An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori (official version)

Garrett was dumbfounded. Staring at the densely packed mutant piranhas, his fury was replaced by sheer horror.

Who would have thought that human-eating monstrous creatures would be hiding in the seemingly calm lake?

Had he known earlier, he never would have allowed his team to dive into the waters.

"There's danger lurking everywhere!" Sophia feigned a sigh.

In fact, she already knew about the mutant piranhas when she saw them tearing apart and devouring two

massive mutant wolves the previous night.

She didn't warn the others of the danger to prioritize her chances of securing valuable treasure. After all, the

more casualties there were, the fewer individuals she would have to divide the treasures with.

"Diving in with so many mutant piranhas around is impossible. We'll wait for the tide to recede at night," Grace

commented, instructing her guards to set up camp nearby.

Given the unusual behavior of the Celestial Eye, there was a strong possibility that the Dracan essence was

hidden beneath the lake. Leaving at this point was out of the question for Grace.

"I'm going to catch sshut-eye. Wakeup when it's time." Aidan yawned, then leaped onto a branch of a

large tree, settling in for a nap.

Although his cultivation level allowed him to make the risky dive, it was unnecessary. While submerged, he

would face restrictions, but on land, he could unleash his full strength.

It would be most wise to avoid unnecessary trouble in case they encountered formidable aquatic creatures

underwater.

"Sophia, you still haven't fully recovered from your injuries. Let's rest over there." Jackson called out to Sophia,

finding a clean patch of grass for them to sit down.

Before Sophia could sit, Jackson gallantly took off his jacket and placed it beneath her, displaying a warm and

considerate gesture.

Sophia merely responded with a smile and occasionally stole glances at Dustin. Rather than Jackson, she found

herself more intrigued by Dustin.

After all, with her appearance, Sophia attracted attention effortlessly. Men, whether young talents or

distinguished figures, would often gaze at her, becoming captivated in the process.

However, Dustin was the exception. Since they met, he hadn't spared her a single glance. It was as if she didn't

even exist. Though it stung her pride, it also sparked a sense of curiosity within her.

Was Dustin simply not interested in her, or was he indifferent to women altogether? She needed an opportunity

to test it out.

"Captain, Rino is dead, and over half of our remaining members are gone. What should we do now?"

The short-haired woman from the Black Scorpion Squad frowned and her expression becparticularly solemn.

Since entering the mysterious oasis, the Black Scorpion Squad, initially consisting of over ten members, had

steadily dwindled down to just five, including her.

Losing so many teammates before securing any treasure was a bitter pill to swallow.

"From now on, we're laying low and not taking the lead anymore," Garrett declared with a somber tone.

After experiencing the perils within this mysterious oasis, Garrett had cto a realization. One wrong move

could mean the end of their lives.

Instead of seizing treasure, their main goal now was to survive. They would only contemplate treasures once

they ensured their survival.

Otherwise, even if they managed to obtain the treasure, they wouldn't be able to walk out alive.

Tcrawled by, and as dusk approached, a rustle echoed from the bushes by the lake.

"Who's there?" Jackson was the first to notice since he was the nearest to the sound. He swiftly drew his sword,

prompting everyone else to heighten their alertness.

"It's us!" a commanding voice declared.

Gradually, two groups emerged from the bushes, one on the left and one on the right.

The group on the left, donned in green, comprised about a dozen people. They appeared imposing as they

wielded their swords.

Their leader, a man with a sharply curved nose, had a ponytailed woman by his side. The group was none other

than disciples of the Frostwing Sect.

On the right, a larger group of over 20 individuals dressed in yellow, also armed with swords, exuded a more

formidable aura. They were unmistakably disciples of the Drakes Dominion Order.

"Bran? Yonah?" Jackson frowned at the sight of the two lead disciples.

He didn't expect to encounter members of the Drakes Dominion Order and Frostwing Sect here. Their

appearance complicated matters as it seemed like they had formed an alliance.

"Jackson, what a surprise, isn't it?" Bran smirked, crossing his arms with his sword in hand.

"Why are you here?" Jackson asked coldly.

"For the treasure, of course."

Bran flashed a meaningful smile as he continued, "I heard that countless treasures are hidden beneath this lake,

so Yonah and | cto try our luck."

"Hmph! What a load of crap! What treasure? There's nothing here," Jackson denied it outright.

"If there are no treasures, then why are you and your team here?" Bran retorted.

"We're just tired from traveling. Can't we rest here?" Jackson snapped back.

"Oh Jackson, your lies are as poor as ever." Bran shook his head, sneering.

"To be honest, we've been keeping a close eye on you all this time. | had someone tailing your every move. |

know everything you've done on this journey.

"Did you really think you could deceive me? What a joke!"

From the moment they left Dusthaven Village, Bran had dispatched a skilled tracker to shadow Grace's team,

fully aware that they possessed the most detailed information.

By tailing them, they were bound to stumble upon treasure sooner or later. And just as he anticipated, after days

of surveillance, the rewards finally came.

"You're utterly despicable!" Jackson clenched his teeth, nearly unsheathing his sword.

They had risked their lives in search of treasure, only to realize they had unwittingly becpawns in someone

else's game.