Ch. 761..770

Chapter 761 Jotham’s Private Force

The leader sorted things out on their end and agreed for Branden and the others to leave Florona. He even released Amos to Catherine.

After promising Branden that anyone he wanted to take could leave, the leader, with their troop of guards, left the dock.

But as the guard team departed, a bunch of mysterious figures in black encircled Branden and his group. Their sinister eyes made their intentions clear.

Zobber and the others were puzzled. They thought inwardly, “Aren’t the leader’s people gone? Why this new group?”

“Catherine, did the leader of Florona change his mind? This is way too quick, “Zobber questioned.

Catherine shook her head and denied Zobber’s speculation. Catherine wasn’t aware of the exact terms Branden had agreed upon, but she knew that making the leader break his rules and accept their conditions to leave Florona meant those conditions must have been enticing. The leader wouldn’t easily ruin the deal.

The only possibility was that these individuals weren’t the leader’s guards. They must have another agenda. They possibly targeted Regan, who was with Catherine now.

Branden strolled and held Catherine’s hand. He was seemingly carefree despite the menacing circle around them.

Paxton stood by and coldly eyed the surrounding ominous figures in black. He was well aware they were here for them. “Mr. Duncan, this leader is so dirty. We just got our deal, and now they’re bothering us?”

Branden’s face darkened, and he scanned the area with his cold eyes. His deal with the leader was for Catherine’s group to leave Florona safely without clashing with the guards. The leader had agreed and kept this promise.

However, the leader wouldn’t intervene if others on Florona tried to harm them. In fact, the leader might be watching and testing their strength from a distance. For Florona, this looming conflict had benefits and no drawbacks. They wouldn’t bother to stop it.

If it were Branden, he’d make the same choice to be a bystander. Regan recognized the black-clad figures and realized they were Jotham’s private force hidden on the island. It was a reward for his loyalty to the leader.

Seeing the menacing demeanor of these individuals, Regan worried they might target her son, Branden. Regan shielded Branden and glared fiercely at the black-clad figures. “What do you want? I want to see Jotham! Tell him to come out.”

Branden glanced down at Regan, who was shielding him. With his deep eyes, his inner thoughts were complex and hard to decipher.

When Catherine noticed the change in Branden’s eyes, she tightened her grip on his hand. As Branden turned to glance at Catherine, their eyes met, and an unspoken understanding passed between them.

The black-clad figures, faced with Regan’s inquiry, remained cold and adamant. “Mrs. Regan, forgive our impertinence. Mr. Johnson has a request. Please come with us, and we’ll handle the rest.”

“What do you mean by ‘handle’? What are you planning?” Regan asked, and she was agitated.

Without answering her, the black-clad figures gestured and moved to use force to take Regan away, but before they could touch her, Paxton swiftly incapacitated them.

“Ah!” A cry echoed as Paxton threw one of the black-clad figures over his shoulder and made him fall to the ground.

Chapter 762 The Weapons

“Paxton’s move isn’t cutting it. If he goes up just an inch more, that guy’s done for.” Zobber stood aside and commented with a smile.

Withal chimed in, “Makes sense. Look at that guy. His footing’s all off. Paxton’s targeting is slightly off.”

As they fervently discussed, Paxton was entangled in a scuffle with a dozen burly figures dressed in black. Despite Paxton’s formidable strength, he struggled against their relentless rotation, all the while trying to listen to his friends’ banter.

After delivering a swift kick to a charging figure in black, Paxton finally found a moment. He turned back toward Zobber and the others. Then he yelled in frustration, “Are you guys so capable? Why don’t you join in?”

Zobber shrugged casually and replied, We’re not cut out for this physical stuff. That’s all you.”

Paxton, who was exasperated, had no way with Zobber. Now, he couldn’t spare a moment to deal with her either. While they argued with each other, he continued grappling with the figures in black.

Zobber, who had been observing for a while, suddenly acted. With a swift step, she charged forward, kicked one of the black-clad men, and sent him flying. She looked coldly at the fallen man with a killing intent. “Come at me face to face. Dare to sneak? I’ll finish you off.”

The black-clad man had tried to ambush Paxton while he was distracted chatting with them earlier. As Paxton found himself overwhelmed from multiple sides, Zobber caught sight of it.

As much as she enjoyed spectating, Zobber wouldn’t stand for troublemaking. Her fiery temper flared, especially with such underhanded tactics.

Paxton glanced at the fallen black-clad man and managed a thumbs-up toward Zobber in between. Zobber shot him a haughty glance and waved her hand to signal him to carry on with his solo act.

Midway through, for some reason, all the black-clad men suddenly retreated. Sensing trouble, Paxton immediately withdrew toward Branden’s side.

A strange sound echoed, and everyone’s expressions turned serious. They all knew the sudden retreat of the black-clad men signified something significant. Sure enough, the next moment, they understood.

After being absent for a while, Jotham drove slowly toward them in a large pickup truck with two massive weapons positioned by his side. Within such close range, the armaments he brought were more than enough to overpower everyone present.

Faced with such overwhelming armaments, even the toughest fighters stood powerless. No wonder the black- clad men were pulled out. They were preparing for a major offensive.

The faces of those present grew increasingly grim. They realized that the real crisis was underway.

Ronin and the others immediately stood in front of Catherine. “Catherine, you go ahead later. We’ve got this covered.”

Catherine glanced at them with a faint smile.

She thought inwardly, “With heavy weaponry aimed their way, how can they possibly fend it off? Use their bodies as shields? Abandoning my teammates isn’t something I can bring myself to do.”

Regan’s face turned pale as she saw the weapons Jotham brought out. She dropped her usual demeanor and shouted loudly toward Jotham. She hoped he’d heed her words. Regan didn’t intend to leave or betray Jotham. It had been years since she’d seen her son. Branden risked his life to find her and wanted just a glimpse to confirm she was alive. Regan thought it was not wrong.

But Jotham was entirely deaf to her pleas. Right now, he only wanted to wipe out every member of the Duncans present. The fire burning within him for over a decade finally had a chance to vent. He couldn’t miss such an opportunity.

“Regan, if you listen to me, stand by my side. I promise to release a group of people!” He pointed toward Zobber and the others as he said, “I have no grudge against you all. Since the leader agrees for you to leave, as long as you don’t meddle, leave quietly. I won’t take your lives.”

Facing Jotham’s terms for safe passage, Zobber and the others were indifferent. They had been following Catherine for years, and as long as she stayed, they’d follow her, even to hell.

Their indifference thoroughly infuriated Jotham. He knew just how despicable human nature could be. Today, in front of everyone, he was determined to reveal their hypocritical faces.

With Jotham’s gesture, his men loaded their weapons and aimed at Branden and the others.

Catherine turned to glance at Branden nearby, and Branden instantly understood Catherine’s intention. Just as Jotham was about to give the final order, Branden and Catherine simultaneously acted.

Witnessing this, the crowd erupted in cheers. Zobber exclaimed in amazement, “It’s rare to see Catherine make a move, but I never expected her and Mr. Duncan to act together! This scene is unreal! Who do you think is tougher, Catherine or Mr. Duncan?”

Ronin, being Catherine’s biggest fan, was the first to step up. “There is no doubt that it’s Catherine. Mr. Duncan is always under her thumb. That’s solid evidence.”

Hearing Ronin’s words, Paxton felt extremely aggrieved. Ronin was mocking him just a while ago while Paxton was fighting. Holding back his frustration, Paxton immediately retorted, “No matter how tough Catherine is, she’s still under Mr. Duncan!”

His words silenced the crowd. Ronin’s face turned crimson. He couldn’t find a rebuttal for a moment. The others silently gave Paxton a thumbs-up. They thought Paxton didn’t treat them as outsiders and dared to say anything.

Paxton decided to stop there. After all, he had witnessed Catherine’s might and was afraid of her prowess.

On the other side, Branden and Catherine joined forces. They were both formidable powerhouses with astounding speed. The team of dozens stood no chance against them.

Branden took the lead while Catherine launched surprise attacks. In the blink of an eye, they reached Jotham. It was too close for the large weapons to aim properly.

The black-clad men struggled to create distance, but under the overwhelming force of Branden and Catherine, they couldn’t withstand their advance.

As they got increasingly close, Jotham witnessed the astonishing power of Branden and Catherine, and his anger peaked. He didn’t expect an exceptional talent from the Duncans. Unable to handle the two, he decided to target their friends first.

Jotham stepped in front of the weapons and aimed directly at Zobber and the others. He prepared to wipe them out. Using their lives as leverage, he aimed to inflict pain on Branden and Catherine.

Chapter 763 Sacrifice

As Jotham aimed his weapon in Zobber’s direction and was ready to pull the trigger, a blur shot past him. Instinctively, he let go and dodged.

Before Jotham set foot on Florona, he had once been a reigning force and treaded a dark path. He was fierce in combat, every move lethal.

After the blur passed, Jotham regained composure and faced the situation calmly. But Branden’s prowess was overwhelming. Despite Jotham’s experience, he was no match.

After a few exchanges, Jotham found himself overpowered by Branden, who had a firm grip on his throat. A little more pressure, and Jotham would be meeting his maker.

Jotham was defeated, and his crew fell incapacitated by the combined force of Catherine and Zobber. All of them fell to the ground.

Branden exerted a bit more force, and it caused even a tough man like Jotham to wince in pain. Enduring the agony, Jotham glared back at Branden. “Your grandfather took me down back then, and today, it’s your turn. I thought the Duncans with your good-for-nothing dad would eventually fall. I didn’t expect you to be quite impressive. Come on. Enough talk. Let’s finish this.

After saying that, Jotham closed his eyes and was prepared for Branden to end it. The winner took all. That was the rule he knew in this life. Since he confronted Branden and lost, he had to accept it.

Seeing Branden subdue Jotham, Regan breathed a sigh of relief. But when Jotham conceded, and Branden prepared to strike, her heart raced up.

Her relationship with Jotham all these years was genuine. She knew Jotham’s feelings for her very well. She was grateful to have encountered Jotham again. Without him, she might not have been in this world.

Years ago, during her husband’s infidelity, Regan had spiraled into severe mental distress and contemplated ending it all. Then Jotham received word and returned. He proposed taking her away from Casier to Florona, where no one could find them, under the condition of never leaving. Without a second thought, Regan agreed, and Jotham abandoned his career to be with her.

Regan knew she could never repay this debt. Despite feeling ashamed in front of her son, she decided to try once more for Jotham’s sake. If Branden refused, she was willing to leave this world with Jotham. Just as Regan was about to speak up, the leader, who had initially departed, returned.

Catherine looked at the scheming leader coldly. When two parties fought with each other, he stood aside. With one party defeated and his interests at stake, the leader eagerly returned. His intentions were transparent on his face.

Despite the leader’s persuasion, Branden remained stoic and was seemingly unconcerned with his presence. This attitude made the leader uncomfortable. He had intended to be more forceful. However, after witnessing Branden’s capabilities, he quickly dismissed that idea. Some powerful individuals were best left unprovoked.

As the situation reached a stalemate, Regan stepped forward. She looked at Branden with her red eyes, and she hesitated before finally speaking. She said, “Branden…”

Branden stared at her expressionlessly and offered no response.

Regan, though hesitant, continued, Branden, I know I have no right, but please spare Jotham. I’ll make amends for his wrongdoings. If you release him now, I’m willing to sacrifice myself, even to die.”

Jotham was astonished. He’d always believed Regan didn’t care about him. He didn’t expect that she was willing to sacrifice herself for him.

Jotham looked at Regan excitedly with his red eyes and said with a trembling voice, “Regan…”

Branden sneered at the emotional interaction between the two, and his expression grew darker. Those familiar with him started trembling. They recognized it as a sign of Branden losing his temper.

Seeing the situation on the verge of spiraling out of control, Catherine, who had been silent, suddenly said, “Tide’s about to turn. Let’s go.”

Leaving Florona required precise knowledge of the tidal shift. Safety lay in departing just before the tide turned. Once the tide began rising, leaving became nearly impossible.

Branden, who was about to act, suddenly halted. He realized that the past held no significance. It was the present, the people in front of him, that he needed to cherish.

Branden pushed Jotham away, leaped off the pickup truck, and walked over to Catherine. Then he took her hand.

Witnessing the two prepare to leave, everyone promptly followed suit and was prepared to depart.

Regan rushed forward and helped Jotham up. “Are you okay?”

Despite his injuries, Jotham felt surprisingly good at that moment. He looked at Regan happily. “Regan, I never expected…”

Before he could finish, Regan interjected, “Jotham, wait for me.”

Assured that Jotham was relatively unharmed, Regan intended to catch up with Branden. Jotham gripped her wrist with fear in his eyes.

“Jotham, trust me!” Regan reassured him firmly. She just wanted to have a private conversation with Branden, not to leave.

Initially, Jotham worried that Regan wanted to leave due to his belief that she didn’t care about him enough. But now he realized her willingness to sacrifice herself for him. He was touched and believed he held a place in Regan’s heart. Jotham slowly released her hand and managed a faint smile. ” Regan, go ahead. I’ll be here waiting for you!”

Regan nodded and hurried toward Branden. She finally caught up just as Branden was about to board the ship. She called out, “Branden!”

As the voice sounded, everyone halted, but Branden didn’t turn back and kept moving. However, the next moment, Catherine pulled him back.

With one hand in her pocket, Catherine gazed coldly at Branden’s handsome face. “I’ve gone through a lot to arrive here with you. It can’t be for nothing.”

Catherine had endured the trials of reaching Florona and the ensuing turmoil. Now, if Branden acted stubbornly, her efforts would be in vain.

Hearing Catherine’s words, Branden frowned. Catherine saw his reluctance and urged once more, “Go on. I’ll be waiting for you on the ship.”

In his lifetime, Branden seldom heeded others’ advice, yet he followed Catherine’s command. This time was no exception. He had just harbored intentions of killing, but he heard Catherine’s words and spared Jotham.

After settling Catherine, Branden turned away and left the ship. He stood before Regan and waited for her to speak.

Chapter 764 The Answer

Regan looked at Branden, who was much taller than her, feeling complicated. “I haven’t seen you for years, Branden. I’m so relieved you’ve grown up to be a decent man.”

Branden stood there calmly and looked at her without expression. “Why did you leave Father and me?”

Finally, he asked the question that had haunted him for years. He wanted an answer.

Regan sighed after she heard his question. She knew this day would come. There was no way to escape.

She was born into a family of privilege and wealth and treasured ever since she was born. Her childhood and her teen years were plain sailing. But her tragedy began when she was arranged to marry Howard Duncan, the first son of the Duncan family. The marriage was forced on Howard, too. Neither of them had liked it from the beginning. Regan foresighted the union ever since she was young. Unlike her, Howard had a beloved girlfriend who was a celebrity in the entertainment industry. Karl felt that her motivation to approach Howard was impure, so he forced them to break up.

After they got married, Howard lived a life with Regan. After all, Regan was one of Casier’s most beautiful and educated women. But even since Regan was pregnant, Howard began to spend nights outside constantly. Later, Regan finds out that Howard’s ex-girlfriend has returned. The two of them, who were originally unwilling to break up, got back together soon. Things got out of control. Regan had quarreled with Howard about this. But she was born into a noble family. Instead of making a scene she kept it to herself.

As time went by, Howard’s mistress became more and more arrogant. She even came home to show off. This was unbearable for a woman as proud as Regan. She suffered from her miserable marriage and thought of committing suicide several times. Her emotional breakdown had made her depression more severe and her suicide more frequent. Fortunately, Jotham showed up and faked her death. He took her away and gave her a new life.

“Branden, no matter what, I owe you too much,” said Regan.

Branden’s cold eyes were unobtrusively foggy. “Do you want to leave here?” If she said yes, Branden would take her away. What was done was done for the last generation. He only wanted an answer, and he got one. The rest was not so important.

“What?” Regan paused in confusion for a second. Then she realized what he was talking about and shook her head. She had been accustomed to living on Florona Island and did not want to leave there.

She smiled faintly and whispered, ” Let’s just pretend I’m dead.”

Branden slowly answered, “Fine.” He only came here to see if she was still alive. He would risk anything to get her out if she were forced to live here. But since she lived here willingly, he had no reason to interfere in her life.

“I’m leaving,” said Branden.

“Be careful on the way back.” Regan was so reluctant to let him go. She dared not to blink her eyes, afraid of missing this wonderful moment. She wanted to memorize Branden’s face.

Seeing Branden was boarding the ship, Regan said with hopes, “Come and see me when you have a chance, will you?”

Branden paused. He turned around and nodded at Regan, agreeing to her request.

Regan’s smile was bigger. She was most satisfied when Branden agreed to her request.

Jotham limped and chased after Regan to the shore, his heart hanging from the moment he stood up. He was worried she might leave with Branden. But when he saw the familiar figure at the shore, he could finally be rest assured.

He did not approach to interrupt her. Instead, he stayed where he was and stared at her. Regan’s gaze was fixed on the direction in which the ship was leaving while Josham Johnson stood not far away, staring at her.

Until it gradually darkened and ships could no longer be seen on the sea, Jotham slowly approached and wrapped his arm around Regan’s shoulder. “It’s windy. Let’s head back and rest.”

Regan nodded silently and followed him. Perhaps she would never have the chance to see her son again in this life and could only silently pray for his safety in her heart every day.

The ship was still swaying back and forth in the rough waves as if it was about to tilt at any moment.

The few young people standing at the deck with a smile did not care about the waves, chatting and laughing.

The successful departure put everyone in a good mood. Zobber smiled at Paxton and joked, “I was hoping to see you guys put up a fight. Who knows?

Things were settled before we had a chance to play. Wasn’t this Florona known as the Hidden World? Why did we come and go so easily?”

Paxton sneered. “Because Mr. Duncan had planned and arranged everything in advance.” If it weren’t for Branden, who could offer the conditions to negotiate with the leader, how could

they have left so easily without any sacrifices? Speaking of this, Zobber was curious. ”

Paxton, What conditions did Mr. Duncan offer to the leader to break the century-old tradition of Florona and let us leave?”

Paxton did not know the details. “I don’t know. But I bet it took a lot.” That leader seemed to be shrewd. He would not agree to let them go without enough interest.

Paxton smiled evilly and said, “Since you are so curious, why don’t you go in and ask him?” He pointed at the cabin.

“Are you trying to frame me? I’m no fool!” Zobber rolled her eyes at Paxton. To ask Branden about this was nothing different from suicide. She was not that dumb.

“What took Catherine and Mr. Duncan so long? Amos was not badly injured. Why are they still in there?” asked Zobber.

Just now, Catherine and Branden went to the cabin to check on Amos. Connie was treating him. They went there for a while but didn’t come out.

Paxton got dizzy with winning Zobber. “Maybe they go back to their room for a rest.”

As soon as Paxton finished speaking, he felt their expressions were weird. He looked at everyone in confusion. ” What’s the matter? Did I say something wrong?” Their eyes were fixed on behind him. Paxton looked back instinctively. The next second, he was so frightened that he almost got down on his knees.

Chapter 765 Back to Loxton

Catherine was standing behind him. And she must have heard what he said about her and Branden. Paxton wanted to cry when he made eye contact with Catherine. His heart pounded fast. ” Miss Swann.”

Catherine looked at him with a fake smile, her sharp eyes piercing Paxton’s heart like two sharp blades. What she said next was even more frightening to Paxton. “I heard you’ve been talking about me lately, Paxton.”

Paxton smiled at Catherine bitterly and said, “Miss Swann, please don’t get me wrong. I only think you and Mr. Duncan have a good relationship.”

Everyone couldn’t help but want to laugh when they saw Paxton’s embarrassed face. Ronin also took the opportunity to reveal what Paxton had previously said about Catherine being pushed down.

Paxton’s face turned deathly gray in an instant, and he almost begged for merciful death at that moment. He gave up hopelessly, lowered his head, and begged with frustration. “Miss Swann, It’s all my fault.”

Catherine gave him a cold gaze and pointed at the rough sea. “Either you jump yourself, or I’ll kick you.”

Paxton peeked at the deep, dark sea by his side and swallowed nervously. He would be dead and gone if he fell into the sea. Survival was not an option.

He looked at Branden pleadingly, hoping Branden would help him out. But Branden flinched. He shrugged at Paxton, meaning there was nothing he could do. Damian and Kurt also looked away, refusing his request. As was widely known, pissing off Branden was near death, but pissing off Catherine was death by a thousand cuts.

Catherine dropped a hint at Ronin, who was excited. “Trust me, Catherine. I’ll make him suffer.” Ronin gestured and joined forces with Withal and others, approaching Paxton.

Paxton stepped backward in fright. ” What are you going to do?” The others rushed forward and pinned him down.

Seeing them messing around, Branden wrapped his arm around Catherine’s shoulders and pulled her closer. “After you are done with Paxton, do you have the time to talk about us?”

Catherine felt a chill in her neck and panicked. “Was he going to settle accounts with me?” thought Catherine.

When Branden was not paying attention, she ran away quickly. Before she ran, she said, “I have something else to do. See you later!”

Branden was not anxious. He stood there and looked at her run away from behind. This ship was small. And outside the ship lay the rough sea. Where could she go? Was she too panicked to think straight? That was cute of her.

Half an hour later, Branden found Catherine, who was already sleeping in bed, in the deepest room of the cabin. Perhaps due to being too tired during this period, Catherine slept soundly and didn’t even notice him opening the door. Looking at her sleeping face, Branden’s original anger dissipated.

When he learned that she had deceived him and came alone without telling him, he was furious. After his arrival at Florona, his anger had long dissipated, leaving only constant prayers for her safety. He, who had never believed in God, silently prayed in his heart, hoping that she could return safely.

Branden wanted to reach out and touch her soft cheeks but was worried about waking her up from her slumber, so he could only let go. He gently lifted the corner of the blanket and crawled into the warm bed, lying beside her, accompanying her to sleep.

Over the past few days, Branden had hardly closed his eyes. All he could think about was Catherine. Unaware of her situation on Florona Island, he worried about her safety. While actively preparing everything, he did not have proper sleep for days.

Now, he finally felt at ease. Lying next to Catherine made him even more comfortable. He fell into deep sleep before long. Branden breathed evenly in his tight sleep. Little did he notice how sweet Catherine’s smile was.

After half a day on the sea, everyone returned to Snake Island and left in a helicopter arranged by Branden, heading to Loxton. Halfway through,

Branden received a message from Loxton. Several subsidiaries of the Duncan Corporation, located far away in Casier, had been jointly besieged by foreign companies and were now facing bankruptcy. Although the Duncan Corporation had relocated its headquarters to Loxton, it had also developed in Casier for so long. Those subsidiaries held a significant position in the Duncan Corporation. If they faced bankruptcy, the Duncan Corporation would also be affected significantly.

Branden’s brows furrowed slightly, his expression eerie and incomprehensible. Before he left, he made a lot of arrangements. He knew that once he left Loxton, the people who had been tightly suppressed by him would launch a crazy counterattack. But he did not expect they were not targeting the headquarters in Loxton but rather subsidiaries located far away in Casier.

It seemed that the interior of the Duncans was not peaceful. Shane Breen tried to seize his lifeline from the rear and erode his headquarters strength in Loxton.

“Mr. Duncan, do we need to change the route now?” asked Paxton. He felt that after such an incident in Casier, Branden must personally take charge. The helicopter had not yet arrived in Loxton, so it was better to take advantage of this time to turn around and go directly to Casier. The faster they were, the earlier they could take things under control.

Paxton was planning for the best. But Branden did not think so. “Keep going!”

He instructed the helicopter to continue its original flight, first to Loxton, and after safely transporting Catherine and the others back, he rushed to Casier.

Catherine, resting on the side, suddenly opened her eyes. She did not ask too much and spoke lightly. “Head to Casier.”

Branden looked down at her with a hint of disagreement. “I’ll send you back to Loxton first. Then, I’ll rush to Casier in time. It won’t delay my work.”

Catherine, however, did not accept his suggestion and said to herself, “I haven’t returned to Casier for a while. Let’s take a look, by the way. Change the route.”

After listening to Catherine’s proposal, everybody agreed. Zobber excitedly said, “Casier is a great place. I also want to go to Casier and have a good time.”

Withal casually waved his hand and said, “I’m free anyway. Anywhere suits me. It’s up to you.”

As everyone suggested changing the route, Branden glanced at Paxton and gestured for him to follow everyone’s advice.

“I’m on it, Mr. Duncan.” Paxton stood up excitedly, limping and running towards the cockpit.

Chapter 766 Misunderstanding

When Branden’s private plane landed at Casier, Shane received the news. The assistant knocked on the door of Shane’s office with the latest intelligence and said, “Mr. Breen, five minutes ago, Branden’s private plane landed at the Duncan airport in Casier, accompanied by Miss Swann and her crew.”

Shane was not surprised by this result. He admitted that Branden was an intelligent businessman with impressive business acumen and a mind for handling affairs.

Now, he could see Casier’s criticality, and it was reasonable for him to rush to Casier to handle the business as soon as possible.

“Did you find out what they were doing when they left Loxton this time?”

Shane was more concerned about this. The news he received earlier was that Catherine had disappeared from London and did not attend academic seminars. After learning about it, Branden immediately flew to London to investigate the situation. Then he disappeared in London, too, along with Ronin and the others. Shane knew something must have happened. Otherwise, they would not have disappeared together.

He arranged for a lot of people to investigate as soon as possible. But he did not find the whereabouts of Branden and others. It was as if they disappeared on Earth, leaving no trace.

However, not long ago, intelligence agents in Casier received news that Branden and his team would land in Casier.

“Mr. Breen, we have found out Miss Swann did not attend the academic seminar but secretly went to Florona alone. Later, Branden and his team rushed to Florona to rescue her,” said the assistant.

“Leaving safely?” Shane frowned and looked at her assistant.

Seeing that his face darkened, the assistant nodded with a pale expression of fear. “Yes, there has been no news of casualties.”

No wonder they could not track them down. They went to Florona. Shane knew a lot about Florona.

What surprised him even more was that these people were able to break the century-old rules of Florona, leaving without any casualties, which showed how powerful they were.

They refused to work for him, so they must be eliminated. Otherwise, they would only become a stumbling block to the development of the Breens.

“Mr. Breen, will our plan proceed?” asked the assistant.

The original order given to them by Shane was to severely damage several subsidiaries of the Duncan Corporation located in Casier. After Branden returned to Casier, they would turn their guns towards the headquarters of the Duncan Corporation in Loxton, leaving no opportunity for Branden to resist.

The assistant had been with Shane for many years. And he was well aware of Shane’s habits. From his expression, he knew that Shane had changed his mind.

The next second, Shane answered, “No need. Perhaps switching the battlefield to Casier would be good. It would be even more enjoyable to capture these people in the shortest possible time, leaving them completely unable to resist. Tell them to accelerate the progress of the plan.”

The assistant originally intended to persuade Shane to play safe. But Shane had never listened to anyone’s advice in all these years, and his decisions had never proved wrong. This time, he also chose to believe Shane. “I’ll arrange it now, Mr. Breen.”

A few people got off the plane, and the cold wind instantly attacked everyone. Florona was located near the equator, and the island was hot year-round. People wore short sleeves in Florona this season. But in Casier, it was late autumn.

The whipping cold wind instantly swept away their tiredness. Branden checked the weather in Casier before landing and had already prepared a coat for Catherine. After helping her fasten the buttons, Branden finally dropped his hands with satisfaction.

Zobber, who stood by and saw this scene, silently shed tears of a single girl. She was not only wearing short sleeves but also a short skirt. Now, when the wind blew, she trembled with coldness.

Seeing everyone still dawdling, she was about to go berserk. Unexpectedly, a warm feeling came from behind. Her arms, which were already numb with cold, were instantly wrapped by the warmth, and she could not help but instinctively move back.

Looking back, it turned out that Paxton was standing behind her. Paxton put on a black coat on her.

Zobber chuckled lightly and joked, ” Dude, I didn’t expect you to be quite a gentleman!”

Paxton rolled his eyes at Zobber after she teased him for his kindness. “Don’t thank me. Mr. Duncan prepared it. Everyone has one. Only you were too dumb to take it on the helicopter.”

Zobber looked around and found everyone was wearing a coat except for her, who stood trembling in the cold wind like a fool. They all came with Branden, and they were all friends of Catherine. Branden naturally would treat them well, as he had had the ground temperature broadcasted before the helicopter was about to land. However, at that time, Zobber was sleeping soundly. Naturally, she did not hear this broadcast and missed the time to pick up her coat.

Upon hearing what Paxton said, Zobber looked at him with disdain. “I knew it! You couldn’t be so thoughtful. I withdraw my thanks to you. Thank Mr. Duncan for me for his thoughtfulness, will you?” With that, Zobber left.

Watching her bouncy figure from behind and thinking about the words she had just said, Paxton became angry. His kindness was not well- repaid. It was true Mr. Duncan ordered him to prepare coats. But he went to pick up the coat and brought it to Zobber. She even withdrew her thanks. What an unreasonable woman!

Branden and Catherine sat in the first car. When Zobber saw they had already got in the car, she randomly opened a car door and crawled in. Unexpectedly, someone was already inside the vehicle, with Ronin in the passenger seat and Withal in the back seat.

Zobber did not hesitate and pushed Withal aside. “Move aside and make room for me.”

The flight was too tiring all the way. After Zobber got in the car, she leaned against Withal. Ronin, sitting in the passenger seat, could not help but shake his head when he saw this scene. “For those who don’t know, they would think you two were an old married couple.”

Upon hearing this, Zobber kicked the back of the passenger seat. “What are you talking about? Withal and I are the best partners.” To Zobber, Withal was like a big brother. They had been through life and death for many years.

Ronin sneered disdainfully, and through the rearview mirror, he saw Withal, who had always been Introverted, with a helpless smile. Ronin silently lowered his head, not intending to get involved in their private matters.

Chapter 767 Meeting Karl

They followed Branden to the Duncans’ villa. Karl had been waiting for them at the door after he knew they were coming. The butler urged him to wait inside because it was windy and freezing. But Karl refused. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve been through many things all my life. Wind and coldness can’t defeat me.”

The butler wanted to tell Karl that he was no longer young. But he knew how competitive Karl was, so he didn’t argue. He went inside and grabbed a coat for Karl.

Luckily, Branden and the others arrived very soon. Seeing Branden get out of the car, Karl didn’t get too excited. He kept looking forward. Branden walked to the other side and opened the door for Catherine.

Karl’s eyes glittered when he saw Catherine. He rushed to her. His once serious face was now filled with smiles. “I finally get to meet you, Cassie.”

Catherine was a person with little emotional fluctuations. She was not used to Karl’s overly warm welcomes and stood helplessly there with silly smiles.

Karl’s face was full of smiles. He almost reached out to grab Catherine’s hand and burst into tears.

Branden wanted to approach, but Karl pushed him away. Although he was Karl’s first grandson, he was not as popular as Catherine to Karl.

The butler knew Karl very well. He said, “Mr. Duncan, it’s windy out here. Miss Swann may catch a cold. Let’s get inside.”

Hearing these words, Karl instantly invited Catherine to go inside. “Cassie, I’m only too excited to meet you. Don’t blame me for bad manners.”

“It’s okay, Grandpa. I’m quite strong,” answered Catherine. And Karl was happy to hear that.

After the others got into the house, Zobber elbowed Paxton and asked, “Is he really Karl Duncan?”

Paxton looked at her, amused. “Do you think anyone is bold enough to impersonate Mr. Duncan in the Duncans’ villa in Casier, where even Mr. Branden would be scolded now and then?”

When Karl lost his temper, he would curse anyone. Since Branden grew up with Karl, he got cursed a lot.

Of course, Zobber knew he was the real Karl Duncan. After all, with Branden’s presence, who dared to impersonate him? She only asked because she was so shocked.

Karl was a legend from the last generation. Everyone who ran a business in Eskana had heard of him. It was said he was bad-tempered and weird, with a poker face and a harsh attitude.

But he treated Catherine like a caring grandpa treating his granddaughter. He looked nothing like a leader of a big corporation, which astonished Zobber.

Maybe he cared about his granddaughter-in-law because he had no granddaughter. In that case, Catherine had found her feet in the Duncans. After all, When a thing was scarce, it was precious. But even if Karl did not look after Catherine, her beautiful face was enough to conquer everyone.

Chapter 768 The Heir of the Duncans

The silent old villa of the Duncans suddenly became noisy due to the return of Branden and the others. Karl was so glad and greeted them with a smile all along. And he was extra enthusiastic when he learned the others were all friends of Catherine’s. ” Don’t be shy, kids. Since you’re Catherine’s friends, make yourselves at home.”

His warm welcome to Catherine’s friends made people think Catherine was a spoiled granddaughter of the Duncans.

Zobber whispered to Catherine, “Way to go, Catherine! So, my worries of you being stuck in a rich family drama are unnecessary.”

Catherine looked at Zobber as if telling her that she suspected Zobber had brain damage.

Sitting not far from Catherine, Karl joined their conversation when he heard what Zobber said. “No drama is allowed in the Duncans. Whoever bullies Catherine will be kicked out of the family.”

Since Karl had been kind and humorous, Zobber joked, “What if Branden bullies Catherine?”

Her words attracted the attention of others who were chattering. Ronin secretly thumbed up at Zobber and thought, “What a crazy girl! What a crazy question!” But he was curious, too.

Everyone fixed their eyes on Karl, wondering what he would say. Branden was his grandson and the heir of the Duncans. It was unlikely he would kick Branden out for an outsider.

Branden sat calmly on the side, slowly peeling the grapefruits. His slender fingers gently removed the skin and fascia from the grapefruit and put the rest into the bowl before Catherine. He was calm and quiet, like an outsider.

Karl naturally felt their gaze. He was old but not thick. He turned to Zobber with sharpness in his eyes. “The heir of the Duncans does not have to be a Duncan.”

His words blew everyone’s mind like a dynamic. In Eskana’s tradition, lineage was taken very seriously. Some wealthy families and clans still had the tradition from ancient times that the heir should be the eldest son or grandson.

It appalled everyone that Karl trusted Catherine enough to consider her an heir. He would give her the whole Duncans’ business if necessary.

After the shock, they turned to Branden, wondering how he would react to Karl’s words. He was the legitimate heir of the Duncans.

Branden finished peeling the last piece of grapefruit and slowly wiped his fingers clean with a tissue before responding to everyone’s expecting gaze. He said one word. “Agreed.”

If he was in debt with Catherine one day, offering her the Duncans would be his atonement. But that day would never come. He was confident about this.

Chapter 769 Shame on Branden

They all thumbed up at Branden, who chose Catherine over wealth.

Catherine was also calm when she heard what Karl and Branden said. She tilted her head to look at Branden with a smile. Branden passed her the bowl of grapefruit and smiled back at her.

Zobber suddenly realized she had been worrying about the wrong person. What if Catherine fell in love with another man? What would Branden do? It was creepy to even think about it.

To welcome Catherine and her friends, Karl ordered the cooks to prepare a feast for them.

To rush to Florona in the shortest possible time and search for Catherine Swann, they had fed on military-dried food for days, which was dry and hard, only keeping them full and energetic. It was incomparable to the feast.

Their eyes glittered when they saw all the food on the table. Zobber smiled at Karl and said to him, “Mr. Duncan, thanks for your hospitality. We are going to devour.”

“You are Catherine’s friends and my guests. Make yourself at home. Feel free to eat while the food is still hot,” said Karl. He paid extra attention to Catherine, supervising her to eat more. “Eat more, Catherine. You look skinny. Does the food in Loxton suit your palate? Do you want me to arrange a cook to Loxton for you?”

Catherine waved to refuse. She had to swallow the food before she could answer. “Don’t bother. Branden can cook. I usually eat a lot.”

After hearing Catherine’s natural response, the people who were eating happily stopped chewing and instantly listened up. Nevertheless, Branden was the heir of the Duncans. Catherine addressed him as her cook in front of Karl. It was inappropriate.

They secretly gazed at Karl, expecting him to lose his temper at Catherine. But Karl failed them. He was not offended at all. Instead, he looked relieved and nodded. “Try these dishes. See which one you like. I’ll ask Branden to learn to cook.”

Everyone was speechless. It was clear that Catherine was superior to Branden in the Duncans.

During their conversation, they talked about the purpose of returning to Casier this time. Karl’s face immediately darkened when he learned why Catherine returned to Casier.

His old but handsome face was filled with a strong displeasure, with furrowed eyebrows and a stern voice. ” Branden, shame on you for counting on your future wife to handle things for you.”

However, Branden was not angry after being scolded. He said, “You are right, Grandpa.”

Catherine knew Branden was looking at her. He smiled proudly with his eyes fixed on her.

She could not help but curse inwardly. ” Jerk!”

Chapter 770 The Attack

After eating, everyone stayed in the living room to rest. Although they were in the Duncans’ villa, Karl went upstairs for a nap after the meal, leaving the whole living room to the young.

Without Karl, everyone felt at ease and lay on the sofa, holding their phones and playing games together. They did not have to turn on the microphones. They could shout at each other.

They were all high-ranking players in God of War with excellent techniques and strategies.

Ronin was too aggressive to make a kill, exposing his position to the other party. Just as he was about to be beaten up, Ronin shouted anxiously, “Help! Catherine!”

Catherine was focused on taking down the sniper on the other side, who was competent and hid very well. “Give him a hand, Zobber.”

Zobber was circling with the opponents leisurely. Hearing Catherine’s words, she instantly went to rescue Ronin. ” Copy that! Ronin, big sister to the rescue!”

Ronin wanted to talk back, but his life lay with Zobber now. He dared not offend her and swallowed the teasing. When the crisis was gone, Ronin was all himself again.

Catherine and her team focused on the game, while Branden had gathered several executives from the Duncan Corporation in Casier to discuss the current situation. During the meeting, Carlo, stationed in Casier, hurried to the Duncans’ villa with information. ” Mr. Duncan, bad news!”

At Branden’s signal, Paxton paused the meeting, and everyone turned their attention to Carlo. With Branden’s permission, Carlo immediately informed them of the current situation.

“Mr. Duncan, several network companies under the Duncan Corporation have been subjected to large-scale hacking attacks. They seem to have come prepared, with powerful hacking technology and an unprecedented number of hackers.

“At present, our technical department has started to resist vigorously, but we are outnumbered. We can only temporarily protect the company’s core information from leakage and cannot guarantee the company’s safety. More importantly, our people won’t be able to hold on for long. If the attack continues for another two hours, all our subsidiaries will be conquered.”

If not for an emergency, Carlo would not have rushed to the villa with his people. The other party came fiercely. Most importantly, there were many people, all of whom were experts, deliberate and organized. Although their network forces were also very powerful, they were overwhelmed quickly by such a powerful attack.

After a few rounds of firing, Catherine had located the sniper. She adjusted the magnifying glass, checked the latitude and longitude, and pulled the trigger.

“Click!” The unique sound of a sniper rifle rang out, and on the screen, it showed the sniper on the other side had been slain. Catherine took another shot quickly to end that sniper’s life before his teammates could cast a smoke bomb and save him.

Catherine logged out of the game after taking down the most potent sniper.

Everyone saw that Catherine was no longer playing and quickly solved their opponents. After winning the championship, they logged out and put aside their phones.

Catherine glanced at the crowd and asked, “Had a fun time?”

Ronin smiled and answered, “Yeah. Enough of games.”

Catherine grabbed an apple and threw it at Ronin’s hood. “Let’s get to work.”

The apple landed precisely into Ronin’s hood. Withal took it out and had a bite. “Thanks, Catherine. Work!”

They got up and walked to Carlo. Seeing them approaching, Carlo was confused. He looked at Branden and waited for his instruction. Carlo had been stationed in Casier to handle business for Branden. He did not know that Catherine was the leader of the Hacker Alliance, nor was he aware that the group of people in front of him were among the top hackers of the Hacker Alliance.

No one dared say they were better than the Hacker Alliance in the hacker community. Branden was not surprised when Catherine offered to help. He did not refuse. He directly instructed Carlo, “Let the network department coordinate with them and follow their instructions.”

Although Carlo found it strange, he dared not disobey Branden’s orders and immediately did as he said. “Okay. I’ll arrange.”

Paxton handed out laptops to each of them, and everyone turned on the laptops and started working. In terms of computer skills, Ronin’s abilities in the entire Hacker Alliance were second only to those of Catherine. He arranged all the coordination and immediately notified Catherine. “Catherine, everything’s ready. What next?”

Catherine slowly finished the food Branden had prepared for her and calmly said, “Post on the forum. Whoever comes will die!”

Hearing what Catherine said, Paxton stood aside and swallowed nervously.

Although he knew she was not aimed at him, he could not help but feel nervous when he heard Catherine’s declaration of war.

Ronin was quite clear about Catherine’s style. He raised his hand and saluted Catherine. “Don’t worry, Catherine. I promise to fulfill the task.”

Subsequently, Ronin logged into the largest hacker forum using the Hacker Alliance account, announcing that they had taken over the task of maintaining network security for the subsidiaries under the Duncan Corporation and disclosing Catherine’s declaration.

The post created quite a stir on the forum. 80% of the hackers on the list were recruited to participate in this cyber attack on the Duncan Corporation. But no one expected the Duncan Corporation would have such a powerful ally as the Hacker Alliance. Many hackers had witnessed the power of the Hacker Alliance and deeply respected it.

Now, the leader of the Hacker Alliance personally posted. They knew the Hacker Alliance had taken over for sure. Knowing it was a dead end, no one wanted to die for nothing. When the post was posted, one-third of the hackers voluntarily dropped out.

The one behind the scenes, seeing all his effort was to be wasted, immediately adjusted their strategy and raised the chips.

A golden key could open any door. The rest, two-thirds of the hackers, united again. Although the power of the Hacker Alliance was intimidating, they still outnumbered the Hacker Alliance. More importantly, if they could win this online war, their fame would spread worldwide. No one wanted to miss this opportunity.

Ronin could not help but mock the hackers who had made a comeback and even challenged them, saying, “Moth to the flame!”

Zobber looked at the challenge post on the screen and laughed angrily. How dared they? “Ronin, it’s your showtime.