From Outcast to Overlord The Unyielding Heir (Leander Ashcroft) novel Chapter 414

The moment Hudson's hand met Leander's, he surged with force.

He wasn't just some college kid from a top university. He came from a well-off family and had been training under an Aikido Master since he was a kid. His martial arts skills were already razor-sharp. At full strength, he could easily crush a brick with his bare hands.

But he didn't go all out. He only applied a bit of pressure, just enough to make Leander flinch or let out a grunt. Yet Leander didn't even flinch. Not a twitch, not a hint of discomfort.

"Huh?" Hudson's brow lifted in surprise. With his current strength, most trained fighters would be sweating bullets under even this small resistance. But Leander's hand didn't push back at all. It was like the force on his hand didn't even register.

After seeing Leander remain perfectly calm, Hudson couldn't help but push a little harder.

No matter how much he pressed, Leander's palm was like a rock—unyielding, unreactive. Just as Hudson was about to unleash his full strength, his hand hit empty air. Leander had pulled back, effortlessly, before he even realized it.

Hudson's mind went blank for a split second. He had practically gone all out, yet Leander had withdrawn without breaking a sweat. His chest tightened with a mix of awe and alarm.

This is a real expert!

Training under an Aikido Master kicked in instinctively, and his sense of danger spiked instantly.

Leander's expression remained unreadable. He glanced at Hudson, then took the cup from Stella's hand and drank it down in one go. "Congratulations, Stella!"

He offered his congratulations to Stella and then shifted his gaze to Hudson. A faint smile tugged at his lips. His voice was low, almost a whisper, meant only for Hudson.

"You're Stella's fiance. Out of respect for her, I let it slide this time. Don't forget. There won't be a second chance."

Leander had felt Hudson's strength the instant he moved. Anyone else and Leander would have crushed their bones instantly. But today was Stella's engagement party. Hudson was her fiance. Looking at Gemma, he could see how fond she was of Hudson. So he let Hudson off this one time.

Still, Leander was puzzled by the sheer hostility Hudson had aimed at him from the start.

Hudson's expression darkened at Leander's words, a storm brewing behind his eyes. He had crossed paths with numerous people in the counties under Ascendia, constantly emerging victorious. But facing Leander was different. For the first time, he felt completely off balance.

He didn't reply. He simply locked eyes with Leander, storing every detail in his memory, then followed Gemma and Stella to continue the toasts elsewhere.

"All right, everyone, let's eat!"

No one had any idea what had just happened, except for Daphne, who had sensed something off.

Margot waved her hand casually, signaling everyone to start. Just as the food was about to be served, a deafening crash shook the air.

Boom!

The sound came from the village entrance. Something heavy had toppled over, sending a cloud of dust shooting into the sky.

Then chaos erupted—shouting, cursing, fighting. The noise from the village entrance was wild and disorderly.

"The thugs are back! Folks, we need to go out!"

Villagers who had been drinking and laughing at the engagement party went pale. In an instant, everyone sprang to their feet and rushed outside. Francis, the host, didn't hold back. He grabbed a hoe by the gate and ran toward the commotion alongside the others.

"Margot, what's going on?" Basim turned to her, clearly puzzled.

"Those unscrupulous developers again. They couldn't buy our village, so now they're trying this!"

"Let's go. We need to see what's happening!"

Margot shot up out of her seat, and her group of besties, all fiery-tempered like her, quickly followed.

Basim and Cain's minds raced. Finally, a chance to show off had arrived. They scrambled to their feet and chased after her. What was supposed to be a perfectly normal engagement party suddenly turned into a ghost town, with hardly anyone left at the tables.

Bang!

"You want to play rough? Fine, I'll give you rough."

Like a whirlwind, he crashed into the crowd. Every punch and kick sent villagers sprawling. Within seconds, more than thirty were injured, crying out and retreating.

Francis himself got hit in the shoulder, stumbling backward with a grimace of pain.

"Dad!" Margot and Stella rushed from behind. After seeing Francis hurt, they cried out in shock. Gemma hurried over to support him, panic etched across her expression.

"You're way out of your league!" the middle-aged man sneered, about to strike again, when a commanding voice rang from behind.

"Stop!" Hudson, dressed sharply in a suit, exuded authority as he led a group of over twenty black-clad bodyguards. He stepped in front of the middle-aged man and glanced at the young leader in the distance.

"This is violent demolition. You are breaking the law, understand?" His eyes were cold, his tone firm. "I'm Hudson, general manager of Linus Trading Co. from Dawnmere. My father is Linus Lavette, the chairman of Linus Trading Co. You would be wise to apologize to the villagers and leave immediately. I will personally call your company's leadership later. If you keep pushing, you won't like the consequences."

Every word dripped with authority. Behind him, the bodyguards' expressions were stern, ready for action.

The villagers felt a surge of hope and relief. Stella and Margot's expressions lit up. Hudson's display of strength and his unwavering tone gave them confidence.

Gemma, still supporting Francis, couldn't resist showing off to her friends. "This is my son-in-law," she said proudly, beaming.

The opposing group hesitated for a few seconds. Hudson's pride was palpable—he'd grown up in wealth, never faced real hardship, and everything had always gone his way. Anyone would back down at a word from him.

But the leader of the intruders broke the silence with a strange laugh. "Linus Trading Co.? Never heard of it."

He sneered, dismissing Hudson entirely. "A small-town company manager, daring to block Grandhawk Properties? Get out of my way."

In an instant, the air temperature plummeted.