Hawthorne stopped mid-step as though an invisible wall had suddenly appeared before him. The smile on his face slowly disappeared, and his hands, which had been raised in preparation to embrace Irene, gradually lowered to his sides. He stared at her in shock and disbelief before calmly asking, “Irene, what do you mean?” “Don’t dare speak!” Irene snapped. He froze again. He had prepared himself for tears, an embrace, questions, and perhaps even anger after everything he had endured, but he had never imagined Irene would greet him like an unwanted stranger. For months, he had wondered whether she was safe, whether she missed him, and whether she still loved him, yet standing before her now made him question everything. “Irene...” he murmured, his voice carrying no anger. “Why are you behaving like this?” Irene ignored him and sharply turned toward the two security guards. Her beautiful face was filled with fury as she pointed at them. “First of all, let me deal with your matters.

Hawthorne slowly looked at Pablo, Kodak and Truman behind him before turning his attention back to Irene. His heart was already bleeding from the way she had treated him, but he still forced a gentle smile onto his face. “First of all, darling—” “Don't ever call me darling with that your stinky mouth again!” Irene snapped. Her words struck Hawthorne harder than the two slaps. His smile froze for a moment, and his throat tightened as he swallowed the pain. Yet he refused to show anger. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I've heard you.” He took a slow breath before continuing. “First of all, their names are Pablo, Kodak, and Truman.” Pointing toward each of them. Pablo is the broadest of the three, with a massive frame and an intimidating face that makes most people instinctively step away. Kodak stands beside him with enormous shoulders, thick arms, and massive fists that look capable of crushing anything placed between them. Truman, on the other hand, has a broad but average

Within minutes....The screech of two sleek Jaguar F-TYPE R cars tore through the tense air outside the luxury boutique, forcing several customers to step back in alarm. SCREECH!!The black vehicles came to a sharp stop directly in front of the entrance, their engines growling as the doors opened almost at the same time. Four able-bodied men rushed down from each vehicle, making eight in total, with Baron, their leader, taking the front while the others followed closely behind. All the eight men wore black trousers, with guns secured behind their belts, while their muscular upper bodies were completely exposed. Their broad chests, well-defined six-packs, and bulging veins made them look intimidating, but Baron, their leader, stood at the front with an especially powerful and imposing physiqueThey moved toward the boutique with stern faces and heavy steps. Their appearance alone made several customers almost shiver, while some quickly moved farther away and continued recording from

Irene had barely disappeared into the boutique when the atmosphere outside finally began to settle, but Hawthorne knew the danger was far from over. Inside, Irene immediately pulled out her phone and made a call, her face still burning with anger as she paced across the floor. She lowered her voice, but the determination in her expression made it clear that whatever she was planning was serious. Outside, Hawthorne turned toward the two security guards who were still on their knees. “Rise to your feets,” he said calmly. “Nothing will happen to you.” The two men looked at each other before slowly pushing themselves up. Their uniforms were still soaked with sweat, and their knees were aching badly from kneeling on the hard floor for so long. One of them almost stumbled backward, but Hawthorne quickly reached out and steadied him. “Take it easy,” Hawthorne said. “You're safe.” The first guard swallowed hard, his eyes filled with relief. “General Hawthorne, thank you. Thank you f

The advanced rifles had barely left the soldiers' hands before Pablo, Kodak, and Truman crashed into the formation with terrifying force. The sound of fists striking armor echoed across the business district as the soldiers struggled to remain standing. Pablo grabbed one soldier by the vest and threw him across the pavement, while Kodak drove his massive fist into another soldier's chest and sent him stumbling backward. Truman moved with surprising speed, striking pressure points and joints with the precision of a trained fighter.“Hold the line!” a soldier shouted. “Don't let them break the formation!”“Take them down!” another soldier yelled.Pablo gritted his teeth. “You picked the wrong men to fight!”The Armogur soldiers refused to surrender. Their guns were already scattered across the ground, but their training remained. Hawthorne had personally taught many of the combat principles they were using now, and those techniques allowed them to move around the giants' attacks, prot