Chapter 80
“That’s right.”
“I can’t let you do that.” Dennis said, “You can take anyone away but not him. He and his men are obstacles to the development of Crestwood. He hurt and killed many of our people. How can I face my people if I let him go?”
“Tell them that I want to take him,” Ethan replied.
Dennis fell silent.
Then, he hissed through clenched teeth, “I still can’t let you, but I can give you a chance. You might be strong enough to be my rival. If you beat me, I’ll let you take him away.
In the middle of the pouring rain, Ethan stood calm and collected, his expression never wavering as he said, “You’re not qualified to be my nemesis.”
Dennis clenched his fists at the statement.
Unqualified? Ethan sure was cocky.
Dennis had a reputation to uphold as a mayor to thousands of town residents.
Ethan continued, “But I can give you three pieces of advice in return for taking him.”
Dennis was confused. He had no use for advice.
“Here’s the first piece of advice,” Ethan spoke. “Put down your weapons, surrender, and leave Riveria. The wisest thing you can do now is protect your assets and life.”
Dennis frowned.
Was his best option to surrender and leave Riveria? What a joke! He would lose everything by removing himself from Riveria.
“Here’s the second piece of advice.” Ethan’s voice interrupted Dennis‘ thoughts.
“Disappear and vanish without a trace. I won’t pursue you if you remain in hiding for twenty days. That’s the worst option, though.”
Disappear?
Dennis sized Ethan up. Although South Regent fled because of Ethan, Dennis did not find Ethan scary.
He did not see the point of hiding from Ethan. In fact, he would slash his knife and kill Ethan right there and then, so Ethan should be the one hiding instead.
“Here’s the third piece of advice.” Ethan met Dennis‘ gaze and said, “Run. Now.”
+25 80*US
As Dennis‘ heart sank, then came a loud bang, signaling a shot was fired.
“Don’t move! We have the place surrounded.‘
A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and Dennis stood frozen for seconds, trying to process the news that Ethan had brought armed and geared backup.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Dennis, pale in the face, finally understood the meaning behind Ethan’s words. He immediately rushed out and disappeared into the heavy rain, his men sacrificing themselves to cover his escape.
That day, Dennis suffered a massive loss. His two most trusted men and his son died in the
rain.
Ethan turned to Howard and said, “Come on.”
Howard stood up in a daze and left with Ethan, forgetting all about his pain.
He would never forget that day when Ethan crushed Dennis and made the man pay a very heavy price.
Emerging from his recollection, Howard sighed and wondered how Ethan was doing now.
“Thump. Thump.”
There was a knock on the door.
Howard cleared his mind and said, “Come in.”
A young man entered the room and said with his head lowered, “There has been some activity in Crestwood again, sir.”
Howard scoffed. “Here comes trouble.”
After Ethan rescued Howard, he built the latter as the strongest entity in Seaside City, and Crestwood was no longer a rival.
Ethan had tasked him with restraining all forces in Seaside City and keeping the the shadows, and he had been complying with the instructions to this day.
peace
in
For decades, Seaside City had been in constant turmoil with its people holding to the belief that only the strong could survive.
