But then he noticed additional vehicles nearby, filled with more special forces ready to come to support at any time. Overwhelmed with astonishment and confusion, Fred found himself handcuffed and led to one of the cars.

Meanwhile, at the Association of Healthcare Professionals, Octavian was in total disarray.

Just a minute earlier, Octavian was in Kent's office, about to Leave.

As Octavian realized a pretty girl was obstructing the door, his instincts screamed trouble, prompting him to spring into action. His efforts, however, were in vain. He couldn't overpower the pretty girl at the door.

To his astonishment, the pretty girl was none other than Maria, Highwyn's most celebrated actress over the past six months. Maria was known for her roles on screen and her writing, not combat. Yet, her martial arts skills were formidable.

Octavian had spent decades studying the ancient martial arts in Highwyn with the information gathered by Empire over the years. He had managed to combine his learning with modern medical knowledge and fashioned himself into a warrior of cinematic caliber.

Yet, facing Maria was like striking stone. A shiver went through him as he felt the jarring sensation of bone meeting unyielding granite.

Octavian pivoted sharply and made a beeline for the room's window, his retreat hastened by the pain.

With a leap, he vacated the office through the window, leaving Kent behind.

Octavian trusted Kent's martial prowess to hold Maria at bay, at least for a while. This diversion, he hoped, would grant him enough time to put a significant distance between himself and Maria.

Octavian fled in a wild dash, opting against modern forms of transport. With his medically enhanced physique, he could sustain a sprinter's pace for over an hour.

This method of escape would leave fewer traces for anyone tracking him and was ideal for reaching the nearest unused safe room for him to hide in.

Octavian was now certain his covert operation in Highwyn had been compromised. It was likely that his teams had been captured, and Joelle may have been caught as well.

Octavian didn't have the time to think about anything else. Once inside somewhere relatively safe, his priority would be to initiate the withdrawal plan and prepare for a reckoning with the martial arts world and Heaven!

“I will return one day..." Octavian vowed silently.

Amid his escape, Octavian ground to a halt. Ahead, a robust man was pushing a wheelchair, and its occupant exuded an air of elegance and ancient nobility, reminiscent of a deity from Highwyn's mythos.

"You are... Anthony?" Octavian wasn't intimidated but rather approached proactively.

His keen assessment told him the wheelchair attendant, though sturdy, was not as formidable as Kent. The man seated appeared to possess only the aura of an average person.

Confident in his superior combat abilities compared to Kent's, Octavian felt no threat from the attendant or the wheelchair-bound individual. This encounter only deepened his conviction about the identity of the man in the wheelchair.

"You're Anthony, the former heir of the Wilson family, right? The world of martial arts in Highwyn has suffered during the two decades of conflict. Yet, your family, in league with other influential families, has quietly funded various martial arts associations. This support allowed the martial arts to recuperate and flourish again.

By aligning with the martial arts world, your family became a thorn in the Empire's side! Therefore, I played the chessboard of Highwyn's elite, coaxing your family's enemies into ambushing the Wilson family while leveraging intelligence.

The ambush left you gravely wounded and stripped you of your right to lead the Wilsons, making you of little further interest to the Empire. But what I hadn't anticipated was your swift founding of the Sky Group. You vanished into the shadows, continuing to advocate for martial arts on behalf of the Wilsons.”

Octavian paused, realizing the extent of the Sky Group's vast reach.

The Sky Group was far wealthier than the Wilsons as if the coffers of several powerful families had been combined.