Chapter 156
Author: Back to the basics
last update Last Updated: 2024-08-13 09:20:54

The second night of the event aboard the Blue Horizon was deep and still, but the Merchant’s thoughts were anything but calm.

She moved through the sleek, modern hallways of the luxury cruise liner, her every step precise, her every breath measured.

Her meeting with Arthur Rhyfel or rather the masked war god had left her with much to consider and much to plan. As she reached her private suite, she paused, glancing at the reflection of the hallway in the polished steel elevator doors.

Satisfied that no one was watching, she swiped her keycard and slipped inside.

The suite was a study in modern elegance.

A low hum of ambient music played softly from hidden speakers, and the faint scent of designer perfume lingered in the air. She crossed the space, her stilettos clicking on the marble floor, her mind replaying the conversation she’d had with the war god.

Arthur’s confidence had been unsettling, but not unexpected. He was, after all, a man who had built his reputation on defying the
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    The Merchant moved swiftly, her hands almost trembling as she checked the lifeboat’s readiness. She could feel the war god’s presence like a shadow over her, a constant reminder of the power imbalance between them.Arthur took a moment to observe the room, assessing every detail, every potential threat or opportunity. His gaze lingered on the lifeboat, and for a moment, a flicker of memory crossed his mind, past missions, past escapes, each one successful because of meticulous planning and execution. This would be no different.The Merchant finished her preparations and turned to Arthur, her composure nearly restored but with an undercurrent of fear that hadn’t fully dissipated. She was not used to this, she was usually in control of her emotions so what she had experienced a few moments ago was beyond her.The war god was an existence she couldn't fully fathom.If he was the enemy of the Hughes family, then they were already doomed to then they were doomed to fall.As the lifeboat

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    So while she was not one to so readily show emotions outwardly unless she deemed it necessary. Her experience growing up as the daughter of the patriarch in the Hughes family had made her this way.It was necessary for her survival, so her visible nervousness had hinted to her bodyguard and driver who watched her from the side, on how drastic the situation was.Her mind drifted to the response of her father should the news be delivered. She wondered if he would side with her uncle, his brother who had blamed the fall of two of the Hands on her “bad management.”As if that wasn't enough, more stray thoughts seemed to emerge, only further worsening her nervous state.What would the patriarch say? How would he react to the news of the war god’s return? And more importantly, what would he decide about the information Charles held?Taking a deep breath, Laura pushed those thoughts aside and steeled herself. She had a role to play, and she would do it to the best of her ability. The Hughes

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    It was what the likes of a treacherous family like them deserved.The Hughes family would get no mercy from the war god, just the pain, suffering and tears they had brought upon the Rhyfel family.Their actions had birthed the unstoppable existence that was the war god, and that very same existence that their actions had created would now be what would bring about their demise.Truly ironic if one were to consider it.And so following his order while having an idea of Arthur's intentions, the prominent information broker returned to his seat, eyeing the bodyguard as he prepared to carry out his plans.“So, are you done compiling the necessary information?” She questioned, her tone hinting at the sense of urgency she felt, although she tried to hide it.“Well, I am now, lady Laura.” he replied, adjusting his posture on his chair.“Then why the delay? Is he that important of a person that revealing his identity is problematic?” Her question did little to hide not just the sense of urgen