The Return of General Arthur

Arthur had just arrived at the battalion after returning from training with his troops. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he wiped his face with his sleeve. Around him, the soldiers were gathered; some were laughing loudly to ease the tension, while others were busy checking their equipment carefully. Before Arthur could pause to return to his office, a young soldier approached him, looking nervous and anxious. "Sir, I have a call for you," he said, handing over a cell phone. "It's important, from someone named Ivy." The name immediately caught Arthur's attention—Ivy. It was Ivy, his sister, who hadn't been heard from in a long time. Ivy usually only called if it was something urgent. Arthur nodded briefly at the soldier and took the cell phone; his brow furrowed in worry. With quick steps, he looked for a quieter spot in the corner of the base, his heart starting to get a bad feeling. He put the phone to his ear and immediately heard Ivy's voice on the other side, sounding shaky and weak. "Arthur?" Ivy's voice was hoarse as if she were back something heavy and painful. "I... I have some bad news." Arthur's heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment, then beat faster. "What's going on, Ivy?" he asked in a stern tone, trying to contain his anxiety. A long silence before Ivy answered, her voice broken by a strangled sob. "They... they killed our parents." Arthur's body stiffened, and his world seemed to stop. "What do you mean, killed? Who killed them? Tell me, Ivy!" he demanded, his voice rising, unable to contain the rage and fear that consumed him like an uncontrollable fire. Ivy sobbed, "The Xavier family and their allies. They forced our parents to jump off the building... All because of Erika. Yes, Erika conspired with the four big families. They destroyed our company, made it bankrupt, got it into huge debt, and now... they manipulated our parents' deaths." Ivy's words hit Arthur like a crushing blow to the chest. His breath caught as if the air around him suddenly became very heavy. "Erika?" Arthur whispered, hardly able to believe what he had just heard. Erika, the woman who had been his fiancée for the past five years before he joined the military, was conspiring with four prominent families to destroy his own. His mind spun, trying to digest all this, but the harsh reality paralyzed his logic. "Why? How is that possible?" he muttered, in a tone full of confusion and suppressed anger. Before Arthur could organize his thoughts, there was a loud bang on the other end of the line, followed by Ivy's faintly audible cry of panic. "Ivy! What happened?" Arthur shouted, his eyes wide. Fear ran through his body, but Ivy didn't answer immediately. "Ivy! Answer me!" he cried, his loud voice drawing the attention of the surrounding soldiers. After a long pause, Ivy finally spoke again, sounding hurried. "Arthur, they're here... A group of people came to collect a debt. They said we owe them three hundred thousand dollars, and they..." her voice suddenly trailed off. "They? Who are they? Ivy, tell me quickly! Ivy!" called Arthur frantically. However, all that could be heard was the noise becoming increasingly evident in the background. "Arthur, they're forcing their way in... they said they'll take me if we don't pay up soon... Please, Arthur, I need-" Suddenly, Ivy's voice trailed off. There was still noise and commotion, the sound of things falling, things breaking, and then silence. Arthur's heart sank. "Ivy! Ivy!" he shouted, his voice rising. But there was no answer, only static from the cell phone in his hand. Panic set in, his heart racing. "No, I have to save her now!" Without thinking, Arthur ran to his office, grabbing his jacket and gun. "Get the helicopter ready," he shouted to one of his men standing guard outside. "I need to leave immediately!" Arthur's actions caused panic among his troops, who knew something bad had happened. Arthur's tense face and mounting anger showed how serious the situation was. "Ivy, hold on... I'll be here soon," he muttered as he ran. Not long after, a female soldier arrived with a worried face. She was Charlotte, one of the best majors in the army battalion, where Arthur served as a five-star General. "General, what's wrong?" she asked quickly. "Get the troops ready, comb all the cities, and find my sister. Don't let any of them get out of Alagada city," Arthur ordered sternly. "Yes, sir. The team will move immediately," Charlotte replied without hesitation, then left to carry out the order. Arthur sat tense in the airborne helicopter, his gaze fixed on the darkening horizon. The sound of the propellers spinning seemed to accompany the anxiety that shook his heart. "Wait for me, Ivy. I'll save you," repeated the words, emphasizing her determination to save her little sister, the only family she had left. It wasn't just the gravity of the situation that had her mind in turmoil, but also the images of the past that came back to haunt her when Ivy mentioned the Xavier family. They were the masterminds of her family's destruction. Five years ago, the Xavier family and four other extended families had conspired to trap her in a scandal that nearly ruined her life. They planned the trap on the night of his engagement to Erika. Arthur was accused of raping a girl named Zoey, who belonged to the Han family - one of the most respected families in the city of Alagada. The scandal almost ruined his reputation and destroyed everything. Since then, Arthur's life has changed instantly, and the impact has been more severe for Zoey. News of their scandal spreads quickly, defaming Zoey and her family and derailing Zoey's engagement to her boyfriend. Arthur knew it was a conspiracy by the Xavier family and their allies, but he had no proof. Zoey's family rejected every attempt to apologize. They demanded compensation, but the excellent girl refused. Zoey's parents, as well as those who plotted Arthur's destruction, cursed and abused him relentlessly. They forced Arthur to be punished by sending him to join the military forces on the border, who were engaged in a war conflict between countries, in the hope that he would die there. However, fate had another say. Five years had passed, and Arthur became a five-star general respected worldwide. He was known for his brilliant military strategy and bravery on the battlefield. He led troops with undeniable skill, winning every battle. His reputation as an unforgiving leader had made him a figure feared by opponents and respected by allies. Arthur clenched his fists tightly, feeling the anger boiling inside him. He thought his family had been fine all this time, but in reality, they had died horribly at the hands of those who wanted his destruction. "Why do they keep destroying my family?" muttered Arthur softly, his eyes glazed over with emotion. "I will not let this end without retribution. I will make sure they die at my hands!" His hands were clenched tightly, his nails turning white. ** Meanwhile, on the other side of Alagada city, Charlotte led her troops with the firmness of a commander. She directed her team to comb every corner of Ivy's suspected hideout. Their footsteps were quick and careful, entering narrow alleys and dark old buildings. They went to remote places suspected of being the headquarters of mafias involved in human trafficking. Their eyes were sharp, not wanting to miss a single clue. However, the results were still nil. Every piece of CCTV footage they checked did not give any clue to Ivy's whereabouts. "I must have missed something," Charlotte muttered in frustration. "They can't just disappear..." Suddenly, her cell phone rang loudly, breaking the tense silence. Charlotte felt her heart rate increase as Arthur's name appeared on the screen. She knew it must be about the progress of the search. Charlotte answered the call calmly despite the slightly panicked tone, "General?" Arthur's voice sounded stern on the other end. "How is the search progressing? Did you find anything?" Charlotte let out a long breath. "Not yet, sir. We've combed every corner of the city and checked all the CCTV, but there are no clear leads yet." "I don't care how hard it is," Arthur said coldly. "Find them, no matter what. We can't let them get away with my brother!" "Yes, sir. We'll keep looking until we find them." The call ended, and Charlotte felt the weight of her responsibility growing. She looked at her team, waiting for orders. "We will not stop until Miss Ivy is found," Charlotte said firmly. "Continue the search, watch every corner of this city." "Yes, Captain." "Good, we're moving now. There's one place we haven't been to yet." Her troops nodded, ready to move. Charlotte immediately led them towards the new location while instructing her men to gather information as quickly as possible from where they were going.