Saintess's Worthless Husband Turned Dragon Commander novel Chapter 259

CHAPTER 179 PART 2

“I have none,” Finley said simply. “I engaged Marcus Steel in combat. I lost. He could have killed me but chose mercy instead. Later, when I attempted to warn him about your arrival, he struck me from behind to give me an injury that would excuse my earlier failure. That’s the truth, Branch Manager. I failed you, and I accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.”

Maurice studied her for a long moment. Then his hand moved to her shoulder, his fingers pressing against specific points along her meridian pathways.

His expression shifted slightly. The injury wasn’t superficial. Marcus’s strike had damaged her internal energy channels, causing real harm that would require extensive treatment to fully heal. This wasn’t the wound of someone who’d stood by and watched. This was combat damage.

“You fought,” Maurice said finally.

“Yes,” Finley confirmed.

“And lost.”

“Yes.”

“But you fought regardless, knowing you were outmatched.”

“I did what duty required,” Finley replied. “I simply wasn’t strong enough to succeed.”

Maurice’s hand moved to a hidden pocket in his jacket. He withdrew a small jade container and opened it, revealing a pill that glowed faintly with cultivated energy. A healing treasure worth more than most people earned in a lifetime.

“Take this,” Maurice ordered, pressing it into Finley’s hand. “It will repair the damage to your meridians and accelerate recovery. You’ll be functional again within days instead of months.”

Finley stared at the pill in shock. “Branch Manager, I don’t deserve this. I failed to protect Young Master Springs.”

“You failed because you lacked strength, not courage or loyalty,” Maurice corrected. “Weakness can be remedied through training. Cowardice cannot. You’ll recover, and then you’ll fulfill your original purpose. You’ll marry Quantez and care for him as his wife. His disability requires someone competent and loyal. You’ve proven both qualities.”

The pronouncement was clinical, transactional, treating marriage as duty rather than romance. Finley understood immediately what her future held: bound to a crippled young master not out of love but organizational obligation.

“I understand,” she said quietly, swallowing the pill.

Maurice turned back to the assembled disciples, many still bleeding from their punishments. “Let this be a lesson to all of you. Failure has consequences. Excuses mean nothing. Results are all that matter. The next time any of you are tasked with protecting Willson Pavilion interests, you’ll succeed or you’ll die. Those are the only acceptable outcomes.”

He walked toward the window, his white hair catching the dim hospital lighting. “I’m leaving now to handle Marcus Steel personally. The Dragon King believes he can humiliate my family and face no consequences. He’s about to learn otherwise.”

“Branch Manager,” Celeste managed through her injuries, “please be careful. Marcus Steel is not like normal opponents. His capabilities suggest backing or training beyond what should be possible for someone his age.”

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“I don’t care about his backing,” Maurice replied coldly. “I don’t care about his training. He touched my son. That means he dies. Everything else is irrelevant.”

He opened the window despite being on the thirteenth floor. Cool night air rushed in, carrying the sounds of distant traffic and city life.

“Sir, you can’t just jump from this height,” one of his bodyguards protested. “Let us arrange proper transportation.”

Maurice looked back with an expression that was almost amused. “I’m a branch manager of Willson Pavilion. Do you really think a thirteen story fall poses any danger to me?”

Without further explanation, he stepped onto the window ledge, balanced perfectly despite the narrow footing and considerable drop below.

“When I return,” Maurice said to the room at large, “Marcus Steel will be dead. His hotel will be destroyed. Everyone who stood with him will be eliminated. Five-River Province will learn what happens when you challenge Willson Pavilion’s authority.”

Then he leaped.

His body fell through empty air, dropping toward the pavement below with acceleration that should have been fatal. But at the last possible moment, his internal energy flared, cushioning the impact through techniques that transcended normal physics.

Maurice landed in a perfect crouch, the concrete cracking slightly under his feet but his body completely

unharmed. He straightened, adjusted his suit, and began walking toward where his intelligence indicated Pearl on the Water Hotel was located.

Behind him, in the thirteenth floor hospital room, the disciples stared out the window in a mixture of awe and

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