Grand Horizon Hotel was a tall and elegant building with a shiny glass exterior that sparkled in the evening lights. The entrance was made of marble and decorated with chandeliers, giving it a classic charm. The lobby was large and had comfortable, stylish furniture, making it a luxurious and welcoming space.Max arrived in his BMW M4, and a valet promptly came forward. Though Max was dressed simply, the valet recognized the sophistication of the car, suspecting that the man in front of him was quietly wealthy. With a nod, Max handed over his keys, adding, "Find me in the private room on the second floor." The valet took note and carefully parked the vehicle as Max walked inside and made his way to the gathering.....Upstairs, in a private room where Max's former classmates were already socializing. Jasphere stood off to the side, glancing at his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. Another classmate noticed and came over, curious."Hey, Jasphere," one of their former class
The valet respectfully bowed before Max and handed him the car key. "Sir, here is the key to your car. It's parked in the VIP area of our hotel."Max nodded, "Thank you for your service." The valet gave another polite bow and left the room, leaving Max's former classmates stunned. They sat in silence, processing what had just happened—even Nathan looked taken aback.After a few moments, Nathan regained his composure, a sly grin spreading across his face. Standing up from his seat, he strolled over to Max, clearly intent on mocking him. Max watched him approach, perfectly calm, already sensing exactly what Nathan had in mind. He decided to let Nathan play out his little game, curious to see just how far he would go—almost as if he were watching a clown in action."Oh, so you've got a car too, Max?" Nathan sneered, making sure everyone could hear. "Mind telling us what kind? Or better yet, let me take a guess." He began to list off a few low-end models loudly, "How about a Kia Rio? Or m
All eyes turned toward the door, where two elegantly dressed women stood. Both were well-known figures, and everyone immediately recognized them. They were dressed in sophisticated business suits, exuding an air of authority and refinement that commanded attention.Meanwhile, their classmates started whispering among themselves."Hey, Isn't she the president of this hotel?" one murmured, eyebrows raised."Yeah, that's gotta be for Nathan. Who else could they be here for?" another chimed in, giving Nathan a nudge."Come on, Nathan, don't keep them waiting!" someone urged with a grin.Nathan grinned arrogantly and shot a smug look at Max. "See the difference between us? The president of a company is willing to come here just to greet me," he boasted before standing up and confidently approaching the two women. "Miss Sy—"Slap!Before he could finish, the other woman who had accompanied Ms. Sy delivered a sharp slap to his face. Nathan held his cheek, stunned. "Ms., what's going on? Why
"Max," Nathan muttered, trying to keep his composure, "Do you really want me to kneel here in front of our former classmates—and Ms. Sy? Don't you think you're taking this too far?""Too far?" Max chuckled, tilting his head. "Weren't you the one who set the stakes yourself? Didn't you think that was a bit much?"Everyone turned to Nathan with mocking looks, some murmuring amongst themselves."What's wrong, Nathan? Got nothing to say now?" one of them whispered, chuckling."Yeah, you're the one who started this," added another, crossing his arms. "You made the bet, Nathan, and now that you lost to Max, you're chickening out?"Nathan's face flushed with frustration, his fists clenched as he fought the urge to lash out. The thought of kneeling to the man he had belittled so many times, to the man he despised, was humiliating enough. But licking Max's shoe? It was beyond humiliation.Nathan's gaze shifted to Katrina, his last hope. He stepped toward her, pleading, "Ms. Sy, please... surel
Max stepped out of the car first, holding the door open for Alexa, who climbed out and immediately gazed up at the villa before her, eyes widening. Blaine followed them out, pausing as he took in the property. For a few moments, they all stood there, quietly awed by the grand villa towering in front of them."Max, what are we doing at this villa?" Alexa asked, still unable to tear her eyes away from the place.Max, casual as ever, simply replied, "This is the villa I bought."Alexa blinked in surprise, almost as if she hadn't heard him right. She tugged at her ear, half-laughing as she clarified, "Wait—what did you just say?"Max's smile deepened. "This will be our new home."Alexa froze, staring at him in pure disbelief, glancing around at the vast grounds and trying to comprehend his words. Blaine, meanwhile, who had also been stunned into silence, finally spoke up, "Max… did you actually buy this villa?"Max nodded. Blaine looked back at the property, eyebrows raised as he murmured
Max turned to see a strikingly beautiful girl, probably around eighteen, standing firmly in his way. She had a cute, determined face that radiated confidence, and her shoulder-length hair was styled into a casual ponytail, with a few loose strands framing her features. She wore a fitted white blouse tucked into high-waisted jeans, her posture and expression showing she was clearly someone who didn't back down easily.Noticing Max staring at her, she scolded, "What? Don't even think about cutting in line. Just because you're trying to act cool doesn't mean you're getting any special treatment!"People in the line started murmuring and shooting him looks of disapproval. "He's probably here to cut the line," whispered a well-dressed man nearby, wearing a crisp blazer, gold watch, and polished leather shoes, looking at Max with disdain.Another person, a woman in simple, worn clothes and visibly tired from standing in line, nodded in agreement. "Some people have no shame, thinking they'r
Max leaned back comfortably, appearing completely at ease, and casually asked Cris, "So, how have you and the clinic been doing?"Cris let out a long sigh, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "For a second there, I thought your visit was for something far more urgent, Master."Max chuckled at his response, prompting Cris to pause and think before speaking again."Well, the clinic's been doing well overall," Cris began thoughtfully, "but recently, I encountered something... strange." He seemed hesitant to continue, as if he were still processing it himself.Max's brows knitted in curiosity. "Strange? What kind of strange?"Cris nodded, gathering his thoughts. "I've had some patients come in with normal symptoms—nothing out of the ordinary. But the nature of their conditions felt... abnormal.""How so?" Max pressed, clearly intrigued."Well," Cris replied, "at first, it was easy to treat these cases—an ordinary fever here, some mild respiratory issues there. Then, there was one patie
The man gasped, wide-eyed, and screamed as he focused on Max's face directly above him. He tried to sit up, but stumbled back onto the bed, looking as if he had just woken from a nightmare.Cris raised an eyebrow, chuckling. "Looks like he mistook you for a ghost, Master," he teased, grinning at Max.Bianca smirked, glancing at Cris. "With that face? Can't blame him. Great Grandmaster looks like he's seen a few ghosts himself," she joked, earning a playful look from Max.The man's companion, who had been treated by Cris, finally gathered his wits and reached out, placing a reassuring hand on the shoulder of his terrified friend. "Relax, you're safe," he said in a shaky but relieved voice. "We're in the Hands of Angel clinic now." At the mention of the clinic's name, the man took a few deep breaths, grounding himself and realizing he was indeed out of danger.Max, sensing the initial panic subsiding, leaned forward. "You're safe now. Can you tell us what happened? And where were you co
Max felt the strange energy disappear almost as quickly as it had appeared. Yet he was sure of one thing—it wasn't just one or two students emitting it. Whoever or whatever it was, they were inside the university. He kept these thoughts to himself as the rest of the class went by uneventfully.When lunch finally arrived, Max began to gather his things when Lily approached him, smiling brightly."Max! Come eat with me and Rose," she said cheerfully.Max paused for a moment, considering her offer. Then his eyes darted toward Sean, who was quietly packing his things. Max spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "Sean, tell Zoren to meet me in the cafeteria."Sean froze for a moment, then nodded respectfully. "Yes," he replied, before hurrying out of the classroom.Lily and Rose stared at Max, their faces a mix of surprise and confusion."Wait a second," Lily began, raising an eyebrow. "You know Zoren? The martial artist?"Max smiled faintly and shrugged."How did you get Sean to listen to you
"Zoren!" Sean yelled as he watched Zoren suddenly collapse and vomit blood. Fear and confusion swept over Zoren's men, their faces pale and their bodies trembling as they took cautious steps back.Max walked forward with a calm expression, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He crouched slightly and delivered two sharp slaps to Zoren's face.Slap! Slap!The force was just enough to jolt Zoren awake. He groaned softly, blinking in disorientation as he held his reddened cheeks. When his vision cleared, he saw Max standing over him, a faint smile playing on his lips.Zoren's eyes widened in realization. His expression shifted rapidly from confusion to fear. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees, bowing his head low."B-Boss! Master!" Zoren stammered, his voice shaking with genuine fear and submission."What?" Sean blurted out, utterly dumbfounded by the sight. He took a step closer, his expression filled with disbelief. "Zoren, what are you doing? Why are you kneeling?"The rest
Zoren's glare could have burned a hole through Max, but it only seemed to amuse him further. Max let out a relaxed sigh, pointing the branch at Zoren like a teacher scolding a stubborn child."So, are we done here, or do you want me to embarrass you even more?"Zoren clenched his fists, but there was hesitation in his eyes now. His men groaned on the ground behind him, holding their bruises and glaring at Max with disbelief and fear.Sean, watching from the sidelines, swallowed hard, his earlier excitement replaced by unease."Y-You're a freak…" Sean muttered under his breath.Max grinned, resting the branch on his shoulder. "No, Sean. I'm just someone you shouldn't have messed with."Sean's face twisted in anger as he laughed maniacally, trying to muster his courage. He took a step forward as if to charge, but his confidence faltered when his eyes darted to Zoren's men writhing in pain on the ground. His movements stilled, his earlier bravado replaced with uncertainty.Zoren let out
Max stood still, a faint smirk on his face as the first thug rushed at him, throwing a wild punch aimed directly at his jaw. With a slight tilt of his head, Max avoided the blow entirely, his feet never leaving their spot.The thug blinked, confused at how effortlessly his attack was dodged. Another man immediately charged in, this time aiming a kick at Max's side. Max merely shifted his torso, letting the kick slice through empty air."Is this all you've got?" Max asked, his tone light and mocking.Frustrated grunts came from the group as another thug swung a metal rod, aiming to hit Max's shoulder. Without breaking a sweat, Max leaned backward, the rod missing him by mere inches. The attacker stumbled forward, thrown off balance, and Max didn't even glance at him."Hey, careful with that thing," Max teased, his voice laced with sarcasm. "You might hurt someone. Maybe even yourself."The thugs exchanged nervous glances but steeled themselves. Two came at him simultaneously—one aiming
After resolving the commotion, several students approached Max, expressing their admiration and gratitude."Thank you for standing up for us," one said earnestly."That was amazing! You were so cool back there!" added another, their voice filled with awe.Max simply nodded, offering them a small smile before turning to check on Rose and Lily, who had just come down to meet him.Rose and Lily hurried over, concern and curiosity etched on their faces."How did you get there so fast?" Rose asked, still puzzled by Max's sudden appearance earlier.Max shrugged nonchalantly. "I came down earlier and waited for the right moment. You just didn't notice because everyone's attention was on Oscar," he explained casually.Lily nodded, impressed. "Oh, so that's how it was. You're amazing, though," she said, her admiration clear as a slight blush crept onto her cheeks.In truth, Max couldn't reveal that his movements were faster than an ordinary human's, making it seem like he had teleported. He si
The thugs regrouped, their expressions a mix of frustration and embarrassment. Oscar barked at them angrily, "What are you waiting for? Get him!"One of the thugs muttered under his breath, "Easier said than done…" but they all hesitated before reluctantly charging at Max again.This time, Max tilted his head slightly, as if deciding on something. Then, with a swift movement, he sidestepped the first thug, delivered a light tap to the back of his head, and followed up with a playful smack on the thug's behind using the thug's own bat.The thug froze mid-motion, his eyes wide in shock. "What the—did he just…?"Before he could finish, Max spun around to face the second thug, dodged his clumsy attack, and gave him the same treatment—a loud smack to the rear.The sound echoed across the courtyard, followed by stunned silence and then an eruption of laughter from the students watching from the buildings above."H-he's spanking them!" one student burst out, clutching their stomach.Even Ros
Before Rose's tears could fall and before Lily's anger could fully erupt, they both froze at the sight in front of them. Their expressions shifted to one of shock and disbelief.Oscar noticed the change on their faces and assumed they were overcome with fear. With a smug grin, he turned to look at the teacher, expecting a lifeless body. But as he turned, he froze in place.Standing in front of the teacher was a man, holding the baseball bat with his hand. It hadn't landed on the teacher. Instead, it had been stopped effortlessly, as if it weighed nothing.Oscar's eyes widened in shock. "Who the hell are you?!" he barked, his voice laced with confusion and anger.The thug who had swung the bat staggered back, fear plastered on his face. He knew how sturdy that bat was—yet the man holding it didn't seem fazed at all. Before anyone could react further, the man clenched his fist and crushed the bat into splinters."W-what?! How is that possible?!" one student whispered in disbelief."Wait
From the front doors of the campus, a large figure emerged, stepping purposefully into the chaos. It was one of the PE teachers, a man with a stout build and a noticeable belly, but his stern expression and commanding presence made it clear he wasn't someone to be trifled with. "What's going on here?!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across the courtyard. Oscar glanced at the teacher with mild disinterest, a smug grin plastered on his face. "And who's this?" he mocked. "The campus babysitter?" Ignoring the jab, the teacher stopped a few feet away from Oscar's group, crossing his arms. "You're on private property, causing a disturbance, and endangering students. Leave now, or I'll call security and the police." Oscar chuckled, leaning lazily against his bike. "You think I'm scared of you or your little threats? Nah. We're here for Rose, and we're not leaving until she comes down." The teacher's eyes hardened, his patience wearing thin. "Violence has no place here. You're tresp
Max, Rose, and Lily returned to their classroom for their next lecture. The students filed in, taking their seats, while Max casually walked to his desk, drawing subtle glances from almost everyone.As the professor prepared to start the lesson, a few of their classmates approached Max, their curiosity evident."Hey, Max," one girl began, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Where did you transfer from?"Max looked up, his expression calm yet inviting. "A small town in the province," he replied with an easy smile.Another girl chimed in, her cheeks slightly pink. "Is it true you're on a scholarship? That must mean you're really smart!"Max chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I just try my best, that's all."The casual humility in his voice only seemed to endear him further to the girls, who exchanged excited whispers as they walked back to their seats, their faces flushed and hearts racing.Meanwhile, Lily slumped in her seat, her chin resting on her hand. She glanced at Ma