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The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 061 Party Queue
The Marian Hotel’s royal hall was open for the first time in years. It was the grandest banquet location not only in the hotel but in the entire county.Silas Anderson had built it a decade back with a donation from the royal family of Petra. The large scintillating chandeliers, rare imported fixtures, mosaic stone walls, Tuscany marble floors, and Barcelona glass tables gave the banquet hall a resemblance to something from a Victorian fantasy novel.However, the hall was almost empty even though the entry time had approached. The reason was—even though the Douglas family had announced a grand banquet, they never sent out invitations.However, a large crowd gathered outside the hall, waiting to be allowed inside. It comprised top billionaires of Petra County, top celebrities, senators and congressmen, eminent artist figures, and so on.The banquet herald summoned individuals one by one from a pre-determined list. The elite crowd gathered could only hope against hope that their names o
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 062 The Indigo Knight
Tyler stopped in his tracks and glared at Trent. “Get out of my way! I have an invitation.”The young Cooper laughed aloud, and the crowd joined in. They wondered in amusement if Tyler was delusional or a fraud.“You fool!” Trent bellowed. “Now you are caught in your own lies! Lord Douglas never sent out any invitations! The royal banquet admits guests at the door from a special list! The herald calls out the name of the individual or family!”People surrounding them began to whisper and point accusatory fingers at Tyler.“What a creep!”“Someone call the cops!”“Haha! The fraud shot himself in the foot!”Mark Cooper returned, followed by Derek Sentinel, attracted by the commotion.“What is going on here?” Derek asked sternly. His arrival caused gasps of admiration in the crowd. As the Indigo Captain, he was considered a county hero. He was popular among women and was often featured in magazines and newspapers.“Sir!” Erica exclaimed. “This man, Tyler Grant, is an ex-convict trying to
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 063 Royal Welcome
“Tyler Grant!” the herald called out. Natalie led Tyler into the banquet hall with linked arms. Guests had already occupied seventy percent of the tables. They felt utterly privileged to be part of the chosen ones and were sorry about those who were turned away.The bigwigs gathered in the hall craned their necks to see who the new entrant was. However, the name ‘Tyler Grant’ was entirely unfamiliar to them.“I’ve never heard of the Grant family. Are they new in Sapphire City?”“Even the Cooper family hasn’t been let inside yet. Is he a bigger deal than them?”“Why is the Anderson heiress walking beside the young man with linked arms? Is he her boyfriend?”“Has Silas already chosen a son-in-law?”While Tyler paid no attention to the intrusive comments, Natalie blushed like a tomato. She took all son-in-law jibes to her heart. The beauty wondered if she would really end up with Tyler as her husband. The prospect of it brought warmth to her heart but also caused her immense anxiety.“Ar
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 064 Billionaire Summoned
Malcolm turned to his bodyguard and cast a stern look. "Is this true?"Derek, who always had a refined expression, looked quite uncomfortable. He dreaded this moment since he was guilty of insulting the Prince's Chief Guest."Lord Douglas… Please forgive me! The Cooper family misled me to act so horribly. They convinced me that Mr. Grant was a thief and a fraud. Like an utter fool, I fell into their trap and confronted him about it. I am deeply ashamed of my behavior, sir!"Derek bowed to both Malcolm and Tyler for forgiveness. The Prince of Petra scolded him for a minute before turning to Tyler. "Mr. Grant… Do you want this invalid removed from service disgracefully and thrown into prison? Or if you'd suggest a different punishment?"Derek broke into a cold sweat and buried his head in his chest. Tyler shook his head. "Your Captain was only carrying out his duties as your protector. I don't blame him for it.""Still, he offended you, which cannot be forgiven."Tyler raised an eyebrow
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 065 Family Portrait
The royal banquet resumed with even livelier spirits than before. Delicious foods were served, and the most expensive liquor flowed. The musicians started playing more upbeat tunes.In the beginning, many eminent guests rose and made toasts to the Prince and his beautiful granddaughter. Malcolm stood up and delivered a touching speech about Sapphire City’s bright future. It was one of the most successful social events of the decade for Sapphire City.Subsequently, the guests broke into small groups, taking up tables or corners of the hall for private conversations. Even though they came to dine with the Prince of Petra, their main objective was to tap into new business opportunities.The royal banquet was an excellent platform for launching new deals, signing ambitious projects, and mending broken bridges. The Douglas family’s influence was a protective umbrella under which the builders and traders of the city felt secure and motivated.Michelle excused herself from the central table
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 066 Ironheart
Chet Barker was the leader of the infamous Barker gang he founded. He ruled over the neighboring Jasper City. The man was a ferocious gangster who reigned without mercy or compassion.“Dwayne Mosby!” he hollered. “Just because I went away for a year, you took over Jasper City? How dare you, scoundrel!”Dwayne stepped forward and scoffed. “Chet! You’re a lousy and worthless don who exploited the people of Jasper City for years! Then suddenly, you abandoned the city and disappeared, leaving it open to rebellions and incursions! The citizens begged me to provide them protection in your absence. And now you come here threatening me? Do you have a death wish?”“Lies!” Chet spat. “You’re making up lies to justify usurping my territory! You’ll die for it!”Dwayne waved a dismissive hand. “In the past, you came to my turf challenging me a dozen times and returned defeated and humiliated. Do you have no shame?”“This time, I will return with your severed head!” the gangster declared in fury.D
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 067 Fake Martial Artist
Chet looked like he had seen a ghost. He withdrew his fist and jumped back a few yards. The man’s eyes darted from Tyler to his own hand in confusion. Did the young man casually stop his powerful ironheart attack? It didn’t even appear he was hurt or budged from his position.Chet had reinforced his fist and intended to land an attack on Dwayne’s chest, crushing his lungs and heart in the process. It would have led to instant death and a triumphant victory for him. However, Tyler’s interference foiled his plan.Did the technique not work last time? Yes, that was more likely.“Who the fuck are you, kid?” Chet demanded. “Are you suicidal or what? Do you want to die for a bastard like Dwayne?”“I plan to live a long life, actually,” Tyler replied calmly.“You got lucky, kid,” the gangster went on. “I was too distracted, and it resulted in the failure of my technique. I am giving you a last chance to run away. If you come in my way again, your death is inevitable!”Tyler took off his coat
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 068 Hidden Villain
Dwayne Mosby stepped forward and applauded Tyler. “What a marvelous display of your strength, sir! I feel so privileged to see you in action!”Even Malcolm was flabbergasted. “I was already aware of your superhuman abilities, Mr. Grant. But the way you handled Chet and his arrogance was truly spectacular. Criminals like him need to be put down before they harm lawful citizens. It was noble of you to give him a painless death.”While Tyler deserved credit for humbling Chet Barker’s fake martial arts, he had no intention of claiming responsibility for his demise.“Actually, I did not attempt to kill Chet. He died under the influence of an outside force.”The Prince of Petra exchanged confused glances with Dwayne. “What do you mean? Are you saying somebody else killed him?”Tyler eyed the villain’s corpse with intrigue and nodded. “Chet Barker was a fake. He was indeed trained in the physical aspects of martial arts but had no mystical power to speak of. His Ironheart technique didn’t be
Latest Chapter
253 Invention
Half an hour later, Tyler and Derek reached the automobile showroom that the former owned. It was previously called Carlisle Motors but was renamed Maya Motors.Maya, a bright little girl, was its General Manager. She had vehemently opposed the showroom being renamed after her."Sir, it is your property!" the girl had protested. "I cannot have my name on the company title!""Well, you have no choice in the matter," Tyler had replied stubbornly. "You handle all the responsibilities anyway. Moreover, my privacy will be threatened if I use my name on the properties."Maya greeted the duo at the showroom's entrance. "Welcome, sir.""How's our secret project going?" Tyler asked.The female manager looked enthusiastic. "It is running fabulously, sir! We have already manufactured over five hundred units! Would you like a tour?""Most definitely. Actually, I brought Derek to see our operations, and unveil my plan."Maya escorted them to the showroom's VIP elevator. Once the doors closed, she
252 Forgiveness
When Tyler reached the Grant house on Maude Street, he found Derek Sentinel standing guard outside. On seeing him, the man rushed forward and knelt on one knee."Sir, I took Tracy out shopping and distracted her. She knows nothing about what happened earlier. Amelia is still your girlfriend, in her opinion. Now Tracy is resting."Tyler nodded and began to walk past the kneeling Indigo Captain. "Sir, please, may I have a word with you?" the latter begged."Go ahead.""I am very ashamed, sir, for failing you and Tracy! I am prepared to break up with her and go into exile for penance. Moreover, I will accept any other punishment you think I deserve. Death is also welcome."Tyler shook his head. "Enough of that. The danger has been averted. Stand."Derek rose to his feet, but his face still hung in shame. "Please forgive me, sir, and punish me for my tardiness."His young master waved a dismissive hand. "There is nothing to forgive, Derek. A sly woman tricked you, and I know Tracy is stub
251 Adultery
"What are you doing?" Tyler demanded, preparing for a fight. He detected no bloodlust, but the confrontation was unexpected.The beauty glanced at his face up close. "I'm doing what I came here to do, Tyler Grant. To take what is owed to me. Have you forgotten our promise?""What are you talking about? Our promise? I've never met you before!"Amelia disregarded his shock. Her hand moved to his face, and her soft fingers touched his rugged cheek. Something in Tyler allowed it. What was wrong with him suddenly? Why were his defenses down?"Listen, lady. I don't have the time—"Then, abruptly, the memory flooded into his mind. A blast from the past. He was probably younger than ten years.It was Christmas, and the boy wanted to purchase food from Mama's Bakery. Because of his disheveled appearance and lack of money, the obese guard turned him away with humiliation.Tyler was about to leave when a little ran outside the bakery, calling to him. She offered him a chocolate pastry.The boy d
250 Amelia
On hearing the lovesick words, Tracy's cheeks immediately turned red in embarrassment. "Oh… I'm so sorry…"Naturally, lovers separated by distance and time were forced to sacrifice their sexual urges. They would look for a chance to jump each other's bones during a reunion. Tracy was old enough to know that."Stupid, stupid me!" she blurted, evidently flustered. "You lovebirds need private time!" Before leaving, Tracy whispered to her brother, "Good choice, bro. You knocked it out of the park. Amelia is a keeper. Don't let her escape."Tyler pursed his lips. "Don't worry. I won't let her escape so easily," was the rather morbid reply.Once Tracy exited the bakery, Tyler sat across the table and gave the stranger a piercing gaze."Who are you?" he asked bluntly. "What do you want from me?""And what was that lover's farce about? I don't know any Amelia! I've never heard or seen you before."In response, the exotic beauty stood to her full height gracefully. She was in a black, trendy
249 The Stranger
Tyler met Derek Sentinel at the junction of Bakery Alley in West Sapphire. As soon as the young man saw her sister's boyfriend, he grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into an electric pole."You swore to protect my sister! Why did you leave her alone?! Where were you when she was taken?"The wind was knocked out of Derek. He took the punishment without complaints and instead lowered his face in shame.Earlier, the Indigo Captain had received a call from Tyler demanding he come to Bakery Alley immediately. Apparently, Tracy's life was in danger, and it was because of his stupidity."Did the cat get your tongue?!""Sir…" Derek groaned. "I was with Tracy when the stranger arrived and invited her to this location. Your sister insisted it was a private meeting between women; therefore, men weren't allowed. She wouldn't listen to me at all!""You know how stubborn your sister is. Moreover, the stranger claimed she was your close acquaintance. My hands were tied."Tyler let the man go bu
248 The New World Order
The conference room echoed with tunes. The perplexed dignitaries whipped out their devices and began answering the calls and reading the messages."What?! The child trafficking group was wiped out?""I don't believe this! The bombs were found, and the terrorists surrendered?""The hijacked plane was returned?""The workers in the collapsed mine were rescued?" "The hostages are back home?""The humanitarian supplies were recovered?"Apparently, all the problems the elite members had stated had already been solved! They looked at each other in utter disbelief, trying to understand what was going on.It was time for Yara to speak up. "Respected dignitaries! Let me illuminate you about what happened! Lord Tristan fixed your problems while you were on your way from your nations! This is how capable he is.""What? Impossible!""That's inconceivable!""Is Lord Tristan really that powerful?""His scale of operations is even grander than Lord Butch!"The grateful members turned towards Tyler
247 The Elite Conference
The dignitaries in the conference room came from all over the world—Europe, China, Russia, India, Japan, and so on. They were CEOs of multinationals, government officials, and even from international agencies.As soon as Yara announced Tyler's new alias—Tristan Salvatore, the room became flooded with gossip and whispers. The members exchanged surprised glances and even voiced their confusion."Miss Mathews!" the representative from China began. "With due respect. We accepted your invitation because we were promised an audience with Lord Butch Salvatore. We've met him before, and he is a much older man."The others nodded in agreement. "We do not recognize Lord Tristan, regardless of him being related to the man we seek.""Moreover, we usually meet in the Salvatore Estate. Why are we at Emperor's Cove in Sapphire City?"Yara offered the group a professional smile and stepped forward. "I regret to inform you that the Lord Salvatore you knew passed away a few months back. His unfortunate
246 The New Lord
Tyler pursed his lips, feeling guilty all over. "But I will help you find the perfect bridegroom!" he added quickly. "My job is to protect you, and I won't let any random guy become your husband!"Michelle raised her streaming eyes slowly. She was still weeping, but a bitter smile appeared on her face. "Thanks! I'm grateful! Please don't leave my side, ever!"Tyler wiped a tear off her cheek affectionately. He pulled out a handkerchief and raised her chin. "I won't. Now, stop crying like a baby. You are the future Queen of Petra! Don't let others see your weaknesses!"Michelle took the hanky and kissed it lovingly. "May I keep it?"The young man chuckled and turned to leave. "Of course. Now go and inform the High Council that you are ready for the royal banquet. As the Princess of Petra, you have a reputation to uphold. I will see you next during that event."Michelle nodded obediently and watched the man walk away. Tyler approached the terrace railing, leaped over it, and disappeared
245 The Proposal
Tyler was utterly tongue-tied for a few moments. What did the Douglas heiress just say? She wanted to marry him?The young man knew Michelle for a short time. But he always saw her as a little girl. Tyler's sole inclination was to protect her. That would also align with the late Prince of Petra's wishes.However, the Princess' proposal to marry him and become the King of Petra was astounding. He had no idea she thought about him that way."Michelle…" Tyler began. "Is this a prank?"The girl joined her hands against her heart and stepped closer to him. "I love you, Tyler Grant! Please become my husband and my King. I will make you very happy!"The young man chuckled nervously. "This is ridiculous! You cannot be serious!"The Princess peered into his eyes with passion. "I have never been more serious in my life."Tyler sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I cannot accept that proposal. I have never seen you that way."Michelle's smile faltered, and she bit her lip, visibly hurt. "Is i
