Love At The Wrong Table

Chapter 1926 The Power of Hidden Forces

The big–headed man clapped his hands sharply, and from the shadows of

the thick bushes, a swarm of figures suddenly leaped out, their abrupt

appearance sending a fresh wave of terror rippling through the already

tense group. These newcomers were like creatures pulled from the ancient

past, their appearances wild and untamed, as though they had been cut off

from civilization for eons, their mannerisms more like that of savage beasts

than modern men.

Julian’s mind raced, his thoughts swirling in disbelief. What kind of

godforsaken place is this? he wondered as he glanced around. The world

was vast and full of strange and terrible things, but this? This defied all logic.

A man with an unnaturally large nose, nostrils flaring as if he were sniffing the

air like a hunting hound, suddenly turned to the big–headed man. “Gary, I

smell something… there are others nearby.”

Gary’s eyes darkened with suspicion as he rounded on Julian, his voice sharp

and accusing. “Did you bring more people? What’s with all the sneaking

08:44 Wed, Oct 23 b G.

The Power of Hidden forces

around? Are you plotting something?” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“No! We didn’t!” Julian protested, his face pale with fear, his hands shooting

up defensively. “We only came as three swear it! If I’m lying, let the heavens

strike me down!”

Gary’s brow furrowed deeply. Even with his formidable skills, it wasn’t until the large–nosed man had mentioned it that he had sensed the disturbance. He narrowed his eyes and, without warning, hurled a stone weapon toward the dense foliage, his bellow echoing through the darkening forest, “Who’s hiding

back there? Show yourself!”

The force behind his attack was terrifying. The stones tore through the air

with the velocity of cannonballs, aimed straight at the mysterious presence

lurking in the shadows.

Wyatt’s breath caught in his throat as he watched. The sheer strength that Gary possessed–could it truly rival his own? The Ancient Woods were steeped in dark legend, and standing here now amidst its deadly silence, it was clear why people whispered of this place as the gate to hell, where no

The Power of Hidden Forces

living soul returned once they crossed its threshold.

Then, something impossible happened. The stones, instead of finding their

mark, were caught mid–flight and, with equal force, sent hurtling back toward

their original trajectory.

Gary’s eyes widened in disbelief as he threw himself to the ground, narrowly

avoiding the rebounding projectiles.

“Get down!” Ashton screamed, throwing herself over her brother and

Roselynn, shielding them as best she could.

The stones crashed into the ground behind them with a thunderous impact, exploding into shards like detonated bombs. The earth seemed to shudder

under the blast, fragments flying through the air as if the very land itself had

been torn apart.

Julian blinked, stunned. Is this some sort of movie? his mind screamed. How

could such monstrous power exist in the real world?

37052

The Power of Hidden Forces

“Ashton! Are you alright? Ashton!” Roselynn’s frantic voice broke through the

haze of confusion, jolting Julian from his stupor.

His heart nearly stopped when he saw Ashton lying on the ground, blood

soaking the dirt beneath her. She had been struck by one of the stones, and

crimson was spreading fast.

“I’m… I’ll manage,” Ashton groaned through gritted teeth, struggling to stay

conscious. “Just… bandage me up, quickly.”

They were lucky–no vital areas had been hit. But the sheer power behind

those stones, the brutal force–it was beyond anything Julian had ever

witnessed. It was as though the mountains themselves had come alive to

attack them. Could anything be stronger than Emmanuel?

“D*mn it! Who the hell is attacking us?” Gary roared, fury blazing in his eyes.

“Men! Kill them all!”

His voice rang with authority, and as soon as the words left his lips, the very ground beneath them began to tremble. The mountain itself seemed to

The Power of Hidden Forces

groan and shift as if responding to his command,

Roselynn and Julian, caught off guard by the sudden quake, were thrown to

the ground, powerless to stand. Even Wyatt, strong as he was, felt his balance.

waver as the earth beneath his feet trembled. His scalp prickled with unease.

How many warriors were hidden on this mountain? The weight of the mystery

pressed down on him, suffocating.

Hank’s face twisted into an odd mixture of excitement and terror, his voice

shaking as he muttered, “The Summerton family of Zovince–one of

Chanaea’s most powerful martial arts clans, once rivals of the Lannisters. I’d

heard they had gathered geniuses from across the world, but to see it… it’s

more than I could have ever imagined.”

Ahead of them, the refined young master struggled to maintain his footing,

his face a mask of cool composure, though he said nothing. The whole

mountaintop, now crawling with shadowed figures, was a hi of activity.

In the growing twilight, it was impossible to make out their faces, but there had to be over a hundred warriors gathered there. The sound of their

The Power of Hidden Forces

movements alone was enough to rival the noise of a thousand ordinary men.

Finally, the young master stepped forward, bowing slightly to Gary with a

graceful smile. “Gary, I am Gwain of Zovince. I have come here to pay my

respects to the head of the Summerton family. I mean no harm.”

Gary’s lips curled into a sneer as he took a single step forward, though he still

kept a cautious distance. Gwain’s earlier display of power had shaken him

more than he cared to admit. Circling the young master, Gary barked a

mocking laugh, “So, you’re the so–called ‘Southern Lannister,’ huh? You look

like some pretty boy, and you’re supposed to be one of the top martial artists

in the world?”

Gwain’s response was calm, his smile sly as he spoke, “Not one of the top. I

am the strongest martial artist alive today.”

“What the hell! Such arrogance!” Gary spat. The surrounding martial artists

gasped, their eyes wide in disbelief.

To them, martial arts was life–a battle of dominance where only the

33

The Power of Hidden Forces

strongest could prevail. And now, here stood a man who claimed that title for

himself.