But Jason clutched the fragment, his gaze boring into them as he enunciated each word with deliberate gravity, "Just two days ago, the esteemed mentor who bestowed this fragment upon me was slain—none other than the renowned appraiser, Ralph Flores!""What? Mr. Flores himself?" The men exclaimed in unified disbelief.Indeed, within Emerald City, few remained unacquainted with that legendary name which reverberated like thunderous renown. Yet, no news of Mr. Flores's demise had reached the public domain, undoubtedly suppressed.Nevertheless, Mr. Gray held no motive to deceive them on this matter."This...this cannot be..." Steven Martin's complexion paled, his incredulity palpable, for he had crossed paths with the esteemed Mr. Flores.Lawrence, however, fell into a rigid trance, his jaw agape as realization dawned, illuminating prior perplexities with blinding clarity.How Joseph Rogers had become entangled with the Black Lotus Sect, his motives for targeting Natalie, the enigmatic wa
"Such arrogance, such foolishness!" Albert raged with mocking laughter, enraged by the audacious challenge. That this upstart dared treat him, the mighty Martial Arts Master, with such flippant disregard?"Hmph, what consequence is being Martial Saint's disciple? Slaying you shall be as easy as butchering a dog. You need but three days? I need only three strikes!" With a cold snort, Albert flung the letter away."Swish!" Swift as a flash of lightning, the flimsy paper embedded itself three inches deep into a paulownia tree - a testament to the immense force behind the throw.Christian Cox and the others flinched, trembling with visceral terror. Was this the true power of Martial Arts Master? An ordinary blade could scarcely pierce so deeply, let alone a mere sheet of paper. Martial Arts Master's might was truly fearsome!At that moment, one man hesitantly spoke up, "Martial Arts Master, do you truly intend to... kill Jason?"Christian and the rest were aghast - to interrupt Martial A
It was him - Edward Reed!The assembled noble houses, initially sullen, now paled with trepidation. This notoriously unruly young master was not one to provoke, no matter their desire to curry favor with Loyalty Group. Pragmatism dictated knowing one's limits.Yet they wondered, what grievance could Edward have against these two to instigate such unwarranted hostility upon arrival? To the discerning eye, his provocation was clearly calculated. Jason, too, perceived Edward's intent, his brow furrowing. Edward Reed...the name rang familiar. If memory served, he had a brother - Kenneth Reed, was it not? The one who earned Gary Flores' wrath by offending Jason, leaving him with a shattered leg. And Emily's erstwhile fiancé...that was this very Edward Reed.The realization left Jason momentarily dumbstruck. So there existed deep-seated enmity after all. Yet Jason could hardly be faulted. None of those incidents were of his own making. Kenneth's plight was self-inflicted, while Emily hers
"Impossible! I will never agree to such terms!" Emily's outrage flared, recognizing Edward's contemptible ploy to coerce her submission.Susan, too, paled with dread. "Emily, don't acquiesce! I refuse to believe he would truly dare carry out such actions."Given the public setting of Loyalty Group's launch event, even the Reed family should exercise prudent restraint, lest they jeopardize their reputation. Susan had no desire to see her dearest friend entrapped once more in that ill-fated union which they had fought so ardently to dissolve."Hmph, you delude yourselves if you believe you have a choice." Edward's cold laughter rang with self-assurance. "Whether you consent or not, Emily, you cannot escape the inevitable. Your elders shall ultimately coerce you into wedding me."Emily's resolve wavered as dread gripped her heart. As much as she loathed to admit it, Edward's words carried the ring of truth.As she steeled herself to speak, dreading the words she knew she must utter, Jaso
Amid Edward's stunned incredulity, even Billy Sanchez stepped forth, his tone solemn. "Mr. Reed, discretion is the wiser course. Let us not mar this auspicious occasion with unbecoming scenes. Jason is one of my own in Emerald City - I shall not permit your unrestrained transgressions." The Sanchez family too, aiding Jason? Four noble houses now!If the assembled elite felt shaken, even Matt and Henry Murphy could scarcely mask their stupefied disbelief. What unfathomable undercurrents had set this unthinkable alliance in motion? Four paramount dynasties arrayed as one - a development demanding their utmost consideration. Had the world turned mad? Susan and Emily exchanged bewildered glances. Never could they have anticipated such an influx of stalwart defenders. Were they swayed by Edward's excesses or compelled to honor the Cooks' allegiance? Little did they grasp that the true catalyst was Jason himself - a feat the Cooks alone could never have orchestrated.Even Edward found hi
His words instantly kindled ravenous hunger within the attendees' eyes - even the illustrious Henry Murphy and Edward Reed could not mask their avaricious stirrings.Though scions of nobility, a deal valued in the hundreds of billions represented no trifling sum. As heir apparent to their respective dynasties, the ability to generate substantial wealth and accomplishments was paramount. Without such prowess, of what use were they as successors?The Brown patriarchs, too, felt their pulses quicken before surveying the voracious gleam mirrored by their peers, crestfallen realizations dawning. Susan, ensconced among the premium seats, shared their despondent capitulation before the cruel reality of their meager prospects.Only Jason regarded the proceedings with an inscrutable smile playing upon his lips.Yet Jack's subsequent words ignited an incandescent fervor, bordering on rapturous zeal, throughout the enraptured audience."Regarding our forthcoming collaborative ventures, allow me
It represented her absolute ceiling, yet paled in stark comparison to the Butler and Wright offers. She harbored no delusions of success - Emily was no prodigy of commerce.Even Susan shook her head, equally convinced such a bid would swiftly be obliterated beneath the avalanche of wealthier competitors. Yet Jason's smile deepened with mysterious significance as the auctioneer's gavel abruptly fell, Jack's resounding declaration shattering the pandemonium."The Cook family bid is accepted!""Wh...what?"An eerie, tomblike silence descended upon the stunned hall as hundreds of voices found themselves rendered mute, eyes glazing with stupefied disbelief.Emily herself could only gape, utterly dumbstruck. Had...had a miracle truly transpired?'Twelve billion dollars?' Not only the crowd, but Emily herself was dumbstruck, her visage etched with disbelief. Had it truly transpired? Was this not a mere phantasm of the mind? That such a paltry sum could secure triumph seemed implausible. S
Matt Turner and Edward Reed inwardly raged, their ire scarcely containable. That madman – to expend such effort for a mere twenty percent stake? Sheer lunacy! To sacrifice all reason for such trifling gain.Yet for all their vitriol, their hearts seethed with vexation, for only the final share remained."Damn it all!" Their eyes met, seeming to strike sparks of murderous intent. This last prize had to be theirs, if not for its worth then for the sake of pride alone. Silently, they vowed to spare no expense!In their secluded corner, the Browns, father and son, trembled with trepidation – mere motes in the cosmos as deities waged war above. Yet if Susan's triumph proved unattainable, some equilibrium could be restored to Raymond's mind. For should she ascend to such rarefied heights, her rise would render her utterly untouchable.It was at this moment that Matt Turner, Edward Reed, and the assembled public companies clamored for the fifth share's bidding to commence, determined to st