Inside the grand chamber, Fernando stood beside his father, Pedri, and Madam George. The room was thick with tension, the soft glow of crystal chandeliers doing little to lighten the oppressive atmosphere. Madam George stared intently at the sleek, tablet-like device in her hands, her expression twisting into one of disbelief and anger.
Her voice broke the silence, sharp and shocked. "They’ve been defeated! My men... they’ve vanished from the trackers entirely. This can’t be possible." She tapped furiously on the screen, her brows furrowing as she tried to make sense of the information.
Fernando’s expression faltered as he glanced between Madam George and his father. "What? All of them? They were supposed to be the elite!"
Madam George scowled, shooting Fernando a glare that made him flinch. "Do you think I don’t know that? They were handpicked for their prowess. It seems like this Hutton isn’t an ordinary man."
Pedri, however, remained seated in his ornate chair, his expression calm and unbothered, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest. He leaned forward slightly, fixing Madam George with a cool, confident gaze. "Calm yourself, Madam. This isn’t over."
Madam George turned toward him, her frustration evident. "Calm? You want me to calm down? Those people are cutting through everything we’ve set up like it’s nothing. What else do you expect me to do, sit here and wait for them to barge in?"
Pedri gave a small chuckle, leaning back with an air of authority. "Let them come. I’ve been expecting this from the moment I heard Hutton Maxwell was in Houston. I knew he’d come straight for us eventually."
Madam George narrowed her eyes. "And what exactly are you planning, Pedri? Because if this plan of yours fails—"
"It won’t," Pedri interrupted, his voice firm. "I still have my trick up my sleeve. Do you think I wouldn’t prepare for someone like Hutton? Let him come. In fact, I want him to. It’s about time he sees why the Pedri family has survived for generations. Hutton might be strong, but no one is untouchable."
Madam George crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to argue further. Fernando, on the other hand, looked at his father with a mixture of awe and unease. He’d seen that expression on Pedri’s face before—a quiet confidence that bordered on unsettling.
Pedri’s lips curled into a faint smirk as he stood from his seat, brushing off his tailored coat. "Relax, Madam George. When the time comes, you’ll see. Hutton may have his tricks, but so do I."
The room fell into a tense silence, save for the faint hum of Madam George’s device. Whatever Pedri had planned, it was clear he was willing to stake everything on it.
Meanwhile, The worn-out corridors of the building echoed with the sounds of clashing steel, shouts, and bodies hitting the ground as Hutton and his group pressed forward. Each step brought them closer to the heart of the operation. Unlike the chaotic thugs they had encountered earlier, the opponents now stood out. They were organized, dressed in sleek combat gear, and executed moves with precision. Bob noticed this and couldn’t help but voice his observation.
"These aren’t ordinary thugs," Bob said, parrying a well-executed strike before countering with a powerful blow that sent his opponent sprawling. "These are henchmen, likely the inner circle of whoever’s running this operation. Look at how they fight—disciplined, methodical."
Hutton didn’t respond. His expression remained unreadable, his movements swift and decisive. With every foe that stepped in his path, he dispatched them with a single strike, their bodies crumpling to the floor before they could comprehend what had happened. His calm but relentless advance filled the air with a palpable sense of inevitability.
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As Bob took out another adversary with a well-placed kick, he glanced at Hutton. "Did you hear me, Hutton? These guys aren’t just fodder. They’re trained. This means we’re close."
"I know," Hutton finally said, his tone cold and focused. "It doesn’t matter. They’re just obstacles."
The group continued down the corridor, the number of opponents thinning as they drew closer to their destination. The tension in the air grew heavier, each step reverberating with purpose. Finally, they reached a set of double doors—grand, ominous, and clearly the entrance to the main chamber.
Hutton stopped before the doors, his gaze fixed on them as if staring directly at the people inside. Without turning, he spoke to the group. "This is it. Beyond these doors are the ones responsible for all this."
Bob stepped forward, his hands tightening into fists. "I’m with you."
Hutton gave a single nod but then turned to the rest of the group—Veronica, Kenneth, Jake, Everlyn, and Lily. His tone softened slightly, though it carried a commanding authority. "The rest of you, stay back. Find a place nearby to hide. This isn’t your fight."
Veronica hesitated, her brows furrowing. "But—"
"No arguments," Hutton cut her off. "If things go south, I need to know you’re all safe. Stay close enough to act if necessary but far enough to stay out of harm’s way. That’s an order."
Kenneth, seeing the determination in Hutton’s eyes, placed a hand on Veronica’s shoulder and nodded. "You heard him. Let’s move."
Reluctantly, Veronica and the others retreated into a nearby room, their footsteps fading as Hutton and Bob stood before the chamber doors.
Hutton exhaled slowly, his fingers brushing the worn surface of the doors. "Are you ready, Bob?"
Bob cracked his knuckles, a smirk playing on his lips. "Always."
Without another word, Hutton pushed the doors open. They swung inward with a low creak, revealing the grand chamber and the waiting figures within.
The tension in the main chamber became even more palpable as soon as Hutton and Bob stepped into the grand chamber. The atmosphere was heavy, as if the air itself carried the weight of hidden danger. Across the chamber stood Pedri, Madam George, and Fernando, all exuding an air of confidence as they turned to face their uninvited guests.
Pedri was the first to break the silence, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "Ah, Hutton Maxwell, the infamous proprietor of the Green Clover and the thorn in so many sides. And Bob, the ever-loyal shadow of the young mistress to the prestigious Ling Family at his side. Welcome! I must say, your reputation precedes you." His tone was friendly yet dripping with sarcasm. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Pedri, the head of the prestigious Pedri family, and this lovely lady beside me is Madam George, of the esteemed—"
But before he could finish, both Hutton and Bob vanished from their positions in a blur of motion, their figures reappearing right in front of Pedri and Madam George, legs poised to deliver devastating kicks aimed at their heads. The speed and precision of the attack left Fernando momentarily frozen in shock.
But then it happened.
An unseen force exploded outward, rippling through the air like an invisible shield. Hutton and Bob were repelled violently, their attacks halted mid-motion. The force sent them skidding backward across the floor, their boots leaving marks on the polished surface. Both men landed gracefully, but their eyes betrayed their surprise.
Madam George, who had flinched at the sudden assault, now stared wide-eyed at Pedri. "What was that?" she muttered, clearly startled. "Is this your so-called trick, Pedri?"
Pedri let out an exaggerated sigh and placed a hand over his heart, feigning sadness. "Oh, how it pains me to see you both resorting to violence before I could even finish my introductions. Is that how you treat your host, Hutton?" He shook his head in mock dismay.
Hutton’s gaze darkened, his tone colder than ice. "You dare speak of introductions after having the audacity to kidnap my subordinates? If you think I’ll let this slide, Pedri, you’re delusional."
The room seemed to grow colder with Hutton’s words, his killing intent seeping into the air like a suffocating fog. Even Fernando unconsciously stepped back, his confidence waning in the face of Hutton’s fury.
Pedri, however, remained composed, his sly smirk returning. "Ah, I see you’re as direct as ever. Very well, if that’s how you wish to play this." He straightened, his tone suddenly more commanding. "Come out."
In the blink of an eye, a figure materialized in the room, as if stepping out from the shadows themselves. The sheer presence of this individual made the air feel heavier, the room’s temperature dropping a few degrees. It was a man with an imposing aura, his eyes glowing faintly with power. His calm yet predatory gaze swept across the room, landing on Hutton and Bob.
Hutton’s pupils contracted as he took a step back instinctively. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight of his words was unmistakable. "A Nascent Soul stage cultivator…"
Bob’s usual smirk was gone, replaced by a grim expression. "This is bad."
The Nascent Soul cultivator didn’t say a word, but his presence alone spoke volumes. Pedri chuckled softly, his confidence now fully restored. "You didn’t really think I’d confront someone like you without a proper ace up my sleeve, did you?"
Hutton clenched his fists, his mind racing. This was no ordinary opponent. One wrong move, and the situation could spiral out of control. But even so, he couldn’t afford to back down. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.