Episode 3

"Fane, have you truly lost your mind? Do not forget your own roots. You are but an outsider who married into our family. Do not think that just because you've been a soldier for some years, you can toy with me just because you've gained a bit of extra strength,"

Ivan clenched his teeth and tried to stand.

Bang!

Fane greeted him with a kick, sending him sprawling to the floor which became dusty around him.

"I won't repeat myself!"

Fane then stepped on Ivan's hand.

"Arghh!"

Ivan screamed in pain. It felt as if his bones were being crushed.

"Damn you..."

Ivan lifted his head as fear had rendered him speechless. He looked up to find Fane's merciless gaze upon him.

"Will you eat it or not? If not, I will kill you right now!" Fane said coldly.

"M-M-eat. I'll eat it!"

This time Ivan's fear of Fane was palpable. Despite his internal rejection, he bit into the dirt-covered bread. Trembling, he placed it in his mouth.

"Jenny, thank you for caring for Kylie. Is Salena inside?"

Fane approached the servant. He remembered Jenny was once Salena's personal attendant and close to her.

"N-N-Miss has been ostracized from the Taylor family. The family opposed her giving birth to Kylie and she didn't comply and that's why..."

Tears welled up in Jenny's eyes as she related the events.

"Let's go. I'll take you to her."

Fane picked up Kylie.

"Kylie, in the future, no one will dare to bully you again!"

"Pretty Sister, w-w-who is he?"

Kylie had not yet recovered from the earlier scene. Fear was still evident in her face.

"Kylie, he's your father. Quickly call him 'Dad'. He's not dead. He has returned!"

Jenny explained through tears. For the past five years, Salena's life had been miserable.

"Are you really my dad?"

Kylie puckered her lips, her eyes brightening.

"They said my dad died. Are you really my dad? Mom told me Dad must be alive. She said if Dad came back, we wouldn't need to scavenge!"

Fane burst into tears. Though he stood six feet tall and was the sole Grand Warrior of Daxia, his eyes reddened from the tears.

"Jenny, m-m-make your choice wisely. If you dare leave the Taylor house, you'll be jobless. You must know how many people fight for the chance to be a servant of the Taylor family!" Ivan yelled after finally consuming the two pieces of bread.

"You're full of nonsense!"

Fane rewarded him with another kick, tossing him several meters away. Ivan vomited blood and passed out.

"Right! That baddie got what he deserved!"

Kylie exclaimed, bursting with spirit upon witnessing the scene.

"I don't want this job. Let's go. Mr. Fane, I'll bring you to Miss Salena!"

Jenny steeled her resolve. Then she turned to Kylie and asked, "Kylie, why won't you say hello to your father?"

Kylie lowered her head bashfully. After a moment, she finally spoke with her sweet, innocent voice,

"Dad..."

"Good girl. Look at you, all dirty. Let's go. I'll clean you up and buy you some fresh clothes!"

Fane tenderly kissed Kylie's forehead. His heart warmed. She was his flesh and blood.

Quickly, Fane took Jenny and Kylie to the best bathhouse in the Central Province.

"Sir, this place is very expensive..." Jenny reminded him softly.

"My daughter deserves the finest!"

For a moment, Fane's gaze never wavered. His affectionate eyes remained fixed on Kylie in his arms.

"Sir, are you lost? This bathhouse does not welcome beggars!"

Just as they reached the door, an attendant laughed at the sight of Kylie's dirty face, disgust in his eyes.

"I know,"

Fane firmly warned him, "Give me 10 minutes!"

"10 minutes?" The others became confused.

"10 minutes to clear this place out. I need to bathe my cherished daughter!"

The attendant chuckled. "Sir, are you joking? We have individual baths for over a thousand people, not including other activities. Unless you've got about 80,000 dollars, I fear you're only dreaming of having me clear out this place!"

After saying this, the attendant paused before going on,

"Looking at you, you're not somebody who can fork out that kind of money. Besides, we can't expect to serve a beggar, can we?"

Fane's expression darkened. The surrounding air temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.

"Say that again?"

"Your daughter is filthy. Isn't she a beggar?"

Bang!

The attendant was sent flying with a kick...

"Damn you, what are you doing? Do you know where you are?"

The attendant got up and screeched, "Guys, this one's here to make trouble!"

"What is this nonsense? This place is under Clark family control. Are you mad? You dare to cause trouble here?"

"That's right, we can't help if he's here to die!"

Several customers shook their heads as they watched.

Everyone knew such a luxury bathhouse was naturally backed by a sturdy power.

They could make the entire population of the Central Province tremble with a single word.

Shortly after, a group of muscular men rushed in.

"Who dares to cause trouble in our place?" One of them bellowed.

He was a muscly, brawny man.

"This is Clark family territory. You're quite bold to stir up trouble here!" another man said.

"My daughter is not a beggar. It's one thing if you insult me. But if anyone dares to offend my daughter, it won't end well for you!"

Throughout the years, his daughter must have suffered greatly. All Fane hoped was to restore the smiles for Kylie and Salena.

"You rat, so it's you. You've got some nerve!"

"Do you realize who I am? I am the Black Dragon of the Central Province, the Clark family's general. Kneel and admit your fault now, then get out of my sight!"

"This is not a place for the disheveled. We also don't cater to smelly beggars. Your daughter must be one..."

The brawny man moved forward two steps, arrogance etched on his face.

"What!? He's the Black Dragon? Wow, I've heard he's a fearsome fighter. His reputation comes from his death toll!

Once, he killed over a hundred men, saving Lord Clark. The tale's spread through the streets!"

Some of the patrons stepped back, terrified. They felt their hearts shrink.

"You want me to kneel?" Fane was astonished.

"I'm afraid the man brave enough to make me kneel hasn't been born yet. I've lost count of how many lives I've claimed!"

"Interesting, keeping bold in my presence, haha, I doubt you were even born when I began slicing others with my sword!" The Black Dragon erupted with laughter.

"Son, I'm well aware of the mighty powers within the Central Province. Funnily enough, you're not on that list!"

"Today... you'll get to know me!"

As Fane finished his sentence, a glint of light flashed.

Suddenly, the Black Dragon fell to the ground.

The Black Dragon lay there, his eyes wide in shock, breathless.

A hush fell over the place.

"This is bad, the B-Black Dragon's dead!" Someone cried out in fear upon realizing it.

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