There was a sickening crunch as the Sage Lake Sect apprentice''s hand started to ice up, his skin soon


    freezing into a dried ckness.


    It was a sight of sheer horror, and the other Sage Lake Sect apprentices promptly backed away in fear.


    "Urgh." Dahok groaned as he stirred, pushing himself up to his seat in the shrine.


    "Ingrate!!!" he finally snapped after mumbling the word repeatedly before coughing another mouthful of


    ck blood.


    This time, everyone stayed well away, having learned their lesson.


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    Dahok wheezed even as the ck blood iced up on the floor, finally able to speak again.


    "Go!" he bellowed. "Take down that bastard Maron and bring him to me!"


    Quinn and Frank traded nces, and both strode up.


    "No, absolutely not!" Frank barked, holding up a hand.


    "What. Why?" Dahok wheezed through shallow breaths but forced a smile nheless. "I haven''t met


    you, sir, but I''m grateful that you saved my life. However, I shall have that treacherous boy. Today."


    "Are you sure the elders of your sect still serve you?" Frank asked quietly.


    Dahok froze in silence, though he turned to Quinn after a while. "Quinn, your phone please. Call Jorg


    Zayas and have him return. And your father too. We need him back right now."


    Quinn shook her head. "Sir. My father is dead."


    "Bocek''s dead?!" Dahok''s eyes widened in shock. "Was it that bastard Maron.?"


    "No." Quinn sighed miserably. "It was the Szars."


    Dahok hacked violently for a while, his eyes shing viciously when he looked up again. "We shall


    make the Szars pay when we''re done here. Go—call Jorg Zayas right now."


    Not quite familiar with Jorg, Frank nced at Quinn quizzically while she borrowed a phone from one of


    the Sage Lake Sect apprentices.


    "Jorg Zayas is the leader of our sect''s cutthroat guild," she exined. "Don''t worry—the sect shall


    serve the chief''s will until the end."


    "The cutthroat guild?" Frank''s heart skipped a beat and suddenly grabbed Quinn''s wrist.


    "W-What?" Quinn looked up in confusion.


    Frank did not answer. Instead, he turned toward Dahok and said solemnly, "Master Ocean, your son


    had the cutthroat guild hold my friends hostage and had been forcing me to do his bidding. Could you


    speak with them personally and ask them to ensure my friends'' safety?"


    Seeing that Dahok was hesitant, Frank nodded to assure him. "As long as the cutthroat guild ensures


    their safety, I''ll stop the coup guing your sect. I can assure you that you won''t be disappointed!"


    Despite Frank''s solemn request, Dahok was left in a dilemma because he needed the cutthroat guild to


    return and restore peace to his guild.


    If he asked the cutthroat guild to defend Frank''s friends instead, his only allies would be beyond reach.


    And worst of all, he was now a defenseless cripple—he would lose to Maron when challenged!