Chapter 1912 by Marina Vittori
An Understated Dominance
After lunch, Dustin received an unexpected call from Grace. She had something important to discuss, and they were to meet at the old house in the western city.
Dustin had acquired this particular residence specifically for the training of undercover agents. These women, once victims of Russoâs abuses, willingly joined the West Lucozia undercover agent camp.
They were prepared to sacrifice their lives to make sure no one else would go through the same experiences they did. Dustin admired their sense of justice and honored their wishes.
Under Rodrigoâs training, these women had been inducted as official agents. However, they still required at least three years of further development before they could take on missions.
Dustin fervently hoped that he would never have to deploy them as it would signify peace in the region. Undercover agents were only deployed in the face of potential threats and only had a 10% survival rate.
Half an hour later, Dustin arrived at the old house in the western city and entered the meeting room where Grace had long been waiting.
Grace wore a green dress that day, her beautiful face still concealed by a veil. Even with her features hidden, her alluring figure exuded undeniable charm, sparking the imagination of those around her.
âYouâre here. Have a seat,â Grace said, pouring Dustin a cup of tea.
âWhat is it that you need to discuss, Your Highness?â Dustin said as he took a seat.
âWhy do you sometimes address me that way? Arenât we considered close now?â Grace smirked.
âHow should I address you then? Ms. Linsor? Princess Grace?â Dustin was puzzled.
âCome on! Havenât you been calling me Grace all this time?â Grace rolled her eyes.
âI was just worried that you might not like it. Fine, Grace, then.â Dustin shrugged.
Dustin guessed they could address each other more familiarly since theyâd had life-and-death experiences together.
âHmph! Why does it seem like you donât like it?â Grace narrowed her beautiful eyes.
âWhat do you mean? Of course, Iâm delighted. Itâs my honor to be friends with the Princess of Dragonmarsh.â
Dustin gave her a professionally courteous smile.
âHmph! I donât feel the sincerity!â
Grace grumbled but didnât dwell on it too much. Instead, she immediately revealed the reason for their meeting, â I invited you here today mainly to discuss our next steps.
âWest Lucozia has now been stabilized, and the remnants of the Dragon Guard have been wiped out. According to our previous agreement, itâs time for you to help me search for the Dracan essences.
âDonât worry, I will fulfill my promise. As soon as there is information on the Dracan essences, Iâll leave with you immediately to investigate,â Dustin replied earnestly.
He had a rough idea of her intentions the moment she called. However, with no information or leads on the whereabouts of the Dracan essences, he couldnât just roam around aimlessly like a headless chicken.
âGreat. Iâm relieved at your assurance, âGrace responded.
She wore a satisfied smile. âTo be honest, my men have been searching for the Dracan essences, and they finally found a lead two days ago.â
âOh?â Dustin raised an eyebrow in surprise. âDo you mean theyâve found one of the Dracan essences?â
âI wouldnât say definitively that theyâve found it. I can only say that thereâs a high probability that theyâve found it.â Grace shook her head.
âWhat do you mean?â Dustin was puzzled.
âAccording to their findings, thereâs an unusual phenomenon near the southwest borders. An oasis has emerged in what was once a desolate desert, and the most remarkable part is its rapid expansion.
âI suspect that a Dracan essence might be concealed within the oasis, and weâll need to investigate closer to confirm,â Grace explained.
âAn oasis forming in the middle of the desert? Thatâs indeed unusual.â
Dustin stroked his chin and asked, âDid your men discover anything else?â
âNo.â
Graceâs tone turned somber, âThe oasis seems like a different realm. Once my men entered, they either vanished completely or lost all communication.
âSo far, Iâve dispatched three groups, but every one of them vanished without a trace.â
âItâs that serious?â Dustin was taken aback. âDoesnât that mean the oasis is an extremely dangerous place?â
The three groups of scouts have likely met an unfortunate end. It suggested that what appeared to be an oasis was, in reality, a treacherous abyss.
âWhy would I need your help if it werenât dangerous?â Grace said matter of factly.
âWell, uhâ¦â Dustinâs mouth twitched, momentarily at a loss for words.
âAs a formidable martial artist ranked 10th on the Astonishing World List, with the exception of a few dangerous locations, there are hardly any challenges in the entire world that pose a threat to you.
âSo, you wonât need to worry about your safety,â Grace said with a smile.
âHardly doesnât mean none,â Dustin muttered. The world was vast and full of surprises. What does it matter if he was ranked 10th on the Astonishing World List?
Even Reagan Judd, who was ranked 5th, died by the Deicide Venom. Anything could happen.
âLogan, are you scared?â Grace asked.
âWhat a joke! How can a grown man like me be scared? Be it an oasis or a lionâs den, Iâll go with you!â Dustin declared boldly. He couldnât back down now after what he said earlier.
âGreat! Itâs a deal, then!â Grace said with a smile.
âWhen do we set out?â
âWe have no time to delay. We leave tonight.â
âThat soon? Shouldnât we make preparations?â Dustin was taken aback.
âIâve already prepared everything we need. Various forces are already eyeing the oasis, thinking thereâs treasure inside. We must be quick. Itâll be bad if someone gets there before us.â Graceâs tone was somber.
âAlright, weâll proceed as youâve suggested. Iâll return to inform everyone and start packing as well. Tonight, weâll head to the deserts in the southwest!â