The dimly lit corridor echoed with heavy footsteps as Jake marched forward, his fists clenched and his gaze razor-sharp. Behind him, Lily and Everlyn followed closely, their expressions a mixture of wariness and determination.
Around every corner, groups of thugs charged at Jake, but he dealt with them effortlessly. Each swing of his fists or sharp kick sent his attackers flying, their groans of defeat echoing through the hall. His precision and strength were unmatched, and he used their bodies as makeshift obstacles, clearing a path as he moved forward.
"Stay close," Jake muttered over his shoulder, his voice calm despite the chaos. Lily and Everlyn nodded, their trust in him evident as they navigated the wreckage of defeated enemies.
However, as Jake turned a corner, his confident stride came to an abrupt halt. Standing in the middle of the corridor was the tall, lean man who had been with Fernando earlier. His calculating eyes glinted with malice, and his posture radiated a chilling authority.
"This is the end of the road for you," the man declared harshly, his voice carrying an edge of finality.
Jake narrowed his eyes, unfazed by the man’s words. "Big talk. Let’s see if you back it up," he retorted coldly, cracking his knuckles. Without wasting a second, Jake launched himself forward, aiming to end the fight quickly.
But the moment Jake closed the distance, the man moved with lightning speed, dodging Jake’s punch with a grace that seemed almost inhuman. Before Jake could recover, the man’s palm struck cleanly on his chest, sending him flying backward.
Bang!!
"Jake!!"
Jake crashed into the wall with a grunt, the impact shaking the corridor. Lily and Everlyn gasped, their hands flying to their mouths in shock as Lily yelled out.
"Is that all you’ve got" the man taunted, his smirk widening. "Pathetic."
Jake staggered to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Alright," he muttered, his voice steady despite the blow. "So, you’re not just some ordinary goon."
The man laughed darkly, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Ordinary?" You have no idea who you’re dealing with."
Jake’s expression hardened as he steadied himself, preparing for the next round. Lily and Everlyn watched with bated breath, their fear now mingled with a glimmer of hope as Jake refused to back down.
The fight was far from over.
Meanwhile, In another part of the worn-out building, Hutton led his group deeper into the maze-like corridors, his expression calm yet resolute. Kenneth, holding a tracker, moved beside him, occasionally checking the device to ensure they were heading in the right direction.
"Jake’s signal is coming from somewhere below," Kenneth confirmed, his voice steady but tense.
"Good," Hutton replied, his tone cold. "Let’s not waste time."
Each time a guard crossed their path, Hutton dealt with them in a single move. Whether it was a palm strike that sent them crumpling to the ground or a simple flick of his wrist that incapacitated them, his efficiency was terrifying.
Meanwhile, Bob and Veronica covered their rear. Anytime a guard attempted an ambush or launched an attack from behind, the two eliminated the threat with ease. Bob’s brute strength and Veronica’s swift precision created an impenetrable defense.
"This place is crawling with them," Bob muttered, his eyes darting around.
"They’re desperate," Veronica replied. "But they’re not going to stop us."
As the group turned a corner, they suddenly came face-to-face with the broader man who had been with Fernando earlier. His towering frame blocked the corridor, and his arms were crossed over his chest. His arrogant smirk revealed his confidence as his deep voice boomed, "Well, well. A lively group. I wonder if you’ll even be worth my time."
Hutton’s expression didn’t change as he looked the man up and down, his gaze calm and unimpressed. "Where’s your boss?" he asked casually, his tone devoid of emotion.
The man chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "You think I’d just hand over that kind of information? You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that."
Hutton sighed softly, his patience wearing thin. "I was hoping you’d make this easy," he said, almost to himself. "But I guess it’s the hard way then."
Before the man could process the meaning of Hutton’s words, Hutton vanished from sight, reappearing in front of him in the blink of an eye. With a precise and powerful strike to the man’s abdomen, Hutton unleashed a controlled surge of energy that sent the man doubling over, his expression contorted in excruciating pain.
The towering figure fell to his knees with a loud thud, clutching his stomach as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His confidence had been obliterated in an instant.
Hutton crouched slightly, leveling his calm yet piercing gaze at the man. "I’ll ask again," he said in a quiet but firm tone. "Where’s your boss?"
’This strength.....’ The man thought in agony. ’He is also a cultivator! Damn you Fernando!’
The man trembled under Hutton’s intense aura, his earlier arrogance completely gone. Struggling to catch his breath, he finally stammered, "H-he’s... he’s in the main chamber on the lowest floor!"
Hutton stood up, brushing off his hands as though he had just completed a mundane task. "Good," he said simply, turning to his group. "Let’s move."
Bob and Veronica exchanged glances, both impressed and slightly unnerved by Hutton’s cold efficiency. Without a word, they followed him, leaving the defeated man kneeling in the corridor as they pressed on toward their goal.
In the grand chamber adorned with remnants of its former elegance whereas Hutton and the others were now fast approaching, Fernando sat comfortably, savoring the smoothness of the wine in his glass. The flickering candlelight illuminated his face as he appeared lost in his thoughts. But suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, the air growing heavy.
Two figures materialized in the room, their presence commanding immediate attention. Fernando, startled, quickly stood, his glass slipping from his hand and shattering on the floor. Bowing slightly, he greeted them with a tone of utmost respect.
"Father... Madam George... I wasn’t expecting your arrival so soon," Fernando said, his voice steady but tinged with nervousness.
The tall, imposing man with silver-streaked hair, Pedri, the head of the Pedri family, stepped forward calmly. His sharp eyes scanned the room before settling on his son. "Fernando," he said in a deep, measured voice, "I was told Hutton Maxwell is here. Is this true?"
"Yes, Father," Fernando responded quickly, keeping his head slightly lowered. "He and his group have arrived in Houston, and they’ve already started moving toward this location."
Pedri nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. Beside him, the woman from the George family, draped in an elegant but dark ensemble, radiated an air of chilling authority. Her gaze was piercing, and her mere presence seemed to drain the warmth from the room.
Without even glancing at Fernando, she spoke in a cold, commanding tone, her voice slicing through the tense air. "Eliminate him."
For a moment, the chamber was silent, save for the faint crackle of the candles. Fernando blinked in confusion, looking around, unsure of who she was addressing. "Madam George, who—" he began, but his words were cut off as the air in the room seemed to tremble.
A deep, reverent voice resonated from nowhere and everywhere at once, answering her command. "As you wish, my Lady."
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Fernando’s eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding as he felt the room momentarily distort, as if space itself had shifted. The oppressive presence lingered for a brief moment before disappearing, leaving the air feeling eerily calm again.
Pedri glanced at Fernando, his face calm but firm. "Do not concern yourself with who or what she commands, Fernando. Focus on the task at hand. Hutton Maxwell is not someone you can handle on your own."
Fernando nodded hastily, still reeling from the strange phenomenon. "Understood, Father."
Madam George’s icy gaze flickered toward Fernando, her lips curling into a faint, almost sinister smile. "Make sure your house does not disappoint me, young Pedri."
"You don’t have to worry about my house Madam George, what we have in store for that brat will be a shock both to him and even to you" Pedri replied with a sly smirk on his face.
"Oh? Now you got me curious, what exactly do you have in store for him that will get me shocked?" Madam George quickly asked with an interested look on her face. "Sorry I want it to be a surprise" Pedri replied calmly as he stared right in to the eyes of Madam George.
"It seems like you never change" Hearing him, Madam George said as she rolled her eyes. And with those words, the two figures turned and moved toward the center of the room, the tension following them like a shadow. Fernando could only stand there, his confidence shaken as he wondered what kind of force had just been unleashed to take down Hutton Maxwell.
’They must be cultivators, a formidable one at that since they can move through space’.