If that blade landed, it would have sliced Kayson's face wide open.
Kayson ducked, easily dodging Leo's slash.
He dropped low and swept his leg in a sharp circle,
tripping Leo hard to the ground.
In the same motion, he flicked his foot upward and kicked the dagger flying.
Crash!
The blade embedded itself deep into a distant tree,
the entire blade sunk into the wood, leaving only the hilt visible.
Without his weapon, Leo was terrified out of his wits.
He only dared to bully people when armed.
When he looked up, he saw Kayson's eyes—cold, sharp, and piercing.
This wasn't the gaze of a useless loser.
It burned with violence and unshakable confidence,
the bright, fierce look only true martial artists possessed.
Leo trembled in shock and fear.
He never imagined the spineless nobody was actually a skilled fighter.
But still clinging to his pride, he snarled:
"You dare hit me? Do you know who I am now?
I'm the godson of Harrison Hu, the leader of Oceanwave Group!"
Leo threw Harrison Hu's name around like a shield.
"If you hurt me, you and your old mother will regret it!
Apologize now, or you'll be burying her!"
He was certain Kayson would kneel and beg at the name.
Oceanwave Group hid behind legitimate business but ran a massive underground network.
In truth, it was a branch of the Solaris Cult,
led by the cult master Victor Zhao.
Cloud City's underworld was defined by "One Clan, Two Tigers, Three Tycoons":
One Clan: the Young Clan, which produced three city lords
Two Tigers: Mark Long of the Dragon Gate Sect, and Victor Zhao of the Solaris Cult
Three Tycoons: antique king Lewis Wang, bank tycoon Charles Qian, real estate mogul Marcus Ma
Harrison Hu was a hall master of the Solaris Cult,
a notorious figure in the city's underworld.
He commanded hundreds of underlings.
In Cloud City, everyone feared the name Harrison Hu.
And Leo was now waving that name like a weapon.
Kayson spoke coldly: "You shouldn't have mentioned him. Hitting you is the same as hitting Harrison Hu."
He lifted Leo off the ground and hurled him violently into the tree.
Bang!
Leo crashed into the trunk, screaming in agony, his face bruised and bloody.
Kayson strode toward him. Leo panicked and threw his hands up in surrender.
"Stop! I admit you're stronger!"
Kayson said: "What did you say earlier?"
Leo was broken, trembling and injured all over. He knelt on the ground, whimpering:
"I'll call you Dad! Okay?!"
He had demanded Kayson kneel and call him father earlier—now he'd dug his own grave.
"Dad, don't hit me. I submit."
Leo kowtowed three times.
"Spare me. I know you're powerful now."
Leo's two men were completely frozen by Kayson's brutality.
They never dreamed the loser was a martial arts master.
They knelt too, necks tucked in.
"Father… what realm are you in?"
Kayson snapped: "You don't deserve to know."
"I'm letting you live to deliver a message. Tell Harrison Hu:
he has three days to pay back the two million dollars he owes Everpeace Clinic.
Or face the consequences."
He lifted his foot. "Now get lost."
"Yes! Thank you, Father!" Leo scrambled to his feet and ran for his life.
Only when he was far away and couldn't see Kayson did he stop, shouting angrily:
"You idiot! Loser! You wait! I'll skin you alive for this!"
His two men panted beside him.
"What realm was he? How is he so strong?
He doesn't act like a loser at all."
The three of them only knew how to bully ordinary people with brute force. They had no real skill.
They pushed around the weak and cringed before the strong.
After they fled, Kayson opened the door and let his mother out.
"Son, you messed with Oceanwave Group! Harrison Hu has dozens of thugs!
We have to move—we can't stay here anymore!"
His mother carried several large bags full of daily necessities and clothes.
While Kayson fought, she had already prepared an escape.
Kayson thought: Leaving his mother here was too dangerous. He couldn't watch over her all the time.
They would rent a new place temporarily, then return once Harrison Hu was dealt with.
He couldn't sell the old house—his adoptive father was still missing, and this was where he would come back.
No matter how long it had been, he had to keep the home waiting.
Kayson helped his mother leave the old neighborhood to find a new, spacious rental.
"Hey! Big brother!"
Kayson looked up in surprise. Zhou Mengnan was sitting on a tree branch.
She jumped down lightly and greeted Mabel Yang.
"Hello, Auntie Yang!"
"Aw, hello, sweet girl," Mabel Yang smiled warmly.
She didn't judge Zhou Mengnan at all.
She just wanted her son to have friends, so he wouldn't be lonely.
She didn't think beggars were worthless, just as she didn't think her son was worthless for being a live-in son-in-law.
That logic was wrong.
Her son was deeply filial. He could have left her and achieved great things, but he stayed.
Zhou Mengnan patted Kayson's shoulder, her eyes bright and playful.
"Big brother, did you miss me?"
She leaned close and breathed lightly against his ear.
Kayson felt a warm puff of air brush his cheek.
For a split second, he felt a strange flutter.
Wait—what was wrong with him?
Was he losing his mind?
The thought passed quickly, and he regained composure.
He smiled: "I've been busy lately. I can't play around."
"You didn't miss me at all?" Zhou Mengnan pretended to be upset.
Kayson walked over. "You act like a little girl. So petty.
A real man should be broad-minded."
Zhou Mengnan frowned, then suddenly clapped her hands.
"Big brother, there's an auction today! Let's go—it'll be fun!"
Kayson said: "Auction? What are they selling?"
"There's an ancient pill, over 500 years old. It's supposed to be miraculous! Hurry!"
Kayson said: "I have to settle my mom first, then I can go."
"Okay! I'll wait!"
Zhou Mengnan helped Kayson find a place for his mother.
But Mabel Yang rambled on and on, giving endless instructions before letting him leave.
By the time they reached the auction, they were half an hour late.