Chapter 9 Nation-Wide Shock!

• In Streamhaven, everyone knows about Victor, the eldest son of the Quinns. But not many people have heard of his younger brother, Sher Quinn.
• A while back, Alstair decided to train Sher in secret, making him their behind-the-scenes guy who handles all the covert operations.
• Once Sher joined the Eastwater Pavilion, the Quinns made sure to keep him under wraps, making it clear that no one should mention him to avoid revealing their trump card too soon.
• "Sher, you're finally back. Who are these two?" Alstair braved the rain to greet them personally, knowing that they were from the Eastwater Pavilion.
• Anyone from the Eastwater Pavilion was a big deal, no matter who they were.
• Sher was slender and tall, a stark contrast to his older brother Victor, who was bulky and overbearing.
• "Grandpa, these two are the stewards from the Eastwater Pavilion, Finn Pendleton and Ben Winslow," Sher introduced them.
• "So you're both the stewards. We didn't know you were coming, so we weren't able to give you a proper welcome. Please accept our apologies!" Alstair clasped his hands and apologised.
• "It's no problem!" The two masters, dressed in traditional training outfits, gave a polite nod. They were respectful but still carried a sense of pride.
• "Grandpa, I heard about what happened on the way back. If that's the case, let's get going. How dare a nobody mess with our family? And the Graces? They're nothing but a frog in a well, trying to jump out!" Sher said with confidence.
• Malcolm laughed heartily. "Okay, great! With Sher back and two masters from the Eastwater Pavilion supporting us, it's like the heavens are on our side. Not only do we have nothing to fear from the Graces, but we're also ready to face anyone in Arcadia!"
• "Let's go!"
• Alstair waved his hand, and the group of over a hundred people set off in a grand procession. The Quinns were clearly pulling out all the stops.
• As cars drove out of the estate through the rain, the scene was truly impressive. The entire city of Streamhaven was stirred up, with people wondering if something big was about to happen, given the scale of the Quinns' mobilisation.
• At the same time, Noah, the Head of the Streamhaven Inspection Division, received a call from Pearce. After a string of curses, he gathered about thirty people and headed towards Opal Bay.
• The villa where Victor was staying in Opal Bay was halfway up the mountain. About half an hour earlier, the Quinns had already announced that the area was off-limits to outsiders, warning that any trespassers would face consequences. As a result, the whole city was on high alert.
• "D*mn it, the Quinns are really pushing their luck this time. It's pouring rain, and they're still causing all this trouble!" Noah grumbled as he watched the heavy rain from his window.
• His assistant said, "Sir, with both the Quinns and Graces pulling out all the stops, we're stuck in a tough spot between these two big players."
• Noah snapped back, "I don't care. I have to be here because of my job. As long as they don't hurt innocent people, I couldn't care less who wins or loses."
• The rain kept coming down, and the Graces were the first to arrive. They reached the base of the mountain but couldn't move any further.
• "Everyone out; get out of the car. We're climbing the mountain!" Pearce, the head of the Grace family, said as he pushed open the car door. He was a tall man in his fifties, with a weathered face but eyes that were determined and sharp, showing a hint of authority and fierceness.
• He brought over a hundred strong men who were dressed in night clothes. Rain poured down on them, but they didn't seem to care as they quickly climbed the mountain.
• Soon, Noah's team arrived as well, but they stopped at the base of the mountain and didn't move forward right away.
• The assistant asked, "Sir, why aren't we heading up immediately?"
• Noah snapped back, "What do you know?"
• Noah cursed, tossing his cigarette butt out of the car window. "The Quinns haven't arrived yet. Why rush up there? Get some people and set up guards along the way. Don't let anyone else in. It looks like things are going to get serious today."
• Suddenly, Noah spotted the Quinns' convoy in the distance. Through the misty rain, the headlights looked like a long line of light, moving steadily towards them.
• Meanwhile, helicopters were flying across the northern wilderness and over the central highlands, heading straight for Streamhaven, the small city in the southern.
• In addition, some of the Dragon King's warlords were on the move. One was advancing from the heart of Seraphic Mountain, flying over the terrain. Another was crossing the ocean on the fastest cruise ship. And yet another was rushing from the capital city of Vampire Kingdom, covering a thousand miles distance.
• Soon, the War Council Hall in the Imperial City of Aetherian Kingdom was stirred.
• "What's going on? Why are all eight of the Dragon King's warlords suddenly returning from various places and heading south?" an elderly member of the War Council Hall asked, staring at the red dots on the large screen in front of him.
• "Not just the Eight Great Warlords, but even the thirty-six celestial lords under him are on the move. What's with this huge show of force all of a sudden?"
• Another elder furrowed his brow and exclaimed, "Could it be that there's some news about the Dragon King?"
• At that moment, a group of senior officials hurriedly entered the high-security room.
• "Gentlemen, we have good news! The Dragon King has finally been located. He's currently in Streamhaven, in the southern Lumoria province!" the officials said, clearly excited.