Grace had recently departed Salt City. She was Sylvia's mother-in-law, so Grace likely had informed Sylvia about it. Indeed, Grace's words to Sylvia hinted at Montgomery Corp.'s intention to wage war against Hernandez Corp.Considering Grace's determination to protect Eric, the likelihood of a major business conflict was high. Today was Monday, and the tension was likely building.Sylvia addressed the room, "I expect we'll see signs of it in the next two to three days. I've gathered you all here to analyze our shared business interests with Montgomery Corp. and Hernandez Corp. These ventures are bound to face difficulties soon. We should swiftly reduce investments or cut ties."She was certain that Montgomery Corp. and Hernandez Corp. would target overlapping businesses if they clashed. This would make it tough for others in the same industry, as both corporations would not tolerate third-party interference during their conflict.Knowing Grace's determination, Sylvia anticipated th
Sylvia was swamped with work, leaving her no time for lunch.Eric stepped in to oversee her lunch break."Been busy?" he asked.Eric figured the north district projects were already wrapped up, so there shouldn't be excessive work."Curious?" Sylvia asked, eyeing Eric. She sensed this might be the right moment to reveal the news about Grace.Eric raised an eyebrow. "Nah, better not know too much. It might involve company secrets. The less one knows, the safer one is. I'm cautious about getting silenced."Sylvia was taken aback. "You think William Corp. is like a mafia gang?"But then, she decided to spill the beans. "Montgomery Corp. and Hernandez Corp. in King City are gearing up for a showdown!"She watched Eric, keen to see his reaction. But Eric remained calm, unaffected by the news. In fact, the impending battle between the two companies wouldn't impact him much since his company dealt with IT solutions.Sylvia sighed. "The clash between these giants might affect our indu
"I forgot," Eric said, looking embarrassed. As he reflected on the situation, he realized he had not allowed Grace to speak.Sylvia glanced at Eric and offered, "I can accompany you to King City once I'm done with my work in the next two days."Sylvia was known for her aloofness, but she became warm and caring when she opened up to someone."Let's discuss it later," Eric replied. "I don't want to disturb her right now."He noticed a lot of food left on the desk and frowned. "Hurry and finish your meal! You might get busy again!"Sylvia smiled and continued eating heartily. After she finished her meal and returned to work, Eric left the office. First, he called Irvin to inquire about any information regarding the Montgomerys and Hernandezes. Then, he headed to the nail salon.This time, he didn't bring Sylvia along.After a while, Sylvia noticed Eric was gone. She took out her phone and called Seraphine, only to discover that she was at Williams Corp.-At Sylvester's office.
When Eric arrived at the nail salon, Andy was absent, but Craig stood at the entrance, observing Elly."Elly, please let me in," Craig implored. "Your intervention when they tried to attack me suggests there might be lingering feelings. Can we mend things?"Upon his arrival, Big Sis' subordinates had stopped Craig. They would have tossed him into a trash can if Elly hadn't stepped in.Elly replied from the salon, "Preventing them from hurting you doesn't imply I still have feelings for you. I just want peace in my shop. As for reconciliation? It's out of the question."Craig realized it might be futile, so he turned to Eric. "Please help me, Eric!"Without glancing at Craig, Eric entered the shop and asked, "Elly, is Mom here?""She's inside," Elly answered, lowering the shutter.Eric seldom visited her nail salon to find Melinda. Since it was Monday, Elly understood Eric had a pressing matter.Shutting Craig out, she and Eric ascended the stairs.Melinda was watching TV. When
Sylvia was both surprised and impressed by Eric's inner strength. She hadn't expected him to move on so quickly.Eric declared, "I've thought about it. I can accept Grace Montgomerys as my mother, but the condition is that I stay in Salt City. Otherwise, I can't agree."Sylvia nodded in agreement, sharing Eric's viewpoint. Grace was his biological mother, but the ones who had raised him were his true parents. The debt of raising a child was something a child could never fully repay.If Grace insisted on taking Eric back to King City, Sylvia would oppose it. It all depended on Grace now.-Meanwhile, Lucas sported a bruised face from the incident with Seraphine's bodyguards. Later, he took his own bodyguards to find them but nearly got beaten up again."Mr. Petterson!" A man approached as Lucas applied ointment to his bruise. "We just got inside info from Williams Corp. and Sonnex Corp. They're abandoning some potentially profitable businesses. Should we step in and take over?"E
Irvin and Henry clinked their wine glasses together, taking a sip.Irvin spoke up. "Eric deserves our gratitude. Without him, how would we ever have come across this information? While we can make educated guesses based on the conglomerates' layouts, the uncertainty of their intentions and the timing of any conflict remain unknown. Luck plays a significant role in these matters."Irvin held biases against the Williams in the past, but those prejudices had vanished. If Montgomery Corp. and Hernandez Corp. indeed went to war, Sonnex Corp. would undoubtedly incur losses.Henry raised his glass, about to take a sip, when he suddenly asked, "Irvin, what if Montgomery Corp. and Hernandez Corp. don't go to war after all?"Irvin's hand, holding the wine glass, froze in mid-air. He had pondered this possibility before but had faith in Eric and Sylvia's analysis. Given Williams Corp.'s actions, it made sense to follow suit. However, wouldn't their companies suffer significant losses if a war
Lucas said indifferently, "Eric, have you ever heard a saying?"Eric scratched his ear. "I'm all ears."Lucas sneered. "Everyone should know their place. Mr. Williams and Sonnex Corp. have already given my family a significant amount of business. You should understand why. You should step back voluntarily and avoid trouble."Eric raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Well, Petterson, I genuinely admire you as a person."Lucas looked rather proud and replied, "Many people admire me. I don't need your admiration.""No, no, no." Eric chuckled. "You've misunderstood, Petterson. What I admire is your vivid imagination! How can you be so certain those businesses were handed over to your family?"Lucas was momentarily taken aback. How could it not have been handed over to their family? He had confirmed it with a phone call. It was what the Williams and Sonnexes had agreed upon to allow them to expand in Salt City.Eric continued. "Let me offer you some advice as well. As a person, you must kn
Irvin always believed he hadn't misunderstood Eric. Wealth was important, but Irvin cherished character more. Eric's behavior had clearly impressed him.-In the afternoon, Eric returned to Williams Corp.On his way, he did something unexpected—he bought a bouquet of flowers. When he arrived at the entrance of Williams Corp., Sylvia was already waiting.The employees leaving the office knew Sylvia always waited for Eric. They commuted these days, and Eric also picked Sylvia up from work in the evening. Everyone was accustomed to it.Curious whispers spread, and that's how they discovered Eric was Sylvia's husband.Sylvia checked the time and wondered why Eric was running late today. He was usually very punctual.Then, she saw Lucas."Vee!" He approached Sylvia excitedly. "I've invited Mr. Sonnex and your father for dinner. I called your elder brother, too. Shall we all go together?"Sylvia smiled and said, "My elder brother can join you. I won't be going."Lucas was in a good
In terms of innate talent, Eric was unparalleled, having reached the pinnacle of martial arts. With a single punch, he sent the 'God' flying."Good!" Stealthbane shouted with excitement.The ultimate enemy had finally been defeated, bringing peace to the world. Eric sighed in relief.However, in the next moment, the 'God' stood up again. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he revealed a bloodthirsty smile. "You have successfully enraged me!"Everyone braced for a potential massacre, but instead, the enemy turned and fled.Could Eric let him escape?"Chase him!" Stealthbane commanded.Allowing this foe to escape would spell endless trouble.A group of people pursued the enemy, who soon reappeared clad in iron armor."Not seen this before, have you?" The 'God' seemed to have recovered somewhat. "Did you think I only research viruses? Wrong! I control global resources and global wealth!"This is our newly developed Doomforge Exosuit which amplifies a person's battle prowess tenfol
The sturdy floor lay in utter disarray.In desperation, Ruth shouted, "Eric, don't give him any more chances! Finish him off swiftly, or we'll face endless trouble!"Eric was well aware of this logic. As he fought, he said, "He's incredibly strong. Taking him down quickly isn't possible! We must fight to the death!"Eric had never feared battle. Besides, this might very well be his final fight.Their fists clashed fiercely.The 'God' also noticed that Eric was growing more formidable as the battle progressed."How do you have so much strength? Wouldn't it be better if we joined forces to control the world? We could have anything we desire!"All the world's wealth, women, and resources would be ours to enjoy. Why won't you listen to reason?" he roared.Eric's momentum didn't falter. "I don't share your grand ambitions. I just want a simple life with a job that pays 1,000 dollars a month and a warm home with my wife and kids. But you, you've disturbed my peace!"The 'God' was fu
The 'God' grew more courageous as the battle raged on, causing Stealthbane to worry incessantly.In another high-stakes clash, Eric and his opponent both retreated. Eric sensed his opponent's growing strength, finding it rather peculiar.The 'God' clenched his fist. "I must thank you! My techniques were slightly incomplete, but I've managed to fill the gaps through this battle!"Eric marveled at his opponent's genius. To mend something incomplete was indeed a rare talent.Despite Eric training with the complete manual, he could only match the 'God' blow for blow. This person was terrifying!The opponent's confidence soared. Although Eric had trained with the full manual, the 'God' felt his innate talent far surpassed Eric's. If he could match Eric with an incomplete manual, now that he had perfected it, wouldn't he be unbeatable?"I thought you had potential and considered inviting you to share this world with me," the 'God' said, his tone turning icy. "But now, I see it's unnece
Stealthbane even felt that Eric might not be a match for the "God."The power was overwhelming.The terrifying aura was enough to crush everything. To an ordinary person, this was a real deity—the strength possessed had already transcended human limits.Eric made his move with a burst of speed. The clash of their fists created a thunderous explosion, and the sound was so intense that Stealthbane felt his eardrums might shatter.This was a battle of the highest caliber, one that even a legend like Stealthbane could not hope to join.Seeing the two evenly matched, Stealthbane sighed in relief. At least there was a chance that the strongest combatants were neutralizing each other. The outcome was still uncertain.Eric shook his aching fist, his expression grave. The opponent's strength was as he had anticipated. If the ultimate boss of the Luminous did not possess such combat power, it would be absurd.Clearly, this "God" had also gauged Eric's strength.He extended a hand toward
Stealthbane knew that the figure facing them must be the ultimate leader of the Luminous.Suddenly, he no longer wanted to die. If he could hold on just a little longer, it would all be over."Mr. Johnson, these people don't seem ordinary. Could that leader be the ultimate figure of the Luminous? Are we about to complete the game?" he whispered.To him, this mission to the Ark felt like a game: defeat the final boss, and victory is achieved."If I'm not mistaken, it should be. This person gives me... a sense of danger," Eric said.Upon hearing this, Stealthbane felt reassured.Just a sense? That meant the problem wasn't too grave!The leader on the opposite side turned to Eric. "I didn't expect you to make it this far. I underestimated your strength, believing my Ark was impregnable, that no enemy could breach it. But why are you so persistent? Why such determination?"He suddenly screamed in a fit of hysteria, "I have so many people! Such a grand scheme! It has all succeeded!
Brent shouted desperately, "After you get on your knees, they'll kill you all, and we won't survive either! Kill them! Kill them all!"He understood the situation with stark clarity. Kneeling meant certain death. If they had to die anyway, fighting back would be their only chance of survival.Eric sighed. "Mr. Rogers, in the end, it was we who implicated you. But this place must be eradicated, and the Luminous must be destroyed as well! Everyone, attack!"As the battle commenced, the masked man immediately struck Brent with a punch.Eric charged in. "Die!"He knew that Brent was unlikely to survive. This punch was his way of avenging Brent.The masked man spun around, trying to block Eric's punch. But the speed of the blow was too much—the gust of wind from the punch arrived before the fist did.It was an instant kill.The masked man had no time to react before Eric's punch collided with his chest. The terrifying force shattered the mask on the man's face, revealing an unfamili
Stealthbane was blinded by rage. He was killing anyone in sight, his fury unrelenting. They had ventured deep into enemy territory, where every encounter seemed to be with an adversary.Eric and his team from the Combat Department showed no mercy.Yet even Stealthbane's resolve was wearing thin."I can't kill them all! It feels like every master in the world is concentrated here!" he shouted in frustration.He felt the number of people he had brought was insufficient. If he had brought a few thousand more, he might have been able to overrun the place.Stealthbane was overwhelmed by the sheer horror of their situation. Fortunately, they had arrived. If anyone else had come, they would have met their end here.The numbers of the masters seemed endless."Damn it!" Stealthbane cursed angrily. "There are too many of them, and they're all exceptionally powerful. What kind of game is this?"He was tempted to retreat, but where could he go?Eric sent an enemy flying, pushing forward
"I was opposed to coming in from the start, but as you all know, the Rogers family is extremely complex. If we hadn't entered, I might have ended up dead. At least if the virus isn't a threat, that's something!" Brent poured himself a cup of coffee and continued. "These people are ruthless! They want to kill everyone outside the Ark and establish a new order, managed by a select few. It's insane!"You don't need to tell me—I know you're here to kill them."He then pulled a small token from his pocket. "This is our Rogers family's privilege here. It allows us to move freely between different levels. With this, you can go anywhere!"Stealthbane grabbed it eagerly. "Why didn't you mention this earlier? Things will go much smoother with this!"Brent sighed. "Once you've handled everything, could you take me out with you? I really don't want to stay in this dreadful place any longer.""Sure!" Eric nodded. "We'll definitely call you when we leave. For now, we're heading out."Brent e
Everything was ready, but they couldn't just walk in.Ruth instructed the Combat Department to conduct a three-day intensive training for everyone, focusing on coordinated combat.-After three days, the forces led by Stealthbane moved out, first dismantling the outer defenses of the Ark. This was their specialty!A large group of several hundred arrived in front of the Ark's entrance. At first glance, it resembled a mountain.Jack scratched his head and said, "Is this the gate? I don't see any door."The Holy Templar's people arrived as well. St. Pius said, "Everyone, don't rush. Wait for two minutes. Once the gate opens, we need to get in quickly. I have other plans inside, but once we're in, it's going to be a life-or-death battle! No one should show any mercy!"Stealthbane flexed his fists and replied, "Do I look like a good guy to you? Just watch me deal with them!"No sooner had he spoken than there was a tremendous roar. The ground shook, and the door of the Ark swung