When Kayden’s words reached the ears of the lingering Seclela citizens, their expressions betrayed emotions they could no longer hide. His remarks hit them like a sledgehammer, and one by one, their heads drooped under the weight of shame. They felt an unbearable guilt because they had actually acknowledged, even accepted, that foreigners could eat in their country without queuing, that foreigners somehow deserved preferential treatment over their own people.
But this was Seclela, their homeland, the sacred ground their ancestors had bled and died to protect. And yet, they had allowed a foreigner to run rampant on their land. The worst thing was that they even thought it was normal, even right!
It was humiliating. It was a disgrace to their nation, to their ancestors who died to protect this land!
Standing just behind Kayden, Sophie’s gaze locked onto his back. Her eyes were shimmering with a mix of admiration and infatuation. Kayden’s unflinching sense of justice struck her to the core once again. This man-this man was utterly fascinating. He’s a paragon of righteousness.
The words he had just spoken were like thunderclaps, reverberating through her heart. They were powerful, commanding, and so deeply resonant that they seemed to move everyone at present. At that moment, she realized her patriotism paled in comparison to his. He didn’t just love his country; he lived and breathed it! He’s protecting his country in his own way!
But it wasn’t just his patriotism that left her spellbound. It was the way he solved the issues, the swift, deadly elegance with which he took one’s life, and the charismatic confidence he exuded. His every action and every gesture seemed to radiate an unassailable magnetism. Sophie felt herself captivated as her curiosity about him deepened. She wasn’t afraid, not in the least. On the contrary, she was drawn to him in a way she couldn’t quite explain. Everything about Kayden-his presence, his words, his aura-all set her heart racing.
Her gaze shifted to the lifeless body of Stewart that sprawled across the ground. A thought surfaced in her mind. She wondered if it was because Stewart had dared to harass her that Kayden had killed him.
The group of foreigners, meanwhile, could scarcely believe what they were hearing. Their own countryman had been slain, and yet Kayden stood there, speaking as if he were utterly justified as if his actions were beyond reproach.
“Shit! You bastard! This is absolutely outrageous!” one of the older foreigners exploded, his voice trembling with rage. His face twisted into a look of utter disgust as though he’d just been forced to swallow something vile.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Golden? Cat got your tongue? Or are you too scared to speak?” The foreign men, though influential, couldn’t directly command the armed guards to fire. Thus, their eyes turned expectantly to Kieran Golden, the man who held the authority to act.
The sound of their voices jolted Kieran back to his senses. His gaze darted to the lifeless body of Stewart on the ground, then to the grim, angered faces of the foreign men. His heart pounded like a drum in his chest, threatening to burst. When his eyes landed on Kayden, Kieran froze. That calm, unshaken gaze pierced through him like an icy dagger. A wave of fear coursed through his veins.
Kieran realized that if this man wanted to end his life, it would take only an instant. A single movement, a flick of the wrist… and his life would be snuffed out like a candle in the wind.
The sheer disparity in strength was painfully clear. Kieran wasn’t foolish enough to challenge a force he couldn’t hope to withstand. Knowing when to fold was a survival instinct he knew well.
Kieran swallowed hard and stumbled backward, retreating several steps until he was safely ensconced among the armed guards. The array of firearms behind him provided all the security he needed.
Only then did the suffocating pressure ease, and he managed to draw a breath. Then fear quickly gave way to fury. Glaring at Kayden with venomous eyes, Kieran spat out, “You’ve got some nerve, brat! You dare offend and even kill one of our people right in front of our Frontier Society! Do you have any idea who you’re messing with? You’ve really got a death wish.”
His hand shot up, and with a sharp wave, he barked, “Fire! Shoot him dead!”
The armed guards didn’t hesitate. Fingers tightened on triggers, and rifles were aimed. Everyone was ready to unleash a hail of bullets.
However, Kayden didn’t even spare the armed guards a glance. His gaze remained fixed on Kieran, and his expression remained as composed as a still pond. With a faint, mocking smile, he said, “Impressive authority you’ve got there! You dare order your men to shoot someone on the street. Quite the display of power, huh?”
Kieran let out a snort. He pointed at Kayden and mocked, “You brought this on yourself! Killed a foreigner in plain sight and you think you’ll walk away alive? Cut the crap. Just remember it, that arrogance brings your downfall!”
A fleeting look of gravity crossed Kieran’s face. And with a steely resolve, he gritted his teeth and issued the command. “Kill him.”
The air tensed as the guards immediately raised their guns, ready to fire. But just as they were about to pull the triggers, Kayden’s voice cut through the chaos like a whip. “Stop!”
Kieran squinted, and his expression twisted with scorn as he sneered, “What’s this? You’re begging for mercy now? Let me tell you, young man, you had your chance to live, but you didn’t grasp it. You just had to play the hero. Now, that chance is gone. Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused me? So, don’t be naive and think you’ll walk out of here alive!”
Kayden shook his head slowly. “I stopped you, not to beg for my life,” he said evenly. “I stopped you to tell you that from this moment forward, the Frontier Society will cease to exist.”
Before anyone could react, Kayden reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and dialed. The call was answered almost instantly.
“Defender, good day!” A deep, authoritative voice greeted him on the other end.
Kayden was using the special SIM card Greedy Wolf had given him, whose number bore a unique numerical sequence, so the moment the number appeared on the screen, the person on the other end knew exactly who was calling.
Without wasting a second, Kayden gave a curt, decisive order. “One minute. Dismantle the Frontier Society in Inassea. I don’t want this department to exist here anymore. No explanations, no reasons. It simply doesn’t deserve to exist.”
And with that, he ended the call. His gaze then locked onto Kieran.
Kieran’s face contorted. His complexion shifted from pale to ashen as an icy chill ran down his spine. He let out a cold hiss through gritted teeth. His mind was whirling with doubt and fear. Who was this man? Someone who could take one’s life so casually, someone who stood unwavering in the face of death, had to hold unimaginable power.
Could it be that this young man is really someone with great authority?
No! Impossible! Kieran immediately dismissed the thought. No one with true power would dress so plainly.
He had seen countless high-ranking figures in his time, and none of them would dress this plainly. This young man, however, was an anomaly. But the way he spoke, and the way he acted all exuded power. Thus, Kieran guessed it had to be a bluff, a grand charade designed to unnerve him. After all, how could someone so young have the power to obliterate an organization that had thrived for decades with just a single phone call?
No way!
This young man was bluffing too wildly!
As his assumptions grew clearer, Kieran became convinced the young man was merely putting on a front, which fueled his growing confidence. He straightened his back and glared with fiery eyes. “Do you really think I’ll buy into your lies?”
Just as he finished speaking and was about to issue the order to fire, a ringtone pierced the tension in the air.
“Your warm, tender gaze taught me to stay strong, to never give up when I stumble. There’s no way to repay a parent’s boundless love, but please, let me say… I truly love you!”
Flustered, Kieran scrambled to pull out his phone. The moment he saw the number on the screen, his pupils dilated in shock. It’s his leader.
“Yes, sir. What’s up?” he answered in a polite and humble tone that totally differed from the former one.
A booming voice thundered from the other end, clear and commanding. “Kieran Golden, you’re fired. From this moment on, the Frontier Society in Inassea no longer exists.”
“What?!” The words struck Kieran like a lightning bolt, shattering his thoughts. He felt as if he’d just been hit by a thunderstorm, and a violent shiver ran through him from head to toe.
“But w-why, sir?!” he gasped, his heart pounding so fiercely it almost drowned out the voice on the phone.
“There’s no other reason,” came the cold reply. “It’s just that you don’t deserve to exist.” The words felt like a bomb exploding in Kieran’s chest, knocking the breath out of him. His world spun out of control.
Before he could utter another word, the call abruptly ended. The harsh beep echoed in his ears like a death sentence.
A chill ran down his spine. Those words-the ones that had just sealed his fate-were eerily familiar. Hadn’t the young man standing before him said the exact same thing just moments ago?