Ch. 701..710
James’ face was contorted with rage, and a vein popped out in his neck.He did not expect that someone would abduct Thea and use her to blackmail him despite having divorced her.
However, he remained composed. He called Jay, who was far away in Cansington.
Jay was currently entertaining a guest. At that moment, his phone rang. Realizing it was James who called, he immediately headed toward a desolate area.
“Dragon General, what seems to be the matter?”
“Jake, investigate Thea‘s current whereabouts for me.”
Jay froze for a brief moment. Almost immediately, however, he nodded, “I‘ll give you an answer in five minutes.”
Though he did not know what had happened, he felt something was not quite right with James ‘tone.
After hanging up the phone, he immediately contacted the underground intelligence network.
Once Ronald had withdrawn from the place, Jay‘s men had once again taken over the network
James waited patiently after calling Jay.
Five minutes soon passed.
“Sir, we couldn‘t find her whereabouts. It‘s almost as if she disappeared from Cansington all of a sudden.”
“Got it.”
James hung up the call. He stood up and walked out of the Black Dragon Palace. “Get the car.”
Soon, an off–road vehicle with a full gas tank was ready. James immediately headed toward Southern Plains City.
He then headed toward Mt. Thunder Pass.
Mt. Thunder Pass was originally a no–man‘s–land that served as the border between various nations.
However, after its nearby cities were annexed by Sol, Mt. Thunder Pass naturally fell under its jurisdiction.
James drove to the foothill of Mt. Thunder. After parking his car, he made his way up the mountain.
There were a few wooden houses at the top of Mt. Thunder.
This was where James faced off against the 28-nation martial art gurus.
In one of the wooden houses…
Thea was sitting on a chair. Scanning the men in the house, she said coldly, “Do you think you can threaten James by abducting me? I‘m afraid you might be disappointed. We‘re already divorced. I no longer have any relationship with him whatsoever. Besides, he doesn’t care about me anymore. There‘s no way he‘d risk his life coming here to save me.”
An elderly man was sitting opposite her.
Cloaked in a plain gray robe, the elderly man looked like a sage with his white, long beard. He was the abbot of the Five Monasteries Mountain‘s Hemis Monastery from the Capital. His name was Reign Maverick.
Glancing at Thea, he said nonchalantly, “This is none of your concern. In fact, I think you should be worried about your current situation. If James doesn‘t come, you‘d lose what little value you have. If that happens, this will be your grave.”
After experiencing trials upon trials, Thea was no longer the innocent girl from before.
She said coldly, “Cut the cr*p and just kill me.”
Ignoring her, Reign closed his eyes.
Although Thea talked tough, she was in truth fearful of death. Deep down, she was secretly hoping that James would come to her rescue.
‘Will he come to my rescue?
But I mistreated him... Now that we‘re divorced and he‘s in a relationship with Quincy, will he still care about me?‘
Thea could not help but let her thoughts run wild.
At that moment, a man in a black jacket walked over to Reign. “Your Holiness, James has arrived at the foothill.”
Reign opened his eyes. His glassy eyes gleamed, and he asked, “Is he alone?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Wearing a cold expression, he said, “If he dares come, this will be his final resting place.”
James walked up the mountain. He did not spot any mercenaries or any sentinels along the way, and could not help but frown.
“Who were the people that abducted Thea?”
He thought that the enemy must have set up a foolproof trap after luring him here. However, he found no traces of one along the way. It was only when he reached the top of Mt. Thunder did he sense another human being‘s presence.
Chapter 702
Looking at the unknown men in front of the wooden house, James frowned and walked over to them.
“Halt.”
The men blocked James‘ path. One of them walked over to him and said coldly, “Search him.”
James was not sure whether Thea was abducted here.He chose not to act recklessly and allowed his enemy to search him.
James did not bring any weapons. All he brought were some silver needles and the steel wire formed by the Crucifier.
However, all of the silver needles and even the Crucifier were confiscated.
Glancing at his enemy, he said coldly, “You better take good care of my belongings. If even a single silver needle is missing, I‘ll tear you to pieces.”
After he said that, he entered the wooden house.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The moment he walked in, someone clapped.
The elderly man stood up while clapping and said smilingly, “How brave of you to con James. I‘m really impressed.”
James saw Thea who was sitting on a chair.
She was not tied up, nor were there signs that she was assaulted. He asked, “Are you alright?”
The moment she saw James, Thea’s eyes brimmed with tears. Then, it flowed down her cheeks.
She thought James would not come.
However, he came.
At that moment, a few men walked in and aimed their firearms at James’ head.
Looking at the elderly man, James smiled. “That‘s all you‘ve got? Are you looking down on me or are you overestimating your strength a little?”
Reign laughed and glanced at James. “That‘s all I need to kill you. What’s the point of going through the trouble of formulating plans and whatnot? After all, as long as Thea Callahan is in my hands, you‘ll obey my every order.”
“Is that so?”
James smiled.
Then, he moved swiftly
The men who were pointing their firearms at him instantly collapsed to the floor.
Reign, however, remained composed. He merely took a seat and silently watched James’ performance.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
He clapped once again.
“As expected of the Black Dragon. When it comes to battle prowess, you‘re simply unrivaled.”
James scrutinized Reign.
He had a bad feeling about this. He did not understand why Reign remained undaunted.
“Ah!”
At that moment, Thea let loose a scream.
She fell from the chair and collapsed onto the floor groaning in pain.
James hurriedly made his way over to her and helped her up.
“It hurts, James... It hurts...”
Clutching her head, Thea pulled at her hair non–stop.
James swiftly grabbed her wrist and took her pulse.
Thea‘s body was in perfect health. She was not poisoned.
Thea, however, was suffering excruciating pain.
James hugged Thea tightly and glared at Reign. “What did you do to her?”
“Nothing much,” Reign spoke as if it was a matter of fact.
“There‘s a poisonous insect that I meticulously raised for thirty years inside her body. It will enter her brain following the blood flow. Then, it will simply eat away at her medulla little by little. In the end, I‘m afraid she‘ll just become a simpleton,” he said nonchalantly.
James’s face was contorted with rage.
“James, h–help me... It hurts... I don‘t wanna die...”
Thea‘s cry of anguish and every word she uttered echoed in James‘ ears and pulled at his heartstrings.
Chapter 703
“I‘ll kill you!” James roared.
He stood up menacingly and charged at Reign. Grabbing Reign by his throat, James lifted him off the ground.
Color immediately drained out of Reign‘s face.
However, he did not panic.
“J–James, you better think twice about killing me. Once I‘m dead, Thea will continue to suffer excruciating pain. Though you‘re highly skilled in the art of medicine, this is a Gu that I‘ve raised for thirty years. There‘s no way you can remove it.”
Reign‘s voice was feeble.
“James, it hurts...!”
Thea rolled on the floor tearing at her hair. She could feel that there were many insects inside her brain eating away at her medulla. The pain was unbearable.
Thea‘s cry of anguish calmed James down.
He slowly loosened his grip.
Reign‘s body was limp. He sat on the chair and gently rubbed his neck. Then, he looked at James with a mischievous grin on his face.
James questioned coldly, “What do you want me to do?”
Reign took a small bottle out and placed it on a table. Then, he said coldly, “Consume this if you want Thea to live.”
“What is this?”
James looked at the bottle on the table.
It was an ordinary–looking ceramic bottle that was bronze in color.
Reign said, “Don’t worry, it won’t kill you. However, you will experience muscular atrophy slowly but surely. You will gradually lose strength to the point that you can no longer exert a single ounce of it.”
Reign paused for a second and looked at James. Then, he continued, “I planned to kill you. However, it‘s possible that you won‘t sacrifice yourself for a woman. And so, I changed my mind. I believe you will consume it. After all, you believe your medical skills to be unparalleled and that you’re able to create the antidote for any poison.
“Once you consume it, I’ll let Thea go. Deal?” Reign uttered.
“James, it hurts! K–Kill me, please! I don’t wanna live anymore… Why? Why me?”
Thea’s heart-wrenching screams reverberated throughout the room.
“I hope you‘ll hold up your end of the bargain. Or else...”
James grabbed the bottle on the table. Then, he opened the lid and took a black pill from inside the bottle. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he swallowed it whole.
Reign fixed his stare on James.
After a few seconds, James‘ forehead was beaded with sweat. Veins started popping out on his face. Reign laughed, “Haha! This is how it should be. Dealing with you is a simple matter, after all. That idiotic Emperor is simply incompetent.”
At that moment, James finally knew that this elderly man was on the Emperor‘s side.
James could feel something sapping away at his strength. Soon, he collapsed on the floor.
He wanted to stand. However, no matter how much strength he exerted, he could not move.
“R–Release her.” James spoke in a feeble voice.
“Don‘t worry, I will keep my word. However, this is not the end.”
A wicked grin crept up on Reign‘s face. Immediately, he headed toward Thea and placed something near her nose. Soon, a tiny insect crawled out.
However, he then proceeded to feed Thea an unknown pill.
James roared, “What did you feed her, you b*stard?!”
Reign smiled. “Don‘t worry, it‘s not fatal. This is parasitic venom. It will slowly spread all over her body. Her skin will gradually rot, and black spots will emerge. She will become one of the ugliest women in the world.”
Looking at James, Reign smirked.
After all, the Emperor did not manage to kill James despite all his plots and petty tricks. He, on the other hand, succeeded with a single attempt.
“James, I‘ll have you know that I planned to kill you. In fact, I can still choose to kill you right here right now. However, before leaving the monastery, I promised someone to keep you alive. You will cling to life half–alive. Even if you survive, you‘ll be crippled.
“Does your entire body feel weak?
“That‘s how it is.
“This is a venom I specially concocted to deal with highly skilled people like you. What a shame .... You have reached the peak of martial arts. If you continue to grow, you will surely move one step beyond.
“What a shame that this will never happen.
“Don’t worry, you won’t die so soon.”
“You will slowly lose strength, and your muscles will gradually shrink. At first, you might still be able to sit on a chair. However, after a few years, you can only remain bedridden. But don‘t you worry. After a few short years of excruciating pain, you will soon be dead.“
Chapter 704
“Hahaha!”
Reign laughed.
“Your Holiness, these are James‘ belongings.”
A man walked over to Reign and showed him the silver needles and the tiny steel wire which were found on James.
Reign glanced at the items.
Though he was skilled at parasitic venoms, he knew nothing about the art of medicine. He felt that he had no use for these items. He was unaware of what the Crucifier was capable of.
He simply tossed the items beside James and said coldly, “Return him his belongings.”
His henchman asked, “Why don‘t we kill him straight away?”
“I wanted to.”
Reign sighed. “He‘s still a Caden, after all. Caden‘s blood runs through his veins. Besides, I promised someone I‘d spare his life. Now that he‘s no longer a threat, it should be fine. Just leave him to his own devices.”
Then, Reign turned to leave.
Thea no longer had a headache. She knew that Reign had fed her another poison. However, she was still fine at the moment.
With disheveled hair, she stood up and staggered her way toward James. She wanted to help James up. However, she could not exert any strength herself.
“Sob...
“James, you‘re not dying on me.”
She was tearful.
“It‘s all my fault for getting you involved.”
James was lying on the floor.
At that moment, he could not exert a single ounce of strength.
He was a doctor highly skilled in the art of medicine. However, he could not figure out his current condition.
Though he wanted to stand, he could not.
“D–Don‘t touch me... Let me rest for a bit.”
James could feel something buzzing in his ears.
Thea‘s sniveling agitated him.
Upon hearing this, Thea shut her mouth.
James lay on the floor and rested.
After ten minutes, he felt he had regained some of his strength. However, he could only barely stand.
He stood up and tried taking a few steps.
Though he could still walk, every step seemed to take a toll on him.
“D*mn it! What kind of poison is this?”
James sat on the chair and cursed.
At the same time…
Reign had left Mt. Thunder. He gave the Emperor a call. “James is now crippled. He will no longer be a threat to you.”
“I want him dead. He’s a threat to me as long as he‘s alive.”
Reign said calmly, “He‘s no different from a dead man.”
“But he‘s still the Dragon King, one of the most powerful men in Sol. I can’t be at ease knowing he‘s still alive.”
“In that case, think of a way to remove him from his position. You‘re a master of intrigue. I believe this should be a piece of cake for you.”
“Got it.”
The Emperor hung up the phone impatiently.
He thought James would be dead once Reign made his move. Now, however, Reign had spared James’ life.
After hanging up the phone, he stroked his chin, contemplating how to best remove the Black Dragon from his lofty position.
James had performed great meritorious service for Sol on the battlefield. Not only that, he was made the Dragon King. Removing Sol‘s hero and guardian from his position was no easy feat.
After some thinking, a grin crept up on his face. “James, it’s all over for you.”
Chapter 705
James could not exert any strength, so he sat on the chair and rested.
He closed his eyes.
He remembered seeing records of the Gu in the medical books he had read.
A Gu was only one of many poisonous insects.
As far as he was aware, raising a Gu was an arduous task. One would need to capture many poisonous insects and make them kill each other. The last insect standing would then be a Gu.
Meanwhile, different Gus had different effects.
James did not know what kind of Gu was inside his body.
After diagnosis, he found that his body was in perfect health. No anomalies were
found.
The reason why he could not exert any strength was that there were many Gus within his blood and limbs. Only by removing them from his body could his body
recuperate.
However, he had only briefly read through the documents in the medical books that were incomplete.
He had no way to remove the Gus.
Sitting on a chair, Thea looked at James who was frowning with his eyes shut. She did not utter a single word and only waited silently.
After a while, James opened his eyes. He pulled his phone out and called Henry.
“Sir, I heard you left the pass. Did something happen?” Henry’s voice came from the phone.
“Yes, it was an emergency. I’m currently at the top of Mt. Thunder. Send a
helicopter to pick me up. Also, seal off Mt. Thunder Pass and the 140 surrounding cities immediately. No one is allowed to leave without my approval,”
James‘ voice was feeble.
The moment Henry heard James‘ voice, he was stunned.
He knew something must have gone terribly wrong.
“I’ll see to it immediately.”
After hanging up the phone, Henry immediately gave the order.
“Quick, send a helicopter to the top of Mt. Thunder. Also, give the order to seal off Southern Plains City and the 140 cities surrounding Mt. Thunder Pass. No one is allowed to leave without permission.”
The siren of a Level One Battle Plan blared throughout the military region.
All generals were immediately in position. They ordered their men to seal off Southern Plains City and the 140 cities near Mt. Thunder Pass immediately.
At the same time, Henry headed toward Mt. Thunder Pass in the helicopter.
Soon, he arrived.
Upon noticing the calm at the top of Mt. Thunder, Henry could not help but frown.
“What happened here?”
He made his way into the wooden house, puzzled.
The moment he entered the house, he saw James and Thea.
Shocked, he asked, “Why are you here, Thea?”
He glanced at James immediately after. Seeing that his face was pale, he walked over to him and asked, “What happened, sir?”
you
James raised his hand with great difficulty. “It’s nothing. Help me up. I’ll tell everything once we get back.”
“Understood.”
Henry walked over to James and helped him up.
James could barely stand.
Weak and feeble, he would have collapsed to the floor if not for Henry supporting
him.
With Henry’s help, he left the wooden house and headed toward the helicopter not too far away.
Thea followed close behind.
After getting on the helicopter, they returned to Southern Plains City.
In the military region of Southern Plains City…
James called for a forensic artist immediately upon arriving.
Based on his memory, he tried his best to sketch Reign’s face. Seeing the increasingly similar appearance on the computer, James nodded. “That’s him. Issue a warrant for his arrest. He should still be at Mt. Thunder Pass. I want you to find him no matter the cost.”
Henry roared, “What are you all standing there for? See to it immediately!”
“Understood.”
Everyone stood up.
James tried to stand. But, not only did he feel enfeebled, but he also felt his head spinning. Then, he collapsed on his chair.
“James…”
Thea hurriedly made her way over to him.
Chapter 706
James raised his hand to stop Thea.
“S–Sorry…”
With an apologetic look on her wretched face, Thea apologized profusely, “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault for getting you involved.”
“Send her back to Cansington, Henry.”
James spoke with great difficulty.
“I…”
Upon hearing this, Thea cried out.
Her eyes brimming with years, she looked at James pleadingly. “How can I leave knowing that you’re in such a state? Please let me stay. I can take care of you.”
“Umm…”
Henry was caught between a rock and a hard place.
James glanced at Thea.
Thea’s hair was disheveled. Her face was full of her own scratches. In addition to her previous injuries which had yet to recover from, she looked a little.
frightening.
Her pitiful expression broke James‘ heart.
However, James no longer owed Thea anything.
He did not wish to have anything to do with this woman anymore. Besides, before the revolution, he could not have any emotional entanglements with any women. Otherwise, they would once again be used by his enemies against him.
“Do as I say,” James uttered.
Henry looked at Thea and pleaded, “Please follow me, Thea. Please don’t make this difficult for me.”
With a tearful expression, Thea asked, “Why, James? Why? Why are you doing
this to me? Is this because of Quincy?”
“I need rest!”
James cried out.
However, his cry was feeble.
A few men walked over to him.
James ordered, “Help me up.”
“James…”
Thea cried out.
However, James had left.
“Sob…”
Thea burst into tears.
Henry said in resignation, “Let’s go, Thea.”
Thea knew. From the moment she received the 10 billion dollars from James… From the moment she divorced him, she had completely lost him. She thought that James still had feelings for her. However, she did not expect James to be this
heartless.
She ran out, sobbing.
Henry followed close behind.
He then personally arranged for a private plane to send Thea back to Cansington.
Near the private plane.
Henry could not help but ask, “What happened, Thea? What’s wrong with James? Something’s not quite right with him. He seems to be severely weakened.”
“Sob…”
Thea burst into tears once more.
“Stop crying! Please tell me.
“Th–They abducted me and used me to blackmail James…”
Tearfully, she narrated the chain of events.
“What?!”
Henry exclaimed, “Are you saying that the muscles all over James‘ body will shrivel to the point where he can no longer stand?”
Thea sobbed. “Y–Yes… That was what the one who poisoned him said. I–I don’t know anything else.”
Henry’s expression hardened.
After a long while, he took a deep breath and said, “Alright now, I understand. I will find the one who poisoned James. There’s nowhere for him to hide.”
Thea slowly got on the private plane.
Henry watched her get on the private plane and left.
He wore a grim expression.
“Seal off the city. Do not let a single fly pass through. Mobilize the army and search the border. Do not let him escape!”
Chapter 707
At the Black Dragon Palace…
James removed his clothes. At the moment, he was only in his undergarments.
Silver needles were all over his body.
He was trying to save himself.
He used the silver needles and tried to force the Gus in his body out.
However, after a whole day of work, it was no use.
The Gus within his body were extremely minuscule. He could not remove them no matter how hard he tried.
Once the Gus matured, he would be crippled.
After all, the pill Reign forced him to consume was Gu larvae. There were countless Gus inside a single pill.
Once consumed, the pill would dissolve in his stomach. Then, the larvae would be incubated immediately and become grown Gus. They would follow James‘ blood flow and absorb all the nutrients in his body.
James‘ feeble strength could be attributed to the Gus sapping away his nutrients.
James removed the silver needles with great difficulty. Then, he sat on the sofa and contemplated.
It was a shame he knew nothing about Gus. Otherwise, it should not be too difficult to get rid of the venom.
At the same time…
Henry had sealed off Southern Plains City and the 140 cities which had only recently been annexed into Sol.
No one was allowed to leave.
Combat aircraft circled the sky.
Armored cars and tanks were on the roads.
Fully–armed men guarded the choke points of all passages.
“Wh–What’s going on?”
“Has the Black Dragon army mobilized? Are we going to fight another war?”
“I hope not! We’ve only recently been annexed into Sol. I’m planning to work hard and earn money to marry my girlfriend. If war breaks out, our lives will be miserable.”
Seeing the army formation, the civilians of the 140 cities were miserable.
After the entire region was sealed off, Henry personally led the army and conducted a blanket search near Mt. Thunder Pass.
As the incident happened not long ago, the enemy should not have gone far. They should still be around the area
area.
A day passed.
After searching for a whole day, the Black Dragon army only managed to capture some of Reign’s subordinates. Reign, however, was nowhere to be seen. It was almost as if he had disappeared without a trace.
At nine p.m….
Henry hurriedly made his way to the Black Dragon Palace.
“Sir, Reign seems to have disappeared without a trace. Though we sealed off the entire region and conducted a blanket search, we found no traces of him. Only a few of his subordinates were captured. After interrogating them, we realized that they too were unaware of his current whereabouts.”
James, who was sitting on the sofa, frowned.
At that moment, hurried footsteps could be heard.
Wearing an anxious expression, Levi swiftly made his way over. “Something bad happened, sir.”
James glanced at him and asked, “What do you mean? Why do you look so anxious?”
Levi’s forehead was beaded with sweat. Wiping off the perspiration, Levi
hurriedly said, “Sir, y–you have been reported.”
“Huh?”
James‘ forehead furrowed.
Puzzled, Henry asked, “Reported?”
“Yes…”
Levi continued, “It’s all over the Internet now.”
“What the hell is going on?” James asked.
Levi explained, “This afternoon, someone reported that you embezzled money to enrich yourself while you were still the Black Dragon. In this accusation letter, every single cent that you received was clearly recorded. This includes the incident where the Black Shadow General returned to the Southern Plains and demanded hundreds of billions from the rich and the fact that you abused your power as the Dragon General to forcibly take over Transgenerational New City in Cansington.”
Levi was sweating profusely.
“Initially, this accusation letter was sent directly to the disciplinary committee. However, it was dismissed, and the content was not revealed. However, many others started sending the same accusation letter. Soon, it was all over the
Internet.”
“What dogsh*t! Black Dragon? The guardian of Sol? He’s just another corrupt figure!”
“Enriching himself with trillions of dollars?!”
Chapter 708
“Not only that, it turns out that during the previous incident at Mt. Thunder Pass, the twenty–nation alliance paid war reparations amounting to 9 trillion dollars. However, the National Treasury only received a mere trillion. The rest entered the Black Dragon’s pockets!
“The Internet is in an uproar.”
Hearing this, James‘ expression turned grim.
Henry swiftly pulled his phone out and searched the keywords ‘Black Dragon‘ in a browser.
As expected, they were in the headlines of almost every newspaper.
There were many shocking revelations.
Many public figures on Twitter were retweeting the incident of James‘ accusation.
letter.
In the letter, every cent James misappropriated, every act he did, and every person he killed was clearly recorded. Seeing this, Henry’s face darkened. He said, “This is extremely disadvantageous to you, sir. Even if the higher–ups hold you in high regard, it will lead to public discontent once the content of the letter. spreads. To appease the public, you’ll surely be made a scapegoat by the higher ups.”
James took a deep breath.
He knew that someone was targeting him.
The Emperor had been behind the scenes all this while–from the fierce battle. against the 28–nation martial art gurus to the current incident.
Even though James was now crippled, the Emperor had no plans of letting him off the hook.
James cared little about money.
In his position, it was inevitable that many would offer him gifts. He could not refuse them all. As long as the higher–ups turned a blind eye to his actions,
everything would be fine.
However, somewhere along the way, he crossed the line.
The higher–ups must have known about his hostile takeover of Transgenerational New City and his misappropriation of the war reparations.
Now that this was disclosed, the higher–ups would not sit idly by.
Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Levi asked, “What should we do now? The accusation letter is full of well–grounded arguments. Once the higher–ups order an investigation into the matter, finding concrete evidence is just a matter of time. After misappropriating so many funds, we might even receive the death. penalty.”
“Sir?” Henry looked at James, who was in deep contemplation.
James waved his hand and said, “You’re dismissed for now. Leave me alone.”
“Understood.”
The two nodded and left.
James leaned against the sofa.
In his ten years in the military, he had climbed the ranks from a common foot. soldier to the Dragon King. Not once did he exploit the hard–earned wealth of the common folk. Not once did he kill an innocent man. He only killed those who
escaped justice.
After all, he had the Blade of Justice. He had the right to do so.
However, the misappropriation of funds was an extremely controversial issue in Sol.
Anyone who was involved in this misdemeanor would be severely reprehended.
James pulled his phone out and briefly read the news.
Overnight, the hero of So! had become a pariah.
Many netizens called for the nation to punish James. Some even banded together and wrote a petition to the state demanding an investigation into the matter. If the allegations against him were true, he would be in deep trouble.
Chapté de
Seeing this, James rubbed his temples.
“How troublesome.”
Before he could deal with the Gus in his body, such a consequential matter had
occurred.
Now that the news had spread like wildfire, he would surely be made the scapegoat by the higher–ups to appease public outrage. He would consider himself lucky if he was merely demoted. However, in most likelihood, he would be thrown into prison or possibly even shot.
That was because Sol would never go against the wishes of its people just for him. After all, the people’s voices were the foundation of Sol.
Chapter 709
Tonight would be a sleepless night for James.
James, the commander–in–chief of the Southern Plains and one of the five commanders–in–chief of Sol, was a man who stood at the peak of the power
pyramid.
Not only was he the guardian of Sol, but he was also a national hero.
He had just retaken Southern Plains City from the enemy without bloodshed. The citizens of Sol showered him with adulation.
However, with a single accusation letter, he instantly became a pariah.
The internet was in an uproar.
Describing James as the cancer of the nation, he was severely reprehended.
“Down with the Black Dragon!”
At the Heavenly Palace of the Capital…
This was the residence of the King of Sol, the Supreme Commander of the nation.
In the courtyard of the residence, the Supreme Commander was wearing a gray suit. Though he was around fifty years of age and slightly chubby, he was
energetic. He exuded a distinct aura.
At the moment, he was sitting in a gazebo sipping his tea.
Before him was a middle–aged man.
His name was Hendrix Hudson.
He was the secretary of the King of Sol. His distinct position made him one of the most powerful men in the nation.
“Hendrix, what do you think of this?”
“Hmm?”
Hendrix momentarily froze. Then, he asked, “What do you mean, may I ask?”
Glancing at Hendrix, the King of Sol sipped his tea. “You know what I’m talking
about.”
“Sir, do you mean the allegations against James Caden, the Dragon King? News has spread like wildfire on the Internet. It’s far too late to censor it now.”
what do you think of it?” The Supreme Commander looked at
“In that case, Hendrix.
At that moment, however, a man walked over to them in a hurry.
Wearing a black suit, he looked spirited. However, he was wearing an anxious expression. He walked over to them and hurriedly said, “Something bad happened, sir! The Dragon King has been reported. The Procuratorate is now filled with anonymous accusation letters against him. Not only that, thousands upon thousands of Solean civilians are now demanding we investigate the matter. If the allegations turn out to be true, they want the Dragon King severely punished.”
It was the Emperor.
“How did this happen? He was only recently made the Dragon King. I never expected him to abuse his power and commit so many crimes while he was the Dragon General! How audacious of him!” the Emperor exclaimed.
The King of Sol sipped his tea. Devoid of all emotions on his face, it was hard to figure out what he was thinking.
“In that case, what do you think we should do?”
The King of Sol looked at the Emperor and said calmly.
The Emperor replied, “We can’t let this slide. James‘ crimes have already generated public discontent. If we do not act decisively, the people won’t be satisfied. If everyone follows in the Dragon King’s footsteps, Sol will be thrown into disarray.”
The King of Sol said calmly, “In that case, I’ll leave the investigation to you. Form a special task force with you as the captain. You will be given special authority to investigate the matter. No one’s allowed to interfere in your investigation. Of course, as the commander–in–chief of the Red Flame army, I don’t think anyone would dare interfere in the first place.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll thoroughly investigate the matter. I’ll bring my men to Cansington immediately to investigate and collect evidence. We’ll start with the Transgenerational Group. If James truly is the behind–the–scenes owner of the corporation, I’ll immediately seal it off. No related personnel shall escape.”
After giving his assurance, the Emperor turned to leave.
Once he left, Hendrix asked, “Are we really conducting an investigation into the Dragon King?”
The King of Sol said calmly, “The innocent have nothing to be afraid of. If the allegations against him are true, he’ll be promptly arrested and executed. If he was being framed, this would be the perfect opportunity to clear his good name.”
“How wise of you, sir.”
The King of Sol lightly waved. “You’re dismissed. Hold a press conference this evening and announce that we’ve established a special task force to investigate the matter. We should first provide an explanation to the people.”
“I’ll see to it immediately.”
Hendrix turned to leave.
Whew!
The King of Sol took a deep breath.
Thirty years ago, the demise of the previous Black Dragon caused a reshuffling of cards in the dynamics of Sol’s royal court.
He was made King of Sol thirty years ago and remained in his position to this day.
Now, the same problem had arisen.
If he could not handle the situation well, it would be the end for him.
Chapter 710
“Gloom.”
He called out.
A man in black robes appeared and kneeled before the King of Sol.
“Sir.”
“Head to the Southern Plains immediately. Tell James this…”
The King of Sol stood up and whispered something in the man’s ear.
“Understood.”
Gloom got up and swiftly left.
At the same time, at the General Assembly Hall of the Capital…
All reporters of the Capital were present.
At the front seats were the big shots of the Capital, which included Hendrix. Hudson, the Secretary–General, Leroy Tucker, the Chief Executive, and the Emperor, the commander–in–chief of the Red Flame army.
“General Secretary Hudson, may I ask what the higher–ups intend to do about the allegations against the Black Dragon?”
A reporter questioned.
Faced with countless cameras, Hendrix announced, “We will never tolerate such a crime. Corruption has been outlawed in Sol for thousands of years. Many dynasties fall because of their corrupt politicians. That is why we will severely punish all corrupt figures.”
“In that case, may I ask how James would be dealt with?”
Hendrix said with confidence, “We have established a special task form led by the Emperor, the commander–in–chief of the Red Flame army to investigate the matter. If the allegations turn out to be true, the Black Dragon will be prosecuted in court.”
All Soleans were paying close attention to this incident.
After the press conference, many rejoiced.
However, some were worried sick.
In a villa in Cansington…
A woman in her pajamas was sitting on the sofa watching the news on her laptop.
It was Quincy.
She had been paying close attention to the development of the incident after knowing something had happened to James in the afternoon.
After watching the press conference, her expression turned grim. She murmured, “What’s going on? Where did all these allegations come from?”
She pulled her phone out and called James.
However, no one answered the call.
She was worried.
At the same time, Scarlett was anxious too.
As the nominal chairman of Transgenerational Group, the entrance to the building had been swamped with reporters after the company was revealed to belong to James.
Many people appeared outside the company and threw rotten eggs at it.
She tried calling James to ask for further instructions.
However, the call would not go through.
Thea was worried too.
After returning to Cansington, news of James‘ misdemeanor spread.
After experiencing what had happened in the Southern Plains, she knew someone was targeting James. They must have been the ones behind the allegations.
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She also tried calling James to ask about his current situation.
However, James did not pick up his phone.
The allegations against James stunned all Soleans.
Meanwhile, James was in the Black Dragon Palace in the Southern Plains.
He had watched the press conference.
He knew that the King of Sol would surely adopt such an approach. After all, this was the only way to appease public outrage.
Leaning against the sofa, he could not exert any strength. It was almost as if he had not eaten in days.
Many people were standing beside him.
Henry, Levi, and the Elite Eight were all frowning.