In the hillside apartment in Inassea, Kayden lay unconscious. It was the second day since he had collapsed. That night, during his fight with Jett Thorne, something wholly unexpected had occurred-Jett’s body suddenly exploded.
At first, Kayden thought it was a case of spontaneous combustion, but the explosion triggered a chain reaction that shook the entire hill. It was as if the Venom Sect had planted explosives beneath the mountain, waiting to detonate upon the death of their leader, Xu Lieyin.
No wonder Jett Thorne had vowed to drag Kayden down with him. Kayden hadn’t anticipated that Jett would leave such a deadly parting gift.
In the nick of time, Kayden had teleported to Wood Faulkner’s side, shielding her with his body. The Ninefold Dragon-Chi within him encased them both in a protective barrier.
Even with the Ninefold Dragon-Chi, Kayden was still a mortal man. The explosion left him gravely injured and unconscious. Without the protective force within him, he would have been blown to ashes.
Wood Faulkner, unharmed thanks to Kayden’s protection, brought him back to Inassea. Staying in Western Frontier wasn’t an option. Firstly, Mrs. Rocco was there-a woman Wood deeply resented. She feared that Mrs. Rocco might use Kayden’s vulnerable state to grow closer to him. Secondly, the Alfredson family still harbored deep hatred for Kayden. Zack Alfredson might have let things go, but there was no telling what the rest of the family might do.
Thus, Wood Faulkner brought Kayden to safety in Inassea.
Two days passed. Kayden remained unconscious, lying pale and motionless on a large bed.
Wood Faulkner sat by his side, anxiously tending to him. In her hand was a damp cloth, which she used to wipe his forehead. She hadn’t slept for two days, refusing to leave his side. Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with worry.
Kayden had never suffered such severe injuries before, not even on the battlefield. This time, it was all because of her.
“It’s my fault,” she whispered, guilt weighing heavily on her. “I’m sorry, Commander.”
Just then, Leah entered the room carrying a bag in one hand. Inside was a breakfast box.
“Miss Faulkner, how’s Kayden? Has he woken up yet?” Leah asked, her tone equally concerned.
Wood Faulkner shook her head, her expression strained. “Not yet.”
“Then come have some breakfast,” Leah urged.
Leah hadn’t rested much either. Kayden’s injuries weighed on her just as heavily, and her concern was evident in her every word and action.
After freshening up, Wood returned to the room. Leah had taken her place by Kayden’s side.
“Miss Faulkner, you’re so good to Kayden,” Leah remarked, her tone teasing yet thoughtful. “You’ve stayed by his side day and night. Do you… like him?”
Wood Faulkner, once known as Sariah Faulkner, was widely regarded as the most beautiful woman in the southwest. She was renowned not just for her beauty but for her air of heroic determination, a quality even her stunning sister lacked.
Wood hesitated, her emotions evident in the way her throat tightened. “Mr. Scott saved me. Taking care of him now is the least I can do. Besides, someone like me isn’t worthy of liking him.”
To Wood Faulkner, Kayden was an untouchable figure-a god who commanded the battlefield and inspired awe wherever he went. She could only revere him from afar, convinced she was unworthy of harboring feelings for him.
Leah smirked slightly. “Actually, I think…”
Before she could finish her thought, Kayden suddenly coughed violently, his body jerking upright. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
“Kayden! Kayden!” Leah exclaimed, rushing to support him, panic written all over her face.
After coughing up the blood, Kayden’s mind began to clear. He looked around, his gaze steady but weak.
“How long was I out?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Two days,” Wood Faulkner replied, setting the breakfast box aside and moving closer.
“You scared me to death!” Leah pouted, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her eyes.
Kayden gave her a faint smile and shook his head. “I’m fine.”
He sat up fully and reached out, gently brushing Leah’s face near her tear-streaked eyes. To him, Leah was just a little sister, nothing more.
Leah leaned into his touch, a small, content smile forming.
“Kayden, you’re so good to me. I can’t understand why my sister ever left you,” Leah murmured. “If you weren’t my brother-in-law, I’d marry you in a heartbeat.”
Kayden let out a bitter chuckle. “It’s all in the past now.”
He turned to Wood Faulkner, his expression growing serious. “What happened to the girls who were taken?”
Wood lowered her head, her voice filled with sorrow. “They’re all dead. Every last one of them. Even the animals didn’t survive.”
Kayden’s heart sank. He had failed to save the innocent.
He suspected those girls might have been connected to the Venom Sect. Over the years, many girls traveling through Western Frontier had mysteriously vanished. Some were tourists, while others were local children.
Kayden had always been cold and ruthless when it came to killing, targeting only the truly wicked. But the death of innocents left him with a deep sense of regret, a lingering sadness for lives lost before they could bloom.
“Mr. Scott, it’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me-”
“Enough!” Kayden interrupted sharply. “I don’t need you to take the blame.”
At that moment, he felt a strange energy coursing through his body.
He froze, focusing inward. The Ninefold Dragon-Chi within him began to stir, moving more fluidly than ever before. With a mere thought, he could direct its flow, controlling it entirely.
He clenched his fists, testing his strength. His body had regained seventy percent of its former capabilities.
Another step toward recovery.
Kayden twisted his torso, the sound of cracking joints echoing through the room. His body felt lighter, almost as if it had returned to its peak. Though only seventy percent restored, it was enough to make him feel whole again.
This accident, it seemed, was a blessing in disguise.