare Matt a glance.

Shot down by the doctor’s cold response, Matt fell silent awkwardly.

“Sir! Have you lost something recently?” Ross asked.

“Lost something?” Rowan raised his eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Earlier, someone here stole your antidote. Luckily I noticed in time and stopped him so that you won’t suffer any losses!” the doctor said excitedly. Hexanavir was his mentor’s most prized treasure. Now that he had helped return it, he would surely be rewarded.

“Stole my antidote? Who?” Rowan was puzzled.

“It’s him!” exclaimed the doctor as he pointed to someone behind Rowan. “He’s the one who stole your Hexanavir! He even babbled on about how you gave it to him as a gift. Thankfully I’m smart enough to see through his lies. Otherwise, he would’ve run off with the antidote!”

“Dr. Cross, Dustin’s actions have nothing to do with us. If you want to get him, just get him! It is none of our business.”

“That’s right! Hurry and get rid of him!”

The Nicholson family was afraid to get in trouble, so they all started pointing fingers at the culprit. However, no one expected the dark cloud that fell across Rowan’s face.

“Dustin, what are you still waiting for? Hurry and return the antidote and apologize! If you’re lucky, Dr. Cross might forgive you!”

Dahlia started sending him signals. Although she hated his actions at times, she still felt bad for him when he found himself in bad situations.

“Bastard! You’re done for! You dare steal my mentor’s treasure. No one can save you today!” Ross sneered with a smug look as if he had won.

One should know that although his mentor was kind and forgiving, he was serious when it came to medicine. There was no way he would let Dustin off easily for stealing his antidote!

“Dr. Cross, you’ve done a great job teaching your apprentice. Since this antidote is so precious, I’ll return it to you.“Dustin pulled out the bottle of Hexanavir and threw it over to Rowan.

Rowan almost collapsed in shock.

However, Ross still had not grasped the situation and continued mocking Dustin.

“Bastard! Now you’re scared? Why didn’t you do this earlier? Even if you return it now, it’s too late! I want you to kneel and apologize. Maybe then I’ll let you go!” the doctor with glasses exploded, his head held high.

“Shut up!” At that moment, Rowan’s patience had run out, and he slapped Ross across the face with all his might.

Ross fell to the ground with a loud smack. He felt like he had dislocated his head. Blood started to flow from his nose.

“S–sir. Why did you hit me? He’s the one you should hit!” Ross asked, stunned as he held his face, not understanding what he did wrong. His master had slapped the wrong person.

“You dare disrespect Mr. Rhys? You’re the one who should be slapped!” Rowan bellowed in a fit of rage. He lifted Ross to his feet and slapped him several more times.

Ross‘ face turned a darker purple with every slap. Even his teeth started falling out.

Everyone was confused at this scene.

“What is going on? Shouldn’t Dr. Cross be lashing out at Dustin? Why is he hitting his apprentice?” everyone wondered.

“You imbecile! Brainless scum! Who gave you the guts to disrespect Mr. Rhys? I’ll beat you till you come to your senses!” Rowan roared as he kept hitting with no mercy.

If Dustin hadn’t stepped up to stop Rowan, Ross wouldn’t have survived.

After all these years, Rowan had been searching for Dustin so that he could repay him for his kindness. And now that they had finally met in person, it should have been a momentous occasion. However, his failure of an apprentice disrespected and openly mocked his greatest savior. He was clearly looking for a beating!

After letting out his anger, Rowan presented the bottle of Hexanavir to Dustin and said, “Mr. Rhys, I’m terribly sorry. It’s my fault for not training him well enough that you had to go through all that. Please forgive me!”

He fell to his knees in front of Dustin.

Seeing Rowan kneeling before the man, everyone was stunned into silence. Their eyes widened with shock as if they had seen a ghost.

“The great Dr. Cross is kneeling and apologizing to a nobody? What in the world is happening?!” everyone wondered.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 87

Rowan’s actions had left everyone in the room stunned.

“N–no way! Dustin knows Dr. Cross? How is that possible?!”

“Oh my goodness, Dustin is incredible! He can even make Dr. Cross apologize?”

Everyone in the room exchanged glances of shock as they watched Dustin’s calm, unfazed expression and the respectful look on Dr. Cross‘ face. They had difficulty picturing someone mediocre knowing someone like Dr. Cross.

“Are–are my eyes playing tricks on me?” Florence was in disbelief. The great Dr. Rowan Cross, the best doctor in the world, was apologizing to Dustin? How unbelievable!

“Could it be that Dustin’s Hexanavir really was a gift from Dr. Cross?” Dahlia was also shocked to her core. To be honest, ever since the divorce, she noticed that Dustin had become more discreet.

“What a nuisance!” Matt muttered to himself, looking gloomy. Dr Cross” appearance had disrupted his plan.

“S–sir… You really know this guy?” Ross asked in disbelief, cradling his face.

“Know him? Mr. Rhys is my savior. You’ve got some nerve. How dare you disrespect Mr. Rhys? Hurry up and kneel! Apologize to him!” Rowan roared, slapping Ross twice more.

“I–I’m sorry. I was the one who didn’t recognise master’s savior. Please forgive me!” Ross gave in and hurriedly kneeled before Dustin. He was no longer as arrogant as he was before.

“Mr. Rhys, this failure of an apprentice made a grave mistake not recognizing someone incredible like you. Please don’t pay any mind to what he says. Of course, if you need to vent your dissatisfaction, you may punish him as you see fit. I’ll take responsibility even if you hit him to death!”

Rowan’s words shocked the injured doctor as he trembled in fear. From the look on his master’s face, he realised he had messed with the wrong person.

If Rowan did not go easy on him, he’s dead!

“I don’t need to punish him. I just hope you will be stricter with apprentices so they don’t ruin your reputation,

Dr. Cross,” Dustin said in a gentle voice.

“Of course, of course,” Rowan agreed, nodding. “I will make this one reflect on his behavior. If he doesn’t change his ways, I’ll kick him out!”

“That’s your decision to make,” Dustin added.

“Failure! Hurry up and thank Mr. Rhys for being so forgiving!” Rowan roared.

“Thank you, Mr. Rhys, for your kindness!” the doctor kneeled before him.

“That’s enough. Get up.” Dustin waved him away.

“Mr. Rhys, it’s been so long since we last saw each other after we parted ways. Do you have some time to have a meal with me?” Rowan asked.

Upon hearing the invitation, everyone in the room was fired up. What an honor it was to share a meal with Dr. Cross. Even the great elites from Millsburg had to make reservations to meet him.

“Dammit! This Dustin guy really hit the jackpot!”

“I know, right? To get on Dr. Cross‘ good side, he must have a great life ahead of him.”

They were jealous and filled with envy. The words that left of Dustin’s lips in reply to the esteemed doctor shocked everyone even further.

“I don’t have the time right now. I’ll let you know when I’m free,” Dustin replied.

“H–he rejected Dr. Cross? The guy who got kicked out of the Nicholson family rejected an invitation from the great Dr. Cross? Did I hear that correctly?” everyone questioned.

“Oh, okay. I can always make time for Mr. Rhys.”

No one expected Rowan’s response. Not only was he not angry, but he was even happier than before. Dustin had not explicitly rejected him. That meant Rowan still stood a chance.

“Mr. Rhys, you’re busy. I won’t waste more of your time. Goodbye,” Rowan said tactfully, shaking Dustin’s, hand. He dragged his apprentice by his ear and left the room.

After they had left, the ward was in an uproar again. They looked at Dustin in surprise.

“Dustin, how do you know Dr. Cross?” It was Dahlia who spoke up first.

“I helped him once, so he owes me a favor.” Dustin said bluntly.

“Just like that?” Dahlia was shocked.

“What else is there?” Dustin replied.

“So that’s how it is. I thought.” Dahlia trailed off.

Everyone else let out a sigh of relief at his reply. They thought that Dustin had curried Rowan’s favor using other mysterious means. It turned out that he was just lucky.

“Humph! So what if you helped him once? You just got lucky! What’s so special about that!”

“He only owes you a favor. He already gifted you a bottle of Hexanavir. And now he’s saved your reputation.

The next time you ask him for help, he won’t comply!”

“We should stand on our own two feet. You shouldn’t keep seeking out others for help. After all, it won’t last forever.”

Now that they knew the truth, the crowd started making sarcastic comments. After all, they still couldn’t accept that a nobody like Dustin could be better than them.

“Dustin, thank you for what you did earlier,” Dahlia mumbled awkwardly.

She never thought that Dustin would know Dr. Cross. He even cured her grandfather’s illness. Reflecting on her actions, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“You don’t have to say anything. Saving Granddad was my decision. It had nothing to do with you,” Dustin replied.

Dahlia’s gratitude vanished with Dustin’s cold words. She frowned and thought to herself, “I already expressed my gratitude. What else does he want? Should I apologize to him in front of everyone? Does he need to be so particular?”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 88

“Rhys! What is your problem? So you got lucky and saved the old man! You don’t have to be so rude about it!” Florence cried, clearly upset. How dare he treat her daughter that way? Did he think he was all that?

“At least I saved him. What about all of you? He almost lost his life because of you!” Dustin retorted coldly.

“You… What is this attitude?!” Florence sputtered. She had almost reached her limit.

“Enough! Stop yelling at each other! What a disgrace!” Henry then demanded, “Florence, all of you, go outside. I need to speak to Dustin for a while.”

“Humph!” Although Florence was not happy about it, there was no other option but to leave.

“As soon as they left the room, the group started muttering.

“Say, do you think Old Mr. Nicholson wanted to talk to Dustin about his will or something?”

“I’m not sure. That guy is great at getting on Old Mr. Nicholson’s good side. No matter what, we need to be careful!”

“Ha! I don’t understand. James is his biological grandson, and yet Old Mr. Nicholson favors that guy more. I really don’t know what’s wrong with him!”

They murmured to each other, expressing their dissatisfaction.

“Oh, that’s right. Where’s James? Why isn’t he here while Old Mr. Nicholson is sick?”

Dahlia scanned the room and realised her brother was not present.

“He went drinking with his friends. We couldn’t get through to his phone. He probably left it on silent mode,” Florence said, shaking her head.

“Humph! He only knows how to go to bars and drink. No sense of responsibility at all!” Dahlia’s expression darkened. With behavior like that, it was no surprise that her grandfather favored this other guy more than his biological grandson.

“Ms. Nicholson! Something’s wrong!” Lyra cried as she arrived in her work attire. She looked like she was in a rush.

“What happened?” Dahlia asked, confused.

“I was notified that your brother started a commotion and got into a conflict with some people. They started a fight.” Everyone was shocked to hear Lyra’s words.

“What? Who’s got the guts to bully my son?!” Florence demanded as her blood started to boil upon hearing the news. She had evidently missed the fact that her son was the one who had started the fight.

“I don’t know the details, but I heard that the other party had many more people. If we don’t get there in time to stop it, James might be in trouble,” Lyra added.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go help him!” Florence rolled up her sleeves, looking like she was ready to fight.

“He only knows how to get into trouble. How annoying! Lyra, hurry and get more people to the bar!” Dahlia instructed. She led the group to the pub. After all, James was her brother. If he got into trouble, she had to clean up his mess.

Meanwhile, in the other hospital ward, Dustin received a phone call from Duane.

“Hey, Dustin. I found the incredibly rare Panax root that you asked for. Are you free now? We should meet up and have a chat.”

“Oh? Where are you?”

“I’m at Enchanted Tavern. I’ll wait for you to get here!”

“Alright. I’ll be there.” Dustin hung up the call, said his goodbyes to Henry, and headed to his destination. 500- year–old Panax root was invaluable. Now that Duane had gotten his hands on it, Dustin could not miss the opportunity.

Half an hour later, as Dustin arrived at Enchanted Tavern, he noticed Dahlia waiting next to her car.

“Why are they here?” Dustin wondered. He was confused, but he did not reach out to them.

He followed a group of people inside.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 89

There were a lot of people gathered in the bar. Some of them were spectators. Others were involved in the fight.

The group that the onlookers were most interested in was a small group led by James. A few of them had bruises covering their faces and blood rushing from their faces. They were forced to kneel on the ground, looking hopeless.

“James, how did you end up like this?” Dahlia could not help but frown when she noticed James‘ injuries.

“Sis! You’re finally here!” James staggered as he stood up. It was almost as if he had met an angel.

“Oh! My poor son! Who did this to you? Tell me. I’ll give them what they deserve!” Florence shrieked at James, heartbroken. Even when her son made a mistake, she could not bring herself to life a finger against him. There was no way she would allow others beat him up like this.

“Mom! That’s the bastard who hit me!” James pointed behind him, looking vicious.

Florence followed his gesture, and her eyes fell on a beautiful woman in a revealing dress sitting calmly at a table. Behind her stood a few burly, strong–looking men.

“Bitch! You are all dead meat! My sister is the president of the Quine Group! You will pay for hitting me!” James roared. They would pay twice the price of what he had gone through!

“The Quine Group? Is it powerful?” The woman in the red dress swirled her glass of wine, unfazed by his words.

“Humph! You don’t even know the Quine Group! I knew you guys looked uncultured! Let me warn you. Hurry up and apologize to my son and settle for his medical fees. Otherwise, you’ll all pay the price!” Florence warned.

“Old bitch! You dare disrespect our boss? I’ll rip your tongue apart!” shouted one of the men standing behind the woman in red. He pulled out a switchblade.

“What? Are you threatening me? You think you scare me?” Florence scoffed as she stumbled two steps backward with fear. She was stubborn.

“What happened?” Dahlia had always been the rational one. She started asking about the situation.

“What happened? You should ask your brother about that.” The woman in the red dress stood up slowly and pointed at James. “He started making a commotion at my place. He even started hitting my men. I was just teaching him a lesson. I’m not crossing the line, right?”

“I’ll pay for the damage done. But why did you have to be so cruel to him?” Dahlia asked, frowning.

“Cruel? Haha! I already went easy on him. Otherwise, he would’ve lost more limbs!” The woman sneered. Enough! I won’t waste another second with you. If you want to settle this peacefully, hand over 700 thousand dollars! If you don’t, none of you will leave this room!”

“700 thousand dollars? Why not go rob someone?!” James roared.

“That’s right! I haven’t dealt with you for hurting my son! How dare you ask us for money? Where did you get your guts?!” Florence glared at her.

“You guys better come to your senses while I’m still being nice. After my man gets here, it won’t be as simple as handing over money,” the woman replied calmly.

“So what if you have a man? Tell him to come here this instant if you dare! I want to see how capable he really is!” Florence pushed, unafraid.

“You’re messing with the wrong guy! Do you know who our lady’s man is? He’s Sir Draco! Our leader of South City, the Cobra!” boasted one of the men.

“The Cobra?!”

The Nicholson family immediately turned pale.

Swinton had four main territories: the North, South, East, and West Cities. East City was ruled by the King of the Underworld, Trevor Spanner. Meanwhile, South City was ruled by the infamous Cobra!

Compared to the King of the Underworld, the Cobra was said to be even more relentless and vile. According to legend, the Cobra loved raising alligators. Anyone who dared cross him was fed to his gators. People from West City could not afford to offend the Cobra.

They really were in trouble this time!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 90

“No wonder nobody dares to cause trouble here. Who knew Rosaline was Lord Draco’s woman?”

“It’s not that nobody dares to cause trouble; it’s just that anybody who caused trouble is dead! A tycoon with a net worth of billions flirted with Rosaline, and Lord Draco ordered that his limbs be chopped off. After the incident, the tycoon didn’t dare lift a finger and even apologized personally.”

“Fuck! That’s brutal!”

“No shit. Lord Draco is South City’s biggest bully. No one dares disrespect him!”

After finding out who the woman, Rosaline, was, the bar erupted in a furor. Some were shocked, some were in awe, and some sat back to watch the show.

“We’re in trouble this time!” James gulped as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. If he had known that Sir Draco ruled this place, he would not have dared to cause trouble, even if someone had put a gun to his head.

“How did I end up offending the devil himself?”

Florence shrugged, her face filled with fear. She wasn’t as fiery as before. She could bully some small fry, but when it came to a brutal thug like the Cobra, she knew her place.

“Why so quiet? Weren’t you great at speaking your mind earlier? Why don’t you show us again what you’ve got? " smirked the muscular man.

Was there anyone in South City who didn’t know of Sir Draco’s reputation? Almost nobody dared to offend Sir Draco!

“Don’t panic. I’m here. They wouldn’t dare touch you,” Matt spoke up next to them.

Florence and James were surprised at his words. They had nearly forgotten they had someone backing them up!

Matt was from the Laney family in Millsburg. What did he have to fear in this territory? No matter how mighty the Cobra was, he wouldn’t dare go against the Laney family, would he?!

With that realization, Florence and James straightened.

“Matt, the Cobra rules over this place. Is this really okay?” James asked tentatively.

“Don’t worry. He’s just some snake in the grass. He’s nothing to me.” Matt gave a small smile. He finally had a chance to flaunt his influence, so he had to show them all he had.

“I’m glad then.” James grinned. He thought he was done for, but now he had another shot.

“Hey! What are you mumbling about? Are you going to pay up or not?!” Rosaline barked, getting impatient.

“What are you going to do if we don’t pay up? You think we’re scared of you?” Florence mocked, placing her hands on her hips. With Matt backing her up, she feared nothing.

“You won’t pay?” Rosaline laughed coldly. “If you don’t pay up, we’ll do it Sir Draco’s way. Anyone who causes trouble here will have their limbs chopped off!”

She raised her hands and made a sign. The muscular men behind her unsheathed their machetes and strode forward.

“Wait!” Matt hissed and stepped up from behind. His good looks and classy aura always made women swoon.

“And who are you? How dare you meddle in my business?” Rosaline looked him up and down.

“I’m Matt Laney from the Laney family in Millsburg.”

“The Laneys from Millsburg?”

The room was in an uproar.

“Even an elite from Millsburg is here. We’re in for a good show!”

“No wonder those two are so bold. They have Mr. Laney backing them up!”

“Mr. Laney is so handsome. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.”

The crowd pointed fingers and gossiped. Their awe made Florence and James feel proud. The Laney family’s reputation was valuable indeed. With the Laney family backing them up, who would dare go against them?

“So you’re Mr. Laney. Nice to meet you,” Rosaline rasped, forcing a smile.

Of course, she had heard of the Laneys. There was a time when they were the aristocrats who led everything in Millsburg. Although they weren’t as glorious anymore, she did not dare provoke them.

“Since you know who I am, that makes settling things easier. Tell me, how do you intend to deal with this?” Matt asked as he clasped his hands behind his back arrogantly.

“Since you’ve spoken up, Mr. Laney, I naturally have to show you some respect. I’ll treat what happened here today as a misunderstanding. It’s over.” Rosaline conceded. They had a business to run, and she did not want to cause problems for Sir Draco.

“It’s over?” Matt snorted, “You hit a friend of mine, and you think two words can smooth things over? There are no free lunches here.”

“What else do you want?” Rosaline asked, frowning.

“Pay up and apologize, of course!”

“Apologize?” A dark shadow fell across Rosaline’s face. If she was dealing with this herself, she was okay apologizing. However, she was representing Sir Draco. If she apologized to them, wasn’t that an insult to Sir Draco?

“Are you deaf? Hurry up and apologize, or I’ll trash this place!” With her hands on her hips, Florence’s arrogant air returned.

“You don’t only have to apologize. You have to pay up. Damn it, you’ll have to pay me five million for beating me up like this! James shouted. With Matt backing him up, he had all the confidence in the world. He was milking Matt’s influence as much as he could.

“Mr. Laney, this is Sir Draco’s territory. Save me some face. Let’s not make enemies.” Rosaline pleaded, feeling awkward.

“You want me to save you some face? Who do you think you are?” Matt smirked. “Even if the Cobra were here, I’d demand an apology. Much less one from you!”

“Who thinks he has what it takes to make me apologize?” A thundering voice rang out across the bar.

A bald man wearing sunglasses, with a cigar between his lips, walked in menacingly. His fierce demeanor and intimidating aura frightened the crowd as they stepped aside. A path opened for him.

“Sir Draco, what brings you here?” Rosaline’s eyes lit up as she rushed to greet him.

“Just showing one of the gentlemen around.”

The Cobra put an arm around her waist and asked, “What’s going on? I thought I heard someone demanding an apology from me.”

“It’s like this…” Rosaline began, recounting everything that had happened with no details spared.

“Mr. Laney from Millsburg, is it? So you’re the one who wants me to apologize?” The Cobra stepped forward and looked Matt up and down. His expression wasn’t friendly at all.

“That’s right. Your people beat my friend up. Apologizing is the natural thing to do,” Matt quipped. With his hands behind his back, he was as arrogant as ever.

“Apologize? Fuck you!” The Cobra was furious. He slapped Matt across the face.

Matt stumbled and nearly fell over.

“Fuck!” he yelled.

The onlookers in the bar were stunned.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 91

The Cobra was more brutal than they had expected.

He even dared to slap an elite from Millsburg over a minor misunderstanding. There was no doubt that he was the mighty Cobra!

“How dare you hit me?” Matt cried as he cradled his burning cheek in disbelief. How dare some random thug hit him? He was from the Laney family!

“So what if I hit you? Don’t you deserve it for causing trouble on my turf?” The Cobra shot him a cold smile.

“Do you know that I’m from the Laney family?!” Matt thundered. He had always been a prideful person, so getting slapped in public was the greatest humiliation of his life!

“The Laney family? So what?” snorted the Cobra. “Don’t you know how to show respect on someone else’s turf? I don’t care if you’re the king. When you’re on my turf, you bow to me. You understand?!”

The Laney family had been glorious once. Even his boss had to show them his respect in the past. Now, they were no different from anyone else. Even if they were famous, the Laney family had fallen a few social classes long ago.

“Cobra! Are you provoking the Laney family so openly?” Matt challenged, with an unkind look on his face. He had thought that using his family name would scare the Cobra. To his surprise, his trick was ineffective.

“Stop fucking making a fool of yourself here! What’s so grand about being a Laney? I’ll be honest with you. I’ve got someone backing me up, and it’s Sir Anderson!” shouted the Cobra, his eyes bulging.

“Sir Anderosn?!” Matt looked taken aback. All his rage dissipated instantly.

Sir Anderson wasn’t just an aristocrat but one of the Five Big Guns of the Anderson family. He was the true face of the business world and a powerful figure in this city!

Even when the Laney family was still in their prime, they had had to bow to Sir Anderson!

He never expected a puny thug like the Cobra would have the Anderson family backing him.

“Hey, Laney! If you don’t want to get a damn beating, then get lost. Or else, I’m going to beat all of you up together!” growled the Cobra fiercely.

“You—" Matt trailed off. He was outraged but helpless. He couldn’t afford to offend Sir Anderson.

Seeing Matt fall silent, Florence and James‘ confidence wavered. They had thought that they could do anything they wanted with the Laney family backing them up. They never expected the Cobra to be so brutal. He hadn’t just embarrassed the Laney family. He had even slapped Matt. If the Laney family wasn’t enough to scare the Cobra, did this mean certain death for them?!

“Who were the ones causing trouble just now? Come out and face me!” the Cobra bellowed furiously.

James was terrified, and he nearly peed his pants.

“Sir Draco! Let’s talk things out. My brother is young and ignorant. I’ll apologize on his behalf. I’ll pay double for all the losses incurred!” Dahlia spoke up hastily as she watched the situation go awry.

The Cobra was ruthless, and he meant what he said. In this situation, they had no choice but to sacrifice.

“Pay double? Do I look like I need the money? If I don’t make an example of you today, won’t any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare cause trouble on my turf next time? Men, chop their hands off!” he ordered.

The muscular men behind him strode forward, brandishing their machetes.

“Dahlia! Help me! Help me!” James exclaimed, scared out of his wits, as he hid behind Dahlia.

Just as he was about to get caught, a beer bottle flew through the air and smashed into the heads of one of the burly men.

With a smash, the man collapsed dead on the spot. The crowd was stunned.

“Who’s there? Who did that?!”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 92

The Cobra’s expression darkened, and he swept his piercing gaze around the room. He was greeted by the sight of beer bottle after beer bottle.

“Smash, smash, smash, smash!”

The bottles shot out like cannonballs and sent each man sprawling. Each bottle met its target with deadly accuracy!

“Who’s being such a fucking coward? Come out and face me if you have the balls!” roared the Cobra furiously.

No ordinary man could send a dozen men flying with just beer bottles.

“Sir Draco, forgiveness is a virtue. Why won’t you show mercy?” a voice replied.

Dustin strolled out from amongst the crowd, attracting stares across the room.

“Who is that? How dare he attack Sir Draco’s men? Does he have a death wish?”

“He’s quite handsome, but he’s not very smart to offend Sir Draco.”

“If it were me, I would have run away after hurling the bottles. Why would he fucking show his face? Isn’t he courting death?!”

The crowd gossiped. Some were surprised, some showed admiration, and some enjoyed the drama.

“Why are you here?” Dahlia questioned, confused. She never assumed Dustin would show up.

“What is this idiot doing here?” Florence and James exchanged looks of confusion.

“Who are you, boy? How dare you attack my men?” the Cobra asked, with a menacing expression that suggested he wanted to bite Dustin’s head off.

“Who I am is not important. For the sake of your safety, Let’s just let this incident slide,” Dustin replied curtly.

“Let it slide? Who the fuck do you think you are? I’ll just let it slide just because you said so? — Just as he was about to curse, a beer bottle smashed into his head.

Blood and beer trickled down his face.

Everyone was appalled! The onlookers‘ eyes bulged with looks of utter disbelief. No one had expected Dustin to be so bold. He had hit the Cobra just because of a disagreement. He showed no hesitation. He must be out of his mind!

After a brief moment of silence, the whole bar exploded in an uproar.

“He’s done for! This young man is dead! No one can save him!”

“I must say I admire his courage. He even dares to hit Sir Draco! He has the courage of a lion!”

“He really is a hero. He has my respect!”

“He sure looks cool, but who can survive Sir Draco’s fury?”

The crowd tattled on, but their gazes as they looked toward Dustin was like looking at a prisoner facing the guillotine.

The crowd muttered on, but their expressions turned to worry as they watched Dustin, a prisoner facing the guillotine.

–

“Dustin! Are you crazy?! You you actually…” Dahlia sputtered. She was so shocked that she couldn’t complete her sentences.

That was Sir Draco! He lorded over South City and the head honcho of the underground! He did not give a damn about the Laney family! How how dare he?!

“This idiot must have hit his head. How could Dustin be brave enough to hit Sir Draco?” James was dumbfounded.

Although Dustin was standing up for them, what he did was just too crazy! James would never dream of doing something like this.

“You like fooling around so much, don’t you? I’m going to watch your last moments!”

As the shock passed, Matt couldn’t help but smile coldly. He had felt uneasy since Dustin had shown off at the hospital. He had even dared to fool around on the Cobra’s turf this time.

He really didn’t value his life!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 93

“How… how dare you hit me?!”

The Cobra rubbed his head in disbelief. His hand was covered in blood. In the years since he had taken over South City, no one had dared disrespect him, much less hit him with a bottle.

“This fool must have a death wish!” he thought.

“Sir Draco, take my advice. Let it go,” said Dustin calmly.

“Fuck you! I’m telling you, you’re dead meat! I’m going to rip you apart!” the Cobra cursed and swore as he returned to his senses.

‘As the threat left his mouth, a knife was held to his neck. The sharp blade pierced his skin, and drops of blood trickled from the fresh wound. An inch deeper, and the knife would have pierced his artery. Silence. The entire bar fell into complete silence. The Cobra’s roars stopped, along with the crowd’s prattling.

Everyone was utterly shocked as they turned to look at Dustin, who was wielding the knife. Hitting Sir Draco with a bottle could still be excused as an accident. Unfortunately, holding a knife to his neck was undeniably an act of provocation and humiliation.

Dustin’s boldness surprised everyone again as he shouted, “You idiot! Do you know what you’re doing right now?”

The Cobra went stiff and said fiercely. “If you dare touch a hair on my head, I swear you won’t walk out this door alive!”

“Sir Draco, don’t frighten me. I’m a scaredy cat. You can’t blame me if my hand trembles and I slit your neck,” Dustin teased. The blade went deeper. More blood started flowing from the exposed flesh. The Cobra’s facial muscles twitched in fear.

“Stop!” Rosaline shouted. “I don’t care who you are, but let Sir Draco go. Otherwise, your friends will die with you!”

“Dustin! Don’t be a fool! Put down the knife!” Dahlia yelled.

She was petrified that Dustin would kill the Cobra in a moment of impulse. If that happened, then they were all done for!

“Dustin! Are you crazy? Let Lord Draco go! Don’t drag us down with you!” Florence shouted, panicked. Of course, she could not care less if Dustin died, but she didn’t want to be next. If Sir Draco died, they would have to face the consequences.

“Young man, I admire your courage. So I’m giving you a chance right now. Put down the knife, and I’ll spare your life!” said the Cobra icily.

“Sir Draco, it seems like you’re still missing the picture. Right now, I hold the power,” Dustin stated.

“What? You have the guts to kill me? Do you know what will happen if you touch a hair on my head?”

“I’m not afraid of you. If it comes down to it, I’ll just give my life for taking yours.” Dustin responded, anunbothered look on his face.

“You“..” The Cobra was a little speechless. He was fearless, but he feared those who did not fear death. To his dismay, Dustin did not fear death.

“Dustin, know your limits. It’s not too late if you stop now!” Dahlia persuaded. No matter what, she didn’t want to see Dustin get killed over this.

“Young man, I advise you to stop while it’s not too late. Sir Draco already promised to let you off the hook. You’d better not push things too far.”

"That’s right! Sir Draco is finally showing memercy. Don’t play with fire, or you’ll get burned.”

People shot him advice from the crowd. They recognised Dustin’s courage, but if he was stupid, he was just a typical fool.

“Young man! You have no idea who you’ve offended. I work for Sir Anderson. You’re spitting right in Sir Anderson’s face if you dare hurt me! If that happens, not just you, but your friends and family will all die!” threatened the Cobra.

“Sir Anderson? Is he oh–so–great?” Dustin retorted.

“He’s not just great, but the whole of Swinton respects him. I’m sure you’ve heard of Mr. Anderson of Swinton Group. He is Sir Anderson’s kin! You should know how to weigh the odds!” said the Cobra.

“After hearing this, I want to meet Sir Anderson,” Dustin exclaimed, looking interested.

“Hmph! I’m afraid you’ll pee your pants if you meet Sir Anderson!” The Cobra smiled wryly.

A hubbub arose near the door. A fit, middle–aged man wearing a suit walked in with bodyguards flanking him. He looked charismatic and intimidating without even trying.

“Sir Anderson?!”

The moment the man appeared, the Cobra’s spirits lifted dramatically.

The bar went into an uproar, and the crowd retreated in respect. They knew that the man they were looking at was someone even the Cobra bowed to!

“Shit! Sir Anderson’s here!” Dahlia’s expression changed.

She could only imagine how the magnitude of the influence and background of someone in Mr. Anderson’s league.

“How foolish! If he had let Sir Draco go earlier. Too bad now that Sir Anderson is here. He dug his own grave!”

“I don’t care if he dies, but he’s dragging us down with him. What bad luck!”

Florence and the others were shocked and terrified at the same time. They couldn’t even afford to offend the Cobra, much less the man behind him, who was none other than Sir Anderson.

“You fool! Sir Anderson is here. Aren’t you going to surrender?” shouted the Cobra.

Sir Anderson did not only have a strong family background, but he was also extremely powerful. He had seen Sir Anderson get away with killing dozens of men with his own eyes.

“Sir Anderson! You came at the perfect time. Someone caused trouble here and is even holding Sir Draco hostage!” Rosaline complained without hesitation.

“Oh? Who is brave enough to touch my men?” The middle–aged man cocked an eyebrow and looked toward the commotion.

However, when he saw Dustin, his expression went blank. He was clearly taken aback.

In fact, Dustin was also stunned.

He never imagined that Sir Anderson was also Duane Welch!

“Boy, you’d better put the knife down before Sir Anderson gets mad. Or else you’re never going to walk out of here alive!” threatened the Cobra nastily.

Dustin obeyed at once and dropped the knife with a clang.

“Hmph! You’re scared now, aren’t you? But it’s too late!”

The Cobra distanced himself and stood with a threatening stance, ready to enact his revenge.

Before he could give the order, Duane asked, “Dustin, what happened? Did my men offend you?”

“It’s just a small misunderstanding. I never thought they were your men, Uncle Duane." Dustin smiled.

“Uncle Duane?” The Cobra was dumbfounded as he watched the two men talk amicably.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 94

When Sir Anderson showed up, everyone thought Dustin was done for.

To their surprise, nothing dramatic happened when Sir Anderson saw Dustin. Instead, they chatted amicably like they were old friends.

The Cobra was appalled by this turn of events. Even Florence and the others were stunned.

“This can’t be for real, right? Could he really know Sir Anderson?”

“My goodness, who is that man? How could he and Sir Anderson be talking like buddies?”

The crowd gossiped in hushed voices, obviously taken aback.

"S–Sir Anderson–you know him?” The Cobra gulped. He was slightly panicked and at a loss.

‘Dustin is Natasha’s friend. What gave you the nerve to offend him?” Duane’s expression grew colder by the second.

“Huh? Ms. Harmon’s friend?” The Cobra got the fright of his life.

Natasha Harmon wasn’t just one of Swinton’s big guns, she had the support of Millburg’s aristocrats. She was as prominent a figure as Sir Anderson himself. What’s more, Natasha was a very protective person. Anyone who dared to offend her friends was doomed to face ruthless revenge!

“Sir Anderson, I- the Cobra stuttered.

“Pack it up and stop being a baby. Apologize to Dustin, and whatever happened will be forgotten.” Duane waved his hand.

“Okay, okay…” The Cobra nodded repeatedly and bowed to Dustin. “Mr. Rhys, I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t know who you were and offended you. I hope you’ll let this slide and forgive me this once.”

“You’re exaggerating. As long as you won’t take revenge,” said Dustin plainly.

“I wouldn’t dare…” The Cobra kept wiping away his sweat as he said, “From now on, you and your friends will be treated as our VIPs. Everything will be on the house!”

His humble response shocked the crowd. Who would have thought that the Cobra, who was so villainous just a moment before, would apologize so humbly the next?

“Dustin, let’s have a chat. This way.” Duane wasn’t joking. He stretched out a hand in invitation and led the way to the office on the second floor.

The moment they left, the entire bar erupted!

"I… I wasn’t just seeing things, was I? Did that fool just talk to Sir Anderson like the best of pals?” James asked in disbelief.

After all, Sir Anderson was the Cobra’s backer. He could turn Swinton upside down with a lift of his finger.

“If I’m guessing right, Ms. Harmon must have something to do with their acquaintance.” Dahlia suggested, her senses returning quickly.

She had heard Sir Anderson mention Natasha Harmon. It was undeniable that he had spared Dustin for the sake of the Harmon family’s reputation.

“You must be right! It has to be! How else can a small fry like him know such a big shot?” James nodded fervently.

“Hmph! I thought he had some real potential, but it turns out that he was just putting on a show by relying on someone else’s influence!” Florence huffed, displeased.

“A man should have a spine. How can a man always count on a woman to back him up?” Dahlia shook her head in disappointment. Climbing the ranks by kissing up to someone looked grand on the surface, but it was just a quick taste of heaven. It would never last long.

“What a lucky bastard!” Matt’s expression was stormy, and his gaze stung with disdain. It was already shameful enough getting slapped by the Cobra earlier, but now, Dustin’s glory had made him look even more pathetic in comparison. He could not accept that a good–for–nothing like Dustin had outshone him! Meanwhile, in the office on the second floor, Dustin sat across from Duane while the Cobra served them.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 95

“Duane, let’s not beat around the bush, shall we?” Dustin sipped his tea and said, “You said you’ve found the Panax root. Where is it?”

“Since you’re so anxious, I won’t tease you any longer.” Duane smiled and clapped his hands.

A bodyguard entered the room carrying a wooden box. Placing the box on the table between him and Dustin, Duane opened it slowly. A dark yellow root no bigger than a palm sat inside. It was a Panax root with unusually long roots.

"This really is good stuff!” Dustin exclaimed upon examining the root closely. He looked delighted.

A 500–year–old Panax root was an extremely rare treasure! Now that he had another herb, he was another step closer to his goal!

“How is it, Dustin? Are you satisfied?” Duane smiled expectantly.

“Of course, I’m satisfied. Thank you so much.” Dustin smiled, reaching out to take the root.

Suddenly, the lid of the box snapped shut.

“Dustin, what’s the hurry? Let’s talk more,” Duane asserted. One hand remained wrapped around the box. Evidently, he was not planning on giving its contents to Dustin that easily.

“Duane, what’s this about?” Dustin narrowed his eyes.

“I’m very interested in your Gemiphen formula. Can you sell it to me?‘ Duane smiled faintly.

“Duane, this wasn’t what we agreed on. As per our agreement, I cure your ailment, and you give me a 500–year -old Panax root in return,” Dustin reminded him.

“Are you sure you remember correctly? Yes, you cured me, but I gave you the Hillview Hotel in return. As for the Panax root, you’ll have to exchange it for your Gemiphen formula!”

“You sound like you want to go back on your word,” Dustin warned, his expression gradually growing colder. He had thought that Duane had come to give him the Panax root, but to his surprise, Duane had been eyeing his Gemiphen formula all along.

“Dustin, don’t put it that way. We just want mutual benefits. If you’re unsatisfied, I can give you another thirty million in cash!” Duane stuck out three fingers.

“I’ve said this before. My Gemiphen formula is not for sale. You can only give me herbs in exchange for it,” stressed Dustin.

“Haha… am I not doing an exchange with you right now?” Duane hinted, tapping on the box between them.

“Duane, if people find out you’re not a man of your word, won’t you become a laughing stock?” Dustin’s expression was as cold as ice.

If he negotiated politely, Dustin didn’t mind selling him two packets of Gemiphen. However, Duane’s way of obtaining the formula was foolish.

"So what if people find out? Who would believe you?” Duane challenged. His nervous smile did not reach his eyes.

The Gemiphen formula was priceless. If he could get his hands on it, he could take over the entire Anderson family!

“Duane, for Ms. Harmon’s sake, I won’t burn bridges between us. So now, you’d best give me the Panax root.”

Dustin said calmly, suppressing his anger.

“And what if I don’t?” Duane retorted.

“Then don’t blame me for snatching it away.” Dustin was very blunt.

“Snatch? Haha. If you can take this box from me, I’ll let you have it for free!” Duane laughed. He had trained in martial arts for years and had long since reached the highest level of mastery. How dare an amateur like

Dustin snatch something out of the hands of a master like him?

“Okay! You said it yourself!” Dustin wasted no time and reached for the wooden box.

Duane was fully prepared. His hand bent into a claw and grabbed Dustin’s forcefully. The battle had begun.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 96

Duane was still smiling confidently at the start of the battle.

But it was not long before he noticed something was very wrong. Dustin was much stronger than he had expected. He could feel terrifying surges of energy rushing at him like waves in the ocean. They made the bones in his hand tremble. They would break any minute!

Duane’s expression darkened, and he couldn’t take it anymore. He threw a hard punch at Dustin, trying to make him fall back. However, Dustin did not dodge and faced it head–on instead.

Their fists collided, and Duane’s chair was smashed into pieces! The force of the punch shoved Duane backward until he hit the wall to catch his balance.

Even so, Dustin remained seated calmly. They both knew who was more powerful!

“Damn! I never knew you had tricks up your sleeve. I underestimated you!” Duane’s eyes narrowed as a complex mix of expressions clouded his face. With how young Dustin was, Duane had never expected him to be so powerful. Considering how young he was, he never expected Dustin to be so powerful. Just one punchhad thrown him off his feet.

Although strength couldn’t completely represent his fighting skills, it was enough to prove his physical strength.

“Thanks for the Panax root, Duane.” Dustin didn’t waste any time. He picked up the box and got up to leave.

Duane was already on his blacklist for being untrustworthy. This was the last time they would do business together.

"Sir Anderson, do you want me to send some men after him to get it back?” asked the Cobra hesitantly.

He could tell that Duane and Dustin weren’t actually friends. If so, he had nothing to fear anymore.

“He is quite strong. I’m afraid your men won’t be able to take him on.” Duane cautiously moved his numb arm.

“Are… are you going to let him go just like that?” The Cobra was a little disgruntled. After losing face earlier, he was eager to redeem it.

“Let him go? Hmph. Not so easily!”

Duane laughed coldly. “I’ll get my hands on the Gemiphen formula. Just wait and see. I have many ways to make him surrender to me!”

Meanwhile, outside the bar, Lyra arrived with the company’s bodyguards. When she saw that Dahlia and the others were safe and sound, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ms. Nicholson, is everything resolved?”

“I guess you could say that.” Dahlia nodded.

“I heard this is the Cobra’s turf and thought there might be trouble. I didn’t think it would be so easy. I’m sure Mr. Laney is to thank for this?” Lyra smiled.

The suggestion caused Matt’s expression to sour immediately. This woman just had to annoy him!

“Hmm? Why is he here?” Lyra wondered as she spotted Dustin leaving the bar.

He questioned, “What are you guys still doing here? Waiting for someone to take revenge on you? I don’t have the energy to save you again.” He spoke with a calm voice, grasping the wooden box in his hand.

“Who needs saving? You’re so nosy!” Florence snapped rudely.

“Hpmh! Stop showing off. If it wasn’t for Ms. Harmon, could you have walked out of there alive?” James
mocked brashly.

“That’s enough!” Dahlia waved her hands to stop their bickering. She turned to Dustin and said, “Dustin thanks for saving us, but I don’t condone your behavior.”

“Oh? Do you have any advice, Ms. Nicholson?” Dustin cocked an eyebrow.

“You’re too impulsive! You don’t think before you act. Did you ever consider the consequences your actions might bring?” Dahlia asked.

“I don’t know what consequences my actions would have caused, but I’m certain that your brother’s hands would have been chopped off,” Dustin retorted matter–of–factly.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 97

“I’m just trying to remind you to think twice before you act. Just because you have support from the higher- ups doesn’t mean you can run amok.” With a solemn look, Dahlia added, “Dustin, you must realize that your worth has to be backed by ability. Currying favors with powerful people can propel you to greater heights, but it won’t last unless you can prove you’re a person of high caliber. So don’t think you’re all high and mighty-consider this a lesson from me.”

Dustin snickered upon hearing this. “How can you be sure that I’m currying favors with the powerful?”

“Is that not the case? If it weren’t for Ms. Harmon’s reputation, would the Cobra have let you go so easily?” Dahlia didn’t hold back with her remark.

“Whatever you say. I know that, whatever I do, I’m nothing but a useless prick in your eyes,” Dustin sneered as he shook his head.

First impressions truly were tough to change. Even with the evidence in front of their eyes, some people would simply refuse to believe it. They preferred scouring for excuses in an attempt to consolidate their prejudices.

“Oh, Dustin, don’t be disheartened. Keep your dignity and utilize your capabilities to carve out your own career and legacy instead of being a lazy bum who leeches off others,” Dahlia urged in a deep voice.

“So what if I’m a bum? Catching easy fish is also a skill. It just means I work smart,” Dustin shrugged.

“You…” Dahlia was starting to get annoyed. She had put sincere effort into trying to talk sense into him, but her advice seemed to fall on deaf ears. Not to mention the fact that he did not appear ashamed of his behavior at all. It was apparent that there was no saving some people from their stubbornness.

As the two went back and forth, a few patrol cars pulled up and blocked the intersection.

The doors of the patrol cars swung open, and several uniformed police officers stepped out and approached them swiftly.

“We’re looking for Dustin Rhys,” said one of the police officers.

“That’s me.” Dustin responded, “Is something wrong, officer?”

“We just received a report that you’ve stolen some valuable objects. Please come with us!” shouted the officer.

“Stolen? Officer, there must be a misunderstanding.” Dustin declared, squinting his eyes.

“Alright, may I ask what’s inside this box?”

“Panax root.”

“Then that proves it! Come with us immediately for further investigation!” The officer said little more as he handcuffed Dustin.

“Officer! What exactly is going on?” exclaimed Dahlia, as she rushed forward, the color drained from her face.

“Who are you?” asked the patrol officer.

“I’m his friend,” she replied.

“Hmph, suspicious! You could be an accomplice. Take her away as well!”

In one swift movement, the officer clicked a pair of handcuffs around Dahlia’s wrists. This incident left everyone at the scene stunned.

“Officer, this has nothing to do with her. It’s all me,” said Dustin with a frown.

“He’s right, he’s right! This is all Dustin’s doing. It has nothing to do with my daughter! If you want to arrest him, then do that! My daughter has done nothing wrong. She’s innocent!” pleaded Florence.

“That’s right, officer! My sister is innocent. She’s a kind soul!” James exclaimed, panicked.

“We’ll find out if she’s innocent once the investigation is over. Take her away!” barked the police officer. With a single command from the squad leader, Dustin and Dahlia were escorted into the police cars.

“Wait!” Matt stepped out from the crowd and began, “I’m of the Laney family of Millsburg. Please cut us some slack and let…”

“Any more nonsense, and you’ll all be coming along!” snapped the officer. His cold glare silenced Matt instantly.

There was nothing anyone could do as they watched Dahlia leave with them.

“It’s over! Goddamn good–for–nothing Dustin, getting my daughter in trouble!” cried Florence as she stomped the ground in distress.

“I don’t give a damn if he digs his own grave, but to drag Dahlia with him? What a bastard!” James scowled with resentment.

“Now’s not the time for this. Quick, we need to think of a way to save Ms. Nicholson!” said Lyra.

“You’re right! We have to find a way. I know a friend who works at the police station. I’ll give him a call at once!”

“I know a relative who has connections with some police officers of higher ranks. I’ll find out if he can offer us any help.”

Suddenly, the air was filled with the excited chattering of everyone in the group, gathering assistance from anyone they could think of.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 98

Nighttime, in the interrogation room of the police station.

Dustin and Dahlia sat with their backs against each other, bound to the chairs in the middle of the room.

The air in the room was cool and damp, and darkness shrouded them completely. They could feel an invisible weight on their shoulders.

“My bad, I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess,” Dustin spoke first.

“They claimed you stole some valuables. Is that true?” Dahlia asked, cutting to the chase.

“What do you think?”

“You don’t look that bold to me, so my guess is someone is trying to frame you. Does this have anything to do with the Cobra?”

“The Cobra is merely a pawn. The mastermind is none other than Duane Welch.”

“Duane Welch? Are you talking about Sir Anderson?” Dahlia was dumbstruck. “Weren’t you on fairly good terms with him before? Did you strike a nerve? How?”

“I punched him,” Dustin admitted flatly.

“What?” Dahlia choked, struggling to keep her calm, “You You dared hit Sir Anderson! Are you out of your mind?!”

Sir Anderson wasn’t just anyone–he was like a brother to Mr. Anderson. Not to mention being of the prominent Welch family of Millsburg! He was someone even the vicious, unyielding Cobra would kneel to. Yet

Dustin dared place a hand on him, the epitome of digging one’s own grave!

“He hit me first. I only hit back in self–defense.” Dustin didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

“Y–you act too rashly!” Dahlia fumed, “Who do you think Sir Anderson is? Do you think he’s someone you can afford to offend? One order from him is all it takes to wipe you off the face of the earth!”

“Since I’ve already offended him, there’s nothing else we can do than go with the flow,” Dustin said with a shrug.

“Easy for you to say, but do you think you can handle this?” Dahlia’s patience was running thin. She asserted, You better find an opening to call Natasha later. She’s the only one who can save you now!”

As the words left her tongue, she felt an acrid taste at the back of her throat. Although she wouldn’t admit it if she didn’t have to, there was no denying that there was no comparing herself to Natasha when it came to family background.

Suddenly, the metal door to the dark room creaked open, Interrupting their conversation. A man with a rotund beer belly appeared in the doorway and stepped into the room. He sat down on a chair and flicked the switch of the bright lamp on the desk.

The glare from the lamp made the two detainees squeeze their eyes shut Instinctively.

“So, you’re Dustin Rhys or something.” hissed the fat man maliciously.

“Yes.” Dustin continued squinting until his eyes grew accustomed to the intense light.

“Do either of you know who I am?” the man asked.

“No clue.”

“Then, allow me to introduce myself. I go by Gardner, the inspector here. I am nicknamed Heinous Hades by many!” The fat man lifted his chin with pride.

Dahlia’s heart dropped. Having spent a good chunk of her life mingling in this field, it was not her first time hearing that nickname. He was a man of barbarian cruelty, always baying for the blood of his next victim. Any offenders who fell into his hands could only pray for an outcome less than horrific.

They were in grave trouble this time around!

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Gardner. We’ve heard a lot about you.”

While Dahlia anticipated the worst, Dustin seemed relatively calm and breezy.

“Great! Given that you’ve heard of my name, I assume you’re familiar with my habits. I recommend that you learn your place and cooperate. That is your only hope of leaving here alive!”

The inspector lit a cigar, slid it between his teeth, and took a deep breath.

“Mr. Gardner, what do you need my cooperation for?” Dustin asked with a calm voice.

“The lot of you stole some valuable items, and the law can sentence you to prison. However, I am giving you the chance to straighten out the issue with the original owner. If we reach a mutual agreement, no charges will be pressed.”

“Mr. Gardner, you must be mistaken. I didn’t steal anything. The Panax root belongs to me,” Dustin rebutted politely.

“Hey! Kid! Are you sure you know what’s happening?” The fat man snorted. “Does it matter whether you stole it or not? Once you step foot in my territory, I make the rules. If I say you stole it, it means you stole it. Do you understand me?”

“Mr. Gardner, isn’t the way you’re approaching this case a little unreasonable?” Dustin’s eyebrows creased into a frown.

“Unreasonable? Haha. My words could not be more reasonable!” snarled the fat man. A sinister smirk stretched across his face. “Now, you both have two options. One, to reach a deal with Sir Anderson. Or two, spend the rest of your lives in jail!”

“Can I choose neither?” Dustin asked.”

“Hey! I’m trying to engage in a peaceful discussion with you. You’d better be sensible and take the option, or else you won’t have it easy if you cross me!” Hostility flashed in his eyes.

“Are you trying to threaten me?”

“What if I am?” the inspector sneered. The cigar hung from his teeth as he continued with disdain, “I know you have some punch in you, but even superpowers won’t be useful in my territory! Besides, need I remind you that your gorgeous girlfriend will be very popular if she ends up in prison! Even if you could not care less about yourself, you should keep her in mind! That is, if you can bear watching as the other prisoners ravage such a delicate beauty!”

Dustin’s expression hardened. Murderous intent seeped from his eyes. “If you dare touch her, rest assured that nothing but death will await you!”

While his aggressive remark stunned Dahlia, she couldn’t help the warmth that filled her chest.

“Haha! You can barely stand up for yourself. And to think, you’re trying to threaten me! If you have brains in that head of yours, just hand over the Panax root and call it quits. Otherwise, you can’t blame me if I throw your beloved in prison! Give it some thought. You’ll have thirty minutes to think it through. I’ll be back with hopes of an affirmative answer.”

With a grotesque grin, Gardner turned to leave, leaving nothing but a loud, resonating bang in his wake. The room plunged back into darkness.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 99

The night progressed slowly. Florence. James, and the others waited anxiously outside the police station.

Dahlia was the backbone of the Nicholson family. If something were to happen to her, the Nicholsons would undoubtedly fall apart. Therefore, to save themselves, they did everything they could to arrange for her release which meant pulling every string possible.

A policeman appeared out of nowhere.

James immediately stepped forward and asked, “Mr. Clarke, how’s it looking? Can you let my sister go?”

“James, I dug around and discovered that Gardner is the inspector in charge of this case. A mere policeman like myself won’t be able to do much to help,” the man said with a shake of his head.

“What else can we do? Do you have any other ideas?” James lamented with panic.

“Mr. Clarke, we would be eternally grateful for whatever you can do to help us!” Florence pleaded.

“I’ll try my best, but I can’t promise anything. Plus, don’t forget the sum of money.”

“Sir, I’ve just forked out two million dollars. Take it for now, and I’ll get more if it doesn’t suffice. Please help us out. We can talk about further payment later!” James cried as he pulled out a card and handed it to the police

“Alright then, I’ll give it another shot.”

The policeman slid the card into his pocket discreetly, turned around, and walked back into the station.

“James, two million isn’t a small amount. Are you sure we can trust your friend?” Florence asked, her voice uncertain.

“No matter what, we still have to give it a go.” James muttered through gritted teeth.

“By the way, has anyone seen Mr. Laney?” someone in the crowd quipped.

“Matt said he went to meet a friend who may be able to help get Dahlia out of this pickle,” Florence replied.

“So that’s where he’s gone. With Mr. Laney’s help, we have double the reassurance. I’m sure it’ll be alright.”

With that, the group let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, in a luxurious villa, Matt was having the time of his life with a gorgeous woman in a hot tub. His body intertwined with hers as they blissfully made love to each other.

“I doubt you’re here simply to visit. You must have a favor to ask of me, am I right?” the woman smirked.

“Nothing ever gets past you, does it?” he conceded with a slight smile. He began, “I have a friend who’s being held at the police station, and I need your help bailing her out. I’m sure you know that Swinton is not my homeground.”

“A friend? What’s the name?” she asked.

“Dahlia Nicholson.”

“Oh? A woman? Is there something going on between you and her?” The beauty raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

“Hehe… she’s just a friend. She helped me out awhile back, so I’m merely returning the favor.” Matt maintained a nonchalant expression.

“Is that so?” Dubious, the woman pressed on. “Matt, don’t claim I’ve never reminded you that you are mine and mine only. You best believe you’ll regret being promiscuous out there. If a vixen dares to try to seduce you, I will make her life a living hell!”

“What are you even talking about, baby girl? You are the one I love most in life. How could I possibly have eyes for other women?” Matt quickly pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Since you say you love me so much, you shall attend my birthday party in two days and meet my father as “my boyfriend,” the lady said with a smile stretching from ear to ear.

“Are you introducing me to your family already?”

“Why? Are you afraid?”

“Your father is the one and only Sir Hummer. I bet you won’t be able to name me someone who isn’t afraid of the prospect of meeting him! However, it goes without saying that I would cross the highest mountains and the deepest seas for you!”

“Aw, aren’t you the sweetest! Alright then, it’s a deal!”

At the same time, at Java Joys.

Natasha was seated on the couch, reading silently, when Ruth barged in.

"Sis! Bad news! Dustin’s been arrested!” she blurted as soon as her lips parted.

“Arrested?” Natasha was taken aback. “What happened?”

“I just received news that Dustin was arrested and escorted to the police station for the theft of valuable items!” Ruth managed between pants.

“Theft? Is that it?” Natasha’s confusion grew.

“The theft is nothing but a coverup. In reality, Dustin is being framed. However, things don’t look good given that he’s fallen into the hands of that fat man Gardner,” Ruth continued.

A string of protests rang from Natasha’s mouth immediately.

“That fat bastard! Such audacity–how dare he touch my man? Gather your men at once and follow me to the police station to get our people back!”

Meanwhile, in Hunter Anderson’s mansion.

“Dad! Bad news! Something major happened!”

Jeff Anderson rushed into the study with large beads of sweat covering his forehead, startling Hunter as he practiced his brush strokes.

“You idiot! How many times have I told you that you must stay calm when facing problems instead of overreacting? Why don’t you ever heed my advice?!”

“Dad! I’m not overreacting this time. Something big really did happen!” Jeff wiped the sweat from his face.

“Pahl You better remember: no matter how big a situation, you must stay calm! That is how a real man should act!” After relaying his teachings, he finally asked, “Now tell me, what’s going on?”

“It’s about Mr. Rhys. He’s been arrested by Gardner!” Jeff exploded.

“What?”

Hunter started trembling in fear. Even the brush in his hand broke in two.

“Quick… call someone! We have to go to the police station,” he instructed his son. He roared, “That fat fuck “Gardner. If he dares touch a hair on Mr. Rhys‘ head, I’ll skin him alive!”

“Dad, shouldn’t you remain calm?” Jeff’s lips twitched with irony.

“To hell with calm!”

The news struck him like a lightning bolt, so shocking that Hunter broke into a cold sweat. “If Mr. Laney emerges unscathed, all will be well. But if something were to happen to him, everyone in Swinton would suffer. Not to mention Garnder, you, and even myself!”

“Huh! Is the situation so grave?” Jeff winced. He still had zero clue about Dustin’s true identity.

“What are you doing still lingering around? We have to get him out of there!” ordered Hunter.

After slapping his son awake, Hunter darted out the door.

Deep in his heart, he prayed, “Gardner, Gardner, you fat motherfucker better not mess around! If you do, Swinton will be soaked in blood!”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 100

As the chaos unfolded in the outside world, nothing but peace and calm hung in the air of the inspector’s office at the police station.

“What’s the situation, Mr. Gardner? Has the kid confessed yet?” asked the Cobra impatiently as soon as he sat down.

“It doesn’t matter whether he has or not. Any prisoner who falls into my hands is sure to give in eventually.”

The fat inspector took another drag of his cigar with a smug expression.

“It’s not a problem if you’re on–site, but you can’t guarantee that things won’t take a turn for the worse. I think you ought to get it out of the way while you can,” the Cobra suggested.

“Why do you say that? Are you trying to teach me how to do my job?” Gardner cast a cold glare at him.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t even dream of it. It’s just that the kid has someone backing him up. If this isn’t resolved soon, trouble may arise,” the Cobra explained with a quick apology.

“What trouble could possibly arise? I’m just doing my job. Plus, this is my territory. Who would dare disobey me?” he reminded the man with certainty.

“Well, that’s true, Mr. Gardner. You are Mr. Granville’s son–in–law after all–who would dare disrespect you?” agreed the Cobra flatteringly.

“Hmph! At least you’re smart enough to know that!” the inspector guffawed.

He was perhaps prouder of having the mayor as his father–in–law than of his identity as an inspector. The title of mayor denoted the highest position of power in the whole of Swinton.

“Mr. Gardner, this is a gift from Sir Anderson. Please accept it,” said the Cobra as he held out a gift box with both hands.

Gardner opened the box, and the shimmer of the gold accessory put a smile on his face.

“Hehe… Sir Anderson is simply too generous. Send him my thanks! Also, reassure him that I will handle this with extra care and ensure nothing goes wrong!”

“Thank you, Mr. Gardner!” The Cobra bowed in gratitude.

While the two spoke, the squad leader who had made the arrest entered the room unannounced.

“Is something the matter?” Gardner instantly slammed the gift box shut.

“Sir, the Nicholson family has just sent someone to intercede, and they’ve offered to pay a hefty amount to release Dahlia Nicholson on bail,” the officer reported.

“Pah! That woman is a wanted criminal. There’s no way she can be released on ball. Send them away!” commanded Gardner with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Yes, sir.” The squad leader turned and left.

However, he knocked on the door again in less than a minute.

“What is it this time?!” barked the inspector, clearly losing his patience.

“Sir, Ms. Harmon called in earlier, claiming that we’ve arrested the wrong person. She has asked us to release Dustin Rhys immediately.” the officer said.

“Ms. Harmon? Do you mean Natasha Harmon?” Gardner’s expression froze.

“That’s her.” The officer nodded.

“Cobra, what’s going on? You failed to mention that this kid had anything to do with Natasha!” The inspector’s eyes turned feral Natasha was a lady of superiority in all aspects; money, power, and influence. Under normal circumstances, she was not someone he would offend for no reason.

“Mr. Gardner, he’s just a good–for–nothing Natasha dotes on. In fact, he has no proper background. With your status, you need not pay him much attention,” the Cobra assured the inspector.

“Hmph! That better be the case!” Slightly flustered, Gardner instructed the squad leader, “Tell Natasha Harmon that we are holding no such person in our patrol room.” Since he had already given his word to Duane, there was no going back. For now, the best course of action would be to sweep it under the carpet.

However, as soon as the squad leader left, Gardner’s phone started ringing.

“Mr. Anderson?” He was baffled by the caller ID displayed on the screen. For Mr. Anderson to call at this hour, could it be for the kid as well? Wasn’t this too much of a coincidence?!

Brushing the thought from his mind, he decided to pick up the call, still feeling apprehensive.

“Hello, Mr. Anderson! Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Mr. Gardner! Tell me, did you arrest a young man named Dustin Rhys?” Hunter cut right to the chase without wasting a second.

“Oh? Did I? Why is it that I’m not aware of this?” Mr. Gardner questioned. His heart skipped a beat, but he didn’t let it show. He asked, “Mr. Anderson, did something happen?”

“Gardner! Don’t you dare pull tricks on me! Heed my order and release Dustin right this instant! Or else, don’t blame me for cutting you off for good!” Hunter yelled into the phone.

“Mr. Anderson, there must have been a misunderstanding! I don’t know a Dustin at all. How about I look into it for you?” The officer desperately put on an act.

There was no way he would spill the beans on the plan.

“Alright then, you fat bastard. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into! Mark my words–if anything happens to Dustin, you and your whole family will go down with him!”

Hunter hung up the phone with a threatening growl:

“Did that old man get up on the wrong side of the bed today?” grumbled Gardner, his displeasure written all over his face.

“Sir, what’s wrong?” the Cobra asked cautiously.

“What’s wrong? Where did you get the guts to ask me that?” Gardner slapped a palm onto the table. “Didn’t you say the kid had no background? Mr. Anderson just called to speak to me about the fellow! Does that sound like someone with no background to you? Are you deliberately trying to set me up, you motherfucker?!”

Natasha Harmon was already a handful. Now that Hunter Anderson was also in the picture, this was equivalent to stripping him down and tying him to a skewer over an open fire.

“No way! There’s no way that he has relations with Mr. Anderson! I–I really didn’t know about this,” the Cobra stuttered as the color drained from his face.

“Quick, call Duane now. This situation is getting way out of hand. He’ll have to pay me more if he wants this matter settled smoothly,” Gardner ordered.

“Alright, alright. I will call Sir Anderson immediately!”

The Cobra did not hesitate as he dialed Duane’s number. Over the phone, he briefly explained Gardner’s request.

After confirming an affirmative answer, he reported, “Sir, Sir Anderson has agreed to double the price as long as you can get the job done!”

Hearing this, the tense muscles on the inspector’s face finally eased.

"Sir Anderson is truly generous! In that case, I’ll do my very best!” he declared with a smile of contentment. Well, money did do wonders, after all. A middle ground is always more easily reached with a good payout.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 101

Back in the interrogation room, Dustin and Dahlia sat with their backs against each other for warmth.

Such peaceful moments were rare from the moment they were married until their divorce.

No one spoke anything as they remained silent for a while.

“Dustin, do you think we will walk out of here alive?” Finally, Dahlia broke the silence.

She couldn’t stand the damp and dark surroundings that forced her to think depressive thoughts.

Furthermore, Mr. Gardner wasn’t easy to deal with. Her heart thumped with fear at what would happen to them.

“Don’t scare yourself. We will definitely leave this place in one piece,” Dustin comforted her.

“What if we don’t? Do you have any last wishes?” Dahlia murmured glumly.

“There’s no possibility of us dying. Let’s talk after we get out,” Dustin replied.

“Not after we have offended Lord Asmon. With his connections and resources, getting rid of us would be as easy as killing a gnat.” Dahlia sighed.

Even if she pooled all her resources, it would be nothing compared to the wealth of the nobility.

“Dahlia, this doesn’t sound like you. I thought you were a person who would not give up until the last second. With your personality, you would take on any challenge that got in your way. Why are you being so pessimistic?” Dustin raised his voice.

When she heard this, Dahlia gave a chuckle. “You’re right. No one knows what will happen until the last minute. Perhaps we should have hope that things would turn around!”

The metal door creaked open once again as she finished her sentence.

Light streamed into the room as Mr. Gardner stomped in with a few burly, intimidating–looking men.

“Kid! Your time is up; have you made your decision?” He shot Dustin a fierce look.

“Yes, I’ve decided. I will not return the items,” Dustin replied firmly.

“What?” Mr. Gardner frowned. “Kid, don’t you know who these men are? I’ll be honest, they are the worst criminals and bandits I have in prison! They have been deprived of the touch of a woman for a long time! If you refuse to cooperate, you will definitely regret it. These men will have their way with your girlfriend while you shall watch her ravaged and abused in front of your very eyes!”

“If you dare to touch her, I’ll tear this whole place down!” Dustin warned with a growl.

“You piece of shit! How dare you talk back to me! Now, you have no choice but to bear the consequences!”

Mr. Gardner gestured to his men. “Guys, make sure to put on a good performance for this kid so that he knows his place! Show him a fate worse than death!”

“Of course, sir! We are much obliged!” The men cackled with pleasure.

They had been locked up in prison for a long time without a woman’s touch. Now that such a beauty was in their presence, they could not hide their evil desires to ravish her body.

“Hi, gorgeous! Let’s have a good time!”

“I’ll get the girl, you can get the guy!”

The men began to strip while laughing maniacally as they stepped menacingly toward Dahlia.

“You must be looking for death!” Dustin stood up, furious.

He tore the shackles around his hands and legs with brute force, and they fell to the ground with a clang.

After that, Dustin turned around and untied Dahlia easily.

“You!” Mr. Gardner was taken aback at the sudden turn of events.

The shackles in the interrogation room were specially made to be extra tough. It was impossible for a human to tear the metal apart like butter.

How did this scrawny kid do that?

“Gardner, you have pushed my limits!” Dustin kicked the shackles aside and rushed towards him.

“Quick, stop this kid!” Mr. Gardner screamed for help. The burly men immediately surrounded Dustin, and all of
them attacked him at the same time.

“Get out of my way!” A surge of energy was released when Dustin stomped his heel on the ground.

The sheer force threw the men backward and crash into the walls of the interrogation room.

All of them were dead in an instant, bleeding from their internal wounds.

“Help, anybody! Please help!” Mr. Gardner turned pale and whirled around to escape.

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 102

Dustin kicked the limp body of a man lying beside him.

It flew like a bullet and crashed into Mr. Gardner, who was attempting to escape.

He screamed in pain and fell to the ground, unable to run any longer.

“I’ve warned you not to touch her.” Dustin strolled up to him and hissed murderously, his eyes boring dangerously into Mr. Gardner.

“Kid, don’t forget you’re in the police station! You can’t go too far!” Mr. Gardner backed away on all fours.

“Too far? What will you do about it?” Dustin chuckled as he crushed Mr. Gardner’s arm with his foot.

The immense pain from his broken arm caused Mr. Gardner to howl in agony.

“Dustin! Stop it!” Blood drained from Dahlia’s face.

Even though they were innocent, they could be charged with excessive self–defense if they fought back against the police. It would only complicate the situation!

“Come back to your senses, kid! Confess and turn yourself in so that you still have a chance to save yourself. If not, there will be no mercy!” Mr. Gardner threatened with a grimace.

Without a word, Dustin kicked Mr. Gardner in the stomach.

Mr. Gardner spurted out the contents of his dinner last night by reflex as pee flowed out of his bladder. A

putrid stench filled the air from the mess he created.

“You–You!” Mr. Gardner’s face turned red from the violent coughing as nausea caused him to vomit bile from

his stomach.

“Dustin, have you gone crazy? If something untoward happens to Mr. Gardner, we will have to take

responsibility!” Dahlia called out frantically.

“Even if I did not fight back, he wouldn’t have let us go either. Since things have come to this, we should just

kill him,” Dustin retorted nonchalantly.

“The situation has not escalated to that level. Stop it now, and we can still fix this. If you murdered Mr. Gardner, everyone would have to pay for your mistakes!” Dahlia tried to reason with Dustin.

What if Dustin really went insane and did something stupid out of anger?

“Do

you hear that? Another violation from you, I will make sure you and your whole family pay for this!” Mr.

Gardner roared.

“Mr. Gardner, what happened?” Draco ran into the room with a group of underlings when they heard the

commotion.

However, they were all stunned at the sight of the bloody scene and Mr. Gardner, who was heavily injured.

“Kid, you must be looking for death! Let Mr. Gardner go immediately if you still want to live!” Draco warned.

CS CamScanner

Chapter 102

“Let him go? Alright, take him.” Dustin kicked Mr. Gardner and sent him flying into the air. He crashed hard on

a few of Draco’s underlings, taking down several of them simultaneously.

Dahlia was speechless at Dustin’s impudence.

She never thought he could be so reckless as to kick Mr. Gardner.

Even when he was surrounded by ruthless men on all sides, he did not even think of surrendering!

Had Dustin gone mad?

Did he not understand the consequences of crossing Mr. Gardner?

He was the police inspector, also known as Heinous Hades.

Mr. Gardner was the officer in charge of the prison and criminal interrogation. The lives of prisoners were at

his mercy.

How could Dustin be so bold?

“Mr. Gardner, are you alright?” Draco quickly helped him up.

Mr. Gardner spewed profanities in a blind rage as he ordered his men, “All of you! Kill that kid right now! I want him dead and his body chopped up into pieces!”

Never had anyone humiliated him in such a manner!

“Kill him!” Draco shouted as they took out their weapons and charged toward Dustin.

Just as the fight was about to break out, a loud voice was heard at the door.

“Stop this instant!”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 103

“Stop this right now!” A loud voice rang out.

A group of men in suits and armed to the teeth filed into the room.

“Who are you? How dare you enter the interrogation room without permission! Are you starting a riot?” Mr. Gardner screamed in fury. At this moment, he was stewing with rage.

The only thought in his mind was to rip Dustin up into pieces, and anybody who stood in his path would be his mortal enemy as well!

“Mr. Gardner, what an honor to see you!”

“The crowd of people parted like the Red Sea as a gorgeous, alluring woman stalked into the room in her high heels.

“Natasha?”

When Mr. Gardner saw who it was, the expression on his face fell as the burning rage in his eyes died down.

“You’re lucky, Dustin. Your girlfriend is here to save you.” Dahlia said sarcastically when she saw Natasha arrive. She felt a little frustrated. Although she was relieved at the thought of being rescued, she felt a twinge of annoyance at receiving Natasha’s help.

As she was Dustin’s ex–wife, she didn’t want to feel obligated to another woman.

Unfortunately, Natasha was the only one who could save Dustin right now.

“Ms. Harmon, why are you here at the police station this late at night with your men? What’s the meaning of this?” Mr. Gardner stepped forward to block their way.

“Hmph! Are you seriously questioning me? You were the one who brought people in without a fair trial. Is this how the police investigate crimes?” Natasha scoffed.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Mr. Gardner said sheepishly.

“You don’t understand? Alright then, I’ll be straightforward. I’m here to request the release of my man. Let Dustin go immediately before I make you regret it!” Natasha demanded.

“Let him go? This man is a wanted criminal with definitive evidence. Are you going to make me release him? Aren’t you going above the law?” Mr. Gardner declared righteously.

Just now, Dustin had beat him up into a pulp. There was no way he could live this down.

Offending Natasha was a small price to pay for him to get his revenge on Dustin!

“How dare you talk about the law to me! Aren’t you aware of how contradictory your words are? It is as easy as pie for me to reveal all your dirty underhanded tricks. Let him go immediately if you want to keep things swept under the rug!” Natasha threatened.

“Natasha, don’t push my buttons!” Mr. Gardner warned, his expression darkened.

“I know that the Harmon family is influential, however, I have my rights! This is my territory and that guy is a criminal. Moreover, he is under my jurisdiction. You have no right to Interfere in what I do with him!”

“If Ms. Harmon doesn’t have the right, how about me Instead?” Hunter walked into the interrogation room with his men in tow.

His noble aura caused the men to move away from him involuntarily.

“What? This kid knows Mr. Anderson?” Draco turned pale with shock. He didn’t believe it when Mr. Gardner told him about this. Now that he had witnessed the situation with his own eyes, only then did he realize the gravity of the situation.

“Wow, even Mr. Anderson is here. Natasha must have asked for his help to save you. Seems like she really can’t live without you, huh?” Sarcasm dripped from Dahlia’s voice as she spoke.

“Mr. Anderson, why are you here as well?” Mr. Gardner frowned.

Natasha alone was tough enough to handle. If Hunter joined in the fray, things might get out of hand.

“If I didn’t show up, would you listen to reason?” Hunter retorted angrily.

“Mr. Anderson, I informed you in the call last time. Give me some time so I can look into it. If there’s a mistake. I will let him go immediately.” Mr. Gardner tried to wriggle his way out.

“I have no time to waste yapping with you. Let Dustin go this instant!” Hunter ordered impatiently.

The corrupted ways of the police inspector were well known.

If they had waited for the investigation to end, Dustin would have been dead and gone.

“As an inspector, my duty is to capture wanted criminals and protect the peace of the city. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my actions,” Mr. Gardner defended himself.

“Mr. Gardner, I’m giving you one last chance. I’m warning you; let him go immediately. If not, you shall die an unseemly death!” Hunter wasn’t taking it.

“Mr. Anderson, are you threatening me? Don’t you know the consequences of going against the police?” Mr. Gardner narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t care what the consequences are. If you won’t let Dustin go, I will tear down this building!” Hunter retorted. Mr. Gardner’s face twisted with rage.

He never expected Natasha and Hunter to be so obstinate.

Why would they go to such lengths for a nobody like Dustin? Didn’t they know that Mr. Granville was his father–in–law?

What’s wrong with the two of them? They wouldn’t even budge an inch

“Mr. Anderson, don’t blame me for not warning you. It is an offense that you have barged into the Interrogation room without permission. If Mr. Granville wants to find fault. It would be a nightmare for you to handle!” Mr. Gardner quickly name–dropped his father–in–law.

“What the hell!” Hunter lost his patience and swung a heavy blow to Mr. Gardner’s face. “I asked you to release him immediately. What’s with all the excuses?”

“You–How dare you slap me?”

Mr. Gardner held his burning cheek in disbelief.

He was Mr. Granville’s son–in–law and a police inspector.

On account of Mr. Granville, they should know better than to provoke him! Were they going to rebel against Mr. Granville?

“What’s wrong with slapping you? Another word from you, and I’m going to put a bullet through your skull!”

Hunter drew his pistol and placed the barrel on Mr. Gardner’s forehead.

“Wh–What are you trying to do? Stop messing around!” Cold sweat ran down Mr. Gardner’s forehead.

He never expected Hunter to pull out his gun in the police station, nonetheless. Had he gone crazy as well?

Wasn’t this blatant disrespect toward the law?

“What the hell, when did Mr. Anderson become so rash?” Natasha thought when she saw the gun.

She knew Hunter as a calm, collected man. He was always good–natured and composed in any situation.

What was wrong with him today?

He lost his temper, slapped, and threatened a man at gunpoint.

If it were his son who was kidnapped, Hunter might not even have overreacted in this manner.

“I’m going to count to five. You will bear the consequences if you still refuse to release Dustin!” Hunter warned, his face nonchalant.

“Mr. Anderson! I’m Mr. Granville’s son–in–law! Are you going to defy him?” Mr. Gardner screamed in shock.

“Five, four.” Hunter started counting.

“Hunter! What’s wrong with you? If you dare to touch a hair on my head, Mr. Granville will never forgive you!”

Mr. Gardner’s legs were shaking like a leaf

“Three, two, one!”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 104

Hunter pulled the trigger immediately after his countdown.

With a loud bang, a bullet went through Mr. Gardner’s ear.

He let out a bone–chilling cry and hold on to his bleeding ear, staggering backward.

“Are you crazy? How dare you shoot me!” Mr. Gardner shouted hysterically.

He thought Hunter was just all talk. Who knew that Hunter would really pull the trigger?

“The next time, I won’t miss my aim.” Hunter cocked the gun and aimed it toward Mr. Gardner’s face..

“I’ll ask again. Will you release Dustin, or will I?”

Mr. Gardner shivered in fright. At this rate, it was highly possible that Hunter would go crazy and murder him in cold blood.

As Mr. Gardner was stuck in a dilemma, a ruckus was heard at the door of the interrogation room again.

An elderly man with snowy white hair rushed in with his men.

“Mr. Granville?”

At his arrival, the whole interrogation room went silent.

The elderly man standing before them was the mayor of Swinton, the highest–ranking official in the city. He was truly the most powerful man in Swinton!

“Finally, Mr. Granville is here! Rhys, you’re dead meat! What’s the use of getting Ms. Harmon’s and Mr. Anderson’s help? As long as Mr. Granville is on our side, no one will be able to save you today!”

With the appearance of Mr. Granville, the expression on Draco’s face changed from fear to arrogance. He laughed mockingly, knowing that Mr. Granville was here to back them up. He was their savior!

When Natasha and Hunter came to save Dustin, Draco thought that they were doomed.

Fortunately, Mr. Granville arrived just in time, which gave him peace of mind.

“Mr. Anderson! You slapped and shot me in the ear for that punk’s sake! You have gone too far! Now that my father–in–law is here, let’s see how you will explain this to him!” Mr. Gardner snickered with a resentful expression on his face.

Weren’t they so brazen a minute ago? He couldn’t wait to see how impudent they would be now that the mayor of Swinton was here!

“What a coincidence; his timing was perfect. Mr. Granville knows how to make an entrance!” Natasha frowned slightly.

Mr. Granville’s position as mayor was not to be trifled with.

Even with Natasha and Hunter’s influence, Mr. Granville’s decision would be final. More importantly, Mr. Granville and Mr. Gardner are related by marriage.

Were they going to open a can of worms?

“Mr. Granville, your son–in–law is guilty of distorting the truth, taking bribes, and accusing the innocent. You must properly explain the situation to us today!”

Defying everyone’s expectations, Hunter did not back down. He raised his voice and demanded an explanation from Mr. Granville.

Even if Hunter was the president of the Chamber of Commerce, he was still under the jurisdiction of Mr. Granville.

His actions were no less than rebellion against his superiors!

“You’re lying! I’ve always been righteous and impartial in my duties!” Regaining his composure, Mr. Gardner rushed towards Mr. Granville and started accusing them. “Father, they were the ones who broke into the interrogation room without permission. Furthermore, Mr. Anderson shot me in the ear! Look at this; my ear is in a mess! Father, you have to bring them to justice!”

He revealed his wounded ear to Mr. Granville. It was a shocking sight to behold as the wound was still bleeding profusely.

“Right! There’s that kid!”

Ignoring Mr. Granville’s dark expression, Mr. Gardner pointed toward Dustin. “He’s the main cause of all this.

Father, you must teach him a lesson. He even hit me in the stomach just now!”

“Shut up!” Mr. Granville roared in anger and slapped Mr. Gardner’s cheek.

The force of his slap was so strong that Mr. Gardner was thrown a few feet away, stars circling above his head.

“What?”

Everyone was dumbstruck at the sudden bombshell.

Who would have expected Mr. Granville to reprimand Mr. Gardner instead of backing him up?

What’s going on?

Natasha’s jaw dropped. Dahlia was equally as shocked.

Draco and his men couldn’t believe their eyes. They were all stunned at the astonishing turn of events.

“Father? Why did you hit me?” Mr. Gardner asked, bewildered, as he rubbed his burning cheek.

He had never seen his father–in–law so furious.

Mr. Gardner was confused as to what he had done wrong.

“Bastard! You lock up the innocent and let the guilty walk free. How dare you try to defend yourself? I’m going to teach you a lesson!” Mr. Granville declared righteously.

“Father, what’s wrong with you? I’m your son–in–law, aren’t I?” Mr. Gardner was close to tears.

Wasn’t Mr. Granville here to save him? Why was he getting beaten up instead?

“Don’t call me your father–in–law! I don’t have a despicable son–in–law like you!” Mr. Granville scoffed and continued, “You accepted bribes and corrupted the law. In addition, you took liberties with your authority as a police inspector. As of now, you are fired from your position!”

“What?”

When Mr. Granville announced this, Mr. Gardner shuddered in fear. His body was drenched in a cold sweat.

Although he didn’t know what caused the rift, Mr. Gardner knew that his father–in–law had decided to cut all ties with him.

Furthermore, Mr. Granville was going to investigate and expose his past deeds!

They had a good relationship before this. What could have happened for Mr. Granville to change so abruptly?

Without any hesitation, Mr. Granville gave his last orders to the men standing behind him, “Come and arrest Mr. Gardner immediately! Once the investigation into his crimes is complete, throw him in jail!”

Mr. Gardner fell on his knees in dismay, his face ashen with despair.

The only reason his father–in–law would be so harsh on him must be due to pressure from a superior who had intervened.

That was why Mr. Granville had no choice but to toe the line as well. How could this happen?

He had only detained Dustin, a punk with no background. How could this disaster have befallen him?

Could it be? Could it be that the Rhys kid had some powerful people backing him up? That must be it!

At this thought, Mr. Gardner was filled with regret that he had gone up against Dustin.

Never in his dreams would he have imagined that a young punk had such formidable support. Even his father- in–law had to kowtow to him!

All of it was Duane’s fault!

He was doomed because of Duane!

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 105

“We are finished!”

When Draco saw that Mr. Gardner had been apprehended, his face paled in shock.

From Mr. Granville’s appearance until the arrest of Mr. Gardner, Draco couldn’t make sense of what was going on as everything had happened in a flash.

The only thing he could be sure of was that Mr. Granville did not let his son–in–law off the hook. This meant that he was going to be in trouble as well.

Draco thought that Mr. Granville was their savior. Who knew that he was here to bring them to justice?

This world could be so unpredictable!

Draco turned back and glanced at Dustin, who had remained silent all this while. He had an expression of indifference on his face, as if he had known this would happen all along.

Who was this man, and why was Mr. Granville treating him with such respect?

Why would Lord Asmon have a grudge against such a monster?

“Arrest all the other men as well!” Mr. Granville barked an order. Draco and Mr. Gardner’s men were all apprehended.

Mr. Gardner and Draco stared at each other in despair. It was obvious that they would have to pay for their crimes.

“What–What’s happening?” Natasha couldn’t wrap her head around the plot twist.

She expected trouble when Mr. Granville appeared.

Unexpectedly Mr. Granville did not find fault with them. Furthermore, he fired Mr. Gardner and threw him into prison.

Who could have expected Mr. Granville to do such a thing to his own son–in–law?

“Am I dreaming? Is Mr. Granville on our side?”

Dahlia’s eyes were wide with shock. She was also taken aback at Mr. Granville’s actions.

When she knew of his relationship to Mr. Gardner, she was already prepared for the worst.

At one point, Dahlia even thought that Dustin and her were doomed. However, the outcome was beyond belief.

Could Mr. Granville truly be a righteous and upright official?

“Are you Dustin? I can tell that you are a capable young man.”

After he had tied up the loose ends, Mr. Granville walked up to Dustin with a rare smile on his stern face.

“Greetings, Mr. Granville.” Dustin nodded politely.

“I’m very sorry for the inconvenience. Because of my incompetence, you had to go through such trouble. I humbly request for your understanding and forgiveness.” Mr. Granville apologized.

“It is said that there will be rotten apples in every bunch. I find it very admirable for you to even bring your son- in–law to justice.” Dustin smiled.

“Thank you for your consideration, young man. Now, I can finally stop worrying.” Mr. Granville secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

No one knew that he received a call from the Governor of Millsburg not long ago.

The only message given was to protect Dustin Rhys at any cost!

Dustin’s background and influence must be unimaginable if the governor personally made a call to ensure his safety.

In a city like Swinton, a person with such connections was untouchable!

Mr. Granville and his men left in a hurry after greeting Dustin.

“Mr. Rhys, Ms. Nicholson. Are the both of you alright?” Hunter asked anxiously after everyone left.

“We’re fine. Thanks for your help, Mr. Anderson.” Dahlia nodded her thanks.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Hunter nodded in return.

“Dustin, it seems you’re having a good time!” Natasha came over, her heels clacking on the ground.

She stared at Dustin with resentment, as if he had cheated on her.

“What do you mean?” Dustin said, puzzled.

“Am I mistaken?” Natasha crossed her arms and countered sarcastically. “When I heard that you were locked up, I was so worried that I went everywhere looking for help to get you released. On the other hand, you are
here chatting with another woman. Why wouldn’t you be having a good time?”

“Don’t misread the situation. She was arrested because of me,” Dustin replied awkwardly.

“Is that true?” Natasha wasn’t convinced.

“If that was the case, why are your hands clasped together so tightly?”

“What?” Dustin and Dahlia looked down simultaneously.

They hadn’t realized that their fingers were intertwined. Startled, they let go of each other immediately.

“I never thought a simple man like you would be a playboy. I’m so disappointed in you, Dustin! My devotion is wasted on you!” Natasha gave an exasperated sigh, turned around and left.

“Ms. Harmon!” Dustin took a few steps toward Natasha before giving Dahlia a glance, as if he had something to say to her.

“Why are you looking at me? Go after her. It’s none of my business!” Dahlia faked a nonchalant tone and avoided his gaze.

“Alright. Use a cab to get home.” With that, Dustin ran after Natasha.

Did Dustin really chase after Natasha?
Dahlia gritted her teeth in annoyance.

Did he not know that it was just a test to see whether he would prioritize her or Natasha? What a dolt!

She was being sulky to get his attention, that’s why she asked him to chase after Natasha. If she asked him to jump off a building, would he just obey like an idiot?

The thought of Dustin spending time with Natasha irked her immensely.

“Ms. Harmon, please listen to my explanation!”

Dustin caught up to Natasha at the entrance. “Due to the dangerous circumstances, I had to protect Dahlia. I’m not thinking of getting back together with her.”

“Is that true?” Natasha stared at him suspiciously.

“Of course! Why would I lie to you?” Dustin replied with a serious expression.

“Alright then, since you rushed out to explain to me, I’ll forgive you on account of your sincerity!” Natasha suddenly grinned from ear to ear..

The disappointment and resentment on her face disappeared in a flash.

Dustin was stunned at how quick a woman’s mood could change. Their emotions were as unpredictable as the weather.

He couldn’t help but suspect Natasha had just pulled a fast one on him.

“Dahlia, you’re still a notch below me!” Natasha thought as she gave Dahlia a smug glance.

From Dustin’s actions, it was obvious that he was more concerned about her than Dahlia.

“Let’s go, I’ll send you home,” Natasha said with a bright smile.

“Not right now. I have to meet someone.” Dustin shook his head.

“Meet someone? Who?”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 106

At this moment, in a beautiful villa.

Duane was talking to a young man dressed in luxurious clothes.

Behind that man, two female bodyguards stood at attention.

They were armed with swords and emitted an unapproachable aura.

“Duane, what’s this gemiphen that you are talking about? Is it really that powerful?” Oliver Williams took a sip of his coffee.

“Mr. Williams, I can assure you of its effects. I have personally tried the pill myself!” Duane boasted confidently.

“A gemiphen pill saved my life when I was close to death from internal injuries. I’m not exaggerating when I say this medicine could heal almost anything!”

“Talk is cheap. Where’s the pill? Let me have a look.” Oliver stretched out his palm.

“Due to the rarity of gemiphen, I do not have one with me right now.”

“Are you joking? You called me here in the dead of the night for a deal. How could you not be prepared with the goods?” Oliver’s eyes glinted coldly.

“Mr. Williams, please calm down. I would never dare to offend you. One of my men is on the way to obtain the prescription. I’m sure he will be here soon.” Duane tried to appease him.

“For your sake, I hope he does. Don’t you know the consequences of toying with a member of the Boulderthorn guild?” Oliver rapped impatiently on the table.

“Of course, Mr. Williams. Once I receive the prescription, I will start production immediately and present the first batch of gemiphen to you,” Duane answered.

“That’s more like it.” Oliver nodded with satisfaction. “On my end, I will say a few good words about you to my father. Who knows? He might extend his support to you if he is in a good mood!”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Williams! I will not let you down!” Duane’s face broke into smiles.

According to his research, not only could gemiphen heal severe internal injuries, but it could also accelerate the effects of training in martial artists.

If the pill was properly marketed, martial artists all over the world would be interested in getting this pill for themselves!

That was why Duane contacted Boulderthorn guild in the first place. As one of the top guilds in the South, Boulderthorn’s influence was spread far and wide.

Their guild members were in the hundreds of thousands, having top positions in politics, the military, and the business world.

If he was able to get an exclusive contract to supply gemiphen to the Boulderthorn guild, his wealth would be multiplied numerous folds.

Being the top dog in Millsburg wouldn’t be a farfetched dream.

“Duane, don’t get ahead of yourself. If you want my father’s support, first, you would have to supply us with gemiphen continuously. Secondly, loyalty is paramount. Do you understand?” Oliver said sternly.

“I will remember your advice, Mr. Williams!” Duane nodded.

While talking, they were interrupted by a commotion from the gardens. The noise sounded like a cacophony of curses and cries of pain.

“What’s going on?” Duane frowned.

At this moment, a bodyguard rushed into the room, his face pale as a sheet.

“Boss, someone trespassed into your villa!”

“What?” Duane’s expression darkened. “Who’s the punk who dared to trespass on my property?”

“It’s too dark to identify the intruder. However, it is confirmed that he came alone,” the bodyguard mumbled.

“Geez! What’s wrong with the lot of you? Can’t you handle even one person?” Duane roared in anger.

“Boss, that person was too powerful! Our men could not hold him down!” the bodyguard cried out helplessly.

The man had infiltrated the villa as inconspicuously as a shadow. His movements were agile and his attacks ruthless.

No number of bodyguards could stand up against him. With a flick of his finger, they were all blown away like leaves in the wind!

“According to your description, he must be a martial artist?” Duane scratched his chin in confusion.

“There are many martial artists in Swinton, however, few are on my level. Besides, they have started guilds of their own and rarely appear except for important occasions. They wouldn’t trespass on my property without reason.”

“Boss, now is not the time to contemplate these things. For your safety, it is better for you to flee!” the bodyguard advised Duane.

“Flee?” Duane scoffed. “How can I ever show my face in public if any simpleton could chase me away from my own villa?”

“But–But that man is too powerful! What if” the bodyguard trailed off.

“That’s enough. I am curious to see the man’s abilities for myself!” Duane was not intimidated at all.

He had been well–trained in martial arts since childhood. How could he back down from a challenge?

“Duane, it seems you have met with some trouble. Do you need my help?” Oliver asked knowingly.

“It’s just a small inconvenience, Mr. Williams. Don’t trouble yourself.” Duane chuckled. “Please wait for a moment, I’ll be back shortly after I settle this matter.”

He stood up with a slight bow and left the room.

Since someone came with a direct challenge, he had to accept it. Otherwise, it would be an insult to his training all these years.

Outside, a silhouette dressed in white could be seen in the garden. It was Dustin, walking up the driveway to the villa. Numerous armed bodyguards surrounded him, trying to land an attack. However, it was pointless. They were like moths flying into a flame.

With every step Dustin took, the swirling energy around him blew the guards away if they got close enough.

Howls and cries of pain rang out as he walked past the sea of bodyguards nonchalantly.

“If they were lucky, they only sustained broken arms and limbs. The unlucky ones died instantly on impact.

None were strong enough to withstand his aura. In the end, Duane’s men could only look on from a distance.

They did not have the courage to even go up to him. They could only stare at him with the eyes of looking upon a monster.

Being fully trained bodyguards, they assumed that this would be a walk in the park.

Who would have expected them to be completely defeated by a punk?

Dustin made his way up to the villa’s main doors, leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake.

Taking a deep breath, he roared, “Duane, come out and meet your maker!”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 107

Duane, come out and meet your maker!”

Dustin’s roar of anger echoed through the villa like a clap of thunder.

When Duane heard this contemptuous challenge, he was furious.

“Which idiot is dumb enough to cause trouble on my property?” Duane thought as he rushed out in a hurry.

However, when he saw Dustin in a distance, he couldn’t help but be taken aback.

“It’s you, Dustin! Weren’t you arrested? How did you escape?”

He had bribed Mr. Gardner to arrest Dustin and detain him in the Interrogation room.

Even if Natasha were to intervene, she couldn’t have helped him escape.

“Was it you who framed me for the crime?” Dustin demanded coldly.

“Since you are already here, it means that you know the answer to your question. You’re right, I am the one who framed you! However, you only have yourself to blame. I had to go to such lengths because you did not appreciate the chances that I have given you.” Duane smirked.

“At the very least, you confessed to your crime. Now, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. If you cripple yourself voluntarily and leave Swinton for good, I will not exact my vengeance against you.” Dustin sald indifferently.

“Cripple myself? Leave Swinton?”

Duane was initially stunned when he heard this. After a moment, he roared with laughter.

“Punk, have you gone crazy? Who do you think you are? If it weren’t for Natasha, do you think you could stand there and threaten me with your words?”

Duane assumed that somehow, Natasha must have found a way to sa save Dustin.

“If that’s the case, you’re not going to comply?” Dustin’s expression grew stern.

"Kid, it seems like you don’t understand the situation. You were the one who trespassed into my property. If I killed you here right now, no one would say anything! Of course, I’m not one to hold grudges. As long as you give me the prescription for the gemiphen, I’ll consider letting you go.” Duane narrowed his eyes meaningfully.

“It’s you who are unaware of your precarious state.” Dustin shook his head and gave Duane a pitiful look.

“I know you have great strength, punk. However, brute strength is not everything!” Duane smriked and drew his sword. “I wasn’t fully prepared during our last duel. The reason I lost that time was that my forte is in sword fighting and not bare–handed martial arts!”

“Well then, come at me with all you’ve got!” Dustin gestured for Duane to make the first move.

“Arrogant prick! Let’s see if you can withstand my attack after training for 20 years!”
With that, Duane struck a pose.

Extending his arm, he aimed his glittering sword at Dustin’s chest as he flew towards him at the speed of light. However, Dustin did not dodge.

Without a word, he intercepted the attack by gripping the blade with merely two fingers.

Vibrations from the rebounding force caused the blade to bend in on itself.

“What?” Duane was utterly shocked at the sight.

Never in his dreams could he imagine that a full–blown attack could be stopped with bare hands! Furthermore, Dustin only used two fingers! What could be happening?

Before Duane could regain his composure, Dustin flicked his fingers. The bent sword broke into a thousand pieces.

Duane was thrown back from the impact, and he staggered backward, his face stricken with fear.

His prowess in sword fighting seemed like child’s play as compared to Dustin’s abilities.

With just a single move, Duane was completely defeated!

“Wh–Who are you? How could you have such immense powers?”

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 108

Duane exclaimed in terror, cold sweat pouring down his back.

As a martial artist, Duane was well–known for his agile and deadly attacks.

At his peak performance, the massive energy from his sword could move mountains!
How was Dustin able to intercept his attack?

What kind of monster could shatter swords with his bare hands? Dustin could not be human!

“Don’t you already know who I am?” Dustin closed the distance menacingly and glared at him with icy–cold eyes.

“Stay–Stay away!” Duane backed away in a panic. “I don’t need the gemiphen’s prescription any longer. Please let me go!”

“I have given you a chance to redeem yourself, but you didn’t take it. It’s too late to regret now!”

Dustin clapped his hands on Duane’s shoulders and squeezed tightly.

With a loud crack, Duane’s arms were dislocated from their joints.

An agonizing howl escaped Duane’s lips as intense pain spread throughout his body. Without hesitation, Dustin added a punch to his abdomen.

The force of Dustin’s attack was concentrated on his organs, which caused Duane to bleed profusely from his internal injuries. He fell to the ground in a heap, unable to move.

“You–You made me a cripple!” Duane gritted his teeth, his eyes were red with fury.

“On account of Mr. Anderson, I will not kill you. However, you must pay for your crimes!”

Dustin grabbed Duane by the collar and threw him carelessly into the air.

His limp body flew backward and smashed into the main doors of his villa.

At this moment, Hunter walked in with his men. He had a stern look on his face.

“Hunter! Save me, quick!”

When Duane saw who it was, he clung onto Hunter like a lifeline.

“Save you? You ought to be thankful that your life Is spared!” Hunter scoffed. “Don’t be too happy though. You will be locked up in Azkaban for the rest of your life to pay for your crimes!”

“Azkaban?” Duane was visibly shaken. “What nonsense are you spouting? I am a direct descendant of the Welch family, one of the most important families in Swinton. Even your position pales in comparison to my status. How dare you threaten to throw me into Azkaban?”

Azkaban was a prison for criminals on death row. Once admitted, it was impossible for anyone to get out.

The prisoners locked up there were as good as dead.

“This was decided by the Welch family’s patriarch. Your father had agreed to it as well.” Hunter replied calmly.

“No! You are lying to me! Why would my father turn against me?” Duane shook his head violently.

“That’s because you have offended Mr. Rhys. The only way to protect the Welch family was to sacrifice you,” Hunter said bluntly.

“Mr. Rhys? Do you mean Dustin?” Duane’s eyes widened. “How could it be possible? Why would the Welch family be afraid of a young punk like him? What is his identity?”

“Dustin Rhys is just an alias. Ten years ago, he went by the name of Logan.”

“What?”

“Logan, Rhys.”

“Logan Rhys?” When Duane heard Dustin’s real name, the blood drained from his face.
No wonder the Welch family was shaken to the core.

Logan Rhys, also known as the kirin, was a legendary martial artist. His skills were in a league of their own, unsurpassable to this day.

The mere mention of his name struck fear into all of Stonia!

How could he have provoked such a formidable person by mistake?

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 109

After Dustin’s Identity was revealed, Duane gave up resistance. His eyes were lifeless as if his soul had left his body. Duane knew that he was a goner. No one would save him, nor did they dare to.

“Take him away!” Hunter ordered his men to bind Duane up.

Despite knowing the truth, Duane could never leave Azkaban. There was only one way to leave. That is, being carried out for cremation after death.

“Stop right there! What are you doing? Leave that man alone!”

At that moment, Oliver appeared with his two female bodyguards and approached them aggressively.

Initially, he hadn’t planned on getting involved.

However, Duane was such an incompetent Idiot! How could he lose the fight?

Oliver was forced to intervene before that knucklehead got himself locked up.

At any rate, Duane was still of some use to him.

He had to ensure Duane’s safety before he got his hands on the precious gemiphen.

“You have nothing to do with this. Don’t poke your nose where it doesn’t belong.” Hunter warned in a cold tone.

“Too bad, I insist. What are you going to do about it?” Oliver stuck his hands in his pockets and walked up to Dustin with a swagger.

“Are you one of Duane’s men?” Dustin asked nonchalantly.

“Duane? With his ability, he could only be my underling! However, I have a business deal with him. Without my permission, no one can take him away. While I am still being nice, release him immediately!” Oliver retorted proudly with his nose in the air.

“What if I refuse?” Dustin asked.

“You refuse? Punk, don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know who my father is? How dare you talk back to me? Are you looking for death?” Oliver glared at him contemptuously.

“I couldn’t care less about who you are, or who your father is. It’s best for you to stay out of this and let us deal with Duane,” Dustin replied nonchalantly.

“Have you gone crazy? Emma, Anna! Break this punk’s legs. Let’s see if he could continue speaking in such a condescending tone while kneeling on the ground!” Oliver smirked.

“Yes, sir!” The two female bodyguards behind him rushed toward Dustin simultaneously.

Flanking him on both sides, they poised to strike Dustin’s knees with the intention of incapacitating him.

There was no hesitation in carrying out Oliver’s orders.

With that, Dustin did not hold back. He made the first move and slapped both of them on the cheek. They staggered backward, stunned by the force of the heavy blow.

“You!” Cradling their swollen cheeks, they tried to draw their swords in retaliation.

Before they could do that, Dustin kicked them in the stomach and slapped them on the other cheek as well.

The two bodyguards teetered as stars circled above their heads.

“Punk, you need to be taught a lesson! How dare you engage in a sneak attack?” Oliver was burning with anger.

He rushed forward to land a punch on Dustin’s face. It was obvious that he was a martial artist. His fists were fast, sure, and accurate.

However, Dustin wasn’t impressed. He caught Oliver’s fist and twisted it.

Oliver’s arm was displaced from its joint as he screamed in misery.

Before Oliver could catch his breath, Dustin followed up with a punch to his abdomen.

Oliver was thrown back a few feet away and landed heavily on his back.

The impact caused Oliver to throw up, and he vomited all over himself.

“Sir!” When they saw Oliver injured, the female bodyguards anxiously ran up to defend him.

“Kill him! I order you to kill him right now!” Oliver held his stomach and roared with a ferocious expression onhis face.

“There is no mercy for those who hurt our boss!” The female bodyguards drew their swords and prepared to light.

“Nobody moves!” Suddenly, Hunter shouted and pulled out his gun.

The bodyguards were startled by Hunter’s threat and froze in place. They did not dare to move a muscle.

“Bastard! Don’t you know who I am? How dare you point a gun at me?” Oliver stood up; his face livid.

“I’m Oliver Williams, a member of the Boulderthorn guild. Moreover, my father is the second–in–command!”

“Boulderthorn guild?”

When Oliver revealed his identity, Hunter’s expression grew serious.

As the best guild in the South, Boulderthorn has significant influence in Swinton.

Even Edwin, the wealthiest man in Swinton, was only a normal member of the Boulderthorn guild.

This showed how strong and powerful the guild was!

“What, are you scared?” Oliver cackled mockingly as everyone remained silent.

“Now that you know who you are up against, kneel down and beg for forgiveness Immediately. Otherwise, I will slaughter you and your entire family!”

What was the use of having guns or being a good fighter?

These were all pointless as compared to the support of the Boulderthorn gulld.

With a single word, he could destroy them all like ants.

This was the power of influence and authority!

“Boulderthorn, is it?” Dustin was still unfazed after hearing Oliver’s threat.

“What if I kill all three of you right now? Then no one would know what had happened here.”

“Kill me? How dare you!” Oliver widened his eyes. “If you touch even a strand of hair on my head, I assure you that your body would be blown up into pieces.”

“Since you threatened my family, what’s there to be afraid of? An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Dustin shrugged nonchalantly.

Dustin’s words made Oliver step back in fear, as he was unprepared for a fight.

It would be troublesome if Dustin decided to follow through with what he said.

“I’m going to remember this, punk! I’m not done with you!” Seeing as the situation was unfavorable, Oliver and his bodyguards left in a hurry with their tails between their legs.

A wise man knew better than to fight when the odds were against him.

With his noble status, it wasn’t worth it to put his life on the line.

“Mr. Anderson, what do you know about Boulderthorn?” Dustin asked as his gaze trailed after them.

“Boulderthorn guild has been expanding rapidly. With their reputation in the world of martial arts, they were set to be the best guild in the South. Their members are widespread in every possible field, which allows the guild to spread its influence far and wide. In addition, I heard that Boulderthorn is planning to open a branch in Swinton. That man’s father, Mr. Williams was sent here as a representative for the new branch,” Hunter reported in a low voice.

Dustin nodded in acknowledgment and turned around to leave.

That person must have had something to do with the Boulderthorn guild, right?

 

[Muhindi Wa Kuchoma]

Chapter 110

At the Nicholson villa. Everyone was amazed to see Dahlia return home safely.

“Dahlia, you are finally home! I was so worried about you!”

“Sis! Are you alright? Have you been bullied in the interrogation room?” Florence and James fawned over her eagerly.

Since they received news of Dahlia being detained by Mr. Gardner, they had been extremely worried for her safety.

They’ve used up all their connections and spent a ton of money trying to get Dahlia out.

However, there was no reply. They were at a loss for what to do.

Just when they had given up, Dahlia unexpectedly returned home on her own.

“Mother, I’m fine. Sorry for making you worry.” Dahlia smiled.

She was a little spooked by everything that had happened today.

Fortunately, she managed to return home safe and sound.

“It’s all Dustin’s fault. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have been captured as well!” Florence muttered angrily.

“Mother’s right! That shameless man is always doing sneaky things! Sis, you should stay away from him to avoid getting caught up in his crimes!” James chimed in.

“Actually, this incident has nothing to do with him. He was framed by someone else.” Dahlia tried to defend Dustin.

“How is it possible? If he is truly innocent, why was he arrested?”

“Yeah, why would they frame him instead of anyone else? This could only mean that he has bad character!” Florence and James complained one after another with disdain. Dahlia could only sigh in resignation.

“If it were up to me, I would choose Matt. When he heard that you were detained, he went around looking for help to bail you out. A gentleman like him is rare nowadays!” Florence changed the topic.

“That’s right! Sis, if it weren’t for Matt’s help, you might still be stuck in jail!” James agreed enthusiastically.

“Matt? Are you sure that it was his doing?” Dahlia said, surprised.

“Who else could it be? He and the Hummer family go way back. He must have asked for Sir Hummer’s help to get you out,” James mused.

“I see, I thought…” Dahlia trailed off.

She was a bit puzzled regarding Mr. Granville’s appearance.

From Natasha’s expression, she seemed just as surprised as Dahlia to see Mr. Granville there.

By the looks of it, it must be Matt who had requested help from the Hummers family.

Sir Hummers was one of the Mighty Three. It would not be surprising if he had connections with Mr. Granville.

“Dahlia, last time Matt managed to retrieve the large sum of money we had lost; now he got you out of the interrogation room. You need to show some appreciation. Your cousin, Julie, will be here tomorrow, why don’t you invite Matt along and spend the day together?” Florence asked expectantly.

“Let’s see if we have the time.” Dahlia squeezed out a forced smile.

Whenever Matt’s name was mentioned, she was reminded of another person.

……

The next morning, at the Peaceful Medical Center.

“Let’s eat!”

Dustin shouted from the ground floor while setting up the table for breakfast.

“I’m coming! Why are you in such a hurry?”

After a moment, a one–eyed old man limped down the stairs with a walking stick.

“Hey, punk! Where’s the alcohol?” He demanded angrily.

“No alcohol for breakfast. Have some soup.” Dustin gave him a bowl of chicken soup.

“I’m not going to eat if there’s no alcohol!” The old man threw a tantrum.

“Suit yourself.” Dustin paid him no mind. He sat down and started eating his breakfast.

The old man couldn’t hold back any longer as Dustin was about to finish the food.

“Geez, what a rude young man!”

Lifting the bowl, he swallowed the soup in large gulps.

“Here, this is the Panax root you asked for. Keep it safe.”

After breakfast, Dustin placed a box made from cedar wood on the table.

“Oh, did you manage to obtain another precious herb? You are really efficient!” the one–eyed man exclaimed in surprise.

“I need another four herbs; hopefully, I can collect them all in time.” Dustin muttered.

“These things can’t be forced. Leave it up to fate,” the old man said casually.

For an elderly person like him, each day was like a gift.

A silver Bentley stopped at the entrance of the medical center, interrupting the conversation.

A gorgeous, alluring woman got out of the car and walked up to them.

“Wow, what a beauty! She has curves in all the right places! Punk, aren’t you divorced? Don’t you want to take her as your wife?” The old man cackled gleefully.

“Shut up, old man!”

Dustin glared at him and stood up to greet Natasha. “Ms. Harmon, why are you here?”

“What? Am I not welcome?” Natasha smirked.

“Of course not. Have a seat.” Dustin pulled out a chair for her.

“You must be Old Mr. Whiskey? I’ve heard that you love alcohol; that’s why I brought some homebrewed ale as a gift.” With a smile, Natasha placed two bottles on the table.

“I’m satisfied as long as I have some alcohol! A glass of well–brewed ale is as valuable as liquid gold!” The one–eyed man beamed with joy.

He was just complaining about the lack of alcohol. This was exactly what he needed.

“If you like, I can send alcohol to you every day.” Natasha chuckled.

“You are such a thoughtful and considerate young lady, much better than that Dahlia girl!”

The one–eyed man grinned from ear to ear.

–

“Punk, you are so fortunate to have met such a wonderful woman like Ms. Harmon. You have to cherish her!”

“Take your alcohol and go away!” Dustin complained in annoyance.

“Alright, alright. I’m going upstairs to drink on my own. I don’t want to be a third wheel here.” The old man carried both bottles and went up the stairs.

“Ms. Harmon, I apologize on behalf of that old man. He could be rude and ignorant.” Dustin smiled sheepishly.

“I don’t think he said anything wrong. Are you offended?” Natasha raised her eyebrows.

“No.” Dustin shook his head.

“That’s alright, then.” Natasha chuckled.

“That reminds me, I’ve gone through so much trouble to help you escape from the interrogation room. How are you going to repay me?”

“Can I treat you to dinner?” Dustin asked hesitantly.

“That’s too predictable.” Natasha rolled her eyes.

“Well, what do you want in return?” Dustin asked in confusion.

Without a word, Natasha closed her eyes.

She pointed to her pouty red lips and motioned for Dustin to kiss her.

 

[Little]

❤❤❤

 

[Little]

Nimefika chapter 26