An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2474

Chapter 2474

“This guy just won’t give up!”

Ziggy glanced back and saw that Manuel was still on their heels.

The interception team he had sent out was completely useless—they couldn’t even touch the edge of Manuel’s clothes.

What was worse, Manuel kept firing flares as he pursued them, constantly revealing their location.

If this continued, no matter which direction they retreated, they would eventually be surrounded.

“Ziggy, Trevor! You two go take care of that persistent fly for me!” General Cardinal Dragon Marshal ordered without hesitation.

“General, if we leave, who will protect you?” Ziggy hesitated.

The general was already in terrible condition. Without them by his side, if a powerful enemy struck, he’d be in grave danger.

“If we don’t get rid of him, I’ll be in even greater danger! Go now!” the general snapped.

“Yes, sir!”

Ziggy and Trevor exchanged a glance before immediately leading two squads to intercept Manuel.

They knew that as long as Manuel was alive, their escape would be impossible. If they didn’t stop him now, they would all be dragged to their deaths.

While Ziggy and Trevor moved to delay Manuel, General Cardinal Dragon Marshal gave another command:

“Split into ten teams! Retreat through different routes—we’ll regroup outside the city!”

“Yes, sir!”

At the general’s orders, the Red Fire Army scattered and fled in different directions.

Taking only five personal guards with him, General Cardinal Dragon Marshal disappeared into a narrow alley.

He may have appeared rough and fierce, but his mind was razor-sharp.

He knew that if they all ran in the same direction, they would be surrounded and slaughtered. Their only chance was to split up.

Simply put, the majority of the Red Fire Army had to act as decoys, drawing the royal forces away, so he could escape.

Because of the signal flares, the entire city was now on high alert.

All major exits were blocked.

All movement was restricted.

Armed patrols combed the streets.

One by one, squads of the Red Fire Army were intercepted within minutes.

The royal forces had clear orders:

If they encountered the Red Fire Army, they were to suppress them immediately.

If they refused to surrender after one warning, they were to be executed on the spot.

As a result, brutal skirmishes erupted across the city—one bloody battle after another.

Despite their training, the Red Fire Army was no match for the sheer numbers of the royal forces. Team after team of them fell.

Meanwhile, General Cardinal Dragon Marshal and his guards were forced to hide like rats.

Every time an armed patrol passed, they would dive into the shadows, holding their breath, hearts pounding.

Fortunately, the general’s keen instincts allowed him to sense movement in advance, avoiding capture—so far.

His plan was to reach his safe house before the full force of martial law locked down the city.

But every major road leading there was already blocked.

Taking a detour was an option—but time was running out.

And there was no guarantee that the other paths weren’t also crawling with royal soldiers.

As more and more patrols flooded the streets, the tension among his guards grew unbearable.

“General, at this rate, we’ll be caught sooner or later. We should fight our way out!” one of them, a round-faced soldier, gritted his teeth and drew his blade.

This constant hiding was humiliating. Fighting at least gave them a chance.

“Idiot! The general is poisoned—how do you expect him to fight? If you want to die, don’t drag him down with you!” snapped another guard with a square face.

“Then what? Just sit here and wait for death? By dawn, we’ll have no chance at all!” the round-faced soldier shot back.

“We need to find a place to hide. We can’t keep going like this,” General Cardinal Dragon Marshal panted, sweat dripping from his forehead.

The Ten Fragrance Softening Muscle Powder had fully taken effect. His body felt like lead. Even standing was a struggle, let alone fighting.

The only option left was to find a temporary hiding spot and lay low.

If he could survive the night and wait for the poison to wear off, escaping West Lucozia City wouldn’t be impossible.

After all, he had already prepared an escape route for himself.

Meanwhile, Ziggy and Trevor were still locked in a fierce battle with Manuel.

Individually, neither of them was a match for him.

But by working together—and with the support of over 400 Red Fire Army soldiers—they had managed to gain the upper hand.

After a brutal clash, Manuel had taken several wounds.

However, he had also slain more than a dozen Red Fire Army soldiers in return.

Though Ziggy and Trevor seemed to have the advantage, they were growing more and more anxious.

If they didn’t take down Manuel soon, reinforcements from the palace would arrive.

And when that happened, they would be the ones fighting for their lives.