Chapter 6 Welcome Back, My King!

• Boom ...
• With a thunderous crash, the weather went from calm to chaotic in an instant—strong winds, pouring rain, and lightning everywhere. The sky was so dark it looked like it was crying.
• Lila, holding Hannah, couldn't help but ask, "Scarlett, who exactly is Maddox? He seemed completely different from before just now."
• Even though Scarlett's face was no longer bleeding, it still looked gruesomely disfigured. She forced herself to endure the pain and said, "I don't understand why you're asking this. He and I grew up together. He was very kind to me when we were kids. But after the Sterlings hit hard times, he didn't come back until five years ago. By then, my family was forcing me into marriage, so we eloped to Streamhaven."
• Lila frowned and said as she drove, "I remember that crisis with the Sterlings happened about fifteen years ago. If he only returned five years ago, that means he was missing for ten years. Where did he go during that time?"
• "I don't know, and honestly, I don't care. The fact that he's back and alive is already a huge blessing."
• Even though her face was disfigured, Scarlett wasn't too worried about herself. She was more concerned about Maddox. "Lila, do you think Maddox might be in danger? We shouldn't have left him there alone."
• By now, Hannah had fallen asleep, but she kept mumbling and calling out for her dad the whole way.
• Lila sighed and said, "The Quinns have a strong influence in Streamhaven. If he doesn't stay, we might not be able to get out of there. But don't worry—I've already called my dad and asked him to bring some help."
• "I'm still worried," Scarlett said.
• "Don't stress. My family isn't as strong as the Quinns, but we do have some influence in Streamhaven. With my dad getting involved, Maddox should be okay. But you need to get to the hospital right away. I think we should head back to Lumoria."
• Lila turned onto a side road, steering clear of the main road to avoid getting caught by the Quinns.
• Back at the villa, Maddox threw Victor into the yard, still holding the dog cage. The heavy rain was pouring down, and Victor huddled up, howling in misery like a stray dog.
• "You're really ruthless, Sterling! Just wait—my dad's on his way, and when he finds out what you've done, you're as good as dead. I'll tear you into pieces!" Victor yelled.
• "I'm waiting!" Maddox pulled out a chair and sat down at the entrance of the villa. "I'm curious to see just how powerful a small family from Streamhaven can be!"
• "Fine, we'll see!" Victor said, snorting in response.
• It was then that Maddox noticed David in the corner, who had still not left.
• "You're still here?" Maddox turned and asked.
• David finally calmed down a bit, but his heart was still racing. He forced a nervous smile and said, "It's not that I don't want to leave—I just can't seem to move my legs."
• Maddox chuckled. "You've got some loyalty, coming along like this."
• Even though David was smiling, he looked more like he was about to cry. "Maddox, are we really just going to wait here? I've heard that the Quinns run Streamhaven like their personal kingdom, and nobody dares to mess with them."
• Maddox shook his head and said, "Well, now that you're here and it's pouring rain, you might as well stick around and enjoy the show."
• David didn't know what the "show" was going to be, but his nervousness seemed to work out for him. He nodded blankly, showing no signs of wanting to leave.
• Maddox thought for a moment, sighed deeply, and finally pulled out his phone, dialling a long number.
• "Who's this?" came a stern voice on the other end.
• "Me," Maddox said with just one word.
• On the other end, there was a wave of shock. "You're ... the King?"
• "Yeah, I'm back," Maddox said, finally showing a long-awaited smile.
• For five years, his powers were sealed, and he went from being on top of the world to hitting rock bottom. To escape dark forces hunting him, he went into hiding, living anonymously in Streamhaven and working construction jobs for five years.
• Over those 1,800 days and nights, he faced countless struggles and endured a lot of pain and hardship.
• "Your subordinate, Phantom, here, paying respects to the Dragon King!"
• On the other end of the phone, the person suddenly stood up and gave a salute. Even though they were talking over the phone, the respect was clear.
• "My king, where are you right now? I'll come immediately to welcome you back!" Phantom said, clearly excited.
• "I'm in Streamhaven, Lumoria, and I can't return just yet. My wife and child have been insulted and mistreated. Issue a Dragon King's Decree for the Eight Great Warlords and 36 celestial lords under my command to come to Streamhaven at once and guard me!" Maddox said firmly, emphasising each word.
• "What? How dare anyone insult and mistreat your family? This is unforgivable. They deserve to be executed without mercy!"
• Phantom, seething with rage, said, "My king, you've suffered enough. I'll send the orders immediately and lead the troops to Streamhaven to protect you."