Alexander rolled his shoulders once, testing his body. His breathing steadied quickly, and despite the loss of spiritual energy, his composure did not waver.The hooded man frowned, clearly unsettled. “Still pretending to be calm?” he asked.He reached beneath his cloak, and a faint metallic sound broke the silence. From within his sleeve, he drew a strange weapon unlike any ordinary knife.The blade curved like a hunting talon, and jagged serrations lined one edge, designed to tear flesh rather than simply cut it. A faint blue sheen shimmered across the steel. Poison.Alexander recognized it immediately. The man had no intention of capturing him. He meant to kill him.“Let’s see,” the hooded man sneered as he twirled the blade between his fingers, “how dangerous the famous live-in son-in-law really is without his little tricks.”Without warning, he lunged forward. The curved blade sliced through the air toward Alexander’s throat with lethal speed.Alexander tilted his head just enoug

Alexander reached her at the exact moment the cage descended. Without slowing, he wrapped one arm around her and twisted his body, shielding her completely. Then he turned his back toward the falling steel. The impact came instantly.A violent crash exploded through the room as the cage slammed onto Alexander’s shoulders and back with crushing force.The sound of something cracking echoed sickeningly beneath the thunderous collision. Pain erupted through his entire body.His knees gave way under the weight, forcing him down onto one knee as the steel pressed heavily against him. Warm blood seeped through his torn shirt, dripping steadily onto the cold concrete floor beneath.For a brief moment, his vision blurred from the shock. The hooded man burst into laughter, his voice filled with cruel satisfaction. “So this is the mighty Alexander?” he mocked. “Reduced to a human shield!”Alexander gritted his teeth as the pain burned through every nerve. With his spiritual energy suppressed, h

Alexander shook his head. “There isn’t time to explain.”He deliberately avoided mentioning the hidden clan, the suppression of his spiritual energy, and the existence of the cultivator-targeting drug. Those truths could not be exposed so easily.Instead, he issued a calm, decisive order. “Take Clara somewhere safe.”The Crime Boss 1 nodded without hesitation. “Understood.”Before anyone could act, Clara stepped forward. “No.”Every gaze turned toward her.She walked straight to Alexander and gripped his arm tightly, her hands trembling as she felt the strain in his body.“You’re badly hurt,” she said, her voice unsteady. Blood continued to drip from his shoulder, and she could feel the subtle tremor he was trying to conceal. “You’re coming to the hospital.”Alexander gently removed her hand. “I can’t.”“You have to,” she insisted“No.” His refusal was quiet, but absolute.“The person behind this…” he continued, his eyes darkening, “…is still here.”Clara stared at him, confusion and

Nahir glanced briefly toward the guest room before lowering his voice. “If you really want answers…” he continued, gesturing toward the emergency stairwell at the end of the corridor, “we should talk somewhere private.”Alexander studied him carefully. Every instinct warned him that this was a trap, yet it was also the first genuine opportunity to confront him directly.After a brief pause, he nodded. “Fine.”Nahir turned and led the way.The heavy stairwell door closed behind them with a dull, echoing thud, cutting off the noise of the hotel entirely.The narrow stairwell was dimly lit by emergency lights, casting long shadows across the concrete steps and walls. The air felt colder, heavier, as though the space itself had been sealed off from the rest of the world.Nahir descended a few steps before stopping deliberately near the edge of the staircase.Alexander noticed the positioning immediately. “You’ve become cautious,” he observed.Nahir let out a soft chuckle. “And you’ve beco

Nahir lowered his head until it nearly touched the ground, his shoulders trembling as if he were barely holding himself together.“I’m begging you,” he said hoarsely. “Please don’t divorce her. Forgive her. I’ll step aside—I promise. I only want her to be happy.”Alexander stared at him, disbelief written plainly across his face. Only moments ago, this same man had calmly admitted to kidnapping and attempted murder, yet now he looked like a man willing to sacrifice everything for love.The contrast was so extreme that it bordered on absurd.Taking a step forward, Alexander began, “What kind of game are you—”Before he could finish, Nahir leaned closer without lifting his head and whispered so softly that no one else could hear. “Stay away from her.”The pitiful tone vanished instantly, replaced by something cold, possessive, and lethal. “She’s mine.”Alexander’s eyes flashed with fury. Without thinking, he grabbed Nahir by the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. “Stop prete