"You all know about the Black Blade incident, don't you?" Kaison pressed on."He's been gravely wounded, still bedridden, and the four members from the Enforcement Division who were with him met with tragedy. All because someone in our own ranks spilled the beans on Black Blade's movements, setting them up for an ambush."Isn't that just the height of irony?""What?!" Gasps of disbelief echoed through the parlor."No way. A mole, in the Quintilian Shadow Sect?""Who could it be?!""Damn, there's a backstabber among us!""..."The drawing room was soon filled with a loud buzz of voices, most marked by a look of deep outrage."Do you know who the traitor is, district inspector? Name them, and I'll take their head!" the former deputy district inspector shouted loudly."Yes! Expose them and execute them for all to see!" several voices chimed in."Deputy district inspector, don't you have something to say to us all?" Kaison asked, setting down his coffee cup."What!?" The room h

At the same time, in the Fabish family's sprawling courtyard, a tense standoff was unfolding at the central plaza.Yash Fabish, the family's leader, stood at the forefront, surrounded by his kin, all wearing grim expressions as if bracing for a battle.Across the way stood Norwin, the third-ranking lord of the Waker family, flanked by his kin. Their numbers might have been smaller than the Fabish clan, but the menacing vibe they gave off made it clear they were not the friendly sort."Listen to me, Fabish patriarch," Norwin called out to Yash, locking eyes with him. "That trinket you're clinging to is useless to you. It's just a scrap of paper, not worth the downfall of your entire house.""Sorry to disappoint, but it's a token from a cherished friend. Even if it were nothing but a blank sheet, to me, it's a treasure beyond measure," Yash replied, his voice heavy with resolve. A look of deep seriousness washed over his face as he spoke.Just yesterday, when the calamity that befel

The moment Norwin's words trailed off, Howard and Shylah, flanked by the elite of the Quintilian Shadow Sect, made their way to the plaza."Shylah!" Selena's voice pierced the air, her face brightening with sudden joy amidst her despair. Yash, too, caught sight of Shylah and her entourage, a flicker of hope sparking in his gaze. With the Sect stepping in, the Fabish family might just dodge that bullet.Shylah gave Selena a reassuring nod before turning her attention to Norwin with a pointed look. "Seems like the Waker family is courting trouble," she said calmly.Norwin, his voice steady but tense, replied, "This is an issue between the Waker and Fabish families. The Sect would do well to stay out of it." He had not anticipated the Shadow Sect's arrival. True, the Wakers were not afraid of the Sect, but a head-on clash was the last thing he wanted.He should have known that the Shadow Sect was not just some minor faction. It was a powerhouse with over a hundred thousand troops in e

With no second thoughts, Norwin bolted for the estate's grand entrance. Having thought to challenge the Shadow Sect, he abandoned all hope of fortune upon realizing Howard's true identity.Against the King of the West, Master Howard, his own men were nothing. Even the entire Waker family combined would not pose a threat, not even enough to be considered a nuisance.The Calnan family's fate was a stark reminder of that.That was no ordinary family, they were a celestial-titled lineage, a notch above his own Waker family, and they had nearly been wiped out by the notorious King of the West."Think you can get away?" He had barely made it a few steps when Shylah's voice cut through the air, followed by the swift slash of her blade.Zip!The blade's edge whizzed by, narrowly missing his right knee. His lower leg tumbled to the ground as he crashed down."Ah!" A scream of agony escaped."Please...don't kill me..." Norwin, ignoring the throbbing pain in his leg, pleaded as Shylah clo

Howard's decision to safeguard the formula was driven by one sole purpose: to prevent the Fabish family from facing any more calamities.The formula was not just a magnet for the Dark Shady Cartel, it also held a powerful allure for various secretive clans and sects.With the word out, the Fabish family's current power was not enough to defend it. Holding onto the formula would only spell big trouble for them.Howard himself was not too fussed about the formula. If he really wanted something like it, the Rectenwald sect would have his back.However, truth be told, he was not all that into using potions to boost his power. He was a firm believer in the path of combat.In his eyes, true strength came from unlocking one's potential through relentless battle, not from any bottle.Take the Blood Shadow Force, for instance. On an even playing field, any rival who relied on potions for power would not last three rounds against the Blood Shadow warriors.Potions were just a boost, not t