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The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 139 The Grand Prix
The Fremont Grand Prix was being held in Central Sapphire City, a few miles from Sterling Hill. It was an elite, restricted area patrolled by guards. Ordinary people could not gain entry without a ticket. Thousands had gathered to watch the annual intra-state motorbike racing event. Many factions, primarily billionaires, celebrities, and even mafia proxy groups, were known to participate through proxies. The prize money was fifty million dollars. It was a considerable sum indeed; hence, racers could become millionaires overnight. However, their masters had other intentions of taking part. There was a secret to the entire charade. An unwritten agreement existed in elite circles that whoever won the moto racing event could nominate the councilor of Central Sapphire City. The latter was the business center of the flourishing Petra County. The councillor who controlled the local government could favor a multinational and help it make huge profits. In fact, in certain ways, he was more
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 140 Caught Red-handed
Tyler shut down Athena's Insight and leaned on the shower wall behind him. The pallid corpse of the celebrity Gina Perry lay before him, her face twisted in pain and horror.In a few minutes, police officers and event staff would burst into the ladies’ locker room. Apparently, they had received an anonymous tip-off that Gina was being held against her will in the shower chambers.After discovering the celebrity's dead body and finding Tyler in the same room, the cops were likely to arrive at one conclusion. That he was Gina Perry's cold-blooded murderer. It would be an open-and-shut case since the criminal was caught red-handed.The young man did not panic at all. A simple solution was to escape out the window. Even though it was the tenth floor, he could easily land on the ground without getting hurt.However, another problem presented itself. Tyler would never find out who actually killed Gina Perry and tried to frame him. Was it Duke Hilton or someone else? Moreover, he had not yet
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 141 Quickie
As Tyler predicted, a search team barged into the ladies' locker room a few minutes later. It comprised three police officers, five event staff members, and a dozen heavyset guards. They spread out, desperately searching for Gina."Miss Perry! Miss Perry! Can you hear us?"When the search team heard the shower running, they rushed to the last stall, morosely expecting to enter a crime scene. Was Gina still alive?However, their sense of urgency and distress was absolutely decimated by the racy sight before them.Gina Perry was in her bathrobe under the running shower. She was making out passionately with a topless, athletic young man. They were all over each other—touching, caressing, groping, with no regard for the onlookers. The scene was something out of a steamy Hollywood movie.The intruders were so shocked that they froze, unable to utter a single word. Even though they were tremendously awkward, they couldn't take their eyes off the attractive c
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 142 Media Attention
"Duke Hilton?!" Gina fumed, immediately recognizing the name. "That son of a bitch!" she added, wagging her finger angrily. "Careful, you'll take my eye out," Tyler joked. He was surprised by her reaction. Duke was generally famous because of his family's wealth and reputation. He often appeared on news channels and was a heartthrob for local girls. Gina was widely popular, but she belonged to no royalty. Tyler realized that despite the man's affluent family background, those who knew him personally despised him. Distant hills appear blue and picturesque, but once you come close, they are brown and ugly. "How do you know him?" the young man asked. "What did he do to offend you so much?" Gina crossed her arms angrily. "That stupid jerk has been asking me out for years! He doesn't hesitate to resort to underhanded means to meet me! Once, he pretended to be a movie producer to lure me into a hotel room!" "I keep turning him down, but Duke keeps coming back like a lost puppy!" Tyler
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 143 Proxies
The crowd went wild. "Is he a Trillionaire? Or another pop star?" "It appears the new boyfriend is a participant in the race!" "There are no brands advertised on his jacket. Is he an ordinary guy…?" "No way! Gina's boyfriend can't be a commoner! Maybe he wants to keep his identity secret…?" As more reporters hounded the couple, Tyler turned to Gina. "I'll see you later after the race. But don't worry; I'll be with you instantly if someone tries to harm you." The beauty looked up to his tall frame and nodded. But she was perplexed about his words. How could he possibly evade the wild herd of reporters and fans? With so many cameras and eyes on him, escape was impossible. Ultimately, Tyler would have to remove the helmet and reveal his face. His secret identity being public was inevitable. "Take off your helmet!" The reporters chanted in unison. "Tell us who you are!" "Let us see your face!" Even the audience held up their phone cameras to record him. Tyler smirked from within
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 144 The Race Begins!
The stewards gave the go-ahead for the MotoGP circuit to commence. Motorcycles queued up at the starting line, and the candidates were fully dressed in racing gear. Their uniforms brandished expensive sponsor brands, while their super-vehicles looked like futuristic machines. Only Tyler's bike and his appearance stood out as ordinary. Many onlookers began mocking him. "Who invited this straggler?" "Have the organizers lost their minds?" "This is a shame on the Fremont Grand Prix!" "It seems the guy borrowed his sports bike and bought his gear from the pawnshop!" The crowd snickered and ridiculed the amateur while heaping praises on the veteran racers. "Max Powers' vehicle looks like advanced alien technology! He is sure to win again this year!" "Did you know Derek Sentinel himself is a candidate representing the royal family of Petra? I'm too excited!" "The Andersons, Coopers, and Carlisles have pretty competitive racers, too. It's going to be a great circuit!" "I'm also hype
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 145 Explosions
Tyler's sudden acceleration and catching up momentarily shocked the audience. This would typically cause a furor, with fans complaining about malpractice and a possible nitrous boost. How could a low-performance motorcycle go faster than custom-designed, super-engine-powered vehicles? However, the attention suddenly shifted to the crash site. The three leading racers from the Anderson, Cooper, and Carlisle factions suddenly lost all control simultaneously. They crashed into the sideline barricades. Luckily, the men survived with minor injuries. However, the impacts and the resulting fires utterly destroyed their vehicles. Fans raged about possible sabotage, but the remaining racers were on the last lap. Any further investigation would only take place after the race. "Wait, that Ducati DesertX already caught up to the two leaders!" an audience member called out. "How is that even possible? His vehicle is not meant for racing!" Tyler was back in the race. He picked up speed and foll
The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives 146 Faceoff
Tyler smirked thinly. "I was about to come looking for you. But it is good that you came to me directly. It saved me the trouble."Max Powers gritted his teeth and spat on the floor. "Tyler Grant…" he said, mouthing the words with disgust. "It is the first time I lost the Fremont Grand Prix. I had always been the undisputed champion. You did something funny with your bike to make it run faster. You cheater!"Tyler shrugged nonchalantly and teased him. "Why can't you accept I am a better racer than you?"A vein throbbed on Max's forehead. "Bullshit! Your DesertX was moving at unnatural speeds, way beyond the Ducati company's maximum threshold! Clearly, you have some supernatural help!"Tyler raised an eyebrow. "I see. So, my suspicions were not wrong. You dabble in the dark mystical arts."The villain spat again with disdain. "Commoners like you shouldn't dare to talk about the elite martial and mystical arts. It belongs to special people like me! Just tell me who helped you, and then
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
