"My word is the rule!" Leander dropped the sentence like a hammer, and everyone froze for a moment, all eyes snapping to him.It was such a simple line, but it carried this unshakable, almost untouchableswagger.After a brief pause, Cedric laughed out loud. "Ha! What did you just say? Your word is the rule? Then I guess my word is a royal decree. Who do you think you are, thinking whatever you say just goes? You've been driving around the desert way too long. It's scrambled your brain."Ophelia's eyes flickered, surprise written all over her expression. She had never expected Leander to speak like that.Leander didn't even flinch at Cedric's mocking tone. He just looked at Ophelia. "You've got three seconds to decide."Ophelia met his gaze, her expression shifting. Typically, Cedric's attitude was over the line, and he had no right to speak to Leander that way. But the Snowbrooks and the Montgomerys had been close for generations, and she was the pride of the Snowbrooks. On top of that, Cedric had traveled all the way with her to Sandsong Oasis in the Sahar Wastes, and there was no way she could make him leave.She glanced at Leander and said softly, "Leander, don't take it this far. You saved me, and I'm grateful. I'll pay you every penny I promised. Let's just forget what happened earlier, okay?"Leander didn't move. He just kept looking at her. Three seconds later, he nodded. "Time's up!" He shoved one hand in his pocket and scanned the crowd. "The treasure hunt is over. Nothing here belongs to any of you. You can turn around and leave."noveldramaThen he pointed at Ophelia, his voice cold. "That goes for you too."Hearing the way Leander spoke, arrogant and self-assured as if he owned the entire situation, Cedric finally lost his patience.He stepped forward, cutting straight past Ophelia, and pointed directly at Leander. "Kid, do you really think I would not touch you? You think I was joking with you earlier?"Cedric did not hold back. He waved a hand sharply at the three burly men behind him. "You three. Take this brat and dump him in the desert. If anything happens, I will take full responsibility."The three men were hired muscle to begin with. Once Cedric gave the order, they did not hesitate. They moved quickly toward Leander.After seeing this, Ophelia tried to speak up and stop them, but Cedric stepped back to her side and grabbed her arm, lowering his voice. "Ophelia, I know he saved you, that part is true. But with an attitude like this, he has been asking for a lesson. Do not worry. I am just scaring him, teaching him some manners."She hesitated. Thinking about Leander's blatant arrogance moments earlier, she could not help feeling that he had gone too far. In that brief hesitation, the three men were already standing in front of Leander, ready to move."Stop." At that moment, Evren, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke.The moment Evren's voice carried across the scene, everyone froze. No one dared act out of line in front of the famed boxing great grandmaster of Bladewick, and even Cedric and Ophelia turned to look at him.Evren stood with his hands behind his back, every bit the image of an esteemed master. He gave the three men a look and said calmly, "This young man saved Ms. Snowbrook. That makes him a benefactor of the Snowbrooks. Laying hands on a benefactor is deeply disrespectful."Hearing this, the three men stepped back in shame. Evren then turned his gaze toward Leander."Hey, kid. That is just how Mr. CedricQuis. He was only joking earlier. When you said we should all turn back, l knew you were speaking out of anger How about this? Do mea favor on this and let us both take a step back. Wait here for us. Once we get what we came for, we will hire your off-roader and leave together. The pay and the benefits will not disappoint you." His tone stayed polite and measured, and he sounded sincere enough. Still, there was an unquestionable sense of authority woven into his words, as if Leander had no real choice but to follow his arrangement. As soon as Evren finished speaking, he turned to Cedric. "Mr. Cedric, let us leave itat that. We are all in the desert together. We should be helping each other, not stirring up trouble at a time like this. If you truly have other intentions, wait until we are out of the desert. I will not interfere then. How does that sound?"Cedric was arrogant and overbearing, someone who ran wild in Bladewick. Even so, he had heard of Evren's reputation since childhood.Although Evren served publicly as a retainer of the Snowbrooks and appeared to be the personal bodyguard of Ophelia's grandfather, Celvon Snowbrook, he actually held an exceptionally high status. Within the Snowbrooks, his standing rivaled Celvon's. The two were close friends.Back when he was young, Evren had received a great favor from Celvon. Because of that, he had stayed with the Snowbrooks for ten years, keeping to the shadows while guarding Celvon's safety.Across all of Bladewick, Evren's status is no weaker than that of any great family head. I hear he is a Martial Sovereign. Not long ago, he even made the Astria Power Index and ranked twelfth. That kind of standing is untouchable. If my grandpa were here, he would still have to address him as Mr. Westvale. How could I possibly act out of line?When Evren spoke, Cedric immediately nodded. "Mr. Westvale, you are right. I will do as you say."Seeing Evren step in, Ophelia finally let out a quiet breath of relief. She thought the matter would end there. Instead, Leander spoke again."Do you a favor?" A trace of disdain curled across Leander's expression as he looked straight at Evren. "And you think you are worthy of that?"The moment those words fell, the calm on Evren's expression shattered. Ophelia, Cedric, and the others all stiffened in shock, their expressions turning pale.Leander actually says that Evren isn't even worth showing him respect? He has to understand, this is Evren, the one whose name shakes all of Bladewick. Even the highest rulers in Bladewick treat him with proper respect. The heads of those great families all consider him their equal. At nearly ninety-nine percent of high-society banquets in Bladewick, everyone prides themselves on Evren's presence. And now, a young guy who looks no older than twenty actually dares to speak disrespectfully to Evren and claims Evren doesn't even deserve a little respect? We all think Leander has lost his mind."That guy really is a complete fool!" Cedric almost laughed out loud.I mean to challenge Leander, sure, but since Evren speaks up, I have no choice butto drop it. And now, Leander actually has the nerve to talk back to Evren, even saying something about whether he's qualified enough—this is just reckless.At that moment, even Ophelia felt a deep sense of helplessness. She shook her head at Leander in silent disapproval, her irritation growing.Evren was one of the Snowbrooks' honored elders, someone she respected above most. And now, seeing Leander act like this toward him, even after he had saved her life, she couldn't help being upset.Evren's gaze narrowed, carrying a cold edge. "Young man, do you even know what it means to speak recklessly?"