Chapter 711
“Dahlia, are we really leaving?” Julie seemed reluctant to part with the huge and luxurious office. Due to her position as the chairman’s secretary, she got to enjoy lots of benefits.
No matter where she went, people were ready to shower her with attention and flattery. As a result, she even slept with several young and attractive men. But now that Dahlia has been dismissed from her
position as chairman, Julia was no longer her secretary. “We’ve got no choice. They have the final say. Before the head of the family comes around, we have no choice but to obey their instructions for now.”
After she cleared up the office, Dahlia sighed softly. It had not been easy for her to get to where she was. Of course, she wasn’t ready to give up yet.
But Alma was now in charge, and Dahlia had no means of going up against her. “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t crossed the matriarch of the Nicholson family, Dahlia would not have been dismissed from her position!”
Julie turned to glare at Dustin, who was leisurely sipping on a cup of coffee. They were almost about to be kicked out of the company, and there he was, still eating and drinking like he had no care in the world! How heartless!
“Why are you so flustered? Didn’t I tell you that it wouldn’t be long before the old lady comes and apologize?
She’ll even grovel at Dahlia’s feet to ask her to resume her position as chairman’ Dustin said confidently “Hmph! She’ll do that? Do you think I’m naive even to believe you?” Julie rolled her eyes at him.
Alma was the matriarch of the Nicholson family and had noble status. Dustin might be well-off financially, but he was no match for the prominent Nicholson family.
“Rhys! Don’t forget what you promised. If Alma doesn’t do as you predicted, you’ll have to return us the plot of land free of charge!” Florence suddenly quipped.
Though her daughter had lost her position as chairman, it would make up for their loss if they could get their hands on that plot of land “Don’t worry. I never go back on my word,” Dustin assured.
“Alright, the car’s here. Let’s go.” With one final lingering glance around the office, Dahlia turned and left.
Just as they made their way out of the building, a white Toyota Alphard pulled up in front of them. The car door opened, and Julian and several bodyguards came out. They stormed up to. them angrily.
“Dahlia, isn’t that Julian? Why is he back?” Julia wondered aloud. “Are they back to give us trouble?” Florence cowered, an unknown panic creeping up on her.
“They’re not here to give us trouble; they’re here to beg us for a favor.” Dustin smirked. “Hey! Are you delusional? Don’t you see the vicious look on their faces?
What makes you think they’re here to beg for anything? You should thank your lucky stars if they don’t just come up to you and start chopping you up!” Julia huffed angrily.
“Dahlia Nicholson!” Julian roared the moment he got near. “Give me back my grandmother’s medicine right now!”
“Medicine? What medicine?” Dahlia was caught off guard and stared at him quizzically.
“Hah! You’re playing the fool now? You think we don’t know that you’ve sent someone to intercept my grandmother’s medicine?” Julian glared threateningly at Dahlia “This has nothing to do with her.
I was the one who did it.” Dustin took two steps forward and said with full confidence, “The medicine you’re referring to, I assume, is this? The Zirtanium?” He took out a purple bottle from his pocket.
“That’s right! Give it back!” Julian’s eyes lit up, and he immediately reached out, ready to snatch it out of Dustin’s hand.
But Dustin easily dodged him “What’s the meaning of this?” Julian asked with a dark expression. “I can give you the medicine. But I have three conditions,” Dustin said calmly.
“You have no right to talk about conditions! Give me the medicine now, or I’ll see to it that today is the day you die!” Julian threatened.
Without another word, Dustin lifted his hand and delivered a hard slap across Julian’s face.”
Where are your manners? Can’t you speak properly?”
Chapter 712
Thrown off by the sudden slap, Julian held his burning cheek with his hand in disbelief. No one had ever dared to hit him all his life, so it took some time for the fact to settle in with him.
Florence and the rest of them exchanged looks between themselves and stared with bewilderment. Dustin was too bold to slap the eldest legitimate grandson of the Nicholson family!
“You… How dare you slap me?” When Julian finally came to his senses, his expression was dark, and his gaze looked like he could murder them at any moment.
“Yes, I’ve slapped you. So what? You speak so arrogantly. Did you think you didn’t deserve that?” Dustin countered calmly.
“You impudent bastard! Get him!” Julian bellowed. “Yes, sir!” The bodyguards pulled out their weapons and charged toward Dustin.
But before they even managed to lay a finger on him, Dustin kicked each of them and sent them all sprawling to the ground. Just like that, the fight was over.
Julian’s face fell as he stumbled backward. They were the most well-trained bodyguards the Nicholson family had’ And Dustin managed to wipe them all out single-handedly? It was clear that he was a skilled martial artist.
“Now, can we speak like civilized adults?” Dustin asked. “How dare you, Rhys? Do you know what you’ve done? You’re blatantly challenging the Nicholson family!” Julian roared as he glared at him.
“Cut the crap. If you wish to strike a deal, talk properly. If you do not wish to do so, I’ll just dispose of the medicine as I see fit.” Dustin had had enough of Julian’s big talk.
“You-” Julian gritted his teeth. But in the end, he swallowed his anger and asked, “What on earth do you want?”
“I told you, I have three conditions. If you agree to my conditions, I’ll give you the medicine,” Dustin stated calmly. “What are your conditions?” Julian asked with annoyance.
“First, I want you to apologize to Dahlia sincerely, and I want you to mean every word. Dustin held up one finger. “Apologize? Why should I?” Julian’s pride would not allow him to do so.
He was the first legitimate grandson of the Nicholson family, the one who should have been the rightful heir. It was embarrassing for him to apologize to some illegitimately born brat of the family.
“Because I have this.” Dustin raised the purple bottle in his hand. “Now, will you do it?”
Julian faltered for a moment, but his eyes still burned with rage. But for his grandmother’s sake, he complied and went up to Dahlia with his head hung low. “I’m sorry. I apologize for my previous
actions.”
Dahlia, Julie, and Florence were all astonished by Julian’s actions. They had never imagined that Dustin would be able to deliver what he had said earlier on.
He had indeed succeeded in getting Julian to apologize without a fuss.
“Are you happy now?” Julian straightened up and asked frostily, “What’s the second condition?” “It’s simple. Let Dahlia return to her original position.” Dustin raised a second finger.
“Okay. I can promise you that.” After a few seconds of contemplation, Julian nodded.
“This is great!” Julia cheered happily. “Dahlia, we don’t need to leave anymore! You’re still the chairman of the company!”
“This kid is pretty impressive! But there goes my plot of land worth two billion.” Florence shook her head disappointedly. However, Dahlia wasn’t too surprised. Instead, she fell deep into thought.
Chapter 713
It would not change a thing if Dahlia was reinstated. If the Nicholsons weren’t happy with her performance, they could still dismiss her at any moment they wished.
“And the third condition?” Julian pressed. “My third condition is for you to transfer all the shares of Nicholson Corp. to Dahlia with absolutely no charges.” Dustin raised three fingers.
“What? All the shares? You might as well rob a bank or something!” Julian’s frown deepened. Nicholson Corp. was worth over 100 billion dollars, and the company had a promising future ahead.
With the shares that they currently had, they would be worth at least 60 to 70 billion if they converted them into cash. Even for a family as wealthy as the Nicholsons, it was considered a huge amount.
“It’s quicker to extort you than to rob,” Dustin said reasonably. “Anyway, I’ve listed my conditions. It’s up to you whether you agree to them.”
“No way! That’s impossible!” Julian turned him down without much thought. Once he becomes the family head, these assets would all be his. How could he just give them away like that?
“Well, if you do not agree, then forget it.” Dustin gave a nonchalant shrug. “Dustin Rhys! I have already fulfilled your ridiculous conditions!
Not only have I apologized, but I even reinstated Dahlia to her position as chairman. You better not push your luck!” Julian did not look like he would bend to Dustin’s will anymore.
“Let’s be real. Zirtanium costs a bomb. Of course, if you want it, you have to pay a price.” Dustin. shook the bottle, and the pills rattled inside. “Dustin Rhys! Don’t bite off more than you can chew!
You can’t have the shares of Nicholson Corp. If you insist on having it, you’re just asking for trouble. And if it comes to that, don’t think that Dahlia will be reinstated to her position of chairman anymore!” Julian threatened.
Florence and Julie’s expressions immediately darkened when they heard that. All they wanted was for Dahlia to maintain her position as chairman. They dare not even dream about the company’s shares. They knew that if they were too greedy, they might end up with nothing at all,
and that would be terrible for them. “Dustin, take what you can get and stop while you’re ahead. Pushing too hard will get you nowhere!” Florence went up and persuaded him.
“That’s right… We can’t afford to offend the Nicholsons. It’s good enough that we can benefit a little from this,” Julie echoed.
“I need to make the most of this opportunity. We won’t be getting another opportunity like this anymore.” Dustin shook his head stubbornly.
“What do you mean you need to make the most of this? Who do you think you are? Do you believe that you can get the better of the Nicholsons?” Florence was on edge. She considered themselves lucky enough that Dahlia was reinstated. It would be greedy of them to ask for more.
“Dustin, you have only two options. Give me the medicine, and Dahlia gets reinstated, or I’ll give
you hell, and you end up with nothing. The choice is yours to make.” Seeing Florence back down. gave Julian the confidence he needed to throw his weight around.
“I stand by what I said. If you’re unwilling to give up the shares, then we don’t have a deal,” Dustin insisted. “Are you really so adamant about burning bridges?” Julian snarled.
“Don’t scare me. I’m easily frightened. Who knows? I might just tremble and drop this bottle of medicine into the sewers. We’d be in trouble then, wouldn’t we?” Dustin gave the bottle another shake.
“You!” Julian was so furious. But he had said and done all that he could, and nothing seemed to work!
“If you can’t call the shots, call your grandmother. Ask her if she agrees to my condition.” Dustin suggested to Julian Julian took a deep breath and fished out his phone, giving his grandmother a call.
It was true that he wasn’t in a position to call the shots on such a huge matter that concerned the entire family. “Hello, Grandmother. The medicine is indeed with Dustin.
But, he has a condition that I can’t agree with…” Julian started discussing the issue with Alma once she picked up the call. His expression was quite a sight to behold,
it changed with every second that passed. No one could tell what Alma was saying on the other end of the line.
“Dustin! Are you out of your mind? If the matriarch of the Nicholson family loses her temper, not only will we not be getting anything out of this, but we’ll also be implicated and get into trouble because of you!” Julie grumbled.
“Rhys! If my daughter loses her position as chairman because of you again, you’re never going to hear the end of this!” Florence was agitated.
Wouldn’t things have turned out just fine if he’d just agreed to give them the medicine? Why did he have to insist on making them pay such a ridiculously high price for it? Things would get out of hand if they burned bridges!
Just as Florence and Julie were about to lose their cool, Julian ended the call with a frown on his face. “Grandmother has agreed to your condition
Chapter 714
“Madam Alma agreed?” Both Florence and Julie were dumbstruck when they heard that. All their grumbles and doubts transformed into pure shock.
They hadn’t expected the Nicholsons to agree to the unreasonable request from Dustin. Those were shares worth billions! Could they bear to let it go like that?
Wasn’t that too much of a price to pay?
At that moment, even Dahlia looked surprised. She could not comprehend why the Nicholsons were willing to pay such a ridiculous price for just a bottle of medicine.
“Since she’s agreed, then get your grandmother to make a trip here to sign the papers. We’ll make a fair transaction.” Dustin smiled. He wasn’t the least bit surprised by Alma’s choice.
He knew very well what people heavily reliant on Zirtanium were like. They would never be able to resist the temptation.
After all, the Nicholsons had trillions in assets! Sacrificing one company wouldn’t hurt them too much.
When Julian finally drove off, Dahlia could no longer hold back her curiosity. “Dustin, what was that medicine you had with you? How did you manage to make Madam Alma buy it at such a ridiculous price?”
“That was Zirtanium. It’s a type of chronic poison. But for Madam Alma, this is what she needs to stay alive.” Dustin explained,
“So that’s what it was.” Dahlia nodded in understanding. No wonder the Nicholsons yielded to his absurd request. So it turns out that Dustin held Alma’s lifeline in his hands.
She had initially been worried that the Nicholsons would go back on their word and dismiss her from her position as chairman after reinstating her.
But now that Dustin had gotten the shares of the company from them, there was no way they could do that anymore.
“The older a person gets, the more they value their life. To Madam Alma, paying several tens of billions to live another year amounts to nothing.” Dustin smiled.
“This Zirtanium, where did you get it from?” Dahlia wondered “I intercepted it from Hank Hoffman, of course.” Dustin wasn’t one to hide his actions.
“Hank Hoffman?” Astounded, Dahlia quickly understood what he meant. “So you mean to say that you used what had originally belonged to Madam Alma to threaten her?”
“You could say that.” Dustin nodded.
“Um…” Dahlia and the rest of them were all rendered speechless It was one thing to be greedy but to threaten someone with what had originally been theirs without even having to give anything up for it was something else.
Dustin was basically a con man! Despite being shocked, they had to admit that his ways were indeed effective. What followed next was a smooth transaction between both parties.
When Alma arrived, she signed the papers that approved the transfer of shares to Dahlia without any hesitation. Once Dustin made sure that there was nothing wrong with the signed papers,
he returned the Zirtanium to her. Dahlia finally heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the company’s shares were now hers From that moment on, she would have full control over Nicholson Corp.
As for Florence and Julie, it would be an understatement to say that they were over the moon because they would also benefit from Dahlia’s ownership of the company.
“Grandmother, do we give them the shares?” Back in their car, Julian was very upset when he saw how pleased the group of them looked.
“Hmph! I’ll give it to them now. But we’ll just wait and see if they’re able to handle it!” Alma didn’t look any happier about the situation than Julian did.
“Go back to Glenstead and get our men here immediately! I want them to give back everything that they’ve taken from us and more!”
“Yes, Grandmother!” A cruel smile broke out on Julian’s face. As expected from his grandmother. She wasn’t one to let anyone get the better of her!
Dahlia and the rest of them were up for a tough time ahead!
“Dustin, you’ve helped me out once again! Thank you.” It was rare to see such a radiant smile on Dahlia’s face.
“Why are you thanking him? He was the one who brought all this trouble on us! He was only doing what he needed to do to rectify the problem!” Florence huffed.
“Exactly!” Julie nodded. “Dahlia, never praise your men too much. It gets to their heads.”
“Hey, isn’t it time both of you upheld your end of the deal?” Dustin wasn’t pleased by what he heard.
“Deal? What deal?” They looked at each other quizzically.
“Don’t go back on your word. We promised this. If you lose the bet, you’ll have to bark like a dog,” Dustin reminded.
“Who agreed to that? Why don’t I remember ever agreeing on something like that? Do you recall this, Aunt Florence?” Julie resorted to playing dumb.
“Of course not!” After a slight pause, Florence promptly shook her head. “Rhys! Don’t go around spreading lies! We never said anything like that!” “You’re playing dumb, are you?”
Chapter 715
Dustin simply smiled and pulled out his phone before playing the voice recording of their conversation. Their agreement on the bet was loud and clear.
After listening to the recording, both Florence and Julie blushed a crimson red. They hadn’t expected Dustin to record it.
“Dahlia, there are things to handle in the company, so I’ll be off now!” Julie quickly wormed her way out. “Oh! Right! I’ll go help her out.” Florence nodded furiously. Then, the two of them escaped in a flash, without a moment to lose.
“That’s just how they are. Please don’t take it to heart.” Dahlia was exasperated too.
“Forget it. I’ll let it slip this time. But only for your sake.” Dustin appeared benevolent.
“Thank you. You’re the best!” Dahlia smiled. Then, as though having a sudden thought, she bit her lip and said shyly, “Dustin, I appreciate you always being by my side. Why don’t we get married again?”
“What?” Dustin was stupefied the moment he heard what she said. For a moment, he simply didn’t know how to react!
“To be honest, I’ve been giving it some serious thought for the past few days. I had acted too rashly in the past. I’d like to make up for my mistakes, and I hope that things can return to how they were before.”
Dahlia had a serious look on her face. Because of how shy she felt, both her ears were flushed red, but still, she plucked up the courage to say the words that had been on her mind for quite some time. She just never found the right opportunity to say them.
She knew that if she didn’t say them now, someday he’d be taken by someone else. Dustin began to sweat profusely. Had it been in the past, he would have nodded straight away without a moment’s hesitation, but now, things were different.
He realized that his feelings were more complicated now that Natasha was present. On the one hand, it was his ex-wife, with whom he had three years’ worth of memories together, and he still had lingering affection.
On the other hand, it was a gentle and caring friend who had romantic feelings for him. He really could not choose between the two. He considered himself both courageous and witty and was always decisive in various situations.
However, when it came to love, he had to admit that he was a mess. Sometimes he resented himself for his indecisiveness when it came to things like this.
“What, are you not willing? Or do you despise me?” Dahlia’s brows knitted together slightly when she saw Dustin staying silent.
“Of course not! It’s just…” Dustin broke off mid-sentence. “So, it’s because you can’t bear to part with Natasha?” Dahlia had a wistful expression. “Then answer this: between Natasha and me, who do you like better?”
Dustin’s thoughts became even more of a mess when he heard that. Who did he like more? Honestly speaking, he didn’t know either! Dustin was anxious as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Then his phone began to ring. That seemed to be a lifeline for Dustin, and he quickly fished his phone out to answer the call. “Hello? Who’s this?”
“Hey, Rhys! It’s me, Adam.” A familiar voice came from the other end of the line.
“Oh, hey buddy! Is anything the matter?” Dustin was pleased to receive the call from Adam. At least he proved himself useful in Dustin’s time of need.
“To be honest, I’ve got some good news for you.” Adam beamed and chuckled. “My sister has taken a leave from work, and she’s making her way to Millsburg as we speak.”
“Scarlet?” Dustin’s eyes widened. “What’s she coming here for?” “To meet you, of course!” Adam feigned helplessness as he let out a sigh.
“You have no idea how much she’s tortured me just to get out of me some information about you. I had no choice but to give in and tell her your whereabouts.
Please don’t blame me for betraying you, brother. You have no idea what she is capable of. I really couldn’t take it any longer. I believe you have the means to handle her. Of course, you don’t need to worry too much.
She doesn’t listen to anyone else but you. Everything will end up just fine if you can deal with her.”
“You fuc-” “Oh right, I have some matters to attend to. I’ll hang up now. Good luck!”
Dustin was so frustrated that he was a hair’s breadth away from cursing, but before he could curse at him, Adam had already ended the call.
Dustin could only clench his teeth to suppress his rising anger. That bastard really knew how to make things difficult for him.
He was already having such a hard time handling both Dahlia and Natasha at the same time. If another person were to be added to the equation, a catfight might just break out!
Chapter 716
Somewhere on the outskirts of Millsburg, in a military base, several thousand soldiers stood neatly at attention. From generals to privates, everyone stood with their backs straight. They all stood in well-arranged rows, and it was a grand sight to behold.
Other than the usual troops, prominent figures from both the military and political fields were there. They all stood there in anticipation, a little nervous.
“General Winslow, will the Scarlet Warrior really be here today?” Dylan, who stood near the front, whispered to General Winslow, who stood in front of him.
He had suddenly received notice from the army that the Goddess of War, Scarlet Spanner, would be visiting Millsburg.
As a high-ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry and a direct subordinate of Scarlet Spanner, he rushed over immediately.
“Of course! Don’t you see that both of her trusted aides are here?” General Winslow gestured for Dylan to look in front of them.
Dylan looked over, and just as General Winslow said, there were two graceful and stunning female generals standing at attention right in the front row.
They were both major generals of the Dark Panther Cavalry and considered third- ranking officials. They stood out in stark contrast to all the other high-ranking officials around them just because they were Scarlet Spanner’s trusted confidants.
Because of that, they held a higher status than those around them, so much so that even the second-ranking officials had to show them a certain level of respect.
As though noticing something amiss, one of the major generals turned around and met Dylan’s gaze with her own cold and stern gaze.
Startled, Dylan lowered his head guiltily, not daring to meet her gaze. When facing such a person of authority, his arrogance disappeared, and there was only fear.
It was true that he looked down on others. Regardless of their gender, the generals of the Dark Panther Cavalry were all elites, whom he was in no position to look down on Just then, a whirring sound came from above. Everyone lifted their heads and looked up, only to see a military chopper quickly making its way toward them.
The wind from the whirring blades hit them all.
“She’s here!” Dylan’s expression turned serious as he straightened up, puffing his chest out.
When the chopper reached the military base, it hovered overhead for quite some time, not making its descent.
“What’s the matter?” Just as everyone began to wonder, the helicopter’s door opened up, and a figure fully clad in red stuck its head through the door,
looking around inquisitively. Then, amidst the troops’ stares of horror and bewilderment, the figure leaped out the door, jumping down from over 300 feet in the air.
With a loud thud, the red figure landed heavily on the ground, appearing like a deity that had descended from the sky. For a moment, the ground shook, sending billows of dust into the air.
What just played out shocked the crowd silly as they all gaped in amazement. How could someone survive jumping at such a height?
As the smoke and dust cleared, they noticed a huge crater, and right in the middle of it stood an elegant figure in red.
It was a lady dressed in a red tracksuit who had a long sword in one hand. She had her silver hair cropped short and had looks that were to die for.
She could captivate someone with just a single glance. However, unlike the usual gentleness of women, there was a deep set of strength etched in her brows,
exuding grace and grandeur. Her eyes, especially, were aloof and indifferent, seeming to see through everything. She seemed uninterested in everyone.
Just one look from her was enough to make one feel inferior and ashamed of themselves.
Chapter 717
The lady was none other than Scarlet Spanner, one of the two well-known aces of the Spanner family and the best Goddess of War Dragonmarsh ever had.
“As expected of the one and only Goddess of War. It’s truly amazing how she made her appearance! “Dylan exclaimed inwardly, marveling at her.
She had just jumped from a height of over 300 feet and appeared to be perfectly fine. That was no feat that an ordinary human could accomplish!
Though he was from the Dark Panther Cavalry, he had only ever seen her heroic moves from afar. To be able to see her pull such a dangerous stunt up front and near truly left him shell-shocked.
“Welcome, General!” Her two trusted aides bowed and greeted her first. “Welcome, General!” The rest of the troops followed after them, bowed, and greeted her. Their voices reverberated throughout the entire military base.
Scarlet gave them a sweeping glance. It was nothing more than a simple act, but everyone felt an inexplicable pressure just from her gaze, making it difficult for them to even breathe. It wasn’t until Scarlet looked away that the pressure gradually disappeared.
She walked up to her two confidants and asked casually, “Do you have any information on the person I was looking for?”
The two major generals were named Georgia and Bridget, respectively. “We’ve searched the entire Millsburg for someone with the same name, but none of them was the person you wanted.
We suspect that the person isn’t here,” Georgia said with her head bowed. “That’s impossible!” Scarlet said. “Adam would never have the guts to lie to me. He must be here but under a different name. Keep searching!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Georgia answered and quickly left with her men. “I plan to stay here for an extended period. Get me a place to stay,” Scarlet ordered.
“I’ve already arranged for that, General! It’s at Fallonge estate,” Bridget reported. “Lead the way!” Scarlet wasted no time on small talk.
“Yes, ma’am!” Bridget nodded and drove off with Scarlet, leaving the rest of the troops in their dust.
“Who exactly is the Goddess of War here for, General Winslow? She seems so anxious to find that person.” Dylan could no longer hold in his curiosity when he saw the car leave.
“How would I know?” General Winslow rolled his eyes. “Who dares meddle in her personal affairs?”
“You’ve got a point there.” Dylan chuckled awkwardly. Scarlet was an intimidating figure in the army, so nobody dared speak freely about her. “I’m not sure who she’s after, but I’m certain that it’s a man,” General Winslow said thoughtfully.
“A man?” Dylan’s eyes widened. “No way! What kind of man can make the Goddess of War place such importance on him?”
Scarlet was such a skilled martial artist, second to none, and was an amazing woman who trumped every woman in Dragonmarsh.
If word were to get out that she had traveled such a distance to Millsburg just for a man, it would create a significant commotion among the public! At the thought of that,
Dylan could not help but feel slightly jealous. Scarlet was a gorgeous fighter who was beyond everyone’s reach. To be able to get Scarlet’s attention was something worth boasting about.
Dylan wondered who the lucky bastard who caught her eye was. Over in the moving car, Scarlet carefully pulled out a well-kept photograph.
In it were a teenage boy and girl, at the peak of their youth. The young girl leaned on the boy’s shoulder, a hint of a smile replacing her usual aloof expression.
Looking at the pair of youths in the photo, a look of melancholy came over Scarlet, as though she was reminiscing about the past.
After gazing at the photograph for a moment, she pressed it to her chest and sighed. “Where are you, Logan? I’ve been searching for you for the past 10 years.”
Chapter 718
“Achoo!” Dustin, who had finally wormed his way out of his predicament with Dahlia, began sneezing the moment he got back to the Flame Dragon Dojo.
He wondered if someone was bad- mouthing him behind his back. “Sir!” Right then, someone called out to him. Dustin looked up to see Abigail standing up from her seat, waving excitedly at him.
It looked like she had been waiting for quite a while. “My apologies, I was caught up with something else earlier on, that’s why I’m late.” Dustin walked up to her with a smile on his face.
“That’s alright, I just got here too.” Abigail wasn’t bothered by it. “Oh, right, where’s your father?” Dustin looked around but did not see Michael.
“Dad ran into some urgent matters he had to handle, so he can’t make it here. He told me to come here myself. Also, he wanted me to pass this letter to you.” Abigail pulled out a letter and handed it to Dustin.
Dustin opened the envelope and found two objects in it. One was a neatly folded letter, and another was a gold pendant with an ‘R’ engraved on it. After going through the letter, Dustin was certain that Mr. Robinson would not be returning any time soon.
“What did Dad say in the letter, Sir?” Abigail’s curiosity got the better of her. “Your dad said that he needs to go away for a long time. Probably as long as half a year.
But if things get settled quickly, he might be able to come back after a month. He says that you should pay attention to your martial arts training and practice well.” After a slight pause, Dustin continued, “Also, if we were to run into any issues, we can go to Ronald Reeds with this pendant,
and he’ll help us out. He’s got a deep friendship with your father.” “Ronald Reeds? Who’s that? Is he really powerful?” Abigail scratched her head, wondering.
“Ronald Reeds is one of the five ultimate grandmasters of Balerno. Do you think he’s powerful?” Dustin smiled. “One of the five ultimate grandmasters? Of course, he is!” Abigail’s eyes lit up.
“Consider this a good luck charm from your father. Keep it well. Make sure you don’t ever lose it.” Dustin handed the gold pendant to her. The value of a token from a grandmaster was priceless.
“But Sir, this pendant is a gift from my father to you; you should have it.”
Abigail quickly decided against taking it.
“I have no use for it. Since you’re going to be my student anyway. I’ll give it back to you. Now, you hold on to it.” With that, Dustin stuffed the gold pendant into Abigail’s pocket.
“Thank you, Sir!” Abigail smiled sweetly at him, and then, standing on tippy toes, she swiftly planted a peck on his cheek.
“Hey, kiddo! I’m your mentor now! Watch your manners!” Dustin tried to look stern.
“Got it!” Abigail stuck her tongue out at him, looking naughty and adorable. “Mr. Rhys…” Just then, a smartly dressed middle-aged man who was slightly paunchy made his trumped every woman in Dragonmarsh.
If word were to get out that she had traveled such a distance to Millsburg just for a man, it would create a significant commotion among the public!
At the thought of that, Dylan could not help but feel slightly jealous. Scarlet was a gorgeous fighter who was beyond everyone’s reach.
To be able to get Scarlet’s attention was something worth boasting about. Dylan wondered who the lucky bastard who caught her eye was.
Over in the moving car, Scarlet carefully pulled out a well-kept photograph. In it were a teenage boy and girl, at the peak of their youth. The young girl leaned on the boy’s shoulder, a hint of a smile replacing her usual aloof expression.
Looking at the pair of youths in the photo, a look of melancholy came over Scarlet, as though she was reminiscing about the past. After gazing at the photograph for a moment, she pressed it to her chest and
sighed. “Where are you, Logan? I’ve been searching for you for the past 10 years.”
“Achoo!” Dustin, who had finally wormed his way out of his predicament with Dahlia, began sneezing the moment he got back to the Flame Dragon Dojo.
He wondered if someone was bad- mouthing him behind his back. “Sir!” Right then, someone called out to him. Dustin looked up to see Abigail standing up from her seat, waving excitedly at him.
It looked like she had been waiting for quite a while. “My apologies, I was caught up with something else earlier on, that’s why I’m late.” Dustin walked up to her with a smile on his face.
“That’s alright, I just got here too.” Abigail wasn’t bothered by it. “Oh, right, where’s your father?” Dustin looked around but did not see Michael.
“Dad ran into some urgent matters he had to handle, so he can’t make it here. He told me to come here myself. Also, he wanted me to pass this letter to you.” Abigail pulled out a letter and handed it to Dustin.
Dustin opened the envelope and found two objects in it. One was a neatly folded letter, and another was a gold pendant with an ‘R’ engraved on it. After going through the letter, Dustin was certain that Mr. Robinson would not be returning any time soon.
“What did Dad say in the letter, Sir?” Abigail’s curiosity got the better of her. “Your dad said that he needs to go away for a long time.
Probably as long as half a year. But if things get settled quickly, he might be able to come back after a month. He says that you should pay attention to your martial arts training and practice well.”
After a slight pause, Dustin continued, “Also, if we were to run into any issues, we can go to Ronald Reeds with this pendant,
and he’ll help us out. He’s got a deep friendship with your father.” “Ronald Reeds? Who’s that? Is he really powerful?” Abigail scratched her head, wondering.
“Ronald Reeds is one of the five ultimate grandmasters of Balerno. Do you think he’s powerful?” Dustin smiled.
“One of the five ultimate grandmasters? Of course, he is!” Abigail’s eyes lit up. “Consider this a good luck charm from your father.
Keep it well. Make sure you don’t ever lose it. Dustin handed the gold pendant to her. The value of a token from a grandmaster was priceless.
“But Sir, this pendant is a gift from my father to you, you should have it.” Abigail quickly decided against taking it.
“I have no use for it. Since you’re going to be my student anyway, I’ll give it back to you. Now, you hold on to it.” With that, Dustin stuffed the gold pendant into Abigail’s pocket.
“Thank you, Sir!” Abigail smiled sweetly at him, and then, standing on tippy toes, she swiftly planted a peck on his cheek.
“Hey, kiddo! I’m your mentor now! Watch your manners!” Dustin tried to look stern.
“Got it!” Abigail stuck her tongue out at him, looking naughty and adorable. “Mr. Rhys…” Just then, a smartly dressed middle-aged man who was slightly paunchy made his way in. It was Roderick Brooks, who was also known as Big Bucks Brooks.
“Mr. Brooks, what brings you here?” Dustin smiled at him. “Abigail, go pour Mr. Brooks a cup of tea, he instructed.
“No need for that.” Roderick raised a hand to stop her as he said with a chuckle, “I’m here to bring you some good news today.”
“What’s the good news?” Dustin’s brows furrowed slightly with doubt. Adam had given him a call and said that he had good news for him too. That turned out to be anything but good.
“You wanted me to keep an eye on the Stoneray Order and to keep tabs on the whereabouts of the 900-year green lotus, didn’t you? We have the results now!” Roderick smiled.
“So? How is it? Were they successful?” Dustin asked with anticipation. As he had no use for the green lotus due to its age previously, he hadn’t bought it back then.
But some time later, he heard that the Stoneray Order had purchased it, and Dr. Linden Watkins even had a special method to speed up the aging process. Hence, he got Roderick to get his men to keep an eye on it and verify if the news was indeed true.
“To tell you the truth, Dr. Linden Watkins had already come out of his laboratory last night, and the 900-year green lotus that he had been working on has already been transformed into a thousand-year green lotus!” Roderick told him what he had learned.
“Great! That’s wonderful!”
Chapter 719
Dustin felt excited. He had been searching for the thousand-year green lotus. He only needed a Cherusia to produce the nine-fold Longevitum if he got it.
“It is wonderful, Mr. Rhys, but I’m afraid it wouldn’t be easy to get it.” Roderick’s comment lowered Dustin’s spirits.
“I’ll buy this precious herb no matter how much it costs!” Dustin had an unwavering determination to get his hands on it. “It isn’t about money, Mr. Rhys. The Stoneray Order does not lack money.”
Roderick shook his head.
“Well, what do they want if not money?” Dustin wondered. “The Stoneray Order likes collecting rare and precious objects. The rarer, the better. Whether you are seeking medical help or special herbs, they only want rare items as payment,” Roderick explained.
“Where would I be able to get rare objects so suddenly?” Dustin frowned. Things would be much easier for them if they could pay them off. But it would be tricky if the Stoneray Order did not accept money.
“Mr. Rhys, I’ve prepared some rare objects. But I’m not sure if Dr. Watkins will accept them.” Roderick had his doubts.
“We have to give it a try no matter what. Please come with me, Mr. Brook,” Dustin invited.
“My pleasure.” Roderick nodded. The three of them then drove to Stoneray Valley. Stoneray Valley, as the name suggested, was a huge valley tucked away in a mountain range.
Mountains surrounded it on three sides, and there was only one entrance. It had a strategic location where a large river separated it from the outside world. There was only one way to get into Stoneray Valley, which was by boat.
After a two-hour drive, Dustin, Abigail, and Roderick finally arrived near Stoneray Valley. However, when they made their way to the entrance, they were shocked by what they saw.
A little way off, the place was packed with people. The queue stretched a long way out, and they could not begin to imagine the number of people there.
“Mr. Brooks, is Stoneray Valley usually so crowded?” Dustin was shocked by the sight before him.
“There is usually quite a crowd here to seek medical help, but it was never so packed. It is quite weird.” Roderick didn’t understand why there were so many people there either.
“With the amount of people here, we’d have to wait until tomorrow before we can get in. “Abigail sighed. Had their two-hours journey been a wasted effort?
“Hey, excuse me, buddy.” Roderick approached a man in front of him and asked politely, “May I know what’s going on here today? Why is there such a huge crowd?”
“Don’t you know? Today is the day Dr. Watkins will take a new student. Whoever passes his
examination and gets first place will be accepted into Stoneray Order and granted a wish,” the man informed them. “A wish?” Roderick turned to look at Dustin. “What do you think, Mr. Rhys?”
“Of course, we can’t miss out on such a great deal!” Dustin smiled. It’d be perfect if they could get the thousand-year green lotus without having to give anything in return.
“But Sir, look at the line! How long are we going to have to stand in line for?” Abigail crouched on the ground, resting her chin on her palms with a look of defeat.
“Who said anything about standing in line? Watch and learn.” Dustin walked up to the few people at the front of the line and whispered something in their ears. Once they reached a deal, he returned and said, “Alright, that’s settled. They’ve agreed to swap places with us. Go on over.”
“Swap places?” Abigail was stunned. “They’re at the front of the line! Why would they agree to do that?”
“Why not? I gave them one million each. They’re more than happy to swap places with us,” Dustin said casually. “A million?” Abigail could not believe her ears.
“What? Is there a problem?” Dustin asked calmly. “Well…” Abigail was stunned. There wasn’t much she could say at this point. Was this the power of money? It was amazing!
Chapter 720
Dustin and the rest took a boat into Stoneray Valley after registering themselves. They passed by green mountains, clear blue waters, and lush trees. The scenery was beautiful.
After traveling about ten miles, they reached their destination and got out of the boat. There was a huge building that looked like a palace. It was majestic and breathtaking.
They followed the crowd and went up a flight of stairs. Then they entered a lavishly decorated hall.
There were already many people gathered in the hall. Everyone hoped they would be chosen by Dr. Watkins and be accepted into the Stoneray Order.
The Stoneray Order was famous and distinguished in Millsburg. Even the Fabulous Five and the Tremendous Three had to show them respect. To be accepted into the Stoneray Order was the same as making it big in life. But Dr. Watkins was strict when choosing his students. And he would only
accept ten students each year. It was almost a one-in-a-million chance to be his student.
As Dustin admired the hall, a commotion broke out by the door. They turned around to see several young people walking in with their heads high.
Leading the group were a beautiful woman dressed in white and a man dressed in black. The others behind them looked like regular lackeys who tagged along to show off their powers.
“Hey.. Isn’t that Miranda Killian from the Killian family? I didn’t expect to see her here.”
“I heard that Miranda Killian is an unmatched medical genius. When she was 18, she was already
on the same level as reputable doctors in Stonia.” “And it’s not just Miranda Killian! That man beside her is amazing too! He’s Preston Huffner, Dr. Bruce Darby’s best student. He’s so young, but his
medical skills are out of this world!” The crowd whispered among themselves when Miranda Killian and Preston Huffner appeared.
One was a medical genius and the daughter of a well-known family. The other was a famous doctor’s best student with exceptional skills. No matter where they went, they were the center of attention
“Hmph! They are just a bunch of people with average skills. How boring.” Preston looked around with disdain.
“Preston, I guess one of us will be the best student this year,” Miranda said with a smirk.
“If you want it, I’ll let you have the position of best student. How’s that?” Preston seemed generous.
“I’ll thank you in advance, then, Preston.” Miranda hid her giggles behind her hand. She was interested in something other than the best student position.
She was only competing for that position because of the thousand-year green lotus.
She could have her wish granted if she passed the examination and became the best student. And she had her eyes on the thousand-year green lotus.
As Preston and the gang walked into the hall, they paused as their path was blocked.
“Hey! Get out of the way! Even dogs know better than to block people’s way!” Preston glared at the group of three in annoyance.
Everyone willingly made way for them except for these three. The three stood there indifferently, not showing them any respect.
“And dogs know better than to force their way through. So quit complaining and get lost.” Dustin countered.
“How dare you insult me?” Preston’s expression darkened. “Do you even know who I am? How bold of you to speak to me like that!”
No comments:
Post a Comment