Gravel rolled down the cliff, and Neil's body started slipping down the cliff. Just as he thought all hope was lost, a light shone ahead, and a few villagers with torches rushed over. "Great! Someone's coming!" Neil shouted for help in the direction of the light. "Help! Save us!"When the villagers heard his cries for help, they quickly ran over. "Ah, it's Neil! It's Neil!" When the villagers saw Neil and Stefan, they went over to help pull Stefan up. "Whew, how dangerous! If we fell, it would be over for us." Neil lay on the ground, taking deep breaths. He glanced at the bottomless cliff anxiously, realizing just how close he had been to death."Thank you." Stefan dusted himself off. In comparison with the frightened Neil, he looked a lot calmer. It was as if he hadn't almost died. "I'll remember your kindness today and repay you with a big reward one day.""Don't say that. I'm your guide—I'm responsible for your safety. It's what I should do." Neil spoke politely, full of respec
Stefan's eyes brightened and he eagerly asked, "Can you take me there to get some? My wife has been poisoned, and I need it to save her. If you can take me there to get some, I'll satisfy any request you and the villagers have." "We're doing fine as we are. We don't need an outsider like you trying to poke your nose into things." Easton glared at Stefan fiercely. "The dragon's saliva is a treasure belonging to my tribe, so how can we just give some of it to an outsider? If you keep this up, you'll be punished by our tribe's laws. For your information, my tribe doesn't belong to any administrative region, so we don't have to take responsibility if we want to hack you into pieces." Easton wasn't just saying that to scare Stefan—Dragos was a small society with a long history, and they had their own rules unbound by any laws. They were similar to the ancient cannibal tribes of Zambawi. Stefan had entered the village on his own initiative, which had infuriated the villagers. Hence, he was
"Mr. Abdon, don't worry—I'm also a villager of Dragos. I want our village to be safe, I was just a little impulsive today. I'm sorry..." Neil bowed to the villagers politely, then turned and said to Stefan, "Let's go, man. I told you this wouldn't work.""Okay, I understand." Stefan nodded.The both of them turned around and walked out of the village as the villagers watched.Stefan stopped when the torches were almost out of sight and asked Neil seriously, "This show has gone on long enough. Can we go back now?" "It isn't a show. I really do want to take you out of the village." Neil gave Stefan an awkward look and fished out the bank card with the large sum of money that he had accepted. "I'll return the money to you. I don't want you to get hurt by the villagers.""Excuse me?" Stefan frowned, his expression turning icy. He felt like Neil had fooled him. He wouldn't have left if Neil had told him that from the beginning. On the contrary, he would have tried to persuade that eld
"What? You... Are you still going up the mountains?" Neil's eyes widened, and he said in awe, "You're fearless!""I've made myself very clear." Stefan twisted the towel around his head that was drenched in sweat, and after taking a deep breath, he was about to set off again. Neil watched as Stefan walked away, feeling guilty. "Hey, wait!"Stefan stopped and turned around. "What's wrong?""I don't want to be your guide, but I can give you a map." Neil took out a notebook and drew something on a page, then tore it off and gave it to Stefan. "The terrains in Dragos are very complicated. This is a rough map of the village, and I'm guessing the dragon's saliva you want is in the memorial chamber. However, that place is at the highest point of the mountain, and it's also in the most complex cave. Our legends say that the ancestral dragon met his beloved woman there, and that was also where they built their family. That's how Dragos came along." "Really?" Stefan was overjoyed and acc
Stefan hid behind a rock, waiting for them to change shifts. He knew the security would be the weakest at that time. He'd heard from Neil that their guards had a ritual—they would perform a Dragon Dance, their ethnic dance, when they wanted to change shifts.Soon, the six guards at the cave and the other six guards who were taking over started dancing, and Stefan took that opportunity to sneak into the cave through a side door. The cave was small but deep, and there was only one lamp in the dark cave. It was a karst cave with unique stalactites that were shaped like the 12 zodiac animals—pig, dog, chicken, goat, tiger, and so on."I'm sure there must be a dragon here since it's one of the twelve zodiacs." Stefan eagerly walked into the deepest part of the cave. He could hear the sound of running water from time to time, and it sounded like the cry of a dragon. The deepest part of the cave was the highest part of it, and there was a stalactite there more than ten meters high. It w
Unexpectedly, Stefan had successfully snuck into the memorial chamber, and he'd even climbed onto the dragon's neck and taken the dragon's saliva, which was the clan's treasure. Neil was shocked, and felt like he was about to pass out."Neil, you came just in time! Help me take this." Stefan held the cauldron with one hand and clung to the dragon's body with the other. The climb down wouldn't be easy, and he was also afraid of spilling the liquid in the cauldron, so he was relieved to see Neil."No, I don't want to." Neil looked up at Stefan and squatted there arrogantly. "I can't do such a thing to betray my clan. They'll kill me if they find me out.""I know you'll help me." Stefan handed the cauldron to Neil. "If not, you wouldn't have given me the map or risked coming here. I'm begging you—please take good care of this cauldron and give it to my assistant. My wife's life depends on it." Stefan seemed to have realized that he wouldn't be able to escape, and knew he could depend o
A day had passed, and the atmosphere in Everheart Manor was tense. Everyone in the manor looked solemn."Today is the last day. Where's Stefan?" Owen looked up at the calendar on the wall in the living room, and a worried sigh escaped him."It's hard to tell." Quinton clenched his fists, then scoffed, "I've always said that he's just an incapable pretty boy. Don't count on him—we have to come up with something else."Owen hung his head in regret. "If I hadn't told him about the four herbs, he wouldn't have risked his life searching for them, and things wouldn't have ended up like this. We didn't get the herb, and now he's missing." "It's too late to say that now!" Xavier slammed his fist on the table and snarled, "What kind of a doctor are you? Are you trying to save lives or end them? Stefan wanted to dig people's eyes out because of your words, and now, thanks to you, we don't even know if he's alive!" He stood up and grabbed Owen's collar fiercely. "Tell us the truth—who the he
Quinton staggered back in shock. "How... could you...""What?" Xavier demanded stubbornly. "We aren't related, so I can say what I want! Don't think that I'll feel sorry for you—you're just an outcast, and if it wasn't for Stefan, I would have dealt with you ages ago!""That's enough!" Leia had been keeping silent, but she couldn't take it anymore. She got to her feet and pushed Xavier away. "You're upset because your first love has suffered—we get it.. Just stop taking out your frustrations on innocent people! Yes, others might not know about the conflict between Quinton and Stefan, but as Stefan's friend, you should know better. There's no right or wrong between them—just defeat or victory. If Quinton was still harboring a grudge against Stefan, don't you think he would have let him die when he saw him drowning in the Southern Sea?" Xavier looked at Leia, and calmed down a little. "I don't know about that, but I would never forgive someone who blinded and nearly killed me." "Bu
Then, Stefan calmly placed the crab leg on the plate in front of Leia. Leia was flabbergasted. She did not dare to move. She wondered what he was doing, and if he wanted to sacrifice her."Why aren't you eating it?" Stefan looked at Leia, sounding composed. Yet, he was full of the dominance that could burn anyone.Leia swallowed and gnashed her teeth, asking Stefan, "How could you peel the crab for me? Isn't it inappropriate?" She was the most cowardly person. Usually, she looked fierce and indignant as if she wanted to punish Stefan severely. But when he came to her and looked at her, she would be very frightened. She would not dare to do anything."Why not? Someone said women shouldn't peel the prawns or crabs themselves. I'm just being a gentleman. It's nothing serious. It's just peeling the crab!" Stefan said. It was rare to see him speak so much. It was incompatible with his contradictory identity. However, it was clear that he was mocking Justin and saying how ridiculo
Both Stefan and Justin mocked each other, which made the atmosphere more awkward. Although Liam and Leia were simply watching the fun, they felt awkward, too. It made them restless.Renee was having a hard time, too. She smacked the table and said to Stefan and Justin, "You'd better stop eating. Go out and fight. The food got cold because of your endless fight."When she spoke, she sounded like a class teacher with absolute authority. Although both Stefan and Justin were dissatisfied, they fell silent and did not dare to say more. Everyone started enjoying the great food, but said nothing. It seemed a little gloomy.Renee was about to get a prawn, but Justin had already peeled it nicely for her. He dipped it in some sauce and put it in Renee's bowl. "I know you love prawns the best. I've peeled it for you. Of course, women can't peel the prawns themselves.""Oh, Mr. Baldwin. You're considerate. You're a role model among the men. Anyone who marries you will be very happy!" Le
Justin smiled and described the children's experiences, acting like a stepfather. When he talked about the children, he made it sound like they were his biological children. Stefan didn't look so good. He felt that the glass of wine was getting bitter."Well, I'm sure kids will find everything new and exciting when they go to a new place. But they'll get bored with it when time passes. They'll love their real home better." Stefan had wanted to act relaxed and casual, but he could not stop himself from refuting when he heard Justin's provocative words. "Mm?" Leia sat beside Liam and leaned against his arm, and whispered, "What are they doing? This is weird. Are they going to fight?""It's just a competition between men. They won't get into a fight." Liam kept eating and watching the fun. He merely found it amusing. As expected, Renee was greatly admired. Although she remained silent, she would always be in the limelight. Liam was amused to see people like Stefan or Justin
"How dare you!"Stefan's words instantly made Leia speechless. She had wanted to rebuke him, but he snatched the chance from her and struck her dumb.In short, he was an utter scumbag.After a moment, Leia finally managed to comment, "How shameless!" Justin had kept silent all the while. He looked at Stefan with a scrutinizing and mocking gaze. "Mr. Hunt, I admire your honesty and self-awareness. If that's the case, let's stop being reserved and have fun together!""Yes, let's have fun together. I'm shameless, too!" Liam joined in the effort to mock Stefan. He swayed his glass of wine and faked a smile. "I've known her a long time, so of course I know what shameless things Mr. Hunt has done. I think I'd better grab this chance to tell you all of them since everyone is here today."Standing at the door, Renee was worried that Liam might say more indecent things. She hurriedly stopped him. "Pipe down, Liam!" "Got it." Liam shrugged helplessly but obeyed her.Although he yea
"Do you want to leave?" Stefan saw Renee. He was calm, indifferent, and distant. His behavior stung Renee. Renee could easily recall their lovey-dovey memories. They had both risked their lives for each other and vowed to be together forever. They had two children, too. Yet, they ended up as strangers.Although Renee was heartbroken, she became competitive. She smoothed her hair and said in a similarly cold manner, "I'm going to the washroom." "Okay." Stefan did not have anything to say. He nodded and walked past Renee before heading to the dining table. "Hmph! I didn't expect you to come so boldly," Quinton sneered.At the sight of Stefan, Quinton subconsciously clenched his fists, acting like he was about to fight Stefan. On the surface, he wouldn't act aggressively because he knew Renee would stop him. "It's not easy for the few great families to get together. It's good and meaningful for us. If I refused to come, it would make me seem heartless."Stefan kept his co
Having said that, Renee lowered her head, about to leave. She didn't even have the time to bother about Adie and Abby, and told Quinton to take them home later. Her strange behavior filled Quinton with displeasure. He blocked Renee and said solemnly, "Are you afraid? Do you want to run away? People might think that you're guilty and have cheated on your husband!""No, I'm not!" Renee refuted him loudly, then explained seriously, "I'm busy. I need to handle something right away. Plus, I'm not guilty. I did nothing wrong. There's no reason for me to feel guilty." Quinton went straight to the point. "What are you afraid of since you know you're not guilty? Why do you want to run away? He should be afraid instead!""I told you. I'm not afraid of him. I'm just…" "What?" Quinton crossed his arms and looked at Renee coldly. He wanted to get to the bottom of it.Renee came up with a ridiculous yet normal excuse. "I… I recalled that the dessert shop that I want to head to is about to
Jovan called Stefan to sound the latter out. Anyway, it would be convenient for Stefan to rush over since they were both at the same spot. "I'll be right there," Stefan said. Then, he hung up.For a moment, silence washed over everyone, as if something terrible was about to happen.After taking in the new information, Leia said indignantly, "What's going on? Why does he want to come? Isn't he too shameless? How dare he come?" Although everything wasn't discussed openly, everyone knew why Stefan and Renee broke up all of a sudden, despite how lovey-dovey they were. The reason was that Stefan had cheated on Renee.Even if the adultery was faked, it was still the cause of their breakup. If Stefan were shameful or guilty, he wouldn't have agreed to come. He was going to face Renee there with their friends and family around. Certainly, it was embarrassing. "Hmph! Why not? He impersonated me, seized my business, and snatched away my woman. Plus, he led a steady life, got married
Jovan's words made the atmosphere quiet and bizarre. "Are you out of your mind, Jovan? It's already very annoying to have someone like you here. Do you have to get another annoying guy?" Leia frowned, crossing her arms. She kept scolding him.Initially, the atmosphere was considered harmonious. It was still considered fine even if there was an annoying person like Jovan. Unexpectedly, he wanted to call another, more terrible person to come here. Things would certainly go wrong. "Ms. Osborne, you're famous for talking harshly, too. You're just like me. I love it." However, Jovan was not mad at all. He grinned while waiting for Stefan to answer the call. Generally, Stefan would not answer Jovan's call. Surprisingly, he picked it up that time."What's the matter?" Jovan purposely put it on speaker mode. Stefan sounded aloof and emotionless.Jovan sounded wicked as he calmly asked Stefan, "Do you want to join a gathering, Stefan?""I'm going to hang up if you don't say anythi
In the past, Jovan had always regarded Stefan as a coward. Stefan couldn't forget about Renee, but he kept pushing Renee to another man. It seemed like Justin was more responsible, considerate, and gentle. Of course, Renee would lead a very happy, steady, and comfortable life with such a man. At the very least, Jovan felt that he could not be that meticulous and considerate. He would only drive Renee mad just to get her attention. "Hmph! Are you trying to humiliate me or yourself?" Justin didn't find that a compliment. Instead, it sounded like smockery. Jovan made it sound like Justin was a nice guy, but would not be picked by Renee. Usually, people like that had to suffer and would not end up well."I'm praising you." Jovan was helpless because of his reputation as the villain. Although he had said a lot of annoying things, he did want to compliment Justin. His love was probably as deep as Justin's, but his and Stefan's ways of loving Renee were much inferior to Justin's.