Chapter 5 Got Any Other Tricks up Your Sleeve?

• The Ciderbrook Army!
• Seeing the Ciderbrook Army arrive, Monica could no longer maintain her composure. Overwhelmed with agitation, she got to her feet, pointing at Eric and exclaiming urgently, "Colonel Hayes, this man is a murderer, a lunatic. He's dangerous!
• "He killed my uncle and threw my fiancé off the balcony. We don't even know if he's alive or dead!
• "Quick!
• "Colonel Hayes, he's trying to kill me to cover his tracks. Shoot him now!"
• The guy who showed up was Lieutenant Colonel Connor Hayes from the Ciderbrook Army. He'd been on the verge of becoming a High Master for three years now, and his skills were seriously impressive. Plus, he led a tough battalion with hundreds of soldiers!
• Not only that, but Connor also commanded an enhanced battalion of several hundred soldiers!
• No matter how strong Eric was, he was just an ordinary guy with flesh.
• Even without lifting a finger, Connor could easily order his men to turn Eric into a sieve in no time.
• Although more than a hundred guns were aimed at him, Eric didn't flinch.
• He didn't even look at the stern-faced soldiers, instead turning to Monica with a smirk. "Is this your trump card?
• "I advise you to stop with these little tricks.
• "To me, it doesn't matter at all!"
• Eric's tone was eerily calm, as if he were stating a simple fact. But those words startled Monica.
• She swallowed hard, but with hundreds of armed Ciderbrook soldiers behind her, her earlier fear disappeared, replaced by a cold resolve. "With death right around the corner, don't be so stubborn!
• "There's always someone stronger, someone better out there!
• "There are tons of people stronger than you!
• "Don't think you're untouchable!"
• Eric glanced at Connor with an indifferent expression. "Him? Not even close."
• "You punk!
• "Still talking big when you're about to die?
• "Get him—doesn't matter if he's dead or alive!"
• Even a calm person had limits, and Connor, with his military background, was no exception.
• Getting ignored like that in front of everyone made Connor's face flush with anger.
• He was fuming and started to say something, but before he could finish, there was a sharp "whoosh" as a thin, dark green ID smacked him right in the face.
• Humiliated in front of everyone, Connor was furious. He was about to order his men to shoot and send Eric straight to meet the Death.
• "One, two, three ... "
• But when Connor saw the six gleaming gold stars on the ID, his eyes widened in shock, and his hand shook so much that he nearly dropped the ID on the ground.
• In all of Skaonia's five-thousand-year history, there was only one man ever granted the rank of Six-Star Grand General.
• That man ...
• He's back!
• "Gulp ... "
• Connor swallowed hard, his hands trembling as he carefully approached Eric. He handed the ID back with both hands and even threw in a salute before leading his team away.
• "Colonel Hayes?
• "Hey, Colonel Hayes, where are you going?
• "If you're leaving, at least take this murderer with you!"
• Seeing the sudden turn of events, even someone as composed and cunning as Monica was left stunned, her eyes wide with shock.
• She couldn't make sense of what had just happened. From her perspective, it was completely baffling.
• Why did Connor leave without saying a word after seeing Eric's ID?
• What on earth was on that ID that made Connor so wary?
• "Got any other tricks up your sleeve, Monica?"
• Eric wore a faint smile—polite and elegant—but to Monica, it felt like the devil himself was whispering in her ear.
• She never saw this coming.
• Five years later, Eric's return was so forceful!
• Even Connor was too scared to mess with him. A lieutenant colonel, Connor, had to retreat with his tail between his legs.
• Thinking back, Eric always seemed like someone to be underestimated in Monica's eyes.
• The real reason Monica decided to marry Eric was simple.
• She had had enough fun and reached the age to get married, so she picked the best-looking option from her own pool of choices.
• As long as Monica snapped her fingers, Eric would unconditionally fulfill her every demand.
• In the early days of their marriage, Eric was able to satisfy all of Monica's desires.
• But as Monica's demands got more outrageous, Eric struggled to keep up. Their marriage, bought with money, started falling apart like quicksand.
• Frustrated, Monica even eyed Eric's soon-to-be-listed company, wanting to snatch it for herself.
• At that point, though, she wasn't bold enough to go as far as plotting murder for the money.
• It wasn't until the group claiming to be from Eldoria approached her that Monica's Pandora's box was finally opened.
• Monica had never imagined life could be so good after Eric's fall from the cliff and disappeared.
• With the successful takeover of Goodwell Corporation and by clinging to the Porters, the Duncans soared to new heights.
• Everything seemed like a dream, so unreal and perfect!
• But when Monica saw the cold, deadly look in Eric's eyes, it was as if waking up from a dream.
• She knew she was done for.
• "Eric, we were once husband and wife. We've been through so much together. Please ...
• "Don't kill me!
• "Goodwell Corporation is yours. I'll give you all my shares, no strings attached. Just please, spare me.
• "Eric, if you don't kill me, I'll tell you who was behind everything five years ago—"
• Smack!
• Before Monica could finish her plea, Eric used his vitality energy to slap her across the face with a forceful backhand.
• Her right cheek was left a bloody, twisted mess, completely unrecognizable from its original shape.
• In the past, Eric might have felt pity for her tearful pleas, wanting to comfort and hold her.
• But now?
• Seeing her like this made him feel nauseous.
• "Arghhh!"
• Monica covered her face, screaming in agony. The others watched in horror, too scared to even breathe.
• "For everything you've done to me and my family over the last five years, wiping out your entire clan wouldn't be too much.
• "But then I realized, while that might feel good, it'd be too easy on you, you vile woman!
• "So I've decided to make you pay back all the pain you've caused me and my parents tenfold, a hundredfold. I'll make sure you live in fear for the rest of your life!
• "Destroying your looks is just the first step!
• "Monica, I want you to beg in front of my house for three days and nights, then cripple your limbs yourself. After that, I want your family to donate 450 million to the Everhope School.
• "It won't save you, but it will at least spare the innocent people in your family."
• Today, Eric just wanted to make one thing clear to Monica and the people who helped mess with Goodwell Corporation and hurt him.
• He was back!
• Eric Goodwell was back!
• As for killing them?
• That was just part of the show. Eric didn't want them to die so easily.
• Eric wanted everyone who had tormented his parents over the past five years to pay for their crimes!
• When he said this, everyone was shocked into silence.
• If someone else had said it, people might have thought they were nuts or just joking around.
• But this was Eric!
• He was the guy who had come back to Ciderbrook after five years and was now crushing everything with bloody force!
• Looking at the lifeless body of Alan, severed and sprawled on the ground, then at Kemp pinned to the wall with a knife, and Damian, barely hanging on after being thrown from the third floor, it was clear to everyone that Eric wasn't joking.
• "I had a lot of fun today. Let's call it a day.
• "Can't wait to see you next time!"