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?”
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.
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.
Russell then remembered the confidentiality agreement and stopped abruptly.
The undisputed Levi.
“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.
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.
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!”
CHAPTER 692
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?”
CHAPTER 695
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.
Levi! He told me a lot of things earlier. He said that everyone else was afraid of him and that if I had not gotten on my knees then, I wouldn’t even have a chance in the future! He also said that I’d be begging for my life when I learned about his identity! Don’t tell me… No, it can’t be this much of a coincidence!
Elijah felt like his head was going to explode from the overload of information.
If he really is that man, then I’m toast! I’d have lost my life for a mere fifty billion. It’s not worth it! Not worth it at all!
Levi hopped off the car, even though Mia had advised him against it as it was dangerous.
The moment Levi arrived, Azure Dragon and the rest of the Five Great Wars Regiment had a solemn expression.
Even the eighteen White Wolves of the Calvary Regiment had prostrated themselves in front of Levi.
“Greetings, God of War!” dozens of men echoed in unison.
…
Elijah nearly passed out when he heard this. This is the one time I wish I hadn’t guessed correctly! Levi really is that man after all! He was right when he said that I would be scared out of my wits. Anyone in the world would!
Slap!
Azure Dragon slapped Elijah across the face, bringing him back to his senses.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Elijah got onto his knees and bowed his head onto the ground repetitively in reverence.
His forehead was bleeding from hitting the ground too hard, but he would not stop.
“That’s enough for now! Firstly, how dare you set foot in Erudia!” Levi scoffed.
“I-I…” Elijah was trembling and lost for words.
“I can give you a second chance. However, you’ll have to pay a hefty sum so I can make sure that you’ve learned your lesson!” Levi offered.
“Really?” Hope rekindled in Elijah’s eyes.
“Give me three hundred billion! I’ll spare your life for that amount!” Levi declared as he extended three fingers.
“Huh?” Elijah was taken aback.
Including the one hundred billion the Jones family paid him, his net worth was but four hundred billion in total.
Yet, he had to throw three hundred billion away! This was akin to destroying him financially, but he had no choice.
As long as he was alive, he would have a chance to amass another three hundred billion someday.
“Thank you for sparing my life, God of War!” Elijah exclaimed with his head bowed low.
With the help of Phoenix, the three hundred billion was transferred from Elijah’s account to Levi in a flash.
“Alright then, we’ve been doing quite a lot of charity in Quebec recently. Let’s use this three hundred billion for business and investment instead! I’m sure Quebec will welcome increased investment!”
Levi then instructed Tim to use the three hundred billion to invest in the redevelopment of Quebec.
“Send the rest of them back to the Jones family and leave!” Levi commanded.
Elijah hurriedly followed his orders and brought the survivors, as well as Mia and the other hostages, back to the Jones family.
Argh, I shouldn’t have come after all. The entire floor is lava here at Erudia! This trip nearly cost me my life, and I had to pay an entire three hundred billion for this! What a waste!
Meanwhile, in Sapphire Villa.
Just as the Jones family had packed up and was about to return to South Hampton, several cars arrived at the gate.
“Bad news! Elijah is back!” someone alerted the entire Jones family, sending them into a state of panic.
Michael nearly passed out when he heard this.
The fact that Elijah had returned meant that he had come to make more unreasonable demands.
What a greedy fellow!
Unfortunately, the Jones family was not in a position to bargain.
“Argh, what a misfortune!”
Michael brought the rest of the Jones family to welcome Elijah at the door.
When Elijah got off the car, the Jones family was dumbfounded.
They had not expected him to get down on his knees in front of them…
CHAPTER 702
Even Elijah’s generals and men kneeled down in front of them.
The Jones family was stunned by the sight and stared at them in shock.
What’s going on? What’s up with Elijah?
“Please don’t do this, my lord. The Jones family isn’t worthy of it!” Michael exclaimed. He nearly fell onto his knees at the sight of this.
What on earth does Elijah mean by this? Is this… another trap?
“Mr. Jones, I was in the wrong. This is the greatest mistake of my life! I came here to apologize and return the hostages!”
Elijah then raised a hand and his men released Mia and the others.
Mia and the other captives were stunned.
They had been in the car this entire time, unaware of what was going on outside.
The moment they got out, they realized that they had been sent back to the Jones family! What’s going on? Where’s Levi? Where did he go after he got off the car? Is he in danger?
Mia was worried for his safety. What’s going on?
“My lord, can you please explain all of this? I’m afraid I don’t understand what’s going on,” Michael asked.
The rest of the Jones family were equally perplexed. What is going on? Elijah has not only returned the hostages, but also kneeled down to apologize to us.
They were bewildered by the sudden change in events.
“Ah! I was too arrogant and got punished by someone while lording all over Erudia!” Elijah sighed.
“In the future, I won’t restrict the Jones family from doing business in my turf. In fact, if there’s anything you need help with, feel free to look for me! Please put in a good word with that man so that I can survive…” Elijah pleaded while he was on his knees.
Even if Levi let me off this time, he won’t go easy if I offend him another time. I need to get his grandfather to put in a good word for me.
“Huh? Who? I’m afraid you lost me here,” Michael queried.
The others were equally confused.
Who would Elijah be so scared of? Does such a person even exist?
“Mr. Jones, you don’t have to keep this a secret from me. This time, it was the God of War who stepped forward to help the Jones family. Several hundreds of my men died and I was nearly crippled as well! Please forgive me, Mr. Jones. I didn’t know that the Jones family was related so closely to the God of War! Otherwise, I’d never have dared to lay hands on the Jones family!” Elijah cried.
He had never expected that Michael was the God of War’s grandfather!
“God of War? You mean the highly revered man in Erudia, the God of War?” Michael questioned.
“That’s right! Everyone fears the God of War across the lands!”
“My lord, are you saying that the Jones family has connections to the God of War?” Michael repeated his question.
“That’s right! The God of War came down personally and even mobilized the Five Great Wars Regiment and the Cavalry Regiment! I got the fright of my life!” Elijah explained.
“Why don’t we know about it then?”
The Jones family stared at each other in shock. Since when have we known anyone related to the God of War?
“Alright, Mr. Jones, I’ll be leaving now that I’ve returned the hostages. He might be coming for me at any moment!” Elijah brought his men and prepared to leave.
“Hold on a moment, my lord. Could you tell us how the God of War is related to us?” Michael queried.
“That’s right! Tell us, my lord!”
CHAPTER 703
Elijah was stunned.
He had assumed that Michael and the others knew Levi’s identity and were playing dumb, but their actions showed otherwise.
That’s right! His identity is a state secret. It won’t be surprising if his family doesn’t know about it! I can’t be the one to let them know either.
“I’ll just put it this way — the God of War has a close relationship with the Jones family and will continue protecting you as long as you are willing to accept him!”
Elijah then left Sapphire Villa with his men.
He fled Erudia, worried that Levi would change his mind.
“Is it really true that the God of War who defeated eighteen nations and triumphed over every battle is related to the Jones family?”
Michael remained doubtful of this.
“It has to be! Look at how frightened Elijah was! Who else could it be?”
“I heard that the God of War has retired and is currently in North Hampton.”
…
“But how is the God of War related to us though?” Michael frowned.
“Grandpa, you forgot about Uncle Anson!” Tyler reminded him.
Michael had seven children, and his youngest son, Anson, had joined the armed forces at a young age.
It was said that he was part of the special forces and his role was shrouded in secrecy.
He had not returned home for five years.
He was only allowed to call his family once a year, mostly to reassure them that he was still alive.
The rest of the family had given up on Anson and had not expected him to contribute much to the family.
However, they did not expect him to be related to the God of War!
This was indeed a great surprise to the Jones family!
“That’s right! Anson told us last year that he was a part of the God of War’s Iron Brigade! I didn’t tell you guys this because it was a state secret. Being part of the Iron Brigade means that he reports directly to the God of War. He might be a general for all we know! The God of War must have stepped in for Anson’s sake!”
If the God of War himself helped Anson out, this must mean that he’s holding a very high rank!
Michael was overjoyed when he thought of that.
“The Jones family has the God of War as our backer! It’s finally time for the Jones family to rise now!”
The rest of the Jones family were thrilled as well.
They had not expected the God of War of Erudia to help the Joneses.
“Anson is the pride and joy of the Jones family! We could all stand to learn from him!” everyone cheered.
On the other hand, Mia remained skeptical.
Something’s wrong. It feels like this has something to do with Levi.
“Where’s Levi?” Michael asked.
“He has probably escaped in the chaos!” someone suggested.
Wales scorned, “Mia, after how you’ve treated him as a relative, he’s fled in the face of danger and abandoned you!”
“No, you don’t understand…” Mia tried to explain.
“You’re no longer allowed to interact with Levi anymore! Otherwise, I won’t let you off!” Michael warned.
He then instructed Wallace, “Inform Levi that he’s now disowned! I, Michael Jones, do not acknowledge him as my grandson and he’s no longer allowed to call himself a part of the Jones family!”
Wallace and the others nodded, “That’s right! Now that the matter with Elijah is settled, he’s no longer of use to us! We won’t let him make use of the name of the Jones family any further!”
CHAPTER 704
Three hundred billion in exchange for Elijah’s life.
Levi was in a terribly good mood.
To him, there was an even bigger surprise.
Elijah had placed thirty thousand soldiers for reinforcement outside of South Hampton’s sea.
This was not just a tactic to scare the Jones family, but there really was thirty thousand soldiers.
After locking onto the target, the five Kings of War led the Beasts and attacked Elijah’s troops.
It was a good opportunity to take a look at the progress of the Beasts who had been training for a month.
Under the attack of the Beasts, Elijah’s thirty thousand soldiers were pulverized and had to retreat.
That was how strong the Beasts were!
Each one of them was powerful even when they fought alone.
Hence, when they were grouped together, they were practically undefeatable.
“Mm, the result is not bad.”
Levi smiled with satisfaction.
At this moment, the Joneses had dared to find him.
“What do you want?”
Levi’s faced turned rigid.
Wallace sneered at him. “Levi Garrison, I came to see you for two things.” “Firstly, you have broken our family’s rules. The Joneses will not pursue the incident of breaking the ferule either!”
“Secondly, from now on, you don’t have any relations with the Jones family!” “I hope you will not continue to use the Joneses’ name for your benefits!”
“If it weren’t the need for a scapegoat, the Joneses would have never recognized your identity! Now that things are settled, you’d better know where you stand!”
“A person like you will never have the right to step through the doors of the Jones family!”
“I am telling you now, the God of War is supporting our family! The Joneses will only grow stronger, so trash like you will only pull down the Joneses’ standards!”
“Don’t ever think of stepping foot into the Jones Residence, because you are not worthy!”
…
The younger Joneses snickered and sneered.
“In the future, if I ever heard you using the Jones family’s name again, I will break all your limbs. You just mark my words!”
Wallace warned him sternly then left with the other Joneses.
Levi shrugged. “How childish!”
Zoey who was on the side, witnessed everything clearly.
Levi was quite pitiful.
He had finally met his relatives, yet he was treated so badly.
“Darling, that identity is not important, what’s so great about the Joneses anyway!”
Zoey comforted Levi.
He nodded, “Yes, it isn’t anything.”
“Darling, don’t worry, with our collective efforts, there will be a day where the Joneses will look up to us with envy!”
Zoey was extremely motivated. She needed to buck up and make Levi exceptional, more so than the Joneses.
Levi smiled.
Honey is the one who cares for me the most.
“Leave it to me! Be it now or in the future, the Joneses are fated to be unworthy!”
Levi made this bold statement with confidence.
The appearance of the Jones family had never affected Levi. Nothing had happened after they left.
After a few days, Levi reached the South City Warzone.
Kirin had some matters to discuss with him and conveniently asked Levi to inspect the Beasts, despite knowing that thirty thousand of Elijah’s soldiers were pulverized by just a mere thousands of them.
They comprised of individuals who were highly skilled in combat and properly trained. Should their military tactics be of standards, the Beasts would be unstoppable.
Seeing the vigor Beasts in training, Levi was very satisfied.
Kirin was Erudia’s best military instructor.
Coupled with a group of elite soldiers, the chemistry was off the charts.
The Beasts shall be the most terrifying regiment!
“There are no flaws! Their assets are all displayed! I am very impressed!”
Levi praised them.
“But what are you here for? It can’t just be for me to observe the results of their training right?”
Levi asked.
CHAPTER 705
Kirin sighed, “I don’t know how Ezra Williamson found out, but he knows I am training the Beasts! He was rather envious and wants to borrow the Beasts to test them out!”
“I am the one who trains my soldiers. If there is any tests, I will be to one to do them personally! Who is he to test them!” Kirin exasperated.
Levi chuckled.
These people are so interesting.
We are one unit, there is no need to be so calculative.
As for how he found out?
The news of the Beasts bashing Elijah’s troops had probably leaked out.
“That’s your business, I don’t care!”
Levi declared.
“The problem is not me, if Ezra Williamson were to personally come down and make a request, I will have no choice but to agree to his request!”
Levi smirked, “For now, the Western Region is still considered the front line. Ezra has it hard too, so I will lend him the Beasts for now.”
The news of the Western Region Commander-in-chief, a tiger on the battlefield, Ezra coming to South City was leaked unintentionally.
In no time, there were many prepared to welcome him.
Famous tycoons were all ready to butter up Ezra.
Since they could not contact the God of War, getting connected with the Western Region Commander-in-chief was not a bad idea.
He had also achieved many great feats and was an invincible God of War.
In addition, Tim had swiftly settled the three hundred billion that came easily.
It would be used for the development for the whole of Quebec.
This was a huge sum!
It would also be used to formulate corresponding policies!
Once the news had spread, Quebec and many neighboring cities’ big enterprises and families developed a deep interest.
Even South Hampton’s Jones family had received the news.
They knew better than anyone the origin of the three hundred billion.
Out of the three, one hundred billion was from the Joneses.
The Jones family was rather sore about it.
“Our Jones family must get an investment project, and even keep a foothold in Quebec!”
Michael Jones commanded.
“The reason is simple. One hundred billion belongs to our Jones family, you all try to get as many projects as possible to recover our losses!”
“The God of War is also interested in the development of Quebec, if we do well; we can earn points in his favor.”
Michael analyzed.
“We have understood your intentions!”
In the past, the Joneses had no interests in the small Quebec.
However, because of the God of War they had to try their best to make their presence known.
“During this period, I am prepared to use the Joneses’ reputation to invite the God of War, and express our gratitude to him personally!”
Michael had already conjured a plan in his head.
“Grandpa, are we able to invite the God of War? I have checked but he has rejected every single invitation from countless reputable families!”
Tyler voiced his dilemma.
“Are we even similar to them? My son is a General in the military, the right-hand man of the God of War! Regardless of all the circumstances, the God of War has to meet us!”
Michael said smugly.
After the incident of Elijah, he thought that his son, Anson Jones, was definitely on par with a King of War.
Little did he know, Anson was only the First Lieutenant in the army.
If one were to go by military ranks, he could only dream of meeting Levi.
“Haha, that’s true! The God of War is the backer of the Jones family. There is no reason for him to turn down the meeting!”
With that said, everyone in the Jones family was excited.
Ever since they came back, they ran amuck in South Hampton.
They answered to no one.
With the support from the God of War, there was no one they should be afraid of?
Now, inviting the God of War was all for the progression of the Joneses.
“Grandpa! I have an idea!” Tyler Jones chimed.
Tyler Jones chimed.
CHAPTER 706
“Say it, Tyler.” Michael immediately responded.
“Grandpa, if we want to thank the God of War, he will definitely reject any material gifts. However, I have a better idea to express our gratitude…”
“How about we build a statue of the God of War in South City to show our gratitude!”
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The moment Tyler finished his sentence, everyone started to applaud.
“Building a statue is a good idea!”
“As expected from my grandson! That’s a good idea!”
Michael cackled.
The God of War will have no reason to reject them if they were to build him a statue of him.
Furthermore, others will know that the relations between the Joneses and the God of War are tightly knitted!
This is simply killing two birds with one stone!
“Since we have decided, we shall build it immediately! Tyler you are in charge of this project!”
Michael commanded.
The Joneses were now showing their gratitude to the God of War with hidden intentions.
“Father, according to rumors, the Western Region Commander-in-chief, Ezra Williamson, will be coming to South City!”
Wallace informed.
“Go! We must welcome him in the Joneses’ name! A person like Ezra Williamson is General of the God of War. We have to welcome him with the utmost respect, and extend goodwill to the God of War!”
Michael made up his mind again.
“Although Anson’s status is still a secret, I have a feeling his rank is close to Ezra Williamson. Anson could very well be a Commander-in-chief for one of the Nine Warzones in the future!”
The Jones family sure had expectations…
Reality however was often cruel, Ezra Williamson was a King of War.
On the other hand, Anson Jones was only a mere First Lieutenant. These two were worlds apart.
News of Ezra Williamson’s visit spread like wildfire.
Even Sylas Whitfield got the news.
Sylas went to Levi feeling a little embarrassed. “Sir, I…I want to apply for leave!”
“Hm?”
This stunned Levi.
Sylas was a rigid person, why would she apply for leave?
“Sir, please listen to my explanation. Isn’t Chief Williamson coming? We have all heard of the news, so a few of the retired soldiers wanted to meet up with Chief Williamson. There will be a war retirees’ gathering and I am unable to reject them.”
Sylas was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“Alright, no problem. Your leave is approved. I will be around so there will be nothing to worry about.”
Levi assured her.
“Thank you, Sir!”
Sylas saluted.
She was probably the luckiest bodyguard in the world for a very simple reason.
The great God of War of Erudia had personally covered her shift.
If this news were leaked, the whole world would be shocked beyond belief.
However, that was how things were, and it happened.
Levi chuckled helplessly. “This punk is here to borrow soldiers yet he has stirred such a big commotion! He even made it a bigger deal than me. He should take a page out of Percy’s book!”
In the past when Levi returned to North Hampton, he brought hundreds of fighter jets and a hundred thousand soldiers for a reason.
It was to send a message to the other countries to show that Levi did not leave his post but merely paying a visit to his hometown.
This was to announce to the other nations that he was still the God of War of Erudia.
With that, the other countries or forces that intended to make a move stayed put and stopped harboring the thought of launching an attack on Erudia.
Levi didn’t like such a grand and extravagant entrance.
However, he had no choice but to do it that way.
Sylas had just left when Tim’s secretary, Sean, visited personally.
“Mr…Mr. Garrison, Mr. Cronan sent me to see you. There was something he wishes to discuss.”
Sean trembled slightly as he said.
“What’s the matter?”
CHAPTER 707
“Mr. Cronan said that you’ll be fully in charge of the investment of the three hundred billion, Mr. Garrison,” said Sean Zucker.
“Why?” asked Levi curiously.
“Because once the policy was passed, tens of businesses have come to pay Mr. Cronan a visit. They’re all successful entrepreneurs from South City and have done a lot for the development of the city. It’d be too difficult for Mr. Cronan to reject their requests. So in order to avoid any controversy and to be completely impartial, he’s decided to hand over the matter to you,” explained Sean.
Levi gave it some thought before answering. “Very well. I’ve got some free time on my hands recently anyway, so I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you, Mr. Garrison. Please let us know if you need anything.”
Soon enough, all news outlets were reporting that the person in charge of the three hundred billion investment project had changed hands and was now being handled by Mr. Garrison.
This news immediately drew the interest of plenty of entrepreneurs across South City.
This of course also included the Black family. They weren’t going to let such a great opportunity slip through their fingers.
The Blacks gathered everyone for a meeting, including Zoey.
“This is the perfect chance for us Blacks! Our family has been stagnant for the past few years, so it’ll be great if we can just get our hands on a few of these projects.”
Meredith’s eyes scanned across the crowd. “So, everyone needs to work hard to get us as many projects as possible! Oh, and I’m counting on you especially, Zoey!”
“I’m sorry, Grandma. But our company won’t be in the run for any projects this time.”
With the number of resources and funds the Morris Group had, they didn’t need to get involved in the competition at all.
“But you need to think for the Black family. What Grandma is saying is for you to acquire some projects on behalf of us,” insisted Meredith.
“I’m afraid that’ll be a little difficult, Grandma. I can’t bid for those projects using my company but if I use my own, it will be very tough.”
Zoey didn’t want to use the company’s resources for personal matters.
Meredith’s face darkened. “Frankly, I don’t care.”
“We should give Zoey a mission that she can’t refuse. After all, remember she insists on marrying Levi Garrison?” chimed Jennie.
Meredith’s eyes widened at Jennie’s reminder. “That’s right! Zoey, here’s your mission! You have to get us a project worth at least fifty billion!”
“Why are you forcing this on me, Grandma?” asked Zoey couldn’t seem to understand.
“Because… you want to get married to Levi, don’t you? None of us Blacks support this marriage of yours. But as long as you get us a project worth fifty billion, then neither we nor your parents will stop you. Otherwise, as long as we’re around, you can forget about marrying Levi!” asserted Meredith firmly.
What?
Zoey froze to the spot.
She thought that the Black family would be better than the Lopez family. But as it turned out, they were all the same.
They all treated her as if she were nothing but their pawn; a tool to be used.
With such massive profits tempting them, they didn’t even care if their demands were unreasonable.
“Don’t worry. With your resources, this shouldn’t be a problem for you at all. Moreover, I’ll be helping you too. I’ll get in contact with the person-in-charge as soon as possible,” smiled Logan.
Zoey looked at the people around her. “Grandma, I won’t agree to this! Why do I have to do this?”
“Fine, you can turn me down. But you can kiss your plans to marry Levi goodbye as long as I’m alive. I swear I’ll do whatever it takes to stop you!” seethed Meredith.
Everyone else in the Black family had the same attitude too.
CHAPTER 708
The Black family didn’t want to let this opportunity slip past them, but they didn’t exactly have the capabilities to grab on any projects.
Zoey, on the other hand, was different.
She had the Morris Group backing her. In fact, as long as she wanted to, it wouldn’t even be that difficult for her to get her hands on a few of the bigger projects.
Besides, if Zoey didn’t succeed, they would then have the perfect excuse to keep Zoey and Levi apart.
After that, they could just find a better man for Zoey and marry her off into a rich, aristocratic family.
Either way, it was a win-win situation for the Blacks.
“Zoey, you have to understand that this is the best move for you and your parents,” said Robert.
“I have given your father an executive position at Black Corporation. As for your mother, I’ve also pulled some strings to have her transferred to one of the top hospitals here in South City, and she’s even been appointed as the head of her department. So they are both very supportive of this plan,” explained Meredith.
Zoey looked at the people in front of her. “So what you’re saying is, as long as I successfully land a project worth at least fifty billion, then none of you will meddle in my relationship with Levi anymore?”
“That’s right! And we promise to keep up our end of the bargain. Even your parents will have no further say,” nodded Meredith.
“Alright. I’ll agree then,” conceded Zoey.
For the sake of her relationship with Levi, she needed to give it a try.
Later that day, after Zoey returned to the company, she immediately started looking into everything concerning the investment conference.
Her secretary came up to her. “Ms. Lopez, even though the investment conference is organized by South City, the person-in-charge isn’t actually someone from here. It’s rumored that they are completely impartial, and that they’ll award the projects to the best applicants.”
“It’s good to hear that such a person is in charge. Otherwise some of the bigger conglomerates and rich families would have split the majority of the projects amongst themselves.”
Zoey’s eyes were shining. This was undeniably good news for her. It meant that she would have a better chance of succeeding.
Right then, Levi walked in. He had dropped by to see her.
“You look troubled. What’s wrong?” asked Levi.
Zoey told Levi about the mission the Blacks had forced upon her.
“A project worth fifty billion? That’s easy. And here I thought you were worried about something unfeasible,” chuckled Levi.
He was the person in charge so all the decisions were going to be made by him.
So, like he said, it was literally easy enough.
That being said, he wasn’t actually worried about the threat from the Blacks or Zoey’s parents to keep them apart.
He just found it troublesome.
If Zoey’s family was going to cause problems for them at every turn, then it was going to be pretty annoying.
So it would be best if everything could be taken care of in one go.
Zoey stared at him with her eyes wide. “Huh? Easy? I’m talking about a project worth fifty billion here. Not to mention I’m not bidding for the project using Morris Group but personally. This is so hard that it’s nearly impossible!”
“Why’re you so stressed out? Just one word from me, and you’ll get your project,” grinned Levi.
“You’re not going to pester the boss of Morris Group again, are you? I’ve just asked Iris, and she said that the boss isn’t involved with any of this. So do you still have a way?” asked Zoey.
CHAPTER 709
“Just relax. You’ll get your project soon enough. However, you should suggest to the Black family that even though the project will land in their laps, you should still be the one who’s in charge,” stated Levi.
Zoey found herself unable to look away from Levi.
It was as if he had some superpower. Each time he stated something or made a claim, her problems would always just resolve magically on their own.
If she didn’t know better, she’d think that he was the one taking care of things for her.
However, this time she couldn’t bring herself to believe him, especially when the boss of Morris Group wasn’t going to help him out.
Thus, she was very curious to see just what Levi would do.
Levi noticed the doubt in her eyes, but he didn’t say anything more on the matter.
He decided he would just go ahead and delegate a project to her during the investment conference.
Recently, there were two major events that were keeping South City abuzz. The first was the investment conference, and the second was the arrival of Ezra Williamson from the Western Region.
When Ezra made a big show of his upcoming arrival to South City, Levi immediately knew what he was up to.
Soon enough, Levi received a call from Ezra.
“Ezra, you rascal. You’re trying to pull one over on your enemies by being so high-profile, aren’t you?”
Ezra chuckled. “I really can’t get anything past you, boss! Our Warzone had been battling Wheldrake, and it has been particularly difficult to break through their defense line. So I’m being intentionally loud with my whereabouts to attract their attention. Once the Beasts join us, I can then circle back and catch them by surprise,” grinned Ezra sheepishly.
This was the main reason why Ezra wanted everyone to know that he was going to return to South City.
“Looks like you’ve learned well from me.”
“Aww, shucks, boss! I still have a lot more to learn from you,” said Ezra humbly.
“I’ll see you soon then!” Levi was quite eager to see Ezra too. He was not only one of his soldiers, but was like a brother to him too.
“Hehe! By the way, I have a present for you, boss. I’ve gotten quite a few goodies from Wheldrake,” grinned Ezra.
“Oh? As long as it’s not women from Wheldrake!”
“Haha! Then what kind of women do you want, boss? Just say the word and I’ll grab you a dozen!”
If Sylas ever found out that the Chief she revered so much was actually such a person, she’d probably be shocked speechless.
At the end of the day, once Levi, Ezra, and the rest of these ruthless warriors removed their armor, they were still just ordinary people.
They were someone else’s son, and some were even a father to others.
But they donned their military uniforms and braved the frontlines just to protect this land.
It was because of heroic people like them that others had the chance to lead a peaceful life.
Speaking of Sylas, she had gone off to join a veterans’ gathering. Unexpectedly, Levi had also received an invitation as a guest.
It was mainly the comrades from when he first joined the military.
But they lost touch once Levi was reassigned to another squad, so none of them knew of his real identity.
CHAPTER 710
Those veterans had found out that Levi was in South City, so they sent him an invitation too.
When Levi saw what the invitation was, he decided to attend it at all cost.
At that moment, the veterans’ gathering had started.
Most of the men there were retired soldiers from the Western Region. They had all once been elite warriors on the battlefield.
However, there were also some “less elite” veterans among them. They were ones who had never done much during their military careers but somehow kept collecting military medals left and right.
This gathering was not only attended by those from the Western Region but there were also some who came from other Warzones that Sylas had never met before.
Now that they were all gathered together, the most common topic of conversation was their current jobs.
A number of them had changed careers and gone on to other fields, but the majority had continued to work as bodyguards or security personnel.
One major point of interest for the gathering was Sylas.
There were actually quite a few other females around, but Sylas was arguably the prettiest out of the bunch. Especially now that she had dressed up, she looked as beautiful as any celebrity out there.
Naturally, a lot of the men there were interested in her.
When they were in the military then, none of them dared to mess with this warrior princess.
But things were different now.
“Sylas, I heard that you’re currently employed as a personal bodyguard?”
“That’s right,” nodded Sylas.
“How’s the pay? I’m guessing it’s at least seven or eight hundred thousand?”
“I was lucky enough to find a good employer. My salary is about ten million plus a house and a car,” answered Sylas candidly.
“What?”
Everyone stared at her in disbelief.
Hearing the salary alone was enough to stun the crowd into silence.
This also startled the men who were previously interested in her. They had to reconsider things now that she suddenly seemed out of their league.
“Sylas, is your boss still hiring? We’re all available!”
“Sure, I can ask.”
With that, Sylas stepped outside and gave Levi a call to check with him.
“Actually, I was just thinking about forming a first-class security team, so I am indeed hiring.”
Levi already had such a thought in his mind when he decided to attend the veterans’ gathering. Now that Sylas had called him for this same reason, it was as if it was meant to be.
Sylas went back in and told the men that her boss would be personally coming over to do the selection and hiring.
This news undoubtedly thrilled them.
As time went on, more and more people arrived at the gathering.
There were veterans from all over, including those from the North, East, and South.
Altogether, there were more than one hundred veterans in attendance.
When everyone was seated, the conversation somehow turned into a bragging competition.
Those from the North laid it on especially thick, and wouldn’t stop boasting about their military achievements.
“Back then, the three of us managed to infiltrate the enemy’s command post, and we were all given first-class merits. Our whole company was also awarded a third-class merit thanks to us.”
“And don’t forget when the whole regiment lost their base, but our company managed to secure ours successfully. That was because of our effort too, and we were awarded yet another first-class merit!”
“Our whole military career actually was quite boring. We only just got two first-class merits, five second-class merits, and eight third-class merits. That’s all.”
And as if their words weren’t enough, they even started to lay out all those military medals on the table.
This naturally drew a lot of envious looks from the crowd.
However, Sylas really despised such behavior.
Nearly everyone in attendance had military medals, and yet no one took them out.
“Oh, and do you remember how we almost got a special class merit but it was stolen by another soldier from our squad? That was such a pity!”
“I know! We were the ones who came across the intel, but that dude just stole the credit right out from under us!”
“Oh my gosh! I still hate that guy even to this day! If it weren’t for him, I’d be so much better off right now!”
The group of men were all grumbling.
After all that bragging, the other veterans came to learn their names, which were Brad Guzman, Xerxes Lewinski, and Gordon Wheeler.
Sylas never expected that those men were once Levi’s comrades.
Levi had started out as a private before being secretly reassigned to the Northern Region.
So these men must be in the same squad as him.
And frankly, all the merits they had obtained had pretty much nothing to do with them.
They were all thanks to Levi putting his life on the line.
It was Levi who managed to infiltrate the enemy’s command post, but the trio then unashamedly came to steal the limelight.
It was also because of Levi that their company was the only one that successfully defended their base when the whole regiment lost theirs. The trio again stole Levi’s thunder.
All those merits that they were boasting about so smugly were all because of Levi. They had done nothing but brazenly taken the credit.
The trio had always been nothing but bums who skated through life. Their families wanted to make men out of them, so they enlisted them in the military.
So despite donning military uniforms, they had never been a soldier at heart.
Thus, they enjoyed all sorts of special treatment, but they never put in the effort during training and even caused all sorts of trouble. When they went to the battlefield, they were always the first to duck and run too.
So in the end, they had plenty of military awards to brag about despite only being in uniform for a short while.
In fact, Levi couldn’t comprehend why his merits and glory had fallen in their hands.
But he was never the type to care about credit and honor.
Besides, the medals were going to the men in the same squad and sharing the same dorm with him, so he never spoke out about their doings.
However, their behavior soon worsened.
He was always the one fighting deep in the trenches while the trio silently lounged in the back and collected the awards.
That final special class merit that they spoke about earlier was one that Levi finally refused to concede. This immediately sowed a seed of hatred in them.
If they had gotten that special class merit, then they would’ve enjoyed a much better lifestyle after being discharged from military service.
So all these years, not only did they not feel any gratitude towards Levi, but they even spent most of their time talking smack about him.
This time around, they had actually learned that Levi was in South City; thus, they intentionally extended an invitation to him.
In Levi’s case, he absolutely could have done something about them audaciously stealing his glory.
But because they were his first batch of comrades-in-arms, he chose not to make a big deal out of it.
Right then, someone in the crowd jumped up and suggested, “For the meeting with Chief Williamson, why don’t we have Brad Guzman and the other two represent us?”
Everyone nodded in agreement. “That’s a good idea! The three of them have the most military medals out of all of us, and their military careers have also been the most outstanding. They definitely deserve the honor of meeting with Chief Williamson!”
CHAPTER 712
All the soldiers happily agreed to this plan and there wasn’t one dissenter in the crowd.
Brad, Xander, and Gordon couldn’t keep the smug looks off their faces.
Not much later, Levi arrived at the hotel with his invitation in hand.
When Sylas saw him, she immediately got up to greet him, but she was overtaken by Brad and the other two.
“Garrison, you’re finally here! It’s been ages!”
The trio leaned in and hugged Levi to give the others the impression that they were all very close.
“Everyone, listen up! Let me introduce you to someone who used to be in our squad, Levi Garrison!”
“He’s none other than the person who stole the special class merit from us!” Brad then turned to Levi and gave him a joking smack on his back. “We’re still holding that against you by the way, you little rascal!”
The trio was smiling and looking as if they were joking, but Levi still caught the flash of resentment in their eyes.
“I heard that you’re working as a security guard now?” asked Gordon as he patted Levi on the shoulders hard.
“That’s right.”
“Out of all the veterans, it looks like you’re the one who’s doing the worst now. Why are you working as a security guard? The least you could do is find a job as a bodyguard or something.”
“That’s right! We’ve got a female soldier who’s doing very well. That’s her over there — Sylas,” said Xerxes as he pointed over to Sylas. “She’s working as a bodyguard, and she has an annual salary of ten million. Her boss even threw in a house and a car for her!”
Sylas stood up and gave Levi a sheepish grin.
Never in a million years would she have thought that they were Levi’s comrades.
“Garrison, you’re an embarrassment to us in Northern Region!” snickered Brad.
Levi remained silent, but his gaze had traveled to the bunch of military medals laid out on the table.
A look of awkwardness flashed across the trio’s faces when they noticed where Levi was looking.
Naturally, they knew those military medals belonged solely to Levi, and that they had nothing to do with them at all.
But they weren’t going to cave in so easily. “Are you jealous? If you had been a little braver and fought alongside us, then you would’ve gotten your own medals too! Besides, you’re just working as a meager security guard even after you swiped our special class merit. On the other hand, we are just short of that one merit, otherwise, we would’ve received all the military achievements. It is really such a shame!”
The other soldiers also started to chime in. “Comrade, that’s not very loyal of you. You shouldn’t have stolen their credit, especially since you were from the same squad,” one sneered.
Levi scoffed in response. “I was the one who put in the work so of course, I deserve the medal. What did that get to do with them?”
“You deserve it? How ridiculous! Who’s going to believe that?”
“I certainly don’t!”
Clearly none of them believed Levi.
“They were awarded so many military medals throughout their careers, that also show that they have the ability to be awarded the special class merit too. But look at you, were you awarded any other medals apart from that one medal?” snorted another.
Brad was sneering at Levi too. “That’s right! You don’t have any other medals other than that one special class merit, do you?”
“Are you guys sure you want to compare military medals with me?” smirked Levi.
CHAPTER 713
He actually had long forgotten about all his medals.
But now that these lots were foolishly harassing him, he decided it was necessary to take care of things once and for all.
The trio broke out into waves of mocking laughter. “Ha! Compare military medals? With us? Have you lost your mind?”
If Levi really had that many military medals, then there was no way he would be working as just a security guard.
The thing was, Levi had left their squad because of a severe injury.
Thus, they naturally assumed that his military career ended then as well.
But unbeknownst to them, Levi had only just been reassigned to a top-secret squad.
Levi whipped out his phone and placed a call to Phoenix. “It’s me. Bring some of my military medals to Oceanic Restaurant.”
“Hahahaha…” The trio doubled over in laughter.
“Just how many medals do you have that you need someone to deliver them over to you? Stop fooling yourself, Garrison!” snickered Gordon.
The other veterans also had visible smirks on their faces.
They were having fun being entertained by Levi’s little show.
The thing was, the trio really had too many military medals and was undeniably the most lauded amongst everyone at the gathering.
The other veterans, as successful as their careers had been, didn’t even have half as many medals as them.
So Levi was clearly only going to make himself look stupid, especially since he was quite ordinary when compared to everyone else.
Seeing all this unfold made Sylas extremely anxious. A cold sheen of sweat broke out all over her body.
She wanted to tell everyone about Levi’s real identity, but she changed her mind after seeing the determined look on his face.
Levi turned his attention back on Brad and the other two. He perked an eyebrow at their smug expressions. “Can you sleep at night knowing that you took what should’ve been mine? Don’t the three of you even feel one ounce of shame?”
“I…”
The trio hesitated for a little before quickly regaining their composure.
“What on earth are you blabbering on about? We were awarded these medals because we put our lives on the line. Everything is properly documented in the files, and an easy search will prove us right. Who are you to try and steal this from us?”
“You’re despicable, Garrison! How dare you claim our medals for yourself?”
All the other veterans had believed Brad and his friends, so they naturally assumed Levi was lying through his teeth here too.
“And you call yourself a warrior of Erudia? You’re an embarrassment to all of us! Do you have nothing else better to do than to covet military medals that have nothing to do with you at all?”
Most people in the room were getting angry.
“Don’t tell anyone you served up North. We don’t want to be associated with shameful people like you! What? You don’t like what I said? Then come, let’s fight it out!” growled one muscular-looking warrior.
Sylas quickly stepped up, hoping to diffuse the situation. “We’re all comrades here. There’s no need to get fired up.”
“Fine. Since you’re the one asking, I won’t do anything. But, if no one delivers those supposed medals of his, then I can’t guarantee I’ll keep my cool,” the same guy roared.
Thus, everyone stared at Levi expectantly, waiting for those medals of his to arrive.
Soon enough, casually dressed Phoenix rushed into the scene. In his arms was an army green box.
Bang!
CHAPTER 714
The sound of the box hitting the table startled everyone.
Phoenix turned to Levi and whispered to him. “You have too many medals. I could only manage to grab one case.”
All of Levi’s medals — and there were really a lot — were in Phoenix’s care.
Levi gave a small smirk. “Don’t worry. These are more than enough.”
The duo’s conversation shocked those standing around them.
Did he say too many military medals?
Wait. How many medals does he have that he needs such a big case?
And… there’s more than one case?
Brad, on the other hand, still had the same sneer plastered across his face. “Open the case and show us then! There’s no way there are medals inside!”
“Exactly! Who do you think you’re fooling with that box?”
Gordon and Xerxes naturally refused to believe him too.
Levi had gotten injured and then was discharged very early in his military career. The Special Class Merit had to be the only medal he had ever been awarded.
Levi glanced lazily at Phoenix and instructed, “Open the box.”
Phoenix dutifully grabbed a key, unlocked the box, and pulled the lid up.
The sight made everyone’s jaw drop. There were at least a hundred military medals nestled in the box.
Even the trio started to panic.
This… this can’t be real, right?
But if they’re fake, where on earth would Garrison find so many fake medals on such short notice?
Besides, he wouldn’t have purposely asked someone to send them over if they were just going to be fake, right?
Levi dipped his hand into the case and grabbed a black-colored medal.
“Special Class Merit?” gasped a few of the men.
Levi sneered. “This medal is the one that you said I stole from you.”
Clack!
Levi threw it gently onto the table, before reaching for yet another black-colored medal.
“Wow! That’s another Special Class Merit!”
“This medal, I received five years ago during the battle at Catskills when I beheaded the enemy’s commander-in-chief.”
What!
There had been four hundred thousand soldiers fighting in the battle at Catskills.
Yet, Levi was the one who beheaded the commander-in-chief?
Just who is he exactly?
Levi ignored the shocked expressions on their faces and continued to pull out yet another black-colored medal.
Another one!
Everyone inhaled sharply at the sight.
“I received this because I was the first one to infiltrate the enemy’s stronghold up at the Northern Region.”
Clack!
Levi again tossed it onto the table.
Everyone stared at the three medals lying there. They couldn’t believe their eyes.
These are real medals!
Real freaking medals!
The trio was in complete panic mode now. They stared at Levi with their eyes wide and their mouths agape.
However, Levi wasn’t done yet. He continued to draw one medal after another out of the box. There were a couple dozen of them, and all were Special Class Merits.
“These were awarded for similar reasons, so there’s really nothing much to say.”
This comment nearly threw everyone into a fit.
Nothing much to say? There are at least seventy or eighty Special Class Merit medals there and he says there’s nothing much to say?
Just who is this person?
Where exactly did he come from?
Everyone then turned their eyes onto Brad, Xander, and Gordon.
It was as if their eyes were silently accusing the trio of withholding information.
Didn’t you three say he was a mere security guard? Why would a mere bodyguard have so many Special Class Merits!
The trio’s faces were completely distorted by then.
They didn’t know what was going on either.
CHAPTER 715
Levi then nonchalantly grabbed a purple-colored medal out of the box.
“Huh?”
This medal confused everyone.
It was purple-in-color, and one that no one had seen before.
What class is this?
Could it be of a higher class than the Special Class Merit?
On closer inspection, there was a beautifully engraved image of a Kirin on the medal.
“This Kirin Military Medal was awarded three years ago when I was in the East battling against Arendelle. I eliminated three hundred thousand enemies and captured another hundred thousand!” stated Levi.
Holy cow!
The men’s faces paled.
They had all heard of the battle between the Eastern Warzone and Arendelle.
That war lasted three whole days and three whole nights, and they managed to fight their way right into the capital of Arendelle before ultimately decimating it.
The whole of Erudia celebrated triumphantly.
Levi then pulled out another purple-colored medal. “This was another one I received three years ago. Felle Nation launched a sneak attack on the Southern Region and caused us extensive damages. I led our troops to charge after them, and we even wiped out the whole of Felle Nation.”
Again?
More sharp inhales could be heard echoing through the room.
They could more or less guess Levi’s identity after hearing his account.
The battle he had just spoken about was one that was a must-hear story among soldiers and had been retold again and again.
So everyone knew the story like the back of their hand.
Brad had a very unpleasant expression on his face, as if he were choking on a fly.
Levi ignored him and pulled yet another medal out of the case.
This time, it was a gold-colored medal.
There are gold-colored medals?
No one has seen gold-colored medals before! Heck, I’ve never even heard of anyone mentioning them before!
The engraving on this medal was of a magnificent dragon.
Everyone knew that dragon was a symbol of Erudia.
This meant that the medal itself could very well be a symbol of the country too!
The purple Kirin Military Medal was awarded to those whom the country placed great value on.
Thus, the gold medal could only be one that was awarded to Erudia’s ultimate God of War.
Levi held the heavy medal in his hands as he spoke, “This medal is called the Dragon Military Medal, or just the Dragon Medal. This is the only one of its kind in the history of Erudia!”
Crash!
Levi had just finished speaking when the trio suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
They were so shocked that it wouldn’t be surprising if they blacked out right then.
Who would’ve imagined that their fellow comrade, the one who had once been in their squad, would turn out to be someone who owned the only Dragon Military Medal in Erudia!
Everyone else was trembling in their shoes too.
Even Sylas, who was well-aware of Levi’s true identity, wasn’t exempted from being affected by the atmosphere in the room.
Finding themselves standing in front of such a highly-revered man made their blood pound with exhilaration.
But Levi wasn’t finished yet. “Two years ago, with my very own fists, I had defeated an army coalition with the Eighteen-Nation Alliance. In order to honor me for my unmatched capabilities, Erudia awarded me with this Dragon Medal and promoted me to a five-star ranked God of War. I am also the only God of War with five stars in the history of Erudia! That was the pinnacle of my career, and my name has been written into history. I’ll never forget the day that I was awarded this medal…”
Levi’s voice trailed off as he became swept up in his memories.
CHAPTER 716
Everyone held their breath as Sylas saluted and announced. “Salute to our Chief! Salute to our Hero!”
…
Sylas’ voice was like a wake-up call to everyone else as they quickly saluted to the God of War with their body trembling and eyes filled with tears.
The tears weren’t only for the honor to meet face to face with the God of War, but also the stories behind each and every badge that he earned.
The man standing in front of them was the protector of Erudia, the one who gave them the peace they’d been living in.
Everyone was excited. It was as if they had returned to the military camp.
“We will fight by your side if there is war!” Sylas shouted and everyone repeated after her.
Even Phoenix straightened his body as he remembered the time when they fought the invasion from the alliance.
It was a time of darkness, but also a time of miracle.
As the world thought that Erudia was going to fall, Levi led the army to turn the tide, and defeated the Eighteen-Nation Alliance.
The God of War had slain thousands of god-like warriors sent by the eighteen nations with his iron fists. It was that fight that made Erudia one of the superpowers it was now instead of a developing country.
The three had their bloods drawn from their faces.
They didn’t need to suspect Levi’s identity anymore for the truth had been spoken.
Levi glared at the three of them and challenged, “Do you still want to compare the number of medals?”
“I-I-I-I…” Brad Guzman was at a loss for words.
“I have dozens of medals here. Do you need me to tell you the story behind each and every one of these medals?”
The three had nothing more to say except kneeling before him and begged for forgiveness. They didn’t even come close to comparing themselves with Levi.
Levi scoffed and slowly put his medals back into the case before setting his eyes on Brad’s medals on the table. “I was going to let this slide, but you three have crossed the line. I was the one who risked my life to complete the mission for these medals and yet you guys took credit for it. Now, are you still claiming that these belong to you?”
“N-no…” Brad and his partners in crime quickly shook their heads.
“Even if I ignore your wrongdoings, I still have to take back whatever that belongs to me. Even if it’s a third-class award, it’s still an honor that belongs to me. It’s proof of my sacrifice. Phoenix, take these medals away and strip them of their achievements!” Levi ordered.
CHAPTER 717
“Yes, Sir!” Phoenix responded immediately.
“You guys are worthless!” Levi roared and threw Brad and his companions out, leaving the others cowering in fear.
The purpose of the gathering was to discuss how they should welcome Ezra. Yet, instead of doing that, it turned into an event where they witnessed the true face of the God of War.
Everyone finally understood the reason for Ezra, Western Region’s commander-in-chief, would come to South City. They finally had their answer.
He came to see the God of War.
“You guys don’t have to be so tense,” Levi stated. “I still have something to announce. Sylas, please.”
Sylas nodded. “The boss I was talking about earlier is the Chief. I have been hired as a bodyguard to the Chief’s wife.”
“Let me make it simple. I’m planning to build an indestructible security team at Morris Group, so I would be glad if anyone here is willing to join us,” Levi explained.
“Count me in!”
“Me too.”
…
Everyone began to volunteer as if it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which it was. To them, there would be no bigger honor than to work for the God of War.
“I don’t need to be paid!” one shouted.
“No, everyone here is getting paid according to the market price. I only have one request. Guard the company with all your might.”
Levi was feeling very happy after taking care of that matter. The safety of Morris Group’s employees was now solved.
With that, Levi and Phoenix left so that the gathering could continue.
On his way back, Levi ran into a familiar face.
It was none other than Tyler, who was leading the Joneses.
The building that Morris Group and Oriental Star Group now owned once belonged to Triple Group, a high-rise building that was situated in the center of South City.
Tyler and his people were inspecting the surroundings so that they could build a statue of the God of War.
“Hold it! Did I say you could leave?” Wales stopped Levi.
“What do you want?” Levi was a little angered by Wales’ action as that spoiled his mood. “Looks like you are playing it smart and aren’t messing around with the Joneses’ name.”
“Are you looking down on us?” Tyler questioned.
Levi was rendered speechless at the question as Tyler’s action was contradicted with what he said in the past.
“Whatever. Get the hell out of here. You in our way of building the statue of the God of War.” Tyler waved his hand to chase Levi away.
“What did you say?” Levi was surprised to hear his own title.
“Are you deaf? We’re looking for the best location to build a statue for the God of War!”
“Just give up. The God of War doesn’t like all these craps.”
CHAPTER 718
“What did you say?”
Everyone was stunned by what Levi had just spouted and stared at him unbelievably.
“The God of War won’t like it? Did you really just say that?”
“Yes, I did,” Levi nodded.
“What? Are you implying that you’re the God of War?” Tyler laughed.
“That’s right. And I don’t like it.”
“This guy is delusional!” one of the Joneses laughed as the others looked at Levi as if he was a total buffoon.
They would rather believe that Levi had a billion in his account rather than him being the God of War as the punishment for impersonating the guardian of the country could land one in jail for a few decades.
“Get the hell out of here! Like it has anything to do with you!” Tyler laughed. “I can assure you that the God of War will be very fond of this new statue!”
“We Joneses will be the first to build a statue of the God of War in Erudia to commemorate his great contribution and achievement to the country.” Tyler declared proudly.
The Joneses had a smug look on their faces. If they could complete the statue, everyone in Erudia, and even the whole world, would shift their focus to their family. They could gather wealth like no one had ever seen before.
They also believed that the God of War would like the statue, and that was their main goal.
“You’re just wasting your time. Still, do whatever you like,” Levi said and turned to leave.
If the Joneses were erecting a statue of him to show their gratitude, Levi would’ve let them be. He would even thank them for doing that.
The only problem was that the Joneses were never the kind people who would do things that wouldn’t benefit them, and Levi did not like that one bit.
“Stop! Who do you think you are?” Wales yelled while Tyler stood next to him with his arms crossed. The latter always looked down on Levi as he was an important member of the Prince Gang in South Hampton. If any of his friends learned that he had a cousin like Levi, they would definitely make fun of him.
“You’re just like your mother, a nobody! You don’t deserve to be a part of our family!” Tyler mocked as Levi left.
Even though their progress was held back a little by their run in with Levi, the Joneses finally found a perfect place and began their construction of the statue.
As for Levi, he put his back into the investment conference as soon as he got back to Morris Group since he promised Tim that he would handle it.
Levi even transferred Aurora from North Hampton to South City for the project.
Without wasting much time, Aurora got a handful of tender documents for Levi, which he read through thoroughly one by one.
He had high hopes for businesses from other regions to develop in South City through the investment conference.
CHAPTER 719
Levi was a genius in doing business from the beginning. He could instantly make out which companies would benefit South City as soon as they got their investments. The most important part of the project was to generate healthy competition in the industry.
“The Joneses?” Levi raised a brow when he noticed the Joneses’ tender.
He immediately frowned after reading through the document as the Joneses were trying to win the bid by using their royal status. The tender documents that the Joneses submitted were in a complete mess.
Thus, Levi marked a huge red cross on the document without even thinking twice.
“Oh? Isn’t this Logan and Jennie’s company?” Levi smiled. It was evident that they were trying to gain a huge profit from the conference.
Another red cross was marked at the second document.
The next tender document belonged to the Black family, which was drafted by Zoey. The only problem was that Robert and Meredith’s names were noted down as the people in charge instead of Zoey’s.
Levi took the matter into his own hands and crossed Robert and Meredith’s names off and replaced it with Zoey’s name before marking a tick on the document.
For the next few days, Levi was completely immersed in inspecting all the tender documents that were submitted and came up with a list of names.
On the other hand, there existed a powerful group called the South City Chamber of Commerce. They held the power to control every market in South City.
Yet, they would use their influence to cut off all investors from other regions in order to monopolize the businesses in South City and had caused a great deal of trouble because of that.
In the office of the chamber, the president and a few directors were holding a meeting.
Wardell Becker, President of South City Chamber of Commerce, spoke in a cold tone. “The investment conference is just days away. I noticed quite a number of companies from other regions are trying to do business here by winning the bid.”
“I noticed that as well. The policy is encouraging them to develop and invest here. They are going crazy!” Joel Fraley, Vice-president of the South City Chamber of Commerce, nodded in agreement.
“The three hundred billion should belong to South City! Technically speaking, we, the South City Chamber of Commerce should be in charge of handling the money! Why would the higher-ups give such an important task to a young’un instead?
“I know, right? If he divides the money to the companies from other regions, we would lose a lot of shares!”
The rest of the directors agreed as well.
“That’s what I’m worried about the most. I’ve heard that this young man is an advocate of attracting investment from other regions to promote the development of Quebec! What a load of crap!” Wardell scolded.
“Don’t worry. As long as we butt into this matter, even companies from other cities of Quebec can’t even get a single cent from the project! That money belongs to us!” Joel stated confidently.
Their views were simple. To keep the three hundred billion away from companies from other regions. As long as the money was distributed to companies in South City, they could make a lot of profits from it.
“Mr. Becker, what should we do?” one of the directors asked.
“We just have to make the head of the project one of our own,” Wardell suggested.
“I’ve already found out who the head is. He’s Levi Garrison from North Hampton,” Joel said. “He’s not part of the business circle. I’m confused as to why the higher-ups would let him lead such an important project.”
CHAPTER 720
“That’s none of our business. We just have to know who the person in charge is,” Wardell smiled. “Joel, you and I are going to pay this Levi a visit.”
As Levi was leaving his office, he was greeted by a group of people.
“Are you Mr. Levi Garrison?” Joel asked. “We’re from the South City Chamber of Commerce. Is it possible to have some of your time? We would like to make a proposition.”
Levi was surprised that the Chamber of Commerce would catch up to him so soon.
They most probably found out about me when Aurora was moving the documents.
“Of course.” Levi followed Joey into a Lincoln where a person was waiting inside for him.
“Allow me to introduce myself first. I’m Wardell Becker, President of the South City Chamber of Commerce. We would like to discuss with you about the upcoming investment conference.”
“Go on.”
“Even though we aren’t part of the government, we are still an organization formed by the businessmen of South City. We represent the interest of all businessmen in South City and to stabilize the market. We heard that Mr. Garrison is interested in attracting businesses from other regions to invest in our city. We believe that this would harm our interests, which is something that we cannot ignore.”
“I see,” Levi smiled. “Then, what do you propose?”
“We propose that while companies from other regions could participate in the bid, only businesses from South City can win the projects. As long as you agree to our proposition, this will be yours,” Wardell smiled as he handed Levi a check.
Levi took a peek at the numbers and wasn’t surprised to see a hundred million written on it.
“These women will be yours as well.” Wardell pointed at the four gorgeous women sitting in the back seat. Calling them supermodels would be an understatement.
“This car could be yours too. Mr. Garrison, I know you hold the power to decide who can or can’t invest in the project. That power will still belong to you, as long as you make sure that only the businessmen from South City will win all the bids. With this, it will be a win-win situation. You also get something from it. Isn’t it a great deal?”
“You’re right. No matter what I choose, it won’t harm my interest.” Levi returned the smile.
Both Wardell and Joel were glad to see that Levi was on their side, or so they thought.
“From this day onwards, you’ll be a friend of the South City Chamber of Commerce. Just let us know if you run into any troubles in the future,” Wardell offered as he tried to hold his laughter back.
The president of the chamber could not believe he could dupe the young man in front of him so easily. He was already picturing the huge amount of shares he could get when the three hundred billion find its ways to the businesses in South City.
His net worth would shoot up by a least ten times.
Levi looked at the check and smiled, which froze both Wardell and Joel.
The reason being it was a mocking smile, and it puzzled both Wardell and Joel.
Levi opened the door and got out. “I don’t need any of you to tell me what to do.”
With that, he slammed the door of the car that was worth millions as hard as he could.
Wardell and Joel turned to stare at each other.
“Did he just reject our offer?” Wardell could not believe what was happening.
“So, we’re playing this the hard way, eh?” Joel immediately chased after Levi and stopped him. “Stop right there!”
“What now?”
“Are you sure you want to refuse our offer? Either you’re our friend or you’re our enemy. If you choose to be the latter, you’ll meet your maker soon enough.”
Joel’s threat was clear. If Levi refused to agree to their terms, his life would be in danger.
“Do whatever you want. Your threat means nothing to me.”
It was Levi’s turn to hold his laughter back. Not only had he dealt with Kurt, President of the South Hampton Chamber of Commerce, he’d also taken down most of the big shots in South City.
He could not believe that even after that amazing feat, there would still be some mindless people trying to mess with him.
Yet, dealing with businessmen was a different problem. If one messed with their interest, they would retaliate even worse than the underworld.
Moreover, the South City Chamber of Commerce represented all of the businessmen in South City. To them, the three hundred billion that Levi was charged to distribute belonged to these businessmen.
If Levi decided to attract businesses from other regions, their profit would be affected. If things got out of hands, the business owners would retaliate.
Levi finally understood the reason Tim assigned him to handle the investment conference.
The local businesses had contributed a lot to the development of South City, which led to an ease in related policies. As things went on, the South City Chamber of Commerce became the organization in charge of local businesses.
It was the same situation with Triple Group robbing Scott of his money. It was impossible for Tim to stay calm at that incident, but the Triple Group did contribute a lot to society and it would put him in an awkward position if he were to accuse them openly.
It explained why Tim let Levi handled the situation. He hoped that the young man could solve the problem in his place and cleanse the local business circle at the same time.
“You leave us with no choice then!” Joel roared.
For the next few days, Levi was followed by Joel’s people. Since he didn’t want to waste time on some nobodies, the God of War decided to ignore them.
For the time being, Levi still stayed in the Guardian Mansion and Joel’s men found out about it.
“Now that we know where he lives, it’s time to show him some colors!” Wardell grinned and ordered Joel. “Get it done! I want him to come and beg for forgiveness tomorrow!”
CHAPTER 722
As the clock struck midnight, four excavators drove straight towards the Guardian Mansion with a truck full of armed men behind them.
The four excavators lined up in front of the compound and drove straight into the walls, tearing them down.
The military canines barked endlessly at the excavators, but all four vehicles did not reduce their speed and continued to tear down the buildings.
They only had one order from Joel, to take down the building that Levi was temporarily staying at.
Levi rushed down the stairs as soon as he heard the commotion. The sight that first came into his eyes angered him right away.
The God of War never even blinked when Elijah the Warlord sent thousands of soldiers to attack his country. The only thing he feared was when normal citizens played dirty. Levi never expected that Wardell and Joel would do something so absurd.
One of the excavator stopped only half a meter in front of Levi.
The driver glared at Levi and yelled, “Get out of the way! Don’t blame me if you get hurt!”
Of course, it was just a hoax as these normal drivers wouldn’t dare to harm people.
Yet, Levi remained standing there as he glared back at the driver like a fierce beast ready to pound its prey. The drivers were so intimidated by his stare that they froze.
Suddenly, dozens of men walked down from the truck with iron bars in their hands. They walked up to Levi and ordered, “Get out of my sight! We have been ordered to take this place down!”
Unlike the excavators, these people received the order to beat anyone who tried to stop them.
“Do you even know what this place is?” Phoenix’s face darkened.
Everyone was furious as the uninvited guests were trying to take down a place where even the Gates family wouldn’t dare step foot on.
“So what? Like hell we care where this is!” the leader of the group scoffed. “I’ll only say it once! Get out of our way or we’ll beat you to a pulp! I’m going to count to three! One! Two! Three!”
Even after finishing the countdown, Levi, Phoenix and White Tiger remained standing still.
“F**k! Take these three idiots down!” the leader ordered and everyone charged.
When the person leading the charge came close to Levi, a loud bang could be heard and that person was sent flying away with a kick.
That person flew for more than a hundred meter. When he fell to the fall, his body twitched for a bit before passing out.
Everyone froze and stared at Levi. Even White Tiger and Phoenix could not believe their eyes.
It was clear that Levi was furious.
CHAPTER 723
Levi cracked his knuckles as he got ready to take them down in one go.
His steps hastened as he rushed towards them, giving each of them a heavy blow.
In less than thirty seconds, Levi knocked them all out and the fifty men dropped to the ground motionless.
Their bones were broken and it was difficult to tell if they could even survive.
Levi would have never lifted a finger against them—not unless they messed with his home.
So this time, he struck them down mercilessly.
Even White Tiger was shocked.
This was the first time he had seen the God of War this angry ever since he came back to North Hampton.
It must be because Levi loved his home deeply.
For six full years, he never hesitated to fight courageously at the front line just to protect the land he called home.
Although this Guardian Mansion was just a temporary shelter for Levi, White Tiger could tell this place was home to him.
Levi would not spare anyone who destroyed his home.
“Bam!”
“Crash!”
He kicked the excavator hard and the strong impact dug the whole machine deep into the ground.
Everyone was dumbstruck. But before they could come back to their senses, the whole excavator broke and crumbled into pieces in a loud boom.
The deafening clangor did not seem to stop. Levi booted another excavator and it fell apart too.
And just like that, he effortlessly broke two excavators.
His power left everyone terrified.
What kind of superpower is this?
Did he really just destroy two ten-ton excavators?
Is he even human?
He must be a God!
Four frightened excavator operators scrambled to flee the scene like madmen.
Never in their life had they seen anything like this before.
“Should I go check out who’s behind this?” Azure Dragon asked Levi.
“There’s no need. I know who did it.” Levi’s voice was ominous and suppressed as he looked at the orange sky.
The sun was already breaking through the horizon.
Over on the other side, Wardell and Joel happily gathered in the South City Chamber of Commerce.
“Mr. President, we’ll get some good news real soon. I bet that bastard is shivering in fear right now!” Joel mocked.
Hearing this, a sinister smile broke out on Wardell’s face as he said, “Wanna mess with me, young man? You won’t stand a chance against me!”
“I know right? He probably didn’t know hundreds of people have died in our hands! Who does he think he is?” Joel sneered.
As the two were gloating about their evil plan, Pamela and Bailey from the Black family arrived.
It seemed like the Black family was in full swing preparing for the project.
They heard that the South City Chamber of Commerce always had good connections, so they got in touch with them.
The Black family was here to ask for a big favor.
“Thanks for taking care of the investment conference,” Bailey said, handling Wardell a check.
Wardell took a look at the figure on the check—5 million. He smiled.
This was the second time the Black family visited him and paid him the same amount.
They were really generous.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure everything is settled nicely.”
CHAPTER 724
Wardell finally agreed.
The Black family was really desperate. This meant money would keep flowing in for Wardell.
This deal was worth three hundred billion.
After he sent the Black family off, Wardell started thinking.
He just got the money and he was sure more would come in the future.
Wardell planned on buying two villas in North Hampton and South Hampton, each for his two little lovers.
Just as Wardell was busy fantasizing about his life, the sound of frantic footsteps echoed down the corridor.
The excavator operators came rushing in.
“What’s up?” Wardell questioned with a hint of surprise in his voice.
Joel’s eyes opened wide in curiosity.
The operators were panting and gasping for air. Their legs gave way and they collapsed to the ground out of fear.
“We… we saw him! The monster!” they gasped.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Wardell shouted.
His gut feeling told him something was not right.
“Did you demolish the place?” Joel asked.
“Yeah. We did,” the operators replied.
“Good,” Joel said shortly, giving a sigh of relief.
Now everything was settled.
He almost thought they failed the mission.
“But we messed with the wrong person,” the operators explained.
Before they could even continue, the secretary dashed in and reported, “Mr. President, there’s a guy called Levi outside.”
“I knew it! I knew he would come!” Wardell exclaimed with a haughty laugh.
Joel waved his hands, gesturing the operators to leave them alone.
They turned and walked away awkwardly.
Soon enough, Levi arrived.
Wardell and his lot greeted him with the brightest smile.
“So? Have you finally made up your mind? You should’ve just done things our way. Why force us to make things ugly?” Joel jeered.
Wardell stretched and rested his legs on his office table as he smiled contently. “You’ll get everything I offered you yesterday the moment you sign the contract. I’ll also give you an extra fifty million,” he said.
Wardell signaled his secretary, who quickly came up to him with two checks worth one hundred and fifty million in total.
This had always been Wardell’s best tactic—offend first and placate later.
This was how he control other people.
“Alright, since what’s done is done, let’s be friends from now on. Let’s bury the hatchet, shall we?” Joel suggested. He walked towards Levi, wanting to give him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
Bang!
Before Joel could even touch him, Levi raised his leg and kicked him aside.
Joel landed right on the table and the table broke in half.
He groaned as his face contorted in pain.
The others watched in horror because they did not expect Levi to attack Joel. But only Joel knew full well the intensity of Levi’s kick.
Levi’s cold glare swept across the room as he said, “You guy’s shouldn’t have touched my home.”
His voice was calm, but everyone felt the chilling threat in his voice.
“What are you doing? How dare you raise your hand against us?” Wardell shouted.
CHAPTER 725
Joel looked at Levi and cried out in anger, “How dare you do this to me? I’ll kill you!”
Who does he think he is?
It’s time I send him to hell!
“Take him down!” Joel commanded.
A few men in black quickly rushed in and surrounded Levi.
They were personal bodyguards hired by the South City Chamber of Commerce just to protect Wardell and the others.
These bodyguards had killed countless people throughout their service to the chamber of commerce.
But still, Wardell felt fearful seeing Levi’s glare.
He retreated unknowingly before he shouted at Levi again. “I’m giving you one last chance. If you beg for your life and listen to us now, we won’t hold this against you. If not, don’t even think about leaving this place alive!” Wardell threatened.
The thirty bodyguards charged towards Levi but he remained unmoved.
He let off a slight scoff and kicked away the chair blocking his way.
“As I said, you shouldn’t have touched my home,” Levi reiterated.
He was enraged. Now that he saw the culprits himself, Levi’s anger intensified.
White Tiger would have been petrified seeing Levi like this.
“A stubborn mule. Get rid of him!” Wardell ordered.
Just as the bodyguards rolled their sleeves getting ready to beat Levi up, a commotion burst out outside.
“What’s happening outside?” Wardell turned around and asked.
Wardell and a few others quickly flocked to the window to check out what was happening outside.
Their face turned pale as they processed what they saw.
Fear and horror seized them and they could not even bring themselves to talk.
Seeing their reaction, Joel struggled to get on his feet so he could go over and take a look. “What’s the matter? What is it?” he asked worriedly.
Joel was struck with terror when he saw it.
He dropped to the ground weakly and his lips quivered in fear.
Outside their building, countless battle tanks lined up in an orderly manner, besieging the building and leaving them with no exit route.
There were even tens of fighting vehicles following close behind.
Armed soldiers disembarked from the vehicles and tanks as they marched concertedly towards the Chamber of Commerce.
Soon, the thuds of their footsteps could be heard drumming down the corridor.
In a split of a second, the soldiers kicked down the door and swarmed in, filling up the spacious meeting room in no time.
Each of the soldiers was fully equipped with weapons and they pointed their guns at Wardell and his friends as they awaited a command.
The bodyguards clambered to hide under the table as they saw they were clearly outnumbered. Some of them were so scared they wet their pants and a pungent smell soon wafted through the crowded room.
“Move! Let me see the bitch who dared to wreak havoc in the restricted military zone! I’m gonna beat the shit out of him!” A coarse and assertive voice came from the multitude of soldiers.
CHAPTER 726
Following the commanding voice, a bulky man in uniform appeared with a machine gun on his shoulder.
After making an entrance, the army official stood still and surveyed the people. He spotted Levi and quickly saluted, saying, “Chief, this is South City Warzone Black Panther Regiment’s Zebedee reporting!”
It turned out that the Guardian Mansion Levi was temporarily living in was Black Panther’s territory.
As soon as he found out that someone tore down the Guardian Mansion, Zebedee summoned the regiment and hunted the culprits down.
“Chief?” Wardell and Joel looked at Levi in disbelief.
It instantly dawned upon them why Tim entrusted the investment conference project to Levi.
Because he was a big shot in the army!
They thought Levi was merely someone Tim had connections with.
Wardell and Joel never once thought that Levi could actually be someone important.
Zebedee pointed his machine gun towards Wardell and shouted in a condescending tone. “Who gave you the permission to knock down the buildings in the Guardian Mansion? You’ve got some nerves, haven’t you? Well, it’s true that we are not supposed to harm innocent civilians, but you fools had brought it on yourself after what you did!”
“Why is your gun pointed at us? What do you want to do?” Wardell’s voice became shaky.
“Hah! You’re scared? I bet this is not the first time you’ve done something like this. I’m not gonna go easy on y’all!” Zebedee threatened.
Levi walked impassively towards the oval table. With a kick, he shattered the table into pieces.
Dust and debris dispersed in the air before settling into a thick layer of grey powder on the ground.
“Please! Please stop!” Wardell begged, his voice choked by a cough.
The others quickly followed suit and begged for their lives.
“Chief, it’s our fault! Please forgive us. If we knew it was you, we wouldn’t do something like this!” the others implored.
“There will be a reckoning for people like you and I mean business. Go through their criminal records and investigate everything, including their exploitation of other people, trespassing of military bases, and demolition of public property!” Levi ordered.
Wardell Becker swooned and dropped to his knees upon hearing this.
This could be the end of him.
On the same day itself, the South City Chamber of Commerce was shut down for further investigation.
Many people were thrilled to hear this.
Many merchants had long been mistreated by the South City Chamber of Commerce; many had even died because they went against the organization.
Many of them had long coveted justice—and it was finally delivered.
Words spread around in no time and people cheered, especially those lower-level merchants. Their rights and benefits had long been abused and overlooked—and they were vindicated at last.
Of course, this called for a celebration.
It turned out that the South City Chamber of Commerce’s corruption was way more entrenched than thought.
The organization had siphoned public funds worth more than thousands of billions.
After confiscating the embezzled fund, the authorities channeled the money into infrastructure maintenance.
The public was appeased by how the case was handled and Levi could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Indeed, one man’s misfortune was another’s fortune.
The Black family was now in hot waters.
CHAPTER 727
The ten million they spent were all in vain.
Since the investment conference was already around the corner, they now put all their hopes on Zoey.
Meredith and Robert beckoned Zoey over and inquired about how things had been progressing.
Zoey said she had done everything she could—but she was still unsure about how things would turn out.
Nevertheless, she remembered what Levi told her.
He said the results were entirely within his control.
Since Levi was so confident, she should also trust him.
They would face it together even if they lost.
“I think the project will be ours!” Zoey said.
“Are you sure?” Meredith’s eyes glimmered with hope.
Robert was so excited he stood up and exclaimed, “Really? Are we gonna win the project?”
“Of course! We will nail it!” Zoey repeated. She was sure Levi would make it.
This was how much Zoey trusted her husband—she trusted him no matter what came their way.
As long as it was something Levi was confident about, she would stand by him without a doubt.
“That’s great! Success has always been on your side, I’m sure it will be the same this time too!” Meredith said, almost bursting into tears of joy.
This project was worth fifty billion. This meant the Black family would pocket at least tens of billions of profit.
This was a big fortune.
“But I have a condition,” Zoey said.
“What is it?” they asked unanimously.
“This project will be under the Black family, but I want to be in charge of all the details,” Zoey pronounced her condition.
“What?” they murmured. They did not seem pleased with what they just heard.
How could Zoey be the only person in charge of how the project was rolled out?
This was unreasonable.
“No way. This is the Black family’s project, how can we let an outsider run things?” one of them protested.
“Yeah! It won’t look good on us if outsiders find out about it!” another agreed.
Voices of disagreement quickly spread among them.
“Zoey, you should stand clear of the Black family’s finances to prevent any misunderstandings, don’t you think so?” Jennie suggested.
“Yeah, I agree. Imagine what would the old folks make of it?” Logan said.
“This is my condition. It’s either y’all accept it or just forgo the project,” Zoey said adamantly.
“Alright then. Grandma and grandpa accept this condition. You will take full charge of the project!” Meredith promised.
After getting a satisfactory answer, Zoey finally left.
After she left, Bailey and other people grumbled. “Dad, mom, how could y’all allow that?”
“Well, we just need to wait till the project comes to us. By then she won’t even have a say in it,” Meredith said gleefully.
“But I thought you promised her?” someone asked.
“I don’t have to admit it! When the time comes, all of you just have to be my witnesses and say I never promised her anything.”
Hearing what Meredith said, the Blacks smiled slyly.
CHAPTER 728
They used the same trick all over again. They knew it was someone from the Black family who took the ten million check last time, yet they accused Levi.
This time around, they knew Zoey would not stand a single chance against them.
However, Quintus was a little worried. He said, “Grandma, that won’t be foolproof right? You still have a reputation to keep.”
“I will gladly trade my reputation for the Black family. Besides, given Zoey’s unswerving loyalty to Levi, this project will ultimately go to him if we allow her to have her way,” Meredith said.
“True. We should never let Zoey have things her way,” Logan and Jennie said.
Zoey was too naive to believe the Black family.
Meredith was a reliable person in Zoey’s eyes and she took her word for it.
But all this was just an illusion.
The day went by quickly and at last, the investment conference commenced.
Merchants from all over convened at the exhibition center.
Thanks to the collapse of the South City Chamber of Commerce, local low-level merchants got the chance to participate.
As the person in charge of the event, Levi had to make sure everything worked out well.
As soon as he arrived at the exhibition center, a familiar voice held his step.
“This must be an unlucky day. I can’t believe we ran into him again!”
It was Tyler.
He and his friends were here for the investment conference as well.
Their status gave them all the reason to behave snobbishly—the Jones family was the biggest player in the conference today.
The South Hampton royal family came second to none.
“Are you here for the investment conference?” Wales asked.
“Else why am I here?” Levi said.
“Aren’t you just a security guard? Why? Are you here to bid for an investment project too? Or you’re here because you want to sell your identity as the Jones family’s grandson so you can earn some money?” Wales teased.
Hearing this, Tyler warned Levi, saying, “Don’t let me catch you sneakily using our family’s name. I won’t let you off the hook that easily!”
“Sadly, I’m not here to bid for an investment project,” Levi replied accordingly.
“Then?” Tyler asked.
“I’m here to decide who wins the project,” Levi answered.
“What a joke! Are you trying you say you’re in charge here?” Wales derided.
“Not bad! I see you like role playing,” Tyler joked, shaking his head in disbelief.
Two days ago, Levi said he was the God of War; today, he said he was the chair of the investment conference.
……
This was pure foolishness to Tyler.
Dude, this is not how you get our family’s attention.
You’ll need to have some substance. If your net worth were thousands of billions, we might consider taking you in.
Or at least, you should be the King of War—else don’t expect us to receive you as one of us.
You’re just a nobody!
Levi glanced at the Joneses and said, “You guys may leave now. You won’t get anything out of the investment conference today.”
CHAPTER 729
Tyler was taken back.
What do you mean?
We will not get anything out of the conference today?
Are you kidding me?
It’s the organizers’ honor our family graced the event today!
We won’t land a good investment deal?
That’s utterly preposterous!
If our family failed to strike a deal, no one can!
Our family controls pretty much everything that happens here.
“Don’t be absurd! No one dares to cross the Jones family,” Tyler said with a crooked smirk on his face.
None of them believed anything of the sort would happen.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you get chased out later,” Levi advised before striding into the venue.
“Hah! What a contemptuous fellow! Who does he think he is? We’ll watch and see who gets driven off later,” Tyler said as the lot swaggered in.
Upon arrival, the Joneses headed for the front row seat.
“Move!” Wales yelled as he dismissed those merchants who had already taken their seats in the first row.
Everyone was seething in silence—they knew full well that woe would betide whoever upset the Joneses.
But not long after they sat down, a few guards came up to them and started asking them to leave. “You guys can’t sit here, please leave now,” they requested.
“What?” Tyler and the others could not believe they heard the guards right.
“What are you talking about?” Tyler asked.
“Please leave now, you guys are not on the guest list of the conference today,” the guards answered.
Tyler gave off a laugh. “Hey, I think you got the wrong people. Don’t you know who we are?” he questioned.
“Yes, we are well aware that you guys are the Joneses. Please, make a move and leave before we have to chase you all out,” the guards said in a serious and harsh tone.
Tyler and the others were completely stunned.
What? Wait! Isn’t this what that fellow said earlier on?
They are legit asking us to leave?
No way!
“Well, since you know we are the Joneses, who gave you the guts to ask us to leave?” Tyler interrogated.
“Please leave now! We are not here to answer questions!” the guards ordered.
“I’m sorry but there is nothing you can do to make us leave,” Tyler said nonchalantly.
I doubt anyone in the South City has the balls to do anything to us!
Wales and the others followed suit and hoarded the seats without moving a muscle.
The guards took out their walkie-talkies and asked for aid, “This is Team X speaking, please send back up!”
In less than a minute, around ten security guards came to the scene.
Without another word, the guards dragged them and threw them out of the exhibition center.
“Hey? What do you think you’re doing?! Let me go! I’m the eldest son of the Jones family! Don’t you dare touch me!” the Joneses started shouting as they struggled to free themselves but to no avail.
“Who do you think you are? I’ll make sure you guys pay up!” Wales hurled threats at the guards after every one of them was chased out of the center.
“Sure! We will be waiting for the Jones family! Make sure you get my name right! I’m South City Black Panther Regiment’s First Lieutenant Sirius!” one of the men in uniform retaliated.
CHAPTER 730
“I’m South City Black Panther Regiment’s Captain Dave!” another one reported.
“And I’m South City Black Panther Regiment’s First Lieutenant Fillin!” another soldier stated.
……
After each of them took turns to announce their identity. Tyler and the others were startled.
What? The organizers mobilized the military soldiers because of this investment conference? What the heck?
“We’re so sorry, we must’ve been out of our mind. Please forgive us,” Tyler and Wales quickly apologized.
Shoot! What were we thinking? They are the military!
I hope this never gets to the God of War! We need to make a good impression!
But this is really weird! Why would the investment conference deploy South City Warzone’s military personnel?
Also, everything happened exactly as Levi said!
Wales and Tyles eyed each other in confusion.
“Don’t tell me Levi Garrison is behind this. Is he the person in charge here?” Wales asked the others.
Tyler frowned as he rubbed his chin, thinking. “This is really weird. We are just here to attend the investment conference. Maybe this really has something to do with Levi Garrison.”
Just as they were busy trying to figure things out, a car pulled up in front of the exhibition center, and out of the car came Zoey Lopez.
She did not go into the center herself, but rather, she sent her secretary.
“Tyler, do you know who this woman is? She’s Levi’s wife!”
Wales did a thorough research about Levi and he knew exactly who this woman was with just a glance.
“Let’s go and ask her!” Tyler said, leading the others towards Zoey.
“Are you Levi’s wife?” Tyler inquired.
“Yes, and you are?” Zoey replied as she squinted her bright and beautiful eyes in confusion.
She looked at the man in front of her from the top to the toe, wondering if he was Levi’s friend.
“This brat scored big, didn’t he? His wife is too good for him!” the Joneses said among themselves.
Tyler smiled courteously at the charming lady and said, “Ms. Lopez, if I were you, I’d take a good look at who I married instead of being too trusting. I don’t know who Levi said he was, but he is not who he claimed to be. The Jones family will never acknowledge him and we have nothing to do with him.”
“Thanks for giving me a forewarning, but don’t you worry. Levi is not even interested in returning to the family,” Zoey replied politely but tersely.
She would never allow anyone other than herself to criticize Levi—she would readily defend him in front of others.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you then,” Tyler replied with a smirk as all of them turned and left.
Zoey watched them leave. A question popped up in her brain when she was talking with Tyler.
Is this how Levi nailed the project?
The leader of the Morris Group would not just sit and watch.
Zoey could not figure out how Levi did it at first, but after talking to Tyler, she thought she knew.
Levi probably bid for the project by telling people he was the grandson of the Joneses.
If people knew he was a member of a South Hampton royal family like the Jones family, getting a project worth fifty billion would not be a problem at all.
So this is how he did it.
Zoey felt really touched.
She knew how much Levi hated that family, and yet he said he was one of them just to help her get the project.
Levi revealed his identity – the grandson of the Jones family – to bid this project for me.
After the investment conference ended, Zoey’s secretary handed over a project proposal to her excitedly.
“Ms. Lopez, we won the bid! We obtained the investment!”
When Zoey flipped through the project proposal, she couldn’t help but feel shocked.
It was indeed a project worth fifty billion of investment.
At this moment, Levi happened to come into the room.
“Did you get it?” He asked smilingly.
“Yes, thank you for your help!” Zoey immediately thanked him.
However, Levi was curious that she didn’t ask him how he won the bid.
He wasn’t aware that Zoey thought he utilized his identity as the grandson of the Jones family to bid on the project.
“Okay, I’ll tell Grandpa the news now.”
When Zoey returned to the villa of the Black family, almost all family members were already waiting for her.
They smiled in unison as soon as Zoey entered the house.
“Zoey, how is it?” Meredith asked.
“Grandma, I did it! I have obtained the fifty-billion project! Here’s the information about the project!”
When Zoey spoke, she handed over the documents to them.
Soon, everyone was overjoyed after reading through the documents.
It is indeed a project worth fifty billion.
“Zoey you’re really awesome! You achieved it effortlessly!” Meredith complimented her.
“So, Grandma, you have to keep your word!”
“First, the Black family, including Mom and Dad, won’t interfere in the relationship between Levi and me anymore. Second, I will be fully in charge of the project worth fifty billion,” Zoey looked at Meredith and said seriously.
Puff!
All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the living room turned tenser while everyone looked somewhat sulky.
Zoey was startled once she noticed the change.
What’s going on?
The next moment, Meredith asked curiously, “Oh? Did I say that before?”
Meanwhile, Zoey was stunned when she heard it from Meredith.
Bang! She was shocked and rendered speechless as if lightning had struck her.
“Grandma, you… what do you mean? Didn’t you make me the promises? Why are you going back on your word?” Zoey asked in disbelief.
“Zoey, I’m not going back on my word. Instead, I don’t remember I have promised you such things! When did I make the promises?” Meredith answered calmly.
At the same time, Jennie and Logan added, “That’s right, Zoey, Grandma never made you such promises!”
“Besides, we were here too when you discussed with Grandma, and you never mentioned such things on that day. Zoey, are you confused? Or did you misremember it? I mean, Grandma never agreed with such things!”
Furthermore, even Robert interrupted, “Exactly. Zoey, We won’t lie to you! But the truth is you never mentioned such things on that day!”
“Hahahaha…” Since the Black family said unanimously, Zoey laughed pitifully.
She decided not to argue with them anymore.
CHAPTER 732
More importantly, she would never win the argument because all members of the Black family “testified” that Meredith never promised her.
What should I do?
At this moment, Robert and Meredith’s attitude flew in the face of her impression of them.
She only realized now that they were the same as Grandpa, and to a certain extent, far more shameless than him.
How could they trick me into getting the project! They don’t treat me as their family member at all!
Now, she began to understand why Levi chose not to acknowledge the Jones family as his family.
After all, the more prominent the family was, the more cold-hearted the people were.
Zoey sneered, “Grandma, I never thought that you would do such a thing! Your granddaughter is totally surprised!”
“Zoey, what do you mean? You are disrespecting your elder!” Logan immediately scolded.
“How dare you disrespect Grandma! Do you want me to slap your face?” Jennie threatened her too.
After a while, Zoey gave them a wry and pitiful smile and said, “Are you stopping me from saying it even after you guys did such a shameless thing?”
“You deserve to be slapped in the face!” As soon as Jennie finished, she came up to Zoey and lifted her palm.
Nevertheless, Zoey successfully dodged it.
“How dare you resist?” Jennie yelled furiously.
“Stop it!” Before Jennie wanted to continue slapping her, Meredith suddenly yelled.
As such, Jennie stopped and stood aside while staring at her.
Then, Meredith looked at Zoey and said, “Since you contributed a lot to the family, Grandma will take the high road and forgive you! But don’t do it ever again!”
“Exactly. You’re always obedient, yet what happened to you today? I think you must have learned the bad habits from Levi Garrison!” Robert said angrily.
Once Robert said it, everyone in the living room seemed to have recalled something.
Indeed, Zoey used to be very obedient and won’t disobey us. Why is she different today?
After that, Zoey glanced at everyone in the room and said, “I don’t want the fifty billion project anymore. Take it if you want! But if any of you wishes to interfere in the relationship between Levi and me, don’t blame me for what I do in response.”
“Who are you to say such things to us?”
Robert and Meredith yelled, “As long as we are alive, don’t ever think about being with Levi. We will stop you at all costs!”
“All of you can’t interfere in the personal matter between the two of us!” Zoey flung the door and left once she finished.
“Look at her, why she is so bad-tempered now? Will she even respect us if she is really in charge of this project?” Jennie was apparently displeased when she said it.
“Indeed, she showed no respect to the elders now! I can’t imagine how she will behave in the future!” One of them added.
Meanwhile, Meredith and Robert were exasperated.
“Damn it! She can never be together with Levi Garrison!” Meredith scolded.
After Zoey ran out of the house, she didn’t cry but remained calm instead.
As a matter of fact, after Levi came back to her, she had grown up a lot and became stronger mentally.
When Zoey found Levi, she said straightforwardly, “From now on, I will live with you.”
Levi was stunned for a moment. Nevertheless, his face turned somewhat pale once he sensed that something was wrong.
“Did they bully you?” Levi asked.
CHAPTER 733
Since Levi could sense her feelings, Zoey decided to be honest with him.
After she explained everything, he said icily, “Let’s go and seek justice from the Black family! We can’t just let it go!”
“I don’t think it’s necessary. From now on, we will stay away from each other.”
Apparently, Zoey didn’t wish to return to the miserable place.
“You can’t be soft to them at this juncture! If you are soft to them now, they will take it as a sign of weakness and do it again!” Levi said.
“Alright, I’ll go with you!” Zoey became more determined after he persuaded her.
If a similar incident happened in the past, Zoey would ask Levi to let it go and wouldn’t think of seeking justice.
Meanwhile, the Black family was overjoyed because they could reap a profit worth more than ten billion from the project valued at fifty billion.
Apart from growing its wealth drastically, the family would also reap more invisible benefits such as fame and clout.
“I must admit that Zoey is indeed competent. After all, she successfully won the bid that we could never get!”
“Unfortunately, she isn’t obedient anymore after being mesmerized by Levi. Otherwise, she would help our family to reap even more benefits!” Logan and Jennie said discontentedly.
After a while, Meredith also added seriously, “I think Levi Garrison most probably brainwashed her!”
“Oh? Why have you come back?”
The next moment, they saw Zoey came back to the house with Levi.
“I’m here to seek justice!” Zoey said coldly before everyone.
Initially, she didn’t want to pursue it because no one would help her. Nonetheless, now that Levi was here with her, she wasn’t afraid anymore.
“To seek Justice? Hehe, you even got your reinforcement!”
“What do you want? Do you want to create havoc in our house with Levi Garrison?”
Logan and Jennie scolded at them.
Also, Meredith gazed at her and asked, “To seek justice? Who are you seeking justice from? When did the Black family owe you justice?”
“It’s you! Grandma, you owe me justice!” Zoey said icily once Meredith finished.
“When did I owe you justice?” Meanwhile, Meredith asked her again coldly.
“I accomplished the things that I promised to you, yet what about you? What about your promises to me? Instead, you schemed with all of them by pretending that you didn’t know about the promises. Grandma and Grandpa, I respect you as elders! But what about you? Do you behave like elders when you went back on your word and distorted the truth?” She answered blandly.
“I think we should punish you!”
Logan and Jennie rushed toward her at the same time and wanted to slap her.
Bang!
However, Levi threw a kick at Logan and sent him flying before he could even touch Zoey.
As such, everyone in the living room was startled and fell silent.
When Jennie lifted her hand, he grabbed it with one of his hands and slapped her in the face with another.
“How dare you touch her? You’re asking for trouble!”
Since Levi was here, he would never allow them to bully Zoey.
On the other hand, the Black family still hadn’t uttered a word as they were totally shocked.
After a while, some of them finally broke the silence and yelled, “Levi, how dare you hit them? Do you know you have committed a grave mistake?”
CHAPTER 734
Jennie covered her swollen face while Logan struggled to stand up. After that, both of them stared at Levi wickedly.
Levi glanced at Meredith and scolded, “You and the old man are indeed shameless!”
“Why are we shameless? Besides, who are you to accuse us of something like this?” Meredith asked angrily.
“Did you renege on your promises to Zoey?” He asked firmly as soon as Meredith finished.
“I didn’t renege on any promises. In fact, I never made such promises! Moreover, everyone in the Black family can be my witnesses!” Meredith looked unexpectedly composed even when she was lying.
“Exactly! We can testify that she never made any promises to Zoey!”
“Zoey made this up! There are no promises made whatsoever!”
The members of the Black family began to argue and asserted that Zoey made everything up.
Meanwhile, Zoey couldn’t help but sneer when she felt the cold-heartedness of the Black family once again.
“Meredith, do you dare to look me in the eyes?” Zoey said furiously.
“Why not?” Meredith sneered.
“How dare you say that you didn’t promise Zoey anything? Look into my eyes and answer me with your conscience. Did you make the promises?” Suddenly, Levi interrupted and bellowed at her with a deep voice.
Much to everyone’s surprise, Meredith answered hesitantly when she met Levi’s terrifying gaze, “I… I didn’t promise her anything…”
“You hesitated! Zoey is your granddaughter, but is that how you should treat her? Is that how you behave like an elder? Don’t you ever worry that your ancestors will condemn you? Alas, you used to serve in the military. Is that how you are supposed to deceive your own granddaughter?” Levi asked a series of questions and didn’t give her a chance to interrupt.
Since Levi was rather aggressive, Meredith was frightened and breathed heavily. As her body was shivering, she dared not to look into his eyes.
“Humph! You don’t even have the guts to look at me now. You are clearly lying and feeling guilty about it! Besides, Zoey respects you a lot as an elder. Is that how you should treat her in return?” Levi continued to question Meredith.
Puff!
Actually, Meredith tried to remain composed to disguise her sense of guilt in the first place. Now that Levi kept triggering her with words, she soon couldn’t help but feel panicked.
Since Meredith couldn’t withstand his direct questioning, Robert stood up and yelled, “Who are you to question us?”
“Well, are you afraid to be questioned by me?” Levi couldn’t help but laugh when he replied.
“Why should we be afraid? The truth is no promises were made!” Even though Robert said firmly, he began to sweat from his forehead.
The Black family couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt because he was imposing and aggressive when questioning them.
In particular, his eyes looked as sharp as a knife that could pierce through their hearts in no time.
As such, many of them were petrified by merely looking into his eyes.
“Who are you to question us? This is the house of the Black family. Get out of here now!” Bailey suddenly yelled furiously.
“That’s right. This is the house of the Black family. An outsider has no right to taunt us here! Get out now! Or else you shouldn’t blame us when we resort to violence!
At this time, the other members of the Black family were exasperated as well.
CHAPTER 735
They managed to turn their sense of guilt into a rage and vented it at Levi.
“Hehe, no one can force me to leave if we can’t get a satisfying answer tonight!”
Given that Levi made up his mind to seek justice for Zoey, he refused to settle for less.
“Zoey, what’s your motive of bringing along an outsider to make trouble here? Will you be satisfied only after Levi Garrison creates havoc to the Black family?”
Pamela began to target Zoey, knowing that she was apparently more soft-hearted.
“I…” Zoey was lost for words.
Nevertheless, Levi stood before her to face the entire Black family and said, “Come and face me! How dare you bully her instead?”
“Robert Black and Meredith Westbrook, if you two refuse to give us a satisfying answer today, I will not leave!” He said determinedly.
“Fine! Since you don’t want to leave, I’ll make sure you regret your choice!”
As Logan was infuriated, he immediately picked up the phone to call his men.
Soon, dozens of men with iron rods in their hands surrounded Levi.
“Are you certain that you refuse to leave our house? Alright, I will cripple your legs today and ditch you out!” Logan sneered at him.
At the same time, he could imagine the bloody scene in which they beat the hell out of Levi.
Robert and Meredith added heartlessly, “Beat and cripple him! We don’t mind taking care of him for the rest of his life, exactly like how we pet a dog!”
My goodness!
Zoey was nervous when she realized that the Black family was serious about it.
They really want to cripple Levi!
“Go now!”
Once Logan gave the order, all of his men rushed toward him.
Meanwhile, Zoey almost closed her eyes because she felt hopeless about what would happen next.
Bang!
She could hear that the brutal fight ensued right after she closed her eyes.
Nevertheless, about ten seconds later, the living room fell silent.
When she opened her eyes, she saw dozens of men rolled on the floor and shrieked in pain.
On the other hand, Levi stood still and was safe and sound.
Is he that strong?
Apart from Zoey, all members of the Black family were startled too.
They stared at him and couldn’t believe their eyes.
In fact, no one expected that he would be strong enough to defeat dozens of men by himself.
Furthermore, Logan, who stood in front and closest to him, couldn’t help but shiver.
After coming up to him, Levi lifted him and threw him out of the living room.
Bang! His bones were probably fractured when he fell.
The next moment, Levi threw a kick and smashed the table before him.
“If we can’t seek justice today, I will resort to violence to solve all problems!” He said imposingly.
Meanwhile, the entire Black family stayed silent because Levi was proven too strong for them to handle.
However, Robert still plucked up the courage and said grumpily, “So, do you want to beat us all?”
Meredith immediately added, “Touch me, and you will face the consequences!”
Even Bailey had the cheek to say to Zoey, “Zoey, you have betrayed the family! How dare you inflame an outsider to beat us? Are you thinking of killing your family members for the sake of your so-called justice?”
CHAPTER 736
Zoey looked up at Bailey and replied, “I don’t intend to do such things but only to seek justice! Instead, you people menaced and even wanted to beat us. So, we merely exercised the right to self-defense as a result.”
“Enough! It looks like you have been totally brainwashed by Levi Garrison.”
Meredith was pissed off and continued, “Justice? No way! I will say this one more time – I never promised you anything! Instead, you made up everything by yourself! Now, I order you to leave our house along with the outsider! This is not the place for you to make trouble!”
After meeting Levi’s gaze, Zoey said firmly, “We can leave today on a few conditions. First, the Black family must promise that it will never interfere in the relationship between Levi and me. Second, I will be fully in charge of the fifty-billion project!”
“Dream on! This is impossible! We will not agree to it!”
Robert answered overbearingly, “First, the project worth fifty billion belongs to the Black family and has nothing to do with you. Second, we will stop you from marrying Levi Garrison at all costs!”
However, Levi interrupted smilingly, “Well, I do have a way to seek justice!”
After that, he dragged Logan back into the living room and moved toward them.
“What… what do you want to do?”
Meredith and the rest were scared to death.
“As I said, violence can solve all problems!” Levi sneered.
Crack!
The next moment, he threw a kick at Logan’s leg and fractured his bones.
“Ah…” Logan looked ferocious and shrieked in pain.
At this moment, the entire Black family panicked.
“You… don’t act recklessly!” Robert advised him.
Given that Levi was cruel, they were extremely afraid of the consequences.
However, since they still refused to agree to Zoey’s demands, Levi announced smilingly, “Another leg!”
Crack!
The Black family was terrified when Logan shrieked pitifully once again.
Levi Garrison is a terrifying man!
“Zoey, did you see what he did? Why didn’t you stop him!” Bailey yelled at Zoey.
Nevertheless, Zoey answered blandly, “To tell you the truth, it was actually Levi who obtained the project worth fifty billion! He did it on one condition: I have to be fully in charge of it! You have only yourself to blame for everything that turned out this way!”
“What?” The Black family was startled.
“Next will be his arms!” Levi sneered blandly.
“Grandpa, Grandma, please save me… I don’t want to die…”
Logan peed his pants because he was frightened.
“Levi, please don’t do it!”
At this time, Russell, who was on duty today, returned to the villa.
Meanwhile, the Black family was relieved to see Russel because the backbone of the family had finally arrived.
Bailey and some of them immediately screamed, “Russell, take down this wild animal now! He beat and hurt a lot of people just now!”
Much to their surprise, Russell kneeled before Levi and begged, “Levi, please give me a chance and don’t make it difficult for the Black family.”
Russell was well aware of the severe consequences if Levi was infuriated, yet the Black family didn’t understand it.
Moreover, he couldn’t do something that amounted to a disciplinary offense.
Since Levi’s identity was highly classified, he had to keep it secret at all costs.
CHAPTER 737
“I can leave only after I have sought justice for Zoey!” Levi replied emotionlessly.
“Grandpa, Grandma, what have you done?” After asking them, Russell eventually got the full picture of the incident.
“Grandpa, Grandma, you must be fair to Zoey, or else this will never end! Let me handle this!” Russell made the order.
Meredith and Robert looked at each other but dared not reject his suggestion.
In fact, they had no choice but to compromise to prevent Levi from creating havoc.
“Besides, you must write it down and affix your seal!” Levi demanded.
“Hey! Don’t go overboard!” Meredith yelled.
Much to her surprise, Russell immediately persuaded her and said “Grandma, listen to me. Write down their demands on a paper!”
At last, Meredith had no choice but to write down two statements to fulfill her promises to Zoey.
“Also, you must apologize!” Levi added.
“Nonsense. You are going overboard!” Meredith refused since she felt that the dignity of the family was at stake.
“Grandpa, Grandma, please save me…” At this time, Logan begged them again because he felt that his arms were almost broken.
“Alright, Zoey. It’s Grandma’s fault. I’m sorry!” Meredith finally apologized to Zoey.
“Grandma, I hope that it won’t happen again. But still, I’ve always respected you,” She replied composedly.
“You…” Meredith was exasperated deep in her heart.
She would always remember that this was the most humiliating day to her.
Much to her surprise, the humiliating day hadn’t come to an end yet.
After Meredith apologized to Zoey, Russell continued, “Grandma, I think you owe Levi justice concerning the incident about the check.”
“What? Russell, you…”
Meredith got increasingly nervous again.
Russell brought Zeek, the servant of the Black family, into the living room and continued, “Tell us everything about the check, or else I will send you to prison. Remember, I have all the evidence!”
Hence, Zeek had no choice but to explain honestly, “I took the check! It has nothing to do with Mr. Garrison!”
“My god! What have we done?”
At this time, Meredith felt humiliated but could do nothing about the dramatic turn of events.
From now on, she would be embarrassed whenever she saw Levi and Zoey.
On the other hand, Zoey was overjoyed that Levi finally cleared his name.
However, she didn’t expect that the Black family had been doing similar despicable things in the past.
“Grandpa, Grandma, this is just too much!” Zoey scolded angrily.
“We did it for your own good. You will understand our kindness one day.” Robert said.
At last, Zoey and Levi left the villa of the Black family after seeking justice.
“From now on, no one can ever bully you. Tell me if someone lays his hands on you again!” Levi reminded her.
On the other hand, the Black family fell silent once they left.
This was perhaps the most humiliating day in the history of the Black family.
Although Levi overbearingly made all sorts of demands, they could do nothing about it.
Hence, they were infuriated and could hardly accept the outcome.
Also, they were exasperated that Logan’s legs were broken by Levi.
“No way! I can never let it go!”
Meredith said grumpily, “Exactly. If we let it go now, the Black family will hang its head in shame forever!”
Soon, all members of the Black family looked ferocious because they shared the same feeling.
CHAPTER 738
Logan was the most furious among all of them because his legs were broken. After a while, he said angrily, “I swear to take revenge against Levi Garrison!”
Even Jennie added, “I will tell this to the Davies family now. I’m sure they will find Levi Garrison and beat the crap out of him at all costs!”
At this time, all members of the Black family held deep grudges against him and desperately wanted payback.
Even though Russell remained silent, he would stop them from taking revenge against Levi if that really happened.
Meanwhile, once they left the villa of the Black family, Zoey heaved a long sigh of relief and shouted, “It feels so good!”
For many years, she tolerated both the Lopez and the Black families and had never been so firm like today.
She was especially overjoyed when Meredith was forced to apologize and fulfill her promises.
“By the way, you looked terrifying just now. I didn’t expect you would break Logan’s legs!”
As Zoey spoke, she was still a little shocked and looked at Levi curiously.
“They deserved to be beaten! Worse things might befall them if they slap you.” Levi replied.
As soon as Levi finished, she hugged him and could feel the warmth exuded from him.
Levi dared to go against the prominent families and even fought the entire Black family for me.
Even if he has nothing left and becomes a nobody in the future, I will be with him forever!
At last, they chose a house built by the Triple Group.
Zoey was satisfied with it because the house was near her company.
In that case, she wouldn’t go home late even if she had to work overtime in the company.
Also, she could avoid being disturbed by the Black family since the house was far from theirs.
“Should we get married as soon as possible?” It appeared that Zoey couldn’t wait anymore.
She felt that it would be a ticking bomb so long as they weren’t married.
However, Levi answered smilingly, “Don’t worry. Others can never interfere with our relationship. Besides, I haven’t finished preparing the surprise for you.”
“Alright! In that case, I’ll wait for the day when you marry me!” Zoey looked forward to their wedding very much.
From now on, she had to shoulder heavy responsibilities. Apart from the Oriental Star Group, she had to be in charge of the fifty-billion project.
On the other hand, Levi seemed to have more leisure time lately. He would occasionally check the progress of building their house for marriage.
The news about the arrival of Western Region’s commander-in-chief Ezra Williamson at South City in a few days had become a popular topic among the residents.
After all, Ezra wanted to publicize his visit so that everyone in the city was aware of his arrival.
Hence, many wealthy and powerful figures in the city had prepared a grand welcome ceremony for him.
The Jones family even blockaded half of the airport with the help of its connections to welcome Ezra.
Furthermore, the Jones family had come all the way from South Hampton to Sapphire Villa to ensure that the preparation went well.
“Did you hear me? You must prepare everything perfectly for the welcome ceremony tomorrow!” Michael purposely reminded his employees.
The next day, the entire T1 airport terminal of the South City International Airport was blockaded.
Michael and the Joneses were waiting at the airport to welcome Ezra.
Moreover, all prominent families in South City had been here to welcome his arrival as well.
The only group that wasn’t here were the ones from the warzone.
After all, it was reported outside of South City that Ezra came to the city for treatment and rest.
Nevertheless, it was actually an excuse to confuse the enemy because Ezra was safe and sound.
After waiting for quite some time, Ezra finally came out of the airport.
CHAPTER 739
Michael brought celebrities with him as the welcoming committees, “Welcome, Chief Williamson! You’ve been fighting hard at the frontline, so we thank you for your service!”
“On behalf of the Jones family, I would like to express our highest respect!”
Michael almost knelt in respect of Ezra before he was stopped.
“You’re too kind, Mr. Jones. I was only carrying out my duty,” responded Ezra who was dressed casually. After all, his excuse for coming back was to recover from his injuries.
“Our family made this banner just for you, Chief Williamson.”
Written on the banner, which Michael ordered to be presented, was “National Treasure”.
Although the Jones family was only doing that as a form of flattery, Ezra was definitely qualified to have that title bestowed on him.
With a wide grin on his face, Ezra accepted the banner, “You would not have spoilt me with such flattery if you knew of the prodigy in your family.”
Before Ezra came over, he did some research on the relationship between Levi and the Jones family, and what he found out was how foolish the Joneses had been to not recognize the nation’s God of War in their midst.
Instead, they put their effort on flattering me.
“Pardon me, Chief Williamson. A prodigy in our family, you said?”
“Were you referring to my son, Anson? I heard that he’s reached the top ranks in the Iron Brigade and that he’s become the right-hand man of their God of War,” asked Michael excitedly.
“What?” exclaimed Ezra in bafflement.
I know everyone in the Iron Brigade’s top brass, and none of them has the name ‘Anson.’ Much less the right-hand man to God of War. What a load of bullsh*t!
“Yes, that’s the one!”
Ezra was only giving Michael a perfunctory answer, but it was enough to convince Michael.
Anson really is the right-hand man to the God of War!
“We, the Jones family, finally showed our strength!” shouted Michael in excitement.
Ezra wanted so badly to knock Michael on the head for his ignorance.
The Jones family has already shown their strength with the God of War of the nation.
“This way, please. We’ve prepared the perfect place for you to heal your injuries, Chief Williamson,” invited Michael.
Since he was there to put on a show anyway, Ezra accepted the kind offer.
“After you, Mr. Jones.”
Michael was thrilled to see Ezra accepting his invitation because that meant Ezra recognized the Jones family as allies.
Convinced that he had become allies with both the God of War and Ezra, Michael was walking with his head held high.
Nobody would dare oppose the Jones family now!
In the end, Ezra decided to stay at Sapphire Villa, where the Joneses prepared a grand feast for him.
The Joneses were pleased to see Ezra accepting whatever kindness they had to offer because that meant their relationship with Ezra would only become stronger.
On the other hand, the people disagreed with Ezra leaving the warzone and spending his time in luxury with the rich and the famous.
CHAPTER 740
Within a short time, Ezra’s popularity dropped significantly.
People were even going to Sapphire Villa deliberately to scold Ezra.
“Don’t mind them, Chief Williamson. They’re just jealous that we have you as our guest,” comforted Michael with a smile.
“We’ve built a statue for the God of War and we’d like to know what you think. What do you say, Chief Williamson?” asked Tyler.
“Sure.”
Afterward, Ezra followed Tyler and the others to the city center, where the ten-meter-high statue had been erected.
“What do you think, Chief Williamson? If you’re satisfied with it, we can erect one for you too!” offered Tyler eagerly.
Seeing how Ezra was frowning at the statue, Michael and Tyler started to get nervous.
Is he not satisfied with the statue? If he’s not, that’s going to spell trouble for us.
“What’s wrong, Chief Williamson?” inquired Michael.
“Whose statue is this?” asked Ezra.
“It’s the God of War himself!”
“Do you know what he looks like?”
Ezra’s question hit the nail on the head.
“We don’t an actual photo of him. But from the information that we’ve gathered, that’s what he looks like,” explained Tyler.
“Bullsh*t! He doesn’t look like that! The God of War looks like… him!”
Suddenly, Ezra pointed at Levi.
“Isn’t that Levi?” asked Michael as the shocked Joneses turned to look at Levi, who just happened to be nearby.
Could Levi really be the God of War himself?
Levi did mention that he’s the God of War.
He even claimed to be the person in charge of the investment conference and drove our family out.
Could it really be him?
Ezra then continued, “You can’t just say that’s the God of War based on the information you found online! That’s like randomly picking a stranger on the streets and calling him the God of War since nobody’s actually seen him before.”
“Phew! As long as it’s not Levi.”
Michael and the others breathed a sigh of relief when they realized that Ezra pointed at Levi randomly.
“One more thing. the God of War definitely hates things like statues. If you don’t want to get on his bad side, you better remove it soon,” warned Ezra coldly.
“Really?”
Tyler and Wales exchanged perplexed looks with each other because they could not believe that Levi was actually right about the God of War’s hate for statues.
The two still felt like something was off though.
After the statue had been removed, Ezra made up an excuse to leave.
“Shadow, follow Chief Williamson and report his whereabouts to me. Do what you can to protect him,” ordered Michael.
After receiving his order, Shadow followed Ezra all the way to a remote alley and saw Ezra knelt before a man.
“God of War, my lord. This is Ezra Williamson, King of War of the Western Region, at your service!” shouted Ezra.
“Get up. There’s no need for such formalities.”
Naturally, the person standing before Ezra turned out to be Levi.
Shadow, the most skillful of the Jones family, was shocked to find out that Levi was the God of War all along.
Ezra wasn’t pointing randomly after all. Levi’s the real deal!
The God of War looks like Levi because he is Levi!
Still stunned by his discovery, Shadow suddenly heard a voice asking him, “This the second time that you’ve followed me. Do you really have to wait for me to call you out?”
Shoot! I’ve been spotted!
Did he say ‘the second time’?
Shadow trembled with fear when he realized that Levi had spotted him.
Thinking that he was the best there was at hiding, Shadow never expected to be discovered by anyone.
Now that the God of War had discovered him, Shadow, clad in black, was convinced to come out to the open willingly.
He then knelt before Levi and pleaded, “Forgive me, God of War! I only followed you because I was ordered to do so.”
“If I wanted it, you’d be dead already,” stated Levi coldly.
“Go back to the shadows. I need you to take care of those who might follow us later,” ordered Ezra who needed Shadow to deal with the spies from Wheldrake.
“Understood!” responded Shadow before disappearing again.
Ezra then informed Levi seriously, “My lord, I’ll attack Wheldrake tonight when they least expect it.”
“So soon?” asked Levi looking surprised, for he thought Ezra was going to stay a few more days.
“The people will only hate me more if I stay any longer. Besides, there’s no better time than tonight. Once Kirin’s done gathering the Beasts, we’ll strike at midnight!”
“Whatever you do, just don’t die on me!” encouraged Levi before giving Ezra a strong pat on the shoulder.
“So I’ve heard that you’re remarrying Ms. Zoey soon. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding, but you can be sure you’ll get my gift!”
“Come, meet my soon-to-be wife!”
Levi then brought the excited Ezra to the company.
Looking at the stranger beside Levi, Zoey was a little dumbfounded.
On the other hand, Sylas was about to explode with excitement when she saw Ezra.
It’s Ezra Williamson!
Chief of the Western Region!
My true superior!
Sylas was so excited that she stumbled onto the ground before greeting Ezra, “Hello… Hello, Chief.”
After looking at Ezra for quite a while, that was the only greeting Sylas could come up with.
“Chief?”
Zoey was as surprised as she was perplexed by Sylas’ greeting.
Why did Sylas call him ‘Chief’?
Is that his title?
“Hello there. Try not to get too excited,” advised Ezra before shifting his focus to Zoey, “Nice to meet you, Ms. Zoey. I’m Ezra, a good friend of Levi’s. We came from the same place.”
CHAPTER 742
Zoey thought Ezra meant that he and Levi came out of the same prison.
“Nice to meet you too. Please, sit. Have some tea, Sylas.”
Zoey was being very hospitable.
“Thank you, but I’m good. I have to go soon. Levi told me about the wedding, which I, unfortunately, can’t attend, but I have something for you.”
Ezra then took out an army-green box, and inside it was a gold medal inscribed with the words ‘King of the West.’
It was a symbolic medal, made of pure gold, awarded to the commander-in-chief of the Nine Warzones.
Zoey could see Ezra’s utmost sincerity when he gifted her with the medal.
“You should just take it. Ol’ Williamson here really wants you to have it,” advised Levi.
Not knowing the true value of the pure gold medal, Zoey took the medal from Ezra after thanking him.
Sylas was stunned at the sight of the medal handed over to Zoey.
In a certain sense, one could command the entire army of the Western Region with that medal, so that meant Zoey had an army in the palm of her hand.
After bidding Zoey goodbye, Levi and Ezra went to the city streets and sat down at a barbecue stall before Kirin and the others soon arrived.
It was a rare moment indeed for the brothers-in-arms to have such a leisure time together.
The moment Kirin saw Ezra, he started complaining about how Ezra was going to take the Beasts away from him.
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch! I’ll return them to you once I win the war. I’ll even add in some ladies from Wheldrake. How does that sound?” asked Ezra.
“Forget the ladies! You better bring them back unharmed. Not even a single hair lost!”
Kirin was treating the Beasts like a bunch of babies.
“Whatever you say. I’ll be in the battlefield myself by then, and I’ll die before I let anything happen to your boys.”
Ezra then downed his hard liquor.
“Now that’s what I want to hear! But you better make it back alive. Otherwise, who’s going to send my boys back to me?” toasted Kirin.
Looking at how the two were bickering, Levi could not help but let out a hearty laughter.
As much as the two liked to bicker like children, Levi knew that they would both give their lives to protect each other on the battlefield.
At that moment, a group of men appeared on the street with knives and sticks in their hands.
Watching them from the darkness was both Jennie and Logan in a wheelchair who wanted to exact their vengeance on Levi.
Logan swore to break Levi’s limbs and keep any doctor from treating them in time so that he would lose them forever.
The goal was to make sure Levi stay bedridden for the rest of his life.
As for the Black family, after Levi offended and angered them just a few days before, they expected nothing less to happen to Levi.
CHAPTER 743
Only getting Levi bedridden would relieve them of their hate for him.
“I’ll make him pay!” promised Logan viciously.
To live up to that promise, Logan had hired dozens of brutes to get the job done.
While Levi, Ezra, and the others were reminiscing about the good old days, they suddenly noticed a crowd of people approaching them.
Every one of them looked vicious and was armed with sticks and clubs.
Annoyed at the sight, Ezra, Kirin, and the others put their liquor down and frowned at the crowd.
“You guys carry on. They’re here for me, so I’ll handle them,” notified Levi.
“Your business is our business. There’s no need for you to move a muscle when you’ve got us around,” assured Ezra with a smirk.
Cursed with a bad temper, Ezra had always been the most ruthless killing machine in the army, and he would violently mow down anyone who dared to touch Levi.
Suddenly, Levi smirked, for Shadow and the Jones family’s elites had appeared, “Looks like we don’t have to do anything at all.”
After figuring out who the Shadow was, the brutes got so terrified that they begged for mercy before running off.
Watching from afar, Logan and Jennie were puzzled by the situation.
“What happened?”
“The Jones family, royalties of Erudia, is watching over this street!” explained the head of the brutes.
“What? Did you mean the Jones family of South Hampton? Ezra Williamson of the Western Region must be on this street then!” stated Logan whose face quickly turned pale.
If Ezra knew about this, both the Black and Davies family would be ruined!
“Then we better run! We’re no match to either Ezra or the Joneses,” urged Logan.
Before leaving, Jennie took another look at Levi, “You got lucky this time. Let’s see how long that luck lasts.”
“We’ll get our chance. For now, we live to fight another day,” advised Logan who was terror-stricken.
After the gathering, Ezra went back to Sapphire Villa while Shadow reported to Michael.
“So what did Ezra do today?” inquired Michael before the Joneses all looked expectantly at Shadow.
“He… He went to see the… God of War.”
At that moment, Shadow, who was usually calm like the ocean, was short of breath and seemed extremely abnormal.
After all, that discovery was the most shocking thing in his life.
“What? The God of War?”
The Joneses were more concerned about the God of War than how abnormally Shadow was acting.
“Well, what does he look like?” asked Tyler eagerly, who did put in a lot of effort to find out what the God of War looks like for the statue.
CHAPTER 744
“The God of War is… is Levi,” stuttered Shadow.
“You mean the God of War really does look like Levi?”
Michael misunderstood what Shadow was trying to tell them.
“I thought Chief Williamson was just randomly pointing at somebody. I didn’t expect them to really look alike,” stated Tyler and the others.
Shadow nodded helplessly, “Yes, they do look alike.”
“Shadow, you should’ve notified us sooner so that we can all go see the God of War himself. What a shame!” sighed Michael.
“He’s right. You really should’ve let us know sooner!”
The others joined Michael to blame Shadow, who was then left with no choice but to provide an excuse, “There was a group of trouble-makers approaching the God of War and his friends. I was late because I had to take care of them first.”
“What? There was a group of people who dared to go up against the God of War?”
Michael found it hard to believe while the rest of the family got anxious.
“I’ve already looked into it. It’s the Black family,” revealed Shadow.
Michael then gave an order, “Wallace, go to the Blacks and teach them a lesson! It seemed that they’re forcing my hand to destroy them.”
Before Logan and Jennie even had the time to inform the Black family of what happened, Wallace and his men stormed in.
After Wallace announced his identity, Meredith and the others were more than surprised.
He’s a South Hampton royalty!
His family is much stronger than the Gates or Caesar family.
Every member of the Black family quickly greeted Wallace courteously.
“Did you, or did you not, make trouble on Peace Road just now?” asked Wallace.
The Blacks’ eyes were wide open when they realized how much trouble they were in.
“Speak!” roared Wallace.
“Yes… Yes, it was us. We’re dealing with some personal matter,” Logan and Jennie quickly came clean.
Slap!
Wallace walked up to the two and gave them both ten hard slaps on the cheek, after which their face got badly swollen.
While Logan’s face darkened, Jennie cried in pain.
Why do we keep getting hit these days?
“Do you have any idea who’s on Peace Road? How dare you send a group of trouble-makers to where the God of War and Chief Williamson are! You’re this close to disappearing from the face of the earth.”
Wallace then kicked Logan off his wheelchair while Meredith and Robert’s faces turned pale after hearing Wallace’s words.
The God of War himself? How can that be?
The Black family could not believe who they almost offended.
“You guys better do some serious reflecting. If this happens again, I’ll make sure the Black family is turned to dust!” Warned Wallace before he stormed off and left the Black family to ruminate in dead silence.
Our family was this close to being ended.
CHAPTER 745
“I can’t believe the luck Levi had! How did he just happen to be around both the God of War and Ezra?”
“Well, I can’t believe we almost ruined our family for going after Levi.”
Meredith and the others still found it hard to believe that they brushed shoulders with the God of War and almost got wiped out.
On the internet, more and more people were starting to call Ezra a deserter who abused his authority and brought harm to the people.
It was obvious that someone from Wheldrake orchestrated the online activities, for the people of Wheldrake hated Ezra for how he had defeated them.
Even if they could not beat him on the battlefield, they could still ruin him with the power of public opinion on the internet.
At midnight, Ezra sneaked out of Sapphire Villa to meet with the Beasts, who were already prepared to head off to the Western Region with him.
Before dawn, Wheldrake was suddenly attacked in the Western Region.
With unmatched strength, a thousand troops attacked head-on and broke through the four lines of defense surrounding Wheldrake before Ezra’s army in the Western Region joined in to press their attack.
Wheldrake was completely defeated on the battlefield as they kept retreating from the frontline.
The stalemate between the two sides was no more, and the battle was a complete victory for Ezra and his army.
Erudia began to cheer for Ezra when they realized it was all in his plan all along.
After hearing of Ezra’s victory, Levi could not be prouder of the soldiers he had trained. Both Ezra and the Beasts.
“When you get back, Ezra, I’ll personally see to it that you get a feast to celebrate!” Levi contacted Ezra the second he caught wind of the good news.
People were praising Ezra for his valor, and the Beasts made their debut. It was a battle to be recorded in the annals of history.
Even the God of War was given some credit, but the Jones family got nothing but embarrassment.
All of South City was laughing at the Joneses for panicking over Ezra’s disappearance that night.
It was only then that the Joneses realized they were part of Ezra’s plan, so that meant they were due some credit for the great victory.
But the Joneses were not happy about that because they did not achieve their goal after all.
What they cared about was their own interests, not the welfare of Erudia.
“We’ve become the joke of the city and he just left?”
The Joneses were not satisfied with the outcome at all.
Michael shook his head, “We can’t just let him go like that. We haven’t even met the God of War yet!”
“Is that even possible?” Members of the family were skeptical.
“Chief Williamson has already confirmed it. Anson is an elite in the Iron Brigade and the right-hand man to the God of War himself. If we were to request to meet the God of War as Anson’s family, I believe it would work,” explained Michael.
“You’re right! There must be a reason why the God of War took care of Elijah for us,” agreed Tyler.
“Then come with me to the South City Warzone and we’ll meet the God of War himself!”
CHAPTER 746
Afterward, Michael arrived in the South City Warzone with the other Joneses, where they were stopped at the entrance.
“State your business.”
“Let me introduce myself, comrade. I’m Michael Jones of the Jones family in South Hampton. We’re here to see the God of War!” stated Michael with a smile.
“What? The God of War?” the sentry was puzzled by Michael’s words.
Not even we, the sentries, have seen him before, much less this random person.
Besides, the God of War’s identity is top secret, so not just anybody can meet him.
“Do you think this is funny, sir?” asked the sentry.
“We’re not pulling your leg. Please just inform the God of War. Tell him that Anson’s family has come to see him. That’s Anson of the Iron Brigade,” explained Michael panickily.
Even though the sentry had no idea who Anson was, his face turned pale at the mention of the Iron Brigade.
“Okay, I’ll notify them. You wait here!”
After the sentry left to pass the information along, Michael boasted proudly, “See how well-known Anson is? His name was all it took to get the soldier moving.”
“Uncle Anson is impressive indeed! He’s the hope of our family!” agreed the Joneses.
Because it was the God of War whom Michael requested to meet, the news quickly reached Mike, the commander-in-chief in the South City Warzone, and the deputy commander-in-chief.
“What? Here to see the God of War?”
“Who the hell is Anson? I’ve never heard of him!”
Everyone was perplexed by the news before Alfie of the Dragon Legion reported, “I’ve found him! Anson Jones is just a regular soldier, not a general in the Iron Brigade.”
“How can a regular soldier possibly be the right-hand man to the God of War?” Mike squinted in bafflement.
“Run a background check on the Jones family!” ordered Mike.
Soon, everyone on the scene was shocked by the result they got.
“Michael Jones is the grandfather of the God of War.”
Not familiar with the relationship between Levi and the Joneses, Mike and the others’ faces darkened when they got the news.
“Hurry up and invite Mr. Jones in! Forget it, I’ll invite him myself!” Mike hurried to the entrance with a group of people.
“Hello, Mr. Jones. I’m Mike Pence, commander-in-chief in the South City Warzone. Please, do come in.”
One by one, Mike and the others introduced themselves before inviting the Joneses into the warzone.
Every member of the Jones family was thrilled by the hospitality.
The Jones family’s about to rise!
Just mentioning Anson’s name was enough to get the commander-in-chief and his deputies to welcome us.
This indirectly speaks of Anson’s importance in the Iron Brigade.
The right-hand man to the God of War is indeed important enough to make the entire South City Warzone tremble!
We’re invited in like VIPs!
CHAPTER 747
Michael’s heart was racing in excitement, but he tried his best to contain his emotion.
We’ll soon be one of the wealthiest family in Erudia!
The other Joneses were almost just as excited as Michael was.
What they did not know was that it was all because of Levi. Otherwise, they would not even have made it past the gate.
Hearing that Alfie was the leader of the Iron Brigade, Michael had to ask, “Mr. Steele, how’s Anson doing in the Iron Brigade?”
“Well… “
Alfie hesitated with his answer, for even though Anson was but a regular soldier, he was the uncle of the God of War.
“He’s excellent! You can say he’s one of Iron Brigade’s most important members,” answered Alfie awkwardly.
The scene was similar to when the Black family asked him about Russell.
“Great! That’s wonderful to hear!” Michael was laughing out loud with satisfaction while those at the South City Warzone looked perplexed.
What a strange reaction. His grandson is the God of War!
Michael and the other Joneses were taken to the reception room, where they received the highest level of hospitality.
Throughout their stay, they were accompanied by Mike personally.
Michael was overjoyed to see how well they were taken care of because that spoke to Anson’s level of importance.
“That boy should’ve told us how important he is in the army!” mumbled Michael to himself.
“Mr. Jones, the South City Warzone would like to present a banner to the Jones family.” notified Mike before ordering his man, “Bring the banner!”
Soon, someone came into the room with a banner, and on it was ‘The pillar of the nation.’
When The Joneses saw it, they were so excited that they could no longer remain seated.
“This is for us?” asked Michael in delight as he did not expect to receive a banner after giving one to Ezra.
“That’s right!”
“On my command. Salute!” ordered Mike to his man on the scene.
“The son of the Jones family has served well to protect our nation!”
“Thank you! I’m very proud of him!” responded Michael with a burst of hearty laughter.
The other Joneses were just as exhilarated to receive such an honor.
We have a pillar of the nation in our family!
The Jones family will never be the same again because we can now rival the top family in South Hampton.
The only problem was that Michael and Mike were not referring to the same person.
Mike was presenting the banner because of Levi while Michael thought it was because of Anson.
Nonetheless, both sides were happy with the outcome.
On top of that, Mike made them a promise, “From now on, if the Jones family needs anything, all you have to do is ask.”
CHAPTER 748
“Wonderful! This is just marvelous!” exclaimed Michael, who was already fantasizing about ascending to the top in South Hampton.
Although he was utterly thrilled, Michael did not forget their purpose of going to the South City Warzone.
“Commander-in-chief, is the God of War available to see us?” asked Michael with a smile.
“Let me find out.”
It was only after calling Levi that Mike realized it was all a big misunderstanding, for Levi no longer wanted anything to do with the Joneses.
I knew it!
Why would Michael come here to see Levi if they’re really that close!
I can’t even have the banner back since it’s already been gifted.
“Get them out of there now!”
Even though that was Levi’s order before hanging up, Mike could not just drive the Joneses out like that.
“Apologies, Mr. Jones, but the God of War is not available at the moment and we don’t have the authority to be informed of his location. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for our call,” informed Mike euphemistically.
“That’s fine.”
After what they had received, the Joneses had no regrets about going over to the South City Warzone, even if they did not get to meet the God of War.
After all, they had already seen how important Anson was in the army.
“From now on, the Jones family will rule South Hampton!” exclaimed Michael ambitiously.
The rest of the Jones family was also just as excited, especially Tyler and Wales.
As members of the Prince Gang in South Hampton, their status was mediocre at best.
Once we announce our relationship with the God of War, I, Tyler Jones, would finally ascend to the highest position in the Prince Gang, that is, the title of ‘prince!’
“How fortunate of us! I thought we’d be ruined by the warlord, Elijah. Now that the God of War himself is on our side, Elijah will be under our thumb!” boasted Wallace and a few others.
“We’re right to not let Levi, that low-life, into our family. He’d only be an embarrassment to us!” sighed Wales in relief before Michael gave him a look, “Never mention that name again! He’s unworthy of discussion! Now even less so, considering our current status. He doesn’t deserve to be my grandson!”
Suddenly, Shadow appeared, “Master, you might want to keep that to yourself.”
He was worried about the trouble they might get themselves in if the God of War heard those words.
“What does that mean, Shadow?” inquired Michael curiously.
“No matter what, you can’t change the fact that Mr. Garrison’s your grandson. I believe that it’d better for you and your family if you keep your thoughts about Levi to yourself,” explained Shadow.
“What are you trying to say, exactly? And why do you seem different? You used to hate speaking out. What happened to you?”
Michael sensed that something was off, but he was not aware of the fact that Shadow knew Levi was the God of War.
CHAPTER 749
“Forgive me. I talked too much,” apologized Shadow, who was actually trying to hint at Michael.
Unfortunately, Michael thought too little of Levi to ever expect him to be anyone important.
To show their new status, the Joneses returned to South Hampton with the two banners held high and flapping in the wind.
For the time being, the Black family was afraid to go after Levi while Zoey got busy with work.
Besides working on a fifty-billion project, Oriental Star Group had recently released a big-budget movie that starred Helena.
The movie became a legend in the industry for breaking the record when it made more than one billion in just three days.
Iris entered Zoey’s office when Zoey was still busy at work.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Iris could not help but pick up the dark green box she saw on the desk.
“Can I take a look?”
“Sure.”
After opening the box, Iris was curious to see a gold medal inside.
“What does ‘King of the West’ mean? Could it be referring to the king of the Western Region?”
“He led the attack that defeated Wheldrake, and it was all over the news,” stated Iris casually, but Sylas, who was just beside them, was shocked to see Iris figuring it out so quickly.
Does that mean we’re exposed?
Zoey raised her head and chuckled in response, “This is a wedding gift from a good friend of Levi’s. I don’t even know what ‘King of the West’ means.”
She had also heard the news, but there was no way she could have known that Ezra was the King of the West.
He was drinking with Levi the night the battle happened. How could it be him on the battlefield?
It’s not like Ezra can teleport!
“A friend of Levi’s, you said? Must be my mistake then,” responded Iris naturally.
There’s no way that any friend of Levi’s could’ve been in the Western Region battle.
Unless he’s a prisoner there.
Zoey continued to joke, “Like you, Sylas almost mistook Levi’s friend to be some Chief.”
“I know, right? I almost thought this piece of gold is a symbol of the King of the West!” exclaimed Iris before putting the medal back onto the desk.
Seeing how Iris was convinced, Sylas breathed a sigh of relief.
That’s not just any piece of gold but a mark of the God of War, who commands the millions of troops in the Western Region!
With that medal, Zoey can summon the army of the Western Region to protect herself any time she wants.
Sylas could not help reminding Zoey, “Ms. Lopez, I think you better put that box away before you lose it.”
Her words quickly attracted both Zoey’s and Iris’ attention.
“What do you mean, Sylas? Is the box special in any way?” asked Zoey.
Suddenly reminded of how strange Sylas acted the day they met Ezra, Zoey could not help but notice something off about Sylas.
CHAPTER 750
“It’s just that I have special feelings for military things and that medal looks like one, so I have this urge to protect it.” lied Sylas quickly.
“That’s understandable. I’ll keep it locked in the safe, then,” assured Zoey with a smile before Sylas breathed a sigh of relief.
After that, Zoey looked at Iris and inquired, “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Because your company’s movie recently broke the industry record, Star Entertainment, South Hampton’s top entertainment company, will be sending their people here in the afternoon to learn from yours. If you managed to take good care of them, there may be cooperation in the cards,” explained Iris.
“Sure. Leave them to me! I have time anyway,” responded Zoey with an ‘okay’ sign.
Star Entertainment is one of the top three domestic entertainment companies, and they have big-shot stars and online celebrities.
Even though the Oriental Star Group was growing rapidly, they still had a long way to go since Helena was the only valuable star they had.
There was much to be gained from working with a giant like Star Entertainment.
Zoey deliberately cleared her schedule to wait for their arrival.
In the afternoon, three sedans and four MPVs parked outside of the Morris Group building.
The Star Entertainment group had arrived, and Zoey was thrilled to see their chairman, Pierre leading the group himself.
Seeing how sincere Star Entertainment was about the meet-up, Zoey welcomed the group along with her team.
Still sleeping, Levi was suddenly awakened by the noise.
“What the hell is going on?” asked Levi frustratedly before Seth replied with a smile, “Star Entertainment has sent a group to visit Oriental Star Group. Everybody’s gone to see the many famous stars and online celebrities in the building. Do you want to go take a look?”
The minute Levi heard that there were stars and online celebrities, he lost interest.
But if it helped with his wife’s career, he thought it would not hurt to let them carry on.
Star Entertainment almost sent over every one of the best.
Not only did they send Pierre and eight others from management, eighteen of their hottest superstars and online celebrities were also there.
The online celebrities then started to live stream and record everything around them, including almost everything in the Morris Group building.
Seeing how it was, Seth had to step in to stop them from broadcasting the company’s internals, many of which were confidential.
He then brought two men with him to approach the broadcasters.
“Excuse me. Live streaming is not allowed in the building! Thank you for your cooperation,” advised Seth, but the live streamers could not be bothered to listen to him as they continued with the streaming.
Seth then had to repeat himself, “Excuse me. You’re not allowed to do your live stream here. Please stop immediately!”
“You’re nothing but a bunch of lowly security guards. Who are you to tell me that I can’t do my live stream here?”
One of the online celebrities, Sarah, even pointed the camera at Seth and his men before speaking to her online audience, “Now let me show you this bunch of no-good security guards who are trying to stop our live stream. What does everyone think I should do about them?”
The audience in the live broadcast immediately began to insult Seth and his men. They even threatened to expose them and their family online.
“Get lost! I’m telling you that you can’t afford to interfere with my live stream, you got it?” insulted Sarah before trying to walk away.
Naturally, Seth could not oblige her, so he quickly got in front of the live streamers once again to stop them.
In situations like that, Seth was very much like Levi, for he, too, could not tolerate them.
“We have two problems here. First, you’re not allowed to live stream here, so please stop immediately; second, you have to apologize for insulting us!” insisted Seth determinedly.
“We will not apologize, and we will continue streaming. What are you going to do about it?” provoked Sarah with a cold sneer.
“Then, you’ll have to excuse us for throwing you out of this building,” warned Seth sternly.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
Pierre and the others from the management team came over, with Zoey following close behind.
“These security guards are trying to stop our live stream! They even threatened to throw us out if we continue,” complained Sarah in tears.
Then, Pierre quickly turned to question Zoey, “What is the meaning of this, Ms. Lopez? Are we not welcome?”
“Don’t worry. Let me handle this.”
After calling Seth and his men aside, Zoey asked them to be patient with their guests.
“Okay, Ms. Lopez. For Levi’s sake, I’ll be patient. Otherwise, I’d have definitely thrown them out, even if it costs me my job!” agreed Seth while he tried to suppress his anger.
Afterward, Zoey took Pierre and his party to visit the entertainment area of the Oriental Star Group.
After the tour, Pierre sneered at what he had seen, “This doesn’t look like a place that can make good movies. I believe Helena’s the only one holding this place together.”
Helena then quickly explained, “Oh no, I only played a small part in the success. Excellent quality is the real reason why our movie was a commercial success!”
“Your company doesn’t really seem to have what it takes to produce that level of quality, though. Did you guys resort to plagiarism?” continued Pierre.
“Careful now, Mr. Pierre,” warned Zoey, who noticed the real reason why Star Entertainment came that day. They were not there to visit but to show how much more superior Star Entertainment was compared to Oriental Star Group.
To Zoey, who was already annoyed, the accusation of plagiarism was the last straw.
“I was just kidding, Ms. Lopez,” explained Pierre smiling before he boldly made Helena an offer, “Have you ever considered joining us? Even though you’re making good progress here with online movies, you should consider moving on to theatrical features! You’re better off with us.”
CHAPTER 752
It seemed that Pierre was openly provoking Zoey, who decided to agree generously, “Helena, that’s an offer you should definitely consider.”
“Do you see how understanding Ms. Lopez is, Helena? Come, join us,” continued Pierre as he laughed at Zoey’s response.
“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll stay.”
Helena had sworn that she would stay at the Oriental Star Group unless Levi and Zoey asked her to leave.
“Then, you better not regret that decision!” threatened Pierre in front of everyone.
Seeing how arrogantly Pierre acted as a superior, Zoey could only imagine how ‘humble’ Star Entertainment’s stars and online celebrities could be.
Obviously, the group from Star Entertainment did not come over to visit but to show off and challenge Oriental.
After the tour, Pierre inconsiderately smoked a cigar in the reception room.
“There’s something I have to tell you, Ms. Lopez.”
“Go ahead.”
Zoey was starting to lose her patience with Pierre.
“I plan to acquire the entertainment department of your company. What do you think?” asked Pierre as he smoked his cigar, choking Zoey and making her cough.
“An acquisition? That’s not going to happen. We’re doing well, and we have no plans to sell the department,” rejected Zoey, to which Pierre laughed in response, “You don’t understand. You have let it go because I’m the one making the acquisition, and I always get what I want!”
That was how overbearing Pierre was in the South Hampton entertainment industry.
It was common for him to make acquisitions and buy copyrights forcibly, which was why people in the industry feared him.
Zoey then smiled in response, “I’m afraid that I can’t just let you have what I want to keep.”
“If you reject me, Ms. Lopez, I promise you that your company will be finished. I’ll make sure that you lose access to every possible resource in this industry!” threatened Pierre boldly.
“You think I’m scared? I’ve seen worse.”
Zoey was determined not to let Pierre have his way.
“Very well. We’ll see about that. Nobody gets far without my say-so!” After issuing his final threat, Pierre got up and walked out of the building, leaving the executives of the Oriental Star Group worried.
“Do you know how many potential entertainment companies Star Entertainment has ruined over the years? We’re in grave danger.”
Even though Zoey was just as aware of how powerful Star Entertainment was, she was not just about to give in to them that easily.
At that moment, Levi came and inquired, “Where are the bunch of arrogant celebrities I’ve heard about?”
He got furious after Seth told him about them.
They’re clearly challenging me, and I will not tolerate that.
CHAPTER 753
“Forget it. They have left. There’s no point to keep pursuing the matter anymore.”
Zoey shook her head discouragingly.
She was fearful of exacerbating the situation.
After all, there was nothing to be gained from that.
“They better pray hard that I don’t get to lay my hands on him. I will make him meet his maker sooner,” threatened Levi angrily.
He would never let Zoey suffer.
“Ms. Lopez, Star Entertainment’s actual objective in visiting South City is not to tour our office. Instead, they’re going to film a variety show at the South City Warzone. Their initial plan was to film it at South Hampton, but they were rejected. Yet, for some unknown reason, the South City Warzone permitted them.”
The secretary explained the matter.
“I see. So that’s what happened.”
Zoey did not care much.
Levi, on the other hand, was full of anger. With rage written all over his face, he lashed out, “What are you talking about? They’re going to shoot some variety shows in the South City Warzone?”
“Yes,” confirmed the secretary.
“This is ridiculous! Where did they get that courage from? How dare they do filming at the South City Warzone?”
Levi’s face was a brewing thunderstorm.
This made Zoey and the secretary feel that something was amiss.
Why is he so angry?
He spoke as if he was the Chief of the South City Warzone.
“No way, we must not set a precedent for them! How can they just fool around at a military base? I won’t agree to it!” yelled Levi furiously.
“Why are you so agitated?” chided Zoey, mystified by his reaction.
“I just don’t want to tolerate this kind of unruly insolence!” retorted Levi as he left, fuming.
The secretary asked curiously, “Ms. Lopez, what’s wrong with Mr. Garrison? He acted as if he was an army officer.”
“I guess he just not used to our way of handling things,” answered Zoey.
After Levi left them, he headed straight to the South City Warzone.
He wanted to find out who was the one who authorized Star Entertainment to film a variety show in the middle of the South City Warzone.
They are simply too foolhardy.
Around this time, Star Entertainment had already arrived at the South City Warzone.
The filming team, the logistics team, and the celebrities were all staying at the dormitory inside the warzone.
The equipment team had finished setting up the systems needed and was waiting around for the variety show to start.
Several online influencers like Sarah were still live-streaming and filming the dormitory which the military base arranged for them.
“What’s this? How can anyone sleep on this bunk bed?”
“The floor of the dorm is all covered in mud. I dare not step on it!”
“It’s so dirty! And it’s so humid and wet here!”
Realizing that they would be stuck here for the whole month to film their show, these influencers and celebrities could not stand the living condition. A string of complaints escaped their mouths.
“I can only see a bunch of stinky, smelly, sticky soldiers everywhere! I really can’t stand it anymore!”
Sarah wrinkled her nose.
Pierre was coolly smoking a cigar as he burst out laughing, “Everyone! Just bear with it for a month! After filming this show, I guarantee that your popularity will skyrocket!”
Hearing Pierre’s assurance, Sarah and the others started to relax.
CHAPTER 754
Although the living and working conditions were tough, the shooting of the variety show in the barracks proceeded without a hitch.
They endured, for they knew that they were doing something different, and the outcome should be great. Most importantly, they would make a lot of money.
As they settled in slowly, they got used to the pace of life there. Seeking to further increase her popularity, Sarah queried, “Boss, can we broadcast live-stream from the barracks? My fans want to see what the army dorms look like.”
Pierre puffed a cigar and replied, “It’s up to you all. Let me tell you something. Since I’m the one who brought you all into this place to film a show, there’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“You’re amazing, boss! We admire you!” Sarah and the others cheered.
“It’s nothing! After all, I have connections all over Erudia. There’s nothing I can’t do!”
Pierre boasted as he gave his cigar the last puff before casually flicking the butt onto the grass.
A small patch of the grass where his cigar butt fell was burnt.
Following his permission, the internet influencers started their live-streaming.
With one influencer assigned per team, the whole production crew started roaming around the barracks and filming.
“My dear fans, look! This is how a military base looks like. Here’s the battle tank, and this is the army-trained dogs…”
Sarah’s live streaming brought her to a phalanx of tanks.
“Dear fans! Behold, a tank!”
She sounded excited as she introduced the sight. “I’ll jump onto the tank later and show you how it looks like!”
Sarah not only filmed the tank formation, but she was also daring enough to climb up and shoot the inside of the tank.
“Excuse me, comrades! Filming is forbidden here. Please go back to where you came from!” Immediately, one of the soldiers rushed to stop her.
“Ugh, you smell bad. Do you even shower? You reek of sweat!” Sarah furrowed her brows as she insulted the soldier.
“Comrade, please return to where you come from! No form of shooting or recording is allowed here!” repeated the soldier patiently.
“Hey, do you know who I am? Don’t you dare to obstruct me from doing my job!”
Sarah was starting to get annoyed. “Furthermore, we entered this base legally. Did you see anyone stopping us? Why do you have to be such a busybody? If your superiors blame you later, can you afford to shoulder the responsibility?”
Sarah coldly replied.
“Get out of my way quickly! I’ll leave after I’ve done my broadcast. If you continue to hinder me, I’ll make sure you face the repercussions!” She insisted on barging in.
“Comrade, please back off. This is top-secret. Any photography and videography are strictly prohibited,” insisted the sentry on duty.
“Humph! What is there to be secretive about? It’s just a tank after all. Why are you acting like no one has seen it before? It’s plastered all over the televisions, but no one said anything about it being top-secret.”
With Pierre backing her up, Sarah had become arrogant and paid the sentry no heed.
As an authorized civilian in the base, she felt herself to be out of the barrack’s jurisdiction. She just wanted to do her things without any restrictions.
“Those on TVs have explicit permissions. Currently, this area is off-limits! You do not have clearance to film or take photos!” The sentry insisted persistently.
“I demand you to get out of my sight immediately! If you try to stop me again, I promise I will report your conducts to your superiors! Your future and career will be ruined,” Sarah threatened again.
“No means no! Unless you have received orders from our superiors, you’re not allowed to film here!”
Sarah was completely furious.
“I don’t believe you! I must finish my live stream today by hook or by crook. No one can stop me!” She snidely added, “Especially a stinky soldier like you!”
Despite all the warnings, Sarah still insisted on barging in.
“Who are you calling stinky?” At this moment, a fierce voice boomed.
CHAPTER 755
Without her realizing, Levi had shown up out of nowhere.
His booming voice shocked Sarah to the core.
She spun around just in time to see a stern man staring at her. She glared back incredulously. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
Seeing Levi in his plainclothes, she became bolder. Since he’s not a soldier here, he must be an average worker.
Perhaps, he belongs to the production crew.
In that case, I shall give him an earful.
“Which team do you belong to? Is it the equipment team or the logistics group? How dare you try to control what I do? Do you have a death wish?” Sarah challenged furiously.
Hearing such a disrespectful tone, Levi became enraged.
The moment he arrived at the barracks, all he saw were groups of influencers and teams of live-streamers.
By making his military base into such a public spectacle, Levi felt it was a great insult to the pride and discipline of the men and women who had pledged their lives to serve their country.
That was something he absolutely abhorred!
From the corner of his eyes, he spotted the famous influencer, Sarah, insisting on filming the tank. He immediately rushed over.
This is prohibited.
Isn’t her action tantamount to leaking military secrets?
If the model, structure, or even the schematics of these tanks were leaked out, they would be rendered useless.
In addition, he heard the insult of “stinky soldier”.
This disrespect statement completely angered him.
If it weren’t for us soldiers, protecting lives and sovereignty as well as keeping the peace…
Can you even broadcast your live-stream nonsense right now?
Can you even live lavishly with sumptuous food and clothes?
Levi stared at Sarah coldly and commanded, “I want you to apologize to the guards immediately for those insults you’ve said!”
Seeing her adamance, he emphasized harshly, “Now! Immediately!”
The rest of the guards saw the furious expression on Levi’s face.
They did not want to imagine nor experience the depths of his wrath!
Sarah was petrified by Levi’s terrifying outburst, not knowing what to do.
“Who are you? What right do you have to impose on us?”
The production team next to Sarah was irked as they stared at him.
“I’m a soldier. A soldier who can’t stand your behaviors!” Levi retorted coldly.
“Since when does a stinky soldier like you have the authority to butt into our business?” Sarah rebuked him arrogantly.
In their eyes, Levi looked too young and was too casually dressed to be a military officer. He must be a mere private, at most a low-ranking soldier.
A military officer was usually at least thirty-four years old.
With that thought in mind, Sarah did not mince her words as she voiced her insult.
Instead of flying into a rage, Levi smirked. “Seems like you’ve offended me too. I demand an apology from you as well!”
“Apologize to you? In your dreams! You’ve disrupted and delayed my live-stream broadcast. You are the one who should be apologizing to me!”
She was irked by his smirk further so she demanded, “Kneel and bow down to me immediately. Then, I’ll consider forgiving your mistake.”
Not only did the production team refuse to apologize, but they also demanded an apology from Levi.
This was something Levi did not expect, not even in his wildest dreams.
There are actually arrogant people like them in the world?
Moreover, this kind of arrogance was openly displayed in a military base!
Such insolence! Do they think that they’re the mightiest here?
Do they think that rules no longer apply to them?
“If I were to apologize, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the consequences.” Levi grinned.
“Hah! Do you mean I can’t handle an apology from a small fry? What a joke!” Sarah snorted coldly.
Without further ado, she haughtily urged, “Hurry up and apologize. I don’t have so much time to waste on you.”
At that moment, she wanted so badly to slap him.
CHAPTER 756
A glint of cold malice flashed from Levi’s eyes as he kicked Sarah’s legs. With a loud thud, she fell onto her knees in front of him.
“I’m willing to apologize, but only if you kneel and listen,” Levi stated coldly.
Sarah was dumbfounded.
So was her production team.
All the soldiers nearby secretly gave Levi a thumbs-up upon witnessing such a scene.
He is such a ruthless man!
They had been instructed by the superiors not to cause trouble to these online celebrities. Therefore, despite all the disrespect they had received, these guards had no choice but to keep their chagrin at bay.
However, right now, the person standing in front of them was on a totally different level. He had the guts to do whatever he wanted.
Snapping out of their bewilderment, Sarah and her team were now in an uproar.
“You… What did you just do? You actually assaulted someone!”
“Do you know who Sarah is? She is one of the top influencers in the country with a following of more than tens of millions of fans!”
“You’re just a lowly-ranked soldier! How dare you lay a hand on her!”
Sarah’s manager and crew started shouting angrily.
“Cut the crap and just kneel!”
Levi unleashed a few more kicks continuously. The kicks were swift and precise, and no one had any time to react.
Thump!
Thud!
No one had the chance to defend themselves before falling to their knees as they were caught by surprise.
Their knees and calves were as heavy as lead, and they could not stand up at all.
As a result, they were all kneeling in front of Levi.
“Are you out of your mind? You have a death wish, huh? I, Sarah, swear that I will not let you off easily! I will utilize all the resources I have to make you suffer!” Sarah was so enraged that she was shouting at the top of her lungs.
The escalated confrontation caught the attention of even more people.
Soon, the whole place was crammed with onlookers, including the other internet celebrities and their team.
“What are you doing? How dare you assault someone?”
“Don’t you know who we are? Now that you’ve raised your hand against someone, you’ll have to bear the serious consequences!”
Voices of protest rang out louder and louder from the influencers and celebrities.
When Sarah saw that her colleagues had arrived, she threw an even bigger tantrum.
The whole place descended into a chaos.
“Come and see! These soldiers are beating up civilians! Come and be my witnesses. These stinky soldiers are assaulting civilians!” shouted Sarah exaggeratingly.
Smack!
Just as she finished shouting, Levi gave her a slap on her face.
“Say that one more time, and I’ll slap you once more!” he threatened.
“You stinky soldier!”
Smack!
She could barely finish the phrase as another slap landed on her cheek.
“Stink… You damned stinky soldier…” Smack!
Even before she could finish uttering her insult, another heavy slap landed across her face.
“Try saying that again…” Levi looked down icily upon her, his hand raised in preparation for another slap anytime.
This time Sarah covered her face and sobbed softly.
She dared not say anything anymore.
Levi’s overbearing ruthlessness shocked everyone.
“You stinky soldiers can’t even handle any criticism, huh?” A male celebrity stepped out to speak in Sarah’s defense.
Bam!
With a well-aimed dropkick, the busybody was sent kneeling on the ground as well.
“You can only talk to me on your knees,” Levi said coldly.
“Well, I want to see who dares to trouble my people.” Pierre’s voice bellowed from the midst of the crowd as he made his way through.
CHAPTER 757
After seeing their pillar of support, Sarah and the rest relayed what happened to Pierre in an exaggerated manner.
Sarah sobbed continuously, with the red marks left by Levi still printed on her cheek.
When Pierre saw that, he became enraged.
“Who are you? How dare you hit my people?” yelled Pierre.
Pierre
Which soldier is so foolish that he dares to offend my people?
“Who are you?” asked Levi.
“Listen up, then. I’m Pierre Javens, the CEO of Star Entertainment. We came to the South City Warzone to film a variety show,” stated Pierre coldly.
“Who permitted you to film a show in the warzone? Don’t you know that the military base is a sacred ground that cannot be infringed? Look at the mess you people have made in the military base!” said Levi coldly.
A laugh escaped Pierre’s lips. “Who gave me the permit? With my vast connections, it’s a piece of cake to get a special permit to shoot in the warzone. Furthermore, I’m filming a show here to promote the soldiers. This is a positive and motivational show. Who are you to be such a huge busybody?”
“Firstly, the military base is a sacred ground that must not be infringed. Outsiders are prohibited from entering. Secondly, why do the soldiers of Erudia need you to promote them? Go overseas and ask around. Which country doesn’t fear the soldiers of Erudia?” stated Levi angrily.
“Thirdly, you are live-streaming in the military base without any permission. Filming without any restraints is already an infringement of the rules. There’s even someone who tried to film the internal structure of the tanks. This would constitute a huge crime of leaking military secrets! Lastly, your people have insulted soldiers. Just these four points will be sufficient to make you spend the rest of your life in jail.”
Levi listed out their crimes point by point.
“Yeah! The military base is not a place for you to act brazenly!”
The other soldiers clapped and cheered as they were rather moved by the speech.
After all, Sarah and the other celebrities had gone overboard.
They had been suppressing their fury for a while because no one had shown up to back them up.
Yet, Levi’s powerful presence intimidated Sarah and the rest. They were so terrified that they stayed silent, not daring to utter a single word.
On the other hand, Pierre was enraged. “Who are you? How dare you question what we do?”
“That’s not for you to know. I’m asking you, who permitted you to film in the military base?”
Levi was curious about that.
“Listen up, you rascal. It’s the Head of Culture and Media Department who gave me special permission. He’s a good friend of mine!” declared Pierre proudly.
“Bring him to me right away. If I don’t see him within ten minutes, I won’t bother meeting him,” ordered Levi coldly.
“Who’s so arrogant to demand me to meet him? Does he have balls of steel?”
With a booming voice, Jenson Grant, Head of Culture and Media Department, arrived.
Pierre relayed what happened to Jenson in an exaggerated manner.
CHAPTER 758
“How dare you? You actually assaulted someone? Tell me which platoon do you belong to?”
Jenson was furious.
“You are in no position to ask me that,” replied Levi frostily.
“See, Mr. Grant? Look at how horrible his attitude is. He was worse when you weren’t around just now. He assaulted us directly!”
Pierre fanned the flames, trying to stir up his anger.
Jenson seemed to be cross at his complaint. “That’s it. I don’t care which platoon you’re from. Since you hit someone, you must apologize to them!” instructed Jenson furiously.
“We’ll only accept your apology if you kneel,” added Sarah and the others.
However, Levi merely smirked. “My stance remains the same. None of you can bear the consequences of my apology!”
“Aren’t you being too insolent, you rascal? We can’t bear the consequences of your apology? Well, I’d like to try that out!” rebuked Jenson furiously.
“Are you sure?”
Levi narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them.
For some reason, Jenson felt himself quiver uncontrollably at Levi’s glare.
This rascal has such a powerful aura!
“I’m… I’m sure! Apologize right away!” demanded Jenson.
“Let me ask you something first. Are you the one who permitted Star Entertainment to film in the military base?” Levi’s question took a sudden turn.
“Yeah, that’s right. I permitted them!” admitted Jenson defiantly.
“What’s the objective?” asked Levi.
“Of course, it’s to promote our army and let the public see the true conditions of a military base. I think that it’s very meaningful!” explained Jenson in a matter-of-fact tone.
With a cold smirk playing on his lips, Levi said, “I know that you’re just trying to film a variety show, dragging the soldiers along to participate in this act. How insolent! You’ve severely disrupted the military base’s conduct.”
“Hmph! What we’re doing is to explore the military base in-depth and understand the daily life of soldiers. It’s not all that serious!”
“But it is! Are you saying that you allow them to film the battle tanks and weapons? Are you saying that it’s acceptable to leak military secrets?” Levi abruptly asked.
“Huh?”
Taken aback, Jenson quickly clarified, “Of course, that’s not allowed! I believe that the celebrities of Star Entertainment will know what to do.”
When Jenson said that, he could sense that the atmosphere took a strange turn.
Pierre and the rest were lowering their heads silently.
A flash of guilt and embarrassment even appeared on Sarah’s and the other celebrities’ faces.
“You… You guys didn’t actually… film it, right?” asked Jenson in astonishment.
“Mr. Grant, they’re just curious! Even I’m curious, so I am sure these kiddos would be too.”
As expected of a man who had been around, Pierre immediately tried to diffuse the tension.
Satisfied, Jenson nodded. “Did you hear that, rascal? Everyone’s just curious. They didn’t do anything over the board.”
“Huh! Really? Then look at the footages in their cameras,” stated Levi angrily.
CHAPTER 759
At that moment, Sarah and the rest became flustered.
They had taken many photos and videos earlier, which included a large part of the military base.
They knew that these were definitely classified as military secrets.
Hence, if an investigation unfolded, the consequences would be really dire.
However, the more restricted the content was, the more exciting it was to the audience, and the more publicity the show would reap.
This was why they still chose to film and live-stream the military base.
“You rascal! You’re deliberately making things difficult for me, right? Apologize right away. Otherwise, I’ll throw you out!” threatened Jenson.
When Levi heard Jenson’s’ threat, he chuckled.
“Fine. But if you want me to apologize, all of you must kneel!”
Frowning, Jenson bellowed furiously, “Who the f*** are you? How dare you be so arrogant?”
“You’re asking who I am? In that case, you might only get an answer from Mike Pence!” said Levi with a smirk.
“What? Mike Pence? How dare a mere private like you say the Commander-in-chief’s name?”
This time, Jenson was completely enraged.
“Hah! Why can’t I call Mike Pence’s name directly? Aren’t names supposed to be called?” rebuked Levi.
“You… You… You’re such a cocky bastard!”
Jenson’s body shook in rage.
Who in the South City Warzone dares to call Mike Pence by his full name?
Isn’t he asking for it?
“Mr. Grant, with him around, I think that our show cannot continue anymore. We’ve had no choice but to leave. I think that I’ve placed you in a tight spot today. After all, I didn’t expect you to have so little authority in the military base,” lamented Pierre deliberately, trying to stir up a conflict.
Pierre refused instantly.
“You don’t need to go! With me backing you up, who dares to stop the shooting?” assured Jenson.
An awkward expression appeared on Pierre’s face. “Aren’t we making things difficult for you? Look at the situation now!”
The more Pierre said that, the more enraged Pierre became.
“Do my commands not throw any weight here? Huh?”
Bellowing at the top of his lungs, Jenson glared at Levi viciously.
The other soldiers were well aware that he was the Head of Culture and Media Department.
However, with a nonchalant smile playing on his lips, Levi said calmly, “Yeah, your words are useless to me. You don’t have the right to dictate what I do!”
The moment Levi uttered those words, Jenson flew into a rage.
“Are you from the Warzone? Why are you wearing casual clothes? Could it be that you’re from Pierre’s team?” yelled Jenson.
“Mr. Grant, he’s not from our team. I don’t know him,” replied Pierre hurriedly.
“So he’s not from the Warzone, huh? Someone, throw him out! If he resists, lock him up in the detention room for a week!” cried Jenson.
His subordinates rushed forward, trying to restrain Levi.
Bang!
At that moment, a gunshot reverberated in the air.
CHAPTER 760
Everyone was shocked to the core as they trembled in fear.
They looked around and tried to discover the source of that sound.
“Who the f*** dares to touch him? This is outrageous!”
A furious bellow rang across the compound.
They saw Mortimer, captain of a troop, and a bunch of men sprint over.
As Mortimer headed straight towards Levi, he instructed someone, “Inform the Commander-in-chief and Captain Steele immediately!”
“What brought you here, Captain Lambert?” asked Jenson with a flattering smile when he saw Mortimer.
Although he was a department head, he still worked a desk job.
Hence, he did not have a lot of authority.
Perhaps, he would be important in festive performance, but the military base was dominated by fists. The strongest person wielded the most power.
“What are you doing?” bellowed Mortimer angrily.
“Captain Lambert, he’s not from the Warzone. He snuck in from outside, trying to disrupt the shooting of Star Entertainment’s variety show. However, I stopped him,” explained Mortimer.
However, when Mortimer heard him, his anger intensified. “Since when did the military base become a circus for these clowns?”
“Captain Lambert, let’s not talk about that first. I’m talking this troublemaker right now!”
Jenson changed the topic of conversation hurriedly.
Actually, he was the only person who permitted Star Entertainment to film the variety show and gave them the authority to enter the military base.
In reality, not many people were cognizant of this, including Mike Pence.
He was hoping that before Mike Pence and the rest caught wind of what was happening, the variety show would have already ended.
On the other hand, after receiving a call earlier, Pierre became even less fearful.
He had just talked to the head of the Jones family from South Hampton.
The Jones family was one of the shareholders in Star Entertainment’s
Hence, they were aware that Star Entertainment came to film a show at the South City Warzone.
The head of the family even informed Pierre that even the Commander-in-chief of South City Warzone needed to treat the Jones family with due respect.
His son, Anson, was one of the more prominent soldiers of the Iron Brigade.
In fact, he was the God of War’s most trusted aide.
Hence, he assured Pierre that everything at the South City Warzone would go smoothly according to his wishes.
After hanging up the call, a look of extreme delight crossed Pierre’s face.
His ego was now inflated beyond imagination.
Initially, when he heard that Mortimer was a Captain, he was still a bit worried.
Now, he felt completely relieved.
With the Joneses backing him up, there was nothing for him to fear.
“Answer my question directly. Who allowed these people to enter the military base?” asked Mortimer sternly, demanding an answer.
Jenson felt very embarrassed.
First, he was interrogated by Levi, and now by Mortimer again.
This was a complete humiliation for him.
When he noticed Pierre’s disappointed gaze, Jenson became angry.
“Mortimer Lambert, you have no authority to interrogate me! I’m dealing with this man right now. Move aside!”
Ignoring Mortimer, Jenson insisted on throwing Levi out.
“Do you know who he is?” asked Mortimer with a cold smirk.
“I don’t give a f***! Someone, tie him up.”
Jenson was adamant on doing this, no matter what.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
At the next moment, the ground started to tremble, as if there was a giant army rushing in their direction.
Everyone glanced around in fear, only to see a huge troop of soldiers surrounding them.
The soldiers’ expression changed as they realized that this troop was the Dragon Legion from the Iron Brigade.
“I want to know who dares to touch the God of War?” bellowed Alfie as he strode over.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Dragon Legion arrived simultaneously, blocking all possible paths of escape.
Sarah and the other influencers were shocked to their core by this intimidating scene.
After all, they had never seen anything like that before.
Pierre and Jenson exchanged a bewildered gaze as their expressions drastically changed.
These men seem to be coming for Levi!
Leading the Iron Brigade, Alfie stopped in front of Levi.
The entire troop surrounded Levi as they glared at Pierre and the rest menacingly.
“Who gave out the instruction to throw the God of War out?”
Alfie’s ruthless glare swept across Pierre’s and Jenson’s faces.
“This… This is a misunderstanding, right? The God of War isn’t here,” blurted Jenson.
“There’s no misunderstanding! You’re the one who gave the command, right?” asked Alfie aggressively.
Jenson was so scared that his resolve wavered.
As he quivered, he glanced at Levi with suspicion in his eyes.
Could it be that he has a special identity?
Is he telling the truth when he said that no one can bear the consequences of his apology?
He even dared to call Mike Pence by his full name!
What kind of identity does he hold that he can do all that?
Firstly, Mortimer, the Captain, came.
Then, even the Iron Brigade arrived to protect him.
Who exactly is he?
Jenson knew very well that the Iron Brigade was ranked so high in the Warzone that not even Mike had the authority to deploy them at will.
Yet, they were actually mobilized to protect a young man.
This seems to imply something…
At that thought, Jenson’s forehead was already dotted with sweat, his body quivering.
I might have just gotten myself into huge trouble.
At that moment, Pierre saw the flag fluttering in the air. He asked, “Are you from the Iron Brigade?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Alfie nodded. “What about it?”
“Then, you should probably know Anson Jones, right?”
An arrogant expression crossed Pierre’s face.
“Huh?”
Alfie was shocked to hear that name.
The head of the Jones family just asked him about two days ago.
“Yes,” replied Alfie honestly.
However, Pierre interpreted his reply as an affirmation that Anson was an important personnel of the Iron Brigade.
After all, he was so significant that anyone would know him.
The Jones family has such strong connections, huh?
Now, Pierre was confident that Alfie would kowtow to the Jones family.
“Good that you know. Anson is the God of War’s most trusted aide, and the pride of the Joneses,” declared Pierre with a smile.
Levi interrupted him, “Wait a moment. The God of War’s trusted aide? Why don’t I know that?”
CHAPTER 762
“Huh? Who are you to know Anson? What a joke!”
Pierre shot a disdainful glance at Levi.
Anson is the right-hand man to the God of War. Naturally, an insignificant person like you won’t know him.
“He’s the God of War you’re referring to!” announced Alfie.
“What?”
A look of astonishment appeared on Pierre’s and Jenson’s face. The color had been completely drained from their faces.
“How is that possible? How can he be the God of War? I don’t believe you.”
Naturally, Pierre was unwilling to face the reality.
“He’s really the God of War. Sir, Captain Mortimer reports!”
Mortimer saluted him.
Witnessing this scene, Pierre and Jenson felt like a bombshell had been dropped on them.
They were utterly dumbfounded.
If one person’s account were unreliable, the second person would do the trick.
“Sir, Commander Pence reports!”
At that moment, a group of people rushed over.
The person at the front was Mike Pence, the Commander-in-chief of the South City Warzone, who saluted Levi.
The deputy commanders and military officers behind him saluted Levi as well.
“T-T-This…”
Pierre and Jenson gasped in disbelief. They felt like their blood had frozen in their veins as shivers ran down their spines.
If the verdict of two people was still unreliable, what about that of three, four or five people?
What if a dozen of them said that he was the God of War?
In that case, he’s indeed the God of War!
The God of War?
How can it be that he’s the God of War?
He’s such a young man and so low-profile.
We have actually messed around with the God of War?
This is the unluckiest thing to happen to them.
They could’ve offended anyone else but the God of War!
Not only were the two of them terrified, but Sarah and the rest, who were kneeling on the ground, also started sweating in fear.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
The God of War?
The stinky soldier we were referring to is actually the supreme God of War!
“Oh no…”
Sarah’s manager moaned in shock and fainted right away.
Staring at Mike, Levi asked, “Mike Pence, what’s going on? Why is the military base in such a mess, with a bunch of clowns filming here?”
Jenson’s heart was pounding so frantically that it was almost leaping out of his throat. Indeed, he dared to call Mike Pence by his full name.
“Sir, it’s my mistake. I’m completely oblivious to this.”
He whirled around to glare at Jenson. “Is this your doing, Jenson Grant?”
“No… No. I… I…” stuttered Jenson, not knowing how to explain himself.
“That’s enough! The shoot ends right now. Everyone from Star Entertainment just gets lost! The military base is not a place for you to unleash your madness!” bellowed Mike furiously.
Pierre was terrified.
Now, his connections were completely useless in this situation, not even the Jones family.
When he was up against the God of War, even the Joneses could offer no help at all.
Levi’s gaze suddenly landed on Sarah and the rest. “Do you still need me to apologize?”
CHAPTER 763
Levi’s question came like a bolt from the blue, causing Sarah and the rest to be struck by lightning.
Their bodies were already drenched in cold sweat.
He still remembers this?
Initially, when Sarah insisted on demanding an apology from Levi, he claimed that no one could bear the consequences of his apology.
He even had the audacity to say that everyone must kneel when listening to his apology.
Back then, everyone scoffed disdainfully at his presumptuousness.
Now, they all understood finally.
Indeed, no one could bear the consequences of his apology!
After all, he was the mighty God of War!
Who would dare to force an apology out of him?
Furthermore, he was not even in the wrong!
Instead, he stood on the side of justice.
“You’re the influencer, Sarah, right? Who do you think you are? How dare you insult me to be a stinky soldier?” asked Levi coldly.
Pierre and the rest were at an utter loss for what to do for their minds were in a complete mess.
Err…..
She actually dared to say something such absurd as calling the God of War a stinky soldier?
She really must have a death wish.
“I’m a very fair person. I will neither accuse an innocent man, nor will I ever spare a sinner. Your evil deeds have been recorded in the cameras! Alfie, bring them to me,” commanded Levi.
Soon, Alfie confiscated all the equipment.
After playing the footage, they discovered that the footage exposed all of the activities in the military base, including the secrets involving the battle tanks.
If such footage were leaked, these people could be sentenced to death!
Reviewing the pieces of evidence, Levi scoffed coldly, “What else do you have to say for yourselves? Do you still want me to apologize?”
“We’re sorry! We’re terribly sorry!”
Sobbing, Sarah and the other celebrities started to beg and cry.
Even Pierre was so terrified that he burst into tears.
“You, apologize! Start live-streaming now and apologize!” instructed Levi as he pointed at Sarah.
Sarah followed his instructions. She started a live-stream and apologized to the few soldiers she insulted as “stinky soldiers”.
When Sarah was about to apologize to Levi, Alfie stopped her. “Get lost! You’re not worthy to apologize to the God of War!”
“Here’s your punishment. Star Entertainment will cease all operations for three months. All employees must undergo a mandatory etiquette program, and they can only continue working after they’ve passed it. As for all these people, round them up and teach them a proper lesson. Also, apologize to Zoey Lopez from the Oriental Star Group.”
No one dared to disobey Levi’s commands.
However, if Star Entertainment put all activities on hold for three months, they would lose a third of their current profit.
However, Pierre dare not disobey Levi’s order.
In the end, all these celebrities and production teams were chased out of the military base.
After the shareholders of Star Entertainment caught wind of this incident, they all called to ask about it.
The Joneses were one of them.
In fact, Michael personally called to ask, “Pierre, what’s going on? Why did you suddenly terminate such a heavily invested project? If we incur a loss, are you going to compensate?”
The Joneses actually invested in this show.
“Mr. Jones, you may not know this, but we’ve been kicked out of the military base,” lamented Pierre helplessly.
“Didn’t you mention my name?”
CHAPTER 764
“I did. Not only did I mention your name, but I also even brought up Anson’s name. Then, I got chased out…”
Pierre was overcome with worry.
Having offended the God of War, I’m doomed.
What’ll happen to me in the future?
“What? It didn’t work even after you mentioned mine and Anson’s name? Were you mistaken? How dare Mike disrespect the Jones family!” Exclaimed Michael furiously.
“Mr. Jones, you don’t know this, but the God of War came today! This man is Erudia’s legend. Mentioning anyone’s name would still prove futile.” Replied Pierre agitatedly.
“What? In that case, there’s no way around it. But the Jones family is acquainted with the God of War. Didn’t you mention Anson’s name to him? Anson is his right man! I don’t think he’ll make things difficult for you as a favor to Anson.” Said Michael, feeling puzzled.
“Don’t even mention it. The God of War said he doesn’t even know Anson. I was almost shot dead! Mr. Jones, you’re so unreliable.”
Michael was confused.
Something’s wrong.
How is it possible for him to not recognize Anson?
He must be saying that out of fury!
That must be it.
Pierre must have angered the man to the extent that no one could change his mind.
“You probably provoked him, didn’t you? Useless! You almost sabotaged the Jones family!”
Michael hung up the call quickly.
Afraid that the Jones family would be ruined as well, he no longer wanted to speak with Pierre.
When Levi returned to the office, Zoey asked in surprise, “Where did you go?”
“I went to teach Star Entertainment a lesson!” Replied Levi.
“Hah! Stop boasting. I don’t buy that!”
Zoey did not pay much attention to what he said.
However, her secretary and Helena rushed in soon after.
“Ms. Lopez, something bad happened! Pierre brought a bunch of people to the office. Looks like they’re up to something bad!” Exclaimed the secretary in worry.
The other company directors were extremely worried too.
After all, Star Entertainment was one of the incumbents in the industry.
It was not a good thing to be targeted by them.
Yet, it was obvious that Pierre brought people here to take revenge.
“Let’s go and take a look!” Commanded Zoey with a cold expression, not afraid of Pierre.
Soon, she arrived at the lobby.
Even Seth came along, wanting to protect Zoey.
They strode into the lobby aggressively and confronted the group of men.
“Let me warn you! Don’t do anything rash. I won’t be courteous to anyone who dares to create trouble here.”
Seth stood at the front with the security guards, glaring daggers at Pierre and his men.
Zoey too, eyed Pierre coldly, waiting to see what tricks they were up to.
Thud!
To their utter surprise, Pierre and the rest fell onto their knees.
CHAPTER 765
All of them knelt in front of Zoey.
That included Star Entertainment’s boss and eighteen of its most popular celebrities!
What’s going on with them?
This sudden scene caught everyone off guard.
Why are they kneeling?
Zoey and the others had no clue of what was happening.
Aren’t they supposed to come for revenge?
Zoey, the secretary and Seth exchanged incredulous glances with one another.
The first person who simultaneously appeared in their minds was Levi.
Does this really have something to do with him?
Kneeling on the floor, Pierre groveled at her feet, “Ms. Lopez, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have sabotaged you, or threatened to acquire your company.”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Pierre kowtowed so forcefully that his forehead bled.
As Levi had specifically asked him to apologize to Zoey, he did not dare to take it lightly.
Other than him, all the celebrities and influencers joined him too.
They should not have pretended to be arrogant big-shots.
Sarah even begged for Seth’s forgiveness for the words she had said to him.
On the other hand, everyone on Zoey’s side was stunned, unable to comprehend what was happening.
What are these?
“Ms. Lopez, Star Entertainment will suspend all activities for three months, and you can use our resources whenever and however you want!”
Pierre even offered to activate all their connections to help Zoey develop her company’s entertainment projects for three months.
“Ms. Lopez, please accept our favors!”
Speaking, Pierre sprawled on the ground.
“Okay, I’ll accept it. But can you tell me what happened?” Asked Zoey confusedly.
This was everyone’s query too.
What made Pierre and these arrogant people change their attitudes so drastically?
“Ms. Lopez, we broke some rules and received a harsh lesson. We’ve realized our mistake now.” Explained Pierre helplessly.
“Ms. Lopez, we’ll take our leave first! With regards to Star Entertainment’s resources, I’ll send someone over immediately.”
With that, Pierre and his men left.
They were going to roll out an orientation on proper etiquette for all their celebrities.
When Pierre left, the secretary received an update.
“Ms. Lopez, they probably committed a mistake at the military camp and was chased out!” Reported the secretary.
“But this is a good thing for us. We can use all of Star Entertainment’s resources for three months!”
Zoey nodded in approval.
“It’d be a waste for us not to use them. Coincidentally, Helena’s new movie is going to be released soon. Let’s tap on their resources for that!” Suggested Zoey with a smile.
At that moment, Levi pushed the door open and entered.
“What happened? Did those guys come and apologize?”
CHAPTER 766
When Levi said that, everyone glanced at him with bated breath.
Zoey and the other two had the same idea.
Could it be that this is all Levi’s doing?
The timing is just right.
Previously, Levi said that he’ll settle this incident.
When he returned, Pierre and the others came.
It must be him!
But how did he do that?
Star Entertainment is one of the top three entertainment companies in the nation.
How is it possible for Pierre to cave in to him and even stop business for three months?
These questions circled around their minds.
They were exceedingly confused.
“Yeah. They left after apologizing, and even begged us to use Star Entertainment’s resources to our heart’s content.” Replied Zoey.
Levi nodded and said, “Good then.”
Zoey felt too embarrassed to ask Levi how he did it.
However, she thought of a possibility.
After Levi left, Zoey instructed her secretary, “Check how Star Entertainment’s stocks are doing.”
The staff checked it quickly. “Other than Pierre, the Jones family in South Hampton owns the highest share of 20%!”
“Indeed!”
Zoey heaved a sigh of relief.
Earlier, she guessed that Levi managed to achieve it through tapping on his connections with the Jones family in South Hampton.
Now, she was certain.
The Jones family was Star Entertainment’s biggest shareholder.
Making Pierre do all that was merely a piece of cake for them.
“Darling, thanks for your help!”
Zoey was extremely touched.
She knew Levi hated the Jones family and would not even deign to acknowledge them.
However, this was the second time he asked the Jones family for a favor on her behalf.
This was equivalent to him throwing his pride aside.
Furthermore, Levi was one of the most prideful people she knew.
Darling, I’m very touched…
However, unknown to Zoey, that was not what happened at all.
The Jones family had nothing to do with this.
As everything was too coincidental, she misunderstood.
However, Zoey decided to keep everything a secret and did not ask Levi about it.
Then, with the help of Star Entertainment, the new movie released by Oriental Star Group skyrocketed to unprecedented popularity.
Helena, the female lead, rose to stardom and became one of the nation’s most popular A-listers.
The movie star never imagined all these to happen.
Half a year ago, she was still an unknown celebrity, worrying about her meagre monthly income of three thousand.
Six months later, she became a popular celebrity in the country.
Everything was all because of Levi and Zoey, hence Helena was extremely grateful to them.
Not only that, but she also even donated some money in secret to help those in need.
“Helena, if all of the celebrities are as kind as you, I wouldn’t be so angry.” Said Levi with a laugh.
CHAPTER 767
Zoey was very pleased with Helena’s results and character.
“Helena, your popularity skyrockets recently. A lot of people might be seeking you out now. Please resist the temptation and not fall into any traps.” Advised Zoey.
“I understand, Ms. Lopez.”
Helena was too popular now.
Numerous advertisers sought to hire her as their spokesperson, while many agencies tried to steal her away by offering high salaries.
However, Helena was not tempted at all. Instead, she followed all Zoey’s arrangements.
When the billionaires from overseas offered high amounts of money to invite Helena to drink with them, she refused.
Yet, what she did not expect was that she caught the eyes of the South Hampton Prince Gang.
At that moment, a group of youngsters were smoking and drinking together in a luxurious club at South Hampton.
Tyler and Wales Jones were amongst them.
They were the notorious Prince Gang of South Hampton.
How impressive was the gang?
Timothy, the eldest son of the Caesar family, was merely one of the most insignificant members in the gang.
Even Tyler was only in the middle of the hierarchy.
In other words, the wealthy youngsters, who were predicted to be the most powerful people of South Hampton in the future, were all there.
They represented the entire nation.
Those men at the top of the hierarchy were even more impressive.
They belonged to the most powerful families of South Hampton. Even a royal family like the Jones would have to look up to them.
“Did you guys hear? There’s a new female celebrity called Helena!” Exclaimed Bentley Brooks with a grin.
“Of course! She’s such a chaste woman. Some wealthy businessmen offered her hundreds of millions just to drink with them, but she’s not tempted at all!”
“That’s expected. After all, she had never been in a relationship! Hence, she can still stick to her principles after becoming popular.”
Everyone were discussing enthusiastically.
Even Tyler and Wales were interested.
“I like this woman!”
A voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone, who was initially discussing excitedly, fell silent and looked at the person respectfully.
It was Lucas Quinn!
He was the future heir of the Quinn family, which was one of the top three royal families in South Hampton.
He was considered the true big-shot.
Even Tyler was nothing compared to him!
The Quinn family’s influence was four times bigger than the Jones family.
This was, quite precisely, the difference between the both of them.
As the eldest son of the Quinn family, Lucas was considered a genius.
Not only was his academic outstanding, but he was also skilled in combat.
He was one of the top three members of the Prince Gang, only second after the ‘Prince’.
When he spoke, everyone paused mid-action.
Twirling a cigar between his fingers, an unreadable expression crossed Lucas’ handsome face.
“Wow, it’s so rare for a woman to catch your eyes, Lucas.” Flattered Tyler.
From what they recall, Lucas’ girlfriend were all top beauties. It was very uncommon for him to fancy anyone.
Taking a puff of his cigar, Lucas said, “I’ve investigated this woman. She suits my taste. But what delighted me more is her boss, Zoey. She’s a greater beauty! I want both of them.”
CHAPTER 768
Everyone gasped in shock.
Lucas certainly pulled no punches this time.
Exchanging glances with each other, Tyler and Wales subconsciously said, “We know Zoey. She’s indeed one of the best! Although she’s married, she’s still a virgin.”
Lucas glanced at them suspiciously. “How do you guys know her so well?”
Wales explained, “Because the Jones family…”
At that moment, Tyler interrupted him, “It’s because we saw Zoey personally during our trip to South City. I think she’s a much better choice.”
As he spoke, he fiercely glared at Wales, reprimanding him for almost mentioning Levi’s name.
The Jones family refused to acknowledge Levi’s identity and existence.
Revealing his identity was a humiliation for them.
Especially in social circles like the Prince Gang, it was better if no one else knew about Levi.
After all, it was a disgrace to the family.
It’s very likely they would hear mocking like “So there’s such a homeless hobo in the Jones family, huh?”
By then, they would be deemed as outcasts by everyone else.
Not finding anything suspicious, Lucas grinned. “That’s great! They’ll definitely be mine.”
“Lucas, let’s go to South City, shall we?” Suggested the others.
“Okay. We’ll set off tomorrow.”
Finished speaking, Lucas took a puff of his cigar again.
Naturally, Zoey and Helena were completely oblivious to their impending danger, and were still preparing for the fan meeting.
That day, Meredith and Robert went to Zoey’s office personally.
Under the facade of visiting Zoey, they were actually trying to check on the progress of the fifty-billion project.
The pair met Levi at the corridors coincidentally.
Seeing how lively and vigorous he was, they became consumed with anger.
Logan was still lying in the hospital, yet Levi looked completely unscathed.
How could they not be infuriated?
“Don’t be too delighted yet, youngster. The Black family will never spare you.” Meredith warned, whispering softly beside Levi’s ears.
“Bring it on then.” Replied Levi with a cold smile.
How can I even be bothered by the Black family?
If it were not for Zoey, it’d be a piece of cake for me to destroy the Black family.
The old couple then went to Zoey’s office and checked the progress.
“Are you sure you want to marry Levi?” Out of the blue, Meredith asked.
Zoey nodded. “Yes. Regardless of how the both of you try to stop me, I’ll still marry him!”
Her attitude was firm.
With a smile, the grandmother said, “Zoey, of course you can marry Levi! However, he must make changes until we’re satisfied with him. Only then will we not stop your marriage. We met him earlier! He’s still a listless and unambitious man. How can you marry such a man!”
Zoey asked directly, “Tell me your conditions, grandma.”
CHAPTER 769
“It’s simple! There’s still some time before your marriage. Before that, Levi must earn one billion, depending on his own capabilities.” Meredith declared.
Zoey’s eyebrows knitted together.
It’s a short time before the wedding day.
How can he earn one billion by then?
Oh, right.
The Jones family!
Zoey agreed instantly. “Sure! One billion it is then.”
“Remember, no one else can help him.” Reiterated Robert.
“Yeah, that’s right! Six years ago, he gained a net worth of billions within a single year. Now, he has to depend on himself to earn a billion. We want him to recreate what he was capable of back then!”
After listening to their points, Zoey knew she had fallen for their trick.
It was simply too difficult for Levi to earn one billion without any resources.
Meredith and Robert probably dared to suggest that because they knew Levi wouldn’t be able to achieve so.
“Zoey, since you’ve agreed, you must not go back on your words!”
A delighted smile appeared on the grandparents’ faces.
After they left, Zoey slumped onto the chair, blaming herself for agreeing too quickly.
How can Levi earn one billion in such a short amount of time?
However, as she had already agreed, she had no choice but to look for Levi.
When he heard what she said, he burst out into laughter. “Just one billion? I thought it’d be ten trillion.”
When Zoey saw Levi’s confident expression, she was taken aback.
How could he be so confident?
Is one billion really a piece of cake for him?
“You probably didn’t hear the conditions right. No one is allowed to help you. You can only depend on yourself!” Reminded Zoey.
“Okay, no problem!”
Levi chuckled.
His black credit card held much more than a billion.
Meredith and Robert would be utterly dumbfounded if they knew how much money he had.
“Okay, then do your best. I’ll pay attention to you, but I won’t offer any assistance at all.” Said Zoey.
However, for the subsequent period of time, Levi disappointed her.
He did not take any actions at all, still resuming his listless days of doing nothing.
Zoey ignored him and went on with handling Helena’s fan meeting.
On that day, Zoey and Helena went together.
The fans erupted into cheers.
They were already happy enough to see Helena, but they did not expect her boss to be even more attractive.
This trip is definitely worth it!
From afar, a few men stared at the two women on stage.
“Lucas, did you see her? I’m right when I said that Zoey’s a beauty, huh?” Asked Tyler as he chuckled.
“Not bad. If I get them, you will get your reward!”
Taking off his sunglasses, Lucas’ gaze never left Zoey and Helena.
No preys which he had his eyes on could ever escape.
CHAPTER 770
Lucas commanded, “After the fan meeting, invite them to our party.”
“Understood, Lucas. Consider it done.” Chorused everyone simultaneously.
The man left afterwards, waiting for the two women’s arrival at a French restaurant.
He loved formalities, always ensuring that everything was romantic.
Otherwise, it would be such a waste to just sleep with these women.
As the atmosphere must be perfect, he instructed the others to invite the ladies over instead of forcing them to come.
In the evening, Helena and Zoey were about to leave after the fan meeting ended.
However, there was an Rolls-Royce parked at the entrance.
A few servants, all wearing suits, stood at the side of the car.
The butler at the front bowed in a gentlemanly manner. “Hello, Ms. Lopez and Ms. Engler. On behalf of Mr. Lucas Quinn from South Hampton, I extend his invitation to dinner to both of you.”
Right that moment, Levi drove to the front and blocked the Rolls-Royce’s path.
“Hop in. I’ll treat you to a meal.” Said Levi.
Hence, Helena and Zoey refused the butler’s request. They entered Levi’s car directly and sped off.
The servants stood there in a daze before returning to their senses.
“What happened? Who took them away?”
Everyone was flabbergasted.
Not only did they fail to invite them, but a man also fetched them away!
“Quick! Chase after them!”
But Levi’s car was nowhere to be spotted.
Everyone was dumbstruck.
How were them going to explain it to Mr. Quinn?
In the French restaurant, Lucas looked at the servants in front of him and laughed.
“Someone fetched those women away right in front of your eyes?” Asked Lucas as he ate his steak, holding a knife in his left hand and a fork in his right.
The middle-aged butler lowered his head. Trembling, he replied, “Yes, Mr. Quinn. We didn’t manage to catch up with them. However, I’ve already sent people to look for them.”
Lucas beckoned him with his finger. “Come!”
Confused, the butler walked toward him.
“Sir, what can I do for you?”
Suddenly, a cold glint appeared in Lucas’ eyes.
Swoosh!
He stabbed the fork in his hands into the butler’s body.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Lucas repeated his actions forcefully.
Blood splattered everywhere.
After a dozen stabs, the butler had already stopped breathing.
His body toppled straight onto the floor with a loud thud.
“You useless pieces of shit!” Bellowed Lucas.
“We’re sorry, Mr. Quinn…”
The other servants were so scared that they fell onto their knees, begging for mercy.
Lucas walked to them with the cutleries in his hands.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
He stabbed frantically at the rest of the servants, causing blood to spew everywhere.
However, by then, all of his servants were dead.
Walking back to his seat, Lucas took out a white handkerchief and wiped the bloodstains away from his hand.
“Someone, give me a new set of cutleries!” Ordered Lucas.
Then, he continued savoring his steak.
The corpses sprawled on the ground and the metallic stench of blood filling the room did not affect him at all.
He still had the appetite to eat.
Those who understood Lucas knew that he often had unpredictable mood swings.
On one hand, he could create a romantic atmosphere in a French Restaurant; Yet on the other hand, he could instantly transform into a crazy murderer.
In simpler words, Lucas was a psychopath.
As long as something crossed him, he killed.
In recent years, he had killed more than a hundred of his family’s servants and butlers, let alone the others.
The Quinn’s young master could be considered a demented mass murderer.
Hence, many people in the Prince Gang were terrified of him.
Even though Jones family had the God of War as their protector, Tyler dared not boast about it to Lucas.
If he angered the man, he might be killed mercilessly.
Hence, he had no choice but to keep flattering Lucas.
Soon, the corpses were removed and the members of the Prince Gang arrived one by one.
“What? Someone fetched the ladies away?”
Everyone was surprised.
Who would dare to do such a thing?
Do they have a death wish?
“I want to know who he is too.”
Lucas drank the red wine elegantly.
No one could tell that he had killed five people earlier.
“For snatching the women you like, the person must die!”
“Don’t worry, Lucas. We’ve already sent someone to investigate. Soon, we’ll find out where they are.” Assured the rest flatteringly.
News arrived ten minutes later, saying that they had found out where Helena and Zoey were.
They were eating at the Stardust Hotel, located in the city center.
“Let’s go. I want to take a look at the bast*rd!”
Lucas stood up, looking very curious as well.
The Prince Gang rushed to the Stardust Hotel as fast as they could.
Helena actually suggested to buy the couple a meal to express her gratitude.
Levi did not stand on ceremony either, and directly brought them to the most expensive Stardust Hotel.
When someone saw the car parked at the entrance, he pointed at it and declared, “Mr. Quinn, Helena and Zoey entered this car!”
A smile played on Lucas’ lips. He glanced at the car and said, “Let’s go in.”
They entered the lobby and saw Zoey and the rest seated beside the window.
“It’s him?”
Tyler and Wales spotted Levi instantly, and decided to back off.
If they went over, Levi would recognize them.
They could not afford to be embarrassed by him.
Furthermore, Levi had angered Lucas.
CHAPTER 772
“Lucas, something happened in our family. We need to return to South Hampton.”
They thought of an excuse quickly.
“Leave. Don’t affect my mood.”
Tyler and Wales did not want Levi to beg them for mercy when he was going to be killed.
Not only would it embarrass them, but they might also get involved if Lucas found out about their relationship with Levi.
It was better for them to escape.
In the restaurant, Lucas walked toward Levi and the other two with the Prince Gang following along.
The three of them, who were initially eating and chatting, sensed something amiss.
Raising their heads, they noticed those men standing beside them.
Each of them wore luxurious clothing, exuding a dignified aura.
“How can I help you?” Asked Zoey.
“Hello, Ms. Lopez and Ms. Engler. I’m an admirer of yours.” Lucas introduced himself politely.
“And you are?” Asked Zoey.
“I’m Lucas Quinn from South Hampton! Can I get to know you?”
Lucas was full of smiles.
His courteous attitude made it hard for anyone to refuse.
“No!”
At that moment, a voice rang out.
It was Levi, who was still eating.
“No?”
Lucas and everyone else turned their gazes to Levi.
“We’re eating. Please don’t disturb us.”
Without even raising his head, Levi continued eating.
His cold attitude upset the Prince Gang.
After all, no one had shown such disrespect to them in the past.
Maintaining a gentlemanly front, Lucas said, “Sir, I did not ask you. I was asking the two ladies.”
“I know, but they’re both my women. I’ve rejected you on their behalf. Go quickly! They don’t want to know you.”
His remarks were so shocking to the Prince Gang that they almost burst into laughter.
So there’s someone who isn’t fear of death!
How dare he disrespects Lucas?
Hearing that, Lucas chuckled. “Are you saying that both of them are yours?”
“Yeah. What about it?” Replied Levi coldly.
Lucas noticed that Zoey’s expression remained calm, while Helena looked shy.
He seems to be telling the truth.
There’s something wrong with the three of them.
Interesting…
“Then, I want to buy a drink for your women. How’s that?”
A sick, domineering and arrogant smirk appeared on Lucas’ face.
He had shown his true self.
Lucas was the type who found it exciting to invite a woman in front of her man.
“They’re not free. Hurry up and leave!”
Levi was already running out of patience.
“Haha! Okay. I’ll take my leave now. However, I’ll be waiting for you at the entrance.”
Lucas actually left courteously, and went waiting at the entrance.
“What should we do? It’s obvious that they are here with malicious intents.”
Zoey and Helena panicked.
“Let’s pretend nothing happened.”
With a calm expression, Levi continued eating and drinking his wine.
CHAPTER 773
Although Levi could still keep his cool, the ladies were completely flustered.
They could tell that Lucas and the rest were not ordinary person.
From their clothing and aura, apparently they came from a powerful background.
They might get themselves into trouble if they crossed those men.
“Don’t worry. Since I’m here, nothing will happen to you.” Said Levi with a smile.
For some reason, Zoey and Helena felt assured when they heard his words—especially Helena, who gazed at Levi admiringly.
To her, Levi was a mysterious man who was not as listless as how everyone had said.
To her, Levi was exceptionally impressive, and had a good eye and great foresight.
He was definitely a prominent man.
“After the meal, Sylas will send you back. I’ll settle them.” Announced Levi calmly.
“Be careful. Call me if anything happens.”
Zoey was not concerned.
As he was related with the Jones family in South Hampton, she assumed no one would dare to make things difficult for Levi.
She had a mindset: Levi used his identity as the Jones family’s grandson to solve problems.
After dinner, Sylas fetched Zoey and Helena away from the back door.
Levi lit up a cigarette and swaggered out of the entrance.
There was a Rolls-Royce parked at the entrance, and a dozen sports cars blocking the road too.
They were disrupting the hotel’s business.
However, when the boss learned about their identities, he did not dare to say anything. Not only did he let them park there, but he also even sent some waiters to attend to their needs.
The gang surrounded Levi the moment he stepped out of the hotel.
“You are a courageous soul, huh?” Mocked everyone.
Lucas glanced behind him and asked, “Where are the ladies?”
“They’ve left.” Replied Levi.
“Huh?”
Everyone was stunned. Why didn’t we realize it?
They left through the back door!
Those men were instantly filled with regret.
A furious look flashed across Lucas’s face as he said coldly, “Sir, that’s a bit dishonest of you. I said I want to invite your women over for drinks. Why did you ask them to leave beforehand?”
This was how domineering Lucas was.
He was blatantly inviting the ladies for drinks in front of their partner, yet he made it sound like it was the most natural thing to do.
“Do you think that you’re really cool?” Levi suddenly asked.
“Huh?”
Everyone was taken aback, especially Lucas.
No one had ever said that to him!
Everyone he interacted with were all very deferential to him, not even daring to breathe loudly.
It was interesting to meet someone as straightforward as Levi.
“How would you like me to say it then? In a cruder manner? Alright. Bast*rd, lend me your women. I want to sleep with them tonight.” Declared Lucas.
“Hahaha!”
The Prince Gang erupted into laughter as they looked at Levi mockingly.
CHAPTER 774
However, they did not notice a cold glint that flashed across Levi’s eyes.
He could tolerate it if they joked about him.
However, Zoey was out of bounds!
Death was certain if they touched his raw nerve—and Zoey was his bottom-line.
“So you like to be crude and straightforward, huh?”
“Yeah dude. Lucas wants to sleep with your women! Be obedient and send them to his bed!”
Everyone guffawed.
Lucas also smiled and said, “That’s what I meant. Looks like I shouldn’t be so gentlemanly in the future. Why are you glaring at me? Do you want to hit me? Come and punch me, then.” Provoked the Quinn’s heir with a smirk.
He even brought his face closer to Levi.
Lucas had done this multiple times, yet no one ever dared to hit him.
Usually, the person would end up on his knees, begging for mercy and then send his wife to him.
Boom!
Suddenly, he felt a powerful gust of wind as a black shadow filled his vision.
His expression changed drastically.
With a crisp and loud sound, Levi slapped Lucas’ cheek harshly, sending him flying almost ten meters away.
He landed on a sports car heavily, with a couple of teeth knocked out of his mouth.
The gang was utterly stunned as they looked at Levi in disbelief.
He actually hits Lucas?
Lucas lay on top of the sports car with a numb expression as shock filled his eyes.
That was certainly not something he had expected.
Then, a wave of excruciating pain hit him.
For a whole minute, everyone stood frozen to the spot before returning to their senses.
“You actually hit him! Do you know who he is?”
“He is the eldest son of the Quinn family, one of the top three royal families of South Hampton! He’s also one of the three ringleaders of the Prince Gang.”
“Do you know how stupid you were? You have just caused your family’s demise.”
The Prince Gang started rebuking him.
In the southern region of Erudia, let alone in South Hampton, no one would dare to slap Lucas.
Yet, someone from the insignificant South City did so.
This was something unbelievable to the rest, as if they had just witnessed an ant fighting against an elephant.
They could hardly comprehend what had happened!
“You deserve that.”
Eyeing Lucas, Levi continued, “Consider yourself lucky. If it’s in the past, you’d be long dead.”
His tone was extremely cocky and arrogant, but he was not lying.
In the past, after his departure from the battlefields, Lucas would die the moment he said something like that.
With that, Levi prepared to leave.
“Stop that man!” Bellowed Lucas.
CHAPTER 775
The Prince Gang did it accordingly.
“How dare you leave after hitting Lucas? Do you think that we’re just props? Are you looking down on the Prince Gang?”
Many of the members were very cocky people. Now that they met Levi, who was way more arrogant than them, they could not stand it anymore.
Levi laughed. “Why? Do you want me to beat him till he dies?”
“You… You… You’re such a cocky bast*rd!”
The Prince Gang was astounded.
They had never seen such an impudent man like him.
He was up against the Prince Gang, the most feared organization in the entire southern region.
“You’re the first person who dares to act so haughtily in front of us!” Yelled everyone furiously.
“So are you forcing me to stay just to see how arrogant I am?” Asked Levi with a smirk.
“Do you want to die?!”
“How dare you hit Lucas?!”
“Today, I’ll definitely break your limbs, knock your teeth off, rip all your hair out, tear your nails, and stab your kneecaps. I’ll make you apologize to Lucas on your knees!”
Everyone in the Prince Gang threatened Levi menacingly.
They had many ruthless methods up their sleeves.
To them, Levi was nothing but a punchbag.
They had already thought of how to torment him.
“Cripple him right away. I don’t want to see him standing anymore!”
The searing pain from his hand and mouth caused Lucas to bellow in rage.
The Prince Gang attacked instantly.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
However, they were up against the unparalleled God of War, who was so powerful that even other nations dared not cross him.
Although some of the members of the Prince Gang were skilled in combat, they were simply too weak in Levi’s eyes, as weak as mere defenseless women.
Levi took them out punch by punch.
Soon, all of them were sprawled on the floor as they miserably howled in regret.
Initially, they thought no one would dare to offend them in South City.
Hence, they did not even bring their bodyguards along.
This was what led to their pathetic defeat.
“How dare you beat us? You’ll die!”
“You’ll regret it!”
Threatening Levi, the Prince Gang still refused to relent as they lay on the ground.
Slam!
Levi stepped onto them.
“Ugh!!!”
Screams of agony escaped their mouths.
Stepping on the bodies, Levi strode over slowly amidst their miserable howls.
Not only did it hurt, but their pride had also been trampled under Levi’s feet.
Despite being the mighty Prince Gang, they were now being stepped on.
What an utter disgrace!
Levi reached Lucas at last.
The latter panicked. “What… What do you want?”
CHAPTER 776
When Lucas saw Levi’s harmless smile, he felt that he was confronted by the grim reaper.
Levi looked like the epitome of terror.
His gaze was so sharp that Lucas felt like Levi was looking right into the depths of his soul, even the terror that was filling him right now.
What’s going on?
Lucas’ body quivered uncontrollably.
He had never feared anyone in his life, despite having met many prominent people.
However, for an unknown reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of fear facing Levi.
“Didn’t you stop me from leaving?” Asked Levi.
“I… I… I didn’t…” Stuttered Lucas, unable to complete his sentence.
“Looks like I can only leave after you’re dead!”
A ruthless glint flashed across Levi’s eyes.
Thud!
Lucas was about to say something when Levi aimed a punch on his face, causing blood to spurt out from him.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
After a few consecutive punches, Lucas was covered in blood.
“You can’t mess around with anyone’s woman!”
As Levi wiped his hands and walked away, Lucas toppled straight onto the ground with a loud thud.
Having lost his consciousness, blood dribbled down his mouth.
The Prince Gang regretted now. Why did we stop him from leaving?!
“Quick! Go to the hospital! We have to save Lucas.”
The group then sped off to the hospital.
In the office building, Zoey heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Levi return unscathed.
However, she did not ask whether the matter was resolved.
To her, she believed that it would definitely be settled due to Levi’s association with the Jones family.
“Sylas, pick two elites from the security team to protect Helena. There’s been a lot of people harassing her recently.” Instructed Levi as he glanced at Helena.
“Understood!” Sylas nodded.
The new security team was made up of discharged soldiers. All of them were top-notch fighters, armed with great combat skills.
Iris wanted Helena to be protected too.
Recently, Morris Group’s electronic products were released in the market. With Helena as their spokesperson, the sales had been amazingly good.
Zoey invested the Black family’s fifty billion in the electronic industry. This meant the Morris Group had helped the Black family reap the most profits…
“Levi, follow me. I have something to tell you.”
Zoey summoned Levi to her office.
“Levi, did you think of a way to earn that one billion?”
Zoey wanted to ask about Levi’s progress.
However, he did not seem to be taking it seriously.
“One billion… Hmm… Are they looking down on me? How about we add the amount to one hundred billion?” Suggested Levi with a chuckle.
“Stop joking. Do you care about me at all?”
CHAPTER 777
Levi was taken aback by Zoey’s sudden question.
“Huh?”
“By asking you to earn one billion in a short amount of time, Grandpa and Grandma wants you to prove that you’re worthy of me. Then, they will have no reason to separate us.
No matter what, it’s an unchangeable fact that they’re my relatives. The only thing we can do is to satisfy them to the best of our abilities, so that it is a win-win situation.
But I think you aren’t even taking it seriously. Other than sleeping and eating, you don’t do anything else.” Stated Zoey furiously.
Levi smiled. “It’s easy to settle this. Just wait and see.”
Indeed, it was a piece of cake to him.
He could produce one billion whenever he wanted to.
However, Zoey assumed that Levi’s method of resolving the issue was to use his identity as the Jones family’s grandson.
It was extremely easy to earn one billion by using the Jones family’s name.
This could convince the Black family, but Zoey was not pleased.
What she cared about was Levi’s attitude, instead of him resolving everything using that identity.
She hoped Levi could work hard like six years ago and build his success with his own effort.
“So be it.” Said Zoey with a sigh.
As she watched the man leave, she whispered, “I wish I’m marrying to the unparalleled, wealthy and formidable Levi.”
However, judging from the current situation, Zoey knew it was only her wishful thinking.
Levi was no longer as driven as before.
Although it was impossible for him to meet her expectations, she was still hopeful.
Naturally, Levi did not understand what she meant.
He simply thought that she was being ridiculous.
At that moment, the Prince Gang was in a private hospital, each of them covered with bruises.
They heaved a sigh of relief when the doctor declared that Lucas was fine.
Only his nose bridge and brow bone were broken.
If something bad happened to Lucas, the entire South City would be in an uproar.
After all, he belonged to the top three families of South Hampton, whose power was four times greater than the Jones.
The mighty Quinn family would definitely be infuriated.
By then, who could afford to bear the consequences?
At that moment, they suddenly heard a commotion in the hospital ward.
Entering the room, they saw Lucas stabbing a doctor over and over again.
The doctor’s white coat was completely stained with blood!
Lucas was trying to vent his anger by stabbing everyone within his sight.
He was really an inhumane murderer!
“Don’t be too agitated, Lucas. The doctor saved you!”
Everyone held him back, who yelled furiously, “I’ve been so utterly humiliated. So what if he cures me? I’ll definitely skin that bast*rd alive!”
CHAPTER 778
“We understand your rage, Lucas. That bast*rd humiliated us too!”
“He has destroyed the South Hampton Prince Gang’s reputation. Only by skinning him alive can we vent our hatred!”
Everyone else was equally furious.
“Lucas, you should focus on recovering first. Once you get better, we’ll go teach him a lesson. Anyway, there’s nowhere for him to escape to.” Persuaded the rest.
“To hell with recovering! If I don’t kill that man, I can never tolerate this!”
Lucas was harsh even on himself. Ripping the needles from the infusion bottles away from his hand, he got off the bed.
The nurses and doctors were taken aback.
“I’ll seek treatment after I kill that man!”
Lucas left just like that.
However, his entire face was swollen, with only his eyes and mouth discernible.
What happened today was beyond everyone’s wildest imagination.
No one would expect the Prince Gang to end up in such a miserable state.
Not only was the rest beaten up, but even Lucas was also badly hurt…
If the others in South Hampton knew about this, there would be an uproar.
“Whatever happened today must not spread to South Hampton!” Instructed Lucas.
The men placed great importance on their reputation.
If anyone knew about this, they would be a joke forever.
“But we’ll definitely need more men if we want to kill that bast*rd.”
Someone asked, “Should I summon more men secretly?”
“No. Someone will notice if a skilled fighter in South Hampton is summoned. If my Grandpa asks about it, I won’t be able to give him a proper explanation.”
Lucas shook his head.
“What should we do?” Asked the rest.
“The Four Kings of the Southern Union have control over this area. I’ll request Yadriel to lend me some skilled fighters.” Answered Lucas.
When they went to Yadriel’s villa, the man and the rest were shocked.
“How did you end up this way?”
Yadriel was taken aback.
To be honest, even the Southern Union needed to be wary of the Prince Gang.
Even Grover had warned the members to not cross the gang.
If a conflict started, the gang would definitely not give up so easily.
In fact, they would be up against the combined forces of all the wealthy families in South Hampton.
Hence, he was utterly shocked at the miserable state the gang was in.
“Yadriel, I’ll cut straight to the point. Lend me a hundred men. Don’t ask me why. Also, I hope this stays between us.” Said Lucas.
Yadriel had no choice but to agree to Lucas’ request.
He immediately selected a hundred skilled fighters for the latter.
With these experts, the Prince Gang was all ready to confront Levi.
CHAPTER 779
In the villa, Yadriel was still wondering who beat Lucas up.
That person must be a gutsy person.
This is equivalent to him opposing the entire Prince Gang!
“Sir, this is so strange! Who in South City would dare to beat Lucas?”
“Yeah! I can’t think of anyone. Even in South Hampton, no one would dare to beat him, right?”
His subordinates were equally puzzled, unable to think of a logical explanation.
Yadriel stroked his chin. “It’s probably a private matter. He doesn’t even dare to tell me.”
“No, there’s one person in South City who would dare to do so…” Reminded someone suddenly.
Everyone exchanged knowing glances. Immediately, Yadriel realized who he was talking about.
Previously, the Southern Union suffered a great loss in the same manner!
He was absolutely certain that the person in mind was the one who offended Lucas.
There was no one else in South City who would dare to beat him up.
“Quick, catch up with him! This is bad! Let’s hope it’s still not too late!”
Yadriel chased after them with a few of his men.
If Lucas offended that person, the entire South Hampton Prince Gang would be destroyed.
Even their families would be ruined.
It was critical to stop them in time!
However, Lucas and the rest were simply too fast, having disappeared from Yadriel’s sight soon.
“Lucas, we’ve found out that the guy is called Levi Garrison. He’s staying in Morris Group’s apartment building with Zoey.”
The insight came very quickly.
“Okay. Lead us there!”
A cold, ruthless glint flashed across Lucas’ eyes.
“I will massacre everyone there, before breaking Levi’s limbs and crippling him. Just torture him in any method possible. I want him to die in agony!”
Still not satisfied, Lucas continued furiously, “I’ll even sleep with both of his women right in front of his eyes.”
Then, looking at the rest, he announced, “After I have a go with the ladies, you guys can sleep with them one by one, right in front of him. I want to torture him to death!”
Everyone gasped in shock.
Indeed, Lucas is a pervert.
He is more terrifying than we have expected!
Not only does he plan on tormenting Levi emotionally and physically, but he also wants to torture him to death.
This is absolutely frightening!
We must never offend him.
Everyone followed the man fearfully and soon arrived at the apartment building owned by the Morris group.
They were stopped by the security guards at the entrance.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?”
The security guards were Sylas’ battle mates. They stared at Lucas and the rest warily.
At that same time, they reported what was going on to the control room through the walkie-talkie.
“What are we doing here? We’re here to kill!”
With a ruthless glare, Lucas gave a command.
The hundred skilled fighters drew their knives and charged forward.
CHAPTER 780
“What are you doing?”
At that moment, Levi and a few men arrived.
Zoey and Helena had also rushed over after hearing the news.
Looking at the hundred-armed men, they quivered in fear.
“Stop!”
With a wave of his hand, Lucas gestured for everyone to stop.
“Bast*rd, you’ll pay a huge price for what you’ve done!” Yelled Lucas.
It was a meeting between enemies!
When the South Hampton Prince Gang saw Levi, it was like they had gone mad.
They wished for nothing more than to devour Levi’s meat and drink his blood.
No one, other than him, had humiliated them so badly.
Lucas was particularly enraged. The moment he saw Levi, he was shooting daggers at the latter with his eyes.
In his mind, he imagined Levi ripped apart into a dozen pieces.
The ladies recognized them too.
Zoey’s mind became completely blank.
She thought Levi had resolved the matter, but she did not expect his solution was to beat them up.
Back at the Black family’s house, she had already realized how skilled Levi was at fighting.
“You actually beat them up?” Asked Zoey in disbelief.
“They asked for it.” Replied Levi calmly.
“But… But you’ve gotten yourself in so much trouble! Look at how many people there are!”
Zoey was getting a little angry at Levi’s attitude.
On the other hand, Helena started to panic.
“This is all because of me. I’ll just accompany them for a drink. Nothing will happen.” Said Helena apologetically.
She thought this entire mess was created because the men wanted to flirt with her.
Yet, she did not know that Lucas had already set his eyes on her and Zoey way back at South Hampton.
“It’s fine. As long as I’m here, I won’t let that happen!”
Zoey was a good leader who cared for her subordinates.
Hence, she would never permit something like that to happen.
Levi laughed. “Leave it to me. It’s just a piece of cake!”
“You?”
Zoey glanced at Levi in surprise. The first thought that surfaced in her mind was that Levi was going to use his identity as the Jones family’s grandson again.
“You’re Levi Garrison, right? How dare you hit us? We are from the South Hampton Prince Gang!”
“The person you hit is Lucas! Let me tell you this. You’ve just gotten yourself into deep trouble!”
The Prince Gang started to hurl threats at them.
When Zoey heard what they were saying, fear gripped her heart.
They are from South Hampton.
We certainly cannot afford to offend them.
“So? Are you not satisfied with your beating in the evening? Do you still want to get beaten up?” Asked Levi as he smirked coldly at Lucas and the rest.
Looking at how arrogantly Levi was acting, Lucas and the rest could not tolerate it any longer.
“Cut him up into pieces!”
There was only one thought dominating Lucas’ mind: Kill Levi Garrison.
Yet, an unexpected scene occurred.
All the members of the Southern Union kneeled on the ground abruptly and shouted uniformly, “Good evening, Mr. Garrison!”
Their roaring voices were deafening to the ear, vibrated the chest of everyone at the scene.
Helena, Zoey, Lucas and the rest of the people were left in shock.
…
Everyone’s jaws dropped as they stared at Levi in surprise.
They were in utter disbelief. Everyone thought their eyes were playing tricks on them.
What’s going on? Who is he that these people have to kneel before him? Can someone please explain what’s actually happening now?
They couldn’t get their head around the scene in front of their eyes.
Lucas and his men were flabbergasted the most among all.
What the hell is this?!
The members of the Southern Union weren’t out of their mind. They were sane and sober.
Grover was a smart man. He had secretly shown the picture of Levi to all the members of the Southern Union and warned them about his capability. If they encountered him, the first thing to do was to kneel and avoid any conflict at all costs. On top of that, they couldn’t reveal his identity to anyone.
For that reason, all of them recognized Levi at the first glance, and they were horrified to know that their target was the latter. So, they kneeled right away in order to save their own lives.
“Hey, why are you lots kneeling? He is the man I want to kill! Get on your feet!” Lucas roared anxiously.
But no one paid him any heed, and they remained in the same posture.
It was likely that they’ll not move a muscle if Levi didn’t give them further instructions.
“What are you doing?” Lucas yelled as his edginess grew.
His expression gradually became tense due to the increasing agitation. As a result, the wound on his face almost tore open, and he gritted his teeth in pain.
Still, they remained on the ground and didn’t budge an inch.
An epiphany occurred when Zoey saw the happening, and she assumed that those people were on their knees because Levi was one of the Joneses.
Otherwise, it would be unthinkable that they’d do such a thing.
The only reason behind their bizarre action would be his identity as a royalty.
Moreover, the way they addressed him furthered reinforced her assumption.
So he had been using the influence of his family to settle issues lately. It seems like he’s doing the same again, but at least the problem is solved.
“What are you waiting for?” Levi queried in a cold tone.
“We’re sorry about this, Mr. Garrison!” They apologized in unison.
Right after that, they rose to their feet and disappeared into the shadows.
Leaving Lucas and the bunch behind, who were calling out for them.
That left the gang in an awkward situation. The fighters they hired bailed on them. We’re just a group of defeated foes. There’s no way we can exact revenge on Levi anymore. We should retreat now.
“Hold on. Did I give you permission to leave?” Levi stopped them.
CHAPTER 782
His voice immediately brought them to a standstill as they recalled the pain and horror of being beaten up by Levi in the evening.
Then, they began to tremble.
We’ll lose all our faces if we’re beaten to a pulp again. In the case, death would be a salvation.
“You’re coming and going as you like in my territory! Am I invisible to you?” Levi snapped in an icy tone, sending chills down everyone’s spine.
The crowd gasped in shock.
Whoever upsets him is running out of luck!
“Let’s forget about it, Levi. You’ve already beaten them up, and the problem is solved anyway. To err is human, to forgive is divine.”
Zoey didn’t want things to get out of control, so she took the initiative to intervene.
“Alright then. Consider yourself lucky today. Get lost!” Levi bellowed.
The Prince Gang ran for their lives immediately after they were released.
“Okay. Let’s all go back now. Do not say a word about what happened tonight.” Zoey ordered.
Thereafter, Levi thought she would inquire about the reason those people got on their knees.
However, she didn’t do so. It was like she already had an answer, which was rather puzzling to him.
Zoey has been acting weird lately. She’s not even curious about all the unusual things I’ve done recently. It’s like she is used to it.
But little did he know that Zoey had been assuming him to utilize his identity as a member of the Jones family to settle things.
Meanwhile, Yadriel, who came rushing, bumped into the hundred fighters who were retreating.
“Mr. Garrison had us released.” The person leading the group noted.
Yadriel clapped his hands as his suspicion had proven to be right.
I knew it! It’s really Mr. Garrison!
“This is bad! They’re so screwed!”
Following that, the man picked up his pace at once. Nevertheless, he stumbled upon Lucas’ group shortly after he dashed with all his might.
“Hmm? Did he not give you a hard time?” Yadriel gazed at them in bafflement.
Judging from Mr. Garrison’s personality, it’s unlikely he’ll let them go. What happened?
“Levi didn’t want to release us at first. He only did it after his woman talked him into it.” One of them explained.
At this, Yadriel heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness… Oh yeah. I’ve made some arrangements to escort you out of this city. You should head back to South Hampton at once. Staying here will spell doom for all of you.” He urged.
These people can’t stay here! They’ll most likely push Mr. Garrison’s button again, and they’ll be dead meat for sure! I have to send them away now. Anyhow, I’m acquainted with the Quinn family; seeing one of theirs playing with fire certainly doesn’t sit well with me!
“Stop right there!” Lucas beckoned at him.
Once he came to a halt, Lucas stared into his eyes and asked, “What in the world is going on? Why did your people kneel and call him Mr. Garrison the moment they saw that guy?”
“They seemed to be afraid of the one called Levi.”
“Who is he that even the Southern Union members are terrified at the sight of him?” The Prince Gang wondered.
“Yeah, who on earth is he?”
CHAPTER 783
This question put Yadriel in a difficult spot.
Should I tell them? What if the higher-ups put the blame on me? I’ll be in deep trouble then!
Just as he was contemplating, a voice could be heard saying, “You’re not worthy to know who I am!”
Soon after the voice, a figure slowly emerged.
Yadriel’s eyes almost popped out from their sockets after he got a good look at that person.
Did he tail them here? I knew he wasn’t planning to let the Prince Gang go! At the end of the day, this is who Mr. Garrison truly is!
Right before he was about to kneel, Levi gestured him to stand aside.
Lucas and the rest on the other hand, were thrown into a panic state after seeing him.
What is he doing here? Didn’t he let us go?
“Yadriel, I want you to get rid of him for me today! Whatever the cost!” Lucas bawled, his voice implying he wanted Levi killed.
“I’ll pay you ten billion!” Lucas named a hefty sum of money after seeing that he remained unfazed.
Considering the amount he was willing to pay, one could roughly gauge the level of his madness and the intensity of his loathe for Levi.
Everyone drew a sharp breath after hearing his words.
He’s insane! Ten billion for Levi’s head! What an amount to squander!
To his surprise, Yadriel remained uninterested and moved to the sidelines.
“Handle your own mess! I won’t interfere!” Yadriel replied indifferently.
Ten billion surely is alluring. But if I take the job, I’ll be dead before I even get to spend a single cent.
The turn of events had caught Lucas off guard.
What do I do now? Our men are all in South Hampton. We’re basically sitting ducks here.
“D-didn’t you give your word to let us go?” Lucas asked with a trembling voice.
The egoistic Prince Gang was docile as a lamb in the face of Levi. They began to fear for their lives and dreaded the individual called Levi Garrison.
“It was my woman who promised to let you go, not me!”
Everyone was rendered speechless by the words of Levi while his lips curled up into a sneer.
“W-What do you want?” Everyone was shuddering.
After all, they had a phobia after being beaten up by him.
Even a madman like Lucas was frightened by his absurdity.
I need to be more ruthless to go against someone like him!
“I dare you to let me go back!” Lucas challenged in a cold tone.
Once I’m back to South Hampton, I swear I’ll amass a large group of men enough to wipe out the entire South City! It doesn’t matter if I lose my face or honor; I will cut you into pieces! Just you wait!
“What do you say? I see that you’re also a ruthless man like myself! Let’s arrange a showdown! Dispatch every man you have!” He continued after seeing a ray of hope.
“Yeah! Do you have the balls? If you’re a man, then let us go! We’ll have a face-off with real swords!” The others seized the opportunity to provoke Levi.
Having said that, Yadriel who was on the sidelines was dumbstruck.
The Prince Gang wants to fight with Levi! Will he accept it?
CHAPTER 784
Needless to say, Levi understood the intention of these people. It was so that they could gather enough forces to pay back for what he did.
“You stay back. The rest of you, scram!” Levi pointed at Lucas while commanding.
“Huh? Why are you detaining me?” Lucas was baffled.
Levi nodded, “I don’t take innocent lives anymore, so I’m not gonna kill you. But it doesn’t mean that you’ll escape being punished. You must kneel for three whole days to repent for your ill behaviors. Only after you’ve done that will I release you.”
With a wave of his hand, Azure Dragon, who was on standby, instantly restrained Lucas.
The rest of his friends could only stare helplessly as the scene unfolded.
“You must come to my rescue! Send people to save me!” Lucas cried out at the top of his lungs.
Kneel for three whole days? That’s not happening! Do you think that I, one of the three ringleaders of the Prince Gang, will bow my knees before anyone? How very insulting! But I can only place my hope on the reinforcements now!
It went without saying that the news of Lucas being detained must not reach the ear of Zoey.
For this reason, he was transferred to Guardian Mansion.
By this time, the walls and doors in the compound had been fixed.
“Kneel!” A commanding voice could be heard.
However, Lucas wouldn’t give in to the order.
Thud!
Azure Dragon kicked the back of his knees, and he immediately fell onto the ground.
Shortly, his hands and feet were bounded.
At the same time, there were many large dogs keeping watch over him.
The pain and humiliation had almost caused even a man like Lucas to weep.
He became increasingly infuriated when the thought of having to go through this odious experience for another three days crossed his mind.
Yet, things surely didn’t go well for him as a piece of rag was stuffed in his mouth.
This was the most tormenting moment of his life.
Even if I managed to survive this ordeal, I’d be the laughingstock of all.
Levi had none but one single rule: as long as his prisoner didn’t die from starvation, anything would be fine.
Therefore, his subordinates paid little attention to the one who was on his knees.
With the situation getting out of hand, the escaped members of the Prince Gang returned to South Hampton as quickly as they could.
Naturally, none of them dared to inform their own families after getting themselves into such a big trouble, let alone the Quinn family.
Thus, they hurriedly reached out to the remaining two ringleaders of the Prince Gang early the next morning.
One of them was the leader of the Prince Gang, Jaron Goel, who was awarded the epithet “Prince”.
He was the most outstanding man among the younger generations in South Hampton and happened to be the heir to the biggest royal family in the city – the Goel family.
Be it strength, capabilities, background, or the other aspects, he excelled in all of them.
Not to mention his unchallenged mastery in the Ancient Arts of Qi.
Rumor had it that he could go toe to toe with Grover.
Surely, no one dared to challenge his position as the leader of the Prince Gang.
Thus, all the young heirs of the prominent families in South Hampton would regard him as the “Prince”.
At the present moment, Jaron was wearing a bathrobe while gazing at the men in front of him.
There was a worried expression on his handsome face as he declared, “Since this matter is pertaining to the Prince Gang, I shall deal with it personally!”
CHAPTER 785
“Give the order to everyone! Gather all our forces and we shall head to South City at once!” Jaron commanded.
Once the instruction was given, the other ringleader, who was regarded as an equal to Lucas, Jackson hastened to gather his men right away.
With that, all the Prince Gang’s top fighters were assembled and left for South City together.
It was considered the biggest incident that had ever happened to the Prince Gang over the past decade.
Not only did one of their ringleaders take a beating, but he was also detained.
It was beyond an insult to them.
To them, preserving their honor was more important than their own lives.
If they lost it, they would use every means to get it back.
The Prince Gang was utterly enraged this time that even their notorious Prince had come in person.
Yadriel was stunned when he heard this.
“Even the Prince himself is coming?” He was clearly surprised by the fact.
“It seems like Jaron has brought all his top fighters with him this time. He must be really pissed.”
“Jaron is an arrogant person. He answers to no one other than that man. This time however, he’s gonna get hurt as his target is you-know-who.” Yadriel sighed.
“Sir, should we give them a heads up?” One of his subordinates queried.
“Do you have a death wish? The purpose of detaining Lucas is so that he could get rid of the Prince Gang once and for all. Why are you trying to get us involved in their battle?” Yadriel glared at his man.
Lucas was totally exhausted after kneeling all night, and for that reason, his body quivered uncontrollably.
If it wasn’t for the binding ropes, he would’ve fallen to the ground.
He had fainted around seven or eight times throughout the entire night.
Lucas was someone with great stamina from his routine martial art practice. If even he couldn’t stand it, it proved just how unbearably torturing it’d be like for an average joe.
Any normal person would’ve met their demise after kneeling for such a long period with untreated injuries and inflammation.
Even Lucas himself knew that he could only hold on for another full day at most.
He could be in grave danger if this were to go on.
“Why are they not here yet?” Lucas was on the verge of total breakdown.
He cried so much last night that even his tears had dried off.
Being treated like a house dog was the part that infuriated him the most.
The food he was given looked exactly like kibble.
Yet, in order to gain energy, he had no choice but to eat them.
This was definitely the darkest and most humiliating moment in his entire life!
His honor and dignity had been utterly trampled by Levi, so he could never get over it unless Levi was killed by his own hands.
Vroom…
Just as he was about to fall into despair, the sound of car engines could be heard from afar.
Lucas forced his drooping eyes to open and peered toward the sound. His eyes gleamed the moment he identified its source.
Y’all are finally here!
Joyful tears spilled out from his eyes. Had it not been for the rag in his mouth, he would like to let out a few shouts.
A while later, dozens of cars came to a stop in front of the Guardian Mansion, and hundreds of men got out of their vehicles.
Among them stood their leaders, Jaron and Jackson.
CHAPTER 786
The second Lucas saw the Prince, he knew this issue was as good as resolved.
He was not afraid of Levi’s connection with the Southern Union anymore because Jaron was greater than them.
Jaron wouldn’t compromise especially when it came to dealing with the issues of the Prince Gang.
Hahahaha… Lucas laughed inwardly.
You screwed up big time, Levi! You’re finished!
Thereafter, he was scheming on how to torment Levi, Zoey and Helena.
His mind was filled with scenes of Levi being chopped into pieces and his remains boiled in a pot.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
In no time, units of bodyguards marched toward the Guardian Mansion and got into their formation.
Everyone was equipped with weapons.
Having said that, some of them were bare-handed, yet they were undoubtedly elite fighters judging by the air around them.
After the Prince made his appearance, he was followed by two rows of men.
Each of them was carrying an ancient dagger.
These men were the Prince’s personal bodyguards. All of them were highly-skilled fighters.
Together they could take down the Four Kings of Southern Union.
It just showed how powerful these people were.
Including the bodyguards of the other members, there were a total of two hundred top fighters at the scene.
The Prince Gang’s members were burning in anger after seeing Lucas’s miserable appearance.
This is public shaming! Our honors have been trampled! This is totally unbearable!
In a heartbeat, someone came to the front of the compound but was stopped by Jaron before he could cause a ruckus.
In a split second, Jaron raised his gun and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The gunshot caused a spark from the muzzle.
Whoosh!
In an instant, one of military dogs tasked to watch over Lucas were headshot.
The noise caught the attention of the people inside.
In the blink of an eye, Levi, Azure Dragon, and the others dashed out to examine the situation.
“What happened?”
Everyone became furious the instant they saw their military-trained dog lying in a pool of blood.
This dog has been with us for a long time… This is too much!
A sharp glint flashed across Levi’s eyes as he put on a calm expression.
It was as clear as daylight that he was angry!
For these dogs were no different than any human to him.
To kill them in front of him was equivalent to ask for death.
The sound of the gun had alarmed the surrounding people, and they gathered around after hearing that.
Over a hundred people showed up in a blink of an eye, and they were glaring at the Prince Gang angrily.
“Identify yourself!” Azure Dragon fumed.
“Jaron of the Goel family in South Hampton. My friends usually call me ‘Prince’.” The leader remained dignified.
Scanning the crowd at the scene with his sharp gaze, he said in a cold tone, “I was entrusted by the patriarch of the Quinn family to pick Lucas Quinn home.”
“Yes. We’re here to pick Lucas home!” The Prince Gang members shouted.
Simultaneously, a unit of bodyguards formed a line in front, got on their knees and apologized, “We’re sorry for coming late. Please forgive us, sir!”
At this, Jackson narrowed his eyes and chided, “You’re in deep trouble now! Release our friend this instance, or else you’re gonna get it!”
CHAPTER 787
Jaron exhorted coldly, “You’d better let my man go now. I’m running out of patience.”
Seeing that the other side didn’t respond, he added, “I’ll count to three.”
Right then, he started the countdown.
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
The Prince Gang became enraged at the fact that Levi and his men were unmoved even after Jaron finished counting.
The next moment, Jaron signaled to his men and ordered ferociously, “Charge! Bring Lucas out!”
In the nick of time, Lucas spat the rag out of his mouth and cried out, “Prince, halt the charge!”
“Hmm?” Everyone was frozen in place while staring at Lucas in bewilderment.
After a light-bulb moment came to him, Jaron instructed, “Stop!”
Following closely, he glanced at Levi’s group and continued, “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll not charge in. Instead, I want you to bring him out yourself.”
Lucas nodded in acknowledgement. He gets me.
Lucas yelled at Levi’s group, “I’ll make you regret for messing with me!”
His intention was simple—he stopped Jaron from rescuing him so that he could get Levi to bring him out willingly.
The Prince Gang had put together such a grand spectacle just to rescue him.
Even Levi and his subordinates must be shivering in fear by now. At least, that was what he assumed.
Out of terror, Levi will bring me out politely. Not only will I feel satisfied, but we’ll also regain our lost honor.
“I want the six of you to bring Lucas out with your knees on the ground! The time limit is by tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I’ll purge this place! It’ll be a bloodbath. You’re acquainted with these onlookers, right? I’ll wipe out everyone in this place, including you!”
After Jaron had set the deadline, Lucas let out a laugh and said, “Well, I for one hope that you won’t release me. With that, I’ll get to see everyone in this area killed.”
“Hey, buddy! We will wait at the entrance of the street! Hang in there!”
Finished speaking, Jaron led his men out of the compound and waited at where he said.
“Don’t you worry, Prince! I can hold on much longer! But I’m afraid that they might bring me out! It’d be boring that way! I wanna see all of them die!” Lucas cackled hysterically, like a loony.
Next off, Azure Dragon asked, “What should we do next, Sir?”
“Okay. I’ll wait until tomorrow morning and see how he plans to kill the people here!”
Levi was truly exasperated this time as those dogs were his favorites.
“Bury them.” Levi commanded.
Later on, Lucas glanced at Levi arrogantly and sneered, “That’s right, keep it that way! Don’t bring me out and wait until the next daybreak! Mmm! You know my taste very well! I’m fond of killing! I love to see people die!”
CHAPTER 788
If he dares to keep me here, Prince will slaughter everyone in this street. I’d love to see that happen; If he brings me out, I’ll get to burn the scene of Levi carrying me out on his knees like a dog into my memories. I’m more than happy to see that, and we get to regain our honor as well.
Levi smirked at his words and patted his cheek, “I will never let you go. You should worry about yourself first. See if you could survive tonight.”
“Hahaha! Of course I will! This time round, the city streets would surely be bathed in blood!” Lucas proceeded to laugh like a lunatic.
Dozens of cars were blocking the entrance of the street.
The Prince Gang was waiting over there until the appointed time.
“Prince, it seems like they don’t plan to bring Lucas out!”
A gleam of epiphany flashed across Jaron’s eyes, and he commented, “Looks like we aren’t as famous as we thought.”
“Well, it’d be unlikely for the people from a rural city like this to hear about us, let alone be afraid of us.”
“That’s right. They wouldn’t even try to detain Lucas if they knew about us.”
As everyone was analyzing the situation, the two ringleaders stared at each other and declared, “We shall decimate the citizens of this street tomorrow! There shall be bloodshed in every corner. We won’t stop until the entire South City is terrorized at the thought of our name. In the future, they’ll wake up in a cold sweat from a nightmare each time they recalled of this incident.”
Jaron might seem polite on the outside, but he was a resolute and obstinate person.
He leaned toward solving problems with extreme measures and always resorted to violence.
“Listen! We will station here tonight! Then, we will eradicate everyone in this street tomorrow!” Jaron ordered.
“Yes, Prince!” Everyone responded in unity.
Jackson remarked with a smirk, “I think they might bring Lucas out. Given the duration, they should’ve found out about us by now.”
“You’re right, Jackson.” Everyone agreed.
After a considerable time, Lucas remained on his knees while Levi showed no means to let him go.
Although he was exhausted, and his body was at the edge of collapsing, he had an excited look on his face.
After a long night waiting, there was no sign of Lucas getting out at all.
“These people have decided to oppose us until the end!”
At the crack of dawn, Jaron puffed on a cigarette, then threw the butt on the ground.
“Let’s go!” Jaron gave the instruction.
There were about two hundred fighters following the Prince Gang as they marched toward the Guardian Mansion.
Everyone had a murderous look on their faces.
The tension in the atmosphere was so thick that one could cut it with a knife.
CHAPTER 789
Soon, they arrived at the Guardian Mansion.
“Send a few units to keep all the alleys of this area off limits! Kill anyone who tries to escape!”
Jaron’s gaze became cold, and he exuded a murderous aura that sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
Dozens of men immediately guarded the exits of every passageway to stop anyone from passing through.
At this very moment, Lucas was nearly worn out after mustering every single ounce of strength he could find in his body. He was persevering with sheer willpower alone currently.
Nonetheless, he was elated when he saw Jaron charging in with his men.
In the meantime, Levi and the others also emerged from his room.
“Hahahaha…” Lucas burst into laughter right when he saw them.
“Don’t fret, punk! Once you’re dead, I’ll take care of your women! I’ll be sure to torture them with all my might! Hahaha…” Lucas said in a psychopathic tone.
Throughout the entire time being on his knees, the man thought of nothing except the ways to torment Levi and the likes. His twisted mind had already come up with more than a hundred ways to gratify his sadistic pleasure.
“Prince, take out everyone except this one! Leave him to me!” Lucas bawled.
“Alright!”
After saying that, Jaron turned to focus on Levi and proclaimed, “Now, you will pay the painful price for your foolish behaviors! I will kill everyone here!”
“Kill them!”
At Jaron’s gesture, all the fighters began their undiscriminating killing spree on the people in this area.
Apart from the ones who were guarding the alleys, there were still a hundred and fifty men.
As bodyguards of the Prince Gang members, all of them were elite fighters in their own right.
They could hurl threats at the Southern Union with forces like this.
Swoosh!
Twenty fighters sprinted to the frontline promptly.
Screech!
Those men drew the swords from their backs. The sharpness of the weapons was unmatched, and the reflections on their edges were dazzling to the eyes. With that, the top fighters charged toward their targets.
Seeing that, Levi and his men simply chortled.
Unbeknownst to their opponents, the God of War and the Five Great Wars Regiment were invincible and unstoppable on the battlefield. They were the nightmare of those who make enemies of them.
If the rest of the world came to know these ignorant warriors were trying to kill the God of War and his company of five, everyone’s jaw would drop to the floor.
The following would be their first response. Who gave them the courage to do this? Are they out of their mind?
However, before the fighters could even reach Levi, there was a two-meter muscular man blocking their way.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The fighters tried to strike the man. Yet, as if their swords were slashing on a hard surface, they created a series of resonant metallic sounds.
That almost caused a spark.
I could feel the strike. It definitely reached his skin… but it feels like striking on a steel.
“Kill them!”
They started another wave of attack and struck again.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
They were taken aback at the sight of their broken swords.
CHAPTER 790
There was a dead silence after that.
Everyone was flabbergasted.
W-what…?
Is he the Iron Man?
His skin is impenetrable!
Even the high quality sword is broken?
How terrifying!
“Ah!”
As the muscular man roared, his tank top was ripped into pieces.
The man had a shredded look, with well-developed muscles covering every inch of his skin, and they were hard as steel.
The Black Tortoise!
He was overly eye-catching due to his bulky physique. Hence, Levi had always reminded him to keep a low profile and avoided sending him on missions.
But he was summoned today as there were people who came for a showdown.
The Black Tortoise was a martial art practitioner. His skills made his body impenetrable, like a layer of steel covering his skin.
Levi found him on the battlefield four years ago. During that time, he was a fearless and undefeatable warrior.
The man had blocked countless gunfire for Levi in the past. With his steel-like body, none of the bullets were able to pierce his skin, let alone some swords.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Like a bulldozer, the Black Tortoise crushed the fighters of the Prince Gang.
Within a short while, hundreds of fighters were left sprawling on the floor and screaming in agony.
It was a gruesome sight.
The Prince Gang was left in shock.
Hundreds of our top fighters couldn’t stand a chance. What is this…? We know the strength of our men, yet they were utterly defeated! Is that guy a human?
Lucas, who was still on his knees in the compound, gazed at the happenings blankly.
After this, the smugness of the Prince Gang disappeared into thin air almost in an instant.
Everyone was petrified beyond belief.
Right then, Jackson squinted his eyes while Jaron furrowed his brows and glared at Levi’s group.
Things are getting tricky!
The turn of events had Jaron felt a little stumped.
“Take his head!” The leader of the gang demanded coldly.
Those twenty fighters who had been following him drew their swords and darted forward.
These men were his trump card.
The swords they used weren’t ordinary ones; they were ancient dagger with extremely sharp edges.
Screech!
The cold edges of the ancient daggers struck hard on Black Tortoise’s body.
Clang!
He moved a few steps backward after many slashes, and white marks began to appear on his body.
If the attacks were to continue, even the likes of the Black Tortoise would be injured.
The ancient dagger is really something else!
The Prince Gang members put on a smile on their faces after witnessing the scene.
Meanwhile, Lucas heaved a sigh of relief.
Prince is as amazing as always! Who would still dare to challenge him?
“Back off, Black Tortoise. These are ancient daggers. You can’t handle their sharpness.” Levi ordered.
After hearing the command, he stepped aside with his body full of white marks.
Jaron peered at Levi and scoffed, “Looks like I’ve underestimated you. However, you still can’t escape your eventual death. Kill him!”
The twenty men raised their swords up high, charging toward Levi and his men.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind roared to life and there was a silhouette flickered passed them like a bolt of lightning.
It was White Tiger.
Among the Five Kings of War, Black Tortoise was the best at defense while White Tiger was the best at offence.
Wham! Wham!
White Tiger weaved through the crowd of men, his punches snapping out so quickly they were a blur.
Within moments, he stopped in his tracks.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
All twenty of his opponents crumpled to the ground like puppets that had their strings cut.
A dead silence descended upon the scene.
Jaron’s face paled dramatically.
How is he so powerful?
These men were supposed to be the best of the best, the elites of his family’s men. They had all been trained since young to be the perfect fighters.
He had once conquered the Southern Union using only these twenty men. No one had been able to stop them back then!
Yet now, they could not even defeat one person.
That was a testament to how powerful White Tiger was.
Seemingly satisfied by their prowess, White Tiger praised, “Not bad! You guys are stronger than those people from the Southern Union!”
Crooking a finger at Jaron, he continued, “Your turn!”
He could tell that Jaron was even more powerful than the twenty men he had just downed.
“Die!” Jaron bellowed as he leaped at White Tiger.
The two men clashed together violently and a ferocious battle broke out.
The destruction they left was terrifying, with the walls of the yard crumbling to pieces and the wooden gates splintered.
Even the ground was cracked badly, with the brick turned to dust in some places.
The Prince Gang was gaping at the scene with wide eyes while Levi and his men were also rather impressed.
Jaron was definitely the strongest opponent White Tiger had ever fought so far.
Erudia really was a country with plenty of hidden talents!
It was likely they would run into more in the future.
Even watching the fierce battle had the blood in their veins boiling with adrenaline and excitement.
Wham!
After exchanging more than a hundred blows, White Tiger sent Jaron flying with a well-placed kick.
Crash!
Slamming to the ground, Jaron coughed up a mouthful of blood. He stared at White Tiger in disbelief.
How can someone who looks around the same age as I be so much more powerful?
His Master once told him that he was the most talented fighter he had ever seen and estimated that there was nobody else like him in the entire Erudia.
The proof of how wrong his Master had been standing right in front of him.
“W-who are you people?” Jaron asked in a trembling voice.
The members of the Prince Gang were absolutely stunned at the turn of events.
It was only now did they begin to wonder about Levi and his men’s identities.
At first, they thought Levi was a weakling they could play with as they pleased. Never did they consider there might be more than meets the eyes with him and his men.
Azure Dragon sneered and replied, “You brats are not worthy of knowing our true identities!”
To Levi and the rest, the members of the Prince Gang were no different than children.
Lucas, who was still kneeling in the yard, broke into a cold sweat as he recalled how hundreds of men from the Southern Union got down on their knees before Levi.
We pissed off someone we shouldn’t have.
Jaron struggled to his feet, wiping the blood trickling from the corner of his lips before stating, “Gentlemen, how about we brush this aside as a misunderstanding and put it all behind us? We’ll apologize to you and be done with it!”
“Who gave you the right to call this a misunderstanding?” Levi answered in a cold tone.
CHAPTER 792
Jaron and the other members of the Prince Gang were frozen to the spot at Levi’s words.
It was finally sinking in that they were in deep trouble this time.
At the rate things were going, they might just end up dying here in South City.
This was why they had to resolve this matter as peacefully as possible.
Jaron lowered his head slightly in submission, representing the Prince Gang’s defeat.
This was the first time since the founding of the Prince Gang that they had actually lost to someone.
Every time before, they were always the ones pushing others around and stepping on their defeated enemies.
Unfortunately, they had run into someone even more difficult than them this time.
Today was a day of utter humiliation for the Prince Gang, the very first time they had suffered such a shame!
Not only were they disgraced as a group, but it was also a major blow to their individual egos as well.
As the head of the Prince Gang, Jaron was not a person unwilling to compromise.
He planned on appeasing Levi now and then return to South Hampton another time to rise up again.
Chuckling bitterly, he uttered, “Sir, we were wrong to have provoked you first. We should not have insulted your woman either. But all things can be worked out peacefully! Having a friend is better than making a new enemy!” However, the other man’s reply was like a brutal slap to the face.
Levi scoffed, “Sorry. I’m pretty sure my enemies are numbering in the thousands already. A few more really doesn’t make much of a difference.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little unreasonable? I’m already putting my pride aside here! Besides, each and every one of us come from an influential family in South Hampton. All of us will one day be the heads of our families. Going against us would be going up against all of the prominent families in South Hampton!” Jaron said arrogantly.
His words had the other members of the Prince Gang straightening their backs proudly.
That was right! They were from the most illustrious families in South Hampton! Who dared to offend them?
No matter how powerful Levi and his men were, there was no way they would have the courage to go up against the Prince Gang.
If not out of respect for the members of the gang themselves then at the very least for the various families they came from.
Levi looked amused. “So?”
“So, you have to accord us the right amount of respect! This matter is to be settled pleasantly without any more fuss!” Jaron stated with a smile.
Despite the calm tone, there was a commanding undercurrent to it with no room for argument.
One way or another, the Prince Gang would get the respect they thought they deserved.
Seeing that Levi did not say anything more, Jaron added, “You’re a formidable person in your own right. Isn’t it better to have more friends, especially if they’re from the wealthiest families in South Hampton? You would only benefit from such a relationship!”
At last, Levi responded, “So I’m just supposed to forget that that guy over there insulted my wife and tried to kill me several times? I’m also supposed to disregard the fact that you killed my beloved dog and threatened to massacre a whole block of civilians? Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s right! It’s all just a huge misunderstanding; no big deal!” Jaron smirked. “Don’t you think you’re being rather petty? Aren’t they just dogs? What does it matter?”
“And if I insist on pursuing this matter?” Levi questioned lowly.
“Then you make enemies out of all the prominent families in South Hampton!”
A wicked gleam appeared in Jaron’s eyes.
CHAPTER 793
Smack!
Levi’s hand darted out and he landed a ringing slap on Jaron’s face.
“Then so be it! It might just be a dog to you but to us, it was a living, breathing creature! It was a precious life! It was our friend, our comrade-in-arm!” Levi roared in rage.
He was well and truly mad this time.
One of the dogs had been his constant companion when he was still in the military. Playing with it always served to brighten up his day and helped with the stress of fighting a war.
They had been on the frontlines together and fought plenty of battles.
After they retired from the military, he brought it back here with him.
Now, Jaron killed his precious dog and had the audacity to say it was “just dogs”.
“To me, its life is infinitely more valuable than you scum!”
His commanding aura exploded around him, exerting immense pressure on everyone present.
Being so close to him, Jaron swore the surrounding temperature dropped several degrees, making him shivered.
“That guy killed so many people ever since he came to South City! Look at the doctor! He was someone who worked hard to save lives! That man saved that jerk but how did the lunatic repay his kindness? Were all these no big deals to you? What about your intention to slaughter everyone on this street then? Was that a small matter to you too? If we were just some feeble men, we could have been dead by now!”
Levi’s questions slammed into Jaron like bullets, rooting him to the spot.
The rest of the Prince Gang were pale in their fear. None of them dared to breathe too loudly in case that would focus Levi’s ire upon them.
A hard glint entered Jaron’s eyes and he queried, “Does this mean you won’t let us go then? Not even on behalf of the South Hampton families?”
“Did you seriously think I would? All of you, kneel!” Levi ordered.
White Tiger and the others leaped into action.
Within minutes, not a single person was standing before Levi.
“You can speak on your knees!” Levi looked down at the kneeling Jaron as he said this.
How very insulting!
This was probably the most humiliating moment Jaron had ever felt in his life!
He was the leader of the Prince Gang! A prince among princes!
Yet here he was kneeling before someone else.
This is unacceptable!
He bit out through clenched teeth, “You have some guts to do this to us! You’re a dead man! Just you wait and see!”
A cruel smirk curled Levi’s lips. “Now, it’s time to settle the score with each of you!”
He headed for Lucas and stopped before the other man. “Since you were lusting after my wife, castrate him!”
“No!”
Agonized screams ripped from Lucas’ throat and with a gush of blood, he became a eunuch.
Next, Levi focused his attention on the members of Prince Gang. “You guys were thinking of killing me, weren’t you?”
“N-no! W-we weren’t…” They cried out in protest.
“Break their legs! Since their parents won’t discipline them properly, I’ll do it for them!”
Another chorus of pained screams rang out while the legs of the members of Prince Gang were systematically broken.
It was absolutely terrifying!
When Levi fixed his gaze on Jaron, the latter began to panic. “W-what are you going to do to me!”
CHAPTER 794
Levi’s eyes flashed and he uttered coldly, “Breaking an arm for killing my dog isn’t excessive, is it?”
The threat had Jaron’s face flushing red in alarm and he struggled to escape.
He was a prince! If one of his arms were snapped just like that, his reputation would be ruined forever! He would never be able to look anyone in the eyes again!
“No, please. Let’s talk about this, okay? I’ll give you anything you want!” He babbled anxiously.
At that moment, his disheveled appearance made him look just like any other normal person. Gone were his arrogance and princely demeanor.
“I want my dog!”
Eyes wintry with his rage, Levi glared at him.
Jaron was stumped at his words.
His dog is already dead. How am I supposed to give it back to him?
In the next second, there was the metallic glint of a blade swishing down.
Jaron’s right arm flopped to the ground uselessly.
Immediately, blood sprayed forth like a crimson fountain.
“AHHHH!”
His howls of pain mixed with those of Lucas and the rest, echoing in the vast courtyard.
Thus, Levi had every single member of the South Hampton Prince Gang crippled.
The only exceptions were the Jones brothers, who had left earlier and were not involved in this incident.
This was a stain that could never be erased from the reputation of the prestigious Prince Gang.
In the blink of an eye, they had fallen from grace.
Nobody had expected this.
Jaron shrieked, “I can promise you that we’ll be back for revenge! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all your family and friends! I won’t stop until every single one of them is dead!”
Levi smiled grimly and replied, “None of you were ever properly disciplined when you were young.
All you know how to do is bully the weak and throw your weight around.
No crime is too evil for you. All I’m doing is teaching you a lesson on your parents’ behalf. But I don’t think that’s enough…”
Checking his watch, he continued, “Before the stroke of midnight tonight, your families are to kneel before me and apologize for your actions. Otherwise, there will be consequences!”
“You… That’s just preposterous! How dare you demand that! You really are outrageous!”
“Toss them out of here!” Levi dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
His men were quick to do as he said.
In their current states, the members of the South Hampton Prince Gang really were a sorry sight.
Jaron’s face was dark as he snarled, “Let’s get back to South Hampton! We have to tell our families about what happened. Whoever was involved in what happened just now needs to die! I’m going to strip his skin from his flesh and drink his blood like it’s the most exquisite wine out there! I’ll carve his meat from his very bones! When I’m done with him, he’ll be begging to die!”
“Get revenge! We must be avenged!” The others yelled out in agreement.
There were no words to describe the extent of their hatred toward Levi.
Meanwhile, back in South Hampton, Tyler and Wales were chatting idly.
“Have you heard from Lucas in the past two days? I wonder if he managed to get Zoey and Helena?”
They had not received any news from the others ever since they returned to South Hampton.
CHAPTER 795
Wales chuckled and answered, “This is Lucas we’re talking about. Getting a woman for himself is child’s play for him!”
Tyler thought over that and had to agree.
Lucas was a domineering person who always did as he pleased in South Hampton. Nobody had ever dared to stop him here, so who would have the courage to do so at South City?
“But then why isn’t he back yet? And there’s been no news from him either! I tried calling him but strangely enough, his phone is turned off!”
Being a little more meticulous than his brother, Tyler got the vague feeling that something was about to happen.
“He’s probably having too much fun! I wouldn’t mind sleeping with those two beauties either!” Wales commented with a lecherous grin.
Furrowing his brows, Tyler mulled over everything that had happened so far.
He abruptly suggested, “Do you think he ran into some trouble?”
“Why would you say that?”
“I heard Jaron and the rest of the Prince Gang left South Hampton as well but nobody has any idea where they went. I’m starting to suspect something happened to Lucas and they went to aid him.” Tyler mused.
His brother patted his shoulder. “Oh, c’mon. You’re overthinking things! Just think about who is by Zoey’s side. It’s just Levi! Do you honestly think he can do anything to Lucas? It’s not like he’ll be able to cripple Lucas of all people.”
“That’s true! Levi is just a useless piece of trash!”
“What are you two talking about?” Michael’s voice suddenly rang out from behind them.
“Grandpa, we’re discussing about Levi.” Wales answered.
Instantly, Michael’s expression darkened. He snapped, “Didn’t I say to not mention Levi Garrison again! He’s not worthy of our attention!”
“Grandpa, it’s like this…”
Tyler swiftly informed Michael about the incident with Lucas.
When he was done, a smile broke out on the older man’s face. “So that’s what happened. Levi is doomed now that Lucas has his eyes set on him! In truth, Levi is a loose end of the Jones family that might come back to bite us in the ass in the future. Unfortunately, we can’t just get rid of him! This is a wonderful opportunity that we must thank Lucas for!”
Wales grinned maniacally at his grandfather’s words. “That’s so true! There’s no way Levi will survive a confrontation with Lucas. We won’t need to worry about him anymore!”
Tyler frowned and expressed his concerns, to which his grandfather responded with, “Tyler, you’re really overthinking things! Be it another person, Lucas might be in danger. But this is just Levi! I don’t think he’s even capable of stirring up any trouble, let alone being a threat to Lucas!”
Michael gave a disdainful snort.
Comparing Lucas and Levi was like comparing a kitten to a tiger.
CHAPTER 796
At one of South Hampton’s downtown areas.
Despite being a downtown area, this particular neighborhood was empty. Not a single soul could be seen within a ten-kilometer radius of it.
This strange phenomenon could be attributed to the guards patrolling every single road that led to it as this area was listed as private property.
As for who the property belonged to, it was none other than the most prominent family in South Hampton – the royal family of Goel.
The Goel family was said to have existed here for nearly a thousand years, a testament to their prowess.
At that moment, there were several people lying on the ground before the gates of the manor.
Every single one of them either had their arms or legs broken.
One poor soul had obviously been castrated as blood kept spurting from between his legs.
The only thing they had in common was that all of them looked extremely pitiful.
Within moments, the doors to the mansion swung open and a large group of people poured out.
Among them was an elderly man with snowy white hair holding on to a dragon-headed cane.
The old man seemed to be close to a hundred years old. While he was not as agile as he used to be, his eyes still shone bright and sharp.
The elderly was none other than Xabian Goel, the patriarch of the Goel family.
In South Hampton, he was respectfully referred to as Elder Goel by everyone else as he had the final say in most matters.
His words were ultimate, deciding the future of the city or the fate of someone.
Everyone was both in awe of and fearful of him, thus treating him with the utmost respect.
Jaron was his favorite grandson and also the one he was most proud of.
He had spent the last twenty years of his life nurturing and grooming his grandson to be his successor.
Hence, when he saw that his precious grandson was missing an arm, he exploded!
Bang!
He slammed his cane down on the floor and the stick of wood instantly splintered.
“RAAAARGH!”
He tossed his head back as he bellowed his fury to the heavens.
The rest of the Goel family also cried out in outrage at the mistreatment of one of their own.
In South Hampton, they were practically gods for all the respect people gave them. Everyone was always bending over backward to serve or please them. In fact, oftentimes whoever spoke to them did so on their knees.
They were the most powerful and prominent family in South Hampton!
The fear everyone felt toward them was so ingrained that many would suffer from insomnia at the mere mention of their names. Some would even instinctively feel the urge to get down on their knees.
This led to nobody daring to offend Jaron and his friends, who were the other various young heirs to the prominent families.
What nobody had expected was that someone would be so bold as to chop off the Prince’s arm.
Despite losing an arm, amusement danced on Jaron’s face. “Unfortunately, we met an incredibly powerful opponent this time. I killed his dog and he cut off my arm in revenge! He also crippled every single one of us from the Prince Gang. Not only that, but he’s also saying that our parents have to go to him before midnight today and kneel as you apologize!”
“Who did this?!” Xabian roared.
CHAPTER 797
Silence followed the patriarch’s question.
None of the other family members had ever seen the old man so enraged.
Oh no, Elder Goel is utterly infuriated this time!
“A man from South City called Levi Garrison. He has several expert fighters with him. I wasn’t a match for his strongest.” Jaron explained.
“By the way, Elder Goel, they seem to be related to the Southern Union. We personally witnessed as the members of the Southern Union kneeled before him!” One of the Prince Gang members chimed in.
“So what if they’re connected to the Southern Union? As if I’m afraid of them! I don’t care who he is; I’ll kill him even if he’s from Oakland City!”
Xabian’s eyes gleamed menacingly as he ordered, “Contact all the other families involved in this incident. Tell them to gather here right away. Tonight, I shall personally lead them to South City! I would like to see who in that damn city dares to accept an apology from me!”
Everybody present was astounded at his words.
They had not thought a day would come where Xabian would go to such a small city as South city himself.
In no time at all, the patriarch of the second royal family of South Hampton, Mario Hunt, arrived. He was incensed when he found out his grandson, Jackson had been crippled.
The patriarch of the Quinn family, Hayden Quinn, was even more furious. His dear grandson had been castrated like some animal!
That was just unacceptable!
A short while later, the various heads of families were all present.
Of the top thirty prestigious families in South Hampton, the only family not here was the Joneses.
“Remember, this matter involves our reputations! We must keep a low profile for now! Whatever else can wait till after we deal with these barbarians at South City!” Xabian ordered firmly.
As expected, everyone immediately agreed with his plan.
With that, the twenty-nine families headed for South City together.
Since they had to keep a low profile, they did not bring many men with them. However, those they brought were the best fighters they had.
This group of top fighters in South Hampton was more than enough to destroy the Southern Union several times over!
At the Guardian Mansion of South City.
Levi was watching as Azure Dragon and the others repaired the walls.
His face was twisted in an annoyed expression as he muttered angrily, “This is the second time these walls have been destroyed! Next time, I’ll shove a cannon up the ass of whoever wrecks them!”
Kirin piped up cheerfully, “Sir, that might happen a lot sooner than you think, maybe even tonight! I’m pretty sure those brats have gone back to call for reinforcements!”
“I’ll be waiting!” was the bored reply from Levi as he put the matter out of his mind.
Right then, several people appeared in the courtyard.
He recognized Mike, the commander-in-chief of the South City Warzone, and Percy, the commander-in-chief of the North Hampton Warzone.
However, the other six were unknown to him.
The eight men came to a stop before Levi and saluted him. “Good day, Chief!”
Smiling, Percy spoke up, “Sir, the eight Warzones are considering a joint exercise sometime soon. These men are the commanders-in-chief of the other six Warzones.”
CHAPTER 798
“This is the Commander-in-chief of the South Hampton Warzone, Clark Pond!”
“Hello Chief! It is such an honor to meet you!”
Clark said excitedly.
The South Hampton Warzone was a very important area. From the military viewpoint, it was more important than both the North Hampton and South City Warzones.
Correspondingly, Clark’s position was more important than Mike’s and Percy’s.
Levi smiled, “I’ve heard of you!”
Clark was surprised that the God of War actually remembered him.
This was an honor of a lifetime for him.
Percy began introducing the others.
“This is the commander-in-chief of Haven Warzone, Xayden Fairfield.”
“Chillshire Warzone, Weston Zink!”
“Southlake Warzone, Stanley Hodge!”
“Here, Darren Mackson from the Northlake Warzone!”
“And lastly, Zayden Ziggler from the Westview Warzone!”
….
Levi shook hands with the other five. This made them so excited and emotional, as if they had just met their idol.
They were completely caught by surprise!
Little did they expect that the legendary God of War himself would be so approachable and down-to-earth!
“Chief, what happened to these walls and floors here?”
Clark asked curiously.
“Nothing much, someone pummeled them!” Levi said.
“What? Someone fought in here?”
Clark and the other leaders had to take a deep breath.
Firstly, they were surprised that there were people who dared to fight in there.
Secondly, to create such damage, the person must be a master.
“No big deal, they are just a bunch of kids. Their parents are coming tonight to apologize!” Levi smiled.
In his eyes, the Prince Gang was really but a bunch of kids.
His experience in the past six years was more than what many people had experienced in sixty years.
The man was way too mature, much like an old bogeyman.
“It’s good to know that they are coming here to apologize. Silly of me to think that someone have the audacity to offend you, Chief.”
Clark and the rest laughed as they followed Levi into the house.
Very soon, the eight warzones were about to launch their joint exercise. They wanted Levi to give some suggestions, as their main objective was to pay tribute to him.
Edburg Manor, South Hampton.
Michael called for Tyler and Wales.
“Something might happen soon.”
Michael said.
“Oh? What’s going on?”
Both of them looked at their grandfather curiously.
“I have just received the news that Elder Goel has left South Hampton. No one knows where he has gone to.”
Michael said.
“What? How is that possible?”
“The man has not left South Hampton for the past fifty years, hasn’t he?”
Tyler was extremely shocked.
For Xabian Goel to leave South Hampton meant that something colossal was about to happen!
He had not gone anywhere for decades.
Tyler said, “Could Lucas’ matter have to do with it?”
CHAPTER 799
“That’s impossible! After all, it’s just two women. What could have happened from there? Moreover, who else in the South City would dare to do something to Lucas? Let alone make Elder Goel to leave this city for him?”
Michael and Wales exchanged glances.
They were still very certain that Lucas was fine, and that Levi was unable to cause any ripples.
“Tyler, you are overthinking this. Think about it, what waves could Levi possibly cause?”
Michael could not help but say.
“Grandpa, why don’t I make a trip to South City to see what’s going on?” Tyler suggested.
“Alright, go and take a look so that we can all be more at ease. In case anything happens, we can get the first-hand information.” The older man nodded in agreement.
As he helmed the large family, he was full of strategies.
At the other side.
Yadriel Larson reported the incident to Grover.
“What? I guess Xabian Goel will definitely be coming to South City to seek trouble then!”
The master was surprised.
“That’s right, he might have arrived by now!” Yadriel said anxiously.
“That won’t do. I’ll go and stop him!”
Xabian’s troops had already surreptitiously infiltrated South City.
However, they were stopped the moment they entered the city.
Just when they were about to bristle with rage, they recognized Grover.
“What are you doing here, Grover?” Xabian asked coldly.
“Go back now! You’re going to get into deep trouble!”
Grover advised him.
“Hah! I know you are related to that person. However, no matter what background he has, I will get him!”
Xabian could not listen to anything at all.
“Say no more. The decision was made that moment I stepped out of South Hampton.”
His attitude was more determined than ever before.
Grover could not persuade him at all and had no choice but to return.
Very quickly, Xabian brought his group to a mysterious neighborhood.
This particular lane was very quiet and sparsely populated.
It was easy to do things in quiet places like this.
No one would know even if something big happened.
“Woof woof woof…”
The dog barking in the Guardian Mansion alerted Levi and his group.
“Our guests have arrived!”
Levi smiled.
“Chief, do you mind if we go and see who this person is? He sure has the guts to beard the lion in his den.”
Clark and the rest were very curious. Who could actually behave so atrociously before Levi and made the Guardian Mansion such a horrific state?
“Not at all. Who knows he could be someone you know.” Levi smiled.
Clark and the rest followed behind him.
Going out the door, they saw that the entrance was full with people and each of them had great temperament.
Clearly, they were the masters of the masters!
They were definitely stronger than those from the Prince Gang!
CHAPTER 800
“Grandpa, it’s them! They are strong. The one standing in the middle leads them!”
Jaron pointed Levi out.
However, he did not expect to see another eight strangers to turn up out of nowhere.
But he did not care.
With his grandpa here, even another eight hundred people would have been useless.
Upon seeing Levi and his men, the leaders of the twenty nine top families in South Hampton fixated their gaze on their enemies.
They could barely wait to swallow them alive.
How dare somebody crippled their precious child!
Xabian suppressed his anger forcefully and asked coldly, “Was it you who chopped off my grandson’s arm?”
“Indeed, it was me. He killed my dog and all I did was breaking one of his hands. That was already very merciful of me.” Levi said calmly.
“Are you telling me you could have killed my grandson just because of a dog?”
Xabian could not be more infuriated.
Jaron, the most noble young talent of South Hampton, was being compared to a dog?
How could he take this lying down?
The key was that his grandson’s arm was chopped off because of a dog!
“That’s right, an eye for an eye, which is very fair. However, I spared your grandson’s life. Perhaps the entire Goel family should be thanking me instead!”
That line started everyone.
All of them fell silent and stared at him in complete disbelief.
“H…how can he say something like that?”
“The Goel family has to thank him?”
…..
This was unthinkable for each of the prominent families from South Hampton.
The man on the other side were clearly declaring war to the first family of South Hampton, the Goel family!
“Great. You are very courageous! No wonder my grandson lost to you!”
Instead of angry, Xabian laughed out loud instead.
“Did you castrate Lucas Quinn as well?” The patriarch continued asking.
“Yep. Since he had no control over the lower part of his body, I took over the control!” Indifferently, Levi replied.
“So, you crippled the entire Prince Gang?”
Xabian narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, I did! Since their parents did not teach them properly, I did all of you a favor and taught them a lesson.”
Levi’s eyes stared directly at Xabian as well.
“Excellent, we all heard it. He has admitted to all the crimes!”
Xabian told the other people.
Everyone shouted out loud. “An eye for an eye! Revenge! Revenge!”
Levi’s voice popped up. “Eh, aren’t you here to apologize?”
“Hmm?”
Xabian was taken aback.
“Before I released them, I told them to get their parents here to kneel and apologize!”
Levi retorted sharply, “Parents should bear the burden for their children’s sins! Don’t you agree?”
All the leaders were taken aback.
He was actually provoking them now.
This naturally drew a lot of envious looks from the crowd.
However, Sylas really despised such behavior.
Nearly everyone in attendance had military medals, and yet no one took them out.
“Oh, and do you remember how we almost got a special class merit but it was stolen by another soldier from our squad? That was such a pity!”
“I know! We were the ones who came across the intel, but that dude just stole the credit right out from under us!”
“Oh my gosh! I still hate that guy even to this day! If it weren’t for him, I’d be so much better off right now!”
The group of men were all grumbling.
After all that bragging, the other veterans came to learn their names, which were Brad Guzman, Xerxes Lewinski, and Gordon Wheeler.
Sylas never expected that those men were once Levi’s comrades.
Levi had started out as a private before being secretly reassigned to the Northern Region.
So these men must be in the same squad as him.
And frankly, all the merits they had obtained had pretty much nothing to do with them.
They were all thanks to Levi putting his life on the line.
It was Levi who managed to infiltrate the enemy’s command post, but the trio then unashamedly came to steal the limelight.
It was also because of Levi that their company was the only one that successfully defended their base when the whole regiment lost theirs. The trio again stole Levi’s thunder.
All those merits that they were boasting about so smugly were all because of Levi. They had done nothing but brazenly taken the credit.
The trio had always been nothing but bums who skated through life. Their families wanted to make men out of them, so they enlisted them in the military.
So despite donning military uniforms, they had never been a soldier at heart.
Thus, they enjoyed all sorts of special treatment, but they never put in the effort during training and even caused all sorts of trouble. When they went to the battlefield, they were always the first to duck and run too.
So in the end, they had plenty of military awards to brag about despite only being in uniform for a short while.
In fact, Levi couldn’t comprehend why his merits and glory had fallen in their hands.
But he was never the type to care about credit and honor.
Besides, the medals were going to the men in the same squad and sharing the same dorm with him, so he never spoke out about their doings.
However, their behavior soon worsened.
He was always the one fighting deep in the trenches while the trio silently lounged in the back and collected the awards.
That final special class merit that they spoke about earlier was one that Levi finally refused to concede. This immediately sowed a seed of hatred in them.
If they had gotten that special class merit, then they would’ve enjoyed a much better lifestyle after being discharged from military service.
So all these years, not only did they not feel any gratitude towards Levi, but they even spent most of their time talking smack about him.
This time around, they had actually learned that Levi was in South City; thus, they intentionally extended an invitation to him.
In Levi’s case, he absolutely could have done something about them audaciously stealing his glory.
But because they were his first batch of comrades-in-arms, he chose not to make a big deal out of it.
Right then, someone in the crowd jumped up and suggested, “For the meeting with Chief Williamson, why don’t we have Brad Guzman and the other two represent us?”
Everyone nodded in agreement. “That’s a good idea! The three of them have the most military medals out of all of us, and their military careers have also been the most outstanding. They definitely deserve the honor of meeting with Chief Williamson!”
CHAPTER 712
All the soldiers happily agreed to this plan and there wasn’t one dissenter in the crowd.
Brad, Xander, and Gordon couldn’t keep the smug looks off their faces.
Not much later, Levi arrived at the hotel with his invitation in hand.
When Sylas saw him, she immediately got up to greet him, but she was overtaken by Brad and the other two.
“Garrison, you’re finally here! It’s been ages!”
The trio leaned in and hugged Levi to give the others the impression that they were all very close.
“Everyone, listen up! Let me introduce you to someone who used to be in our squad, Levi Garrison!”
“He’s none other than the person who stole the special class merit from us!” Brad then turned to Levi and gave him a joking smack on his back. “We’re still holding that against you by the way, you little rascal!”
The trio was smiling and looking as if they were joking, but Levi still caught the flash of resentment in their eyes.
“I heard that you’re working as a security guard now?” asked Gordon as he patted Levi on the shoulders hard.
“That’s right.”
“Out of all the veterans, it looks like you’re the one who’s doing the worst now. Why are you working as a security guard? The least you could do is find a job as a bodyguard or something.”
“That’s right! We’ve got a female soldier who’s doing very well. That’s her over there — Sylas,” said Xerxes as he pointed over to Sylas. “She’s working as a bodyguard, and she has an annual salary of ten million. Her boss even threw in a house and a car for her!”
Sylas stood up and gave Levi a sheepish grin.
Never in a million years would she have thought that they were Levi’s comrades.
“Garrison, you’re an embarrassment to us in Northern Region!” snickered Brad.
Levi remained silent, but his gaze had traveled to the bunch of military medals laid out on the table.
A look of awkwardness flashed across the trio’s faces when they noticed where Levi was looking.
Naturally, they knew those military medals belonged solely to Levi, and that they had nothing to do with them at all.
But they weren’t going to cave in so easily. “Are you jealous? If you had been a little braver and fought alongside us, then you would’ve gotten your own medals too! Besides, you’re just working as a meager security guard even after you swiped our special class merit. On the other hand, we are just short of that one merit, otherwise, we would’ve received all the military achievements. It is really such a shame!”
The other soldiers also started to chime in. “Comrade, that’s not very loyal of you. You shouldn’t have stolen their credit, especially since you were from the same squad,” one sneered.
Levi scoffed in response. “I was the one who put in the work so of course, I deserve the medal. What did that get to do with them?”
“You deserve it? How ridiculous! Who’s going to believe that?”
“I certainly don’t!”
Clearly none of them believed Levi.
“They were awarded so many military medals throughout their careers, that also show that they have the ability to be awarded the special class merit too. But look at you, were you awarded any other medals apart from that one medal?” snorted another.
Brad was sneering at Levi too. “That’s right! You don’t have any other medals other than that one special class merit, do you?”
“Are you guys sure you want to compare military medals with me?” smirked Levi.
CHAPTER 713
He actually had long forgotten about all his medals.
But now that these lots were foolishly harassing him, he decided it was necessary to take care of things once and for all.
The trio broke out into waves of mocking laughter. “Ha! Compare military medals? With us? Have you lost your mind?”
If Levi really had that many military medals, then there was no way he would be working as just a security guard.
The thing was, Levi had left their squad because of a severe injury.
Thus, they naturally assumed that his military career ended then as well.
But unbeknownst to them, Levi had only just been reassigned to a top-secret squad.
Levi whipped out his phone and placed a call to Phoenix. “It’s me. Bring some of my military medals to Oceanic Restaurant.”
“Hahahaha…” The trio doubled over in laughter.
“Just how many medals do you have that you need someone to deliver them over to you? Stop fooling yourself, Garrison!” snickered Gordon.
The other veterans also had visible smirks on their faces.
They were having fun being entertained by Levi’s little show.
The thing was, the trio really had too many military medals and was undeniably the most lauded amongst everyone at the gathering.
The other veterans, as successful as their careers had been, didn’t even have half as many medals as them.
So Levi was clearly only going to make himself look stupid, especially since he was quite ordinary when compared to everyone else.
Seeing all this unfold made Sylas extremely anxious. A cold sheen of sweat broke out all over her body.
She wanted to tell everyone about Levi’s real identity, but she changed her mind after seeing the determined look on his face.
Levi turned his attention back on Brad and the other two. He perked an eyebrow at their smug expressions. “Can you sleep at night knowing that you took what should’ve been mine? Don’t the three of you even feel one ounce of shame?”
“I…”
The trio hesitated for a little before quickly regaining their composure.
“What on earth are you blabbering on about? We were awarded these medals because we put our lives on the line. Everything is properly documented in the files, and an easy search will prove us right. Who are you to try and steal this from us?”
“You’re despicable, Garrison! How dare you claim our medals for yourself?”
All the other veterans had believed Brad and his friends, so they naturally assumed Levi was lying through his teeth here too.
“And you call yourself a warrior of Erudia? You’re an embarrassment to all of us! Do you have nothing else better to do than to covet military medals that have nothing to do with you at all?”
Most people in the room were getting angry.
“Don’t tell anyone you served up North. We don’t want to be associated with shameful people like you! What? You don’t like what I said? Then come, let’s fight it out!” growled one muscular-looking warrior.
Sylas quickly stepped up, hoping to diffuse the situation. “We’re all comrades here. There’s no need to get fired up.”
“Fine. Since you’re the one asking, I won’t do anything. But, if no one delivers those supposed medals of his, then I can’t guarantee I’ll keep my cool,” the same guy roared.
Thus, everyone stared at Levi expectantly, waiting for those medals of his to arrive.
Soon enough, casually dressed Phoenix rushed into the scene. In his arms was an army green box.
Bang!
CHAPTER 714
The sound of the box hitting the table startled everyone.
Phoenix turned to Levi and whispered to him. “You have too many medals. I could only manage to grab one case.”
All of Levi’s medals — and there were really a lot — were in Phoenix’s care.
Levi gave a small smirk. “Don’t worry. These are more than enough.”
The duo’s conversation shocked those standing around them.
Did he say too many military medals?
Wait. How many medals does he have that he needs such a big case?
And… there’s more than one case?
Brad, on the other hand, still had the same sneer plastered across his face. “Open the case and show us then! There’s no way there are medals inside!”
“Exactly! Who do you think you’re fooling with that box?”
Gordon and Xerxes naturally refused to believe him too.
Levi had gotten injured and then was discharged very early in his military career. The Special Class Merit had to be the only medal he had ever been awarded.
Levi glanced lazily at Phoenix and instructed, “Open the box.”
Phoenix dutifully grabbed a key, unlocked the box, and pulled the lid up.
The sight made everyone’s jaw drop. There were at least a hundred military medals nestled in the box.
Even the trio started to panic.
This… this can’t be real, right?
But if they’re fake, where on earth would Garrison find so many fake medals on such short notice?
Besides, he wouldn’t have purposely asked someone to send them over if they were just going to be fake, right?
Levi dipped his hand into the case and grabbed a black-colored medal.
“Special Class Merit?” gasped a few of the men.
Levi sneered. “This medal is the one that you said I stole from you.”
Clack!
Levi threw it gently onto the table, before reaching for yet another black-colored medal.
“Wow! That’s another Special Class Merit!”
“This medal, I received five years ago during the battle at Catskills when I beheaded the enemy’s commander-in-chief.”
What!
There had been four hundred thousand soldiers fighting in the battle at Catskills.
Yet, Levi was the one who beheaded the commander-in-chief?
Just who is he exactly?
Levi ignored the shocked expressions on their faces and continued to pull out yet another black-colored medal.
Another one!
Everyone inhaled sharply at the sight.
“I received this because I was the first one to infiltrate the enemy’s stronghold up at the Northern Region.”
Clack!
Levi again tossed it onto the table.
Everyone stared at the three medals lying there. They couldn’t believe their eyes.
These are real medals!
Real freaking medals!
The trio was in complete panic mode now. They stared at Levi with their eyes wide and their mouths agape.
However, Levi wasn’t done yet. He continued to draw one medal after another out of the box. There were a couple dozen of them, and all were Special Class Merits.
“These were awarded for similar reasons, so there’s really nothing much to say.”
This comment nearly threw everyone into a fit.
Nothing much to say? There are at least seventy or eighty Special Class Merit medals there and he says there’s nothing much to say?
Just who is this person?
Where exactly did he come from?
Everyone then turned their eyes onto Brad, Xander, and Gordon.
It was as if their eyes were silently accusing the trio of withholding information.
Didn’t you three say he was a mere security guard? Why would a mere bodyguard have so many Special Class Merits!
The trio’s faces were completely distorted by then.
They didn’t know what was going on either.
CHAPTER 715
Levi then nonchalantly grabbed a purple-colored medal out of the box.
“Huh?”
This medal confused everyone.
It was purple-in-color, and one that no one had seen before.
What class is this?
Could it be of a higher class than the Special Class Merit?
On closer inspection, there was a beautifully engraved image of a Kirin on the medal.
“This Kirin Military Medal was awarded three years ago when I was in the East battling against Arendelle. I eliminated three hundred thousand enemies and captured another hundred thousand!” stated Levi.
Holy cow!
The men’s faces paled.
They had all heard of the battle between the Eastern Warzone and Arendelle.
That war lasted three whole days and three whole nights, and they managed to fight their way right into the capital of Arendelle before ultimately decimating it.
The whole of Erudia celebrated triumphantly.
Levi then pulled out another purple-colored medal. “This was another one I received three years ago. Felle Nation launched a sneak attack on the Southern Region and caused us extensive damages. I led our troops to charge after them, and we even wiped out the whole of Felle Nation.”
Again?
More sharp inhales could be heard echoing through the room.
They could more or less guess Levi’s identity after hearing his account.
The battle he had just spoken about was one that was a must-hear story among soldiers and had been retold again and again.
So everyone knew the story like the back of their hand.
Brad had a very unpleasant expression on his face, as if he were choking on a fly.
Levi ignored him and pulled yet another medal out of the case.
This time, it was a gold-colored medal.
There are gold-colored medals?
No one has seen gold-colored medals before! Heck, I’ve never even heard of anyone mentioning them before!
The engraving on this medal was of a magnificent dragon.
Everyone knew that dragon was a symbol of Erudia.
This meant that the medal itself could very well be a symbol of the country too!
The purple Kirin Military Medal was awarded to those whom the country placed great value on.
Thus, the gold medal could only be one that was awarded to Erudia’s ultimate God of War.
Levi held the heavy medal in his hands as he spoke, “This medal is called the Dragon Military Medal, or just the Dragon Medal. This is the only one of its kind in the history of Erudia!”
Crash!
Levi had just finished speaking when the trio suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
They were so shocked that it wouldn’t be surprising if they blacked out right then.
Who would’ve imagined that their fellow comrade, the one who had once been in their squad, would turn out to be someone who owned the only Dragon Military Medal in Erudia!
Everyone else was trembling in their shoes too.
Even Sylas, who was well-aware of Levi’s true identity, wasn’t exempted from being affected by the atmosphere in the room.
Finding themselves standing in front of such a highly-revered man made their blood pound with exhilaration.
But Levi wasn’t finished yet. “Two years ago, with my very own fists, I had defeated an army coalition with the Eighteen-Nation Alliance. In order to honor me for my unmatched capabilities, Erudia awarded me with this Dragon Medal and promoted me to a five-star ranked God of War. I am also the only God of War with five stars in the history of Erudia! That was the pinnacle of my career, and my name has been written into history. I’ll never forget the day that I was awarded this medal…”
Levi’s voice trailed off as he became swept up in his memories.
CHAPTER 716
Everyone held their breath as Sylas saluted and announced. “Salute to our Chief! Salute to our Hero!”
…
Sylas’ voice was like a wake-up call to everyone else as they quickly saluted to the God of War with their body trembling and eyes filled with tears.
The tears weren’t only for the honor to meet face to face with the God of War, but also the stories behind each and every badge that he earned.
The man standing in front of them was the protector of Erudia, the one who gave them the peace they’d been living in.
Everyone was excited. It was as if they had returned to the military camp.
“We will fight by your side if there is war!” Sylas shouted and everyone repeated after her.
Even Phoenix straightened his body as he remembered the time when they fought the invasion from the alliance.
It was a time of darkness, but also a time of miracle.
As the world thought that Erudia was going to fall, Levi led the army to turn the tide, and defeated the Eighteen-Nation Alliance.
The God of War had slain thousands of god-like warriors sent by the eighteen nations with his iron fists. It was that fight that made Erudia one of the superpowers it was now instead of a developing country.
The three had their bloods drawn from their faces.
They didn’t need to suspect Levi’s identity anymore for the truth had been spoken.
Levi glared at the three of them and challenged, “Do you still want to compare the number of medals?”
“I-I-I-I…” Brad Guzman was at a loss for words.
“I have dozens of medals here. Do you need me to tell you the story behind each and every one of these medals?”
The three had nothing more to say except kneeling before him and begged for forgiveness. They didn’t even come close to comparing themselves with Levi.
Levi scoffed and slowly put his medals back into the case before setting his eyes on Brad’s medals on the table. “I was going to let this slide, but you three have crossed the line. I was the one who risked my life to complete the mission for these medals and yet you guys took credit for it. Now, are you still claiming that these belong to you?”
“N-no…” Brad and his partners in crime quickly shook their heads.
“Even if I ignore your wrongdoings, I still have to take back whatever that belongs to me. Even if it’s a third-class award, it’s still an honor that belongs to me. It’s proof of my sacrifice. Phoenix, take these medals away and strip them of their achievements!” Levi ordered.
CHAPTER 717
“Yes, Sir!” Phoenix responded immediately.
“You guys are worthless!” Levi roared and threw Brad and his companions out, leaving the others cowering in fear.
The purpose of the gathering was to discuss how they should welcome Ezra. Yet, instead of doing that, it turned into an event where they witnessed the true face of the God of War.
Everyone finally understood the reason for Ezra, Western Region’s commander-in-chief, would come to South City. They finally had their answer.
He came to see the God of War.
“You guys don’t have to be so tense,” Levi stated. “I still have something to announce. Sylas, please.”
Sylas nodded. “The boss I was talking about earlier is the Chief. I have been hired as a bodyguard to the Chief’s wife.”
“Let me make it simple. I’m planning to build an indestructible security team at Morris Group, so I would be glad if anyone here is willing to join us,” Levi explained.
“Count me in!”
“Me too.”
…
Everyone began to volunteer as if it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which it was. To them, there would be no bigger honor than to work for the God of War.
“I don’t need to be paid!” one shouted.
“No, everyone here is getting paid according to the market price. I only have one request. Guard the company with all your might.”
Levi was feeling very happy after taking care of that matter. The safety of Morris Group’s employees was now solved.
With that, Levi and Phoenix left so that the gathering could continue.
On his way back, Levi ran into a familiar face.
It was none other than Tyler, who was leading the Joneses.
The building that Morris Group and Oriental Star Group now owned once belonged to Triple Group, a high-rise building that was situated in the center of South City.
Tyler and his people were inspecting the surroundings so that they could build a statue of the God of War.
“Hold it! Did I say you could leave?” Wales stopped Levi.
“What do you want?” Levi was a little angered by Wales’ action as that spoiled his mood. “Looks like you are playing it smart and aren’t messing around with the Joneses’ name.”
“Are you looking down on us?” Tyler questioned.
Levi was rendered speechless at the question as Tyler’s action was contradicted with what he said in the past.
“Whatever. Get the hell out of here. You in our way of building the statue of the God of War.” Tyler waved his hand to chase Levi away.
“What did you say?” Levi was surprised to hear his own title.
“Are you deaf? We’re looking for the best location to build a statue for the God of War!”
“Just give up. The God of War doesn’t like all these craps.”
CHAPTER 718
“What did you say?”
Everyone was stunned by what Levi had just spouted and stared at him unbelievably.
“The God of War won’t like it? Did you really just say that?”
“Yes, I did,” Levi nodded.
“What? Are you implying that you’re the God of War?” Tyler laughed.
“That’s right. And I don’t like it.”
“This guy is delusional!” one of the Joneses laughed as the others looked at Levi as if he was a total buffoon.
They would rather believe that Levi had a billion in his account rather than him being the God of War as the punishment for impersonating the guardian of the country could land one in jail for a few decades.
“Get the hell out of here! Like it has anything to do with you!” Tyler laughed. “I can assure you that the God of War will be very fond of this new statue!”
“We Joneses will be the first to build a statue of the God of War in Erudia to commemorate his great contribution and achievement to the country.” Tyler declared proudly.
The Joneses had a smug look on their faces. If they could complete the statue, everyone in Erudia, and even the whole world, would shift their focus to their family. They could gather wealth like no one had ever seen before.
They also believed that the God of War would like the statue, and that was their main goal.
“You’re just wasting your time. Still, do whatever you like,” Levi said and turned to leave.
If the Joneses were erecting a statue of him to show their gratitude, Levi would’ve let them be. He would even thank them for doing that.
The only problem was that the Joneses were never the kind people who would do things that wouldn’t benefit them, and Levi did not like that one bit.
“Stop! Who do you think you are?” Wales yelled while Tyler stood next to him with his arms crossed. The latter always looked down on Levi as he was an important member of the Prince Gang in South Hampton. If any of his friends learned that he had a cousin like Levi, they would definitely make fun of him.
“You’re just like your mother, a nobody! You don’t deserve to be a part of our family!” Tyler mocked as Levi left.
Even though their progress was held back a little by their run in with Levi, the Joneses finally found a perfect place and began their construction of the statue.
As for Levi, he put his back into the investment conference as soon as he got back to Morris Group since he promised Tim that he would handle it.
Levi even transferred Aurora from North Hampton to South City for the project.
Without wasting much time, Aurora got a handful of tender documents for Levi, which he read through thoroughly one by one.
He had high hopes for businesses from other regions to develop in South City through the investment conference.
CHAPTER 719
Levi was a genius in doing business from the beginning. He could instantly make out which companies would benefit South City as soon as they got their investments. The most important part of the project was to generate healthy competition in the industry.
“The Joneses?” Levi raised a brow when he noticed the Joneses’ tender.
He immediately frowned after reading through the document as the Joneses were trying to win the bid by using their royal status. The tender documents that the Joneses submitted were in a complete mess.
Thus, Levi marked a huge red cross on the document without even thinking twice.
“Oh? Isn’t this Logan and Jennie’s company?” Levi smiled. It was evident that they were trying to gain a huge profit from the conference.
Another red cross was marked at the second document.
The next tender document belonged to the Black family, which was drafted by Zoey. The only problem was that Robert and Meredith’s names were noted down as the people in charge instead of Zoey’s.
Levi took the matter into his own hands and crossed Robert and Meredith’s names off and replaced it with Zoey’s name before marking a tick on the document.
For the next few days, Levi was completely immersed in inspecting all the tender documents that were submitted and came up with a list of names.
On the other hand, there existed a powerful group called the South City Chamber of Commerce. They held the power to control every market in South City.
Yet, they would use their influence to cut off all investors from other regions in order to monopolize the businesses in South City and had caused a great deal of trouble because of that.
In the office of the chamber, the president and a few directors were holding a meeting.
Wardell Becker, President of South City Chamber of Commerce, spoke in a cold tone. “The investment conference is just days away. I noticed quite a number of companies from other regions are trying to do business here by winning the bid.”
“I noticed that as well. The policy is encouraging them to develop and invest here. They are going crazy!” Joel Fraley, Vice-president of the South City Chamber of Commerce, nodded in agreement.
“The three hundred billion should belong to South City! Technically speaking, we, the South City Chamber of Commerce should be in charge of handling the money! Why would the higher-ups give such an important task to a young’un instead?
“I know, right? If he divides the money to the companies from other regions, we would lose a lot of shares!”
The rest of the directors agreed as well.
“That’s what I’m worried about the most. I’ve heard that this young man is an advocate of attracting investment from other regions to promote the development of Quebec! What a load of crap!” Wardell scolded.
“Don’t worry. As long as we butt into this matter, even companies from other cities of Quebec can’t even get a single cent from the project! That money belongs to us!” Joel stated confidently.
Their views were simple. To keep the three hundred billion away from companies from other regions. As long as the money was distributed to companies in South City, they could make a lot of profits from it.
“Mr. Becker, what should we do?” one of the directors asked.
“We just have to make the head of the project one of our own,” Wardell suggested.
“I’ve already found out who the head is. He’s Levi Garrison from North Hampton,” Joel said. “He’s not part of the business circle. I’m confused as to why the higher-ups would let him lead such an important project.”
CHAPTER 720
“That’s none of our business. We just have to know who the person in charge is,” Wardell smiled. “Joel, you and I are going to pay this Levi a visit.”
As Levi was leaving his office, he was greeted by a group of people.
“Are you Mr. Levi Garrison?” Joel asked. “We’re from the South City Chamber of Commerce. Is it possible to have some of your time? We would like to make a proposition.”
Levi was surprised that the Chamber of Commerce would catch up to him so soon.
They most probably found out about me when Aurora was moving the documents.
“Of course.” Levi followed Joey into a Lincoln where a person was waiting inside for him.
“Allow me to introduce myself first. I’m Wardell Becker, President of the South City Chamber of Commerce. We would like to discuss with you about the upcoming investment conference.”
“Go on.”
“Even though we aren’t part of the government, we are still an organization formed by the businessmen of South City. We represent the interest of all businessmen in South City and to stabilize the market. We heard that Mr. Garrison is interested in attracting businesses from other regions to invest in our city. We believe that this would harm our interests, which is something that we cannot ignore.”
“I see,” Levi smiled. “Then, what do you propose?”
“We propose that while companies from other regions could participate in the bid, only businesses from South City can win the projects. As long as you agree to our proposition, this will be yours,” Wardell smiled as he handed Levi a check.
Levi took a peek at the numbers and wasn’t surprised to see a hundred million written on it.
“These women will be yours as well.” Wardell pointed at the four gorgeous women sitting in the back seat. Calling them supermodels would be an understatement.
“This car could be yours too. Mr. Garrison, I know you hold the power to decide who can or can’t invest in the project. That power will still belong to you, as long as you make sure that only the businessmen from South City will win all the bids. With this, it will be a win-win situation. You also get something from it. Isn’t it a great deal?”
“You’re right. No matter what I choose, it won’t harm my interest.” Levi returned the smile.
Both Wardell and Joel were glad to see that Levi was on their side, or so they thought.
“From this day onwards, you’ll be a friend of the South City Chamber of Commerce. Just let us know if you run into any troubles in the future,” Wardell offered as he tried to hold his laughter back.
The president of the chamber could not believe he could dupe the young man in front of him so easily. He was already picturing the huge amount of shares he could get when the three hundred billion find its ways to the businesses in South City.
His net worth would shoot up by a least ten times.
Levi looked at the check and smiled, which froze both Wardell and Joel.
The twenty men raised their swords up high, charging toward Levi and his men.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind roared to life and there was a silhouette flickered passed them like a bolt of lightning.
It was White Tiger.
Among the Five Kings of War, Black Tortoise was the best at defense while White Tiger was the best at offence.
Wham! Wham!
White Tiger weaved through the crowd of men, his punches snapping out so quickly they were a blur.
Within moments, he stopped in his tracks.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
All twenty of his opponents crumpled to the ground like puppets that had their strings cut.
A dead silence descended upon the scene.
Jaron’s face paled dramatically.
How is he so powerful?
These men were supposed to be the best of the best, the elites of his family’s men. They had all been trained since young to be the perfect fighters.
He had once conquered the Southern Union using only these twenty men. No one had been able to stop them back then!
Yet now, they could not even defeat one person.
That was a testament to how powerful White Tiger was.
Seemingly satisfied by their prowess, White Tiger praised, “Not bad! You guys are stronger than those people from the Southern Union!”
Crooking a finger at Jaron, he continued, “Your turn!”
He could tell that Jaron was even more powerful than the twenty men he had just downed.
“Die!” Jaron bellowed as he leaped at White Tiger.
The two men clashed together violently and a ferocious battle broke out.
The destruction they left was terrifying, with the walls of the yard crumbling to pieces and the wooden gates splintered.
Even the ground was cracked badly, with the brick turned to dust in some places.
The Prince Gang was gaping at the scene with wide eyes while Levi and his men were also rather impressed.
Jaron was definitely the strongest opponent White Tiger had ever fought so far.
Erudia really was a country with plenty of hidden talents!
It was likely they would run into more in the future.
Even watching the fierce battle had the blood in their veins boiling with adrenaline and excitement.
Wham!
After exchanging more than a hundred blows, White Tiger sent Jaron flying with a well-placed kick.
Crash!
Slamming to the ground, Jaron coughed up a mouthful of blood. He stared at White Tiger in disbelief.
How can someone who looks around the same age as I be so much more powerful?
His Master once told him that he was the most talented fighter he had ever seen and estimated that there was nobody else like him in the entire Erudia.
The proof of how wrong his Master had been standing right in front of him.
“W-who are you people?” Jaron asked in a trembling voice.
The members of the Prince Gang were absolutely stunned at the turn of events.
It was only now did they begin to wonder about Levi and his men’s identities.
At first, they thought Levi was a weakling they could play with as they pleased. Never did they consider there might be more than meets the eyes with him and his men.
Azure Dragon sneered and replied, “You brats are not worthy of knowing our true identities!”
To Levi and the rest, the members of the Prince Gang were no different than children.
Lucas, who was still kneeling in the yard, broke into a cold sweat as he recalled how hundreds of men from the Southern Union got down on their knees before Levi.
We pissed off someone we shouldn’t have.
Jaron struggled to his feet, wiping the blood trickling from the corner of his lips before stating, “Gentlemen, how about we brush this aside as a misunderstanding and put it all behind us? We’ll apologize to you and be done with it!”
“Who gave you the right to call this a misunderstanding?” Levi answered in a cold tone.
CHAPTER 792
Jaron and the other members of the Prince Gang were frozen to the spot at Levi’s words.
It was finally sinking in that they were in deep trouble this time.
At the rate things were going, they might just end up dying here in South City.
This was why they had to resolve this matter as peacefully as possible.
Jaron lowered his head slightly in submission, representing the Prince Gang’s defeat.
This was the first time since the founding of the Prince Gang that they had actually lost to someone.
Every time before, they were always the ones pushing others around and stepping on their defeated enemies.
Unfortunately, they had run into someone even more difficult than them this time.
Today was a day of utter humiliation for the Prince Gang, the very first time they had suffered such a shame!
Not only were they disgraced as a group, but it was also a major blow to their individual egos as well.
As the head of the Prince Gang, Jaron was not a person unwilling to compromise.
He planned on appeasing Levi now and then return to South Hampton another time to rise up again.
Chuckling bitterly, he uttered, “Sir, we were wrong to have provoked you first. We should not have insulted your woman either. But all things can be worked out peacefully! Having a friend is better than making a new enemy!” However, the other man’s reply was like a brutal slap to the face.
Levi scoffed, “Sorry. I’m pretty sure my enemies are numbering in the thousands already. A few more really doesn’t make much of a difference.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little unreasonable? I’m already putting my pride aside here! Besides, each and every one of us come from an influential family in South Hampton. All of us will one day be the heads of our families. Going against us would be going up against all of the prominent families in South Hampton!” Jaron said arrogantly.
His words had the other members of the Prince Gang straightening their backs proudly.
That was right! They were from the most illustrious families in South Hampton! Who dared to offend them?
No matter how powerful Levi and his men were, there was no way they would have the courage to go up against the Prince Gang.
If not out of respect for the members of the gang themselves then at the very least for the various families they came from.
Levi looked amused. “So?”
“So, you have to accord us the right amount of respect! This matter is to be settled pleasantly without any more fuss!” Jaron stated with a smile.
Despite the calm tone, there was a commanding undercurrent to it with no room for argument.
One way or another, the Prince Gang would get the respect they thought they deserved.
Seeing that Levi did not say anything more, Jaron added, “You’re a formidable person in your own right. Isn’t it better to have more friends, especially if they’re from the wealthiest families in South Hampton? You would only benefit from such a relationship!”
At last, Levi responded, “So I’m just supposed to forget that that guy over there insulted my wife and tried to kill me several times? I’m also supposed to disregard the fact that you killed my beloved dog and threatened to massacre a whole block of civilians? Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s right! It’s all just a huge misunderstanding; no big deal!” Jaron smirked. “Don’t you think you’re being rather petty? Aren’t they just dogs? What does it matter?”
“And if I insist on pursuing this matter?” Levi questioned lowly.
“Then you make enemies out of all the prominent families in South Hampton!”
A wicked gleam appeared in Jaron’s eyes.
CHAPTER 793
Smack!
Levi’s hand darted out and he landed a ringing slap on Jaron’s face.
“Then so be it! It might just be a dog to you but to us, it was a living, breathing creature! It was a precious life! It was our friend, our comrade-in-arm!” Levi roared in rage.
He was well and truly mad this time.
One of the dogs had been his constant companion when he was still in the military. Playing with it always served to brighten up his day and helped with the stress of fighting a war.
They had been on the frontlines together and fought plenty of battles.
After they retired from the military, he brought it back here with him.
Now, Jaron killed his precious dog and had the audacity to say it was “just dogs”.
“To me, its life is infinitely more valuable than you scum!”
His commanding aura exploded around him, exerting immense pressure on everyone present.
Being so close to him, Jaron swore the surrounding temperature dropped several degrees, making him shivered.
“That guy killed so many people ever since he came to South City! Look at the doctor! He was someone who worked hard to save lives! That man saved that jerk but how did the lunatic repay his kindness? Were all these no big deals to you? What about your intention to slaughter everyone on this street then? Was that a small matter to you too? If we were just some feeble men, we could have been dead by now!”
Levi’s questions slammed into Jaron like bullets, rooting him to the spot.
The rest of the Prince Gang were pale in their fear. None of them dared to breathe too loudly in case that would focus Levi’s ire upon them.
A hard glint entered Jaron’s eyes and he queried, “Does this mean you won’t let us go then? Not even on behalf of the South Hampton families?”
“Did you seriously think I would? All of you, kneel!” Levi ordered.
White Tiger and the others leaped into action.
Within minutes, not a single person was standing before Levi.
“You can speak on your knees!” Levi looked down at the kneeling Jaron as he said this.
How very insulting!
This was probably the most humiliating moment Jaron had ever felt in his life!
He was the leader of the Prince Gang! A prince among princes!
Yet here he was kneeling before someone else.
This is unacceptable!
He bit out through clenched teeth, “You have some guts to do this to us! You’re a dead man! Just you wait and see!”
A cruel smirk curled Levi’s lips. “Now, it’s time to settle the score with each of you!”
He headed for Lucas and stopped before the other man. “Since you were lusting after my wife, castrate him!”
“No!”
Agonized screams ripped from Lucas’ throat and with a gush of blood, he became a eunuch.
Next, Levi focused his attention on the members of Prince Gang. “You guys were thinking of killing me, weren’t you?”
“N-no! W-we weren’t…” They cried out in protest.
“Break their legs! Since their parents won’t discipline them properly, I’ll do it for them!”
Another chorus of pained screams rang out while the legs of the members of Prince Gang were systematically broken.
It was absolutely terrifying!
When Levi fixed his gaze on Jaron, the latter began to panic. “W-what are you going to do to me!”
CHAPTER 794
Levi’s eyes flashed and he uttered coldly, “Breaking an arm for killing my dog isn’t excessive, is it?”
The threat had Jaron’s face flushing red in alarm and he struggled to escape.
He was a prince! If one of his arms were snapped just like that, his reputation would be ruined forever! He would never be able to look anyone in the eyes again!
“No, please. Let’s talk about this, okay? I’ll give you anything you want!” He babbled anxiously.
At that moment, his disheveled appearance made him look just like any other normal person. Gone were his arrogance and princely demeanor.
“I want my dog!”
Eyes wintry with his rage, Levi glared at him.
Jaron was stumped at his words.
His dog is already dead. How am I supposed to give it back to him?
In the next second, there was the metallic glint of a blade swishing down.
Jaron’s right arm flopped to the ground uselessly.
Immediately, blood sprayed forth like a crimson fountain.
“AHHHH!”
His howls of pain mixed with those of Lucas and the rest, echoing in the vast courtyard.
Thus, Levi had every single member of the South Hampton Prince Gang crippled.
The only exceptions were the Jones brothers, who had left earlier and were not involved in this incident.
This was a stain that could never be erased from the reputation of the prestigious Prince Gang.
In the blink of an eye, they had fallen from grace.
Nobody had expected this.
Jaron shrieked, “I can promise you that we’ll be back for revenge! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all your family and friends! I won’t stop until every single one of them is dead!”
Levi smiled grimly and replied, “None of you were ever properly disciplined when you were young.
All you know how to do is bully the weak and throw your weight around.
No crime is too evil for you. All I’m doing is teaching you a lesson on your parents’ behalf. But I don’t think that’s enough…”
Checking his watch, he continued, “Before the stroke of midnight tonight, your families are to kneel before me and apologize for your actions. Otherwise, there will be consequences!”
“You… That’s just preposterous! How dare you demand that! You really are outrageous!”
“Toss them out of here!” Levi dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
His men were quick to do as he said.
In their current states, the members of the South Hampton Prince Gang really were a sorry sight.
Jaron’s face was dark as he snarled, “Let’s get back to South Hampton! We have to tell our families about what happened. Whoever was involved in what happened just now needs to die! I’m going to strip his skin from his flesh and drink his blood like it’s the most exquisite wine out there! I’ll carve his meat from his very bones! When I’m done with him, he’ll be begging to die!”
“Get revenge! We must be avenged!” The others yelled out in agreement.
There were no words to describe the extent of their hatred toward Levi.
Meanwhile, back in South Hampton, Tyler and Wales were chatting idly.
“Have you heard from Lucas in the past two days? I wonder if he managed to get Zoey and Helena?”
They had not received any news from the others ever since they returned to South Hampton.
CHAPTER 795
Wales chuckled and answered, “This is Lucas we’re talking about. Getting a woman for himself is child’s play for him!”
Tyler thought over that and had to agree.
Lucas was a domineering person who always did as he pleased in South Hampton. Nobody had ever dared to stop him here, so who would have the courage to do so at South City?
“But then why isn’t he back yet? And there’s been no news from him either! I tried calling him but strangely enough, his phone is turned off!”
Being a little more meticulous than his brother, Tyler got the vague feeling that something was about to happen.
“He’s probably having too much fun! I wouldn’t mind sleeping with those two beauties either!” Wales commented with a lecherous grin.
Furrowing his brows, Tyler mulled over everything that had happened so far.
He abruptly suggested, “Do you think he ran into some trouble?”
“Why would you say that?”
“I heard Jaron and the rest of the Prince Gang left South Hampton as well but nobody has any idea where they went. I’m starting to suspect something happened to Lucas and they went to aid him.” Tyler mused.
His brother patted his shoulder. “Oh, c’mon. You’re overthinking things! Just think about who is by Zoey’s side. It’s just Levi! Do you honestly think he can do anything to Lucas? It’s not like he’ll be able to cripple Lucas of all people.”
“That’s true! Levi is just a useless piece of trash!”
“What are you two talking about?” Michael’s voice suddenly rang out from behind them.
“Grandpa, we’re discussing about Levi.” Wales answered.
Instantly, Michael’s expression darkened. He snapped, “Didn’t I say to not mention Levi Garrison again! He’s not worthy of our attention!”
“Grandpa, it’s like this…”
Tyler swiftly informed Michael about the incident with Lucas.
When he was done, a smile broke out on the older man’s face. “So that’s what happened. Levi is doomed now that Lucas has his eyes set on him! In truth, Levi is a loose end of the Jones family that might come back to bite us in the ass in the future. Unfortunately, we can’t just get rid of him! This is a wonderful opportunity that we must thank Lucas for!”
Wales grinned maniacally at his grandfather’s words. “That’s so true! There’s no way Levi will survive a confrontation with Lucas. We won’t need to worry about him anymore!”
Tyler frowned and expressed his concerns, to which his grandfather responded with, “Tyler, you’re really overthinking things! Be it another person, Lucas might be in danger. But this is just Levi! I don’t think he’s even capable of stirring up any trouble, let alone being a threat to Lucas!”
Michael gave a disdainful snort.
Comparing Lucas and Levi was like comparing a kitten to a tiger.
CHAPTER 796
At one of South Hampton’s downtown areas.
Despite being a downtown area, this particular neighborhood was empty. Not a single soul could be seen within a ten-kilometer radius of it.
This strange phenomenon could be attributed to the guards patrolling every single road that led to it as this area was listed as private property.
As for who the property belonged to, it was none other than the most prominent family in South Hampton – the royal family of Goel.
The Goel family was said to have existed here for nearly a thousand years, a testament to their prowess.
At that moment, there were several people lying on the ground before the gates of the manor.
Every single one of them either had their arms or legs broken.
One poor soul had obviously been castrated as blood kept spurting from between his legs.
The only thing they had in common was that all of them looked extremely pitiful.
Within moments, the doors to the mansion swung open and a large group of people poured out.
Among them was an elderly man with snowy white hair holding on to a dragon-headed cane.
The old man seemed to be close to a hundred years old. While he was not as agile as he used to be, his eyes still shone bright and sharp.
The elderly was none other than Xabian Goel, the patriarch of the Goel family.
In South Hampton, he was respectfully referred to as Elder Goel by everyone else as he had the final say in most matters.
His words were ultimate, deciding the future of the city or the fate of someone.
Everyone was both in awe of and fearful of him, thus treating him with the utmost respect.
Jaron was his favorite grandson and also the one he was most proud of.
He had spent the last twenty years of his life nurturing and grooming his grandson to be his successor.
Hence, when he saw that his precious grandson was missing an arm, he exploded!
Bang!
He slammed his cane down on the floor and the stick of wood instantly splintered.
“RAAAARGH!”
He tossed his head back as he bellowed his fury to the heavens.
The rest of the Goel family also cried out in outrage at the mistreatment of one of their own.
In South Hampton, they were practically gods for all the respect people gave them. Everyone was always bending over backward to serve or please them. In fact, oftentimes whoever spoke to them did so on their knees.
They were the most powerful and prominent family in South Hampton!
The fear everyone felt toward them was so ingrained that many would suffer from insomnia at the mere mention of their names. Some would even instinctively feel the urge to get down on their knees.
This led to nobody daring to offend Jaron and his friends, who were the other various young heirs to the prominent families.
What nobody had expected was that someone would be so bold as to chop off the Prince’s arm.
Despite losing an arm, amusement danced on Jaron’s face. “Unfortunately, we met an incredibly powerful opponent this time. I killed his dog and he cut off my arm in revenge! He also crippled every single one of us from the Prince Gang. Not only that, but he’s also saying that our parents have to go to him before midnight today and kneel as you apologize!”
“Who did this?!” Xabian roared.
CHAPTER 797
Silence followed the patriarch’s question.
None of the other family members had ever seen the old man so enraged.
Oh no, Elder Goel is utterly infuriated this time!
“A man from South City called Levi Garrison. He has several expert fighters with him. I wasn’t a match for his strongest.” Jaron explained.
“By the way, Elder Goel, they seem to be related to the Southern Union. We personally witnessed as the members of the Southern Union kneeled before him!” One of the Prince Gang members chimed in.
“So what if they’re connected to the Southern Union? As if I’m afraid of them! I don’t care who he is; I’ll kill him even if he’s from Oakland City!”
Xabian’s eyes gleamed menacingly as he ordered, “Contact all the other families involved in this incident. Tell them to gather here right away. Tonight, I shall personally lead them to South City! I would like to see who in that damn city dares to accept an apology from me!”
Everybody present was astounded at his words.
They had not thought a day would come where Xabian would go to such a small city as South city himself.
In no time at all, the patriarch of the second royal family of South Hampton, Mario Hunt, arrived. He was incensed when he found out his grandson, Jackson had been crippled.
The patriarch of the Quinn family, Hayden Quinn, was even more furious. His dear grandson had been castrated like some animal!
That was just unacceptable!
A short while later, the various heads of families were all present.
Of the top thirty prestigious families in South Hampton, the only family not here was the Joneses.
“Remember, this matter involves our reputations! We must keep a low profile for now! Whatever else can wait till after we deal with these barbarians at South City!” Xabian ordered firmly.
As expected, everyone immediately agreed with his plan.
With that, the twenty-nine families headed for South City together.
Since they had to keep a low profile, they did not bring many men with them. However, those they brought were the best fighters they had.
This group of top fighters in South Hampton was more than enough to destroy the Southern Union several times over!
At the Guardian Mansion of South City.
Levi was watching as Azure Dragon and the others repaired the walls.
His face was twisted in an annoyed expression as he muttered angrily, “This is the second time these walls have been destroyed! Next time, I’ll shove a cannon up the ass of whoever wrecks them!”
Kirin piped up cheerfully, “Sir, that might happen a lot sooner than you think, maybe even tonight! I’m pretty sure those brats have gone back to call for reinforcements!”
“I’ll be waiting!” was the bored reply from Levi as he put the matter out of his mind.
Right then, several people appeared in the courtyard.
He recognized Mike, the commander-in-chief of the South City Warzone, and Percy, the commander-in-chief of the North Hampton Warzone.
However, the other six were unknown to him.
The eight men came to a stop before Levi and saluted him. “Good day, Chief!”
Smiling, Percy spoke up, “Sir, the eight Warzones are considering a joint exercise sometime soon. These men are the commanders-in-chief of the other six Warzones.”
CHAPTER 798
“This is the Commander-in-chief of the South Hampton Warzone, Clark Pond!”
“Hello Chief! It is such an honor to meet you!”
Clark said excitedly.
The South Hampton Warzone was a very important area. From the military viewpoint, it was more important than both the North Hampton and South City Warzones.
Correspondingly, Clark’s position was more important than Mike’s and Percy’s.
Levi smiled, “I’ve heard of you!”
Clark was surprised that the God of War actually remembered him.
This was an honor of a lifetime for him.
Percy began introducing the others.
“This is the commander-in-chief of Haven Warzone, Xayden Fairfield.”
“Chillshire Warzone, Weston Zink!”
“Southlake Warzone, Stanley Hodge!”
“Here, Darren Mackson from the Northlake Warzone!”
“And lastly, Zayden Ziggler from the Westview Warzone!”
….
Levi shook hands with the other five. This made them so excited and emotional, as if they had just met their idol.
They were completely caught by surprise!
Little did they expect that the legendary God of War himself would be so approachable and down-to-earth!
“Chief, what happened to these walls and floors here?”
Clark asked curiously.
“Nothing much, someone pummeled them!” Levi said.
“What? Someone fought in here?”
Clark and the other leaders had to take a deep breath.
Firstly, they were surprised that there were people who dared to fight in there.
Secondly, to create such damage, the person must be a master.
“No big deal, they are just a bunch of kids. Their parents are coming tonight to apologize!” Levi smiled.
In his eyes, the Prince Gang was really but a bunch of kids.
His experience in the past six years was more than what many people had experienced in sixty years.
The man was way too mature, much like an old bogeyman.
“It’s good to know that they are coming here to apologize. Silly of me to think that someone have the audacity to offend you, Chief.”
Clark and the rest laughed as they followed Levi into the house.
Very soon, the eight warzones were about to launch their joint exercise. They wanted Levi to give some suggestions, as their main objective was to pay tribute to him.
Edburg Manor, South Hampton.
Michael called for Tyler and Wales.
“Something might happen soon.”
Michael said.
“Oh? What’s going on?”
Both of them looked at their grandfather curiously.
“I have just received the news that Elder Goel has left South Hampton. No one knows where he has gone to.”
Michael said.
“What? How is that possible?”
“The man has not left South Hampton for the past fifty years, hasn’t he?”
Tyler was extremely shocked.
For Xabian Goel to leave South Hampton meant that something colossal was about to happen!
He had not gone anywhere for decades.
Tyler said, “Could Lucas’ matter have to do with it?”
CHAPTER 799
“That’s impossible! After all, it’s just two women. What could have happened from there? Moreover, who else in the South City would dare to do something to Lucas? Let alone make Elder Goel to leave this city for him?”
Michael and Wales exchanged glances.
They were still very certain that Lucas was fine, and that Levi was unable to cause any ripples.
“Tyler, you are overthinking this. Think about it, what waves could Levi possibly cause?”
Michael could not help but say.
“Grandpa, why don’t I make a trip to South City to see what’s going on?” Tyler suggested.
“Alright, go and take a look so that we can all be more at ease. In case anything happens, we can get the first-hand information.” The older man nodded in agreement.
As he helmed the large family, he was full of strategies.
At the other side.
Yadriel Larson reported the incident to Grover.
“What? I guess Xabian Goel will definitely be coming to South City to seek trouble then!”
The master was surprised.
“That’s right, he might have arrived by now!” Yadriel said anxiously.
“That won’t do. I’ll go and stop him!”
Xabian’s troops had already surreptitiously infiltrated South City.
However, they were stopped the moment they entered the city.
Just when they were about to bristle with rage, they recognized Grover.
“What are you doing here, Grover?” Xabian asked coldly.
“Go back now! You’re going to get into deep trouble!”
Grover advised him.
“Hah! I know you are related to that person. However, no matter what background he has, I will get him!”
Xabian could not listen to anything at all.
“Say no more. The decision was made that moment I stepped out of South Hampton.”
His attitude was more determined than ever before.
Grover could not persuade him at all and had no choice but to return.
Very quickly, Xabian brought his group to a mysterious neighborhood.
This particular lane was very quiet and sparsely populated.
It was easy to do things in quiet places like this.
No one would know even if something big happened.
“Woof woof woof…”
The dog barking in the Guardian Mansion alerted Levi and his group.
“Our guests have arrived!”
Levi smiled.
“Chief, do you mind if we go and see who this person is? He sure has the guts to beard the lion in his den.”
Clark and the rest were very curious. Who could actually behave so atrociously before Levi and made the Guardian Mansion such a horrific state?
“Not at all. Who knows he could be someone you know.” Levi smiled.
Clark and the rest followed behind him.
Going out the door, they saw that the entrance was full with people and each of them had great temperament.
Clearly, they were the masters of the masters!
They were definitely stronger than those from the Prince Gang!
CHAPTER 800
“Grandpa, it’s them! They are strong. The one standing in the middle leads them!”
Jaron pointed Levi out.
However, he did not expect to see another eight strangers to turn up out of nowhere.
But he did not care.
With his grandpa here, even another eight hundred people would have been useless.
Upon seeing Levi and his men, the leaders of the twenty nine top families in South Hampton fixated their gaze on their enemies.
They could barely wait to swallow them alive.
How dare somebody crippled their precious child!
Xabian suppressed his anger forcefully and asked coldly, “Was it you who chopped off my grandson’s arm?”
“Indeed, it was me. He killed my dog and all I did was breaking one of his hands. That was already very merciful of me.” Levi said calmly.
“Are you telling me you could have killed my grandson just because of a dog?”
Xabian could not be more infuriated.
Jaron, the most noble young talent of South Hampton, was being compared to a dog?
How could he take this lying down?
The key was that his grandson’s arm was chopped off because of a dog!
“That’s right, an eye for an eye, which is very fair. However, I spared your grandson’s life. Perhaps the entire Goel family should be thanking me instead!”
That line started everyone.
All of them fell silent and stared at him in complete disbelief.
“H…how can he say something like that?”
“The Goel family has to thank him?”
…..
This was unthinkable for each of the prominent families from South Hampton.
The man on the other side were clearly declaring war to the first family of South Hampton, the Goel family!
“Great. You are very courageous! No wonder my grandson lost to you!”
Instead of angry, Xabian laughed out loud instead.
“Did you castrate Lucas Quinn as well?” The patriarch continued asking.
“Yep. Since he had no control over the lower part of his body, I took over the control!” Indifferently, Levi replied.
“So, you crippled the entire Prince Gang?”
Xabian narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, I did! Since their parents did not teach them properly, I did all of you a favor and taught them a lesson.”
Levi’s eyes stared directly at Xabian as well.
“Excellent, we all heard it. He has admitted to all the crimes!”
Xabian told the other people.
Everyone shouted out loud. “An eye for an eye! Revenge! Revenge!”
Levi’s voice popped up. “Eh, aren’t you here to apologize?”
“Hmm?”
Xabian was taken aback.
“Before I released them, I told them to get their parents here to kneel and apologize!”
Levi retorted sharply, “Parents should bear the burden for their children’s sins! Don’t you agree?”
All the leaders were taken aback.
He was actually provoking them now.
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🙏
