Eamon Rivers frowned and asked, “Eagle Noire, when you confronted Chris, did you see the Emberwood Guards?”
The Emberwood Guards were a trusted force cultivated by Archer Wintersong. Ethan Stone and others had always remained vigilant toward them.
Eagle Noire shook his head and replied, “When I fought Chris, I didn’t see any trace of the Emberwood Guards.”
Hearing this, Eamon Rivers glanced at Eagle Noire and said, “You’re injured. You should go rest.”
“Yes,” Eagle Noire nodded. He then turned and walked away.
Watching Eagle Noire’s retreating figure, Eamon’s face twisted with disdain.
“Eagle Noire, it seems your strength is overrated. I’ve been giving you too much credit,” Eamon sneered.
Eagle Noire held significant influence within the Dragon Order, and Eamon had always considered him his greatest rival within the organization. Today’s battle between Eagle Noire and Chris had been a test-Eamon’s way of probing Eagle Noire’s true strength.
But now, it was clear to him: Eagle Noire was all talk and no substance, a hollow reputation at best. He wasn’t even a match for Chris.
“Such pathetic strength,” Eamon thought with a mocking smile. “And you still think you can compete with me in the Dragon Order? Ridiculous!”
Eamon chuckled in satisfaction. “Chris, since Eagle Noire isn’t your match, it seems I’ll have to deal with you myself. Once I kill you, not only will I avenge my brother, but I’ll also gain my master’s favor. I’m certain that after killing you, the coveted leader’s throne of the Dragon Order will finally be mine. Hahaha…”
Eamon burst into laughter, his voice echoing with confidence.
—
Meanwhile, Eagle Noire had returned to his room.
As soon as he stepped inside, the pale look on his face disappeared, replaced by a calm and composed expression.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Eamon Rivers, do you really think I can’t see through your schemes? Trying to test me? What a joke!”
Eagle Noire was fully aware of Eamon’s intentions. Understanding this, he had deliberately feigned weakness, allowing Eamon to believe he was injured. This way, Eamon would drop his guard completely.
Eagle Noire was confident that Eamon would now throw himself into a desperate fight against Chris. All Eagle Noire needed to do was sit back and watch the chaos unfold.
His plan was simple: let Chris and Eamon Rivers fight to the death, and then swoop in to reap the rewards, regardless of who emerged victorious.
—
The next day, Chris sat alone in a chair, deep in thought.
The battle with Eagle Noire the previous night still left him uneasy.
“Eagle Noire was clearly holding back his strength,” Chris muttered to himself. “What’s his game? Is he trying to test me, or is there something else at play? The Dragon Order wouldn’t just send someone like Eagle Noire after me. There must be other cultivators on their way.”
Chris had previously gathered substantial intelligence about the Dragon Order from Seraphina. He knew that the organization wasn’t a monolithic entity; it was divided into several factions.
Two factions, in particular, caught Chris’s attention.
The first was the noble faction, led by Eagle Noire.
The second was the Whisperwind Ridge faction, headed by Ethan Stone.
Ethan Stone had a disciple named Eamon Rivers, who was the older brother of Zephyr Rivers-whom Chris had killed.
Unlike Zephyr, however, Eamon Rivers was much stronger.
If Ethan Stone wanted to take Chris down, it was likely he’d send his trusted protege, Eamon, rather than risk coming himself. After all, this was Middleton. If Ethan Stone acted personally, he’d need to consider Master William’s presence. If Master William caught wind of it, Ethan Stone would have a hard time explaining himself.
“It seems my top priority now is to strengthen myself as quickly as possible. Only by becoming stronger can I face any challenge head-on,” Chris resolved.
With that thought, Chris pulled out a small booklet left to him by Archer Wintersong.
The booklet contained Archer’s insights on cultivating the Dragon Script-a resource Chris found invaluable in his quest for greater power.
—
As Chris immersed himself in his plans, his phone suddenly rang.
Glancing at the screen, he saw it was Lynx.
“Lynx, what’s the matter?” Chris asked.
“Boss, bad news! I’ve got some critical intel,” Lynx said, his voice laced with urgency.
Chris frowned. “What is it?”
“Boss, ever since you killed Light Sin, Daniel Williams has been determined to avenge him. He’s spent a fortune hiring three assassins to take you out! These aren’t just any killers-they’re the top three on the international assassin leaderboard. Their strength is terrifying.”
Chris’s expression grew serious.
He hadn’t expected this. After killing four cultivators, Daniel Williams had now gone to the extreme of hiring internationally ranked assassins. It was clear Daniel wouldn’t stop until Chris was dead.
“Boss, you need to be extremely cautious,” Lynx said anxiously. “These assassins might already be in Middleton. I’ve contacted Alligator and the others. We’re ready to fight them alongside you.”
Chris shook his head. “No. Your priority is to hold your positions. I’ll handle these assassins myself.”
“But-”
“No ‘buts.’ That’s an order.”
“… Understood, boss. Just promise me you’ll stay safe!”
After hanging up, Chris’s expression turned grim.
The pressure on his shoulders had never been heavier.
Ethan Stone wanted him dead. Daniel Williams had hired the top three international assassins.
Anyone else in his position might have crumbled. But Chris remained calm, his face unreadable. He had already formulated a plan.
Without hesitation, Chris drove to the Vance family estate.
He intended to enlist Caspian’s help against both Daniel Williams and Ethan Stone.
Caspian, a former grand marshal of Amerosia, wielded immense influence in Middleton.
When Chris explained the situation to him, Caspian’s face darkened.
“Chris, you should go into hiding for now. Leave the rest to me,” Caspian said firmly.
Moments later, Caspian issued an order to deploy Team Wolf to Middleton.
Though retired, Caspian’s influence in the military remained formidable.
At the same time, Chris contacted the Emberwood Guards and called Tiger, instructing him to mobilize the Guards of Death from the East Coast.
With Team Wolf, the Emberwood Guards, and the Guards of Death on his side, Chris was confident that neither the Dragon Order nor the three assassins would pose a threat.
—
At Middleton’s First Hospital, Chris stood beside Candace’s bed.
She remained unconscious, her face serene.
Sighing softly, Chris said, “Candace, I may not be able to visit you for a while. But don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll never abandon you. I’ll always take care of you.”
With that, Chris turned and left. Before leaving, he instructed the hospital staff to ensure Candace received the best care possible.