An Understated Dominance

“Mark, you’re a smart man --- both learned and skilled in war. Your future is limitless.” “From now on, all my power and assets will be handed over to you.” “You’re already capable of leading on your own. I trust you know what should and shouldn’t be done.” “I’m getting old. There’s not much more I can do to help you. I just have one piece of advice.” “Think thrice before you act. Don’t let your cleverness backfire. Understand?” Eugene Montgomery looked at his adopted son, giving heartfelt words of wisdom. “I will always remember your teachings, foster father!” Mark Montgomery cupped his fists in a salute. “Alright, go make the arrangements. I’ll play along with your ‘wounded pride’ act. From here on, the road is yours to walk.” Eugene Montgomery waved him off. “I will not let you down, Father!” Mark Montgomery gave a deep bow and turned to leave. But just as he stepped outside the gates, a cold sneer crept onto his face. Though he was known throughout Stonia as...

At that thought, a chill ran down Li Guanglong’s spine. If the mastermind behind all this was truly Margaret , then the situation was far more serious than he imagined. Because Margaret had always been a staunch monarchist, known for staying out of court politics. For her to suddenly make a move --- and cause such a commotion --- something was clearly off. What was she after? Or… could it be that she had already chosen a side? Did she know the Emperor didn’t have long to live, and was now laying the groundwork for her own future? The more Li Guanglong thought about it, the more alarmed and uneasy he became. Margaret controlled one of the most powerful intelligence networks in the empire. She could easily cut off all his sources of information, leaving him completely blind and deaf. If that happened, he’d be at a disadvantage before the crown prince battle even officially began. “You’ve always focused your gaze on the princes, treating them as enemies --- competing and...

Around midday, inside Prince Eugene Montgomery’s residence. After lunch, Prince Eugene was in the garden enjoying tea and reading a book. Suddenly, a trusted aide came to report, “My lord, the Second Prince has come to visit.” “Invite him in,” Eugene nodded, showing no surprise, as if he had anticipated it. “Yes, sir.” The aide responded and quickly left. Moments later, Li Guanglong stormed into the rear garden. “Uncle Eugene! Something huge happened in the capital last night!” Even before sitting down, Li Guanglong couldn’t wait to speak. “What matter could make Your Highness this anxious?” Eugene set down his book, smiling calmly. “A number of underground forces led by the Pantheon were completely uprooted last night --- my own interests suffered considerable damage as well!” Li Guanglong said gravely, “The worst part is, this all happened so suddenly. I didn’t receive even a hint beforehand, and after all my investigations, I’ve come up with nothing. I have no ...

"Dustin, you're not joking, are you?" Margaret furrowed her brows slightly. The answer had come too suddenly, leaving her momentarily at a loss. "Would I joke about something like this?" Dustin gave a faint smile and said, "Your brothers are all mediocre and can't carry the weight of leadership. But you're different --- skilled in both civil and martial affairs, brave and wise, with the people and country in your heart. If you were to take the throne, Dragonmarsh would undoubtedly become even more prosperous." "Stop it. I'm just a woman --- how could I be fit to rule an entire nation?" Margaret shook her head. "So what if you're a woman? Why not?" Dustin wasn’t convinced and spoke steadily, "If we look back a thousand years, wasn’t there a female emperor? Even now, she’s still widely admired." "That was different," Margaret shook her head again. "Forget whether it's possib...

“So it’s Princess Anyang. I completely forgot about her,” Upon hearing this, Qian Jin couldn’t help but nod. Although Princess Anyang --- Margaret --- was a woman, she enjoyed deep trust from the emperor. Not only was she granted access to the Royal Observatory, but she also secretly controlled Dragonmarsh’s most powerful intelligence agency. This intelligence network traditionally served only the imperial throne, so even those who were aware of it treated the matter as taboo and dared not interfere. “There are very few neutral forces left. If I can bring Margaret into my camp, my chances of winning would increase by at least 20%,” Li Wenxing said, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Your Highness, Princess Margaret is no simple character. To win her over, we’ll likely have to pay a hefty price,” Qian Jin reminded him. “It’s not easy to recruit Margaret, but getting a bit of intel out of her shouldn’t be that hard,” Li Wenxing said with a calm smile. From what he knew, Margaret...

The storm came fast --- and left just as quickly. From the moment Dustin and Margaret returned to Stonia, only a single night had passed. And in that one night, the entire underground power structure of Stonia had undergone a massive reshuffle. All forces affiliated with the Temple of the Gods, including its vassals, had been uprooted completely. Even some hidden experts died without a sound, leaving no trace. In the presence of Dustin --- a Landed Celestial-level powerhouse --- any disguise or resistance was meaningless. All efforts were futile. The purge operation, orchestrated by Dustin and Margaret, sent shockwaves not only through foreign factions but also among domestic powers. Fear gripped everyone. No one had anticipated the outbreak to happen so fast. Many of the major forces didn’t even catch the slightest hint beforehand. It was like a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky --- far too sudden. Currently, with the fight for the Crown Prince position at a cri...

Zeus was dead. The once-mighty King of the Hall of Gods had rampaged across the Dragonmarsh for days, only to finally fall here --- his body obliterated without a trace. He had reached the peak of the Ultimate Grandmaster realm, only one step away from the legendary Earthly Immortal stage. But that single step was like an insurmountable chasm. No matter how powerful or deep his foundation, in the face of that final threshold, Zeus had no room to resist. In fact, it was that very final step that had trapped him for decades. So when he heard that Dustin had broken through, his mental state instantly collapsed. In the end, he died with bitter hatred. “Whew… It’s finally over.” Staring at the shattered remains of Zeus, Margaret let out a long sigh of relief. After days of dancing on a knife’s edge with two God Kings, she was mentally and physically exhausted. She couldn’t afford a single slip-up. She had to rely solely on her silver tongue to persuade both God Kings...