Frank nodded and added, "I'll have everyone from the health and security department come over and protect Lanecorp. This place will be fine if they're after me, but once I leave, they'll come if they're after Lanecorp in the first place."Vicky nodded. "Yeah. I'll have my family's blackguards help too.""Blackguards?"Frank remembered the Turnbull blackguards.He did not hold up much hope—those men had ability, but they also had serious attitude problems.Still, anything worked, and the more the merrier.Nodding, Frank wasted no time and took the elevator down to the basement parking lot, when his phone rang just as he got into his car.-At a nearby tower, a masked middle-aged man was sitting in a distant skyscraper, concealed behind a one-way tinted glass curtain.He lowered his binoculars as an Audi left Lanecorp, and he whipped out his walkie-talkie to call his friends on an encrypted channel. "Frank Lawrence has just left Lanecorp. Repeat, Frank Lawrence has just left Lan
Thunder, who was the boss among the four, nodded after hearing the report. "Good work. We'd still need to check—Frank Lawrence is strong, and he might really make it out.""Don't worry, boss. Even if he survived, the shockwave would have neutralized him." Galen was calmer in comparison. "Blaze and I will stay here to check for a body.""Good." Thunder nodded—that was the only way to be sure. "Bolt, how's the explosives going?!""Shit, boss! I've been made!" Bolt was wheezing, and clearly running even as he shouted into the walkie-talkie."You've been made?! Where?! I'll extract you!""The fountain downstairs of Lanecorp… this freaky woman keeps chasing me, and I can't shake her off!""Freaky woman?!" Thunder did a double take.His quartet were all Birthright rank individuals—in fact, Thunder himself had just completed Birthright rank.But to chase one of them that far, even terrorizing Bolt enough to make him scream 'freaky', that woman had to be something else."If you're c
Having that as precedent gave Thunder's quartet the confidence to attack Frank.But to Thunder's shock, Frank's breathing was regular and his speech composed.Forget being hurt—he was not even breathing heavily, while Galen and Blaze were killed."Boss, you're finally here… H-Help!" In the distance, Bolt was panting even as he dashed toward Thunder, still carrying his explosives with him.The lady in white silk continued chasing after him and stopped to level a cool glare at Thunder. "Hmm. So you're his boss?""I…"Thunder's mouth hung open, unable to manage a word.Frank's abilities left him devastated.If they could not hurt him even after what they did, it must mean…"Transcendent rank…" Thunder murmured to himself."Now's not the time, boss! You have to stop her!" Bolt almost swore out loud, seeing his own boss freezing up."I mean… Frank Lawrence is Transcendent rank." Thunder turned toward Bolt with a smile so terrible he could well be crying."What?! Transcendent r
Dropping the walkie-talkie and crushing it under his foot, Frank stared thoughtfully at the blazing inferno behind himself.The woman in white who had just shown up at Lanecorp was none other than Silverbell, chief of Morhen's Martial Alliance.Silverbell and Juno Enigma just so happened to be acquainted, and Juno called her when she learned that Troy Bearson was after Frank.Like Kilian Lionheart, Silverbell was also in Zamri for the spiritron vein and headed toward Lanecorp post-haste when she heard there was danger.Before she arrived, she called Frank when he reached the basement parking lot.Wary of the threat, he arranged for Silverbell to hurry over and defend Lanecorp, while he would use himself as bait to see who the Bearsons were after.And the result was surprising—the Bearsons wanted to take down both Lanecorp and himself.That certainly made things intriguing.Frank did not spare Bolt and Thunder out of kindness either—he wanted them to spill the beans on the Bears
Thunder continued, "Most importantly, they are planning something. It's about a land lot that Lanecorp recently acquired, and the Bearson Group tried but repeatedly failed to buy it off their hands, so…"At that point, Frank vaguely realized that Kilian Lionheart must want the same thing as Silverbell.Turning toward her with a frown, he asked, "What's this about the spiritron vein over the phone?""Spiritron vein?" Thunder and Bolt were immediately at attention, while Silverbell immediately fidgeted and appeared anxious."Silverbell?"Frank had to say her name again to bring her to her senses, but she said, "I'm sorry, I think we should stay away from the Bearsons for now."While Frank was surprised that Silverbell was immediately asking him to give up, he asked, "Why?""Kilian Lionheart." Silverbell sighed, her eyes flashing coldly. "That man is trouble—he's one of Volsung Sect's best and the elder of their Order of Talons. Moreover, he advanced well into Ascendant rank, and
Helen then continued, "But since we have plans for that land lot, we didn't take the Bearsons' offer. They kept suggesting partnerships to develop it together, which I refused too.""Okay, got it."Frank was sneering even as he hung up.There was little wonder, as the land that he bought off Gina proved to be a treasure, where a spiritron vein had been embedded.He certainly had no reason to give it up now that he had it—no, he would rather destroy it than let Kilian acquire it!Soon, their black car stopped by the curb.They had arrived before a pair of towering steel gates, behind which stood a large mansion surrounded by gardens.It had everything, from parking lots to gardens and the like. It would not measure up to the estates of the Four Families of Morhen, but it had the advantage of being in a quiet location. Moreover, it was not too far from the city, taking just half an hour of travel to reach Lanecorp Tower.Frank was satisfied after just one glance, while Thunder an
"What are you laughing at?!"The bodyguard up front glared at Thunder and Bolt.Both men quickly stopped smiling and shook their heads. "Nothing."Still, they could barely contain themselves—the four people standing in front of the haughty bodyguards were all martial artists, each more ridiculous than the other.That was why the bodyguards' threat was hilarious, and they just could not stop themselves from laughing at the thought.On the other hand, Frank did not argue, since he would rather not fight if he could.All he wanted to do was buy the mansion without fuss instead of spilling blood, especially when Helen, Winter, and everyone else would be moving in tomorrow.Waving, he led the others away from the steel gates back to the car and called Gene Pearce as the bodyguards leered at them haughty.By the time he was done telling his story, Gene was incensed. "That brat's name is Gerry Bearson. I'm the one who cleared his gambling debts because even his father can't afford it,
Frank could tell that he could not take Thunder and Bolt's oath of undying loyalty at face value.However, they had nowhere else to go.Not only had they failed to carry out their mission, but they had leaked the Bearson's secrets. Forget taking them back—it would be mercy if the Bearsons did not send killers after Thunder and Bolt.And someone like Kilian had even less reason to take them back in.In contrast, the olive branch Frank was offering was simply bewitching.For the average martial artist, trying to develop without any heirloom meant training in sub-par martial arts they would obtain from the black market—and at astronomical prices.As for anything advanced, they were either hoarded within various sects as treasures. None of those would ever fall to the black market—even if some would, Thunder and Bolt would never be able to afford them.But things were different now—if they took Frank's offer, any martial arts form a Transcendent rank like him could teach was far abo