The War God's Homecoming
Chapter 327 The One Who Takes The Bait

Chapter 327 The one Who Takes the Bait

"Why all the panic? What could go wrong?" Ralph Riley's face darkened. "What could be so serious?"

"I-I just received news that Third Master and the people he took to the Lawson family were all killed by SHADOW..." The guest martial artist's voice was trembling.

"What!?" Ralph shouted in shock.

Melvin Pearce beside him was equally stunned.

"Are you sure?" Ralph Riley continued in an angry tone.

"Y-yes. We received the news and sent people to verify it."

"Damn it!" Ralph was furious. He raised his hand and smashed the tea table into pieces.

"Sir, SHADOW has also sent a message," the guy continued nervously.

"Go on." Ralph demanded.

"They said Dittman Clan's formula is now in SHADOW's hands, and that Third Master willingly confessed to everything. They want you to go to SHADOW within one day to confess your sins. Otherwise, they'll come to the Riley clan to arrest people."

"What?" Melvin's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this.

Ralph Riley, infuriated, once again slammed the LCD TV on the wall, sending it crashing to the ground in a pile of shattered metal and broken glass. He took a deep breath and lit a cigar. "Do you know who is leading SHADOW's team?" he asked.

"I don't... I don't know, but I heard that Frostblade returned to Earthford this morning. If everything goes as planned, it should be her."

"Impossible!" Ralph rejected the idea with a firm tone. "Frostblade is only at the late stage of the Warlord level. It must be someone else."

"Investigate right away. Find out who was behind this. Whoever dared to kill my younger brother, no matter who they are, they will pay with their lives!"

"Yes, sir!" the guy who came to report nodded before leaving the room.

Ralph let out a heavy sigh and took another puff of his cigar. "Mr Pearce, I apologize for this unexpected turn of events. I fear that now the Dittman Clan's formula has fallen into SHADOW's hands..." "What Ink Pavilion wants, a small SHADOW base in Earthford can't possibly protect." Melvin Pearce squinted slightly.

"What do you mean, Mr Pearce?" Ralph was momentarily taken aback, and a possibility crossed his mind, making his heart skip a beat. After a brief pause, he continued, "Mr Pearce, for now, this matter can't proceed."

"If a significant number of Ink Pavilion's people show up in Earthford, it's bound to attract the attention of various departments. I'm worried..."

Ink Pavilion was like a pariah in the eyes of the public, if they appeared openly in Earthford, it would undoubtedly draw the attention of various agencies. Then, the Riley clan would have to deal not only with SHADOW but also with those departments.

"Mr Riley, rest assured, I have it under control." Melvin Pearce interrupted him.

"Let's leave it at that for today. You need to quickly gather information on the leader of the opposing party, and I'll come back tomorrow." After he finished speaking, Melvin walked out the door.

Once Melvin had left, Ralph Riley furrowed his brows slightly, and after a moment of thought, he took out his cellphone and dialed a number.

The next afternoon at four o'clock, inside the SHADOW base in Earthford, in a meeting room.

"Boss, we've verified it. In the past twenty-four hours, there have been three waves of people arriving in Earthford." Frostblade said as he poured a cup of tea for Billy.

Billy picked up the teacup, took a sip, and smiled faintly. "Who are they?"

"The Capital Defense Bureau, the Southern Special Patrol Squadron, and another wave with unknown identities." Frostblade responded.

"Oh, the Capital Defense Bureau has people from the Riley clan? Impressive." Billy's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes," Frostblade nodded.

"These pests have been planting their people in various departments like crazy in recent years. Although they've toned it down somewhat, the web of connections has already been established. There's a symbiotic relationship between the clans and these individuals. Whenever the clans encounter something troublesome, they're bound to step in." Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I see," Billy nodded nonchalantly. After setting down the teacup, he continued, "What about the people from the Special Patrol Squadron? Are they under the jurisdiction of the Southern District Governor?" "Yes," Frostblade nodded again.

"Indeed," Billy agreed. "That's the power of the clan system. It cannot be underestimated."

"Boss, the Rileys probably know you're in Earthford, or else they wouldn't have brought these people to Earthford." Frostblade continued.

"Of course, they can easily find out with a little inquiry." Billy nodded before asking again, "What about that group with unknown identities?"

"I had SHADOW's brothers conduct a rotating surveillance of the major entrances to Earthford City within the past twenty-four hours. They discovered a batch of martial artists mixed into the crowd. Their cultivation can not be neglected, but if our estimate is correct, they should be from Ink Pavilion." Frostblade reported.

"They've finally come!" Billy's lips curled upward.

"Should we intercept them?"

"No," Billy replied. "Just keep an eye on them."

"I see." Frostblade acknowledged.

Afterward, Billy glanced at the wall clock, got up, and headed towards the door. "Let's go, it's about time."

"Yes, Commander!" Frostblade nodded vigorously and followed suit.

The SHADOW base wasn't too far from the Riley estate, and in less than half an hour, Billy led a group of core SHADOW members to the gate of the Riley clan's mansion.

"Who are you people?" one of the four men outside the guardhouse spoke up loudly.

"We're here on SHADOW business, open the gate." Wally Hammond responded loudly.

"Oh, you're from SHADOW, please!" the man replied and then waved in the direction of the guardhouse in a cooperative manner.

Before long, the gate began to slowly open. It was evident that they had received prior notice. Anyone from SHADOW was allowed entry without hesitation.

As Billy and his team walked about 200-300 meters into the courtyard, a group of people emerged from the estate. At the forefront was Ralph Riley.

"It turns out Commander Gardner has graced us with his presence. My apologies for not coming to greet you personally, Commander Gardner, please forgive me." Ralph spoke loudly after they had approached about 20-30 meters away from Billy and his team.

"Who are you?" Billy asked casually.

"I am Ralph Riley, the head of the Riley clan. I'm delighted to welcome you." Ralph lowered his posture significantly as he introduced himself.

"You're the head of the clan?" Billy spoke again. "The message conveyed to you through intermediaries yesterday, did you not receive it or did you simply disregard it?"

"Hmm?" Ralph feigned a surprised expression. "Commander Gardner, could you clarify which message you're referring to?"

"You didn't receive it?" Billy gave a faint smile.

Ralph Riley's reaction was precisely what he had expected. For Ralph, it was the best response. He couldn't admit to receiving the message but choosing not to act on it. That would be too straightforward. After a brief pause, Billy continued, "It is fine. It doesn't matter. Today, you'll hear it all the same."

"I'm curious, Commander Gardner, what exactly is this matter you're referring to?" Ralph maintained his humble demeanor. "Wally, please enlighten him about the transgressions of the Riley clan." Billy turned to Wally Hammond and said calmly.

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