Within minutes… Hawthorne was already standing in front of his modest bungalow, with his surviving legions standing behind him like guards. Pablo and Kodak towered over him, while Truman was of average height, just like him. Hawthorne pressed the doorbell. DING DONG! DING DONG! There was no response from inside. He wondered if Irene hadn't heard the doorbell or perhaps she was sleeping. He pressed it again. DING DONG! DING DONG! Still, there was no response. Hawthorne slowly turned toward his surviving legions and calmly said, “I think my wife isn't around. Maybe she left for work because she's the CEO of a boutique empire named Darl’s Fashion Enterprise. In fact, she's probably always busy.” The three men nodded. Him and the others turned and noticed people watching them through their windows. Some had their mouths hanging open, while others were murmuring among themselves. They turned back, ignoring the people watching them. Hawthorne assumed such reaction

Hawthorne was still waiting for Mr Raymond to respond. Still seeing the confusion and hesitation on his face. He calmly asked, “Why are you wasting so much time?” Mr. Raymond, still caught in the dilemma, finally spoke, “I’m sorry, but I can’t expose the mastermind before I bring a problem upon myself, which might even cost me my life.” Hawthorne already knows that it was Rowan who was frightening Raymond. Rowan was now the Major General, meaning he had enough power and influence to do almost anything. He calmly encouraged Mr. Raymond and firmly tapped his shoulder, “Boldly say his name. Nothing will happen to you. I’m on your side. Once you have someone like me beside you, you have nothing to worry about.” He lowered his voice, speaking with absolute assurance, “For whoever took over my position, that doesn’t mean I’m weak or that I no longer have the strength to fight and defend anyone. Open up. Don’t be afraid. I’m still the same Hawthorne Storm you’ve known from day one—t

Mr. Raymond asked him, “Where’s your phone? Since you have no idea where your wife is, I think you should have called her to find out her whereabouts.” Hawthorne remembered his fight with Behemoth, which had caused him to lose his phone in the process. The beast had forcefully torn away his trousers, along with his singlet and shirt, and his phone had been inside the pocket of the trousers that were ripped away. He fell into deep thought. He decided to keep the whole incident that had caused him to lose his phone to himself for now. Everything was not meant to be exposed publicly. However, he planned to tell Mr. Raymond and his surviving legions about what he had gone through during his absence once they were in a secure place. Mr. Raymond was especially important because of how close they had been for years. It would not make sense to keep such a serious matter from him forever. He also intended to tell his surviving legions. But for now, there was no time to begin

Hawthorne kept his eyes on the road, but every passing second made the need to find Irene feel heavier inside his chest.The van was now moving along Meadow Road, a moderate and relatively quiet part of the city filled with high schools and colleges. Morning sunlight spread across the buildings, reflecting from classroom windows and the windshields of passing cars. Pablo was behind the wheel, while Kodak and Truman sat nearby, their freshly washed faces and clean clothes making them almost unrecognizable compared with the wild, exhausted men who had walked out of prison.“Pablo,” Hawthorne said, looking through the windshield, “keep driving. I’ll direct you as we get closer to the location. Irene.”Pablo nodded. “Understood, leader.”Kodak pulled at the shirt Raymond had given him and frowned. “I still don't like this shirt.”Pablo glanced at him and laughed. “You should be grateful it survived this long.”“Easy for you to say,” Kodak replied. “Look at the sleeves. They are fighting

Minutes later....Darls Boutique Enterprise finally came into view, and Hawthorne's heart began beating faster with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty about whether Irene was there.“Pablo, park the van beside the car parks behind the boutique,” he commanded.“Yes, my boss,” Pablo replied immediately.The van turned into the rear parking area and came to a smooth stop. Hawthorne pushed the door open and stepped down, followed by Pablo, Kodak, and Truman. For a few seconds, the four men simply stood there, staring at the massive luxury boutique before them.Darls Boutique Enterprise looked even grander than Hawthorne remembered.The entire building was decorated with beautiful gold and purple designs that reflected the morning sunlight. Bright neon lights displayed the boutique's name across the upper section of the building, making it impossible for anyone passing by to miss it. Through the huge glass walls, customers could be seen moving from one section to another while worker