James and his party left after obtaining the information they wanted. Outside, in the car, Henry started the engine and drove back to the city. James leaned back in the passenger seat, a thoughtful expression on his face, making it hard to guess his thoughts.

Moments later, James spoke, interrupting the silence. "Henry," he said.

"Yeah? I'm listening," Henry replied.

"Look into Dawson and Nine Fingers. Find out who they are and gather information about their backgrounds. Send me to the hospital. I have to see Rowena again." Henry nodded.

"Alright."

James chuckled. "Ha!" He sighed. He wouldn't have discovered so many people involved in the scheme against the Cadens ten years ago if he hadn't visited Jake. He now regretted killing Trent; Trent was the main piece of the puzzle, and he would have gathered more information about the real mastermind if Trent were still alive. However, under the circumstances, he'd been enraged and hadn't considered the consequences. He'd just wanted Trent dead.

The rest of the ride was silent. Soon, they arrived back in the city.

"Do you need me to wait for you?" Henry asked.

James waved his hand. "No, it's already late. You should go back and rest. I'll just grab a taxi home later."

"Alright."

James got out of the car. Henry turned the car around and drove off.

Scarlett had been afraid to speak throughout the ride. Only after James left did she relax.

"H-Henry," she stammered, "James is so intimidating! I didn't even dare to breathe."

Henry smiled. "He honestly isn't that scary. He's very good to his friends and only ruthless toward enemies. The aura he projects is terrifying, though." He paused, stunned by her statement. He sighed. "That's because you have no idea what he's been through."

"Hmm?" Scarlett's curiosity piqued. "Can you tell me what happened to him?"

As a member of a grave robber gang in the Southern Plains, she'd long heard of the Black Dragon, but knew little about him.

Henry explained, a hint of sorrow on his face: "James carries a heavy burden. When I first met him, he was a taciturn teenager. He trained late into the night every day, sleeping very little. Aside from sleep, he was always doing special training."

"He's been through countless life-or-death situations. Once, he was captured by an enemy and beaten until he was covered in bruises; almost all the bones in his body were broken.

"The battle that earned him great respect was about a year ago. One of our armies had been ambushed. Alone, James invaded the enemy's headquarters. It was a bloodbath; corpses were piled high. Ultimately, he returned with the enemy commander's head.

"This battle shook the Southern Plains and shocked the world. It established James's prestige. He earned high respect and was acknowledged as one of the Five Commanders, the Black Dragon. Although they were called the Five Commanders, their achievements differed. The other four climbed the ranks through political achievements, whereas James fought his way to the top, accumulating military merit, staining his hands with the blood of his enemies, rising from a normal soldier to one of the Five Commanders."

Henry sighed deeply. James's ten-year military career was legendary; it was impossible to fully capture his life story, even in a biography.

Scarlett was deeply shocked. She'd never expected James to have endured so much.

"What about practicing medicine? It's rumored that James has unparalleled medical skills. The weapon he uses is called the 'needle of death,' and it's said his silver needles are comparable to skilled snipers."

Henry shook his head. "I'm not sure about that."