Chapter 520
“Alex!” Felicia screamed, her voice tearing apart with panic. “You’re my son-in-law. Pauline is my daughter. You’re both my guarantors p>
“Mom!” Pauline shouted, horror flooding her face. “What have you done p>
The two men slowly turned their cold, predatory gazes toward Alex and Pauline, measuring them the way traders inspect livestock.
“These two,” one of them said indifferently. “A strong young man and a young woman. Far better guarantors than a useless old woman p>
They shoved Felicia away without a second thought and let her go.
“You can go,” the man said. “We’ll keep them p>
Felicia staggered free, terror flooding her face. She backed away, shouting over her shoulder, “I’m sorry! I swear I’ll find the money outside! Please-stay here p>
Then she turned and ran. She didn’t look back.
Pauline instinctively tried to run after her, but a staff member grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
A large, thick-necked man stepped forward, looming over Alex and Pauline like a wall of muscle.
“You two,” he growled, stepping closer. “Come with me. If you can’t pay, you’ll work in the mine until your mother finds the money p>
Pauline was shaking so badly she could barely stand. She hid behind Alex, clutching his coat.
Alex lifted his head and stared straight at the man, fear flickering—but not submission.
“And if I refuse?” Alex asked calmly.
The man sneered. “Then I break your bones p>
He lunged.
Alex moved.
A single sharp slap echoed through the room.
The big man flew backward and hit the ground hard. His eyes rolled back. Unconscious.
The others froze.
“How dare you!” Then two men rushed Alex together.
Another slap.
One went down.
Another slap.
The second collapsed.
The remaining staff stared in disbelief as four men charged at once.
Pauline screamed and pressed herself tighter behind Alex, her hands trembling.
But it didn’t matter how many came.
One slap. One body down.
Four men attacked.
Four slaps answered.
All four hit the floor.
Silence swallowed the room.
Alex lifted his gaze to the second floor and narrowed his eyes. “Wait here,” he said quietly. “I’ll see what’s upstairs p>
“No,” Pauline said, her voice shaking. “I—I’m coming with you p>
Alex didn’t argue.
They climbed to the second floor. Wooden crates were stacked everywhere, rough and old. One box sat open. Inside were piles of books, densely packed, covered in writing from Xia’s country.
A middle-aged man stepped forward, his expression cold and businesslike.
“Are you Mrs. Felicia’s guarantor?” he asked. “She bid on a mysterious box at the auction p>
He gestured toward the open crate.
“This is what she opened,” he continued flatly. “Only books from Xia’s country p>
He looked Alex straight in the eye.
“The price is one million dollars per box p>
The man was Klaus Dornberg, manager of Thorn & Coin.
Klaus stared at Alex with icy contempt. “So,” he said coldly, “how would you like to settle this p>
Alex spread his hands, casual and calm. “I don’t have any money p>
“No money?” Klaus clenched his jaw, fury flaring. “Felicia said you’re a rich man.
You already opened the box. That alone is unforgivable. And now you dare say you have no money?” His voice dropped. “Do you want to die p>
Alex smiled faintly. “Then how are you planning to kill me p>
“You arrogant brat!” Klaus slammed his foot against the floor. “Guards! Come here! Beat him down and make him kneel p>
Silence answered him.
Alex tilted his head. “How many guards do you have?” he asked calmly. “If it’s only ten, they’re all asleep downstairs p>
“That’s impossible,” Klaus snapped.
He rushed down the stairs.
Every guard lay scattered across the floor, groaning or unconscious.
Klaus’s face went pale. This man is dangerous. Panic slammed into him. He immediately pulled out his phone and called his bos. Only after that did he force himself to return upstairs.
He pointed at Alex, his finger
shaking with rage. “You-you dared touch my people. You’re dead. I’ve called my boss. Pay for the box and
my guards’ medical bills, or you’ll never see the sky again
Alex was already seated at the manager’s desk. He picked up a book from the mysterious box and flipped through it, calm and detached, as if no one in the room mattered.
“Do whatever you think you should do p>
He reached across the desk, took a handful of chocolates and candy, and placed them in Pauline’s hands.
“Leave this place. Go find your mother p>
“No,” Pauline said immediately. “I’m staying with you. They could kidnap me outside p>
She was still shaken, but watching
Alex so effortlessly crush grown
men made her feel safer beside him.
She took the chocolate, sat down
quietly, and glanced around at the strange items in the room.
Klaus Dornberg had never met someone this reckless. He pointed at Alex, his voice
shaking. “You… you’ll regret this when my people arrive p>
His blood boiled. If he didn’t crush Alex here and now, word would spread. Thorn &
Coin would look weak. Its reputation would be trampled.
Alex ignored him and reached into the large wooden box and lifted out book after book-nearly twenty in total.
He scanned the pages with ease.
Years ago, Alex had already mastered the Xia language.
The box contained nothing but books-cheap, worthless cultivation techniques and basic movement manuals. They were common
mased studied by everyon
in Xia.
Interesting at a glance, but ultimately useless. Nothing of real value could come from them.
Alex flipped through them one by one, calm and methodical, until the wooden box
was empty.
Then he paused.
His fingers brushed the base of the box. There-barely visible—a thin line carved
into the wood.
Alex’s eyes sharpened.
He pressed lightly.
A hollow sound answered.
A hidden compartment.
He knocked once, precise. The concealed drawer slid open.
Inside lay a single thick book.
No title. No markings.
Alex opened it.
Formations.
His breathing slowed.
He had studied countless manuals on healing and cultivation, but never formations.
This was different. Rare. Complex. Powerful.
His attention locked in.
He read seriously, fully absorbed—unaware of the storm gathering around him.
Klaus Dornberg had been waiting impatiently, watching Alex sit at the desk, calmly reading, as if nothing in the world concerned him. It made Klaus’s skin crawl.
Then footsteps thundered from the first floor.
Klaus stiffened and rushed down the stairs.
“Boss p>
The owner of Thorn & Coin arrived with nearly thirty men behind him, their presence
heavy and threatening.
“Where is the man who beat our people?” the boss demanded coldly.
“He’s upstairs,” Klaus said quickly. “Reading a book. Boss, you have to teach him a
lesson p>
The boss stepped forward, eyes hard. “Of course. Do you think I’d let someone trample our place and walk away? Everyone-upstairs p>
Pauline froze when she saw the group marching toward the stairs. Panic surged through her.
Alex was still seated, reading, unmoved.
She rushed to his back, pressing close behind him.
The boss entered the room, anger already rising to his throat. He opened his mouth
to shout.
“Who dares to “
The moment his eyes landed on Alex, all color drained from his face.
His words died instantly.
He stopped breathing.
Klaus rushed up beside him and yelled, “My boss is here! How dare you p>
Before Klaus could finish, the boss spun around in sheer panic and slapped Klaus
across the face-once, twice, hard.
“Shut up!” he hissed desperately. “Shut up! Don’t you dare disturb him p>
Klaus staggered back, clutching his face.
“Boss! Why are you hitting me?! He beat our men p>
The boss struck him again, harder.
“You fool,” he hissed. “You almost got us all killed p>