An Understated Dominance/ My Mysterious Life Chapter 141-150

chapter-141

At that moment, Phineas and Matt were in the Brooks Manor living room.

 “Dad, do you think Big Bucks Brooks will lend us money?” Matt glanced around, looking worried.

 “Big Bucks Brooks is filthy rich and generous to boot. He’s always had a good relationship with our family. It shouldn’t be a problem to borrow some money,” Phineas said, raising his cup and taking a sip. It was obvious that he was very confident.

Although the Lacey family hadn’t been restored to its previous glory, they were still above the average person. Outside, they still had some status.

“If it weren’t for our family’s capital chain rupture causing our businesses to suffer majorly, we would never have to borrow money from others,” Matt said, sighing.

Not long ago, they’d suddenly received terrible news. Many of their big–shot partners had retracted their investments. All the business deals they’d made previously had gone bust.

Their entire family suffered serious damage overnight. Now, they desperately needed a capital injection, or else the Lacey family would go bankrupt in less than a month. At this point, the only one who could help them was Big Bucks Brooks.

“Speaking of that, it’s really strange how all of the investments were retracted collectively, and disaster struck from all sides. I bet somebody’s targeting our family,” Phineas rubbed his chin in thought.

“Who’s gutsy enough to go mess with our family?” Matt slammed his palm into the table. Their original plan was to get the Immortunol formula in their hands and then use the investment funds to conduct their own research.

This way, the Lacey family would be restored to their former glory! However, after everything that had happened, their plan was ruined.

“We still haven’t been able to look into it yet. Once we raise the funds we need and get through these tough times, we’ll drag that bastard out!” An evil glint flashed through Phineas‘ eyes.

“Dad, how much money does our family need to operate normally?” Matt asked uncertainly.

“At least three billion dollars!” Phineas put up three fingers. 
“That much?” Matt’s expression drooped. “Would Big Bucks Brooks agree to loan us three billion in one go?”

“Big Bucks Brooks controls one–third of all the cash flow in Millsburg. What’re three billion dollars to him?” Phineas took a sip of tea and said casually, “Not to mention, I even came here personally. Would he dare to say no? He should be happy that our family is cozying up to him on our own accord instead.”

“That’s true.” Hearing those words, Matt let out a sigh of relief.

The Laney family did have prestige out there; Big Bucks Brooks had to give them some respect. As the two were speaking, the door suddenly opened, and a few people entered. The one in the lead was none other than Roderick.

The moment they met. Phineas stood up and extended a hand, his face full of smiles. “Hey, Mr. Brooks! Long time no see. You’ve gotten much more handsome!”

However, when he saw Dustin behind Roderick, his smile froze on his face. “Punk, what are you doing here?!”

“You’re here, so why can’t I be here too?” Dustin retorted indifferently.

“Hmph! And who are you? Can you even be compared to us?” Phineas” expression turned cold instantly.

“Dustin, are you here to also get a loan from Mr. Brooks?” Matt said with a suspicious look.

“Why I’m here doesn’t concern you.” Dustin’s expression remained unchanged.

“Mr. Brooks, we’ve always been friendly with each other. Don’t lend that punk any money! We have bad blood!” Phineas said, calling a spade a spade. In his eyes. Roderick would never go against the Laney family for a small fry. So, he definitely won today.

“Phineas, are you sure that you have bad blood with Mr. Rhys?” Roderick smirked coolly.

“Of course!” Phineas puffed out his chest. “Mr. Brooks, to be frank, the two grudges I have with him can never be solved, so please don’t try to lobby for him!” The Immortunol formula would definitely be his soon.

 “You’re mistaken. I don’t mean it that way.” Roderick uttered calmly.

 “Huh?” Phineas was puzzled. “What do you mean, then?”

“Both of you are here to borrow my money, aren’t you?” Roderick asked back instead of answering.

Phineas let out a sheepish laugh. “Our family ran into some trouble recently, and we need some money to turn things around. That’s why we’ve come to you, Mr. Brooks.”

“How much do you need?”

“About three billion dollars?”

“Three billion!” Roderick raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, but no can do.”

“What?” Phineas’ shock quickly turned to dismay. “Mr. Brooks, three billion is nothing to you. Why can’t you lend us the money?”

“Technically, I’ve already lent the money to Mr. Rhys, so you’ll have to beg him for the money,” Roderick replied with a sarcastic smile.

“What? You lent it to him?” The father–son duo was stunned, unable to believe their ears. There was no way Roderick would have lent that useless punk three billion dollars!

“You’re not pulling our leg, are you, Mr. Brooks?” Phineas asked again, eyes wide.

“Yeah! What are we supposed to do if you give the money to him?” Matt was dismayed.

“That’s none of my business!” Roderick responded frankly.

“Mr. Brooks, how could you lend your money to him instead of us? Considering our friendship, you’re carrying it too far. Do you think that brat is better than the Laney family?”

 The Laney family was a noble family that was leagues above Dustin in terms of wealth and connections. Any normal person would know who to side with.

“Firstly, we’re not friends. Secondly, it’s my money. I decide who it goes to. I don’t have to ask anyone’s opinion. Lastly, who the fuck do you think you are? How dare you compare yourselves to Mr. Rhys! You should really look in a fucking mirror!” Roderick snapped scornfully.

“Mr. Brooks! Are you going to make the Laney family your enemy just because of that brat?” Phineas growled.

“Exactly! You should think this through carefully. Is the Laney family more important or that brat?” Matt quipped. They were sure that a businessman like Roderick would never turn his back on the Laney family.

“So what if we become enemies? A penniless family like yours is trying to threaten me? Ha! You must have a death wish!” Roderick curled his lip.

“I can cut off all your funds right now. I’ll make sure you never get a penny in this province!”

His words hit the lather–son duo like a bucket of ice. They’d been so agitated that they forgot that Bucks Brooks they were talking to, whose influence and wealth exceeded the Laney family a gazillion times.

Even when they had been at full power, they still had to lower their heads in front of Roderick, let alone now.

Nonetheless, they could never have dreamed that someone as powerful as Roderick would butt heads with their family for someone like Dustin.

 Did Dustin have connections they weren’t aware of?

Chapter-142

“Mr. Brooks, why on earth are you willing to go against our family for him?” Phineas demanded with a threatening glare. He had approached Roderick confidently but never expected this outcome.

 “To tell you the truth, Mr. Rhys is my savior and honored guest. If you have a problem with him, that means you have a problem with me! So, you either beg for his forgiveness, or your family is over!” Roderick declared: that the aura he exuded was overwhelming.

 “You want us to apologize to that asshole? In your dreams!” Matt yelled angrily.

“Then, get lost! I wonder how long your family can last.” Roderick kicked them out.

“Roderick Brooks, life has its ups and downs, so don’t look down on a broke man! You’ll regret it one day!” Matt forced through gritted teeth and stormed away.

“Mr. Brooks, you’ve incurred the wrath of the Laney family. I doubt my family can’t borrow merely three billion dollars elsewhere!” Phineas glared at Roderick before following his son.

“Arrogant fools!” Roderick sneered. No one in the province would dare lend the Laney family money since Roderick already rejected them. Matt and Phineas returned home displeased with the outcome.

“What’s wrong with Roderick Brooks today? He refused to help us because of that brat!” Matt seethed.

“It seems like that kid has some connections.” Phineas frowned.

 “As if! He’s just a pretty boy who got lucky because of Natasha! I bet Roderick only went against us because of Natasha’s support too.” Matt was displeased.

“The Harmon family sure is bothersome. I have a feeling that our financial issues have something to do with them.” Phineas pondered.

“What do we do now, Dad? Should we fight to the death?”

“No. We aren’t at the end of our rope yet. Let me make some calls. Phineas pulled out his phone and began asking for help. The Laney family still had some friends and partners, so they’d definitely pull through as long as he managed to raise the funds.

“Hey. Mr. Smith, it’s me. I’m kind of short on cash, so do you think you could help me out? I’ll pay you back with interest after the turnover.”

“Hi, Mr. Thompson. This is Phineas Lancy. I’m calling to ask for a favor.”

“Hey, Mr. Johnson. I need your help.”

Phineas made call after call to any of his friends who were well off. However, his face darkened with each call he made. As soon as they heard that he was trying to borrow money, these people who claimed to be his friends immediately changed their attitudes and came up with all sorts of excuses to refuse, and some even hung up without responding.

 Phineas finally knew what fair–weather friends were like. After all the calls, he still couldn’t get any money. Instead, he stirred up more trouble.

“How did it go, Dad? Is anyone willing to help us?” Matt asked tentatively.

 “Fuck those bastards! They come wagging their tails as soon as they have something they want and call themselves my friends, but the moment they find out that our family is in trouble, they start running away! Those fucking fakes!” Phineas‘ face contorted with rage. He never thought that he, the head of the Laney family, would end up like this. 

“Dad, everyone always says that misfortune shows you those who are not your real friends. Stop hanging out with them from now on. I’ll make them regret their choice after we pull through.” Matt swore solemnly.

“Matt, my contacts are useless now. You’re the only one I can rely on.” Phineas suddenly thought of someone. “Aren’t you close with Edwin Hummer’s daughter? Why don’t you ring her up and see if she can lend us some money?”

“Oh, right! I nearly forgot! The daughter of the wealthiest man in Swinton should be able to spare us three billion dollars easily. I’ll call her now.” Matt pulled his phone out and dialed a number.

“My, my. If it isn’t Mr. Laney? How did you find the time to call me?” Someone grumbled over the phone.

“Don’t put it like that, Tina. I’ve been busy at work recently. I called you the second I got some free time,” Matt said with a smile. He was a professional when it came to coaxing women.

“Humph! At least you remembered to call me. So, why are you actually calling?” Tina smiled.

“Because I miss you so much, of course! Why else?” Matt teased. Tine chuckled mirthlessly. “Right. I’m hanging up if you won’t tell me the truth.”

 “Hold on, hold on. I do have a favor to ask you.” Matt cleared his throat. “My business ran into some financial issues recently, so we need some money to turn things around. Would you like to invest in us?” 

“How much do you need?” Tina asked back.

“Not much. About three billion dollars.” Matt answered with a smile.

“Three billion isn’t a lot? You’re Joking, right?” Tina’s voice went up an octave.

“To others, it may be a lot. But you’re the daughter of the Hummer family, the prettiest and most talented woman in Swinton. Three billion can’t be much for someone like you.” 

Tina was pleased with all the flattery. After all, who didn’t like to hear their lover praising them?

“I don’t mind getting you the money, but you have to tell me why,” Tina stated.

“To tell you the truth, someone ruptured our capital chain, and I have a feeling that the Harmon family was the one who did it,” Matt answered bluntly.

“You and the Harmon family had always kept a wide berth. Why would they do something like that to you?” Tina asked curiously.

“Because of Dustin Rhys!” Matt briefly explained everything to her.

“What? You threatened that psychopath?” Tina shrieked.

“That’s right! That shameless bastard tried to humiliate our family, so I had to teach him a lesson. I’ll destroy his family with your investment!” Matt fumed.

“Are you a fucking idiot? Why would you try to piss that psycho off?”

“Why are you so afraid? He’s just a country bumpkin. I’ll get rid of him easily.” Matt declared confidently.

“In your dreams, you moron! Don’t drag me along your death quest!” 
With that. Tina hung up the phone.

chapter-143

“Hello? Hello!” Matt held his phone by his ear with a dumbfounded expression. All he did was mention Dustin’s name. Why did Tina sound so frightened?

 Matt had no idea that Tina was still traumatized from the time Dustin slapped her. What’s worse was that instead of getting her revenge, she had been forced to grovel for Dustin’s forgiveness, which was nothing less than an utter embarrassment and a terror for her.

 Although she was bitter about it, she couldn’t lay a hand on Dustin because her family didn’t dare seek revenge before her brother returned.

Dustin was someone who could defeat a martial arts master like Mr. Milfroy with ease. If someone like him were to go crazy, he could destroy the entire Hummer family in a heartbeat! Because of this, they didn’t dare seek revenge, and Tina shook in fear every time someone mentioned Dustin.

“What did Ms. Hummer say, Matt?” Phineas saw his son in a daze and asked.

“Fuck! That bitch is terrified of Rhys. There’s no way she’ll lend us money.” Matt scowled.

“The daughter of the Hummer family is scared of that brat? Is it because of the Harmon family?” Phineas pondered aloud.

“Possibly.” Matt nodded, thinking hard. He couldn’t think of any other reason.

“This is bothersome…” Phineas frowned. “Our family is doomed if we don’t get any money soon. We might have to beg for that brat’s forgiveness.”

“Beg for his forgiveness? Fuck, no!” Matt yelled. “Why should we lower our heads to someone like him? I’d rather suffer than beg!”

“Don’t be rash, Matt!” Phineas warned gravely. “He has the Harmon family to support him, and now, he has Roderick Brooks‘ support as well. We’ll sink further if you do anything to him!”

Alas, those words failed to reach Matt, who has lost repeatedly to Dustin recently. Today’s incident only fueled his anger, and his hatred toward Dustin peaked.

“Matt, leave this matter to me. You should take a break for the next two days. Just don’t get into any trouble.” Phineas instructed his son seriously, who didn’t reply as he began to plot his revenge.

Soon, night fell.

Inside Midnight Rose, Dahlia downed shot after shot in a corner. Lyra sat beside her, her face full of worry. This was the first time she saw Dahlia like this. 

Dahlia refused to return to the company or care about what was going on, completely abandoning her strong woman character and letting herself go. Lyra heard that it was because of Dustin, but was it worth it?

“Please stop drinking, Ms. Nicholson. Let’s go back. Your mother is worried about you.” Lyra implored.

“Leave me alone. I want to keep drinking. All my worries disappear when I’m drunk.” Dahlia chuckled humorlessly before chucking another shot down her throat. 

She didn’t know what to do. She was under constant pressure because of her family and had to fight her feelings for Dustin at the same time.

Dahlia knew she misunderstood him, but she didn’t know how to explain herself. Actually, it’d be more accurate to say that she was terrified of seeing Dustin’s heartless expression, so she decided to use alcohol to numb herself.

She may be a capable leader in the business world, but when it came to her personal feelings, she realized she was an utter failure. Even though she knew that she had been the one who misunderstood Dustin, her pride wouldn’t let her apologize. Instead, she expected Dustin to step forward and request a reconciliation.

“So this is where you are, Dahlia.” Matt entered the bar and spotted the two ladies immediately.

“Mr. Laney, you’re here. Please stop her. Her body can’t take it if she drinks so much!” Lyra quickly stood up and greeted Matt, whom she called. She felt that Matt was a much better option than Dustin.

*Please get her some water, Lyra. I’ll talk to her,” Matt assured with a smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Laney.” Lyra nodded and darted off.

“Why are you drinking so much, Dahlia?” Matt asked with a concerned expression.

“It’s none of your business. Go away!” Dahlia’s eyes were hazy, but her tone was colder than ever. Matt’s smile froze for a second before he recovered himself.

Without anyone noticing, he slipped a pill into her wine and smiled. “You still want to drink, don’t you? Dahlia? Let me join you.”

He poured another glass for Dahlia. Dahlia, who was already tipsy, didn’t notice anything wrong and downed the glass without a word. Soon, her head became heavy and her vision blurred, making her sway.

“Mr. Laney, I think Ms. Nicholson is drunk.” Lyra returned just then.

“It’s alright. I’ll send her home now. Her family’s worried sick.” Matt promised with a kind smile.

“Alright. Thanks, Ms. Laney.” Lyra didn’t think too much about it and helped carry Dahlia into Matt’s car. Since the car only had two seats, she could only watch as the car’s headlights disappeared.

 “Humph! You’re finally in my arms. You like acting high and mighty, don’t you? Well, I’ll have some fun with you tonight.” Matt smiled sinisterly and headed straight to the hotel.

Meanwhile, at Peaceful Medical Centre, Dustin was reading a book in silence when a Maybach pulled up at the door. The car door opened, and Phineas came out holding some gills.

 “Mr. Rhys.” Phineas entered the building with a smile, no longer carrying the arrogance he had when they first met.

“Do you need me for something?” Dustin glanced at the other man indifferently.

“Mr. Rhys, I’m really sorry about today’s incident. Please forgive us for being so ignorant.” Phineas smiled apologetically.

He finally understood that there was more than meets the eye when it came to Dustin, who had the support of the Harmon family and the friendship of Big Bucks Brooks. If Phineas wanted to borrow three billion dollars, he had to first get Dustin’s forgiveness.

“How could a nobody like me make the Laney family apologize?” Dustin replied, unconcerned.

“What are you talking about, Mr. Rhys? You’re young but talented. We admit defeat proudly. Please give us a way out.” Phineas bowed his head. However, Dustin didn’t respond. Gritting his teeth, Phineas fell to his knees. with a thud.

“Mr. Rhys, please accept our family’s sincere apologies. As long as you give us another chance, you’ll be our honored guest forever! I’m willing to offer a third of–no, half of our property as an apology.” Phineas quickly bowed lower, surprising Dustin, Dustin admired the older man for having the courage to put his pride aside to apologize.

“What should we do about the death of Caitlyn’s cat?” Dustin asked coldly.

“We’ll pay her back! We get her as many cats as she wants!” Phineas frantically vowed.

“Dusty’s dead. It doesn’t matter how many cats you get.” Caitlyn murmured sadly next to Dustin.

 “Did you hear that? I don’t mind forgiving you, but you offended Caitlyn.” Dustin shrugged.

“I’m so sorry. Ms. Lawler. I swear I won’t do it again! Please forgive me this once. I’ve learned my mistake!” Phineas quickly dragged himself to Caitlyn without getting up, and he began to apologize.

“I forgive you on the condition that you never do anything evil again!” Caitlyn declared gravely.

“Definitely! I’ve learned my mistake.” Phineas nodded frantically, having no choice but to lower his head toward them.

“Since Caitlyn forgives you, I’ll let this matter go. You better remember your promise. Hall of your properties.” Dustin reminded calmly.

“Of course. As long as the Laney family is able to pull through, they’re yours!” Phineas dared not object.

Dustin hummed. He was about to say something else when his phone started ringing. Dahlia was calling him. Muffled noises could be heard as soon as he picked up.

“Let me go. I want to go home.” Dahlia demanded weakly.

“What do you mean ‘go home“? Look at how pretty Estelle Hotel is. Let’s keep drinking there.” Matt cackled.

“You can go alone. Piss off.”

“Fucking slut! You better appreciate the chance I’m giving you. You don’t have a say in this. You’re drinking tonight. Get in!” As the phone fell to the floor, the cursing became softer until it completely faded away.

Dustin’s face darkened immediately, and the air around him became unbelievably cold.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Rhys?” Phineas shivered.

 A loud slap rang out as Dustin struck Phineas across the face, causing the latter to fall to the floor. “You motherfucker! You better hope your son didn’t make a mistake, or I’ll destroy your entire family!” Dustin opened the door and dashed out.

chapter-144

“Huh?” Phineas covered his cheek with a hand, dumbfounded.

 Meanwhile, inside a room in Estelle Hotel, Dahlia was lying strewn across the bed, nearly unconscious, her head heavy and her body weak. Matt stood next to her, grinning wickedly as he admired her voluptuous figure.

“Dahlia, I have to admit. You sure are a beauty.” He tsked.

“Your looks and figure are perfect. I’ve fucked countless women, but none were as charming as you. Naturally, I’m the perfect man for you. How dare Dustin Rhys try to claim you as his! But don’t worry, you’ll be mine after tonight.”

Sneering, Matt began to unbutton his shirt before remembering something. He pulled out his phone and panned the camera toward Dahlia.

“I nearly forgot to record our wonderful night. I promised Dustin that I’d send him a video of us making love. Men don’t break promises.” Matt grinned excitedly.

“You despicable, shameless bastard! I’ll throw you to jail if you touch me!” Dahlia seethed feebly.

“If you don’t mind others seeing the video, go ahead. I don’t mind. So what if I have to go in for a few years? At least I get to fuck you. Still, there’s no need for us to take things that far. You’ll just have to marry me after tonight. That way, you’ll be able to protect your reputation while having the honor of being fucked by me. Isn’t that a great deal?” Matt sniggered confidently.

“In your dreams, fucker! I’d rather die than marry a hypocritical asshole like you!” Dahlia tried to get up several times but flopped back to the bed pathetically each time. Soon, her face flushed from the exertion, and the drug was still doing its job.

“Huh?” Matt’s expression hardened. “Are you still thinking of that loser right now? I don’t get it. How is he better than me? Why do you keep thinking of him?”

“He’s better than you in every way. You don’t even deserve to compete with him!” Dahlia fumed.

“He’s a fucking nobody. If someone hadn’t supported him, do you think he would have made it to where he is today? That dickhead ruined my plans so many times. I swear I’m going to kill him one day!” Matt snarled.

“I’ll kill you if you touch a hair on his head!” Dahlla swore, her expression ferocious.

“You’re still protecting that asshole? I better teach you a lesson!” Matt tugged his belt off and began to lash out at Dahlia. “You whore! I’ll kill you! You better say that I’m the best and that I’m the man you want!”

Soon, Dahlia’s fair skin turned bloody as whip marks littered her body. Still, she kept silent, digging her teeth into her lip stubbornly.

“Fuck! You’re stubborn, eh? I’ll fuck you up tonight!” Infuriated, Matt yanked his clothes off and lunged toward her.

As he was tearing at Dahlia’s clothes, the room door flew open with an ear–splitting boom, and a formidable figure stormed in murderously. Instantly, the freezing wind whistled in, and lightbulbs exploded.

Bang!

 As the room door was kicked open, the lightbulbs in the room exploded simultaneously, shattering into pieces of glass, and an ominous chill blanketed the room.

 “Who the fuck is it? Who’s ruining my fun?” Matt spun around, scowling. He was unable to identify the person due to the sudden darkness in the room.

“Matt Laney, you have a death wish!” An icy voice growled as the shadow approached. The moonlight peeked through the window, and Matt saw the other person’s face. It was Dustin!

“It’s you!” Matt’s expression changed, and he hastily pulled out a handgun from the bedside drawer. He yelled.

“You imbecile! I haven’t paid you back for ruining my plans so many times, yet you approached me first!”

“Dustin? Hurry up and go. Don’t care about me — Dahlia cried out weakly. When she saw Dustin, she thought she’d finally be saved, but she never expected that Matt would have a gun, so she instantly panicked.

“Weren’t you talking so big, dipshit? Ha, you still have to admit defeat to our family. I guess you’re scared now, eh?” Matt raised his gun and sniggered. “You better grovel if you don’t want to die, or I’ll send a bullet straight through your head!”

“Grovel? As if you’re worthy of that.” Dustin glared at the other man.

“Worthy?” Matt grinned maniacally and fired two shots near Dustin’s feet. “I don’t want you to just grovel. I’ll fuck your woman right in front of you!”

“Y–you shameless bastard!” Dahlia’s chest rose and fell violently as she fumed. However, because of the drug, her flushed face looked more alluring than ever.

“So what? I’ll have my fill with you before dealing with that brat!” Matt declared.

“I planned to finish you off in one go, but I changed my mind.” Dustin approached calmly, his overwhelming presence making it hard for Matt to breathe, and Matt’s hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

“Stop right there! You better stop, or I’ll fucking shoot your Matt yelled. However, Dustin continued his way forward as if he hadn’t heard the other man.

“You’re dead meat!” Matt gritted his teeth and aimed the gun at Dustin’s head before pulling the trigger. Ear–splitting bangs rang out as the chamber was emptied of bullets. However, Dustin had disappeared. Abruptly, he appeared less than two feet away in front of Matt.

“You-”

Startled, Matt tried to jerk backward, but Dustin grabbed his hair and slammed his head into the wall with a bang. Matt immediately passed out, his head bleeding.

“D–Dustin” Now that the danger had passed, Dahlia’s body finally relaxed, and she fell into slumber.

Dustin glanced at the fallen man and pulled out his phone to call someone. 15 minutes later, Hunter and a dozen bulky men walked into the room.

“Mr. Rhys, here are the men you wanted,” Hunter said politely. These men were not only large, but they were also studs who only had an interest in pretty boys.

 “Good job.” Dustin nodded in approval before waking Matt with acupuncture.

“W–what are you guys doing? I’m warning you. I’m the heir of the Laney family, so you won’t get away if you do something to me!” Matt began making threats as soon as he woke up.

“Mr. Laney, I purposely asked these men to serve you. Enjoy.” Dustin gestured with his hand, and the men instantly pulled Matt away, beaming sinisterly.

“Let me go!” Matt paled, terrified.

“I’m sorry, Dustin! Please forgive me! I won’t do it again!” Matt shrieked before being hauled into a car. All that awaited him was pain and misery.

“Mr. Anderson, tell your men to take good care of him. I want him to suffer as much as possible!” Dustin ordered coldly.

“No problem!” Hunter promised before leaving. Matt’s ass was going to be gaping after tonight for what he did to Dustin’s woman.

After everyone left, Dustin walked over to the bed and began applying ointment to Dahlia’s wounds.

“Dustin. I–I’m sorry…” Dahlia finally mumbled the long–awaited apology dazedly. Dustin’s body stiffened. and a sense of loss glinted in his eyes. After a second, he shook his head and continued applying the ointment.

All of a sudden, the door opened again with a boom. Florence, James, and many others barged into the room. their faces darkened as they spotted Dahlia’s unconscious body.

“Rhys! How dare you touch my daughter, you despicable man! I’ll kill you!” Florence darted forward to slap Dustin, but the man grabbed her hand with ease.

“What? Are you going to strike me back? You disgusting asshole!” Furious, Florence kicked Dustin in the shin instead. The man frowned but didn’t fight back.

“Call the police right now! We need to arrest this motherfucker!”

“That’s right! A hypocritical asshole like him should be in jail!” Several people shouted, and James pulled out his phone to call the police.

“It doesn’t matter whether you believe me or not, but this has nothing to do with me,” Dustin stated. indifferently.

“Bullshit! Why would she be here if you didn’t kidnap her?” Florence shouted, glaring at him.

“Exactly! Everyone here can tell that you were planning to do something nasty to her!”

“You dare to defend yourself even though we caught you in the act? I guess you refuse to give in until the end!” The crowd threw out accusations indignantly as they glared at Dustin like they wanted to skin him alive. They were disgusted that Dustin stooped so low because he couldn’t have Dahlia.

“Whatever. I didn’t do anything wrong anyway.” Dustin shook his head and got up to leave. He knew that these people wouldn’t believe him if he tried to explain himself anyway.

“Hold right there. Who said you could leave? You’re not stepping out of this room without explaining everything!” James put himself between Dustin and the door, but with a shove from the latter, James went tumbling to the ground.

Chapter-145

“You fucker!” James got up and was about to spew insults when he realized that Dustin was already gone. Damn it! That kid’s lucky he got away, or I’d have taught him a lesson!”

 “He can’t run away forever! After doing something like this, I’ll make sure he stays in jail for the rest of his life!* Florence gritted her teeth.

 “That’s right! You can’t let him go!” Julie and the others quickly agreed. Dustin had gone too far!

“Hmm

Just then, Dahlia began to wake up.

“You’re finally awake!” Florence lit up. “How do you feel?”

“What are all of you doing here, Mom?” Dahlia rubbed her aching temples, her memory was a mess.

“Lyra called and told us that you might be in danger, so we hurried here. Thank God we made it in time, or Dustin would have raped you!” Florence got angry again.

“Dustin?” Dahlia frowned, seeming to have recalled something. She asked, “Where is he?”

“Don’t worry. We chased him away.” Florence reassured Dahlia.

“That’s right. We called the police too. We’ll catch that asshole!” James nodded.

“Why would you arrest him? He was the one who saved me!” Dahlia blurted.

“What? He saved you?” Everyone was shocked to hear that. They exchanged incredulous looks with each other. confusion was written across their face

“You’re kidding, right, Dahlia? He can’t be the one who rescued you. We clearly saw him touching you and was about to do something nasty!” Florence obviously didn’t believe Dahlia.

“She’s right, Sis. He tried to take your clothes off while you were unconscious!” James fanned the flames.

“We can all testify that Dustin was the one who did it!” Julle and a few others agreed.

Dahlia shook her head frantically, which made her alcohol–ridden head heavier.

“Who else could it be? There were only two of you in this room when we came in,” Florence said.

“It was Matt Laney, that bastard!” Dahlia struggled to organize her memories.

“You must be drunk, Dahlia. Matt’s a decent man. There’s no way he’d do something like this.”

“Sis, did Dustin slip you a drug? Is that why you’re so confused?”

“I heard that some drugs can cause hallucinations. That must be why your memory got jumbled up.”

One after another, the people in the room refuted what Dahlia said, making her doubt herself.

“Did I really remember wrongly? But how could that be?” she thought. Staring at her injuries, she had a hard time believing that Dustin was the one who did this.

 “Hey, there’s a phone here, and it’s recording a video.” Julie spotted the phone on the television cabinet and brought it over.

“It must be that asshole’s!” Florence fumed. “He was even planning to record himself assaulting Dahlia! How disgusting!”

“There’s no way that brat can defend himself now that we have this evidence!”

“We have to put that guy in jail!” The crowd began to hurl insults at Dustin.

“It can’t be. Dustin wouldn’t do that Dahlia shook her head, unable to accept that.

“Why are you still defending him, Dahlia? Why do you still have feelings for that asshole? I’m telling you, Matt’s the better man for you. He’s leagues above Dustin! I’ll show you Dustin’s true colors right now!” Florence yelled and began the playback, showing exactly what happened. By the time they reached the middle of the video, everyone had frozen in dismay.

“Matt Laney?” Florence was rooted to the spot as she stared in disbelief at the man violently assaulting Dahlia in the video.

Everyone else’s jaws had dropped as well. Never in their dreams would they have imagined that the person who kidnapped Dahlia and tried to assault her would be Matt, a respectful man from a noble family.

How could this be possible?

However, the video was right before their eyes. It turned out that the despicable person had been the “decent” man, Matt, instead of Dustin.

Everyone’s faces began to burn in shame as they recalled what they had said just now, and they fell silent.

“I told you it wasn’t Dustin, but none of you believed me! How about now? Who’s the despicable person? Who’s the hypocritical asshole now? I’m sure all of you should know.” Dahlia cried exasperatedly.

“I might have made a mistake, but so what? You two were once married, so it’s his duty to protect you. We didn’t ask him to do that! Besides, why didn’t he explain himself? We wouldn’t have misunderstood if he had.” Florence insisted stubbornly, having no intention of apologizing.

“Explain himself? Dahlia chuckled mirthlessly. “Would you have believed him if he had?”

“That’s up for us to decide, but it’s his fault for not explaining. He had it coming!” Florence defended herself.

“That’s right! He deserved it! James agreed. So what if they misunderstood a loser?

“All of you are incorrigible!” Dahlia was utterly disappointed.

 She staggered to her feet and bumped past the two of them to run out. She wanted to stop Dustin from leaving. Unfortunately, by the time she reached the hotel entrance, he was already nowhere to be found.

At the Laney villa. Phineas paced back and forth in the living room, looking extremely anxious. It was the break of dawn, but he hadn’t slept a wink since he lost contact with Matt, who left at midnight. It was as if Matt had vanished into thin air.

 Phineas sent a group of bodyguards to search, but there was still no news of Matt, which told him that something was wrong.

Suddenly, someone’s car beeped at his door. He glanced outside and saw a black SUV parked outside. The car door opened, and a figure wrapped in a burlap sack was dumped out as the car drove away.

“Huh?” Confused, Phineas nodded to the bodyguards at the entrance, who quickly opened the sack to reveal a naked man with a swollen nose and bruised body.

“Dad …The young man opened his eyes dazedly and cried out hoarsely.

“Matt?” Phineas was flabbergasted. “W–what happened to you?”

“It was Dustin Rhys H–he

Matt burst into tears. No one knew what he’d been through last night. There had been many times when Matt wanted to kill himself but couldn’t bring himself to do it. He had no idea how he pulled himself through the agonizing pain.

“Don’t cry. Tell me what happened. I’ll take care of it!” Phineas quickly told his men to bring Matt inside. Because of the adrenaline shots he received. Matt was still conscious despite his injuries. So, under his to finish, withholding some details. father’s questioning, he told Phineas everything that happened from

“That bastard! How dare he do that to you! He’s gone too far!” Phineas slapped the table furiously. A shiver went down his spine every time he thought of what Matt had to endure.

“Dad. I want you to tear him to pieces, no matter the cost!” Matt seethed loathingly.

“Matt, that asshole is being protected by the Harmon family and the Brooks family. It’ll be hard to deal with him.” Phineas considered.

“Do you expect me to pretend like nothing happened?” Malt scowled, his eyes bloodshot. “I want my revenge no matter what!”

“Fine, I’ll avenge you!” Phineas decided to light up after seeing how miserable his son looked. As long as he was willing to pay a hefty sum to hire a killer, getting rid of Dustin should be easy.

Suddenly, someone knocked on their door. Phineas signaled for the guards to open the door, and three men strolled into the house. One of them wore a dated suit while carrying a cane with a dragon head attached to it. He was followed by Hunter and a burly man with an overwhelming aura.

“Who are you?” Phineas was puzzled,

“Dad!” Matt pointed at Hunter. “That’s the guy who helped Rhys!” He could clearly recall the man watching him get ravaged.

“So you’re Dustin Rhys‘ men. Are you here to apologize?” Phineas growled.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you grovel. There’s no way I’ll forgive that punk!” Phineas‘ expression was murderous. What happened last night would be his nightmare for the rest of his life, so he had to avenge Matt.

 “Apologize?” The old man in the suit smiled faintly. “You’re mistaken. I’m here to collect a debt.”

“A debt?” Phineas sniggered. “With just the three of you? You’re delusional!”

He clapped his hands. Immediately, a few dozen ferocious and bulky men engulfed the villa. Phineas had been prepared since Matt went missing, and it came in handy now.

He chortled. “You didn’t expect this, did you? You’ve fallen into my trap! I’ll make sure none of you make it out alive today.”

“How dare you!”

The strong man flung out his arm at lightning speed, and Matt immediately went flying.

“How dare you hit someone on my turf!! You’re dead meat!” Phineas was outraged. Just as he was about to order his men to attack, a gold badge landed near his feet with a clink.

He picked it up and froze in terror at the sight of the majestic five–clawed golden dragon emblem on the front of the badge. On the back of the badge, “Rhys” was engraved in bold.

In Dragonmarsh, the five–clawed dragon meant utter domination, while “Rhys” was the pinnacle of power. Many people shared the same surname, but there was only one family that held the Emblem of Drakon.

That family incurred fear from countless others, and no one dared to challenge them.

“The Rhys Drakon Emblem! W–who are you?” Phineas gripped the badge with both hands, his body began to shake, and beads of sweat ran down his forehead.

“You must be blind! This is Sir Albert Horst!” The large man hollered. “Albert Horst?” At the sound of the name, Phineas immediately paled in fear. Not many knew of that name, but that man had a popular nickname–the Executioner!

He had an infamous reputation for being the human butcher who sliced people like butter. There were three great generals in the Rhys family–the Executioner, the Sword Whisperer, and the Drunken Maniac. Each one of them was enough to shake the country.

The Executioner, Alfred Horst, was the strongest of them all. He was so terrifying that kids would cry at the mention of his name. Rumor had it that he had his first battle when he was 18 years old and ended up slaughtering tens of thousands of foes.

His cruelty and violence earned him the title of the Great Executioner. After he started working for the Rhys family, not many got to see him, but his reputation did not diminish in the slightest. This was because he was the one who got rid of anyone who offended or threatened the Rhys family.

Not many knew what he looked like because the majority of those who saw his face were already dead. His ruthlessness made him the leader of the three great generals. And he terrified the officials in Dragonmash. Everyone knew that once the Executioner visited someone’s home, that family would never see daylight again.

 Still, Phineas couldn’t understand what he’d done that led the Executioner to his home.

chapter-146

It was at that moment that Phineas felt pure terror. Who would have thought that the plain old man in front of him was the Executioner? Why had the Executioner visited them personally?

“How dare you hit me!” His head spinning, Matt pulled himself up and roared. “You’re dead! It’s over for all of you! Men, finish them off!”

“Stop!” Phineas yelled before falling to his knees before the old man. He frantically begged. “Sir Albert, we don’t know what we’ve done to incur your wrath, but please forgive us.”

“Have you gone crazy, Dad? Why are you groveling?” Matt was in disbelief. He didn’t understand why his dad was begging the old man for forgiveness when they were on the winning side.

“What do you know, you moron! We can’t afford to mess with them, so hurry up and kneel!” Phineas frantically signaled Matt.

“I’m not kneeling!” Matt looked around maniacally. “What do you mean we can’t afford to mess with them? There are only three of them. We’ll be able to drown them with just the piss of our men alone!”

“Y–y–you dumbass! Do you have any idea what you’re saying? This is the Executioner we’re talking about!” Phineas‘ face was ashen. In front of the Executioner, they were merely ants waiting to be squashed.

“What executioner? I’ve never even heard of him! He’ll still die today even if he’s God!‘ Matt shouted arrogantly.

Alfred chuckled when he heard that. “Interesting. I almost don’t wish to kill you now.”

“You think losers like you can kill me? Arrogant bastards!” Matt sniggered. Last night’s events had twisted him inside, and he yearned to let that hatred out.

 “It’s over. Everything’s over.” Phineas collapsed onto the floor, his face pale. Why did he have to have such a stupid son? How could Matt hurl insults at the Executioner?

“You’re trying to compete in numbers? Alright, then. Let’s see who has more men!” The large man waved his arm, and synchronized footsteps were heard immediately.

Soon, armed men charged into the place from all directions, surrounding everyone instantly. The guards were fully geared up and donned black masks. Their gazes were sharp, and they gave off a murderous aura that made people turn their heads away instinctively from fear.

The Laney family guards were nothing compared to these men. No words or threats were exchanged, but clangs rang out as the Laney family’s guards, who were terrified by the new arrivals, threw their weapons down and stood aside.

Matt froze at the sight of the geared men, his haughtiness vanishing rapidly, and terror took its place. What happened? Where did all those men come from? 

“Aren’t we competing by numbers? Who has more men now?” The bulky man waved again, and the men drew their swords in unison, overwhelming everyone with their presence.

Matt felt the strength leave his legs, and he collapsed to the ground.

“Sir Alfred, please go easy on us!” Phineas crawled toward Alfred and begged. “My son has lost his mind and doesn’t know what he’s doing. Please spare his life!”

“Then, you’ll have to die in his stead.” Alfred drew a sword from the burly man’s back and threw it to the floor.

 Calmly, he said. “Only one of you can live. Make your decision.”

****slash****slash*****

“Y–you’re not keeping your fucking word! You said you’d let me live, Horst! Why? Why?!” Matt wailed bitterly. However, the only reply he got was the strike of a cold blade.

As they stepped out of the villa, Alfred asked abruptly, “How many members are then in the Laney family’s main lineage?”

“The report says 35 of them,” the burly young man replied.

 “I see. Well, get rid of all of them.”

Chapter-147

In the morning, at the airport. Edwin and Tina waited in front of a Rolls–Royce Phantom. “Dad, we’ve already been waiting for two hours. Why isn’t Joshua here yet?” Tina glanced around, looking anxious.

 “It’s normal for flights to be delayed. Let’s wait it out a little longer. Edwin looked calm. Last night, he’d suddenly received a call from Joshua, saying he’d completed his refinement, which meant he was now the Hummer family’s trump card.

As they spoke, a young couple exited the airport. The man was handsome and dignified, giving off an air reminiscent of a sharp blade, making one unable to look him in the eye. The woman beside him was dressed in red and equally outstanding. She was beautiful, elegant, and looked powerful.

“Dad, he’s here!” Tina’s eyes lit up with excitement. She’d been eagerly anticipating his return.

“Josh, you’re finally back!” Edwin approached him with a bright smile.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Dad.” Joshua smiled and gestured to the woman beside him. “Allow me to introduce you to Jade Grant, my fiancée.”

“Jade Grant?” Edwin looked taken aback before asking tentatively. “Is she the third daughter of the Grant family?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Joshua smiled.

“Nice to meet you. Mr. Hummer.” Jade nodded.

“Yes, yes, nice to meet you, too. As expected of a daughter of the Grant family–you’re the very embodiment of beauty and grace!” Edwin looked delighted. He never would’ve expected his son to be able to win the Grant family’s favor. The five wealthiest families in Millsburg were known as the Fabulous Five, but there were three other families seven more powerful than them–the Tremendous Three. The Grant family was one of them. If the Hummer family could form an alliance with the Grant family through Joshua’s marriage with Jade, they’d have a bright future ahead!

“Dad, why did you summon me home so urgently?” Joshua asked when they were all in the car. He’d just completed his refinement the night before when he’d been told to return immediately.

“I hate to say this, but Swinton has a new kid on the block. He’s powerful beyond our expectations and has defeated all my men. Our family’s been having a tough time recently because of him. I had no choice but to Summon you home.” Edwin sighed, looking helpless.

“Exactly! You have no idea how obnoxious he is, Joshua. He even beat me up on my birthday over the smallest things!” Tina started to complain. “Look at what he did to my arm–I’ve yet to fully recover! I’ve never been treated like this in my life. You have to get back at him for me!”

“Who is this guy? How dare he bully a member of the Hummer family! Joshua’s face darkened, and a menacing aura surrounded him.

“His name is Dustin Rhys, and he’s not someone to be taken lightly,” Edwin said. “He also has the Harmon family backing him up,” Edwin said,

“The Harmon family?” Jade chuckled lightly. “They’re only one of the Fabulous Five–they don’t hold much weight. If you need any help, Mr. Hummer, just say the word.”

“It’s unnecessary for the Grant family to get involved in something as menial as this,” Joshua said calmly. Now that I’m back. I won’t allow anyone to challenge the Hummer family’s authority–not even the Harmon family!”

‘Josh, have you had a breakthrough?” Edwin asked tentatively.

“Yes, I have. I’ve now achieved divinity!” Joshua smiled proudly.

“A divine–level martial artist?” Edwin was delighted. “That’s great! I knew you wouldn’t let me down!”

 Joshua was probably the only divine–level martial artist in all of Swinton. Low–level martial artists were no match for divine–level martial artists–they could refine their martial arts prowess, but physical abilities could only take one so far.

Divine–level martial artists, on the other hand, could manifest their energy externally and use it to harm or even murder others without anyone realizing it. Low–level martial artists weren’t even in the same league as them. Even in Millersburg, where powerful martial artists converged, divine–level martial artists were existences to fear. It was no wonder Joshua had won the Grant family’s favor–how could he not when he possessed such talent and potential? Which family wouldn’t want to have something to do with him?

 “Dad, is divine–level martial artists truly that powerful? How will Joshua fare against Dustin?” Tina asked curiously.

 *Joshua can destroy that brat with a snap of his fingers!” Edwin said proudly.

“That’s great! Joshua, you have to teach him a good lesson on my behalf!” Tina said excitedly.

“There’s no hurry to deal with Dustin–he’s a weakling that can be slaughtered at any time. What’s more important now is that we have to give Joshua and Jade a proper welcome.”

“You’re right. Let’s head home.”

At this moment, at Peaceful Medical Center. Dustin received a call from Ruth. “Dustin, something’s happened at Harmon Pharmaceuticals. You’ve gotta get over here right now.”

“Something’s happened? What is it?” Dustin asked curiously. “A bunch of people suddenly showed up and demanded that we partner with them for the production of Immortunol,”

“Is that so? Where’s your sister? I’ll leave the decision up to her.”

“She went to Millsburg last night and won’t be back so soon. In any case, she was the one who told me to call you, saying that you had the last say.”

“Alright, then. I’ll be right there.” Dustin hung up and drove to Harmon Pharmaceuticals. When he arrived. twenty minutes later and strode into the conference room, he saw some people already seated inside. Jessica, Quentin, Ruth, and Mr. Wangley sat on the left, while a distinguished man was on the right.

 “Dustin, you’re finally here. Have a seat, quick.” Ruth stood up and gestured for him to sit. The others looked at it. him coolly. 

“What’s going on here?” Dustin glanced around curiously.

“I have a question for you,” Jessica said. “I heard Natasha gave you 50 percent of the shares for Immortunol. Is that true?”

“Yeah,” Dustin nodded.

“Glad to hear that. Now, hand the shares over,” she said coolly.

“What? Why?” Dustin was taken aback.

“Because you don’t deserve them.” Jessica didn’t mince her words. ‘The Harmon family handles everything from the production, sales, and marketing for Immortunol. You don’t contribute anything to this process–why should you deserve 50 percent of the profits? Don’t you think you’re being a little too greedy?”

“Mrs. Harmon, there must be a misunderstanding somewhere. Ms. Harmon was the one who decided that the shares-”

Jessica cut him off with a wave of her hand. “That’s enough! I don’t want to hear it. Hand the shares over if you know what’s good for you; at least you’ll be able to walk out of this unscathed.”

“Does Ms. Harmon know about this?” Dustin narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew what was going on now- they’d obviously tricked him here to snatch the ownership of the shares away from him.

“It doesn’t matter whether she knows. This has to do with our family’s interests; her word isn’t the only one that matters. Rest assured that we’ll compensate you handsomely for this. We’re willing to pay you 50 million dollars if you hand over the shares.” Jessica looked like she was talking about something inconsequential.

“Hey, just hand them over when we tell you to, and stop fucking around!” Quentin said impatiently.

“What if I refuse?” Dustin’s expression became icy.

 “Then you won’t leave this room today!” Quentin slammed a hand on the table. The next second, a group of security guards barged into the room, circling Dustin with menacing looks.

chapter-148

“What, are you gonna resort to physical violence?” A cold smile curved Dustin’s lips at the sight of the security guards surrounding him. He’d always been the type who was open to persuasion, not coercion. Perhaps he would’ve given in to them if they’d talked to him nicely, but if they wanted to opt for physical violence he didn’t mind teaching them a lesson or two, well,  “So what if I am? Don’t think too highly of yourself, you brat!” Quentin snarled. He’d always harbored a grudge against Dustin for humiliating him at their first meeting. If not for Natasha keeping him in check, he would’ve exacted revenge on Dustin ages ago. Now that Natasha wasn’t around, it was his chance to get payback!

“Quentin, don’t take things too far!” Ruth couldn’t stand it anymore. “It’s up to Dustin whether he wants to sell the shares. If you dare do anything to harm him, I won’t let you off the hook!”

“Ruth, this has nothing to do with you. Keep your nose out of this! Quentin didn’t back down.

“Why, you- “Ruth was about to say something else when Jessica stopped her.

“Dustin, a wise man knows how to adapt to the situation. You can’t hoard all those shares for yourself, so cough them up when we’re asking nicely, Jessica said. “Many people have gotten into trouble not because of things they’ve done but because they possess things that shouldn’t belong to them. With your identity and ability, you’ll only get yourself into more trouble if you keep these shares.”

“Is that a threat, Mrs. Harmon?” Dustin didn’t bat an eye.

“It’s a piece of advice. One should know their limits–do you think you would’ve achieved what you have if not for my daughter protecting you?” Jessica looked at him contemptuously.

“I won’t deny that Ms. Harmon has given me plenty of help, but I didn’t rely on anyone to get to where I am now, Dustin said coldly. “As for Immortunol, I think there’s something you need to get straight–I provided the formula and was the first to develop it successfully. I don’t care about the shares, but that doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to push me around like this!”

“How dare you!” Jessica slammed a hand on the table and shot to her feet. “Dustin, I’ve tried to play nice with you. Don’t push me!”

“Who’s pushing who?” Dustin retorted. “When the Hummer family successfully developed and marketed Eternumax, the Harmon family had nothing and no way to compete with them. I was the one who helped you make it past that crisis, yet here you are, burning bridges as soon as you get the chance. Is this how ungrateful the Harmon family–or certain family members, at least–is?

“Why, you- Jessica fumed. She didn’t expect a brat who relied on the Harmon family’s protection to rebuke her like this.

“Aunt Jessica, don’t waste your breath on this brat. All we need to do is capture him; I have plenty of ways to make him give in!” Quentin fanned the flames.

“Mom, don’t do anything rash. If you lay a hand on Dustin, Natasha won’t ever forgive you!” Ruth warned.

Jessica stiffened. Ruth’s words made her stop to think for a while. Her relationship with Natasha was already strained; if she were to go ahead with this, Natasha would probably sever ties with her

At this moment, the man who’d been sitting opposite Jessica and the others spoke. “Mrs. Harmon, I thought it would be easy for you to retrieve the shares, but it seems I was wrong.”

“And who are you?” Dustin gave him a cold look. He’d noticed this man as soon as he’d stepped into the conference room. He supposed this guy was the cause of Jessica’s sudden interference.

 “The name’s Williams, Brody Williams. I’m from Boulderthorn Guild; my father’s the second–in–command,” the man said coolly.

“Mr. Williams is your father, huh?” Dustin raised an eyebrow in surprise. He’d met Oliver Williams earlier, it seemed Brody was his brother.

“I’m sure you know how powerful the Boulderthorn Guild is.” Brody lit a cigarette and took a drag. Then, he waved a hand around and said arrogantly. “So, you’re left with two options–either you hand over the shares and take the 50 million or make an enemy out of me.”

“I won’t give the shares up unless Ms. Harmon personally asks me to,” Dustin said coolly.

“Excuse me?” Brody’s expression became frosty. “Do you know what you’re talking about, you brat? Have you thought about the consequences you’d bear if you make an enemy out of the Boulderthorn Guild?”

“Firstly, you don’t represent the Boulderthom Guild. Secondly, so what if I make an enemy out of you? Do you think the Boulderthorn Guild runs the world?” Dustin didn’t bat an eye.

“I admire your audacity, brat. It’s been a while since someone had the nerve to speak to me like that. Still, you’ll have to pay for your arrogance! As for the rest of you.” Brody grinned menacingly as he turned to Jessica and the others. “If you don’t want to make an enemy out of the Boulderthorn Guild, you’d better show me some of your sincerity in forming an alliance. If this brat refuses to give us ownership of his shares, you’re the ones who’ll have to cough it up. Either way, we’re definitely getting our hands on 50 percent of Immortuncl’s shares!”

Jessica’s expression changed at his words, as did the others.  Dustin refused to hand over his shares, he’d drag the rest of them down with him. Boulderthorn Guild was backing them into a corner.

“I’ve already said everything there is to say: I’ll leave the final decision in your hands. See you around.” Brody snorted and stood up.

“Hold it!” Dustin said.

“What, changed your mind already?” Brody sneered. “I thought you were a tough cookie, but it seems you’re a bigger pushover than you look.” Then again, it made sense. How many people in Balerno dared to stand up against the Boulderthorn Guild?

“At least you haven’t lost all sense of rationality. Dustin. We could’ve avoided all this hassle if you’d just. agreed to it earlier.” Jessica heaved a sigh of relief. Not even the Harmon family wanted to get on the Boulderthorn Guild’s bad side.

Quentin scolled. “So you were just pretending to be a tough guy. You had to give in to the Boulderthorn Guild in the end anyway, didn’t you? Stop acting like you’re such a big shot.” The way he saw it, Brody only had to threaten Dustin a little to make him pee his pants.

“Brody Williams from the Boulderthorn Guild, right?” Dustin slowly got to his feet. “Do you think you own this place, coming and going as you like? Did you bother asking me for permission?”

“What?” Brody raised an eyebrow, “What’s that supposed to mean, brat?”

“Do you think you can march in here, act all high and mighty, then leave whenever you want? What made you think you could do that?” Dustin gave him the stink–eye.

Brody snorted and pointed at his face. “What, do you wanna start a light or something? Go on, then. I dare you to lay a punch on me, you-”

Before he finished his sentence, he was sent flying by a crisp slap to the face. He spun a few times in midair before landing headfirst in a gigantic vase in the corner. It was large enough for his whole body to fit inside. leaving his feet sticking out of his mouth, 
Jessica and the others were stunned to see that. Their jaws dropped, and silence descended upon the room.

Nobody expected Dustin to suddenly get physical and attack someone from the Boulderthorn Guild. Had he lost his mind?

 “Dustin, are you out of your mind? How dare you attack Mr. Williams‘ son! Do you have a death wish?” Jessica glared at him with a mixture of shock and fury. Attacking Brody was equivalent to issuing a challenge to the Boulderthorn Guild.

 “You may have a fucking death wish, but the rest of us don’t! Mr. Williams isn’t someone you can afford to offend!” Quentin bellowed. Though he wanted nothing more than for Dustin to get in trouble, that didn’t mean he wanted to perish with him.

“Dustin, you’ve really done it now!” Even Ruth looked panicked. The Boulderthorn Guild was much too powerful; even the Harmon family wouldn’t survive a retaliation from them,

“He’s nothing but a piece of trash. What does it matter if I’ve attacked him?” Dustin said coolly.

“You–you’re so thickheaded!” Jessica glared daggers at him.

At this moment, Brody had finally managed to free himself from the vase. Compared to his previous dignified appearance, he looked disheveled, with his face red and swollen from the slap and being stuck in the vase. How dare you lay a hand on me, you brat!” he bellowed. pointing at Dustin. Never in his life had he been on the receiving end of a beating: he was always the one beating people up.

“So what if I did? Do you really think no one has the nerve to teach you a lesson just because you throw Boulderthorn Guild’s name around like it means nothing?” Dustin scoffed.

“You’re fucking dead!” Brody’s blood boiled. He raised a list and swung it at Dustin.

Earlier, Dustin had managed to get him because his guard was down; now that he knew what to expect, he wouldn’t lose. Dustin snorted and caught his fist easily before kicking him in the stomach. Brody howled in pain and bent over, falling to his knees as the pain coursed through him. He curled into a ball on the floor.

“Dustin, stop it!” Jessica’s expression changed drastically. Wasn’t it enough that he’d attacked Brody once? He was digging his own grave by doing it again!

“Fucking hell! Capture that psycho!” Quentin roared. At his words, the security guards in the room whipped our electric batons and held them up threateningly.

“I’d like to see you try!” At this moment, Natasha barged into the room. Her domineering aura was overpowering enough to make everyone stop what they were doing.

“Natasha, thank goodness you’re here,” Jessica said grimly. “This man was obnoxious enough to attack a member of the Boulderthorn Guild in public. He’s unforgivable!”

“That’s right! We’ll only be keeping a ticking time bomb around if we let him go. I say we get rid of him right here and now,” Quentin snarled.

“I’ve already heard about everything that’s happened today. I don’t think Dustin did anything wrong.” Natasha said calmly.

“What?” Jessica was taken aback. “Natasha, have you lost your mind? How can he not have done anything wrong when he attacked a member of the Boulderthorn Guild?”

Natasha said calmly, “He had valid reasons for doing so, Brody was throwing the Boulderthorn Guild’s weight around to coerce us into giving up what belonged to us. Doesn’t he deserve to be beaten up? If everyone were to throw their weight around and use a measly amount of money to purchase our shares, we might as well. just give them Harmon Pharmaceuticals for free!”

The others had nothing to say in retort.

chapter-149

Buying 50% of the shares with 50 million dollars was like robbing. It was that they didn’t want to displease Boulderthorn. Therefore, relatively speaking, they could only sacrifice Dustin. With that, they didn’t really need to pay the price and could also take the opportunity to be on friendly terms with Boulderthorn.

However, they didn’t expect Dustin would be so unyielding. Not only did he refuse to hand over the shares. but he also attacked Brody, Plus, Natasha also happened to be strongly supporting what he had just done after she hurried back. Everything was such a mess that they couldn’t resolve the situation.

“Natasha Harmon! Break his arms and legs right now! This is an order! If not, we won’t have mercy on the Harmon family!” Brody stood up and staggered to his feet with a sullen look.

“Mr. Williams, I’m sorry, but I can’t do it,” Natasha spoke calmly. “Boulderthorn is indeed powerful, but the Harmon family isn’t weak either. Nobody is able to harm the family easily.”

“So, are you trying to set yourself against Boulderthorn because of him?” Brody gritted his teeth.

“Dustin is the Harmon family’s quest. It is our responsibility to protect him. If Boulderthorn still insists, you’ll have to defeat me first.” Natasha was uncompromising.

“Very well! Since you must stand in our way, do not blame us for turning against the Harmon family!” Brody threw a note to Natasha, who threw down the gauntlet and said fiercely, “My father had said that if you refuse to agree, we’ll meet at the battle ring. We will settle things with deathmatches!

“If you win, the Boulderthorn will never speak anything about it again. However, if you lose, you must hand over Immortunal’s shares! This is your only chance. I challenge you!” Brody exuded an intimidating aura, He looked like he was sure to win.

“Why not? I will accept it. You’ll decide on the time and venue.” Natasha did not bat an eye.

 “We’ll have the battle at Williams Dojo tonight, at eight,” he said coldly and left immediately.

“Natasha Harmon! Have you lost your mind? How dare you provoke Boulderthorn just because of this little boy toy?” Quentin was flustered and exasperated.

“Boulderthorn’s connections were more important than that country bumpkin!” he thought.

“It is not your place to interfere with my decisions,” Natasha sneered, “Do you think I don’t know who involved Boulderthorn in this?” “You” Quentin, shifty–eyed, looked guilty because of her accusations.

“Natasha, Boulderthorn is one of the most powerful guilds in Balerno. You’ll put yourself in trouble.” Jessica knitted her brow.

It would be difficult to predict what would happen once the battle started. If they lost the battle, they needed to give the shares away, and it would also bring the Harmon family into disrepute.

“Mr. Williams himself is powerful indeed, but that doesn’t mean we don’t stand a chance of winning against them,” Natasha replied.

“Win? But how? Skills and strength aside, we don’t even have enough people to fight, Jessica grumbled.

Natasha wasn’t worried about her concern. “Who said so? I’ve already invited an expert from The Hundred Immortals.”

“The Hundred Immortals? Who is it?” Jessica asked. She was desperate for the answer.

Natasha didn’t reply directly. She clapped her hands, and an old man with gray hair and a hawked nose strode out quickly. He was wearing a black shirt with a tall and muscular physique. He made no sound when he walked, exactly like a ghost.

“Is this the King of Kicks, who was ranked ninth among The Hundred Immortals?” Quentin couldn’t help but gasp at the old man’s presence.

The Hundred Immortals, especially those ranked in the top ten, were all equipped with powerful skills. The King of Kicks, ranked ninth, was famous for his kicks. He had worked on his legs for years. His kicks were second to none.

Quentin once saw The King of Kicks flip a car by kicking it casually. There was no doubt that he was extremely skilled.

chapter-150

The King of Kicks made Mr. Wangley spurt out blood without even using half his strength. If he did it with full strength, Mr. Wangley would probably die on the spot.

 Were experts from the top tenths of The Hundred Immortals so scary?

“Brilliant! King of Kicks, you’ve just blown our minds!” Quentin was surprised at first, then put up a smile and blew the King of Kicks with flattery. He thought that if he could be on good terms with masters like the King of Kicks, he could solve problems easily in the future with his help.

“Mr. Wangley, are you okay?” Natasha frowned slightly. One of their allies was hurt before the battle even started. She thought that the King of Kicks had gone too far.

“I’m okay.” Mr. Wangley wiped off the blood at the corner of his mouth and paid his respects. “King of Kicks, I expected no less from you. I concede defeat from the bottom of my heart.”

“At least you know your limits.” The old man raised his head with a sense of arrogance and defiance.

“Alright. Everyone, time to go back and prepare. We cannot afford to lose tonight’s battle!” Everyone left right after Natasha gave the order.

As Boulderthorn intentionally spread the news of the battle. Williams Dojo was already crowded with people at 7 p.m. Everyone interested in martial arts came to watch the battle. People were dueling at the battle ring before it started. They were excited about the battle.

Dustin and Ruth were the first to enter the dojo. They sat and waited at the seats.

“Rhys, why are you here?” Dustin heard a familiar voice beside him. He turned and saw Julie approaching him with a crowd of young people.

“You’re here. Why can’t I?” Dustin said calmly.

“Julie, who is this?” a muscular man beside Julle asked.

 “Otto, this is my ex–cousin–in–law. My cousin dumped him since he’s useless.” Julie demeaned Dustin intentionally.

“Oh, I see.” Otto sized Dustin up and mocked, “Such slim arms and legs, what a sissy. No wonder no woman wants him.”

“If I’m a sissy, are you a chimpanzee? Dustin asked coolly.

“Chimpanzee?” Everyone was stunned by the statement and looked at Otto. He was a hairy man with tanned skin. He actually did look like a chimpanzee. However, they recovered from the thought quickly.

“Hey! What do you mean? Otto is such a line–looking man–he doesn’t look like a chimpanzee at all!”

“Do you know who he is? He’s the kickboxing champion of our city! Show some respect!”

“That’s right! Look at your arms and legs; Otto could easily break them!” The crowd clamored aggressively.

Otto put on a gloomy face due to Dustin’s comment. “You! You savage! Stop being a smart mouth. Let’s have a battle and fight like a man!”

“I’m not interested in that,” Dustin rejected without hesitation.

“Not interested? I bet you are afraid,” Otto sneered, “Don’t worry. I won’t be beating you to death since we can learn from each other from fighting.”

Dustin replied nothing. Julia macked, “Rhys, aren’t you cocky? Why are you afraid of Otto? You don’t even dare to fight with him.”

“I can just fight with one of my hands if you are afraid. Or only with my legs, if you like. How is it? I dare you!” Otto provoked.

“Such a coward! He doesn’t dare to fight with Otto even if he’s only fighting with his legs!”

“Definitely! What a shame to us men!”

“Why don’t you just be a woman?”

 The crowd of young people laughed as if they had just listened to a hilarious joke. Dustin was speechless by the clamoring crowd.

 “Where did these psychopaths come from?” he thought. They looked like they had just gone insane and were howling and shouting nonstop, like dogs.

 “Hey, enough!” Ruth, who was sitting beside them, couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Gosh, there’s a beauty here!” Otto’s eyes lit up with a burning desire. Her outstanding figure and visuals attracted him.

“Hey beautiful, you should break up with such a coward. He’ll probably be busy saving his own life when you’re in danger,” Otto taunted.

“Exactly! You should find a boyfriend like Otto. Look at his muscles. It’ll make you feel secure!” the crowd jeered.

“He’s so tanned and ugly. Why would a woman like a man like him?” Ruth snorted with a contemptuous look.

“Hey, what nonsense are you talking, you little bitch! Watch your mouth!”

“Damn it! I’ll probably beat you up if you are not a woman!” The crowd grew angry after listening to what she had said.

“Enough. Don’t bother her. She’s just a woman. We should act like gentlemen.” Otto held his hand up to stop them from arguing, acting like a gentleman. He didn’t want to lose his manners in front of a beauty like Ruth.

“Dustin, I thought you were hiding your light under a bushel. It turns out that you are a good–for–nothing after all. You’re such a wimp. You only dare to pick up a fight with people weaker than you and even rely on women to protect you. There’s no doubt why Dahlia had to dump you!” Julie scoffed and shook her head. Her upper lips curled with disdain.

“He didn’t even dare to accept the battle with Otto. How useless!” she thought.

“Are you done? If yes, get as far away from me as you can. You’re so noisy and irritating, buzzing nonstop like a fly.” Dustin stuck his finger in his ear. He thought she was so noisy.

 “You” Julle gritted her teeth. Her face flushed. She glanced at Otto and acted coquettishly toward him. Otto, have you heard what he had just said? He said I am a fly! How could he?”

“Insolence! How dare you say something like that to my girl! Apologize immediately, or don’t blame me for being rude!” Otto’s face fell. He had always disliked Dustin, but he never had the chance to make a fuss about it. It was perfect timing for him now as he had the reason to do so, which was to protect Julie, his girlfriend.

“Apologize? Do you think you’re worthy of that?” Dustin sneered. He looked like he was looking at an Idiot.

“You! You better give up before it’s too late! I’ll show you the power of a kickboxing champion!” Otto was mad. He said nothing more and attacked.

He made a small step and jumped, preparing to attack with his stealth attack, Hot Knees. That movement of his was strong but cool at the same time. The opponent could easily be defeted if targeted precisely. It was the best movement for fronting.

“Such badass! Otto!”

“Did you see that? This is Otto’s masterstroke! He’s unstoppable!”

“One must stay as far away from him as possible when he uses Hot Knees!” The crowd was flattering Otto when he had just started his movements.

However, the next moment, Otto’s body, which was still in midair, was flipped by Dustin with a smack and hit the ground. He took a huge spill and was lying on the ground, motionless, like he was dead.

“Otto!” They were stunned by the scene. They didn’t expect Otto, a kickboxing champion, to be defeated by just one move. It was insane.

“How weak.” Dustin dusted his hands off and sat down. He thought that he could finally be in peace.

“Otto! Otto!”

 The crowd of young people quickly helped Otto up after they realized what had happened. They tried waking him up by slapping and pinching him.