Inside a temporarily requisitioned shop opposite Tranquil Clinic, everyone wore tense expressions. Their disbelief was evident in their furrowed brows and doubtful gazes."Confirm the information again. I find it hard to believe," said a burly middle-aged man, his imposing presence hinting at years spent in a position of power.He was none other than the Warlord of Thunder, one of Dragonia's five mighty warlords, and a figure of immense authority and influence."The suspect currently holding a hostage in the clinic has claimed over the phone to be Candace, ranked as the Five of Hearts among the Thirteen Aces, a group of Super S-rank wanted criminals. It's still unclear whether the claim is genuine," Alistair reported.This was precisely why the Warlord of Thunder was skeptical. The Thirteen Aces, and not just any member but the fifth-ranked, appeared suddenly in a bustling city and personally called the authorities—it was absurd to the extreme.Xena, the Phoenix Warlord, was also
"Inform Candace that the owner is on their way. Let's stabilize the situation for now. What do you think, Warlord of Thunder ?" Xena asked tactfully, giving the Warlord of Thunder the respect his position warranted.He nodded. "That's workable. But convincing the owner to go inside—that's the real challenge."When faced with a ruthless and murderous criminal like this, stepping in would be as good as a death sentence. As an official organization, they had to disclose every detail without hiding anything. It was a daunting task, as any ordinary person would likely shrink back."I'll handle the persuasion," Xena offered. "Let's move to the shop next door. Too many people might make the owner more nervous."A few minutes later, Alistair entered the shop, his expression slightly unusual."Warlords, the owner is here," he informed them."Good. Send them in, and you step out," Xena instructed.But Alistair hesitated, standing rooted to the spot, prompting Xena's displeasure."Is some
"Stop!" Xena's sharp voice rang out, and in an instant, Alistair and one of the Warlord of Thunder's commanders stepped forward, blocking Felix's path."One minute? You don't seem like an ordinary person," the Warlord of Thunder said coldly. "I explained the gravity of the situation to you, even prepared to discuss how to handle it once inside, and yet here you are, blindly confident. Who do you think you are?"Given Felix's attitude, there was no way the Warlord of Thunder would remain polite. Even Xena, who had been silent, was visibly furious."Felix! I know you're strong, but the enemy here is Candace Shadowmere—the Five of Hearts from the Thirteen Aces. This isn't as simple as you think! We're in a crowded area. If this gets out of control, do you realize how many lives could be lost? Can you bear that responsibility?"Felix turned slightly but showed no emotional reaction. He understood their concerns—they prioritized the bigger picture."I said one minute, and I mean one mi
"Hey! Am I not your employee anymore? I've been working so hard, and now something happens, and you're just dusting me off your hands?" Melissa complained, her voice full of indignation.Felix frowned, his temper flaring. "Be clear with your words! Who's dusting their hands? If someone overhears, they'll misunderstand!"Nearby, Candace's neck veins bulged in anger as she pointed a trembling finger at them. "You're asking for death!"She was the infamous Five of Hearts from the Thirteen Aces, a name that struck fear into countless people. Yet, these two had the audacity to flirt in front of her?"Shut up, you old hag! You're just a dying woman making noise. What's your problem?" Felix snapped.Felix shot Candace a single glance. Her entire body stiffened, her breathing halted, and her eyes were filled with sheer terror."Y-You're not secretly some ancient monster in disguise, are you?" Candace stammered.As someone at the Oceanus Realm, she couldn't believe that a mere look from
Tens of thousands of people? The weight of that number was staggering. In Dragonia, where large-scale incidents had been avoided for years, even a disaster involving a few hundred people would be considered catastrophic—something no one could afford to be held accountable for.It was precisely this fear of collateral damage that had Xena and the Warlord of Thunder so concerned earlier.Felix, on the other hand, didn't seem particularly moved. After all, there was no guarantee that what Candace was saying was true.For all he knew, she could just be spewing nonsense in a desperate attempt to avoid death.But the expression on the Warlord of Thunder and Xena's faces had completely changed. If Candace had shared this information privately with only the two of them present, they might have dismissed it as a lie.However, with so many people in the clinic, including civilians like Felix and Melissa, they couldn't take that risk. If they ignored her and a tragedy of this magnitude actua
Candace noticed that the three of them remained silent, their faces somber.She continued, "I am aware that your headquarters houses powerful masters who may be able to defeat Skybound Revenant. However, by the time they arrive at the scene, many innocent lives may have already been lost."The Warlord of Thunder and Xena's expressions darkened, knowing that Candace was speaking the truth. While the headquarters may have strong individuals who can handle dangerous situations, it takes time for them to reach their destination. At that time, how many more people would fall victim was something unknown.Plus, modern weapons like missiles were not effective against a single target, and no one knew for certain how fast Skybound Revenant could move. The fact that he could fly only added to the problem at hand."Do you have proof? We can't just take your word for it," the Warlord said.Suddenly, Candace pulled out a small, round glass container from inside her arm."My husband gave thi
"Mr. Zeller, she can't die! Hurry up and do something!" the Warlord of Thunder shouted.At this moment, no one cared about anything else. The Warlord of Thunder immediately became anxious. If Candace died, the whereabouts of Skybound Revenant would never be known again.Even if they searched sect by sect, there would be too many unexpected situations that could occur. Moreover, who could guarantee that what Candace said about the sect was the truth? What if she had held something back?Felix shook his head in response."The impact of the martial energy on her body is currently taking its toll. Any external interference will only worsen the damage instead of promoting healing."After a few minutes, Candace's body stopped convulsing, and there was no more blood coming from her nose and mouth."Is she okay now?"Xena also turned to Felix, knowing how skilled he was in medicine."It stopped, but she's gotten even weaker. When I first saw her, I thought she had about a week left, bu
"Happy now?" Xena asked, her expression displeased."Very," Felix replied with a smile and a nod. Dealing with someone like Xena required a different approach. In fact, he wasn't trying to take advantage of her—it was just a way to keep their dynamic intact. After all, chances to outmaneuver Xena didn't come often.As the sun set, the people from headquarters finally arrived—a gray-haired elder and a middle-aged man."Greetings, Marine Asura and Dr. Dixon," Xena said politely.She had already given Felix a heads-up about the two visitors. The middle-aged man was Marine Asura, a Hellbringer from headquarters, whose strength was so formidable that even the Warlord of Thunder was no match for him.The elder was Craig Dixon, the most skilled physician in the headquarters."Who is he? Why is he allowed to be here?" Craig asked, glancing at Felix with a frown. His curt tone hinted at his bad temper. "Dr. Dixon, this is Felix Zeller, the owner of this clinic. He's a reclusive expert,