The Battlefield had no place for sentimentality, as emotions could cloud a person’s judgment.
Kayden had decreed long ago that any soldier under his banner must sever personal attachments completely.
“Defender!” Greedy Wolf tried to plead further, but Kayden silenced him with a raised hand. “Enough! I know what you’re going to say. Liam was once a soldier, a hero of unparalleled merit. The man he’s become today is part of my fault. He wouldn’t have become this if it had not been searching for me. But no matter the reason, his sins cannot go unpunished. Every mistake comes with a price, and Liam must pay the price in full.”
“From this day forward, Liam John is no longer my Zodiac General. If you see him again, just kill him without hesitation!”
His voice was strong and decisive, and his words reverberated forcefully in the hearts of all the warriors.
Countless pairs of eyes were fixed on Liam. Their gazes turned heavy with sorrow as their vision blurred with tears.
This was their Liam, the revered Zodiac General!
This was their Defender, a stalwart figure who had led them through countless battles!
This was their legend of Battlefield!
Now, Zodiac General Liam had betrayed the one he once swore allegiance to. Grief mingled with a bitter longing for the past. The soldiers of the Nine Dragons’ Souls stood conflicted.
“Farewell, General Liam John!” Greedy Wolf’s voice rang out suddenly, shattering the silence like glass.
All the soldiers responded in unison, “Farewell, General Liam John!”
Their roars surged like tidal waves, echoing through the area. Their voices carried a desperate hope, as if sheer force of will could summon back the Liam they once knew, the loyal guardian of their nation. If he could only turn back, kneel, and admit his wrongdoing, every soldier of the Nine Dragons’ Souls would rise to plead for him!
However, Liam walked away without a backward glance. He tightly hugged the woman in his arms, and soon, they vanished into the distance.
“Defender, what’s the plan now?” Greedy Wolf muttered, his brows knitted in unease.
Kayden drew in a deep breath, forcing his lingering, reluctant gaze elsewhere. His eyes settled on a man frozen in sheer terror-Kendall Lindsey. The moment Kendall felt Kayden’s piercing stare, it was as if a lightning bolt had struck him. He jolted, his body trembling like a brittle leaf in the wind.
Fear consumed Kendall, rushing through his veins like icy water.
Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees with a resounding thud. His face twisted in panic. “D-Defender! I swear on my life, I didn’t know he was an impostor! If I’d known the truth, I wouldn’t have dared to touch your wife-not for a second, not for anything! Defender, please, spare me! I beg you, show mercy!”
His words barely escaped his lips before he threw himself into a series of frantic kowtows.
Each collision of his forehead against the floor rang out with a dull, bone-jarring thud. The sound was so raw that it made onlookers wince, as though they could feel the pain themselves.
Kayden stayed silent. His eyes remained sharp as a blade as they bore into Kendall.
“Defender, how should we deal with him?” Greedy Wolf asked again, out of habit.
His words sent Kendall into a spiral of despair. He felt the ground crumble beneath him, dragging his spirit into a pit of darkness! Tears spilled uncontrollably from his reddened eyes, streaking down his face. Just moments ago, he had stood tall, arrogant, and commanding. He had the guts to accuse Kayden of being a fraud and to bully Georgia. Now, he could only kneel on the ground pitifully, begging for mercy. As arrogant as he was just moments ago, he’s now equally pathetic!
“Defender, I swear I didn’t know he was an impostor! If I’d known, I would never have the courage to act so recklessly! Please, allow me to make amends. To prove my sincerity, I’ll invest three billion into the Adams Group! On top of that, I’ll personally add one billion more!”
Adding it all up, four billion might seem like a staggering fortune to everyone in the room, but to Kayden, it was nothing more than a string of meaningless digits. Wealth held no allure for him-four billion was no different from a ten-dollar bill in his eyes.
Kayden’s gaze locked onto Kendall. He muttered under his breath, “Saint Dragon Business Association?”
At the mention of the name, Kendall breathed a sigh of relief. Clinging to this glimmer of hope, he nodded frantically. “Y-yes, exactly! Saint Dragon Business Association! With their investment, Adams Group could rise to unimaginable heights. It would become the most potential corporation in the southwest! The Adams family would ascend to the pinnacle of power, the king of this region!”
Kayden didn’t so much as glance at him. Instead, his voice dropped to a chilling tone as he continued, “Saint Dragon Business Association… they dare collude with Hellblazer and even intimidate my wife!”
He turned his attention to Greedy Wolf. “Tell me, Greedy Wolf, what punishment befits such crimes?”
Greedy Wolf got his subtext and stepped forward. “According to the law, Defender, those who dare harm your wife should be sentenced to death!”
The final word, “death,” landed like a sledgehammer, shattering Kendall’s composure. His knees buckled, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Terror-stricken, he lifted his face, stammering desperately, “Defender, you’re mistaken! Saint Dragon Business Association would never need to conspire with anyone-they’re too powerful for that! You might not realize it, but this association is founded and backed by the Braxton brothers and the Vargas family.”
“The Braxton brothers? The Vargas family?” Kayden murmured, his expression unreadable as if weighing the names.
Seeing even a flicker of contemplation on Kayden’s face, Kendall clung to this faint hope like a drowning man clutching at straws. He thought at least Kayden had heard about these names. With trembling lips, he implored, “Defender, I beg you-for the sake of Saint Dragon Business Association-spare me this once!”
“I only acted that way because you’ve always been my idol,” Kendall stammered. “You’re the person I’ve revered most in my entire life. I’ve heard so much about your achievements-I admire you deeply! I… I was tricked, and deceived by someone who took advantage of my weakness. He blinded me to the truth. I… I’m a victim in all this too!”
Kayden’s lips curled into a frosty smirk as he raised his gaze. “A victim, you say?”
Kendall nodded fervently, sweat trickling down his forehead. “Yes! That’s exactly it! I had no idea you were the real Defender. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dared to behave this way. I swear!”
Kayden’s expression darkened, and his voice turned as cold and cutting as steel. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”
His glare bore into Kendall. “Saint Dragon Business Association… it’s already sold its soul to Hellblazer, hasn’t it? You came in here so full of yourself, boldly accusing me of being an imposter, and you dared to direct your arrogance at my wife. Don’t tell me you didn’t come prepared or weren’t fed lies in advance. You’re no idiot, Kendall Lindsey. A man like you, who’s clawed his way to the top, can’t even discern truth from lies? So, spare me the nonsense about being blind to the truth.”
“N-no! No!” Kendall’s head shook wildly, panic etched across his face. “It’s not like that, Defender! It’s not! Saint Dragon Business Association hasn’t conspired with anyone-this is all my fault! I was reckless, blinded by my own ignorance, and I fell for their lies.”
“Save your nonsense!” Kayden’s voice sliced through the air, silencing Kendall instantly. His tone was commanding, leaving no room for debate. “Saint Dragon Business Association is going to pay its price anyway. As for you-you’ll be my opening act, a gift to herald their downfall.”
No one dared to question him. Saint Dragon Business Association might hold significant power in Seclela, but against Kayden, such status was meaningless. This was a man who could summon an army of millions with a flick of his wrist. Erasing a mere business association from existence would be as easy as flipping hands.
“Carry out the execution,” Kayden ordered with icy finality, his patience worn thin. “Anyone who dares to harm my wife won’t leave here alive.”