Ch. 651..660
Chapter 651
The Emperor narrated the story of the Ancient Four’s origins.
The Ancient Four dated back to a thousand years ago. “Prince of Orchid Mountain?”
James frowned.
There was no record of this person in history. He glanced at the Emperor and asked, “Who’s that?” The Emperor shook his head.
He also did not know who the Prince of Orchid Mountain was.
“How would i know about a person that existed a thousand years ago? Moreover, very little is recorded about him in the ancient scrolls of the Ancient Four.”
“Mr. Johnston, why are you explaining so much to him?” Bobby said dissatisfiedly.
The Emperor waved his hand and said, “Bobby, James is also a descendant of the Cadens. He should know about the history of his family. Plus, the things I’m telling him aren’t secrets anyway.”
Bobby stopped interfering. His hand was broken, and he could not gather any strength in his arm.
He waited patiently. When the people he arranged in Cansington to retrieve the chest unearthed from the Prince of Orchid Mountain’s ancient tomb in the House of Royal, he would find a place to heal his injury.
“I only know that the Prince of Orchid Mountain was a man from a thousand years ago. I think he was the younger brother of an emperor. He was exiled after failing to claim the crown. However, he was not satisfied. He collected the world’s treasures and wealth. He wanted to make a comeback but could not claim the throne until his death. Before his death, he handed
over the four paintings to his four officials for safekeeping. “It’s rumored that a huge secret is hidden within the four paintings. Apparently, the Prince of Orchid Mountain did not want the four paintings to be put together, so he deliberately separated them.
“He never said anything about the way to unlock the secrets hidden with the four paintings. “It wasn’t until the last few decades that people from the Ancient Four realized the key item to unraveling the secret was in a chest buried inside the ancient tomb of the Prince of Orchid Mountain after they went through their family’s ancient scrolls. Therefore, the Ancient Four spent dozens of years investigating the whereabouts of the ancient tomb of the Prince of Orchid Mountain.”
James listened carefully to the untold histories of his family.
Now, he was curious about the relationship between the meridian and acupuncture diagrams inside the bronze chest and the four paintings.
He had seen the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge before.
It was a simple landscape painting.
There were mountains, rivers, and some bamboo houses.
Other than that, there was nothing special about it.
The Emperor continued to narrate the story.
“Back in the day, the Prince of Orchid Mountain distributed his wealth to the Ancient Four. The families relied on the wealth left to them and lived comfortable lives. However, in modern decades, the wealth of the Ancient Four had been exhausted. Therefore, they began to do business, and now each family has wealth comparable to a country’s.” James glanced at the Emperor and asked, “Who gave the grave robbers the location of the ancient tomb of the Prince of Orchid Mountain?”
The Emperor shrugged and said, “How would I know?”
“Then, why was your subordinate there to snatch the chest?” “You can’t simply accuse me of a crime. I have nothing to do with this. What do you mean by my subordinate? Is there some kind of misunderstanding?”
The Emperor quickly defended himself. James did not ask any more questions.
Although the Emperor denied it, James knew his subordinate had snatched the chest.
The person’s name was Floyd. He was incredibly strong and was working under the Emperor.
Cynthia also listened carefully to the conversation.
She was intrigued after hearing the stories and could not help but ask, “What’s the secret hidden within the four pictures left by the Prince of Orchid Mountain?”
The Emperor shrugged.
Bobby glanced at the two and said indifferently, “It won’t make a difference to tell you two anyway. The Cadens had a myth that spread for a thousand years saying that unraveling the secret of the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge would allow one to gain eternal life.”
“Ha!” James sneered.
‘Eternal life?
‘How is that possible?’
James was a medical practitioner and was incredibly proficient in medicine.
He understood that human cells had lifespans. Medicine could prolong one’s life, but only for a hundred years at most.
Bobby’s words sounded incredibly absurd to him.
Chapter 652
“Really?” Cynthia was surprised. Bobby shook his head and said, “How would I know? It’s just a family myth. In ancient times, there were rumors of emperors searching the seas to search for immortal medicine and even offering sacrifices to the heavens to obtain immortality. The topic of immortality in Sol is endless.”
Speaking of this, Bobby snorted coldly.
“Why am I even sharing this with you guys?”
Bobby sealed his lips and said no more.
Meanwhile, James was deep in thought.
He contemplated whether the Emperor and Bobby were telling the truth.
The atmosphere grew tense once again.
Time passed minute by minute.
More than half a day had passed in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, Bobby’s phone rang, and he answered the call. “We’ve retrieved the chest.” Bobby did not reply. He simply hung up the phone, stood up, and left.
James stood up and blocked him. “You’ve got what you wanted. Let Thea go. Otherwise, I won’t let you leave this place today.”
“You piece of trash, do you think you can stop me?”
Bobby’s face darkened, and a terrifying aura exuded from him. He raised his unharmed hand and swung it at James.
James raised his hand in an attempt to block his attack.
“You trash, how dare you fight back? Do you want Thea to die?”
Hearing this, James immediately withdrew his hand.
James was hit in the chest. He took a few steps back and failed to keep his balance, falling to the ground with a pained expression.
He struggled to get back on his feet. Bobby walked toward him slowly.
“What are you doing?”
Cynthia stood up and blocked Bobby.
“No matter what, he’s a member of your family. You should use words to settle things, not your fists.”
Bobby glanced at James, who stood up and said coldly, “I’ll spare you today, James. You better live vour best life. The Cadens’ law enforcers will be coming for you sooner or later to eliminate the family traitors.”
After saying that, Bobby turned and left. “Let Thea go,” James shouted.
“Haha…”
Bobby burst out laughing. “That depends on whether you have the ability to save her. You might be able to save her if you rush back to Cansington right now. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait to collect her corpse if you’re late.” Bobby left with a smile. James clenched his fists tightly, and veins bulged on his face. He wore a furious and terrifying expression.
“Bobby, I’m warning you. I’ll tear you into pieces if she loses even a single strand of hair.” James turned around and left.
Cynthia followed him.
The Emperor was still sitting in the gazebo when he watched them leave. Then, he poured himself a cup of tea and muttered, “It’ll be troublesome to get the chest back now that it’s with the Cadens. However, it’s better than leaving it with James.” James had to die.
His plan could not be executed if James was still alive. However, he could not kill James because the chest was with him. This was why he schemed the whole thing. He spread the news to the Cadens so that they would send someone to retrieve the chest. The Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge was with the Cadens, and they should be able to unravel the secrets of the painting after retrieving the chest. If his plan succeeded, he would be able to find a way to steal the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge and the other paintings from the other families and unravel the thousand-year-old mystery left behind by the Prince of Orchid Mountain.
“Immortality, huh? I’m looking forward to it.” The Emperor took a sip of tea and took out his phone to dial a mysterious number. “You can proceed with the plan.” “Alright.”
A hoarse voice sounded through the phone.
Chapter 653
James left the Emperor‘s Mansion. As soon as he left, he took out his phone and called Ronald.
“Find out Thea‘s whereabouts immediately. I‘m coming back right now.”
After giving the order, James hung up the phone and boarded Zane‘s private plane back to Cansington He returned very quickly. In less than two hours, he was in Cansington. It was before sunset. After getting off the plane, he called Ronald again.
“Have you found her?”
Ronald’s voice sounded from the other end of the phone.
“Boss, I haven‘t found her yet. Give me a little more time.”
“Do it fast.”
James took a deep breath.
Cynthia tugged his hand and whispered, “Don‘t worry, James. Everything should be fine.”
“I hope it‘s fine.”
James was gloomy and said coldly, “I‘ll send Bobby to his death if something happens to her.”
James knew it was useless to panic, so he could only wait patiently.
Time ticked by. An hour passed in a blink of an eye.
That hour felt like a century to James.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He quickly answered the phone and asked, “How are things?”
“James, I found her. Thea was just sent to a hospital.”
“What‘s going on?” James was shocked.
‘Sent to a hospital?‘ ‘Bobby kidnapped Thea. Who could have sent her to a hospital?‘ “I‘m not sure either.”
“Which hospital?”
“The City Hospital.” James hung up the phone and headed directly to the City Hospital. Soon, he arrived at the City Hospital. City Hospital, operating room,
A young man dressed in a white shirt stood at the operating room‘s door. He leaned against the wall and glanced at James, who hurriedly rushed toward him. A smile formed on his face.
“You‘re so slow, James.”
“Bobby?”
“What tricks are you playing?” James walked to him and grabbed his collar.
“Hey, James! What are you doing? Let go of me right now. I‘m not playing any tricks. I simply found Thea beautiful and thought I could play with her for a bit. I merely rushed back to Cansington and played the role of a hero who saved her.”
“You...”
James trembled in anger. He was the dignified Black Dragon, Commander of the Black Dragon Army, who had millions of soldiers. Yet, he was fooled by a youngster.
“I‘m warning you. Stay away from her. Otherwise.” “Ha!”
Bobby smirked. “James, you‘re already divorced. She‘s no longer your wife. Also, you sure are useless. You‘ve been married and have lived with her for so long, but she‘s still a virgin.”
James took a deep breath and tried his best to calm himself down.
He put Bobby down and immediately sat down on the chair outside the operating room. Bobby tidied his messed–up clothes and smirked.
Cynthia sat beside James and gently held his hand.
Soon, Thea was pushed out of the operating room. She did not have any significant injuries.
There was only a wound on her face that needed a simple operation.
As soon as she was pushed out, James stood up and walked over to her worriedly. “Are you alright, Thea?”
Seeing James, Thea‘s face darkened, and she said, “What are you doing here, James? Where‘s the handsome young man that saved me?”
Thea had been kidnapped, and her face was slashed.
Chapter 654
Were initially blindfolded, and her vision was dark. No matter how much she shouted for help, she heard no one.
In despair and helplessness, the cloth covering her eyes was taken off.
Then, a handsome face appeared in front of her. A caring voice sounded, “It’s alright. I‘ll bring you to the hospital immediately.” “I‘m over here, beauty!”
Bobby walked over and said as he glanced at James, “Who is this person? He seemed very hostile toward me. I just happened to be at the suburbs and saw people sneaking around. That‘s how I found and saved you.”
“T–Thank you!” Thea wanted to get up, but the wound on her face stretched as soon as she moved, making her cry out in pain. “I‘ve bandaged the wound. Don‘t move around,” The doctor immediately advised her. Thea stopped moving “Since you‘re alright, I‘ll take my leave.”
Bobby turned around and was about to leave.
“Wait, handsome young man!” Thea called out to him. “Thea, he‘s the one who kidnapped you,” James said coldly.
“Shut up! I‘ve nothing to do with you, James. You don‘t need to meddle in my affairs. I don‘t know who kidnapped me, but I know who rescued me.”
Bobby stopped and glanced at Thea with a smile.
“What is it? Is there something else?”
“C–Could you leave a phone number? I‘ll call and repay you after I recover.”
“This?”
Bobby glanced at James and said awkwardly, “I would love to give it to you. You‘re such a beauty, and I‘m very attracted to you. However, this man looks terrifying. He said he‘d kill me. What if he beats me up if I give you my number?”
“He wouldn’t have the nerve to do so.”
Thea said coldly, “James, I‘m warning you. I’ll never forgive you if you touch him.” “Ha,” Bobby chuckled.
“With your word, I can rest assured. I‘ve completed the hospitalization procedures for you. This is a special ward, and I‘ve studied nursing before. I can take care of you for a few days if you don‘t mind.”
Thea hurriedly replied with joy, “H–How could I trouble you?”
Her eyes were initially blindfolded, and her vision was dark. No matter how much she shouted for help, she heard no one. In despair and helplessness, the cloth covering her eyes was taken off. Then, a handsome face appeared in front of her. A caring voice sounded, “It‘s alright. I‘ll bring you to the hospital immediately.” “I’m over here, beauty!” Bobby walked over and said as he glanced at James, “Who is this person? He seemed very hostile toward me. I just happened to be at the suburbs and saw people sneaking around. That‘s how I found and saved you.” “T–Thank you!”
Thea wanted to get up, but the wound on her face stretched as soon as she moved, making her cry out in pain.
“I‘ve bandaged the wound. Don‘t move around,” The doctor immediately advised her.
Thea stopped moving. “Since you‘re alright, I‘ll take my leave.” Bobby turned around and was about to leave.
“Wait, handsome young man!” Thea called out to him. “Thea, he‘s the one who kidnapped you,” James said coldly. “Shut up! I‘ve nothing to do with you, James. You don‘t need to meddle in my affairs. I don‘t know who kidnapped me, but I know who rescued me.”
Bobby stopped and glanced at Thea with a smile.
“What is it? Is there something else?”
“C-Could you leave a phone number? I‘ll call and repay you after I recover.”
"This?"
Bobby glanced at James and said awkwardly, “I would love to give it to you. You‘re such a beauty, and I‘m very attracted to you. However, this man looks terrifying. He said he‘d kill me. What if he beats me up if I give you my number?”
“He wouldn‘t have the nerve to do so.”
Thea said coldly, “James, I’m warning you. I’ll never forgive you if you touch him.”
“Ha,” Bobby chuckled.
“With your word, I can rest assured. I’ve completed the hospitalization procedures for you. This is a special ward, and I’ve studied nursing before. I can take care of you for a few days if you don‘t mind.”
Thea hurriedly replied with joy, “H–How could I trouble you?”
“I‘ve got nothing to do anyway. It’d be an honor to serve a beautiful woman like you.”
“A–Alright. Thank you.”
James stood aside furiously with bloodshot eyes.
The doctor pushed Thea‘s hospital bed toward the ward.
Bobby glanced at James and smirked. He whispered, “Don‘t worry, James. I‘ll take good care of Thea. I‘ll make her fall in love with me and willingly climb into my bed. Then, I‘ll dump her and tell her the truth.”
“Haha,” Bobby laughed and left. James clenched his fists tightly. Cynthia noticed that James was on the verge of going berserk, so she quickly pulled at his hand.
“James, don‘t do it. The Cadens are too powerful. It won‘t be good for you to offend them,” She dissuaded him.
James took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. He followed them into the ward.
In the special ward. Thea was lying in bed. Bobby sat by her side and glanced at her. “W–Why are you looking at me like that?” Thea blushed. Bobby said with a smile, “I‘m admiring your beauty.” “I–I look like this. How could I still be beautiful?” Thea was slightly embarrassed.
James had followed them into the ward and happened to witness the scene.
“I‘ve already given you what you wanted. What else are you doing?” James said coldly. Before Bobby could say anything, Thea said coldly, “James, what are you doing here? Get out! I don‘t want to see you.”
“Thea, are you f*cking stupid?”
James cursed out angrily. “You...” Thea‘s body trembled with anger, and she pointed to the door. “Y–You, get out of here immediately!”
Bobby comforted, “Don‘t be angry, beauty. You just got your wound bandaged. It‘ll be troublesome if it starts bleeding again.”
Chapter 655
While Bobby comforted Thea, he turned to James and smiled playfully. James walked over, clenched his fist, and swung it at Bobby.
“Ouch! That hurt!”
Bobby covered the spot where he was hit and screamed desolately.
Thea cursed furiously, “You useless piece of trash, James! What are you doing? Get out of here! I don’t want to see you!” “You better be careful. Don’t be deceived and think you’re just lucky. Not everyone who treats you well is genuine.”
James left a reminder and did not say anything more.
He turned around and left the ward.
He knew it was useless to say more since he had no place in Thea’s heart. After he left, Bobby stood up with a pained expression. He said with dissatisfaction, “Who is this person? Why is he so overbearing?”
Thea, who was lying on the hospital bed, said apologetically, “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. That was my ex-husband.”
“Ex-husband? No wonder.” Bobby acted as if he just came to realization. Outside the ward. James sat on a chair in the corridor and lit a cigarette.
“James…”
Seeing the pained expression on James’ face, Cynthia felt sympathetic toward him. Yet, she did not know how to comfort him.
“Sir, smoking isn’t allowed here.”
A nurse came over and reminded him.
James got up, turned, and left.
Cynthia followed him.
Outside the hospital.
James glanced at Cynthia and said, “You’ve been following me around all day. You should go home and rest.”
“How can I feel at ease when you’re like this, James?” James laughed sarcastically and said, “I’m an old man. You don’t have to worry about me. Go back home. I’m fine.”
After James finished speaking, he did not say anything else and turned to leave.
Cynthia frowned.
This time, she did not chase after him.
James returned to the House of Royals.He lay down on the sofa.His mind was running all over the place.He was worried, not knowing what tricks Bobby was trying to play.He took out his phone and called Quincy.
“Quincy, Thea is in the hospital. Go and check on her.”
Quincy had just gotten off work and was on her way home.
After receiving a call from James, she could not help but ask, “What’s the matter? Why is she in the hospital?” James briefly explained what happened throughout the day.
“Is Thea stupid?” Quincy was furious.
James replied helplessly, “She’s not listening to me. Visit her and persuade her to be more cautious around Bobby.” “Alright. I’m going to the hospital right now.” James hung up the phone. He rolled off the sofa and picked up a cigarette from the table.
The more he smoked, the more upset he got. At the same time, in Southern Plains City. An overseas bus was driving on a desolate road. Dozens of people were on the bus. These people came from different countries and were traveling to Sol for vacation. Everyone grew sleepy as they listened to the tour guide introduce their next destination.
Suddenly, a group of unidentified people rushed into the bus and hijacked it. Then, they tied all the tourists up.
The night passed silently. James fell asleep on the sofa at the House of Royals.
It was already the next morning when he woke up.
He rolled off the sofa and got up. He rubbed his eyes and picked up the phone on the table. Then, he looked at it and saw it was eight in the morning. He was still sleepy, so he fell back on the sofa and continued to sleep.
Chapter 656
Before he could fall asleep, his phone rang. He rolled off the sofa and got up again. He picked up the phone and saw that it was Henry calling him. “What’s wrong, Henry?” He asked as soon as he answered the phone.
“James, something bad just happened.” Henry’s anxious voice sounded through the phone.
“Huh?”
James was stunned for a moment. Then, he hurriedly asked, “Something bad happened? What exactly happened?”
Henry explained anxiously, “Last night, a tourist bus from a foreign country was hijacked near the Southern Plains City. A few important national personnel were on the bus. The incident has caused an uproar. The countries around the Southern Plain borders are asking Sol for a statement.”
“It’s not a big deal. They just have to find them, right? I’m so sleepy. I’m going to sleep for a bit more,” James yawned and replied indifferently.
“Wait, James! They found the people, but they were all dead bodies. Now the twenty-eight countries near the Southern Plain borders have sent troops and are coming for Sol. According to the latest intel, each country is sending at least one hundred thousand soldiers. An estimated army of three million is headed toward Mt. Heaven Pass. James’ drowsiness vanished in an instant.
“Is this official information?”
“Why would I joke about such a thing? Sol has issued a war statement, and all the soldiers of the Black Dragon Army on vacation are to report back on duty as soon as possible to defend against the foreign invasion.”
“Well, so be it. There’s gonna be a war.”
James’ recollected himself and said, “We‘ve defeated the twenty-eight countries before. After the battle on Mt. Thunder Pass, they exhausted their national treasury. They can’t afford another war. A huge country like Sol isn’t afraid of such weaklings. I’m hanging up.”
James hung up the phone.
However, he could not fall back asleep.
He took out his phone and watched the latest news from the Southern Plains.
It was just as Henry had said.
Last night, a tourist bus was robbed near the Southern Plains City of Sol. The tourists were eventually found, but none of them survived.
Twenty-eight-nation Alliance came together to ask Sol for an explanation,
Although Sol responded to the matter and issued an apology as soon as possible, the Twenty eight-nation Alliance was unwilling to accept the apology. They demanded Sol compensate them with a significant amount of money.
Sol was unwilling to lose money.
As a result, the twenty-eight countries formed an alliance army that rapidly charged toward Mt. Thunder Pass on the Southern Plains border.
War was imminent.
This matter gained attention internationally.
Some military experts also analyzed why the Twenty-eight-nation Alliance sent troops to Sol.
Many experts believed they were using the tourist bus hijacking case as an opportunity to start a war.
They believed that the Twenty-eight-nation Alliance was furious and dissatisfied that their generals had previously been captured and that they had been forced to redeem them by paying a huge amount.
Some also suggested that the Twenty-eight-nation Alliance planned the tourist bus hijacking case. They wanted to create an opportunity to send troops to conquer Sol and make up for the loss of their national treasury.
James took a brief look at the news and casually threw his phone aside.
He had already resigned and was no longer the commander of the Southern Plains and the Black Dragon Army. The affairs of the Southern Plains no longer had anything to do with him.
He did not pay much attention to it. Then, he washed up and went out for breakfast.
After breakfast, he phoned Quincy. “How are things, Quincy?”
“Sigh.” Quincy sighed through the phone and said, “Thea has really changed. She’s so stubborn and won’t listen to me no matter what I say. She also said that you sent me to her to speak for you. I’m so angry.” James had already expected this to happen. Now that things had come to this point, there was nothing he could do. Thea had the right to pursue her happiness. However, he simply could not bear to see her being deceived and toyed with. “Alright, then. That’s all for now. I’m hanging up.” James hung up the phone. Then, he called May
“Are the people who were tasked to protect Thea alright?” “They’re alright. They’ve already woken up. I’ve looked into it. It was not that the enemy was strong, but that he used some sort of drug.”
“Continue following Thea and ensure she doesn’t get hurt.”
James passed on the instruction and hung up.
Chapter 657
Thea’s injury was not serious. After it was bandaged, she only needed to be observed in the hospital overnight and could then be discharged. Bobby personally sent her home.
At the Callahans’ house. Gladys asked worriedly, “What happened to you, Thea? How did you become like this in just one night?” “I’m alright, mom.”
“Who is this young man?” Gladys’ eyes were fixated on Bobby. Seeing that he was young and handsome, she quickly pulled at Thea and whispered.
“Hello, Auntie. My name is Bobby Caden. “I’m from the Cadens from the Capital. My family has countless businesses, and our total assets add up to more than trillions of dollars. The Legionist Group is one of the companies under our family.
“Oh! The Legionist Group that has a market value of a few trillion dollars?” Gladys exclaimed. “Yes, the Legionist Group is just one of the companies under the Cadens. My family’s wealth is comparable to that of a country.” Bobby had already investigated the Callahans.
He knew that Gladys loved money.
“I see! Please have a seat, Mr. Bobby. What are you doing, Thea? You should go and make some tea for him.”
“Alright.”
Thea hurried off to make tea.
Gladys greeted Bobby warmly. Bobby calmly answered all her inquiries.
“Mr. Bobby, have some tea. I’m really grateful to you. I can’t imagine what kind of danger I would’ve been in if it weren’t for you.” Bobby waved his hand and said, “It’s okay. I did what I had to.” “By the way, Thea. Tomorrow is your twenty-eighth birthday. Where will you be holding your birthday party?” asked Gladys.
“I-I haven’t thought about it yet. I’ll just plan a simple party.” “That won’t do. How could you have a simple party? We have to have a high-profile party this time! Spend at least tens of millions to hold the party! We’ll invite all the bigwigs of Cansington.”
“Is it your birthday tomorrow, Ms. Thea?” Bobby pretended to be surprised.
“Yeah.” Thea nodded.
Bobby said smilingly, “Auntie is right! It has to be high-profile! You have to hold a glamorous party to let everyone know you’re turning twenty-eight!” “That’s right!”Gladys smiled. “Fine.” Thea nodded helplessly.
Gladys pulled Thea and said, “Thea, let’s go to the Callahans’ villa and announce the birthday party to the others.” Gladys began to plan for Thea’s birthday.
James returned to the House of Royals. He lay down on the sofa and did not know what to do. Thea used to be his everything. Now that he had lost her, he found that he had nothing to do and was in low spirits every day. Ding dong!
The doorbell rang.
James got off the sofa, turned on the LCD television, and saw the scene at the gate through the surveillance camera footage.
A curly-haired redhead in a red dress stood in front of the House of Royals.
‘Why is she here?’ James frowned.
“James, open the door. I know you’re inside.” Ding ding ding. Quincy’s voice sounded. James pressed the remote control.
The House of Royals’ gate opened.
Quincy walked inside.
Chapter 658
She walked into the palace–like House of Royals. She walked to fames and stood by his side. She looked at the table full of cigarettes and frowned
“What‘s the matter with you? How much did you smoke?”
“Sit anywhere.” James glanced at Quincy lazily.
“There are drinks in the refrigerator. Take whatever you want.”
“James, cheer up a little. It‘s just a divorce. What‘s the whole fuss about? Go after her if you can‘t let her go. Look at yourself right now. You look horrible,” Quincy scolded him.
“You‘re the Commander of the Southern Plains‘ Black Dragon Army! You‘re the dignified Black Dragon! You‘re also the Guardian and Military God of Sol! Have a look at yourself! You look nothing like a Military God right now!” “Quincy, are you here to make fun of me? If so, you‘ve done enough. Please leave.”
Quincy sat down and put her purse aside. She picked up a tissue and cleaned up the cigarette ashes on the table. While cleaning up, she said, “Tomorrow is Thea‘s twenty–eighth birthday. She‘s planning to hold a grand birthday party. The venue has already been confirmed. It‘ll be at the Cansington Hotel.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
James was taken aback before he suddenly remembered.
He had always remembered Thea‘s birthday, but this time, it completely slipped his mind after everything that had happened.
“Yeah.”
“I brought you an invitation. I‘m just here to inform you. It‘s up to you whether you go or not,” Quincy nodded and said.
James said lifelessly, “I‘ll only get scolded and berated if I show up.”
“Who told you to go with this face? Can‘t you go with another appearance?”
“That James is already dead and will never appear again.”
James shook his head,
From the moment Majestic Corporation was dissolved, James had decided never to make an appearance with that face ever again.
His current appearance was the true him.
It was what he was right now.
Why was it necessary to wear a mask?
“By the way...
“Have you heard about the Southern Plains?” Quincy suddenly remembered and asked. James nodded. “Yeah.
“I‘ve heard about it. It‘s normal. Sol had countless war conflicts with the small counties at the borders for the past ten years. This time, the twenty–eight countries are just having a small conflict again. There won‘t be a large–scale battle.” After Quincy cleaned the table, she sat down. “Are you really not planning to attend Thea‘s birthday? Are you going to give up just like that?”
“What else can I do? Will it be good to keep getting involved with her?” James said calmly.
“I simply can‘t understand you. You know that she likes the Black Dragon, and you‘re the Black Dragon. Yet, you used a useless identity to marry into the Callahans.”
James said helplessly, “Initially, I simply wanted to repay her for saving my life. I planned to protect her for the rest of my life. In the process, I had to use another identity to contact her because of some things that happened. A lot had happened, and many people wanted me dead. I wanted to resolve everything before telling her the truth and having a grand wedding with her. However, that day never came.”
Quincy sighed.. “Then, what do you plan to do in the future?”
James gently shook his head.
He had no plans for the future. After losing Thea, he seemed to have lost his meaning in life. He was at crossroads and did not know which direction to go. “I‘m going to take things one step at a time. Life still has to go on. After this mess is settled and the power within the Capital is reshuffled, the country will finally be safe and peaceful. There won‘t be any more traitors harming the nation. When everything is over, I want to travel around the world.”
James really wanted to retire and stop interfering in things.
However, he could not do so.
Although Sol seemed peaceful, trouble was brewing in the Capital‘s politics.
Chapter 659
Quincy came to James mainly because she wanted to see him.
She thought James was strong and that such a trivial matter would be over in a breeze, Unexpectedly, James was much more fragile than she thought. “I’ve told you about it. Whether you go is up to you. I’ll head back to the company. Call me if you need anything.”
Quincy left a few words, took her purse, and left. James sat on the sofa and lit another cigarette. He did not go out for the whole day. He had no motivation in life and simply stayed in the House of Royals. He did not even go out to eat but simply ordered takeout. The news of Thea’s twenty-eighth birthday party had spread throughout Cansington. Many people discussed her birthday party.
Cansington was peaceful. However, the Southern Plains’ borders were facing a raging war. The Twenty-eight-nation Alliance was not fooling around. They took the war very seriously. As soon as the troops from the twenty-eight countries assembled, they launched a coordinated attack on the Southern Plains City.
The Black Dragon Army in the Southern Plains was forced to retreat three hundred kilometers under the attack of an army of three million soldiers.
At night.
A message spread throughout the country. “Latest news! Latest news! The Black Dragon Army has been defeated! The Southern Plains City has fallen, and the Black Dragon Army has retreated three hundred miles!
“The morale of the Twenty-eight-nation Alliance is high, and they conquered the Southern Plains City instantly! The people of the Southern Plains have been forced to evacuate!”
“Latest news! The Black Dragon Army has suffered thirty thousand casualties in the war at the Southern Plains!”
Updates on the war happening in the Southern Plains spread all over the country.
Sol entered an emergency state. Troops from all over the country were sent to the Southern Plains to support the Black Dragon Army
“Black Dragon, please come out to save us!”
“Please come back, Commander of the Black Dragon Army! We need you to turn the situation around!”
On the internet, countless civilians begged for the Black Dragon, the former Commander of the Southern Plains, to come out of retirement,
Meanwhile, James was fast asleep in the House of Royals. Worried about being disturbed, he had turned off his phone. Henry kept calling him throughout the night but could not get to him.
In a ward in the military hospital.
The Blithe King personally came to see Henry.
“General Black Shadow, the situation at the borders is dire. Without the Black Dragon, we won’t be able to increase the army’s morale.”
The Blithe King wore a worried expression. Henry looked at him helplessly and replied, “I’ve been trying to call James all night, but his phone is turned off. I can’t reach him at all. James is no longer part of the army, so he doesn’t have the authority to join the battlefield. No official documents from the higher-ups have been issued for him to return to the army. What reasons do we have to ask him to join the battlefield?”
The Blithe King frowned and pondered for a moment.
“I’ll head to the Capital right now and ask the higher-ups to issue documents to restore James
position. Then, he can return as the Commander of the Black Dragon Army to reclaim our land!”
Henry knew well that the current situation was dire
Without James, the Black Dragon Army’s morale could not be raised.
In war, an army’s morale was a crucial factor.
Confidence was key.
An army that had no morale was like a dog without its master. The Blithe King did not linger at the military hospital and quickly took a private plane to the Capital
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for many.
The Twenty-eight-nation Alliance launched an attack on the Southern Plains. The Black Dragon Army was defeated, and the Southern Plains City fell. Countless men of Sol were affected by the latest updates and joined discussions, requesting for the Black Dragon to return to the army. [Military God, Sol needs you!]
[Please return to the army!]
[Sol, Please restore the Black Dragon’s position.]
The public voices kept going.
Meanwhile, in the Capital.
Supreme Council,
Many prominent figures were present,
The King of Sol, the Supreme Commander. The Emperor, the Blithe King, and other commanders had all gathered.
At the conference, the Blithe King said loudly, “I request for the restoration of James’ position as the Commander of the Black Dragon Army. The Black Dragon is an elite army, one like a vicious lion. However, the Black Dragon is the backbone of the Black Dragon Army. Without their commander, the Black Dragon Army is like a lion without its teeth!”
The Emperor stood up and expressed his opinion, “I also think that James should be restored to his post.”
“What a joke! Sol has countless generals. I don’t believe that Sol’s armies aren’t able to defend the Southern Plains without the Black Dragon!” “That’s right! With so many generals and commanders, why do you insist on James?“
Chapter 660
Some people wished for James to resume his post. Some also disapproved of the idea. It took a lot of effort to finally get James to leave his post. He would act lawlessly again if he resumed his position. If that were to happen, who would dare punish him?
The meeting lasted the whole night. However, they were unable to come to a conclusion. The next day.
In Cansington James slept through the whole night and woke up in a daze. He remembered that it was Thea’s twenty-eighth birthday. Initially, he did not want to go to her party. Still, he wanted to send her a word of blessing, as she had been his wife at one point.
He got up, shaved his beard, and washed his face. Then, he put on a decent set of clothes. He sat on the sofa, smoking a cigarette while thinking about what he should gift Thea. He thought about it for a while but could not decide what to get her. Ultimately, he chose not to get anything since he could not make a decision. He got up and went out. He did not drive and simply took a taxi to Cansington Hotel.
The situation in the Southern Plains was critical.
Yet, Cansington still maintained its peaceful state.
In Cansington Hotel.
Thea arrived early in the morning.
The Callahans stood at the entrance to welcome the bigwigs from all over Cansington.
Each one of them was full of energy.
A taxi stopped by the road. James handed the driver a hundred-dollar bill and got out of the car. He was dressed in a black suit with matching black leather shoes. “Yo! Isn’t that James?”
As soon as James walked over, Tommy’s voice sounded disdainful.
“Didn’t you already divorce Thea? What are you doing here?” “Is there a problem? Am I not allowed to come?”
Megan walked over in a revealing dress. She saw James at the door and smiled. “Of course, you’re allowed to come. However, you’ll need an invitation if you want to enter the hotel today. Do you have an invitation from the Callahans?”
“No.”
James did not have an invitation.
He simply wanted to give a word of blessing since he was once married to Thea. “You don’t? Then, get lost,” Tommy shouted. Suddenly, Gladys walked out. “What are you doing, Tommy? Everyone is a guest today. How could you…”
She approached and saw that it was James. Instantly, her joyous mood was destroyed. “It’s the piece of trash, James? Thea didn’t send you an invitation, so what are you doing here?”
The Callahans despised James.
They wanted to kick him out. “He was invited by me and is my companion for tonight.”
A voice sounded.
James heard the voice and turned toward it.
A young woman in her twenties, who was dressed in a white gown and looked like a noble lady, approached him. It was Cynthia.
Cynthia walked toward James and hooked her arm around his intimately. She smiled brightly and said sweetly, “James.”
“Ms. Dawn, please do come in.” Gladys’ expression immediately changed to a bright smile after seeing Zane and Cynthia. Cynthia retorted, “Apologize to James. Otherwise, I’m not attending.”
“What?”
Gladys was embarrassed.
How could she possibly apologize to a piece of trash like James? It was impossible.
Thinking of Zane and Cynthia’s identity and that Thea’s ten billion dollars came from them, she quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, James.”
James took a deep breath.
He was used to it and did not take it to heart.
Cynthia held onto James’ arm and entered Cansington Hotel.