As Crystal's scream echoed through the room, Danial's attention snapped back to the present. His eyes darted to her, now fully conscious and trying to cover herself, clearly mortified by the situation. His immediate reaction, however, wasn't one of alarm but rather an awkward attempt to make himself less conspicuous.Danial’s gaze wandered around the room as if he were suddenly interested in the architecture, the patterns on the walls, or even the way the light flickered from a nearby lamp. He cleared his throat, admiring the ceiling. "Nice ceiling... uh, great craftsmanship here," he mumbled, his voice trailing off. It was an entirely unconvincing attempt to divert attention from the uncomfortable scene that had just unfolded.Rowan, having quickly regained his composure, moved to Crystal’s side and gently took her hand. "Come, Crystal," he said, his voice soft and reassuring. "Let’s get you dressed and comfortable."As Rowan led Crystal out of the room, Danial was left standing alon
Rowan stood up from his seat in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief. Crystal's mouth fell open, her eyes equally wide as she stared at Danial. The room was filled with tension so thick it could be cut with a knife, yet the sheer surprise on their faces made the scene oddly comical. It was as if they had just witnessed a cat tap-dancing on the ceiling.Crystal, still processing what Danial had just said, finally found her voice. "Then… will you teach me that technique?" she asked, her tone a mix of hope and wonder.Danial nodded confidently, though he felt a little overwhelmed by the sudden attention. "Of course," he replied.Rowan, still slightly dazed, managed to compose himself enough to express his gratitude. "Danial, we will be eternally grateful to you," he said, his voice filled with sincerity as he sat back down, eyes fixed on Danial, waiting for him to say more.But before Danial could respond, the door to the lobby burst open with a loud bang. All heads turned to see a young
As Danial made his way back to the academy, the events of the evening replayed in his mind. The encounter with Taoist Hao, the unwavering support from Rowan, and the responsibility now resting on his shoulders weighed heavily. But instead of heading straight to his quarters for some much-needed rest, Danial felt a pull towards the training hall. He knew that training would help clear his mind and allow him to focus on what lay ahead.The academy was unusually quiet at this hour, with most students either resting or studying in their rooms. When he arrived at the training hall, the silence was almost eerie. Danial glanced down at his casual attire, realizing he was not dressed for training. With a sigh, Danial retreated to the locker room, where he quickly changed into his training outfit—a simple yet functional set of clothes that allowed for ease of movement. Danial still wondered who left his training clothes. He shook his head and said, "Whatever happened, happened"Upon re-enterin
As he approached the library, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, he stepped inside, immediately greeted by the familiar scent of old books and parchment.Marvin was seated at a large oak desk near the back, his attention fully absorbed by a stack of documents spread out before him. Danial hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and bowing respectfully. "Master, I have some questions."Marvin didn’t look up from the documents, his voice clipped and distant as he responded, "Speak."Danial could sense the tension in Marvin’s tone. Something was clearly bothering him, and Danial wasn’t sure if it was his place to probe. Nonetheless, he pressed on, hoping to gain some insight. "Master, what does the fifth level of Titan's Endurance represent?"Marvin remained silent for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the papers in front of him. When he finally spoke, his words were curt and final. "You will find out when you reach that lev
Leo’s voice dripped with condescension as he casually surveyed the scene. "Surprised to see me, Danial? I must say, you picked a rather humble spot for our little chat." His eyes wandered over to Sophie and Natasha, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Wow, Danial, I didn’t know you were a playboy. Maybe you should hand over the girls to us and kneel for now."Danial’s frown deepened as his anger began to simmer just beneath the surface. “And why do you think I would do that?”Leo, oblivious to the true identity of the women, chuckled as he stepped closer, his confidence growing with every word. “Because you’re surrounded. Did you think I came to Somerland without any protection or didn’t bring anyone with me? Did you think I’m that dumb?” His voice was dripping with mockery, and he glanced around at the group of ten suited men who were now closing in around Danial, Sophie, and Natasha.Danial’s frown turned into a scowl as he quickly assessed the situation. Leo had caught him off g
As they made their way back to the hotel, Danial couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that the immediate danger had passed. Sophie and Natasha were in high spirits, chatting animatedly about their day. But Danial’s moment of peace was short-lived.“Danial,” Sophie said suddenly, her tone turning serious, “Just so I remind you, I will be accompanying you to your workplace tomorrow, so be ready.”Danial’s smile faltered, and his eyes widened in panic. “Mom, you really shouldn’t come. There’s nothing to be worried about. It’s just a normal day at work.”Sophie’s expression remained unwavering. “I do not care. I will be coming with you whether you like it or not.”Danial’s mind raced. He was already juggling enough without adding his mother’s presence to the mix. He tried to think of a way to dissuade her, but Sophie was as determined as ever.“Mom,” Danial said, trying to sound convincing but failing to hide his desperation, “It’s going to be a boring day. You’ll be so bored you migh
As the sleek black Mercedes glided to a stop in front of the towering, glass-covered building, Danial took a deep breath, trying to mask his growing unease. The building was at least ten stories tall, a corporate giant that seemed far too grand for the charade he was about to pull off. Sophie, blissfully unaware of the tangled web her son was weaving, stepped out of the car with a sense of pride, marveling at the impressive structure.Danial forced a confident smile as he followed suit, pretending that this was his daily routine. The driver, still in his sharp suit, gave a polite nod before driving off, leaving Danial and Sophie at the entrance. As they approached the large glass doors, Danial mentally rehearsed his plan, hoping everything would go smoothly.But as he reached for the door handle, his path was blocked by the burly watchman stationed at the entrance. The man, a stone-faced figure with arms crossed, didn’t even blink as he asked, “ID card?”Danial’s heart skipped a beat.
Danial settled into the plush leather chair, trying to ignore the rising tension in his chest. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the computer as it powered up. He grabbed a stack of documents that had been neatly arranged on the desk, flipping through them quickly. At first, it was just an act to keep Sophie from asking too many questions, but as he skimmed the papers, he realized that understanding the company's operations might actually be necessary.After all, this was his company, even if the situation was far from ordinary. He might as well see what kind of business he was supposed to be running.He opened the laptop on the desk and began typing, accessing the company’s internal systems. The screen lit up with a sophisticated dashboard displaying real-time data: sales figures, project timelines, employee performance metrics, and more. Danial clicked through the tabs, noting the company’s strong market presence and the successful completion of several high-profile contr