An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2619

Chapter 2619

“These princes—each holding power—treat the common people like they’re nothing. When my father put the southern border in their hands, he hoped they’d grow through the challenge and protect the people. But now, all they care about is fighting for power, using human lives like pawns in a game.”

Grace’s face was tight with anger, a cold glint flashing in her beautiful eyes.

More than anger, what she felt was bitter disappointment in her brother.

To her, not one of her brothers was fit to rule. None of them were worthy of the throne.

“Now’s not the time to place blame. The most urgent thing is to save those innocent lives,” Logan said again.

He had no respect for Tristan, Matthias, or Nathaniel.

Tristan was a two-faced hypocrite—smooth on the outside, rotten underneath. Matthias was violent and cruel, all brute and no brain. And Nathaniel? Selfish and petty, willing to sacrifice anyone for his own gain.

“Mr. Rhys is right. Those people are drowning in disaster. Only we can help them now,” Stevie added, his voice serious.

Grace took a deep breath, forcing the fury in her chest to settle until calm returned to her eyes.

“Get a rescue team together immediately. Send them to Wugang City as fast as possible. We save as many as we can—no delays!”

She didn’t waste a second.

Wugang City wasn’t chosen because the outbreak was worse there. It was because Linche and Liyanche were already beyond saving.

In those cities, Matthias and Nathaniel had already ordered the infected to be burned alive. Anyone still breathing likely wouldn’t be for long.

If she led a team there, they’d be risking their lives for nothing. But Wugang City still held a sliver of hope—Tristan’s reckless delay had given the infected a small chance.

How many they could save… only fate would decide.

Under Grace’s orders, a rescue team quickly set out from Pucheng and rushed toward Wugang City.

…

At that moment, deep in the slums of Wugang City—

A tall wooden wall enclosed a massive cage. The air inside was damp and choked with the stench of vomit and rotting flesh.

Jagged bamboo spikes lined the top of the wall, and strips of cloth clung to them—remnants of those who had tried and failed to escape.

More than sixty people were crammed into the muddy space, not even a straw mat to shield them from the filth.

A child’s faint cry echoed from a corner. A woman in rags, hands raw from frostbite, patted the child’s back. Her bare arms were covered in dark, bluish spots, and when she coughed, a grotesque lump bulged in her chest.

“Water… does anyone have water…”

A frail old man lay on the ground, scratching at the mud with his fingers in search of grass roots.

His neck was festering, oozing yellow-green pus. Two strong men beside him were tearing apart a moldy piece of bread, their milky eyes full of hunger. They didn’t even notice the maggots writhing on the ground or crawling over their clothes.

Suddenly, screams erupted from a shack on the west side. Several plague victims collapsed, convulsing violently. Their skin turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Uninfected people screamed, scrambling to back away—but the crowd was too packed. No one could move. They could only watch in horror as the blackness spread across the others’ bodies like a living thing.

“Don’t touch them! They’re contagious!”

Someone shouted, and panic exploded.

Stones were thrown at the infected. Others tried to climb the wall, stepping on anyone in their way.

In the chaos, a woman holding a baby was knocked down. The baby tumbled from the cradle into the muddy water. Before it could even cry, the stampede had silenced it.

“Sir! We’re not sick! Please let us out!”

A group of asymptomatic civilians clung to the wooden fence, shaking it desperately.

Outside the wall, soldiers in armor stared blankly at the carnage. When civilians got too close, they stabbed at them with spears—bored, irritated.

“What the hell are you yelling for? The First Prince is busy. You’re all staying right here!”

A fat-faced captain spat a blade of grass from his mouth and ground the blood-soaked dirt under his boot. “When the plague’s over, we’ll let you out—if you’re still alive.”

Right as he finished, coughing broke out in the east.

Over a dozen people who had seemed healthy dropped to their knees, clutching their chests, black saliva trickling from their lips.

Terror spread faster than the disease. Cries of despair echoed through the camp. Some people smashed their heads against the wooden posts. Others tore at each other’s hair.

The entire cage had turned into hell on earth.

As night fell, cold rain began to pour.

It washed away the grime, but not the hopelessness that clung to the air.

More and more people curled up in the mud. Whether they were sleeping or already dead—no one could tell.

Only the tattered flag atop the wall fluttered and moaned in the wind and rain.