The Almighty Dominance

The next morning, Alex sat watching the news, his eyes narrowing as the anchor reported on the unrest shaking Vinland State.

Everyone was talking about Jose.

They said he had changed after his son's death and his wife's injury.

Now he was cleaning house, rooting out the corrupt officials who had been trying to undermine him.

Speculation spread like wildfire.

To answer Jose's call, his old loyalists-men who once fought beside him in the rebellion that toppled the tyrant governor-were rising again.

Vinland was witnessing a storm, Jose tightening his grip on power.

"Alex! Alex-something happened!"

Josephine's voice rang out, sharp and urgent, as she rushed down the stairs.

It was already noon, yet she was just now emerging from her room. She had never slept so late before.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, his gut tightening.

"There's... something inside me." She pointed at her stomach, her face pale with panic.

Alex froze. "What do you mean, something inside? Are you pregnant?"

"God, are you stupid? I'm still a virgin!" she snapped, rolling her eyes. But her cheeks burned crimson.

"Then what the hell are you talking about?" Alex pressed, thrown completely off balance.

She hesitated, then burst out, her voice trembling with excitement.

"Didn't you teach me that cultivation technique last night? Well... I did it. I actually did it! There's this warmth, this... seed in my stomach-the core energy you told me about!"

Alex's eyes widened. "What? That fast?"

His voice was sharp with disbelief. If cultivating inner energy were this easy, every martial artist in the world would already be a superhuman.

Normally, it took at least a year of relentless training just to glimpse the first sparks of inner energy.

Even geniuses needed months to form the faintest core. But Josephine was claiming she had succeeded overnight.

Suspicion flickered across Alex's face. He reached for her wrist, fingers steady as he searched her pulse.

His eyes narrowed. There it was—a faint but unmistakable current flowing through her core. Subtle, yes, but real.

kind of energy most

countless martial artists

talent was beyond extraordinary. It was

work was nothing compared to

I told

rare smile tugging at his

prodigy. If you keep this up, you'll become

knew it!" Josephine burst into laughter, grinning wide. "Even if I'm not the sharpest mind on the class, I've

arched a brow. "So

no way! You're the stupid one!"

not great at books or studying, but when it comes to fighting-I shine. There's a saying, right? Everyone's born to succeed, they just need to find their path. Well, mine has always been in

"So, what-you plan to sell your fists for

future he painted

and muttered, "Forget it. I don't

about fighting. I can teach you healing techniques too. That requires inner energy as well.

her voice bursting with excitement. "Yes!

Keep cultivating. I'll teach

say more, his phone

call from an unknown number. He answered. "Who is

you want her back alive, follow the address I'll send. Come alone. If

The line went dead.

at the address and his jaw

The ghost town.

later, Alex stood at the edge of that cursed place. Towering, abandoned buildings and crumbling

the town had died overnight-industries

the streets

dared live here

had become a breeding ground for gangs and mercenaries,

shed blood for

out of the shadows and approached him, boots echoing against the cracked

and said, his voice smooth but mocking, "Welcome, Mr. Alex. This way,

the rat-faced man coldly, gave a short nod, and walked straight inside. The stadium swallowed him

the stands and the field-hulking men with scarred faces, tattoos crawling over their skin, guns gleaming under the floodlights, blades strapped to their backs and

onto him the moment he stepped through the gate. Every glare was a

prey walking into

barked out a laugh. "You're either the dumbest bastard alive... or the

cut across the mob. "It said you know where Jasmine Kingston is. Is she

voices bouncing around the empty stands. Alex tilted his

funny. You know why? Because you're already dead—and yet here

a cold pistol to Alex's forehead. "Tell me don't you

sound was low, dangerous.