Chapter 1 Farewell to the God of War

• Dusk settled over the icy expanse of Northville's wastelands. A military-green jeep churned through the snow-laden road, leaving a swirling trail in its wake. In the backseat, a young man discreetly wiped at his reddened eyes. Behind the jeep, a vast throng of people, clad in identical military-green battle attire, stood at attention. Their ranks extended as far as the eye could see, a seemingly endless sea of soldiers.
• At this moment, each and every one of them stood and saluted with fingers together, middle fingers lightly touching their temples at eyebrow level. Their moist eyes were locked on the gradually receding jeep.
• "Farewell, God of War!"
• "Farewell, God of War!"
• A thunderous chant erupted from the crowd, wave after wave of sound crashing against the sky.
• Marc Davidson, the burly man at the wheel, glanced at the young man in the rearview mirror, his own eyes red-rimmed. "Guardian," he said, his voice thick with reluctance. "Are you really leaving?"
• The young man's name was Hadden Holland. Though he had enlisted only five years ago, his military achievements were already legendary, his accolades countless. At the age of 27, he had become the youngest guardian in history, entrusted with the protection of Northville across the nine continents. Since assuming the mantle of guardian, his string of victories had earned him the title of the Invincible God of War.
• "Northville is an unassailable fortress now. Who would dare challenge it?" Hadden said, pulling out a photograph. It was a wedding picture, with a red background and a bride and groom dressed in white.
• In the photo, Hadden stood beside a woman of exquisite beauty. She appeared to be in her early twenties, her long hair simply tied back. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright, her nose high and straight, her lips full and delicate. She was more stunning than most celebrities. But in the photo, her expression was one of displeasure.
• "Vanessa, how are you?" Hadden murmured softly, gazing at the captivating woman in the picture.
• Looking at their only photograph together, a faint smile of happiness touched his lips, his mind drifting back to the past.
• Five years ago, Vanessa Smith, a recent college graduate, had single-handedly founded the Trinity Group. She quickly became known throughout Jerton as a beautiful CEO. Just as Trinity Group was at a critical point in its development, she was framed, drugged, and ended up spending a night with the company's security guard. And that lucky security guard was Hadden.
• "Jerton's top beauty spends the night with a security guard from her own company!" Before they had even left the hotel, the headline had dominated Jerton's news, and countless media outlets had picked it up. In no time at all, everyone from Jerton's elite to its commoners knew that Jerton's top beauty had spent the night with a lowly security guard.
• Overnight, Trinity Group's market value was halved. To minimize the damage, Vanessa's family approached Hadden and asked him to marry into her family. News of their marriage spread quickly, causing a sensation across Jerton, and the Vanessa family became a laughingstock.
• However, not long after their wedding, Hadden quietly left, driven by the desire to one day become someone worthy of Vanessa. For the past five years, the memory of that stunning woman had never left his mind, serving as the driving force that propelled him to the pinnacle of glory. But whenever he thought of her, guilt would fill his heart.
• ...
• Three days later, a Boeing 747 gently kissed the runway of the Jerton International Airport.
• "Finally, I'm back!" Hadden descended the aircraft's gangway, setting foot on Jerton soil. A rare smile graced his face.
• "Mom! Where are you?" The clear, tearful voice of a little girl pierced the air just as Hadden exited the airport. His heart inexplicably tightened.
• "Guardian ... " Marc started to speak, but Hadden cut him off. "The moment I left Northville, I ceased being a Guardian. That title is no longer mine!"
• Seeing the steely resolve in Hadden's face, Marc faltered and tentatively called out, "Should I call you Hadden?"
• When Hadden remained silent, Marc chuckled and said, "Hadden, that little girl looks a lot like you. Could she be a relative?"
• Hadden's gaze instinctively fell upon the little girl, and he found himself unable to look away. A powerful wave of familiarity surged through him. The way she cried, in particular, tugged at his heartstrings, causing an inexplicable ache.
• As if sensing his attention, the little girl abruptly ceased her tears, her eyes, still brimming with moisture, locking onto Hadden's.
• Their eyes met, his large and hers small, and Hadden studied the little girl's face more closely. The inexplicable bond between them intensified.
• Her face was exquisitely sculpted, like a perfect little porcelain doll, with soft pink skin as smooth as jade, and her big, watery eyes blinked with long lashes still damp with tears.
• She couldn't have been more than four years old, but even at such a young age, she was already a budding beauty. When she grew up, she would surely be an enchantress capable of causing trouble wherever she went.
• "Daddy!" The little girl suddenly exclaimed.
• Before Hadden could even react, the little girl ran over joyfully and hugged his leg.
• Boom!
• At that moment, Hadden felt a buzzing in his head. Beside him, Marc was also stunned. His mouth opened, and he stammered, "Could this really be ... your daughter?"
• It took a while for Hadden to gather his thoughts. He crouched down and looked at the little girl with her large, blinking eyes. He spoke as gently as possible, "Little one, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not your daddy!"
• "Waah!"
• The little girl burst into tears again, crying loudly, "Daddy doesn't want me! Daddy doesn't want me!"
• People around them began to stare, pointing at Hadden and whispering.
• Seeing the little girl cry again, Hadden felt his heart shatter. For the first time in his life, he was at a complete loss.
• He was the Guardian of Northville, feared by countless foes. Yet here he was, utterly defeated in the face of a four-year-old girl. If word of this got out, it would surely drop many jaws.
• "Little one, I really am not your daddy!"
• "Waaah ... Daddy doesn't want me anymore ... "
• Every time Hadden opened his mouth, the little girl cried even harder.
• Five minutes later.
• Sweat beaded on Hadden's forehead as he finally relented and gently picked the little girl up.
• The girl's tear-streaked eyes never left Hadden's face. Her small hands clung tightly to his clothes as if afraid she would be abandoned.
• "Hadden, this little girl seems to like you a lot. Why don't you just be her dad for real?"
• Marc teased with a smile, but when Hadden shot him a sharp, blade-like glare, Marc quickly shut his mouth.
• Left with no other choice, Hadden carried the girl over to the airport's security office.
• The girl cried and fussed, but Hadden reluctantly parted from her, walking away with Marc.
• But just as they were leaving, a long-haired woman dressed in a form-fitting black business suit rushed into the security office.
• "Anya!"
• Upon seeing her little girl in tears, the woman's own tears flowed freely. She rushed forward, enveloping the child in a tight embrace, unwilling to let go.
• Anya was her whole world.
• Five years ago, shortly after her marriage, she discovered she was pregnant. But the man had vanished without a trace. Her mother later revealed that he had taken 500 thousand dollars from her father and left.
• At that time, despair had consumed her, even pushing her to the brink of suicide. But every time she thought of the life growing within her, she found the strength to carry on.
• For five years, she endured endless humiliation. Even the company she had built from the ground up was seized by the family during her pregnancy. All because of that man.
• She hated him—the man who had disappeared without a word five years ago.
• "Mommy, I saw Daddy!"
• Anya blinked her large eyes, then her lips quivered, and she was on the verge of tears again. "But Daddy doesn't want me ... "
• The woman froze, her body shaking uncontrollably as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Her expression went blank, shock rendering her speechless.