In Erudia, a private jet landed at North Hampton Airport, where all international flights experienced an eight-hour delay because of it.
At the private passageway were five men in suits and leather shoes, standing as straight as a javelin.
Every now and then, they would raise their wrist to look at the time, for a big shot was coming to town.
The upper-class society of North Hampton had learned about his arrival, but no one had the capability to get an inch closer to the private passageway.
Even the richest man in North Hampton who came to pay homage was chased away.
Finally, there were movements coming from the passageway.
“God of War!!!” the mass cried out, their eyes filled with awe and veneration at the sight of the undefeatable legend of Erudia.
He, who was dubbed the God of War, was the one and only five-star war God in the history of Erudia.
Once, he’d inflicted a crushing defeat on the strongest battalions in eighteen countries. He was an overbearing and formidable man.
He who overwhelmed the world with his unparalleled power had even created the Five Great Wars Regiment, Cavalry Regiment, and many more.
…
Setting foot on his homeland, Levi Garrison was overcome with emotions.
Once upon a time, he used to be an orphan who was abandoned on the streets of North Hampton and then adopted by the Garrison family.
However, the Garrison family had never been fond of him.
His adoptive parents, who had a tendency to beat and scold him, treated him like an outsider.
As for the outsiders, they treated him as a nobody.
But he didn’t care a stiver. He had always been proud of his surname since he was a child, and he strived to bring glory to this family when he grew older.
At last, Levi had established Levi Group, the largest dark horse in North Hampton’s business community.
With billions of assets, it ranked among the forefront of North Hampton, pushing the declining Garrison family to the top.
However, not only did the Garrison family showed no signs of appreciation, they even harbored dissatisfaction towards him. Jealous of his success, they regarded him as a thorn in their flesh and coveted Levi Group.
No matter his wealth and power, unless they were in control, he was just an outsider in the Garrison family’s eyes.
Eventually, on Levi’s wedding night, the Garrison family plotted a frame-up against him by getting him drunk before tossing him onto his sister-in-law’s bed. They wanted to create the illusion that he was doing something untoward to her and was caught in bed by his brother and adoptive parents.
That night, the Garrison family had brutally broken his limbs and left him on the road like a wild dog.
Not only was he handicapped, but he also had to take the flak for something he didn’t commit.
From an upstart in the business world, he had become the target of disdain overnight.
And the next day, he had been punished for several crimes and sentenced to six years in prison.
He could never forget the ruthless and sinister faces of everyone in the Garrison family and the ridicule of his friends, classmates, and business partners.
More so, he could never forget the disappointment on his newly wedded wife, Zoey’s face.
He had regarded the Garrison family as his home and devoted himself to the family.
Yet, they treated him like trash.
It felt as if a knife was being twisted in his heart every time he thought about this.
How he hated the Garrison family!
But who would have thought that Levi had been secretly transferred away from prison to join the military?
In a few years, he dominated the military world and became the one and only five-star God of War.
Now that he came back, the Garrison family ought to stay on their toes.
“How’s it going, Azure Dragon?” Levi asked.
Azure Dragon, the commander of the Five Great Wars Regiment, took a step forward and said respectfully, “Sir, I’m afraid your wife, Ms. Zoey Lopez will remarry at ten o’clock tonight!”
Ever since Zoey’s husband was sent to prison on their wedding night, she had been living like a widow.
Only God knew how much pressure she was put under.
And right now, the person Levi couldn’t wait to see the most was Zoey.
After a moment of hesitation, Azure Dragon continued, “To add on, Sir, the Garrison family is holding a successful listing celebration banquet at the Crystal Palace Hotel tonight! Many people had invited the God of War just now, including the Garrison family, but I didn’t accept nor refuse directly.”
“What time?” Levi asked tersely.
“Eight o’clock, Sir.”
“Okay. Tell the Garrison family I will attend the banquet!”
Since the time for the two events didn’t clash, Levi gladly accepted the invitation.
The celebration banquet for the public listing of Garrison Group was held at North Hampton’s Crystal Palace Hotel.
With the help of Levi Group, they had become a rich and powerful family in one fell swoop.
The hall was bustling with noise and excitement, and sounds of glasses clinking could be heard ringing in the air every now and then.
“God bless the Garrison family,” said Joseph, the head of the Garrison family. “The younger generations are the stars among men. Garrison Group is now listed and has become an upstart in North Hampton!”
Joseph’s three sons and daughter welcomed their guests with bright smiles on their faces.
The younger generation of the Garrison family was all the smugger and prouder because, after today, the Garrison family would become a powerful family, and they would become one of the top rich kids.
Most of the guests who attended today’s banquet were from the top circle in North Hampton.
“Garrison, do you know what happened today?! Your celebration party is nothing compared to that.” They were gossiping about the major event that had happened today.
“Yeah! I heard that a big shot has arrived in North Hampton!”
“The richest man in North Hampton wanted to meet him but was shooed away. Apparently, he’s not qualified enough!”
“So? Jesse Nielsen had been waiting for five hours in advance at the airport!”
Joseph nodded. “Yes, I know about that too. I even sent someone to invite this big shot to the celebration party!”
“No way! Why would this big shot attend such a party?”
No one believed it.
In fact, as an upstart, Joseph was just trying his luck.
“Dad!” shouted Jaycob, the second eldest son of the Garrison family could be seen running over. “The big shot has accepted our invitation to attend our celebration banquet! He’s on the way!”
“Jesus! God has indeed blessed the Garrison family!”
Everyone in the Garrison family could barely conceal their delight as this was their chance to reach the sky in a single bound.
The grandchildren of the Garrison family gathered together, sunshine flooding their souls.
Levi’s brother, Bryan, and sister-in-law, Victoria, smiled. “Well, it all starts with Levi’s imprisonment that the Garrison family is at where we are today…”
“Right, speaking about Levi, do you guys know today’s the day that kid gets out of prison?!” somebody asked abruptly.
“Really? Isn’t that bad luck? Why did he have to be released on such a big day?!”
“Please, please, please don’t come back! He’s the Garrison family’s biggest disgrace!”
Victoria’s lips tugged into a sneer. “Speaking of which, Levi is the crowning glory of the Garrison family’s status today.”
“That’s what he’s supposed to do!” Bryan said. “He should contribute to the Garrison family for raising him, an orphan! His multi-billion Levi Group means nothing. To put it bluntly, he’s just a dog raised by the Garrison family!”
Someone gave a chortle. “As a matter of fact, I’ve been interested in Levi’s wife for a long time now. She’s still widowed, and I’m so going to marry her!”
The man’s remark caused gales of laughter.
“Everyone, stop what you’re doing. I have an important announcement to make,” Joseph said and went on to announce that the big shot was coming.
A thunderous applause was heard.
But when the applause had died down, there was still someone clapping.
The sound was loud and clear, approaching from afar.
On the red carpet, a man came clapping, looking bold and energetic.
His stride gave off a majestic and imposing aura, which made the mass hold their breaths.
“It’s Levi!” Bryan and Victoria exclaimed.
Suddenly, all eyes were riveted on him.
“I forgot this little brat got out of jail today!” Levi’s adoptive parents spoke in unison.
Ignoring the astonished gazes darted at his way, Levi walked step by step towards Joseph.
“A little bird told me that the company is now listed. How are you feeling, Joseph? Are you happy?”
Levi flashed him a meaningful smile.
“How dare you show up here, you insolent brat! And what did you just call me?” Joseph’s fury sprang to life.
“Who let him in? Didn’t you know he just got out of prison? How inauspicious!”
Bryan rose to his feet. “What the hell are you doing here, Levi?”
Levi sized him up. “Why can’t I be here?”
“Well, for starters, you’re an orphan! The Garrison family has raised you, but you were ambitious and ungrateful. You had inordinate ambitions for your sister-in-law, and you wanted to take possession of the Garrison family! You’d even tried to kill your parents when things go south! Have you no conscience? Do you have any sense of morality left in your heart?”
“You’ve lost your reputation in North Hampton, and everyone knows that. Have you no shame to have the brass neck to come round here?”
Glenn had that thought too. Only Levi could stand up against Scott.
He was the only hope the Rogers family had!
However, Sebastian stopped them in their tracks.
“Are you about to ask the boss of the Morris Group for help? It doesn’t matter anyway because Mr. Yates is here to deal with him too! It’ll be great if you asked him to come over!”
Glenn had a despondent expression because they didn’t even get the chance to ask for reinforcements.
An hour passed, and Fernand soon stepped out of the room with a tired expression.
In the dining room, the women’s clothes were tattered, and they huddled together and wept softly.
“Ah!”
Leo and Anthony bellowed in rage.
They wanted to kill Fernand right there and then, but they fell silent when they saw Bones, Titan, and Golem.
Pouncing on him would only mean death for them!
“From now on, we will be staying here!
Fernand really took it too far; not only did he humiliate the Rogers family, but he now wanted to live in their house.
The Rogers family’s women were horrified when they heard that because this meant they would fall victim to him again.
Glenn had a sudden realization that Fernand was forcing them to call Levi over!
If they didn’t call Levi, Fernand would never leave.
“Hm? Are you not happy with Mr. Yates staying here?” Golem asked in a low voice.
The Rogers family didn’t dare protest.
“It’s an honor to the Rogers family that Mr. Yates is staying here!” Glenn immediately answered.
The news that Fernand Yates was staying in the Rogers family’s house quickly spread across North Hampton.
Everyone in North Hampton soon knew Scott’s stepson was here along with three of The Four Mighty Generals.
The Mighty Generals were way more powerful than Sebastian, so everyone in North Hampton felt terrified.
The Mighty Generals were the ones who had oppressed Quebec, and their arrival meant that the person who had retired for thirty years had come out of his retirement!
Besides that, Fernand Yates’ behavior was absolutely abhorrent.
He headed straight to the Rogers family after he arrived at North Hampton, killed a few of their men, and raped their women.
He was even living in the Rogers family’s house now!
Furthermore, Glenn Yates was forced to extend his warmest welcome to Fernand and satisfy his every need!
He was willing to go that low to protect the Rogers family.
Glenn knew that if they angered the three Mighty Generals, they would probably massacre the entire Rogers family.
Meanwhile, at night, Fernand was visited seven or eight times in the Rogers family’s house.
He wore a bathrobe and swirled his glass of wine as he chuckled and said, “My stepfather suppressed me so much back in the day! This is how I’m supposed to be living! I think I need to extend my stay in North Hampton.”
Being in North Hampton meant that he could do whatever he liked.
“These two movies are pretty popular these days. I can see them everywhere! The main actress is pretty good. I heard that she’s a rookie,” Fernand said in amusement.
Zachary, who stood by his side, immediately said, “Mr. Yates, I know who the main actress is. Her name is Helena Engler, and she’s under the Oriental Star Group.”
“Oh? You know her?” Fernand looked up and asked.
“I’ll bring her to you if you’re interested!” Zachary chuckled.
Fernand patted Zachary and exclaimed, “Good. You know your place. The Suarez family is blessed to have someone like you!”
“I’ll bring her over right now! Um… but… “ Zachary hesitated.
A hint of frustration could be seen on Fernand’s face. “What’s wrong? Why are you stuttering?”
“The Oriental Star Group’s female president, Zoey Lopez, is a stunning beauty as well! Let me show you some pictures of her!”
Zachary wanted someone else to do the dirty work for him.
CHAPTER 461
Since Levi isn’t that easy to sabotage, I’ll let Fernand do the dirty work for me.
Fernand’s eyes sparkled when he saw the pictures.
“How is she so beautiful? It’s the first time I’ve seen someone as pretty as her!” Fernand exclaimed in surprised.
Zachary grinned. “Mr. Yates, I guarantee that she’s even prettier in real life!”
“Alright! I’ll leave this to you! Bring Helena and her to me!”
Lust started to overwhelm Fernand’s senses.
Sebastian joined their conversation. “Mr. Yates, I’ll recommend someone to you as well. The vice president of the Morris Group, Iris Annabelle, is a beauty as well! She might not be as pretty as Zoey Lopez, but I assure you that she’s a looker!”
“Hahaha… I don’t care if this Iris is pretty or not! I only want her just because she’s the vice president of the Morris Group!” A crazed expression appeared on Fernand’s face.
Zachary hesitated a little before saying awkwardly, “Mr. Yates, I can bring Helena Engler here, but I don’t dare to do the same to Zoey Lopez and Iris Annabelle because something bad has happened to me before!”
“What a loser! Bones, go with him!”
Fernand waved his hands.
“Alright, I promise to bring them to you!” Zachary guaranteed as a smug smile appeared on his face.
Helena was the talk of the town lately; she had amassed a following of a few million fans.
Despite that, she still stayed humble and honed her craft every night.
Bang!
Suddenly, the door was opened, and an extremely skinny, deathly pale man appeared.
Helena trembled in fright. “W-What do you want?”
“Come with me. Someone wants to have a drink with you!”
Right as he said that he appeared in front of her, and she lost consciousness.
“Zoey Lopez and Iris Annabelle are next! They’re neighbors!” Zachary chuckled
In no time, they appeared at Bayview Garden.
Iris had just finished her bath and was reading through some finance news with a tablet.
At that moment, a gust of wind blew from the balcony, lifting the curtains.
“Didn’t I close the window…”
Iris stood up and went to close the window when a pair of emaciated, pale hands suddenly appeared from behind the curtain.
“Ah!” She shrieked in terror.
Soon after, Zachary and his colleagues appeared.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Annabelle. Mr. Yates extends an invitation to you!” Bones said coldly.
“Who’s Mr. Yates? I don’t even know him! Besides, you’re trespassing in my property, and that’s illegal!” Iris bellowed furiously.
“I guess we have to do it the hard way!” Bones approached Iris in an instant and knocked her out cold.
“Zoey Lopez is next!” A maniacal smile rose from Zachary’s lips.
As compared to the Morris Group, his biggest enemies right now were Levi and Zoey.
Zoey needs to be captured, and Levi needs to be killed!
This is the best opportunity I have!
I’ll have Bones kill Levi for me to avenge my brother!
“Mr. Bones, things might be a little dangerous from now on,” Zachary said suddenly with a tinge of fear in his voice.
Bones was puzzled. “Dangerous?”
“You might not know this, but Zoey Lopez’s husband, Levi Garrison is someone skilled in combat! The Suarez family has suffered a huge loss because of him. I’m scared to come in contact with him!” Zachary trembled as he spoke.
“Hmph! What a piece of garbage! You can’t even handle a small fry!” Bones scoffed.
He then walked towards Levi’s house.
Zachary flashed a bright smile.
Got him!
Levi, be prepared to face your death!
He then caught up to Bones quickly.
CHAPTER 462
When they entered Levi’s house, they realized that no one was there.
“Huh? Is she not here?”
Zachary took a look around and he couldn’t spot anyone.
“Where did she go? Go and look for her!” Zachary commanded his subordinates.
Bones waved his hand and said, “No need for that. We’ll send the two people back because Mr. Yates is waiting!”
“Alright. I’ll bring Zoey with me once I find out where she is!”
Afterwards, Helena and Iris were sent to the Rogers family’s house.
Fernand’s eyes sparkled with ecstasy when he saw how pretty they were. He thought they were worth his wait.
However, he had already come because he couldn’t help himself just now.
That was why he needed to wait a while longer to be able to rape the two ladies.
“Mr. Yates, should we go look for Zoey Lopez now?” Zachary asked.
Fernand replied, “Go quickly. We still have time!”
Incidentally, Levi and Zoey had gone to their parents’ place tonight and returned to their house afterwards.
“Huh? Why did Iris sleep so early tonight?” Zoey exclaimed when she saw that the lights in Iris’ room were turned off.
Iris would usually keep her lights on until one or two in the morning because she was a workaholic.
“Something’s amiss!” Levi had a bad feeling because he had received news from Nueve that Fernand Yates had come to North Hampton.
Originally, he didn’t dwell on the matter. However, he sensed something was wrong with Iris, so he immediately recalled this piece of information.
“Honey, go home first. I have something I need to do!”
After Levi asked Zoey to head back, he arranged for someone to protect her.
Azure Dragon immediately drove to pick them up when they stepped out from the Bayview Garden.
“God of War, Ms. Anabelle has been abducted along with Helena Engler! Fernand Yates is in the Rogers family’s mansion right now, and he is committing all kinds of brutalities!” Azure Dragon said.
“Is he powerful?” Levi asked.
“Fernand’s father, Scott Yates, is the top figure in Quebec, and The Four Mighty Generals under his command can wipe out a whole army by themselves!”
Levi listened in amusement and instructed, “Alright. Ask White Tiger to come here. Tell him he’s about to square off against powerful opponents! The Black and White Guards were too weak for him, and he’s been complaining about that ever since!”
“Alright. Got it!”
In the Rogers family’s manor.
Everyone in the Rogers family was kneeling on the ground while Fernand was patiently waiting as the three Mighty Generals stood by his side.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Helena and Iris had woken up, and they stared around in horror.
“Haha! Let me introduce myself. I am Fernand Yates from South City! I invited both of you to have a drink with me!” Fernand chuckled.
Helena was afraid, so she hid behind and Iris.
Iris, on the other hand, was poised. “I don’t even know you. Why should I drink with you?”
“You know me now, don’t you? Besides that, Morris Group is about to be ruined, so isn’t being with me a better choice now?” Fernand grinned.
“What? The Morris Group is about to be ruined?”
Iris knew there was bad blood between South City and the Morris Group, so she immediately realized they were seeking revenge on them.
“Is this the Rogers family’s manor?” Iris exclaimed in surprise when she saw the people kneeling.
How strong can this guy be to bring the entire Rogers family down?
“You’re Iris Annabelle, aren’t you? Let me tell you something…”
Iris was dumbstruck when Sebastian told her what had happened to the Rogers family.
This Fernand guy is terrible!
How dare he humiliate the Rogers family like this!
When Fernand saw how shy Helena was and how coy Iris was, he became excited again.
He waved his hands to chase everyone out.
“No… what are you doing?” Iris had a sudden realization as she stepped back instinctively.
CHAPTER 463
Thump!
Fernand threw Helena and Iris on the bed.
He was skilled in martial arts; the ladies couldn’t fight back.
Helplessness flashed in the Rogers family’s eyes as they watched the scene unfold.
What an impudent person!
Is he really gonna do the deed when so many people are around?
I feel so miserable for the two ladies targeted by Fernand!
Bang!
Crash!
At that moment, the manor’s door collapsed, and all the windows shattered.
The loud noise startled everyone. It caused them to stop in their tracks.
Even Fernand, who was about to pounce on the ladies, stopped as he stared at the door.
Four people stood by the entrance.
Kirin and White Tiger stood beside Levi, who was smoking a cigar.
“Huh? Levi? From the Morris Group?”
“Are you Neil Atkinson?”
Zachary and Sebastian Lopez exclaimed with an expression of horror.
“Huh? What? Someone from the Morris Group?” Fernand put on his bathrobe and approached them eagerly.
At the same time, Bones, Titan, and Golem were excited as well.
“Haha, you really are digging your own grave!” Fernand chuckled.
Zachary and Sebastian were agitated as well. The people from the Morris Group finally arrived, but the only fate that awaited them was death.
We can finally avenge the Suarez family and the Lopez family!
“Levi, be prepared to die!” Zachary guffawed.
“Kill them!”
Fernand waved his hands, and the three Mighty Generals stepped forward, glaring at Levi and his posse menacingly.
White Tiger took a step forwards and beckoned them to come over by waggling his finger.
“Come at me, all at once!”
White Tiger’s smugness shocked everyone.
How dare he act so boastfully when facing Fernand and the three Mighty Generals!
“Die!”
Titan had the hottest temper out of the bunch, so he roared and pounced on White Tiger like a ferocious beast first.
He was skilled in martial arts, and he had enough strength to kill a tiger with just one punch.
Screech!
His punch made a very jarring noise.
Titan could kill someone with a punch, but White Tiger responded with a punch of his own instead of dodging it.
White Tiger’s punch seemed weak, but maniacal murderous intent and immense power were infused in it.
When the punch reached Titan, his expression changed drastically.
It’s so powerful!
Wham!
Their fists crashed into each other and made a dull noise.
Pfft!
Blood spurted out of Titan’s mouth as his right arm exploded from the impact.
Screech!
Besides that, he was sent flying by the punch. When he landed on the ground, blood gushed out from his orifices, and he died on the spot.
Killed with just one punch!
Everyone was dumbfounded.
“I’ll kill you!”
Bones was the next one who pounced on White Tiger.
He moved as fast as lightning, and one’s eyes could barely make out his silhouette from the speed he was travelling at.
Whack!
However, White Tiger was even faster. He grabbed Bones’ wrist.
Crack!
White Tiger twisted his hand gently and snapped Bones’ wrist.
“Ugh!” Bones shrieked.
Crack!
Afterwards, White Tiger shattered Bones’ arms, ankles, and legs. He left Bones lying limply on the ground like a skeleton.
Bones looked absolutely miserable.
“Die!”
In the next moment, Golem’s bulky stature loomed over White Dragon as he came crashing down.
Bang!
White Tiger gripped Golem’s head and smashed it onto the ground.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
After eight consecutive punches, Golem’s head was a bloody mess, and a huge dent was imprinted on it.
Thump!
Golem’s colossal body fell on the ground with a resounding Thud.
White Tiger had defeated Fernand Yate’s three out of Four Mighty Generals all by himself!
CHAPTER 464
After White Tiger defeated the three people, he took out a clean handkerchief and wiped his hands.
He chuckled. “The last guy was pretty sturdy. It took me eight whole punches to kill him!”
Everyone held their breaths and fell silent because this wasn’t what anyone was expecting!
After all, those were the infamous killing machines from Quebec!
They were even feared by The Black and White Guards, but they had been defeated by a single man!
Sebastian finally realized he was mistaken.
He originally thought The Black and White Guards had a drawn-out battle against White Tiger, but now he realized they hadn’t even stood a chance against him.
On the other hand, Zachary was so terrified he almost peed his pants.
Fernand trembled in fear as he stared at White Tiger.
“No! This is impossible!”
To Fernand, the Four Mighty Generals were the strongest fighters around; they could never be defeated.
However, they had been defeated in an instant by one man!
Fernand’s assumptions were completely destroyed.
“You’re Fernand Yates, aren’t you? Since you came to North Hampton, stay here forever!”
White Tiger suddenly kicked Fernand’s chest.
Pfft!
Fernand flew a very long distance and slammed against the wall forcefully.
A wide streak of blood formed on the wall, signifying Fernand’s demise.
“Gasp!”
Everyone was driven insane when they saw the numerous cracks on the wall.
Is he even human?
This is madness!
Total madness!
White Tiger smiled, and it seemed like he was pleased by his opponents tonight.
“He has a stepfather, doesn’t he? I hope he’s stronger than this!” White Tiger had an expectant expression.
Everyone in the Rogers family was stunned.
He’s so powerful!
Kirin stared at Sebastian and Zachary and asked, “Didn’t we tell you that since you came to North Hampton, you should stay forever?”
Kirin’s question was a death sentence for Sebastian and Zachary.
No one expected Scott’s stepson and the three Mighty Generals to only enjoy their stay here for half a day.
They were all dead except for Bones; even he was on the verge of demise because a few dozen of his bones had been broken!
In the end, Bones couldn’t make it to South City alive because he couldn’t bear the pain anymore.
This was the worst defeat Scott had faced in ten years.
On the other hand, Levi brought Helena and Iris along with him.
Helena stared at Levi with an expression of gratitude because he turned her from jobless to a superstar.
Besides that, not only did he change her life, but he had also saved her today too.
Because of that, the way Helena looked at Levi was a little different now…
“How did you know I was here?” Iris asked.
This was the second time Levi had saved her, even though he didn’t necessarily do the dirty work.
“Zoey saw that the lights in your room were turned off, so I thought something bad happened to you,” Levi explained.
Iris said somewhat shyly, “Thank you for saving me again.”
She now blushed furiously whenever she saw him.
“If you want to thank someone, thank Zoey instead!”
After that, Levi sent Helena home first. When she got out of the car, she said shyly to Levi, “Levi, I’ll repay you soon for saving me today!”
Meanwhile, in the Rose Gold Manor, South City.
Scott was making some tea while Typhoon sat opposite him and remained silent.
“A monk gave me this packet of tea. I’m reluctant to drink it!” Scott grinned.
However, not only did Typhoon not talk, but his expression also remained stoic as well because nothing could ever faze him anymore.
“Master, we’re in trouble! Something really bad has happened!” An uproar could be heard from outside at that moment.
Scott was displeased. “Why the hell are you making so much noise!”
On the other hand, Typhoon still sat motionless despite the uproar.
“Master, something bad has happened!” Theo, one of Scott’s old butlers, exclaimed in shock.
CHAPTER 465
He had served under Scott for fifty years, so he resembled Scott in demeanor and personality.
Theo was never this anxious before, which meant that they were in very big trouble!
Scott stood up and asked, “Theo, what happened?”
“Master, just take a look for yourself… I-I don’t know how to say this…”
Theo wiped his tears away.
Scott soon realized something terrible must’ve happened, so he rushed out the door.
A lot of South City’s powerful figures crowded in the opening in the middle of the manor.
Corpses were placed in the opening, and they were covered with white cloths.
“What happened?”
Everyone automatically made way for Scott when he arrived.
“Sir, please be strong!” The head of the Suarez family and the Lopez family said while they sobbed uncontrollably.
Scott shut his eyes helplessly when he heard that.
His body trembled, and his outstretched hands hovered around the cloth, reluctant to uncover it.
Typhoon, who stood behind him, stepped forwards and uncovered all seven corpses.
The corpses of Fernand, the three Mighty Generals, Sebastian, and Zachary were revealed.
The Suarez family and the Lopez family had already wept for quite some time, but that wasn’t the case for Scott.
Thud!
Scott felt as if his head were about to explode when he saw the body of his stepson’s and his subordinates.
He broke down completely at that moment.
That was the saddest day in the fifty years of his life.
He hadn’t killed anyone for thirty years already, but now a pang of bloodlust struck him.
When Typhoon saw his three partners’ bodies, he squinted and exuded an overwhelming menacing aura.
Everyone could feel the temperature dropping sharply, and they unwittingly shuddered.
Everyone knew something terrible was about to happen!
From this day onwards, peace will not visit Quebec again.
Even God can’t save the people who did this to Scott!
Scott never expected that the three Mighty Generals, along with his beloved stepson, to die.
Scott didn’t have any children, and his best friend had died to save Fernand, so Scott had always treated Fernand like his own son.
His heart ached now that Fernand was dead.
“My brother, I couldn’t protect your son! It’s all my fault!” Scott screamed to the heavens.
“Master, what should we do now? You need to take charge. If not, the Morris Group will rule over Quebec!”
Scott bellowed in rage, “Theo, tell this to everyone. Prepare the funerals in three days because I want to send my son and my brothers off with honor! I want everyone in Quebec to know about this funeral!”
“Understood, Master!”
“Secondly, gather all our former subordinates and reinstate them in three days! Thirdly, inform my twenty-four disciples to come to South City with all their men!”
Everyone shuddered when they heard Scott’s commands.
There were thirteen cities in Quebec, and all except North Hampton were under Scott’s rule.
The remaining twelve cities were ruled by Scott’s former subordinates or disciples, but they had gone on their own ways since his retirement thirty years ago.
Despite that, Scott commanded them to gather within three days to head towards North Hampton and ravage the Morris Group.
No one could imagine what kind of chaos would unfold, but they knew Morris Group was doomed for sure!
As soon as the news broke, everyone in Quebec went into a frenzy.
Everyone from the upper class society to the underworld were shocked!
Mr. Yates is already causing great commotion the moment he came out of retirement after thirty years.
Gathering his former troops and his disciples?
The guy must be out of his mind!
Something big happened at Quebec!
Mr. Yates had been angered!
Everyone from the underworld from all thirteen cities in Quebec gathered up their men and headed towards South City as soon as the news broke.
It was a terrifying scene to see busloads of men being sent to South City.
Not only that, but Scott’s disciples also were scattered throughout the thirteen cities, and were engaged in various types of occupations.
They gathered their forces to prepare for the funeral in three days.
Someone estimated that they would be able to gather at least tens of thousands of people in three days!
Once again, everyone was shocked!
Scott Yates is the real king of Quebec!
Even after retiring for thirty years, he barely had to lift a finger to gather an army!
Everyone in Quebec was aware of his actions.
Even if South City turned a blind eye, it would be hard to deal with Mr. Yates if he is provoked.
As long as they don’t cause any civil unrest, they were free to organize the funeral however they want.
At Mount Amethyst.
Scott and Typhoon sat opposite of each other.
Typhoon looked calm and collected as usual, as if he had ceased to concern himself with worldly affairs.
As for Scott, his hair turned white overnight, making him look old and aged.
“Master, people from all thirteen cities in Quebec have gathered. We have eleven thousand people thus far. Not only that, your disciples from several provinces nearby are also on their way. I estimate we will have thirteen thousand people in all,” Theo reported.
Scott nodded in acknowledgement.
His gaze landed on Typhoon and said, “In the past, I’ve always tried to quell your bloodthirstiness because I didn’t want you to be inhumane and ended up like a beast!”
Typhoon kept quiet. His bloodthirstiness had indeed toned down over the past thirty years.
“But now, someone is forcing our hand. Typhoon, it’s time to pick up your sword again. I want you to start killing! As many as possible!” Scott said viciously.
Theo, who was at the side shuddered at his tone.
This was the first time Scott had asked Typhoon to go on a killing spree.
In the past, he was worried that Typhoon would kill too many people. However, he was asking Typhoon to kill as many as he could now.
This was enough indication to show Scott’s fury.
The death of Fernand and the others had struck a nerve within him.
Typhoon lifted his eyes and said hoarsely, “I will make everyone in North Hampton join them! Boom!”
Theo was scared out of his wits that he started to break out in cold sweat.
No one could stop Typhoon if he were to go all out.
This time round, the city streets would surely be bathed in blood!
The number one mass murderer of Quebec will stop at nothing.
God knows how many people would perish by his hands this time round.
Meanwhile, Levi who was in North Hampton flashed a thin smile when he received the news. “Hah, someone dares to gather an army right under my nose? Are they trying to die?”
Azure Dragon and Kirin gave each other a look and exclaimed, “God of War, it didn’t occur to us that Scott would be so powerful. He managed to gather so many people in three days, and the numbers are still growing!”
“He certainly is Quebec’s number one. Compared to him, Jack and Liam seemed too weak! This is what a real boss looked like!” Levi smiled and said.
On the flip side, White Tiger was looking forward to it. He smiled and said, “I heard there’ll be a lot of professionals coming! I can’t wait!”
Others would think that White Tiger was out of his mind if they heard him.
CHAPTER 467
However, everyone who knew him well enough knew that he was a total psycho, not to mention a killing machine.
It’s not like he had never faced tens of thousands of people by himself before.
At that moment, Glenn hastily rushed over.
“Mr. Garrison, this will be tricky. No matter how powerful you are, things will still be dangerous if these people unleash their madness. Tens of thousands of people coming right at us all at once, it feels scary just to think about it.”
Glenn shivered at the thought.
Nonetheless, Levi said in a relaxed manner, “Glenn, prepare a coffin to be sent to the funeral.”
“Huh? What do you mean, Mr. Garrison?”
Glenn was confused.
Wouldn’t sending a coffin to Scott be provoking him?
“What is it? Are you questioning me?” Levi said.
“I wouldn’t dare. I will arrange for it immediately!”
Cold sweat broke out on Glenn’s forehead.
After Glenn left, Levi asked, “Where is the Cavalry Regiment?”
“They’re currently located at the Northwest Great Desert, sir!” Phoenix said.
“I hereby summon the Cavalry Regiment to come to North Hampton tomorrow!” Levi said coldly.
It was at that moment, Azure Dragon and Kirin knew Levi was serious about it this time.
Everyone knew that Levi’s personal army is the invincible Iron Brigade.
However, few were aware that Levi had personally built several small troops which were invincible as well.
For example, the Cavalry Regiment was formed of 18 powerful professionals.
They were the embodiment of destruction.
Once, Levi led the Cavalry Regiment to war. They annihilated twenty thousand people in one night and destroyed a small country with a mere troop of nineteen people.
These eighteen psychos were like a steel knife stabbing right into their enemy’s heart.
It was a taboo to even mention the names of these soldiers in the battlefield.
Because one will not even be aware when their entire barracks got destroyed…
“Also, tell Alfie to start moving! He must be out of shape now after having rested for so long in the South Warzone,” Levi said.
The Dragon Legion and Iron Brigade troops stationed at the South Warzone got really excited as soon as news broke.
They could finally let off steam after holding it in for two or three months!
Alfie quickly gathered everyone.
“Listen up! We have an important mission in three days! Moreover, we will be fighting alongside the God of War!” Alfie shouted.
Boom!
Upon hearing that they would be fighting alongside the supreme God of War, everyone went into a frenzy of excitement.
They were so excited that every single one of them teared up.
This is such a rare opportunity!
“Please don’t embarrass me on the battlefield. I hope we will be able to settle everything without having the God of War and his guards lift a finger!” Alfie yelled at the top of his voice.
“Can you promise me that?”
“Yes!” everyone shouted at the top of their lungs.
“Can we do it?”
“Yes, we can!”
“Let’s all do well in this mission! Show them the Dragon Legion’s wrath! We must let the God of War know we can still be at our best even when we’re out of our element!” Alfie shouted enthusiastically, so much that his voice turned hoarse.
“The Dragon Legion is invincible!”
“The Dragon Legion is invincible!”
…
The outcry of these soldiers shook the heavens and earth!
Everyone in the South Warzone were stunned!
Their ruthlessness is terrifying!
Is something going on since they have been assigned a mission?
Everyone in the South Warzone were trying to find out what was happening.
The Iron Brigade were supposed to be on break. It must be something big since they’re being mobilized!
CHAPTER 468
Inside South Warzone’s commander-in-chief’s office.
The commander-in-chief, vice commanders-in-chief, and a few higher-ups each sat on their seats with their brows tightened.
“Commander-in-chief has no idea what is going on. There’re no battles in Quebec or in the nearby provinces.”
“Yeah. I’ve tried asking Alfie but he said it’s top secret, and instructed personally by the God of War!”
“I wonder what the commotion is about…”
…
A few of them reported.
South Warzone’s commander-in-chief, Mike Pence, sighed, “I’m just worried that the problem is within our territory. I wouldn’t want the God of War to settle it for us when we’re not even aware of it.”
“Report, sir, I think I’ve figured it out!” Captain Mortimer said.
“Well, what is it?”
“Scott Yates from South City has been the talk of the town lately. He has been gathering his old troops and his disciples. I heard that he is planning to invade North Hampton!” said Mortimer.
“Oh, I got it. Scott’s godson and the Mighty Generals have stationed themselves at North Hampton. Now that I think about it, who else in North Hampton can stand against Scott aside from the God of War?” one of the vice commander-in-chief jumped in.
“Do you mean that Scott is going to fight the God of War head on?” Mike asked in surprise.
“Exactly! Scott has gathered his old troops and disciples for the sole reason of having his revenge!”
“I bet he doesn’t know that he will be facing the God of War!” someone else chimed in.
“How presumptuous! How dare he disrespect the God of War?”
“Mortimer, bring your troops to destroy Scott Yates!” The hot-tempered Mike said angrily.
“You must not do that, commander-in-chief! The Dragon Legion are already in the midst of preparation. This means that the God of War wants to deal with Scott personally. We must not overstep our boundaries!” someone else advised.
“That makes sense, but keep an eye out on the situation. Resolve the matter immediately if anything unusual occurs! First division, eighty-ninth division, and the rest of the legions should be prepared for what is to come!” Mike commanded.
“Yes, sir!”
…
There was only one day left before the funeral.
Approximately eight thousand people had gathered at Mount Amethyst, and the numbers were still growing.
Meanwhile, at the meeting hall stood a group of people.
This group of people consisted of the thirteen leaders from Scott’s former troops and about ten of his disciples.
One of them was a guy wearing a gold-rimmed glasses called Garfield Perkins. Not only was he very highly regarded by Scott, but he was also the strongest among Scott’s disciples, the leader of Quebec’s third city, Edge City, and the leader of the underworld.
Moreover, he had been doing business for the past couple of years, increasing his net worth to tens of billions.
“Don’t worry teacher. I will make them pay with their life regardless of their backgrounds or their capabilities!” Garfield said angrily.
“It’s payback time!”
…
A thousand people shouted at the top of their lungs.
Upon seeing that, Scott nodded, pleased.
“Theo, relay my orders. Tell all twenty eight members of the senior management from Morris Group to attend the funeral at Mount Amethyst tomorrow. They are to act as pallbearers, carry out the burial, and kneel at the cemetery for three days and three nights to repent for their sins! Kill anyone who is absent!” Scott instructed.
News soon traveled to Morris Group.
Iris and the rest of the higher-ups were shocked, especially those who had heard the rumor that they were about to be invaded by ten thousand people.
All of a sudden, everyone in Morris Group flew into a panic.
They had gone through many life-threatening situations through years of doing business, but this was the first time someone had threatened them so arrogantly.
CHAPTER 469
“Focus on your work, guys. This has nothing to do with all of you,” Levi couldn’t help but said angrily.
“You’re right. Let’s all just focus on our work!”
Iris immediately felt reassured at the thought of the impressive individual who had rescued her that night.
The next day.
Mount Amethyst was decorated in black and white as rows of flower wreaths were placed by the wall.
The funeral of the century had attracted a lot of attention, where even the sky was gloomy and the atmosphere was tense.
Two man stood in front of the mourning hall.
One of them was Typhoon, looking cold and indifferent.
The other man was Scott, with his bent back and grayish-white hair that made him looked older.
Nevertheless, his eyes shone bright.
He had been in retirement for thirty years now, he was like a ferocious lion who had fallen into a deep slumber.
However, today shall be the day that said ferocious lion awakens.
A lot of people will perish as a consequence of the lion’s awakening.
Inside Mount Amethyst’s vast space stood South City’s elites who came to pay their respect with thirteen thousand people gathered behind them.
Everyone was dressed in a black suit with a white flower pinned to their lapel, and a white headband.
It was a majestic sight.
No one else in the entire of Quebec could gather a crowd this big.
To gather thirteen thousand people in three days.
That was the power of Scott Yates.
Everyone in Quebec called him ‘sir’.
Angering him was equivalent to angering the heavens.
All the powerful families in South City were afraid of him.
A lot of people thought that Scott had lost his touch during his retirement period.
Some even thought he could be replaced by Sebastian Lopez.
But now, it looked like the joke’s on them.
For who could stand against the omnipotent Scott Yates now?
And who could replace him?
Scott straightened the white flower on his lapel and said, “Heh, I didn’t think I’d be meeting all of you in such an occasion. I’d like to thank everyone who came to send my three brothers and my godson off! Thank you!”
Scott bowed.
Seeing their leader bow down agitated all thirteen thousand people as anger rose in their hearts.
“Sir…Sir…” everyone shouted emotionally.
“I’m supposed to be retired, but some outsiders provoked Quebec repeatedly, took over our territory and our property, and even massacred our people. They’re robbing our lives!”
“Today, I, Scott Yates, hereby declare that I will strike down Morris Group with everything I have!” Scott exclaimed in a loud voice.
“Strike them down! Strike them down!”
“An eye for an eye! An eye for an eye!”
The battle cries of these people shook the heavens.
Surely this was enough to make everyone in Quebec tremble in fear!
He was too strong!
Anyone who stood in Scott Yates’ way shall be eliminated!
“Sir, we have ten more minutes before the funeral starts, all that’s left now is Morris Group.” Theo reminded.
Scott nodded.
“Teacher, what shall we do if the people from Morris Group is absent?” Garfield asked.
A gleam flashed through Scott’s eyes as he replied, “Then we will mow Morris Group to the ground and drag the whole of North Hampton down to hell!”
“Understood, teacher. I’d be willing to join the vanguard forces!” Garfield took the initiative to volunteer.
“Excellent!” Scott was pleased. He loved this side of Garfield.
“The people from Morris Group has arrived!”
At this moment, a loud voice sounded.
Crash!
Everyone turned to look at the entrance and were dumbfounded with what they saw.
CHAPTER 470
What they saw were four men marching in carrying a coffin.
Clearly, they were trying to provoke Scott by attending the funeral with a coffin in tow.
Everyone felt fury pulsed through their veins!
All they wanted at that moment was to shred these four men into pieces.
Scott calmed everyone down with a wave of his hand.
They watched on in anger as the four men marched to the vast land in front.
Bang!
The coffin landed heavily on the ground.
“Greetings, Mr. Yates, I’m here to relay a message from the Master of Morris Group!” the leader of the four men said.
“Who do you think you are?” Garfield said angrily.
Since when can some nobody speak to my Godfather directly?
“Never mind, let him speak!” Scott said.
“He hopes Mr. Yates can experience this moment every year from now on!”
“Gasp!”
Silence filled the air the moment those words left his lips as everyone held their breath.
This is unbelievable!
To say something like that at a funeral is the worst curse of all!
“Godfather, I will lead a troop of people to North Hampton right this instance and dye the streets in blood! I want to tear everyone from Morris Group into pieces!”
Garfield was furious.
Scott’s former troops and his disciples were also boiling with anger.
“Tear them into pieces!”
Everyone below could not contain their anger as well. Their actions mimicked a beast who had been freed from its cage.
“Hahaha…” Scott burst into laughter instead.
Even Typhoon smiled.
And it was the rarest of sight.
The reason behind Scott’s laughter was because it was the first time he had met such an impudent fool after ruling for so many years.
I have really seen it all now!
“The younger generation these days sure is cocky!” Scott chuckled.
“Mr. Yates, this coffin is for you! He said you’ll need it sooner or later!” one of the pallbearer spoke up.
Boom!
Garfield and the rest of the guests were furious. Their fists were balled tight as their eyes filled with rage.
They couldn’t stand the incessant provocations from Morris Group anymore!
Their actions were enough to have anyone and everyone to have the urge to tear Morris Group into pieces!
“Damn it! Damn it all to hell!” Theo said through gritted teeth.
How could they be so cruel?
“Morris Group is pushing it too far! How dare they provoke us like that? They showed no respect to Sir at all!”
Garfield balled his fists tightly. He could no longer hold back his murderous intent.
Swoosh!
Someone from the crowd couldn’t hold it in anymore. He rushed forward with his sword pointed at the four pallbearers.
“I’m going to kill all of you!”
He swung his sword at them.
Bang!
However, a huge force knocked the sword out of his hand and broke it in half.
“Stand down! Let them leave!” Scott said coldly.
Typhoon was the one who had broken the sword in half with just a small stone.
It was a terrifying display of his capability.
In the end, the four pallbearers left.
Scott tried to suppress his anger as he said, “Let’s proceed with the funeral! Send my brother and my son off on their final journey!”
“Rest in peace!”
“Rest in peace”
…
Everyone emptied the glass of wine they had on hand.
Crack!
Crack!
…
After that, everyone smashed the wine glass on the floor. It was a spectacular sight to see thousands of people doing it together.
“Sir, should we lower the casket now?” Theo asked.
“No, the leader of Morris Group must be the one to carry and lower the casket!”
“Let’s head to North Hampton right this instance. I’m going to turn North Hampton into a living hell!” Scott cried out.
“To war with North Hampton! To war with North Hampton! To war with North Hampton!” Over ten thousand men chanted fervidly. Every one of them filled with anger and itching to vent their fury.
Equipped with swords, they each also had a white flower pinned on their chests and a white band tied around their heads.
And they were all ready to march.
The Suarez family, the Lopez family, and all the other famous families knew that Scott was going all out this time.
However, it would not achieve anything other than Scott’s death.
Before it came to that, Scott may have flattened North Hampton and taken revenge on the Morris Group.
“Split into ten groups and head for North Hampton! Men, carry the coffins of my brothers and my sons! And don’t forget the one that he sent us. Let’s march!” Scott commanded.
Ten thousand men spread out into ten groups and marched zealously towards North Hampton.
Scott and Typhoon personally led a group. Together with Theo and Garfield, they formed the vanguard.
Five coffins followed them with another three thousand men behind.
They were all marching towards North Hampton.
The scene was a magnificent yet terrifying one. They were prepared to kill anyone who stood in their way.
It would be wise for anyone who ran into them to hide.
Even South City didn’t dare stand in their way despite being aware of their plans.
Simply because this was a group of fanatics, and there was no stopping them.
Whoever that tried would have to pay a heavy price.
Furthermore, they didn’t receive any communications from North Hampton. Hence, it would be unwise to take any action on their own.
The other nine groups went in vehicles, forming a large convoy towards North Hampton.
Their mission was simple. Before Scott arrived, they would need to take North Hampton.
Ideally, that would include defeating the Morris Group and presenting Scott with the head of their leader.
Everyone in Quebec was aware of Scott’s massive action.
All the powerful families in South City began to hide, afraid of being dragged into the fight.
There were thirteen thousand men, and the situation was extremely chaotic.
The other cities in Quebec trembled in fear, anxious that war would spread to their territories.
No one knew how it was going to turn out.
Everyone prayed for the safety of North Hampton as it would soon become hell on earth.
This group of madmen would unleash maximum bloodshed.
Whoever that was related to the Morris Group would not escape their clutches.
By now, North Hampton had heard the news.
Nueve, Trey, and the others were terrified.
Compared to what Scott had, they were defenseless.
Scott is being ruthless!
Is he really going all out?
When Jesse heard the news, he quickly checked with Percy to see if they needed to take any countermeasures.
Yet, Percy’s answer was simple. As long as that person was around, they should just do whatever was required.
Only then was Jesse’s mind put at ease.
Or else they wouldn’t even be able to have the meeting.
If the matter escalated, there was no way he could hide.
As Scott led his troops through the narrow roads, the three thousand men in the funeral garb scared everyone they passed by.
No one spoke the whole journey there.
Even when they traversed through the hills, the troop maintained its formation.
After all, they were Scott’s elite soldiers.
“Sir, we are an hour away from North Hampton,” Theo reported.
“Alright, press on!” Scott coldly commanded.
After marching some time, Typhoon noticed something immediately.
Stopping in his tracks, he scouted ahead.
There was an SUV parked not far from where they were.
A man was sitting inside.
“Scott, I have been waiting for you a long time!” the man declared with a smile.
It was Levi!
CHAPTER 472
Beside him stood three men – Kirin, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger.
White Tiger looked at the three thousand men in front of him in anticipation.
Seeing them, Scott waved for his troop to stop.
“Have you been waiting for me?” Scott asked.
“That’s right,” Levi replied, puffing his cigarette.
“Are you the leader of the Morris Group?”
“Of course.”
Scott was shocked to see how young Levi was.
“This is unexpected. I thought you would be a lot older,” Scott lamented.
When Levi caught a glimpse of the coffin they were carrying, he laughed. “It appears you are well aware of the current situation. You even brought your own coffin to prepare for your death.”
“Hmph, I prepared it for you!” Scott snorted.
Levi chuckled. “I’m sorry, I’m still young. Unlike you, it’s going to be a long time before I became dust.”
“You…”
Scott was no match for Levi when it came to taunting opponents.
The next moment, he changed the subject. As his eyes sparkled, he exclaimed, “Who is the one who killed my brothers and godson? Step out now!”
White Tiger acknowledged with a smile, “It’s me, but you don’t deserve to know my name!”
White Tiger was right.
Despite how high Scott’s position was, White Tiger only cared about actual fighting strength. Therefore, Scott had no right to know who he was.
“Very well, do the four of you plan to stand against three thousands of us?” Scott sneered.
White Tiger chuckled in reply, “I’m sorry, it will only be me alone.”
“How dare you!”
Boom!
Suddenly, Garfield and his ten best men charged forward in unison.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Eleven swords glistened in the sun as they were thrust at White Tiger’s vital organs.
Meanwhile, White Tiger calmly tore off a piece of clothing and covered his mouth.
He wanted to protect his mouth from the blood that was going to be splattered.
“Enough of your tricks!”
With a quick dash, Garfield thrust his sword towards White Tiger’s throat.
Clang!
However, White Tiger’s reflexes were as fast as lightning. He grabbed Garfield’s wrist and turned the sword in Garfield’s direction.
“Ugh!”
In a blink of an eye, the sword pierced through Garfield’s body.
He collapsed to the ground with disbelief written all over his face.
The next moment, the ten elite warriors attacked simultaneously.
But White Tiger managed to use his clothes to bind all ten blades together.
Jumping into the air, he kicked four to five of them away while finishing the rest with a single punch each.
Blood splattered everywhere.
In less than ten seconds, all ten men had fallen.
It was a spectacular sight!
Scott was impressed by what he saw.
This man is really strong!
Everyone knew the reason Garfield was the top dog at Edge City was due to his unrivaled strength. Even his ten subordinates were equally invincible.
However, no one expected them to be disposed of in mere seconds.
Scott and Theo now understood why Bones and Golem died.
They were no match for their enemy.
“No matter how strong you are, can you withstand the force of the three thousand men behind me?” Scott scowled.
Typhoon stopped him and declared, “Let me have a go at him first!”
They were shocked to see Typhoon’s expression.
He looked like a beast that had not seen any victims in a long time. Both his eyes gleamed in a terrifying manner as if he were eyeing his prey.
Boom!
Just then, Typhoon emitted a frightening burst of energy that blasted the dust and leaves around him away.
At that moment, everyone noticed the stench of blood that permeated the air.
They knew the butcher within Typhoon was back, who enjoyed killing for pleasure and sport.
Despite retiring for thirty years, his strength continued to grow.
Licking his lips, Typhoon glared at White Tiger as if he was his prey.
CHAPTER 473
He began to approach White Tiger slowly.
Despite his slow steps, every stride covered tens of meters in distance.
He managed to close the distance of over a hundred meters in a blink of an eye.
“My brothers-in-arms! Listen to me! Tear the other three men limb by limb!” Scott commanded.
Owooooo…
At that moment, the howl of wolves broke the silence of the forest.
Everyone looked around in shock as they saw wolves emerge from both sides of the forest.
Their bodies were much bigger than that of ordinary wolves.
There were nine on the left and another nine on the right.
What made the sight more terrifying was that each wolf had a man riding on top. They were dressed in black with a mask covering their faces. All that could be seen were their bloodthirsty eyes.
These eighteen men had crossbows and guns slung behind their backs. In their hands, were grenades, military blades, daggers, and other types of advanced weaponry.
They formed the Cavalry Regiment of the God of War and were the nightmare of enemies on the battlefield.
Every single one of them could defeat a thousand men.
At the sight of all eighteen men, the morale of the three thousand men was sapped.
Confusion started to reign among them as they looked towards their sides.
Since when do men ride on wolves? We have never heard of it before.
“What are you panicking for? Attack!” Scott bellowed.
“Remember, kill everyone who stands in your way!”
Scott’s encouragement managed to set alight the flames of his men’s fighting spirit.
With three thousand men, there’s no need for them to be afraid.
Could this eighteen men really stop them?
Owooooo…
At that moment, all the wolves let out a long howl before commencing their attack.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As all eighteen wolves charged down the hills, the ground rumbled with a thunderous roar.
Smashing into the three thousand troops, the wolves easily mowed down many of them, throwing the troops into disarray.
“Argh!” Cries of agony were heard throughout.
Meanwhile, the other nine groups of Scott’s men were fast approaching North Hampton.
Screech!
Suddenly, the lead car jammed its brakes and caused the whole convoy to stop.
There was a group of men standing right in front, they were all dressed in the same uniform.
They wore military green tank tops, similarly colored pants, and black battle boots.
However, they were all unarmed and were obviously the Dragon Legion under Alfie’s command.
They, too, were split into nine battalions to stop the enemy.
Alfie’s orders to them were simple – it was to complete the mission with their bare hands.
It caused the beast-like group to cheer fervently as they had not battled in months.
Despite seeing Alfie’s troops, Scott’s men were not deterred.
“How dare they block our way unarmed. Brother-in-arms, let’s kill them all!”
As Scott’s men drew their swords, they marched towards Alfie and his troops.
From their perspective, it didn’t matter how well Alfie’s men could fight. Bare fists could never beat cold steel.
Today, they were about to be chopped into minced meat. It would be the same for all the other eight groups.
As all of Alfie’s men attacked, both sides quickly clashed.
Soon, cries of anguish filled the air.
Meanwhile, Typhoon had reached within five meters of White Tiger.
Boom!
Suddenly, Typhoon picked up speed and charged forward, generating a blast of air behind him.
The leaves on the ground were blown back while two deep-set footprints could be seen where he just stood.
Swoosh!
Coming out of nowhere, a black and gold dagger emerged in his hands.
Boom!
The moment the dagger appeared, it set off a strong gale. The wind would sting anyone it came into contact with, as it could cut like a blade.
Typhoon’s form was perfect in terms of its angle, power, and speed when he thrust his dagger forward.
He resolutely wanted his strike to draw blood.
CHAPTER 474
Meanwhile, White Tiger’s blood boiled with excitement when he saw how fearsome his enemy’s attack was.
He didn’t expect the underworld to have someone so powerful left.
The attack came in a flash.
White Tiger bent backward so much that he almost touched the ground. With that, he was able to avoid the strike.
Swoosh!
Crack!
Typhoon’s knife missed and pierced the tree trunk behind him that was as thick as a man’s waist.
Suddenly, the tree cracked from the top to the bottom before exploding into smithereens, sending pieces of tree bark flying everywhere.
It was an extremely terrifying sight!
No wonder he was known as the greatest warrior in Quebec!
However, White Tiger only responded with a smile. “That’s pretty impressive. Now it’s my turn!”
With that, he lunged forward with a single punch.
At the same moment, Typhoon countered with his dagger.
Crack!
Somehow, White Tiger caught the dagger between his fingers and smashed his fist into Typhoon’s body.
Boom!
Upon impact, Typhoon was sent flying backward and crashed into a large tree.
Before he could pick himself up, White Tiger was upon him.
Bang!
He smashed another punch into Typhoon’s face.
Ooof!
Blood started to ooze out of Typhoon’s mouth.
He tried to counter but was held down by White Tiger, who gave him no room to maneuver.
Bang!
With Typhoon pinned, White Tiger pounded his fists repeatedly, just like a piledriver.
After more than twenty consecutive punches, Typhoon was covered in blood and no longer breathing.
It was a gruesome sight.
Scott and Theo’s eyes widened so wide as if they could pop out anytime.
Was the gap in strength so big that Typhoon had no chance to defend himself?
Typhoon was the best warrior in Quebec. What sort of madness is this?
It simply didn’t make any sense!
They were now aware of why the Morris Group acted with such impudence.
With so many formidable characters among them, they definitely deserved to behave that way.
If only Scott had as many powerful subordinates as possible under his command, all the surrounding territories would be his. He wouldn’t just be ruling over Quebec.
When they turned to check on the battle behind them, Scott and Theo gaped.
They had expected an easy victory given the overwhelming odds of three thousand men against eighteen.
However, they were not prepared for what they saw. The ground was strewn with their men.
The three thousand men were slaughtered into disarray by the eighteen wolf riders, who were unstoppable.
All their men were fleeing, as no one had any courage left to fight.
The Cavalry Regiment’s attack was so devastating that it felt like the Gods were punishing man.
No ordinary man was able to withstand God’s judgment.
The Cavalry Regiment was the equivalent of nuclear weapons on the battlefield.
Against such a weak enemy, they seemed to be in excessive use of power.
Three thousand men were simply too few to provide a challenge. Thirty thousand men would have stood a better chance.
Back to the other nine groups.
When Scott’s subordinates clashed with Alfie’s men, they realized they had misjudged the enemy.
These people are mad! They’re too strong for us!
In their twenty years of fighting, they had never met such a formidable foe.
In a blink of an eye, the formations of the other nine groups were broken up. All of Scott’s subordinates collapsed on the ground while grimacing in pain.
All it took was two minutes to finish them off.
Thirteen thousand men were routed in a very short duration.
No one had expected such an outcome.
In their eyes, Scott was invincible. However, in the face of true strength, they couldn’t even last more than three minutes.
At that moment, Scott was dumbfounded when he realized Typhoon was dead and all three thousand of his elite troops had been routed.
What else did he have left? Nothing at all.
“Sir, the other nine groups have reported that they have been defeated! We’re finished. Everything is lost!” Even Theo was almost in tears.
CHAPTER 475
Scott closed his eyes in despair.
It’s all gone!
They had not expected such a swift ending.
The coffin they carried was indeed meant for him.
“Your biggest mistake was to attack North Hampton, or else you would still be able to live.”
Scott was jolted when he heard Levi’s voice.
Opening his eyes, he asked Levi, “Before I die, can you tell me your identity?”
Suddenly, Theo interrupted with a trembling voice, “Sir… I know who they are!”
“What?” Scott asked.
“It’s North Hampton! Who can’t we afford to offend in North Hampton?” Theo reminded.
When Scott saw the wolf riders, he exclaimed, “Are those the infamous Cavalry Regiment? Does that mean he’s… the God of War!”
Scott caught his breath as he mentioned the name of the supreme warrior.
He had not expected it at all.
It was no wonder that the head of the Morris Group was a mystery, and no information could be found about him.
The only rumor they heard was that no one knew where he was from.
It didn’t matter, since he was the legend himself.
Instantly, Scott was filled with regret.
He despised the fact that Sebastian had provoked him to lead his army out.
Finally, the incident that had caused so much panic dissipated just like that, and no one was the wiser.
There were many rumors that perceived the incident as a fabrication. Scott had never gathered ten thousand men in the first place.
No such thing ever happened.
Nevertheless, one rumor was absolutely true. Scott had disappeared.
Overnight, Quebec’s underworld was wiped out.
Something that couldn’t be done over more than ten years was accomplished within one night.
The masses were cheering in joy.
After all, Scott and his men were like parasites, and they had continuously terrorized the populace.
When Levi had men investigate Scott’s assets, it came up to over a hundred billion.
He ordered all the money to be used for charity. Whoever dared to abuse it, he would personally hold them accountable.
With that, the populace cheered the decision.
Such a popular decision would certainly increase the cohesion within the city’s residents.
Now, the Morris Group’s objective was to continue developing North Hampton and spend the funds for the benefit of the populace.
Meanwhile, Jesse asked Levi if he was interested to go to South City and develop Quebec.
However, Levi rejected him for the time being as he still wanted to stay by Zoey’s side.
He had told his wife that he wished to give her the future she wanted.
Therefore, he would only move to South City if that were what Zoey longed for.
After the battle, South City and all the other cities’ family-run industries operated in peace.
Everyone was aware that North Hampton was untouchable, and therefore no one dared to attack it.
If they did go there, it would be to develop North Hampton first while profits were secondary.
Hence, the development of North Hampton accelerated very quickly.
One day, Azure Dragon went to see Levi.
“Do you still remember Scott’s hundred billion worth in assets?” Azure Dragon asked.
“I do. What about it? Did someone abuse the funds?” Levi frowned as he asked.
Azure Dragon shook his head, “It’s actually worse. Someone discreetly acquired the company’s assets. The eighty billion that was meant to be invested in public charities are all gone!”
“What? How did that happen? Did someone secretly siphon the money out?” Levi exclaimed in shock.
How could the funds I had specifically earmarked encounter such a problem?
“Have you investigated it thoroughly?” Levi inquired.
“More or less. The one responsible is the largest company in Quebec, the Triple Group from Keerea. They acquired the company and accessed the eighty billion!” Azure Dragon explained.
What a spectacular show,but it ended quicker than expected
All this anti-God of War doesn't value their lives, they dare to tamper with what God of War has put restrictions on like Military zone keep
She came from a poor village and naturally wanted the money too. Fifteen million was undeniably a lot.
At that moment, she was stuck between the temptation of money and maintaining her principles.
“Mr. Waller, thank you for the kind offer, but I have to decline,” Helena rejected the contract.
“I won’t sign it too!” Helena’s other two companions followed suit.
“We’ll sign it!” Another three supporting actors couldn’t resist the temptation and agreed to accept the contract.
Before Helena and the other two left, Horace openly threatened, “Ms. Helena, despite how popular you are now, you have just limited your own options by rejecting the Triple Group’s offer. Haha…”
After Helena and the others left, Horace patted Maurice on his shoulders and smiled. “I think Zoey has something against you and wants to destroy your career.”
Then, Maurice told Horace about the incident with Levi.
“Haha, so you did offend her husband! What a joke! Besides, her husband isn’t much of a benefactor anyway. All he did was to use you as cheap labor by only offering you five hundred thousand. Do you know how much both movies made so far? Six billion!” Horace burst into laughter.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Maurice slammed his fist on the wall repeatedly and hissed, “Damn you, Zoey! I made six billion for you, and all I got was five hundred thousand?”
“So, why don’t you join me. I will guarantee that we will make you a superstar! I’m sure you are aware how powerful the Triple Group is.” Horace offered.
Maurice smiled in response. “Mr. Waller, My sentiments exactly! I can no longer stay with Oriental.”
“Alright, but you have to stay with them for now. When the time comes, I’ll sign you over. By the way, I heard that their directors and screenwriters are very capable too. I have a job for you. Get them to join us, and I’ll pay you a million for every single person you convince!” Horace smiled diabolically.
He planned to recruit the core members of the Oriental Star Group.
When he heard that he would be compensated for his efforts, Maurice readily agreed.
In fact, he volunteered, “If you are interested in Zoey, I would try my best to get her in bed with you.”
At the thought of Zoey, Horace licked his lips. “That would be wonderful!”
Maurice, too, fantasized about Zoey. He smiled slyly. “By then, don’t forget to share her with me. She’s someone that’s just irresistible. It’s just that I don’t dare express myself to her in the company. If she weren’t the boss, I would already have taken her.”
Meanwhile, Horace stood up with a grin. “Maurice, I have prepared a surprise for you. Enjoy!”
After Horace left the room, Maurice’s eyes gleamed when two pretty girls entered.
They’re more gorgeous than my girlfriend!
I’m not going to let that ugly country bumpkin tie me down my whole life.
With that thought in mind, Maurice pulled both women into his embrace and stepped into the tub with them.
Little did he know that the room was filled with pinhole cameras, and all his actions were captured from every imaginable angle.
The cameras did not miss a single detail.
The next day.
Maurice came into the office looking exhausted.
“Maurice, come quickly! The Union Square has an event that requires your presence.” A member of the staff informed him.
“How much are they paying?” Maurice asked.
“The appearance fee is five hundred thousand. It’s the highest we have received recently.” The staff replied.
“Five hundred thousand? That’s peanuts! I’m not going.”
CHAPTER 482
Everyone present was shocked at Maurice’s remarks.
In their eyes, Maurice was someone so ambitious to the point that he would accept work for fifty to a hundred thousand.
So why did he turn down a job worth five hundred thousand?
“Maurice, the appearance fee is five hundred thousand. Did you mishear it as fifty thousand?” The staff clarified with him.
“I didn’t get it wrong. Is five hundred thousand a lot? Do they think I’m that desperate?” Raising his voice, Maurice caused the staff to tremble in fear.
“Are you aware that the two movies I acted in grossed seven billion? That means I’m worth at least tens of millions. So, are they looking down on me by just offering five hundred thousand?”
With fifteen million in hand, five hundred thousand was peanuts to Maurice now.
“Maurice, are you crazy?” The staff couldn’t help but retort.
“Of course, the movies made the company a lot of money. But don’t forget that you are just a newcomer. The company not only provided you the opportunity but also gave you five hundred thousand. Furthermore, they spent a lot of resources on promoting you. Isn’t that fair enough?”
“Besides, you were the one that signed the contract willingly.” The other members of staff added.
Maurice scoffed, “The fact is I made them seven billion, but they only gave me five hundred thousand. Why don’t we make it public and let our peers decide whether they are taking advantage of newcomers?”
“Maurice! What are you doing? Come with me now!” Helena pulled Maurice aside to somewhere private.
“Maurice, as your long-time classmate, I would advise you to stop going down this route. In life, we should have a conscience when making choices, or else we would end up with a bad reputation.” Helena cautioned him.
Meanwhile, Maurice brought out a set of car keys and swung it around his fingers. It was obvious those keys were for a Ferrari.
“I don’t think it’s such big a deal. I’m driving a luxury car and staying in a mansion now. Isn’t it wonderful? Why do I have to stay back here and suffer?” “Helena, my advice to you is to sign the contract with Mr. Waller. I remember that your parents are seriously ill and need surgery immediately. Also, your siblings still have to attend school, and you were worried you couldn’t afford their school fees. Don’t you want them to live a comfortable life? All you need to do is to say yes. Your parents could live a life free of pain, and they would be happy. Isn’t that what you want?”
Helena was dumbfounded at Maurice’s words.
“Helena, listen to me. Sign the contract with the Triple Group. With the one-off buyout worth tens of millions, your family’s fortunes will be changed forever!” Maurice continued to tempt her.
After struggling within herself, Helena was adamant. “No! I’ll still stick with Ms. Lopez. I don’t mind making less money as long as I can sleep at night.”
Seeing Helena leave, Maurice berated her, “You’re a fool! Stupid girl!”
The next few days, Maurice acted with impunity within the company. He would scold the staff and other newcomers without reason.
However, due to the popularity of the movie, everyone had no choice but to endure.
Meanwhile, Zoey had begun to notice that Maurice was wearing clothes that cost hundreds of thousands and wearing watches that cost more than a million. On top of that, he drove a luxury car. It was obvious something wasn’t right.
Not only that, but a few of the other up-and-coming stars were also visibly less motivated in their work.
They rejected most of the projects offered and simply lounged around the office while putting on airs.
As they largely didn’t break any rules, Zoey had no basis to intervene.
Finally, the Triple Group managed to organize their charity gala in South City, and it was a resounding success. Both the media and public came away praising how the Triple Group was a socially responsible organization.
After that, the Triple Group planned to organize a charity gala in North Hampton.
CHAPTER 483
As the Triple Group continued to expand, South City was no longer enough to satisfy it.
They wanted to penetrate the city with the largest economy in the region, which was North Hampton.
Soon, the list of guests for the charity gala was announced.
“Ms. Lopez, take a look at the guest list quickly!”
Gerry and his staff brought over the list hastily.
“Morris!, Wilford, Trisha…” Zoey read out their names solemnly.
There were ten in total, and they were all new stars who the Oriental Star Group was promoting.
They had surreptitiously signed a spokesperson’s contract with the Triple Group without the company’s knowledge.
Zoey was infuriated. “Didn’t I say that we would decline to work with the Triple Group? Why did some of them still sign a contract still? Go and get all of them here!”
Meanwhile, Gerry replied, “Ms. Lopez, please calm down. Our contracts with them do not contain any clauses that bar them from freelance work. Hence, what they’re doing is not illegal and neither does it breach the contract terms. If there’s any conflict with them, it would not benefit us at all. Given how well received the two movies are currently, it would damage both our reputation and financials if we offended the lead actors.”
“Are you suggesting that we just bear with it?” Zoey fumed.
“For now, that’s our only choice. We have to pretend that we don’t know anything about it,” Gerry concluded reluctantly.
He did not expect to have been promoting such an ingrate. Maurice was even more difficult to deal with than Niall.
“Ms. Lopez, Maurice wants to see you.”
At that moment, Maurice arrived and threw a set of accounts onto the table.
“Zoey, the movie has grossed ten billion now!”
Zoey picked up the accounts and took a look.
Aren’t these the respective accounts for the two movies?
The accounts were supposed to be confidential. Other than the company and large broadcasting websites, no one had access to them.
“Where did you get the accounts from?” Zoey demanded.
Meanwhile, Maurice sat down and sneered, “It doesn’t matter where I got it from. I just want to know – how much are you going to pay me now that you made ten billion?”
“Maurice, stop being rude! You’re speaking to Ms. Lopez!” Gerry reprimanded him.
Maurice scoffed, “So what if she is? She’s still human. What’s wrong with my question?”
Zoey smiled in response. “Five hundred thousand. Your pay for both movies is simply five hundred thousand!”
“It has been decided in the very beginning that all the actors’ salaries combined would not exceed ten million. The company still needs to spend on special effects and pay the scriptwriters. Everyone knows that.”
Maurice nodded. “I understand that. But it’s obvious that the movies have made a profit of ten billion. Are you serious in just paying me five hundred thousand?”
Zoey’s lips widened into a broad smile. “That’s right. It’s because the contract states that your fee is five hundred thousand. Whether the film is a success or a failure, it has nothing to do with you.”
“Hahaha, didn’t you always emphasize that Oriental is a people-centric company? In the end, you still choose profits over ethics. How could you only pay the male lead five hundred thousand when the movie has made ten billion. Isn’t that simply unfair?” Maurice challenged.
Zoey remained expressionless. “I speak based on my principles and will follow the contract to the letter. No more, no less.”
“Fine, shall I expose this issue and let the public decide who is in the right?”
Maurice was smart to use the film’s popularity to blackmail the company.
“No, don’t! Maurice, please calm down. Everything is open for discussion,” Gerry interjected.
If the matter got out, it would be very damaging to both the company’s reputation and financial position, regardless of who was in the wrong.
“Maurice, name your price!” Gerry demanded.
“Three billion!”
CHAPTER 484
Gasp!
When Maurice stated his price, everyone present caught their breath.
Three billion, is he crazy?
Maurice laughed. “What is it? Do you think I’m being greedy? Both the movies are expected to earn eighteen billion in the end. Even after you paid me three billion, you still have fifteen billion in profits left. More importantly, if word gets out, the reputational damage would be devastating. Taking that into account, three billion isn’t too much to ask for.” Maurice explained confidently.
Gerry and the others exchanged glances as they weighed their options.
If Maurice blew the matter up, the controversy would easily cost the company more than three billion.
More importantly, the loss in credibility would be beyond repair.
“Maurice, let’s discuss it further. Could you lower your demands? In return, we will pay you more for your next film,” Gerry asked, trying his best to negotiate.
“No! It’s three billion. Take it or leave it!”
Since Maurice had planned to sign a contract with the Triple Group, he didn’t care about the next movie.
Gerry and the others were running out of ideas. All they could do now was look to Zoey for her decision.
“Ms. Lopez, what do you think?”
By now, Maurice no longer respected Zoey.
Looking at him, Zoey scoffed, “No way. We won’t give you anything, so stop dreaming!”
“Uh…”
Gerry and the others were stunned as they expected Zoey to continue negotiations.
Instead, she rejected Maurice outright.
Maurice, too, was caught off guard as Zoey didn’t even bother to negotiate.
“Very well. What an unethical boss!” Maurice sneered as he left.
“Ms. Lopez, are you sure that’s alright? The impact will be huge if it blows up.” Gerry was feeling doubtful.
Zoey replied firmly. “If we compromise, it will open the floodgates for others to do the same.”
At night at North Hampton’s Grand Manor, the Triple Group held their charity gala there.
It was a massive event.
Everyone who was somebody in North Hampton was invited. Even Grover attended the event.
Many of them were the rich and famous of North Hampton who came from all industries.
Actors and actresses were definitely included.
Meanwhile, the media broadcasted Maurice’s arrival live as he was the most popular actor then.
Everyone’s attention was focused on him as the viewers who tuned in exceeded ten million.
The gala was hosted by Horace.
“The Triple Group has decided to make a one-off donation of ten billion to North Hampton’s charity and public welfare organizations. It would be used to build retirement homes, orphanages, schools, etc.” Horace announced at the end of the night.
At the same time, he handed a cheque of ten billion to the President of North Hampton Charity Association, Sanford Collins.
All the media were focused on reporting and showcasing that particular moment.
“The Triple Group is a socially responsible company. Not only did they donate ten billion to South City, but they also donated ten billion to North Hampton.”
“That’s right! Although they are a Keerean company, they have contributed significantly to the development of Quebec.”
“From now on, I will only buy Triple Group’s electronic products!”
When the broadcast of the charity gala was over, the internet cheered.
Perception towards the Triple Group improved significantly soon after that. In just over ten minutes, the online sales of Triple Group products in Erudia increased by a few billion.
Most of its electronic products were sold out.
Meanwhile, Levi was watching the broadcast and was infuriated.
The trust fund that he had painstakingly set up had not only been usurped by the Triple Group but used to further their commercial interests.
At that moment, Azure Dragon informed him that South City sent their apologies.
They did not expect the Triple Group to have extended their claws over North Hampton.
“Hmph, don’t blame me after coming here to taunt me!” A frosty glint flashed across Levi’s eyes.
CHAPTER 485
With her fist tightly clenched, Zoey, too, was trembling out of anger.
“This really is a capitalistic society. Power and influence can not only cover up the truth but also whitewash sins into virtues!”
Meanwhile, the charity gala was still being broadcasted.
The Triple Group had lined up ten poor kids in front of the cameras. Horace declared, “The Triple Group will take care of these ten kids up until they graduate from university!”
“That’s great!”
Many in the audience were clapping and cheering.
Thunderous applause rumbled throughout as the atmosphere there was ecstatic.
The Triple Group had won a decisive victory in both reputation and financial gains.
They were now known as a socially responsible organization.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our next segment may not be aligned with tonight’s theme. But I feel it’s an opportunity to help someone redress an injustice.” Horace changed the topic of the night.
“Oh? Does someone want to expose an injustice done?”
Everyone was curious to know what it was about.
At that moment, Maurice, Wilford, Trisha, and the rest stood on the stage.
“Let me introduce to you the most popular male actor currently, Maurice. Followed by supporting actor and actress, Wilford and Trisha respectively…” Horace presented.
Given how popular their movie was, everyone recognized who they were.
“What’s going on? Were Maurice and the rest treated unjustly?”
Everyone was puzzled.
Horace then passed the microphone to Maurice.
Looking at the crowd in the eyes, Maurice explained, “Everyone knows that I’m the male lead in the two recent blockbuster movies. Up till now, the Oriental Star Group had made more than twenty billion in profits. However, do you know how much I am paid for the films? Please take a guess!”
“Fifty million!”
“No, that’s too much. Guess lower!” Maurice yelled.
“Ten million!”
“No!”
“It can’t be less than five million, can it? Even if they paid five billion, it would still be reasonable.” Someone questioned
“Fine, let me tell you the answer! I, alone, am paid with a meager sum of five hundred thousand!”
When Maurice exposed the answer, there was an immediate uproar.
Everyone’s face was filled with disbelief.
“What? They only paid the lead five hundred thousand after making twenty billion? Is that even possible?”
“This is outright absurd! Oriental Star Group is practically abusing the rights of their employees! Five hundred thousand… are they kidding me?”
“The Oriental Star Group is a malignant tumor that must be removed from the industry! How can they lowball their actors like that?”
Everyone present was angered by the injustice that they had just heard about.
Meanwhile, Maurice was satisfied with the impact he made.
“This is not something I made up myself. I have proof as I even kept the receipt!”
Changing the subject, Maurice asked again, “Do you want to know how much my friend was paid?”
Taking over the mic, Trisha reported her salary, “I was paid three hundred thousand!”
Then it was Wilford’s turn. “I was also paid three hundred thousand!”
“I was paid even less, two hundred thousand!”
“I, too, received two hundred thousand only!”
“I’m the lowest at a hundred and fifty thousand!”
When the supporting cast exposed their salaries, the outcries from the audience were deafening.
Many of them were cursing and swearing at Oriental.
“This is a joke! A movie that garnered twenty billion in profit only paid less than three million in salaries to their cast?”
“The management of Oriental are bloodsuckers! How could they do such a thing?”
“How can we have such an unethical company in North Hampton? They should be blacklisted!”
Just like that, public opinion turned against Oriental.
It wasn’t only those in attendance that were angry, but even those online were berating Oriental.
There were calls to boycott Oriental. In fact, some even urged revenge!
“How could they shamelessly twist the facts!” At that moment, Zoey was so furious that she almost smashed the TV.
“So Morris Group doesn’t need it, but Triple Group does? Such double standards,” Levi scoffed.
“Triple—”
Levi cut Jon off again. “I want to know who gave you the right to write Morris Group’s contribution off as Triple Group’s. That’s some serious power right there, changing a one-billion project just like that.”
Levi arrived at the root of the problem with his sharp words.
Jon was overwhelmed.
“Who is this man, Ms. Anabelle? Are you both here just to stir up some ruckus? So you want to look into the internal affairs of the Charity Association that badly?” he raged.
“Sure. Why don’t we investigate?” Levi replied coldly.
“Get them out of here!”
Jon wasn’t having it anymore and immediately ordered someone to take them away.
But Levi persisted. “No! I have to find out exactly what’s going on! How did Morris’ charity program end up becoming Triple’s?”
Jon was beyond livid. “So what if I don’t admit it was Morris’? What can you do about that, even if I say it’s been written off as Triple’s?”
Levi’s lips curled into a profound smile. “Fine. Don’t regret it then!”
“Me? Regret? Hah! I’m going to say this one more time. Triple Group’s the one who donated the money and it has nothing to do with you! Send them out!”
Iris and Levi left the building. “You see that? I can’t believe that’s how the Charity Association behaves!” Iris lamented with a wave of her hand. “I have to go back and ask Mr. Atkinson what to do. We can’t just leave things this way.”
The two returned to Morris Group.
Levi headed to his own office and contacted his secretary, Aurora Newt.
“Aurora, who’s the person in charge of the North Hampton Charity Association?” he asked.
“The president is Mr. Sanford Collins, Sir.”
“Alright. Tell him to come over. I have something to discuss with him.”
Levi sounded as cold as frost.
It didn’t take long for Sanford Collins to arrive at Morris Group with several other high-ranking associates.
The five of them stood inside the office with their heads lowered and covered in cold sweat.
They didn’t even dare to wipe at their foreheads.
The man sitting before them was way too intimidating.
He’s not just the deputy of North Hampton, he’s the God of War!
How did Scott Yates die?
It was thanks to this man!
And why has Triple Group suddenly appeared out of nowhere to do whatever they please in Quebec?
It’s mainly because Scott Yates, the man who had been keeping a tight rein on Triple Group, is no more.
This is the man who had single-handedly gotten rid of Scott Yates!
“Do you know why I’ve called you over?” asked Levi.
Sanford Collins and his men exchanged glances before shaking their heads. “No we don’t, Mr. Garrison.”
“You don’t? Then do you know where you are right now?”
Levi tapped his desk with his knuckles.
“We’re inside Morris Group. Ah! Is this perhaps about Morris Group’s charity program?”
Being the smart man that he was, Sanford quickly grasped the situation.
“So, you do know why you’re here,” Levi said coldly.
“Tell me what’s going on,” he said with a smirk. “How did the money Morris Group donated for the program end up as Triple Group’s?”
Suddenly, his expression took a sharp turn. “I was just at the Charity Association to ask about this, but they insisted the money came from Triple and even chased me out of the building!”
Boom!
Levi’s words struck them like lightning, instantly petrifying them.
Thump!
Sanford lost his balance and staggered to the floor.
Seriously?
This man got kicked out of the Charity Association?
Who had such nerve to do that?
CHAPTER 497
This is blasphemy!
It’s over.
The shit’s about to hit the fan now.
Sanford breathed deeply and said, “We had no idea such a thing happened, Mr. Garrison.”
Levi tapped on his desk again. “That’s the second issue. Let’s talk about the first. If I don’t get a good answer from you, I’m going to start looking into it on my own!”
The men nearly coughed blood out of fear.
Look into it on his own?
Jesse Nielsen’s going to ruin us before that happens.
“I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
Sanford jumped in and explained himself clearly.
“It was the general manager of Triple Group from Erudia, Horace Waller, who came looking for me. He told me to put Morris Group’s one-billion donation under Triple Group for the charity program! I did it only because he promised to donate two billion to North Hampton in the future!”
Levi smirked. “He promised to donate two billion? Did you sign an agreement with him?”
“No. It was a verbal agreement,” Sanford answered. “But he’s the general manager of Triple Group, so I believe he’s a man of his word.”
Bang!
Levi slammed his hand onto the desk.
Sanford and his team nearly wet themselves.
“So you’d believe whatever people tell you? Are you a f*cking elementary school student!?” he roared.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Garrison. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have believed him!”
Sanford immediately got down on his knees.
“Let’s go! We’re going to check the Charity Association’s records!” Levi demanded.
Sanford immediately agreed. “Understood, Sir. We’ll head over at once!”
Iris saw Levi bringing a group of men over to her just as she hung up a call with Kirin.
Sanford said to her, “Hello, Ms. Anabelle. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sanford Collins, president of the Charity Association. I’m here to apologize and request you to come with us to the Association to settle some matters.”
Iris was dumbfounded.
I just called Mr. Atkinson half an hour ago to ask for help, and the president of the Charity Association is here apologizing to me already?
Just how powerful is this mysterious boss?
Incredible!
Iris admired this unknown man so much that she was now thinking of him as a lover.
Everyone quickly headed toward the Charity Association once again.
“Get Jon Harvey to attend to me!” Levi ordered the front desk receptionist.
It didn’t take long for Jon to angrily show up with a group of bodyguards.
“What? Must you insist on causing trouble, Morris Group? I kicked you out just a while ago!” Jon raged.
Levi scoffed. “What’s this? Is this how you attend to a guest?”
“Who the f*ck do you think you are that I have to attend to you? You wanna die?” Jon bellowed at him.
“What’s your problem? Why are you acting like such a tyrant?” Iris argued. “Am I not allowed to check your accounts? My company gave you a one-billion donation, for crying out loud!”
“No!” Jon turned her down right away. “From now on, no one from Morris Group gets to step into this building. We won’t accept your donations either!”
“What a bold statement. You must think you’re so formidable,” Iris remarked.
“That’s right,” the other directors began to speak out. “We’re the ones who have the final say in North Hampton’s charity industry! If you have a problem with that, that’s too bad!”
Levi shook his head in frustration as he glanced at these men.
So this is how the Charity Association normally behaves.
And it looks like these directors really gain a lot from their work.
With one glance, Levi easily noticed that quite a few of these men wore luxury watches that was worth millions.
“How dare you!”
An explosive roar erupted in the lobby.
It was Sanford Collins, president of the Charity Association.
CHAPTER 498
“You f*cking—it’s you, Mr. Collins?”
Jon immediately paled in fright as he gazed at the group of men in disbelief.
“Mr. Jung? Mr. Yeager? What are you all doing here?”
Jon and the other directors were beyond horrified.
“Hmph! The company would’ve been shut down if I weren’t here!” Sanford said with fury.
“Huh? That can’t be, Mr. Collins. Why would the Charity Association be shut down?”
Jon smiled sheepishly, not realizing that the man standing right in front of him was capable of tearing the entire company down if he wanted to.
You’re all fired. You’d better prepare for all the investigations you’ll all be going through!” Sanford said coldly.
Boom!
“What!?”
Jon and the other directors felt as though they had just been struck by lightning.
Sanford then turned to the four vice presidents behind him. “When this is all over, we’ll have to resign and go through the investigations too.”
“We understand!” the vice presidents immediately agreed.
This was the best way for them to save themselves.
Jon and his team were even more astounded.
Who on earth is behind Morris Group that our president is voluntarily resigning?
“Alright, let’s go check the records! Stop dilly-dallying,” said Levi.
“Yes, Chief!”
Sanford and his men immediately lead the way.
Iris stared intensely at Levi.
He’s actually acting all tough.
The only reason why he got to put on such a show was because of Mr. Atkinson.
And they’re calling him Chief?
What a pretentious guy you are, Levi!
The truth unveiled itself not long after everyone arrived at the Charity Association.
The one billion donation was indeed from Morris Group. It had nothing to do with Triple Group at all.
“I believe I don’t have to tell you what to do next,” Levi remarked.
“Not at all, Chief! I’ll take care of everything!”
Sanford instantly arranged for an announcement to be made, confirming that it was Morris Group that had donated the money.
Then, he contacted all the publishers and large media outlets to report Morris Group’s acts of charity.
He also presented Morris its rightful award and certificate.
“I don’t actually need these things, but you’ll have to prepare them. They’re all part of the legal process.”
Levi glared at Sanford, causing the latter to tremble in fear.
“By the way, let the world know that Triple Group never donated a single cent during the charity gala,” the man instructed.
Triple Group’s thinking of gaining without even doing anything?
Like that’ll happen.
“Uhh…”
Sanford hesitated for a moment.
After all, Triple Group was a powerful foreign corporation.
This was certainly a tough matter to deal with.
“Hmm?” Levi hummed coldly.
“I’ll take care of it right away!”
Triple Group was nothing compared to this man, after all.
Very quickly, all the large media outlets began to ask the following: When will Triple Group donate to the charity program?
Is it really for charity, or are they doing it just for clout?
Even the Charity Association confirmed what was going on.
Hence, the news quickly spread across North Hampton.
“So Triple Group is nothing but a scam? Didn’t they donate a billion during the charity gala?”
“The guys from Triple Group are nothing but leeches! It was Morris Group’s money and it ended up becoming theirs!”
“How shameless! They even slandered Oriental Star Group that night. What a bunch of dogs.”
…
The tide quickly turned. Triple Group was now in crisis after having its reputation destroyed.
Meanwhile, inside the office of Triple Group in North Hampton.
Horace Waller was smoking on a cigar while looking extremely grim.
“Something’s fishy. I discussed everything with Sanford Collins and bought over a few of his vice presidents and directors. Why is this happening?”
Horace was puzzled.
At this very moment, someone from the Charity Association asked to meet him.
CHAPTER 499
“Hello, Mr. Waller. We won’t force you to pay the one-billion donation, but you’ve already made your decision that night at the charity gala, so I think it’s best if you don’t go back on your words. It’d be bad publicity for Triple Group otherwise.”
Horace gritted his teeth and paid up.
He was fuming with anger.
Triple Group never had any intention of paying such an amount. This was simply a loss resulting from not carrying out his tasks well.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Horae hit his desk in fury.
“Damn you, Morris Group!”
At that very moment, he received a phone call.
The person on the line proceeded to chastise him.
With a gloomy face, Horace silently listened to everything that was being said to him.
“Mr. Park Hae-Jin will arrive in North Hampton soon. You’ll be in charge of welcoming him! Leave all of North Hampton’s matters to Mr. Park from now on. All you need to do is assist him.”
Horace’s expression instantly took a turn upon the mention of the name.
Park Hae-Jin was the son of Park Cheon-shin, the regional manager of Triple Group in Erudia.
They were the direct descendants of the family that ruled Keerea’s Triple Group, and had control over all affairs in Erudia.
It was this father-and-son duo who caused Scott Yates to lose all his affiliations.
Park Cheon-shin was someone who could go up against Scott Yates.
His son was even more terrifying.
Horace knew what Park Hae-Jin was coming to North Hampton for.
That man was a complete deviant!
At four o ‘clock in the afternoon.
Horace waited at a highway intersection with a large group.
A row of cars arrived shortly after.
The second vehicle was a LaFerrari worth forty million.
The door opened and out came a young man in a suit. He had blue hair and his ears were pierced.
A corner of his lips curled slightly as he stood in front of Horace.
“Welcome to North Hampton, Mr. Park!” Horace bowed and said with a smile.
Yet, the Keerean man suddenly grabbed Horace by the hair, pulling him forward.
Horace cried out in pain.
Pow!
Hae-Jin punched Horace in the face, blood immediately spurted everywhere.
Pow!
Bam!
…
He continued his vicious assault on Horace.
The poor man now looked like a complete mess.
Wham!
Finally, Hae-Jin kicked Horace in the stomach, sending him flying eight meters backwards.
The latter clutched his stomach and writhed in pain.
This was exactly why Horace was afraid of Park Hae-Jin.
Fortunately, he was the general manager in Erudia, and thus still of value to Triple Group.
Otherwise, Hae-Jin would have already sent him to meet with his maker!
“Trash! You’re all trash!” Hae-Jin raged.
“What’s the point of looking after trash like you? We lost one billion just like that, not to mention Triple’s reputation was tarnished!”
The man was so livid that he brought a few of Horace’s men forward and proceeded to beat them up.
“It’s all my fault, Mr. Park Hae-Jin! I swear I’ll gain back what we’ve lost!” Horace promised while kneeling in front of Hae-Jin.
Then, he continued, “I’ve also prepared a few lovely ladies for you, Mr. Park. They’re all actresses who have recently made it big, such as Trisha Sullivan and Hazel Levine. Please enjoy your time with them!”
This was the only way to protect his own life.
Park Hae-Jin’s temper died down slightly. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Perhaps, not even Trisha Sullivan would have expected something like this to happen to her after betraying Oriental Star Group.
Hae-Jin suddenly remembered something. “I heard that the most popular actress right now is Helena Engler. Her boss is a real beauty too.”
“Uhh… I don’t think I can do anything about that, Mr. Park…”
Horace began to tremble.
Hae-Jin scoffed. “Then forget it. I’ll take care of it myself! Remember this. North Hampton is at the mercy of Triple Group. That’s exactly why I’m here!”
CHAPTER 500
Park Hae-Jin was extremely full of himself.
However, Horace didn’t question him at all.
Because he knew what Triple Group was capable of.
What Park Cheon-shin and his son were capable of.
In fact, Park Cheon-shin and his son indistinctively held more power than Scott Yates did.
But why did they never confront each other head on?
The main reason was that the losses were too huge, even if they would have won.
It would be akin to killing a thousand of Scott’s men but losing eight hundred of their own.
Now that Scott’s faction had collapsed, Triple Group stood alone and firm in Quebec.
They could now do whatever they pleased!
Triple Group had no issues taking over South City and ten other areas.
The toughest nut to crack was North Hampton.
Park Cheon-shin had immediately sent his son over after Horace’s screw-up.
That night, Trisha Sullivan and the other women who had signed Triple Group’s slave contracts were given hell.
The next day, they were carried straight into the hospital.
Horace shuddered at the news.
Park Hae-Jin was an absolute pervert who treated women like playthings.
Many of them died.
Those who didn’t either ended up with depression or remained in the hospital…
Maurice was petrified too.
Hae-Jin walked out and bumped into him.
“I heard you made it pretty big, but you’re nothing but a street rat now. How are you even going to make me money?” Hae-Jin asked coldly.
“I can act,” Maurice answered while trembling. “I can shoot lots of movies!”
Slap, slap.
Hae-Jin patted the man’s cheeks. “Do you think anyone’s going to watch your movies?”
“I…”
Maurice froze on the spot.
ptooey!
Hae-Jin spat on the ground.
“Lick it up. I’m a guy who spits wherever I like. From now on, your job is to lick up all of my spit,” he said with a laugh.
“No… No…”
Maurice instantly paled.
How could a celebrity like him do such a thing?
“Now!”
Hae-Jin kicked Maurice to the ground.
Maurice had no choice but to lick it clean.
Hae-Jin ended up spitting on the floor all day.
Despair.
Endless despair!
Maurice would have remained a trending celebrity had he stuck with Oriental Star Group.
His future would have been full of riches, glory and splendor.
Sadly, he could only go through such suffering now.
…
At Bayview Garden.
Iris picked Levi up for work in her Porsche.
Zoey smiled helplessly.
Her snobbish best friend was actually driving Levi to work.
It must be because he’s that charming.
Zoey smiled.
While driving, she suddenly spotted a Ferrari speeding recklessly on the left lane, disregarding all traffic rules.
All the surrounding vehicles tried to evade it.
Those who didn’t make it in time ended up crashing into other cars or the guard rails.
“What!?”
Zoey’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The Ferrari suddenly turned to the right lane and began zooming toward her.
Zoey wasn’t driving slowly, but it was already too late to switch lanes.
Crash!
The two cars violently collided.
The airbag was instantly deployed, protecting Zoey.
No one was injured.
However, the vehicles were a different story. The Ferrari’s head had completely caved in, and Zoey’s Audi RS7 was severely damaged too.
Slam!
The owner of the Ferrari got down. He looked extremely menacing with his blue hair and pierced ears.
Behind the Ferrari were several other vehicles. Dozens of men in black began to exit and walk over.
“How the hell do you even drive!?”
Park Hae-Jin’s attendant, Park Chang-wook, ferociously gave Zoey’s Audi a few kicks.
Getting out of her car, Zoey yelled furiously, “I’m not the one to blame here! You guys were the ones who were going in the opposite direction! How is that my fault?”
She was not the slightest bit afraid of them as she was certain that she was in the right.
After all, they had been driving in the opposite direction first. A fact that could be proven easily, since this entire stretch of road had multiple surveillance cameras.
Chang-wook sneered and replied, “Heh! I come from Keerea so I’m not familiar with the traffic laws in your country. All I know is that you’ve rammed into Mr. Park’s car, a Ferrari that costs more than forty million! Look how badly damaged it is! We expect you to take full responsibility for this!”
“You-!” Zoey was so mad that she could have screamed. She had never met such a shameless person in her many years of life!
You come from Keerea so you don’t know our traffic laws? What kind of logic is that?
“How could you talk in such a manner to such a beautiful woman?”
A powerful voice rang out before Park Hae-jin appeared.
Chang-wook moved aside quickly, to allow his boss a clear path towards Zoey.
Hae-jin swept a lecherous gaze across the woman’s body, desire and possessiveness gleaming in his eyes.
“I have long heard about how North Hampton is a city filled with all kinds of pretty women. Seems like the rumors are true! You’re a gorgeous woman indeed!” Hae-jin praised with a smile.
Zoey raised an eyebrow at him before asking coldly, “Were you the one driving just now?”
“Yeah. What’s wrong?”
“Why didn’t you obey the traffic laws? You’re just lucky that nothing serious had happened this time and that nobody was injured. Would you have been willing to bear responsibility if anything happened?” Her chest was heaving with the fury that was currently coursing through her body.
Hae-jin chuckled and replied arrogantly, “You probably don’t know this, but I’ve been in Erudia for a very long time now. I have never once bothered myself with traffic laws. The only laws I obey are my own! Is it so wrong for me to want to go a little faster when it’s so congested on the roads? My business deals are worth billions, or even tens of billions. Every second that I waste is a major loss of profits. Who will reimburse me for that? Besides, all those pesky rules and regulations are created for poor people. Why should I, a person who drives a car worth more than forty million, obey them?”
Hearing him spout such nonsense made her itch, wanting to slap some sense into him.
“Firstly, it doesn’t matter where you come from. As long as you’re here in Erudia, you’ll have to follow the rules. Secondly, everyone is equal here in this country. It doesn’t matter if you’re royalty or a commoner- The punishments are the same! Violating the law is violating the law. Nobody cares how much your car is worth!” she tried to reason with him while staring him down, straight in the eyes.
Her strong personality surprised Hae-jin as well, as he soon felt his intrigue grow.
Feisty and pretty. How rare!
Scoffing, he responded in a haughty tone, “I don’t care! I’ve always done things my way, following my own rules and no one else’s. You’ve damaged my car so you’ll have to pay me back for it! How about this? I’m feeling a little generous today. All you need to do is pay me back forty million, nothing more!”
Zoey was immediately astounded, as she had grown spitting mad at the audacity of the man.
The nerve of this man! This collision happened because of him, yet he dares to ask me for compensation? And forty million as well!
“Are you crazy? I’m going to call the police!”
She took her phone out and was just about to do that when a dozen men in black clothing surrounded her. One of them snatched her phone from her hands before she could stop him.
“Hey! Give me back my phone!” she yelled.
The crowd that had formed at the first sign of a traffic accident stirred slightly, but the presence of the burly men deterred them from actually doing anything to help.
Hae-jin toyed with Zoey’s phone, a smirk curling upon his lips. “Pay up if you want your phone back!”
“As if I would actually pay you forty million! Dream on!”
She would rather die than pay him any money!
Her response had his smirk widening, as he started to take on a perverted edge. He took two steps forward so he was closer to her. “You don’t want to pay me? Fine! Sleep with me for a week and you won’t need to give me anything else. That’s seven million a night. Quite profitable, wouldn’t you agree? I’m pretty sure that there’s nothing else you can do that will earn you that much in a single night.”
“Hehehe…” The rest of his men sniggered and leered at her.
CHAPTER 502
Hae-jin was already being pretty polite and respectful by giving Zoey a choice. Previously, he would not have wasted so much time and effort on any woman that had caught his interest. He would have simply dragged the woman away without a care for her protests.
Of course, this was most likely because she truly was a beautiful woman.
“You’ll have to compensate me one way or the other. The choice is yours to make! You have one minute.”
Zoey was starting to panic at her current predicament. She was alone and she could not even use her phone to call for help. The serious expressions on the aggressive-looking men’s faces told her that they were not playing around.
“What’s going on here?”
Just then, a familiar and welcomed voice rang out.
Levi!
She spun around and threw herself into his arms, crying out, “Darling, they’re bullying me!”
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as frustration and helplessness threatened to overwhelm her.
She had seen her fair share of unreasonable people, yet, this was the first time she had ever met someone so outrageous.
Thankfully, Levi had arranged for some people to keep an eye on his wife, from afar.
Those men had instantly informed him when they had received the first signs of trouble, whereupon he instantly told Iris to turn around and head back.
Iris was notorious for her short temper, which had come into play now. “You were driving in the wrong direction! Why should we have to pay you back? Shouldn’t it be the other way around!”
“That’s right! That man really was driving against the flow of traffic! I saw it with my own eyes!”
“That Ferrari driver is the one who’s at fault here! He did not obey the traffic laws!”
…
Finally getting an opportunity to speak, the crowd began to point their fingers at Hae-jin as they spoke up against the injustice happening.
“You felt that the road was too narrow to show off your shitty car, so you had to drive over into the opposite lane, is that it?” Levi sniped in a cold tone.
“I don’t care! I’m from Keerea; the traffic laws in your country don’t apply to me! Besides, I’ll do what I want! She collided with my car so she’ll either have to cough up forty million or she can choose to spend a week with me!” Hae-jin insisted cockily.
He had always done as he had pleased in South City and nobody had dared to do anything to stop him. As long as nothing incredibly serious happened, everyone would typically turn a blind eye to what he had done.
Here in North Hampton, he thought that he could do the same.
“What? So what if he’s a foreigner? That doesn’t give him the right to be so impudent! It’s not like that makes him smarter than us either!”
“You’re in Erudia now, not your own country. Either obey our laws or get the hell out of this country!”
“Yeah, exactly! Having money and status doesn’t give you the right to act so willfully!”
…
The crowd buzzed like a hive of angry bees at Hae-jin’s arrogance.
“Shut up, you commoners! You have no right to speak here! Do you have any idea who I am? My father is the regional manager of Triple Group in Erudia! Why else do you think that nobody has come to settle this matter yet? That’s because nobody dares to do so!” Hae-jin stated smugly.
It was only then that everybody realized that there was some truth to his words.
Indeed, it had been a while since the accident had happened, yet no one had appeared to handle the matter. The only explanation for that was that nobody wanted to offend him!
Even Levi had not foreseen that he would run into the son of the regional manager of Triple Group.
Grinning triumphantly, Hae-jin continued, “Now, which option will you choose? Pay me back the money or spend the week with me? Make your decision now or don’t even think about leaving!”
His men swiftly surrounded Levi and the others, their posture threatening.
Fear coursed through Iris and Zoey as they wondered how they would be getting out of this situation.
Levi did not appear to be afraid as he chuckled and answered, “We won’t leave. At least not without settling this issue first!”
Digging out his phone, he dialed a number. “Xavier, come here this instance, to handle this problem! I don’t care who he is or what connections he has! Either you deal with this, or I will!”
On the other side of the phone, the captain of the Patrol Squad paled dramatically.
A short while later, the loud wailing of sirens gradually grew louder.
A row of patrol cars came speeding towards Levi and the others, before screeching to a halt nearby. Xavier exited the lead vehicle, followed by the chief and deputy chief of the traffic police.
CHAPTER 503
At this point, they had already checked the surveillance tapes and had a rough idea of what had happened.
Now, all they needed was to interrogate the crowd for their accounts of the event.
The arrival of Xavier seemed to dampen the spirits of Hae-jin and his men. Despite that, they still had an arrogant air around them and were not particularly respectful towards the policemen who had questioned them.
According to Hae-jin, Triple Group was an incredibly important company that would greatly aid the development of North Hampton in the future. Since he would be the successor someday, that meant that he was not someone whom they could touch.
In no time at all, Xavier had reached his verdict.
“After a thorough investigation, I hereby pronounce Park Hae-jin guilty of wrong-way driving! He is to bear full responsibility for the reparation costs of the accident, both for himself and for Ms. Zoey Lopez. At the same time, his driver’s license shall be revoked and he is not allowed to sit for the driver’s license test in Erudia, for the next five years. In addition to that, he is to be detained for the next fifteen days.”
After he was done with that announcement, he quickly snuck a glance at Levi.
Zoey nodded, “Captain Fields, there’s no need for Mr. Park to reimburse me. I’m already insured so I just need to talk to my insurance company. Thank you for serving me justice!”
The crowd cheered and applauded as well, evidently happy with his decision.
Xavier could feel his blood pounding in his ears as he flushed in pleasure.
Who knew that serving the people would feel so good? What a sense of accomplishment!
“What!” Hae-jin was stunned at what he was hearing.
Previously, he had done something even worse than this at South City, and yet, he had not even gotten a single demerit point.
Now, his driver’s license was being revoked and he had to be detained?
Infuriated, he yelled, “Do you know who I am? Retract your punishment immediately or you’ll be sorry!”
Xavier glared at him coldly and ordered his men, “Take him away! Arrest whoever dares to interfere too!”
With that, Hae-jin was dragged away by the policemen.
Chang-wook and the others wanted to stop his arrest, but unfortunately, they were too helpless to do anything. All they could do was stare, as their boss was shoved inside one of the police cars.
Before he entered, Hae-jin snarled at Levi, “Rest assured that I’ll be out soon enough. Just you wait!”
Completely ignoring the threat, Levi instructed the captain, “Set the bail money for… at least five million. Use that money on the development of North Hampton.”
“Okay, understood!” Xavier nodded. Respect and admiration shone in his eyes as he looked at Levi.
Even now, all he can think about is the future of North Hampton!
“Honey, I’ll drop you off at work first before getting you another car.”
Zoey and Iris were shooting Levi curious glances.
All it took was one phone call from him, and this entire matter was settled.
The two women exchanged glances, seeming to understand what the other was thinking.
The boss of Morris Group must have been the one to resolve this issue. There’s no way that it was Levi!
Meanwhile, inside the office of Triple Group in North Hampton.
“What! Mr. Hae-jin was arrested?” Horace’s tone was disbelieving, matching the shocked expression on his face.
He demanded, “Who has actually dared to do that? Don’t they know who he is?”
“It was Xavier Fields himself!”
Horace’s face fell before he uttered, “He personally arrested Mr. Hae-jin? Come with me, quickly! We have to bail Mr. Hae-jin out!”
It did not take him long to arrive at the police station.
Upon hearing that the bail was set at five million, he was taken aback.
“Mr. Waller, you have to understand that wrong-way driving is quite a serious crime.”
Horace did not hesitate in paying the bail. Regardless of whether it was ten million, or even one hundred million, it was not like he had any other choice but to pay.
Thus, Hae-jin was released from jail.
Gritting his teeth, he bit out, “I want you to conduct a background check on a few people for me. I won’t let them go for doing this to me!”
“No worries, Sir. I’ll see to it immediately!” Horace assured.
“Give me the car keys!” Hae-jin demanded with his hand held out.
“Ah, I can’t do that, Sir! Your driver’s license is still revoked, so you’re not allowed to drive in Erudia for the next five years!”
Disregarding the other man’s protests, Hae-jin snatched the keys from him. His lips pulled up into a sneer and he boasted, “So what if I’m driving without a license? As if anybody would have the guts to do anything about it!”
CHAPTER 504
“It was just a stroke of bad luck that I was arrested this time. But who in the entire city of North Hampton would dare touch me a second time?”
Hae-jin was visibly enraged.
He had been in Erudia for many years, yet never once had he suffered such humiliation before.
With a loud roar, the car sped off into the distance.
Horace sighed in exasperation and annoyance, not knowing whether it was a good thing or not that he had allowed Hae-jin to drive off.
Just then, Park Cheon-shin called him. The moment he accepted the call, the furious voice of his boss blared out, through the speakers, “How useless can you be, you piece of trash? Why can’t you do anything right? Do you have no power in North Hampton?”
“N-no, that’s not it. Boss, I-”
Cheon-sin interrupted him, “I don’t want to hear any more excuses! This is the second mistake you’ve made. You know the consequences of a third!”
A cold sweat broke out across Horace’s body. He was well aware that Park Cheon-sin was not a man to be trifled with.
For all of that, Scott Yates was truly a terrifying man; he was still someone who had valued loyalty and righteousness.
Unfortunately, Park Cheon-shin was Keerean. He was ruthless, cruel, and he did not abide by any rules other than his own.
Anyone who had a brain would know why they had to be scared of him!
Horace hastily dialed a number. “Gather all the men that we have in North Hampton and protect Park Hae-jin at all costs! Nothing must happen to him!”
In an instant, all of the men that he had scattered across the city began to mobilize.
If anything happened to Hae-jin, thousands of men would be able to rush to his aid in less than ten minutes.
Back at Oriental Star Group, Zoey was saying, “Darling, leave the matter of my car to the insurance company, okay? They’ll know what to do to reimburse me. Don’t involve yourself in this anymore.”
Levi shook his head, insisting, “No way! Whoever ruined your car has to pay!”
“Huh? There’s no need for that, is there? He’s already been punished!” she mumbled with a small frown.
She was mainly worried that Levi would create more trouble than it was worth.
Grinning, he reassured her, “I never said that I would let him off the hook so easily! Relax. A new car will be waiting for you before you finish work for the day. Just you wait and see!”
Besides, that minor punishment was administered by Xavier, not him. He still needed to get his revenge on Hae-jin for what he had tried to do.
After he returned to Morris Group, he sent Phoenix off to locate Hae-jin.
“Sir, Park Hae-jin is at Ocean Villa!”
“Okay, I’ve got it.”
He headed downstairs and went looking for Seth.
“Seth, I need you to take me somewhere.”
“No problem, Mr. Garrison!”
Being an observant man, Seth could instantly tell that Levi was going out to handle a ‘problem.’ He smiled as he queried, “Shall I bring more men, Sir?”
“There’s no need for that. The two of us should be enough.”
At Ocean Villa.
Hae-jin was currently in the gym, venting out his frustration.
He was standing in an arena, dressed in only a singlet that had boasted his muscular figure.
Six men surrounded him in a loose circle, each bloodier than the last.
“C’mon then! Come at me, you useless trash!” he bellowed before bursting into motion.
He was a master at Taekwondo and he was one of the strongest fighters in the world.
The six men were soon sprawled on the floor, moaning in pain.
Yet, that was simply not enough to appease Hae-jin. In a few swift moves, he proceeded to break all of their limbs with several horrible cracking sounds.
“Ahhhh!”
The agonized cries of the crippled men reverberated in the gym, causing Hae-jin’s men to shiver.
Hae-jin was incredibly cruel and aggressive, a true psychopath. Anyone that had sparred with him had always ended up with some grievous injuries.
“Sir, I’ve found out the information that you’d wanted!” Chang-wook yelled as he dashed into the gym.
Wiping away the blood on his hands, Hae-jin snapped, “And?”
“The woman involved in the accident with you is the chairwoman of Oriental Star Group, Zoey Lopez. The man who’d helped her is her husband, Levi Garrison, while the other woman is the vice-president of Morris Group, Iris Anabelle,” his assistant reported.
Hae-jin’s eyes brightened at the information and he exclaimed gleefully, “Hahaha, what a coincidence! Those are exactly the people that I’m here to deal with!”
“What shall we do now, Sir?” Chang-wook questioned.
CHAPTER 505
“There’s no way I’ll let them go free now.” A wicked smirk played upon Hae-jin’s lips.
Bang!
The doors to the gym were kicked wide open, banging loudly as the two halves slammed into the wall.
“Where is Park Hae-jin?” A deep voice boomed out.
Everyone in the gym whipped their heads around in the direction of the noise, only to see Levi and Seth striding inside.
“Sir, isn’t that Levi Garrison?” Chang-wook pointed out.
Upon realizing that it was indeed Levi, Hae-jin smiled cruelly. “Shut the doors! Don’t let them escape!”
His men did as they were ordered before moving so that they had Levi and Seth completely trapped.
“You have some serious guts to deliver yourselves to my doorstep! Even better, now, I don’t have to go looking for you!” he thundered.
Levi lit a cigarette calmly as if he were not currently surrounded by more than a dozen enemies.
“Listen up, punk! The only way for me to let you off the hook is if you hand over your wife to me for some fun. Hahaha!” Hae-jin guffawed loudly, his men joining in soon after.
Through it all, Levi remained silent, as he merely stared at the chortling men.
The menacing look in his eyes caused fear to course through Hae-jin.
“W-what are you doing here?” Hae-jin found himself asking.
Levi’s voice was placid but there was an undercurrent of steel to it. ”You’d rammed into my wife’s car and ruined it, so now, you have to pay up!”
Once again, Hae-jin and his men roared with laughter.
The expressions on their faces clearly showed that they had thought that Levi was a fool.
To dare ask Park Hae-jin for compensation, he really must be an idiot!
“You want me to pay up?” Hae-jin asked for confirmation.
“That’s right! Her car costs at least two million, you know. Now, pay up!”
“Let me tell you a cold, hard fact: I have never reimbursed anyone for anything before! I never have and never will. You’ve said that you want my money? Only in your dreams!”
Taking a puff of his cigarette, Levi stated indifferently, “What if I insist on receiving compensation from you?”
Raucous laughter greeted his words.
Hae-jin had even thrown his head back, his stomach aching with the force of his chortling.
Being so bold while the police captain was around one matter.
It was another matter entirely to demand compensation from him while on his turf.
This guy must have a death wish!
“Hahaha… Oh, my aching sides…Urgh!”
Hae-jin’s mocking laughter was abruptly cut off when Levi suddenly stabbed his still burning cigarette into the other man’s open mouth.
“Argh!” Hae-jin screamed in agony.
His men were dumbfounded at what had just happened.
Levi had moved so fast that even Hae-jin had been unable to react in time.
A deathly silence descended upon them.
Nobody had expected Levi to attack so suddenly.
Even Seth was amazed at the speed of his movement.
“Is it really that funny?” Levi asked with a frown.
Face scrunched up and red with pain, Hae-jin roared, “Beat them up! I don’t want to see them standing after this or else!”
Acknowledging his orders, his men prepared to rush forward, at Levi.
“Are all you f***ers bored of living already? C’mon then, make a move! I dare you!”
Whipping out two batons, Seth stared the men down without a hint of fear on his face.
He was a retired military scout who had seen more than his fair share of wars. Facing down these normal men was nothing compared to what he had faced on the battlefields.
This was the reason that Levi had hired him on, as the head of security.
“Do you regret coming with me, Seth?” Levi wondered aloud.
“Hah, as if! Since you treat me as a brother, I’m more than happy to do the same!” came Seth’s proud reply.
Smiling, Levi answered, “That’s good to know.”
Enraged, Hae-jin snarled at his men, “What the hell are you guys still standing around for? Get them!”
CHAPTER 506
“Charge!” Hae-jin’s men gave out a battle cry as they rushed at Levi and Seth.
Thud! Thud!
…
Armed with his batons, Seth showed that just because he was retired did not mean that he had lost his combat abilities. Nobody could get close to him at all as they were swatted down like flies.
Levi’s side of things was even scarier.
Thud!
One punch from him would send his opponent flying back more than ten meters.
…
“Ugh…”
A short while later, all of Hae-jin’s men were collapsed on the ground, groaning and whimpering in pain.
Hae-jin and Chang-wook were utterly dumbstruck, as they stared at the other two men with wide-eyed disbelief.
How can they be so powerful?
Despite being a Taekwondo master, Hae-jin could tell he was no match for Seth, let alone Levi.
Wham!
With a harsh smack from Seth’s baton, Chang-wook was soon sent sprawling to the ground.
Before Hae-jin could retaliate, the ex-military scout kicked him and he was swift, to crumple to the floor.
At long last, he was dragged forward and tossed at Levi’s feet.
“Well then. Are you going to pay up now?” Levi patted the defeated man’s cheek gently.
Hae-jin may have been domineering and arrogant, but he was no fool. He knew that it was better to back down now to lick his wounds. Revenge could come later.
With that thought in mind, he nodded. “Yes, I will as you want.”
“Great! Let’s go and select a brand new car, shall we?”
And that was how Levi came to choose a McLaren 720s for Zoey, a car that had cost more than four million.
Humiliation!
Complete and utter humiliation!
Hae-jin’s face was flushed with shame as he seethed in impotent anger.
Not only had he been beaten up, rather, he was also being forced to pay compensation as well!
Before he left, Levi gave him one last parting warning, “Your driver’s license has been revoked, so don’t ever let me see you driving on the road again. Otherwise, I won’t have mercy on you, the next time around!”
“You-” Hae-jin was sorely tempted to retort that it was none of his business if he drove without a license. However, he knew that all that would bring him was another round of beating.
Gritting his teeth, he replied, “I-I… understand…”
When Zoey got off work and spotted the brand new McLaren waiting for her, she was stunned.
“T-this… W-where did you get this from?”
“It’s compensation!” was Levi’s cheerful reply.
“Huh? Compensation? Why would he buy me a car as compensation?”
“I convinced him with virtue and managed to make him see sense. Of course, he would make it up to you somehow.”
She shot him a suspicious look, certain that things were not as simple as he had made it out to be.
After Levi and Seth left, Hae-jin practically exploded with rage.
“Useless pieces of trash! I wasted millions on you and you can’t even defeat a single security guard!”
He did not hold back as he lashed out at his men, each blow breaking their skins and causing their blood to splatter to the ground.
His bodyguards bore their punishment silently, feeling as though they deserved it since they had lost to a security guard, even with their advantage in numbers.
Right then, Horace finally arrived at the scene.
Sweat dotted his forehead and dripped down his face.
Cheon-shin’s warning about making the third mistake echoed in his ears. How could he have known something would happen to Hae-jin yet again, even after all the efforts he had put in?
With a thump, he fell to his knees before Hae-jin.
“Sir, this is all my fault! I did not handle this matter properly. Please punish me!”
Wham!
Hae-jin’s foot darted out in a hard kick, sending Horace flying back several meters.
“All of you are worthless!” the infuriated man bellowed.
Crawling back to Hae-jin, Horace pleaded, “Sir, please give me another chance! I promise that I’ll deal with this matter properly this time!”
“Where were you when I was getting beaten up? I thought you’d said that you had everything in control, here in North Hampton?” Hae-jin demanded.
Crack!
“Ahhhh!”
Horace rolled on the ground in agony as the other man snapped his arm in two.
“S-sir, w-what would you have me do? I-I’ll do anything that you tell me to!” he wheezed through his pain.
CHAPTER 507
Hae-jin took out his phone and dialed his father’s number. “Dad, I was beaten up by someone. I hope that you can send Lee Da-jong and Lee Da-yong over to aid me. Please!”
“Okay, no problem.”
A crazy smile spread across his face at his father’s easy agreement. “With the two of them by my side, I won’t have to be afraid of anyone in North Hampton!”
Lee Da-jong and Lee Da-yong were two of his father’s personal bodyguards. Together, they were on par with Typhoon, in terms of combat ability.
The two men, brothers, were two of Keerea’s best Taekwondo masters. In fact, they were the disciples of Lee Jae-shik, the chief coach of Keerea’s soldiers.
In Keerea, Lee Jae-shik was like a god to the people.
Having perfected his form over the years, his Taekwondo skills were second to none, in the entire world.
Not only that, but he had also trained Keerea’s Special Operations Regiment. All of the men that underwent his training were powerful individuals in their own right.
It was rumored that two of his beloved disciples had inherited fifty percent of his skills. They, too, used to be part of the Special Operations Regiment and had killed hundreds of enemies on the battlefield by themselves.
For the past few years, they had been by Park Cheon-shin’s side as he carved a territory for himself in Erudia.
The recent events had pushed Hae-jin over the edge and he had had no choice but to ask for their help.
With a cold laugh, Hae-jin exclaimed, “Someone had once told me that I would be unable to act out without a driver’s license. Well, I’m not entirely convinced about that!”
Knowing that Hae-jin was beyond reason now, all Horace could do was select two hundred of his best men to protect the other man.
That night, Azure Dragon brought news to Levi.
“Sir, South City is saying that they can’t do anything about Triple Group stealing those hundreds of billions from Scott Yates. Not unless they outrightly confront them about it. They are rather reluctant to do that, as Triple Group and South City are working together on a lot of projects.”
Levi snorted and replied, “Seeing as they’re so hesitant about this, I’ll handle this matter myself! I’ve already said that nobody is allowed to touch that money!”
If Triple Group had only been satisfied with confining themselves to South City, he would not have minded them. Yet, now they were getting greedy and extending their reach into North Hampton.
Levi was having none of that. This was just giving him more reason, to want to deal with them.
Meanwhile, Hae-jin was as excited as a child on Christmas morning.
The reason for his high spirits? Lee Da-yong and Lee Da-jong had arrived.
The two men stood there like tigers, waiting to pounce, muscles coiled and ready to strike. The menacing aura they had exuded sent shivers racing down Horace’s spine. Suddenly, he felt his body turn cold, all over.
“Who in North Hampton would dare to touch me now?” Hae-jin stated arrogantly with a mad cackle.
The next day, Hae-jin was still doing as he had pleased, racing down the roads in a luxury sports car.
Following closely behind him was a black sedan with the two brothers inside.
All around them were two hundred of Horace’s men, everybody dutifully following Hae-jin as he weaved and darted through the traffic.
He was completely ignoring any and all traffic laws.
Wrong-way driving was only a minor crime amongst the list of other rules that he was currently breaking.
When he saw a zebra crossing, he would accelerate, watching gleefully as the pedestrians threw themselves to the side, to avoid him.
One of the main roads of the city was even suffering from heavy congestion, due to his rampant driving. He had caused quite a few cases of traffic accidents at several intersections.
The strange happenings at that main road soon caught the attention of the staff at the Traffic Bureau.
Using the surveillance cameras, they were able to quickly locate the source of all the trouble- Hae-jin’s sports car.
“I thought that his license was revoked and I believe that he’s not allowed to sit for another test within the next five years? Why is he still driving on the roads?”
Shocked and puzzled, they quickly reported this incident to their superiors.
Hae-jin was feeling particularly satisfied, upon looking at what he had caused, at that main road.
“Yeah, I’m driving without a license! So what? Come and arrest me if you can!” he shouted at one of the surveillance cameras before pointing his middle finger towards it, in an obscene gesture.
The camera perfectly captured the smug and haughty expression on his face.
“Levi Garrison, I’m driving without a license! What are you going to do about it?”
CHAPTER 508
The record of the list of laws that Hae-jin had flouted had swiftly found its way over to Xavier’s desk.
He did not immediately resolve the issue, instead, he decided to inform Levi about it.
“Sir, what do you think we should do?”
Xavier was trembling slightly from where he was standing in front of Levi. He could clearly sense that the other man was furious.
Hae-jin’s actions were not only a snub at the God of War himself, but rather, it was also directed to the laws of Erudia!
“I’ll see to this matter personally!” Levi bit out harshly.
“Understood!”
In truth, Xavier was also incredibly pissed off at what Hae-jin had done. However, he was in a difficult bind, and so, he could only turn a blind eye to the situation. He knew that quite a few people were in the same boat as him. Thus, he was quite relieved that the God of War was going to handle this matter himself.
Finally, someone is going to teach that arrogant brat a lesson!
Levi stated, “I’ll head over there now.”
He was honestly surprised that such an egoistic person even existed in this day and age.
“Seth, I need you to drop me off somewhere.”
Once again, he headed to his destination with Seth as his only backup.
At that moment, Hae-jin had moved on to one of the coastal roads. He was driving in the opposite direction again, going against the flow of traffic.
The Traffic Bureau’s hotline was ringing incessantly as reports of his wrongdoings poured in endlessly.
Horace, who was observing everything from a distance, was extremely worried at the actions of the younger man.
He’s pissing off way too many people in one go! How stupid can he be? Provoking the government of North Hampton by driving without a license is a phenomenally dumb idea! At this rate, he’s going to doom Triple Group!
However, Horace knew that this was all part of Cheon-shin’s plan.
Cheon-shin was allowing his son to do this, even encouraging him!
The reason for that was simple- to exert pressure on North Hampton.
He wanted Jesse Nielsen, the governor of North Hampton, to understand Triple Group’s intentions. They were going to break into the North Hampton market, one way or the other.
Hae-jin abruptly stopped his car.
“Aw, c’mon! I’ve been doing this for so long yet not a single person dares to confront me about it? How boring!”
Vroom!
In the next second, an Audi screeched to a halt before him, as two men soon exited the car.
Hae-jin’s face darkened, the moment he had laid eyes on them. Soon enough, his blood began to boil in his veins.
It was his most hated enemy, the man who had humiliated him time and time again- Levi!
Upon getting out of the car, the first thing Levi did was lunge towards Hae-jin.
He grabbed Hae-jin by the collar before the other man could react.
“Didn’t I remind you not to drive without a license?” Levi growled in a chilly tone. There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
“I-I-I…” Fear had Hae-jin stuttering and he could not even finish his sentence.
Bang!
A sedan charged towards them and stopped before two men stepped out of the car.
It was Da-yong and Da-jong.
The atmosphere changed at their appearance, becoming tense as the temperature seemed to drop, by several degrees.
Unease curled in Seth as he watched them warily.
What a terrifying aura!
The two men locked their gazes on him and Seth’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. It was like having a deadly viper targeting you.
Horace’s men arrived soon after, swiftly encircling Levi and Seth and blocking them from escaping.
Seth could feel himself tensing at how dangerous the situation was turning out to be.
Despite that, he was still not unafraid!
Levi paid no mind to the men around him, his attention focused on Hae-jin alone. “Well? Haven’t I warned you before?”
“Such insolence! Let go of Mr. Park!” Da-jong’s low voice warned.
Dismissing the man’s warning, Levi patted Hae-jin’s cheek condescendingly. “Still not willing to answer me? That’s just asking for a slap from me, you know.”
Da-jong thundered, “You dare?”
Scoffing, Levi raised his hand and gave Hae-jin a hard smack across the cheek.
Slap!
“Hmm? What are you going to do about it?” he mocked with a grin.
Da-jong’s face purpled with rage at how the other man had blatantly ignored his warning and hit Hae-jin.
Damn you!
CHAPTER 509
“You b*****d, what did you do!” Da-yong cried out in shocked anger.
Levi smiled and uttered in an innocent tone, “Oh, you didn’t see? Okay, let me show you one more time!”
Smack!
Another ringing slap landed on Hae-jin’s face.
Within seconds, his face swelled up badly, as Levi had not held back his strength when hitting him.
There was a loud intake of breath from everyone present before their jaws dropped open in astonishment.
The Lee brothers were utterly stupefied.
Someone had actually dared to hit Hae-jin right in front of them, in a deliberate act of provocation.
How humiliating!
How were they going to explain this to their boss, Cheon-shin?
No, they simply could not endure this anymore!
They could not stand by and keep still, as the situation had escalated!
Hae-jin was beyond furious as he shrieked, “Kill him! Kill them both!”
Da-jong sprang into action, pouncing forward in Levi’s direction.
In the blink of an eye, he had crossed the ten meters separating both him and Levi. He raised his leg up high, sweeping at the latter’s head.
Whoosh!
The speed and force behind his kick caused it to whistle through the air.
A wave of hot air slammed into Seth and his face felt like it was burning.
What was even more terrifying was the killing intent, that was emanating from Da-jong. It was the kind of aura that could only be honed out on the raging battlefields, amongst a sea of corpses.
He’s strong. Incredibly strong!
The wave of pressurized air left behind in the wake of Da-jong’s kick was enough to force Seth back several steps, a fact that had worry for Levi springing up in him.
Levi will definitely die if this kick lands on his head!
However, it was too late for him to do anything about it now.
Right before Da-jong’s foot was about to connect with Levi’s head, the latter moved.
Da-jong’s eyes widened when his instincts screamed at him that danger was coming.
Levi’s leg snapped out, his speed a lot faster than Da-jong.
Wham!
Like a sledgehammer, his kick landed on Da-jong’s abdomen and sent the man soaring back.
Thud!
Da-jong crashed to the ground hard, his face pale and twisted with agony.
Nobody but him would know that Levi’s single kick had injured his internal organs badly.
Everyone was speechless upon witnessing what had just happened.
If even a skilled fighter like Da-jong was no match for Levi, then just how powerful could he be?
“Die!” Da-yong roared before disappearing from view.
He appeared behind Levi and there was a silvery glint, as something slid into his hand from his sleeve.
Schnick!
Brandishing the dagger in his hand, he stabbed it towards Levi’s neck.
He had done all of this in one fluid movement, not a single motion wasting any more energy than necessary. It was perfection, honed from hundreds of battles and kills!
As expected of the famous Lee Jae-shik’s disciples, one was a master at the art of Taekwondo, while the other had trained his body into the perfect weapon.
His move was simple and direct, yet incredibly fast, deadly and accurate.
Seth and Hae-jin, the two men standing closest to him other than Levi, could feel a coldness seeping into them. The hairs all over their bodies stood on end and they froze, unable to even twitch a muscle. It was almost as though they had been plunged into icy waters.
At that moment, it was like death itself was breathing down their necks.
Seth squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bring himself to see what would happen next.
Mr. Garrison has met his match this time. If he can’t dodge this attack, there’s no way he’ll survive!
Excitement overwhelmed the fear that Hae-jin was feeling.
This time, Levi Garrison is a dead man for sure!
The dagger neared Levi’s neck. The closer it got, the more exhilarated Da-yong felt.
Once it slides into his neck, he’s dead!
CHAPTER 510
Within the next second, the smile on Da-yong’s face vanished.
Something black flashed in his vision and his dagger seemed to have stabbed into stone, unable to move forward at all.
When he realized what he was seeing, shock and horror crossed his face.
Levi had actually pinched the blade between two fingers, halting it in its tracks.
The force exerted on the weapon from those two fingers was tremendous.
Since when did North Hampton have such a terrifying man?
Crack!
Da-yong’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
The blade was broken.
The blade was broken with two fingers.
What kind of a crazy psycho is he?
This dagger was part of the equipment given to him when he had been in the Special Operations Regiment. It was made from a special material that was said to be nearly indestructible. Even a bullet would not have dented the metal.
Now, someone had actually broken it with two fingers!
Thud!
Before he could regain his senses, Levi lashed out with a vicious kick that sent him flying backward.
“Ahhh!” he howled in agony as he crashed to the floor.
More than a dozen of his bones were broken from that one kick.
Hae-jin was filled with utter shock, as he was suddenly feeling incredibly faint.
Who is Levi Garrison, truly? Even the Lee brothers aren’t his equals!
The remaining two hundred men were shaking in their shoes, absolutely terrified. No one dared to even take a step forward.
After all, they were not suicidal.
Levi locked his gaze on Hae-jin’s figure, repeating his earlier question, “Did I warn you about driving without a license?”
“Y-yes… You d-did…” Hae-jin nodded vigorously, his previous arrogance nowhere to be seen.
“Then why hadn’t you listened to me?”
“I-I…” was the stammered response. Hae-jin did not know what to say.
“Since you can’t seem to control yourself, I’ll help you!”
Wham! Crack!
Levi kicked at one of Hae-jin’s legs, breaking it immediately.
“Ahhhh!”
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Three more strikes from Levi and the rest of Hae-jin’s limbs were summarily broken as well.
The crippled man crumpled to the floor, rolling around as he screamed in pain.
A smug smirk tugged at the edges of Levi’s lips. “Okay! Now you won’t be able to leave your house and drive around without a license! Every time I see you behind the wheel, I’ll snap your limbs all over again!”
“You monster! You devil!”
This was the first time that Hae-jin had come to meet someone even crazier than he!
Despite being on the same side as Levi, Seth was rather fearful as well.
What a vicious man!
When Levi moved, two hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on him, with terror shining in them. They parted like the Red Sea before Moses, allowing him to walk away unhindered.
By the time Horace arrived and saw the scene before him, he knew that he was doomed.
Hae-jin had been beaten up and had become crippled on his territory, so this would be his responsibility.
“What the hell were you guys doing! You f***ing useless pieces of trash!”
Slap! Slap!
The enraged man began to slap his underlings.
“Sir, it’s not our fault! That guy was simply too powerful! Look, even Lee Da-yong and Lee Da-jong were no match for him!” they cried out pitifully.
“Then what are you still waiting around for? Send them to the hospital!”
Just then, Hae-jin spoke up in a weak voice, refusing, “No! Take us back to South City!”
Horace could do little else but obey.
He called Cheon-shin and reported to him about everything that had happened.
“Mr. Park, please punish me! I would be willing to die for my crimes!”
Horace was already steeling himself for his inevitable death.
The hard tone of Cheon-shin answered, “I understand that what had happened this time had nothing to do with you. This matter is not something that you’ll be able to resolve. I’m personally coming to North Hampton!”
Horace’s heart skipped a beat at his boss’ words.
Things were about to get serious.
This was the residence of Park Cheon-shin.
Presently, he was watching, as several men carefully unloaded his injured son from a car.
He was absolutely incensed!
His precious son was crippled and two of his best bodyguards were barely clinging on to life.
This was a huge slap in the face for Triple Group!
Not even Scott Yates had dared to do this!
In fact, the leaders of South City would not have dared to do so either!
Yet a puny little city had had the audacity to go up against the might of Triple Group?
How outrageous!
However, upon looking at the condition that the Lee brothers were in now, he knew that the opposition was no weakling. It was likely they had more power than Scott Yates.
The only way to resolve this matter was if his own men were even more powerful.
“Dad, you have to avenge me! North Hampton has some psychopath protecting it!” Hae-jin shouted.
Cheon-shin pondered his next course of action carefully before calling the Keerea headquarters of Triple Group. He quickly explained the situation, ending with, “Please send Master Lee Jae-shik to Erudia to oversee this matter!”
Since he was in charge of making sure that Triple Group had dominated the extremely profitable Quebec market, he would do whatever it took to accomplish his mission. Certain sacrifices would have to be made if he had wanted to have the chief coach of Keerea’s help; sacrifices that he was more than happy to make, as he did not want to give up just yet.
“Yes, okay. As long as Mr. Lee agrees, he can come immediately. I’ll arrange for everything.”
On a small island somewhere in Keerea.
An elderly man with snowy hair was fishing.
Sitting incredibly still, he exuded a calm aura, almost unnaturally so.
As if he had some sort of power, the waters beneath his fishing rod were teeming with fish. The swarm only seemed to grow larger, as time passed, and more and more gathered around.
It was a strange and unexplainable phenomenon.
Right then, hurried footsteps sounded from behind him.
“Master, something bad has happened! Misters Lee Da-yong and Lee Da-jong were beaten up by someone in Erudia! They’re badly injured and whether they’ll survive is unknown!”
A man reported in a panicked tone before he kneeled on the ground in front of the old man.
Boom!
The old man suddenly yanked on his fishing rod and a loud rumbling sound could be heard. The waters began to spin rapidly, forming into a huge vortex.
Several seconds later, massive waves reaching tens of meters high rose up.
Thousands of fish flopped on the beach, tossed out by the churning waves.
Everybody present was stunned at the majestic sight, wondering if the old man had some sort of superpower.
“Mr. Park Cheon-shin is hoping that you will head to Erudia to aid him. Firstly, to assist in Triple Group’s expansion into the country, and secondly, to get revenge for Misters Lee Da-jong and Lee Da-yong!” the man kneeling on the floor continued pleadingly.
Behind him, more than a hundred men got down on their knees as well, shouting, “Triple Group wishes to call upon Master Lee Jae-shik to assist it in dealing with some matters! Please come out of retirement, Master!”
Their voices merged into a cacophonous roar, echoing up into the skies.
It had been many years since Jae-shik had retired from the Keerea military and he had originally planned on never involving himself with the outside world again.
However… A gleam entered his eyes and he spoke up, “Fine. I would like to see the hometown of the God of War anyway!”
As he said this, a tiny bit of fear curled up inside him.
He was well aware of how terrifying the God of War of Erudia was!
There was a loud roar of approval from the men, as they took his words as agreement.
After ten years of hiding himself from the world, Keerea’s number one Taekwondo master was finally coming out of retirement. He was heading for Erudia to aid Triple Group in taking over Quebec.
Cheon-shin was ecstatic when he heard the news and came close to dancing in glee.
With someone as powerful as Jae-shik on their side, taking over Quebec would be child’s play.
After that, they would move on to the surrounding cities.
CHAPTER 512
Levi had just gotten off from work when an unexpected visitor came for him.
It was one of Scott’s old subordinates, Theo.
Since he was not directly involved in the incident last time, Levi had not killed him.
Curious at the other man’s sudden appearance, Levi asked, “You were looking for me?”
“I’ll be frank with you, Mr. Garrison. I’m sure that you know that my boss has accumulated hundreds of billions in wealth in the past decade or so. He is also an avid collector of priceless artifacts. Amongst his collection, three are unique and incredibly rare pieces. You could say that they represent the very culture of Erudia itself!”
At this point, realization dawned upon Levi as he blurted out, “Don’t tell me that Triple Group has stolen them?”
“Thankfully, no. When my boss had retired, he deliberately entrusted ten of his most precious artifacts to the North Hampton Chrisler Foundation. Now that Mr. Yates is gone, the foundation is actually claiming the artifacts for themselves! What’s even more infuriating is that they are going to have an auction for these treasures! I have heard rumors that Triple Group is intent on bidding for those items. These are practically the national treasures of Erudia and I don’t want them to land into the hands of some other country, a sentiment that I’m certain that Mr. Yates would agree with! Please help me, Mr. Garrison! Mr. Yates went through a lot of trouble to buy back those three artifacts from an auction at another country.”
Theo crashed to the floor on his knees as he begged Levi for his help.
Even though Scott and his ilk had used to bully anyone that they could, as they had gone around committing many horrible crimes, they were still extremely loyal to their country
Chuckling grimly, Levi replied, “I’m quite certain that the auction is merely a front. Triple Group and the Chrisler Foundation have probably already come to an agreement that these artifacts are to be theirs. They’re just putting on a show for everyone else so that it would appear as though Triple Group had obtained the artifacts through legal means.”
Theo blinked in surprise before exclaiming, “T-that’s right! Since those artifacts are national treasures, Triple Group would not be able to take them that easily. Thus, they had probably conspired with the Chrisler Foundation to have this auction. Triple Group is truly shameless! Not only did they steal hundreds of billions from Mr. Yates, now, they even want to snatch away his most precious treasures! How despicable!”
“Alright. Tell me the location and the time. I’ll deal with it!” Levi assured with a dark look on his face.
Is there any end to Triple Group’s greed?
“Eight o’clock tomorrow night at Lakeside Villa!”
Color was slowly returning to Theo’s pale face.
Now that he had passed this matter off for Levi to handle, he could finally relax.
Jae-shik had insisted that the news of his coming to Erudia should be kept secret.
Anyone who had fought in a war knew that Erudia was basically off-limits because the God of War himself protected it.
Who had dared to attack Erudia with such a legendary figure guarding it?
Even Jae-shik, who had retired from the military for ten years, was still wary of outrightly invading the country.
It was a bone-deep sort of fear that could never truly be forgotten.
In the past five years, the God of War had single-handedly defeated the eighteen nations.
Hence, Jae-shik wanted his arrival to happen with as little fanfare as possible. He did not want the God of War to find out about it, or that would spell great trouble for him.
After successfully entering Erudia, he threw all caution to the winds.
From now on, nobody would be able to stop him from doing what he wanted.
As long as I stay away from the God of War, I should be free to do as I wish.
At the airport in Quebec, South City.
Cheon-shin had arranged for half the airport to be sealed off to welcome Jae-shik.
More than a dozen black cars were parked on the tarmac, with hundreds of men in black clothing standing there, waiting in neat lines.
Upon exiting the plane, Jae-shik was taken aback at the sight before him.
How extravagant!
This was practically announcing to the world his arrival!
“Welcome to Erudia, Master!” hundreds of voices chorused.
In the eyes of these men, Lee Jae-shik was like a god!
His Taekwondo skills were undefeatable!
Who would dare to challenge him?
CHAPTER 513
Park Cheon-shin was already fantasizing about taking over the seven southern regions, with the assistance of this powerful figure.
Lee Jae-shik patted Park Cheon-shin on the shoulder and gave him a piece of advice, saying, “Don’t do anything so extreme again in the future. Come straight to me if you’re facing any problems and I’ll help you in dealing with them!”
“I… I understand…” Park Cheon-shin’s voice trembled slightly.
“By the way, Master, I’d heard that you like to collect antiques! There will be an auction tomorrow night and I’m planning to bid for an original piece of Erudian artwork, an ancient Erudian porcelain vase, and also Quebec’s Legendary Pearls. I’ll be sure to gift them to you!” Park Cheon-shin offered earnestly, trying to curry favor with him.
“Oh? What a delight.”
Indeed, Lee Jae-shik enjoyed collecting antique artwork.
He had a collection of antiques from every country in the world.
All except for Erudia.
This was one of his greatest regrets!
Now that an opportunity had arisen, he, a Taekwondo master of his generation, could barely contain his excitement.
“Very well! As long as you bring me those things that you’ve just mentioned, I’ll get rid of all the obstacles that you might face in Erudia!” Lee Jae-shik vowed.
“Yes, master! I won’t let you down!”
This was exactly what Park Cheon-shin had been waiting to hear.
With Lee Jae-shik backing him up, all his worries would be erased.
He could probably even do as he had pleased, without fearing the repercussions.
After the auction, no one will be able to stop me from avenging my son!
“Come. Let’s go see how those two students of mine are faring.”
As usual, Lee Jae-shik was devoted to his students.
The next day.
After getting off from work, Levi met up with Zoey.
“Honey, there’s somewhere that I want to take you to!” Levi announced with a bright grin.
Zoey eyed him suspiciously and asked, “You wouldn’t be thinking of causing trouble again, would you?”
“What the hell! Am I really just a troublemaker in your eyes?” Levi retorted accusingly.
“Yep.”
Zoey nodded solemnly.
Half an hour later, Levi’s car pulled up at Lakeside Villa.
“It seems like there’s an auction here. Are you participating in it?” Zoey asked.
“Yeah. I’m thinking of buying a few antiques, as gifts for both Mom and Dad!” Levi grinned.
Zoey pinched him on the shoulder and chided him, “Stop joking around! The items being auctioned off tonight are worth more than a few hundred thousand. They can easily go up to millions! But here you are, joking about wanting to give them to Mom and Dad?”
Meanwhile, in Lakeside Villa.
Horace held his phone to his ear, listening to Park Cheon-shin’s instructions.
“Remember, Horace. This is your last chance! All of Scott Yates’ ten artifacts must be delivered to me as well! I’m sure that you’re aware of the consequences that will befall you if you fail!”
Horace was so fearful, to the point where he had broken out in cold sweat.
If he failed, death was the consequence!
“Don’t worry, boss. I have made all the necessary arrangements at the auction! All the bidders have been briefed. They’ll raise the bid a couple of times each round, just for formalities sake!”
“I’ll assure you that tonight, no one would dare to bid against us!” Horace spoke with conviction.
He had spread the word just a while ago, informing everyone that Triple Group was determined to get all of the artifacts put up for auction, meaning that no one should stand in their way.
Triple Group would consider those who had done as such to be their sworn enemies!
Horace had also invited many media reporters to display a live broadcast of the auction.
They wanted to let the whole of South City and Erudia know that these priceless artifacts were obtained by Triple Group through proper means; not by robbing!
Triple Group was dealt a good hand, and they would win if they had played it well.
All they needed to do was be patient!
The best part was that they didn’t need to spend a single penny to acquire the ten artifacts.
After Levi presented his entry ticket, he entered the auction event with Zoey, without any mishaps.
Their seats were at the far back.
To put it bluntly, they were merely here as extras for the sake of livening the atmosphere.
After all, the auction tonight was rigged.
Before the auction began, Horace ran through everything, one final time, with the person in charge of the Chrisler Foundation.
CHAPTER 514
“Don’t worry, Mr. Waller. Everything is ready!” Kenneth West, the person in charge of Chrisler Foundation, reassured him.
“Good. If all goes well, you and your foundation will be richer, by 3 billion,” Horace guaranteed.
“That’s great news!”
Kenneth could barely contain his joy.
All the guests were seated in the auction room.
Horace’s seat was in the center of the first row.
Before taking his seat, he swept his gaze over the crowd, the warning in his sharp and menacing eyes apparent for all to see.
He was warning everyone that all the artifacts tonight belonged to Triple Group. Not a single one of them was allowed to touch them!
The crowd immediately received his silent message and became too afraid to even think about bidding.
Soon, the auction officially began.
“The first item for tonight’s auction is an ancient manuscript, known as Lantingji Xu! The starting bid is ten million and each bid must be increased by at least one million!” the host announced excitedly.
“The bidding starts now!”
“Hold on!” Horace abruptly stopped the host.
“Mr. Waller, is there a problem?” the host questioned curiously.
Horace glanced at the crowd and announced, “All of North Hampton’s elites have gathered here for this auction! Everyone’s time is precious! I think that it’s better to put all the auction items out at once!”
“Uh…”
The host hesitated upon hearing Horace’s suggestion and looked at Kenneth who was amongst the audience.
The latter made an ‘okay’ sign with his fingers.
“Very well. We will present all of the auction items at once!” the host declared.
Horace addressed the crowd this time, “Does anyone object to this?”
“We’ll go with your suggestion, Mr. Waller!”
“Yes! May the highest bidder win!”
…
Everyone echoed their agreements.
Who would dare to go against Triple Group?
“I agree!”
Levi also raised his hands in full support.
An all-at-once auction? Count me in!
It’s definitely more time-saving, compared to bidding for each item one by one.
Zoey rolled her eyes at him. “Why are you so excited? This auction is clearly rigged! Triple Group is going to bid for the artifacts all at once! What are you applauding for?”
“Then I can bid for all the artifacts all at once too!”
The edges of Levi’s mouth lifted upwards.
“All ten items have been presented now. These are antiques collected by Scott Yates throughout his entire lifetime! This is an original piece of Erudian artwork by a well-known figure during ancient times! This is an ancient porcelain vase, and this here is Quebec’s Legendary Pearls. These three artifacts are Erudia’s national treasures and the pride of the nation!”
“The starting bid for all ten items is five hundred million, with an increase in the bid of no less than ten million!”
“The bidding starts now!” the host shouted.
“Five hundred and ten million!”
“Five hundred and twenty million!”
…
The paid bidders arranged by Triple Group began to bid.
The bid increase was very slight, each time.
“I bid…”
North Hampton’s real estate tycoon, Jaxon Franklin raised his bid paddle.
“Huh?”
Horace whipped around to glare at him.
“Forget it! I’m out!”
Jaxon was frightened by the threat in Horace’s gaze, instantly forfeiting his bid.
The other tycoons who had the ability to bid gradually gave up as well.
These antique treasures were tempting, but they couldn’t afford to get on Triple Group’s bad side!
Everyone was all aware of Triple Group’s ruthless methods.
They were truly merciless people, who would cut down anyone and everyone who stood in their way!
“Mm. Good,” Horace muttered under his breath.
A satisfied smile appeared on Horace’s face when he saw that everyone giving up.
Only death awaited those who had challenged Triple Group!
When the bidding price had reached a certain amount, Horace raised his paddle and shouted, “Six hundred million by Triple Group!”
When he revealed his identity, the scene quietened, as everyone held their breaths.
No one dared to bid anymore.
The paid bidders also withdrew, one after another, since they had already fulfilled their purpose.
CHAPTER 515
All the media reporters were watching Horace closely.
Faced only with utter silence at the scene, Horace and Kenneth exchanged glances and wore matching victorious grins on their faces.
The host cast his glance at the audience. “Six hundred million going once!”
“Going twice!”
…
Horace was already grinning from ear to ear.
It’s a mission success!
And my position as the general manager in Erudia is still secure!
“One billion!” Right before the third and final call, a loud voice suddenly rang out.
The host immediately swallowed back the words at the tip of his tongue.
Kenneth and Horace were both stunned, and so was everyone else.
…
Everyone looked behind them simultaneously.
Zoey timidly tugged on Levi’s arm because he was the one who had raised the bid!
“What? It’s them?”
Horace recognized Levi and Zoey with only a single glance.
This was something that he had never expected to happen.
He had given strict orders to Kenneth, instructing him to control the guestlist for tonight’s auction event. Hence, he never thought that these two people would be allowed in.
Horace panicked slightly and countered, “Isn’t this a little too inappropriate? I’d obviously bid six hundred million first!”
“Pfft! Haven’t you been at an auction before? The final call hasn’t been made yet!” Levi spat in return.
“You…”
His words instantly caused Horace to silence himself.
“Does anyone want to bid higher than one billion?” Levi asked.
The host reluctantly repeated Levi’s question as well.
“1.1 billion!” Horace forced the words through his lips.
“1.5 billion!” Levi yelled, determined to be the last bidder.
“You…”
Horace’s anger skyrocketed.
This guy is obviously here for me!
“1.6 billion!” Horace reluctantly raised the bid.
He had to complete the mission given to him by Park Cheon-shin.
“2 billion!”
Levi raised his paddle once again.
Gasps filled the room as everyone drew in sharp breaths.
The crowd gaped at Levi in disbelief.
This is absolute madness!
Is he going to fight Triple Group to the death?
He must be crazy!
He’s blatantly disrespecting Triple Group!
“You… You…”
Horace was going mad with fury.
Originally, he could have gotten the artifacts with a budget of six hundred million, but Levi had raised the bid up to 2 billion.
He had to top it by at least a few million if he had wanted to win.
“F*** it! 2.5 billion!” he stammered out.
Horace was giving it his all, to complete his mission.
“3 billion!” Levi shouted, with a disdainful look on his face.
“Pft!”
Horace’s blood pressure spiked.
3 billion exceeded his budget by 2.4 billion in total!
He had to cough up the money, out of his own pocket if he had wanted to outbid Levi!
Moreover, Levi had arrived fully prepared, so he would continue to raise the bid.
“I withdraw…” Horace stated in defeat.
However, he shot Kenneth a look and the latter discreetly gave him an ‘okay’ gesture in response.
Levi couldn’t be allowed to get his hands on those artifacts!
Even if they had to kill him to make sure that he didn’t get them, they would commit as such.
This was Park Cheon-shin’s orders.
Otherwise, it would be the end for Horace.
…
“3 billion, sold!”
“These ten items now belong to Levi Garrison!”
“Mr. Garrison and Ms. Lopez, please come backstage to settle the payment!”
The staff led Levi and Zoey to the backstage.
However, before leaving, Levi discreetly brought with him a copy of the auction’s catalog.
“Congratulations, Mr. Garrison for becoming the owner of these ten priceless artifacts. You’ll have to pay a total of 20 billion! How would you like to make the payment?” Kenneth smiled politely.
“Wait…”
Levi frowned and asked, “Shouldn’t it be 3 billion? Why has it become 20 billion?”
“Sir, I think that you’re unaware that all the items tonight aren’t auctioned off in the local currency! So, after converting and including the handling fees, the 3 billion you’d bid would come to a total of 20 billion!”
CHAPTER 516
Kenneth explained it with a straight face.
Boom!
Zoey was beyond stunned.
This is clearly a scam!
After the auction has commenced, they’re suddenly saying that it’s not in the local currency?
I’ve seen swindlers, but never ones that are as shameless as these people.
This is an act of fraudulence!
There’s really no limit to how far Triple Group is willing to go, to get what they want!
Realization dawned upon Zoey once again.
On the contrary, Levi remained unfazed.
He had already guessed that things wouldn’t progress smoothly.
“Not in the local currency? Who said that?” Levi challenged.
“Me, of course! As you know, the organizer has the final say!” Kenneth sneered.
He had promised to assist Horace in acquiring all of these ancient treasures. Hence, he deliberately changed the currency, so as to force Levi into withdrawing.
“Is everyone else aware of that?” Levi continued asking.
“Of course! If you don’t believe me, follow me and I’ll show you!”
When they returned to the auction room, Kenneth asked the crowd of people, “Was everyone aware that tonight’s auction wasn’t in the local currency?”
“Yes, of course! That’s why no one dared to raise the bid! Triple Group’s bid of six hundred million would be two billion after conversion! Who would dare to bid against that?”
“Yeah! Everyone knew about the foreign currency!”
…
These people who claimed to be aware of the currency conversion were all pre-arranged by Triple Group.
Levi also noticed that they had taken away everyone’s auction catalog.
The catalog was given to each person upon entry. It stated all the details regarding tonight’s auction, including the price of each auction item.
Just then, Horace walked over with a smile and queried, “What’s wrong Mr. West?”
“Mr. Waller, I’d appreciate it if you could help me out. Is tonight’s auction in a local or foreign currency?” Kenneth asked.
“Foreign, of course. That’s why I’d given up because 3 billion would be equivalent to 20 billion!”
Horace and Kenneth sang the same tune.
“What? Don’t tell me that Mr. Garrison and Ms. Lopez weren’t aware of this?” Horace feigned surprise.
“That’s right. The moment these two realized that it came to 20 billion after conversion, they refused to pay up!” Kenneth complained.
Horace’s smile deepened as he replied, “I suggest that the two of you give up! Paying 20 billion for these antiques is really not worth it!”
Zoey lightly elbowed Levi, implying that he should back down.
They would only end up getting their a**es handed to them, by competing against Triple Group.
Horace couldn’t stop smiling upon seeing this.
It seems like the issue has been resolved.
“If it’s 20 billion, then 20 billion it is. No problem at all!” Levi broke out into a smile of his own.
“What? You’re alright with paying 20 billion?”
Horace and Kenneth were so shocked that their eyes had almost popped out of their sockets.
They had planned to scare Levi away with this 20 billion.
To their utter shock, he had agreed to pay such an amount.
“I can pay 20 billion. The question is whether you’ll be able to spend it all!” Levi smiled mysteriously.
“Let’s settle the payment now.”
Boom!
Kenneth and Horace were completely caught off guard.
He’s really going to pay?
All of them went backstage.
Levi took out his black card and directly transferred 20 billion.
Kenneth and Horace felt as though they were trapped in a daze, rejecting the possibility that this could be real.
“Done. Send all the artifacts to my home; all ten of them!” Levi demanded.
Before leaving, Levi smiled and muttered, “I hope that you’ll be able to finish spending it as soon as possible!”
Kenneth didn’t understand what Levi had meant by that and could only watch as Levi left.
On their way back.
Zoey stared at him agape. “Honey, I know that you participated in the auction tonight for Morris Group’s big boss, but that 20 billion was obviously a scam! Why did you agree to it?”
“Haha! Don’t worry, honey. They won’t be able to spend that money!” Levi snickered.
Everything had been in the palm of his hands since the very beginning.
CHAPTER 517
At Lakeside Villa.
Horace and Kenneth finally arrived at their senses after a long while.
“He had really transferred 20 billion?” Horace was skeptical.
“Yes! It has already been transferred into the account!” Kenneth confirmed.
“You must transfer all 20 billion to me now so that I can at least offer Mr. Park an explanation!” Horace urged him.
Kenneth immediately instructed his staff to make the transfer.
“Mr. West, something’s wrong! The 20 billion has been frozen! It says here that a fraudulent transfer was detected, and thus, our bank account has been frozen!” the staff exclaimed in horror.
“What are you waiting for? Call the bank now!”
Suddenly, Levi’s earlier words rang in Kenneth’s mind.
He told them to spend the money as soon as possible.
“Mr. West, the bank has said that the Bank Regulatory Bureau intervened and that they were the ones who had frozen the account!”
Horace and Kenneth’s expressions morphed drastically upon hearing this.
“What? The Bank Regulatory Bureau did this?”
Beep beep beep…
All of a sudden, ear-splitting police sirens could be heard, coming from outside the villa.
Several police cars came to a stop at the entrance.
There were also cars from the Ministry of Commerce, the Bank Regulatory Bureau, as well as the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Good evening, we are a joint law enforcement team, comprised of four major departments. We received a report just a moment ago regarding the suspicious activity at the auction organized by Chrisler Foundation!”
“Firstly, you are suspected of consumer fraud, for demanding 20 billion when 3 billion was the agreed price!”
“Secondly, you are suspected of violating the law by engaging in acts, such as unfair competition!”
…
“Most importantly, all the items put up for auction belong to Mr. Scott Yates, and thus, they should be handled by the successor appointed by Mr. Scott Yates. You had no right to auction them off!”
Kenneth was already panicking, by the time the third offense was being stated.
They knew that they had brought this disaster upon themselves when they had switched the currency all just to dispel Levi.
Just then, Xavier Fields scoffed derisively as he held a copy of the auction catalog in his hand. “It’s clearly stated here that the bidding would be done in local currency, so how did 3 billion suddenly become 20 billion?”
“Ah?” Kenneth paled instantly.
Didn’t we settle the matter regarding the catalogs?
How did they get their hands on one?
Never in a million years did he expect Levi to be a step ahead of them, handing a copy over to Xavier.
“We’ve conducted an investigation and have discovered that the successor appointed by Scott Yates before his death was his butler, Mr. Theo Kirby, who had agreed to give all of the artifacts to Mr. Garrison, without any conditions! Hence, you shall immediately return the 20 billion to Mr. Garrison!”
“From this moment onwards, Kenneth and all who were involved are suspected of fraud, along with the previously listed crimes. All of you will be arrested and brought in for investigation! Chrisler Foundation will also be shut down temporarily for a thorough inspection!”
“Additionally, Triple Group will receive a fine of ten million for suspected market share violations, and the person in charge will be suspended under further notice!” Xavier declared sternly.
Boom!
Horace and Kenneth almost passed out from everything that was going on.
Upon realizing that these artifacts were being given to Levi for free and that Chrisler Foundation was implicated as well, Horace began to fume.
He could not accept how things had turned out!
Since most of the reporters were still present at the scene, word of this spread like wildfire.
North Hampton and even the whole of Quebec had heard about it.
Park Cheon-shin was no exception either.
Triple Group has once again been humiliated in North Hampton?
Being slapped a fine is a small matter, but our image will be utterly ruined because of it!
Park Cheon-shin immediately contacted Horace.
“Horace, look what you’ve done! I gave you one last chance, didn’t I? It was such a simple task, but you couldn’t even do a proper job!” Park Cheon-shin was infuriated.
“Mr. Park, I…”
Horace was on the verge of tears.
“Come to South City to receive your death sentence! If you don’t, your wife and daughter will take your place!” Park Cheon-shin growled into the phone.
“What’s wrong? What’s gotten you so worked up, Mr. Park?”
Lee Jae-shik, who happened to be beside him, questioned him, with a smile.
“Master, the antique artifacts that I’d planned to give you were robbed from us. This is the same person who had injured your disciple, along with my son!”
CHAPTER 518
“Master, I specially arranged for those artifacts to be ours, but someone just had to get in my way! He didn’t just rob us of those ten artifacts, rather, he had even humiliated Triple Group and had us fined!”
Park Cheon-shin’s breathing had turned erratic due to anger.
Lee Jae-shik’s expression changed subtly as he asked, “Is he difficult to deal with? It seems like this isn’t the first time he’s caused you trouble!”
“Well, yes. He’s a rather slippery fellow. But if we want to execute Triple Group’s plan, North Hampton must be tackled! This is the key to moving forward! So, I hope that you can help us in dealing with this issue, master!” Park Cheon-shin explained with a cold glint in his eyes.
Lee Jae-shik conducted a brief analysis before replying, “So, at the end of the day, Morris Group is the one pulling the strings?”
“Yes! I’ve received news that has confirmed that even the Rogers family from North Hampton is under Morris Group’s control! The owner of Morris Group is very mysterious and has powerful forces behind him! It was he who had taken down, Scott Yates, the former ruler of Quebec!”
Just speaking about it made fear creep up along Park Cheon-shin’s insides.
“Alright. Then send out an invitation to Morris Group in the name of Triple Group and request for a negotiation! A buy-over or a collaboration; it doesn’t matter. If they refuse, I will use force to get rid of all the obstacles. So you do what you have to do!” Lee Jae-shik affirmed coldly.
Park Cheon-shin’s eyes lit up.
“Thank you, master! I was just thinking of a way to cause a stir in Morris Group that would give us a chance to eliminate them. Negotiation is the perfect solution!”
If the negotiation were a success, Morris Group would concede defeat.
If the negotiation failed, he would have an excuse to get rid of Morris Group.
With the top Taekwondo master on his side, he feared no one.
“When it comes to negotiations, kindness and severity go hand-in-hand. Choi Hong-man, follow him to the negotiation!”
Lee Jae-shik gave his orders to the man standing next to him, who was close to two meters in height, bearing a weight of more than two hundred pounds.
“Yes, Master!” Choi Hong-man nodded.
He was the champion of Keerea’s free fighting competition, and not once did he lose, in all the years he had participated.
More than half the opponents he defeated had lost their lives, while the rest were either crippled or had spiraled into depression.
He was known as the ‘human-sized weapon’.
Later on, his already impressive fighting skills improved when Lee Jae-shik took him under his wing.
Since then, Choi Hong-man was practically invincible.
Lee Da-yong and Lee Da-jong combined were not even a match for him!
He was also rumored to be bulletproof.
Park Cheon-shin was overjoyed. “Okay. No problem! I’ll send my most capable subordinate to lead the negotiation. Over the years, she has never failed when discussing a collaboration! With Choi Hong-man backing her, this matter can be resolved, without the need for you to personally step in.”
The next day, the general manager of Triple Group in Erudia was switched out for someone else.
A woman took over Horace’s position.
No one knew about Horace’s whereabouts.
The woman was from a rather unique background. Firstly, she was an Erudian.
Secondly, she was Park Cheon-shin’s nephew, Lee Jung-jin’s fiancée, and the two of them would be marrying in five days.
According to the rules and regulations set by Triple Group headquarters, it was compulsory, for the general manager to be an Erudian.
Park Cheon-shin planned to control all the assets under Triple Group through this arrangement.
As of recent, Triple Group had been thrown into the center of public scrutiny, with the people possessing contradicting opinions about them. Nonetheless, their reputation suffered a great hit and they were currently being torn apart by various markets in North Hampton.
Under the oppression from many parties, Triple Group was losing its footing in North Hampton.
At Morris Group.
“Ms. Anabelle, just a while ago Triple Group had sent someone over, to invite us to a negotiation. It will be held in a conference room in Dynasty Hotel this afternoon! They had wanted to discuss the future development in North Hampton!”
Iris’ assistant relayed the message to her.
“What is Triple Group up to this time?”
Displeasure lined Iris’ features.
Triple Group had been doing many shady things recently.
They had even sent headhunters to target Morris Group’s executives, to convince them to jump ships.
Besides that, they had also been causing small disturbances to the distribution channels and merchants, disrupting Morris Group’s normal operations.
Although it did not harm the company’s substantive interests, their little ploys were getting increasingly unbearable, day by day.
Many employees at the company were beginning to complain, with all of them sending in requests for Iris to settle the matter.
CHAPTER 519
“I think that Triple Group wants to solve the problem once and for all! If we don’t attend the negotiation, I’m afraid that those shameless b******s will resort to playing dirty!”
“I think that we should go too! Allowing them to continue harassing us like this just won’t do!”
“Yeah, it’s fine even if they propose a collaboration! We can all make money and work together in North Hampton’s development!”
…
Iris contacted Neil after receiving everyone’s opinions on the matter.
Kirin replied that the big boss had also agreed to negotiate.
“But this time, we are the ones who have the upper hand, so we have to take the high road for it to stay that way. I don’t think that the executives should go. Send Levi instead!” Iris had a pensive look on her face.
If we’d agreed to negotiate, still sending them an insignificant person to do it, it shows that we don’t fear them.
This would no doubt put pressure on Triple Group!
Even if we end up collaborating, Morris Group will still benefit from it.
“Huh? You want to send Levi?”
“We know where you’re coming from, but sending him would only make things worse, don’t you think so?”
Everyone was confused.
“No, no. You don’t understand. Levi is an expert when it comes to these things! So, it’s settled then!” Iris stated.
In truth, she had personal motives.
She had wanted to promote Levi, but convincing the others was a real headache.
The only way was to help him improve on his performance.
She believed that letting him attend the negotiation with Triple Group would do the trick.
“What? Me?” Levi was stunned as much as the others.
“I’ll write down the points to be put forward during the negotiation, so all you have to do is follow them!”
Iris even made all the necessary preparations for Levi.
She was doing everything in her power to give Levi that promotion!
Little did she know that Levi was the boss of Morris Group.
“Mm, fine. Just get Seth to send me there.” Levi seemed slightly irked.
As for the negotiation details Iris had written down, Levi did not even spare it a glance.
Does Triple Group want to negotiate?
Fat chance!
Even getting down on their knees wouldn’t suffice!
Levi was curious to know just what Triple Group was up to.
At three in the afternoon.
In a conference room at Dynasty Hotel.
The representatives of Triple Group were already present.
A sophisticated and career-driven woman, who was clad in professional attire was surrounded by a group of people.
The moment she arrived, the other women present were overshadowed by her, paling in comparison.
Her aura was too powerful!
She was the newly appointed general manager of Triple Group, Lauren Fletcher.
Lauren was a capable woman who had successfully made it into South Hampton University and thereafter, went abroad to further her studies.
After working for several years, she worked for a headhunting company under Triple Group.
Her expertise was scouting talents from other companies for Triple Group.
In the past five years, Lauren had broken the record by personally recruiting more than 370 talented individuals for Triple Group.
Especially during times when Triple Group had implemented their corporate strategies on other companies, they would first release their headhunters to recruit those companies’ talented and experienced individuals.
Headhunting companies sounded fancy, but in the industry, they were considered to be insidious and loathsome occupations.
All they did was steal employees from other companies.
Besides being an expert headhunter, Lauren was an even better negotiator.
As long as she was the one who was leading the negotiation, the deal would be closed.
Park Cheon-shin had complete trust in her and since she was also a local in North Hampton, he decided to offer her the position as general manager in Triple Group.
He had also arranged for the marriage between his nephew and her.
Lauren trailed behind Choi Hong-man’s gigantic figure. Everyone that he had passed shook in fear upon seeing him.
Seth drove Levi to the meeting location and they arrived shortly after.
“Levi Garrison? What are you doing here?”
Lauren’s face showed surprise when she saw Levi.
CHAPTER 520
“Lauren Fletcher?”
Levi immediately recognized her as well.
He had been matchmade with this woman, even before his high school years.
It was because when they were both children, his adoptive parents had arranged for her to be his betrothed.
Lauren’s father, Isaac Fletcher, was good friends with Levi’s adoptive father.
The Fletchers were considered to be a prominent family, but they weren’t up to the Garrison family’s level.
Not long after they had adopted Levi, Lauren was born. Hence, Isaac had put forth the idea of a childhood betrothal, with the intention of sinking his claws into the Garrison family.
Although Levi’s adoptive parents didn’t quite approve of the Fletchers’ status, they agreed to it anyway, since Levi was adopted.
When Levi prospered, the Fletcher family was over the moon.
After all, if Levi became a force to be reckoned with, it would prove that the Fletchers had bet on the right horse.
Lauren had become infatuated with Levi, following him everywhere like a lovesick puppy.
Ultimately, the Fletcher family had only agreed to sever all ties, upon seeing that Levi and Zoey had gotten together. Thereafter, they had cancelled the betrothal, spitting out threats that Levi would come to regret his decision.
Since then, Lauren wasn’t mentioned again and he had only heard that she had gone to study abroad.
On the day of Levi’s imprisonment, Isaac had even visited him to add insult to his injury.
Lauren was also thrilled to know that Levi had been imprisoned, taking great pleasure in his misfortune.
This was especially apparent when she found out that Zoey had been living a widow’s life. Her heart had almost burst with elation.
She had always held Zoey responsible for taking away what should have been hers.
The title of lady boss of Levi Group should have been hers!
“Hehe! You can still recognize me? Consider me impressed!” Lauren smiled sweetly.
Immediately after, the smile fell from her lips. “What? You can’t possibly be the one whom Morris Group has sent to negotiate on their behalf, right?”
“I am! And you’re representing Triple Group?” Levi threw back a question at her.
“I’m guessing that you still don’t know who I really am,” Lauren smirked, while announcing in a mocking manner.
“Enlighten me.” Levi raised his brows.
“Listen up. Standing before you is the general manager of Triple Group!” someone beside her immediately introduced.
The man continued asking, “And who might you be? How dare Morris Group send you to negotiate?”
Before Levi had the chance to speak, Lauren’s assistant came over with a tablet stating, “Ms. Fletcher, Levi Garrison is a technical consultant at Morris Group. In fact, he doesn’t have a proper position; it’s merely an empty title! Besides, it was the supervisor of the technical department, Isaiah Wade, who had brought him in!”
“In short, Levi Garrison was hired through connections!”
Lauren’s smile grew upon hearing this.
The headhunting company was the best at digging up information.
They had already found out about Levi and his involvement with Morris Group, including those who had hated him. She knew everything that she had needed to know.
According to the information that they had retrieved, most of the people at Morris Group were very dissatisfied about Levi getting hired through connections.
He had been fired before, but later on, he had entered once again, through the backdoor.
Morris Group had conducted a questionnaire with ‘most hated employee’ as one of its questions.
Eighty percent of the employees wrote down Levi’s name because all of them relied on their own abilities to earn a place in the company.
Levi was the only one who got in, through the easy way!
“Levi, I thought that after you were released from prison, you would return to your former glory. I didn’t expect you to be finished for good! I see that you’re fooling around every day! How did you become this way?” Lauren asked with a smile laced with venom.
When she heard that Levi had come on behalf of Morris Group, her first thought was that he was the boss of Morris Group.
After she read the detailed information on him, her heart finally eased.
It turned out that Levi’s imprisonment had taken a toll on him and that he was now completely useless.
“I must say, I’m quite disappointed in you, Levi! You used to be a dark horse! Now, you’ve resorted to relying on your connections!”
“Logically speaking, Morris Group should be yours. How did you end up as a small-time technical consultant?” Lauren let out a derisive laugh.
She was in a particularly good mood now.
She was initially prepared to fight a hard battle.
But in the end, it was her ex-fiancé from during her childhood, Levi Garrison, who had turned up!
Not to mention, a completely ruined version of him.
She was ecstatic and felt fully confident about the negotiation that was about to begin.
“Wait, Ms. Fletcher! Something’s wrong. If Morris Group sent a useless person like him here, it means that they’re not taking this negotiation seriously at all!” her assistant exclaimed.
The smug smile on Lauren’s face immediately vanished.
She had actually thought about this too.
Did Morris Group deliberately send a useless person here?
Doesn’t that directly reflect their thoughts about this negotiation?
Even if they’re the ones who have the upper hand, they’re blatantly disrespecting Triple Group!
“What is Morris Group trying to do? Did they send a piece of trash over, to humiliate us?” Lauren threw the question to her assistant.
She purposely raised her voice so that Levi could hear her.
Her assistant replied, “Ms. Fletcher, I’ve just received the confirmation! Levi Garrison is the person they had sent to negotiate on the company’s behalf! He is authorized to make any decision!”
“In that case, let’s begin!” Lauren ordered in a cold tone.
While everyone was setting up the venue, Lauren approached Levi with a sneer. “Levi, I really never expected us to meet again like this! I had never believed the statement that people had said, stating that everything in life is temporary until I had seen you once again. Oh, how things have changed!”
Levi nodded. “Yeah! You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you.”
“I know, right?” You’ve changed even more though! The Garrisons were clearly billionaires who had successfully listed their company. What happened in less than a month to make them fall so low? Now, all of the Garrisons are barely scraping by! They’re all just a pathetic bunch!
They used to be so high and mighty. Even though your father and mine were good friends, I knew that your father looked down on my family and saw us as peasants!
“But now, my family has a market value of two billion! I’m also the general manager of Triple Group in Erudia! We are the ones looking down on your family now! Including you! All of you are merely fit to lick the dirt from our boots!”
Lauren abruptly changed the topic. “Of course, you’re not doing too bad. At least you can still fulfill your basic needs, but you’re still considered a low-life!”
Levi who remained silent the entire time sighed softly when she was done.
Reality is simply too cruel.
A pure and kind little girl had turned into this kind of person…
One side of Lauren’s mouth lifted. “You can sigh all you want, but the reality is a b****! Don’t look down on others, because you’ll never know when they would rise and walk all over you! That’s what we Fletchers are doing right now; walking all over the Garrisons!”
Levi wasn’t angered by her words, but Seth on the other hand, couldn’t continue listening to her insults anymore.
When Lauren noticed that, she announced with a smile, “Alright, enough talk about this. My wedding is in five days! I’m marrying Lee Jung-jin, the nephew of Triple Group’s regional general manager, Park Cheon-shin! You must come, yes? Here’s the invitation!”
Levi accepted the invitation from her hand, with surprise sprawled across his face. “A Keerean?”
“Yeah! He’s a greatly valued executive of Triple Group and owns company shares too! Even the old you can’t compare to him!” Lauren flaunted arrogantly.
Levi smiled in response. “Sure. I’ll be there.”
CHAPTER 522
When Levi ignored her jab at him, Lauren immediately softened her tone, changing tactics. “Oh well, no matter what, we grew up together Levi. I’m like a sister to you, am I not? You’ll come for my wedding no matter what, right?”
Lauren had wanted Levi to attend her wedding so that he would realize that choosing Zoey over her was the biggest mistake of his life!
“Mm, alright. I’ll definitely attend your wedding!”
Although he felt nauseated by the current Lauren, she was still his childhood betrothed, and he had regarded her as a younger sister.
Since she was going to get married, he would attend her wedding just for the sake of it.
Lauren nodded in satisfaction. “Don’t forget to dress up nicely too!”
“Mm. I wish you happiness!” Levi offered her a bland smile.
“I…” Lauren hesitated for a brief moment.
Truth be told, she didn’t have any feelings for Lee Jung-jin.
Nonetheless, because of his status as Park Cheon-shin’s nephew, as well as his competency, Lauren had agreed to marry him.
She wanted to gain more power for herself, as well as for her family so that they could become a noble family.
Park Cheon-shin suggested a marriage between her and his nephew because he saw her potential.
Once Lauren became his daughter-in-law, all of Triple Group’s assets would be his to control.
In fact, he had wanted to kick Horace out of Triple Group a long time ago.
However, the higher-ups from the headquarters did not allow that, because the position could only be occupied by a capable Erudian.
Coincidentally, Horace had been showing poor work performance as of recently. Thus, Park Cheon-shin successfully had him sacked and allowed Lauren to replace him.
Lauren was currently so excited that she had immediately called her father, Isaac. “Dad, guess what? I ran into Levi Garrison! He has promised to attend my wedding!”
“Hahaha! Really? That’s wonderful! We’ll show him exactly who the Fletchers are, along with how outstanding my daughter is! He’s the one who isn’t worthy of you! Damn that piece of trash!”
Isaac shared his daughter’s excitement.
He wanted Levi to witness Lauren’s monumental wedding and regret his choice back then!
“Ms. Fletcher, everything is ready! Please, have a seat,” informed her assistant.
At the same time, Levi moved to take his seat, across from hers.
Lauren glanced at Levi with disdain gleaming in her eyes and proclaimed, “The negotiation has officially begun! I’m sure that you know the current situation. I want to hear your take on it…”
“Sure. Then, I’ll go ahead first!”
With that, Levi got down to business. “Firstly, Triple Group must pay back the 80 billion that they’ve stolen from Scott Yates’ faction. This huge sum of money is supposed to be for the development of Quebec! Triple Group isn’t allowed to do anything until the money has been paid.”
Before anyone could react, he continued, “Secondly, make a public apology and confess to all the crimes that Triple Group has committed over these past few years.”
“Thirdly, Triple Group must either get lost from Erudia, or follow its laws.”
“These three points are what I want to bring across.”
After Levi was done saying his piece, silence blanketed the room.
Lauren was dumbfounded.
Everyone had varying expressions on their faces.
Even Seth was wearing a look of utter disbelief on his face.
Aren’t you going a little overboard, Mr. Garrison?
Everyone knows that Quebec is dominated by Triple Group now.
Nonetheless, he spoke such arrogant words!
Did he just tell Triple Group to get lost?
Has he gone mad?
Who in Quebec has the balls to do what he has just done?
It took Lauren a whole minute to return to her senses.
“Levi, what nonsense are you spouting? When did Triple Group steal 80 billion from Scott Yates? Where did you hear that rumor?” Lauren angrily rebuked.
She was, in fact, shocked on the inside.
How did he know?
“Rumor? Hahaha…” Levi burst out laughing.
Has Lauren become as shameless as Triple Group too?
“The truth will always come to light. Triple Group shouldn’t assume that their shady dealings will remain hidden forever! That money was specially gathered to support the construction and development of Quebec! Unfortunately, Triple Group had the guts to take that money. How preposterous!”
CHAPTER 523
The moment he proclaimed as such, even Lauren was taken aback.
Her anxiety spiked because Triple Group was actually still losing sleep over that money.
Firstly, the amount involved was simply too enormous.
Secondly, that sum of money was specially funded by South City.
Hence, they had tried their best to do charity, in order to clear their guilty conscience.
Mentioning that sum of money was a direct hit on Triple Group’s weakness.
Levi repeated in a chilly tone, “Today’s negotiation will revolve around the three points that I had stated. Number one, return the money; number two, make a public apology; number three, either get lost or obey the law!”
His words were simply too cool!
Seth was so awestruck that he had almost cried!
Mr. Garrison is a real man!
Lauren was beyond stunned.
The negotiation wasn’t supposed to go like this…
Even so, what the hell is this?
“Didn’t you say that you were getting married? Triple Group has five days! Don’t blame me for being merciless if you fail!”
Levi gave them a deadline.
“Levi, the points I was going to bring up today were-”
Lauren was cut off mid-sentence.
“I’m sorry to say this, but you have no right to do so! Since you’ve asked for a negotiation, everything is up to me!” Levi left no room for discussion.
“Fine. So, you mean that everything you say is equivalent to Morris Group’s decision?” Lauren scoffed.
“Of course! Since I’m here, it means that I represent the entire Morris Group!” Levi nodded.
“Are you sure that this is how you want today’s negotiation to go?”
“Yes.”
Lauren’s lips curled in disdain. “Then, can you bear the consequences?”
“Bear the consequences? I think that I should be the one asking Triple Group this question. I’m only giving you five days! If you don’t do what I have asked, I will personally take everything back and drive Triple Group out of Erudia!”
Levi sounded impassive as though he was talking about the weather.
“Hahaha…”
Everyone, including Lauren, erupted into fits of laughter.
Drive Triple Group out of Erudia?
He must be crazy to be able to say something like this, right?
Even the leaders of South City have turned a blind eye to this matter.
Who in Quebec would dare to go head to head with Triple Group?
A measly company like Morris Group?
They’re indeed a tough nut to crack, but they’re still nothing, compared to Triple Group.
“Levi, do you really think that you possess authority just because they had sent you here to negotiate? They clearly did that as a mere formality, but you’ve seriously thought that you were some kind of important person?” Lauren snickered.
“Oh and what about you? Stop dwelling over unimportant matters and just relay my message to your superior!” Levi retorted.
“Who dares to speak so arrogantly?”
Just then, a voice sounded, as a voice sounded out, speaking in imperfect English.
Lee Jung-jin appeared in a suit.
“Honey, this is the guy who I was betrothed to when I was a child! Now, he’s just a piece of trash!” Lauren whispered.
Lee Jung-jin glanced at Levi, with a surprise filling his eyes before sneering. “My dear, he isn’t worthy of you!”
“So, you’re the one who wants to drive Triple Group out of Erudia?”
Lee Jung-jin sized Levi up with a contemptuous look.
Boom, boom, boom.
The sound of thunderous footsteps shook the ground as Choi Hong-man, who was two meters tall, bearing a weight of more than two hundred pounds, appeared.
He resembled a God, as he looked down his nose at Levi and Seth.
Seth could feel the dangerous aura that Choi Hong-man was emanating, immediately explaining, “Don’t get the wrong idea. We have only come to relay the message! This is our boss’ decision!”
Seth didn’t want to cause a conflict.
He felt that Levi was no match for Choi Hong-man, so he chose to retreat for now.
“Yes. I was the one who had said that! So why don’t you try and see what would happen if you failed to deliver, on the three points I’ve just stated, within five days?”
Levi stared straight at Lee Jung-jin, answering his question.
Oh no!
Seth gave himself a mental slap.
Levi was stepping forth, full throttle.
Choi Hong-man took a menacing stride forward as he announced in a frosty tone, “Try and see?”
CHAPTER 524
Choi Hong-man’s gigantic body resembled that of a beast’s.
His booming voice sounded like thunder, and he gave off an extremely intimidating aura.
Everyone retreated out of fear, including Lauren, leaving Levi and Choi Hong-man in the middle.
Choi Hong-man glared at Levi, as though he were a predator, with Levi being his sole prey.
Seth looked on anxiously, knowing full well that he would be beaten to a pulp if he had faced off against Choi Hong-man.
He’s an amazing fighter!
Levi’s in deep trouble this time…
“You’ll know the consequences in five days!” Levi declared with a smug grin. “Let’s go!”
Levi turned around to leave, with Seth following him closely.
Boom!
Without warning, Choi Hong-man dragged Seth over and pinned him down, against a chair.
Seth froze up, his reflexes as an ex-military scout failing to kick in.
He could only stare at Choi Hong-man in shock as he was held hostage, in a tight grip against the chair.
Seth was utterly shocked.
He’s too powerful!
He’s stronger than I had thought!
Levi won’t stand a chance against him!
We’re done for…
“Who has given you permission to leave? The negotiations are not over yet!” Choi Hong-man bellowed, making the ground shake.
Lauren and her party roared in excitement.
Levi’s manipulative tactics had made them hesitant to put forward their terms, and Choi Hong-man had proved that violence was the only way to get them out of this sticky situation.
“That’s right!” Lauren jeered. “We haven’t even put forward our terms yet! Why are you leaving?”
Lee Jung-jin scoffed. “That’s really rude of you. Do you really think that we’re going to back down so easily?”
“Yeah! You shouldn’t be walking out just like that!”
The party from Triple Group started to grow cocky.
Choi Hong-man pointed at Levi and yelled in broken English, “You! Come! Sit!”
Levi grinned. “Can’t you just let me leave?”
“Hahaha!”
Lee Jung-jin and Lauren exchanged looks and burst into laughter.
They glanced at Choi Hong-man to put across a signal to Levi that he would have to get past Choi Hong-man first before he could leave.
Lauren left the room after that.
Park Cheon-shin had given her two schemes for the negotiations and had instructed her to let Choi Hong-man threaten the Morris Group party if things went south.
In fact, the second scheme was to mobilize Choi Hong-man.
What was to follow after that was none of her business.
“Be gentle, Mr. Choi…” she had announced earlier on with a grin. “I need him to show up at my wedding.”
Lee Jung-jin left after shooting Levi a look.
It was time for Choi Hong-man to shine.
The party from Triple Group filed out of the room and closed the door behind them.
“Did you hear me?” Choi Hong-man bellowed, glaring at Levi.
Levi merely stared at him. “Let that person go. This is not your country, and you have no right to act like you own the place!”
Levi’s voice was calm yet authoritative, as though he was leading an army of a million men.
It could make anyone who was listening to him cower in fear.
Even Choi Hong-man was startled for a second, but he soon regained his footing quickly. “Hmph! I do not let people go easily! You too!”
He charged forward upon uttering those words.
Despite possessing a burly body, he moved at what seemed to be lightning speed. Before anyone could react, he had already grabbed Levi by the shoulders, ready to throw him onto a chair.
Levi was close to two meters tall, but that was nothing compared to the two-hundred-pound wall of muscle before him.
Seth and his allies closed their eyes in defeat.
CHAPTER 525
However, to Choi Hong-man’s horror, Levi did not even move a single inch.
He was shocked…very shocked.
He could throw an elephant into the air with ease, yet Levi stood rooted to the ground, no matter how hard he had tried to lift him.
“Get out!” Levi shouted all of a sudden, his booming voice echoing across the room.
Boom!
To everyone’s shock, Choi Hong-man staggered backward, due to the sheer force of Levi’s voice, only stopping after crashing into the table in the middle of the room.
His eyes were filled with fear, yet, he refused to back down.
“You’re asking for trouble!” Choi Hong-man hollered like a feral beast before charging forward once again.
Boom!
He leaped into the air like a cannonball before crashing down onto the tables and chairs explosively.
Everyone staggered backwards from the shockwave that he had created, its searing heat almost burning through their skins.
Crack!
The tables and chairs crumbled into a pile of debris under his weight.
Choi Hong-man had gone all out!
Seth hissed in fear.
He’s simply too strong!
A single kick from Choi Hong-man could break a stone apart!
Choi Hong-man howled, as the veins on his legs popped.
Boom!
Levi’s bangs fluttered in the air, as the vibrations that Choi Hong-man was creating had soon shaken the room, around them.
Choi Hong-man focused all his energy on his right leg, ready to deal a fatal strike.
He was confident that he could shatter the thickest walls in the world with one kick, let alone a scrawny man like Levi Garrison!
Levi has become dead meat…
Seth had lost all hope.
He’s too strong!
Simply too strong!
He’s a one-man army!
No wonder he’s the best fighter in Keerea! He’s like a battle-weathered sword!
No wonder everyone calls him a ‘human-sized weapon’!
Levi stood rooted to the ground, as though he was frightened out of his wits as well.
However, just seconds before Choi Hong-man’s leg made contact with his head, his fist flew out like a released spring.
He punched Choi Hong-man squarely in the leg, creating a deafening boom that had almost caused everyone’s eardrums to burst.
It’s over…
There’s no way that Levi has survived that…
However, much to everyone’s surprise, Choi Hong-man was launched into the air, as though he had been rammed into, by a car. His right leg was bent at a weird angle.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
…
Choi Hong-man’s body reduced a dozen tables into dust and shattered the glass door, yet his momentum did not diminish by a single bit.
He flew outwards for another few seconds and crashed through the railings of the second floor, hurtling towards the first floor.
Meanwhile, Lauren and Lee Jung-jin walked in, side-by-side towards the first-floor lobby.
“What do you think Choi Hong-man is planning to do to Levi, honey?” Lauren asked with a wide smile.
Lee Jung-jin scoffed. “That man is a beast! There is simply no way that Levi Garrison could survive all of that!”
“That’s great!” Lauren chirped happily.
Levi’s arrogant attitude had angered her immensely, and she was more than willing when it came to witnessing Levi getting himself crushed by Choi Hong-man.
“Alright! I think it’s about time we head back.”
The two of them returned to the meeting room, only to be greeted by a loud crash.
“W-what’s that?” Lee Jung-jin exclaimed in terror.
A huge figure plummeted down from the second floor…
CHAPTER 526
Lauren froze in her tracks and Lee Jung-jin started to tremble in fear.
Crash!
The figure landed heavily, with a thud, making the ground shake as though an earthquake had just occurred.
Choi Hong-man’s body spasmed, as he frothed at the mouth, spewing out a mixture of blood and teeth all over his face.
“W-what in the world is going on?” Lauren stammered.
“Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Did a person just fly out?” Lee Jung-jin asked perplexedly, seeming as though he had been utterly confused.
“Let’s go in and take a look!” Lauren exclaimed, setting off into a run.
“Yeah! Maybe it’s Levi!” Lee Jung-jin added.
Soon, they arrived at the spot where the person had landed, only to see Choi Hong-man having a seizure on the ground.
“What?” they exclaimed in unison. “Choi…Hong-man? Why are you here? Where is Levi Garrison?”
The two of them stared at Choi Hong-man, dumbfounded.
This is outrageous!
After a while, Choi Hong-man stopped moving completely. It was almost as though his soul had left his body.
Why would a champion fighter get thrown out of his arena so easily?
How did he end up on the first floor?
How is this even possible?
“T-T-This…” Lee Jung-jin was at a loss for words.
He would never be able to forget the scene that he had just witnessed.
As a Keerean, he knew just how strong Choi Hong-man was.
To Keereans, Choi Hong-man was an undefeatable force, with rumors stating that his body was immune to all types of weapons.
Once, he had managed to wipe out an entire cult, despite being shot in the chest seven times.
The bullets had merely pierced through his skin, leaving both his organs and bones unharmed.
His body was impenetrable!
What in the world happened just now?
This is unbelievable!
“What are you waiting for? Send him to the hospital!” Lee Jung-jin screeched.
“I’m going to find Levi Garrison!” Lauren yelled back, as she bounded up the stairs.
To her horror, there was no one in the meeting room.
Levi was long gone!
“I’m certain that someone from Morris Group had swooped in to save him!” Lauren muttered to herself in anguish. “Who could be stronger than Choi Hong-man?”
Meanwhile, in South City, Park Cheon-shin received a call from his nephew Lee Jung-jin.
“Huh? What happened?” Park Cheon-shin exclaimed, dumbfounded.
“Levi Garrison beat Choi Hong-man up… He’s in the hospital now, and we don’t know if he’ll survive…” Lee Jung-jin stammered nervously.
Park Cheon-shin’s phone fell to the ground with a loud thud, as he stared off into the distance, with a shocked look upon his face.
“What’s wrong? Were you actually convinced that Choi Hong-man was undefeatable?” Lee Jae-shik asked calmly as he sipped on his tea.
Park Cheon-shin glanced at him in disbelief. “Did you see this coming, Master?”
“Of course I did!” Lee Jae-shik answered. “Even a random security guard from Morris Group can defeat Lee Da-yong and Lee Da-jong. What makes you think that Choi Hong-man is any stronger?”
“Are you sure, Master?” Park Cheon-shin asked.
“Haha! Only strong ones are worthy of my attention! It’ll be pretty disappointing if Choi Hong-man had wiped him out with one strike,” Lee Jae-shik announced, smiling.
Park Cheon-shin grinned as well. “I should ask them about the negotiations!”
Taking out his phone, he soon began to dial a string of numbers.
CHAPTER 527
“What? You’re only giving us five days’ time?” Park Cheon-shin yelled, with his fists clenched.
After hanging up, he relayed Levi’s three warnings to Lee Jae-shik.
Bang!
Lee Jae-shik slammed his palm against the table. “How dare they threaten to kick us out of Erudia? It’s simply ridiculous!”
“Master, please calm down!” Park Cheon-shin pleaded. “We need your help!”
“Of course I’ll help you!” Lee Jae-shik exclaimed, his eyes alight with a furious flame.
All three of his disciples had been beaten up, becoming utterly humiliated, and he could no longer tolerate it.
“Master, my nephew’s wedding is in five days’ time,” Park Cheon-shin reminded him. “Can we settle this after his wedding?”
“Sure!”
“I would also like to invite you to his wedding, Master. I’m sure that it’ll make the wedding unforgettable for everyone there!” Park Cheon-shin pleaded.
“Of course! We’ll head straight to North Hampton after the wedding to settle the score with Morris Group!”
…
Lee Jung-jin relayed the message to Lauren immediately after he had received it.
“What? Master Lee is going to attend our wedding?” Lauren exclaimed excitedly, her gloominess from earlier completely gone.
“My uncle told me to focus on the wedding and to ignore Morris Group for the time being!” Lee Jung-jin relayed. “We need to get the media’s attention too!”
The wedding was not just a wedding- It was a publicity stunt by Triple Group.
Soon, news of their wedding spread to every corner of North Hampton, with headlines such as, ‘The General Manager of Triple Group Erudia Branch, Lauren Fletcher, To Get Married To The Nephew of The Chief Manager of Triple Group Erudia Branch, At Bayfront Manor In Five Days’ Time’, taking over the front page of every local newspaper.
In addition to that, the residents of North Hampton were shocked to find out that the renowned master of Taekwondo, Lee Jae-shik, also known as the chief instructor of the Keerean Army, was going to be one of the witnesses at the wedding.
The news shook everyone in North Hampton, along with the entire Quebec region to its core.
The public had been eyeing the wedding for a long time, but they had not expected someone as well-known as Lee Jae-shik to grace the wedding with his presence.
The sheer publicity the wedding was getting was unbelievable.
Everyone looked forward to the day of the wedding with much excitement.
Meanwhile, in the Fletcher family mansion…
“That’s amazing! We should thank the Gods for this!” Isaac Fletcher exclaimed in high spirits.
Lauren’s grandfather Jenson hobbled over on his walking stick, trembling in excitement. “What? Master Lee is going to attend the wedding as well?”
“That’s right, Dad!” Isaac announced, his voice trembling. “His presence is worth more than any other celebrity! Only someone like Benny Quinton will be able to compare to him!”
He respected a foreigner more than his own countrymen.
“Hahaha! We truly have been blessed by God!” Jenson exclaimed, with a hearty laugh as he gazed at Lauren lovingly.
“That’s right!” Sam affirmed as happy tears rolled down her face. “My daughter has become a general manager and is now getting married to a Keerean. Furthermore, a well-respected Master is attending her wedding too! I’m so happy for you, Lauren!”
“Wow, imagine what would have happened if she had chosen to marry Levi instead…” Isaac sighed.
“That would be terrible! That scumbag doesn’t deserve my granddaughter!” Jenson growled out loud.
When Levi chose to marry Zoey all those years back, Jenson had taken it upon himself to beg, in front of Joseph Garrison, only to be humiliated by the entire Garrison family.
He would never forget the shame that he had felt that day.
CHAPTER 528
“Before I forget, please ensure that you have invited Joseph Garrison to the wedding! I need him to know what my granddaughter deserves!” Jenson added.
I need to get my revenge!
“Of course! I’ll pay a visit to the Garrison family right now!” Isaac agreed, as he got into his car and made his way to the Garrison family’s home.
The Garrison family had lost all of their assets to Levi, all except the house they had stayed in.
They were basically a bunch of forgotten souls.
The luxury cars that had used to line their yard were all gone, now replaced by motorcycles and a Mercedes Benz.
Isaac felt thoroughly refreshed, looking at such a gloomy sight.
Oh, how the tables have turned!
Don’t you remember how you had used to humiliate us as though we were your slaves?
Everything is different now!
You’ve fallen from grace, while the Fletchers have risen up to the top!
Isaac laughed at the thought of that.
Doesn’t it sound ridiculous?
“Hm? Isaac? Why are you here?” a voice ran out.
Isaac looked up to see Levi’s adoptive parents, Ben and Winnie, walking towards him with confused expressions on their faces.
They approached him with much trepidation.
“Where’s Joseph Garrison?” Isaac scoffed, with his hands in his pockets.
He could not bear to look at Joseph in the eyes for the longest time, but everything was different now.
He no longer saw Joseph Garrison as a threat.
Soon, the entire Garrison family gathered themselves in the yard.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Fletcher?” Joseph asked apprehensively.
Ever since their reputation had gone down the drain, the Garrison family’s self-confidence had spiraled downhill.
Joseph kept his head down as much as possible, as a result.
“I’m here to announce that my daughter’s wedding is in five days’ time! All of you must ensure that you are present on that day!” Isaac ordered.
“Congratulations! We’ll definitely be there! Thank you for the invite,” Joseph thanked with a smile.
Isaac’s grin grew wider. “Do you know how capable my daughter is? Her year-end bonuses, as the general manager of the Erudia Branch of Triple Group, could be as high as two hundred million! Her fiancé is a member of the Lee family, the founders of Triple Group! He holds at least ten billion worth of shares! Even you couldn’t compare to them at your peak!”
“That’s amazing!” Joseph exclaimed. “Ms. Lauren is a genius!”
“Glad to see that you’ve acknowledged it!” Isaac proclaimed smugly as he glanced at the other members of the Garrison family. “Don’t you remember how arrogant you had looked when we had begged you not to void the marriage agreement?”
Joseph could feel his cheeks heating up in shame.
He’s striking back…
“Oh, by the way, didn’t you say that Levi deserves better than my daughter? Look what has happened since then! Hahaha!” Isaac continued forth with a laugh.
However, his smile melted off his face swiftly, as he had yet to receive an answer from the Garrisons.
They had been replying enthusiastically to his every statement, yet they fell silent the moment he had mentioned Levi.
Their faces began to darken as they glared at Isaac.
Isaac began to get annoyed. “What? Are you still skeptical of my daughter?”
Ben and Winnie exchanged looks and nodded. “That’s right! Levi deserves better!” they cried out in unison.
The others remained silent, but their stand was clear.
Lauren Fletcher is no match for Levi!
He’s the God of War, for goodness’ sake!
Your daughter doesn’t deserve a man like him!
CHAPTER 529
“What?”
Isaac flew into a rage the moment he had heard those words.
“What makes you think that Levi is better than my daughter?” he demanded, jabbing his finger into Ben’s face. “So what if he had used to be a tycoon in the city? My daughter leads the Triple Group! Don’t you know how powerful Triple Group is? Don’t you know who my daughter is getting married to? Levi Garrison is nothing compared to my daughter, and that’s a hard fact!”
“Hahaha!” Ben jeered. “Oh, Isaac, why are you so proud of the fact that your daughter is getting married to a foreigner, and is sucking up to foreign executives? Is it really something to boast about? Besides, it doesn’t matter what position she holds in her company. She’ll never be good enough for my son,” he added with a cold grin.
“That’s right! What’s there to be proud of, about working for a Keerean company? Dream on!”
The crowd buzzed around Isaac, as they continued to hurl insults at him.
Despite all the despicable things that they had done, along with the questionable morals that some of the members had, the Garrisons were die-hard patriots.
They did not see marrying a Keerean as something to be proud of.
Isaac, on the other hand, stomped his foot in anger.
“How dare you! Things are different now! Stop being so arrogant!” he hollered.
“Isaac, we’re more than happy to be able to attend your daughter’s wedding,” Ben announced. “However, Levi can’t be there. You’ll regret it if he shows up.”
“That’s right!” Winnie agreed. “You’ll be the one who will come to regret your actions, rather than him!”
“He’ll outshine everyone at the wedding! He’ll make your entire family regret everything!” Joseph added.
However, Isaac refused to believe them.
“I don’t care! He’d better show up at the wedding!” he yelled. “Just how is he going to outshine my future son-in-law?”
He did not believe in superstitions or prophecies.
After he had departed, Ben sighed and muttered, “What an idiot! He’s making the same mistakes as we had!”
That night, at Bayview Garden…
“Levi, look! The girl that you had gotten set up with is getting married to that handsome Keerean boy!” Zoey exclaimed with a smile.
“I know that. Everyone’s talking about it,” Levi announced, with a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.
“Are you regretting everything now? Lauren’s so pretty and talented!” Zoey asked, staring into his eyes.
“Since when did you learn how to get on my nerves?” Levi quipped as he reached out to tickle her.
Zoey evaded his tickle attacks and pleaded for mercy. “I’m sorry, darling! By the way, did you get an invite to her wedding?”
“That’s right. I’ve already confirmed our attendance,” he answered.
Zoey clenched her fists. “We need to take this seriously. I’ll buy you a set of clothes tomorrow.”
“There’s no need for that!” Levi uttered with a smile. “I already have the perfect outfit for the occasion.”
He had decided to show up at Lauren’s wedding, donning his God of War attire.
CHAPTER 530
“That’s great!” Zoey exclaimed, nodding profusely. “I think that I’ll decide to stay out of this. The Fletchers aren’t particularly fond of me.”
“Haha!” Levi laughed. “She’s like a sister to me. She’s not someone whom I’ll marry.”
Zoey grinned. “Oh, darling, you’re so ignorant! She doesn’t see you as a big brother! Why don’t you make it up to her with a gift? Here, take this!”
She handed him a credit card, earning her a few affectionate head rubs from Levi.
Only Zoey could be this kind…
Any other woman would have barred me from attending any wedding, let alone the wedding of someone whom my parents had set me up with, all those years ago!
I won’t even receive an allowance to buy gifts with!
Levi smiled. “Why didn’t I think of that? Thanks for the money! I’ll make sure to buy the best gift that I can find.”
Afterward, he told Azure Dragon to prepare a gift for Lauren at the wedding.
Meanwhile, Triple Group began to infiltrate every sector of the North Hampton economy, prior to the wedding so as to wriggle their way back into the market.
The wedding was nothing more than a tool to establish their footing in North Hampton.
Everything that they had been doing was nothing more than the prelude to absolute control!
On the other hand, Levi told his forces to hold still and leave them alone.
Four days passed in a blink, and it was soon the day before Lauren and Lee Jung-jin’s wedding.
The Fletcher family was ready for the wedding, and Bayfront Manor was transformed into a wedding venue.
“I bet that no one would want to miss out on my daughter’s wedding!” Isaac joked, with a proud laugh. “Take a seat, everyone!”
“You’ll officially belong to the Lee family tomorrow, Lauren,” Jenson congratulated her happily. “You’re making us proud!”
The Fletchers beamed at one another.
Meanwhile, Lauren stood before the mirror, trying out gown after gown as she tried to pick one that would bring out her beauty the most.
I’ll be the star of the show tomorrow!
I’ll show them how irreplaceable I truly am!
I’ll make them regret every insult that they’ve uttered!
“Who would you like to see the most tomorrow, Lauren?” Sam asked.
“Levi Garrison!” Lauren answered, a cold glint flashing across her eyes.
The Fletchers knew how hurt Lauren had been when Levi had chosen Zoey over her, hence, her love for him had turned into hatred, as time went by.
She despised him.
She told herself that she would work hard to outshine everyone, in order to prove herself worthy.
She had been waiting for the day where she would rise above Zoey and Levi and be able to look down upon them.
I’ll make him regret everything!
I’ll walk down the aisle with a man a hundred times better than you right before your eyes!
You don’t deserve to be my husband!
Just you wait!
Lauren wished that time could pass faster.
She longed to see the looks of remorse on Levi’s and his family members’ faces.
The Fletchers continued their lighthearted banter as Jenson turned on the TV.
“According to an overseas sources, a necklace named the ‘Love of the World’ was sold at an auction for eight hundred million. The buyer was rumored to be an Erudian, as the necklace is currently being shipped towards Erudia.”
“I heard that the necklace is used as a wedding gift! It’s represented pure and innocent love for centuries. I wonder which lucky Erudian bride it’s going to?”
The news piqued the interest of the Fletchers, particularly Lauren.
Lee Jung-jin had prepared a limited edition necklace, as a token of love, which had cost him millions.
All her friends had been awestruck by its beauty.
Her face fell, the moment she saw the necklace onscreen.
I wish it belonged to me…
I’ll be the prettiest bride on Earth if I wore that to my wedding!
“Whatever. I won’t be the one who is getting that necklace,” she uttered, sighing dejectedly.
Before breaktime, Lauren gave Levi a call to remind him about the wedding.
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget about it!” he assured her. “I’ve even gotten a gift for you!”
“Gift?” Lauren scoffed. What gift can you even afford?
“You’ll see tomorrow!” Levi proclaimed with a grin.
The next day…
The wedding of Lauren and Lee Jung-jin was in full swing, and Bayfront Manor was filled with excited guests.
Luxury car after luxury car pulled up in front of the entrance as hordes of guests alighted from them, carrying mountains of gifts in their arms.
“The Yalemans of North Hampton wishes the bride and groom all the best for their future endeavors!”
“We are the Jeffersons of North Hampton…”
“Greetings! I am Dylan Hunt, CEO of Skyward Group…”
…
To the Fletchers’ surprise, none of their own contacts showed up at the wedding.
“Hahaha! It looks like we’re finally getting noticed by the nobility!” Jenson announced, with a wide grin.
“Glenn Rogers, master of the Rogers family!”
“Eric Robinson, master of the Robinson family!”
“Wallace Henderson, master of the Henderson family!”
…
The Fletchers stared in shock, as more guests arrived at the manor.
All of them were the masters of the most prominent families of North Hampton!
They represented the cream of the crop in North Hampton.
In particular, the Fletchers rejoiced, when Glenn Rogers had appeared at the entrance of the manor.
Glenn was the richest man in North Hampton, and the Fletchers had not expected him to show up at Lauren and Lee Jung-jin’s wedding.
“Haha! Since when did we become so popular?” Jenson queried, his breath quickening.
The Fletchers looked on, with their hearts thumping against their chests.
Isaac grinned. “Calm down, everyone! I’m sure that they’re here because of Triple Group!”
“That’s right! I bet Triple Group had invited them!”
Everyone relaxed upon hearing Isaac’s words.
As time went on, more prominent figures of North Hampton joined the party, making the grin on Lauren’s face grow wider.
I would never have guessed that my wedding would be such an important occasion to these North Hampton tycoons!
“Do you see that, Levi Garrison?” Lauren muttered to herself gleefully. “This is how my wedding looks like! Even people like Winston Gonzales and Glenn Rogers are here. You will never be good enough for me!”
She searched the crowd for him, but unfortunately, it was to no avail.
However, the Garrison family had already arrived.
“Hahaha! Look who’s here? The once-glorious Garrison family!” Isaac sneered.
The crowd turned around to face the Garrisons.
“Why are they so shameless? Weren’t they the ones who had voided the marriage agreement between Levi Garrison and Lauren Fletcher?”
“Oh, how the tables have turned! How embarrassing!”
“I wouldn’t have dared to come if I had been one of them!”
…
Joseph pretended not to hear the various insults hurled their way.
“Congratulations, Ms. Fletcher! I hope that you have no regrets about this,” Joseph uttered, with a smile.
“What do you mean ‘no regrets about this’? Are you trying to say that she’ll regret not marrying Levi? How ridiculous!” the crowd scoffed.
“Don’t worry. I won’t regret this,” Lauren affirmed with a grin, before changing the subject. “By the way, where is Levi?”
CHAPTER 532
Ben smiled. “He’ll be here soon.”
He’s the VIP of this wedding, after all!
“You should get ready for what’s going to happen next. I don’t want you to faint on the altar,” Winnie added.
“Not just you, Ms. Fletcher. Tell your family to prepare themselves too,” Joseph proclaimed. “Especially you, Mr. Jensen Fletcher! I hope that your heart can handle it!”
The Fletchers flew into a rage almost immediately.
“What the hell do you mean, Joseph Garrison? Are you cursing my dad?” Isaac yelled, jabbing his finger into Joseph’s face. “We aren’t the same as we were before! My son-in-law is a shareholder of Triple Group, and my daughter is in charge of the Erudian branch of Triple Group! What about you? You’re nothing but a bunch of dogs!”
“What makes you think that Levi is better than Lauren? Ridiculous!”
The Fletchers jeered at the Garrisons relentlessly.
Lauren scoffed. “Thank you for your well wishes. In fact, I think that Levi should be the one preparing himself for the shock he’s about to receive. My husband is a million times better than him, so shouldn’t he be the one who’s regretting everything?”
Ben burst into laughter. “Oh, trust me! You’re going to be the one who will regret everything,” he murmured flippantly. “Besides, our sole fate depends on Levi. He can make us the richest family of Quebec if he’d wanted to, let alone North Hampton!”
The Garrisons looked at the Fletchers smugly.
Despite everything Levi had claimed, the Garrisons still regarded him as one of them.
They were proud of him!
“Hahaha!”
The crowd burst into raucous laughter.
“What’s wrong with them? What makes them think that we don’t know how Levi Garrison’s doing?”
“He’s just a useless scumbag that goes around beating up security guards!”
The jeering continued, as Lauren crossed her arms across her chest and stared at the Garrisons, mockingly.
Levi is nothing when compared to me!
“What’s wrong, darling?” Lee Jung-jin asked, walking over to join her.
Dressed smartly in a suit, he outshone every other man in the manor, the moment he had stepped in.
“Wow! He’s so handsome! Isn’t he a shareholder of Triple Group and a descendent of Triple Group’s founder?”
“I’m so envious of Lauren!”
…
The crowd buzzed in excitement and surprise, and it began to further inflate Lauren’s ego.
Do you see that?
Everyone admires my husband!
You’ll never compare to him, Levi Garrison!
Several tycoons of North Hampton, some of them no less affluent than Joseph Garrison at his peak, crowded around Lee Jung-jin, in an attempt to offer him their name cards.
Lee Jung-jin caught everyone’s attention, the moment he had appeared.
“Lauren Fletcher is so lucky! How did she manage to find someone like him, after getting dumped by Levi Garrison?”
“I bet Joseph Garrison regrets voiding the agreement all those years ago!”
CHAPTER 533
“Look at how the Garrisons are doing now! How shameless of them!”
The crowd smirked at them.
“They said that I’ll regret everything once I had seen Levi!” Lauren whispered to Lee Jung-jin, who soon burst into laughter.
“You’re so funny! Even the son of the richest man in North Hampton won’t compare to me, let alone someone as insignificant as Levi Garrison!” he announced, glancing at the Garrisons. “Just ignore them, darling. Those pieces of trash aren’t worth your attention!”
He did not even regard the Garrisons as people, as he believed that they were nothing, compared to Triple Group, even while at their peak.
Lauren looked at the Garrisons smugly, although their stony expressions had succeeded in causing her annoyance.
Wait… something feels amiss.
Shouldn’t they be wallowing in sorrow, now that they’ve witnessed everything?
Why aren’t they saying anything?
The Fletchers were confused as well.
Meanwhile, a motorcade was journeying on its way, from South City to North Hampton, carrying the VIPs of the wedding- Park Cheon-shin and Lee Jae-shik.
They were headed for the wedding, but their ultimate goal was to claim the entire North Hampton market as their own.
However, their convoy was stopped, the moment they had entered North Hampton.
Seth Wilson approached their car warily.
“What’s going on?” Park Cheon-shin asked, with a displeased expression upon his face.
They had a bad feeling about this.
“May I ask who is the leader of Triple Group?” Seth queried.
“It’s me. What’s wrong?” Park Cheon-shin asked, as he alighted from his car.
“Did you receive the warnings issued during the negotiations?” Seth asked.
“Yes, I did,” Park Cheon-shin answered, as he stared straight into Seth’s eyes.
“So? What is the decision? Are you here to apologize?” Seth questioned with a smile.
“Shut up!” Park Cheon-shin yelled. “I refuse to be intimidated by your fearmongering!”
“That’s right! No one has ever dared to threaten us!” the others added angrily.
Seth shook his head, appearing exasperated. “It looks as though you’re not going to apologize… I’m pretty sure that my boss has made it very clear that this is the last chance that you’re going to get before he kicks you out of the country!”
“Hahaha!” the party from Triple Group laughed.
They stared at Seth as though he was a lunatic.
He’s telling us to get out of Erudia?
That simply won’t happen!
“Hahaha! Tell your boss to watch out for us! There’s no way he’ll be able to kick us out of Erudia!” Park Cheon-shin scoffed.
What’s there to fear, with Lee Jae-shik around?
I’ll get rid of Morris Group once and for all!
When the motorcade finally arrived at Bayfront Manor, the crowd erupted in a loud applause.
That’s the Chief Manager of the Triple Group Erudia Branch!
The net worth of Triple Group in South City was around a hundred billion, which was more than any corporation in South City.
Factoring in the extra hundred billion from the Yates, Triple Group was worth around two hundred billion in total.
In layman terms, Park Cheon-shin was the richest man in Quebec.
The Fletcher family held him in great respects, and was proud of the fact that he was going to become Lauren’s uncle-in-law.
We’re going to be rich!
Everyone’s going to respect us!
“May we welcome Mr. Lee Jae-shik, Master of Taekwondo and the chief instructor of the Keerean army!” someone shouted, as Lee Jae-shik stepped into the manor.
The excitement in the manor was at its peak, and tears were streaming down Lauren’s face, out of pure happiness.
Even someone as well-respected as Lee Jae-shik is here to attend my wedding…
You don’t deserve me, Levi Garrison!
CHAPTER 534
Even the noble ones like Glenn Rogers and Winston Gonzales stood up, to welcome Lee Jae-shik to the venue.
Someone like him was superior to all of them, even if he was not an Erudian.
They had to be as polite as possible.
Even the Garrisons started to grow worried.
If Levi had not been the God of War, people might actually trample over him to get to Lee Jae-shik.
The Fletchers have certainly found themselves a powerful ally!
Meanwhile, the Fletchers were elated to witness the standing ovation that was made for Lee Jae-shik.
In particular, Lauren was feeling proud of herself.
How much better could a wedding get?
I’m the luckiest woman in the world!
“You’re going to become part of the Triple Group family from today onwards, Lauren!” Lee Jae-shik praised. “Remember your status and try not to entangle yourself in trivial matters!”
His words were a confirmation of Lauren’s new title.
He had meant to remind her that as part of the nobility, she was not to interact with people from the lower ranks, as they were not worthy of her attention.
“As for the Fletchers, we’ll be more than happy to provide you with any assistance that you may require in the future!” Lee Jae-shik announced, turning over to the Fletchers.
Boom!
It was as though a meteorite made out of pure luck and prosperity had descended upon the Fletchers, almost making them pass out in happiness.
Jenson turned to Joseph and yelled, “Didn’t you say that we’ll never be worthy of your attention? Look at us now! Look at how much we’ve changed since then!”
The Fletchers finally received the sweet revenge that they had craved.
Who knew that we would be able to rise above you one day?
“Thank you for ditching me, Levi! If not for you, I wouldn’t have been able to find myself such an amazing husband to spend the rest of my life with!” Lauren cried, happy tears streaming down her face.
She turned to the Garrisons and continued, “Thank you too, for voiding the agreement and for setting me free of that nonsense! Thank you so much!”
…
The Garrisons glared at her.
‘Thank you’?
You’re merely insulting us!
“Where’s Levi?” Lauren asked.
She had long imagined him kneeling on the ground and begging for her to change her mind, while bawling his eyes out.
Soon, it was time for the wedding ceremony, and the guests took their seats to watch.
The Garrisons picked a corner and settled down, but the Fletchers forcibly pushed them to the front to humiliate them.
To make matters worse, Park Cheon-shin and Lee Jae-shik were right next to them.
“Five more minutes! Please stand by, Mr. Lee and Ms. Fletcher!” the emcee announced.
Lauren peered off into the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Levi, when he was to arrive.
He has to be here!
I must humiliate him!
He can’t just skip the wedding!
Suddenly, the butler ran over and proclaimed, “Ms. Fletcher, someone has arrived with a gift for you!”
“Huh? Just accept it then. Why are you panicking?” she asked, frowning.
“The person insists that you head over to receive it in person,” the butler replied.
“Alright then. Tell them to come in,” she agreed.
Soon, a private helicopter appeared in the skies above the lawn, attracting the attention of every guest.
Lauren’s jaw dropped open, out of shock.
What kind of gift requires a helicopter to deliver it?
CHAPTER 535
The six men in suits got off the helicopter; one of them was holding an exquisite gift box.
The others cautiously surrounded him as if they were afraid the box would fall.
Looking at how careful they were with the gift box, it seemed like it contained something priceless.
The crowd was puzzled.
What gift is it?
Everyone’s eyes zeroed in on these men.
“I know them! They’re from the internationally renowned Skywolf Security Company, which only escorts items worth hundreds of millions. They even escorted this item via helicopter. Looks like it’s at least five hundred million!” exclaimed Park Cheon-shin in shock when he noticed the wolf logo on the men’s clothes.
“Wow!”
Everyone gasped when they heard him.
A five hundred-million gift?
What kind of treasure is this?
Lauren was exhilarated yet nervous.
I’m not so influential that my friends and classmates would give me something so expensive, right?
The most expensive gift I received today is only a million.
Soon, the six men escorting the gift box approached Lauren.
“Ms. Fletcher, please open this!”
The man holding the gift box presented it to Lauren.
“Open it and see what’s inside,” urged the crowd.
With trembling hands, Lauren carefully lifted the top of the exquisitely designed box.
“Thud!”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Holding their breath, they all fixed their eyes on the box.
There was a necklace lying in the box, with a huge dazzling sapphire encrusting it.
It sparkled so brightly that everyone could barely open their eyes.
“What?”
“My goodness!”
After taking a closer look at the necklace, her eyes bulged. Lauren was so shocked; she felt like she had been electrocuted.
The reason was that the gift was the famed Love of the World, which had recently been auctioned off overseas for eight hundred million.
The necklace, made ten centuries ago, symbolized the purity of love.
It was the greatest testimony of love!
“Ms. Fletcher, let me introduce to you: This is the legendary treasure——Love of the World. It was bought for eight hundred million by an esteemed guest during the auction. It is definitely authentic! Here are the certifications of authenticity from various international organizations.”
As he spoke, someone passed her a huge pile of certifications.
Lauren was so excited that tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Who is it?” asked Lauren emotionally.
“He doesn’t want to reveal his name. However, he’ll be coming to the wedding ceremony later. Here, he wishes in advance that you, Ms. Fletcher, will be blessed with love. This necklace represents his well-wishes for you.”
After passing her the gift, the men left instantly.
“Who could it be?”
This was the question lingering in everyone’s mind.
Lauren was even more curious.
Amongst her friends and family, who would give her such an expensive gift?
After thinking about it, she still could not identify anyone that fit the criterion.
Forget it.
Isn’t he going to appear later?
I’ll just wait for him.
The Fletchers were overjoyed for the ultra-luxurious gift that Lauren received.
“Looks like the rise of the Fletcher family is unstoppable, huh?”
“Never in my dreams would I expect someone to give an eight hundred-million gift at my daughter’s wedding.”
The Fletchers were all smiles.
“But who is this person? Is it someone with a crush on my daughter?” mumbled Isaac to himself.
“Perhaps. I can’t figure out who it is, either.”
Despite racking their brains, no one could figure out who had sent the gift.
At that moment, the Garrison family exchanged glances with one another and laughed.
“What are you laughing about? You look like you know the mystery sender!” grumbled Isaac furiously.
“Yeah, we know who sent it!” admitted Joseph.
CHAPTER 536
Before Isaac could say something, Jenson scoffed coldly, “Cut the crap! If the Garrisons know such a person, why would you fall to such a miserable state?”
The Fletchers decided to ignore the Garrisons.
To them, the Garrisons were like clowns.
We only invited the Garrison family to the wedding to humiliate them. They wouldn’t be here if not for that reason.
Naturally, they don’t have the right to speak here.
Everyone eagerly anticipated the arrival of the person who gave the Love of the World, especially the Fletchers.
Next, it was time for the guests to give their cash gifts for the wedding.
After the Fletcher family’s status rose, many of the cash gifts they received amounted to tens or hundreds of thousands.
An example was Glenn Rogers, who gifted a hundred thousand.
Park Cheon-shin even gave a cash gift of ten million, causing Jenson and the rest to laugh in delight.
They earned twenty to thirty million just by organizing a wedding.
Not to forget, there was even the eight hundred-million necklace, too.
They profited so much from today!
After everyone finished giving their gifts, Hailey, the supervisor of the North Hampton Bank headquarters, walked over.
“Ms. Stinson, why are you here?”
Many people present recognized Hailey.
The Fletcher family greeted her respectfully as they would be interacting a lot with the headquarters in the future.
“Are you here to attend my daughter’s wedding, too, Ms. Stinson?” asked Isaac with a smile.
Hailey shook her head. “Hello, Ms. Lauren. I’m here to pass a guest’s wedding gift to you. As it’s very expensive, I came here myself.”
“Huh?”
Lauren was shocked yet delighted.
How expensive must the gift be that warranted such a high-ranking supervisor from the headquarters to make an in-person visit?
“You’ve received the Love of the World, right?” asked Hailey with a smile.
“Huh? Yes, I’ve received it…”
Lauren was astounded, not expecting the person who gave her the necklace to give a cash gift, too.
“He already sent me a gift. Is he still giving me a cash gift?”
Lauren felt a little embarrassed.
“Of course. They’re separate matters, anyway.”
Hailey took out a cheque and read, “The person will be giving you a cash gift of 888888888!”
When Lauren saw the long string of numbers on the cheque, she almost fainted from the shock.
The cash gift is more than eight hundred eighty million?
What a grand spectacle!
What kind of person is he?
“Here’s the cheque. My task is complete!”
Hailey and a fellow bank staff then left.
Lauren held the cheque with trembling hands, confirming over and over again that there were nine “8”s written on it.
Hailey had delivered the cheque to her personally, so it was definitely not forged!
Oh my!
Who is it?
He gave me an eight hundred-million necklace and a cash gift of an even greater amount.
The Fletchers were over the moon.
With such a friend, they felt extremely proud of themselves.
The Fletcher family would be the most powerful family in North Hampton in the future!
This time, even Park Cheon-shin and Lee Jae-shik were stunned.
This person is so extravagant, having spent nearly two billion in one go.
His gifts indicate that he must be extremely wealthy.
Wait, something’s not right!
Park Cheon-shin frowned.
He had investigated the Fletchers’ background thoroughly. They were not associated with anyone so powerful!
He had even investigated their distant relatives, but no such person popped out.
Who is it?
Lauren felt that everything was like a dream.
Do I have a friend like that, who would give such grand gifts at my wedding?
She urgently wanted to know the identity of that mysterious person.
“Ma’am, it’s time for the wedding. Do we start now?” asked the host.
“Wait for a while! He hasn’t arrived yet,” replied Lauren.
Although she did not know who it was, the wedding could only begin after he arrived.
Oh, right.
Why hasn’t Levi come?
CHAPTER 537
“Does Levi still dare to come here and cause a ruckus? He probably returned after being intimidated by the many luxurious cars parked at the entrance.”
“That’s right! Levi is a smart guy. He knows that if he attends the wedding, he’ll definitely be humiliated. How would he still dare to come?”
“What a pity! I cannot witness the scene of Levi bawling his eyes out in regret.”
Isaac and the rest shook their heads helplessly.
This was a pity to Lauren, too.
Why isn’t Levi coming?
I want to show him the necklace and the cheque.
Then, I’ll tell him personally that this is my wedding!
When Ben heard them, he scoffed coldly, “Don’t worry, Levi will come. He’ll definitely not miss this wedding! However, you should mentally prepare yourselves. I’m afraid that you won’t be able to bear the shock!”
“Shut up! Don’t say anything.”
When Isaac heard his words, he became furious and wanted to beat Ben up.
At that moment, a few ordinary cars arrived at the entrance of the villa.
The receptionist at the entrance saw the cars and laughed coldly. “How could someone with a car like this dare to attend such a grand wedding?”
However, his expression froze upon seeing the people getting off the car.
It was a group of extremely prestigious people—the leaders of North Hampton.
When they arrived at the wedding, a huge commotion erupted amongst the crowd.
Other than Park Cheon-shin and a few others who did not know what was going on, everyone else stood up.
“Mr. Nielsen, why are you here?”
“Even the three deputy captains are here, too. Secretary Davies, Captain Fields, Director Evans…”
Jenson almost staggered to the floor after seeing the arrival of Jesse Nielsen and the major leaders of North Hampton.
Do such prominent people attend weddings, too?
Isaac and the others widened their eyes in disbelief.
“Congratulations on your nuptials, Ms. Fletcher! We’re here today on personal account. You don’t have to be nervous,” explained Jesse with a smile.
Lauren had to pinch her cheeks to confirm that she was not dreaming.
Even the leaders of North Hampton came to attend my wedding?
What a huge honor!
Jesse Nielsen and the rest greeted Lee Jung-jin and congratulated the groom.
“We’ve heard of you, Mr. Park…”
Jesse and the rest then greeted Park Cheon-shin.
The Fletchers exchanged glances; they now understood what was happening.
Jesse and the others came for the wedding because of the Triple Group.
With this new understanding, Lauren instantly wondered if the person who gave her the necklace was also related to the Triple Group.
Did the Triple Group send him here?
And why hasn’t Levi arrived yet?
He’s missing out on so much.
When Lauren thought of him, she called Levi instantly.
“Are you here yet?” asked Lauren.
“I’m reaching. There’s a traffic jam on the roads. I’m reaching soon!” explained Levi.
“It’s great that you’re coming!” said Lauren with a grin.
“I’ll definitely make a grand entrance at your wedding and treat it with utmost importance!”
Levi really treated her like a younger sister. After all, she always stuck to him when they were children.
After being reminded by Zoey, Levi treated this wedding with great importance.
Soon, a few tanks stopped at the entrance of the villa.
Two rows of soldiers dashed into the wedding venue, lining the two sides of the red carpet.
This sudden scene shocked everyone. Lauren also stared at the entrance in surprise.
After that, some people wearing military uniforms appeared at the entrance.
A towering figure appeared, surrounded by a few people.
He was wearing a green military uniform, with five golden stars embroidered on his shoulder!
CHAPTER 538
When the two rows of soldiers entered the venue, everyone held their breath and stared in silence.
Even Lee Jae-shik and Park Cheon-shin’s expressions froze, their eyes widened in shock.
Why did soldiers suddenly barge into the wedding venue?
Everyone, including Jesse and the rest, stood up and focused their attention on the entrance.
They knew who the person was.
The gloomy expressions on the Garrisons’ faces had disappeared; they were now grinning brightly.
“He’s finally here!”
One after another, men in military uniforms appeared. All had stars embroidered on their shoulder pads.
Other than Percy who had two stars, there were five men with one star on their shoulders. The Kings of War!
This was an extremely shocking sight.
Lee Jae-shik understood what this meant.
“Are they here to congratulate my daughter for her wedding?” exclaimed Isaac in surprise, so overjoyed that his eyes were almost popping out of their sockets.
This was the first thought in the Fletchers’ minds, too.
Everyone thought that the person who gave Lauren then Love of the World and the eight hundred and eighty million cash gift finally appeared.
“Wow, I never expected the person to be a high-ranking military officer!”
“This is the most honorable moment of the Fletcher family!” yelled Isaac, so delighted that he burst into tears.
The most prominent people in the military, government, and business had all gathered at Lauren’s wedding.
As the Fletchers were all wiping their tears away emotionally… a question surfaced. Who was the one who sent the gifts?
Lauren stood there in a daze, still unable to figure it out. After all, she had no connections with the military…
Lee Jae-shik kept trembling as cold sweat formed on his palms.
He feared meeting Erudia soldiers the most…
He never thought he would be confronted by the five Kings of War!
Park Cheon-shin and Lee Jung-jin were stunned.
A mere Fletcher family managed to mobilize the top leaders of North Hampton. And now, even a few Kings of War have arrived.
Are they really the Fletchers?
They had investigated the Fletchers thoroughly. However, the Fletchers they knew had a clean history with no powerful forces backing them.
This made the Fletchers easier to control.
However, it now seemed like they were the most powerful family in the city!
Jesse, Xavier, and the rest walked towards the newly arrived guests instantly.
Taking a deep breath, Jenson wiped his tears away and hurriedly rushed towards them. Meanwhile, the Fletcher family followed behind him.
Even Lauren was extremely excited and nervous.
“Oh, right. Isn’t Levi coming? He mustn’t come at this juncture! If he offends these people, he’ll be doomed.”
While Lauren followed the rest, she made a call quickly.
Although the call went through, no one picked up!
“Pick it up quickly! What are you doing, Levi?” muttered Lauren anxiously.
What made her even more nervous was that a ringing tone sounded somewhere in front of her.
“It can’t be that coincidental, can it? Did he really arrive at this moment?”
Lauren was almost frozen to the spot.
“Levi, pick it up quickly!”
She was so anxious that she could barely think straight.
Lauren soon arrived in front of everyone else and could clearly see the faces of Percy, Azure Dragon, and the rest.
It was really the five Kings of War!
Lee Jae-shik took a deep breath, wishing for nothing more than to hide in a hole.
At that moment, someone strode in, accompanied by a ringing tone on his phone.
Lauren closed her eyes in despair…
Why did Levi come at this moment?
Damn it!
“Oh right! I should turn off my phone quickly!”
Lauren responded in time and hung up the call instantly.
However, when she raised her head, she saw an extremely familiar face.
Levi has come!
CHAPTER 539
“Le…”
The Fletchers and everyone else saw Levi, too. However, when they were about to call him, they realized that something was amiss.
The Kings of War all parted and formed a path for Levi.
The scariest part was that Levi was not wearing a suit!
Instead…
What?
He’s wearing military uniform?
When Lauren and the rest saw Levi in military uniform, their jaws dropped in shock.
They widened their eyes to take a closer look, repeatedly trying to confirm that they were not dreaming.
Levi was really wearing a military uniform.
Then, the hundreds of people present turned their attention to Levi’s shoulder pads to check out his military rank.
One…
Two…
Three…
Four…
What?
Five?
Five stars?
Five whole stars?
A five-star God of War?
There’s only one five-star God of War in the entire Erudia—the protector of the nation!
What?
Is Levi the God of War of Erudia?
This… This…
By the time everyone figured out what all this meant, their expressions changed drastically and they stood stupefied on the spot.
Lee Jae-shik glanced at Levi, then at Kirin and the rest.
The God of War was always accompanied by his Kings of War, who were brigadier generals in their own right.
There was no doubt that Levi was the God of War!
He was the God of War who defeated the Eighteen-Nation Alliance with his unparalleled wit and power. He was the one feared by all nations in the world!
The God of War, the nightmare of mercenaries all over the world, the most terrifying presence known to foreign countries—and the very person Lee Jae-shik feared the most!
Oh my, how could I meet the God of War here?
Thud!
When Lee Jae-shik met Levi’s gaze, he could not hold himself back anymore and dropped to his knees.
He looked nothing like the most powerful Taekwondo fighter.
Even Park Cheon-shin was utterly terrified.
Levi is actually the God of War?
The only five-star God of War in Erudia?
I understand now!
I understand everything!
The Morris Group had the God of War backing them all along!
Otherwise, why couldn’t I find out the backer’s identity?
That also explains how the Morris Group could conquer the entire North Hampton in such a short time…
…and why Scott failed so terribly?
It’s all because of the God of War…
No wonder he dares to threaten the Triple Group like that!
We’re doomed.
This is the end of us.
Park Cheon-shin’s legs weakened and he fell to his knees with a loud thump.
His entire body was drenched in cold sweat.
Everyone was flabbergasted.
What’s going on?
Why are the two prominent members of Triple group kneeling in fear?
Jesse and the rest walked towards Levi and addressed him simultaneously, “Greetings, God of War, Sir!”
This was a blatant announcement to everyone that he was really the God of War!
“God of War? Seriously?”
“I actually met the God of War in my lifetime?”
A huge commotion erupted amongst the crowd with everyone staring at Levi in utter admiration.
He’s Erudia’s God of War!
He’s everyone’s faith!
The Garrison family felt extremely proud when they saw this scene.
No matter what, Levi was still from the Garrison family, and was once part of the Garrisons!
Joseph and the rest glanced at the Fletchers.
As if they had been struck by lightning, the Fletchers stood there paralyzed. They were lost in their thoughts and their minds became a complete blank.
Tap, tap, tap…
With his military boots, Levi walked slowly towards Lauren and Lee Jung-jin.
He said with a smile, “Congratulations on your wedding, Lauren! I hope you’ll be blissful forever. You’re like a little sister to me.”
Lauren raised her head slowly and met Levi’s gaze; her mind was still blank.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she was unable to hold back her emotions anymore.
CHAPTER 540
Levi then glanced at Lee Jung-jin and said, “Since she has chosen you, you must treat her nicely!”
“I… I…”
Lee Jung-jin was still traumatized that his body quivered and his teeth chattered.
What should I say?
With Levi standing in front of me, I feel extremely intimidated.
Lee Jung-jin could barely breathe from the pressure.
In fact, he wanted so badly to kneel in front of Levi.
On the other hand, Lauren had already burst into tears.
The venue was so quiet that everyone could even hear a pin drop.
Only Lauren’s sobs echoed across the hall, sounding extremely miserable and pitiful.
The more one listened to it, the more chills one would feel running down the spine.
“Mr. Fletcher, Mrs. Fletcher. Long time no see!”
With a grin, Levi greeted everyone in the Fletcher family.
“Argh…”
Thud!
When Jenson took a closer look at Levi’s face, he screamed. But before he could finish his sentence he had already fainted.
Isaac, Sam, and the rest could barely walk anymore. Their legs were trembling.
Sweat started to form on their foreheads as they were consumed by astonishment.
How could this be?
How is this even possible?
How can Levi be the God of War?
Didn’t he go to jail?
How did he become the unparalleled God of War?
This news was too much of a shock for them and they could barely accept the fact for the time being.
They were on the verge of a mental breakdown.
If they could not bear it anymore, they might even die of heart attack!
Now, they finally understood why the Garrison family said that they would regret it…
They already knew Levi’s identity!
Hence, they had warned the Fletchers to not feel any regret and be mentally prepared.
The old Mr. Fletcher was too overwhelmed by the revelation that he fainted.
In the eyes of the Garrison family, the Fletchers had been acting like clowns!
Immense regret engulfed each and every one of the Fletchers.
The Fletchers now felt empty inside, as if they had lost something terribly important.
This mistake would be an eternal pity for them.
The Garrisons were right.
Levi had no regrets. The only ones feeling that way would be the Fletchers!
In the face of the God of War, Lee Jung-jin was a nobody.
So what if he’s from the Triple Group?
How deserving is he?
He’s not even worthy enough to stand beside Levi!
The Fletchers collapsed onto the ground one by one. As if all their strength had been sapped from their body, they could barely even raise their arms.
This is just too alarming!
Today will forever be a tormenting and unforgettable event to us.
On the other hand, Joseph and the rest thrust their chests out proudly.
To them, Levi was the pride of the Garrison family!
By then, Lauren had been sobbing for a long time.
The person I like is already a mighty general, the legend of the entire nation.
The person I like is the most powerful person in the world, unparalleled in all fields.
My judgment was never wrong. The person I like is a hero!
Zoey, whom I always despised, is actually the happiest woman on Earth.
Oh! How I regret it!
Lauren wailed loudly as tears streamed down her cheeks.
She knew what she had missed out on.
She also understood that she would never be worthy of this man.
No matter how much effort she spent or how accomplished she became, she would never be on par with him, let alone cause him to regret!
That would be something she would never achieve in her lifetime.
“You received the gift, right? I’m happy that you can find love.”
Levi smiled, taking out a handkerchief and wiping Lauren’s tears away.
Naturally, the gift he was referring to was the Love of the Century.
“When I was younger, I did not handle that incident well! I’m sorry for that. However, now that you’re married, I’m really relieved.”
“For your marriage, I must make a grand entrance and treat it with utmost importance. You must be happy, okay?”
With that, Levi spun around and left.
“No… No… I’m not going to marry anymore.”
Suddenly, Lauren sprinted towards him like she had gone mad.
With the sound of fabric tearing, she ripped apart the outer layer of her wedding gown and tossed her hair accessories away.
Running towards Levi, she wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Thud!
The bouquet in Lee Jung-jin’s hands fell onto the ground.
He, and everyone else present, were dumbfounded.
She’s not marrying anymore?
No one expected this outcome.
In such a circumstance, however, no one dared to stop her or say anything.
“I’m not going to marry! I’m not going to marry!” cried Lauren, sounding like she was choking up.
Levi was about to break free from her sudden embrace when Lauren whispered, “Can I just hug you for a while? Just a while!”
Levi nodded.
Lauren pressed closely against Levi’s back, enjoying this moment.
She understood that Levi would only belong to her for this brief moment.
Afterward, he would have nothing to do with her anymore.
Hence, all she cared about was this exact moment.
At the very least, she could feel like she had Levi to herself for the briefest moment…
Everyone stared at both of them silently.
After a minute, Lauren released her arms reluctantly as tears gushed out of her eyes again.
She was about to miss the love of her life.
“I don’t want you to abandon the wedding for my sake,” said Levi with his back facing her.
“No! I figured it out earlier. I don’t want a marriage like this, marrying a person whom I don’t even like! If I were to marry, I want to do so for love. Pure love without anything else corrupting it!” exclaimed Lauren.
Then, she looked at Lee Jung-jin. “I’m sorry, but I never liked you. I only married you for my self-interest.”
“I… respect your decision. We’ll call off this wedding.”
With much difficulty, Lee Jung-jin reached a decision, too.
Yet another commotion immediately broke out amongst the crowd.
This wedding, which has been publicized as the wedding of the century, is being called off?
But Levi’s appearance made everyone realize that the wedding had indeed been derailed.
It was the right choice to call it off!
“Okay. As long as it’s your own choice.”
With that, Levi left the venue.
Looking at Levi walking away into the distance, Lauren suddenly yelled, “Other than you, I’ll never marry anyone else!”
Thud!
After shouting her heart out, Lauren collapsed onto the floor.
She had decided that she would not marry for life.
Now that things had progressed to this stage, it was clear that the Fletchers were doomed.
Everyone left gradually.
Before the Garrisons took their leave, they scoffed coldly, “We told you to be mentally prepared, but you ignored our advice!”
“We’re leaving, too!”
Lee Jae-shik, Park Cheon-shin and their group left in fear.
They only wanted to return to South City as soon as possible!
If they knew what was going to happen, they would not have come to North Hampton.
Suddenly, they remembered the warning Seth gave them when they got off the train.
“Oh no! Today’s the deadline!”
Cold sweat dotted Park Cheon-shin’s forehead.
However, the most terrified person was still Lee Jae-shik.
After all, the God of War was their ultimate enemy. How could they not be frightened?
Members of the Triple Group scurried away in their cars.
When they had just left the road outside the villa, their path was blocked by an olive green SUV.
Levi was sitting on the top of the car with the Kings of War all standing beside him. They all stared coldly at the cars in front of them.
“Why are you so eager to leave? Well, it’s simple to enter North Hampton, but not so easy to leave,” drawled Levi with a smirk.
CHAPTER 542
Park Cheon-shin, Lee Jae-shik and the rest stepped out of their car and shuffled towards Levi. Their heads drooped downward, making them look like children who had done something wrong.
Levi scanned them, his gaze landing on Lee Jae-shik.
“You escaped to Erudia?” asked Levi.
“Huh?”
Lee Jae-shik froze in fear.
He actually knows me?
“I know you. The losers from Keerea are your students, right? You’re the chief coach of the millions of Keerea’s soldiers. Instead of staying in your country, why did you come to Erudia?”
Levi suddenly raised his voice, causing Lee Jae-shik to feel so scared that his knees gave way.
“I’m wrong, God of War! I’m wrong! I shouldn’t have entered Erudia! It’s my mistake…”
Kneeling on the floor, Lee Jae-shik groveled at Levi’s feet.
His clothes were drenched in cold sweat, which dripped down his hair.
It was not because the weather was hot, but because he was utterly terrified.
The other members of Triple Group were astounded.
No one expected the nation’s ultimate Taekwondo master to be so fearful!
White Tiger licked his lips. Sounding interested, he said, “I heard that he is the best Taekwondo master. I want to have a match with him!”
“King of War, White Tiger?”
Lee Jae-shik’s face turned pale as he immediately identified the speaker correctly.
“I wouldn’t dare! I wouldn’t dare! I don’t dare to do anything in Erudia…”
Lee Jae-shik was overcome with regret.
Oh, how I regret it!
Knowing the God of War is in Erudia, why did I still come?
“That’s not going to happen! You shouldn’t have come to Erudia. If you want to leave, you’ll have to accept my punch!”
White Tiger strode towards him.
“Remember, you can only leave if you remain standing after receiving my punch,” added White Tiger.
Lee Jae-shik understood that because of his identity, death was certain once he set foot in Erudia.
If he wanted to leave the country alive, he must accept this punch and put in his best effort.
“Come at me!” yelled Lee Jae-shik furiously as he stomped on the ground with a booming thud.
As expected of a master, his moves were extremely powerful.
He stood there motionlessly like an unmovable mountain.
As White Tiger came close, he suddenly accelerated and threw a punch at Lee Jae-shik.
Lee Jae-shik’s eyes sparkled. He moved as quickly as lightning.
Boom!
With a sweeping kick, the most classic move in Taekwondo, he attacked White Tiger.
Although it was an ordinary move, it was fatal when deployed by Lee Jae-shik.
The kick was so powerful that it felt like a hurricane that was demolishing everything in its path!
Boom!
A ferocious wind blew across the surroundings, causing tree branches and pebbles to fly into the sky. Everyone around them was forced to stagger a few meters backward.
Thud!
Thud!
The dozens of trees around them exploded!
Compared to this kick, White Tiger’s punch looked extremely ordinary.
A deafening bang sounded when the kick and punch collided.
Lee Jae-shik was instantly sent flying backward for ten meters. After crashing into a large tree with a huge thud and splitting it into halves, he did not stand up anymore.
White Tiger stroked his bloodied fist and smiled in satisfaction. “I’ve finally met someone who can take up a fight!”
As Lee Jae-shik did not survive this punch, he could never leave Erudia anymore.
When everyone saw how easily the Taekwondo master was defeated, they froze in fear.
Even Park Cheon-shin pissed his pants…
“You’re Park Cheon-shin, right? Did you hear my three warnings?” asked Levi as he turned his gaze to him.
“Yes! I completely understood them and will carry them out instantly!” promised Park Cheon-shin.
“It’s too late. Crawl out of Erudia! I’ll give you one day. If I still see anything related to Triple Group in Erudia, I’ll go looking for you.”
Levi sounded assertive, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
CHAPTER 543
Park Cheon-shin fainted in fear.
I’m doomed!
It’s all over!
The Triple Group’s ambitious plan to dominate the Erudia market has been ruined.
“We’ll leave right away, God of War!” said Lee Jung-jin, quivering.
“I said, crawl out of Erudia!”
Levi’s gaze was sharp and ruthless.
Alarmingly, the high-ranking officials of Triple Group were then seen sprawling across the ground as they slowly crawled out of North Hampton.
It would be an understatement to describe the crawling men as “pathetic”.
After a few hours, Triple Group suddenly announced that they would return the donations worth eighty billion.
After another hour, Triple Group organized a press conference. They apologized to Erudia for the crimes they had committed, promised to return the money they had scammed and laundered, and made a promise to compensate the victims.
Everyone following the event online erupted into cheers.
The Triple Group headquarters then declared the company would withdraw from the Erudia market: they would remove all of their products in Erudia within a day.
This was breaking news!
Everyone was astounded.
The Triple Group, which has been climbing up the ranks, is suddenly leaving Erudia?
What’s going on?
On the other hand, the companies and individuals who had been oppressed by Triple Group cheered in delight.
The Triple Group was like a cancerous tumor in the business world.
They did all sorts of evil things and exploited countless people.
Yet, many of the victims did not dare to expose the company and merely hope the company would fail.
Now that their wish was fulfilled, they were so overjoyed that they wanted to hold a big celebration!
As Triple Group mainly sold electronic products and there were many similar companies in the market, its departure did not create a huge impact.
That day, Levi told Iris, the person in charge of Morris Group, to add another basket of goods to the company’s portfolio: electronic products.
They would strive to create the most cost-effective electronic products to crush other immoral companies!
By creating products that could benefit the masses, they could promote healthy market development while doing good to the people.
This was what the Morris Group had always done.
Whether it was medical apparatus or other products, they always strived to sell the best quality products at the cheapest prices.
Their motto was to promote the city’s development and wellbeing of the people.
Hence, the employees of Morris Group all gave their work their best effort.
Aside from being able to reap the financial benefits, they would feel honored, too!
The young people in North Hampton were proud of working at Morris Group.
Morris Group had already been manufacturing electronic products. Now, they were simply increasing the scale of their production.
As Triple Group left the market, other companies were able to tap into its market share.
Iris even gave a part of the electronics business to the Oriental Star Group.
Zoey was very capable, too. Within a short period of time, the Oriental Star Group’s profits skyrocketed under her management, a role she had gladly accepted.
When she reached home, she asked, “Darling, how did the wedding go?”
Levi smiled helplessly. “Well, I made up for my regret and she made the choice she wanted.”
“That’s good, then! But it’s a pity how her wedding went. The Triple Group withdrew so unexpectedly just as she became the general manager of their Erudia branch.
She sighed. “The wedding is only memorable because of the regrets it left.”
Levi knew that Zoey was thinking about their wedding six years ago.
It was not a fruitful wedding, and it became his and Zoey’s regret.
“Honey, I’ve decided to re-organize a wedding for you! By then, I’ll tell you some things.”
Levi decided to organize another wedding for Zoey.
At that time, he would reveal his true identity to her.
CHAPTER 544
Zoey’s eyes curved into tiny crescents as she smiled. “Okay! I’ll wait for you to give me a fruitful wedding!”
“Alright. Let’s pick a suitable date!”
Levi nodded.
Zoey thought that Levi was joking. She was not expecting him to be serious.
That wedding was later named the grandest wedding of the century.
Of course, all these were in retrospect!
Life would return to normal afterward.
Sitting in his office, Levi smoked and had some alcohol.
He then received a call from Azure Dragon, saying chaos had broken out in South City.
After the fall of the Triple Group and Scott’s faction, the other prominent families started to frantically claim control of the available territories.
Even some external forces became involved.
In short, the entire South City had descended into chaos.
Levi did not expect this to happen.
Initially, he thought that after eliminating Scott and Triple Group, Quebec would become peaceful again and that everyone would behave properly.
Yet, instead of warning them, his actions caused these people to descend into madness.
To them, after the collapse of the two major forces, they now had more territory and businesses to seize!
“It’s hard to control South City…” said Azure Dragon hesitantly.
“Okay, I’ll personally make a trip to South City. As all these happened because of me, I need to set things straight.”
A cold glint appeared in Levi’s eyes.
At night, he told Zoey that he was going to South City.
Zoey’s eyes lit up. “That’s just right! Abigail was telling me that she wants to return to South City as something urgent has happened in the family. The Black family did not say what exactly was so urgent, so my parents are very worried. Go back with Abigail and see what happened to the Black family.”
“Sure, no problem,” agreed Levi.
The next day arrived.
After Abigail entered the car, she instantly wrapped her arms around Levi’s neck.
“Levi, you’re so cruel. Why didn’t you visit me for such a long time?”
A resentful look appeared in Abigail’s eyes as if she was his wife.
Levi pushed her aside quickly.
“Just speak normally. Don’t touch me!”
Abigail glared at him and said, “Are you seeing someone recently?”
Levi frowned. “Huh?”
“I heard that you attended your childhood friend’s wedding and flirted with girls. Even my sister’s best friend started liking you. Helena, the new celebrity in my sister’s company, is obsessed with you, too! Am I right?” complained Abigail as she pouted.
“What are you talking about?”
Levi frowned.
“Let me tell you this. I’ll only like your sister. The other women are none of my business! Even if I’m involved with them, it’s because of your sister. You’re one of them…”
When Abigail heard his words, her expression fell immediately.
Tears of indignance brimmed in her eyes as she tried to hold them back.
So Levi is only nice to me because of Zoey!
“What’s wrong, Abigail? Why are you crying?”
Levi suddenly realized that Abigail had burst into tears.
“It’s nothing…”
She wiped her tears away and stayed silent for the entire ride.
Levi had no clue how he offended Abigail, so he remained quiet, too.
Soon, they reached South City.
When they entered the city, Levi called Alfie from the Dragon Legion.
“Tell the South City leaders that I’ve arrived,” instructed Levi.
When he attended the Black family’s birthday banquet, he had promised he would definitely inform the city management the next time he arrived.
“Understood, Sir!” replied Alfie instantly.
Alfie then contacted the commander-in-chief of the South Warzone and the major leaders of the city.
CHAPTER 545
Instantly, the entire of South City was in a frenzy.
The God of the War is coming.
The fact that no one knows why he’s coming is even more terrifying!
When the Triple Group committed their outrageous acts, the God of War didn’t even come.
Yet, he’s coming now?
This means that something major has happened!
After exiting the highway, Levi drove to the Black family home.
His car zoomed along the roads when suddenly he caught sight of two luxurious cars from the rearview mirror.
One was a Lamborghini, while the other was a Ferrari 458.
Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!
The two luxurious cars sped past Levi’s Mercedes, deliberately cutting his path.
There were two people sitting in each of the cars.
They were the wealthy bachelors of South City.
The most famous of them was Derek, who came from the wealthy Davies family.
Recently, the Davies family had been flourishing, having snatched control of multiple territories and reaped a lot of benefits.
“She’s Abigail, right? I recognized her with just a single glance!” exclaimed Derek with a grin.
“Yeah, she’s Abigail,” agreed the rest.
When they were at the intersection earlier, they noticed Abigail sitting in the car. Hence, they instantly chased after her to confirm.
“I heard that the Black family arranged a marriage for Abigail, right?” Derek asked his underling, Zachary.
“Yeah, but I want to tease Abigail today. She’s so pretty. I’ve actually been lusting after her for a long time. Haha…”
When Derek thought of Abigail, he could not hold himself back anymore.
Initially, as the Black family was much more powerful than the Davies family, he did not dare to do anything.
However, in the recent shakeup of territories, the Black family had chosen to keep a distance while the Davies family participated aggressively.
Now, the Davies family was in a much more powerful position than the Blacks.
Naturally, Derek became braver and wanted to toy around with Abigail.
After cutting in front of the Mercedes, the two cars slowed down gradually.
In the end, they were only driving at a slow speed of 20km/h.
It was obvious that they were doing it on purpose!
Fury appeared in Abigail’s eyes.
“Levi, they’re doing this on purpose! Hmph!”
However, Levi did not respond.
Suddenly, he spun the steering wheel to the right and accelerated.
At the speed of lightning, he surpassed the two luxurious cars instantly and sped off.
Vroom!
When Derek and the rest saw the car zooming past them, they were stunned.
What the heck is this?
It’s driving so quickly that I can’t even react in time!
“Quick! Chase after that car!” yelled Derek.
The Ferrari and Lamborghini accelerated, speeding up so quickly that they looked like two streaks of lightning on the road.
A Mercedes could never accelerate faster than sports cars on a straight road.
Soon, Levi realized that the two cars were about to reach them.
However, instead of being flustered, he continued accelerating.
Although there was a sharp curve in front, Levi ignored it and kept increasing the speed.
“Huh? Levi, slow down!”
Abigail was so scared that she almost closed her eyes.
However, a calm expression remained on Levi’s face while the car continued speeding up.
When Derek and the rest saw that, they were so shocked that cold sweat started to dot their foreheads.
“Damn it! Is this guy crazy? There’s such a sharp curve ahead with a few slopes. Yet, he still dares to accelerate?” exclaimed Derek in surprise.
“Yeah! Curves like these are the most accident-prone. Does he still dare to accelerate? He must be a madman!”
“It might be safer if a sports car zoomed across the curve. But a mere sedan? That’s crazy!”
The Lamborghini and Ferrari started to slow down, wanting to drive past the curve steadily.
However, the Mercedes in front dashed onto the curved road as it accelerated.
“They’re doomed! The car will be destroyed and the passengers will definitely die.”
“Poor Abigail. She’s so pretty!”
Even Derek closed his eyes in despair.
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“Hah!”
However, everyone seemed to be in hysterics in the next second.
The Audi drifted in a controlled arc as it swept along the sharp bend in the road with a screech.
“What?”
“How’s that impossible?”
Everyone’s eyes were bulging out of their sockets.
In the Audi.
Levi smirked. “You can open your eyes now, Abigail.”
After Abigail opened her eyes, she found that the car was advancing steadily along a straight road.
We’ve passed that deadly turn already?
Abigail had a look of shock on her face.
There were many sharp bends along this road, but Levi did not slow down at all.
No matter how good the performance of an Audi was, on a straight road, its speed could not compare to that of the other two sports cars.
Despite that disadvantage, Levi managed to overtake the other two sports cars very quickly because he did not slow down at any of the sharp bends along the road.
They tried to catch up, but it was to no avail; the Audi had already completely disappeared from their sight.
“Holy f***!”
Derek was completely floored.
He had joined many well-known racing clubs before, but he had never once seen such a skilled racer.
“Bring him to me! I want him found this instance!” Derek bellowed.
Soon after that, Levi and Abigail quickly arrived at the Black family’s residence.
As soon as the Blacks saw Abigail, they were elated.
However, their expressions changed the moment they laid eyes on Levi.
Both Robert and Meredith acknowledged Levi only because of the special cigarettes and liquors he had gifted them previously.
“Mr. and Mrs. Black, do you still have enough of the special cigarettes and liquors?” Levi asked with a smile.
“Yes! It can probably last us a few years!” Robert replied.
Meanwhile, Bailey and the others were glaring at Levi.
Pamela, on the other hand, scoffed and went so far as to say, “Do you think Russell would’ve brought us anything less than he did?”
“Yeah. Russell was the one who brought it for us. What does it have to do with you?”
The others sneered at him.
Upon seeing this, Abigail quickly changed the subject. “Grandpa, Grandma, why did you call me back so suddenly? I was scared out of my mind when you said something serious happened.”
Hearing that, Levi perked up his ears as well.
After all, Zoey had tasked him with this job.
He would only feel relieved after making sure the Black family was safe and well.
At that moment, Bailey and Pamela exchanged an excited glance.
Robert also had a similar look on his face.
“I’ll do the honors! Someone has come forward with a marriage proposal!” Meredith announced.
Abigail was taken aback and pointed to herself in surprise. “Huh? To me?”
“Yes, that’s right! Your Grandpa’s chief and I will personally accompany his grandson to come here tomorrow for the official proposal. He’s taken a fancy to you!”
“Your Grandpa and I approve of this marriage! We have met that boy, and he’s very outstanding!” Meredith beamed.
Robert nodded as well. “Yes, I completely agree! That boy is probably the most outstanding person I’ve ever seen!”
“I refuse!”
Abigail rejected it without even thinking it over.
“What are you talking about, Abby? How can you reject the proposal just like that? You haven’t even met him yet,” Pamela countered unhappily.
Bailey backed her up as well. “Do you know who he is? He’s Timothy Caesar, the heir of the Caesar family from South Hampton! The Caesar family is practically royalty!”
When wealthy families from all over Erudia transcended a certain level of influence, they weren’t only judged by their economical standing but more often than so by their physical might and the presence of a martial arts master in the family.
Those kinds of families weren’t addressed the usual way.
In the event of surpassing the Gonzales family from North Hampton as well as other influential families such as the Robinsons, the status of royalty would be bestowed.
Families regarded as royalty were by no means built from scratch just a couple of decades ago.
Most of the royalties had a history of more than a century and were prominent families passed down from generation to generation.
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These families could be traced back to a couple of centuries.
In simpler terms, the royal family was established by the hard work of several generations over the span of centuries!
It wasn’t a level a normal person could single-handedly reach in just a few decades.
This was the difference between a wealthy family and a royal family!
There were only a handful of families in Erudia who were of royal status.
South Hampton, for instance, was the economic center of Erudia.
That was where a true royal family resided.
Quebec, on the other hand, never had the privilege of having a royal family.
And the man arranged to be Abigail’s betrothed, Timothy Caesar, was from a quasi-royal clan.
A quasi-royal clan was slightly more powerful than a regular wealthy family but a few decades away from becoming true royals.
Despite that, the Caesar family managed to crush all the families in Quebec!
Even Scott Yates and his family were no match for them!
Timothy’s grandfather, Richard Caesar, was a formidable general in the army when he was young, and no one dared to underestimate his family.
Thus, when Richard suggested a marriage proposal to the Black family, Robert and Meredith were so excited that they didn’t get a wink of sleep.
If Abigail were to marry Timothy, firstly, the Blacks would be able to fortify their standing.
Secondly, Abigail would want for nothing.
Meredith spoke up, “Abigail, aren’t you going to change your mind? Marrying into the Caesar family will help the Blacks reach unimaginable heights! Luck has chosen you, so cherish it!”
Robert nodded in agreement. “Your grandmother’s right! We are nothing but an ant beneath their boot! Do you have any idea how lucky you’d be if you marry into the Caesar family, Abigail?”
“What are you waiting for? Quickly thank your Grandpa and Grandma for giving you such a good opportunity!” Bailey and Pamela prompted Abigail.
“That’s right! Not only are the Caesars powerful, but Timothy Caesar is a fine young man too. He was trained to become the head of the Caesar family from a young age, so he’s definitely the best of the best! Marrying him would be the smartest choice you ever made in your life, Abigail!”
Keane and Quintus both chimed in, “Yeah. You’d be the lady of the Caesar household from then on. With such a prominent title, the whole of South City would envy you!”
“Exactly! Now that mayhem has descended upon South City, all the influential families are fighting for rulership, and they’re all searching for strong backers! Even though we’re currently staying out of it, we would inevitably be affected; it’s only a matter of when. But if you marry into the Caesar family, no one would dare to touch our family!”
…
Everyone listed out the benefits of this arranged marriage, one by one.
More than anything, they wanted to overcome the obstacle looming over them.
With all hell broke loose on South City, the Black family was too weak to fend for themselves.
Their entire family could be crushed if they didn’t find a backer soon!
Fortunately for them, it just so happened that the Caesar family proposed a union by marriage.
And the Blacks accepted their proposal right off the bat.
Abigail felt helpless.
She originally thought that she could escape the fate of marrying into a powerful family against her will.
But alas, it turned out that her fate was sealed from the very beginning.
“No! I refuse to! I don’t care how outstanding he is; I’m just not interested!”
Abigail was on the verge of tears, and she sent Levi a pleading gaze.
“What do you mean by you refuse to? You should at least meet the boy first, don’t you think so?” Robert urged.
Abigail shook her head vigorously. “No. I don’t want to!”
“Insolence!” Meredith bellowed all of a sudden.
Her loud roar of anger startled everyone.
“You’re getting more disobedient nowadays, Abigail! I’ve pampered you all these years, but here you are, rebelling against me!” Meredith yelled angrily.
“But I don’t want to, Grandma…”
Tears were rolling down Abigail’s cheeks.
“Tomorrow, the Caesar family will be coming to make the marriage proposal, and you will join us, whether you like it or not.”
Meredith was so tyrannical that no one dared to refute her.
And Abigail fell into despair.
“You can’t force Abigail to do anything. Not on my watch.” A commanding voice abruptly broke through the silence.
Everyone turned to stare at Levi with wide-eyed disbelief.
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Levi’s authoritative statement immediately brought Abigail back to her senses.
That’s right!
So what if they’re from a powerful background?
Can they be more powerful than my brother-in-law?
Abigail instantly sidled closer to Levi. “I’ll only listen to you, Levi!”
Swoosh!
As one, all of the Blacks transferred their gazes back to Levi again.
“Excuse me, but who do you think you are? What gives you the right to speak here?” Jonathan was visibly enraged.
At the same time, Leonard pushed his glasses higher up his nose bridge, seemingly irked as well. “Exactly. How dare you speak to your elders in such a way? Have you lost your mind?”
Even the youngsters, Keane and Quintus, were infuriated.
They wanted so badly to give him a few tight slaps!
As for Bailey and Pamela, they were livid as well.
“Since when have my daughter’s affairs become your business?” Bailey literally roared out the words.
Robert was glaring daggers at Levi, whereas Meredith couldn’t stand the sight of him.
“Get out of our house this instant! You’re not welcome here!”
“Of all the youngsters I’ve raised since young, none of them ever dared to speak to me that way!” Meredith pointed a finger at Levi as she berated him.
She was right – everyone in the Black family had an extremely strict upbringing.
The youngsters never dared to raise their voices in front of Meredith or Robert.
Hence, Levi outright provoking them was an atrocity through and through!
Levi’s eyes flashed with a hint of anger.
I won’t allow anyone to force Abigail into doing something she doesn’t want to do!
“Why are you looking at me like that? Get out right now!” Meredith yelled.
Abigail was afraid that the matter would blow up into something serious, so she quickly interjected, “Why don’t you go first, Levi? I’ll just check things out tomorrow. It’s not like I have to agree to it anyway!”
With that, Levi finally left under Abigail’s mild urging.
“Grandpa, Grandma, don’t blame Levi. I’ll go tomorrow, okay?” Abigail promised.
“Now that’s more like it!”
Only then did Meredith promise to refrain from taking action against Levi for his disrespectful behavior.
Not long after Levi left, Russell sped back home in his car.
He had recently been promoted to the Deputy Chief of the Special Security Unit.
He was the busiest during this period of time due to the chaos across the entire South City.
Even so, when he heard that Levi was visiting, he immediately put everything down and rushed over.
“Grandpa, Grandma! I heard that Levi and Abigail are back!”
Russell jogged into the villa.
“Yes, they came back. Why?”
Confusion lined Meredith’s features.
“Hey, Abigail. Wow, you’re even prettier than the last time I saw you.”
After Russell gave Abigail a perfunctory greeting, he immediately cast his gaze around. “Where’s Levi?”
“You mean that b******, Levi? He was just driven away by Grandma!” Jonathan stated with displeasure.
Thud!
Russell staggered backwards, almost falling to the ground.
His face was drained of color and as white as a sheet.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard before asking with mortification sprawled across his face, “What? Levi was driven out of the house?”
T-T-This…
Russell felt his head spin.
They actually drove away the God of War?
Where in the world did they find the courage to do that?
Why, oh why, didn’t I arrive sooner?
“Yeah! He talked back to Grandpa and Grandma! He was lucky he was only driven out. If it were up to me, I’d give him a good beating and teach him a lesson!” Keane gritted out.
What?
Russell felt his blood pressure shoot up.
He wants to teach who a lesson?
What are his balls made out of? Steel?
“Let me go find Levi…”
Russell bolted out immediately after.
“Huh? What’s up with Russell?”
Jonathan was perplexed, wondering why his son was acting so out of character.
“Yeah, I noticed something off about Russell too. He’s acting all strange when we mention Levi as if Levi is some kind of powerful figure,” Robert added in.
The others were equally baffled as they nodded in agreement.
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To everyone’s surprise, Meredith laughed. “You’re all too emotionally driven! Russell is the opposite of that, and it’s something none of you have the ability to understand!”
“What do you mean, Grandma?” Keane queried.
“Russell is a humble and polished man. He sets aside his emotions and treats everyone equally. So, even though Levi is a b******, he still treats him as his family. His ability to remain rational in every situation is the reason for his success!”
Meredith admired Russell because of that.
“Yeah. We can’t compare to Russell in this aspect! There’s a lot we need to learn from him!”
…
Everyone showered Russell with praises.
Meanwhile, Abigail’s shoulders slumped helplessly.
It’s because Russell knows Levi’s true identity…
If Russell knew about the situation here right now, he’d definitely laugh and say something along the lines of ‘My ability to remain rational? He’s the damn God of War, for heaven’s sake!’
At the same time, Alfie came to personally pick Levi up from the Black family’s residence.
He always obeyed Levi without a single question or protest.
Alfie was dressed in casual wear and drove an ordinary car.
They were keeping an extremely low profile.
“Sir, the officials in South City are all keeping a low profile as per your command. Tonight, they wish to have you join them for a simple meal, and they promise that it won’t be anything too over the top!” Alfie reported in a low voice.
“Sure. I’ll join them for dinner tonight,” Levi replied.
Then, Alfie drove Levi to the South Warzone first.
Besides Zoey, the only place that felt like home to Levi was the military base.
Meanwhile, Russell was combing through the whole of South City searching for Levi.
Halfway through his search, he got a call from Meredith. “Russell, I just received news that the Caesar family from South Hampton has arrived! Could you please pick them up and arrange for them to stay at our Tropical Villa?”
“Alright, Grandma. Just leave it to me.”
After that, Russell quickly went to meet the Caesar family.
They had three cars in total.
A Rolls-Royce was trailing behind an ordinary car that was charged with clearing the path ahead, while a Toyota Elfa brought up the rear.
An elderly man and a young man were seated in the backseat of the Rolls-Royce.
The elderly man had a head of white hair and was dressed in traditional clothing.
People were often deceived by his age, but a closer glance showed that his eyes had a dangerous glint to them.
The head of the Caesar family, Richard Caesar, was a fierce general in the army during his early years, never showing mercy to those who crossed him.
After stepping down, he remained untouchable in South Hampton.
He leaned on his cane, while beside him sat a fair-skinned young man with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
He wasn’t here for a vacation, though.
He was here because he was Abigail’s potential suitor, Timothy Caesar.
Besides being the number one bachelor heir in South Hampton, he was also a member of the South Hampton Prince Gang!
The purpose of his visit wasn’t as simple as everyone thought.
And his marriage proposal to Abigail was just a ruse.
He wanted to take over South City through the Black family and make a huge fortune out of it!
The Caesar family planned to invade South City and expand their power.
All of them had ulterior motives.
Just then, Richard explained to Timothy the matter of his marriage proposal to the Black family.
“Yes, Grandpa. I understand! Women are only tools! I’ll marry Abigail as you wish!”
A cold glint streaked across Timothy’s eyes.
Richard nodded in satisfaction. “Yes, you’re right! After we establish our position in South City, you can deal with Abigail however you please!”
“Yes, Grandpa!”
The corners of Timothy’s mouth lifted.
What he had in mind was simple. He was going to use the marriage as a cover and treat Abigail as his plaything.
Russell arrived soon to guide Richard and his entourage to Tropical Villa, letting them settle down there.
A group of people arrived not long after Russell left.
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These people were young and rich heirs, all of whom were from the most prominent families in South City.
Melvin Jacobs, Silas Ferguson, Channing Jakeman, as well as Derek Davies were all present.
Their families had all actively participated in the recent battle of territories raging all over South City, reaping an abundance of benefits in the process.
All of them were seeking powerful backers from South Hampton.
As soon as they caught wind that the Caesar family from South Hampton was visiting, they rushed over to curry favor with them.
When Richard saw how eager they were to please, he blandly said to Timothy, “Establishing a good relationship with South City’s local families could be beneficial to us in the long run. Go ahead and see to our guests, Timothy.”
Timothy nodded. “I understand, Grandpa.”
“Mr. Caesar, since this is your first time in South City, welcoming you is the least we could do!” Melvin from the Jacobs family was the first to speak.
No matter how much they flaunted their power in South City, they were nothing compared to South Hampton’s number one heir.
Adding on the fact that he was a member of the South Hampton Prince Gang, the entire southern region of the nation was aware of the amount of power he held.
The Prince Gang was an organization similar to a club formed by South Hampton’s most powerful heirs.
Every member of the organization was either from a quasi-royal clan or a royal family.
The Prince Gang members were an untamed bunch who did as they pleased.
They answered to no one!
Besides frolicking, they created a reputation for themselves.
No one would dare to mess with those who associated themselves with the Prince Gang.
The ultimate goal of the young heirs residing in South City was to replicate the South Hampton Prince Gang, and they did so by establishing a club of their own.
Unfortunately, their club was too far behind the Prince Gang in every aspect.
Hence, they went green with envy upon meeting a member of the South Hampton Prince Gang.
When Derek found out that a member of the Prince Gang was arranged to be Abigail’s betrothed, he almost wet his pants.
Meanwhile, Timothy was busy enjoying being flattered by so many people, basking in their compliments.
Just then, Derek approached Timothy and spoke under his breath, “Mr. Caesar, I have some bad news for you…”
Timothy’s face showed displeasure as he inquired, “What is it?”
“I met Abigail by coincidence yesterday!”
“And?”
“She was sitting in a car with a man, and they seemed really intimate with each other. They look like a couple!”
Derek was a simple man. Since he couldn’t have Abigail, he thought that he might as well teach Levi a lesson.
Upon hearing this information, Timothy’s expression changed drastically.
They weren’t officially engaged yet, but to him, Abigail was already his.
She was sitting in a car with another man?
F*** that!
“Yeah! That man had some mad driving skills too! Our sports cars couldn’t even catch up with his Audi!” Some of the others piped in.
Timothy almost popped a vein after hearing that.
His woman had been touched by another man.
How could he not be infuriated?
“Who is he?” Timothy asked in a frosty voice.
“I’m still investigating, Mr. Caesar. I’ll let you know the moment I find out!”
Derek shuddered slightly from the insidious look on Timothy’s face.
At the same time, Melvin, Silas, and the rest tried to diffuse the tension. “Let’s put all of these upsetting matters aside for now, Mr. Caesar. We’re here to celebrate your arrival. Plus, we’ve prepared a little something for you that we hope you’ll enjoy!”
The men chuckled meaningfully.
Of course Timothy knew what they had in mind.
Women. What else?
“I’m bored of low-grade women, so I’ll pass,” Timothy coldly rejected.
As a man of his status, all kinds of women threw themselves at him.
“Hear me out first, Mr. Caesar. I hand-picked these girls from North Hampton’s drama academy. But most importantly, they’re all virgins!” Channing said with a chuckle.
The crease between Timothy’s brows slowly loosened.
“Indeed, North Hampton’s drama academy is known for its campus beauties!” Timothy chuckled along.
The mood took a sharp turn as a somber expression appeared on Timothy’s face. ”But this must be kept a secret! I’m meeting Abigail tomorrow, so a prickly matter such as this must never be disclosed to anyone.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Caesar. The place we arranged is very discreet!”
Timothy shook his head. “That’s not enough! It must be completely hidden. I want to make sure that nothing will go wrong!”
Derek immediately chimed in, “I have an idea, Mr. Caesar. I think I know just the place. It’s a club called The Abyss. That club can be said to be the most hidden place in the whole of South City, and we can only gain entry through special connections! Not just anybody can enter!”
Seeing Timothy’s interest perked, Derek continued, “Many big figures in Quebec choose to discuss matters there because everything stays within those walls! No one outside will ever hear a whisper of what goes on inside.”
“Then, The Abyss it is!” Timothy nodded in approval.
“No problem, Mr. Caesar. We all have connections in The Abyss! Let’s book the entire club tonight, shall we?” Melvin and the others were all smiles.
In the South Warzone.
“Sir, it’s time to leave,” Alfie said as he opened the car door for Levi to get in. “All the arrangements in South City have been made.”
There were several people standing behind Levi.
The Captain, Mortimer Lambert, was of course among those people.
The rest comprised of Mike Pence – the commander-in-chief of the South Warzone, two deputy commanders-in-chief – Hank Damon and William Stewart, as well as several chiefs of staff.
Everyone was dressed in casual wear, obeying Levi’s order to keep a low profile.
Otherwise, the sight of a group of men in military uniform eating in public would scare the living lights out of people.
“Has the meeting point been set?” Levi asked.
“Yes, it’s at a club called The Abyss, sir! This club is known for its secrecy. Because it’s located in a remote area in the suburbs, many people choose to have their secret meetings there, so we won’t have to worry about anyone spying on us.”
“South City’s authorities realized the sensitivity of this matter, so they chose The Abyss. But the food will be self-prepared, and nothing too extravagant! Besides, everyone will go Dutch, so there won’t be any unwanted problems,” Alfie clarified.
“Mm, good. I see that they were quite thorough in their planning!” Levi nodded, impressed.
Meanwhile, the leaders of South City were all gathered in The Abyss located on the outskirts of the city.
However, everyone was dressed in a very low-key manner. In fact, their attire was so casual that it made them stick out like a sore thumb in the club.
Tim Cronan, the leader of Quebec, asked, “Has the God of War, I mean, Mr. Garrison, arrived?”
The mayor of South City, Stephen McKay, nodded in response. “Yes, sir. Alfie just called and said that they’re on their way. They should be here soon!”
“That’s good!”
Tim wiped the sweat off his brow.
“Why do I feel nervous?” he mused.
“We’re all nervous too, sir! We’ve been sweating way before we even arrived!”
All of South City’s officials took in deep breaths, fretting over the God of War’s imminent arrival.
They had gone to Jesse Nielsen for advice earlier due to his experience with the God of War.
Yet, Jesse had only given them two words – Stay calm.
However, it was easier said than done.
They were literally drenched in cold sweat due to the level of anxiety they were feeling!
Before long, Levi and his party of people arrived at the entrance of The Abyss.
Vroom, vroom, vroom.
Just then, the sounds of engines revving disrupted the silence.
More than ten sports cars sped towards their direction, all coming to a sudden stop in front of The Abyss.
It was Timothy and the other young heirs.
“Mr. Caesar, welcome to The Abyss!”
After alighting their respective cars, everyone crowded around Timothy and ushered him towards The Abyss.
“Hey! It’s that guy, Mr. Caesar!” Derek exclaimed the moment he spotted Levi.
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Immediately, everyone fixed their gazes on Levi.
“Is that really him?” Timothy asked, frowning.
“That’s him, Mr. Caesar. That’s the guy with really good driving skills!” A few of Derek’s followers said hastily.
In a split second, Timothy’s expression changed abruptly. “I don’t give a damn who he is, but as long as he has any kind of contact with Abigail, get him out of my sight!”
As a member of the Prince Gang, this was how Timothy normally handled things – in the most arrogantly self-assured way possible.
Derek exchanged a look with his followers before immediately saying, “As you wish, Mr. Caesar!”
Striding forward quickly, Derek caught up with Levi and his group to intercept them.
“Hey, where are you going? Stop right there!”
However, Levi and his group just ignored Derek’s shouts.
“Hey, hey! Are you all deaf? Didn’t you hear what I just said? Hold it right there!”
Derek suddenly raised his voice loudly, throwing his hands open to block Levi and his group from moving further.
Displeased expressions appeared on Alfie and Mike’s faces, as well as the other military officials present.
South City was their territory. Thus, they could not believe that there were people here who still dared to block their path, especially when the God of War was traveling with them.
How embarrassing!
Mike and the others were visibly annoyed.
If the fool were lucky, he would only embarrass himself in front of the God of War.
But in the worst-case scenario, this same fool might end up losing his job over charges of negligence.
Mike and the others were raring to reveal their actual identity to this hapless fool, but Alfie stilled their protests with a wave of his hand.
“What’s your business?” Alfie asked in his deep voice.
Derek ignored Alfie, looking directly at Levi instead. He pointed his finger at him. “You, come over. I have something to tell you.”
His tone of voice was an unmistakable order.
Completely thunderstruck, Mike and the other eight personnel in charge of the South Warzone could only stare dumbly. More than a little fear filled their hearts.
Does this fool have a death wish?
He’s literally hollering at the God of War!
Not only was Derek shouting and ordering the God of War around, but he was doing that in front of all the highest-ranked commanders of the South Warzone.
Right then, Mike could not hold himself back any longer. His voice burst out in an angry shout. “Do you know who he is?”
“I don’t care who he is! The only important thing is that Mr. Caesar of the Caesar family wants to see him right now, and he’s going to do just that,” Derek said while smiling coldly.
While it was true that Derek did not know who Levi was, but he still had Timothy Caesar to back him up.
Hence, Derek was confident that no matter how prestigious Levi’s societal standing was, there was no way he could be more powerful than Mr. Caesar
Mike, Alfie, and the other officers just exchanged disbelieving glances.
The entire situation was ludicrously embarrassing to the point of being hilarious.
They would not have any dignity left after allowing something unthinkable like this to happen in front of the God of War.
But the jarringly comical side of the entire affair was that these rich heirs had somehow managed to offend the God of War himself.
“And why should I listen to you?” Levi’s smile was equally as cold as Derek’s.
“Y-you… this is Mr. Caesar we’re talking about! The Caesar family practically controls South Hampton, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll come with me!” Derek found his embarrassment turn into sputtering anger.
Suddenly, Timothy spoke from somewhere behind Derek. “What’s happening, Derek? Can’t you handle even something as minor as this?”
Timothy’s taunting jabs just made Derek angrier. “You have three seconds to come with me! One, two – I said stop! Don’t leave!”
Before Derek could make it to three, Levi and his group just shoved past him to enter The Abyss directly.
“Hey, are you all deaf? Hold it right there!”
Derek could shout himself hoarse, but Levi and his group did not have any intention to acknowledge him.
Seething angrily, Derek looked like he was going to charge into the club after Levi.
“Wait!” Timothy walked over slowly, followed by his people.
“Ah, Derek, aren’t you supposed to be quite influential in South City?” Timothy’s face was a mask of disappointment when he looked at Derek.
At that moment, Derek just felt his anger spike to new heights.
He clenched his fists tightly, vowing that he would make Levi regret the day he was born.
After they entered The Abyss, the anxiously waiting leaders of South City immediately stepped up to welcome Levi and his group.
But upon actually seeing Levi, everyone looked at each other in disbelief.
They did not expect the mighty God of War, who made the world tremble with his very existence, to be a young man.
However, that disbelief quickly turned into respect.
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Levi was both agreeable and approachable, setting all of them at ease.
It was no wonder that Jesse Nielsen, the leader of North Hampton, just told them to treat the God of War as they would any other normal young man.
Even the boss of The Abyss, Orion Sinclair, followed behind them in awe.
He was genuinely both excited and on edge at the same time. These were definitely the biggest shots his club had welcomed ever since he started operating it.
These people arrived in a group of more than twenty. Even the God of War was here, a fact that still made Orion rub his eyes in disbelief.
Outside The Abyss, Derek faced a dilemma.
“So, they entered the club. Aren’t you and your men supposed to be the heavy hitters of South City? Just surround this place and force them out, now!” Timothy said coldly, lighting up a cigarette.
“At once, Mr. Caesar,” Derek said hastily. “Watch this!”
At this moment, Channing, Melvin, and the other rich heirs just laughed unkindly.
Then, they approached the entrance of The Abyss.
“Mr. Jacobs!” The manager of The Abyss came out to welcome them personally, immediately greeting them respectfully. He recognized these rich heirs as regulars at The Abyss.
Melvin took a look into the interior of the club. “I need you to do two things. First, get your boss out here. We’re reserving the entire place tonight, and I don’t want anyone else coming in. Two, kick out all those who went in just now!”
In addition to that, Silas did not even bother to pretend to be respectful as he roared, “Get going, now!”
Usually, if the rich heirs visited the club, the staff of The Abyss would scramble to comply with their orders immediately.
However, the manager actually hesitated today.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Jacobs, but we’re unable to arrange that for you and your friends tonight,” the manager said carefully, feeling backed into a tight spot.
“Oh? What’s the matter?” Melvin demanded as his expression changed abruptly.
If he did not get his way, it was akin to being humiliated in front of Mr. Caesar.
“Someone else already booked The Abyss today, Mr. Jacobs. I’m sorry, but you didn’t notify us earlier, so our hands are tied. The only thing we can offer you now is a waive on you and your friends’ bill the next time you come to our club,” the manager apologized in a low voice because he did not want to offend the various rich heirs.
But when Melvin heard that the club was fully booked by someone else, he immediately flew into a temper.
He kicked the door of the club forcefully, making a loud crash. “Do I look like I’m broke and need you to waive my bill?”
“Yeah, get out of here! We don’t need your charity!” The other rich heirs shouted angrily.
“I’m telling you – we don’t care who reserved the place tonight. Kick him out and tell him to get lost! We’re booking The Abyss today. You better do it now, or don’t blame us if things get unpleasant,” Melvin snarled.
“I’m sorry, sirs, but we really can’t do that! The other party already booked the club in advance. We have to follow procedure,” the manager said helplessly, looking miserable.
Right then, a ringing slap resounded through the air. In a flash, the manager held his face in shock as Melvin slapped him.
“Useless scum! In South City, you play by our rules. Now get your boss out here and kick them out!”
To add insult to injury, Silas sent the manager crashing onto the ground with a single kick.
“Do you know who that is? That’s Mr. Caesar, the oldest son of the Caesar family, the quasi-royal clan of South Hampton! I’m interested to see how you’re going to continue operating your club if you’re planning on offending him,” Channing said while pointing at Timothy, who was standing nearby.
Still holding his face, the manager gritted his teeth tightly. “With all due respect, sirs, no matter what you do, we still won’t allow you to do that.”
“I’ve been too effing nice, apparently. Beat him up!”
With that said, Melvin and the others proceeded to thrash the manager, giving him a vicious beating. Not even the few security guards present were spared. All of them were beaten black and blue by the rich heirs.
the resulting commotion was loud enough to the point where even the patrons inside the club could hear it.
At the same time, Levi and the others had just taken their seats.
Listening to the praise of the various big shots about his club, Orion was in a good mood.
“Boss, there’s trouble at the door! Big trouble!” One of his staff shouted breathlessly as he ran up to him.
“What’s wrong?” Orion demanded immediately.
“A few of the rich heirs are beating up our people outside,” the staff member clarified quickly.
As soon as the words left the staff member’s mouth, Tim suddenly stood up.
The leader of Quebec slammed his palms onto the table loudly and growled. “I can’t believe something like this is happening under our noses! I’m going to take a look.”
CHAPTER 554
“What do they want?” Orion hurriedly asked the staff member.
“They seem to have something against this gentleman here, boss.” The staff member shot a trembling glance at Levi.
“What?”
Orion’s shocked exclamation perfectly encapsulated the unbelievable bombshell that was just dropped on all of them.
Hearing the staff member’s words, the crowd descended into a furor. Everyone had a look of disbelief on their faces.
Who in South City has the guts to do something like this?
Who dares to pick on the God of War?
This is madness!
Challenging the God of War?
“It’s true! Just now, when we were outside they already came for the General – erm, Mr. Garrison,” Mortimer said quietly.
“Yeah, that’s right! They challenged Mr. Garrison without any reason.” The other people from the South Warzone all started to pipe up.
Levi remained silent, but anyone who knew him knew that he was slightly angry.
“How dare they!” Tim was beyond furious.
The other leaders of South City, such as Stephen, were infuriated as well. Their eyeballs fairly bulged from their sockets in outraged surprise when they heard that.
It was just outrageous – an unscrupulous case of bullying like this happened right under their noses as soon as the God of War arrived.
How would the God of War regard us after this incident?
How are we going to live down this embarrassment?
It was infuriating, and the thought alone made their anger skyrocket.
“Uh, boss, it’s not only that. They also want you to… kick everyone out of here,” the staff member added, cringing slightly.
The gathered crowd was now thunderstruck in addition to their shock. Their tempers flared even further.
“Come on, let’s go have a look at this! We’ll handle this matter seriously,” Tim barked.
Stephen and the other leaders followed behind Tim with dark expressions clouding their faces. Their anger was palpable.
It was their first meeting with the God of War. Hence, they were determined to make a good impression, and yet something like this happened.
Their reputation was going to be shot to pieces – it was utterly humiliating.
Outside The Abyss, the brutal beatdown was still in full swing. Melvin and the others already drew blood from the managers and the security guards they were beating up, but they showed no signs of stopping.
At this rate, the manager and the others were going to be beaten to death soon.
Flanked by the crowd of rich heirs, Timothy watched the sickening violence without a single change in his expression.
He said coldly, “Let me be clear that this situation doesn’t exist in South Hampton. I’ll destroy anyone who dares to challenge me back there.”
It was obvious that Timothy was reprimanding the various rich heirs of South City for doing a poor job.
Wham!
Without warning, Melvin’s fist sank into the manager’s face, causing bright red blood to splatter everywhere. “Get Orion Sinclair out here right now!”
“Mr. Jacobs! Why are you doing this? Let’s have a reasonable discussion, shall we? It’s no good for anyone if we continue like this,” Orion said hurriedly as he ran out to mediate the situation.
Only when Orion came out, Melvin stopped whatever ruckus he was causing, then he looked at Orion coolly and said, “I said – we’re booking the entire club today! So get rid of the people inside now, or I’ll tear your club down.”
Nevertheless, Orion remained calm. “Sirs, as my manager already explained earlier, someone had booked the club before you, so please come back another day! I promise you that everything’s on the house on your next visit. Let’s not antagonize each other now, eh?”
“Piss off!” Melvin roared. “We’ll be reserving this club today, one way or another! Mr. Caesar came here personally today. Are you going to disrespect him just like that?”
“The Caesar family?” Orion took a step back in surprise, expression changing abruptly.
He never expected the leader of South Hampton’s Prince Gang to come in person. On a normal day, The Abyss would have rolled out the red carpet to welcome him.
But today was no ordinary day.
The patrons currently inside his club were in an entire league entirely. As a matter of fact, they were so powerful that he shuddered just thinking about them.
Channing patted Orion’s face mockingly with an icy smile on his face. “I’m asking you this one last time. Are you going to disrespect Mr. Caesar?”
Everyone turned expectant eyes on Orion. If the man remained silent, they were dead set on tearing down his club tonight.
“I’m sorry, but not today,” Orion said firmly, schooling his expression back into an implacably calm mask.
“Fine! You’ve said it yourself!” Melvin bellowed furiously. “Then the Abyss doesn’t need to exist any longer!”
Grinning twistedly, Channing made a call immediately. “Hello, I’m Channing Jakeman. I want you to bring more men to demolish The Abyss now. Do you hear me? Right now!”
CHAPTER 555
Orion retorted immediately, “Hah! I’d like to see which one of you has the balls to tear down my club! Who gave you the right to do this?”
However, Melvin, Silas, and the other rich heirs just laughed uproariously. “Listen up, old man, we’re the kings in South City! We call the shots!”
“Well, that’s some spine you’ve got. Since when are any of you the highest authority in South City?” A cold voice rang out from the interior of the club.
“Look, someone’s got a death wish!” Melvin sneered coldly. “You’ve got the guts to stand against us?”
I’d really like to see which idiot is still challenging us.
Seeing the sudden situation, Orion immediately said, “Sirs, please just leave! None of you can afford to cross the people inside the club.”
“Forget Mr. Caesar of South Hampton; I’m pretty sure nobody else can afford to provoke them,” one of Orion’s staff members added helpfully.
Naturally, the staff of The Abyss hoped that the situation could be resolved peacefully without any conflict.
But the more they tried to defuse the situation, the more Melvin and the others grew furious.
“You’re kidding us, right? What do you mean by we can’t cross them? I couldn’t care less about who is inside that club! We’re kicking them out today.”
Evidently, Melvin and the others had made up their minds.
The sudden sound of fast-moving footsteps filled the air.
Following the chorus of footsteps, a crowd of people appeared at the entrance of the crowd.
“Who’s making trouble here?” Tim’s expression was a thunderously dark cloud.
“We are! You got a problem with that?” Melvin and the others challenged insolently.
Seeing how rude and arrogant the rich heirs were, Tim and the other leaders were practically shaking with anger.
“Since when did South City allow bullying riffraff like this to exist?” Tim growled at Stephen.
Stephen hung his head. “It was my fault.”
“There’s only one thing to do about tumors like this. Remove them immediately!” Tim bellowed loudly.
“Such bravado. Who are you, anyway?” Timothy smiled coldly and slowly walked forward.
He turned that frosty smile on Melvin and the other rich heirs. “All of you are rather useless as well, aren’t you? None of you can even handle ordinary people like these?”
Feeling their faces burning at Timothy’s accusations, Melvin and the others wished fervently just to vanish on the spot.
“Who are you?” Stephen asked icily.
“You might get a heart attack if you know his identity, old man. Listen carefully – this is Timothy Caesar, the heir of the Caesar family, the quasi-royal clan of South Hampton!” Derek said loudly.
“Scared now?” Derek added nastily as an afterthought.
However, a moment later, Timothy belatedly realized that the people facing him did not even bother to react to Derek’s statement.
And that made his blood boil.
How can they still ignore me after they know who I am?
“Alright, but do you know who we are?” Stephen asked suddenly.
Caught off guard, Derek and the others could only frown. “You? You do look a little familiar…”
The big shots of South City made appearances on the big screen or in the news regularly enough. However, Tim and the others were dressed casually today, like any other normal civilian.
Although they could not put a name to them, Derek and the others still found them annoyingly familiar.
Timothy’s frosty smile did not change. “Very well, then. Do tell us who you are, gentlemen. Let’s see if you can shock me with your identity.”
“Yeah! I’d like to see just who you are. Tell us your names if you have the guts to!” Melvin and the other rich heirs urged tauntingly.
Is there anyone in South City that can still scare Timothy Caesar?
Of course not!
A few years ago, perhaps Scott Yates and the Triple Group could still put up some form of resistance.
But anyone else aside from them could not be even considered an annoyance, much less an actual threat.
“Listen up, then. My name is Tim Cronan!” Tim said angrily, taking care to articulate each word clearly.
“Tim Cronan? Who the hell is he? I’ve never heard of him.”
“You’re right. What nonsense is Tim Cronan anyway?”
Melvin and the others exchanged confused glances. They truly did not have any idea of Tim’s identity.
“Tim Cronan is the leader of Quebec,” Orion supplied. He was fighting the urge to cover his face with his hand.
It was at that moment, all of Melvin’s thoughts were interrupted abruptly.
Orion’s words left them all thunderstruck, shocking everyone present.
CHAPTER 556
Melvin gaped soundlessly.
Derek was stunned.
And Silas, well, he was staring in shock.
Everyone was rendered speechless with their eyes bulging out of their socket while frozen in place.
Even Timothy found himself struck dumb. The cigar he was smoking dropped to the ground from his limply gaping mouth.
Tim Cronan?
This is The Tim Cronan – the Leader of Quebec?
“I’m the Deputy Leader of Quebec, Woodie Emil!”
“And I’m the head of the Police Department, Wright Hector!”
“I’m Stephen McKay, the mayor of South City.”
“I’m the Deputy Leader of the South City, Korey Madisen.”
“My name is Thorn Keene, and I’m the Captain of City Patrol Unit for South City.”
One by one, the gathered crowd stepped forward to proclaim their identities loudly.
Sh*t!
When Timothy and his group heard them announce their various titles, they almost lost their minds. Derek and his cronies were even more terrified, shaking like a leaf in the wind as cold sweat beaded on their forehead.
Just then, another crowd appeared at the entrance of the club.
Timothy and his group recognized them as the entourage that accompanied Levi earlier when they entered the club.
“Hey, we couldn’t let you all have all the fun when there’s a commotion out here. We’re here to join in.”
“Guess what? I’m Mike Pence, commander-in-chief of the three hundred thousand troops stationed in South Warzone!”
The sound of people choking in horror grew louder.
“I’m his deputy commander-in-chief, Rex Hanson!”
“I’m the military strategist of the South Warzone, Hector Christensen.”
“I’m Mortimer Lambert, captain of the South Warzone regiment!”
“And I’m Alfie Steele, commanding officer of the Iron Brigade Dragon Legion!”
What the…
Silence descended over the crowd of people.
Suddenly, a few loud crashes were heard.
After Alfie and the other military officers had made their identities and titles known, Timothy and his friends just sat weakly onto the ground in their shock.
Their legs trembled as their bodies went limp, making them fall onto the ground in a very undignified way.
Humiliatingly, most of them even wet their pants.
Dark stains spread across the front of their pants and felt warm in the cold air. The rank stench of urine started to assault the noses of everyone present.
N-no… T-this can’t be happening.
Never in their wildest dreams did Timothy and the other rich heirs ever expect that they were crossing paths with the top leaders of Quebec. Not one, not two, but more than ten of those leaders.
All of those leaders were gathered here, with not a single person missing from their ranks.
It was definitely a huge taboo that Timothy and his friends just broke. They were in serious trouble now.
A high, thin sound was coming from Derek’s throat. He was out of his mind with fear, frothing at the mouth and convulsing periodically.
It’s too goddamned scary!
Faced with such powerful opposition, no one sane would choose to take their opponents head-on.
But we met them and did just that!
How could we be so stupid?
The rich heirs here did not just stand their ground stupidly, but they arrogantly challenged those big shots as well. Every one of their cocky words just became a death warrant that they signed willingly.
Too late to do anything now, the sudden realization dawned on them as to why Orion and the manager would rather risk offending them than bow to their demands.
It turned out that they really could not afford to cross the people reserving the club today.
Simply put, they were in deep sh*t now.
Right then, someone started bawling their eyes out in a very undignified manner.
Even on a good day, the rich heirs here were not exactly strong-willed men. Now, faced with this situation, most of them were terrified out of their wits.
Melvin and the others just burst into tears, sobbing grossly.
If they had pissed off anyone else, they could probably still salvage the situation. But now that they crossed these high-level VIPs, even their families could be in danger.
If the elders at home ever got wind of this incident, they would probably beat them to death to teach them a lesson.
Timothy was fairly petrified as well.
He was so scared that his entire body was clammy with cold sweat.
If he was involved in an incident like this just as soon as he arrived at South City, his standing in the Caesar family back in South Hampton was also in danger.
At that moment, Timothy could already imagine how his grandfather, Richard, was going to tear him to pieces.
Nobody would reasonably expect the rich heirs of South City to be lying on the ground wetting their pants.
If the people of South City were around to witness the sight, they would need to pick up their jaws from the ground. It wasn’t every day in which one could see the rich heirs of South City have the living daylights terrified out of them, after all.
But unfortunately for these rich heirs, they had the misfortune of meeting people even more powerful than them.
“Do you have any idea who the people inside the club are?” Tim continued bellowing at the terrified heirs. “The man inside is-”
Alfie interrupted Tim smoothly before he could reveal anything. “Someone you really can’t afford to offend.”
“Yes! None of you should offend him, one way or another,” Tim said calmly after realizing his slip.
Hearing Alfie’s cryptic statement, Timothy and the other rich heirs quickly concluded that the man inside the club was on the same level as Tim and the rest.
In short, it was yet another man who could make their lives a living hell if they offended him.
CHAPTER 557
None of them expected the mysterious man inside the club to be the God of War himself!
This was the man who intimidated the rest of the world into toeing the line with his presence alone.
If only they knew the man they just insulted was the God of War.
Some people would literally be scared to death just knowing that.
“A peaceful resolution, Mr. Cronan,” Alfie reminded him.
Despite everything else, Levi wanted to stay incognito.
With that, Tim acknowledged the statement with a nod.
He turned to face Timothy and the rest again with a warning look. “All of you can leave now, but rest assured if I ever see any one of you acting out of line again, I’ll deal with it personally!”
However, the Warzone commander-in-chief snorted disapprovingly. “No, I don’t think so. We can’t let them off so easily. Get their parents to come and pick them up!”
Stephen agreed, “That’s a good idea. It’s normal for the parents to apologize on behalf of their children’s wrongdoings.”
“What?” Once again, Derek and his gang were scared out of their wits.
If our family knows the trouble we just landed ourselves in, we’re gonna be dead meat.
Right then, Stephen’s secretary promptly started contacting their parents.
“No one leaves without my permission!” Tim warned before going back into the club.
Sprawled on the ground, Timothy and the other rich heirs could only stare blankly, waiting for tears that refused to come.
Nobody expected things to take such a turn for the worse. It was beyond horrifying.
Soon, a few luxury cars arrived on the scene.
These respective cars were from the Jacobs family, the Jakeman family, the Ferguson family, and the Davies family. The heads of all the rich families had arrived, and all of them were angry at the trouble their unruly children had unwittingly brought on them.
Stephen’s secretary had already explained the process of the entire incident to them, sparing no detail.
Aside from being thunderously angry at their progeny, the heads of the families were terrified out of their wits as well.
“Of all the people to offend, these rascals offended these people?”
“They could ruin our families with just one word!”
As soon as they got down from their cars, the heads of the families made a beeline for Derek and his gang.
Thump!
Mr. Davies sent Derek flying a few meters backward with one kick.
Thump!
Yelps pierced the air as the other rich heirs were promptly taught a lesson by their respective parents.
Soon, they were shrieking in agony as their parents beat them mercilessly. The anguished shrieks almost sounded like pigs being sent to the slaughter.
All the heads of the families present were aiming for the kill. Once they got their hands on any of their sons, nothing else mattered except for a vicious beating. They did not show any mercy at all.
When Timothy saw blood splattering across the ground as the rich heirs of South City got their behinds kicked thoroughly by their parents, he felt fear squeezing his heart tight.
If his grandfather, Richard, ever found out about this incident, Timothy would be spending at least a month in bed after being on the receiving end of that volatile temper.
“Let’s get out of here,” Timothy said quickly, slinking away discreetly with his followers.
In the end, the rich heirs of South City left the scene being pulled away in ambulances.
The humiliating incident made waves in the social circles of South City. Everybody and their mother were wildly guessing about what could cause all of the rich heirs to be sent to the hospital after a vicious ass-kicking.
When Timothy slunk back to the Tropical Villa, Richard was waiting for him with a suspicious look on his face. “Back so soon?”
“The others were too high profile, Grandpa, so I thought it was better if I returned home first. I still have to meet Abigail for the engagement ceremony tomorrow. Thus, it would be bad if someone got an angle on me now.” Timothy rubbed his nose uneasily.
Hearing that, Richard’s frown eased into a satisfied smile. “That’s my boy, the future of the Caesar family! Fooling around is okay, so long you can grasp the timing.”
“I’m going to go rest now, Grandpa. I promise I’ll be in my best condition for tomorrow.” Timothy hurriedly spun an excuse.
He was still scared out of his mind, feeling every fiber of his body being strung tightly. There was no way he could admit to his grandfather that he was in huge trouble.
Hence, Timothy already decided that the best course of action was to keep concealing the truth from his grandfather as long as he could. The alternative was too terrifying to think about.
Panicking, he quickly made his escape.
As soon as Timothy left, the butler spoke up, “Mr. Caesar, don’t you think there’s something wrong with Timothy? He usually never looks that pale unless there’s some trouble.”
Richard shook his head vehemently. “No, there can’t be. Who could give our family trouble in South City?”
“Ah, that’s true. Who can dare to offend the mighty Caesar family anyway?” The butler laughed.
CHAPTER 558
Richard stroked his beard thoughtfully before breaking into a smile. “You know, seeing Timothy growing into a sensible young man does make me feel rather proud. By the way, tell the Black family to prepare for our visit properly. I’ll personally bring Timothy to ask for Abigail’s hand tomorrow.”
“Will do, Mr. Caesar!”
Back in his room, an anxious Timothy paced about uncontrollably.
Now that the higher-ups of Quebec recognize me already, there’s no way the Caesar family can still expand into Quebec. If we still try, I just know we’re going to die painfully.
Cold sweat beaded on Timothy’s forehead again. He stroked his chin, unconsciously mirroring his grandfather’s pose as he racked his brain. I need to find a way to make Grandpa give up the fight to control Quebec.
Back inside The Abyss, Levi was talking to Tim and the others.
After exchanging the customary pleasantries, Levi went straight to the point. “I had indirectly caused most of the problems that the Triple Group and Scott Yates stirred up, so I’m planning on cleaning up this mess once and for all.”
“Ah? It’ll be more than enough if you help us tidy up the loose ends, Mr. Garrison. How can we ask for more than that?” Tim and the others were genuinely fearful.
“Don’t be too kind. I caused the problem in the first place, so it’s only natural if I solve it!” Levi said determinedly.
He continued speaking, “Besides, I’m planning on a large-scale development in Quebec with Morris Group as a starting point. You’ve seen our achievements in North Hampton. I’m confident my company can do the same good for the people of Quebec as well!”
“I understand now, Mr. Garrison! Please, if you have anything at all that you need, we’ll provide it to you immediately,” Tim said emotionally.
When he and the other leaders heard about Levi’s plans of developing Quebec, they were all excited beyond belief.
At the same time, their respect for him increased enormously as well.
Levi was a hero who swore to fight on the battlefield, killing their enemies and protecting Erudia.
And yet, this war-weary man could still think about the people of Erudia, doing his best to develop and modernize his country.
This God of War was truly one in a million.
That night, Levi graciously refused any special treatment and went to the South Warzone to room with the soldiers there instead.
Early in the next morning, he received a call from Abigail.
“Levi, I’m getting matchmade today. Can you please come over later? I don’t really feel secure if you aren’t here,” Abigail pleaded sincerely.
“Relax, Abigail. With me around, no one is going to force you to do anything you don’t want to,” Levi said calmly.
“You’re literally the best brother-in-law I could’ve asked for. I bet you’re reluctant to see me get married off too, huh?” Abigail teased, sounding far happier now.
“Of course! You’re Zoey’s little sister. There’s no way I’m going to let anyone bully you,” Levi said seriously.
“Oh, so it’s all because of Zoey?” Abigail sounded slightly disappointed, but she was still cheerful for the most part. “That’s okay, Levi. I’m happy so long you’re willing to take care of me.”
By eleven o’clock, the Caesar family were finished with all their preparations in Tropical Villa.
Two luxury sedans were lined up by the gate. The security car that followed behind the sedan was filled with numerous chests of valuable treasures like gold, silver, and even a vaunted Legendary Pearl.
“As the Caesar family, we can’t hold back when we go to ask for someone’s hand,” Richard said as he stroked his beard.
He turned around to face Timothy, a sudden look of astoundment crossing his face. “Timothy, what happened to you? Didn’t you sleep well last night? The dark circles under your eyes are darker than the abyss. You look like a car ran you over, boy.”
Timothy smiled awkwardly. “Yes, I couldn’t get used to the bed, so I didn’t sleep well.”
That was a lie. In reality, Timothy had been too terrified of his grandfather to rest, much less sleep.
For the entire month, he lay awake the entire night in fear.
“Oh, that’s all? Don’t worry, my boy, after the Caesar family has a reliable base in South City, you’ll have plenty of time to get used to your room here.”
Richard stroked his beard and smiled, a grand blueprint of the Caesar family’s planned expansion flashing across his mind.
In his view, the Caesar family was just a few days away from completely conquering South City.
On the other hand, Timothy tried not to let his utter terror bleed into his expression.
He wants me to stay in South City long-term?
Ever since that incident, Timothy was petrified of even going out of the house.
“Grandpa, can I discuss something with you?” Timothy rubbed his head ruefully.
“What is it, my boy?” Richard asked.
“Let’s just pull out of South City, Grandpa! Forget the proposal. It’s meaningless!” Timothy blurted, unable to contain his words any longer. They fell out in a tangled rush.
Listening to Timothy’s desperate exclamation, Richard’s eyes narrowed into slits.
CHAPTER 559
“What’s the matter? Explain it to me right now!” Richard demanded with fury.
“Grandpa, I think that Quebec is pretty much a red ocean, and the developments there are not worthy of the Caesar family’s resources. Moreover, there’s nothing impressive about Abigail’s background, so I don’t think she’s a good match for me!” Timothy explained.
“What the hell do you know?” Richard bellowed. “After the fall of Scott Yates and the Triple Group, the turf there is now wide open!” The Caesar family could only take up about half of the resources, and yet you’re telling me that it’s not worth your time and effort?
In order to keep our foothold in the South City, we need to cultivate a puppet. Who better than the Blacks? It has to be Abigail!
“Grandpa, are you aware that the South City is basically in chaos at the moment? We’re only going to burn more than half the resources that we invest into it if we set foot in South City right now!”
Timothy was terrified at the notion, because he did not wish to stay a second longer in South City.
“Bullsh*t! Why don’t you have any confidence in yourself? What are we afraid of in the South City? Who could have threatened us?” Richard was incensed at this point.
“Grandpa, I…”
“That’s enough!”
Richard’s roar made Timothy shudder.
After a moment, they arrived at the Black family manor.
Robert, Meredith, and all the Blacks were out at the entrance to greet them.
“Greetings, Chief! It’s been a long time…”
Meredith and her husband were excited at the sight of the Caesars.
Bailey and Pamela were all smiles at the sight of Timothy too.
They were very satisfied with their future son-in-law.
Abigail, however, snorted at the sight of Timothy, “He’s so lacking compared to Levi! Look at those dark eye circles. I bet he must’ve been doing illegal businesses at night!”
Initially, Timothy was indifferent toward this marriage proposal today.
However, his eyes glinted at the sight of Abigail.
She’s so pretty!
There are a lot of pretty girls at South Hampton, but wow! I don’t think anyone could compare to her!
Besides, I heard that she still goes to college.
At the sight of her, Timothy changed his mind right then and there.
I’m going to win over Abigail first.
Whether I’m staying in South City or not, that’s a problem for another day.
The Black family was quite content with the marriage arrangement this time.
Especially after seeing their future son-in-law in person.
“Abigail, you’re so lucky. He looks like a decent man.”
The Blacks could not help but praise Timothy.
After that, Richard and Meredith exchanged pleasantries at the entrance of the Black family manor.
“Even though we’re very close, we still have to observe the necessary formalities! Here are my wedding gifts,” Richard ordered his bodyguards to present his wedding gifts to the Blacks.
The Caesar family’s bodyguards carried boxes of wedding gifts into the Black family manor.
Abigail wanted to interject but was stopped by Pamela.
Meredith and Robert were both grinning from ear to ear.
The Caesar family is only taking the formalities seriously because they have immense respect for us, Blacks, and Abigail.
“Welcome!”
Richard and his people were welcomed warmly into the Black family manor, where the two families engaged in jovial exchanges.
All of a sudden, Richard signaled for everyone to keep quiet.
“Now, I would like to listen to how the two betrothed really think. Timothy, how’s your impression toward Abigail?”
Richard cast a glance toward Timothy.
Timothy grinned, “Grandpa, very good. I’m willing to marry Abigail!”
“Wow!” The Blacks were excited to hear him.
That’s great!
Abigail is going to marry into the Caesar family.
The Black family is going up the social status totem pole.
Richard glanced at Abigail next, “What do you think, Abigail?”
All eyes were on Abigail, anticipating her answer.
“Well, sucks for you, cause I’m not!”
She made herself loud and clear.
Murmurs and whispers filled the air, astonished at her blatant rejection.
CHAPTER 560
All of them cast looks of disbelief at Abigail.
They thought the marriage proposal was going to be moot since it was near impossible for Abigail to reject a man as perfect as Timothy.
In spite of it all, things did not take an expectant turn.
Nobody would have imagined that Abigail would slap the Caesars with an outright refusal.
The more shocking point was that the quasi-royal clan of South Hampton, the Caesar family, was brutally rejected. It was even humiliating when the head of household, Richard, was the one who led the marriage proposal on behalf of Timothy!
This piece of news would bring great dishonor to the Caesar family.
The dynamic of the relationship between the Blacks and the Caesars changed drastically the moment Abigail rejected the marriage proposal.
She was not merely saying no to her marriage with Timothy. Instead, she was essentially putting the relationships between the Blacks and the Caesars at stake.
The Black family would pay a great price for her audacity.
Richard and Timothy widened their eyes in disbelief at Abigail as her rejection was beyond their expectations.
“What did you just say?” Richard demanded.
“I said, I don’t want to marry him!”
Abigail repeated with a resolute tone.
“What? How dare you, Abigail! What the hell are you saying?” Meredith and Robert were taken aback by their daughter’s rebellion and bellowed at her.
They hurriedly added, “Abigail! What are you doing? You should just agree to it!”
Leonard and Jonathan chimed in, “Exactly! Abigail, how could you have possibly rejected this offer? We can’t afford it!”
“Abigail, you have to agree to this! Don’t be rash!”
The Blacks all pressured her into agreeing to the marriage.
Because they knew they would be done for if they had indeed caused embarrassment to the Caesars.
Hence, Abigail must agree to it – at all cost!
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at the others. “Don’t I get to choose who I’m marrying? It’s already the 21st century, so why are you people still practicing the archaic arranged marriage culture? Are you all fossils, for crying out loud…”
Richard’s face sank at her remarks.
Is she calling me a fossil?
It was apparent to everyone that Richard was displeased.
We’re really finished this time.
In the meantime, Meredith was incensed at Abigail’s remarks as well. She reprimanded her granddaughter openly, “Abigail, I could have accommodated to your usual whims, but I will not tolerate it today! You know what? You’re right – you don’t get a say in your own marriage!”
Robert sighed and chimed in, “Abigail, you have to agree to this today. You have to put yourself in our shoes!”
Baily and Pamela hurriedly added, “Mr. Caesar, we agree to his marriage proposal on behalf of our daughter! We’re sure she will agree to it eventually.”
However, Richard waved his hand to dismiss them, “No, I want to hear her saying it!”
Timothy was enraged as well, “That’s right, we have to hear it from her!”
No woman has ever rejected me.
After the both of them said that, all eyes were on Abigail again.
“What are you waiting for? Say yes!”
All of them egged her on.
In her entire life, Abigail had never been so torn in making a decision before.
Just then, a silhouette flashed across Russell’s mind.
“Wait a minute, grandma and grandpa. Why do we have to force Abigail when she’s reluctant to marry? We are quite an established family as well. There’s no need to stoop so low as to beg at others.” Rusell spoke up all of a sudden.
He knew about Levi. Hence, it was only natural for him to stand by Abigail and be the only one in the Black family to support Abigail’s decision.
Moreover, he knew that everyone would come buttering up to the Black family if they had Levi.
There wouldn’t be a chance for the Caesar family to even make a sound.
“Ah… It seems like the Blacks don’t think much of my family. Tsk tsk…” Richard mocked after that.
Feeling displeased, Timothy chimed in as well, “It seems like the Blacks are not satisfied with you, grandpa.”
“Chief, that’s not what we meant! Nobody dares to disrespect you and the Caesar family!” Meredith and Robert hurriedly explained.
“Russell, slap yourself!” Meredith said in a stern tone as a response to Bob’s suggestion.
She was infuriated at Russell’s brash comment.
All this while, Russell was one of the younger members of the Blacks whom she had no need of worrying.
However, she did not expect Russell to go against them at this critical point.
“I’m so disappointed in you, Russell! Slap yourself!”
Robert also felt disheartened at Russell’s rebellious attitude.
Yet, Russell shook his head stubbornly, “I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong, grandpa and grandma. I will not apologize!”
“You’re wrong for refuting Mr. Caesar!” Meredith roared at him.
“Who proposes in such a tyrannical manner? What does he take Abigail for? A toy?” Russell asked. Clearly, he was not giving in either.
Abigail agreed, “Yes! That’s right! Why do we have to cater to the Caesar family’s every whim?”
Richard laughed as he listened to their exchanges.
“You may be right, but the Caesar family is indeed stronger than the Blacks. If I say you’re wrong, then you’re definitely wrong!” Richard said condescendingly.
Meredith relented, “Yes, it’s survival of the fittest. We are indeed weaker than the Caesars. So, we could only listen!”
She was an iron lady herself, so she knew better than any of them.
Thus, she could only give in when life demanded her so.
“So we are wrong simply because we’re weaker?” Russell asked.
“That’s right. You are wrong, so slap yourself, and I will drop the matter!” Richard shouted.
Then he looked at Russell like Russell was no more than an ant in front of him.
But Russell stood his ground and shook his head, “No, I will not surrender. I’ve done nothing wrong!”
“Yes, Russell did nothing wrong. Why does he have to slap himself?” Abigail supported him.
They insisted because they knew Levi was going to back them up.
Nonetheless, she would not agree to this arranged marriage even if there was no Levi.
“Meredith, Robert, you really amuse me with how you discipline your younger generation…” Richard sneered at them.
When Richard said that, Meredith and Robert could not help but feel offended.
Then, she took a step forward and slapped Russell across his face.
For a brief heartbeat, drop-dead silence ensued.
Russell looked at Meredith with disbelief.
Ever since young, Meredith had never slapped him before.
But now she’s slapping me because of the Caesar family? How absurd!
The Blacks sighed.
Who would want to stoop so low if it weren’t for our deteriorating family status?
“Russell, you have to understand my position…” Meredith whispered to Russell.
Then, she turned over and ordered Abigail, “Say yes, Abigail! You have to agree to it today, no matter what!”
Robert said angrily, “Yes. You don’t have the right to reject!”
Richard would really be enraged if we keep this up, and we would suffer because of it.
Richard and Timothy regarded the Blacks with great interest, anticipating their next move.
They enjoyed toying with people with their power and influence.
“Abigail, what say you?” Timothy sneered as he looked at her.
“I will not marry you!”
A sound could be heard right then and there, and along came Levi.
Russell and Abigail’s eyes glinted with delight at Levi’s appearance.
“Levi, you’re here!”
Abigail rushed to his side at once.
All of them were stunned at the sight.
Levi is here?
Timothy’s face contorted after he saw Levi coming in.
Even though Timothy had no idea who Levi was, he presumed that Levi wasn’t just a nobody. After all, he had unrestricted access to that place.
Levi glanced at Richard, “I heard that you want to beat up someone?”
CHAPTER 562
Meanwhile, Richard did not take heed of Levi and glanced in the direction of Robert and Meredith instead, “Who is this? Is he one of the younger members of your family too?”
Meredith and Robert sighed and lowered their heads.
They were indirectly saying yes to Richard’s query.
“Hah! Do all the younger members of the Blacks disrespect their elders?”
Richard deliberately mocked in a louder voice. As a matter of fact, he was almost roaring.
Meredith and Robert were terrified at the sight.
Richard is really mad right now.
They were well aware of the Chief’s temper.
He never lets people off the hook easily when he’s enraged.
The Black family would soon face an unparalleled crisis.
They glared at Levi angrily.
Russell has already pissed off Richard enough. Why does Levi have to appear and anger him too?
Haven’t we done that enough?
Levi laughed and glanced at Russell, “Did he ask you to slap yourself? Go, slap him back!”
“I…”
Russell hesitated.
My family would never agree to me slapping Richard Caesar.
On the other hand, this is an order from the God of War himself.
Russell was on the fence about his next course of action.
At the same time, the others widened their eyes in disbelief at Levi’s brazen suggestion.
What? Did he just ask Russell to slap Richard Caesar? Is he crazy?
Even Richard was stumped at Levi’s audacity.
Nobody had dared to disrespect him. Not in South Hampton, let alone in Quebec.
Not to mention a youngster like Levi.
“Russell, what are you waiting for? Slap him! This is an order!” Levi’s tone was determined.
Russell straightened his back unconsciously at Levi’s orders.
I’m doing it!
If anything should happen, I have the God of War backing me up anyway.
Moreover, Russell thought it was impossible for them to be bullied by an outsider in his own manor.
With that thought in mind, Russell dashed toward Richard, his right hand was already in mid-air, ready to slap Richard across the face.
Richard froze on the ground, baffled at Russell’s brazen move.
This bastard dares to hit me?
“Russell, what are you doing?”
Meredith and Robert panicked at the sight.
They tried to stop Russell from advancing.
“Get away! All of you!”
Richard bellowed all of a sudden.
“Huh?”
The Blacks were taken aback.
“Go away. I want to see who dares to lay a finger on me today,” Richard shouted.
He did not believe that Russell would really slap him.
Yet, the Blacks did not move a muscle.
What if Russell really slaps Richard across the face if we do not stop him?
The Black family will be wiped off the surface of the earth.
“I’ll say it one last time. Go away!” Richard roared.
He ordered his bodyguards as well, “Do not stop him. I want to see if this bastard really dares to hit me!”
The Blacks were terrified to see Richard all red from fury and finally decided to stay out of Russell’s way.
As for the bodyguards of the Caesar family, they had to stand aside too.
They were certain that Russell would not really hit Richard.
Unless… he’s crazy or an idiot!
At that moment, Richard beckoned at Russell.
The Caesars looked at Russell with wry smiles on their faces, positive that he wouldn’t strike.
“I will make sure that the Black family suffers if you don’t hit me today!” Richard said in an attempt to challenge him.
“I…”
Russell was torn, yet again.
“Slap him!”
Levi’s voice could be heard loud and clear.
Hearing that, Russell seemed enlightened by Levi’s orders.
He stepped forward and slapped Richard across the face, hard.
Whack!
The crisp sound shook everyone to their core.
Pin-drop silence ensued, once again.
Everyone held their breaths at the unexpected turn of events.
Richard was stunned.
Not knowing how to respond, he froze on the ground.
CHAPTER 563
Richard let out a cry in pain after some time.
Everyone gasped in shock, their eyes widened in bewilderment.
A youngster from the Black family had slapped the quasi royal household head from South Hampton!
How dare he?!
Talking back to someone his station was already disrespectful enough, but a slap across the face was a whole new level of disgrace.
At the same time, Meredith and Robert were about to faint at the sight.
Is Russell freaking crazy? He really hit Richard!
Russell had always been the most capable and obedient child among the youngsters of the Black family.
However, he defied everyone’s expectations of him today. It was as if he had gone cuckoo.
Why did he do everything that Levi asked him to do?
The Caesars were equally surprised at Russell’s bold strike.
What a lunatic!
They were under the impression that Robert wouldn’t even dream of berating Richard, even if he were given the permission to do so.
Let alone slapping Richard across the face!
But Russell had done the unthinkable.
Richard cupped his slightly swollen cheeks and gave Russell an incredulous look.
The pain emanating from his cheeks made him grimace.
“Looks like we have a ballsy one here, eh?” Richard was oddly calm.
But everyone knew he was livid with fury.
Richard Caesar was someone who would not let anyone who enraged him off the hook.
In fact, he would fight till the point of life and death.
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be an end to it.
But how could a powerless family like the Blacks fight against the Caesar family?
It would be like an egg dashing itself against a rock.
Hence, Russell knew things had gone to the point of no return.
It was either the Blacks or the Caesars who would survive.
He felt extremely apprehensive as well.
When he was trying to come up with an answer, Levi did him a favor by replying, “Yes, he is. So what?”
“You…”
Richard was about to speak when Levi interjected him.
“You asked for Russell to be slapped, and he slapped you back. It was fair and square,” Levi grinned.
Timothy, who was used to act with impunity, held himself back from striking Levi because he did not know Levi’s true identity. Otherwise, he would have slapped Levi across the face right then and there.
He was afraid of Richard knowing the incident from the night before as well.
Thinking that Levi was ridiculous, Richard burst into a derisive laugh, “Fair and square, you say?!”
He looked over at Meredith and Robert, “You guys have done such a good job in educating your younger generation! Hahaha!”
It was clear as day that Richard was mocking them.
Then he added, “We are all players of the survival of the fittest game. Weaker players like you are doomed to be trampled all over! Robert Black, I came all the way from South Hampton to Quebec for this marriage proposal, observing every formality required to honor your family, and this is how you repay me?”
Richard then proclaimed, “From now on, I am cutting off all ties between the Blacks and the Caesars! I will stop at nothing till only one of us remains standing!”
The Blacks were in an uproar at the proclamation.
All of them shuddered at hearing it.
Are the Caesars and the Blacks fighting to the death?
Doomsday for the Black family is approaching.
The Blacks paled at the proclamation.
We are all going to die just because of these two idiots!
Turning over to Levi, Richard sneered and said, “Young man, did you know you are the culprit for the wipeout of the Black family?”
The Caesars burst into a laugh.
The Blacks are so naïve to think that they could fight against us.
CHAPTER 564
This moment was akin to doomsday for the Black family.
They would not be able to fend against the Caesars.
Levi grinned, “You had the audacity to say that you’re going to wipe out the Black family!”
Russell was visibly relaxed to hear Levi.
The Blacks cast puzzled looks at Russell.
Has he gone nuts for real? How could he still smile in face of the possible crisis of a wipeout?
Meredith and Robert were about to stop Levi from degrading Richard further. However, Richard waved his hands to dismiss them, “Everybody stop talking!”
“Young man, do you think I am not capable of wiping out the Blacks?” Richard bellowed at Levi.
Levi smirked enigmatically, “From now on, I will be right here waiting. You could ask however many people you want to come here. I will succumb to defeat if I could not handle anything that you throw at me!”
Richard was not enraged by Levi’s frivolous remarks. On the contrary, he burst into a chuckle.
“I am so impressed that the Blacks manage to cultivate such overconfident youngsters!”
And then, Richard’s eyes burned with rage.
“Excellent! We will accept the challenge. I will give you one week to contact every possible connection that you could find. You guys better be well prepared, and don’t ever accuse me of bullying the Blacks!”
Levi and Richard had agreed to a fight… All this had transpired without the head of the Black family uttering a single word.
“Let’s go!” Richard left with his bodyguards and took the wedding gifts with him.
In the car.
Richard was fuming with rage.
This was the first time a youngster had provoked him.
“Grandpa, is it really okay for us to burn the bridges with the Black family this way?” Timothy couldn’t help but ask his grandfather.
He was still apprehensive about Levi’s true identity.
“What is there to worry about? It’s impossible for us to cultivate a puppet from the Blacks right now. We are only left with the option of marching right into the South City to grab our portion of the market! Seven days later, I will let everyone in the South City know the Caesar family’s wrath! All of them have to give way to us Caesars then!” Richard snorted.
Meanwhile, drop-dead silence stretched between the Blacks.
Meredith and Robert had slumped to the floor, spent from the confrontation just now.
Despair was written all over other family members’ faces.
We are essentially committing suicide for offending people like the Caesar family!
On the other hand, Levi looked calm and composed. He ruffled through Abigail’s hair, “Don’t worry, I’m here. Nobody could force you into doing anything you refuse to do.”
Russell was overjoyed, grateful for Levi’s presence.
Otherwise, the Blacks would be trampled all over by the Caesar family.
He was not at all worried about the upcoming fight between Levi and Richard.
The Caesar family has a death wish!
However, the Blacks could not understand this.
After regaining their composure, Bailey and Pamela approached Levi and reprimanded him, “Garrison, who do you think you are? Who are you to intervene in our family matters? You don’t have the right to interfere with my daughter’s marriage!”
“Yes, that’s right! Who do you think you are? Did you do it on purpose?”
“That is the Caesar family from South Hampton! They’re from the quasi-royal clan! How dare you offend them?”
Leonard and the others were infuriated at Levi’s recklessness too.
All of them cast death glares at him, wanting to skin him alive for them putting them in such a dire situation.
Meredith and Robert, however, did not confront Levi first. Instead, they turned to Russell.
“Russell, would you mind explaining why you did such a thing today?”
“That’s right. You’re usually the calm and composed one. Why are you behaving like a lunatic today? Don’t you know how strong the Caesar family is?”
They were immensely disappointed in Russell.
Their disappointment was a mirror of their high hopes in Russell since they had plans to cultivate him to become the next head of the Black household.
Having said that, it seemed near impossible that they would keep up with the plan.
CHAPTER 565
“You have to give us a viable explanation!”
Russell spoke up with his head held high, “My reasons are simple. First of all, I will not stand idly by as the Caesars bully us. Second of all, their intention to marry Abigail was clear as day. They’re obviously planning to exploit our network here to get their foothold in the South City. I could never let these things happen!”
“Nonsense! You are so blind to your own errors!”
Just then, Robert could not hold it in any longer and slapped Russell across his face.
Despite being slapped across the face, Russell still stood his ground.
“I’ve done nothing wrong!” Russell insisted, “I will never admit that I’m wrong, even if you guys beat me to death!”
Meredith sighed aloud, and her knees almost buckled from her fury. All the others hurriedly steadied her when they noticed it.
Robert then explained his stand, “Do you think we are really oblivious to the intentions of the Caesar family? Do you think we have no idea that they’re oppressing us?”
“But what choice did we have? We are specks of dust compared to the Caesar family! Frankly speaking, the Caesar family only needs to move a single finger to annihilate us all!”
Meredith said furiously, “Exactly, Russell. When have you ever seen me stooping so low? Do you think I’m really happy to marry off Abigail just like that? That we are so happy to cater to the Caesars’ every whim? We just don’t have any other option. The Caesar family’s far-reaching influence is beyond our imagination… If we were stronger than the Caesars, why would I have to bear with them? I would have chased them out our door! You’re dooming us, Russell! Richard Caesar will pulverize us all, and we will suffer a fate worse than death! This is all thanks to you and Levi!”
Meredith looked at Russell in utter disbelief, “Why did you do what Levi told you to do?”
“I…” Russell was at a loss. He did not know how to explain it all.
Levi chimed in at this moment.
“I don’t think he went overboard when he returned Richard Caesar’s slap.”
Everyone turned their attention toward Levi.
“Levi Garrison, did you know you’ve made a grave mistake?”
Meredith could not help but question him.
“Who gave you the right to invite the Caesar family to a fight? You’re just an outsider. What does anything from the Black family have to do with you?” Quintus and Keane roared at him.
“Do you even understand the consequences of your actions toward the Black family? We’re going to be ruined for sure, and it’s even possible for us to lose our lives!”
Bailey felt the urge to slap Levi.
“Anything to do with Zoey is my business, so don’t worry. I will handle this on my own!” Levi was confident.
Crossed by his delusional remarks, Meredith spat at him, “I’m going to get someone to talk some sense into you!”
Meredith then called Caitlyn and Aaron. She recounted everything that happened to the two.
It was not even two hours before Aaron and Caitlyn rushed to the Black family manor together with Zoey.
“Is it true?”
Aaron and Caitlyn were about to faint when they knew about the incident.
Especially, Caitlyn – she was very agitated, “Garrison, did you know you’ve stirred up huge trouble? Why did you have to cause us trouble as soon as you reached South City? Do you wish to see us all die?”
She broke into an uncontrollable sob.
Aaron’s face sank.
Even Zoey had a despondent look on her face as she glanced at Levi.
She thought he was finally going to make himself useful after coming to the South City. However, she did not expect him to bring such a disaster to the Blacks.
“You’d better come up with a good explanation for this…”
Zoey gave Levi a death glare.
CHAPTER 566
Nevertheless, Levi was all relaxed in his manner, “Don’t worry, I will take care of this!”
“And how exactly do you plan to do so?” Aaron challenged him right away.
Caitlyn was still sobbing, “Didn’t you see that the Blacks are all reduced to tears already? How are you going to deal with this? With that smart mouth of yours?”
“Why did you have to do this? Why can’t you just stay at North Hampton? And what are we going to do with this trouble that you’ve caused?” Zoey cried out of despair.
Not long after, Jennie and Logan reached the Black family manor as well.
“What happened? What’s wrong with you, Levi? Do you know you’ve offended the Caesar family? They’re the quasi royals of the North Hampton!” Logan could not help but bellow at Levi.
Jennie looked at Zoey and her parents in contempt, “I’ve long said that nothing good could come out of you guys coming here!”
“Logan, do you have any idea how to deal with this?”
Keane and the others rushed to Logan’s side, hoping that he would have a solution to their woes.
However, Logan’s face sank, “I’ve just heard the news that the Caesar family is going to go all out on this. What could we do anyway? The Zachs family still has some influence in the South City, but we will not be of much help here either. Why did you guys have to offend the quasi-royal clan of South Hampton?”
The Blacks were devastated to hear Logan’s reply, to say the least.
They had always depended on Logan.
If even Logan couldn’t do anything about their predicament, then they were truly doomed.
“Russell, what’s the matter with you today? You always seem like you know what you’re doing, but why did you do something so stupid today? Don’t you know who Richard Caesar is? Why did you slap him? Huh?” Logan chided Russell as well.
It was futile to play the blame game since the incident had been blown out of proportion. The piece of sensational news had traveled far and wide.
Hence, it was impossible for Richard to keep quiet on this matter that concerned his dignity.
There was no doubt that he was going to take action against the Black family.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong! The Caesar family is obviously being the bully here, so I can’t just turn a blind eye to that!”
Then, he glanced at Levi, “Moreover, we have Levi here. We will surely get this settled!”
Levi admired Russell’s firm stance.
This is what the Black family lacks.
“Right, keep bluffing! Yes, you have a bright future ahead. But this is the Caesar family from South Hampton that we’re talking about here. I don’t think even Scott Yates and his Triple Group could have dealt with this mess! The two of you really went cuckoo to have attempted a fight with the Caesar family. How are you going to fight against them?”
Logan was exasperated at their nonchalant attitude.
Russell was getting irritated at their ignorance as well. “Why don’t you guys believe in me? Don’t worry. This matter will be resolved!”
Logan glared at him, “You want us to believe in you?”
Then, Logan approached Meredith and Robert, “Grandma, grandpa. I swear to handle this crisis with all my resources. Leave this to me!”
“Alright, we have to depend on you to deal with this mess. There’s nothing much we could do!” Meredith replied.
“But please don’t get your hopes too high on this since the Caesar family is quite powerful. I will try my best to minimize the losses, though. Even though the Blacks would be spared in the end, you guys still would have to make some sacrifices…”
Logan meant that the Black family could only keep their essential members.
People like Russell and Levi might have to be sacrificed.
“Great! We don’t expect to come out of this unscathed. We just hope that we could minimize the damages!”
Logan sighed, “Grandma and grandpa, you guys could only depend on me during this critical time!”
Meredith nodded her head, “Yes, Logan! The rest are useless trash!”
CHAPTER 567
Logan was exasperated as he cast a glance at his grandparents, “I’ve told you both that they had gone out of touch with the Black family matters. They would only cause trouble if permitted to come back. And voilà, look at what happens as soon as they’re back…”
Meredith glared at Caitlyn and her family, “You’re right, Logan. We regret not listening to you! We shouldn’t have asked them to come back…”
At the same time, Caitlyn was almost drowning in her own tears.
She was finally accepted by the Black family after such a long time.
And now, Levi had ruined it all…
“Garrison, what did we owe you? Why did you have to avenge us so?”
Aaron couldn’t help but shed a tear.
“Mom and dad, don’t be too sad. Maybe I could try asking Iris to seek help from the Morris Group!”
“Right, Levi also works for the Morris Group. He wouldn’t stand idly by!” Zoey added.
Aaron’s eyes glinted with delight, “Correct! Morris Group’s boss is very capable. I’m sure he would be able to help.”
With that, Aaron then approached Meredith and Robert, “Mom and dad, don’t be mad. Zoey knows someone really capable. He would be able to settle this…”
Logan questioned him right then and there, “Could you guarantee that you would solve this?”
“I…” Aaron hesitated.
“Hah! What kind of capable people would you guys know? What a joke! Nobody could compete with the Caesar family in the whole of Quebec!” Aaron retorted.
“What? Is the Caesar family really that powerful?” Aaron gulped.
Meredith then dismissed Aaron and his family, “Get out! You guys are an embarrassment!”
She did not wish to see them for a second longer.
Then, she added after recalling something, “Right, not one of you should leave the Black family manor this week! Keane, keep a close watch on them!”
“Understood!” Keane and the others exclaimed.
“Huh?” Zoey and her family paled.
Grandma is grounding us.
We could only leave after settling this.
They were going to be the scapegoats.
What do we do?
Zoey was worried about her work.
“Zoey, I’m sorry to say this, but you have to work from home in the meantime.”
In the end, Zoey and her family were grounded at the Black family manor.
“Levi, look at what you’ve done! How would you explain yourself this time?”
Aaron and Caitlyn glared at Levi.
“Mom and dad, why don’t you guys think of this as your holiday? We would head back to the North Hampton with our heads held high.”
Levi sounded casual. It was as if he was really here for a vacation.
“Levi Garrison, how do you still have the heart to joke around at this hour?” Zoey shouted at him.
Zoey was fierce toward Levi when her mother and father were around.
But as soon as her parents left, Zoey said to her husband, “Darling, I understand that you did it all for Abigail!”
“Good, at least you get me.” Levi smiled.
He was not afraid of not being able to solve the problem.
Actually, Levi was more apprehensive about having nobody to understand him.
“But this has been blown so out of proportion that you couldn’t solve it.” Zoey furrowed her brows.
“Don’t worry. Just leave this to me.” Levi grinned.
“How are you going to deal with this when we can’t even get out of here?” Zoey was stumped.
Levi, however, was all smiles, “Don’t worry. I could get out of the Black family whenever I want. I’d like to see who would dare to stop me.”
CHAPTER 568
The Blacks had imprisoned Levi and his family in another heavily guarded villa.
Levi walked over to the entrance of the villa, and the security guards swamped him.
“You can’t leave! You’ve got to stay right here!”
The head of the security guards bellowed at Levi.
“What if I insist?” Levi grinned cheekily.
“You could try!” All of them glared at Levi. They would stop at nothing to prevent him from leaving this villa.
“Who gave you the right to restrict other people’s freedom?” Levi challenged them.
“We are at the Black family manor, and we play by their rules. You cannot go anywhere! Do you understand?” One of the security guards warned him.
Upon hearing that, Levi’s lips curved into a smile, “There is nowhere that I, Levi Garrison, cannot go.”
“Get out of my way!”
But the security guards did not move away and inched closer to him instead.
Then, Levi made his move and turned into a shadow, slithering his way out of the group of security.
With a few plops, all of them slumped to the floor.
They were all exorbitantly-priced security guards employed by the Black family.
However, Levi was the God of War – the undefeatable legend on the battlefields.
These security guards were mere mole crickets and ants to him.
When Zoey sensed that something was wrong and dashed outside, she was greeted by the sight of the security guards tumbling on the ground while wailing in pain.
As for Levi, he was already nowhere to be seen.
“Did he do all these?”
Zoey widened her eyes in disbelief, stumped by the sight before her.
The Blacks knew the news of Levi’s escape not long after.
Meredith and Robert rushed to the scene.
“You guys did a good job in educating your children!” Meredith and Robert mocked as they glared at Aaron and Caitlyn.
“Mom and dad, we have no idea that Levi escaped…”
Caitlyn and Aaron were indignant at the accusation.
Meredith scorned, “What do we do now? I don’t suppose he’s going to be back to deal with his own mess!”
Bailey and Leonard added, “He must have escaped and left this huge mess for us to follow up!”
“So despicable of him to leave right after he’s stirred up such a huge trouble!”
“He wouldn’t run away!” Zoey, Abigail, and Russell exclaimed at the same time.
Abigail and Russell knew about Levi’s true identity.
As for Zoey, she had faith in Levi’s personality. She believed that he wouldn’t leave her alone to face all this trouble.
“I will never understand why you guys defend him so.” Meredith and the Blacks looked at the three of them incredulously.
“I…” Abigail and Russell exchanged glances with each other.
However, they bit their tongue and did not say anything further.
It was a top military secret that they would be divulging after all.
Just then, Zoey held her head high and declared, “Because he’s my husband!”
At the same time, Levi left the villa and came to the Abyss.
Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Kirin, and Phoenix had all arrived at the South City.
“God of War, upon investigation, we have found out that the families that are recently snatching turfs are all backed up by certain forces. To conclude our findings, external forces are coveting to make South City theirs!”
“The Caesar family is here for the very same purpose as well. They want to make the Blacks their puppets to put a foothold in South City.”
Phoenix had obtained first-hand information.
Levi smoked on his cigarette and smiled thinly, “They’re going to make the commoners suffer because of their battle for territories. I will not let innocent people sacrifice for their selfish gains!”
CHAPTER 569
“Understood!”
The four of them nodded.
“Give me a list of all the forces that are stirring up trouble in South City recently. I want to get rid of them once and for all!” Levi ordered.
“Yes, sir. I will get to the bottom of this,” Phoenix replied.
“After Phoenix has identified them all, Kirin, please organize a banquet and invite them all under the name of Neil Atkinson. Let them decide the venue.” Levi said to Kirin.
Kirin nodded in acknowledgement.
Meanwhile, two breaking news spread like wildfire in the South City.
The first one was: The Black family and the Caesar family will engage in a life-and-death fight one week later.
The second one: Neil Atkinson from the Morris Group had arrived at the South City and had invited all the influential forces in the city to a banquet.
The piece of news on the fight between the Caesar family and the Black family did not have any suspense to it.
There was no doubt that the Black family would be wiped out of the South City a week later!
However, nobody had expected the second-in-command of the Morris Group would come to the South City.
Nobody knew what was going on.
The influential forces, who were invited to the banquet, were puzzled as well.
They did not know what was up Morris Group’s sleeves and started to engage in discussions with each other.
After a while, they came to a conclusion – that the Morris Group was here at South City for a foothold as well.
“Impossible! We will not tolerate such a thing!”
“We have not touched the North Hampton as well. How could they mark their territory here?”
This time, the forces were oddly allied on this front.
It was mainly because Yates’s departure had cleared off quite some space for the emergence of a new dominating force.
The local forces did not wish for others to make a mark on their very own piece of land.
The outsiders would have to step over their dead bodies.
“The Morris Group is really naïve to let us decide the venue. Do they have a death wish?”
“What kind of idiot he is to leave this to us?”
“What if we set the venue at Jagged Club?”
All of the leaders burst into a laugh.
They found it amusing because Jagged Club was actually the largest underground boxing arena in South City.
It was full of the finest underground boxers in the East.
They planned to make it a trap for the Morris Group.
All of them agreed on triumphing over the Morris Group at the Jagged Club three days later, and that included beating Neil Atkinson to death.
“Brothers, let us show our trump card and let them witness the locals’ power!”
“Sure, we can’t let them leave South City well and alive. How dare they think of taking over the South City?”
They were anticipating the sight of Morris Group swarmed by thousands three days later.
On the other hand, the Black family was still shrouded in gloom.
They were so disheartened that they skipped dinner altogether.
The Blacks pinned all their hopes on Logan. Even then, they knew their chances were slim.
Since Logan’s grandfather had retired, his words did not carry much weight as they used to.
Even though the Zachs family indeed had a great network, they would probably not risk offending the Caesar family just because of the Blacks.
All of a sudden, Meredith turned to glance at Zoey and Abigail, “Didn’t the two of you say that he would come back? Where is he?”
“Um…” Abigail was at a loss for words.
“Grandma, don’t worry! Levi will be back after resolving the trouble he caused,” Zoey replied in a determined tone.
She had just gotten news from Iris saying that Neil from the Morris Group was coming to the South City, and she planned to contact him for help.
Hence, she seemed confident in her reply just now.
“Zoey, why won’t you believe that he’s escaped? Let me be frank with you, I’ve asked for people to track him down, and there’s no sign of him in South City…”
CHAPTER 570
The Black family had already done a round of search, but there was no trace of Levi. At all.
“He must have already left South City. Stop waiting for him foolishly!” Keane said coldly.
Aaron and Kaitlyn agreed as they said, “Sweetie, why are you still holding on to hope? He must have run away!”
“Yeah, why else would he disappear suddenly?”
In her defense, Zoey replied, “Dad, Mom, you know how Levi is as a person…”
“This time, the situation is not the same! We are talking about the Caesar family. If I were him, I would also run!”
“That’s right! If you don’t believe us, just wait and see if he shows up!” Caitlyn added angrily.
The couple was already determined that Levi had run away.
However, Zoey was conflicted.
Indeed, the opponent this time was too strong.
No one could be certain of the situation.
After all, the Caesar family was a quasi-royal clan, and they were at a different level from them.
However, she believed that Levi would never leave just because of the power of the Caesar family.
Darling, where are you? Come back quickly to clear up everyone’s misunderstanding!
Zoey desperately wanted Levi to appear now.
If only he could descend like a god and settle the matter directly.
Yet, on the following day, Levi had not appeared.
On the third day, he did not appear as well.
There was no news of him for the past few days. Whenever Zoey called him, his phone would be switched off.
Now, even Zoey was panicking.
Did he really run away?
But in her heart, she still firmly believed that Levi did not run away. She believed in his character more than anything else.
“Look, here you are, still foolishly waiting. How about Levi? He hasn’t appeared yet!”
“Now that he turned his phone off, what else is it if he did not run away?” Everyone in the Black family ridiculed her aggressively.
Bailey sneered, “I just asked someone to search in North Hampton, but they couldn’t locate him at all. I guess he really ran away!”
At this time, Russell said, “Everyone should return to doing what they usually do! Levi will definitely show up and resolve this matter!”
Everyone got stumped by his words.
Meredith stared at Russell incredulously and asked, “Are you implying that we are worrying for nothing?”
Russell shook his head and said, “Grandma, I’m just saying that Levi will come back. Rather than these useless chatter, it’s better to go on with our lives.”
Slap!
Meredith slapped Russell’s face all of a sudden.
The slap sounded crisp and loud, shocking everyone.
The last time Meredith gave a slap was due to the Caesar family and not her own intention.
But that day, she intentionally slapped the junior she valued the most.
“Grandma, you…” Russell covered his face and looked at Meredith, baffled.
“How could you say that? If it weren’t for you and Levi, would the Black family end up this way? You caused big trouble and are still speaking such nonsense. Are you able to solve this matter?” Meredith trembled violently with anger.
Russell stared at her seriously and said, “Yes, I can!”
“How are you going to solve it?” Meredith asked.
“As long as Levi is here, the matter will definitely be resolved…” Russell stated stubbornly.
“He’s not even here now, and you still expect him to solve the problem? How ridiculous! Are you still in your right mind?” Meredith scolded.
“You guys don’t have a clue. Actually, Levi is…” Forced into a corner, Russell wanted to reveal Levi’s identity.
“What?” Everyone looked at Russell curiously.
Even Zoey was getting suspicious.
Did Levi have an identity unknown to them that Russell knew and supported him so surely?
Russell then remembered the confidentiality agreement and stopped abruptly.
“What? Say it!” Meredith urged.
“In short, I believe in Levi. Since he dared to declare a battle, he must have had confidence!” Russell stated with tightly clenched fists.
His face was contorted, and his veins bulged as he decided to endure the grievance.
I have to endure!
I must!
A few days later, everyone will find out what is going on.
“Hah, how naive!” Meredith scoffed.
“Russell, we are so disappointed in you!”
As everyone looked at him with a downcast expression, he couldn’t help but feel upset about it.
“Sooner or later, you will know the truth!” Russell bit his lip fiercely.
Soon, it was three days later.
In the Jagged Club, more than two dozen forces were gathered.
The strongest of them were the Cayman family, the Herman family, and the Oliver family.
These three, plus the Lopez family, were the giants in South City.
The Lopez family was not involved in the battle because they were still recovering from their previous loss.
Therefore, these three families became fearless in South City. They robbed wherever and whatever they went.
After all, the ones who held them down before had fallen.
In addition to the three families, there were seven or eight big clans.
Of course, there were also several big names from the underworld.
Apart from Scott Yates and Sebastian Lopez, the Grandmaster was in control of the underworld of South City.
Once a follower of Scott, he later formed his own clan and grew his clan in secret over the years.
Many experts came under his following, and he was invincible in South City.
After Scott and Sebastian fell, he stepped forward and took over everything.
Of course, there was another formidable character, who was the owner of the Jagged Club – the Stone Buddha, Brock Green.
He owned the largest underground boxing arena in South City and had more boxing experts than those ranked in the East.
Everyone was afraid of him!
That night, Jagged Club was fully prepared.
In the huge banquet hall, there sat more than twenty big bosses from South City.
Just then, Brock announced, “I have arranged 100 boxing experts in my underground boxing ring. We’re just waiting for them to come.”
“Haha, that’s really great. Morris Group will not be able to set a foot out once they step in!” Exclamations came from the crowd. Everyone was ecstatic upon hearing that.
They knew that Brock had the strongest underground boxers in the city.
“Stone Buddha, can you tell us what experts are there?” Someone asked.
“They include the Beast of Death, the Wolf King, and Hades, who were undefeated in the Eastern Deathmatches for a consecutive of ninety-nine, a hundred, and one hundred and eighty-eight matches, respectively,” Brock answered, and everyone trembled in fear.
“What? These three are here?” The crowd exclaimed.
The Beast of Death was from W City and was undefeated in ninety-nine consecutive deathmatches.
Meanwhile, The Wolf King was from the grasslands, and he was undefeated in a hundred consecutive deathmatches.
Lastly, the identity of Hades was unknown, and his record was the most terrifying. He broke the record of the Eastern Deathmatches – a total of a hundred and eighty-eight consecutive deathmatches undefeated.
There were rumors in South City that these powerful men under Brock could easily crush and kill the Four Mighty Generals under Scott.
Everyone was aware that Brock was, in fact, the most mysterious figure in South City.
Hence, when Scott’s faction fell, Brock immediately invited dozens of Eastern fighters to South City.
His motive was clear – to take over South City.
“Hades is here too?” Hein Cayman, the head of the Cayman family, gulped nervously and asked.
Hades was also known as “the Thousand Slayer” because he once slaughtered thousands of pirates alone, shocking the East…
CHAPTER 572
Everyone was surprised and ecstatic.
They had originally heard that Brock had dozens of underground boxing experts who could top the ranks in the east.
Little did they know that these three legends were here!
With that, everyone broke out in cold sweat.
If there was anyone who wanted to have a go at Brock, they didn’t dare to now.
Without mentioning anything else, Brock could sweep everything in South City with only these three people.
They looked at Brock in astonishment and drew in their breaths.
He must have spent much money even to invite Hades.
Brock nodded his head and said, “Yes, he’s here too.”
The crowd let out a collective gasp.
“Then things are set in stone today!” The crowd chattered excitedly.
They all had the same target today – they must chase out Morris Group.
In addition, they made a mental note that Brock Green was not to be provoked.
Who would have thought that he would invite these three masters!
“We are also prepared. We have gathered thousands of combat experts. No matter the motive of Morris Group, leaving is not one of their options!” The Grandmaster said gleefully.
Brock took a sip of his tea and said, “Well, it’s up to us on how to deal with our problems within South City. It’s not appropriate for an outsider to intervene!”
“That’s right!” The crowd voiced their agreement one by one.
The Grandmaster smiled and asked, “Stone Buddha, I’m very curious. What is Hades’s background?”
“Yes, we’re all very curious. Perhaps you could enlighten us?” Questions came from the crowd, and everyone looked expectantly at Brock.
They had heard the legend of Hades many times.
He was the strongest fighter in the East in the past two years, and anyone who challenged him ended up dead.
Yet, they had no clue about his background at all.
Brock smiled and said, “Do you know how much I spent by inviting him?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“One billion for a year!” Brock answered.
Everyone took a deep breath.
Big bosses like them would usually hire some combat experts to be their bodyguards, so they had a good idea of the market price.
Generally, those costing over five million a year were the pros in their league.
They did not expect that Hades cost him a billion for a year.
It was crazy.
“He’s definitely worth the price!” Brock said firmly.
“Hades was actually a guard…”
As Brock said that, everyone was shocked.
“However, he was not simply just a guard. He was once the most powerful God of War in L Nation and was invincible on the battlefield. He was known as Hades, the God of Military.” Brock finished.
“Oh? He’s the God of War of a country? Aside from the fact that L Nation is a small country, his identity is then equivalent to that of Erudia’s God of War!” the Grandmaster exclaimed.
Brock nodded, “Yes, that’s right. Otherwise, how could he be so scary?”
“Stone Buddha, there’s something I can’t figure out. Why would a God of War come to participate in the battle?” Hein Cayman voiced his doubts.
Everyone also turned their gaze to Brock with curiosity.
“The reason is simple. Erudia’s God of War destroyed L Nation, and he had kept a low profile since. In order to survive, it’s normal for him to do so.” Brock replied.
The crowd exchanged gazes and inhaled sharply. “Still, Erudia’s God of War is more terrifying!”
“There are so many things you all don’t know. Back then, Erudia’s God of War only sent his subordinate – the White Tiger, along with the Cavalry Regiment and in total nineteen of them to destroy a country!” Brock recounted emotionally, as though he had been part of it.
“Haha, with Hades, Morris Group can give up on leaving this place!” The crowd became excited as they looked forward to it.
Who could defeat Hades?
CHAPTER 573
Brock glanced at the vacant chair and said coldly, “Someone move this chair away!”
“If Neil is eating with us, he has to stand! This is South City. This is the rule!”
“Yes!” Everyone clapped their hands in agreement with Brock’s decision.
The chair was moved away soon after.
Shortly after, Levi and his party arrived at the Jagged Club.
White Tiger smiled and said, “I hope there are skilled experts today…”
“They will certainly not disappoint you,” Levi said with a smile as he lit a cigarette.
Several waitresses came out to the entrance of the Jagged Club and led his party into the banquet hall.
As they entered the banquet hall, everyone in the room looked shocked upon seeing Levi and the young faces in his party.
Everyone was surprised.
They wondered if everyone from the Morris Group were as young as them.
“You’re here with only four people?” Someone sneered from the crowd.
“Why not? Unless this is a trap?” Levi answered with a smile.
“It is a trap. Anyone with a working brain knows that. Is that Neil Atkinson?” Hein asked with a sneer.
Kirin replied with a grin, “It’s me. But the one in charge today is my boss, not me.” He finished and looked at Levi.
Everyone was shocked again.
They had expected the second-in-command, Neil, to come that day, but they never expected that the mysterious boss of Morris Group would come in person.
Everyone in South City knew that the boss of Morris Group was mysterious and powerful, and even Scott Yates and Triple Group had suffered losses in his hands.
Due to the mysterious force he had behind North Hampton, North Hampton was now a forbidden place, and no one dared to covet the area.
Almost everyone in Quebec was speculating the identity of the boss behind Morris Group.
No one had ever expected him to come that day.
They scrutinized Levi with doubtful gazes as they had never seen him before.
Before this, some people suspected that he might be a member of the South Hampton Prince Gang.
However, they dispelled this doubt after seeing him in person.
He was not one of them.
Levi scanned the room and immediately understood that these guys did not leave a seat for him.
“What’s wrong? Are there any doubts?”
The Grandmaster held a folding fan in his hands and asked leisurely with a smile.
Levi asked in a cold tone, “Where is my seat?”
Everyone laughed at his words.
“Seat? Do you have a right to sit?” Hein Cayman argued.
The Grandmaster laughed and added, “No, you should say, would you like to risk your life sitting?”
Brock stated, “In South City, you only deserve to stand!”
Levi took a puff of his cigarette, then he smiled and said, “But I insist on sitting today!”
“How arrogant! This is South City and not North Hampton! Your words don’t count, so just bear with it!” Next to Levi, Draco Herman – a member of the Herman family, said angrily.
Hearing that, Levi’s gaze slowly fell on Draco Herman.
Draco raised his head and looked at him proudly. “What are you going to do? Straighten up!”
Wham!
Draco was sent flying with a kick by Azure Dragon in a flash.
Everyone was stunned.
Kirin then moved Draco’s chair behind Levi, and Levi took a seat.
Everyone present was shocked and looked at Levi in shock.
They did not expect that Levi would make a move so easily in such an aggressive and domineering manner.
Everyone was flabbergasted with their mouths gaping wide open.
Draco got up from the floor and roared, “How dare you touch me? You’re seeking death!”
“What’s with the noise? I’m trying to have a meal here.” Levi frowned.
CHAPTER 574
Kirin stepped forward, pulled Draco in front of him, and slapped him.
“You…” Draco was just about to speak, when Kirin gave him a slap again.
Slap!
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Draco’s mouth and cheeks were swollen after several consecutive slaps, and he could not speak another word.
Of course, he dared not speak anymore even if he was given a chance.
He would only be asking for trouble.
“Boss, it’s quiet now. He can’t talk anymore.” Kirin came forward to Levi and said.
Levi nodded in response, picked up his fork, and tasted the food.
Everyone present was dumbfounded.
He had slapped Draco in front of all the big bosses from South City.
In short, it was equivalent to slapping all of them!
He did not have any respect for them at all.
Morris Group really was as domineering as the rumors had said!
“You guys are courting death!” Someone in the crowd couldn’t bear it any longer and got up to say.
“Quiet! What’s all of this noise over a meal?” Brock immediately stopped the commotion, and everyone calmed down.
However, he glared at Levi angrily. This man was eating the dishes nonchalantly and enjoyably, as though he really came for a banquet.
The Grandmaster also said, “Let’s eat peacefully!”
With that, everyone picked up their forks.
However, no one was in the mood for food except for Levi.
He looked as though he really came for the food, and everyone stared at him, getting angrier as he ate.
All this while, no one had ever dared to disregard them!
Only after an hour did Levi finish eating. After he wiped the corners of his mouth, he looked at everyone and smiled, “Why didn’t you all eat?”
“This is the last meal. Who would dare to eat?” Someone sneered from the crowd.
He was implying the fate of Levi.
Brock smiled and said, “Your invitation can’t be as simple as inviting us to a meal, right?”
Levi explained directly, “Okay, then I will explain why I came to South City. My purpose is straightforward. I want to quell the unrest! You are all on my list, so listen. If it’s not your territory, don’t snatch it. If it’s not your money, don’t take it!”
Everyone inhaled sharply.
How domineering!
He came to quell the unrest in South City?
No one had this right in the whole of Quebec.
Besides, he asked us to listen?
Hah! He’s delusional!
“You guys are too much!”
Bang!
Hein couldn’t help but slam the table.
Meanwhile, the others glared at Levi with anger.
How dare he come to our turf and be this domineering!
He’s asking for death!
Brock slammed the table too and raised his head to look at Levi. “How dare you speak in that kind of tone! And you want all of us to listen to you?”
Levi nodded and said, “Yes. You have no choice!”
Upon hearing that, Brock laughed, and everyone joined in the laughter.
Is he out of his mind?
Saying something like that in front of all the big bosses from South City!
The Grandmaster released his folding fan in a swift move and said with a smile, “What is your trump card? How are you so sure that we will listen to you?”
Levi smiled, and behind him, his three men also smiled.
Immediately, everyone understood.
The three men behind him were his trump card.
How ridiculously arrogant of him – to dare to come and make demands with only three men!
Just when everyone was in a state of shock, White Tiger said, “I’m sorry, but three’s a crowd. I can take on everyone alone!”
In addition to being shocked, everyone was stunned.
“Three’s a crowd”?
“I can take on everyone alone”?
This is madness! This guy is as delusional as his boss!
Levi added, “That’s right. My friend here is enough to deal with you mere people!”
CHAPTER 575
Even Brock Green, who had the nickname of Stone Buddha, felt that they were going overboard with their bullying.
“I am aware of all your actions these days. Many innocent people have been implicated, and many people have died because of all of you. Do you all enjoy lives built on their misery?” Levi turned to question them.
However, he did not get any reaction from them at all.
Perhaps, it was more fitting to say that they were all numbed to the deaths of innocent people.
Therefore, his words could not trigger them at all.
Moreover, during that period of time, they were snatching territories in South City, and as a result, there were many casualties.
Many people lost their jobs and homes.
However, these big bosses were indifferent to their predicament.
“Does it have anything to do with you? Besides, so what if people died? So what if people are injured? What a f*cking busybody! If you dare stop what we are doing, then be prepared to face our wraths!” Everyone was totally unmoved and scoffed at Levi.
They were dumbfounded that he was even bringing such a matter up to them.
“This is the reason I came today. You lot are not going to cause turmoil in South City anymore! Period!” Levi said harshly.
“In that case, you have to show us your true capability!” Brock exclaimed and smashed his cup on the ground.
Bang!
Bang!
In an instant, all six doors of the banquet hall opened simultaneously, and a large group of people poured in from the outside.
All of them were armed with weapons and were all skilled experts.
At least three hundred men filled the originally spacious banquet room to the maximum capacity.
Not only that but the corridors outside were also crowded with people.
Thousands of fighters had surrounded this place.
All of them were awaiting just one order, and they would chop Levi into pieces.
The big bosses from South City smiled and straightened their backs with newfound arrogance.
They have revealed their trump card now and believed that Levi could no longer remain arrogant.
“Now, what else do you wanna say?” Hein asked triumphantly.
Levi smiled brightly and replied, “I’ll still say the same thing – Listen!”
“Hahaha, are you blind? Can’t you see the masses? Are you still in a daydream?” Someone from the crowd scoffed.
The Grandmaster showed little but contempt as he said, “Young man, it’s fine to be a little arrogant. Now we will give you a chance. As long as you kneel and kowtow three times, we will consider letting you go!”
In the eyes of the Grandmaster, Levi had no chance of escape.
Even if Levi’s men were very skilled and defeated the thousands of combat experts present, there were still more than a hundred skilled fighters in Brock’s underground boxing arena.
Not to mention the three legends, one of whom was the L Nation’s Hades!
They stood absolutely no chance against them.
Levi didn’t speak.
Instead, White Tiger smiled – he was excited.
“Well… Are there anymore?”
White Tiger licked the corner of his mouth eagerly.
“Huh?”
Everyone was taken aback at his bold statement.
Was he complaining that there were too few opponents?
Even in this dire situation, he is that arrogant?
Is he daft? Or crazy?
“Since you want us to listen to you, then we should play by the rules!” Brock said.
“Go on, please enlighten me!” Levi said in response.
Brock explained, “We will only listen to you once you defeated us. Otherwise, you shall listen to us and turn Morris Group over to us!”
Brock Green was a wily old fox.
He would never give up the chance to turn the situation into something favorable to him.
Immediately, Levi nodded and agreed, “Okay!”
“We will send out only one person from our side…”
Levi pointed at White Tiger.
Then he dropped the shocking remark, “As for yours, it doesn’t really matter how many you send over…”
Having heard that, the big bosses glared at Levi and his party angrily.
CHAPTER 576
Excuse me! This is South City, for Pete’s sake – our territory! How dare he humiliate us in OUR city!
“Okay. I hope you get to keep your arrogance later!” Brock said coldly.
He added, “Let’s change a venue!”
Soon after that, they moved to the underground boxing arena, where it could hold the thousands of people, and all of them surrounded the arena.
The big bosses had all flashed their trump cards.
The Grandmaster looked at Levi with a sneer and said, “You said it yourself that you are sending out only one person, so don’t blame us for the one-man fight!”
With that, the Grandmaster gave an order, and immediately hundreds of experts rushed towards White Tiger.
The long swords in their hands dazzled chillingly, overflowing with murderous intent.
Looking at his attackers, White Tiger’s smile gradually became cheekier.
Boom!
He punched the first striker head-on and sent him flying several tens of meters away.
Then he landed on the ground and remained still instantly.
Boom!
Boom!
Bang! Crash!
Hundreds of people attacked simultaneously, and it was an awestruck scene.
Even if White Tiger could fight all of them, the onlookers were sure that the never-ending attacks would tire him out.
Looking on as hundreds of people drown out White Tiger, smiles burst out from the corners of everyone’s lips.
White Tiger is sure to lose!
But after only a few seconds, everyone’s faces changed.
More and more of their men were sent out flying by White Tiger…
A minute later, everyone’s faces became solemn.
Three minutes later, everyone’s faces were full of disbelief.
Five minutes later, everyone’s eyeballs were about to fall out of their sockets from the sight.
They were all shocked to the core from seeing hundreds of people falling to the ground and screaming in pain.
Meanwhile, on the boxing arena, only White Tiger remained standing.
He was too good of a fighter!
He only used five minutes to defeat four to five hundred people with his bare hands!
Everyone exchanged glances as they gradually realized why Levi only sent out White Tiger.
He was strong enough to defeat them all!
“Is that all? Send everyone out! I will beat all of them!” White Tiger couldn’t get enough of it.
“Atrocious!” Brock said angrily.
There was no room for outsiders to act brazenly on his turf.
Very quickly, he gave an order, and hundreds of boxing experts under him appeared one by one.
Of course, the three strongest players have not yet appeared.
He didn’t think it was necessary for them to appear.
“Attack! Attack him one by one! I don’t believe he will keep it up!” Brock roared.
Hundreds of top-ranked boxing experts rushed up to challenge White Tiger one by one.
Boom!
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
…
“Eighty-eight!”
“Ninety-nine!”
White Tiger became more spirited as he fought, and he did not look tired at all, much less exhausted.
The boxing experts from South City were knocked down by him one after another.
In the end, Brock’s face darkened.
The talents of his underground boxing arena were all completely defeated.
White Tiger was too good of a fighter…
He was not even defeated after being challenged by hundreds of combat experts!
“This is thrilling, but there is no real master at all! Don’t you have anyone stronger?” White Tiger shouted.
The big bosses looked at each other.
How arrogant!
How could they tolerate such arrogance in South City, much less on Brock’s territory?
“Stone Buddha, you must show your last card! This b*stard is too strong!” Everyone pleaded with him one after another.
Brock squinted his eyes with a glint and said coldly, “Let the Beast of Death and Wolf King out!”
Soon, the Beast of Death and the Wolf King appeared.
Immediately, the two emitted extremely dangerous auras, which filled the place.
The atmosphere became so tense that everyone felt a numbing sensation on their scalps, and their blood seemed to have coagulated.
CHAPTER 577
Originating from W City was the Beast of Death. He was only about five-foot-six, but his skin was a golden bronze, like cast metal, giving people a sense of strength.
He studied and practiced ancient Thai boxing for thirty years and took down each of his opponents in ninety-nine deathmatches within thirty seconds previously.
As for the Wolf King, dense hair covered his face, and his eyes glowed, resembling a real wolf.
When he was a child, the Wolf King grew up with a pack of wolves. His fighting skills blended with that of the wolves and were so strong that they were unimaginable to a normal person.
As soon as the two appeared, they threatened the onlookers with their imposing auras, making it difficult for them to breathe.
The most powerful fighters always brought the threat of death at first sight.
“Whatever you do, just don’t kill him!” Brock gave the order.
The Wolf King stood aside and didn’t move. Meanwhile, the Beast of Death nodded and stepped forward.
He wanted a one-on-one with White Tiger.
However, White Tiger beckoned with his finger and said, “Come at me together and save me some time!”
The Beast of Death and the Wolf King exchanged glances, and their eyes were filled with disbelief.
They seemed to be surprised by White Tiger’s stupidly cocky behavior.
“Since he said so, then you should both go!” Brock shouted. His eyes were filled with murderous intent.
The Beast of Death and the Wolf King exchanged looks again, and the Beast of Death made his move first.
With every step he took, the floor formed cracks.
Boom!
Crack!
After he took three steps forward, the underground boxing arena blew apart.
That scene was simply shocking.
Everyone knew that the underground boxing arena was made of special materials. Yet, he crushed it with only a few steps.
Just how much power did he possess to be able to do that?
Soon after, the Beast of Death was in front of White Tiger, and he charged towards with his knee up.
That move was definitely comparable to being rammed by a car, and the impact was absolutely not less than that of a sports car speeding at a few hundred yards and crashing into a train…
Almost at the same instant, the Wolf King also made his move.
Whoosh!
He possessed the agility and speed of a wild wolf. When he leaped forward, he swept towards White Tiger with a swift attack at a distance of tens of meters.
It didn’t matter if it were the Beast of Death or the Wolf King, any one of them would definitely split White Tiger into pieces with their killer moves.
Over the years, they had long become killing machines.
They would dedicate their time every day in their lives to find out ways to kill more effectively.
What they had been doing was just terrifying!
White Tiger smiled as he felt Wolf King and the Beast of Death close at hand.
Boom!
He struck his left fist towards the knee of the Beast of Death and his right first towards the claws of Wolf King.
“He is courting death!”
“Isn’t this a futile endeavor?”
The onlookers exclaimed. All of them thought that White Tiger was over-confident in himself.
Boom!
His left fist landed on the knees of the Beast of Death.
Crack!
The Beast of Death’s knee, which was as hard as diamonds, cracked open at once, and he was sent flying out from the impact.
Boom!
White Tiger smashed and distorted the Wolf King’s entire arm with a fist, and the Wolf King fell on his knees directly in front of him.
At that instant, everyone was sent into a state of shock, and they looked on with their eyes wide open.
The two legendary fighters, who were undefeated in ninety-nine and a hundred deathmatches respectively, were beaten even though they had teamed up?
The Beast of Death and the Wolf King let out cries of agony, and their cries brought everyone back to reality.
Both of them were defeated by White Tiger.
At that moment, Brock could no longer sit still, so he stood up.
He was more formidable than anyone expected.
On the other hand, Levi had a smile on his face.
With his buddies around, there was no need for him to make a move.
Oh, how lonely it is for me to be invincible.
“However many of you are left, go up all at once! Stop wasting time!” Levi called out.
Hearing Levi’s words, Brock was completely riled up with anger.
He roared, “Call out Hades!”
Hein, the Grandmaster, and the rest were beyond excited.
Finally, the strongest fighter is coming!
Suddenly, a black shadow was cast on the arena, and an oppressive aura gradually filled the place.
CHAPTER 578
Hades was here.
He was not only the record holder of the deathmatches, but he was also L Nation’s God of War.
The former details were not that important.
However, the latter, his identity as a nation’s God of War, certainly was.
In ancient times, he would be an invincible God of War.
In the past, everyone only regarded him as a fighting machine. However, after realizing his identity as L Nation’s God of War, everyone’s impression of him had changed.
In the secular world, he was a god-like existence among ordinary people.
The God of War wore a simple black sweater and a hat. What was terrifying was that he wore half of a wolf mask.
As soon as he appeared, the focus of the whole audience was on him.
Hades came to the middle of the arena step by step, and the temperature dropped sharply.
An overwhelming murderous aura engulfed the place.
As soon as those ordinary onlookers felt his suffocating aura, it became difficult for them to breathe. Their faces turned pale, and they looked as if they were at death’s door.
This was a true imposing aura!
Since he was the God of War, Hades must have at least slaughtered a thousand people.
His murderous aura was honed out on the battlefield and was not something an ordinary fighter could compare to.
Brock and the others immediately got excited when they saw Hades appear.
Even if the White Tiger could fight very well, they presumed that he was not Hades’s opponent.
“Kill him, and I will reward you ten billion!” Brock shouted.
“I’d add another billion!”
“And I, three billion!”
…
Everyone started to add motivation, and the reward rose gradually.
As long as Hades killed the White Tiger, he would be rewarded twenty billion!
It was an amount that many people dreamt of, and Hades was no exception.
His eyes lit up fiercely.
For that amount of money, he would kill anyone in his way.
“Where is the person?” Hades asked in a low voice.
Everyone pointed to White Tiger.
Then, he walked towards White Tiger step by step as he exuded a dangerous air around him.
It was as if the actual Hades himself was reborn from hell.
If he unleashed his wrath, there was no doubt that there would be at least a million corpses with blood flowing into a river…
It was absolutely terrifying!
Hades stood in front of White Tiger and looked up at him.
When their eyes met, Hades’s face changed drastically.
It’s him!
This can’t be!
H-he…
His lips twitched, but he could not say a word for a long time as he watched White Tiger.
He could never forget this person!
Hades could never forget the night, where a total of nineteen people destroyed tens of thousands of his men in L nation head-on! It was him and the Cavalry Regiment!
Subsequently, nineteen of them killed their way into L Nation. They were invincible and wiped out the nation right then.
In just one night, L Nation was utterly destroyed.
As L Nation’s God of War, he was also defeated, and he could only watch as they annihilated the country.
By far, Erudia’s God of War was the most terrifying existence he had ever seen.
His men were brave and good at fighting, and they were invincible in the world.
This person in front of him, especially, brought him the trauma of a lifetime.
It was the lingering nightmare that would haunt him all his life!
Every night, he was haunted by the recurring dream of L Nation’s destruction, and every time, White Tiger’s ruthless face appeared in the dream.
And every time, he was always jolted awake from the nightmare without fail.
That person is simply too strong!
He would never forget how he broke into the camp of ten thousand people and killed his way back and forth.
Today, he actually saw it again here.
He realized that Erudia’s God of War and his faction were too strong.
Even if he had a hundred years to prepare, he wouldn’t be able to take revenge.
Now he could only continue to participate in fighting competitions to vent his emotions and grind away the trauma that Erudia’s God of War had brought unto him.
Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would meet White Tiger again.
Suddenly, he recalled that Erudia’s Five Great Wars Regiment were almost inseparable from Erudia’s God of War.
If White Tiger is here, that means that Erudia’s God of War should also be here…
CHAPTER 579
Sweeping his eyes across the place, he saw Levi sitting at the back.
Suddenly, Hades became dizzy and almost passed out.
Meeting Levi’s gaze, he felt as if he was suffocating.
In an instant, his whole body was drenched in a cold sweat, and he couldn’t stop trembling.
His legs had a mind of their own as he knelt in front of White Tiger with a loud thud.
The sound was loud enough for everyone to hear, giving everyone a huge shock.
No one had expected it.
Even Levi was shocked.
He wondered what was the matter with Hades.
He was supposed to fight White Tiger, but he knelt in front of him as soon as they met.
Brock and the others also couldn’t understand it.
What’s with Hades? Is this all a joke?
Why is he kneeling in front of the enemy?
Everyone rubbed their eyes, wondering if they were mistaken with what they saw.
This was the strongest fighter in the Eastern Deathmatches, who was undefeated in one hundred and eighty-eight consecutive matches!
He was invincible!
Why did he kneel as soon as he sees White Tiger?
They didn’t understand, but White Tiger gradually gained realization.
Even though Hades was wearing half a wolf mask, but White Tiger still recognized him from his eyes and his aura.
“You… Are you L Nation’s God of War – Hades?” White Tiger asked tentatively.
Hades nodded and shouted, “The defeated warrior of L Nation pays his respects to Erudia’s God of War and White Tiger!”
Everyone inhaled sharply upon hearing his address.
Erudia’s God of War?
White Tiger?
What was that all about?
Everyone couldn’t react to the turn of events for a while.
After hearing the address from Hades, Levi rubbed his temples helplessly.
He had planned not to reveal his identity on this trip to South City, so he resorted to using force to solve the mess.
But lo and behold, he did not expect to encounter the defeated warrior of L Nation.
Wouldn’t my cover be blown?
Levi smiled helplessly.
“Hades! What are you doing? Quickly kill him for me!” Brock shouted anxiously.
“Yeah, why are you kneeling to him?” Everyone couldn’t understand it and looked on in disbelief.
Hades did not speak. He looked at the crowd and slowly took off his mask.
Now, everyone could clearly see what the other half of his face looks like.
There were multiple crisscrossed scars, and his face looked extremely terrifying.
Hades then said in a low voice, “Do you know who left these scars on me?”
Brock and the rest looked at him with puzzled faces.
“It’s White Tiger, who left them to me during the destruction of L Nation!” He finished.
“What? In the destruction of L Nation?”
“Could it be that Erudia’s God of War…”
Everyone’s faces changed drastically.
Then, they returned to their senses one by one.
Hades had addressed Erudia’s God of War and White Tiger earlier.
“You guys are so bold to dare to make a move on just about anyone!”
Hades suddenly raised his tone as he continued, “Listen! Standing in front of me is the White Tiger – one of the Five Great Wars Regiments of Erudia! Back then, he destroyed my L Nation single-handedly!”
Then, he turned to look at Levi, who was sitting not far away from him.
“And he is the world’s most invincible, the nightmare of all countries, the greatest devil in the eyes of all guards – Erudia’s God of War!” Hades said with jealousy.
As soon as his words settled, pin-drop silence fell.
CHAPTER 580
That moment was too shocking for Brock and the others.
They couldn’t believe that the person they were going to deal with turned out to be Erudia’s God of War.
Now they understood why Scott’s faction fell, why Triple Group withdrew from Erudia, and why Morris Group was invincible.
All of that was due to Erudia’s God of War!
Otherwise, who else could move the two forces?
Besides, South City authorities were more than eager to offer various preferential policies to Triple Group. Thus, it was impossible that the city’s authorities would chase them out of the city.
Judging by how Erudia’s God of War returned to North Hampton just a few days ago, the timing was right.
In an instant, they all understood.
Thump!
Thump!
…
Everyone knelt down one after another.
No wonder they dared to take on thousands of them with just one person.
It was White Tiger, the King of War, who destroyed a country with only nineteen people in his troop!
Sure enough, they had no choice but to obey.
“We were wrong! Please spare our lives!” Brock cried out loud.
Everyone kowtowed their foreheads on the ground.
Levi stood up, walked to the front of Hades and said, “You will follow me from now on!”
“Understood,” Hades answered with a nod of his head.
Levi then looked at Brock and the rest.
“Why would I want your lives? Now, what you all should be doing is to listen to what I’ve been saying! You can’t take things that are not your own. I don’t care who has your back. If you are not satisfied, you can take me on.” When Levi said that, everyone was almost frightened to death.
Who would be so courageous to take on Erudia’s God of War?
No one would dare to even if we have nine lives!
“God of War, we dare not!” Brock and the others said in embarrassment.
“Also, do not spread the news. I would like to see who dares to covet South City.” Levi said coldly.
When Levi said that, Brock and the rest broke out in a cold sweat.
Erudia’s God of War was going to take the opportunity to attack whoever was coming for South City.
At that instant, they immediately thought of a person – Richard Caesar.
A few days later, he would be attacking the Black family and even more forcefully into South City.
“In addition to that, make compensations to those whom you have hurt! Make sure everyone is taken care of, and I will send someone to keep tabs!” Levi said.
“Understood, God of War!” Everyone answered and nodded their heads fervently.
“God of War, I am willing to spend two billion for charity!” Brock offered.
Others also spoke, “I would like to devote one billion to charity!”
Soon, tens of billions of charity funds were being offered.
The leaders of South City were all stunned.
As expected of Erudia’s God of War, he solved the turmoil in South City easily with his intervention.
He even raised tens of billions of charity funds in a flash.
“Sure enough, ruthless people need to be treated with ruthlessness, huh?” Levi lamented.
Everyone laughed.
Another day passed.
Levi never appeared and was still out of contact.
To be honest, Zoey was a little anxious.
She wasn’t worried about Levi running away. In fact, she was mainly afraid that something bad had happened to him.
Just then, Logan arrived at the Black family where they were still at a loss over the situation.
“Logan, how is it?” Meredith asked agitatedly.
“Grandma, I have disappointed you. I tried my best!” Logan said helplessly, his head drooping.
“What?”
The news was tantamount to a huge blow to the Black family.
Logan was their only hope!
“What happened, Logan?” Meredith asked nervously as her body trembled.
Logan sighed and said, “Grandma, during this period of time, my father, grandfather, and I have used all the connections we can find and asked them to persuade the Caesar family to let the matter go. However, they are unyielding in their stand, and it didn’t matter who went.
They are determined to deal with the Black family! Russell’s slap had made Richard very angry, and he vowed to use all the resources of the Caesar family to deal with us!” Logan explained.
“What?”
“The Black family will then cease to exist!”
Everyone in the Black family panicked.
“Grandma, there is no other solution. The Caesar Family has set their hearts to be ruthless this time! Their target is not only the Black Family but the entire South City!” Logan pointed out the facts.
The Black family was just a sacrifice.
“I can’t accept this!” Meredith cried out, on the verge of tears.
“Grandma, there is only one way now…” Logan said.
“What is it?” Everyone in the Black family looked over to him.
“Surrender to the Caesar family and give up everything to them!” Logan then glanced at them and whispered, “In addition to that, hand over Russell, Levi, and Zoey to them!”
“Only by compromising in this way will the Caesar family let us go! Otherwise, we will end up exterminated!” Logan’s proposal resonated among the members of the Black family.
Bailey and the others agreed one after another, “Yes, that’s right. Where there’s life, there’s hope. We can always rise again!”
Meredith and Robert exchanged glances, and they said helplessly, “Well, it can only be so.”
“Grandpa, Grandma, don’t be stressed out! First of all, Russell is just an adopted son. Secondly, Aunt Caitlyn’s family was already expelled from the Black family. So, these people are not essential. It’s okay to give them up.” Logan said.
Everyone looked at each other.
What he said was true.
They were not the direct bloodline of the Black family.
Hence, it would make more sense to give these people up to preserve the Black family’s direct lineage.
“Okay, let’s do it!” Meredith gritted her teeth and decided.
Although Zoey and her family were a distance away from them and could not hear what everyone was discussing, they were all smart enough to understand what was going on.
“Looks like Grandpa and Grandma are going to abandon us…” Zoey said.
Caitlyn was already sobbing uncontrollably, and Aaron was visibly stressed.
Zoey understood through this incident that the Black family still didn’t accept them.
At that moment, all she could feel were grievances and grief.
Darling, where are you?
Zoey missed Levi very much.
Later on, a few days passed by quickly.
Yet, Levi still did not appear.
In a blink of an eye, the day where the Black family and the Caesar family were due for a battle had finally arrived.
“Haha, are you still waiting foolishly? He already ran away!” Logan sneered.
Zoey stubbornly shook her head, “No! My husband will show up!”
Caitlyn and Aaron roared with anger, “You still believe him at this time? It’s over for us! Why don’t you ask him to show up now?”
“I…” Zoey muttered under her breath worriedly.
Where’s Levi?
“The biggest regret in my life is marrying my daughter to this scumbag!” Aaron shouted and threw a fist at the wall violently.
Caitlyn added helplessly, “Me too! The worst thing that happened in my life was meeting Levi.”
In their opinion, this incident happened all because of Levi.
On the other hand, both Abigail and Russell said in unison, “Don’t worry. He will show up!”
Soon afterward, there was a noise outside the Black family’s manor.
The Caesar family was here…
CHAPTER 582
It was a shocking scene outside the manor.
The guards of the Black family were so scared that they almost knelt on the ground.
Cars arrived one after another.
Soon after that, more than two hundred black sedans surrounded the entire manor.
Clack!
Clack!
Clack!
The doors of the cars opened one by one, and burly men dressed in white alighted from them.
Everyone had the word “Caesar” embroidered in front of their chests on their white clothes.
The men stood neatly in formation around the manor, completely locking down the area.
The Caesar family was serious about this.
They even dispatched their family’s skilled experts!
There must be at least seven to eight hundred skilled experts present!
This was the consequence for whoever dared to provoke Richard or slap him.
There were several cars surrounding a Lincoln limousine.
The door of the Lincoln opened, and Richard Caesar alighted from the car.
He glanced at the Black family’s manor and sneered, “I shall see how the Black family escapes from my clutches!”
Beside him, Thomas Caesar, the top expert in charge of the Caesar family’s security, sneered and said, “Master, today, our eight hundred men will flatten the Black family and take down South City!”
Hearing his words, the Caesar family’s eight hundred white-robed men shouted together, “Today, eight hundred men of the Caesar family will flatten this place!”
The impact of the sound and the great momentum sounded like thunder in the sky, terrifying everyone in the manor.
“Gosh, how many of them are here?”
Meredith and Robert hugged each other as they and the rest of the Black family trembled in fear.
“This is bad! We’re all surrounded!”
Right at that moment, their guard ran in in a panic, staggering to the ground in fright.
“Yes, they are everywhere! They are dressed in white clothes with the word “Caesar” written on them. The guards outside said that there were at least eight hundred of them. They have surrounded us!”
Having heard that, the color drained out of Meredith’s face.
We’re doomed.
The Caesar family is too terrifying.
They were serious about this!
“What should we do?” Robert panicked.
“Is Logan not here yet?” Meredith asked.
At that moment, Logan became her only support.
“I can’t reach him. I called Jennie too, but she didn’t pick up either.” Keane and Quintus replied.
Meredith just clenched her fists and said, “I’m afraid that Logan’s method will not work now. The Caesar family has prepared too large of a scale for the battle!”
“It seems that Logan won’t be coming. We can solve it ourselves.” Although they were currently in a bad situation, Russell looked relaxed as he said that.
Everyone couldn’t refute Russell’s words.
They knew very well that Logan had run away since he surely wouldn’t let the Zachs family be implicated.
“It’s only right for Logan to protect himself and not come. After all, he contributed much to the Black family!” Meredith said, then she looked at Zoey and her parents with a sneer and added, “What about her husband, Levi? He caused the trouble, yet he ran away and couldn’t be contacted…”
When Abigail and Russell heard that, they really wanted to curse.
However, Meredith was their grandmother, so they could do nothing about their frustration over her words.
Meredith glanced at Robert and said softly, “You may lose a lot today, so please be mentally prepared!”
“I am! I just hope the young ones will be safe!” Robert looked at Quintus and the rest with a conflicted expression.
He was ready to sacrifice himself.
Boom!
Right at that moment, the door of the Black family’s manor was blasted open with a kick, and it fell to the ground with a loud thud.
CHAPTER 583
The Caesar family launched their first attack by sending eight hundred men from their White Army.
They swarmed and completely overwhelmed the few dozen guards from the Black family as they continued their onslaught.
After that, they quickly arrived at the main hall and surrounded it completely.
At that moment, the Black family was scared out of their wits by the sudden incursion.
This never happened before!
Even Meredith and Robert gaped in shock as it was a sight that could only be seen in the military.
Only then, Zoey and her family came to realize how powerful the Caesar family was when they saw the formidable regiment.
No wonder they all say that they are unmatched in Quebec!
They really are the most powerful family in South Hampton!
To think Levi got himself into so much trouble!
Zoey gaped in shock while Caitlyn was on the verge of tears.
“Levi, you good-for-nothing scoundrel! You got all of us in trouble, but you ran away first! I will skin you alive!” Caitlyn yelled.
Aaron took a deep breath and deduced, “He must’ve escaped because he saw how powerful the Caesar family is!”
Very quickly, the Black family was forced to a corner as they awaited the Caesar family’s punishment.
Thump! Thump!
The chaotic sound of footsteps boomed through the entire room, and everyone knew that signified the arrival of the head of the family.
The White Army automatically made way for a group of people, and the person leading the posse was Richard.
A few dozen men, including Timothy, followed behind him, and they were the Caesar family’s experts in combat.
The moment he stepped into the room, he started to look for Levi, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized Levi wasn’t there.
Our intelligence is reliable – Levi really did run away.
Now that he’s gone, nothing can scare me anymore!
As long as the powerful people in the South City don’t interfere in this, we, the Caesars, can do as we please.
After all, who can even match us in strength?
Definitely not the puny Black family!
Richard walked to the middle of the room and scoffed, “What happened? Didn’t you ask for reinforcements? Don’t tell me that the Black family didn’t even try to find a single ally? How dare you disrespect the Caesar family like this?”
The Black family was petrified when they heard that.
“You must be mistaken! We have a lot of respect for your family!”
Meredith and Robert almost kneeled down.
“Hmph. If that’s so, why did one of your youngins slap me?”
Ignoring Meredith and Robert’s pleas, he chuckled. “Since you challenged us to battle, don’t blame us if we go all out! Let me introduce my companions to you. These four are former Navies; these three are commanders from the army; these seven are some of the best from King Cobra Assassin Organization. Besides that, these ten are bodyguards that we hired from all over the globe, and they all served under the rulers of their country before. Meanwhile, this is Black Panther from South Hampton’s underworld. We also alerted all our allies about this war. If for some reason we cannot handle this ourselves, we can summon the powerful figures in South Hampton with just one call! Don’t blame us for going full force. After all, you started it first!”
The Black family gaped in shock when they heard Richard listing out all his connections.
How do we even stand a chance against them?
I bet even the most powerful families in the South City aren’t their match as well!
Even if the eight hundred members of the White Army weren’t involved, the few dozen experts around Richard could plow through us with no trouble!
CHAPTER 584
“By the way, where’s the person who slapped my father?” Patrick Caesar, Richard’s son, asked in a cold voice.
When he and his siblings heard that their father was slapped in the face, they almost launched their attack that very day.
After all, this was something completely unacceptable to the Caesar family.
This is absolutely preposterous!
How dare someone slap the Richard Caesar?
Simply unbelievable.
“I did it!”
Russell stepped forward and stared at Patrick bravely.
“Hah! Very well then! An insolent fool like you dares to slap my father?!” Patrick bellowed.
“Indeed, I was the one who slapped him! He asked someone to slap me, so I slapped him back to return the favor! An eye for an eye.”
Russell stared at Patrick fearlessly.
Russell’s words enraged the entire Caesar family as the eight hundred White Army soldiers glared at him menacingly.
This was a matter of honor, so slapping Richard was akin to showing the Caesar family the utmost disrespect.
They definitely wouldn’t take that lying down.
All they needed was a command for them to rip Russell into pieces.
This time, Russell really messed up by stepping over the Caesar family’s bottom line.
Patrick laughed maniacally. “I heard that the Black family’s younger generation are all boastful little brats, and I got to see that for myself today! By the way, where’s that girl, Abigail? Who does she think she is to reject my son?”
He bragged before that no lady in Quebec would ever reject his son’s advances, so imagine the irony he felt when Abigail rejected Timothy!
That was why the entire Caesar family was curious to see how Abigail was like.
Upon hearing that, the Black family panicked.
It’s fine if Russell gets into trouble, but Abigail mustn’t get involved in all this!
After all, she’s a direct descendant of the Black family!
Despite their concerns, Abigail stepped towards Patrick fearlessly and smiled. “I’m Abigail. I’m sorry, but I’m really not interested in your son!”
Patrick scrutinized her before saying, “Not bad! However, you’re not worthy of my son. Brilliant ladies are hard to find, but pretty ladies are littered all over the city. My son can get a pretty lady any time he wants, so of course, there’s no way you’re fit for him!”
“That’s right! Does she even look in the mirror? How dare she reject him?”
“Apart from her pretty face, does she even have anything else?”
The Caesar family lambasted her at that instant.
Abigail’s expression turned into a contemptuous one as she snorted, “You’re right! I am not worthy of Timothy, so why are you are looking for me now?”
“What I heard was true then – Youngsters from the Black family really are cocky!” Patrick sneered.
“Oh, there’s also that person… the one that challenged us, Caesars, to battle! Where is he?” Patrick changed the subject.
In an instant, the hall fell silent as everyone exchanged glances of apprehension because they didn’t know how to answer his question.
Patrick was stunned for a moment before he burst into a chuckle. “Don’t tell me he’s not even here?”
Everyone lowered their heads in shame when they heard that.
However, at that moment, Zoey stepped forward.
“I am Levi Garrison’s wife! I will take responsibility for my husband’s actions!” she declared.
At that, Caitlyn, Aaron, and the entire Black family froze in shock because they never expected Zoey to make such a declaration.
Meanwhile, Abigail stared at Zoey in admiration.
Originally, Abigail thought that Zoey didn’t like Levi that much, but now she realized they both respected and adored each other.
“Hahaha…” Patrick chortled.
“What a joke this is! A man actually ditched his wife and forced her to bear the brunt of his actions!”
“Who said I ditched her?”
CHAPTER 585
At that moment, a resonant voice echoed across the hall.
“Levi!!”
“Darling!!”
“Is that Levi Garrison?”
Abigail, Zoey, and Russell immediately squealed in joy when they heard the familiar voice.
At the same time, the Black family looked in the direction of the voice as well and saw an unmistakable figure.
Levi had an imposing aura that commanded attention, and everyone’s gazes were drawn to him as he strode towards the center of the hall.
Timothy’s heart sank to a bottomless pit when he made eye contact with Levi, and his right eye inexplicably started to twitch.
He had a very bad feeling about it.
Meanwhile, Richard’s temper flared when he saw how Levi was as smug as usual.
The person that slapped me was Russell, but Levi was the mastermind behind all this!
Besides that, he was the one who challenged us to battle as well!
“Honey, what’s wrong? Why the tears?”
Levi pulled Zoey into his arms and wiped her tears away with a piece of tissue while everyone was watching.
“You’re here at last! I waited for you for seven whole days! Where did you go? They all said that you ran away and left me behind…” Zoey sobbed uncontrollably.
“I told you that I will handle this, so of course, I will come back here. I just went to take care of some other issue over the past few days.”
After Levi calmed the unrest in the South City, he donated tens of billions of charity funds to help everyone in need.
Not only that, but he also established the Morris Group in the South City’s market ahead of schedule.
By doing that, he managed to expand the Morris Group’s operations to serve the general public better.
On the other hand, Abigail and Russell were getting emotional as well. “Levi, we waited for you for so long! A lot of terrible things happened while you were gone…”
“Don’t worry. As long as I’m still here, I will make sure that no one dares to trespass into our territory!” Levi announced coldly.
At that, the Black family was utterly shocked.
Are you kidding me, Levi? Why are you so freakin’ cocky?
Meanwhile, while they spoke, they completely ignored the Caesar family.
It was as if the Caesar family was invisible to them.
When the Caesar family realized that, they were infuriated.
Thud!
Patrick kicked the door violently, and the loud bang shocked everyone.
Zoey, who was in Levi’s arms, was visibly startled as well.
Meanwhile, Levi’s expression contorted into a menacing one as he turned around slowly and glared at Patrick.
“How dare you startle my wife. You will face the consequences of that!”
While he said that, he had remembered every single mole and feature that Patrick had. Patrick’s face was strongly imprinted in Levi’s mind.
I’ll make sure he pays the price for his actions!
Patrick sneered, “Really? That is such a joke! Didn’t you say you’d admit defeat if you can withstand our attack regardless of how many reinforcements we call for?”
Levi nodded in acknowledgment. “Yeah, I did say that. You can call all the reinforcements you want! I’ll admit our loss if you defeat us!”
“Haha…”
At that, everyone in the Caesar family chortled.
What a foolishly cocky man he is!
Patrick smiled and asked, “Are you gonna ask for reinforcements too? Are you thinking about going into battle without any reinforcements?”
“Well, that’s not really the case. After all, you’re not powerful enough to warrant my involvement!” Levi pronounced.
But even if Levi really did want to get into battle, Kirin and Azure Dragon wouldn’t let him.
Patrick bellowed furiously. “Where are your reinforcements then? Ask them to hurry up, or we’ll launch our attack first!”
The Black family trembled in fear when they heard that.
The Caesar family is getting serious this time!
What should we do now?
Damn it, Levi!
Did you really think that you can oppose the Caesar family?
Meanwhile, Levi took out his phone and called someone. “You can all come now!”
CHAPTER 586
“Haha…”
The Caesar family burst into laughter when they saw Levi making a call because they thought that it was an act of pure stupidity.
Just imagine the Black family’s embarrassment right now!
We know Levi way too well!
So what if he calls every single powerful figure in North Hampton?
The Caesar family can crush them with just a flick of the finger.
Besides, Levi isn’t powerful enough to do any of that!
On the other hand, Abigail breathed a sigh of relief because Levi finally retaliated.
Meanwhile, Russell felt excited at the prospect of battle.
Richard sat on the chair and mocked, “I am curious to see what kind of reinforcements you called!”
Following that, Patrick commanded, “Tell our brothers outside to let everyone in no matter who they are.”
In a matter of a few minutes, numerous luxury vehicles filled the streets.
The few Black family’s guards who were apprehended were shocked when they saw that.
“Did they all come?”
They watched as swathes of men entered the manor.
“Have they arrived?”
The Caesar family was excited when they heard the commotion outside.
“Who’s there? Announce who you are!” Patrick demanded.
The Black family was dumbfounded when they saw the guests because they were all powerful figures from the South City.
“I’m the head of the Goldson family, Hunter Goldson.”
However, Patrick wagged his finger and said, “Nope, you don’t make the cut. Next!”
“I’m the head of the Johnson family, Tommy Johnson.”
“Nope!”
After a few rounds, Patrick replied while smirking, “None of you make the cut! Gosh, no one here interests me at all!”
The ten families that arrived were some of the most powerful families in the South City, yet they were still miles behind the Caesar family.
“I’m the head of the Cayman family, Hein Cayman.”
Everyone, including Richard and Patrick, was stunned when that name was uttered.
The Caesar family was a quasi-royal clan, but one of the four most powerful families in the South City, the Cayman family, showed up, and they had the power to threaten the Caesar family.
“I’m the head of the Herman family, Draco Herman.”
That name reverberated through the entire hall like a sonic boom.
“I’m the head of the Oliver family, Stanley Oliver.”
Like an atomic bomb, that name blew everyone’s minds!
Three out of the four noble families in South City had arrived!
The Caesar family started to panic at the prospect of facing them and the other ten powerful families.
“Is that enough for you? Am I, Alexander Stark, invited to the party?”
A middle-aged man wielding a staff appeared at that moment.
“Are you the Master of South City’s underworld?” Patrick’s voice started to tremble.
The Caesar family was now officially panicking because they knew how powerful they were!
“Can I join too? The Stone Buddha – Brock Green, reporting for duty!” an orotund voice spoke.
Brock Green had arrived with a hundred experts from the underground boxing scene, some of which were like caged beasts waiting to wreak havoc.
Upon their arrival, the Caesar family’s White Army sensed danger in the air.
“Is… the Stone Buddha here too?”
Richard and Patrick were absolutely dumbstruck.
They knew that they couldn’t possibly afford to cross Brock because he might be even more powerful than Scott Yates.
That was why the Caesar family was determined to avoid Brock at all costs when they came to the South City to assert their dominance.
He really is here!
This spells nothing but disaster to us!
“Let me introduce three more friends to you!”
With a clap of the hands, three figures appeared behind Brock.
“This is the Beast of Death, who scored 99 victories the Eastern Deathmatches!”
Gasp!
Everyone drew in a sharp breath.
CHAPTER 587
All of Richard’s troops’ expressions darkened instantly when they heard that, so it was obvious that they heard about the vicious reputation of the Beast of Death before.
“Next up, we have the Wolf King, who had 100 consecutive victories in the Eastern Deathmatches!”
The Wolf King emitted a dangerous aura that made a chill run down everyone’s spines.
“I know who he is! He came too?” The bodyguards beside Richard were scared out of their wits.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the Beast of Death and the Wolf King could deal with a few dozen of them at once.
“Finally, we have Hades, who broke the record of the Eastern Deathmatches by having a total of 188 consecutive deathmatches undefeated.”
When Brock said that, the hall went deathly silent.
The Caesar family had been searching for powerful fighters on the local and international scale over the past few years, so they were familiar with internationally famous combatants like Hades.
They received some news a few days ago saying that Hades was hired by someone else with an astronomical price, but they never expected that Brock was the one who hired him.
Hades emanated a cold and murderous aura honed through countless battles when he stepped into the hall.
In his presence, everyone felt their extremities tingling from the cold as a chill permeated their entire body.
Just his presence was enough to intimidate everyone there!
However, it was not unexpected as he was the strongest fighter from the Eastern Deathmatches.
“It… really is him…” Richard’s men started to tremble in fear as they gave Hades a cautious look.
They say that he kills without even blinking his eye!
Even with the help from the eight hundred people from the White Army, he’ll cut through all of us like butter!
It was evident now that the Caesar family didn’t have the home advantage in the South City.
Hades gave Levi a courteous bow before scanning through the Caesar family menacingly.
“Those who want to challenge the Black family must get through me first!”
The Caesar family was shocked when they heard that, and they fell silent afterward.
We really can’t afford to cross him!
The Caesar family was between a rock and a hard place now because they couldn’t attack or retreat.
Even though Richard seemed like he was sitting down calmly on the chair, his fingers were trembling anxiously.
This was the biggest obstacle the Caesar family had ever faced.
Meanwhile, the Black family stared at Levi in disbelief.
How did he even do that?
Even the Zachs family isn’t able to ask all the powerful figures in the South City for help!
But now, the all-mighty Brock and Alexander are both here.
And not to mention Hades! Goodness, gracious! That guy intimidated the entire Caesar family with just his presence!
Bailey, Pamela, Meredith, and Robert were all dumbfounded.
Just who the heck is this Levi?
How is he able to ask so many powerful figures for help?
Meanwhile, Abigail and Russell felt an overwhelming sense of pride.
On the other hand, Caitlyn and Aaron could feel the nuances in the atmosphere because the Caesar family seemed more subdued now.
What is Levi’s identity actually?
Zoey was, too, curious as she wondered how her husband managed to pull it off.
Does he have a secret identity of some sorts?
CHAPTER 588
The piece of news was just like a bolt from the blue to the Caesar family.
Is someone else coming?
Is this just the start of a nightmare?
Timothy’s pupils suddenly constricted as he realized something.
He almost fainted at that realization.
Coming to the South City was a very bad decision!
That person is no ordinary man!
The Black family was taken aback as well.
Is someone else coming?
A few more cars arrived shortly, and their license plates indicated that they were powerful figures from the South City.
After that, a group of people dressed in suits rushed towards the main hall of the manor.
Even the White Army standing guard outside the manor was frightened when they saw those people. The guards could tell that from their auras that their power was overwhelming.
Tap tap tap…
Both the Caesar family and the Black family was shocked when they heard the sound of footsteps.
Someone else is here!
When Meredith and Robert saw those people, they almost fainted.
“What? Oh my God!”
The rest of the Black family were astonished beyond belief as well.
The most powerful figures in the South City are all here!
Levi actually managed to accomplish something that Logan and his entire family couldn’t?
That’s insane!
Richard didn’t recognize those people, but he could tell that they weren’t the usual next-door neighbors.
Meanwhile, Timothy was absolutely terrified when he saw Stephen, Tim, and the rest.
It’s them again? Weren’t they at The Abyss that night?
Timothy’s body trembled violently out of fear.
We’re screwed!
Regardless of how powerful the Caesar family is, we still are no match for them!
“I am Tim Cronan from Quebec. I heard that someone was causing trouble to the Black family, so I decided to see for myself what’s happening.”
Richard and Patrick almost passed out when Tim revealed who he was.
He’s the governor of Quebec!
If he’s here, that means that the people behind him are…
“I am the South City’s mayor, Stephen McKay. Who are you? Why are there so many people outside?”
“I’m the Deputy Leader of Quebec, Woodie Emil.”
“I’m the head of the Police Department, Wright Hector.”
“I’m the Deputy Leader of the South City, Korey Madisen.”
They all introduced themselves one by one and made the Caesar family tremble in fear.
Richard panted heavily as if he was out of breath, and Patrick’s face turned paper white.
Meanwhile, Timothy’s legs gave way as he lost balance and stumbled.
He really asked all of the most powerful figures in the South City for help!
How is it possible for the Caesar family to even match that?
It’s impossible!
The Caesar family was stuck in a very difficult position right now, and they didn’t know what to do anymore.
They couldn’t afford to cross anyone present in the hall.
Hades is powerful enough to take on our entire army, and Tim has more authority than all of us combined!
We have no leverage at all!
We are so screwed now.
On the other hand, Abigail and Russell gave Levi a gaze of admiration.
They knew that this was only a small taste of Levi’s abilities because he was powerful enough to rule the entire world if he got serious.
Similarly, Zoey was very proud too because her husband turned the tables and saved the Black family.
In the meantime, Aaron stood up straight and Caitlyn wiped away her tears as their expressions seemed to say – “As expected of our son-in-law!”
However, Levi wasn’t finished yet. He asked, “Are you already afraid now? Don’t worry. We still have more to come!”
CHAPTER 589
The implications of his words were visible in the shocked expressions of the Caesar family.
What?
Someone else is coming?
Is this not the end yet?
Oh my God!
How can we even handle this?
Thump!
Timothy seemed to have realized something at that moment. In just a split second, his vision blurred as he fainted and fell to the ground.
However, the other members of the Caesar family were busy worrying about their own safety, so they didn’t even pay any attention to him.
Meanwhile, outside the Black family’s manor.
There were about four hundred of the Caesar family’s men standing on guard here to prevent anyone from the Black family from leaving.
Thud! Thud!
Suddenly, the rhythmic pulsing of a marching army was heard amongst the crowd.
The earth trembled between their feet and made everyone dizzy as dust clouds formed in the air.
“Is there an earthquake?”
Everyone’s first thought was that an earthquake was happening.
“No, it’s not an earthquake. I can hear the sound of footsteps!”
“It’s coming closer by the minute!”
As the stomping grew louder, everyone started to panic.
“Look!”
“Oh my God!”
Someone screamed and directed everyone’s attention outside.
They saw squads of fully armed soldiers running towards them from all directions.
There were four columns for each squad from every direction – north, south, east, and west.
“I-I…”
The White Army was scared senseless.
They thought that they would reign victorious in their onslaught today, but that was before the arrival of that platoon!
Everyone noticed that there was something unusual about the uniforms the platoon was wearing; there were some special symbols and certain words on them that were uncommon.
At that moment, their flag-bearer raised a flag that was adorned with a dragon, and everyone was struck with a realization.
“I… I see it now! This is the Dragon Legion from the Iron Brigade under the God of War’s rule!”
“That’s right! I saw them on the news before! They managed to overcome an enemy a few times their size!”
“Oh my God! Is that really the Iron Brigade?”
They watched as the Iron Brigade closed in on them while gaping in shock. It was as if a tsunami was threatening to swallow them whole.
Thump!
Thump!
Everyone kneeled to the ground as they were drenched in cold sweat because of fear.
Once the Dragon Legion got into their formation, Alfie appeared from behind the platoon.
“Charge!”
As soon as his command was given, the Dragon Legion marched onwards from all directions.
The few hundred members of the White Army were caught off guard as they saw nimble figures climbing across the walls.
Before they could react to the sudden attack, they were all subdued in an instant.
It took less than twenty seconds to defeat the few hundred men, and when everyone realized that, they peed their pants out of fear.
What the f*ck is this?
If we had known that the Black family would ask the Iron Brigade for help, we wouldn’t have dared to come here!
Meanwhile, the people in the main hall remained blissfully ignorant of the commotion outside because the onslaught happened too quickly.
They couldn’t even hear any signs of the few hundred men outside being subdued by the foreign army.
Levi smiled as he counted down with his fingers. “Three, two, one…”
As soon as the countdown ended, a loud rumbling could be heard from outside.
Thump! Thump!
The footsteps of a thousand men made it seem like the earth was a drum as the bass vibrated in everyone’s chest.
In the next moment, Alfie barged inside with his soldiers.
When Richard saw that, he grunted in shock and fainted right away.
Right then, the Caesar family had officially suffered an overwhelming defeat.
CHAPTER 590
Patrick kneeled on the ground.
Thump!
Thump!
At the same time, the few hundred members of the Caesar family kneeled down as well.
Even the military is here!
We’re screwed!
Wait, no!
They are the Iron Brigade, for f*ck’s sake!
To the people of Erudia, the Iron Brigade was even more powerful, and their responsibilities were even more sacred than that of the military.
They are the true guardians of our country!
How unlucky can we get…
Meanwhile, Meredith and Robert exchanged a glance and broke into a huge grin because they were overjoyed.
They recognized that from this point onwards, the Black family’s standing in the South City was secured, and no one would dare to hurt them anymore.
“Captain Steele, you’re here! The Black family extends our heartfelt thanks to you.”
“I thank you, on behalf of the entire Black family!”
Meredith and Robert cried tears of joy as they almost kneeled in gratitude.
“Haha, no worries! We were marching in the wilderness when we heard that the Black family is in trouble, so we decided to come and check it out.” Alfie smiled and said.
Hearing that, the Caesar family almost lost their minds.
Who are you kidding?
Who even marches when they’re fully armed?
It’s so obvious that they have their targets on us!
At that moment, Russell stepped forward and saluted Alfie. “Captain Steele!”
Alfie patted Russell’s shoulders and chuckled. “I heard about what you did, and I must say that I’m impressed. You defied the Caesar family just to stand up for yourself!”
Russell smiled awkwardly and replied, “I can’t really offer any help, so I need to thank you for lending a helping hand to the Black family!”
Russell then saluted him once again.
The Black family thought that Alfie was just being polite, but later on, they realized that Alfie genuinely admired Russell.
That means Alfie helped us out of respect to Russell!
Maybe they really were just marching, but Russell must’ve been their driving force to come here nonetheless.
Meredith immediately explained, “Captain Steele, we have misunderstood Russell! We thought that he was just being reckless when he slapped the head of the Caesar family in a fit of rage. But we realize now that he’s a very sensible and thoughtful person. Of course, he wasn’t scared of the Caesar family because he has the support from a well-respected man like you!”
Robert chimed in. “That’s right! Russell, we misunderstood you. You were right all along. The Caesar family can’t oppress us just because they’re more powerful than us! We need to stand up for ourselves!”
Meredith bowed down. “Russell, I apologize for slapping you for no legitimate reason!”
“Grandma, um…”
Russell had an awkward expression.
That incident has nothing to do with this, right?
Alfie was dumbfounded as well.
That incident isn’t even related to Russell!
What are you even talking about?
Meredith suddenly thought of something.
Russel is now the Deputy Chief, so does that mean that Tim, Stephen, and the rest came just for him?
“Mr. Cronan, Mr. McKay, thank you for helping out the Black family! Please take care of Russell too!” Meredith smiled and said.
Robert grinned too. “Mr. Cronan, Mr. McKay, you must’ve come here for Russell’s sake, and it seems like you value him a lot. We will teach him well and make sure he doesn’t disappoint you!”
Bailey was on the verge of tears as well. “Russell really is the hope of the Black family! All the powerful figures in the South City came just for him!”
“Russell really is amazing! All the leaders came just for his sake!”
“Russell is so cool! No wonder he slapped the head of the Caesar family, yet he still seemed unfazed; who knew that he had it all planned out!”
However, the South City’s leaders’ expressions darkened when they heard that.
Tim, Stephen, and the other leaders were rendered speechless.
What’s happening here?
Didn’t we come because the God of War asked us to?
What does that have to do with that Russell guy?
We don’t even know him, so naturally, we wouldn’t offer him any help!
What is the Black family even thinking?
They must’ve misunderstood something.
As the Black family expressed their gratitude, Tim and the rest looked embarrassed.
They stared at Levi, and he just nodded understandingly.
At that, Tim declared, “That’s right! I admire Russell a lot, and the Black family represents excellence in the South City by contributing to society tirelessly. I definitely felt the need to step up when you are in trouble!”
Stephen chimed in. “Well said. Russell really is an amazing young man! We like him a lot!”
After they sung their praises, Russell blushed furiously out of embarrassment.
I didn’t even do anything, but my family keeps thinking otherwise!
He snuck a look at Levi and saw that Levi didn’t seem to be angry, so he breathed a sigh of relief.
On the other hand, the Black family was excited beyond belief.
Firstly, the Caesar family’s onslaught is successfully thwarted.
Secondly, all the powerful figures are praising our boy, Russell!
This is such a blessing to the Black family!
“Long live the Black family! With Russell here, the Black family will stand tall for years to come! I now formally declare Russell as the next head of the family!”
Right then and there, Meredith appointed Russell as the new head of the Black family in front of everyone without any regard for Bailey and the rest.
Even so, Bailey and the rest didn’t complain about it.
With Russell’s capabilities, he will bring the Black family to greater heights, and we’ll all benefit from that.
“Mr. Cronan, what do you think about that?” Meredith asked.
Tim smiled and replied, “That works! He’s competent enough to take on that role!”
The Black family cheered excitedly, but Caitlyn and Aaron couldn’t bring themselves to feel happy about it.
They only managed to stand up for themselves when Hades and Tim arrived, both of whom had intimidated the Caesar family.
Naturally, they thought that Levi was the one who planned this, so a sense of pride overwhelmed them as they wanted to brag about their son-in-law to everyone.
However, in the end, Levi had nothing to do with it, and instead, Russell was the one who took the credit.
It was only natural they couldn’t accept that “fact”.
Levi came in and turned the tide of battle, but in the end, it had nothing to do with him!
I-I don’t know what to say about this…
Zoey felt the same way as them.
She thought that Levi led them all to victory, but the credit was forcefully snatched away from him.
Meanwhile, Abigail couldn’t take it anymore.
Levi was the mastermind behind this! Russell had nothing to do with it!
“Grandma, Levi was the one who called them. Undeniably, Russell deserves some credit, but Levi should be the one recognized for it,” Abigail said to everyone in a huff and shocked everyone.
It did seem like Levi was the one calling the shots back then.
In hindsight, Russell had nothing to do with it…
Bailey retorted out of displeasure, “Abigail, what are you talking about? Mr. Cronan and Mr. McKay admitted that they came for Russell’s sake, so what does it have to do with Levi?”
Abigail snickered. “Uncle, tell me then, why did Levi make the call earlier?”
CHAPTER 592
Bailey smiled and said, “The answer is simple! Since Russell is unwilling to show off, I attributed everything to Levi’s efforts. Can’t you tell?”
“Yes, that’s right! Given how Russell normally keeps a low profile, he’ll definitely not be interested in something so showy. Leaving to Levi was only natural.”
Meredith and Robert nodded in agreement before responding with, “That’s right, Abigail. Russell is normally quite circumspect, so he just let Levi have the limelight this time.”
Everyone else murmured in agreement.
“You guys!” exclaimed Abigail in exasperation. She was pissed off as this was obviously Levi’s doing.
However, not only did the Black family refuse all good intentions, but they also even insisted that Russell did this while deliberately letting Levi take the limelight.
“Do you have any idea…” retorted Abigail, but before she could complete her sentence, she was interrupted by Levi. “Abigail, let it go. It doesn’t matter who did it,” he said before continuing. “The Black family crisis has been averted, and we should now focus on the Caesar family.”
Hearing Levi’s reminder, everyone bristled. The Caesar family was their main concern, after all.
“What?” stammered Patrick. Now that all eyes were on him, he was afraid.
“You may set foot in South City, but don’t think of getting away so easily,” responded Levi with a smile.
“Yes, that’s right,” piped Alfie. “Nobody will let you!”
“I… I… I’m leaving it all up to you!” stammered Patrick once more. He lay on the ground and dared not lift his head.
“I’ve heard that the Caesar family wishes to contribute to the development of South City? How about this then – give us half of your family fortune to be invested in the city’s growth!”
“What?” There was a collective roar of disbelief from the Caesar family the moment Levi uttered those words. They looked at him like he was crazy.
Half of the family fortune? Were they trying to ruin the Caesar family?
“Don’t worry. I’m not done yet. I did say it was easy to come here but hard to leave, no? If you want to leave, we want ten million each in payment. Surely this is reasonable?” Levi smirked as he uttered this.
“What? One million per person?” Patrick balked at the figure, feeling like his eyes were about to pop.
There were nine hundred people in total, which added up to ten million each. It was a whopping nine billion!
Yet, Levi was far from done. “Wait, there’s even more! The Black family had suffered a lot of mental distress. Let’s put that to about one billion then!”
Patrick huffed, feeling his blood boil.
Ten billion and half of the family fortune, they might as well ask for our lives!
“By the way, couldn’t you at least bring some gifts to South City for charity? I hear that some projects could use your help, so why don’t you take up some of those?”
Levi smiled again, after saying his piece.
Patrick felt like his soul was about to leave his body out of anger. This is preposterous!
A few of Tim Cronan’s associates responded immediately, saying, “That’s right! There are seven of such projects, and they’re short of about seven hundred million!”
Smiling still, Levi said, “This amount shouldn’t be of any trouble to you, right?”
“N-no, it’s no problem,” replied Patrick, stuttering. Right now, he truly wished to die.
In this dispute, the Black family emerged victorious, while the Caesar family suffered a crushing defeat.
This was a massive blow to the Caesar family.
“My word, look at your son-in-law in action! It’s like he’s truly in charge here,” came Pamela’s disdainful remark, directed at Caitlyn.
“Yes, this was clearly Russell’s decision, so why is Levi showing off here?”
“Isn’t it so? He’s here pushing his luck, so I’m really not used to seeing this!”
“He has his uses, I guess. If Russell had solved it, he probably wouldn’t have even raised the issue of mental distress and that hefty sum. Only Levi would be that shameless!”
The Black family ridiculed him, one after the other. However, since Levi did have his merits, they did not give him that much flack.
After everyone left, Meredith and Robert embraced Russell. “Oh Russell,” they cried, “you truly are the greatest pride of the Black family!”
CHAPTER 593
The two cried with joy, and shed tears of happiness.
“Our family is so lucky to have someone like Russell!”
Everyone looked at Russell with adoration and admiration.
From today onwards, Russell became the most important member of the Black family. He would be the cornerstone of the Black family’s development in the future.
Meredith directed her gaze at Levi and remarked, “Well, you deserve some credit as well since you were at the forefront with Russell.”
Of course, some credit had to be given to Russell’s upstanding character. He was approachable and treated everyone in the family justly. Even though we saw you as just average, Levi, Russell convinced us to treat you well and value your presence, she thought.
“In the future, Levi, you should learn more from Russell. He was very optimistic about having you around. Follow him, and you’ll turn out fine.”
While she was obviously praising some of Levi’s merits, it became mostly praise for Russell as well.
Meanwhile, Russell felt embarrassed and lowered his head. He had not dared to look at Levi.
His fists were tightly clenched, and he secretly wished the ground would swallow him whole.
Even Abigail felt slightly ashamed.
Russell was being praised to high heaven, but only if they knew he had nothing to do with it.
Meredith then turned to address both Caitlyn and Aaron. “I know you have been wronged in the last few days,” she said, “but Russell values the both of you. You can always call on the Black family if you need us in the future.”
“Thank you, Mom and Dad!” replied Caitlyn and Aaron.
“If you want to thank someone, thank Russell,” said Meredith haughtily.
With that, Aaron and Caitlyn made their way to Russell, thanking their nephew profusely.
“Aunt, Uncle, really, there’s no need,” said Russell, putting a stop to the display immediately.
If he made Levi angry, there would be hell to pay.
Just then, a car drove into the compound.
Logan and Jennie had arrived.
Earlier, when the Black family was facing trouble, they disappeared without a trace. But when the problem had been resolved, they appeared out of nowhere.
“Remember that issue involving Grandpa and Grandma? I summoned all those important people! My father and the rest had to plead with them so hard before they relented!” said Logan, without any shame.
“Huh? That was you?” Meredith was stunned.
“Wasn’t it Russell?” Murmurs came from everyone in the room.
Russell immediately jumped in and clarified, saying, “That really had nothing to do with me!”
“You heard him!” replied Logan smugly.
Meredith tried to recall the earlier scene. True enough, when she brought up Russell to Cronan and the others, something was odd about the way they looked.
How embarrassing!
Come to think of it, it was not because of Russell.
Except for the Zachs family, who had a political background, nobody could have convinced these other bigwigs to act.
“Oh Logan, you truly were a savior at our most dire moments!” exclaimed Meredith as she hugged Logan.
The others also thanked Logan, eyeing him enviously.
Oh, to have had such power!
Logan felt a little embarrassed. “Actually, the credit doesn’t belong to me alone,” he said. “Russell also had a hand in this, from bringing in Captain Steele and everyone else. That’s all his doing!”
Russell was about to protest, but seeing the look in Levi’s eyes, he could only hold his tongue.
However, he and Abigail looked at Logan, feeling upset.
When the Black family was in distress, he kept his distance. Now that the danger had passed, he came to steal the credit.
What the f*ck did this have to do with him at all?
But this was a world where people like these existed. They ignored those in hardship but only showed up to receive the credit when work was done, though obviously not by them.
“Well then, you and Russell are the biggest heroes of the Black family!” said Meridith as she laughed gaily.
CHAPTER 594
Logan was enjoying the moment, but Russell was embarrassed.
There was a sharp contrast between the two men.
Suddenly, Logan spotted Levi and could not help but smile. “Levi, you have to have some credit as well!” said Logan. “Were it not for you fighting against the Caesar family, we would not be able to have this show of strength!”
“Yes, if it weren’t for you picking a fight, how would Grandma and Grandpa know that my Logan was so great?” tittered Jennie unabashedly. She decided to capitalize on this as well.
Abigail, on the other hand, could no longer take this.
“I’m not here to rain on anyone’s parade, but what does this have to do with either of you, Jennie and Logan?” questioned Abigail.
If credit were being given to Russell, she could tolerate it. But seeing how Jennie and Russell came to steal all the credit was beyond her capacity to tolerate.
Logan looked unhappy. “Abigail, what is the meaning of this? How is this not related to me?” asked Logan. “Did I not bring in Mr. Cronan and Mr. McKay? Without them, how would this crisis be resolved?”
Jennie also sneered at her, “What do you mean, Abigail?”
“What do I mean? You know exactly what I mean,” Abigail snickered and continued, “Where were you earlier? Are you only here now that the matter is resolved to steal all the credit?”
Abigail had always had a sharp tongue, so she would say whatever needed to be said.
“Abigail, are you implying that the leaders we invited had nothing to do with us?” roared Logan, raising his voice at her.
“Yes, you can’t just make blatant accusations like that, Abigail!” yelled Jennie. “What do you mean by us stealing all the credit?”
The corners of Abigail’s lips were raised in a mocking smile. “Didn’t you say that you invited all the leaders? In that case, why don’t we call them to verify this?”
“Well…” Both Jennie and Logan were taken aback. They both swallowed audibly and had a nervous expression on their faces.
“Alright, Abigail, think about it for a moment. Russell may have been amazing, but Mr. Cronan needn’t have shown up in person. Logan’s father and grandfather fought on the front lines with him, so it must have been no easy feat to ask!”
Meredith’s timely intervention made Jennie and Logan breathe a sigh of relief.
If Abigail had insisted on making that call, they would have been exposed.
But thank goodness Meredith was here.
“Grandma and Grandpa, I’ve booked us a table at the Wonder Hotel to celebrate this victory. Why don’t we all go and make merry?” asked Logan.
Meredith nodded and replied, “Splendid, I was just thinking about it! Who knew you had this arranged already! I’m so pleased that to have both of you in the family – Logan and Jennie. All of you youngsters, learn from this!”
“Yes, especially your son-in-law, Caitlyn. See to it that he learns to be less harsh!”
Abigail snorted coldly.
Meanwhile, Caitlyn and Aaron looked at each other, their expressions dark.
As always, their status in the Black family was still low. They could no longer rely on Levi.
It was up to Zoey now.
In the evening, the Black family arrived at the Wonder Hotel.
At the dinner table, Caitlyn and Aaron practically did not exist.
The two wanted so badly to be acknowledged by the old couple.
Finally, Meredith’s gaze fell on Zoey.
“How have you been doing lately?” asked Meredith gently.
Caitlyn knew the opportunity had arrived and was prepared to seize it. “Mother, don’t you know how well she’s doing? She’s the director of the Oriental Star Group. The market value of the company is worth almost five billion! Have you seen the two very popular movies recently? The ones starring Helena?”
“Yes, I know the ones by Helena. Zoey’s company produced those movies?”
“Zoey, I love Helena! Can you please help me get an autographed photo?”
Everyone showered envious praise on Zoey.
CHAPTER 595
“What? A market value of five billion?” Meredith and Robert were even more surprised.
The Blacks were considered a large family, but their portfolios only added up to about ten billion altogether.
Is Zoey’s net worth going to surpass the Blacks?
“That’s not all, Zoey’s company is also trying to penetrate the electronics market!” Aaron carried on joyfully. “What the upper echelons of North Hampton actually intend is for Morris and Oriental Star to make up for the need in the electronics market. Since the departure of Triple Group, that is. Zoey’s future is potentially limitless!”
She could finally hold her head up high in the Black family.
“That’s great!” remarked Meredith and the others, their eyes fiercely lit.
She immediately gave Zoey recognition. After all, she was also a member of the Black family.
Russell’s foresight was correct after all – it was necessary to treat Zoey’s family a little better.
“Zoey, if you need anything, just let us know! The Black family is your strongest backing!” promised Meredith.
Zoey smiled and said, “Grandpa and Grandma, the company is going to take its business to South City. When that happens, I might have to call in a few favors.”
The distribution of the Morris Group in North Hampton had been completed. Thus, the next step was to enter South City.
Oriental Star Group was the vanguard of this operation!
“Really? That’s wonderful!” Robert and Meredith looked at each other in awe.
If Zoey owned such a large company that was interested in penetrating South City’s market, it would really benefit the Black family.
Unlike the Lopez family, they were not trying to claim Zoey for themselves. What they wanted was a mutually beneficial relationship.
The Black family could support Zoey, and Zoey could support the Black family in return.
“Don’t worry, Zoey! Rest assured, when you come to South City, we will pave the way for you. Russell will be able to quell other troubles in your path as well. Since Logan is with the Ministry of Commerce, he will be able to help you. Your sister is also the vice president of the New Alliance Bank. Many problems can be resolved with ease,” promised Meredith.
“Thank you very much, everyone.”
Initially, Zoey was worried about how the subject matter should be broached.
But now, it was much better since Meredith took the initiative to propose.
“Come on, let me propose a toast to our double happiness – The Black family is no longer in distress, and Zoey will be expanding to South City! “
Robert raised his glass.
After finishing a glass, Levi turned to Zoey and said, “You’re coming here to grow, so who would dare stop you? I doubt you need anyone’s help.”
Levi desperately wanted to protect Zoey, so he felt that they didn’t need anyone else.
Bailey, who happened to overhear this, sneered, “What’s this? Dismissing the Black family’s help?”
“What’s going on?” inquired Meredith.
“Mom and Dad, Levi just said he didn’t need our help,” remarked Bailey as he gave Levi a cold stare.
Aaron and Caitlyn’s expressions shifted immediately. It was not easy to get the Black family to help Zoey.
Was this supposed to be bad? On what grounds did he have to refuse their help?
Meredith and Robert looked at Levi unhappily. “You said that?”
“Yes, I did. My wife does not need any help because she is perfectly capable. If you need help from Zoey, just say so. But we don’t need your assistance,” answered Levi in all seriousness.
As he said this, Caitlyn and Robert huffed. They were seething with anger.
Meredith and Robert’s expressions had turned dark.
What is the meaning of this? Are you looking down on us? Are you implying that we, the Black family, need to curry favor with Zoey instead?
There was a loud bang. It was Meredith who slammed her fist on the table, shocking everyone.
CHAPTER 596
Meredith hissed. Immediately, silence befell the room.
Everyone was frightened and dared not even breathe.
Right then, Meredith did not stop the barrage of questions she had for Levi.
“What does Zoey’s company have to do with you? Are you in any position to decide for her? You really think you’re all that, don’t you?”
Others had also chimed in angrily, “Yes, she owns the company. How does that concern you? What charade are you trying to pull here?”
“You’re obviously underqualified here, so shut the hell up. At best, you’re a kept man!”
Levi’s words had drawn the Black family’s ire.
Zoey, hearing the commotion, tried to pour oil over troubled waters. “Alright, Grandma and Grandpa. Don’t mind him,” she soothed. “He meant well and just did not wish to trouble you, that’s all.”
Meredith stopped but retorted sarcastically, “Well, I’m sure he thinks that way!”
Logan then looked at Levi and smirked, “Have you ever considered how unworthy you are of Zoey?”
Jennie echoed her husband’s words immediately, “That’s right! Zoey’s company has a market value of five billion and is backed by the Morris Group! What do you have?”
“Yeah, it’s obvious! In the Black family, the both of you are not equal in status!”
The dinner was very unpleasant, with Meredith looking sour the entire time.
“Zoey, stay for a moment, alone. I have something to ask you,” said Meredith.
After the event, Zoey went up to Meredith alone, nervously. “What’s wrong, grandma?”
“Zoey, I have a personal question to ask,” said Meredith, as she gently stroked Zoey’s hair.
“Oh? What is it?” replied Zoey, puzzled.
“All this time, have you not planned to have kids with Levi?” queried Meredith.
Upon hearing the question, a hint of bashfulness flitted across Zoey’s features. “Not yet, grandma. For now, we’re focusing on our careers.”
“No, I think you’ve misunderstood. I’m asking you in all honesty – have you slept with Levi yet?” asked Meredith again, more directly this time.
“W-what?” stammered Zoey. She was stunned, and her face was a deep shade of red.
Out of everyone, she did not expect her grandmother to ask such questions.
“Be honest. What is the situation like between the both of you?” questioned Meredith.
Zoey felt her breath quicken.
“Grandma, he hasn’t touched me yet,” came Zoey’s truthful answer.
“Alright, I understand,” nodded Meredith.
After Zoey left, Meredith summoned Robert, Bailey, and some of the others.
“I just found out Zoey and Levi are only man and wife in name but are neither in reality,” said Meredith.
“Mom, you can’t possibly mean that…” Bailey trailed off. Everyone understood what she meant.
“Yes, that’s right! I want them to divorce and for Zoey to remarry!” exclaimed Meredith truthfully.
Bailey, Pamela, and everyone else present raised their hands in agreement. “They should have divorced ages ago. Levi is obviously unworthy of Zoey! What a joke!”
“Yeah, we don’t like Levi. He’s incompetent and has a fiery temper!”
Meredith nodded and continued, “Well, I don’t like him either. Before this, I couldn’t interfere because she wasn’t a member of the family. But things are different now. She’s an important part of the Black family, and I can’t let this slide. She needs to divorce him, and I will find her suitable in-laws!”
“Yes, Zoey is growing as a person, and Levi will only hold her back,” echoed Robert.
“How about this? To prove that Zoey is still untouched, you will need to take her to the hospital for a comprehensive check-up tomorrow. I won’t be at ease until I see the report!” ordered Meredith.
CHAPTER 597
Meredith was still a bit anxious over what Zoey said.
She needs to go for an examination, only then will I be relieved.
Later on, she could arrange a suitor for Zoey after the report proved her virginity.
That way, the groom’s family would not have any concern in regards to this.
“Mom, Dad, there might be a problem,” said Pamela hesitantly.
“What would that be?” asked Meredith, looking over at her.
“If you get a divorce, will Levi agree to it?” Pamela asked.
Everyone immediately spoke up, echoing the sentiment. “Levi will definitely not agree! Why would he give her up?”
Robert snickered and retorted, “Who said we need his consent for the divorce? Just hand in the cert after it’s done! This matter needn’t involve him at all!”
Everyone laughed.
With the reach of the Black family, quietly arranging a divorce was a walk in the park.
Until then, Levi would only realize he was divorced when he received his divorce certificate.
“Mom, shouldn’t we inform Caitlyn and Aaron about this?” asked Jeremy worriedly.
“You can go ahead and bring them here.”
Soon, Aaron and his wife arrived at a complete loss.
Then Meredith filled them in on the details.
When Meredith finished, the couple looked at each other, dumbfounded.
“I’d suggest you listen to me regarding this matter. Soon, Zoey’s net worth will be tens of billions, and Levi will become her weakness. All unsavory incidents like going to prison or bullying her sister-in-law will be exposed. This will destroy Zoey!”
After hearing what Meredith had to say, the couple sighed. They had never considered this problem.
With Zoey’s personal development becoming better and better, her momentum was strong, impeccably so.
Levi, on the other hand, was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. The one who would be hurt the most was Zoey.
Furthermore, Levi was far from worthy of Zoey.
“Just listen to me,” urged Meredith. “I’ll tell you the truth. Their divorce will be good for Zoey and the Black family. To prove our sincerity, if they divorce, we will immediately invest two billion in Zoey!” said Meredith sincerely.
The couple looked at each other again before deciding. “Alright, mom and dad. We’ll listen to you.”
They could not see the harm in this. Receiving the approval of the Black family and helping Zoey be rid of Levi was something they dared not even think about.
“As for Levi, I will give him a settlement sum,” said Meredith decisively.
The next day, the Black family collectively went to the hospital for Zoey’s examination. Levi attended as well.
By the afternoon, the results were out.
Meredith looked at Zoey’s report with joy.
“The girl was right – Levi had not touched her at all! This is splendid!” she exclaimed with excitement.
“Bailey, arrange for their divorce at once!” urged Meredith.
“I’ve already made the necessary arrangements, Mom and Dad. The Civil Affairs Bureau did not even require the marriage certificate or household registration,” said Bailey gleefully.
“Perfect.”
An hour later, Bailey produced the two divorce certificates.
“Haha, this is wonderful!” Robert and Meredith smiled.
Everyone in the Black family was happy. After all, this was very beneficial to them.
“This matter is finally resolved!” said Caitlyn and Aaron as they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
But the pair did feel sorry for Levi since he did not perform too badly throughout this period.
After that, Meredith gathered everyone around her.
“Go and bring Levi to me. I have something to announce. But keep Zoey away for now!” ordered Meredith.
She would not announce this in front of Zoey.
CHAPTER 598
When Levi arrived at the Black family’s foyer, he noticed that something felt off.
“Did you ask for me?” queried Levi.
Meredith and Robert shared a look before announcing, “Yes, to tell you something. You and Zoey are now divorced!”
As soon as the news came out, Levi was stunned.
Abigail and Russell, who did not know of the plot, were also shocked.
What? Divorced? When did this happen?
Levi quickly regained his composure. “I divorced Zoey? That’s funny, but how was I unaware of this?” he asked as a matter-of-factly.
With that, Bailey tossed the divorce certificate at Levi.
Levi picked it up and had a look.
There was no doubting the authenticity of the certificate as it was also stamped with an official seal.
This is hilarious. How can the couple involved not know about this?
“It’s clear now, right? You and Zoey are divorced, so stop pestering her in the future. She no longer has anything to do with you,” said Meridith smugly.
After a while, Levi burst into peal after peal of wild laughter.
Meredith and the others were surprised. What was he laughing at?
Levi held the certificate and snickered, “I have a question to ask. Shouldn’t a divorce only occur with the consent of both parties? When was my marriage controlled by other people?
As he said this, a violent, domineering aura filled the space.
Suddenly, the hall was filled with the sounds of people gasping for air, as if an immense pressure had entered the room.
The air was heavy, in fact, suffocating.
Levi was furious.
Fortunately, he had restraint.
But with his murderous aura, no one in the room would remain unscathed!
Meredith and Robert were both shocked as they were rooted to the ground like corpses, unable to move.
At this moment, they felt like they were in a trance.
For some reason, it was as if they were on the battlefield.
Standing in front of them was an invincible, unchallenged, and furious God of War.
He had the aura of someone who felled thousands of enemy troops alone.
Who dares challenge me? I am the God of War!
“What? Why can’t we decide? You are unworthy of Zoey, so naturally, we had to take charge!” retorted Bailey, squaring up to Levi.
Meredith and Robert eventually came to their senses and responded as well.
“We are Zoey’s elders,” said Meredith. “Who’s to say that we can’t decide for her?”
“Of course, we knew you wouldn’t divorce her, Levi. You wouldn’t leave even if it meant death, so we had to pull a few strings!”
“Divorce or not, we want you gone!”
Pamela and the others also joined in.
In this marriage, Levi was only a tool to be manipulated, with no decision-making power to be held.
“What’s more, Zoey’s parents are here. They consented to this too. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and ask them!”
At the mention of them, Aaron and Caitlyn shifted uncomfortably. After all, what they did was wrong.
Hence, they felt guilty towards Levi.
Upon hearing this, Levi looked at the two of them and sneered, “Mom, Dad, did you both agree to it then?”
The couple looked uneasy and did not dare look Levi in the eye.
However, they did nod and reply, “Yes, we did.”
“Alright then, I know now,” said Levi.
Meredith snickered, “I told you – everyone agrees that you’re both divorced!”
“Yes, you are not good enough for her! Get a divorce now!” echoed the junior members of the Black family.
Abigail and Russell, however, took Levi’s side. “No, we do not agree to this!”
Levi waved a hand and said, “I don’t care for your opinions. The question is, did Zoey agree to this?”
Saying that, Levi surveyed the room and asked, “Where is Zoey?”
CHAPTER 599
Meredith shook her head and said, “Let me tell you, Zoey did agree to this! She merely didn’t have the heart to tell you. That’s why she isn’t here right now!
“Yes, she agreed! How could you get the certificate otherwise?” echoed everyone else.
“No, I refuse to believe this! Tell Zoey to tell me this in person!” yelled Levi, his eyes turning red.
“LEVI GARRISON!” roared Logan. “Don’t think for a second that we’re unaware of your schemes! You’re unwilling to divorce, and you want to beg for her back!”
“Don’t even bother coming here to see Zoey!” said Logan firmly.
“Yes, that’s right! With us here, don’t even think about seeing her!” sneered Meredith.
“Now that the divorce certificate has been issued, and you’re fully aware of the situation, leave! And stop being delusional, but Zoey is out of your league!” said Robert mercilessly.
Meredith shot a look, and Pamela stepped forward to present Levi with a check.
“The Black family will not let you divorce in vain, of course. Here is your compensation of ten million!”
Again, Levi was stunned.
Damn, I thought the Lopez family was heartless enough, but the Black family is even worse!
Ten million to buy back his marriage to Zoey? This is complete bullsh*t!
Seeing Levi’s expression, Pamela thought he was faking it. “Stop pretending and take it!” she urged. “Ten million is enough to last you a lifetime!”
Abruptly, Pamela stuffed the check into Levi’s hand.
The onlookers laughed, seeing how Levi accepted the check.
He was a plebeian, for sure. Ten million was enough to win him over.
“I told you he wasn’t worthy of Zoey!” sneered Logan.
Abigail and Russell watched the scene unfurling in front of them, completely dumbfounded.
What was the Black family thinking, letting Levi divorce Zoey?
Did they not know what they’ve missed? Did they also have no brains?
Levi, who did so much for them, and yet they did not notice anything at all?
Without him, the Black family could’ve been destroyed!
Why were they all so confused?
Abigail and Russell were both so anxious they could cry.
They’re all idiots!
“Hurry up and leave already! Don’t even think of setting foot beyond these doors!” urged Logan.
Levi snickered and replied, “Very well.”
With that, he turned around and left.
“Wait, Levi! Don’t go!” Abigail and Russell tried to chase after him, but they were stopped.
“Don’t you dare!”
Pamela and Jennie laughed. “Here I was, thinking that this kid had something in him! I didn’t expect him to just take the check and leave!”
“Indeed. I was expecting him to tear up the check,” said Logan scornfully. “Who knew he would be that spineless!”
“Can you blame him? It’s ten million! How could he possibly give up that sum?”
Laughter was heard coming from the Black family.
Their impression of Levi had truly hit rock bottom.
Unbeknownst to them, however, Levi threw the check into a nearby bin after he left the residence.
Did they think he would be swayed by money?
This scene was discovered by a servant of the family, who quietly ran forward and fished out the check from the bin.
In the foyer, Abigail was questioning Meredith. “Grandma, Grandpa, does Zoey know about all this?”
Meredith smiled and replied, “It wouldn’t matter even if she did. Levi had already taken his copy of the certificate.”
“You have to ask for Zoey’s consent at least,” cried Abigail, close to tears.
“By the way, Abigail, you are forbidden from telling Zoey about this for now. I’ll tell her later!” asserted Meredith.
In the meantime, Russell was already sneaking away.
“No, Zoey must know about this,” he muttered and ran off to tell Zoey.
CHAPTER 600
At this time, Zoey had already started working.
She was making preparations for Oriental Star’s entry into South City.
Little did she know that all these happened in that short amount of time.
Now, the Black family would have everything sorted out for her. She would never be allowed to leave, let alone see Levi.
There were ten people guarding the door.
The moment they saw Russell heading towards them, they held him back.
“Get out of my way. I want to see Zoey!” said Russell coldly.
Having noticed that is was Russell Black, they had no choice but to let him in.
“Russell, why are you here?”
Zoey looked up and saw Russell standing there. She could not help but be surprised.
“Zoey, something terrible happened!” said Russell urgently. “Grandpa and Grandma went through divorce proceedings for you and Levi!”
Russell recounted all that happened in her absence.
The news struck Zoey like a bolt from the blue.
“What? I divorced Levi? How did I not know of this?”
Zoey slumped to the ground.
She then understood why Meredith had asked her such personal questions and even asked her to go for an examination at the hospital.
“Now they have notified Levi and driven him away,” announced Russell.
Zoey shook her head, “Impossible! As long as I don’t consent, there is no divorce!”
“Zoey, while it is true that this is your marriage, but after you’re married, your families become a part of the deal,” said Russell helplessly. “Their opinions hold equal weight, unfortunately. Plus, I think Levi is very upset.”
Zoey burst into tears as she could only think about how sad Levi would be right now.
“No! I wanna find Levi!” cried Zoey.
“Okay, I’ll take you!”
With that, Russell successfully whisked her away.
Zoey managed to reach Levi on his phone. Upon seeing him, she rushed into his arms, crying bitterly.
“Why did you agree? This is between the both of us. What does it have to do with them?” asked Zoey, choking back tears.
Levi stroked her hair in silence.
“I’m sorry! My family keeps hurting you again and again. I’m truly sorry!”
Zoey was even apologizing to him.
Levi smiled and replied, “It’s alright. Knowing that you care about me is enough!”
“Then why did you agree to a divorce and even took the certificate with you? We’ll remarry right away! I’ll get rid of this right now,” said Zoey, ripping the certificate apart.
Levi smiled meaningfully, “Do you remember when I said I wanted to reorganize a wedding ceremony for you?”
“Of course, I remember. I never forgot!” said Zoey tearfully.
“Well, it just so happen that now, I can court you again. And then we can get married again!” replied Levi with a grin.
Immediately, Zoey understood why he left.
He wanted to marry her all over again, to follow through on that promise he made her.
Zoey wiped away her tears. “Well, you can court me again, but promise me you won’t go after other women!”
Zoey loved Levi very much. She already loved him then, but it would only grow deeper now.
Even if Levi could not bear the brunt of her love, she had made her choice.
What she chose was for a lifetime, and nobody could stop them!
“I promise! That wedding will tell everyone that you are the most beautiful woman in the world!” exclaimed Levi, hugging her.
Seeing this scene, Russell smiled. The Black family could still be salvaged.
Just then, the sound of screeching tires was heard as cars stopped in front of them, one by one.
“LEVI GARRISON! What are you doing, still pestering Zoey?” roared Logan.
In mere seconds, the Black family members rushed out of the cars in rapid succession.
“Since both of you know the truth, then I will be straightforward. Zoey, from now on, you will treat Levi as nothing more than a stranger. Understand?” Meredith ordered sternly.
Zoey nodded obediently. “Understood.”
Her face was still full of smiles.
Everyone was confused.
Is it so easy to talk Zoey into something?
Or perhaps she’s always wanted to divorce Levi?
“Levi, let me warn you. If you ever harass Zoey again, I’ll skin you alive!” Logan threatened Levi in a menacing tone.
Both Caitlyn and Aaron exclaimed, “Since you’ve accepted the ten million, you must do as we say and leave Zoey alone from now on.”
Levi sneered, “Why must I stay away from Zoey? I have returned the money to you!”
“Bah! Don’t lie to us! Since when have you returned the money to us, huh? What nonsense!”
The Blacks were now boiling in rage, as they have seen clearly with their own eyes that Levi had the check in his hand earlier.
How dare he say he’s returned the money to us?
This kid really is full of lies!
“Okay, why don’t you tell us who have you returned the money to?”
Everyone in the Black family was now glaring at Levi questioningly.
“I’ve thrown it into the trash can on the right side of the manor’s gates.”
With that said, Levi left the place.
Everyone at the scene hurriedly returned to the Black family’s manor.
Once they got off the car, they immediately rushed to the trash can Levi mentioned earlier.
“Someone come and empty the trash can for us!” Logan ordered anxiously.
A few servants showed up at once and poured the contents of the trash can onto the ground.
With his nose pinched, Logan rummaged through the trash scattered on the ground for the ten-million cheque.
After half an hour of digging and poking around, Logan still did not manage to find the cheque.
Quintus and Keane also joined the search, but to no avail.
“That brat must have lied to us!” Logan howled in rage.
Zoey commented in a hurry, “That’s not possible! If Levi said the cheque is in the trash, then it must be in the trash!”
She didn’t believe that Levi would lie just to get his hands on the ten million the Black family had offered him.
“Zoey, you just can’t accept the truth that he lied, right?”
“Let’s search the other trash cans!” Logan sniggered.
With the servants’ help, the Blacks dug into the other trash cans, but they still could not locate it after much hustle.
“It’s not possible! It must be in one of the trash cans around the house! Someone must have gotten ahold of the cheque!”
Zoey was starting to feel panicky.
I can’t let Levi take the blame here!
I won’t allow that to happen!
In the first place, the Black family was the one who bullied Levi.
If the same thing happened again, Zoey would not forgive herself.
“Why don’t you ask around? Perhaps someone picked it up from the trash can!”
Zoey was panicking.
Meredith ordered all the servants to gather in front of her and bellowed at them, “Did anyone see a cheque lying around? The lot of you better be honest! If I catch any of you holding on to the cheque, the punishment will be severe!”
Nonetheless, all of the servants shook their heads. “We didn’t see anything at all!”
“Also, if we find anything valuable, we’ll definitely report it to you!”
However, one of the servants had a streak of fear in his eyes.
He clenched onto the side of his shirt with his sweaty palms, but no one noticed.
Boom!
Zoey’s mind went blank.
Is this how things will turn out?
Levi will be framed for something he hasn’t done again?
Logan snickered, “What do you have to say now, Zoey?”
“How could Levi pass up so much money? Perhaps he already knows the two of you are not fated to be with each other, so why not take the cheque? That way, he could at least gain something out of this whole drama? “
Jennie also jeered at Zoey, “That’s right, Zoey. I think he doesn’t even love you at all! If he really loves you, then he would have torn the cheque right in our faces!”
“How dare that rascal cheat us! No, I can’t let him get away with this!”
Meredith’s blood was boiling.
“I need an explanation from him!”
CHAPTER 602
Robert shook his head profusely. “It’s alright. We can leave him alone now. He’s nothing to do with our family anymore! Just let him be!”
“Yeah, Grandma! Just don’t mess with him anymore! Who knows, he might have other tricks up his sleeves?”
It took all the Blacks to convince Meredith that it was not worth her time to hound Levi down.
Meredith then exclaimed to Zoey, “Although it costs us ten million, I think it’s all worth it now that you’ve seen his true colors.”
“No, Grandma! Levi’s a good person, believe me!”
Zoey had complete faith in Levi when he said he threw the cheque into the trash can at the Back family’s residence.
There was a high chance that someone had seen it and picked it up.
Right now, Zoey wanted nothing but to prove that Levi was innocent.
Robert added, “My dear, that man has nothing to with us from now on. Whether if he’s a good person or not, we don’t care.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t matter to us anymore whether he lie!”
The rest of the Blacks also chimed in.
Even though everyone in the Black family said they could not care more about Levi, Zoey knew they would bring the incident up from time to time to shame him in the days to come.
Alas, there was nothing she could do.
Now that Zoey was officially out of her marriage, Meredith wanted to set her up with another man right away.
With Zoey’s current achievements and the powerful Black family at her back, she would be a woman sought after by many.
“The two of you just relax. I will definitely find Zoey a husband that stands out from the rest. You two just have to wait and watch her walk down the aisle!”
Having heard Meredith’s words, Caitlyn and Aaron could now picture in their head their daughter’s wedding and how they would be all tearful yet excited for her.
Once again, Meredith called for a meeting with the rest of the family.
“Zoey, you remember how Grandpa and Grandma promised you to invest two billion into your company if you part ways with Levi? Now that you have broken off from him, we will honor our promise!” Meredith proclaimed to the family.
Zoey was surprised. “Really, Grandma? That’s so awesome!”
“You still have any problems on your side? Tell us,” Meredith asked her granddaughter in a caring tone.
Zoey paused to think for a while before replying, “Grandma, I’m afraid I do have a problem.”
“Just tell me, my dear.”
“We’re about to enter the electronics market in the South City, but my company still doesn’t have a suitable place for our office. Also, we still lack production centers and our technical team is underdeveloped,” Zoey hurriedly added.
“That’s simple! I’ll settle it for you.”
Logan let out a hearty laugh.
Zoey’s problem was a piece of cake to Logan.
“Logan, I don’t think things are simple at all. Morris Group has already handed to us all of its e-commerce business. As of this moment, our target is Triple Group before they pulled out of the market. I think it’s a bit too much for us. Our initial target is set at around fifty billion.”
Gasp!
Everyone in the room took a sharp breath.
Their initial target is fifty billion?
How is that even attainable?
It’s true that the two billion Meredith had promised Zoey was already a hefty sum.
But in comparison to Zoey’s current target of fifty billion, it was a speck of dust.
“This is what I’m worried about. Morris Group said that they will provide us with the funding, but we still haven’t settled the logistics and manpower. I really have to own everything that Triple Group had before I could embark on my mission.”
Zoey had a gloomy expression on her face.
This mission is impossible!
The affluent families in South City have already laid their claims on parts of Triple Group’s old playground!
Zoey had no idea on how to reach her target.
Robert queried in an astonished tone, “Zoey, you mean we have to reclaim every property of Triple Group?”
“Yep, that’s right! And let’s not talk about the issues with finding an office. The demand for electronics in South City can only be met if we have Triple Group’s enormous production capacity! Everything they owned was bundled together, which made it cost-effective for them to operate on such a large scale.”
Zoey’s words left everyone in the room speechless.
Everyone knew that in the previous feud between all the great families in South City, Triple Group’s properties were split up into many fragments, each of which was now under a different family.
They also knew that the Black family did not have enough power to reclaim everything.
CHAPTER 603
Out of puzzlement, Pamela questioned Zoey, “Zoey, Morris Group really have such high hopes for you?”
“Pamela, I have no idea why Morris Group sees me as their superstar too! This task is insurmountable!”
Zoey herself was flummoxed.
She could understand if Iris were trying to help her out.
But there was no reason for the head of Morris Group to have so much faith in her capabilities.
Why? I just can’t find an answer to it!
Pamela now viewed Zoey in a different light.
She was a Rogers, and naturally, she knew that the Rogers family was the most influential family in North Hampton.
However, it was Morris Group that bestowed that much power upon the Rogers family.
Thus, she knew better than anyone in the room that Morris Group was indeed a force not to be reckoned with.
“Mom, Dad, Zoey’s net worth is sure going to boom in the future! Morris Group holds her with so much regard. Mark my words, she can easily become a billionaire in the future!” Pamela uttered matter-of-factly.
“A billionaire? Gasp!”
Even Meredith and Robert both had their jaws dropped to the ground.
If Zoey were really that terrific, the Black family could emerge as one of the noble families in South City.
“Since Zoey is the rising star in Morris Group, we have to help her tackle her problems at all costs!” Meredith declared to everyone.
“With that said, I need all of you to pull whatever strings you can to aid Zoey in her conquest to reclaim Triple Group’s markets,” Robert chimed in.
If Logan and Russell were the guardians of the Black family, then Zoey was the fertilizer of their growth.
Her success was crucial in determining the future of the Black family. If she managed to come through, the Black family would be geared up to climb onto the upper echelons in South City.
As such, Zoey’s mission was also the Black family’s mission.
After a lengthy discussion, they split off to negotiate with the other prominent families in South City about renting their production facilities and offices.
Jennie and Logan came to the house of the Oliver family, one of the four noble families in South City.
The head of the family, Mark Oliver, welcomed the two of them into their manor.
“Sir Oliver, I shall cut to the chase. The Black family would like to rent three of the office buildings originally under Triple Group. We are willing to pay you handsomely for it, so please, just give us a number!” Logan said with a deferential smile.
“Bah! The Black family has no right to make use of our assets! Please leave!” Mark sneered with derision.
Right away, Logan and Jennie were ushered out of the house.
The two of them then visited the Cayman family and the Herman family, but were also turned down by them.
Back at the Black family, the air around the place was heavy and suffocating.
Everyone was down in the dumps.
Literally, all of them were turned down in their attempts to request favors from the prominent families in the South City.
Right now, they had no means to tackle the current issue they had at hand.
Zoey could only sigh when she received the unfortunate news her family members brought home.
“Zoey, I’m afraid you’ll have to take the matters into your own hands. Still, do not let your spirits be dampened, everyone! At least, we have successfully pried Levi away from Zoey. Now that he is not around her anymore, Zoey can soar high without any burden tying her down!” Meredith exclaimed gladly.
At that moment, Levi was contacting the Rogers family of North Hampton on the phone.
“I need you guys to start on the construction of the Royal Villa as soon as possible. It will be my future home. I will send you the blueprints right away!”
Six years ago, Levi designed and built a mansion for his future family, but it was demolished as he did not want anyone to tarnish his home before his family could move in there.
Right now, Levi was trying to have the Royal Villa rebuilt so that Zoey’s wish could be granted.
From now on, he would devote all of himself to the preparations for a wedding of the century.
“You want me to stay away from Zoey? Over my dead body!”
Levi’s lips curled up into a wicked smile.
At the Morris Group’s office in North Hampton.
Iris Isabelle received orders from her boss to send a team to South City to assist the Oriental Star Group in making a head start in the markets over there.
In the name list of the people to be dispatched, Levi was included.
He was responsible for the team’s safety on this mission.
The office, the production factories, as well as the research center of Triple Group were recovered at an earlier date. All of them were ready to start operations anytime now.
The team only had to show up and get the production line moving.
Their current objective was to fill in the gap that Triple Group left behind.
CHAPTER 604
For the past two days, Zoey was flustered because of two things.
First, she had to settle her divorce papers with Levi.
Second, her work was haunting her in her dreams every night.
The Morris Group handed the mission to her in hopes that she would perform well, but Zoey made little progress.
She was so stressed that her nights were sleepless.
Little did she know, the Black family was aware of the state she was in.
Late in the night, Meredith and Robert were pacing in their house.
They seemed to be more anxious than Zoey herself.
After all, Zoey’s mission would rule the future of the Black family.
“What should we do?”
Even Logan was sighing.
“We have already tried everything we could. The issue at hand is that the Black family does not have the power to request anything from the noble families whatsoever,” Bailey spoke in disappointment.
Zoey also sighed, “If we are already at the end of our wits, how about I just turn in the mission for someone else at Morris Group to take over? It’s indeed a difficult task that I don’t think we can conquer.”
“No!”
Zoey’s decision received the disapproval of everyone in the Black family.
“Where can we ever find such a good opportunity again? How can we just give up?”
“That’s right! Zoey, you must complete the mission at all costs!”
“We’ll help you with any obstacles you face on your way!”
The Black family was in an upheaval.
“We can surely find a way ourselves to secure us an office, but as for the production factories and the research center as well as the equipment required, we will have to beg for it! I volunteer myself!” Robert uttered determinedly.
The research center was the centerpiece of Triple Group’s operations. Now, it was in the possession of Brock Green.
Brock was a smart and insightful person.
Even though he wasn’t producing any electronics himself, he knew to get his hands on Triple Group’s research center ahead of all of his competitors.
He even recruited the original researchers at that particular research center at the first chance he got.
He knew the research center would be most valuable in the future. By then, many would be dying to have it.
His goal was actually very simple. He wanted to sell it at a sky-high price and earn a lot from it.
As of this moment, he had been visited by over twenty prospect buyers of the research center.
He was just waiting for someone to show up with the highest price.
He was dead certain that he could profit at least five billion from the research center.
However, Brock suddenly received an order from the God of War to surrender the research center unconditionally.
Without any hesitation, he transferred both the research center and his priced team of researchers to the God of War right away.
“The Black family has split Zoey and Levi up. How foolish they are!”
Brock’s subordinate informed Brock of Zoey and Levi’s divorce.
“What?”
Brock leaped to his feet.
“Are they crazy? They want Zoey to divorce the God of War?”
Brock was beyond shocked. His eyes were almost flying out of his eye sockets.
“Can you believe it? Mr. Garrison was chased out of their household!”
Even Brock’s subordinate was in disbelief.
Brock growled in rage, “The Black family are fools!”
Coincidentally, Robert and Bailey showed up at Brock’s doorsteps at that instant.
“It’s our utmost pleasure to meet you, Stone Buddha!”
Robert greeted Brock in a careful yet servile tone.
However, he noticed there was something wrong with the latter’s expression.
It was as if Brock was watching two clowns at the biggest circus in town.
“So you’re from the Black family?” Brock replied with a sneer.
Tsk, I really want to see what’s inside your head!
Is it full of garbage?
How foolish the bunch of you are for making Zoey break up with Levi! The fact that you even chased him out of your house is even more embarrassing!
Who in the right mind would do any of this?
“We have a request, Stone Buddha.”
Robert was on pins and needles
“Alright, just tell me what you’re here for.”
Brock was straightforward.
“We are here on behalf of the Black family to request your permission to rent the research center in your possession, which once belonged to Triple Group. I believe my son-in-law, Logan Zachs, has paid you a visit before too,” Robert responded politely.
“Oh, about that…”
Brock answered wryly with a smile. But before he could finish, Robert interrupted in a desperate tone.
“The Black family is willing to pay you an annual fee of one billion!”
CHAPTER 605
Indeed, Robert Black offered a handsome sum of money.
The Black family was very determined in renting the research center currently under Brock, even if that meant shelling out a large portion of their savings.
The benefit that this transaction would bring them was definitely more than fifty billion.
Brock stroked his chin and laughed. “One billion for a year is indeed quite a lot.”
However, his tone changed in a snap. “But who do you think I am? You think one billion is anything to me?”
“No! That was not what we meant!”
Robert was desperately trying to defend himself.
Flop!
He knelt on the ground.
In all sincerity, Robert pleaded, “I beg you, Stone Buddha! Please let us rent the research center! The Black family will forever be indebted to you!”
Brock scoffed disdainfully when he saw Robert on his knees.
What a fool!
Who asked you to chase away Levi?
Pfft! With him around, you can have every research center in the world!
“My, my, I am touched by your sincerity. However, I have bad news for you. Someone has taken away the research center from me. I advise you to forget about it,” Brock said with a straight face.
“What? Someone else has gotten ahead of us?”
Robert’s mind exploded at the unexpected piece of news from Brock.
Crap! We have no hope now!
“Yep, that’s right! Everything once owned by Triple Group is now under another person’s possession. You guys have to accept your fate.”
“What? Someone has taken away everything?”
Robert was dumbfounded.
“C-Could you tell me who’s that person?” Robert inquired with his voice shaking.
“Fine, I’ll let you in on a small tip. This person is so powerful that not a single soul in Quebec would dare to offend him.”
Robert could feel all embers of hope inside his heart stomped out by Brock’s words.
Now that the Black family could not lay their hands on any of Triple Group’s past properties, Zoey’s mission was basically done for.
With her failure to deliver, Morris Group might give up on her.
It’s a 50-billion project! There’s no way Morris Group will allow this project to fail!
I cannot accept this!
This is so unfair!
But what can we do?
Even Brock said that person is dangerous. Will the Black family dare confront that person?
When Robert told his family about the current state of the research center, everyone in the room fell dead silent.
They were in total despair.
The sole reason why the properties of the Triple Group were able to survive until today was because they were collectively well-established as an effective system for product development and production.
If any part of the system were to be replaced, the efficiency would definitely be lowered.
It’s time.
To call the time of death on this mission.
Zoey let out a long sigh.
Of course, she was disappointed, as it was her long-awaited chance to shine.
She did not think it would turn out like this.
However, Meredith was even more bummed out than her.
To Zoey, this might be only just a challenge she had failed.
Yet to Meredith, it was a big loss, as the Black family had spent several billions to get things going.
The loss was most probably unrecoverable in the near future.
“Do we really have no other solutions?”
Meredith’s breathing was heavy as she spoke.
“I’m afraid in such a short period of time, we might not find any replacements! This project is too much for us to handle!”
Jennie Black also shook her head helplessly.
Meredith gazed forlornly at the night sky. “Perhaps, the Black family was fated to be ordinary.”
“Alright, Grandpa, Grandma. I will let Morris Group know that I will be getting off this project tomorrow.”
Zoey had totally surrendered to her fate.
It was mission impossible.
No matter how much hard work she put into it, she was bound to fail.
“I failed.”
“Zoey, don’t be sad! You’ll definitely get another chance to prove that you’re capable!”
Meredith consoled her granddaughter.
Regardless of everything, Zoey was still the hope of the Black family.
The Morris Group was not the only channel through which the Black family could prosper.
For instance, Zoey could also marry a powerful man to strengthen the Black family’s influence in the South City.
“I can solve this problem if you let me!”
Out of the blue, a familiar voice came from outside.
“Levi Garrison?”
CHAPTER 606
Zoey Lopez was stunned for a second before she was overcome with joy.
“Levi is here?”
The next moment, Levi appeared in front of the Black family.
Everyone was flummoxed.
What is he here for?
“Levi Garrison, what’s your purpose in showing up at our household? I don’t think our business is any of yours.”
Logan questioned Levi in an unfriendly tone.
“Yeah! From the moment you left the gates of our manor, you have no right to set foot in this place ever again! Get out of our sight now!”
Everyone in the Black family was spitting threats at Levi.
A few of the Blacks’ security personnel stood in the path of Levi to block him from approaching.
They were just waiting for their master’s order to throw him out.
“What’s up with you now? Are you regretting your actions? Oh, I know! You don’t want a divorce!” Logan snickered in mockery.
“Logan, why are you still wasting your time talking to him? Let’s throw him out now!”
The younger ones in the family were about to chase Levi out when Meredith bellowed, “Hold your horses, people!”
She strode forward and asked Levi, “You said you can help us with our problem?”
“That’s right!” Levi responded with much confidence.
“Do you even know what problem we are facing?”
Meredith wanted to test Levi’s knowledge of their situation.
Levi grinned perfunctorily. “What problem are you facing? Pfft! Doesn’t your problem only concern Zoey? Anyway, I know you guys are trying to get your hands on the production system left behind by Triple Group.”
“Huh?”
Everyone was again shocked, as they had no idea that Levi would know.
“Are you sure you can solve it?”
Meredith followed on with another question.
“Of course I can!”
“Hehehe!”
Logan broke up into a scornful fit of laughter. “Levi, do you really take us for fools? Perhaps you don’t know about it, but the news has it that Triple Group is now taken over by a powerful mogul!”
Levi nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. In fact, you’re looking at that mogul now.”
“Pfft!”
“Hahahaha!”
In an instant, everyone in the Black family was laughing uncontrollably.
They stared at Levi as if he were the dumbest person to have ever lived on this planet.
“Levi, you are actually nuts!”
“Do you think we will buy your nonsense?”
However, Levi had no time for them.
He went straight to Zoey and told her, “There’s nothing to worry about now. I’ve already settled everything for you.”
Zoey smiled beautifully in response.
She still had total faith in Levi.
“Alright, then I will see you first thing tomorrow morning. By then, everything should be settled.”
Having said what he needed to say to Zoey, Levi turned to leave.
“Wait! Did we say you can go?”
Logan and a few of the younger ones in the Black family halted Levi in his steps.
“Do you think you can come and go as you please? Is the Black family a public park to you?”
Jennie scoffed, “Oh right, didn’t you say you can help us with our problem? Show us what you’ve done. You think you can fool us?”
“This guy’s really got issues with his personality. He took ten million, but lied and said he threw it into the trash can!”
“Yeah! I hate this kind of person the most!”
Everyone in the Black family was expressing their dislike for Levi.
“I threw the cheque into the trash can by the gate! I’m not going to repeat myself!”
Levi had a dour expression on his face.
“You’re lying! We looked through not one, but all the trash cans near the gate. Still, we couldn’t find the cheque!”
“Yeah, let’s see how much longer are you going to lie to us!”
“Huh?”
Levi was bemused.
Did someone pick it up?
Never mind. I’ll have someone to track down the flow of the money from the cheque later.
“Let’s get him out of here! I don’t want to let him ruin my day.”
Meredith glared at Levi with abhorrence.
Again, Levi was kicked out of the Black family’s manor.
“Let’s see if our problem will magically be solved by tomorrow morning,” Meredith scoffed.
“Haha! Meredith, you don’t have to expect anything out of that brat! He must be lying again!” Logan guffawed in a demeaning tone.
The next morning, the Black family was roused awake by a commotion in front of their house.
Someone was shouting in the front yard. “Oh, no! Brock Green is here! Wait, aren’t those people from the Cayman family and the Oliver family? Oh crap! Are we in trouble?”
CHAPTER 607
The commotion in the front yard awakened everyone in the Black family’s household.
They gathered in the living room.
“What’s going on?”
“I think those people are here for the matters regarding Triple Group.”
Everyone in the Black family was shocked. “What?”
Was Levi actually not lying when he said he will solve the problems we are facing?
Are our problems actually solved?
Very soon, Brock and the rest showed up.
Meredith and Robert were about to greet Brock and the others when they walked past without even glancing at them.
It was as if Meredith and Robert were transparent to them.
“May I know which one of you is Zoey Lopez?”
Brock stood in front of the Blacks and sized up the lot of them.
“It’s me!” Zoey answered in a hurry.
She had a hunch about what was going to happen.
“Ms. Lopez, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. From now onward, both the research center owned by Triple Group and its team of researchers belong to you. Please look through this contract on the transfer of ownership.”
Brock was straight to the point. He then handed the said contract to Zoey.
Pfft!
Robert almost passed out when he saw what was rolling out ahead of him.
Brock Green actually brought the contract to us himself?
Could it be that the mogul Brock has mentioned has something to do with Zoey?
“Hi, Ms. Lopez! Here is the contract for the original production factories of Triple Group! Everything in the production factories, including the materials belongs to you now.”
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Lopez! This is the lease for the office buildings once owned by Triple Group! They are all yours now!”
One by one, the head honchos from the prominent families in the South City passed Zoey the contracts to the properties of Triple Group they held on to.
Right now, Zoey had the complete set of the production system that kept Triple Group running.
What on Earth just happened?
This is not a dream, right?
Our problem is solved!
“Oh my, so our problem is actually solved?”
Caitlyn and Aaron exchanged a joyful glance with each other.
Meredith was so overjoyed that she was tearing up.
Robert was also on cloud nine.
The bearer of the 50-billion mission, Zoey, could not contain her elation.
Now that Zoey was successful in completing her task, the future of the Black family was filled with hope and light.
The Black family would surely prosper in the very near future.
“We did it! The Black family is going to join the ranks of the noble families in South City soon!”
Logan Zachs and Jennie Black were leaping in excitement.
The entire Black family was in a hurrah.
“This has nothing to do with Levi, right?” One of the Blacks asked.
Everyone in the Black family was taken aback by the question.
If Levi is the person behind all of this, then how are we going to face him ever again?
Will he make us pay for our mistakes for rejecting him?
Everyone feared the consequences for throwing Levi out of the house now that he had offered so much to the Black family.
Zoey asked politely, “Mr. Green, could you tell us who’s made all of this happen?
All of the Blacks wanted to know the answer to Zoey’s question.
They were staring at Brock with so much curiosity in their eyes.
“Hahaha, I’m afraid you have to find out the answer yourself, Ms. Lopez! You can start with the office buildings of Triple Group,” Brock answered amusedly.
“Alright! Thank you so much!”
Right afterward, Zoey took off.
Almost everyone from the Black family went with her.
They wanted to know which saint had saved them from their troubles.
When the lot of them arrived at the building that used to be the headquarters of Triple Group, they were astounded.
The 50-storey tower looming ahead of them in such a magnificent splendor.
The Black family was reduced to nothing in front of what represented the wealth of Triple Group.
However, from that day on, the tower belonged to Zoey.
In other words, the tower was in the possession of the Black family.
The crowd was super excited.
By the time the Blacks sauntered to the entrance, there was already someone waiting for their arrival.
“Ms. Lopez, this way, please!”
The person at the door was given specific instructions to welcome Zoey on her first day there.
He took Zoey and the rest to the CEO’s office.
“Ms. Lopez, he’s waiting inside for you! All of you can enter this room whenever you like.”
All of a sudden, the Blacks were on tenterhooks.
Who’s the person inside?
It can’t be Levi, right?
What if it’s actually Levi?
We just forced him to divorce Zoey!
If he’s actually as powerful as everything so far has suggested, we are so screwed!
Meredith and Robert were both covered in a cold sweat.
The two of them awkwardly wiped the sweat off their foreheads.
An anxious Logan was hiding behind everyone else.
Zoey had a feeling that Levi was waiting for them inside the room.
After all, he said to her the day before that they would meet the next morning.
As the door was opened, everyone froze in their places.
CHAPTER 608
A stranger was in the office, and it was not Levi.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Lopez, I’m Neil Atkinson.”
It turned out that this man was Kirin.
“Oh, nice to meet you too, Mr. Atkinson!”
Zoey was pleasantly surprised.
Neil was only a step away from the most mysterious figure in the Morris Group.
Even Iris could barely see him.
Yet, he actually came here personally!
The Black family had also heard of Neil.
They were shocked as Neil being here showed how much he valued Zoey.
At the same time, they breathed a sigh of relief as well.
Luckily, it’s not Levi!
They were scared out of their wits earlier.
“Ms. Lopez, you’ll pioneer our entry into the electronics market! The boss believes in you and has specifically sent a team to assist you!” announced Kirin.
“That’s great!” Zoey replied with a smile.
Having Morris Group as her backing filled her with more confidence.
“Well, the team will meet with you later! I’m taking my leave!”
Soon, Neil left.
“Hahaha. I was wondering who is this person who we can’t mess with? It turns out it’s the boss of Morris Group!”
“You have to work hard, Zoey. We fully support you! Looking at it now, we’ve underestimated your potential.”
“In the future, you’ll definitely be the most powerful person in Quebec!”
The Black family was thrilled.
Meredith thumped her chest and said, “Fortunately, I asked you to divorce Levi! Considering your future achievements, he will be a drag if he’s with you! It’ll be troublesome over time!”
“Grandma, you’re so clever!”
“Mom, you’re so clever!”
Everyone in the Black family could not help but praise Meredith for her judgment.
Meanwhile, Aaron and Caitlyn exclaimed in excitement, “Getting a divorce is the right choice!”
“Levi doesn’t deserve to be Zoey’s husband! By the way, didn’t he claim that he’s the one that solves this matter? Where’s he now?”
Logan suddenly thought of Levi.
“Yeah, he’s nothing but a liar! How can he be so shameless that he actually claimed to solve this matter?”
Before long, the team sent by Morris Group arrived.
Everyone was surprised to see Levi on the team.
The Black family was struck dumb when they found out that Levi was also a member of the team.
They realized why Levi went to their house last night and left them in suspense.
The matter’s really solved, but does it have anything to do with you?
It’s solved by the owner of Morris Group!
Another problem also plagued the Black family.
Wouldn’t this give Levi a chance to be in contact with Zoey?
“We object to this! Levi can never come into contact with Zoey!” Meredith protested.
“Sorry, Ma’am, you don’t have the right to do so! Levi Garrison is appointed by the company! Even Ms. Lopez has no right to reject!”
“Umm…”
Meredith was stunned.
She dared not to go against Morris Group.
“Well, I’d like to know what Levi’s job is,” she asked.
“He’s in charge of our logistical support and our safety!”
Logan gave a cold snort. “So he’s a security guard?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
“Hahaha…”
Everyone burst out laughing.
They initially thought that Levi had an important position in the team.
Unexpectedly, his position was similar to that of a security guard and chef.
This kind of trash would never be good enough for Zoey.
No matter how hard he worked, he was only a low-ranking employee of Morris Group, whereas Zoey would be at the top in the whole of Quebec in the future.
They were from two worlds so different that there could be no comparison between them!
Fortunately, Levi and Zoey had divorced!
Meredith warned Levi, “Listen, don’t ever get close to Zoey! It won’t end well for you if I find out!”
Everyone in the Black family threatened Levi and also told Zoey not to interact with him.
CHAPTER 609
With the help of Morris Group, Oriental Star Group successfully settled in South City.
In just a few days, the preparation works were done, and the project kicked off.
With the strong support of funds and talents, the prototype of their electronic products had taken shape.
The Blacks were also basking in the reflected glory.
Feeling proud, Meredith and the others were in a good mood every day.
The younger generation of the Black family, like Russell and Zoey, was so successful.
“I’ll look for a good husband for Zoey. You guys can ask around too. He must be a perfect and outstanding man, otherwise, he’s unworthy of her!” Meredith announced with a smile.
She was also treating Aaron and Caitlyn better.
This made the two of them very excited.
Everything had indeed become better after Zoey left Levi.
They were once again glad that they had divorced.
People in other places noticed a strange phenomenon in South City.
There was actually no powerful figure and family in the city that sought to assert control over the many territories left by Triple Group and Scott’s faction.
Oriental Star Group was left gnawing at the huge piece of the pie.
Many external forces and families in other provinces began to look into the background of Oriental Star Group.
They utilized all their resources, only to find out that Oriental Star Group did not have any impressive connection except for Morris Group, with which they were cooperating.
Morris Group was well-known by now.
“I know Morris Group is very powerful, but it can’t be so overbearing that it wants to lord over everyone.”
“That’s right. Isn’t it good for everyone to get a share of the huge pie?”
“Humph, I don’t believe that I can’t get my hand on it.”
It turned out that the external forces were all watching from the sidelines during the previous tussle in South City.
Now that peace had descended, everyone was eager to act.
The Davies family in South City.
Ever since the incident that night, Derek had been staying at home and did not go out for a long time.
Bang!
The gate of the Davies’ residence suddenly blasted open.
A dozen people in black rushed inside, taking everyone in the Davies family by surprise.
“Who are you?” questioned Leslie, Derek’s father, coldly.
There was no response from them.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom drove into the front yard and pulled up.
A young man got off the car.
Dressed in a blue suit, he was holding a prayer garland, and had a pair of sunglasses over his eyes.
Standing next to him were two men, one in black and the other in white.
Both of them were wearing a gruesome mask, exuding a presence that was as cold as ice.
Those near to them could even feel the chill brushing against their faces.
“Who are you?” a bodyguard of the Davies family asked.
The masked man in white shot him a cold look.
Swoosh!
What happened next was horrific.
The severed head of the bodyguard suddenly fell to the ground, and blood spurted out from the big wound.
Silence ensued.
Everyone in the Davies family was petrified.
All color was drained from the faces of Derek and Leslie.
Plop!
One after another, they fell to their knees in fright.
Who is he?
How can he kill others with just one glare?
How terrifying!
The blue-suited man in the middle stepped forward and patted Leslie on the face. “Don’t be afraid! You’re all of value to me, so I won’t kill any of you!”
“T-Tell me what you need. I won’t l-let you down!” Leslie, who had long drenched in his cold sweat, replied tremblingly.
“Very well. I’m here for a very simple purpose—I want to be the boss of South City!”
The man in blue sounded extremely domineering.
CHAPTER 610
“Boss of South City?”
The eyes of Leslie and Derek were popping out of their heads with astonishment.
Does he know what he’s talking about?
Never has anyone been so pompous!
Not even the quasi royals of South Hampton, the Caesar family.
How big of an appetite must he have to take over South City?
But this group of people was far more vicious than anyone they had ever met.
It was terrifying to see that one glare could decapitate someone.
But of course, one glare could not literally kill someone.
It was mainly because that man attacked so fast that the human eye could not catch the movement, resulting in such an illusion.
He was definitely the best of the best, whom even Scott and Typhoon were no match for.
The man in blue took off his sunglasses, revealing an evil face.
He said with a smile, “Why are you all on your knees? Get up.”
After the man talked, only then did Leslie and his family feel relieved.
But their knees were still weak, so they could not stand up at all.
The man in blue pulled a chair over and sat down. With his eyes on the Davies family, he asked, “Who is the boss in South City now?”
“The Grandmaster controls the underworld, but the strongest man in South City is actually Brock Green, the Stone Buddha. He owns the largest and most underground boxing arenas, with hundreds of top fighters around him. No one dares to cross him! I heard that he even keeps the Caesar family from South Hampton in check!” Leslie gasped.
“Great. I’ll visit the Grandmaster and Stone Buddha tonight then!”
An evil smile appeared on the face of the man in blue.
“Huh? Are you sure you want to go and meet them, Sir?” Leslie asked in surprise.
“Can’t I?” The man in blue smiled.
The two masked men behind him shot Leslie a warning glance.
He immediately lowered his head in fright.
Their glare will kill me!
The masked man in black suddenly placed his hand on the stone table.
Thump!
There was a rumbling sound.
Crack!
The stone table cracked from the top to the bottom, and was blown to smithereens, filling the air with dust.
The Davies family was struck dumb.
The masked man in white killed with a single glare earlier, and now, the one in black shattered a stone table.
Are they even human?
How horrifying!
Leslie, who was about to stand up, fell back to his knees, whereas Derek wet himself.
Life was fragile in the face of these two experts.
One would be killed in an instant if they were offended in the slightest.
Leslie and Derek no longer questioned their capability anymore.
They were not pompous or reckless!
They were totally capable!
Delighted, the man in blue asked with a smile, “Do you have doubts about my identity?”
“No, we wouldn’t dare to!” replied Leslie with his head down.
No matter who the man was, the Davies family could not mess with him!
“Well, let me tell you who I am! My name is Jacky Lawson!”
“Huh?”
Leslie and the others had a look of incomprehension on their faces.
We’ve never heard of this name.
Jacky leaned in and whispered in Leslie’s ear, “I come from…”
After listening to what Jacky had whispered into his ear, the look on Leslie’s face changed drastically.
His face was instantly drained of all color, looking white as a sheet.
Intense horror could be seen from his eyes.
It was a horror that came from the depth of his heart.
“Oh, you’re Jacky. My warmest welcome! I apologize for the delay.”
After Jacky revealed his identity, Leslie knelt and touched the ground with his forehead so hard that it started to bleed.
The Davies family and the other family members were dumbfounded.
What kind of identity does he hold that can make Leslie so afraid?
What exactly is his background?
The Davies were all trembling with fear.
Leslie wasn’t as afraid even when the two masked men pulled the earlier godlike tricks, but he got so scared after the man’s identity is revealed.
Why is that?
Jacky must be someone very powerful!
At this moment, Leslie had no more doubt about Jacky’s desire to take over South City.
He did not think there was any sort of exaggeration as Jacky could totally achieve it in his capacity!
Jacky smiled and said, “As long as you obey me and do what I ask, I promise that the Davies family will prosper. In the future, you can replace whoever you want in South City!”
“Thank you, Jacky! The Davies family will do anything you ask of come hell or high water!”
Leslie was overjoyed.
Despite the earlier fright, the Davies family could see a complete change in its fate and prosper by following Jacky.
Leslie immediately patted Derek on the shoulder, and said, “Make a dinner reservation for tonight at the best restaurant in South City to welcome Jacky!”
“Okay! I promise it won’t be a let-down!”
Derek sprang into action right away.
Meanwhile, Jacky readily accepted their arrangement, and stayed at the Davies family’s residence.
Afterward, Leslie went to Jacky’s bedroom with a few beautiful women.
“You may go in, but these women need to get lost!” the two masked men said coldly at the door of the bedroom.
Shocked, Leslie simpered and said, “You’ve misunderstood. I’ve got them here for Jacky!”
“Master isn’t a promiscuous man. He particularly dislikes this type of ordinary woman!” replied the masked man in white indifferently.
“That’s right. If you want to pledge your allegiance, it must at least be the most beautiful woman in South City, so that it may interest him!” the other man echoed.
“Oh, I see.”
Leslie was floored.
Every single man from the prominent families and major forces he met was lecherous.
So it was the first time he met one so chaste and virtuous like Jacky!
Those who had such a strong ability to resist a temptation were the ones who really did great things.
On second thought, he came from that particular force, so of course, he could resist temptations.
Training from an early age allowed Jacky to turn it into a habit.
Therefore, he would never waste his time on alcohol and women!
After a short while, Derek returned and went to Leslie.
“Dad, who exactly is Jacky?”
He was not the only curious one, as the other members of the Davies family were curious as well after having seen how frightened Leslie was following the revelation of Jacky’s identity.
Leslie took a deep breath and said, “Listen up, then…”
“What?”
Upon hearing it, everyone’s eyes were popping out of their heads.
Plop!
Derek even fell to the ground with fear.
“Let me warn all of you, we must ensure that nothing goes wrong while helping Jacky out, lest we’ll be doomed!”
“Understood!”
Everyone in the Davies family nodded their heads in unison.
In the evening, the Davies host a welcome dinner for Jacky at the most luxurious restaurant in South City.
After the dinner, Jacky announced with a grin, “Let’s go find Stone Buddha!”
Both Leslie and Derek froze for a moment.
Is he going to take it out on Stone Buddha so soon?
This is way too fast, isn’t it?
“Let’s go. Are you afraid?”
Jacky’s lips curled into a smile.
“No, Jacky. This way, please!”
Leslie bit the bullet and showed him the way.
Soon, they came to Jagged Club.
“Tonight’s the time to change the owner here!” declared Jacky as he looked at the plaque of Jagged Club and laughed arrogantly.
CHAPTER 612
As soon as Jacky finished speaking, a bodyguard behind him suddenly rushed forward.
Crack!
He halved the plaque of Jagged Club with a single kick!
The sight sent fear coursing through the Davies.
How impudent!
No one in South City had ever dared to challenge Brock like this!
Jacky was seemingly set to create havoc in South City!
However, as someone in his capacity, he absolutely had the right to do so!
The loud noise from damaging the plaque of Jagged Club attracted a lot of attention.
Swish.
Hundreds of people rushed out of the underground boxing arena and surrounded Jacky and his party.
The man leading the group asked coldly, “Did you damage the plaque?”
“Yes, I did!” Jacky grinned.
“Insolent fool! How dare you! Do you know what this place is?”
The group lashed out at them.
They did not understand why someone actually had the nerve to cause a scene here.
With the prayer beads in his hand, Jacky replied with a smile, “Yes, I do! I just wanted to give this place a new owner!”
“What?”
His words baffled everyone.
Give this place a new owner?
Doesn’t that mean he wants to drive Brock away?
Who does he think he is?
How dare he even think of doing so!
“Guys, take down this group of shameless brats!”
Under the command of the leader, hundreds of people rushed over.
Derek and Leslie were so scared that they hid behind Jacky’s party.
Considering that Jacky had only brought twelve men over, they could not help but wonder if he and his men could handle the group of hundreds.
Not to mention that Brock also had hundreds of top fighters.
Seeing hundreds of people charging at him, Jacky remained calm without even batting an eyelash.
Other than the two masked experts behind him, the other ten bodyguards stepped forward to fight.
What happened next left Leslie and the others in shock.
These ten men are actually so strong that they are on the winning side, even though there are hundreds of opponents.
Very soon, the hundreds of people were defeated and hid in the underground boxing arena.
“Let’s go in!”
Jacky led everyone into the underground boxing arena.
At this moment, there was a boxing match going on with a large audience.
But everyone’s attention was attracted by the ruckus in the arena.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The security guards of the underground boxing arena were seen flying through the air from outside.
Then a group of people emerged.
Everyone looked over.
“What happened?”
“Oh no, someone’s here to cause a scene! Inform Stone Buddha now!”
Before long, Stone Buddha was made aware of the situation, and went to the arena with all his experts.
“How dare you come to make trouble at my place, Leslie Davies!” shouted Brock coldly after he recognized Leslie at a glance.
“I…”
Terrified, Leslie was stumped.
He could not have a conversation with Brock.
Meanwhile, Jacky spoke, “I made him come here! Look over here!”
“Huh?”
Brock was stunned.
Everyone started to scrutinize Jacky.
No one had expected that he was the head.
Besides, he did not look like he was from South City as he did not look familiar.
“Stone Buddha, they’ve damaged the plaque and claimed that they want to give this place a new owner!” a subordinate immediately told Brock what happened.
Brock took a look at Jacky.
“That’s right, I did it. You’re Brock Green, right? You’ve occupied this place for a long time. It’s time for this place to get a new owner!” he said calmly, but his words were domineering.
There were really no young people in South City who had the nerve to provoke Brock.
He was taken aback.
This is the first time I meet such an arrogant young man.
Other than the God of War, of course.
He’s a God, and not a man!
Brock asked, feeling curious, “Forgive me, but may I know who you are?”
CHAPTER 613
Jacky suddenly stopped turning the prayer beads as he sneered, “You’re not worthy of knowing it!”
Such arrogance!
He’s pure arrogance!
Brock chuckled. “Young man, don’t be too arrogant. More than ten young people have died by my hands over the years!”
Jacky’s eyes suddenly turned bright with a gleam of menace. “You have two options now, Brock Green. The first one being you kneel before me and call me ‘Master’; the second, your death!”
Whoa!
Everyone gasped after listening to his words.
Isn’t he afraid of death by challenging Brock like this?
Brock laughed.
A man next to him immediately shouted in anger, “Who do you think you are? How dare you be so arrogant in front of Master?”
Right after he finished speaking, the masked master in white next to Jacky suddenly glared at him.
In an instant, he turned into a blur of motion and appeared in front of that man, raising and swinging his knife.
By the time he put away his knife, he had already returned to Jacky’s side.
His movement was too fast to be captured by the naked eye.
Everyone thought he had been standing at the same spot and never moved at all while merely glaring at the man.
Thud!
A severed head fell to the ground, while blood spewed all over the place, splattering the faces of everyone around the man.
Such a gruesome sight scared them out of their wits.
How can he kill someone with just one look?
Having seen it for the second time, Leslie and Derek were still thunderstruck.
The expression on Brock turned solemn as he said, “What lightning speed he has!”
He was one of the few people at the scene to have really seen what happened.
“Kneel or death?” prompted Jacky.
“Humph! Over our dead bodies!”
The Beast of Death and the Wolf King showed up at that moment.
Although Hades had become Levi’s subordinate, Brock was still the strongest having these two experts by his side.
“Kill them!”
As soon as Jacky gave the order, the two masked experts rushed over.
Wolf King and the Beast of Death also made their moves.
The masked expert in white was much faster than the Wolf King.
After they passed each other on the path, there was a slit on the latter’s neck.
Thud!
The Wolf King collapsed to the ground and died.
Meanwhile, the masked expert in black was going head-to-head with the Beast of Death.
He got punched in the chest while he landed a punch on the Beast of Death.
He was fine, but the latter was not as his chest suddenly exploded.
Brock’s two strongest experts died in an instant.
The two experts who had never suffered any loss in the Eastern Deathmatches were as fragile as glass.
Gasp!
At this moment, everyone was struck dumb, including the hundreds of experts behind Brock.
Since the two of them can’t defeat them, it’s even more impossible for us to defeat them!
Brock was shocked to the core.
I can’t afford to cross this man!
“May I know why do you come to South City?” Brock asked calmly.
A devilish smile appeared on Jacky’s face. “I want to be the boss of South City! I heard that you’re the strongest here, so I came to you first!”
Gasp!
Brock’s breathing turned heavy.
Although this man is arrogant, he has the ability to do so!
“I admit that I’m no match for you! But it’s impossible that I’ll allow you to swallow the entire South City up!”
“Oh?”
Jacky was intrigued.
“Because South City isn’t a place where you can simply cause troubles! I advise you to leave as soon as possible, or you will die!” urged Brock.
“Hahaha…”
Jacky burst into laughter.
His men followed suit.
“What I said is true! There’s a very powerful man here in South City. Regardless of who you are, you’re no match for him!”
CHAPTER 614
Brock knew about Levi.
No matter what powerful background Jacky had, he would be doomed after crossing Levi!
Moreover, Jacky was targeting the territory in South City, which was a behavior that the God of War hated most.
They would definitely meet, and Jacky would die!
“Alright. Who’s that man? Tell me, so that I can go to him!” Jacky asked with a smile.
He believed no one in South City could stop him.
“It’s better you not know! Take my advice, leave South City now!” Brock urged again.
“Kill him!”
As a man of action, Jacky gave the order to his man, and the masked expert in white instantly turned into a blur of motion.
Swoosh!
With a flash of the blade, Brock slowly slumped to the ground.
Before he died, he pointed at Jacky and uttered, “So you’re…”
Thud. Brock’s body fell stiffly on the ground.
Apparently, he recognized who Jacky was the moment before he died.
The entire underground boxing arena was in chaos.
“Calm down, everyone! From now on, I’ll take over here! Those who join me won’t be mistreated!” Jacky shouted.
“At your service, Sir!” hundreds of people shouted at the top of their lungs as they got down on their knees.
After taking over Jagged Club, Jacky looked at Leslie and asked, “Who’s that man Brock Green said?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of such a person in South City! I think he made it up to scare you away!” replied Leslie.
One of Jacky’s men also said, “We’ve checked before coming, Sir. There’s no such a person!”
“Alright, then. Let’s go to our next stop—the Grandmaster!”
Jacky’s eyes were glinting with cold malice.
It was definitely a night where South City was left to twist in the wind!
A force that suddenly appeared first killed the Stone Buddha and then beheaded the Grandmaster in a whirlwind!
More than a dozen forces were instantly destroyed in a row!
Twenty-seven underground boxing arenas and hundreds of territories were all taken over by Jacky.
What happened this time was far more damaging than the fall of Scott’s faction and Triple Group.
At least, the two previous events did not affect anyone else.
This time, not only were many affected, but Jacky and his party were also extremely cruel!
Anyone who did not submit would be killed mercilessly!
Within a short period of time, everyone was consumed by panic and fear.
All the powerful families grew anxious as they were worried that troubles would come to them, and they might be the next one to die.
The fact that both the big shots, Brock and the Grandmaster, were killed showed just how terrifyingly strong Jacky was.
Most importantly, they did not know the real identity of this force as they could not find out anything about them!
Leslie and Derek were more in shock than anyone else because they followed Jacky the entire time he quelled more than a dozen forces.
They even witnessed how Jacky killed Brock and the Grandmaster.
He’s so strong!
Unbelievably strong!
They grew pleasantly surprised.
It’s such a stroke of luck that our family actually gets selected randomly by Jacky.
Jacky asked the Davies to take care of the territories he had taken over, which was a huge leap forward for them in every aspect.
Jacky was satisfied with his accomplishments tonight, but he was not proud, as if he had done something commonplace.
Upon return, Jacky made a phone call, and respectfully said, “Master, I’ve wiped out the underworld of South City according to your instructions! Please give me your further instructions!”
“Very well. You have free rein to do whatever you want next. Just wait for me to go to South City myself!” an old voice was heard saying from the other end of the line.
CHAPTER 615
“Understood, Master! I’ll definitely not let you down!”
Jacky was thrilled.
Meanwhile, Leslie and Derek lowered their heads as if they had done something wrong, feeling horrified deep down.
Someone else’s coming, and it’s even Jacky’s master?
Considering that Jacky is so strong himself, his master must be really powerful!
News about what happened quickly spread the next day.
Russell deliberately went to the Black family and reminded them, “Recently, a group of mysterious force has come to South City. Even Brock Green and the Grandmaster have been killed. Be extra careful, everyone!”
While shocked, they made a mental note of what Russell had said.
Thinking of something, Meredith could not help but say, “I have to get Zoey a bodyguard! It’s so dangerous recently! I must make sure nothing happens to her!”
After a short pause, she added, “Moreover, having a bodyguard can also keep Levi away from Zoey!”
Robert smiled. “That would be killing two birds with one stone!”
Hesitating, Meredith said, “We can’t take this matter lightly. The bodyguard must be the best in all aspects, and preferably a woman. Jennie, Logan, since the two of you know a lot of people, can you look for a suitable candidate?”
Jennie flashed her a smile. “You’re in good hands, Grandma. There just happened to be a good fit in our social circle recently!”
“Oh, really?”
Meredith was taken aback.
“Recently, I met a woman, who used to be a soldier and has just retired from the front line of the West! She’s nicknamed Female Hades, and is said to defeat a hundred opponents alone!” said Jennie.
“She’s the one then! Hurry up and get her here!”
It came as a pleasant surprise for Meredith.
Jennie hesitated before she replied, “The price may be a little too high, Grandma. It’s a ten million annual salary, a car, and a house. Is that alright?”
Meredith cared about Zoey a lot, so she was willing to pay any price.
“No problem!”
Shortly after, Jennie brought the female soldier over.
Standing at a height of 1.8 meters, she gave off a strong murderous vibe.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Black, Mdm. Westbrook. My name is Sylas Whitfield! I used to serve in the Special Force of Tiger Squad of the West Warzone! I’ve killed 277 opponents on the battlefield! Being a bodyguard is not much of a problem for me!”
With a sharp look on her face, Sylas exuded an intimidating presence.
The Blacks instantly took a fancy to her.
“Alright, Sylas, you’re hired! We have two requirements—first, keep my granddaughter safe, and second, don’t let Levi Garrison get near her. Here’s a photo of his!” Meredith said.
Sylas took the photo and glanced at it before replying, “Okay, no problem. This is an easy task. I’ll definitely get the job done!”
A look of confidence and relaxation was apparent on Sylas’ face.
Compared to killing enemies on the battlefield, this was almost like she was taking a vacation.
Although Zoey did not want to have a bodyguard, she could not do anything as Meredith had made the arrangement.
The worst part was that Sylas had to be with her round-the-clock.
In other words, she would not have the chance to meet Levi.
As usual, when Levi came to Zoey’s office and was about to open the door to enter, he noticed a tall person who was a few centimeters shy of his height standing outside the door.
The surprising bit was that it was a woman.
“You’re not allowed to enter!” Sylas stopped him with a cold voice.
“Who are you?” Levi asked in surprise.
He had never seen this woman.
“I’m Ms. Lopez’s bodyguard!” replied Sylas.
Levi was stunned.
Since when did Zoey get a bodyguard?
“I’m her husband! You may move aside now!”
Then Levi proceeded to walk inside.
“No! I have another duty, which is to keep you away from Ms. Lopez!”
Sylas stopped him right in his tracks.
CHAPTER 616
Levi instantly understood what was going on.
This was a bodyguard that the Black family had hired to keep him from interacting with Zoey.
“Are you sure you can stop me?” He chuckled.
Sylas simply glared coldly. “I’m not even scared of fighting to the death on the battlefield, much less someone like you.”
She had already thought of 34 ways to get Levi under control.
To her, a commoner like him had no chance against her.
It was kind of a waste of her talent to send her after someone as plain as this.
Levi was taken aback for a second before grinning as he asked, “Oh, you served in the army before?”
“Yes.” Sylas nodded.
“In which warzone?”
He looked at Sylas a little more closely and noticed the soldier-like rage that seemed to surround her like an aura.
It was almost murderous.
She had definitely killed enemies on the battlefield before.
She must be a pro!
Sylas would normally not pay attention to someone like Levi.
However, Meredith had commanded for her to keep him away from Zoey at all costs.
Sylas decided to get rid of him once and for all so she could worry about one less thing.
“Well, I just defeated the Tiger Squad of the West warzone about a month ago! In my three years as a soldier, I’ve killed 277 people.”
As Sylas bragged about her body count, her eyes glinted murderously.
She wanted to scare the wits out of Levi.
She hadn’t expected for him to be completely undeterred.
Levi asked, “Oh, you’re one of that little punk Ezra’s soldiers?”
When Sylas heard him say Chief Williamson’s name, she was surprised.
He knows Chief Williamson?
Chief Williamson was the commander-in-chief of the West warzone!
He was an idol to many soldiers of the West, second only to the God of War.
But most commoners wouldn’t even know of Chief Williamson’s power.
The West warzone was on the frontlines, after all.
How could someone in South City know about him?
Wait, what did he just call Chief Williamson? Little punk?
Once she finally came to her senses, Sylas was practically radiating anger.
She was pissed.
How could he call Chief Williamson a ‘little punk’ so casually?
How rude!
Sylas glared at Levi as if she wanted to wring the life from him. “What did you just call Chief Williamson?”
“A little punk. Why?” Levi answered nonchalantly.
He had been the one to personally train Ezra and send the latter to the West after all.
Is it wrong for me to call him a little punk?
To Sylas, however, it became extremely disrespectful.
How dare Levi insult the invincible war god of the west?
He had to die!
“How dare you treat him with such disrespect! Apologize immediately!” Sylas roared.
Levi frowned. “What did I do? Why should I apologize?”
“You insulted Chief Williamson! You have no right to call someone like him a little punk! Apologize now!” Sylas pressed on.
Levi scoffed coldly. “Even if Ezra were right in front of me, I’d still call him a little punk! In fact, he’d be perfectly happy about it, so who are you to stop me?”
Levi was practically Ezra’s master and role model.
With just one word, Ezra would destroy entire villages and burn down forests for Levi.
If he called Ezra a little punk to his face, the latter would be happy for the rest of the week, probably.
Sylas was just getting angrier and angrier.
“I’ve already left the army and no longer wish to have any blood on my hands, so don’t push me. Are you going to apologize?” Sylas asked in a low voice.
Levi was already dead in her eyes.
Levi just chuckled. “I did nothing wrong, so no. I won’t.”
He was feeling speechless.
Ezra was pretty good if he could create such an amazing female soldier.
She’d have been even more amazing if she could use her brain properly, though.
Since he dared to call Ezra a ‘little punk’, shouldn’t she have figured out his relationship with Ezra?
CHAPTER 617
“Okay. You’ve brought this upon yourself,” Sylas said coldly.
She wasn’t going to hold back anymore.
Despite the small space they were in, Sylas suddenly raised her slender right leg swiftly.
At a speed like lightning and with the force of thunder, she aimed at Levi’s face.
Everything Sylas had trained for in the army was to kill.
If she acted, then it was to kill.
With this one kick, Levi would probably suffer at least a broken nose, if not a completely ruined face.
He’d definitely have to lie in the hospital for a couple months.
“You’re asking for it!” Levi roared.
He was angry too.
Right as the kick was about to land, Zoey’s voice suddenly cried out, “No!”
Zoey had opened the door.
Sylas’ foot stopped in midair, barely a centimeter away from the tip of Levi’s nose.
Levi looked unruffled.
“Sylas, he’s my husband! I forbid you from hurting him!”
Zoey was trembling in fear.
Sylas put her leg down and looked at Levi, her expression icy. “I’ll forgive you just this once. If this happens again, I won’t hold back.”
Levi grinned. “Zoey! You saved her!”
Levi was really about to fight back just now.
Sadly, Zoey had appeared in the nick of time.
“You…” Sylas was furious.
You were the one in danger just now! How dare you say she saved me?
I hate you!
No wonder everyone in the Black family hated him and wanted to keep him away from Zoey.
“You’re not allowed to meet Ms. Lopez anymore. If you do, I’ll kill you on sight,” Sylas warned.
Zoey gestured for Levi to leave, indicating that she’d take care of Sylas.
After Levi left, Sylas finally calmed down. She suddenly thought of something.
How did he know about Chief Williamson?
Why did he have the guts to call Chief Williamson a ‘little punk’?
He didn’t seem like he was doing it spitefully either.
In fact, it seemed like he was simply doing it out of habit.
Could he be someone important?
That’s impossible!
Why would someone with the power to call Chief Williamson a ‘little punk’ be working in a plain old company?
As a guard, no less.
That was truly impossible!
He was probably just some military nerd.
It wasn’t hard for someone like that to know so much about the military.
“Levi, was it? I won’t forget you. One day, I’ll really teach you a lesson!”
Sylas was as short-tempered as they come, and she really couldn’t stand Levi.
Of course, Levi couldn’t care less about someone like Sylas.
She was strong, but she wouldn’t have expected for Levi to plant a bodyguard by Zoey’s side.
He had let Hades go at first so that he could use the man to protect Zoey.
Hades was practically the perfect candidate for it.
After all, he was almost a god of war himself.
Sylas had never guessed that there was a pair of eyes in the shadows, watching her every move.
She didn’t feel a single thing.
Levi was just logistics support, so he didn’t have much to do.
He went to Kirin and Azure Dragon’s residence.
“Did you hear about what happened yesterday?” Azure Dragon asked.
“What?” Levi asked, genuinely confused.
“Brock Green and the Grandmaster are dead! Some crazy powerful group just arrived in South City and killed the Beast of Death and the Wolf King in mere seconds! They’ve already taken care of most of the underworld and the underground boxing rings, who have been lying low since then,” Azure Dragon answered.
“What?”
Levi’s eyes flashed coldly at the news.
“Who dares act so brashly on my territory?”
“Whoever they are, they’re probably after South City. They might be after Oriental Star Group next. Do you think Ms. Lopez needs guards to protect her?” Azure Dragon asked.
“I’d like to see who dares to even touch a hair on her head!” Levi bellowed.
CHAPTER 618
Azure Dragon automatically offered, “Should I go and protect Ms. Lopez?”
“There’s no need to worry about her safety,” Levi answered.
With Hades protecting her, she was as safe as she could be.
Even though L Nation was destroyed, Hades was still as powerful.
He wasn’t someone to mess with.
“Who could it be? Wasn’t what happened to the Caesar family bad enough? Who would dare to come after that?” Levi asked.
Azure Dragon shrugged. “I’ve already sent someone to investigate. They’re unidentified as of now, but we know for sure that they’re the strongest people that have ever challenged us. The fact that they could destroy South City’s underground in one night is enough proof.”
“I don’t care who they are. As long as they’re a threat to this city, I won’t let them go,” Levi announced coldly.
Since Levi was there, Tim and the others didn’t care too much about this new group of threats.
They knew no one could cause any trouble with him around.
While the other well-known families of South City investigated Jacky Lawson’s identity, the Davies family was having a field day.
Naturally, they’d be in charge of all the businesses that had been affected.
They could earn a pretty penny from all that.
This left a smile on Leslie’s face for the rest of the week.
He had sworn allegiance to Jacky till death.
Jacky asked, “The Oriental Star Group is doing pretty well these days, huh?”
“I’ve done some research on them. Their boss’s name is Zoey Lopez. Apart from having the Black family behind her, there’s nothing else to her name. Why does the whole of South City just watch her gobble up the market like it’s no big deal?” Leslie wondered.
“It’s all thanks to Morris Group. The families of South City are mostly terrified of Morris Group, who have her back at all times.” Jacky chuckled.
Even though they weren’t from Quebec, he knew more than Leslie did.
Through their research, it was highly likely Morris Group destroyed Scott Yates and Triple Group.
“Is Morris Group really that powerful?” Leslie asked.
“Of course! Not only is their boss completely mysterious, but there are also a bunch of hidden talents in there! They have a super powerful professional among their guards who defeated Scott Yates’ Four Mighty Generals,” Jacky said.
“You know my master came to South City just to get rid of Morris Group, right? Quebec is simply too irresistible!” Jacky said, his face full of greed.
Leslie inhaled sharply at that.
Wasn’t that a bit too greedy?
Jacky wanted South City, but his Master wanted the whole of Quebec!
Leslie asked, “What do we need to do to help? The Davies will definitely give their all to help!”
“I won’t touch Morris Group for now. As for Oriental Star Group and the other big families of South City, I want them all!”
A cold glint flashed across Jacky’s eyes.
Leslie asked in a shaky voice, “A-Are we also gonna kill our way to the top like we did last night?”
Jacky suddenly laughed. “Nope! These are a completely different breed of people we’re talking about here. We could defeat the likes of Brock Green and the underworld clubs through brute force, but these are all high-class wolves in suits. If we kill even just one or two of them, there’ll be an uproar. South City will really go after me then.”
“Then what should be our course of action?” Leslie asked.
Jacky smiled sinisterly. “We fight fire with fire. I’d love to meet the boss of Oriental Star Group. Let’s invite her over! In fact, let’s do it tonight.”
Leslie couldn’t help but ask, “What if she doesn’t want to come?”
Right as the words left his mouth, Leslie regretted speaking.
He felt a cold glare sweep across him, freezing him to the spot.
CHAPTER 619
As expected, Jacky was already staring at him with icy eyes. “That’s your problem! I want to see her tonight, that’ll be my problem.”
“Understood! I’m sorry, I promise I’ll do exactly as you asked!” Leslie said, hurriedly pressing his forehead to the floor in a deep bow.
Jacky’s meaning was clear enough. No matter how, he wanted to meet Zoey that very night.
“If you can’t even get this done, then you’d better start thinking of your last words,” Jacky said mildly.
The moment he left, Leslie wiped off his cold sweat with the back of his hand.
He nearly died in there.
He couldn’t risk making that mistake again.
“You, get this done.”
Leslie passed the baton to Derek.
To him, it was way too embarrassing for him to personally invite someone over.
“Of course! Don’t worry, Father, I’ll be sure to prove myself to Jacky.” Derek smiled.
The Triple Group’s building had been renamed under Oriental Star Group.
In Zoey’s office, the secretary reported, “Ms. Lopez, someone who claims to be Derek Davies is asking to see you.”
“Bring him in.” Zoey nodded.
Recently, a number of South City’s family business representatives visited her. She hadn’t turned anyone down yet.
Soon enough, Derek and the others reached the reception area.
“You’re Ms. Zoey Lopez?” Derek asked snidely.
To Derek, there was no one in South City who he couldn’t afford to mess with.
He had always been straightforward and cocky.
“Yes. May I know what you’re here for?”
Zoey already didn’t like his tone very much.
“My master wants you to join us for dinner tonight! I’m just here to pass on the message. I’ll send someone over to pick you up later tonight.”
Derek clearly didn’t care about whether Zoey agreed or disagreed.
“Get ready. I’ll be back to pick you up in a while.”
After that, he turned to leave.
“Hold it right there,” Zoey said in a crisp voice.
“What?”
“Who is this master you’re speaking of?” Zoey asked.
“You’ll know tonight. Either way, he’s way more respectable than you can even imagine. Just listen to whatever he says.”
Derek had just finished speaking when Zoey called out, “Send him off.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked in disbelief.
“Sorry. I don’t accept invitations from strangers,” Zoey declined.
Derek laughed. “Zoey Lopez, I’ll have you know that you may turn down everyone else in South City, but this will be the one person you aren’t allowed to decline! In fact, there’s no reason for you to do so.”
Jacky had already killed Brock Green.
Who would dare to turn him down?
“Then why don’t you tell me who he is?”
Zoey was already clearly furious.
“His identity is to be kept secret, so you’ll only know when you see him! If you turn him down, you’ll really regret it. Do you know how Brock Green and the Grandmaster died last night? My master killed both of them!” Derek announced proudly.
“That’s not a reason. Send him away!” Zoey commanded.
The guards forced Derek out of Oriental Star Group.
“I wasn’t done!” Derek screeched urgently.
“What do we do now? That woman clearly isn’t willing to do this the nice way!” one of his subordinates asked.
“If she won’t play nice, we won’t either! Once she gets off work, we’ll bring her back by force.” Derek chuckled. “Jacky already told us he wanted to see her no matter what!”
“Understood. We’ll keep watch right here,” his subordinates replied.
CHAPTER 620
Zoey got off work right at 7 p.m..
She dragged her exhausted body out of the building.
She was supposed to work overtime, but the Black family was worried about her safety and demanded that she work at home.
Not far off, two of Derek’s subordinates were preparing to attack after spotting her walking out of the building.
“Slow down! It’s not a good idea to attack her here. We’ll wait until she’s almost home!” Derek said.
They had no idea that their every move was under someone else’s control right now.
Levi knew everything that was going on.
Despite that, he wasn’t the least bit worried.
Very soon, the chauffeur drove out.
Sylas followed Zoey into the car.
Derek instantly followed them.
The Black family manor was in a rather secluded area, so there weren’t many cars on the way to the manor.
Suddenly, the driver stepped on the brakes.
The road before them was blocked by a few cars.
A few people stepped out of the cars.
Derek knocked on the window with a wide grin. “Ms. Lopez, would you so kindly follow me? I’d like if you could follow me willingly. If not, I’ll have to use force.”
There were over ten people behind him.
With just one command, they would kick the door down and drag her away.
Zoey simply frowned stubbornly. “No. I don’t accept invitations from strangers!”
“Okay, I see how it is! Do you really think you’re some big shot now? Jacky asked me to invite you because he respects you! Don’t let that get to your head, you b*tch! I’ll ask you one last time, are you going or not?” Derek roared.
“No. I won’t go.” Zoey turned him down firmly once again.
“Okay, you asked for it!”
Derek was just about to bark a command.
Bang!
The other door suddenly swung open.
A six-foot-tall woman got off the car, surrounded by a strong aura.
Slam!
Sylas’s face remained emotionless as she swung a kick toward Derek’s head.
He immediately got thrown backward, slamming into one of their cars.
“Kill that b*tch!” Derek roared.
All of his subordinates rushed toward them, roaring.
Slam! Slap! Bang!
In less than a minute, everyone was lying on the floor and moaning in pain.
All of his subordinates were skilled fighters, but they had unfortunately met a soldier who had just left the squad.
They couldn’t even compete with her.
“Screw off! If anyone else comes to mess with Ms. Lopez again, I’ll kill them!” Sylas warned coldly.
Derek was on the verge of tears.
How is this woman so good at fighting?
At the other side of town, in the Davies family’s restaurant, Jacky sat down at a prepared table as the family members crowded around him.
He lazily asked, “It’s already 8 p.m.. Is she here yet?”
Leslie started to panic.
Where is Derek? He’d been gone for half the day now!
Is he unable to do even such a simple thing?
“What are you doing here? I asked you to bring her over, didn’t I?” Jacky asked coldly at the sight of Leslie, who practically wet himself after being called out.
“I-I sent my son to do it! I had t-to stay behind and make… sure all your demands were met, right? In case anything happened…” Leslie stammered.
“I said 8 p.m., didn’t I? She’s three minutes late. What’s up with that? Do you just not give a sh*t about whatever I told you?” Jacky started raising his voice, causing Leslie to fall to his knees.
“I’ll immediately ask for their whereabouts!” Leslie instantly placed the call.
“You piece of trash, where are you? Where is Zoey Lopez?” Leslie bellowed.
“Things aren’t looking good! Zoey has a super strong female bodyguard that beat all of us!”
“What? She beat all of you?” Leslie said in shock.
“What’s the problem?” Jacky asked coldly.
“Zoey turned you down, Jacky! She even let her bodyguard beat them up!” Leslie replied.
“How dare she?” Jacky roared, his eyes glinting murderously.
“No one should have the guts to turn me down! Whoever turns me down is already a dead person in my book!” Jacky said furiously.
At that very moment, Derek returned with his subordinates.
They all sported black eyes, split lips and a multitude of bruises and injuries.
Derek instantly collapsed in a bow in front of Jacky and cried out, “You have to help us!”
“Tell me everything that happened!” Jacky’s face was as dark as coal.
“We went to invite Zoey over on your behalf, but she was incredibly disrespectful! When I brought up your name, she even swore at you! We were about to use force when her bodyguard beat us all up!” Derek took some liberties with his storytelling.
Jacky couldn’t care less about how true the story was.
From that, he understood Zoey had turned him down and beat his subordinates up.
This was a clear slap to his face!
“You’re all garbage! You can’t even bring one person to me! What do I keep you all around for?” Jacky roared in anger.
He hadn’t thought that he’d need to personally step out for something like this.
Leslie was terrified.
Jacky changed the topic. “Still, there’s no one on earth that I can’t invite!”
He looked at Leslie. “Go and tell Zoey Lopez that she has to come bow before me before tonight ends. If not, they’ll all end up like Brock Green!”
“Understood!”
Soon enough, Leslie arrived at the Black family manor.
By now, everyone knew Leslie was one of the puppets of the mysterious force that had taken over South City.
They were terrified at the mere sight of him.
“What are you here for, Mr. Davies?” Bailey asked respectfully.
“Bring Zoey Lopez out right now!” Leslie commanded in a cold voice.
Very quickly, Zoey walked out of the house with Sylas by her side.
“Zoey, this is your last warning! Jacky demanded for you to go and kneel before him by tonight, or else all of you will suffer the same fate as Brock Green!”
After that, Leslie left.
“Who’s Jacky? In fact, what happened to Brock?” Zoey asked, confused.
“Zoey, you’re in big trouble!”
After Meredith and the others told Zoey what was going on, her expression changed to one of terror.
She hadn’t known that her mysterious inviter was such a terrifying person.
The Blacks were all incredibly worried.
They had purposely invited Sylas to be Zoey’s bodyguard so they could prevent her from getting in danger.
They hadn’t expected her to really cause trouble!
“What should we do?” Bailey asked.
Zoey said firmly, “I’m not going. I don’t even know him! Why would I go?”
Sylas nodded. “That’s right. I’m on Ms. Lopez’s side. With me here, no one can hurt her, anyway.”
Bailey instantly rebutted, “It’s no longer about whether you go. You have to go! Jacky is much too strong. He killed people as strong as Brock and the Grandmaster! If you don’t go, we’ll all be in big trouble.”
Russell asked, “If she goes, won’t she be in danger?”
“No, of course not. Jacky purposely invited her. If he really wanted to harm her, he wouldn’t have sent someone over to invite her. He would have just snatched and killed her,” Pamela mused.
They all saw sense in that.
Meredith said, “Zoey, you should go! Do it for the sake of the family. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you!”
“Grandma, I-” Zoey was finally wavering.
“She’s not going!” A voice suddenly rang out.
CHAPTER 622
Levi had arrived.
He scoffed coldly, “If he wants to invite her, then he should come to beg for himself!”
They became outraged at his comment.
“What are you saying, Levi?”
“You better not let Jacky hear you! If not, you’ll die a really painful death!”
“What are you even here for? You and Zoey are already divorced. You have no right to boss her around!”
The Black family members glared at Levi, their gaze full of hatred.
Levi smirked, “I have no right? Have you forgotten that we’re still business partners? Since this has to do with Zoey’s safety, of course I have to butt in!”
When she saw Levi, Zoey became much more at ease.
However, Meredith glared at Sylas. “Didn’t I tell you not to let Levi near Zoey? Get rid of him! While you’re at it, you can really prove yourself to us.”
Meredith just wanted to use Sylas to teach Levi a lesson.
She wanted him to stay far away from her granddaughter.
“Grandma, I’ll go, alright? Don’t bother Levi.”
Zoey finally agreed.
Only then did Meredith relax.
“Okay. Go, quickly. Sylas, follow her. If anything happens, let me know!”
After they walked outside, Levi called out, “You’re not going.”
Sylas looked at Levi before saying, “Ms. Lopez, I might hate his guts, but he’s right. You can’t go.”
“Okay, I’ll listen to you two,” Zoey said with a nod.
The three of them booked a hotel room to stay in for the night.
Back at the Davies family, Jacky and the others were still working.
“Jacky, I’ve already told her to come! Even if she doesn’t want to come, the Black family will still force her to come. In fact, they just called to say that she’s on her way!” Leslie reported with a smile.
Jacky nodded, satisfied. “Looks like the Black family knows their stuff.”
Leslie and some others chuckled. “You really broke records with what you did last night! Now, the entire South City is scared of you!”
“Is that so? Now we wait.”
Jacky closed his eyes to rest them for a bit.
At 10 p.m., the doors remained closed.
It stayed the same at 11 p.m..
At midnight, Jacky’s eyes shot open.
“Where is she?” he asked coldly.
“She has yet to arrive,” Leslie reported, bowing his head.
He had set up some people on watch nearby, but they hadn’t spotted Zoey at all.
“Would you like me to ask the Black family?” Leslie asked cautiously.
“There’s no need. She’s not coming,” Jacky said with a chuckle.
Leslie, Derek and the others waited with bated breath around him.
Despite his chuckle, he was actually furious.
This was already two huge slaps to the face.
He couldn’t just take that lying down.
“She clearly doesn’t give a sh*t about me. Oh, well, I still refuse to believe that I can’t force her to come!” Jacky said with a sinister smile.
“I’ll slowly force you out of your little hiding spot!”
Jacky continued chuckling darkly to himself.
Clearly, he already had a plan.
Besides, his master wasn’t here yet, so he could take his time.
Nothing happened the whole night.
The Black family were under the impression that Zoey had really gone to Jacky.
The next day, she arrived at her office and spotted a gift box on her desk.
“Who is this from?” Zoey asked.
“I don’t know, Ms. Lopez. It’s been here since just now,” her secretary replied, just as confused.
“Open it and check,” Zoey said.
The secretary seemed a little nervous, not daring to open it up.
“I’ll do it!”
Sylas stepped forward and opened the box.
“Oh!”
The moment the box opened, Zoey and Sylas immediately went pale in terror.
Thump.
The secretary, who was in no way as brave as the others, collapsed on the ground in a dead faint.
CHAPTER 623
The reason behind that was simple. The box contained ten fingers that had been chopped off, and they were still oozing blood at the time.
If Zoey wasn’t mentally strong, she would’ve passed out right then and there.
Sylas, on the other hand, remained calm.
“I’ll go deal with this. Don’t worry,” promised Sylas before she took the box away and took the secretary to the infirmary.
“Ms. Lopez, this is obviously their doing!” claimed Sylas with a grim expression on.
She had thought that her job as a security guard would be simple, never would she expected to encounter something that serious on her first day.
That was fine for her, though, because it would’ve been too boring otherwise.
“Ms. Lopez, should I go deal with the perpetrator?” asked Sylas.
Sylas was a warrior, so she was fearless.
“No, you can’t go!”
The phone in the office rang at that moment, and Zoey went to pick it up.
The unfamiliar voice of a man came through, “Is this Ms. Zoey Lopez?”
“Yes, and who are you?” asked Zoey.
“Ms. Lopez is so forgetful. I sent an invitation twice yesterday, and you’ve already forgotten about me. I am Jacky Lawson. Remember that.”
“You!” growled Zoey as an icy expression settled on her face.
“By the way, Ms. Lopez, have you received my gift? Do you like it?” asked Jacky before he chuckled aloud.
“Are you threatening me? Well, too bad, because I am not afraid!” replied Zoey coolly.
“Ms. Lopez is so imposing. You are the first person who ever dared reject my request, and I admire that. However, I will be giving you a gift every day from now on. Please look forward to it.”
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Jacky hung up immediately after.
Zoey sighed a long breath of relief.
She was eerily pale at the time, and she’d be lying if she said that she wasn’t afraid.
A gift every day? I got bloody fingers today, so what’s next? An arm? A leg? Or maybe even a human head?
When Zoey thought about that, her breathing became uneven, and she was so terrified that all the color drained from her face.
It seemed that she had gotten herself into a heap of trouble.
“Sylas, should I just go to him? We can’t let this go on.”
Zoey was already starting to raise her white flag.
She was worried about making a bigger mess if she persisted.
“Ms. Lopez, something terrible happened,” said an employee suddenly as he rushed in nervously.
“What’s wrong?” asked Zoey.
“Someone just discovered Barry from the sanitization department on the washroom floor. All ten of his fingers were chopped off…”
“What?”
Boom!
Zoey’s mind went blank, and even Sylas looked affected.
So the “gift” I just received…
Seems like they had already looked into everyone close to me, and they might target anyone.
Barry of the sanitization department is the victim of the day. My secretary might be the next victim, and members of the Black family might be targeted as well.
Zoey was devastated when she thought about that possibility.
She felt out of breath.
That was when Meredith called her suddenly.
“Zoey, did you not go to the Davies family residence yesterday?” asked Meredith anxiously.
“No, I didn’t, grandma,” replied Zoey honestly.
“Ah, you’ve made a huge mess this time, young lady. A handful of the Black family’s maids went missing today, and we still can’t reach them,” informed Meredith, who sounded worried.
“You know what? Find a way and go clean up the mess you’ve made, or we might be the ones who go missing next!” urged Meredith.
Boom!
Zoey was on the verge of breaking down.
That was just the first day, and her family might be the ones getting hurt in the following days.
What do I do?
Two streams of tears rolled down Zoey’s cheeks silently.
CHAPTER 624
“Ms. Lopez, I will go deal with them right away,” growled Sylas angrily.
Zoey shook her head and replied, “That won’t do. They are operating from the shadows while we are wide open.”
Sylas was stumped.
She could deal with anything if it were all laid out in plain sight, but she was not good at dealing with schemes and hidden traps.
“Then what should we do?” asked Sylas, who felt a headache coming.
That was only their first day!
Zoey calmed her employees down and sent the injured to the hospital, but she was getting more and more worried.
An invisible threat was looming over her head, and she was in a position where she couldn’t do anything even though she knew that she was in danger…
“I should’ve listened to grandma last night and drop by the Davies family residence,” murmured Zoey, who was starting to regret her decision.
She didn’t realize that rejecting a simple invitation would bring about a problem that big.
Even Sylas couldn’t help but bite her lip a little.
I shouldn’t have acted so impulsively and caused such a mess.
At the Davies family’s residence.
“The Black family is in a mess now, Jacky, and the people at Oriental Star Group are terrified as well,” informed Derek with a smile.
Jacky grinned evilly. “That’s what I was aiming for. Zoey Lopez rejected my offer, in return, I shall make her live in fear for the rest of her life!”
Leslie laughed aloud and said, “Hah, rejecting Jacky Lawson. That woman doesn’t know what’s good for her.”
Jacky laughed as well. “Honestly though, I am curious about the kind of woman who dares to go against me.”
“I have a photo of her, Jacky. Here,” said Derek as he showed Jacky a few photos of Zoey.
“Huh?”
Jacky’s eyes glowed when he saw Zoey’s photos.
He grinned as he examined the photo closely, and it seemed like he was extremely excited about it.
Jacky’s reaction surprised even the two fighting experts standing beside him. One of the fighters wore a black mask while the other wore a white mask.
Master has never been lustful, nor has he ever been attracted by any women. Why is he acting strange this time? Did he see someone exotic?
“She is stunning,” murmured Jacky.
Ever since Jacky was a kid, his master had been telling him that women and gambling were things that he cannot get close to. His master claimed that they would affect his future and that Jacky was destined to be great.
That was why Jacky had always been strict with his private life, and he had only ever been with a few women.
He would only be with those who truly captivated him and would ignore the rest.
It was obvious that Zoey had captivated Jacky.
He instantly changed his plan and decided that he wouldn’t keep threatening or scaring Zoey.
Instead, he would make her become his!
One look at Jacky’s expression, and Leslie knew just what the former was thinking.
Leslie immediately said, “Don’t worry, Jacky. I will have that woman delivered to your bed tonight.”
Jacky shifted his gaze to Leslie and glared, “I have lost faith in you two, so you will not carry out this mission!”
“I…”
Leslie and Derek both have their heads down.
“Spread the news in the underworld. Anyone who can deliver Zoey Lopez over to me tonight will receive ten territories and two underground gambling centers,” ordered Jacky.
“Understood.”
The entire underworld of South City stirred upon receiving that news.
Ten territories and two underground gambling centers?
For people of underworld, the offer was simply too alluring.
Whoever gets their hands on the reward would be turned into a major player in the underworld of South City, and they would be entitled to receive Jacky’s protection.
That was the kind of privilege that would tempt others to kill even the Grandmaster and Brock Green.
The entire underworld was plunged into chaos.
Over thousands of people were persuaded, and everyone wanted to personally hand Zoey over to Jacky.
Naturally, Zoey was unaware of the fact that every criminal in South City had their eyes on her.
CHAPTER 625
The building where Zoey’s office was located, in particular, had a lot of random strangers showing up.
Everything about Zoey was learned and shared in real-time.
Over a thousand men had their eyes on her.
Leslie couldn’t help but admire Jacky’s strategy.
Jacky got the entire underworld to work for him, so neither he nor his subordinate needed to show up.
That kept Jacky’s identity a secret.
He’s good, really good.
“I’ve also learned that Zoey is still a virgin, even though she has been married for over six years. Her husband never slept with her,” shared Derek.
Jacky tapped on Derek’s shoulder in appreciation after hearing that. “Good, that is great news. I wouldn’t have minded if she is married, but it’s even better if she’s a virgin. Tonight is destined to be a beautiful night. Derek, go get the room ready,” said Jacky.
Leslie immediately chimed in, “Jacky, I promise that you will have a great time tonight.”
“Hahaha…”
The men all laughed aloud.
Night fell soon after, and the entire city fell into darkness.
Zoey and Sylas realized that the parking lot was empty when they walked out of the elevator. A chill ambushed them and made them shiver.
Sylas had her guard up as she scanned her surroundings. She sensed that something was off.
“Ms. Lopez, please get in the car before me,” instructed Sylas sternly.
Her instinct told her that they were not alone.
Zoey got into the car obediently and urged, “Sylas, hurry and get into the car too. Let’s leave as quickly as possible.”
“It’s too late for that,” replied Sylas.
She had just finished speaking when shadows jumped out of every corner of the parking lot.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A number of cars stopped simultaneously, and a handful of men got out of each car.
There were at least a few hundred men, and they surrounded the two women.
“What is going on?” blurted Zoey, who was scared witless.
She had never seen anything like that before, so she fished out her phone to ask for help.
However, she soon realized that her phone couldn’t receive any signals.
A fierce-looking hooligan rushed over at that moment.
Sylas stood her ground, like a mountain of cold steel.
“F*ck off! We only want Zoey Lopez, and bystanders can leave,” barked the leader cruelly.
“You will have to get through me to get to Ms. Lopez,” scoffed Sylas, whose eyes shone with determination.
“Attack!”
Over hundreds of men rushed over, and they seemed as overwhelming as a tsunami.
Sylas growled and faced them head on.
Sylas was a female warrior who had fought on the battlefield, after all, so she was ridiculously powerful.
Her skilled battle techniques shone through as soon as she started fighting.
She was so good that she knocked over a dozen men down with a single hit.
Sylas was ruthless, and she showed no mercy, so the experts from the underworld couldn’t even get close to her.
A few minutes later, Sylas knocked over fifty men down.
Seeing that got the others to fear her a little.
“Boys, we will be rewarded with ten territories and two gambling centers if we capture Zoey Lopez! Attack now. She is but a woman, and she can’t keep up no matter how strong she is.”
Someone had shouted from the crowd and that inspired the men to push forward as if they had been drugged with a serum that gave them courage.
Sylas was the obstacle in their quest to getting rich, and everyone wanted to destroy her.
Even though Sylas was strong, there were simply too many against her.
With hundreds of men attacking simultaneously, she was slowly but surely pushed back.
Bang!
Someone finally landed a kick on Sylas.
Sylas forced herself to stand up, despite having over a dozen cuts on her.
“Kill her!”
A few men had a dagger with them, and they rushed over.
Sylas’ life was on the line…
Zoey wanted to get out of the car and save Sylas, but she didn’t even have the time to do so. All she could do was watch.
CHAPTER 626
Boom!
At that crucial moment, a force that could rival that of an insanely aggressive tornado flew over, and the men who were about to kill Sylas were forced to back away.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A series of pained moans could be heard after that.
Over a dozen men lost their ability to fight within those few nanoseconds.
All Zoey and Sylas saw was a dark shadow showing up in front of them.
The shadow was none other than Hades.
Levi’s order for Hades was that he must protect Zoey, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
As such, his mission was to destroy every single person in front of him.
Hades attacked.
He was like a leopard dashing towards his prey.
Hades had a reputation of having killed over a thousand men, and he was a country’s God of War.
Compared to the soldiers in the army, the underworld hooligans were nothing but sniveling babies.
When Hades fought, he made others feel as if they had somehow fallen into the cruelest and deepest pit of hell.
It only took him about ten minutes to crush everyone and get them to moan in pain on the floor.
No one was left standing.
Both Zoey and Sylas were stupefied.
He is too powerful. H-he just crushed over a hundred men in mere minutes?
After dealing with the men, Hades walked over to Sylas and spoke in pieces. It was like he was a foreigner who was struggling to speak their language. “I here, no one hurt Ms. Lopez.”
Hades left after saying his piece with a heavy accent and terrible grammar.
Brock Green’s old comrades and over a hundred other experts had surrendered as soon as they saw Hades.
They didn’t realize that Zoey was protected by a man that powerful.
In short, anyone who knew Hades had backed away out of fear.
Hades had, in effect, destroyed the entire underworld all on his own.
That was precisely why Levi had assigned the task of keeping Zoey safe to Hades.
Both Zoey and Sylas were surprised.
Zoey, in particular, was utterly speechless.
Someone else is protecting me? Someone that powerful, no less. His accent… He has to be from a foreign country.
“What?” shouted Jacky, who soon received the news.
“Zoey Lopez’s bodyguard crushed over hundreds of men on his own? And everyone who went was defeated?”
Jacky’s eyes bulged so much that it seemed like they were about to pop out of his sockets.
Everyone was in shock.
They knew that the man had, in effect, destroyed the underworld of South City.
Derek immediately added, “Zoey’s personal bodyguard is too powerful, Jacky.”
“Looks like I’ve underestimated her. No wonder she dared to reject my offer. Turns out she had something up her sleeves,” mused Jacky.
“Seems like my investigation on Zoey isn’t detailed enough. How about I look into her bodyguard as well?” asked Leslie.
“That won’t be necessary. I refuse to believe that there is someone out there that I can’t get my hands on,” replied Jacky as he shook his head. After that, he added, “Hey, you two.”
Jacky turned to the two men wearing masks.
“We’re listening, master,” replied the two men while standing up straight.
“Go and get Zoey over for me and kill anyone who gets in your way,” barked Jacky coldly.
“We promise to accomplish our mission, master.”
Leslie and the others drew a sharp breath.
They’re both going? Isn’t that a little too much?
Leslie and the others had only ever witnessed those two masked men working twice.
The men were weird, and they moved like they were performing a magic show.
One glare could literally kill someone, and a single touch could pulverize their victims.
No one can stop them.
Jacky laughed aloud. “Who would’ve thought that I’d find someone that powerful in South City?”
“Jacky, isn’t it a little too over-the-top to send both men in?” asked Leslie, who thought that sending in one of them was sufficient.
“That is why you can’t get anything done right! I want to be a hundred percent sure that this is done right,” shouted Jacky as he glared over.
“Understood. Thank you for teaching me a lesson, Jacky,” replied Leslie.
Meanwhile, the two fighting experts with their masks on had arrived at the Black family’s manor.
“Let’s just kill everyone in there,” suggested the man in the white mask as his eyes shimmered with cruelty.
CHAPTER 627
“Sure.”
Just as the two experts were about to walk in, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of them.
Or, to be more accurate, two shadows showed up.
One of the men was hiding behind the other guy and was taking his time to reveal himself.
He had a cigarette between his lips, and the glow at the end of his cigarette was especially bright in the dark.
That man was none other than Levi Garrison.
“Barging into my territory, are we? Seems to me you have a death wish!” said Levi softly.
The two masked experts turned to one another before they attacked.
The one with the white mask specialized in speed, and he could kill without anyone seeing. His speed was so incredible that he could trick the naked eye.
Zip!
The man showed up in front of Levi in an instance, and the sharp dagger he had with him exuded a horrifying aura.
The white-masked man was simply too fast.
If anyone else was around, they would see that he was still standing in his original position.
The fact, however, was that he was already standing in front of Levi.
Swish!
The dagger seemed to be engulfed in a murderous aura.
The white-masked man was confident that he could kill Levi, but another man suddenly showed up in front of him. A huge shadow loomed over the white-masked man and blurred his vision.
“What the hell?” blurted the white-masked man as his expression changed sharply.
He couldn’t believe that someone could actually keep up with him.
A sense of danger encompassed the white-masked man at the very next second.
Bang!
His chest was punched hard, and his organs were instantly crushed. His bones also shattered.
He was flying wildly like a kite with a broken string as he flew backward.
Naturally, the one who attacked was Hades.
The other expert, the black-masked man, was stunned.
He immediately rushed over and threw a merciless punch at Hades.
The black-masked man was strong, and his strength had never met its match before.
The black-masked man had once crushed a marble table and the Beast of Death with a single touch.
He could do that because he mastered the Ancient Arts of Qi, which was a traditional fighting technique thought to be mythical.
The Ancient Arts of Qi could shatter anything the hand touched, and a human body would crumble when hit.
Despite that, Hades never avoided or backed away from that attack. Instead, he used the same technique and threw his punch at a similar angle.
Bang!
The two fists met, and the booming sound of thunder was heard.
“Urk!”
The black-masked man fell backward. He spat blood at the very next second.
Crack!
Half of his mask even broke off.
Levi clapped his hand when he saw that. He praised, “Not bad, not bad at all. I made the right decision keeping you around all those years ago. White Tiger and the others no longer need to come all the way over to solve the issue.”
“I am glad to be of service,” replied Hades, who looked like he was truly glad to have received the compliment.
Levi and Hades walked forward.
Hades tore the white mask off of the other expert as well.
That was when they saw that the masked men had the word “slave” carved on both their faces.
At that moment, both men were trembling in fear.
Turned out, Brock Green was right. There was a being in South City that they could not afford to offend.
At the Davies family’s residence.
“Hmm… The two of them had been gone for so long. Nothing bad could’ve happened to them, could it?” murmured Leslie, who seemed a little nervous and worried.
“Pfft, that is not possible. Those two are my master’s slaves. One of them has been learning the Ancient Arts of Qi ever since he was a kid, while the other trained his speed with a leopard. They have reached a level that you cannot even imagine, so they couldn’t have possibly failed,” bragged Jacky as he grinned proudly.
That was why he brought those two to South City. He was confident that they were strong enough to deal with anything.
“I’m glad to hear that,” said Leslie, even though his heart was still thumping with anxiety.
“My guess is that they are busy killing everyone. Given their style, it is likely that the Black family will go extinct tonight,” said Jacky as he smiled.
His eyes burned with a hint of lust, and it seemed like he couldn’t wait to meet Zoey.
Leslie gasped upon hearing that.
“Is that so?” asked a voice that suddenly rang from the other side of the door.
Bang!
Bang!
Two corpses were tossed into the room at the same time.
CHAPTER 628
Jacky, Leslie, and the others were stunned when their gaze fell upon the two corpses.
A-aren’t these my master’s slaves? H-how did they die?
Jacky’s eyes shone with surprise and confusion, while Leslie’s jaw dropped so far that an egg could hatch between his lips.
Both experts were annihilated? How is that possible?
Both men were the ones who crushed Brock Green’s illegal boxing match and had the entire underworld of South City on its knees!
Their strengths were practically god-like, and their techniques were like magic.
How did they die?
“N-no, tell me this isn’t true,” demanded Jacky with a look of mania in his eyes.
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Those two slaves had been with him ever since they were kids, and they had killed countless experts.
They had never been defeated before, but they died that day.
Jacky simply couldn’t believe it.
What kind of monster is capable of killing them?
Tap! Tap! Tap!
A series of footsteps sounded, and Levi and Hades showed up.
“W-who are you?” asked Jacky in surprise.
“We’re the ones who have come to kill you,” answered Levi calmly.
Zip!
Ten men, all of which were Jacky’s bodyguards, hurried over to protect him.
“Die!”
Hades attacked.
All ten men fell to the floor soon after, and the other men were utterly flabbergasted.
Leslie and Derek had become so terrified that they knelt on the ground.
They realized that they had offended someone they should never have bothered.
Jacky, however, couldn’t adapt to the new situation. He stared blankly at Levi and asked, “Who are you?”
“Fine, let me help you understand why you must die. Zoey Lopez is my wife, and South City is under my protection. Anything I say goes. You killed in my territory, and that is nothing less than an invitation to death,” replied Levi.
Boom!
Jacky felt like he had been struck by lightning after hearing what Levi said.
Jacky remembered what Brock said just before he died. Brock talked about a being in South City that could not be defeated and warned Jacky to flee as quickly as possible or he would die.
Looks like this is the guy Brock warned me about… And he is Zoey Lopez’s husband!
Jacky had calmed down by then, and he looked serene when he grinned. “You truly are strong. My useless subordinates must’ve made a fool of themselves in front of you. May I know more about your identity?” asked Jacky.
Levi grinned.
Looks like this man is skilled in his own way. He can stay calm despite having death looming over him. No wonder Brock and the others are no match against him.
Hades scoffed, “You are not worthy of learning who he is.”
“Sir, why don’t we be friends instead? We haven’t had any direct conflicts, and this is all just a misunderstanding. I hereby apologize for it. Moreover, my subordinates had been killed, so how about we call it even?” suggested Jacky, who tried to settle the issue.
“Oh, calling it even just like that, huh? Who do you think you are?” sneered Levi.
Jacky smiled and replied, “You don’t know this, but my identity is not something an ordinary guy can handle. Settling this matter peacefully benefits you as well.”
“Too bad I don’t believe in any of your words. Kill him!”
Levi’s eyes shot two sharp glares over.
Hades walked towards Jacky upon receiving his orders.
Jacky panicked.
“W-what do you think you’re doing? Do you know who I am? Don’t do something you’ll regret!”
Leslie chimed in and advised as well, “Let’s calm down for a moment, sirs. He truly isn’t just a regular guy. We’ll all be in trouble if you hurt him.”
“It’s true. The power supporting Jacky is not something anyone can handle,” added Derek.
Jacky calmed down a lot upon hearing that.
Levi, however, simply roared cruelly, “Kill him!”
Hades continued moving forward upon hearing that.
“I am He-” shouted Jacky as loudly as he could.
CHAPTER 629
Zip!
Like an arrow that flew out of a bow, Hades shot forward and killed Jacky with a single touch.
Thump!
Jacky’s body fell straight onto the floor.
In the end, his evil deed caused him to pay the ultimate price.
The Davies family was in shock.
They actually killed Jacky? Before he even told them who he is?
“I know you are powerful, sir, but Jacky honestly was someone who was protected. His true identity is simply too scary,” said Leslie
“I don’t care who he is,” said Levi as he glared coldly at him.
Hades’ eyes shone with mockery.
Seriously? They’re talking about true identities and protections? With this guy? Almost everyone trembles in fear when they hear this guy’s title, so it’s just stupid to think that he can’t handle whoever’s coming.
Levi and Hades left after that.
They left the Davies alone because as far as Levi was concerned, those people were nothing more than maggots that didn’t deserve his attention.
The news about the demise of Jacky and his subordinates was spread throughout the underworld in South City.
Everyone was surprised to hear that.
That man was defeated?
“Our investigation finally bore fruit. The murderer is Hades, who used to be Brock’s subordinate!”
“Hades truly is powerful, but he definitely bit more than he can chew this time.”
“Right? I heard that Jacky’s identity is feared throughout the Southern region of Erudia!”
The underworld went wild.
Everyone knew that the person protecting Jacky would be there soon, and the war had just begun.
The Davies family was particularly nervous because they knew who Jacky really was.
They understood that Jacky was just the vanguard. The rest of the army would be there soon, and that was when everything would truly change.
The news of Jacky’s death was shared quickly.
Somewhere in South Hampton.
“What? My student died in South City?! Such insolence! I will have every single one of their heads for this!”
Meanwhile, Levi and Hades were at the Black family’s front yard.
“Let them know that the matter has been settled,” instructed Levi.
He didn’t want anyone to know about his identity just yet.
Instead, he wanted to tell Zoey the truth on their wedding day.
There’s no point in telling her everything now. I’ll surprise her when we have the wedding of the century!
“Understood,” replied Hades.
He walked into the Black family’s residence and went to Zoey’s place.
Sylas was injured earlier, but those were just minor injuries. Hence, she was fine after some simple treatments.
She guarded outside the door and was surprised when she saw Hades walking over.
Isn’t this the guy who rescued us earlier?
“Ms. Lopez, the man who rescued us earlier is here,” informed Sylas immediately.
Zoey rushed out upon hearing that.
“Ms. Lopez, I’ve dealt with the troublemaker, and everything is fine now,” reported Hades before he turned around to leave.
“Wait, Um, thank you for your help. May I know who you are?” asked Zoey as she chased after him.
However, Hades simply left without even turning back.
“Sylas, hurry after him and find out who he is,” requested Zoey.
“Okay,” replied Sylas.
She was curious about Hades’ true identity as well.
Something about Hades felt familiar, and Sylas was certain that she had met him before, even though she never saw his face.
CHAPTER 630
Sylas later saw someone she definitely knew… Levi Garrison!
Isn’t he Ms. Lopez’s ex? I almost beat him up two days ago. Huh… Who would’ve thought that he was the one keeping Ms. Lopez safe? Wait, why is the expert following him around? Didn’t the Blacks say that he is useless?
He is just a security guard from Morris Group, isn’t he? So how did he pull all that off? Hold on, he also knows Ezra, from the Western Warzone… perhaps it isn’t a coincidence that they met?
Countless questions were swirling inside Sylas’ mind when she heard Hades asking Levi, “God of War, should I drag her out?”
Levi grinned and called out, “Come on out. You’ve already crouched and hidden for so long.”
Upon hearing that, Sylas was startled.
She had always been proud of her skills to stay hidden.
She was at the top of her squad in that field.
Darn it, they caught me.
Sylas had no choice but to show herself. She asked curiously, “H-how long have you known?”
“I knew you were following me the second you left the house,” replied Hades as he glared grouchily at Sylas.
Sylas finally saw Hades’ face, and she gasped, “Y-you are Hades from L Nation. Y-you….”
Sylas remembered how, a few years ago, Ezra led the army from the Western Warzone to fight against the army from L Nation.
Hades was so strong that he defeated the Western warriors over a dozen times.
In the end, the God of War had to step up and personally lead the army to defeat the L Nation’s army.
The L Nation army was pulverized.
However, Hades had already left a lasting impression on the Western warriors, and that was why Sylas recognized Hades.
She was practically traumatized.
Her expression turned, and she stared at Levi with astonishment shining in her eyes.
Who the hell is he? How did he get Hades to protect Ms. Lopez? Is he someone of importance? Or perhaps a rich guy?
Levi chuckled when he saw her reaction. “You actually recognize him. Well, that is understandable. After all, you’ve battled against Hades when you were serving under that punk, Ezra,” commented Levi.
Boom!
Levi’s words blew Sylas’ mind.
How does Levi Garrison know about all that? Who the hell is he?
“W-who are you?” asked Sylas.
Levi took a puff from his cigarette and grinned before instructing, “You tell her.”
Hades turned to Sylas and answered, “The man standing in front of you is the nightmare of every soldier in every other country. He is the weapon of mass destruction and the devil of the battlefield, and his title is the God of War of Erudia!”
Boom!
Sylas’ legs instinctively gave way upon hearing the answer and she slumped onto the ground.
The God of War? Holy cr*p! It’s the legendary God of War. No wonder he knew all about the battle at the Western Warzone and got Hades as his personal guard, he even called the head of the Western border chief, Ezra, a punk…
Sylas was horrified when she learned everything.
She knew that she had made a grave mistake.
I can’t believe that I actually attacked the God of War!
Sylas stood up unsteadily before she bowed to Levi. “I, Sylas, an ex-warrior of the Western Warzone, am honored to meet you, God of War.”
As far as the soldiers of Erudia were concerned, meeting the God of War was a great privilege.
Sylas was proud of herself.
She didn’t realize that her job was protecting the God of War’s wife.
Levi greeted politely as well.
“Please punish me for my mistakes, Chief!” said Sylas.
“Punish you? Why?” asked Levi as he frowned.
Sylas felt a little embarrassed as she reminded him, “I was rude to you the other day and almost attacked you. Please punish me for it.”
Levi suddenly burst out laughing, and that got Sylas curious.
“It’s true that if my wife didn’t show up that day, I would’ve taught you a lesson, but you almost died protecting my wife. That deserves a reward, so I will ignore the previous incident. Just continue keeping my wife safe,” informed Levi.
It’d save Levi a lot of trouble if someone as capable as Sylas was protecting Zoey.
“Understood. I promise I will protect Zoey with all I’ve got.”
Sylas had already retired from the battlefield, but she still had the heart of a warrior.
From that moment on, she vowed to protect Zoey with her entire being.
After Sylas returned, Zoey asked, “How is it? Did you find out who he is?”
Sylas shook her head and replied, “I was discovered as soon as I left, Ms. Lopez, so let’s not talk about it anymore. Still, you should know that the person protecting you has to be someone who cares deeply about you.”
The first person that Zoey thought of was Levi, but she quickly dismissed that idea because the man seemed too powerful to be Levi.
South City turned quiet after Jacky met his demise.
However, those in the inner circle understood that the silence was just the calm before the storm.
A bloodbath was on the horizon.
The Black family knew nothing about that, of course. They simply thought that their troubles were over.
Meredith even pushed Zoey to go on blind dates.
The former had looked through a lot of profiles, but none caught her eyes.
“I feel like no one in Quebec is good enough for Zoey,” claimed Meredith proudly.
“Indeed. At first, I thought that it would be a piece of cake to find Zoey a suitor. Now that we’ve looked, I see that there are none good enough for her, and if we aren’t satisfied with these men, there is no way that Zoey would be interested in them either,” said Robert who looked troubled as he sighed.
Logan and Jennie entered the room at that moment.
“Grandma, grandpa, we looked into the matter like you asked and found the perfect candidate. He meets all of your requirements, and I am certain that Zoey would love him too!” bragged Jennie.
“Tell us.”
Both Meredith and Robert were excited.
“The guy is incredible. He is of mixed-blood with the perfect genes, and he is a legitimate heir. His mother is royalty from a foreign country,” shared Jennie.
“Huh? A mixed-blood? That’s perfect! They’re tall and handsome, and have good genes,” said the Blacks, who were satisfied so far.
That was a time when mixed-bloods were popular.
“What’s his family like?” asked Meredith.
“Oh, his family is ridiculously powerful. His grandpa is the major shareholder at the place I work in, New Alliance Bank. In other words, his grandpa is the renowned Kurt Gates of South Hampton.”
“What? Kurt Gates?”
Both Meredith and Robert were stunned.
Kurt was a reputable and respectable man in South Hampton and the president of the South Hampton Chamber of Commerce.
The fact that South Hampton was the economic district of Erudia would mean that the president of the Chamber of Commerce in that district had to be extremely powerful.
The man was probably so powerful that even an overview of his power would scare most to death.
He was one of the leading men in South Hampton’s economic circles, and his wealth was comparable to that of a country.
He managed over a hundred private banks and had a great reputation in South Hampton.
He also had countless disciples and was regarded as a God among men.
In fact, he was like a mythical dragon roaming in the sky.
His grandson has got to be perfect as well.
“It was a coincidence, but his grandson, Landyn, came to New Alliance Bank to participate in an event, and I bumped into him,” informed Jennie as she grinned.
“But would he agree to the marriage? Zoey’s net worth is fifty billion, but that is not a lot.”
The Blacks’ worries had shifted. Now, they felt like they weren’t good enough for him.
Jennie chuckled and replied, “You guys probably don’t know about this, but Landyn was Zoey’s senior when she studied overseas. He was the one who came to me, and he was delighted when he heard that Zoey got a divorce. I think he will definitely agree to a wedding. Moreover, I heard that Landyn tried to court Zoey back in the days…”
“That is great news!”
The Blacks were all excited and happy to hear it.
They could finally merge with a powerful family!
CHAPTER 632
Oriental Star Group.
In the CEO’s office.
“Ms. Lopez, something bad seems to have happened,” said Sylas all of a sudden.
Zoey was stunned, “Huh? Something happened?”
“Check it out. There are a lot of cars parked on the ground floor,” informed Sylas, who was staring out the window.
Zoey walked over to take a look.
As promised, ten Rolls-Royce were parked at the entrance of Oriental Star Group’s building.
Multiple men in tuxedos got out of the cars and stood at the side.
After that, a tall guy in a white tuxedo got out of one of the cars.
He looked like a mixed-blood, and his mere appearance got the spectators to praise his beauty.
He brought his men and walked right into Oriental Star Group.
When asked, the man’s subordinate showed the receptionist and the security guard his identity card. They were let in immediately after.
“Please take me to Ms. Lopez,” requested the man.
The man was brought to Zoey’s office soon after.
“Huh? Landyn?” blurted Zoey, who recognized the man.
That was the senior who courted her when she was an exchange student in a foreign country.
The guy even gave her an extravagant gift when she got married.
“You remembered me?” asked Landyn as he grinned.
“How could I forget? You helped me out a lot back in the days,” replied Zoey with a smile.
Sylas had her guard up as she stared at Landyn.
She had been paying attention to the men around Zoey ever since she received her orders from Levi.
Sylas didn’t like the guy standing in front of her. Not. One. Bit!
“Aren’t you working overseas, Landyn? What brought you here?” asked Zoey curiously.
Landyn chuckled. “Aww, that proves that you have never paid any attention to me. I am actually a citizen of Erudia.”
“Huh? I know that you’re a mixed-blood, but I never realized that you’re from Erudia,” blurted Zoey in surprise.
“Yeah, my grandpa and dad are from South Hampton while my mom is from a foreign country.”
“Oh, I see.”
Landyn had his eyes on Zoey when he asked, “By the way, Zoey, I heard that you got divorced.”
“I…” said Zoey, who didn’t quite know how to explain the situation.
A piece of paper couldn’t change the love she shared with Levi.
Moreover, Levi planned on throwing another wedding, so…
“Hahaha, yeah, I know all about it,” said Landyn, who then added, “Do I have a shot with you now?”
Zoey was stunned to hear that question all of a sudden.
She couldn’t turn him down even if she wanted to.
After all, she and Levi had signed the papers and were officially divorced.
Hence, Landyn had every right to court her.
“Let’s not joke about that, Landyn. I am focused on my career and have no plan to worry about my personal life for the time being,” replied Zoey politely with a smile.
“You need a man to keep you safe. Hasn’t the past two days taught you anything? Your business is growing exponentially, and the danger you’ll face will only become worse,” reminded Landyn as he grinned.
Given his influence, it was easy for him to learn all about what Zoey had been through.
Zoey was surprised. She turned to him and asked, “Wait, were you the one who rescued me?”
Zoey suddenly recalled how the expert who saved her couldn’t speak the language well and sounded like a foreigner.
Thinking back, that man could be Landyn’s subordinate.
“I just remembered that the guy who rescued me has a heavy accent,” blurted Zoey happily.
Sylas stood nervously at the side.
She wanted to voice up, but she was not in a position to do so.
The one who saved you was Hades, and he was there on Levi’s orders!
Sylas turned to Landyn. She was curious about how he would reply.
Landyn was also stunned when he heard what Zoey said.
“Aww, you guessed it. That takes all the fun and mystery out of it. Yeah, you’re right. I’m the one who sent the guy to keep you safe, and I am the one who personally dealt with the matter,” claimed Landyn with a straight face on.
Upon hearing that, Sylas felt like vomiting blood.
CHAPTER 633
Just how shameless is this guy? How dare you claim all the merit? The God of War was the one responsible for it, and it has nothing to do with you! Besides, what makes you think you can get Hades to work for you? L Nation might be a small country, but he is still a God of War!
“Huh? So it really is you, Landyn? Thank you so much!” replied Zoey with a smile.
“I wasn’t going to tell you anything, but you guessed it all,” said Landyn as he grinned.
Landyn shamelessly admitted to it because he didn’t see any issue arising from his lies.
All he had to do was get someone to contact Hades and get the guy under his payroll.
“Thank you for rescuing me and my family while we were in grave danger,” said Zoey appreciatively.
“I will keep you safe for the rest of your life,” promised Landyn before he added, “Alright, I’ll take my leave now so I don’t disrupt you working.”
Landyn could tell that Zoey felt awkward, so he left immediately.
After all, he was a smart man, and he knew how to take advantage without overstepping.
After leaving Oriental Star Group.
One subordinate asked, “Given your background, you can have any woman you want, so why her? Zoey Lopez seems pretty ordinary.”
“It’s true. There are tons of women just like her out there,” chimed in another subordinate.
Landyn replied with a smile, “To tell you boys the truth, I have had hundreds of women, and no one had ever rejected my advances before. She was the first, and I feel like she is special. There is no reason I can’t conquer that woman.”
The others grinned mischievously. They finally understood what Landyn was aiming for.
“Besides, grandpa is gravely ill, and the fortune teller said that I can repel all bad luck if I marry that woman. Only then would grandpa’s illness be cured. The wedding would also bring good fortune to the Gates family. In short, she is nothing but a tool to bring good luck and cure grandpa. It just so happens that I want to conquer her as well, so there’s that. Why else would I marry a divorcee?” informed Landyn as he smiled.
Everyone instantly understood that marrying Zoey was primarily to bring good fortune.
That night.
Everyone was smiling when Zoey got home, and that got Zoey suspicious.
“Zoey, I found a great suitor for you,” informed Meredith with a smile.
“What?” blurted Zoey, who was stunned.
“Zoey, this suitor is really something else. His grandfather is the president of the South Hampton Chamber of Commerce, his father is the head of the New Alliance Bank in Erudia, and his mother is the president of the Association of Foreign Enterprises.
To top it off, his maternal grandfather is also royalty in a foreign country! His family owns hundreds of banks, and anyone who wanted to do business in South Hampton would need his family’s permission first,” informed Jennie.
It sounded exaggerated, but it was true.
“Given his family background, the actual guy doesn’t seem so important, but Zoey, he is amazing as well! He owns over a dozen racecar clubs and about ten electronic companies. His influence is everywhere! He is also tall, handsome, and is a mixed-blood. He basically doesn’t have any shortcomings.”
Everyone had praised Landyn so much that it sounded like he was an angel from heaven.
Realization dawned on Zoey soon after.
They’re probably talking about Landyn.
“Oh, and you actually know this guy, Zoey,” added Jennie.
That confirmed Zoey’s suspicion.
“Thank you for all the effort you put in, grandma, but I won’t be dealing with my personal life at the moment. I have my eyes set on my career, and this is a crucial moment, so I don’t want anyone to distract me,” replied Zoey politely.
“Hahaha…”
Meredith laughed aloud.
“Zoey, if this is just an ordinary guy like Levi Garrison, I definitely wouldn’t let him get in the way of your career. However, we are talking about the heir of the Gates family! Marrying him would not negatively affect your career. In fact, it would give your career a tremendous boost!”
The others chimed in as well. “It’s true. All it takes is one word from him, and you will be raised to the top.”
“I’ve also looked into the matter and know that he used to court you. He has been in love with you this entire time, Zoey,” said Jennie as she grinned.
Meredith also insisted, “Zoey, this wedding must happen, and I will be planning for it.”
CHAPTER 634
The Black family was overjoyed.
Meredith and Robert had already made their decisions.
They were only informing Zoey about it.
“Grandpa, Grandma, I…”
Zoey was about to speak when Robert interrupted, “Zoey, you have no reason not to like him. My decision is final.”
“Dad, Mom, Mr. Gates is here!”
Instantly, Jennie rushed outside to welcome him in.
Landyn Gates had arrived with ten Rolls-Royce.
His subordinates were the ones to carry his many gifts.
They slowly moved them into the Black family’s home.
Robert and the rest were grinning from ear to ear.
It was then Zoey realized that she had been sold by her family.
They had made their decision on this matter a long time ago.
All she needed to do was to marry Landyn.
“Here are some small gifts. I hope you’ll accept it,” Landyn uttered politely.
The “small gifts” he mentioned were expensive and rare supplements.
The smiles on the Blacks widened.
Even Graham and Felix had come.
After all, Kurt Gates was the President of the South Hampton Chamber of Commerce.
He was wealthier than many countries, and he had a certain amount of control over the economy.
His status in the society was much higher than them.
Graham and Felix praised, “This is amazing. He’s reputable yet friendly! God must favor Zoey for her to be able to marry a man like him!”
Meanwhile, Aaron and Caitlyn had returned from North Hampton. When they saw Landyn, they were thrilled.
Someone as great as him is interested in Zoey?
“Zoey, look at how many capable young men you have missed out on because of Levi,” Caitlyn grumbled.
Aaron laughed boisterously. “I like this son-in-law!”
Caitlyn urged, “Dad, Mom, you’ll be the ones to decide. Hurry up and settle their marriage.”
They left no room for Zoey to pitch in her opinion.
In fact, she was even chased out of the conversation.
“Don’t meddle in this. We’ll decide this for you. We’re only doing this for your own good,” Caitlyn fumed.
At the manor.
The Blacks, the Zachses, Landyn, and Zoey’s parents were having a discussion about Zoey’s marriage.
“What we’re hoping for is to let the two of you engage and marry as quickly as possible. What about you? What are your parents’ thoughts?” Meredith asked.
Landyn smiled. “My grandpa and parents told me it’s up to me. How about this? Let’s pick a date for the engagement first.”
Meredith and the others were ecstatic to hear Landyn’s agreement on it.
“I’ve looked at the dates. The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day. Why don’t we set the engagement on that day?” Robert suggested.
“Sure. No problem. My grandpa and parents will be there too,” Landyn laughed.
Everyone in the Gates family knew about it.
Recently, Kurt had fallen ill, and the doctors had said that he might not have long left.
A fortune-teller had told them that Landyn had to marry Zoey to change his fate. That way, Kurt would recover from his illness.
Furthermore, their marriage would bring fortune to Landyn.
Marrying Zoey brought no disadvantages to the Gates family.
In other words, Zoey was but a tool for them.
The Gates family had only chosen her because Landyn liked her and because she was a virgin.
Otherwise, Kurt would never let his grandson marry a divorced woman.
Their marriage was only for the sake of Kurt’s illness.
In different circumstances, the Gates family would have been humiliated by their choice.
“Now that all of you have agreed to it, what about Zoey? I’m afraid that she won’t agree to this marriage,” Landyn said.
The crowd stiffened before they shared a look.
Caitlyn smiled. “Don’t worry, Mr. Gates. Zoey is beyond delighted. Why wouldn’t she agree with it?”
CHAPTER 635
Aaron added, “That’s right. If Zoey didn’t agree to it, she’ll already be kicking up a fuss. But look. She’s nowhere to be found, so that means she agrees to it.”
The Black family were lying through their teeth.
Jennie was keeping an eye on Zoey and making sure that the latter could not even get a chance to speak.
“Is that so? I’m relieved then. We’ll have the engagement on the day after tomorrow at Stardust Hotel. My family will come too,” Landyn replied.
“Of course. We’ll meet again on the day after next.”
Meredith and the others could not keep their smiles off their faces.
Soon, the shocking news spread across South City.
The grandson of Kurt, Landyn, was marrying the granddaughter of the Black family.
As Kurt’s grandson, Landyn was instantly placed under the spotlight.
After all, Kurt was a prominent figure in the South Hampton corporate world.
Every neighboring country had heard of his name.
He was the president of the South Hampton Chamber of Commerce.
He was the man who ruled over the economy.
The Gates family were like royals.
They owned hundreds of private banks.
Zoey, too, was in the spotlight.
She was married for six years before she divorced, and her ex-husband had been in jail for six years.
Essentially, it was as if she had never married.
Furthermore, the Blacks had intentionally slandered Levi’s reputation. They told the public that Levi was a horrible man who had left her after receiving ten million from them. Not to mention, Levi had refused to admit that he had taken the bribery from the Blacks.
With that, many were cursing at Levi.
Soon, the entire South City found out about Zoey and Landyn’s engagement.
Even the citizens of South Hampton had found out about it.
A commotion broke out in the upper echelon society in South City.
The reason being Kurt would be attending his grandson’s engagement the day after the next.
For a man like him to come to South City was as though God himself was arriving.
Anyone who managed to build a relationship with Kurt would have a bright future secured.
Many upper-class families began to envy the Black family. They could barely believe their good luck in having a union marriage with the Gates family.
The Black family was destined to be a powerful family in South City. In fact, it was likely that they would rise to become the wealthiest family there.
In the course of just one afternoon, dozens of significant figures came to visit the Black family.
Once upon a time, these people looked down on the Black family.
Both Meredith and Robert were beyond excited.
From now on, the Blacks would have connections with people in the military, corporate, and political world.
They had Russell in the military world, Logan in the political world, and Zoey in the corporate world.
The Black family was about to rise to the top.
Even Caitlyn and Aaron were sighing in disbelief at the consequences of Zoey and Levi’s divorce.
The fact that they were going to be Landyn’s future parents-in-law stunned them.
From now on, they were free to do anything in Quebec and even South Hampton.
They dared not imagine this in the past.
“You’re still too inexperienced. If Zoey had been by my side earlier, this would have happened long ago,” Meredith lamented.
Aaron flashed her an embarrassed smile. “Mom, you’re definitely much better at planning than us.”
“Hahaha! Of course!”
Meredith and Robert were proud of how things had turned out.
Just then, Zoey ran over to them.
She had just found out about her engagement with Landyn; the Black family had never told her about it.
She could not believe that the entire South City had heard about it but her.
“Grandpa, Grandma, why did you arrange a marriage for me without asking for my opinion? Why did everyone find out about the engagement before I did?” Zoey seethed.
“Zoey, your marriage has been decided. This is all for your own good.” Meredith waved her hands dismissively.
“No! I don’t agree with this marriage. I don’t even love him!” Zoey rejected.
“Then who do you love?” Meredith asked in a grave tone.
“The one I love is Levi Garrison!”
CHAPTER 636
Her words made everyone present stop in their tracks.
She still loves Levi?
Everyone had thought that Zoey had given up on Levi.
“I’ll be honest with all of you. I won’t marry again. Even if I do, the only husband that I’ll accept is Levi,” Zoey announced with a look of resolve in her eyes.
“You…”
Meredith jumped to her feet, furious. At that moment, she was tempted to slap Zoey.
“You don’t have a choice. You must marry Landyn, and you must attend the engagement ceremony tomorrow,” Meredith hissed.
“Sylas, keep an eye on her,” Robert ordered.
It was then Sylas argued, “Although it’s not my place to say anything, I still want to say my piece. It’s inappropriate for Ms. Lopez to marry into the Gates family. It’s rumored that the Gates family agreed to Landyn’s marriage with Ms. Lopez because they need her to change Kurt’s fate. If she marries into the Gates family, she won’t be happy. She’s nothing but a tool for them!”
“Nonsense!”
Meredith slammed her hand onto the table.
“Are you telling me that you believe in those baseless rumors?”
Meredith raged, “Furthermore, Mr. Gates truly loves Zoey. He used to court her, and that is a fact. Zoey will only be happier after her marriage. She won’t have a hard time there.”
“Mrs. Black, I’ve done my investigation. Mr. Gates has a chaotic private life. He has been with more than hundreds of women. He’s a black hole, and you’re pushing Ms. Lopez into it!” Sylas argued.
“Stop with your nonsense! You’re slandering Mr. Gates. If you don’t want to do your job, you can quit it!” Meredith roared.
“I-”
Sylas wanted to do as Meredith said.
However, when she thought about how Levi had tasked her with protecting Zoey, she decided to stay.
“I won’t marry him. Grandma, you’d better give up.”
Zoey was uncompromising.
Meredith scoffed, “Are you still hoping to marry that horrible man, Levi?”
“Your Grandma’s right. After all, he’s someone that took ten million but lied and said he threw it into the trash can,” Robert added.
“Exactly. He refused to admit it despite us exposing him on the spot. That man is nothing but a shameless piece of trash.”
By now, the others were furious too.
“You…”
Zoey was about to refute them, but she realized she did not have any evidence to back herself up.
Left with no other choices, she silently endured their words.
“Sylas, take her back to her room to rest. She will attend the engagement ceremony tomorrow and that’s final,” Meredith commanded.
Thus, Sylas could only bring Zoey away.
If they stayed, they would only become more infuriated.
“Look at your daughter. Is she blind? Why is she still longing for Levi?” Meredith spat.
Robert was solemn as he muttered, “If things don’t work out, I’ll chase Levi away. If he doesn’t appear in her line of sight, she won’t think about him.”
“That’s a good idea. Let’s just chase Levi away once and for all,” the others gave their approvals.
They were sick of Levi since forever.
Now that Levi was stopping the Black family from becoming one of the wealthiest, they would not stand aside and do nothing.
“Once she’s engaged tomorrow, he wouldn’t dare to harass her anymore. The Gates family will surely destroy him if he dares to pester Zoey again,” Meredith chortled.
Right then, Russell rushed toward them, dragging a servant of the Black family, Zeek along with him.
“What’s going on?”
Everyone turned to look at Russell, curious.
Russell shot a glare at Zeek before he sneered, “He’s the one who picked up the ten million check. We’ve wronged Levi. He really did throw the check into the trash can.”
CHAPTER 637
Russell was glad that he could expose the injustice done to Levi.
“From the beginning, I’ve suspected someone had picked up the check. Therefore, I asked my friend who works in an IT department to look into it. Finally, I found out that our servant, Zeek, was the one who had taken it,” Russell explained.
Meredith and Robert gave Zeek a stern look. “Did you take it?”
Thump!
Zeek collapsed onto the ground as he begged, “Mr. Black, Mrs. Westbrook, indeed, I was the one who had taken it. That day, I saw Levi throw it into the trash can, so I took it without telling anyone about it. Please don’t call the police. I’ve only used a hundred thousand. I’ll return you the rest!”
After realizing what had happened, Meredith and Robert huffed in rage.
They were not angry that Zeek had been the one who had taken the check, rather, they were angry that he had been found out.
After all, Levi was meant to be the one who had taken it.
Everyone had accused Levi of taking the ten million for himself.
They had never thought that someone would investigate the matter.
Now that it was revealed Levi was not the one who took the money, they felt humiliated.
Russell laughed, “Grandpa, Grandma, I was right. Levi wouldn’t do something like that. Let’s tell Zoey about it and clear his name!”
“Hold on.” Meredith stopped him before instructing, “Russell, you don’t need to bother yourself with this matter anymore. Go back and pretend as if you knew nothing.”
She then turned to instruct Zeek, “I can forgive you for this, Zeek, and I can turn a blind eye to the amount you’ve spent. But you’ll need to agree to my terms.”
“I’ll agree to anything!”
“Good. From now on, no matter who asks you about it, you’ll say that Levi didn’t throw the check into the trash can. You’ll tell them that you witness him leaving with the check in his hands!” Meredith ordered.
“I-I understand! I’ll definitely do that,” replied Zeek immediately.
“Good. Now leave. Pretend you’ve never taken the check for yourself. Levi’s the one who had taken the ten million,” Meredith repeated.
Russell stared at Meredith in disbelief. “Grandma, how can you twist the facts? Levi didn’t do it. Why must you pin the blame on him?”
Russell did not approve of the Black family’s methods.
“Russell, you must keep your lips sealed about this. Never tell anyone, especially Zoey!” Meredith snapped.
“Why, Grandma? Give me a reason!” Russell exclaimed.
“Ha. You know full well that the rumors of Levi taking the ten million for himself have spread across the city. The Black family was the one who slandered his reputation. If you tell the public the truth, you’ll be humiliating the Black family. What will happen to our family then?” Meredith questioned.
Russell gave a solemn smile, “Does that mean we can destroy Levi’s life for the Black family’s reputation?”
Robert hissed, “That’s right. Who is he in comparison with the Black family’s reputation?”
Russell breathed out a trembling laugh. “Fine. Very well. Do as you please then. Sooner or later, you’ll understand what the Black family has done wrong. You’ll have missed an opportunity you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”
“Hahaha! It’s just Levi. What will we truly miss?” The crowd disagreed.
With that, Russell left, huffing furiously.
His grandparents who he thought were righteous people, were the ones to orchestrate this.
He was thoroughly disappointed.
He immediately called Levi.
Meanwhile, Levi was at North Hampton designing his new family home when his phone rang.
“What’s wrong, Russell?”
“Bad news, Levi. Zoey is going to be engaged tomorrow!”
CHAPTER 638
Boom!
The news struck Levi like a bolt from the blue.
Zoey is getting engage?
But I’m still at North Hampton. Who is Zoey going to get engaged to?
After Russell walked him through the situation, rage nearly consumed Levi.
He once had a good impression of Meredith and Robert, at the very least, they left a better impression on him than Harry did.
However, now it seemed like no one could stick to their morals when power and money were involved.
“Time and place,” Levi demanded.
“Stardust Hotel at ten,” Russell replied.
“Got it.”
The next day.
At the Black family’s manor.
Meredith and Caitlyn forced Zoey to dress herself up for the ceremony.
Right then, a fleet of cars arrived outside the manor.
Harry, Henry, and the others had arrived.
Even the Lopez family of the South City was here.
When Harry heard Zoey was about to marry a rich man of South Hampton, he had hurried to South City overnight.
As for the Lopez family, they once refused to acknowledge Harry’s family as a part of the Lopez family. However, when they heard Zoey was marrying Landyn, they came instantly.
Now, they were all claiming Zoey as one of the Lopez family.
“One of us is engaging today. Obviously, the Lopez family has to be here,” Harry said.
At the same time, the Lopez family of South City added, “We’re proud that someone like you is in the Lopez family.”
As the Lopez family of South City was reputable, the Black family was more than happy to welcome them despite knowing that the former was only here to butter up the Gates family.
Zoey was exasperated.
Do they think of anyone else but themselves?
Do they feel anything for others?
“Congratulations, Zoey! I told you shouldn’t stick to Levi. He’s but a burden for you. Look at how great you are now. You’re about to marry into a genuine, wealthy family!” Shaun, Melanie, and the others muttered as they laughed.
“Levi is the worst of the worst. He gave up Zoey for ten million!”
“I know, right. I even heard he insisted that he had thrown the check into the trash can despite taking the money for himself.”
Everyone chattered away.
At the side, Russell was displeased to hear their words.
Why does Levi have to endure these slanders silently?
At the same time, Zeek had an ashen face.
It was as though he was afraid someone would ask him about the matter.
Russell could not help but mumble, “No…”
Meredith stopped him immediately. “Russell, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to humiliate the Black family?”
“I…”
And so, Russell could only swallow his words.
Soon, everyone headed to Stardust Hotel.
Many of them were keeping an eye on Zoey, fearing that she would escape.
A fleet of luxurious cars was parked right outside the Stardust Hotel.
People from the upper-class society were all gathered here today.
Although they were unable to join the engagement banquet without an invitation, they were here in hopes of meeting Kurt.
Meanwhile, the Gates family had long arrived.
Like Landyn, his father, Fred, looked like a capable man, exuding an imposing aura.
After all, he was the man who had control over hundreds of private banks.
He had the nickname of the God of Wealth within the corporate world.
In other words, he was rich.
Beside him was Landyn’s mother, a foreign woman. She exuded a noble aura that attracted the people’s gazes yet kept them at a distance.
She was the president of the Association of Foreign Enterprises; she had a say in every foreign enterprise that entered the local market.
After Fred and his wife gave Zoey a once-over, they nodded in satisfaction.
“This way.”
With that, Meredith and the others entered Stardust Hotel.
CHAPTER 639
Everyone was anxious.
They were about to meet the legendary Kurt Gates.
In the hotel, an old man in his wheelchair was coughing quietly.
When they saw Kurt, the crowd was dumbfounded.
They thought Kurt would be an imposing and healthy man; they had not expected to see a sickly-looking frail man sitting in a wheelchair.
For some reason, the rumors of Zoey marrying into the family to change Kurt’s luck surfaced in their minds.
Zoey was all but a tool.
Caitlyn and Aaron were the ones that suffered the most shock.
They felt as though they had really sent Zoey to hell.
Kurt slowly opened his unfocused eyes and asked, “They’re here?”
“Grandpa, this is Zoey.”
Landyn pointed to the woman.
Kurt straightened his back and started sizing her up.
Beside him was a middle-aged man in a suit. He whispered, “Mr. Gates, she is the one.”
That man was none other than the fortune-teller who told them that Kurt would recover from his illness after Zoey married into the family.
“Very well. It’s her then. Pick a date quickly and get married soon,” Kurt urged.
His impatience was audible to everyone present.
The fortune-teller murmured, “Mr. Gates, five days later will be the perfect date for the wedding.”
After sweeping his gaze across the crowd, Kurt nodded. “All right then. Let’s get the engagement ceremony done as soon as possible. We’ll hold the wedding in five days’ time.”
“W-What?”
His words stupefied Meredith and Robert.
That’s hasty!
It’s as though the wedding isn’t of any importance to them.
All Kurt needed was a word from the fortune-teller before the marriage date was set.
By now, Meredith and the others were starting to wonder if the rumors had been true.
That Zoey was but a tool for Kurt’s illness.
And that the Gates family was uninterested in having Zoey as their daughter-in-law.
But that did not matter to them.
Regardless of whether she was a tool or genuine feelings were involved, Zoey was going to become Landyn’s legal wife.
This was something everyone knew—that Zoey Lopez was destined to become the daughter-in-law of the Gates family.
Moreover, Landyn’s love for Zoey was genuine.
Since Kurt was here in South City despite the severity of his illness, that meant this marriage was important to him.
Hence, this marriage had to continue.
Both the Black family and the Lopez family shared the same thought, Zoey must marry into the Gates family.
“I hope you don’t mind that my father is in poor health. Let us begin the engagement ceremony now,” Fred announced.
“Sounds good to me. Let’s start the engagement ceremony. As for the wedding date, the Gates family will be the one to arrange it,” Meredith answered with a smile.
Fred returned the smile. “From now on, we’re a family. The wedding will be something both families shall discuss together.”
Just as the engagement ceremony was about to begin, Zoey abruptly voiced out loud, “I’m sorry, Landyn. I can’t get engage with you, nor can I marry you.”
Boom!
Zoey’s words struck like lightning to everyone present.
Even Landyn was stunned.
He had thought that Zoey was here because she had agreed to it.
Anxious, Meredith shouted, “Zoey, what are you saying? Shut up now!”
Fred’s expression turned darker than night. He stared at Zoey and queried, “You don’t want to marry my son?”
Zoey shook her head. “That’s right, I don’t want to marry your son.”
“Hahaha!”
Suddenly, Fred burst into laughter.
She’s obviously disrespecting the Gates family.
I have never heard of anyone saying no during the engagement ceremony.
“Zoey, what are you talking about? You have to marry him!” Meredith bellowed.
She was not going to give Zoey any chance to protest.
Fred sneered, “That’s right. We’re already holding the engagement ceremony. Even if you say no, you still have to do it.”
“Zoey, it’s not like you have a choice,” Landyn laughed.
Right then, a roar echoed in the hall. “Let me take a look at who are the ones trying to put my wife in a tough spot. Do you have a death wish?”
CHAPTER 640
Bang!
A group of men rushed in from outside as a man of tall stature emerged.
That man was none other than Levi.
The crowd gasped in shock at the sight of him.
“Darling,” Zoey called out softly.
Despite receiving the divorce certificate, Levi would always be her husband.
“Honey, with me here, no one is going to harm you anymore.”
Levi pulled Zoey into his embrace.
Boom!
The crowd was stunned and stared at them in disbelief, especially the Gates family whose faces were all red in anger.
For a stranger to gatecrash their engagement banquet and embrace their future daughter-in-law, it was a grievous insult.
Furthermore, Levi rubbed salt in their wounds by claiming Zoey as his wife, utterly humiliating the Gates family.
Landyn closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
For the Gates family, it was just a matter of pride.
But for him, he was being blatantly cheated on.
How was he going to face the world after that?
Meanwhile, the Black and the Lopez families were stupefied.
No one expected Levi and Zoey to put on such a spectacle, which was a direct provocation aimed at the Gates family.
By declaring that the lady Landyn was engaged to was his wife, Levi humiliated Landyn outright.
Meanwhile, Meredith’s heart sank as she knew something disastrous was going to happen.
Fred Gates let out a long sigh.
This is unacceptable. I cannot tolerate any of this!
No matter what, the Gates family’s reputation needs to be safeguarded.
This matter has to be kept a secret even if everyone has to die.
He turned to look at Meredith and the others.
“Did you arrange this?” Fred demanded.
Despite his calm tone, it was obvious that he was suppressing his anger.
“Mr. Gates, you misunderstand. This has nothing to do with us. Furthermore, they are divorced and we even have the documents to prove it,” Meredith explained with a panicked look.
The Black and the Lopez families were frightened of offending the Gates family.
At this point, they might as well prepare themselves to be destroyed.
Aaron and Caitlyn were infuriated as Levi foiled their plans yet again.
Is he out to throw a spanner in our works every time?
“Grandma, we told you long ago that if Levi doesn’t repent, we should have kicked him out. But now, the matter has already escalated,” Jennie roared furiously.
Meredith, Robert, and Harry were all trembling with rage as they couldn’t wait to kill Levi.
He was responsible for causing the Black and Lopez families a lot of grief.
Hence, he deserved to be nailed on the pillar of shame.
“Mr. Gates, this is all Levi’s own doing. It has nothing to do with the Black and Lopez families.”
Everyone at the scene pointed their fingers at Levi.
Fred and Landyn then looked towards him.
“Don’t you know Zoey is getting engaged to my son today?” Fred asked coldly.
Levi replied, “I do.”
“In that case, how dare you come here and even call her your wife. What’s the meaning of this? Are you here to cause trouble on purpose?”
Fred raised his voice into a loud roar, terrifying everyone present.
“I would like to know have you ever asked Zoey for her opinion on the engagement?” Levi asked.
“Of course we asked her. Zoey herself agreed to it,” Landyn replied.
Meredith and Robert quickly added, “That’s right. We’ve asked her. Or else, she wouldn’t be willing to come here.”
Levi sneered.
He turned towards Zoey and asked, “In that case, in front of everyone, let me ask you. Are you willing to marry Landyn? Are you willing to get engaged with him?”
At that moment, everyone waited for her answer with bated breath.
All of them stared at Zoey intently as suspense filled the air.
Just when Meredith was about to comment, Fred cut her off. “Let her speak for herself.”
When she saw that everyone’s attention was focused on her, Zoey took a deep breath and exclaimed, “No! I’m unwilling to do so.”
Turning to Landyn, Zoey apologized. “Landyn, I’m sorry to have disappointed you. But Levi is the one I love.”
“If you were unwilling, why did you come?” someone yelled.
“The Black family forced Ms. Lopez to do so,” Sylas explained.
Boom!
Meredith and Robert closed their eyes in despair.
It’s over! It’s truly over.
The Gates family was a lot more powerful than the Caesar family.
Just a word from Kurt alone could close all doors on the Black family, destroying them as a result.
The atmosphere became silent as everyone awaited the incoming storm.
Finally, Fred exclaimed, “You’re unwilling? Just like that?”
Immediately, he changed the subject. Lowering his voice, he growled, “Tell me then, what should the Gates family do now?”
“We have publicized the engagement banquet throughout South City and South Hampton. Even now, there are tons of people outside. Tell me, how is the Gates family going to walk away from this without being humiliated?”
The other members of the Gates family joined in and yelled, “Tell us! Give us an answer!”
“I…” Zoey was stupefied by the amount of pressure being piled onto her.
She did consider the possibility of the current scenario occurring but didn’t have a solution for it.
Landyn sneered, “Zoey, what a shame that I wasted my feelings on you. This is how you repay me?”
“If you disagree, why didn’t you say so earlier? Why must you wait until now to regret your decision?”
“Your ex-husband barged in on my engagement banquet, embraced you, and called you his wife. If this gets out, how am I to face the world? Do you know how humiliated I’ll be? And what about the disgrace this will bring to the Gates family?”
“You owe me an explanation. Or else, don’t blame me for being cruel. Despite my good nature, I’m willing to do anything to protect my family’s honor.”
Amidst Landyn’s barrage of questions, Meredith’s heart sank to its lowest depths when she saw how furious the Gates family were.
In the face of the Gates family’s questions, Zoey was at a loss.
“You want an answer? Hahaha.” Levi burst out in sudden laughter.
“What are you laughing at?”
Landyn felt insulted by Levi’s response.
“What am I laughing at? The reason you wanted to marry Zoey is just to complete your charade. Your Grandpa, Kurt, is dying. The only reason you’re marrying Zoey is because a fortune-teller said so,” Levi replied coldly.
“Nonsense! There’s no such thing,” Landyn bellowed as Levi exposed his hypocrisy.
“I really love Zoey. Therefore, I never married because I was waiting for her. When I heard she got divorced, I went to see her immediately. Can you tell me how many men can do what I did?” Landyn roared.
“That’s right, Landyn is very loyal when it comes to love. It’s surprising someone of his status is willing to marry a divorcee.”
“Mr. Gates is such a good man!”
The crowd began to praise him.
However, Levi sneered, “Landyn, all these years, you have philandered with at least seven to eight hundred women if not in the thousands. Putting that aside, just on the third of last month, you even slept with a high school girl. While on the seventh, you forced yourself onto a married woman…”
“You b*stard! Kill him!” Landyn roared furiously.
It was obvious Levi had found Landyn’s weakness.
CHAPTER 642
Levi smiled. “What’s the hurry? I haven’t even finished.”
“You’re slandering me! I have been celibate for many years,” Landyn retorted angrily.
However, everyone stared at Landyn suspiciously.
The more agitated he was, the more guilty he made himself out to be.
Even his men hesitated as to whether they should take action.
Despite being filled with rage as he glared angrily at Levi, Landyn was at a loss as to what to do.
Just then, Fred stepped forward and pushed Landyn aside. He shouted at Levi, “Who do you think you are? Since when does my son’s personal life need to be scrutinized by you?”
He continued, “Based on the Gates family rules, you have committed four crimes and will be punished accordingly.”
“Firstly, you’ve trespassed on and disrupted my son’s engagement banquet. Secondly, you claimed my son’s fiancée as your wife. Thirdly, you slandered my son. And lastly, you disrespected the Gates family!”
“The punishment for breaking the four rules is to have your four limbs broken on the spot.”
The moment Fred passed the sentence, the elite warriors of the Gates family guarded the exits to prevent Levi from fleeing.
Fred then looked towards the Lopez and Black families. “The Gates family is not one to be messed with. Anyone from South City that challenged us will also be punished.”
Both the Lopez and Black families trembled when they heard his words as they knew it was directed at them.
Landyn’s mother was even more furious. She glared at Levi and barked, “Kneel before me!”
She was royalty from a foreign country and had always looked down upon commoners.
In her eyes, Levi and Zoey were just society’s scum.
How dare they disrupt my son’s engagement banquet?
They’re asking to be killed!
Two foreign bodyguards approached to try and take Levi down.
Meanwhile, Levi clapped his hands and let out a sarcastic smile. “These are serious crimes. I’m impressed.”
However, he changed his tone immediately. “Does the Gates family not respect the country’s laws? Since when do you have the authority to pass judgment on others?” Levi smiled smugly.
When Fred listed out the four crimes, it was obvious that the Gates family was used to throwing their weight around all the time.
They had indirectly declared hegemony over their territory.
Within their sphere of influence, the Gates family was the law. They exercised their authority over all who lived there.
Therefore, they were the ones to decide the fate of others, including life and death.
Levi was furious.
He had been fighting hard outside against the nation’s enemies, to protect the country’s sovereignty and its people.
And yet, prominent families such as the Gates acted with such impunity within the nation itself.
Hence, he felt disillusioned.
Fred scoffed, “Today is my son’s engagement banquet, hence I only charged you with four crimes. If it were any other time, going against the Gates family is punishable by death. I would have sentenced you to death on the spot.”
Such shocking dominance!
The Black and Lopez families were astounded at how powerful the Gates family was.
No wonder they were considered South Hampton’s topmost prominent family.
Meanwhile, all the other members of the Gates family looked cold when they heard Fred’s words as if they were accustomed to it.
It was clear that that the Gates family did as they please and killed as they willed.
Meanwhile, Zoey was unnerved by the Gates family’s show of strength.
She was especially worried when she heard about the four crimes which required Levi’s limbs to be broken.
“In the eyes of the Gates family, does Erudia still matter? Do the laws of the country still apply?” Levi asked.
“Let me make it clear to you. Wherever the Gates family is, that’s where we are the law and everything we say, counts. Do you understand?” Fred replied in an assertive tone.
He wasn’t stupid. It was just that their family was simply too powerful.
All these years, he had always dealt with everything the same way.
Hence, in the eyes of the Gates family, they were the law.
That was all there was to it.
Suddenly, Levi burst into laughter, to the extent that everyone became curious.
His laughter also caused the Gates family to feel offended.
CHAPTER 643
“You… what are you laughing about?” Fred demanded coldly.
The way everyone saw it, Levi’s laughter was extremely annoying.
“I’m laughing because the Gates family is about to be destroyed. No matter how powerful a person or family is, they cannot override the sovereignty of the country.” Levi smiled.
How dare they claim to be the law in front of the God of War.
Are they not afraid of death? As that is the equivalent of challenging Erudia’s sovereignty.
Without a doubt, they need to be taken down.
“Hahaha, the Gates family is finished? What a joke! Who can touch us? Who even dares to touch us? You?” Fred broke into a haughty laugh, followed by the rest of the Gates family.
With our family’s influence, we are untouchable, let alone within South City itself where we are second to none.
“That’s right, me!” Levi grinned.
“I don’t want to see him still standing. He needs to kneel, now!” Landyn’s mother bellowed.
In response, Fred glowered. “Men, punish him for the four crimes now. Break his limbs so that he can feel the wrath of the Gates family.”
Upon his orders, four elite warriors emerged and headed towards Levi.
Zoey was terrified as she knew that they were helpless in front of the powerful Gates family.
Even if Russell and Logan went to get reinforcements it would still be too late.
Furthermore, the reinforcements might not even be enough as the Gates family was just too strong.
At the crucial moment, Zoey stepped in front of Levi and declared, “Whoever wants to hurt him will have to get through me first.”
When he saw the petite figure in front protecting him, Levi chuckled.
My honey is so adorable.
But this is no longer six years ago. Now, I am the God of War, a Five-star God of War in fact.
With me here, no one can harm you.
“Break both their limbs!” Fred ordered.
The Black and Lopez families wanted to stop them but were restrained by the Gates family elite warriors.
By then, Zoey closed her eyes and resigned herself to fate. Even if her limbs were broken, she was at least together with Levi.
However, Levi was calm.
If the Gates family laid a finger on them, they would immediately be destroyed.
“Wait!” At that moment, an old gravelly voice was heard.
Kurt was pushed towards the front on his wheelchair as he coughed continuously.
“Don’t touch the girl! She must be married into the Gates family,” Kurt declared.
He desperately wanted to survive.
The fortune-teller told him that she could cure him if she was married into the Gates family. Therefore, he couldn’t let the opportunity slip by.
Landyn must marry Zoey.
By hook or by crook, Zoey had to be married to a member of the Gates family even if they needed to kidnap her.
In response, Fred offered, “Zoey, as long as you agree to marry my son, I will guarantee that I won’t hurt Levi. Or else, he will definitely end up a cripple.”
Hearing that, Meredith and Robert finally realized that Landyn wasn’t really serious about marrying Zoey.
The Gates family’s main objective was to cure Kurt based on what the fortune-teller said.
Therefore, it wasn’t what Meredith and Robert wanted for Zoey, and they realized now that it was a trap.
However, they had already pushed Zoey into it and there seemed to be no way to escape.
It was impossible to renegade on the wedding now.
Meanwhile, Fred turned towards Meredith. “As long as Zoey is married to my son, I will guarantee the Black and Lopez families will become the topmost families in South City.”
Tempted by Fred’s offer of power, Meredith and the others second-guessed themselves.
Even Zoey considered it. To her, Levi’s safety was her top priority.
“Honey, let’s go. I’m curious to see who is going to stop me.”
At that moment, Levi grabbed Zoey’s hand and wanted to leave.
“Stop them!” Landyn yelled immediately.
CHAPTER 644
Fred grew desperate too. If they let Levi go, the reputation of the Gates family would be in tatters.
Their family would no longer be able to face the world and they would also lose all authority.
Therefore, Levi must not be allowed to leave.
At that moment, a group of elite warriors of the Gates family approached Levi and Zoey to seize them.
“How dare you leave after all the trouble you have caused?”
Fred ordered, “I want him dead! And she must marry my son!”
The Gates family’s desperation and intimidation caused the Black and Lopez families’ hearts to sink.
Levi would die today while Zoey would be forced into marriage.
In fact, the whole matter had doomed both the Lopez and Black families as well.
As everyone trembled in fear, no one dared to say a word.
In the face of the elite warriors, Levi sneered, “Are you sure you want to challenge me?”
“Why? Do you think I don’t dare to touch you?” Fred laughed deviously.
“Why don’t you take a look outside first?” Levi laughed in response.
“What’s going on outside?” Fred was curious and so was everyone else.
Meredith and the others stared at Levi in disbelief.
Does he have some powerful backup? Or else how would he have dared to come alone to rescue Zoey?
“Oh no! Mr. Gates, there’s trouble!”
At that moment, the Gates family’s bodyguards rushed in.
However, Fred was furious at them for panicking in public as it wasn’t good for their reputation.
Wouldn’t this made us a joke to outsiders?
“Hasn’t there always been a lot of people outside? All of South City’s socialites have gathered here,” Fred retorted.
“Mr. Gates, it’s not them. There are others. You have to see for yourself,” The bodyguard replied anxiously.
With that, Fred could no longer remain seated.
He got up and went to the hotel entrance to take a look.
When he saw what was outside, he was shocked.
A large group of men had filled the plaza outside Stardust Hotel and they were all dressed in black suits.
They numbered two to three thousand men and every single one of them looked intimidating.
There was a man standing right in front. He exuded a terrifying vibe as if he had just walked out of hell itself.
The man was Hades.
Behind him were three thousand men. They were all former members of the underworld and Brock Green’s former followers.
Now, they were all under Hades’ command.
When everyone saw the magnificent formation of men, they were all shell shocked.
The Gates family especially was caught by surprise.
Since when did so many men gather outside?
The Black family, Lopez family, and other guests gaped in disbelief as they wondered the same thing.
“See that? Do you still dare to stop me now?” Levi smiled.
With one word, Levi brought Fred back to reality.
“What do you plan to do? Do you think you can challenge the Gates family with this rabble? If so, you’re being too naive!” Fred sneered.
In the face of the great Gates family, these men were considered nothing.
“That’s right! Anyone who dares to go against us will die,” Landyn threatened.
Levi’s lips curled into a smirk. “In that case, I’ll leave with my wife now. You can try and stop me.”
With that, Levi walked to the hotel’s main door with Zoey in tow.
“Stop them!”
The moment Fred gave the order, a roar was heard outside.
It was so loud that it caused the ground to tremble.
“The three thousand men of South City are here to escort the men of Morris Group home!”
“Whoever gets in the way will be killed!”
Hades yelled together with the three thousand men and it sounded like a thundering roar.
CHAPTER 645
At that moment, the elite warriors of the Gates family were stunned.
No matter how strong they were, they were still no match for three thousand men.
What are we going to do?
Fear flashed across Fred and Landyn’s eyes as there were simply too many men outside.
In fact, every single one of them looked like a formidable fighter, and they were definitely not a bunch of rabbles.
Despite that, the Gates family’s honor was at stake.
If Levi stepped out of the door, their reputation would be destroyed.
Therefore, they had to defend their honor to the death.
“Stop them!” Fred insisted.
On his cue, more than ten elite warriors charged at Levi to kill him.
However, Levi and Zoey walked on and ignored everything around them, as if nothing happened.
Their enemies suddenly appeared behind them.
At the same moment, Hades made his move and his figure turned into a blur. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Levi and Zoey.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Hades dished out his attacks with the speed of light, leaving afterimages wherever he struck.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
One by one, the Gates family’s warriors were thrown back.
Thump!
All of them crashed at Fred’s feet.
After struggling a moment, they either lost consciousness or died on the spot.
It was a magnificent sight.
“If you’re not afraid to die, you can try coming at me,” Hades declared coldly.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The three thousand men moved forward a few steps and were about to enter the hotel.
Their movements caused the ground to tremble and struck fear into every member of the Gates family.
At that moment, Fred was overwhelmed by terror.
Although the Gates family was powerful, their base was still in South Hampton.
However, they were now in South City.
If anything untoward happened, reinforcements would definitely not arrived in time.
That being said, their pride still had to be defended.
“Have you thought it through properly? Do you really want to make enemies of the Gates family of South Hampton?” Fred asked again.
He swore to himself that once he gathered his men back at South Hampton, he would definitely destroy everyone in front of him now.
Hades replied with a sneer, “I don’t care if you are from the Gates family or not. But these two are under my protection.”
“That’s right. On the orders of the Morris Group’s head, we are here to escort Mr. Garrison and Ms. Lopez. Anyone who stands in our way will die!” the three thousand men outside yelled.
Hades looked at the Gates family again and warned, “Whoever wants a quick death can try and stop us!”
At that moment, the Gates family including Fred fell silent.
All of them could only watched as Levi led Zoey away.
This was the most humiliating event ever to happen to them in their family’s history.
Someone had stolen their future daughter-in-law and they were powerless to stop them.
However, Kurt who was behind them didn’t give up. “Cough, cough… stop them. They cannot leave… the Gates family’s reputation…”
As for Fred, he was almost in tears.
“Dad, let’s just bear with it. These men are fanatics. If we fight them, we might all die here.”
Meanwhile, tears of humiliation were already flowing down Landyn’s cheeks.
Ever since he was young, he had never been insulted to this extent.
With that, Levi left with Zoey together with the three thousand men.
The Gates family of South Hampton was utterly disgraced in South City.
Fred ordered immediately. “Once we return to South Hampton, we must gather all our forces. I will make sure there is a bloodbath in South City. Every one of the three thousand men just now must die!”
“I agree! We must wash away the shame that we experienced today. Or else I swear I will die!” Landyn bellowed in anger as he too was infuriated.
Furious at what just happened, Kurt roared, “Send out the order in my name!”
CHAPTER 646
Even after they left, Zoey couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all a dream.
What had just unfolded was simply too shocking.
She did not expect that Levi would be able to rescue her from the clutches of the Gates family.
“By the way, Darling, did they say they were acting on the orders of Morris Group boss just now?” Zoey asked in curiosity.
“Yep, that’s right. Other than him, I don’t think anyone else can mobilize so many people,” Levi replied.
“Both of us are considered members of the Morris Group. For him to rescue us does make sense. I wonder what’s the boss like?” Zoey was very curious.
“He’s probably like me!” Levi laughed.
“Stop blowing your own trumpet.”
Back at the hotel, the Gates family quickly left South City while the Lopez and Black families went home disappointed.
When they returned to the Black family manor, they were surprised to find Levi there.
They moment they saw Levi, they were all enraged.
“Levi, you are the death of us. I’m going to kill you!” Meredith bellowed.
The other members of the Black family shared the same sentiment.
Ever since Levi came to South City, he caused a lot of trouble.
Before this, he offended the Caesar family, and now, he insulted the more powerful Gates family.
As a result, the danger they were facing now was more serious than ever before.
As Levi had utterly humiliated the Gates family, they were definitely going to gather their strength and seek out revenge.
To wash the shame off, the Gates family would likely attack with all their might.
“Levi is just a troublemaker. Look at the devastation he wrecked when he was in North Hampton,” Harry mocked.
“That’s right. He has been an orphan since he was little. That itself is a sign that he is cursed. Look at how the mighty Garrison family has fallen because of him. And now, he is here to curse your family!” Henry added.
Aaron and Caitlyn glared at Levi and questioned, “Alright, explain to us what is going on? You have divorced Zoey, what else do you want?”
“Levi smiled, “Divorced? Did you even ask us for our opinion? You abused your authority to have a divorce certificate issued, how is that considered a real divorce?”
“Haha, Levi, aren’t you being shameless? Didn’t you agree in the end? We gave you ten million to divorce Zoey.”
“Yeah! You accepted the ten million, so that means you agreed. Are you denying that now?”
“Are you still a f***ing man?”
The Black family berated Levi and had the urge to violently beat him up.
Robert bellowed, “How can you say we didn’t ask for your opinion? Didn’t you accept the check for ten million?”
Pamela sneered, “That’s right! I handed the check to you myself!”
Levi replied with resignation, “I told you I threw the check into the trash can.”
“Preposterous!”
“Liar!”
“I looked through all the garbage bins at home and never found the check. You’re such a liar!” Logan yelled back.
“Then someone else must have taken it. I did throw it away,” Levi insisted.
“Who could have taken it? We’ve asked everyone in the Black family and no one saw it. Why do you insist on lying?” Logan retorted angrily.
At that moment, one of the servants outside, Zeek, suddenly turned pale when he heard their argument.
“Stop lying! Just admit that you’ve taken the check,” Meredith demanded unabashedly despite knowing the truth.
Just then, Russell suddenly spoke up, “I can vouch for Levi. He did throw the check in the dustbin, however, one of the servants, Zeek, picked it up.”
His words shocked everyone.
CHAPTER 647
“What?”
Zoey’s eyes suddenly sparkled as she always wanted to clear Levi’s name.
As expected, it was picked up by someone else.
Meredith and Robert looked at Russell in disbelief as they didn’t expect him to expose the truth.
“Russell, what are you babbling about? What’s this about Zeek taking the check?”
Logan desperately winked at Russell for him to keep quiet.
“I have proof! Zeek even spent tens of thousands from the check.” Russell ignored all the signals the members of the Black family gave him.
“I don’t believe it. All of the Black family’s servants are of the highest integrity,” Bailey insisted.
“If you don’t believe it, you can get Zeek here to ask him yourself,” Russell suggested.
Pamela and the others protested, but Meredith agreed. “Alright, bring Zeek in for questioning.”
In a brief moment, Zeek arrived, trembling.
He was terrified and didn’t dare to look Levi in the eye.
“Very well, Zeek, l have a question for you and you have to answer truthfully,” Russell instructed.
“A-alright, Mr. Black… please go ahead and ask,” Zeek replied with his head lowered.
“Did you see Levi throw the check into the dustbin the other day?” Russell asked.
Both the Lopez and Black families waited with bated breath for his answer.
Even Levi and Zoey’s gaze were fixated on him.
Trembling violently, Zeek was extremely nervous. He lifted his gaze to give Meredith a glance and answered, “Mr. Black, I didn’t see Levi throw the check in the dustbin.”
Boom!
The moment he replied, Russell and Zoey were stunned.
As for Meredith and the others, they smiled triumphantly.
“Zeek, you’re lying! You’re the one who pick up the check and now you’re denying it in front of everyone,” Russell bellowed in desperation.
“Mr. Black, I’m innocent! I really didn’t pick up the check. On that day itself, I saw Levi leave the manor with the check. Everyone else saw the same thing,” Zeek continued his lie without even batting an eyelid.
“That’s right, we saw him leaving with the check, it was never in the rubbish bin,” the rest added.
Russell almost burst a blood vessel hearing that.
Why do such people even exist?
He looked towards Meredith in disbelief.
She must have planned everything.
Nevertheless, I must prove that Levi is innocent!
“Russell, you’d better keep quiet and not throw unfounded accusations around,” Meredith yelled.
“I…” Russell stopped himself mid-sentence.
But how can I win against the whole Black family?
Meredith looked towards Levi, “What else do you have to say?”
Levi smiled, “There’s nothing more to say. I just feel that all of you are scum.”
Levi had already investigated the check’s record and was disappointed at how manipulative the Black family was.
“You b*stard, who are you calling scum?” Everyone was infuriated.
Levi’s words were obviously directed at everyone present.
“You don’t deserve to enjoy the cigarettes and wine!” Levi remarked coldly.
“Sheesh! Those cigarettes and wine were brought in by Russell, what have they got to do with you?” Robert retorted while the others piled on the insults.
Suddenly, Meredith stopped them.
Looking towards Levi, she asked, “Let me ask you, what do you want to do?”
Levi glanced at Zoey and said, “Six years ago, I was framed. The wedding wasn’t perfect and caused too many regrets for Zoey and me. Therefore, I want a fresh start with Zoey, to propose to her again and have another wedding to make up for the regrets we have.”
Zoey replied with a choking voice, “I will marry you!”
“Impossible! Zoey must be married to the Gates family,” Meredith quipped.
CHAPTER 648
Previously, they wanted to marry Zoey out to improve the family’s future prospects.
But now, it was simply to placate the Gates family.
Since Kurt needed Zoey to fulfill the fortune teller’s prophecy, they hoped the Gates family would not seek revenge on them.
Therefore, after some discussions within the family, Meredith decided to marry Zoey off to the Gates to mollify their anger.
Levi wants to marry Zoey?
No f****ing way!
Besides, he will be a dead man soon enough for offending the Gates family.
“It’s not up to you. As long as Zoey is willing, I will marry her!” Levi exclaimed.
“Haha, you plan to marry Zoey? You will be better off worrying about how to protect yourself. The Gates family’s army will soon be here to kill you,” Logan burst into demented laughter.
“If the Gates does come, I will destroy them.” Levi’s eyes gleamed with menace.
This family has long acted with impunity and challenged the sovereignty of the nation. There’s no way I’m letting them off easy.
“You’re being ridiculous. I hope when the Gates are here, your words can still be as sharp!” Everyone sneered at Levi.
“Russell, Sylas, protect Zoey. I’m going to deal with the Gates family,” Levi ordered.
“Yes…”
Both Russell and Sylas were about to acknowledge his instructions instinctively but decided otherwise when they saw everyone looking at them with strange expressions.
With that, Levi left.
He was confident that Zoey was in safe hands. Even if the two of them failed to protect her, Hades would be watching over her from the shadows.
“Hahaha, isn’t this just Levi trying to flee?” Logan laughed smugly.
“Of course he’s trying to flee, or else why wouldn’t he bring Zoey along?”
All of them scoffed at Levi’s behavior.
From what Zoey could see, Levi must have gone to gather reinforcements and request help from the Morris group’s boss.
It seemed their debt to that man kept increasing.
However, she began to grow suspicious as to why the leader of the Morris Group treated her and Iris so well.
He helped her buy the Oriental Star Group at the auction and gave her full authority to run the business at the electronics mall.
Furthermore, he had saved her and Levi on many occasions.
Who is he?
After leaving Russell, Levi arrived at a large mansion, which was Azure Dragon’s residence in South City.
The mansion was known as Guardian Mansion but was abandoned long ago.
Ever since Azure Dragon and the others arrived, they had been staying there.
That day at the Mansion, Levi noticed that it was crowded. There were even military dogs guarding the entrance.
Once they saw Levi, everyone gathered outside.
There were about sixty of them which gave Levi a shock.
Why are there so many people here?
“Good day, Chief!” All sixty of them saluted Levi.
“Good day, comrades!” Levi returned the salute.
“God of War, let me introduce you. These are the captains of the reconnaissance troops from the South Warzone. They have come to practice their skills,” Azure Dragon explained with a smile.
Ever since he arrived at Guardian Mansion, he had guests visiting every day.
Most of them were there to learn and improve their technique.
As of now, half of them were drenched in sweat in their tank tops. They had obviously been sparring with Kirin.
“Chief, some of our comrades had the illusion that they could take on White Tiger just now. However, they got their asses handed to them instead,” someone reported.
When Levi saw a group of men who were badly bruised and beaten sitting in a corner, he laughed.
Go toe to toe with White Tiger? That’s just suicide.
Given that they were all comrades, White Tiger let them off easily.
“Sir, is something wrong?”
Azure Dragon could sense that something was amiss.
“I expect someone to come for me soon,” Levi explained with a smug grin.
CHAPTER 649
Just as Levi spoke, the sixty odd officers were incensed.
Who dares come for the God of War? Do they have a death wish?
How is this even possible?
The God of War is the military paragon of all the soldiers from the Nine Warzones of Erudia.
Whoever dares to even disrespect the God of War cannot be forgiven!
All of us will defend the symbol of the army with our lives.
“Who dares to come for the Chief? Are they nuts? I, Macfay, will be the first to strike them down!”
“I, Macdonald, will never allow it!”
“I, Mackenzie, forbid it!”
One by one, the captains of the reconnaissance troops roared angrily with a ferocious look on their faces.
“Very well, we will stay. I want to see with my own eyes who dares to challenge the Chief’s authority.”
“That’s right. Don’t worry, Chief. Let us deal with this for you.”
“Damn it, it’s time to teach this bunch of rabble a lesson.”
Everyone was outraged.
Levi smiled in response. “Very well, I won’t fight over them with you. You can be my guest!”
He had a different plan to deal with the matter but didn’t expect the mansion to be filled with so many people.
It was just a wonderful coincidence that they could help resolve it.
As a result, his mind was also put at ease.
Once they received Levi’s permission, everyone was filled with anticipation.
They wished that the enemy would arrive sooner so that they could demonstrate their capabilities to the God of War.
“Come, let’s continue with our practice. So that we can thrash them straight later.”
All the men were wild with excitement.
Meanwhile, at the Gates family residence.
The plaza in front of their villa was filled with men.
All of them were tall and strong. Standing at attention, they exuded a terrifying vibe.
They were men of different races but they all had one common trait – they were insanely powerful.
“Dad, I have gathered the Five Hundred Dragon Guards of the Gates family,” Landyn reported.
The Gates family was as wealthy as a nation and no one was their equal in terms of financial power.
All these years, Kurt had spent a lot of money amassing and maintaining a private army that would later be known as the Dragon Guards.
Every one of them was an elite warrior in their own right.
They were either famous mercenaries from overseas, top-ranked assassins, and retired members of black ops from major countries. Furthermore, there were also martial artists skilled in the ancient arts of Qi, Thai boxers, and etcetera.
Every year, the Gates family spent two billion maintaining the Dragon Guards.
This was something unattainable by any other prominent family.
Although there were only five hundred of them, their fighting strength was more important than their numbers.
These were extremely powerful men and would strike fear in anyone who came across them.
Even the Caesar family’s eight hundred White Robes were no match for them.
The Dragon Guards were fearsome warriors and wherever they went, blood would flow like rivers.
In their minds, Levi’s three thousand men from South City were nothing but a bunch of rabbles.
They would not last more than ten minutes in front of the Dragon Guards.
They were confident that no one would be able to protect Levi. With Levi out of the way, Zoey would then be captured and brought back to marry Landyn.
“Alright, let’s head out!” Fred ordered.
Aside from the Dragon Guards, they had also recruited a hundred additional warriors using Kurt’s name.
As a result, the army of around six hundred men headed towards South City in high spirits.
One by one, their cars formed a long snake-like convoy which was a magnificent sight to behold.
By evening, the convoy arrived in South City.
The whole city trembled upon their arrival, especially the Lopez and Black families who prayed hard that they would escape the Gates family’s wrath.
“Father, where shall we go first? I have the address of the place where Levi is holed up in,” Landyn inquired.
“We will look for Levi first and then clean out the South City’s underworld. Finally, we will seize Zoey so that both of you can get married,” Fred barked his orders.
“Understood, Father. Let’s roll out!”
With that, the Gates family army headed towards Guardian Mansion.
CHAPTER 650
Half an hour later, the large convoy arrived outside of Guardian Mansion.
Thud!
Thud!
One by one, the men got out of the cars.
In a blink of an eye, the five hundred Dragon Guards and one hundred warriors assembled.
“Surround the place and don’t let anyone escape!” Landyn barked.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The six hundred men spread out and sealed off all escape routes from the mansion.
The encirclement was six man thick. Even a bird couldn’t escape, let alone a man.
The Dragon Guards alone were stronger than the force of five thousand men combined.
After that, Fred and Kurt got out of the car.
“Let’s enter from the front,” Fred ordered.
A group of men arrived at the front door.
Bark! Bark! Bark!
A group of military dogs barked ferociously at them.
Crack!
Landyn pushed the metal gate forcefully and bellowed, “Levi, come out this instant!”
After waiting for half a day, the captains of the reconnaissance troops finally got their wish.
They were all filled with excitement.
However, they didn’t go out until after Landyn shook the gate for a few minutes.
Finally, Macfay, Macdonald, and Mackenzie emerged.
The three of them were wearing green tank tops, showcasing their rippling muscles.
“Why are you causing a ruckus? Who are you looking for?” Macfay questioned as the three of them walked towards the gate.
When Landyn saw how intimidating the three men were, he couldn’t help but feel a shiver of fear run down his spine.
Realization dawned on him that these were not ordinary men.
Nevertheless, with five hundred Dragon Guards behind him, he was afraid of no one.
“Is Levi Garrison inside?” Landyn demanded arrogantly.
“So what if he is? Who are you people?” Macfay inquired.
“Listen well, we are the Gates family of South Hampton and are here to seek revenge on Levi. He must die today!”
“Behind me are five hundred Dragon Guards. I’m warning you, even if you have three thousand men, you won’t be able to protect Levi,” Landyn sneered.
Everyone on the Gates family’s side assumed that Macfay and his men were in the same group of underworld members that escorted Levi away in South City.
They had no idea that these were military veterans.
Hearing Landyn’s answer, Macfay and the others furrowed their eyebrows.
Did our ears deceive us?
These men want to kill the Chief?
How dare they!
“Insolence! What gave you the gall to do such a thing? Do the nation’s laws mean nothing to you?” Macfay barked.
“Haha, I have always said that the Gates family is the law! Wherever we go, our word is final!” Fred declared arrogantly.
His words gave Macfay and his companions a shock as it was rare to encounter anyone who acted with such impunity nowadays.
Setting aside their blatant disregard for the nation’s laws, they even wanted to kill the God of War!
What sort of madness is this?
“Get Levi out now to kneel and accept his execution. Don’t force us to drag him out ourselves,” Fred threatened.
“You are asking for the impossible as it is our duty to protect him.”
Macfay and the other two captains were resolute in their stand.
“Hahaha, with just the three of you? Don’t you think you’re overestimating yourselves?”
In the eyes of the Gates family, the trio were already dead men.
“What if you include us?”
The moment the voice was heard, a group of men in army green tank tops emerged.
There were sixty of them in total who assembled in a neat formation, giving off a strong and magnificent vibe.
“This…”
Fred and his men were perplexed when they noticed the group in front of them came off differently from what they expected.
They didn’t look like men of the underworld, but Fred couldn’t put his finger on who they were yet.
Macfay scanned his gaze around and sneered, “You are forbidden to enter. Whoever tries to trespass will only meet with death!”
Is he challenging us not to barge in?
Who can resist such a challenge?
“Break down that door!” Landyn couldn’t resist the taunt.
Crack!
Crack!
Boom!
Upon his orders, a few warriors approached and tore down the giant metal gate by force.
“How dare you tear down the door! Do you know what this place is?” Macfay bellowed in rage.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
The military dogs barked ferociously as they tried to lunge forward but were held back by their restraints.
Fred’s expression darkened as he barked, “Men, breach and secure Levi! Kill whoever that gets in your way.”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
At that moment, the Dragon Guards tried to barge in.
“Stop! How dare you!” Macfay bellowed.
The other captains also warned the Dragon Guards to back off.
“Why don’t I dare? Charge!” Fred ignored their warnings.
“Do you even know what this place is?”
Macfay roared, “This is the Warzone compound and is considered a restricted military area. You are all trespassing and have violated the forbidden zones!”
Upon hearing Macfay’s words, the attacking Dragon Guards stopped in their tracks and stared at him in shock. In fact, they seemed to even be a little fearful.
Boom!
The news was so shocking that Fred and his men thought they were hit by lightning.
“I think I understand what’s going on…”
Fred and his men suddenly understood one thing.
From the beginning, they could feel Macfay and his men were different but couldn’t quite put their fingers on the reason.
Given that they were wearing army green tank tops, it became clear who they were.
They are all soldiers!
Even the dogs looks different.
Those are f***ing military dogs!
At that moment, Fred and Landyn panicked.
If this really were a restricted military zone, they would be in very big trouble.
It would be worse if all these men were also soldiers.
What should we do?
Should we charge in or leave?
But leaving is impossible as the Gates family cannot be humiliated again!
Fred sneered, “Do you think just because you claim this is a military zone makes it so? Are you trying to scare us away?”
“I’ll repeat myself. Get Levi out here to kneel before me. Or else, I will tear this place down and kill everyone!” Fred declared furiously.
Meanwhile, the Dragon Guards were all ready for action. Upon receiving their orders, they would tear into the building.
“This is your last warning!” Macfay declared.
“Men, charge in and capture Levi!” Fred wasn’t the least bit appreciative of the offer.
His words infuriated Macfay and all the other captains.
“Damn you b*stard, how dare you cause trouble within my territory!”
Whipping out his phone, Macfay quickly dialed a number. “Hello, it’s Macfay! Pass down my orders. Gather the troops in full battle gear and come to the Guardian Mansion at the outskirts of the city. We have to protect the God of War!”
After that, Macdonald barked into his phone. “Hello, it’s Macdonald. Assemble the men and have them head to the Guardian Mansion armed to the teeth. We are to defend the God of War!”
Lastly, Mackenzie ordered, “Hello, it’s Mackenzie. Get the team to head for the Guardian Mansion now! We have an important battle to fight!”
This continued on with the other captains.
CHAPTER 652
One by one, the captains ordered their respective teams to head for Guardian Mansion.
At a single moment, thirty regiments were mobilized which was an impressive display of strength.
Meanwhile, the Gates family and their strong army of six hundred were all stunned.
One by one, they could be heard gasping.
Even Landyn and Fred were stupefied while Kurt couldn’t stop coughing.
Regardless of whether they were lying or not, Macfay and his men definitely made it look intimidating.
Are all sixty men army captains?
In that case, is this place really a restricted military area?
Who is the person inside?
How highly positioned is he to have more than sixty officers protecting him?
The Gates family were stumped.
The Dragon Guards, who were at the vanguard, started to tremble and grew weak in their knees.
What if what they claim is true?
They knew what the consequences would be.
In that situation, ten Gates family combined wouldn’t even stand a chance, let alone one.
If it came to that, the Gates family would be in an extremely precarious situation.
Should we attack?
But we don’t dare to.
Should we not attack?
But the Gates family will be humiliated.
At that moment, Levi, Azure Dragon, and a few others emerged.
Boom!
At the sight of Levi, the Gates family stared daggers at him.
After all, he was the man who brought their family their greatest humiliation.
Meanwhile, Landyn couldn’t help but have the urge to kill Levi because Levi had snatched his fiancée away in front of everyone in South City.
His hatred for Levi was simply overwhelming.
As for Fred and Kurt, they were equally incensed.
At the sight of Levi, their animosity towards him grew exponentially.
We must kill him!
Just when Fred was about to give the order, he hesitated when his gaze fell upon Macfay and the other captains.
But what if their calls were real? If so, the Gates family will be done for!
Levi smiled at the Gates family when he saw them. “I heard you are looking for me?”
“Levi, you…” Landyn almost exploded in anger.
“Well, I’m standing right here now. Come on then!” Levi smirked at the Gates family.
When they saw Levi’s mocking expression, both father and son almost burst a vessel.
“Come on? What’s wrong? Are you afraid? Isn’t the Gates family fearsome? Aren’t you the law wherever you go? What is it now? You don’t even have the guts to enter this door?”
In the face of Levi’s taunts, the Gates family was outraged.
However, all of them were breathing rapidly as they tried to keep their anger in check.
Even the machetes in their hands were raised.
Fred was struggling with himself.
To attack or not to attack. What a dilemma!
Everyone else felt the same.
If Macfay was a real army officer, they would be in big trouble.
When he noticed that the Gates family was hesitating, Levi sneered, “What are you afraid of? Isn’t the Gates family the law itself? Don’t you also rule over this piece of land?”
“Doesn’t your authority override that of Erudia’s? What’s wrong now? Why don’t you dare set foot in here?”
“Come on, don’t disappoint me, you wimps!”
In the face of Levi’s provocations, Fred breathe heavily and was drenched in cold sweat. As his whole body trembled, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets, especially when he saw Levi’s haughty expression.
He couldn’t resist the urge and finally exploded.
“Men, attack! Levi must be captured alive!” Fred roared with all his might.
“Charge!”
The Dragon Guards no longer held back as all of them dashed forward.
“Let them come!” Macfay got into his fighting stance and prepared for battle.
Boom!
At that moment, the sound of a loud engine rumbled across the sky.
It was so loud that it caused the ground to tremble.
There was a combat helicopter circling in the air.
CHAPTER 653
Just that scene alone caused everyone to stop what they were doing and looked into the sky, dumbfounded.
As it was already nightfall, the helicopter shone a spotlight on the Gates family’s men.
All of the Dragon Guards surrounding the mansion were caught in the light.
As the light was extremely bright, everyone had to shield their eyes from being blinded.
The Gates family were all stunned.
“This is a restricted military area, who are you?”
“We are the South Warzone’s airborne unit. What are you planning to do?”
A voice from the helicopter blared out through its speakers which shocked the Gates family.
So it’s true!
They were telling the truth!
These men are really army officers.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In the next moment, the Gates family could hear the rumble of footsteps marching behind them.
Whirr…
It wasn’t just footsteps, there was also the sound of vehicles and a lot of other noises all mixed together.
It sounded as if an entire army itself was approaching.
“One, two, three, four!”
Along with the commands being shouted out, groups and groups of soldiers emerged behind the Dragon Guards.
The Gates family was shocked to their core while the Dragon Guards were struck with fear.
It’s really true!
They really mobilized thirty regiments.
What are we going to do? This really is a restricted military zone.
We’re doomed!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Despite their fame and the two billion spent on them, the Dragon Guards dropped to their knees one by one with their hands over their heads.
The only ones left standing were Fred and a few others.
However, it was more because Fred’s mind drew a blank. His face was all pale and cold sweat broke out profusely.
“Dad, I can’t stand any longer.” Landyn’s knees buckled and he too dropped to the ground.
Finally, Fred also did the same as he lost all strength in his body and could hardly move.
Trembling violently, he couldn’t even say a word.
When Levi saw how they looked, he sneered, “What’s wrong? Have you given up? Isn’t the Gates family above the law? Why are you on your knees?”
“Y-Y-You…” Fred stammered in a frantic voice and didn’t dare continue.
Cough! Hack! Cough!
In the midst of his hacking cough, Kurt barely forced out a question. “You… who are you really?”
Prior to this, when Hades led three thousand men to protect him, it didn’t pique their curiosity as to who Levi was.
However, there were thirty regiments of soldiers from the South Warzone protecting him now.
It indicated that Levi was someone a lot more important than they had imagined.
“To be honest, the Gates family have no right to know my identity.”
Levi shot them a cold glare.
“Men, capture all of them. Since no one dares to touch the Gates family, I’ll be the one to do it!”
“I want to see for myself how capable is a prominent family that declared themselves to be the law of the land,” Levi bellowed.
Boom!
Kurt and his men closed their eyes in despair.
The Gates family are finished!
Meanwhile, back at the Black family manor.
“Grandpa, Grandma, I have bad news. The Gates family have brought five hundred Dragon Guards to South City,” Logan reported while being out of breath.
“What? So soon?”
Meredith and the others’ expressions changed as they were struck by fear.
“This really means trouble!”
“Do you know where they’re headed?” Meredith asked.
“They are looking for Levi as of now. I heard they want to kill him and wipe out South City’s underworld,” Logan replied.
Meredith began to pray. “I hope when Levi is killed, the Gates family would be appeased.”
“Grandma, what are you saying?” Zoey fumed.
CHAPTER 654
Meredith and everyone else stared at her. “Zoey, don’t tell me you really believe Levi can deal with this issue?”
“The Gates family are going to kill him. Even the three thousand men who protected you will die tragically,” Logan explained the reality of the situation.
“Huh?”
At that moment, Zoey finally understood the gravity of the matter.
“Oh? Is that so? Then why am I still alive?”
At that moment, a voice emanated through the room, causing Logan to drop to his knees in horror.
“It’s a ghost!”
“What f***king ghost are you talking about? I’m still alive and well,” Levi grunted in exasperation.
“Are you really alright?”
Meredith and the others stood up and looked towards Levi.
“What can happen to me?”
“What about the Gates family? Weren’t they looking for you?” Meredith inquired in disbelief.
“Oh, I destroyed them. They no longer exist,” Levi replied casually.
“What? How is that possible?”
Meredith and the other looked at him doubtfully.
At the same time, Logan quickly checked on the latest news with his contacts.
After that, his expression changed drastically.
“It’s true… the Gates family has disappeared from South City and no one knows where they have gone. I-I-Its…” Logan was so bewildered that he was stumped for words.
“So it’s true?”
Meredith, Robert, and everyone else looked on in disbelief.
At that moment, Russell let out a relaxed smile.
For the Gates family to challenge Levi, isn’t it the same as having a death wish?
Zoey grabbed Levi’s hand and murmured, “Was it the mysterious boss of the Morris Group that did it again?”
Levi was stunned for a second before nodding.
As he was the boss of the Morris Group, what Zoey said wasn’t wrong.
“We owe him yet another debt of gratitude. By now, I don’t even know how we’re going to repay it,” Zoey remarked with a smile.
Grinning, Levi replied, “Worse comes to worst, I’ll sell myself to them.”
“That’s unacceptable! Anything else but that.”
Zoey shook her head as her love for Levi was now rooted deep in her bones.
All this while, her expectation of a husband was that he would be a respectable, mature man with a heart of gold.
But as of now, no matter what Levi was doing, she would love him for it because she knew that he had always been protecting her.
“Grandpa, Grandma, and everyone else. Today, I declare that I will be the one who’ll have the final word on my marriage. I will still marry Levi and will wait for him to organize the perfect wedding for us.”
In front of both the Black and Lopez families, Zoey made her stand clear.
Hearing her declaration, Levi was touched. All he cared for was Zoey’s trust in him.
Both families sighed in response.
Why can’t we escape from Levi! Karma is a b****!
In the end, Meredith had no choice but to give up her plans.
After being taught a harsh lesson, she had enough.
South Hampton.
It was Erudia’s economic capital, hence was also known as the Devil’s Capital.
South Hampton was at an even higher level than the first-tier cities of North Hampton and South City.
The reason being a few royal families had established themselves there and their economic power was immense.
However, South Hampton’s high society was shaken today because Kurt Gates, president of the South Hampton chamber of commerce had been decimated, along with the entire Gates family.
Although the Gates family was not as powerful as the royal families, they still controlled a significant portion of South Hampton’s economy.
For them to disappear without a trace struck fear into many.
What’s going on?
Wasn’t the Gates family supposed to have a wedding in South City? How can they disappear just like that?
Within a short period of time, the citizens of South Hampton began to grow anxious.
Meanwhile, within the deep forests outside South Hampton, there was a luxurious villa.
Outside the villa, there were hundreds of men kneeling at the door.
“Master, please avenge Jacky for us!”
CHAPTER 655
As hundreds of men were shouting, they were all slamming their heads onto the ground, to the extent that blood was oozing out of their foreheads.
What made it more shocking was that they had been kneeling there for three whole days.
Ever since the news of Jacky Lawson’s death spread, the men began to gather in front of the villa.
They were all Jacky’s fellow disciples of the same master.
Their master does have the intention to head for South City, but it just wasn’t the right time yet as he was still in the midst of his solitary meditation.
But now that Jacky was dead, his fellow disciples could wait no longer.
Hence, they were pleading with their master to end his mediation earlier.
Sigh!
Suddenly a loud sigh was heard from within the villa.
The hundreds of disciples who heard it began to feel excited.
Their faces which were previously pale with despair were now glowing brilliantly.
Creak!
In the next moment, the villa’s door slowly opened.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Suddenly, two rows of bodyguards dressed in red marched out.
Upon their clothes, the word “Heimler” was embroidered onto it.
After that, an old man surrounded by a group of six bodyguards emerged.
All six of them were wearing masks and were dressed exactly like the two men Jacky had brought with him.
The old man was wearing a white robe and did not look any different from any other men of his age. His eyes were cloudy and he had an unsteady gait, as if the wind could cause him to fall anytime.
“All hail the master!”
The hundreds of disciples chanted.
All of their faces were filled with respect and admiration.
“Is Jacky really done for?” The old man asked in a trembling voice.
“Master, Jacky will be staying in South City forever and is never coming back,” his disciples answered.
Upon hearing the news, the old man looked up and heaved a long sigh.
Throughout his life, his disciples numbered in the hundreds if not the thousands.
Even for many of his current students, he didn’t even remember their names.
However, amongst all of them, Jacky was his favorite.
In fact, he was training Jacky to be his heir given that he had no sons.
Or else, he wouldn’t have sent Jacky on such an important assignment such as taking over South City.
Two days ago, he had just spoken to Jacky who reassured him that everything was going well and that South City’s underworld had been wiped out.
However, not long after that, he received the news of Jacky’s death.
“Who killed him?” The old man demanded.
“Master, it was the current leader of South City’s underworld, Hades. He is the current champion and record holder of the Deathmatch championships.”
“Therefore, we have not taken any action yet and have been waiting for you to finish your meditation,” the students replied.
“I can’t believe that South City has such a formidable warrior. Jacky has died in vain indeed!” the old man lamented.
“Master, don’t worry, once we combine all our strength, we can seek revenge for Jacky.”
“Yeah! we shall not rest until we have avenge Jacky!” the hundreds of disciples chanted in unison.
“Where is his body?” The old man looked toward the crowd.
At that, the crowd fell silent as no one showed any concern as to what befell the body after his death, to the extent it was likely still left in South City.
Witnessing their silence, the old man was infuriated.
“You keep harping on about revenge and yet you didn’t even bother to bring his body back!”
The old man’s voice thundered through the crowd and was a big contrast to his feeble demeanor.
The next moment, the hundreds of disciples trembled in fear and bowed their heads on the ground.
They were so terrified that every one of them was drenched in cold sweat.
Their master was furious. They knew what would follow will be earth-shattering due to his terrifying identity.
Once his identity was revealed, the whole of southern Erudia would be quaking in their boots.
CHAPTER 656
The old and seemingly feeble man was none other than the leader of the Southern Union, Grover Cooke.
Most of the Southern Union’s branches were based along the coast where the economy thrived with many different industries.
There were innumerable martial art experts within the Southern Union. In fact, all of the experts in the south itself originated from the Southern Union.
They were so powerful that the underworlds of all major cities would tremble at the mere mention of the Southern Union.
Even Scott Yates came from the Southern Union but hardly anyone knew about it.
Every year, he had to pay a tribute of five billion to the Southern Union.
No one really knew why he had to live the life of a recluse for thirty years.
The real reason was that his influence had expanded too quickly and clashed with that of the Southern Union.
Hence, if he continued to expand any further, the Southern Union would have to take him down.
Therefore, Scott had no choice but to shun the world to prevent the Southern Union from taking action against him.
Ever since then, the tribute Scott had to pay the Southern Union increased to ten billion.
Only then could he ensure his own safety.
Furthermore, even the Triple Group had to pay billions in tribute to the Southern Union.
The fact that an international conglomerate such as the Triple Group had to bow down to its knees to the Southern Union demonstrated how domineering they were.
In summary, anyone with any sort of influence in the south had to pay their respects to the Southern Union.
Nevertheless, the Southern Union was not obligated to help them out in return.
This showed just how powerful the Southern Union was.
In fact, all the underworlds within southern Erudia were controlled by the Southern Union.
As long as they gave the word, any of the groups could be wiped out.
However, things happened differently in South City.
Firstly, Scott’s faction was destroyed, followed by the collapse of the Triple Group.
When the tributes from both groups stopped, the Southern Union realized something had happened in South City.
Hence, Jacky was sent to resolve the matter.
As South City formed a huge part of their business, the head of the Southern Union, Grover, had to personally deal with it.
Every single disciple of Grover’s was an elite within their own industry.
Anyone who was weak would not even qualify to be one.
Over the last few decades, Grover, who loved receiving students only accepted seven to eight hundred of them.
Therefore, it was safe to say that every single one of them was a genius in their own right.
Not only did he have a lot of students, but he also had an army of subordinates and a massive network of contacts.
In fact, just a word from Grover and the whole of south Erudia would acknowledge it.
That was how powerful the head of the Southern Union was.
“Master, it is our fault! We should have brought Jacky’s body back immediately.”
“Master, please give us a chance. We will definitely reclaim Jacky’s body.”
One by one, his disciples pleaded.
Meanwhile, Grover shot a quick glance around and exclaimed, “You have disappointed me enough! I will avenge my disciple myself!”
“Johnny Lawrence?” Grover called out.
“Master, Johnny at your service,” A middle-aged man stepped forward and said.
“I order you to head over to South City. Before the Southern Union army arrives, you must reclaim Jacky’s body,” Grover instructed.
“Yes, Master!”
With that, Johnny left.
Johnny was an integral member of the Southern Union as he was among the Southern Union’s best warriors. Of the Four Kings and Eight Slaves, he was one of the Four Kings.
Other than the head of the Southern Union, the Four Kings were next in line in terms of the chain of command.
The Four Kings of the Southern Union were so strong that they could easily defeat Scott Yates.
“Jacky died a tragic death. Prior to this, I was even planning to declare him as my heir at the upcoming Union conference.”
As he spoke, Tears rolled down Grover’s eyes.
CHAPTER 657
“Johnny is on his way to South City. Once Jacky’s body is brought back, I want to hold a funeral for him there,” Grover declared.
“Yes, Master. We will definitely give Jacky a grand funeral.”
Turning towards the crowd, Grover ordered, “Next, you will need to investigate and find out who was involved in Jacky’s death. After that, we will bury all of them alive together with Jacky!”
At that moment, Grover’s whole being exuded an icy cold aura, overwhelming the surroundings with a chilly pressure.
Everyone suddenly shivered as the cold spell engulfed them, it felt as if they had fallen into an icy lake.
They could feel the surrounding temperature drop by seven to eight degrees.
It was real and wasn’t an exaggeration at all.
Grover was an elite martial artist who practiced the Ancient Arts of Qi.
The reason he was in solitary meditation was to further enhance the power of his Qi.
“Understood, Master. We will proceed to investigate and leave no stone unturned,” his disciples answered.
All of them trembled at the idea that Grover was going to bury alive a bunch of men together with Jacky.
It was such a terrifying notion to them.
However, that was the consequence of offending the head of the Southern Union.
Meanwhile, in South City, Levi and Zoey had no inkling of the looming crisis.
In fact, Levi had even forgotten about Jacky, let alone expected someone seeking to avenge him.
The last thing he was interested in was to find out who Jacky really was.
In recent days, the Davies family felt a sense of dread.
Leslie and his son didn’t eat nor sleep well as they were constantly worried.
The reason being they knew Jacky Lawson was part of the Southern Union and was the Union leader’s disciple.
Therefore, ever since Jacky had died, they grew increasingly anxious as they knew the Southern Union would not rest until Jacky was avenged.
In fact, they expected themselves to be dragged into the matter.
Left with no choice, they could only wait. It wasn’t until one afternoon that a group of men finally arrived.
It was one of the Southern Union’s Four Kings, Johnny, and his men.
As Leslie’s eyes brightened, he approached them quickly. “We have been expecting you, dear sirs.”
“We, the Davies family, are of no use at all. We weren’t able to protect Jacky,” Leslie confessed.
“There’s no need for that, I know you’re not to blame,” Johnny remarked impatiently.
“Tell me, where is Jacky’s body?” Johnny asked.
“Huh?”
Stunned for a moment, Leslie quickly replied, “Sir, Jacky’s body was taken away by Hades’ men and I don’t know where they threw it.”
“What? Threw?” Johnny exclaimed in anger, blasting an intimidating pressure across the room.
It left Leslie and the others breathless.
Both Leslie and Derek were shocked when they realized Johnny was more powerful than the Slaves that Jacky had brought with him.
Who is he really?
“That’s right, sir. They said they wanted to throw Jacky’s body into the garbage dump.”
“I reckon his body must have rotted off away at a dump somewhere.”
Upon hearing Leslie’s words, Johnny was utterly furious.
Bam!
He slammed his fist on one of the walls in frustration, causing the wall to collapse into rubble.
“Damn it!”
“If I can’t find Jacky’s body, I will make sure the whole of South City will be buried together with him,” Johnny declared with a terrifying expression on his face.
At the same time, Leslie and Derek could feel an immense pressure that forced them to their knees.
Such strength!
Such immense power!
He is stronger than anyone we’ve seen before.
“You will take me to see Hades!” Johnny ordered in a frosty tone.
In a short while, a group of men appeared at the entrance of the Jagged Club.
Leslie felt more confident this time around because he knew Johnny was one of the powerful Four Kings.
CHAPTER 658
“What do you want?” The moment the guard at the entrance asked, two lightning-fast slashes made quick work of him.
After that, Johnny and his men entered the club.
Inside, the club was as lively as usual.
Johnny went straight to the club’s DJ booth, turned down the music, and switched on all the lights.
Every corner of the club was illuminated as if it was broad daylight.
At that moment, the hundreds of patrons in the club stopped dancing and turned to stare at the DJ booth.
The atmosphere became boisterous as the club’s staff rushed towards the booth.
Picking up the mic, Johnny instructed, “Silence! I have something to say.”
Upon his orders, everyone kept quiet and gave him their attention.
“Let me introduce myself. I am Johnny Lawrence.”
“Huh? Johnny Lawrence? That name sounds familiar.”
“That’s right, where did I hear it before?”
Everyone in the club felt the name sounded familiar.
Johnny continued, “I am from the Southern Union and a subordinate of Grover Cooke.”
Boom!
When Johnny revealed his identity, everyone went ballistic and looked at him in disbelief.
“My God! It’s one of the Four Kings of the Southern Union.”
“It’s really Johnny of the Southern Union. This is unbelievable!”
“Johnny is really here in South City! Something big must have happened!”
The club was in an uproar. When everyone heard that it was the Southern Union, they were filled with excitement.
As gangsters in the underworld, their dream was to join the legendary Southern Union.
To them, it was as good as their religion and was an achievement that would bring honor to the family.
In short, they considered it their Holy Land.
At the same time, it was also the most frightening of places.
Anyone who offended the Southern Union would be hunted down and killed.
There would be no escape even if one fled to the ends of the earth.
For the gangsters, it was an unbelievable sight that one of the legendary Four Kings of the Southern Union, Johnny, was standing before them as many of them worshipped him.
In fact, some even had his face tattooed on their bodies.
As Johnny was courageous and battle-hardened, there was an air of invincibility around him.
“Today, I’m here to look for the body of my master’s disciple, Jacky Lawson.”
The moment Johnny changed the topic, everyone was stunned.
Johnny’s master?
Isn’t that Grover Cooke of the Southern Union?
Grover’s disciple’s body?
Suddenly, everyone thought of the same haughty person, Jacky, from a few days ago.
He’s actually one of the Southern Union’s disciples?
This means big trouble as it now involves the Southern Union.
No matter how strong Hades is, it’s not going to be of much help.
“Johnny, this has nothing to do with us, it’s all Hades’ doing!”
“That’s right, we were not involved at all.”
At that moment, everyone present disavowed their involvement while only a few were hesitating.
They were former followers of Brock Green who had switched their allegiance to Hades.
As the rest of the crowd moved aside, they were left standing in the center.
Johnny instantly understood what was going on.
He asked them, “Were you the ones that took Jacky’s body?”
His tone was calm but so domineering that it felt suffocating.
“Yes, so what if we were?” one of them replied.
“Where is the body now?” Johnny demanded word by word.
At the moment, an immense pressure filled the club and everyone felt their hearts racing.
“We threw it away at a garbage dump,” the man replied.
“Well done! All of you will have to die!” Johnny roared.
“Who are you? How dare you cause trouble in my territory?”
CHAPTER 659
Just then, a voice boomed from behind.
A man with a mask covering half his face appeared.
It was Hades.
As Levi was with Zoey today, Hades didn’t need to watch over her and therefore came back early.
What he didn’t expect was to find a ruckus in his club.
“Who are you?” Johnny bellowed.
“Johnny, he’s Hades! He is the one who killed Jacky and the two Slaves. I saw it with my own eyes!” Leslie reported.
“That’s right, he killed them!” Derek and the others chimed in.
When Johnny realized that the man was his enemy, Hades, he felt especially invigorated and his eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
“Seize him!” Johnny ordered.
More than ten of his men scrambled down from the DJ booth and charged towards Hades.
All of them were formidable warriors who used all kinds of weapons.
Some used chain whips and spears while others wielded giant cleavers.
The group of fighters were extremely well-coordinated and were able to put Hades on the defensive.
It was a sight that shocked many as everyone knew how formidable Hades was as a fighter.
Hades is being beaten back!
The Southern Union does live up to its reputation!
Every member of the Union is indeed an elite warrior.
“Argh!”
However, in the next moment, Hades exploded in rage as he hurled his invincible fists forward.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
One by one, the Southern Union warriors were sent flying back.
Johnny’s eyes narrowed as he felt a chill down his spine.
No wonder he was able to kill Master’s Slaves. What a formidable warrior indeed!
Perhaps I should wait for Master to arrive before deciding on the next step. My mission today is just to locate Jacky’s body.
As for Hades and his men, Johnny decided not to take them down as he remembered Grover wanted to bury them alive with Jacky.
“Stop!” At the wave of his hand, all his warriors stopped their attacks.
“You must be Hades. I will let you off today! So tell me, where have you thrown Jacky’s body?” Johnny asked.
“It’s at Far East Road, you can look for him there,” someone shouted.
“Very well, I look forward to our next encounter, Hades!” Johnny sneered.
“Haha, fine. I’ll be waiting for you.” Hades burst into laughter.
If it were the old days, he would have been worried.
But now with Levi backing him, there was nothing for him to be afraid of.
With that, Johnny left.
His followers were left puzzled, “Johnny, why didn’t you allow us to kill him?”
“He’s really strong and you’re no match for him. Even for me, we might just be evenly matched. If he has further support, we will be at a disadvantage. Therefore, it’s better to wait for Master’s arrival before we decide on our next course of action,” Johnny explained his concerns.
“We understand now,” Johnny’s followers replied.
Arriving at Far East Road, they searched around the whole night.
Finally, they managed to locate Jacky’s body in the garbage dump. It was surrounded by flies and had long since decomposed.
Enduring the stench, Johnny brought Jacky’s body back.
At the same time, Leslie ordered a crystal coffin so that Jacky’s body can be frozen inside.
After Grover heard what happened, he was absolutely livid.
“I will personally deal with them!” he thundered.
Back in South City, Hades related what happened to Levi.
“The Southern Union? I know of them,” Levi remarked.
“The overseas branches of the Southern Union are even more terrifying as they are packed with formidable warriors. Many countries have suffered under their hands.”
Levi’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “This is really interesting. White Tiger, you have an opportunity to go all out now.”
CHAPTER 660
White Tiger squinted his eyes and smiled, “I have also heard that the Southern Union is filled with capable warriors. I had the honor of fighting some of them overseas and they have proved themselves to be very skilled. I hope I will meet someone who I can fight without any reservations.”
Azure Dragon sighed, “Isn’t there a saying? All the best warriors originate from the Southern Union.”
Kirin’s eyes glistened, “Unfortunately, they have offended the wrong people. The audacity of them to act with such impunity in front of us is just pure insolence!”
However, Levi smiled to himself deviously as he had a different plan.
Meanwhile.
“He was killed just because he courted a lady?” Johnny asked curiously.
“That’s correct. Jacky had repeatedly tried to ask a lady out but was rejected every time. Finally, he was killed instead,” Leslie related.
“Who is she?” Johnny’s expression darkened immensely.
“Her name is Zoey Lopez, she’s the boss of Oriental Star Group. She has the support of the Morris Group.”
Johnny sneered coldly, “Damn that Morris Group! We will annihilate them this time!”
Once Master arrives in South City, Morris Group will be eliminated regardless of who they are and who their boss is.
The next day, Grover personally led the other three Kings and other six Slaves to South City.
They were not alone as a massive number of Southern Union members accompanied them.
With a wave of his hand, Grover was able to gather tens of thousands of Union members easily.
That was the influence the Master of the Southern Union wielded.
The Davies family residence was to become their base.
Both Derek and his son had never in their wildest dreams expected to meet the legendary Master of the Southern Union in person.
“Where’s Jacky?”
The moment Grover arrived at the Davies residence, he made a beeline towards Jacky’s corpse.
“Master, please follow me.” Johnny quickly led the way.
When Grover saw Jacky inside the crystal coffin, he could no longer contain his emotions.
Jacky was his favorite student whom he treated like a son.
After brooding in front of the coffin for a long time, he called out to his men.
“Master, your orders?” the Four Kings and Six Slaves answered.
“In three days’ time, we will hold a funeral of the highest honor for Jacky based on the Southern Union’s ceremonial rites. The leaders of every Southern Union branch must attend,” Grover ordered.
“Understood!” the men replied in acknowledgment.
“As for all those who were involved in Jacky’s death, capture them so that I can bury all of them together with him,” Grover roared.
“Master, from our investigations, we have narrowed down the main suspects to eleven people. The four main figures are Hades, Levi Garrison, Zoey Lopez, and Sylas Whitfield.”
At that, Grover released his aura of intense pressure that seemed to be able to move mountains.
“As for the rest, they include both the father and son of the Davies family.”
The man gave Derek and Leslie a cold stare.
The father and son duo fainted in shock upon realizing that they still had to be buried alive in the end.
“Very well, before the funeral begins, those responsible must all stand before me,” Grover insisted angrily.
“Yes, Master!” the Four Kings shouted in unison.
“I heard that Jacky died because of a woman?” Grover asked.
The crowd hesitated but nodded in the end. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Master, the lady is a daughter of the Lopez family which is one of South City’s four noble families,” someone explained.
“Very well. In that case, the funeral will be held at the Lopez family residence. Their whole family will be held accountable for the actions of their young,” Grover said coldly.
Johnny requested, “Master, I volunteer to be the vanguard to take down the Lopez family.”
The other three Kings followed and requested the same.
“As you wish, now let’s head out!”
The Lopez family in South City did not expect the Southern Union to come after their blood.
The most important thing was that they had nothing to do with that matter.
And now, the Southern Union’s army was at the Lopez residence, quickly defeating the guards stationed at the Lopez mansion were quickly defeated.
Patriarch Leon Lopez, the eldest brother of Sebastian Lopez, hurriedly brought the entire Lopez family outside.
The outside of the luxurious manor was densely packed with members of the Southern Union, and they were all dressed in red.
Six masked men, who stood in front of the crowd, were carrying a crystal coffin.
The first four brave men standing in front glanced at everyone in the Lopez family with a domineering look. They were preventing the Lopez family members from running away.
Behind the huge crowd, a car was heading towards them. The word “Heimler” was engraved on the car.
The Lopez family fell into a frightened silence.
They were completely bewildered.
Who could these people be?
Since the fall of Sebastian Lopez, the Lopez family had laid low and stayed away from unwanted attention.
They had never encountered any enemies thereafter.
Why then was there such a powerful adversary at their doorstep?
“Who…who are you people?” Leon Lopez asked, trembling with fear.
“Johnny Lawrence, of Southern Union.”
“Jael Ellison, of Southern Union.”
“Yadriel Larson, of Southern Union.”
“Connor Hill, of Southern Union.”
After the four men reported their names, there was a loud thud.
Crash!
The old patriarch, Leon Lopez, had fallen onto the ground in fright.
Other elderly members of the Lopez family were also frightened, their faces drained of all color.
As for the younger members of the Lopez family, they were stupefied, and they had no idea what was happening.
“T-T-This…”
Leon Lopez was almost foaming at the mouth.
This is too frightening!
The Four Kings of the Southern Union were all here together.
What kind of trouble had we, the Lopez family, gotten ourselves into?
And what had brought the legendary Four Kings to be here as one?
T-This…
“Who are you people?”
The youngsters of the Lopez family had an incredulous look on their faces.
“These are the Four Kings of the Southern Union!”
When the elderly uttered the truth, the entire Lopez family was absolutely shocked and turned pale in fright.
Everyone had heard much about the legendary Southern Union.
Especially about the head of the Southern Union, the Four Kings, and their god-like existence.
“Everyone get out of the way. Whoever gets in the way will be killed with no mercy.” Johnny Lawrence said coldly.
When the Lopez family heard that, they quickly gave way.
With the Four Kings in the lead, the Six Slaves carried the crystal coffin into the Lopez family manor.
Behind them, the mighty members of Southern Union entered one after another.
And lastly, Grover entered.
When the Lopez family realized that Grover was here in person, they fell to their knees in terror.
Everyone was petrified.
They had no idea what was going on.
“Listen up! Master’s favorite student died because of Zoey Lopez. The entire Lopez family will have to take the blame for the trouble caused by Zoey. You will all be buried together with Jacky.” Johnny said coldly.
Everyone in the Lopez family nearly passed out from shock.
What kind of trouble had Zoey gotten us into?
Why should we take the blame for it?
They wanted to flee, but they were closely watched and heavily surrounded; they were trapped.
Soon afterward, words about Jacky’s funeral spread far and wide.
The head of the Southern Union and the Four Kings would personally conduct the funeral rites.
All of a sudden, the entire South was shocked.
Disciples of the Southern Union from various places came rushing to South City.
Even big bosses of the underworlds of all major cities were also on their way.
They had to come and pay their last respects.
The funeral was to be held three days from now, and it was bound to cause a huge commotion in the South.
Instantly, South City came to know about the earth-shattering news.
Even the head of Southern Union came in person.
Hence, it was impossible for them to not know.
The news of the upcoming funeral in three days reached Levi’s ears.
“What? They want to capture me and bury me alive? Together with Jacky?”
Levi looked surprised.
CHAPTER 662
Hades chuckled, “God of War, you and your wife are on the list. By then, you will all be buried alive.”
“How bold of them to threaten to bury me,” Levi sneered.
Azure Dragon and Kirin laughed. “God of War, the Southern Union is indeed powerful. They are completely different from the Gates family and the Caesar family.”
“That’s right. They are more organized.”
“Grover can gather the disciples of Southern Union from all places, with just a wave of his hand.”
White Tiger smiled insolently. “Very well. The funeral is in three days? Then, I will fight them all the way to the end. Oh, and this time, you can’t transfer your men to do your bidding.” White Tiger pleaded.
“Yes, I won’t. I have a plan in mind. We’ll talk about that later.”
Levi had earlier on mapped out a strategy for a situation such as this.
“Hades, I’m assigning you to protect my wife. She has finally settled down in her work, so I don’t want her to know anything about this or to be disturbed,” Levi ordered.
“Understood. I will risk my life to protect her.”
On the other side, after the Southern Union had taken over the Lopez family, they were about to make their next move.
“Master, how are you going to deal with Morris Group this time around?” Johnny asked curiously. “I’ve heard that many people who were gotten rid of earlier on did not even have the chance to meet the Morris Group’s boss in person.”
Grover thought deeply and said, “Find the boss and drive him out.”
“Understood.”
Subsequently, the Southern Union made their move.
One by one, they captured those who were involved in Jacky’s death.
In the end, the only people left to be captured were Levi, Hades, Zoey, and Sylas.
But then, the Southern Union hesitated to make the move.
Except for Levi, the other three were always together.
In order to capture Zoey, they had to get past Hades.
“Hades killed the Two Slaves single-handedly. He’s just too powerful.”
“I’ve personally seen it with my own eyes too. At the very least, he has a fifty percent chance of beating me,” Johnny said.
“Master, I’ve managed to check Hades’ identity. He was once the L Nation’s God of War. After he was being defeated by Erudia’s God of War, he went incognito and appeared in Eastern Deathmatches.”
Among Grover’s hundreds of students, few of them were good at digging up information. Thus, very quickly, Hades’ true identity was revealed.
“So he’s L Nation’s God of War. No wonder he’s so powerful.”
It was only then realization struck everyone.
“If that is the case, then the four of you should go together. Show him how powerful the Southern Union can be. If Euradia’s God of War can defeat him, then so can I,” Grover ordered.
“Understood!”
Johnny Lawrence and the three Kings obeyed.
That day, Zoey went to work as usual, and Sylas came to pick her up.
Halfway to work, Hades showed up in front of them.
He handed Sylas a note that read, “Go to the destination written above. Leave immediately.”
Sylas read the note, immediately started the car, and sped off.
Hades, who had been guarding them from a distance, sensed danger in the air all of a sudden.
This time, he actually feared the worst was going to happen.
And he wasn’t sure if he could handle it.
Immediately, he asked Sylas to take Zoey to the Warzone compound to look for Levi for protection.
“Phew!” Hades breathed a sigh of relief when the car left.
He slowly walked to the other side of the road.
Just then, four silhouettes appeared in the dark alley.
Johnny Lawrence and the three Kings appeared together and glared at Hades with their ferocious eyes.
Seeing Hades walking towards them step by step, Johnny said coldly, “You’re a dead man.”
CHAPTER 663
In the narrow and dark alley.
Hades and the Southern Union’s Four Kings attacked one another.
Southern Union had always prided themselves to be a homage of strength.
There were three ways to obtain a high position.
First, martial arts.
Second, financial resources.
Third, brains.
To possess one of the criteria was frightening enough. What more if someone possessed all three criteria.
There was a way of saying in the Southern Union about the Four Kings and the Eight Slaves that represented the three most powerful echelons.
The strength of the Four Kings was unmatched, and that was the key to the Southern Union’s expeditions, resulting in countless territories being claimed.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the long and narrow alley, an earth-shaking battle was going on.
Both sides of the alley walls collapsed from the fight. Even the surrounding buildings, one after another, were extensively damaged.
At first, Hades was able to fight off the Four Kings. But gradually, he was at the losing end.
Each of the Four Kings fought him with similar strengths. With the four of them combined, he was certainly of no match against them.
Thud!
Ten minutes later, Hades was kicked forcefully by Johnny.
Just when Hades was about to get back on his feet, three violent blows slammed on his body.
Crack!
More than a dozen of his bones shattered, and he lost his mobility.
“Don’t kill him!”
A cold glint flashed across Johnny’s eyes as he took out a small knife. Very swiftly, he severed Hades’ tendons in his arms and legs.
The defeated Hades fainted from the unbearable pain.
At last, Hades was carried away. He was going to be buried together with Jacky Lawson’s body.
“What about those two women?” Yadriel asked.
“Hades has fallen, so where else are they going to run to? Send someone to catch them,” Johnny smiled.
To him, Hades was the biggest obstacle.
As for Zoey and Sylas, he was not in the least worried. Thus, ordering his men to capture them.
At the same time, Sylas sped towards the destination written on the note.
Soon, they arrived at Levi’s base – Warzone compound.
Both women rushed into the basecamp in a panic, colliding with Levi.
“What’s wrong?” Levi asked.
“I don’t know. The man protecting Ms. Lopez handed me a note and asked me to bring Zoey here,” Sylas said anxiously.
Levi was taken aback.
He could only blame his own carelessness by underestimating the Southern Union.
He thought that since the unrivaled L Nation’s God of War was on his side, no one from the Southern Union was good enough to be an opponent.
Right now, it seemed like he was wrong.
Hades must have realized he was not going to be able to hold back the powerful Southern Union. And that’s why he asked Sylas to come here.
Sure enough, the saying was true – all the best warriors originated from the Southern Union.
It appeared that there were a few strong fighters in Southern Union who were able to defeat Hades.
“You can sleep here for tonight.” Levi said.
Zoey was unsure about the place but stayed anyway.
She was filled with curiosity about Levi’s identity.
The bodyguard, who was guarding them from a distance, sensed something was about to go wrong and urged them to come here.
He’s a man of mystery.
Meanwhile, twenty martial arts masters sent by Johnny had actually made their way here.
It was easy to see how highly efficient the Southern Union was.
“Probably it’s around this location. Let’s search around, and I’m sure we’ll find them here,” the martial arts masters coordinated.
When they were about to enter the area, an old man in a green shirt came running out from the pavilion and said, “Leave! You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Ha! Is there such a place that we are not supposed to be?” they remonstrated.
“This is the forbidden area in South City.”
CHAPTER 664
The disciples of the Southern Union burst into laughter from what the old man had said.
“Forbidden? For people like us in Southern Union, there is no place where we can’t set foot in.”
“Young men, listen to me. You have no right to enter this area,” the old man persuaded.
The old man was not only a gatekeeper but a veteran as well.
“We are going in. So what are you going to do about it?”
The Southern Union’s martial arts masters stepped further in brazenly.
“This lot has a death wish.” The old man sighed in exasperation as he watched the men’s retreating shadows.
As the men went further in the area, people along the way persuaded them to leave, emphasizing that this was the forbidden area.
This puzzled the Southern Union’s martial arts masters.
Very quickly, they reached the Warzone compound.
“Look, it’s Zoey’s car. They are here.”
After seeing a car that was parked at the entrance, one of the martial arts masters exclaimed.
Just when they were about to rush in, a man suddenly appeared in front of them. He was casually dressed and holding a cigarette between his lips.
White Tiger!
At that moment, Levi and his men were watching from the rooftop. They were all guessing how many seconds it would take White Tiger to get rid of these pieces of trash.
Levi guessed White Tiger only needed a second.
White Tiger glanced at the twenty men and asked, “Who sent you lot to come here? Don’t you know that you guys are not allowed to enter this place?”
The Southern Union’s martial arts masters were taken aback.
Why do we keep hearing that this place was forbidden to us?
What is it about this place?
It seemed ratty and shabby, more like a slum than anything else.
How could such a place be the forbidden area in South City?
“Ha! There is no place we can’t set foot in. Now, get out of the way!” the leader of the martial arts experts shouted.
White Tiger chuckled and said, “Let me take a puff first.”
After White Tiger took a pull at his cigarette, he made his move.
He was like a bolt of lightning passing through those men.
Their visions went black, and all of them lost consciousness.
When they woke up, they found themselves lying in a pile of garbage.
They had been thrown out of the street and were terrified of what had happened to them.
For starters, they didn’t even know how they were attacked in the first place.
This was really a forbidden area and not a place that anyone could break in to.
Retreat!
The group of men quickly fled.
In Lopez Villa.
The Four Kings had personally captured Hades, and everyone was in a hurrah.
“Master, don’t worry. Soon, we’ll be able to capture that woman,” Johnny said.
He had sent a few men to capture Levi, Zoey, and Sylas. It was going to be an easy job.
At that moment, the twenty martial arts masters came running back, looking disconcerted.
“Master, Four Kings… Something really bad has happened…”
The men were badly battered, clearly injured.
“What happened?” Johnny’s expression turned sour and asked angrily.
“Zoey and Sylas are hiding in a compound in South City. That place is so weird. Whoever we came across kept telling us it’s a forbidden area, asking us to leave. We also met a strange man, and he knocked us out before we even saw it coming.”
When the martial arts experts recounted the event, Johnny and the others were taken aback.
These twenty men were all martial arts experts, so how were they overpowered by a man?
And they didn’t even get to take a good look at the man’s face?
He must be really powerful.
“What? Is there such a place in South City?”
“Why didn’t I know about this? Scott and Brock are the strongest men in South City, am I right?”
A tremor went through them.
He questioned Leon Lopez and the rest, but no one knew that there was such a forbidden area.
Although Grover’s students went digging for information, nobody was able to explain why it was so.
Because that place was a restricted military area, it was highly confidential.
Hence, it wasn’t possible for them to find any information regarding that.
“No way. Bring them back to me.”
CHAPTER 665
Grover was fuming mad. “I don’t care if it’s a forbidden area. Bring them back to me!”
The Southern Union was known to be arrogant and self-confident about themselves.
Thus, it wouldn’t make sense for them not to enter a small city like South City.
To them, this was all just a joke.
With that, the Four Kings said, “Master, we promise to bring them back here.”
Immediately, Johnny and Yadriel of the Four Kings led hundreds of martial arts experts to that particular block.
“Attack!”
Johnny’s eyes flashed, and with a wave of his hand, he sent hundreds of martial arts experts into that block.
The men approached closer to the Warzone compound swiftly, preparing to infiltrate.
It was a spectacular sight.
Soon, the men came to a crossroad.
“Left, left, left, right, left…”
But at that moment, they heard loud commands being shouted out.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
It was accompanied by the sound of a uniformed pace.
“Halt!”
Johnny waved his hand, and all the men stopped at the crossroad.
They quietly observed the surroundings for any movements.
The footsteps were getting closer, and the commands being shouted out were getting louder.
They saw army officers marching at the left, right, and front of the crossroad intersection. The army officers were undergoing field training by marching.
There were at least a few hundred army officers with the size of two or three battalions.
“Stand still!”
Upon seeing Johnny, the commander of the army officers shouted out the command. They halted their steps and stared at Johnny and his troops.
At that time, Johnny and his men were dumbfounded.
Everyone exchanged glances and didn’t know what to do.
Why were there army officers having their drill in this place?
Johnny was astonished.
He supposed these army officers were also astonished.
Why were these people gathered at the restricted military area?
Were these people here to cause trouble?
The army officers knew they could not let Johnny and his men infiltrate the compound.
A sharp glint flashed across the commander’s eyes, and he commanded, “Move forward!”
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Army officers from all three directions continued to advance and pressed towards Johnny and his men.
The footsteps of the army officers were loud like beating drums, and the bass of it vibrated in everyone’s chest. At that moment, Johnny and his men felt like their hearts would explode.
Tap tap tap…
Everyone instinctively went backwards.
As the army officers marched forward, they stepped backward.
Johnny and his men broke out in cold sweat.
No matter how powerful they were, they still felt afraid and apprehensive in facing the army officers.
“Retreat!”
At the orders of the Four Kings, the men fled and quickly disappeared.
Once they were out of the block, Johnny heaved a sigh of relief and said, “We almost got into trouble just now.”
“Phew!”
Yadriel Larson and the rest also shared the same expression.
If they had taken a step further, it would have been a disaster.
The Southern Union may be strong, but could they possibly be stronger than these people?
Alas, no matter how skilled one was in martial arts, it was useless against military arms.
Just then, Connor, one of the Four Kings, exclaimed, “So that’s what forbidden area meant. That place is the restricted military area.”
“Phew! I have to say, Zoey found a good place to hide,” Jael replied.
Yadriel sighed and asked, “So what should we do now? Do you want to ask Master for advice?”
“It’s useless to ask Master. It’s not like we can send someone here to abduct her,” Johnny said helplessly.
“What should we do then? Are we just going to let this woman go?”
Yadriel and others were obviously heavy-hearted.
Johnny thought for a while and said, “I have an idea.”
CHAPTER 666
“What idea? Spit it out.”
The other three Kings immediately turned to look at him and asked anxiously.
“I don’t believe she will hide here forever. We’ll just wait here until she comes out,” Johnny said.
“Sounds like a plan. That’s all we can do for now then.”
Yadriel ordered his men, “All of you stay undercover here, and keep an eye at all times. Notify me immediately once she comes out from hiding.”
Soon after that, the Four Kings returned to the Lopez residence and updated Grover on what happened.
Grover was furious. “What? Hiding in the Warzone compound? That’s outrageous! You ordered your men to be undercover near the Warzone compound without consulting me. Did you think that I couldn’t think of any other way?”
“Master, if we were to fight with them, we’re as good as dead,” his students immediately consoled him.
They were actually afraid that Grover would charge over without thinking.
“Master, we can’t be too impulsive.”
“The only option now is to wait. Sooner or later, she’s bound to come out from hiding,” Johnny said.
Grover sighed heavily, his face contorted in anger.
The next morning.
The Four Kings received news that Zoey had come out from hiding.
Hearing that, they headed towards the hideout as soon as they could.
But they fell into a deathly silence when they saw the scene before them.
Zoey had indeed come out from hiding. However, she was escorted by four military cars.
The average person wouldn’t be able to tell.
But to Johnny and his men, they knew that these four military cars were in an escort formation.
At that moment, Johnny was in despair as Zoey was well-protected.
As powerful as the Southern Union was, they did not dare to confront the army.
Meanwhile, Zoey had no idea what was going on and went to work as usual.
Everything was as arranged by Levi, and no one was to disrupt Zoey’s normal life.
Just when Johnny was in deep thoughts on what to do, a little boy walked up to him and said, “Mr., someone asked me to pass you this note.”
Johnny took the note and read it. The note read: I will be at the funeral – Levi
So, Levi knew about the funeral.
This man who killed Jacky alongside with Hades.
“Very well. How daring of you to decide to show up.”
A sneer appeared on Johnny’s lips.
After returning to the Lopez residence, he filled in Grover on the whole situation.
“What? The military is protecting that woman?” Grover gritted his teeth and roared.
However, he was helpless.
“But her husband, Levi, said he would come to the funeral. He’s probably trying to appease us,” Johnny said.
“After all, we are hiding in the dark. This is our chance to kill them,” Yadriel Larson said.
“Good. Then I’ll wait for him to show up. He must be buried together with my disciple,” Grover said angrily.
On the second day, Jacky’s funeral was officially held.
Everyone who was anyone in Southern Union came to attend the funeral.
It was safe to say that these men who were gathered here were the foundation of Southern Union.
In fact, these people were very angry.
At the day of the funeral procession.
Thousands of Southern Union disciples came to pay their respects, and they were all dressed in black, with white flowers pinned on their chests.
Everyone looked solemn.
The coffin was placed in the middle of the mourning hall.
At the side of the coffin, Hades and others were bound and gagged, unable to cry for help.
Later on, they would be buried alive together with Jacky.
“The first batch of the Southern Union is here to see Master Jacky off.”
“The ninth batch of the Southern Union is here to see Master Jacky off.”
“The twenty-third batch of the Southern Union is here to see Master Jacky off.”
CHAPTER 667
The Southern Union had a total of thirty-nine branches scattered around the southern region of the country.
On that very day, all members of the union gathered to attend Jacky Lawson’s funeral.
“I’m Walter Holton from Bellwater, and I’m here to see Mr. Lawson off! Mr. Cooke, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“I’m Frank Carson from Faircrest, here to see Mr. Lawson off! Mr. Cooke, please accept my sincere condolences!”
“I’m Tommy Johnson from Dawnfrost, and I’m here to see Mr. Lawson off! Mr. Cooke, please don’t be too sad and take care!”
…
Not only the members of the Southern Union were there, but even all the big shots from the southern region of the country were also there to attend the funeral too.
In comparison to them, the families from Quebec did not even have the right to be there.
This showed how huge and respectable an organization the Southern Union was.
But if the funeral were held in South Hampton, the event would be several times more crowded.
Meanwhile, Grover had been looking ominous throughout the whole process.
He had been much bothered by his failure to capture Levi, Zoey, and Sylas here himself.
“Grover, all the guests are here,” Johnny whispered next to his ear.
“Okay!”
After giving all the guests a scan, Grover started his speech by saying, “First of all, I would like to express my utmost gratitude for everyone to be here to attend my disciple’s funeral.”
In an instant, the entire mourning hall plunged into silence as all eyes were on him.
“To be honest, Jacky had always been the one I preferred the most out of my eight hundred disciples. In fact, I was intending to make him my successor, the next leader of Southern Union, and announce my decision during the Union Conference this year. But unfortunately…”
When he reached that part, his voice became slightly croaky. “It was totally out of my expectation that he would be killed so mercilessly in South City!”
“Revenge! Revenge! Revenge…”
“Whoever did that must be killed for his sin!”
“Whoever did that must be killed for his sin!”
…
At that moment, all the members of both Southern Union and Northern Union were chanting vehemently as they demanded to avenge Jacky’s death.
Their roaring voices was so thundering that it could be heard from afar.
The moment Grover lifted his hand in the air, they immediately stopped chanting, and the place fell silent in an instant.
“Now, I’ve captured everyone who was involved in Jacky’s death and broken all tendons in the limbs of Hades, who mercilessly took Jacky’s life! They are all kept at one place waiting to be buried together with Jacky in his tomb!”
Immediately, he changed the topic by adding, “Yet, we still have three culprits who are on the loose right now! I can’t do anything to them at the moment because they are being protected by some powerful figure. I’m so frustrated at myself for not being able to kill them on Jacky’s behalf!”
His voice was croaky as tears started streaming down his face.
“Kill them!”
“Kill them no matter who’s protecting them!”
“We have to pursue them no matter where they’re hiding, and we have to kill them!”
“They have to die!”
All the members of the union were shouting in unison.
Their faces were laden with fury.
By hook or by crook, they vowed to track them down and butcher them for having done something so humiliating to Southern Union.
Having taken a deep breath, Grover announced, “As the leader of the Southern Union, I hereby issue an order for all members to hunt them down and kill them! All branches of the union have to carry out the mission at all costs!”
Looking furious, Grover issued the order.
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir!”
…
Up to a thousand members of the unions shouted their response with a burning desire to kill in their eyes.
That was how efficient things got done in Southern Union!
The members were all ready to get their hands dirty as soon as they received his instruction.
It was only then did Grover feel better.
After all, he believed it was only a matter of time before Levi and the other two were killed.
“By the way, is the guy named Levi Garrison here?” he asked.
“I suppose he must be too scared to be here because he knows he’s gonna get killed as soon as he arrives!” Johnny replied.
“Who told you that I’m too scared to be here?”
At that moment, a voice was heard.
CHAPTER 668
The voice was loud and clear enough to be heard by everyone.
In an instant, it caught the attention of all members present there.
Right then, two figures emerged at the door of Lopez Villa.
It was Levi and White Tiger.
Even Grover appeared genuinely surprised to see them there because he didn’t expect Levi would actually be here.
“They’ve got some guts! Johnny sneered.
“I suppose he’s trying to bear the responsibility himself so that his wife won’t get implicated,” Yadriel opined.
“That seems to be the case because I can’t see any other reason for him to be here.”
Under the watchful gazes of nearly two thousand people, Levi and White Tiger made their way into the mourning hall one step at a time.
At last, they stopped around ten meters away from Grover.
Levi questioned, “Are you Grover Cooke, the leader of Southern Union?”
“Yes, I am!” Grover nodded at him before he bellowed, “Don’t you think you should get on your knees now?”
“Why should I do that?” Levi countered.
“You killed my disciple as well as my other subordinates! Now, you must kneel in front of him to repent your mistakes. He shouldn’t have died!” Grover yelled at the top of his lungs.
“Kneel down and repent your mistake!”
“Do that now!”
…
Up to two thousand members of Southern Union shouted at the same time; their booming voices sounded powerful and magnificent.
Upon hearing them, Levi sneered, “Shouldn’t have died? Haha, I think he deserved it more than anyone else!”
Levi made a shocking remark that silenced the entire mourning hall.
Everyone was glaring at him resentfully.
How dare he say something like that in front of all the members of the Southern Union?
It was an outright provocation!
“You’re risking your neck!”
The Four Kings and the Six Slaves were enraged.
A look of utter disbelief appeared on Grover’s face.
“W-What did you just say? Did you say Jacky deserves to be killed?”
“That’s right! Jacky deserves to die for killing other people recklessly!” Levi said firmly.
“How dare you say things like that after killing one of us! It seems like you don’t take us seriously at all!”
Instead of looking furious, Grover laughed out loud.
It had been years since he came across someone as arrogant as Levi.
To his utter surprise, Levi nodded his head and replied, “Yes, Southern Union is indeed too small for me to take it seriously.”
Boom!
His remark sent the people in the mourning hall uproarious at once.
A babble of voices soon broke out among them as they all freaked out.
He was not allowed to say something like that!
There was no way he was allowed to make such a rude comment about them!
In fact, they could deal with Jacky’s death albeit begrudgingly, but humiliating Southern Union was a total taboo.
They had to do their best to salvage the dignity of their organization even if they had to risk their lives!
Therefore, when Levi showed how he looked down upon Southern Union, all hell broke loose.
“Kill him!”
“Bury him together with Jacky!”
“Bury him now!”
“Bury him alive!”
…
With their eyes reddened with fury, the members of the Southern Union yelled.
If it weren’t because Grover had yet to instruct them to do anything, they would not hesitate to slaughter Levi on the spot.
“Hahaha… throughout the fifty years I’ve been with Southern Union, I’ve never come across anyone who didn’t take it seriously. You’re the first!”
“What gives you the confidence to harbor that kind of opinion?” Grover queried.
Levi chuckled as he slowly lifted both fists in the air. “It’s because I have these!”
Everyone was stunned by his cocky attitude.
How arrogant was he to have the guts to do something as provocative as that in front of all the martial arts masters of Southern Union!
Indeed, he was trying to challenge the entire Southern Union, and he was clearly asking for trouble.
“Do you think you can fight all of us here with only your fists?” Grover chortled.
At that moment, White Tiger spoke, “You guys aren’t worth getting his hands dirty. Let me clean up the mess!”
CHAPTER 669
Everyone gasped in shock when they heard him.
Most of the martial arts masters of Southern Union were a bunch of cocky men themselves, but even they had not come across someone as arrogant as the two.
Did White Tiger just threaten to kill them all on his own?
How prominent his martial arts skill must be to be so full of confidence?
“Today, I’ll leave my buddy here to handle you guys. His failure will be deemed as mine!” Levi declared with a smile.
“Very well. I must say your attitude is admirable, young man!”
Shortly later, Grover waved his hands at his men and shouted, “Guys, kill him!”
“Joshua, the Iron Fist, from the thirty-sixth branch of Southern Union volunteering for this mission!”
“Gregory, the Golden Sword, from the seventeenth branch of Southern Union reporting for duty!”
“Finnley, the Crippled Man, from the twenty-eighth branch of Southern Union volunteering for this mission!”
…
Immediately all the martial arts masters of the union were fervently asking to be assigned the mission.
Meanwhile, White Tiger beckoned them over and barked, “You guys may fight me together!”
“He’s clearly tired of living!”
Soon, around ten martial arts masters of the union charged toward him.
They were the top martial arts masters of the union who were considered better fighters than Scott Yates’s Four Mighty Generals.
Therefore, their joined force would be an invincible one!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Yet, it only took White Tiger a short time to send those prominent martial arts masters flying away.
Everyone gaped at the scene in utter disbelief.
“He’s indeed something! Let’s go and take him!”
The rest of the martial arts masters of the union immediately advanced upon White Tiger, but none of them was his match.
One after another, they were flung some distance away by him.
Hundreds of them were soon defeated.
This time, the entire Southern Union was left flabbergasted.
Their eyes were filled with astonishment seeing how incredibly powerful White Tiger was.
None of them in the union was his match.
How scary is that?
“Six Slaves, go on and teach him a lesson!”
Looking ominous, Grover waved his hand and commanded.
The Six Slaves then complied with his instruction by attacking White Tiger at the same time.
At last, it turned out that they were only slightly better than the last batch because they lasted just a bit longer. However, they were, too, sent flying away.
“Let’s deal with him together!”
Icy glint shone in the eyes of the Four Kings.
Every single one of them was strong enough to take on the God of War independently.
Therefore, it meant White Tiger was going to fight four equivalents of the God of War at the same time.
The five of them soon embroiled in an intense fight.
Explosions occurred in the air continuously, and the tiles on the floor started cracking because of the intensity of the battle.
Every single attack they executed was powerful enough to blast anything into halves.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
In the end, White Tiger successfully tamed the four of them.
Slumping on the floor, the four of them appeared nonplussed.
Needless to say, they were great martial arts masters as they had started training since they were little.
But since White Tiger was someone who had defeated the God of War of L Nation before, they had failed to handle the he who was standing in front of them.
Who is he?
Why is he so incredibly strong?
Thus far, he was the strongest fighter they had ever encountered.
All the members of Southern Union, both onstage and offstage, were staring at White Tiger alarmingly.
Surprisingly, they were scared!
They actually feared the presence of White Tiger!
Just like what he had said earlier, he really managed to handle all of them on his own.
The people of Southern Union were curious about where this person was from as they had never seen anyone as strong as him before.
At that moment, White Tiger let out a howl in relish.
Ever since he retired from the frontline, he had never had such a great time sparring with other people.
Levi, too, broke into a grin.
Being the most combative among the Five Great Wars Regiment, Levi knew the peaceful days lately must have bored him badly.
Therefore, this came as the best opportunity for him to get a kick out of it.
At that moment, Grover looked stupefied as he eyed both White Tiger and Levi with disbelief.
White Tiger lay his eyes upon him and shouted, “I was told that you’re the best fighter of Southern Union. Now, come and battle me!”
Yet, Grover remained motionless.
After staring at the two of them dazedly for a moment, he asked, “Are you guys from the army?”
CHAPTER 670
Being the leader of the Southern Union, Grover managed to detect some issues after observing the battle the whole time.
In fact, martial arts skills were learned to kill instead of to perform.
Therefore, all the martial arts masters of Southern Union were taught only moves that were lethal enough to kill.
Yet, he found that White Tiger’s moves were simpler yet more efficient.
None of his moves were redundant, and every movement of his was capable to kill.
Anyone who was attacked by him would end up either getting injured or dying.
Also, he noticed that White Tiger’s movements were more inclined to practicality.
Anyone who knew enough about martial arts could discern that White Tiger’s moves were honed to be both efficient and practical through countless battles.
In short, only someone from the army could have such a straightforward combat style.
Immediately, Grover realized that Levi and White Tiger must be two prominent fighters from the army.
At first, he only assumed Levi and Zoey were protected by the army, but little did he know, Levi turned out to be from the military himself.
The rest of the members of Southern Union took a sharp intake of breath when the truth struck them.
“You’re really observant!” White Tiger complimented in astonishment.
Although his speculation was verified, Grover suddenly became edgy.
What kind of status could they have in the army having such powerful combative skills?
“A-Are… A-Are you guys working for the God of War?” Grover asked them in a trembling voice.
It went without saying that he knew that the God of War had gone into seclusion in North Hampton at the moment.
At this moment, he could only associate White Tiger and Levi to the God of War judging from how great they were in martial arts.
White Tiger commented with a smile, “Levi, he’s spot-on!”
“Your guess’s right! I’m White Tiger, one of the Five Great Wars Regiment, who works for the God of War!”
“Say what?”
“Goodness gracious, he’s White Tiger – the King of War!”
Everyone within the Southern Union went wild when they heard that.
White Tiger was well-known for his mercilessness on the battlefield.
He was famous worldwide for his effort in wiping out the entire L Nation together with the Cavalry Regiment.
Many of them in the Southern Union worshiped him like a deity because he achieved greatness in wars.
Tap, tap, tap…
When White Tiger’s identity came to light, Grover stumbled a few steps backward and almost collapsed onto the floor.
At that moment, he was seized by an urge to kill himself on the spot knowing that he was dealing with White Tiger.
How about this guy over here?
When a horrendous thought popped up in his mind, he slumped to the floor immediately.
He dreaded to even look up at Levi.
“I guess all of you here must be able to see who my boss really is. Yes, he’s indeed the God of War – Levi Garrison!”
The moment White Tiger made that announcement, it was as though the world just stopped spinning.
Time halted, and everything went still.
Everyone thought the scene looked too surreal as though they were in a dream.
“Now I realize why the Gates family and the Caesar family collapsed…”
At the moment, Grover’s eyes looked hollow and blank.
Also, it dawned upon him that the woman Jacky had tried to invite over here before this was actually the God of War’s wife…
Upon that, he realized he would not be able to redeem himself for offending the God of War so terribly.
“It’s my honor to meet you, God of War!”
“It’s my honor to meet you, God of War!”
Grover, who finally figured everything out, cued the entire Southern Union to kneel in front of Levi and greeted him respectfully.
“We were wrong! We made a grave mistake, and we are willing to receive any punishment for that! Also, I’ll bear the responsibility for what Jacky had done!” Grover pleaded.
As powerful as Southern Union was, it was nothing in the presence of the God of War.
On top of that, White Tiger had made everyone well aware of his capability just now.
He was able to finish them off on his own!
Therefore, Grover was certain that all of them would be doomed if they refused to show Levi the white flag.
At a steady pace, Levi made his way toward Grover and said, “In fact, I already thought of the punishment for y’all several days ago!”
“What?!”
CHAPTER 671
Everyone was stunned beyond words.
As it turned out, the God of War did not take them seriously at all, to begin with, and he had long had a plan ready to deal with them.
“God of War, we’re ready to receive your punishment!” Grover responded.
“Very well. Brom now on you guys are only allowed to carry out legal business!”
“We can do that!”
“You guys are not allowed to kill recklessly!”
“We can do that!”
“On the other hand, I want a share of your business profit to fund the military expense, and you have to do that every year from now on. Are you okay with that?”
“I’m okay!”
Grover agreed without hesitation.
Levi glanced at the martial arts masters of the union and commented, “All of you here are abusing your talents by using it to bully people who aren’t physically trained. Don’t you guys feel ashamed of that? You guys should’ve just joined the frontline to defend the country! It will be a waste of your talent to stay here doing nothing!”
“All men in Erudia should be men of indomitable spirits whose priority is contributing to the country. This applies even more so for all of you here who possess immense talent!”
Everyone glanced at one another dazedly as they slowly began to understand what Levi’s plan was all about.
Firstly, he wanted them to surrender all the dirty money they had earned over the years to fund the army.
Secondly, he wanted all of the martial arts masters to join the army and contribute to the country.
“Are you guys not willing to do that?” Levi questioned them with a smile.
“We’re willing to join the army!”
“In fact, I’m getting tired of this quiet life I’ve been leading! I should have joined the army sooner to defend my country!”
“Yes, I should use my talent at the right place!”
Levi’s words received a positive response from them.
In fact, some among them did not think that joining the army a great idea, but in the presence of the God of War, they had no choice but to agree.
Excitement was surging in Levi’s blood when he stared at the crowd of martial arts masters in front of him.
He started picturing a troop formed by them and what sort of effect that would have.
He was sure they would be invincible!
They would be undefeatable especially in carrying out ambushes and invasions.
Since every single one of them possessed their own unique skill, he believed they would be able to dominate the battlefield.
Right at that moment, the war at the country’s south border happened to be in a critical situation.
If he dispatched a troop consisting of the members of the Southern Union there, he was sure they would be able to make a huge difference.
This had been his plan all along.
“Since every one of you has agreed to join the army, I’ll start briefing you guys about what’s next!” “I’ll line you guys up and form a troop with the name of ‘Beasts’, and I’ll be the direct commander of it.”
“You guys are to gather at the South Warzone tomorrow where each and every one of you will go through a special training!” “During the training, you guys will be helped to get rid of your bad habits and will gain military knowledge to become a better soldier!” Levi announced.
Although these guys were talented, they were still amateurish.
Hence, he would entrust Kirin with the duty of transforming them into an invincible troop.
“Understood!” all of them shouted in unison.
The thought of becoming soldiers directly under the command of the God of War had never occurred to any of them.
Even those who were unwilling to join the army just now started counting themself lucky because they had landed the dream job for many of the male population within the country.
On the other hand, Levi did not compel the Four Kings and the Six Slaves into joining him, because after all, they worked directly for Grover.
At the same time, he needed to count on them to generate more profit to fund his army.
Just like that, Southern Union was tamed by Levi in the most unexpected fashion.
After getting it done, Levi returned to the office appearing as though nothing much had taken place.
To his surprise, Zoey came to visit him.
“Can we talk?”
It was only reasonable for her to be suspicious of the things that had happened so fast lately.
Hence, she saw the need to ask for an explanation from Levi.
When she arrived at his room, she confronted him, “Levi Garrison, how many more secrets are you hiding from me?”
The air was charged with tension in an instant.
CHAPTER 672
Levi answered her with a smile, “I’m not hiding anything from you.”
“You aren’t being truthful to me. What happened last night? Why did the man who protected me ask Sylas to meet you?”
“There’s something very suspicious with the things that happened lately because you seemed to be able to resolve all problems that came your way.”
“I reckon you must have got something to do with everything.” Zoey suddenly raised her voice at him.
“Did you really spend the past few years in jail? Why do I find it so unconvincing?” she pressed on.
In fact, Levi had left enough traces behind after doing things for Zoey to discern if she paid enough attention to it.
Things had become especially obvious after Hades revealed plenty of stuff the previous night when he accidentally blurted out the location of the headquarter.
“Zoey, what’re the two of you discussing?”
At that juncture, Iris suddenly pushed the door open and interrupted their conversation.
“Huh? Nothing too important. What’s up, Iris?” Zoey asked, looking surprised by her visit.
“Oh… I was just thinking – since I’ve finished with the task at North Hampton, I’ll move here where all the important work will be done,” Iris explained.
“By the way, there’s something important that I have to share with you, Zoey. The boss of the Morris Group will reveal himself by making a public appearance soon!”
Upon hearing what she said, Zoey started getting excited about it too. She was very curious to see how that mysterious man actually looked. Not only that, but she also wanted to learn about the reason he had been so willing to help Levi and her on so many occasions before.
“Levi, have you met him before? He told everyone that he is going to make a public appearance at your wedding ceremony!” Iris asked.
“Say what?!”
Zoey, too, eyed Levi with astonishment right after Iris posed him that question.
In fact, she had been suspecting Levi of having a close relationship with the boss of the Morris Group.
Now, what Iris said just cemented her speculation.
Levi nodded at her and replied, “Yes, we kinda know each other.”
“Please tell me what kind of a man he’s like!” Iris requested.
“I think I should keep it a secret for the time being. You will be able to make a judgment yourself on the day of our wedding ceremony!” Levi responded.
Iris went speechless; Zoey and she both glared at him resentfully.
Morris Group had officially ventured its business in South City. Besides, with the help of Oriental Star Group, the company managed to build a solid foundation in the city, which made work easier for Iris.
Therefore, she was able to enjoy the leisure days to follow.
At the same time, the preparation for Levi and Zoey’s wedding ceremony had been ongoing in an orderly manner.
The preparation mainly centered on the renovation and construction of their family home.
In the meantime, the business of Morris Group was heading on the right track to slowly replace the electrical products produced by Triple Group in the market with their own.
Products like smartphones and laptops produced by the company were ready to be released to the market.
On the other hand, two movies and a drama produced exquisitely by Oriental Star Group were about to be aired soon, too.
Helena Engler, as well as other celebrities, were hired to be the ambassadors for the electrical products of Morris Group.
The future looked bright as the businesses in different fields were benefitting one another.
In the meantime, Levi had been spending every single day enjoying tea and smoking because he knew all he had to do was to reveal his identity at the wedding ceremony.
As for Zoey and Iris, they preferred to focus their attention on the business instead of making the effort to care about what he did.
With the two hardcore businesswomen around, Levi would have a comfortable life without the need to do anything.
One day, Abigail visited him all of a sudden.
“What are you doing here?” Levi asked her in consternation.
“I’m going to start my internship soon!” Abigail replied with excitement.
“Why don’t you just intern in North Hampton? There are so many more companies there than in South City,” Levi said.
Abigail glimpsed at him and countered, “Of course, I have to come here because you’re not staying in North Hampton.”
“Eh? What has it got to do with me?” Levi looked puzzled and resigned.
“Someone at school told me that you’ve divorced Zoey. Is that true?”
“Yes, it is.”
“If that’s the case, can I start dating you now?”
Levi went speechless in response.
CHAPTER 673
Pfft!
As soon as he heard Abigail’s answer, Levi spurted out the entire mouthful of tea he just drank.
“What’s wrong with that? Why can’t I date you now that you’re single after the divorce?”
Abigail stared at him confusedly.
Levi responded with a smile, “I’m indeed single, but I think you should get Zoey’s permission first before asking me out.”
“Well, I’ll do that now!”
Abigail left after that.
When she was in North Hampton, she was so thrilled to hear about Levi’s divorce that she actually lost some sleep for several nights because of that.
She couldn’t wait to make her way over to South City so she could start dating Levi!
Finally, her golden opportunity came.
She immediately visited Levi when it was time for her to do her internship.
Zoey was having a business discussion with Iris when Abigail visited her room.
“Abigail, how come you’re here? What’s the matter?” she questioned with a trace of astonishment in her voice.
“Yes, I have a question for you!”
Abigail spoke with a poker-faced expression.
“Let me give you girls some space.” With that, Iris prepared to leave the room.
“Iris, you may stay.”
Then, Abigail looked at Zoey and asked, “Zoey, are you and Levi divorced?”
“Yes. I even received the certificate of it.”
“Since both of you are single now, may I ask him out?”
Her question came as such a shock for both Zoey and Iris that their eyes widened in disbelief.
Is this girl crazy? I can’t believe she’s going to ask Levi out.
That was what both of them were secretly thinking at that time.
“Abigail, are you serious?”
Zoey staggered backward as she asked Abigail in a quivering voice.
Abigail nodded at her and affirmed, “I’m serious! I think he’s a nice guy who fits most of the requirements of my ideal man. Since he’s single now, I’m going to ask him out!”
Iris bit her lips in anxiety.
At that moment, she found herself resonating with Abigail because she, too, thought Levi was a nice guy.
Ever since he had saved her life that night, she had changed her views on him.
Yet, Zoey snapped with a crease on her forehead, “No, you can’t do that!”
“Huh?” Abigail appeared puzzled.
“Zoey, why can’t I? I mean, he’s single now!”
“Even though we’ve divorced, he’s still your brother-in-law! It’s inappropriate of you to date him, and it’s weird! Also, you should really focus on your studies since you’re still a student,” Zoey spoke sternly.
“I’m no longer a kid because I’m graduating soon. Besides, I have the right to ask him out as long as he’s single. Now that you are no longer his wife, you have no authority to stop me from dating him!”
Abigail looked determined.
No one could stop her from doing things that she had set her mind to!
Seeing how resolute she appeared, Zoey let out a sigh.
Why didn’t I notice Abby had a thing for Levi back then?
How on earth did she fall in love with him?
“Zoey, I’ll ask him out if you can’t give me any valid reason,” Abigail vowed.
“I…”
Zoey struggled to come up with an answer.
Fortunately, Iris came to her rescue. “Abigail, the truth is, someone else from your family filed for the divorce on their behalf. In fact, Zoey and Levi are still together now, and they will remarry each other soon. In fact, Levi’s been busy organizing a wedding ceremony for your sister lately! That’s to say they aren’t divorcing each other!”
“Say what?”
The moment Abigail learned about the truth, she fixed an incredulous gaze at Zoey.
Things went so tense and awkward that Zoey dreaded to even meet her eyes.
Bang!
Abigail stormed out of the door with tears dribbling down her face.
Because of the misunderstanding, things went rather awkward between the three of them.
After the incident, both Zoey and Levi decided not to go out and search for her.
However, a mishap befell Abigail when the night fell.
CHAPTER 674
After their awkward encounter, Levi and Zoey didn’t go out and search for Abigail, preferring to give her some space.
However, when night fell, there was still no news from Abigail.
She hadn’t gone back to her house, and the people at her usual haunts reported that they hadn’t seen her all day.
She seemed to have disappeared without a trace.
The Black family was thrown into chaos.
“Abigail told us she’s coming back today. Why isn’t she answering her phone, and why is there no trace of her anywhere? Did something happen to her?
Bailey and Pamela were so frightened that they burst into tears.
Beside them, Meredith and Robert broke out in cold sweat.
Zoey was so anxious that she was nearly crying.
“This is all my fault…” she murmured, silently castigating herself.
She would never forgive herself if something had really happened to Abigail.
Iris tried to calm her down. “This has nothing to do with you. Nobody would have thought that Abigail’s crush on Levi was real…”
Zoey let out a series of miserable sighs.
When Levi caught wind of the fact that Abigail was missing, he immediately sent his men out on a city-wide search for her.
The whole city was on the lookout for the missing girl.
Levi felt extremely guilty. This would never have happened if he hadn’t sent Abigail to look for Zoey.
How was he to know that Abigail was truly in love with himself?
She was really in love with him…
If something had happened to Abigail, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Unknown to everyone, Abigail was currently drinking herself silly in a private bar.
After the sadness of the day’s events, she had gathered a few of her friends from high school and headed to the bar to drink her woes away.
After drinking the entire night away, Abigail was completely drunk.
If it hadn’t been for her friends who had held her back, she would have been wasted a long time ago.
At that moment, however, a few more ex-classmates arrived to join their little group. They were all muscular and built, and the average height between them seemed to be roughly 1.9 meters.
They had been in the same class as Abigail in high school and were now studying in sports schools.
Upon hearing that Abigail had drunk herself silly in a bar, they quickly came over.
Their leader was a man named Drake Lindon. He had developed a huge crush on Abigail in high school.
He had been the school bully back then and had used to force himself upon whichever girl he happened to fancy.
However, he had never dared to lay his hands on Abigail, the Black family’s precious daughter.
When it came to Abigail, he could only try to woo her like a respectable suitor.
However, she had rejected him in the end.
It had been many years since, but Drake still hadn’t gotten over the idea of luring her into his bed.
When he found out that Abigail was drinking in a bar, he had took off for the bar immediately.
Seeing her lovely, intoxicated figure, Drake felt a strong rush of excitement.
Abigail, you won’t be able to escape from me tonight!
Drake knew that, for all her scandalous drinking habits, Abigail was an exceedingly conservative person.
If he got her to sleep with him, Abigail would have no choice but to marry him.
When that happened, Drake would become the son-in-law of the Rogers, the most prestigious family in North Hampton, and the Blacks.
Thinking about this drove him nearly crazy with desire.
Turning to Abigail, he said, “Abigail, let’s drink until we’re drunk tonight!”
He poured her a drink.
Try as they might, the girls couldn’t hold him back.
What Abigail needed most now was wine to drown her sorrows in. Drake managed to convince her to down a few more glasses of wine until she passed out completely.
Drake had already booked the hotel room in advance. Now, all he needed to do was to find a way to bring her there.
While that was going on in the bar, a manhunt for Abigail Rogers was happening in South City.
The disciples of the underworld and the Southern Union were combing the entire city for any sign of the missing girl.
Phoenix and Russell had joined the search, too.
At that moment, Levi received a lead from Derek. “Mr. Garrison, my men have found her. She’s currently at Majesty Private Bar.”
Hearing this, Levi made his way to Majesty Private Bar immediately.
At the bar, Drake had grown tired of waiting. Trying to get everyone to leave, he announced, “We’ve all been drinking too much. Everyone, take your friends home first. I’ll send Abigail back to her house.”
A few of the girls tried to protest. “No, we’ll send her back home!”
Drake glowered angrily at them. “Trying to go up against me, aren’t you? I already said I’ll send her home!”
The girls could only watch helplessly as Drake led a drunk Abigail towards the exit.
Bang!
Just as Drake was about to drag her out of the door, someone gave the door a kick, and it flew open with a loud crash.
CHAPTER 675
A man walked into the room, a stormy expression on his face.
Without a single word, Levi walked over to Abigail and picked her up in his arms before leaving the room.
Levi had acted so quickly that Drake and his cronies had no time to react until he had already disappeared out of the door.
When they recovered from their shock, they immediately dashed out of the room and caught up to Levi and Abigail.
Accosting them in the front yard of the bar, Drake and his men surrounded them to stop them from leaving.
Drake bellowed, “Who the hell are you? Where do you think you’re going with this girl?”
He was very angry indeed. He had already arranged for a hotel room beforehand and had successfully managed to make Abigail drink herself drunk after a great deal of effort.
However, this stranger had thrown a wrench in his plans by whisking Abigail away right under his nose.
To Drake, this was intolerable.
Levi was undeterred. “Don’t test my patience,” he warned. “I’m not in a very good mood right now.”
He didn’t want to start a fight with these kids.
Drake refused to back down. “Tell me who you are! And put that girl down—she’s my ex-classmate!”
His cronies glared at Levi, preparing to strike.
“I’m her brother-in-law, and I’m here to pick her up,” Levi replied, completely nonplussed.
“Huh?” Drake was so shocked that he felt rather dazed.
This man was Abigail’s family member?
If that was true, there was no way Drake’s plans were going to succeed!
However, he wasn’t about to let go of this golden opportunity so easily.
He had to succeed in getting Abigail into bed with him!
Foolishly, Drake bellowed, “Abigail’s brother-in-law? I’ve never heard of you! Put her down right now and get out of my sight immediately!”
Levi scoffed. “Get out of my way! I don’t want to hurt you guys.”
Hearing this, Drake burst into laughter.
He was specially trained in mixed martial arts and wrestling at school.
There was nobody he couldn’t beat in a fight.
Did this man seriously think that he was going to be able to defeat him?
How laughable!
Drake tried again. “Put her down immediately! We have to guarantee her safety.”
To his chagrin, Levi simply ignored him and walked away with Abigail still in his arms.
Thoroughly annoyed by now, Drake roared at his men, “After him!”
Because Drake and his cronies were all from sports schools, they were pretty confident that they would be able to take down Levi in a fight. They rushed towards him, preparing to strike him down.
At that moment, a loud bang sounded as the gates of the main entrance collapsed.
A crowd of people rushed into the yard. All of them looked tall and threatening, and some of them were even armed with weapons.
Very quickly, the entire yard filled up as hundreds more people flooded in through the broken gates.
The number of people in the yard continued increasing without any sign of stopping. More reinforcements were waiting to enter outside.
This flurry of activity sent Drake into a panic.
Had these people been summoned by Abigail’s brother-in-law?
Levi announced coldly, “Take care not to kill them.”
“Beat them up now!”
A few hundred people dashed up to Drake and his men and surrounded them. The people in the innermost ring of the circle started beating them up without mercy.
Levi carried Abigail all the way home, where he and Zoey watched over her the entire night.
The next morning, Zoey left before Abigail woke up. Before she stepped out of the room, however, she instructed Levi to stay behind.
“You must make your intentions clear to her!” she said.
She didn’t want Abigail to do anything so silly again.
When Abigail finally woke up, the first thing she saw was Levi’s face.
“Levi, you…” Her words trailed off awkwardly as she didn’t know what to say.
Levi asked gently, “Do you know what happened to you yesterday night?”
“I think I drank a little too much…” Abigail replied sheepishly, massaging her throbbing head.
Levi pretended to be angry and said, “In the future, you’re not allowed to drink outside, or have your phone switched off! Even if you wanted to drink your sorrows away, there was no reason for you to behave like that. Do you know how worried the whole family was? You put yourself in so much danger yesterday night!”
Abigail laughed to hide her awkwardness. “Drinking my sorrows away? I hope you and Zoey didn’t take yesterday’s matter too seriously. I was just joking! I can’t believe the both of you actually believed me.”
“Good. In the future, listen to us and keep yourself out of trouble!” Levi said, smiling.
Abigail nodded.
The next moment, however, there was a swoosh of blankets, and Abigail had thrown her arms around him.
Levi froze and looked at her in disbelief.
CHAPTER 676
Too afraid to move, he remained completely still. “What—what are you doing?”
“Stop talking! Let me hug you for just ten minutes. For these few minutes, you belong to me.”
Hearing this, Levi stopped himself from breaking free of her grasp. He simply stood still and let her hug him silently.
After ten minutes, Abigail let go of him.
That very day, Abigail left South City for her internship in South Hampton.
Both South City or North Hampton contained her memories of Levi, and she needed to leave them behind for a while.
In the end, the three parties involved wrapped up the incident with a laugh.
However, all of them knew exactly what had gone on in Abigail’s heart.
With the help of the Black family, Abigail arrived at her lodgings in one of the five-star hotels of South Hampton.
When she walked into the lobby, however, she immediately heard someone mention Levi’s name.
Immediately, she stopped in her tracks and listened to their conversation intently.
A few people were chatting on the sofas nearby.
“Are you sure? Is he really called Levi Garrison?”
“Yes! This man was adopted by the Garrison family of North Hampton. He was an orphan before that.”
“He has been missing since he was a kid. I can’t believe they finally found him in North Hampton! They actually found the kid!”
“Exactly! I only heard about this recently because the Gates and the Caesars have gone down to South City to make trouble again…”
…
Hearing this, a rush of excitement coursed through Abigail’s veins.
What?
Are they talking about my brother-in-law’s birth family?
Are Levi’s birth parents and family in South Hampton?
Although Abigail had known for a long time that Levi was an orphan, nobody had ever mentioned his birth family to her.
She couldn’t believe that she had discovered such an important piece of information about him in South Hampton.
She wondered if she should call Levi and inform him.
However, after deliberating on it for a long time, she decided not to tell him.
After all, she had already made up her mind to forget him. It would be best if she refrained from contacting Levi for the time being.
The Edburg Manor in South Hampton had been built in an architectural style that was distinctly German. Within it, stately villas stood like trees in a forest.
This was the family home of the Joneses, who were one of the royal families in South Hampton.
The Joneses were one of the few clans that had actually earned their position. They were much more powerful than the average aristocratic family.
Even members of the Gates family had to humble themselves before the Joneses.
Their enormous wealth alone wasn’t enough to illustrate the massive scale of their achievements and power.
Like the other royal families, the Joneses understood the importance of having family members in every sector of society ranging from the business world to politics to the military.
Only by extending the sphere of their influence in society could they maintain their powerful position for generations to come.
When it came to their offspring, things became even more complicated. Determined to ensure the proliferation of their clan, the Joneses men left their seed everywhere they went.
At that moment, someone dashed into Edburg Manor, yelling as he went. “Bad news, Mr. Jones, bad news!”
The head of the Jones family, Michael Jones, was seated in the drawing room, his legs crossed like a Turk. He was sipping tea slowly, his brows furrowed in deep thought.
Recently, the Joneses had encountered a difficult issue. As powerful as he was, even Michael was unable to find a solution for it.
A dark cloud hung over the entire Jones family as everyone wondered how the matter was going to be resolved.
Hearing the loud yells of the man, Michael frowned in disapproval.
The housekeeper beside him hissed angrily, “Who’s that making such a racket? How utterly disgraceful!”
Very quickly, the person had arrived in the drawing room. Kneeling before Michael, he said, “Mr. Jones, I’ve discovered something of utmost importance!”
Michael looked up from his teacup and gazed directly at the man. “Well, what have you discovered?”
“Do you still remember Miss Emma’s son? The one who was called Levi!”
Hearing this, Michael shot up from his seat. His bulging eyes were full of disbelief.
Utterly shocked, he demanded, “What do you mean by Emma’s son? Didn’t he die of exposure on the streets a long time ago? How is he still alive?”
The man replied, “He’s still alive! After he was abandoned in the streets of North Hampton, the Garrison family took him in and raised him as their own. When I went down to South City to investigate the conflict between the Gates and the Caesars, I coincidentally discovered that he’s still living there. He’s still alive, Sir!”
“So my grandson is still alive?” Michael asked, bewildered.
Levi Garrison was the son of Emma Jones.
That made Michael his maternal grandfather!
“Send our men down to fetch him back quickly!”
CHAPTER 677
Hearing Michael’s urgent demand, the man replied immediately, “Got it, Mr. Jones. I’ll send our men to find him now!”
After he left, the housekeeper walked up to Michael and said, “Mr. Jones, if Levi Garrison is truly Miss Emma’s son, there’s an idea I’d like to propose.”
Michael understood her words immediately. Rather nonplussed, he said, “Do you mean that Levi can help resolve our family’s problem?”
The housekeeper smiled and said, “Exactly! If he comes back and claims his place among us, we can simply make him accept the punishment on our behalf. That’s one big problem resolved for us!”
Hearing this, Michael smiled as well. “There is a God, after all!”
“What a coincidence that Miss Emma’s son showed up just as our family was facing this problem! The gods must have sent him to help us!”
In South City, life returned to normal for Levi and Zoey after Abigail left.
However, there was a feeling of unease in the air.
One day, the head of the security detail, Seth Wilson, gave Levi a call. “Mr. Garrison, there’s someone looking for you downstairs!”
“Looking for me?” Levi felt a little startled.
When he arrived at the plaza in front of his office, Levi found a Rolls-Royce waiting for him.
Seth pointed at the car and said, “That’s them, Mr. Garrison!”
At that moment, a few people got off the car and walked towards them.
The leader, a middle-aged man, looked at Levi and exclaimed in surprise, “Are you Mr. Levi Garrison?”
“Yes, that’s me.” Levi was very confused. He didn’t know any of these people at all.
“Would you happen to be the orphan taken in by the Garrison family?”
Levi asked, “Yes, is something the matter?”
Clasping Levi’s hands warmly, the middle-aged man shed a few tears of happiness. “Mr. Levi Garrison, we’ve finally found you!”
“You might not know this, but after you went missing as a child, our family spared no effort in searching for you! We finally found you today…”
The middle-aged man’s expression did not change even as he lied straight to Levi’s face.
Actually, they had found out about his location by a mere coincidence.
The Jones family had never bothered to search for him at all.
Given how powerful they were, they could’ve found him in a jiffy if they wanted to.
Besides, Levi was very famous in North Hampton.
He looked at the men and frowned. “Who are you guys?”
“Mr. Garrison, we’re from the Jones family in South Hampton. My name is Julian Jones. The current head of the family is Mr. Michael Jones, your biological grandfather!”
Hearing this, Levi froze in shock.
That unfamiliar word sent shock waves rippling through his body.
When Levi was old enough to start remembering things, he was already an orphan.
At that time, he had sworn to himself that he would never go looking for his biological family!
If they were cruel enough to have abandoned him, why should he bother to strike up a relationship with them now?
There was no need for him to search for them.
He was fighting for the glory of the Garrison family, and living for the sake of Zoey Lopez.
As far as Levi was concerned, he had no biological parents or family.
Actually, considering his status in South Hampton now, it would be the easiest thing in the world for Levi to find out who his biological parents were.
However, he had never done it.
They had abandoned him, and he was determined to steer clear of them for the rest of his life.
Hearing Julian mention the word ‘grandfather’, Levi was extremely stunned.
Julian smiled. “Mr. Garrison, please pack your things and return to South Hampton with us to claim your position as the young master of the Jones family! The Jones family is one of the royal families of South Hampton. Once you enter our family, you’ll have the whole of Quebec under your thumb!”
These weren’t empty words.
Rather, it was a promise that only a royal family like the Joneses could make.
They were quite different from the Gates and the Caesars.
The Jones family had no interest in Quebec. To them, it was too small of an enterprise to be worthy of their attention.
Julian handed Levi a credit card. “To prove that we’re really from the Jones family, here’s a bank card from Mr. Michael Jones. Treat this as your pocket money—there’s one hundred million in it!”
He swiped it on a nearby card reader, and found that it really did contain one hundred million.
Julian was quite confident that Levi wouldn’t turn down their offer.
CHAPTER 678
He refused to believe that anyone would reject an offer like this.
Which ordinary person would refuse an offer to become the young master of one of the royal families overnight?
From then on, they would have unapparelled power. Backed by the status of the Jones family, they would be able to lord it over everyone else.
They could have as much money, women and power as they wanted.
Their every need would be satisfied.
Who would reject such an opportunity?
To Julian’s surprise, Levi turned him down without so much as glancing at the bank card.
Coldly, he snapped, “Please go back. I have no relation to the Joneses. In fact, I have no parents or relatives from that family!”
Huh?
His answer stunned Julian and the other men into silence.
They all looked at him in shock.
How could he have rejected their offer?
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him to get his hands on one hundred million, and he had turned it down?
Was there something wrong with his brain?
“Remember this. Forget this ever happened, and don’t ever come back to find me in the future!”
With that, Levi turned around and left.
“…” Julian looked extremely chagrined.
He had really turned them down!
Turning to his subordinates, he demanded in confusion, “What’s going on?”
“He won’t turn us down! In fact, he’s just playing hard to get. If he had simply accepted our offer, he would come across as weak-willed and greedy. He probably really wanted to say yes!”
“Exactly! He’s a smart person. He knew we were going to come and look for him one day, so he purposely put on airs and acted as though he didn’t care about our offer.”
His subordinates analyzed the situation, suddenly feeling more confident.
Julian nodded. “That’s what I think, too. Nobody has ever been able to resist the temptation of becoming the young master of the Jones family!”
Someone butted in, “Perhaps he thinks the entire Jones family is beneath him!”
“How’s that possible? It takes someone of incredible power to demean us like this. How could he have that sort of courage?”
“Right? He might have Quebec in the palm of his hands, but that’s nothing compared to the Jones family! What a joke.”
“Besides, we’ve investigated his background thoroughly. All he does is sit around and make merry all day!”
Hearing this, they all burst into laughter.
Very quickly, news of Levi’s rejection came back to Michael Jones.
“What? He pretended that we’re beneath him and turned down our offer?” Michael asked in disbelief.
With their offer of money, Michael had thought they had Levi Garrison in the bag.
The housekeeper laughed, “Mr. Jones, he’s just acting coy. He probably wants us to invite him a few more times!”
“Alright, let’s satisfy that desire of his! After all, he has finally become useful to us!”
With that, he announced, “Tell all the males of this family to gather up for a meeting!”
Quickly, three generations of the Jones family’s males filed into the drawing room.
Only Michael and a few of the elders were seated comfortably in chairs. The rest of them remained standing.
Everyone had a downcast expression of their face. It was evident that they were all worrying about the Jones family’s recent troubles.
“I have something to announce to all of you. We’ve finally found Emma’s long-lost son!”
A murmur rang through the crowd.
Everyone looked up at Michael in shock.
“The boy who was abandoned by the Garrisons has been found?” asked Michael’s oldest son, Daniel Jones.
The housekeeper replied, “Yes! Mr. Jones has already sent his men to fetch him back.”
The younger boys giggled mirthfully. “What’s the point of bringing a homeless man back into our family? He can’t contribute anything to this family.”
Michael thundered, “That’s rubbish! If we accept him back into our family, he’ll be my biological grandson! Won’t he be considered a legitimate heir to the Jones family then?”
Everyone concurred. “Yes!”
Michael continued, “Since he’ll be a legitimate heir to our family, we can send him to bear the punishment on our behalf! No one can say anything about that!”
“Oh my gosh, is that true?”
CHAPTER 679
Everyone in the Jones family was ecstatic.
The problem that had been pestering them for so long was finally going to be resolved.
As people always say – when there’s a will, there’s a way. In this case, they’ve found Michael Jones’ grandson.
The younger ones were especially excited, so much so that they almost screamed out loud.
At last, they’ve managed to find a scapegoat.
Recently, the Jones family had gotten involved in a deadly feud during their business trip to Quebec. They had provoked a certain warlord in Quebec and were severely punished by the local military.
The compensation was fifty billion. Not only did they have to expend profits from multiple projects, but they also had to send 10 people from the Jones family to prison for a sentence of 30 years.
Those who would be sent to prison were basically giving up their lives.
The living conditions in the prison were hellish. The prisoners there were tortured every day and usually died a few months after imprisonment.
Besides having to send 10 members of the family to prison, another condition they had to fulfill was that among the 10 members, two of them had to be a male and a female who were direct descendants of the main family.
This was to appease the warlord.
The people who had to suffer needed to be from the main branch of the Jones family, so other branches of said family couldn’t substitute them.
Michael wasn’t willing to let his sons and grandsons suffer.
He didn’t want them to die in vain.
Each one of them were the Jones family’s future.
They were his precious sons and grandsons.
Patriarchal thinking was deeply ingrained within the Jones family.
The female descendant had already been decided. Even though it was Michael’s own granddaughter, he had no qualms sending her over.
However, he was reluctant when it came to the male descendants.
The Joneses have been struggling with this matter for the past few days.
Now that another grandson has appeared, he could replace them as a scapegoat.
They were finally able to work out a solution.
They hurriedly asked, “Grandpa, where is this person? We need to bring him over immediately.”
Michael smiled and replied, “You all won’t need to worry about this. I’ve already sent some people to pick him up.”
The eldest son, Daniel Jones, had questions of his own. “Dad, I don’t think it’s a good idea to use Levi as a scapegoat recklessly. If the Garrison family finds out, the blame is….”
“Don’t worry about it. He’s been abandoned by the Garrison family. Otherwise, why has the Garrison family not searched for him even once in the past 20 years? There’s no such person in the Garrison family tree! We don’t have to worry about anything.”
Everyone was relieved when they heard Michael’s definitive answer.
The Jones family problem was finally resolved.
No one could say anything if Michael’s grandson, Levi, was sent to prison.
“Dad, you must have been doing a lot of good deeds to receive God’s blessing like this,” Daniel stated with a smile.
“That’s right. Did you think such a grandson would appear out of nowhere?”
Everyone cachinnated.
The younger generations, in particular, were exceptionally joyful.
Some of them were performing badly, so they were constantly worried about getting chosen to become the scapegoat.
With the appearance of Levi, nothing was going to happen to them anymore.
Michael stroke his beard and laughed. “Since this kid is going to take the fall for the Jones family, we shouldn’t let him go in vain. We will fulfill all his wishes until then.”
“Dad, don’t worry. We’ll take care of it!”
Everyone in the room was excited.
The entire Jones family was waiting for Levi Garrison’s arrival.
He had no idea that he was already selected to become the Jones family’s scapegoat.
The situation was far worse than he had imagined.
The sudden appearance of his grandfather caught Levi off guard.
Parents? Family? Relatives? Are they related to me? If they really did care about me, would they have abandoned me? If they really regretted leaving me behind, they should have found me a long time ago!
CHAPTER 680
It has been almost 30 years, and no one has ever come looking for me. Yet now this so-called grandfather decides to make a sudden appearance? From the looks of it, the Jones family is up to something.
Levi was an old-timer, so he knew something was up with the Jones family instantly.
Soon, Phoenix’s call came.
“Sir, the Jones family of South Hampton really aren’t what they seem. They’ve offended the Quebec warlord Elijah. Now, they require a male and a female descendant from the main family branch to go to prison for 30 years. The Jones family most likely selected you as the male descendant, sir.”
“Heheh…” Levi laughed as soon as Phoenix finished speaking.
I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. Everything happens for a reason.
He knew one had to differentiate between familial love and business when it came to big families such as the Joneses.
This was especially true for a homeless man who had been abandoned by his family for almost 30 years and was of no use to them.
Why would they want someone like that back? They even offered money and power. It’s not like they’re sick or anything.
The only reason he could think of was that such a man was of use to the family.
In this case, the family wanted Levi to become their scapegoat.
“Hahahaha….”
Levi laughed out loud.
How ironic.
So this is what 30 years’ worth of familial love is like.
Having such cruel intentions even though they’re my grandfather and uncles.
They’re no different from the Garrison family of North Hampton.
On the other end of the call, Phoenix could clearly hear Levi’s breathing change.
He was angry.
This man was angry.
Phoenix asked tentatively, “Sir, the Warlord Elijah was almost wiped out by us three years ago. Should we send White Tiger to finish the job?”
Levi shook his head. “No need for that since they aren’t messing with us. This is the Jones family’s business. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Remember this – the land Erudia is my only family. The rest have nothing to do with me,” Levi declared.
“Yes, sir!”
Phoenix and the rest of them were all orphans, so they understood how Levi was feeling.
No one would be fine if a relative emerged out of the blue and demanded to be treated like that.
“Levi, what’s wrong? You seem unhappy.”
Levi had an unusual look on his face when Zoey came visiting him.
She had never seen him this way before.
“I’m fine,” Levi replied with a smile.
“I heard somebody came looking for you early this morning. Is everything alright?” Zoey was a little worried.
“I’m fine. I would definitely tell you if something happened!”
“Alright then. We’ll have dinner tonight, so wait for me.”
Levi and Zoey walked side by side as they got off from work. This was when Julian Jones and his men intercepted them.
“Honey, wait here. Let me take care of something quickly.”
Facing the Joneses, Levi stated impassively, “Didn’t I tell you all to leave? Why are you here again?”
Julian laughed and answered, “Young Master Garrison, we’re here to escort you back to South Hampton! You’ve been wandering around for almost 30 years. It’s about time you reaffirm your identity. You have the blood of a noble, so you shouldn’t be in a place like this.”
Julian had orders to bring Levi back to South Hampton regardless of what it took.
This was why Julian tried his best to convince Levi to return. If it didn’t work, he would have to resort to some extreme measures.
Levi retorted with a smirk, “Leave! I couldn’t care less about becoming a young master of the Jones family. I wouldn’t do it even if the Master of the Jones family begged me.”
With a wave of his hand, Levi left the scene.
Julian and his men fell deep into thought as they watched Levi’s figure fade away in the distance.
After some time, Julian spoke up. “If this doesn’t work, we’ll just have to capture him.”
Levi told her everything, excluding the part where the Jones family plotted to turn him into a scapegoat.
“That’s right! How dare they! Where were they before?” Zoey was furious.
She hugged Levi tightly and said, “Darling, no matter what you choose, I’ll always be by your side.”
“You’re all I need. I’ve never treated them as family before!” Levi stated.
Julian waved his hand. “Follow him and see where he lives. We’ll kidnap him at night!”
Levi knew he was being shadowed when he and Zoey had dinner. However, he didn’t care.
After sending Zoey back to the Black family, Levi returned to the Warzone compound as usual.
Julian, together with several men, surrounded the Warzone compound soon after.
“He’s telling me that he doesn’t care about becoming a young master of the Jones family when he’s living in such a shabby place? What a farce,” Julian exclaimed in a satirical manner.
The Warzone compound was in a dilapidated state. Its walls were peeling off and the main door was demolished by the Gates family two days ago.
It appeared horrendous.
“Move out. Leave as soon as you capture him,” Julian instructed.
Four men jumped into the compound nimbly and headed to where Levi was.
Ten seconds later.
Wham!
Thump!
…
The four men flew out of the compound.
A shirtless man came walking out. He sneered, “What? Are you trying to steal something?”
The shirtless man spotted the van parked in front of the compound. With a thrust of his fist, the entire front of the car was crushed.
Julian and his men were dumbfounded.
How was there an expert in such a place?
Before they were able to react, the car door was ripped apart by force.
Julian and his men were forcibly dragged out.
“Stealing? Or kidnapping?” Alfie questioned.
He was just about to do some physical training when he was interrupted by four brats.
This infuriated Alfie.
With the blaring of police sirens, Russell arrived swiftly with the special police force.
Julian and his men were taken into custody…
In the Edburg Manor of South Hampton.
“What? Julian was arrested? How incompetent can he be? He’s making more problems instead of solving them!” Michael roared.
The butler added, “Yes, that’s right! Julian invited Levi twice but was rejected both times. He wanted to kidnap him in desperation but was met with this!”
“What an idiot!” Michael was enraged.
He can’t even bring one person back. Doesn’t that make him an incompetent idiot?
“However, it seems Levi has stated that he wouldn’t come even if you begged,” the butler continued speaking.
“I understand. This kid is blaming me for not inviting him personally. Haha! Tell Daniel to invite him personally. Try to invite him over as politely as possible. After all, he’s a valuable asset to us.”
Michael sent his eldest son to extend an invitation to Levi.
Daniel Jones arrived in South City that night. The first thing he did was bail Julian out of prison.
On the second day, Daniel got up early in the morning and personally waited at the company.
As soon as Levi turned up, Daniel immediately stepped forward to greet him.
“Another member of the Jones family?”
With a glance, Levi instantly recognized Julian and his men standing behind.
“Levi, my poor nephew. Your uncle is finally able to meet you!”
With tears in his eyes, Daniel tried to rush forward and give Levi a bear hug.
Levi dodged it quickly.
“Levi, I’m your uncle! Your mother, Emma’s eldest brother, Daniel Jones!”
Levi stared at him blankly.
The word mother moved him slightly.
CHAPTER 682
I’m still her son, whether I admit it or not.
I can never erase this identity of mine.
He felt moved when he heard the endearment.
So her name is Emma Jones.
Despite feeling repulsed, her name was etched into Levi’s memory instinctively.
“Levi, it’s all our fault that you’ve been orphaned for years. Supposedly, grandpa should come and bring you home personally, but he’s unwell now. That’s why uncle is here to take you home. Don’t worry, Levi. I’ve prepared a grand reception to welcome you back. Twenty Rolls-Royce and ten limousines are waiting outside to pick you up.”
“Other than that, I’ll make you the boss of a large conglomerate and transfer ten billion to your bank card. You’ll be staying in a luxurious villa in South Hampton. In order to make amends to you, we’ll make you the head and heir of the Jones family as well, and you’ll have the final say in all our family affairs,” Daniel babbled on.
He was trying to sweet-talk Levi into returning to the Jones family by offering him the best of everything that the Jones family had, even the entire Jones family.
I would have been so touched if I hadn’t known what happened to the Jones family recently.
Daniel seems to yearn for my return wholeheartedly by making these offers.
How touching that he’s willing to give the entire Jones family away!
Nevertheless, making me the heir of the Jones family is in fact a trap.
They want me to take the blame and go to jail in place of the Jones family.
Daniel’s promises left Julian dumbfounded.
The Jones family put in so much effort into getting Levi to return home.
When Daniel saw Levi’s expression soften, his lips curled up in a smile, and he was on the verge of laughing out loud.
He’s only an innocent child, after all.
I can easily lure him into saying yes with wealth and power.
No one can resist this kind of temptation.
After that, Daniel cast a look of disdain at Julian.
Look, I’ve settled this matter with only a few words. You’re a useless piece of junk.
In the next second, Levi’s voice came to them. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jones. I’m not interested in the Jones family at all. And we’re unrelated, so please don’t address yourself as my uncle.”
Boom!
Hearing Levi’s rejection, Daniel gawked at him with mouth agape.
How could he reject my offer?
Is he really not into the Jones family?
“Seth, escort our guests out,” Levi commanded.
Immediately, Seth sent Daniel and his men out the door.
Standing outside, Julian said helplessly to Daniel, “He’s really stubborn. He refuses to come home even when you come personally to pick him up.”
Daniel was fuming with rage.
He was second only to Michael Jones in terms of influence and status in the Jones family.
How dare Levi reject me!
He has no respect for me at all.
“How shameless of him! He’s only a tool to the Jones family,” Daniel yelled angrily.
“Maybe he wants Sir to come personally to bring him back?” Julian analyzed the situation and said.
“How insolent! As an unwanted orphan, he doesn’t deserve to have my father to come over and pick him up. He’s pushing his luck!” Daniel replied in anger.
“What else can we do since he refuses to go back? We can’t be taking him back home by force.”
I tried this approach once, and it didn’t end well.
This is the most extreme method we can use.
Suddenly, Daniel seemed to have thought about something. “Hah! We’ll get it done using the hard way then. He’s so wrong to think that I can’t deal with him. I’ll make sure that he’ll kneel and beg me to take him home.”
Daniel’s face was grim as a conspiracy gradually formed in his mind.
CHAPTER 683
Levi knew that this was not the end, as the Jones family was desperate to make him take the fall.
Hence, they definitely had some alternative plans.
But Levi couldn’t care less about it.
So what if the Jones family is royalty?
Why should I care?
Even the Warlord Elijah, whom the Jones family fear, almost died at my hands.
If I wanted to, I can wipe the Jones family out without breaking a sweat.
In the tower opposite the Morris Group.
Daniel asked coldly with a stern face, “Is everything ready?”
“Yes, everything is ready.”
In the afternoon, Zoey went out for a business appointment together with Sylas.
At that time, Hades was away for medical treatment.
But they had no rival against them now, as the entire South City was under Levi’s control.
The two pulled over in front of their business partner’s office tower.
Just when Zoey was about to get out of the car, Sylas discerned that something was wrong.
There was a light reflected from the top of a building faraway, which was likely the reflection from a sniper scope.
“Get down!”
Sylas promptly pushed Zoey down in her seat.
Pfft!
Bang!
In the blink of an eye, their car was under attack.
The front right tire was punctured, and the whole car jerked violently.
The sudden blow startled Sylas.
Is someone trying to kill Zoey?
“Head to the office now!”
Sylas took cover while bringing Zoey into the office tower.
When they stepped in, a man in a sweater and a ski mask was walking toward them, and his eyes glinted with malice.
Screech!
He took out a dagger and lunged at Zoey.
Sylas hurriedly shoved her away while tossing her phone in front of them to block the stab. Her phone was smashed into pieces at once.
After a failed attempt to kill Zoey, the man retreated and disappeared in no time.
With a face as pale as a sheet, Zoey broke out in a cold sweat, while Sylas was terrified.
It’s not safe here!
Immediately, Sylas took Zoey’s hand and ran to the basement carpark.
Then she skillfully stole a car and drove Zoey away.
While she was driving, she saw a few men sprinting toward them through the rearview mirror.
This frightened Sylas, and she was drenched in sweat.
She promptly stepped on the gas and sped away.
After driving some distance away, the two heaved a sigh of relief.
But the next moment, Sylas’ expression changed, as a car came out of nowhere right in front of them.
Bang!
The two cars collided head-on, then Sylas and Zoey passed out on the spot.
When the two regained their consciousness, Levi and Seth were already here.
Fortunately, both Sylas and Zoey were uninjured but petrified.
Looking at the two women, Levi’s face turned frigid as a man’s face popped into his mind.
Godd***it!
Then Sylas reported to Levi, ”Mr. Garrison, something just doesn’t sit right with me. We went through four attacks, and it felt as if someone was controlling it behind the scenes.”
“During the first attack, for some reason, the sniper missed us and shot the car tire instead. This makes no sense.”
“After that, the man with a dagger could have tried stabbing Zoey again after the first failed attempt.”
“At the basement carpark, some people waited in ambush before we arrived. They could have attacked us earlier, but they only did it when we drove away.”
“In the accident, it seemed like the driver only wanted to bang our car. He had no intention to kill us.”
“I feel that the person behind the scene is trying to intimidate us instead of killing us,” Sylas said conclusively.
Levi remained silent with a sullen face.
The Jones family did this to warn me.
When Levi went back to his office, he bumped into Daniel at the entrance.
Daniel sneered, “How was it, Levi? Is your wife alright? How lucky.”
Then his tone turned aggressive as he added, “But she may not be as lucky next time.”
This is a threat.
He’s threatening me so blatantly!
CHAPTER 684
He’s here to hint at me that he has directed those attacks, and he can kill Zoey anytime he wants.
In other words, Zoey’s life is in his hands!
Levi sniggered at his words.
Who does he think he is to threaten me?
He’s messing with the wrong man.
Daniel continued saying, “Next time, the bullet and the knife won’t miss their target. Oh, there’ll be a deadly ambush and car accident as well.”
“How fragile human life is. Sometimes, you’re bound to lose your loved ones no matter how well you protect them.”
Daniel’s tone was threatening.
He’s saying that Sylas won’t be able to protect Zoey.
And Zoey will probably lose her life the next time he attacks her again.
“I wonder if she has offended anyone that she has been attacked four times in such a short time. I’m sure no one will dare touch her if she’s a part of the Jones family.”
While talking, Daniel handed Levi a note with a contact number on it.
His message was very clear.
Zoey would be safe as long as Levi returned to the Jones family.
Daniel was having fun threatening Levi.
If Levi truly cares about Zoey, he will beg me to take him back to the Jones family.
After Daniel went back home, he laughed out loud. “I’ve won. He can’t stand against me this time.”
“Mr. Jones, now we shall wait for Levi to come and beg us to take him back.”
Everyone else let out a menacing laugh.
Meanwhile, with a grim expression, Levi was giving off a vicious vibe.
How dare he harm Zoey!
He had crossed the line.
I won’t tolerate Zoey getting frightened, let alone getting hurt.
The four attacks in a row had traumatized Zoey, and she was now on the brink of losing her mind.
As a result, Levi was smoldering with fury.
The Jones family were getting on his last nerve!
Now he was about to make a move against the Jones family.
Levi had never admitted the kinship between him and the Joneses.
Besides, even if his so-called grandpa came to bring him back, he was only a scapegoat in their eyes.
So what if I lay a hand on the Jones family?
To me, they’re only outsiders.
In the meantime, Zoey felt much better after coming back to the office.
As smart as she was, she already figured out that the Jones family was behind those attacks.
“Levi, if there’s no other choice, would you like to go home and take a look?” Zoey asked.
“No way, I’ll never go back! I’ll make them pay for this,” Levi said with a scowl on his face.
Standing outside the office, Sylas said apologetically, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t keep Ms. Lopez safe.”
“No worries, Sylas. You’ve done your best. Just leave it to me from now on.”
On the other hand, Daniel and his people were waiting for his phone to ring.
Julian asked, “What’s going on? Why hasn’t he called us after so long?”
The others followed and said, “Yes, he should be here by now.”
Daniel felt puzzled too. “Maybe I didn’t scare them enough. I should’ve let that woman get injured.”
“I think so. Perhaps he thinks that we dare not hurt them because he’s Emma’s son,” Julian told of his assumption.
Daniel let out a loud snort. “Damn it! As the heir of the Jones family, I personally went to him to bring him back, but he brushed me aside. Who does he think he is? He’s just a son of a bitch! Well, since he’s not afraid of me, I’ll chop his wife’s limbs off. Then he’ll come and beg me for mercy. Ask all the assassins to strike them now. This time, there’ll be bloodshed!”
On Daniel’s command, a dozen of assassins who attacked Zoey this morning went after her again simultaneously.
CHAPTER 685
Lurking in the dark where Zoey might show up, the assassins were ready to pounce on her. These assassins were highly skilled that any of them could take Zoey’s life effortlessly.
However, Daniel had only instructed them to injure her.
At the office’s basement carpark, a figure appeared. Within a few seconds, he had pried open Zoey’s car door and secretly gotten in the car.
The moment Zoey comes in, I’ll be able to hurt her in a split second.
Just as the assassin was feeling smug, he suddenly realized that there was a man in the front seat who was gradually turning his head around to look at him.
And it almost scared the daylights out of him.
Before he could escape, the man got hold of him with one hand.
Bang!
The man slapped him with another hand, and blood spurted all over the car.
“Who’s next?”
Levi wiped his hand and lit a cigarette before walking away.
Subsequently, the other assassins who were hiding inside the office and around the building were taken down one after another.
Soon after, all the assassins had been annihilated.
“What’s going on? It’s already noon, but none of the assassins are back yet.”
After waiting for a few hours, Daniel became restless.
None of the assassins came back, and there’s no news from them as well.
Something must’ve happened.
“This doesn’t make sense to me. Can’t those top assassins take down an ordinary woman?” Julian said in bewilderment.
“Contact the assassins now and find out what they’re doing.”
Daniel paced up and down in distress.
Julian tried to call each of the assassins, but not one of them picked up his call.
“Has something gone wrong? But what can happen to all our top assassins?”
Daniel did not believe that there was anyone capable enough to deal with so many assassins single-handedly.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“Sir, here is your parcel.”
A delivery man came in and handed Julian a box.
“A parcel?” Julian asked with a quizzical look.
Then he suddenly caught a whiff of a weird smell.
“What? Why is there a parcel? Does anyone else know that I’m in South City?” Daniel asked in astonishment.
“Open it and see what’s in it.”
Hiss!
When the box was opened, everyone gasped in shock.
There were fingers soaked in blood inside the box.
Immediately, Daniel’s face turned ghastly pale, while the others looked equally terrified.
“Are these… Are these the assassins’ fingers?” Daniel asked in a trembling voice.
Boom!
Suddenly, the door was kicked open, and a large group of people marched in.
“Hit them!” the leader commanded, then the group of fighters darted toward them.
Although Daniel had bodyguards with him, these fighters pounced on his bodyguards aggressively and took them down in no time.
Only Daniel and Julian were left untouched.
“Who are you people? Do you know who we are?” Daniel shouted hurriedly.
“How dare you cause trouble in my territory in South City without asking me? You’ve gone overboard!” the leader snickered at them.
It suddenly dawned on Daniel that these people were members of the South City underworld.
It’s true that we should’ve greeted and informed them before doing anything in their territory.
This is an unspoken rule.
After all, we are from South Hampton.
But do I need to follow this rule?
I don’t think so, because I’m the eldest son of the Jones family in South Hampton.
Why should I be afraid of these people?
“Hah! Do you know who I am? I’m Daniel from the Jones family in South Hampton. Do you still think that you deserve my greetings?” Daniel was all puffed up while sneering.
In his eyes, the people from South City were of a lower class than him, as he was superior and royal.
However, these people had no regard for his identity. “Beat him to death!”
“Hey, didn’t you hear me? I’m from the Jones family in South Hampton!”
CHAPTER 686
Daniel shrieked furiously.
Usually, no one would dare lay a finger on him after knowing his identity.
Back then, the Caesar family alone was enough to oppress everyone in South City when they were only a quasi-royal clan.
But the Jones family was the true royalty.
Anyone who dared mess with the eldest son of the Jones family was only digging his or her own grave.
“I don’t care who you are. Anyone who breaks the rules has to be punished. Go get him!”
Yet, these people couldn’t care less and darted forward to beat him recklessly.
In the end, they broke all his limbs, and Daniel sprawled on the floor like a dog with an appalled expression.
Did I just get beaten up by a bunch of gangsters?
This is outrageous!
“This is only a warning from us. Bear in mind that there’s no place for any monkey business for an outsider like you in South City. If you ever repeat it, you’ll be dead.”
After reprimanding him, the group of people left.
In fact, they came here on someone’s command.
They had quite a few powerful individuals backing them up, so the Jones family was nothing in their eyes.
In fact, Levi was the one who orchestrated this.
He had handed over the South City underworld to the head of the Southern Union, Grover.
As a result, those gangsters no longer committed any heinous crimes, but all of them had proper jobs now.
As soon as Levi gave his order, Grover sent his people over.
Breaking Daniel’s limbs was only a minor punishment.
Otherwise, he would not make it out of South City alive.
The next morning at the manor in South Hampton.
Daniel, Julian and a dozen of the Joneses were laid in an orderly manner in front of the door.
All of them were paralyzed, groaning in agony.
“What?”
When Michael and his people came out and saw this scene, they were completely dumbfounded.
“Who did this? Who broke my son’s hands and legs?” consumed by rage, Michael bellowed with a surly face.
The others were filled with anger too.
It wasn’t only about their people getting beaten up, but it was also about the Jones family’s reputation.
They could not believe that this happened in the seemingly insignificant South City.
How embarrassing for the Jones family!
And they might lose their foothold in South Hampton.
“Someone… Someone from the South City did this to us…” Daniel stuttered with his head facing the floor and dared not look at anyone.
Tears of agony escaped Daniel’s eyes as he felt overwhelmed with humiliation and sorrow.
How embarrassing! I can’t face my family anymore.
Getting my limbs broken in the small city is a shame that I’ll bear for the rest of my life.
“The gangsters from the South City underworld crippled us because we broke the rule and messed around in their territory,” Julian whined.
“What? A group of gangsters beat you up?” Michael said in disbelief.
I’ll be so embarrassed if this news gets about.
The people in South Hampton will probably look down our family as well.
“Why didn’t you tell them your identity?” Michael asked in frustration.
These Joneses are worthless pieces of junk!
“We did, and that’s why they broke our limbs!” Daniel said indignantly and started weeping.
“What? This is ridiculous!” Michael shouted.
How dare these gangsters from South City challenge the Jones family! Do they have a death wish?
“Father, it’s all Levi’s fault! He’s so haughty. He disrespects me and insists on having you go to him and bring him back yourself.”
Though Daniel didn’t know that Levi was the mastermind behind this incident, he still put all the blame on Levi.
CHAPTER 687
“What? He wants me to pick him up myself? Who the hell does he think he is?” Michael yelled at the top of his lungs.
The others were enraged. “How dare a nobody like him behave as if he’s a big shot?”
“You’re right. In fact, not a single person in Quebec is qualified for grandpa to bring him back himself.”
“I guess Levi is as useless as his parents!”
Despite feeling furious, the butler said, “Anyway, we still have to bear with him. We still need him, don’t we?”
“Let’s just abduct him back here. I really can’t stand his arrogance!”
“Grandpa, please hurry up. It’s only five days away from the deadline Elijah set for us.”
“We must get it done as soon as possible, lest Elijah demand for more from us.”
Everyone voiced out their opinions one by one.
Then Michael’s eyes glinted with malice as he said, “Alright, let’s abduct Levi, and I want everyone from the South City underworld dead!”
Suddenly, the brightest man in the third generation of the Jones family, Tyler said, “Grandpa, could Levi be the one who sent the gangsters to cripple uncle? Perhaps he did this as a counterattack since uncle hired assassins to attack his wife.”
It was obvious to him that Levi did this.
His words shed light on the matter and make everyone ponder this possibility.
This can’t be a coincidence.
“Does he have any hidden capability and background connections?”
Even Michael became suspicious.
“Maybe he has some backup? Is that why he ignored our offer?” one of the Joneses asked.
“It’ll be frightening if he indeed has some hidden capabilities.”
Just then, Michael’s phone rang.
It was a call from Grover, the head of Southern Union.
“Good day, Mr. Cooke. How may I assist you?”
Michael’s attitude became courteous immediately.
Even though The Jones family was royalty, they were not as powerful as Grover, who held a major influence in the South.
“I heard that your son caused trouble on my turf and got his limbs broken.” Grover asked.
“What? Is South City your territory?”
Michael was baffled by his words.
“You’re right, I’m now in charge of South City. Your son hired assassins and caused trouble on my turf without my permission. He broke the rule, so I broke his limbs. Do you have any objections?” Grover asked with a dignified expression.
“No, no objection. Mr. Cooke, I apologize to you on behalf of my son,” Michael hurriedly said.
On the other hand, Michael actually felt slightly thrilled in his heart.
Now I’m certain that Daniel’s injury has nothing to do with Levi.
So Levi is still an ordinary man, as shown in his biography.
And that makes me feel relieved.
“Alright, let’s drop this subject. You’re a royal family. How could you not know about this rule? You didn’t even know that South City is my territory,” Grover rebuked him.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Cooke. It’s all our fault.”
After a brief pause, Michael added, “By the way, Mr. Cooke, we have something to attend to in South City. I hope you will allow us.”
“What else do the Joneses want to do in South City?” Grover asked.
He didn’t know about the history between Levi and the Jones family, because he dared not ask Levi about it.
Michael chuckled. “It’s kind of embarrassing. I have an unfilial grandson in South City, and I’m going to abduct him back home.”
“What’s his name?” Grover asked.
“His name is Levi Garrison,” Michael answered honestly.
“How dare you!”
CHAPTER 688
Grover’s sudden roar startled Michael that he jolted and almost flung the phone away.
What’s wrong?
Why does Mr. Cooke react this way when I mention Levi’s name?
Is Levi some kind of taboo to him?
Meanwhile, anger was stirring within Grover.
Last night, Levi instructed me to send my people to beat someone up, so I did.
I only realize today that the person is Daniel Jones.
Though the Southern Union is more superior compared to the Jones family, I still have to confront them about this matter.
Now I discover that Michael is actually Levi’s grandpa…
“Mr. Cooke, what… what’s wrong?” Michael asked in a shaky voice.
“Okay, it’s up to you what you want to do in South City. But I have to warn you, it’s better that you avoid coming to South City now. You’ll probably lose your life here.”
Grover dared not get involved in this matter.
No matter how their relationship is, they are family, and I shouldn’t meddle in their family affairs.
Michael was perplexed.
What’s so scary about South City that I’ll probably lose my life there?
Why did Mr. Cooke get so edgy just now?
“Father, what’s going on?”
“What happened, grandpa?” Everyone turned to look at Michael.
“I’ve found out the truth. Daniel’s injury has nothing to do with Levi. The Southern Union did it because South City is their turf,” Michael explained.
“Oh, I see. No wonder the gangsters are not afraid of the Jones family.”
“So Levi is only a loser.”
Everyone felt relieved.
Then Michael urged them, “I’ve asked for Grover’s permission, so we can do whatever we want in South City. But he advises me not to go to South City too. Maybe there’s someone important over there. Therefore, we’ll have to keep a low profile when we go to South City.”
“Yes, we got it.”
After that, Michael gathered his people and headed to South City.
The deadline was approaching, so they had no time to spare.
“Oh, bring Mia along too. After dealing with Levi, we’ll send him to the Oriental together with Mia,” Michael commanded.
Soon, an adorable girl in a long dress came into sight.
She was Mia Jones, who was a direct descendant of the Jones family. She had been selected to be presented to Elijah.
Sob…
Mia’s parents were sobbing uncontrollably because they know that Mia would be tortured once she was sent to the Oriental, if not dead.
They wished to stop this, but they had no power or influence, so they could only watch her go.
Mia was the most brilliant one among the girls in the Jones family. She was an all-rounder who had mastered seventeen languages and held six master’s degrees.
At the same time, she was quiet, gentle and docile.
During the selection, all the other girls in the Jones family conspired among themselves and voted Mia, so that none of them would have to go through such torment.
Yet, Mia still appeared calm and fearless.
She glanced at her parents and said, “Dad, Mom, I’m willing to go for our family’s sake.”
In the meantime, Levi took Zoey to the hospital for a medical checkup.
After being counselled by a psychologist, Zoey had recovered completely.
“I’m fine, so don’t worry.”
Zoey gave Levi a comforting smile.
“Levi, maybe you should go back. After all, he’s your grandpa. I believe your grandma, uncles and aunts miss you very much and want you to go home as well.”
Zoey tried to persuade him using familial love.
Then Levi laughed all of a sudden.
I’ve seen the Joneses’ true colors.
There’s no way that I’m going back!
“Levi, why are you laughing? Let me ask you, what will you do if one day, your parents show up and stand in front of you?”
CHAPTER 689
Levi was rendered speechless by Zoey’s question.
He could hardly imagine how it felt to have his own parents.
Even his adoptive parents treated him like an outsider and had never shown him love.
Nonetheless, he felt moved on the inside when he heard about his parents, although he refused to admit it.
“I… I don’t know…” Levi answered.
“Just listen to me and go home. They’re your family, after all,” Zoey said with a smile.
“Maybe they’ll come to me before I go home.”
Levi knew that the deadline given by Elijah was only days away.
The Jones family must be extremely anxious about it, so they would surely come looking for him.
But Zoey misunderstood him and said in surprise, “Is your grandpa coming to pick you up himself? He’s so good to you. The head of such a prominent family is coming to bring you back home himself. He must be sincere then.”
I guess Michael truly loves Levi, and that’s why he’s coming to take Levi home himself.
I feel envious.
In the afternoon, Michael and his people arrived in South City.
Thinking of Grover’s advice, Michael kept a low profile and discreetly checked in to the Sapphire Villa in South City.
“Well, I’m here in South City already. Bring him to the hotel to see me. As the head of a royal family, I’ll never go to him myself!” Michael made a fuss and tried to lord it over Levi.
Suddenly, someone shouted, “Oh no, Mia ran away!”
“What? Mia ran away? Why didn’t you watch over her? Hurry, find her now!” Michael yelled angrily.
I’ll be in trouble if she goes missing.
Who am I going to present to Elijah if both Mia and Levi are gone?
The Joneses started looking around for Mia.
Meanwhile, in Levi’s office.
“Mr. Garrison, someone is here to meet you,” Seth said over the phone.
“Is it an old man?”
“No, it’s a girl, She’s as beautiful as Ms. Lopez.”
Seth’s words made Levi felt curious.
Why does the girl want to see me?
When Levi came to the hall, he saw an unfamiliar face.
The girl seemed quiet and sweet, and she carried a vibe like that of a girl from a respectable family.
“Are you looking for me?” Levi asked.
“Are you Levi?” Mia asked him with a surprised look.
“Yes, it’s me. Who are you?”
“I’m your cousin, Mia Jones. Levi, hurry and run away now! Grandpa and uncle want to take you back to our family, only to make you take the fall and go to jail on their behalf. And you’ll probably die in there,” Mia said anxiously.
Levi was stunned at her words.
Why would someone from the Jones family come to warn me that I’m in danger?
A warm and fuzzy feelings overflowed in Levi’s heart.
Other than his military partners and Zoey, no one had ever cared about him.
Then Mia went on to tell Levi every detail about the Joneses’ scheme.
“Levi, run now, or else it’ll be too late,” Mia urged him.
She’s kind-hearted, and she couldn’t bear to see Levi become a scapegoat, so she came to warn him.
“Are you the other one?” Levi asked.
“Yes,” Mia lowered her head.
“Alright. I’m here now, so no one can send you to jail,” Levi declared.
I’ll save this girl since she came all the way to warn me.
“What? Stop kidding, Levi. I’ve been chosen, so I have no choice.”
Just then, a large group of men ran over to them.
“Mia, what are you doing? Why did you look for Levi? Did you tell him everything?”
The man leading the group raised his hand, wanting to slap Mia’s face.
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“Ah!”
Mia shut her eyes in fear, but the slap never landed on her face.
It turned out that Levi had held the man’s wrist.
“Let go! Let go of me now!” Wales demanded furiously.
He yanked his hand forcefully to break free, but Levi clutched his wrist tightly in a vice-like grip.
“Are you trying to hit her?” Levi asked.
“I’m only disciplining my own family members. What does that have to do with you?” Wales scolded him.
“Ouch…” in the next second, Wales shrieked in agony.
The pain in his wrist made him slowly collapse on the floor.
Everyone present could hear the sound of bones cracking.
Mia couldn’t stand it and hurriedly said, “Levi, please forgive him.”
Then Levi let go of Wales, who then bent down and gasped for breath.
Shortly after, a bunch of the Joneses came over and surrounded them.
Mia bowed her head and kept silent, looking like a child who was caught red-handed.
“Mia, you’re a traitor to our family!”
“How could you tell him about it?”
“You’ve brought shame upon the Jones family!.”
The Joneses reprimanded her out of rage.
Levi had already refused to come back before. Now that he knows about our plan, surely he will never come back.
All the Joneses wished they could choke Mia to death.
While they hurled insults at Mia, she broke down and started weeping softly.
“Come here! Why are you standing beside an outsider?” Wales shouted.
Mia instinctively walked over, but Levi stopped her in her tracks.
“You’ve called me your cousin, so you’re my family now. No one can bully you!” Levi said coldly.
“You? What can you do to us? Hahaha!”
Wales and the others let out a few sarcastic laughs.
What can a loser who has been homeless for about thirty years due to the royal Jones family?
He has totally overestimated himself.
“Mia, just to let you know, you’ve made a huge mistake! Are you still on his side? Do you want to betray your own family?”
Mia flinched at every rebuke with tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, I didn’t… I didn’t betray my family… No…”
Since birth, Mia had been taught to put her family first, and her family’s reputation was more important than her own life.
That was why she became agitated the moment she was called a traitor to the Jones family.
“Then why haven’t you come to our side?” Wales shouted at her in an icy tone.
Mia darted a pleading glance at Levi before running across the hall to the Joneses.
Staring straight at the Joneses, Levi declared coldly, “From now on, I, Levi Garrison, will protect my sister, Mia Jones. Anyone who lay a finger on her shall die!”
Whoosh!
Immediately, a gust of ice-cold air came out of nowhere and sent shivers up everyone’s spine.
What an intimidating gaze.
As everyone looked at Levi, a sense of crippling fear overwhelmed them.
After a while, Wales mustered up the courage to ask Levi, “Who do you think you are? Mia belongs to the Jones family, and our family affairs are none of your business!”
“Yes, it’s none of your concern!”
“By the way, let me tell you this since you already know the truth. A man like you is not worthy of being a part of the Jones family. We want you back only to make you a scapegoat!”
Levi sneered. “You’re such shameless jerks!”
“Don’t even try to run away. You won’t be able to escape being sent to the Oriental and get tormented by the Warlord.”
“Hahaha! What makes you think that grandpa will come and bring you home himself? You’re so full of yourself!”
Levi gave them a half-smile. “I won’t run, and I’ll be waiting for you to seize me.”
“How impudent! Just you wait!”
After saying that, the Joneses stomped away in fury.
With a wave of his hand, a subordinate went to Levi.
He ordered, “Monitor that woman closely. If anything happens to her, report it to me right away.”
He did not expect Mia to warn him about his situation.
It is rare to have someone so kind within an emotionless family like the Joneses.
She deserves my acknowledgement.
Back at the villa, Wales dragged Mia into the living room.
Plop!
Mia cried in pain when Wales kicked her knees. They buckled, and she fell to her knees in front of Michael.
Then, Wales asked, “Grandpa, do you know who she ran out to meet?”
Curiously, Michael responded, “Who did she go to?”
“She went to Levi and told him everything,” Wales complained.
“What? Are you telling me that Levi knows that we are going to make him a scapegoat and send him to jail?” Michael stood up immediately and shouted.
Wales confirmed, “Exactly!”
“This is absurd! You are a piece of shit!” Michael was livid that he almost had a fit.
The rest of the Jones family also looked at Mia with hatred and started to chatter about her.
“She is a betrayer! How dare she rat out on our family?”
“By turning your back against Grandpa, do you know how big a mistake you have made?”
“You are throwing the entire family in a ditch! If Levi does not go to jail, we will be doomed!”
Mia was still on her knees with her head hung so low that it was about to kiss the floor.
She knew that she had committed a grave sin.
Michael yelled furiously, “Do you know your actions will destroy every single one of us here?”
“Grandpa, I’m sorry. It is my mistake…” Mia cried.
“Mistake? You aren’t even the scapegoat we chose to send to jail! Why do you seem to have a grudge against us that you wish to harm us in this way? Huh?” Michael roared.
At a loss, Mia continued to weep. “No, Grandpa. It’s nothing like that! I do not hate the Jones family nor do I want to see any of you get hurt.”
“You are clearly trying to bring us down! I won’t be surprised if you already planned to betray us in the first place.”
The rest of the Joneses viciously scolded her.
“Father, this won’t do. Mia committed a serious offense that concerns the survival of our family. She has broken our family rules, and we have to enforce the rules. Otherwise, they will mean nothing if we do not punish her,” Wallace suggested.
“Yes! She has to be punished!”
“Mia has violated several family rules, and she has to take responsibility for them. Otherwise, more people will take those rules for granted, and there will be more who will do the same in the future.”
Persuaded by the rest, Michael nodded in agreement. “Alright, we shall punish her based on our rules then. Please hand me the ferule.”
Then, he glanced at the butler and asked, “How many strokes should she receive for such an offense?”
“Based on the rules, she should receive a hundred strokes. However, since she is a female, she will be spared and will have to take sixty.”
The rest of the family gasped in surprise at what the butler said.
They had seen family members being punished in the past.
There was a man from the Jones family who received twenty strokes. At the end of the punishment, his skin was split open, and there was blood everywhere. Besides, he could not even leave his bed for three months.
In this case, Mia had to take sixty strokes, three times what that man received. With such soft and tender skin, she might die from the punishment.
“We will not show mercy to those who break the family rules. Mia, the fifty-third generation of the Jones family, has made a mistake and is responsible for putting the family in danger. She will receive sixty strokes, and it is a lesson to never mess with the Jones family rules,” Michael announced his decision coldly.
“Father, please spare her! Mia is still a child,” Mia’s parents begged.
Heartlessly, Michael immediately responded, “Whoever pleads for Mia’s leniency will receive the punishment with her!”
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Instantly, everyone who thought about pleading for Mia backed away.
“Both of you shall receive ten strokes each! I will increase the number if you continue to beg,” Michael cruelly snapped.
With that, Mia’s parents did not dare to continue.
On the other hand, Michael did not feel sorry that Mia had to receive such brutal punishment.
He would not care even if she were beaten to death.
After all, she is a woman.
If she dies, I can easily replace her with another one.
Only the men’s lives matter to me!
All the males in this family are precious to me, and I will hate to lose any of them.
Deeply rooted within this family was the patriarchal thinking, where they preferred males over females.
Even in this age and era, the perception was still ingrained in their minds.
“Go to South Hampton and bring me the ferule now!” Michael ordered.
Since it was a family punishment, he thought they should use the Jones’ ancestral ferule.
He left no room for discussion.
“Dad, since Levi knows everything, what should we do now?”
Everyone was curious.
Michael coldly replied, “It’s simple. Since he is aware, we only have to capture him. Doesn’t he have a wife? I believe he will agree to come with us if we promise to take care of her and the rest of his family on his behalf.”
Then, he continued, “After we are done with Mia’s punishment, we shall send someone to go after him. Of course, please don’t let him get away!”
Wales chuckled. “Don’t worry, Grandpa. I always have my men monitoring him, so there is no way for him to escape.”
It did not take long for Levi to find out that Mia had to receive the family punishment.
“Sixty strokes on a small girl? Aren’t they afraid that she will die from it? The Joneses are heartless. We live in a new era, and I can’t believe they still have such traditional family rules in place. What a joke!” Levi spat.
“I will not let anyone touch Mia in my presence.”
He was furious. Deadly daggers were shooting from his eyes, which scared Seth and the rest.
At the Sapphire Villa, Mia and her parents were kneeling in the middle of the living room.
They were surrounded by the other Joneses who watched on expressionlessly but seemed to be mocking them.
Sitting at the front was Michael, who had a domineering aura around him.
The butler beside him said, “Today, Mia was unfilial and broke the family rules. According to the book, she will receive sixty strokes. Give me the ferule!”
With that, a man brought a plate covered by a red cloth to the living room.
The butler removed the cloth to unveil the ferule.
“We shall carry out the punishment now!” Michael commanded.
A fierce-looking man walked towards Mia, with the ferule in his hand.
Mia had long given up hope and knelt there, soaking the floor with her tears.
Her parents were wailing as well.
They had no power within the Jones family and could not even save their daughter.
“Hmph! Just the sight of them makes me angry!”
“It is an honor if you are chosen to go to jail. That is a sacrifice for the family.”
“What is there to complain about?”
The crowd made various sarcastic remarks.
They made it seem like one should be proud to be the sacrificial lamb for the family.
“The first stroke!” The butler called out. Obediently, the burly man lifted the ferule and was about to bring it down onto her.
Mia was terrified and started shaking.
With one stroke, it would probably shorten half her lifespan.
Bang!
At that moment, a brick, thrown from outside into the living room, flew towards the burly man’s face.
Immediately, he tried to dodge and failed to land the first stroke on Mia.
A loud sound was heard when the brick landed on the ground, startling everyone.
Next, a man walked in.
CHAPTER 693
“Have I ever warned you that Mia is under my protection?” Levi spoke as he walked into the room.
He scanned the crowd and continued, “I will kill anyone who touches her.”
It took a few seconds before everyone could react.
“What? He is Levi?”
Many people present had never seen him before and were startled.
In particular, Michael was surprised too and he scanned Levi from head to toe.
Then, he responded, “You have certainly inherited your parent’s values.”
Mia was also shocked to see Levi. She anxiously said, “Levi, what are you doing here? You should be hiding now!”
Like Zoey, she was kind and was worried that something might happen to Levi because of her.
“Mia, don’t worry. No one can bully you as long as I am here.” Levi smiled.
“Look at this! Even up to now, Mia is still helping this outsider. She is clearly a traitor!”
“Yes! She is a bi*ch!”
Slap! After one of the Joneses commented, Levi gave her a tight slap.
It left her dumbstruck, while the rest of the family were equally shocked.
Who is this guy, Levi? How dare he slapped one of our family members in front of everyone else?
Levi scowled at the woman and sneered, “Who taught you this horrible habit of insulting your family members?”
In response, Michael roared, “Levi, how dare you lay hand on one of the Joneses?”
“I will hit anyone who speaks unfavorably of Mia. This is the result of the poor upbringing in your family. I can’t believe you brought up such trashy people,” Levi scoffed.
“Levi, you must be courting your death! How can you act so presumptuously in my residence?”
As though Levi had caught hold of their weakness, the Joneses started to curse at him, one by one.
They looked like they wanted to kill him.
Sternly, Levi questioned, “In my eyes, your family is just a bunch of gangsters. Who is in charge here?”
“You are so gutsy. Why are you not kneeling in front of your grandpa?” Michael stood up and scolded him with a dark expression on his face.
Judging from Levi’s actions, he clearly does not respect me.
Levi replied harshly, “I have no grandpa. Besides, even if I did, he would not set me up and want to send me to jail.”
“You…” Michael stuttered in embarrassment.
Levi had found his Achilles heel.
If others find out about the truth, it will tarnish our family’s reputation.
Besides, I still need Levi to go to jail.
“I will not argue with you anymore. Since you are here, it makes everything easier, and I will suck it up.”
Michael tried to suppress his anger and continued, “So what are you doing here? Are you trying to save Mia?” barked Wales.
“Of course! I told you that I would protect her. I will kill anyone who lays a finger on her,” Levi announced.
Michael ignored his words and said, “Mind your own business. I will deal with you later, but for now, we are going to carry out the punishment.”
Then, he glanced at the burly man and instructed, “Carry out the punishment now!”
Once again, the ferule was lifted, and the burly man was about to strike Mia with it.
In a flash, Levi appeared in front of him and caught the ferule.
Bang!
Levi snatched it from him.
Crack!
With a flick of his wrist, he broke it into two.
Hiss!
The whole room went silent.
This ferule was a symbol of the Joneses’ dignity with a three-hundred-year history behind it.
Now, it is broken…
It was as though he was stepping on the entire Jones family.
CHAPTER 694
The Joneses were stunned and couldn’t believe it.
This ferule was passed down three hundred years ago and represented the family’s supremacy.
In other words, it was the embodiment of the Jones family spirit.
Now, their ‘spirit’ was destroyed today.
Every single one of them was in a stage of shock.
Boom!
Mia’s eyes widened.
This is the end.
When standing in front of the ferule, the Joneses would be in fear.
To go against it would mean one was challenging the Joneses power and was a signal of betrayal.
However, Levi had the guts to break it.
It was as good as provoking the Joneses and declaring war on them.
Bam!
Levi threw the broken ferule aside and chuckled. “Forget about your patriarchal rules. I will reinvent the rules for you instead. The first step is to break this dumb ferule and abolish the family rules!”
Levi’s words brought everyone back to their senses, and they started to chatter among themselves.
“What the hell did you just do?”
“He broke our ancestral ferule?”
“Is he courting death?”
Everyone babbled and sounded like they were out to get Levi.
“Do you know what you have done? You will never be able to redeem yourself for the offense you committed today! How dare you break the ferule? You are obviously trying to declare war on us!” Michael raged.
“What’s wrong with that? Can’t I go against the Jones family? Does all of you think that your family is the most powerful one out there?” Levi ridiculed.
Previously, he got rid of the Gates family, who proclaimed themselves to be the most powerful.
“You are very daring…to challenge my family. We have to kill you. Get him!” Michael exploded.
“Sir, we can’t do that! We still have to keep him as our scapegoat!” The butler tried to stop him.
The others wished that they could kill him there and then too.
However, they had no other choice.
They had to make him take the fall for them.
Therefore, no matter what mistakes he made, the Joneses could not kill him.
Michael shook in anger. “Alright, count yourself lucky! Instead, I will send you outside of Quebec to be imprisoned by the Warlord. You will suffer there.”
He had a death glare, and his expression was contorted.
He wanted Levi dead as the latter had offended the entire Jones family.
“Since you are here, you can forget about leaving. Just be good until we send you to the prison outside Quebec in a few days.”
“Haha…”
Every one of the Jones family began to laugh.
The most important thing was he came here himself, regardless of whether he broke the ferule.
Thud!
Then, the strongest few from the Jones family closed the living room door.
There is no way Levi could escape now.
“Aren’t you very close to Mia? Both of you can suffer together then!” Wales laughed.
Mia could not help but sigh.
Though she was touched that Levi came to rescue her, she could not bear to see anything happen to him.
“Levi, since you know what our plan is, let me add in a word here then. It is not because I’m heartless, but you are just like your parents who were born to be a sacrificial lamb. You should be honored that you are doing something for the family!
Besides, you broke our ancestral ferule and went against our family rules. Therefore, it is only fair for you to pay us back by going to jail.” Michael stated.
“You should pay for your offense!” Everyone else chanted in unison.
This time, there was a valid reason for them to send Levi to jail.
Levi snickered, “Who will dare to stop me if I walk out of here?”
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The Joneses were appalled by Levi’s atrocious tone.
“How dare you use such an arrogant tone when you speak to us? We are one of the royal families! What makes you think you can defy us?” Wallace snorted.
Laughter erupted among the Joneses.
We are invincible in South City! Even the Gates family and the Caesar family have to obey us!
Ignoring the Joneses, he grabbed Mia’s hand and said, “I promised to protect you, Mia. Come with me!”
“What?” It took a moment for Mia to recover from the daze. “I can’t, Levi. I have to go to jail!”
Levi scoffed, “I won’t allow that to happen! Why don’t they go to prison themselves?”
“What the hell do you mean, Levi Garrison? Since when do you have the audacity to question our decisions?”
“We have cast our votes for Mia to go to prison as her punishment. Serves her right for going against our family rules!” The Joneses tried to make the decision sound reasonable.
“Firstly, your family rule doesn’t apply to me because I’m not one of you. Secondly, I won’t allow any of you to hurt Mia! She is a sister to me!” Levi grabbed hold of Mia and walked away.
“Stop them!” As soon as Wallace gave the order, several men moved forwards to block Levi.
Within minutes, Levi sent all the men flying across the room with his powerful slap.
The Joneses gasped collectively in horror. “He is a martial arts expert?”
Recalling his previous encounter with Levi, Wales yelled, “Grandpa, he’s well-trained! Don’t let him get away!”
“Seize him!” Michael ordered.
A group of martial arts experts leaped out of nowhere and surrounded Levi. They were the secret weapon of royal families and that was not something that other prominent families could contend to.
“Let’s see if he can still run away with his limbs broken!” Wallace scoffed.
“Yes! He won’t be able to escape after that!” Michael agreed to it.
All of a sudden, a man in gold-rimmed glasses yelled, “Father, no!”
The man, Dustin Jones, was one of Levi’s uncles. He was on good terms with Emma, Levi’s mother.
“Father, we already owe Emma so much! We can’t be so cruel to her son now!” Dustin persuaded.
“He’s right, father. We can use him as the scapegoat instead of disabling him!” Ella Jones, Levi’s aunt chimed in.
Michael hesitated. “Well…”
“Punish him, father! An arrogant imbecile like him doesn’t deserve to be spared!” Wallace and a few others hollered.
Michael’s butler whispered in his ear, “Sir, I don’t think this will look good on us if words go out. We don’t have to go as far as to keep them confined. It might destroy our reputation!”
“Grandpa, I think he’s right! Why do we have to be afraid of the two of them when we are so powerful? We will become a laughing stock if anyone hears of this!” Tyler added.
At last, Michael gave the order for his men to retreat.
“Count yourself lucky today, Levi!” Michael spat, “We are only letting you off because you mean nothing to us. Try anything funny and I will imprison you for real.”
After Levi left, Michael commanded, “Shadow, keep an eye on them!”
CHAPTER 696
A person’s silhouette streaked across the room as soon as Michael gave his order.
He was none other than Shadow, the most powerful martial arts expert in Jones family.
An expert in assassination and stealth, no one would have the time to defend themselves when he struck.
Not even a bullet could harm him if he moved fast enough.
Wallace felt rest assured with Shadow in charge of monitoring Levi’s actions.
“Shadow can appear anywhere without anyone noticing him! Levi and Mia won’t be able to get far when he’s out spying on them!” The Joneses exclaimed confidently.
When Levi and Mia were halfway on the road, Levi noticed someone following them.
He chuckled under his breath, “Huh! They think I’m stupid.”
Even the most skillful martial art expert of the Jones family couldn’t trick him.
Shadow? What a joke!
Levi arranged for Mia to stay at Morris Group with Zoey for the time being.
Knowing that Mia was the only relative who was on good terms with Levi, Zoey was very fond of her.
“Mia, Zoey will take care of you from now onwards.”
Although Mia was treated kindly by Zoey, she couldn’t muster up any joy knowing that she and Levi could not escape their fate. They would still be sent to prison in Orientana in a few days.
Meanwhile, the Joneses were cursing Levi in Jones Residence when Michael got a phone call from the Warlord, Elijah.
Michael switched to a polite tone, “How can I help you, my lord?”
“Have you prepared the money?” Elijah asked.
“Yes, the fifty billion is ready!”
“And have you chosen who to go to prison on behalf of your family? I hope you don’t try anything funny with me. I’ve made it clear that your punishment for breaking my rules is to send at least two of your direct descendants to jail!” Elijah demanded sternly.
“As you wish, my lord!”
“Good. I’ll come to Erudia personally to get the money and take two of your descendants.”
“Oh? You’ll come? Then… Then we’ll be waiting for your arrival!”
…
After Elijah hung up, Michael sighed heavily.
“What is it?” everyone asked.
Michael’s face turned pale before he finally announced, “Elijah, the Warlord is coming to Erudia personally!”
Elijah’s arrival meant that the fate of the Joneses was subjected to more variables. What if Elijah changed his mind and demanded harsher punishments?
Besides that, they would have to ensure that Levi and Mia did not escape.
“What? The Demon King is coming?”
Everyone turned pale from horror at the thought of the merciless warlord’s upcoming presence in Erudia because he was not someone that can be messed with.
Anyone who dared to challenge him would either end up with their whole families massacred or the women in their families sold off as slaves and prostitutes.
Not even the Jones family, one of the greatest royal families, could escape Elijah’s wrath.
They made the mistake of offending Elijah during their business trip to Orientana earlier.
If they decided to fight back, they would only end up with a failed business and the warlord’s revenge, which was probably a massacre that consisted of hundreds of assassins.
The Joneses could not afford the dire consequences of defying Elijah again.
“Then we must keep an eye on Levi and Mia! We can’t let them get away!”
With that said, the Joneses commanded three more martial arts experts to monitor Levi and Mia. It would be easier to capture them by the time Elijah arrived.
CHAPTER 697
While Mia spent the next few days in agony, Levi was quite relaxed because he couldn’t care less about the Joneses.
Four days later, Elijah arrived at South City with a fleet of cars armed with loaded weapons.
Although he was the warlord of Orientana, he tried to keep a low profile because he was in another territory, Erudia.
When the fleet of cars reached Sapphire Villa, Michael led his family members to welcome Elijah at the front door.
Deep down, everyone was nervous when they saw the merciless warlord in front of them.
Michael immediately ordered, “Tell Shadow to bring Mia here now! Tell her if she refuses, I will send her parents to jail instead!”
Soon, Elijah arrived with two hundred armed bodyguards surrounding him.
He had multiple scars that enhanced his ferocious look and a cigar in his mouth.
Elijah’s immense wealth enabled him to acquire an army of a hundred thousand soldiers well-equipped with the most formidable weapons.
One wrong word from the Joneses and they would find themselves at the mercy of those weapons.
Elijah’s imposing manner was intimidating enough for the Joneses to cower.
As he swept his gaze across the Joneses, Michael stepped up and greeted, “Welcome to Erudia, my lord!”
Elijah’s adjutant reported, “Sir, this is Michael Jones, head of the Jones family.”
“You,” Elijah bellowed in his deep voice, “You are the one who intruded my territory with that filthy business of yours! How dare you defy me and hurt my soldiers?”
Everyone froze in place.
“My lord, I’m afraid it’s all a misunderstanding…” Michael fumbled for words hastily.
“Well, since you’re willing to apologize, I’ll let this matter rest if you add another fifty billion,” Elijah concluded.
“What?” Everyone gasped collectively.
This is totally a daylight robbery! That’s a hundred billion in total! Our family may never recover from this blow!
In fact, the Joneses had prepared themselves for more daunting news, but they never expected Elijah to be so ruthless and cunning.
Elijah smirked, “Is that a problem?”
“I have thirty thousand men on standby not far from South Hampton. Believe me, they are very impulsive. I cannot assure you of your safety once they know that you defy me again…” He threatened menacingly.
The Joneses turned pale when they realized that Elijah was threatening to destroy their family if they didn’t agree to his conditions.
Knowing that they wouldn’t stand a chance against Elijah, Michael finally gave in. “There’s no way we will defy you, my lord!”
As Michael showed Elijah into Sapphire Villa, the rest of the Joneses completed the 100-billion transaction.
“Get the ten prisoners ready. I’m leaving soon!” Elijah ordered.
Despite being tyrannical, he dared not prolong his stay at Erudia.
He planned to return to his territory once he got what he came for.
“No problem!” Michael commanded his subordinates to capture Levi and Mia.
Not long after, Levi and Mia were surrounded by Michael’s men.
“Please come with us, Ms. Jones. The warlord is already here. Your parents will have to go to jail if you don’t show up!”
Mia panicked. “Levi, I have to go now!”
Levi stroked her head lightly. “Alright, I’ll come with you!”
CHAPTER 698
Levi couldn’t have cared less previously. However, when he heard that Elijah was in South City, he became angry.
How can we allow this mad warlord to wreak havoc as he pleases in Erudia? Does he have a death wish?
“What?” Mia exclaimed.
The bodyguards appeared to be astounded as well because none of them thought Levi would go with Mia.
Meanwhile, in Sapphire Villa, Elijah appeared to be beaming at the successful transfer of 100 billion to his account, but he was actually worried because Erudia was a dangerous place for mercenaries like him.
He would be in trouble if the military discovered his presence in South City.
However, he was willing to take the risk to get an extra fifty billion.
“Where are they? Bring them to me quickly!” He urged.
Soon enough, Levi, Mia, and eight other Joneses were sent to Elijah.
Michael and a few others smirked at the sight of Levi surrendering himself.
He must have come to his senses finally! He will never be able to fight our men anyway.
Lust glinted in Elijah’s eyes when he laid eyes on Mia. Once he made sure of Levi and Mia’s identity, he nodded satisfactorily.
“Good. Seize them!”
Michael and the others only dared heave a sigh of relief after Elijah and his soldiers left Sapphire Villa. “We may have lost fifty billion today, but at least we are finally free from more trouble!”
The only thing the Joneses were upset about was the money. Except for Mia’s parents, none of them cared the least about the fate of the Joneses who were taken by Elijah as captives.
Mia’s parents were the only ones weeping.
“How can you be so ruthless, dad? They’re your grandchildren!” Mia’s parents wailed at the thought of never seeing Mia again.
“Don’t be such a crybaby! They should be proud to be able to contribute to the family! It’s a glory of a lifetime!” Michael stated as if his decision of sending Levi and Mia away was an honorable one.
On the other hand, Elijah ordered his men to speed up.
Leaving Erudia immediately was the only way to avoid the possible dangers and ease his tension.
Positioning himself in front of the captives, he scoffed, “All of you belong to me from today onwards!”
Mia and the others cowered and avoided Elijah’s gaze except for Levi. He was the only one that stared right into the warlord’s eyes bravely.
Elijah was puzzled by Levi’s calmness. “You… You’re not afraid of me?” he inquired curiously.
A laugh escaped from Levi’s mouth. “Why should I be afraid of you?”
“Of course you should be! The Joneses always cower when they’re around me! Look at them!” He pointed at Mia and the others who were shivering in fright.
“Are you really not afraid of me?” Elijah asked again.
“I’m never afraid of anyone else. Instead, everyone should be afraid of me,” Levi chuckled.
“Ha! Are you saying that I should be afraid of you?” Elijah snorted.
CHAPTER 699
Levi nodded seriously. “You might pee your pants in fright if I reveal my identity.”
“Hahahaha…”
Elijah was laughing out the loudest among everyone who burst into waves of laughter because he thought the notion was too ridiculous. What could Levi be capable of when he was merely someone that the Joneses presented as captives? Even the formidable Michael Jones had to obey him and give him a hundred billion.
This is outrageous!
Mia tugged on Levi’s sleeves to signal him to stop talking because she didn’t want him to get into trouble with Elijah.
Smiling, Levi remarked, “Your swift departure shows that you’re afraid.”
“What?” Elijah was thrown off momentarily because he didn’t expect Levi to read his fear.
How does he know? He must be no ordinary person!
“I’m afraid? That’s impossible!” Elijah denied.
“You sneaked into Erudia when you clearly know that mercenaries are banned here, didn’t you? Aren’t you scared that the military get words of this?” Levi bombarded Elijah on his weak spots.
It turned out that the warlord was terrified of the soldiers of Erudia because he nearly died in their hands years ago.
“That’s impossible! I wouldn’t go to Erudia if I’m afraid. Mind you, I have a hundred thousand soldiers in my command! If anyone should be afraid, it should be the soldiers of Erudia!” Elijah boasted.
Levi taunted, “Have you ever thought of the possibility that the military knows about your intrusion?”
Elijah felt his mind go blank when he heard Levi. Slowly realizing that he overlooked a serious problem, it was his turn to turn pale and shiver.
I must have underestimated Erudia! I should have found it suspicious when nobody stopped my fleet of cars!
“That’s ridiculous! We won’t be discovered because all of my men are skilled in stealth!” Elijah made another attempt to cover up his fear.
After giving Levi one last glare, he strode to the front and ordered his driver to hit the accelerator and stay alert of the surroundings.
“I’ll let you off for now. Once we reach Orientana, I’ll see if you can still spout nonsense when I try the cruelest tortures on you!” Elijah threatened Levi.
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” Levi replied calmly.
They had a smooth journey for the first three hours.
When they finally reached a hidden landing in the woods, Elijah felt the weight lift off his shoulders. There were dozens of helicopters waiting in the landing to take off.
“I must be worrying for nothing all because of that stupid guy! Erudia’s soldiers didn’t notice us at all!” Relieved, Elijah laughed.
However, Levi’s voice sounded from the back of the car. “I’m giving you a final chance to surrender yourself, Elijah! You won’t be able to beg for mercy later!”
“What the hell are you blabbering about? I will rip your mouth if you continue your nonsense!” Elijah snapped furiously.
Just as they got off the cars and moved towards the helicopters, something unforeseen happened.
“Ow-”
Elijah looked around frantically in horror as the sound of wolves howling echoed through the woods. Eighteen wolves with riders appeared on top of the hill opposite them.
It was the Cavalry Regiment!
CHAPTER 700
“What the…”
Elijah’s men were appalled by the scene.
They had never seen such enormous wolves with pure white fur that emitted dangerous auras. Nor had they seen riders on wolves who were equipped with traditional bows, modern guns, and grenades at the same time.
The Cavalry Regiment that was once the nightmare of almost all enemies on the battlefield reappeared in the forest.
Although Elijah outnumbered the Cavalry Regiment by hundreds of men, they were frozen by their commanding aura.
“All mercenaries who come to Erudia without permission shall die!”
Elijah almost fell to the ground because his knees gave way when one of the cavalry members bellowed.
When he spotted five other men emerging from the corner of his eyes, he broke into a cold sweat as realization dawned on him.
“Ow-”
The Cavalry Regiment started their attack and rushed down from the hills at top speed.
In a blink of an eye, they closed the distance of over a few hundred meters.
Plop!
Bang!
Argh!
Where their paths crossed, Elijah’s men dropped to the ground dead.
The Cavalry Regiment fought ferociously. Soon, most of Elijah’s few hundred well-trained soldiers were reduced to piles of corpses.
The rest of them tried to run away, but it was only a matter of seconds before the Cavalry Regiment caught up with them.
Elijah and his men were absolutely crushed by the invincible Cavalry Regiment in no more than two minutes.
Now, the remaining was kneeling on the ground and surrendering themselves.
It was the most terrifying battle they ever encountered because the Cavalry Regiment seemed to be immune to bullets.
Meanwhile, Elijah fell to his knees when the five men he saw from the corner of his eyes two minutes ago stood before him.
Just as Levi predicted, Elijah wetted himself.
He would never forget these men in front of him who almost wiped out his troops three years ago.
The other eleven mercenary troops were destroyed on the same fated night because they came across the undefeatable Iron Brigade in Erudia.
Elijah never expected to find himself at the mercy of the Five Great Wars Regiment, who were the leaders of the Iron Brigade again.
Could the eighteen riders be the legendary Cavalry Regiment?
“I… I…” Elijah could only manage to stutter because he was too scared.
“How dare you come to Erudia? Are you tired of living, Elijah?” Azure Dragon scoffed coldly.
White Tiger chuckled, “Shall I destroy your army in Orientana now?”
“No… Please don’t! It’s all a misunderstanding…” It was ironic to see the previously arrogant warlord sobbing like a child.
“I assure you, it’s all a misunderstanding!”
“We’re only here to settle personal matters! We didn’t do any harm to Erudia!” Being the only man who wasn’t cowering in fear, Elijah’s adjutant explained hastily.
“Yes, you’ve mistaken! We didn’t stir up any trouble in Erudia! We wouldn’t dream of doing that!” Elijah wailed.
Azure Dragon merely scoffed, “Are you sure? Do you know who have you captured?” His tone suddenly became stern.
Elijah felt his mind being blown into pieces as he thought of someone.
Chapter 1
Velador country.
Over the airport in Case York city.
A private jet is about to land.
There are hundreds of fighter jets circling and escorting around!
The airport was blocked even earlier.
The special fighters with live ammunition stood everywhere, three floors inside and three floors...
Has anyone heard or read the novel Awakening of War God, I have read around 20 chapters and looking for more. If anyone has any information kindly share, you have my gratitude in advance🙏
