Novels by Camellia

The large group sped forward unhindered. Neither the eerie Fiends nor the Ghost Slaughter Sect’s Coffin Bearers were anywhere to be seen.Yet no one dared to relax. All understood that this calm was merely the lull before the storm.Albert walked side by side with Emily, close at her shoulder. Albert had deliberately drawn near, and after glancing at him, Emily made no move to push him away.The sight stirred bitter envy in the onlookers. Waldron trembled, his eyes bloodshot, while Frank stayed at the front of the party to spare himself further irritation.Eventually Ida sent him a quiet soul transmission, urging restraint. If infighting broke out before they even reached the Ghost Heavenly Altar, their mission would be doomed from within.Albert sulkily eased back a fraction.They raced forward without obstruction for roughly the span of one incense stick. Then a sudden chill pricked every heart, and all looked sharply ahead.Tall, pale, frigid pillars rose into view. They recognized

Albert pressed it into Emily’s palm and said casually, "This is called the Nine-Vein Sacred Heart Lotus. It is a top-tier heavenly treasure capable of healing all lingering aftereffects and reinforcing one’s foundation.""The Nine-Vein Sacred Heart Lotus? You actually obtained it." Emily was visibly moved. When they parted, Albert had told her he would seek this treasure from Lord Martin’s bloodline. Back then, she had not fully grasped its value. But after gathering countless records at Sacred Light Ancient Academy, she finally understood how extraordinary it was. Even many high-ranking Divine Tier Realm experts coveted the Nine-Vein Sacred Heart Lotus.Knowing its immense rarity, Emily was utterly stunned. She had never expected Albert to truly acquire it."This treasure is far too precious. You… you must have gone through tremendous trouble to get it, haven’t you?" Warmth flooded Emily’s heart, and her gaze toward Albert softened."You burned your Light Heart to protect me once. Na

Fortunately, that bluish-black giant serpent was Euphemia in her transformed form. If it had been any other powerful foe, he would likely have been captured and trapped in a dire predicament by now.Having done such a thing, he still dared to stare at him like this. Did he think Albert was still the same man he had been an hour ago?Now that his greatest support had arrived, Albert feared nothing.Waldron said coldly, "I could not stop that bluish-black giant serpent, so why should I struggle to block it? Must I risk my life fighting for you?"Albert smiled. "Whether you truly could not stop it, or simply chose not to, I suspect you know the truth in your own heart."The others wore varied expressions. Regardless of whether Waldron lacked the strength to resist or merely refused to fight, everyone had witnessed him retreat without striking a blow. They were supposed to be allies after all, and Waldron’s conduct inevitably stirred quiet disapproval among them.No one wished to risk the

A fetching blush spread across Emily’s fair cheeks. Bold and unrestrained as she had been moments earlier, she now found herself at a loss for how to proceed.She tried to pull back.But Albert grinned inwardly. She had already come this close; how could he possibly let her slip away so easily?He wrapped his hand around the fair wrist that clutched his collar. Her skin felt smooth and tender, like the finest jade, impossible to let go of.He parted his lips, forcefully parting her rosy mouth, and swept in without restraint, advancing unyieldingly.Faced with Albert’s sudden domineering shift, the usually formidable, sharp Emily appeared vulnerable, dodging and yielding again and again.Her surrender filled Albert with elation. He leaned into the moment, indulging in their tender embrace.Emily, who would have thought you’d submit so obediently one day!Pink crept over her delicate ivory earlobes. Her stiff frame gradually softened as the emotions she had long suppressed surged forth

With such a fiancée by his side, Albert would likely not end up in such a miserable predicament again in the future.As this thought crossed Euphemia’s mind, her fingers gripping the Emerald Bamboo Serpent Staff gradually loosened.If this young woman truly was Albert’s fiancée, technically speaking, she ought to address Euphemia as her elder cousin. Still, Euphemia had no intention of bringing this up herself.Truth be told, she cared little whether the girl acknowledged the kinship.She could sense Emily restraining the surging light soul power within her body. Even if Emily harbored no intent to attack her, the inherent clash between their elemental affinities could never be avoided.Much like Euphemia herself, countless destructive emotions churned deep inside her.Kill Emily?Fortunately, both women possessed extraordinary self-control, and such turbulent feelings could not dictate their actions.Even so, their friction meant they were ill-suited to stay in close proximity.Were

The moment this sword materialized, the void trembled violently, and an immensely terrifying wave of energy swept forth like a storm.Tiny veins bulged on the back of Emily’s hand gripping the hilt."Divine Tier Art: Seven Treasure Glazed Light Sword."Emily’s gaze turned razor-sharp. She locked onto the Blood Coffin Man standing at the hall’s entrance, whispering words audible only to herself.If Toni were here, she would undoubtedly gasp in shock. This divine tier art wielded by Emily was created by the Third Dean of their Sacred Light Ancient Academy, a quasi-high-tier technique!No one expected the Third Dean to pass down this art to Emily, much less that she would master it completely.What staggering talent she possessed.At the hall entrance, the Blood Coffin Man halted in his tracks. For the first time, terror flickered across his ferocious face. The great sword in Emily’s hands emanated an aura of certain death.Flesh writhed wildly all over his body. Countless eyeballs burst

Heath said, “When the next truck arrives, we’ll follow it directly and map out the entire chain.”“Eight children died. Won’t they tighten security?” Ford voiced his concern.“It’s a tragedy to us, nothing more than an operational accident to them. The incident took place in an unplanned development zone. They have enough clout to sweep it under the rug, so they won’t change how they operate.”“We’ll do it your way. You get the vehicle, I’ll pick up plain clothes.” Ford nodded.……Inside a storefront on Nanyang Road, Oakley sat smoking on the sofa.A young subordinate stepped forward to report. “Salem’s locked up, and I can’t handle the three deals he was managing.”“Salem won’t be out anytime soon. Which shipments are they?”“One bound for South Spire, and two for Viera.”Oakley pondered for a moment. “Wrap up these three jobs quickly. After that, suspend all human trafficking operations. Shift all our resources to the drug route and go head-to-head against Pierce. The drug trade tur

Inside the news broadcast station’s office area, Ford canceled his scheduled meeting and prepared to head out.Raven pressed him with confusion, but Ford only tossed out one line. "A new case, and it’s a heavy one."Several hours later, in the slums of Black Street, Ford arrived at Heath’s rented bungalow.The thirty-square-meter room was cluttered and dilapidated. Stains marred the concrete floor, an old bookshelf covered an entire wall, and daily necessities lay scattered everywhere. Once equally gifted young men, their fates had diverged drastically.Ford frowned and sighed. Heath instantly grew defensive and self-deprecating. "No wealthy father, no fancy mansion for me."Ford quickly backtracked, remarking that a talent like him never deserved to end up in such straits.Heath let out a weary, bitter smile and laid bare the gap between expectation and reality. Back in school, he had openly criticized systemic corruption and even earned recognition for it. Once he stepped into the w

As one of his men pulled out a phone, shrill police sirens suddenly cut through the night. Eight police pickup trucks raced over.Dusk yelled through a megaphone, "Everyone, get on the ground with your hands on your heads!"Salem’s face turned pale. "They hit us with this coordinated move.""This is your final warning. We will open fire if you refuse to comply."The vehicles screeched to a halt. Kane stepped out of the car and glanced at Salem. "You look pretty banged up."Salem gritted his teeth and glared. "You guys didn’t hold back at all."Hartley swung his baton. "Get down on the ground when you speak to the captain!"After taking several blows, Salem stopped resisting."Dusk, take all the others back to the precinct," Kane ordered flatly before turning to Salem. "I’ll take you to the precinct hospital."Hartley grabbed Salem by the collar and dragged him into the police car. Salem was filled with confusion. He did not expect Kane to send him for medical treatment first.Once ins

"Poaching clients, sabotaging our business, flooding the market to undercut us." Slater’s voice turned icy as he swung the pipe repeatedly. Gruesome sounds of cracking bones cut through the air. "If you refuse to play by the rules, we’ll tear them up entirely."The three men huddled in the snow, beaten and helpless.Slater pressed his boot down on one man’s skull and exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke. "Everyone sells their own goods and stays within their territory. If you stir up trouble behind our backs again, you’ll vanish for good. Do you understand?"Blood foamed in the white-haired subordinate’s mouth, yet he shot back defiantly. "If you want a war, we’ll fight you till the end.""As you wish."Slater seized the two crates of goods and waved his men to drive the trio away.……Inside a nearby gambling den, Slater sat quietly to catch his breath. The den owner eyed him warily and urged him to lay low, unwilling to get dragged into the conflict.Slater agreed readily. Moments late

Oakley picked up a slice of lamb, speaking casually. "I’ll be straight with you. Wade also came to see me. But your uncle and I have a tighter bond, and you know that well."Pierce chose his words carefully. "What terms did Wade offer you?""First answer me this — do you want to move your goods into my territory?"Pierce pretended to agree. "Naturally.""What’s the cut?""I offer a seventy-thirty split to everyone else. If Brother Oakley handles distribution, I can bump it up to forty percent for you."The smile vanished from Oakley’s face in an instant. He never expected such harsh terms."I don’t call all the shots for this supply line. Forty percent is the absolute maximum."Oakley set down his chopsticks, his gaze turning icy. "Do you take me for some beggar?""Brother Oakley, that’s not how you should put it.""You carry on eating. I just remembered I need to make a call home." Oakley stood and clapped Pierce on the shoulder. "Wade knows how to show respect far better than you do

“Clearwater Trading’s backed by Cole and Kane, plus Duke’s old connections. Most local factions have chosen to align themselves with them.”Oakley rolled down the car window and lit a cigarette.“I figured Pierce would reach out first. Not a word. Someone must’ve spilled my history to him.”“Maybe he’ll reach out soon?”“Won’t happen.” Oakley thought for two minutes, then ordered Joren to set small-scale provocations to force Pierce to come knocking.“Is that safe? It could blow up into chaos.”“Stick to the plan, and we stay clean. Once Pierce comes to negotiate, Wade will send his own offer at the same time. Let them bid against each other to drive up the price.”“Who do you plan to side with in the end?”“Wade’s territory is far more stable, and we already know his crew. The best play is to use Pierce to push Wade’s offer higher. My bottom line is a sixty percent cut; I’m aiming for eighty. The power structure on Black Street is set. Whoever wins me over controls the whole stretch.

Takahashi Masachi wore a grim expression. He was trying to figure out how to comfort his son when his phone suddenly rang.He pulled out the device and saw an unfamiliar number, then answered the call without hesitation.Right away, Takehiko Ito’s voice came from the other end of the line."Brother Takahashi, I heard your son was attacked in Tokyo today?"On the surface, Takehiko Ito’s tone sounded somewhat concerned, yet anyone with a shred of sense could hear the undisguised mockery beneath it.Takahashi Masachi’s face darkened. "Ito, I saved your number before. Have you changed phones?""Not at all," Takehiko Ito chuckled. "My number remains the same. I’m calling from my assistant’s phone. I was afraid if you saw my name pop up on your screen, you wouldn’t bring yourself to answer. Hahaha!"Takahashi Masachi’s expression turned stormy instantly.Takehiko Ito was right. If he had known the caller was him, he would never have picked up.He could not believe how petty this man was, us

The words of lifting the Bruce Family to stand atop the world echoed endlessly in Louise and Michael’s ears from that moment onward.What Michael did not know was that plastered against the wall outside his room was a pitch-black figure, clinging like a gecko.Holding a spy-grade audio amplifier, the figure recorded every word spoken during the video conference between the three family members.This shadowy figure was none other than Fujibayashi Masatetsu, the ninjutsu master retained by the Takahashi Clan.Takahashi Masachi had learned that the ninja was already at the Aman Hotel and ordered him to keep Michael under surveillance. As two parties preparing to negotiate cooperation, gaining advance knowledge of the opponent’s bottom line and hidden cards would guarantee an overwhelming advantage.Leaking your hand is the biggest risk in any business negotiation.It is just like playing cards.When you play three-card poker, knowing your opponent’s hand means you will never lose. Even i

Louise asked in surprise, "Dad, if we pick one family to partner with, can’t we just focus on the cooperation? There’s no need to help them fight the other clan, right?"Jonas said, "I visited your grandfather today. The old man mentioned that the Smith family seems to be aiming to grab a slice of the ocean shipping industry. So if we side with the Takahashi family, the Smiths will definitely align with the Ito family, and vice versa."Jonas paused briefly before continuing. "Your grandfather’s stance is clear. If we choose the Takahashis, we team up with them to take down the Ito family. If we go with the Itos, we join forces with them to eliminate the Takahashis. Under no circumstances can we leave any opening for the Smith family."Michael asked in shock, "The Smith family wants a piece of this business too?""That’s right," Jonas nodded. "I suspect they only want to follow in our footsteps after seeing us break into this industry."Michael said coldly, "The Smith family is overest

Louise asked in surprise, "Dad, if we pick one family to partner with, can’t we just focus on the cooperation? There’s no need to help them fight the other clan, right?"Jonas said, "I visited your grandfather today. The old man mentioned that the Smith family seems to be aiming to grab a slice of the ocean shipping industry. So if we side with the Takahashi family, the Smiths will definitely align with the Ito family, and vice versa."Jonas paused briefly before continuing. "Your grandfather’s stance is clear. If we choose the Takahashis, we team up with them to take down the Ito family. If we go with the Itos, we join forces with them to eliminate the Takahashis. Under no circumstances can we leave any opening for the Smith family."Michael asked in shock, "The Smith family wants a piece of this business too?""That’s right," Jonas nodded. "I suspect they only want to follow in our footsteps after seeing us break into this industry."Michael said coldly, "The Smith family is overest

Voices from the three other men came through the walkie-talkie at once. "Understood, Senior Brother."The two pitch-black paragliders slowly descended before touching down on the rooftop of the Aman Hotel. The moment they landed, the lead ninja immediately placed a call to Takahashi Masachi, the father of Takahashi Eikichi.Takahashi Masachi was currently at the hospital. His eldest son, Takahashi Eikichi, was undergoing surgery to have steel plates implanted in his broken arms. Once the operation concluded, he would need to wear casts and rest for no less than three months before he could begin gradual recovery.Upon answering the call, Takahashi Masachi spoke immediately. "Mr. Fujibayashi, how is the operation progressing?"The man addressed as Mr. Fujibayashi was the leader of the four ninjas.His name was Fujibayashi Masatetsu, and the Fujibayashi clan ranked among Japan’s four great ninja lineages.Throughout the history of Japanese ninjutsu, there existed a grand master of the a

Satisfied with the orderly production workflow and qualified product quality on site, Alan did not linger any longer. He turned to Claude and Berg and said, "That will do. Let us head back and rest; we leave for Yokohama tomorrow."As they were leaving Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, Claude hurried ahead to open the car door for Alan.Alan lifted one leg to step into the vehicle when his body froze abruptly for several seconds.Claude asked anxiously, "Young master, is something the matter?"Alan furrowed his brows faintly, then replied in an unruffled tone, "Nothing. Let’s go."With that, he climbed into the car.Shortly afterward, the motorcade departed the premises in neat formation.On the rooftop of a building directly across from the pharmaceutical plant, four men clad head-to-toe in black lay prone side by side.Every part of their bodies was concealed beneath black gear: black hoods, black robes, black footwear, and black gloves covering their hands.Their attire was vastly differen