Nivea City Exclusive Hospital.

Outside the ICU ward, Kayla and Victoria were talking to the doctor about my wound. I slowly regained consciousness, and my eyes began to flutter. I was shocked when I saw the surroundings. Looking around, I discovered that my hand was attached to a saline drip. A 3-centimeter-long stitch was visible on my right chest. 

“Where am I? Oh my, that hurts.” I shrieked as I felt a twinge of pain in my chest. 

Shanaya, who had her head on my chest, was startled by my noise as she awoke and quickly comforted me. "Honey, are you alright? Is it painful?" 

"Hmm yeah. But, where am I?" After a few seconds, the pain subsided, and I inquired.

"Silly boy. You are in the hospital." She let out a smile. 

I was stunned and asked her, "How did I end up in the hospital? If my memory serves me correctly, I was at home and then found myself here." 

Shanaya, who was smiling at me, turned bright red as anger surged through her eyes. She pinched my ears and yelled, "It is because of your stupid impulsiveness that you hurt yourself." 

As I regained full awareness, memories began to flood back. Without waiting for me to respond, Shanaya said, "Are you nuts, huh? Why did you have to stab yourself? Is it to demonstrate that you are a man of your word, or that you will not be a man if you are unable to keep the promise? Are you aware of the gravity of the situation? Why don’t you understand that everything is not as simple as it appears to be? You know, I am sick of your immature actions. Why can’t you be mature and move on from the past?” She became irate with me at the end of her speech. 

I looked at her silently, knowing what was going on in her heart. 'I know you are worried about me, but I can't just let them do whatever they want. I need to make a proper resolution because the war is between the lone wolf and the king of the jungle, Lion.'

"Why are you mute? Speak up. Could you beat him in just a week?” She glared at me. 

"Wife, the goal is to eradicate him from the face of the earth; it's not about defeat. Tell me, since you are my spouse and I witnessed you saving me from Kelly. What prevents you from holding my hand, then? I have heard from elders that a husband and wife should support one another when they encounter difficulties. Since you are my only family, all I need in this war is your trust. So, why don't you believe me?”

Sanaya was stunned and at a loss for words. She took a deep breath and said, "Honey, I am not against your ideas, but... The thing is, he is your mother's husband, so how can you confront him without her consent?" 

"Wife, please don't voice out about that woman. I don't give a damn if it is her spouse or whoever it is. To tell the truth, at first, I wanted to exact revenge on him, but I lacked his background and information. However, I now have something at my fingertips, thanks to what Lancy told me yesterday. As a man, I understand that taking such a big step will be challenging for me. Furthermore, once a man speaks, he never retracts his words. Also, why should I seek consent from that woman? Is she so dignified that she deserves my respect now? Did she not know that I harbored animosity toward her family? And she must face the consequences of her actions in the past." 

Shanaya's expression shifted as she attempted to comprehend my words. After that, rage flowed through her veins because she knew that no amount of consoling or sweet talk would persuade the latter to change his mind. She returned to her old self, squeezed my cheeks, and yelled, "Honey, I am warning you. If I see you plotting revenge, I swear I will break your knees and lock you up at home. Do you want me to be a widow at such a young age? You are not allowed to leave me. After you are released from this place, you are only allowed to stay next to me and cannot leave the house. And if I discover you are breaking the rules, then there will be severe consequences. Is that clear?" 

I was taken aback for a moment, but then I smiled and said, "Wife, I am sorry, but there is no point in trying to persuade me. I know what I am doing. Also, do you know why I stabbed myself?”

She shook her head in disapproval, unaware of the reasoning behind my actions. My eyes turned crimson red as I pointed my finger to my chest and said, "It's because every time it hurts, it ignites the flame in my chest for Joseph's head. I’m not foolish enough to hurt myself, but the pain here encourages me to slash his head and offer it to my ancestors. Since he is so eager to wipe out the entire Ley Family lineage, I will fulfill his promise by wiping him out first.”

Shanaya shuddered for the first time upon seeing me. She noticed a change in my eyes and temperament. To divert me, she said, "Calm down, Honey. So, could you tell me about your family's background?”

Listening to her, my eyes and temperament returned to normal. Then I sighed and told her, "I am only telling you what I heard from my father back then. So the Ley bloodline used to be the most powerful and mysterious. It used to delve into martial arts, and every member of the direct line had to undergo the training from an early age. It was not just the greatest typhoon in business, but also in martial arts. So, overall, the Ley Family dominated the Salleria." 

"Salleria? Then how come your family was staying in Nivea City?" She probed with curiosity. 

"Yes, Salleria. Actually, my father belonged to the sixth generation of the direct line, and Marcus was his illegitimate brother. Now, driven by greed and power, he began to play dirty tricks behind dad's back. For example, when my father was running the company, he would bribe the senior executive officer, embezzle company funds in my father's name, and then trap him by accusing him of embezzling. Stephanie observed everything and informed dad, but he ignored her and instead warned him, believing he would change. Also, after my father remarried Victoria, he would come to our house and try to flirt with her, which she did not care about. She assumed it was some of her brother-in-law's jokes. But she eventually realized he was lusting after her, as he frequently touched her buttocks or navel. So, enraged, she told dad, who beat him mercilessly, leaving him a swollen pig. Marcus used to beat me to vent his anger on me, and I was about 12 or 13 years old at the time, so he persuaded me with chocolates. But when my father discovered the marks on my back, he slashed Marcus’s right hand out of rage. Then Marcus went to the family and reported them, and the patriarch, my grandfather, disowned my father after witnessing such harsh treatment against him. Grandpa did not mean to hurt dad; it was just that he was too damn strict. If he succumbed to emotions rather than rationality, the Ley Family would collapse, within a month. That old man was disciplined, just like an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”

"But why did he disown him, when he was a victim of the mess? Grandpa should at least solicit the opinions of both men, right?" She inquired. 

"Remember, wife, that a person with a black heart filled with guilt will never confess their sins. Because if they confess, the world will change, and no hierarchy will exist. So dad experienced the same biased feeling. He was in no position to point out the reason for his actions. Because he could not capture the moments under surveillance, right? Marcus, on the other hand, produced everyone he bribed into accusing him, prompting grandpa to take immediate action against him. Certainly Grandpa valued my father, so he offered a choice of sacrifice, a hand, or inheritance. But he chose inheritance. Because if he sacrificed his hand, even if he becomes king, what good will martial arts be if he cannot beat a thug? Also, if he sacrifices his inheritance then he may become poor and need to start from scratch, but at least he can work with both hands to provide a living for us. So that was his mindset.” 

"Ohh. Now I see. Aunt Lancy persuaded mom to elope with Joseph Smith because he was left with nothing, right? 

"Yes. And that only annoys me, because dad never showed his weakness before her. Whenever she used to get angry, he was beside her like an emotional dump. He gave all he could afford, but alas! She did not even thank him for his generosity." 

"It's alright. You got me. It will all work out, so stop being depressed like a two-year-old baby. Then, what happened after his disownment? Did your grandpa forgive him?" 

"No. Our Ley Family was not at its peak out of sympathy or pity. Rather, they were formidable during their reign. Nobody dared to offend them for fear of being exterminated overnight. That was the power. Also, according to a family rule that I learned from my father, if someone is disowned, he cannot be welcomed again unless his power and influence exceed those of the Ley Family. However, up until this point, a person who has been disowned is unable to return as a supreme being or something similar. Sounds absurd, right? But that was one of the conditions outlined in our family law books. In fact, my father advised me not to blame our main branch because they were unaware of the events that occurred to him. After my father left the family, Marcus now reigns over the entire clan and commands everyone in the family. Dad and Victoria came here and settled, but only for a few months before she eloped with Joseph, leaving dad devastated and hopeless. He used to be a manager in a bank, and our family was coping with the adjustment. But why she felt the need to be unfaithful to him when he most needed her is beyond my conscience. I currently have two main nemeses: Joseph and Marcus. Only for them did I lose what was mine. If my father had been in charge, I could have enjoyed my life more. Alas! This was all a dream. Now, do you understand why I asked you to teach me boxing?" 

"Yes, I agree. But, honey, with just a few moves you learned, could you defeat them? You know how powerful they are; how can you defeat them with your strength?" She gave me a hard look. 

"Although I learned some martial arts back then, I have forgotten everything. Because this requires immense practice, and without a mentor, I can't achieve my goal. Still, I hope that one day I will kill them both for dragging me into such a pit of misery and despair." 

Shanaya was about to say something when the door creaked open and Kayla entered the room. Shanaya stood up quickly and asked, "Mom, is there anything you need?" 

"No, I came to check on him. So he is woken up." She looked at me and spoke. 

"How are you doing?" She inquired. However, her tone was disappointing.

"I am fine; nothing to worry about." 

"Good to hear. Anyway, rest and get better soon." She nodded and walked outside. 

I smiled as the door closed, thinking, 'You must be mad at me. It's fine, though, because I no longer care about it.'

Imperia City Military Headquarters. 

A woman in her mid- twenties was seated on a chair with her legs resting on the table in one of the rooms. She was looking at an image from one of her albums and munching on some chocolates. That picture was of Ryan Ley, who was in his adolescence, hugging a woman and smiling like there was no tomorrow. The woman was dressed in black military attire, with three gold stars on her shoulders. She appeared aloof and cold, as if she were saying, "Not to be disturbed now."

Despite her black attire, she appeared stunning and gorgeous. She seemed to be a ripe peach in her mid-twenties, ready to be plucked at any time. Her scarlet red lips, emerald green eyes, and wavy brown hair hung down to her back. A pair of D-cups and toned biceps accentuated her allure, enticing anyone who saw her. Moving downward, her buttocks were curvy and firm, most likely due to squats and workouts. 

She wore a maverick badge bearing the words "Lieutenant General" on her right chest. The name "Stephanie Ley" gleam slightly down her maverick badge. As she looked at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes, and she muttered, 'My little Ley, it has been six years since I last saw you, and I miss you so much. Hopefully you are fine, but don't worry; sister has a big surprise for you, hehe.’ With that, she kissed the photo and kept her phone. A woman with the rank of Brigadier General showed up a short while later and gave her a salute.

"Brigadier General Leona has reported for duty and is waiting for the command of the Lieutenant General."  

Stephanie returned the salute and said, “ Leona, I need the whereabouts of my little Ley after we reach Nivea City.” 

"Roger that. Ma'am, your helicopter is ready.” 

Stephanie nodded, picked up some documents, and took one last look around her office before heading towards the helipad. As she walked past, the soldiers saluted her, and she reciprocated with a nod. Before taking her seat, she looked at the General, saluted and said, "General, I will only meet if the war calls me. Goodbye." With that, she and Leona boarded the helicopter and took off. 

If it had been any other soldier, that soldier would have had to face his wrath, but since it was Stephanie, the General grinned bitterly and said to himself, ‘This woman may be reckless, but the enemy stays 4 kilometers away from her on the battlefield. This represents her terror among them. Well she truly is a legendary woman afterall.’