Sebastian coldly advanced, step by step, toward William. His imposing demeanor left William breathless.William was frightened. He fell to the ground with a loud thud. He was covered in a cold sweat, and his face was pale as he shouted, "Whitney Sutton! If something happens to me tonight, Frostwave Corporation can expect a burst of negative publicity!"Upon hearing this, Whitney quickly realized the situation and rushed to intervene.Sebastian's face darkened. His brow furrowed, and he turned to Whitney. "After the way he treated you, you still want to defend him?"Sebastian was displeased."I—" Whitney hesitated. She thought for a moment and said, "This is my business. I didn't ask for your help! But this man does need to face the consequences!""What are you saying? Whitney Sutton, do you really want Frostwave Corporation to go down?" William exclaimed in shock."Whitney, don't be impulsive. You can't offend someone like him!" Fergus quickly crawled to his feet upon seeing t
However, Sebastian casually tossed William aside. He slammed heavily into the adjacent wall and crashed onto the floor.William instantly felt as if his back had collided with a truck. He lay on the ground, motionless, wailing in pain.Before anyone could react, Sebastian ran toward William and ruthlessly stomped on his arm.The entire arm was snapped under the force!"Ahh!" William's miserable screams echoed throughout the entire cruise ship.The crowd was stunned!Everyone was shocked by Sebastian's ruthless actions.He had just attacked William Saunders. Did Sebastian not fear death?"You've gone mad!" Whitney's face changed drastically. She pushed Sebastian away and exclaimed, "What are you doing? Do you realize the trouble you've caused?"It was a simple matter with room for negotiation. Now, with Sebastian's forceful intervention, the nature of the situation has completely changed.With one arm crushed, there was no way William would let Sebastian off easily."Do y
Hans Wagner, commonly known as Hades Hans, was a notorious local kingpin in Steinberg, overseeing a few hundred underlings.Ruthless and vindictive, he had established numerous businesses, primarily focused on lending and entertainment venues, engaging in various shady dealings.Despite recent efforts by Hans to change his image and engage in philanthropy, transforming into a successful businessman with several accolades, his brutal reputation persisted in Steinberg.He was the kind of person whose name alone would send shivers down one's spine.Offending him meant crossing paths with Hades himself!"Kid, why aren't you talking? Scared? If you're scared, then kneel!" William taunted, his eyes filled with malice.Fergus immediately stepped forward, shouting, "Mr. Saunders, this has nothing to do with me. I've been implicated, and I kindly ask for your leniency.Fergus was scared. Crossing paths with Hans meant he would be in deep trouble.William gave Fergus a disdainful look an
With his eyes locked on Sebastian, William warned, "Weren't you all high and mighty just now? You have a death wish, don't you? Come to the deck then!"With that said, he turned to leave the cabin and headed to the deck. Whitney almost passed out upon hearing what he said. Wagner … It was THE Hans Wagner of Steinberg he was talking about! Even Mabel shivered in fear, her face already as pale as a sheet. Hans was ruthless. They were doomed for sure! No thanks to Sebastian, that idiot! "Ms. Sutton, what do we do? Mr. Wagner's heading here!" Mabel shouted as she stomped her feet in frustration, her heart overwhelmed with anxiety. Whitney was afraid of Hans too. Sweat dotted her forehead, and her lips lost their color. Now, even her hands were cold, and her legs trembled. The path to the deck was right in front of her, but it seemed especially gloomy and foreboding now. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed Mable's hand and muttered, "Don't be afraid. This land has its laws. Mr
There was an uproar. The people on the deck all turned to look in fear at the group of men standing at the port.As the cruise ship slowly came to a halt, they finally got to see clearly what was happening at the port. The group of men who stood in a row looked strong and formidable. "They're Mr. Wagner's men …" "Oh my! Something huge's gonna happen tonight. This is the first time I'm seeing Mr. Wagner appear himself to settle things.""The poor fellows are so unlucky! They're gonna be tossed into the lake and drowned."The crowd couldn't stop talking about it. At the port, Hans got out of the Maybach at the very front of the line of cars. He had a cigar in his mouth and a thick golden chain around his neck. Even his face looked deadly, like a ferocious beast. "Mr. Wagner, the ship's docking," one of his men politely reminded him. Hans nodded and looked at the ship that was slowly coming their way. When it finally stopped completely, more than ten of his men in black suits
Sebastian glanced at Hans and snickered. "It seems like you've recovered well. You gained weight and look way better now," he said. "You can even teach someone else a lesson, I see." "It's all thanks to you!" Hans said with an awkward smile. "You gave me a second chance at life!" Everyone on the deck was stunned at this turn of events.What just happened? Why was Hans so polite toward the young man in front of him? Besides, Hans kept calling him "Dr. Ballard". Even William himself was baffled. He'd never seen Hans treat someone else with so much reverence. This time, he was doomed for sure! Just then, Hans turned to glare at him."You son of a bitch! What did you do to offend Dr. Ballard?" "N-No! I didn't!" William begged. "It's all a misunderstanding, Mr. Wagner!" In his fear, he stumbled backward as Hans approached him and said, "A misunderstanding, you say?"Hans kicked William in the stomach, sending William crashing to the ground once more. He kicked him a few m
"That's right! Don't just stand there as if nothing happened! You would've died if it weren't for Mr. Cobb!" Mabel said, going along with the flow. She was annoyed at him. He didn't even thank Fergus for saving his life. What a rude idiot! Chuckling, Fergus said, "It's fine. There will always be people who aren't grateful to others." Despite their words, Sebastian didn't feel like explaining himself. But then, his face darkened when he realized that Fergus had seized the chance to take credit for something that was not his doing. "You want me to thank him? Should I thank him for being a shameless fool then?" Sebastian laughed.His piercing eyes were locked on Fergus as he said coolly, "Mr. Cobb, I'm sure you know full well why Mr. Wagner left. Do you think you deserve my gratitude?""Sebastian!" Whitney snapped. She was furious at Sebastian for being so ungrateful toward his savior. "How could you say that?" she asked. "I know you don't like Fergus, but you wouldn't be aliv
Whitney, Fergus, and Mabel stood at the entrance of Luna's Waterfront."Whitney, the people who are having dinner here are the mentors and leaders of the Steinberg Medical Conference district competition," Fergus said to Whitney.He didn't exactly get this piece of news easily from his friend. It was top secret!"For real?" Whitney exclaimed.Fergus nodded. "Yeah. My friend is one of the person-in-charge of the Steinberg Medical Conference district competition next week. He told me about it."Moreover, the upcoming downtown selection competition next week is meticulously crafted by the original team of the Crestborne Harmony Quest program. "The event will be broadcast live, promising to make waves in Steinberg! I heard them mention that if the live broadcast of the competition is well-received, subsequent matches will be nationally televised. "According to them, the goal is to transform this year's medical conference into a program akin to Crestborne Harmony Quest, generating
"It all comes back to Uncle Samson," Andreas said. "Great Uncle Arnaud already told you he'd let Uncle Samson have his freedom if you find the other emerald token, but then he brought up the marriage alliance. "It directly affects whether or not Uncle Samson can regain his freedom. So, why don't you think about it?"With a quiet chuckle, Andreas walked toward a grove of peach trees to the west.Realization finally dawned on Sebastian. Arnaud was a shrewd man. He wouldn't slip up like that. Besides, although the Ballards and the Yeomans had established a marriage agreement, they hadn't named specific individuals, only that the Blessed Child of the Ballards would fulfill it.The Blessed Child bore the duty of guiding the Ballards to revival. In other words, the emerald token would be better off falling into the Blessed Child's hands rather than anyone else's.Could it be that the final emerald token was with the Yeomans? If that were true, why hadn't the Ballards used their pow
"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in becoming the head of the Ballard family," Sebastian said impassively. "I only want my father to be freed."Arnaud's expression changed slightly, but his tone remained neutral as he said, "It's Braxton who owes you and your mother, not the entire family. Why must you do this?"Sebastian let out a cold snort. It was true that Braxton had been the one who had kicked them out, but weren't the true culprits the elders of the Ballard Estate?"If there's nothing else, I'd like to see Whitney," Sebastian said, rising slowly to his feet. As soon as he mentioned her name, Arnaud waved a hand at him and said, "Don't be in such a rush, Sebastian. Whitney is safe. The Ballards would never harm a frail woman."He added, "However, there's something I want to ask you. Is Whitney still your wife?"Sebastian frowned. "Whether she is or isn't, what business is that of the Ballards?""Of course it is," Arnaud replied firmly. "The Ballards and the Yeomans of
Arnaud led Sebastian into a secret room deep within the Hall of the Ancestral Dragon. Once inside, Sebastian saw a Cosmic Orbit Diagram. It was exactly the same as the records in the Sacred Medicine Secret Annals.However, the Ballards' Cosmic Orbit Diagram was divided into different sections. It looked even more three-dimensional."This is the Cosmic Orbit Diagram passed down through our family for generations," Arnaud said proudly. "The one that the Sacred Medicine Society has is just a copy."The legacy of the mystic arts in Dramon almost all came from the Ballards.The Ballards had withheld some things back then as well. As a result, all the legacies of the various secular sects only had incomplete Cosmic Orbit Diagrams. It was why there were very few experts at the fifth level of the Eldoria realm and above.Afterward, Arnaud led Sebastian into a library. Thousands of technical legacies lined the shelves. Sebastian flipped through them. The techniques recorded there were
Samson glanced at Sebastian. He took a deep breath and said to Arnaud, "Thank you for sparing me, Uncle Arnaud."He gave Sebastian a few final reminders before leaving the hall with Preston.Once they were gone, Arnaud pointed at Duo and said to Sebastian, "Tell him to leave too."Sebastian waved a hand at Duo."I'll wait for you at the entrance, my lord," Duo said. "If anything happens, I'll be here as soon as you call!"He gave Arnaud a cold look before striding out of the hall.Arnaud watched him leave and smiled approvingly. He beckoned to Sebastian. "Come, sit!"Sebastian didn't hesitate. He crossed the hall and sat in the chair opposite Arnaud."Do you know why I asked Andreas to bring you back here?" Arnaud asked impassively. Sebastian shook his head expressionlessly. He said in a cold voice, "It's probably because of the emerald token in my father's possession."Apart from using him and Whitney as leverage against Samson, he couldn't think of any other reason.Arnau
"The Blessed Child! The Blessed Child has finally come to our family!"The black-robed old man who had been sitting beside Arnaud stood up, looking pleased. He couldn't hide his excitement as he turned to Arnaud and said, "Arnaud, our family is going to prosper!"Only Rexton and Milton looked extremely displeased. Braxton and Roland looked pained, as if they had lost something of great value. They were practically thumping their chests in regret!The Blessed Child had been foretold by one of the heads of the family centuries ago. No matter how far the Ballards declined, the prophecy said that after a few hundred years, a Blessed Child would appear—someone who could lead the family's revival!The only proof of the Blessed Child was for him to enter a master-servant oath with a Devora."Prosper? What a joke!" Hugo scoffed, holding Virtus firmly. "Weren't you all just clamoring about killing the two of them?"At Hugo's words, Arnaud's expression changed slightly. "When did I say tha
"Hugo!"Arnaud, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them wide. He eyed Hugo with a conflicted expression as he asked, "Have you forgotten the agreement the Thornes made with us ten years ago?"Hugo smiled coldly and put one hand behind his back. "That was the agreement you made with the Thornes. I'm only following Ms. Thorne's orders to protect Samson and find the emerald token. If Samson dies in this battle, how am I supposed to explain that to her?"He pointed at Sebastian and added, "He's Ms. Thorne's flesh and blood. Your family has no right to punish him! If the Ballards insist on killing them today, don't blame me for going on a killing spree!"When Hugo had finished, Sebastian finally realized that Hugo was from Isabella's family and that he had stayed at the Ballard Estate to protect Samson.It was clear that Isabella hadn't held a grudge toward Samson. In fact, she had sent an expert to stay behind to protect him in case anything happened.Arnaud's
Sebastian threw his head back in laughter. He strode forward, standing in the center of the hall, and said coldly. "Ungrateful? How could you have the audacity to say such a thing?"Even if I'm surrounded by enemies, you Ballards can forget about making me submit! It's just death, after all. If I even blink, then I won't call myself a man!"Everyone there stared at Sebastian."How dare that brat be so cocky? If he's not punished, it'll be a disgrace to our family rules!""He should be given the death penalty!""It'll be a disaster if we just let him be, and it'll only bring trouble for our family. Please give the order, and we'll kill him at once!"The entire hall was in an uproar. Even Preston, who had been speaking up for Sebastian and Samson, sighed in resignation.Since Sebastian had already made his stance clear, Preston couldn't help even if he wanted to.Sebastian had roused the anger of everyone there, and Arnaud had closed his eyes and wasn't saying anything. He was cl
Sebastian was just about to step forward when Samson hastily waved a hand at him and said, "Sebastian, the grudges of the Ballard family from over ten years ago have nothing to do with you. Don't get involved!""But—"Sebastian's gaze sharpened as he turned to look at Milton. There was an icy glint in his eyes. Samson shook his head slightly at Sebastian. The Ballard Estate had at least ten experts at the eighth level of the Eldoria realm. At Sebastian's current level, trying to fight them would only bring him big trouble."Sebastian, one must learn how to adapt to the situation," Samson whispered into his ear using voice projection. "Today, I will exchange my legs for your and Whitney's freedom. Think of it as a payment for what I owe you and your mother."Sebastian clenched his fists tightly. He hated himself for being too weak. He couldn't even protect his own family in a place like the Ballard Estate, where many experts were gathered.However, he would never allow anyone to
"Do you accept it, Samson?" Arnaud asked harshly when he saw that Preston hadn't said anything else. He turned to look directly at Samson.Samson smiled bitterly and turned to look at Sebastian before raising his head to look at Arnaud, who was sitting high above them. He said, "Uncle Arnaud, I was the reason for everything that happened. I wish to ask you not to trouble Sebastian.""What are you talking about?" Preston was agitated. He stood up again and yelled, "There must still be an investigation about who was right and who was wrong. Why should they break your legs?"As he spoke, his eyes blazed with fury. He looked at the thin old man and said furiously, "Milton, you old bastard! How can you be so shameless at your age? Tell me! Did you embellish the story to Arnaud?""Uncle Preston!" Samson stopped him quickly and sighed slightly. "Forget it. It's my fault for bringing such huge trouble upon our family back then."I admit that I have let our family down. Since imprisoning m