The moment Faith opened her mouth to scream again— Needle’s expression turned vicious. Without hesitation, he clamped his hand tightly over her mouth, muffling her cries before they could carry any further. “Mmhh—!!” Faith struggled violently, twisting and kicking her small body with all her strength. Panic filled her eyes as tears began to stream down her cheeks. But she didn’t give up. With a sudden burst of resistance, she opened her mouth and bit down hard on Needle’s hand. Her small teeth sank into his skin, the pain was sharp and merciless. “Ugh—!” Needle grimaced in pain, his face contorting for a brief moment. The bite was far stronger than he had expected from a child. For an instant, his grip loosened. But he quickly tightened it again. There was no time to waste. His eyes darted around nervously. He knew very well— If he delayed even a little longer, the Lancaster family’s nanny would arrive. And if that happened… Everything would be over.

Christopher closed his eyes briefly, forcing the storm inside him into submission. Then he spoke again, his voice was calm. “I agree,” “But first… I want to hear my daughter’s voice.” he said slowly, each word measured. Silence fell on the other end of the line. Christopher’s eyes darkened, he tightened his grip on the phone. “If I can’t be sure of my daughter’s safety,” he continued, his tone dropping into something cold enough to freeze the air, “then there is no chance I’ll come alone.” A faint static crackled. Then, after what felt like an eternity, Needle finally spoke. “…Fine.” A brief rustling sound followed. Then— “Daddy, where are you?” Faith’s soft, trembling voice pierced through the speaker. In that instant, the world seemed to stop. Christopher, who had faced countless battles, who had stood unshaken before death itself—felt something inside him break. His vision blurred, and a faint shimmer gathered in his eyes despite his iron will. “Faith…”

“Faith… I missed you so much.” Christopher pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly—far tighter than he ever held anything in this world. For a moment, the man who stood at the peak of power, the one feared across continents, the king who had faced armies without blinking… Was nothing more than a father. His breathing slowed against her shoulder, but deep within— The storm had never stopped. During those three days, he had not shown it. Not once. His face had remained calm. His voice steady. His commands absolute. But only he knew— How many times his thoughts had drifted into darkness. How many times he had imagined the worst… and crushed those thoughts with sheer will. He could face ten thousand enemies without fear. But when it came to his daughter— Even the smallest uncertainty… Was enough to shake him. “Daddy…” Faith’s soft voice pulled him back. She blinked her large, bright eyes, her expression turning slightly pitiful as she lowered her

Anna looked at him with curiosity and asked, “A trip? Where are we going?” Christopher answered calmly, “To Raveholt City.” “Raveholt City?” Anna’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement. “That sounds nice. It’s been a long time since I travelled that far.” Christopher smiled faintly. “Since you like it, we will leave in seven days.” Anna nodded happily, her mood instantly lifted. “Now that C&A Group has stabilized in Gravemonth City, our next step is Raveholt City. This trip will also help us understand the market there better.” Christopher did not say much, he only smiled, but deep inside, he had other plans. Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Christopher and Anna boarded a first-class flight and headed straight to Raveholt City. At the same time, the entire city was already becoming lively and tense. Martial artists, assassins, and gang members from different places had all gathered there because of one thing — the martial arts competition hosted by the As

Thorne stepped forward and bowed slightly as he answered respectfully, “Boss.” Sebastian looked at him calmly and said, “You will accompany Ronan to Gravemonth City and make sure he remains safe throughout the journey.” Thorne nodded without hesitation and replied, “Yes, Boss.” Sebastian then turned his attention to Ronan, a faint smile appearing on his face as he said, “With Thorne protecting you, you have nothing to worry about. Once you complete this mission, I will appoint you as the Vice Leader of the Iron Serpent.” Hearing this, Ronan was filled with excitement and quickly responded, “Thank you, Boss!” Although he was the young master of the Iron Serpent, his authority within the organization had always been limited. If he became the Vice Leader, his status would rise above everyone else, second only to the leader himself. Meanwhile, Darius stood at the side, completely stunned. As the current leader of the Iron Serpent, he had not even spoken, yet Sebastian had alread