An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2588

Chapter 2588

“Seal off the city?” Kyle was taken aback, but quickly nodded. “Understood. I’ll take care of it right away.”

As a soldier, following orders was his duty.

No matter what Matthias instructed, Kyle would carry it out without hesitation.

“Wait—”

Just as Kyle was about to leave, Matthias stopped him.

“This plague is no small matter. The news must be completely contained. If there’s another leak, and if any of the Linche officials disobey or pretend to follow orders while doing the opposite, fire them on the spot. If there’s evidence of negligence or sabotage—jail them.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Kyle responded firmly and left in a rush.

Matthias’s order was absolute—Kyle would execute it without holding back.

Sooner or later, he’d have to deal with those corrupt bureaucrats in Linche. They were all masters at deceiving their superiors and avoiding responsibility.

They were quick to grab profits, but when trouble came, they disappeared behind excuses and red tape.

Until now, Kyle had held back to avoid interfering with Matthias’s broader plans.

But now, anyone who got in the way—regardless of their position—would face consequences.

At minimum, they’d be stripped of their post. At worst, thrown into prison.

There was no room for compromise.

Meanwhile, the situation in Liyanche City wasn’t much better.

This was where Nathaniel had been stationed.

Since his arrival last night, Nathaniel had been working nonstop.

Unlike Matthias’s more aggressive approach, Nathaniel was clearly the more methodical and strategic of the two.

Knowing they were coming to handle a plague, he had wisely brought a medical team with him in advance.

He’d ordered them to collect plague samples immediately, start research, and begin developing a cure.

To speed up the process, they were even experimenting on live subjects.

He also ensured that news of the plague was tightly controlled, to avoid triggering mass panic and accelerating the spread.

Even so, Nathaniel had still underestimated the virus’s transmission speed.

In just one night, the number of infected had exploded from a few dozen to over ten million.

What made things worse was that several infected patients had escaped and were spreading the virus further.

Left with no choice, Nathaniel ordered full lockdowns on every major town and highway surrounding Liyanche.

—

In a temporary hospital, Nathaniel sat in the director’s office, listening to reports—and losing his temper.

“What the hell have you all been doing? We’re just trying to catch a few infected people—and you’ve failed for an entire day?” Nathaniel roared.

“Your Highness,” one subordinate answered nervously, “it’s like they knew our plan ahead of time. They’ve been hiding all over. Every time we close in, they’re already gone.”

Nathaniel’s expression darkened. “Are you saying… we’ve got a mole?”

“Seems likely. Otherwise, we would’ve had them by now. And, honestly, I don’t think this plague is a natural outbreak. I think it’s man-made.”

Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed. “You think this was an attack from hostile forces?”

“They’re hiding deep. We haven’t identified who’s behind it yet,” the subordinate admitted.

“Then stop talking and get to the bottom of it!” Nathaniel snapped.

“Yes, Your Highness!” The subordinate quickly left.

Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled, brow furrowed.

So this isn’t just a plague… It’s sabotage.

He wasn’t the only one assigned to fight this epidemic. His two elder brothers—Matthias and the Crown Prince—had been sent to different cities under the same mission.

The outbreak was a crisis, but also a contest.

Who could lead effectively?

Who had more influence?

At first, Nathaniel had only wanted to complete the mission quickly and efficiently.

But after hearing this report, he realized it was far more complex.

If this was a man-made plague, then unless the people behind it were eliminated, there would be no end to the crisis.

That was the core issue.

Suddenly, Nathaniel grabbed his phone and dialed a confidential number.

“Bring your team and come to Liyanche City right away. I’ve got an important mission for you.”

—

That evening, in Pucheng’s Yangliu Village…

“Boss, all newly discovered plague patients have been quarantined.”

“News containment is holding. The situation is still under control.”

“All the doctors transferred from Oakvale have arrived. They’re currently studying plague treatment methods under Mr. Rhys. We should start seeing progress soon.”

“If there’s no new outbreak source, we should have the plague in Pucheng fully under control.”

Stevie was giving a detailed status report to Grace.

Although more than a dozen new patients had been identified that morning, they’d been dealt with quickly. With support from the intelligence team, all of them were isolated within just half a day.

And with Logan and over a dozen renowned doctors on-site, curing those patients shouldn’t be a problem.

At least for now, they could finally breathe a little easier.