An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2735

Chapter 2735

Hayden smiled faintly, entirely unbothered, and followed after Corinne.

Just as he was about to turn away, something seemed to stir in his awareness. His head tilted ever so slightly—almost imperceptibly—toward Dustin’s direction.

Dustin’s heart skipped a beat.

However, his expression didn’t change in the slightest. He remained calm, letting his gaze drift casually over the chaotic crowd in the distance before shifting to the rippling surface of the lake, as if he were nothing more than an ordinary passerby whose attention had briefly been drawn by a sudden commotion.

Hayden’s gaze lingered on Dustin for less than half a second.

An unremarkable young man. Plain clothes. Calm demeanor. Standing by the lake watching the excitement—no different from any other curious citizen.

The corners of Hayden’s lips lifted almost imperceptibly.

That smile carried indifference, faint condescension, and perhaps even a subconscious mockery of the masses below him.

Then he withdrew his gaze, turned around, and calmly followed Corinne.

Their figures disappeared around a bend in the park path, as though they had never been there at all.

Dustin remained where he was, his eyes returning to the lake. Inside his pocket, his fingers rubbed lightly against each other.

A fate worse than death…

A single invisible point in the air—intangible, unseen—yet capable of inflicting such unbearable pain.

This wasn’t something ordinary martial artists or even most extraordinary individuals could achieve.

The way Hayden casually traced that formation felt far more like a cultivator’s technique.

And the incongruity was striking.

Their attire, utterly out of place in modern society.
Their temperament—cold, detached, treating human life as insignificant.
Their methods—casual, bizarre, and terrifying.

“Are they disciples of some reclusive cultivation family?” Dustin wondered.

He didn’t know much about such families—only scattered rumors. He had once dismissed them as myths.

But after everything he had experienced, he knew better now.

There truly were cultivators in this world—beings utterly beyond the reach of ordinary people.

And in truth, after breaking through to the Land Immortal Realm, he himself had already crossed that threshold—transforming from a martial artist into a cultivator.

Now, however, he was in a stage of regression—returning from a nascent soul back into mortality.

“It looks like another storm is coming to Oakvale,” Dustin murmured.

Whenever a reclusive cultivator stepped into the secular world, it was inevitable that the balance would shift.

But with his cultivation completely sealed, there was nothing he could do about it now.

Best to mind his own business—and live as an ordinary person.

At that moment, Hayden and Corinne were already seated inside a luxury car.

“Brother,” Corinne said casually, spinning a newly bought windmill between her fingers, “that guy by the lake earlier was kind of interesting.”

“Oh?” Hayden leaned back against the soft leather seat, closing his eyes. “You noticed?”

“I can’t explain it,” Corinne pouted. “Something felt off, but I couldn’t see anything special about him. Maybe I’m overthinking it. There’s barely any spiritual energy in this mortal world—what kind of person here could really catch my attention?”

Hayden opened his eyes. For a brief instant, a faint golden light flashed within them before fading away.

“Better safe than sorry,” he said calmly. “But even if something unexpected appears, it won’t affect our mission. Our priority is ensuring Prince Mosey’s smooth ascension and securing control over Dragonmarsh’s secular authority. Everything else is irrelevant—as long as it doesn’t interfere with us.”

“I understand.”

Corinne stuck the windmill out of the car window, watching it spin rapidly in the wind. A bright, childlike smile appeared on her face—as if she hadn’t casually condemned others to suffering moments earlier.

The car drove smoothly into traffic, blending into the flow of Oakvale City until it vanished completely.

The incident in the park was like a stone dropped into a lake.

Ripples spread—then quickly faded.

But for some, the gears of fate had already begun to turn.

By the time Dustin returned to the villa, the sky had been dyed orange-red by the setting sun.

The past few days of his life had been unusually peaceful. To his surprise, he didn’t dislike it.

Without cultivation, his attention naturally settled on small details—the aroma of tea, the weight of a book in his hands, the shifting patterns of light and shadow on the windowsill.

The next morning, he went downstairs as usual to prepare breakfast—only to notice something off.

Half a carton of milk was missing.
Several slices of ham were gone from the refrigerator.
An empty milk carton sat in the trash.

Dustin frowned.

The villa’s security was tight. There shouldn’t be any thieves.

Could Natasha have come by last night?

But if it were her, she wouldn’t have taken just this little food.

As he examined the kitchen more carefully, a faint sound came from the storage room.

Dustin walked over silently and pushed open the door.

From the dim corner, a pair of amber eyes stared back at him warily.

It was a small white fox—no bigger than a house cat.

Its right hind leg was curled tightly against its body, clearly injured. Dried blood clung to the wound, dark brown against snow-white fur.

Its coat was immaculate, without a single blemish. Its fluffy tail wrapped protectively around itself. Faint milk stains still marked the fur around its mouth.

The moment it saw Dustin, the little fox bared its teeth and let out a low, threatening growl.

But because of its injury, its posture was unsteady—more desperate than fierce.