When Frederick stepped into Jennifer's house, it was pitch black and eerily quiet. He had no choice but to turn on the lights. Then, he realized that no one had lived there for several days.Jennifer was meticulous about cleanliness; she wouldn't leave the house in such a mess."Strange. Where is she?" Frederick muttered, perplexed. Was Jennifer working overtime at the office again? But that didn't add up. Where was Jennifer's bitch of a cousin, Zoey?"Well, maybe it's better this way. At least I won't have to deal with another argument when she returns," Frederick muttered with a shrug.Initially, he had been worried about explaining his disappearance to Jennifer on the way home. But since she wasn't around, he saved himself a lot of mental energy."But what exactly is this Compound Four that Liana mentioned?" he pondered, still feeling unsettled about it. The fact that he, the Dark Monarch, was nearly driven to self-destruct by a small syringe was deeply troubling.If Org
After the assistant left, Frederick was surprised. "You've hired so many new people? How many employees are there now?"Jasmine pondered momentarily, and replied, "Probably over a thousand." "Over a thousand? That's quite impressive," Frederick exclaimed. Prospera Corporation had only a little over five thousand employees. Aerowind Enterprise, which had just started recently, was catching up to a listed company."You don't know how lucrative the Sleepless City project is economically. It far exceeds our expectations. Plus, the e-commerce and livestreaming industries are currently the hottest. The company is growing so fast, so of course it needs to expand its workforce," Jasmine said slyly."So, how much is the company's net profit per month currently?" Frederick asked. "We have yet to launch the Sleepless City project, but we've already received deposits from many merchants. The estimates are that we can make five million per month. The Livestreaming Department is even more
"Now, we need to inspect specific documents regarding your company's fire safety, finances, personnel, and other aspects. Get everything ready and bring it to us!" The two officials sat down, and crossed their legs arrogantly. Their noses were in the air, and they didn't even spare Jasmine a glance."Gentlemen, our company has been very busy lately, and some areas may not have been fully updated..." Jasmine hurriedly said. If it were just about illegal employment and tax evasion, she knew Aerowind Enterprise had nothing to hide. The problem was, being a new and rapidly expanding company, there were inevitably some areas that might have been overlooked in operations. If the officials found something and made a big deal out of it, the consequences could be severe for the company.The officials exchanged a knowing smile, as if their strategy was foolproof. However, heir arrogance immediately deflated at Jasmine's words.Clearing his throat, one of them said, "Ms. Smith, we're not
"What are you planning to do? Don't mess around! Drakonia is a society where personal relationships and mutual obligations are deeply valued, and can significantly influence outcomes and decisions. This has been the tradition for thousands of years. How can a single person like you break years of tradition?"Jasmine suddenly grew nervous.However, Frederick waved his hand dismissively and smiled. "Don't worry, I have my ways. Just let me...mess around this once."-Frederick walked into the lounge, and apologized, "Sorry for keeping you waiting. My apologies!"Jasmine followed behind, and added, "This is our general manager, Mr. Lester."The two officials immediately exchanged knowing smiles. "So you're Mr. Lester! Your reputation precedes you. To helm such a large company at such a young age is truly a remarkable feat!"Frederick replied politely, "You flatter me! Ms. Smith informed me of your visit. I heard you've traveled all this way to Aerowind Enterprise on our behalf. Y
Boom!The two officials barged straight into Frederick's office, breaking down the door. Jasmine and several assistants were also present, as they were in the middle of a meeting.Frederick feigned surprise, and asked, "Sirs, you're back again? Did you forget something here?" Seeing Frederick's expression, the two officials erupted with fury."Mr. Lester, did you personally put that stuff in the envelope?" one of them demanded."Yes," Frederick replied nonchalantly.The officials glared at him. "What do you mean by that?" "Whatever you think it means, that's what it means," Frederick said, maintaining his calm demeanor."Hah! Mr. Lester, you’ve trampled on our dignity and even proudly proclaimed it was you!" one of the officials accused.The officials from the Department of Commerce were now downright furious, and their faces were fierce."Do you know we have the power to issue an immediate cease and desist order against your company without going through any formalities?
"Are you talking about Mr. Ethan Walker, the director in charge of the entire Department of Commerce?" Both officials were startled.Their ultimate superior, Ethan Walker, was so high up that even employees like them only saw him once every six months.Frederick chuckled, and crossed his legs casually. "You'll find out soon enough."A few minutes later, their phones rang.It was their direct superior, Michael Ziegler.Their faces immediately turned pale as they hurriedly answered the call. "Mr. Ziegler, what's wrong? We were following your orders to thoroughly investigate the tax evasion at Aerowind Enterprise..."There was a burst of angry shouting from the other end. "Damn you and your whole family! Quickly apologize to Mr. Lester and come back! When did I ever tell you to investigate Aerowind Enterprise?! Just now, Mr. Walker called me and asked if it was my doing! You two idiots have messed everything up!"Upon hearing this, the two officials were thunderstruck and visib
"You're such a narcissist!" Jasmine rolled her eyes, clearly irritated by Frederick's arrogance. Could he really be so powerful as to ignore the authorities?She sighed. "Anyway, you're my boss, so I'll listen to you." Then, she leaned her head on Frederick's shoulder and continued, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? Since you're my man, I'll do as you say.""By the way, Mr. Lester, Ms. Smith. Apart from the two officials, Captain Zephyr from the law enforcement team has been waiting in the lounge for quite some time," the assistant suddenly said."Willa?" Frederick exclaimed."Yes, sir."Frederick's face darkened. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" Knowing Willa's temper, she must be furious after waiting so long!"I'm sorry, Mr. Lester! The situation seemed tense earlier, so I didn't dare interrupt..." the assistant apologized nervously, and bowed.Frederick couldn't be bothered with the assistant any longer. He walked straight into the lounge.Willa was dressed i
On the other end of the phone, Percy was terrified. Since inheriting half of Aston State's underworld, this was the first time Frederick had given him a direct order.The sharpness of Frederick's words made Percy's heart race. He couldn't afford to delay; immediately, he mobilized tens of thousands of his men and activated his entire network across Aston State to find Jennifer and Zoey.-Meanwhile, back at Aerowind Enterprise, Willa furrowed her elegant brows. "Frederick, don't act rashly! Searching for people is our law enforcement team's specialty. You can't possibly locate them relying solely on civilian forces..."Before she could finish her sentence, the phone rang."You've found Zoey? Alright, I got it," Frederick answered calmly.Willa was dumbfounded. It had only been three minutes since Frederick made that call! One couldn't even finish a trip to the restroom in that time! How did he manage it?"Captain Zephyr, I'm going to see someone now. I'll contact you anoth
Heston was still scoffing when he received a call from Giovanni.He was taken aback, and he nervously glanced at Frederick. 'No way…'The moment he picked up the phone, he got a torrent of scolding.Meanwhile, a bloody power struggle was underway in the Imperial Capital.After the Conservatives took down Woody, their ambition surged. They now aimed to dismantle the entire Radicals faction. Though the Radicals had already compromised in the Woody affair, they were taken aback by the Conservatives' greed and refused to back down any further.A fierce conflict broke out between the two sides, quickly escalating into open warfare. The entire Imperial Capital was placed under lockdown, with martial law in effect. Gunfire and smoke filled the air as both sides clashed, and the violence soon spread across Drakonia. Armies from all regions were mobilized, and a war was about to erupt. At this critical moment, the First Elder woke up.Years ago, after deposing the Dark Monarch of
Senspiras, located in the southeast of Drakonia, was also a neighboring country of Drakonia. It also has the largest population of overseas Drakonians. Many of the wealthy families in Senspiras migrated from Drakonia within the past century or two. The current richest man in Senspiras was one such example."Is Mr. Stone your father?" Frederick raised an eyebrow and asked."Looks like you've got some sense! Name your price!" Heston smirked, and pulled out a checkbook.Frederick's expression darkened."Your dad's assets are not even enough to wipe my shoes. Who do you think you are, pretending to be a big shot? Get lost!"Frederick quickly realized that Heston was just a spoiled brat who would throw money around bullying people. Since he wasn't much of a real threat, Frederick wasn't bothered by dealing with him. Upon hearing Frederick's words, Heston was stunned. "Are you out of your mind? My dad is the richest man in Senspiras! How dare you belittle him?" “So what? Your enti
Sylvia had so many questions. She wanted to know what Frederick had been doing to provoke such dangerous enemies. She wanted to know if Frederick had really killed a hundred people. She wanted to understand how her son had gained such abilities. And most of all, she wondered if Frederick had been living this kind of disturbing life all these years."Mom, we'll talk about it when we get home," Frederick said, gently lifting Sylvia and leaving the company.On the way, Frederick lightly tapped on Sylvia's head, and she quickly fell unconscious. He had used a special method to erase part of her memory.When they arrived home, Sylvia slowly woke up."Fred! Why are you suddenly home?" Sylvia exclaimed in surprise when she saw Frederick."I'm about to go on a long trip, so I came to visit. Why are you sleeping on the couch instead of in your room?" Frederick smiled.Sylvia sat up from the couch, feeling a bit stiff and sore."I was talking to your sister on the phone. How did I
"Yes, it was me. If no one managed to escape, the entire Steinfields family—except for children under sixteen and elders over seventy—should be dead by now," Frederick said with a smirk.If he didn't deter the Steinfields with a show of force, others might try the same methods against him in the future.Hearing this, Kaizer's face went blank and terror filled his eyes. At that moment, Frederick's phone rang. It was Melanie calling. Frederick answered, and put the call on speaker. "How did it go? Tell me, so Kaizer here can hear," Frederick said."There were a hundred and seventy-three Steinfields. Fifty-two were children and elders. The remaining hundred have all been executed!" Melanie reported. Kaizer spat out a mouthful of blood in shock. "No way! We're the Steinfields! The Steinfields of Imperial Capital! How could this happen?"In a panic, Kaizer fumbled with his phone, trying to call his family. However, every call he made went unanswered."You'll find out for sure onc
"Let her go!"A sharp voice rang out.Kaizer instinctively turned around, and he was stunned by Nella's beauty. He couldn't believe someone like her existed."Nella, why did you come down?" Jasmine called out, her eyes widened in panic. She had specifically told them not to come down.Nella trembled in fear. "Ms. Smith, we were worried about you!"Though she was terrified, she still stepped forward. She couldn't just stand by and watch Jasmine get assaulted."Well, well, Frederick sure is lucky with women. But now, they're all mine. Who would've thought that I'd be blessed with a feast before leaving Drakonia!" Kaizer was practically drooling.He let go of Jasmine, and rushed toward Nella eagerly. Nella backed away step by step, but soon found herself cornered."Haha, come to me!" Kaizer spread his arms wide, lunging toward Nella.Just as he was about to grab her, a thunderous crash shook the room. The outer wall of the building crumbled down.Frederick had burst through it a
Meanwhile, Frederick had just gotten off the plane. As soon as he turned on his phone, he saw a long list of missed calls from Selene.He immediately felt uneasy. Selene would never call him so many times unless something urgent had happened.He was about to call her back when his phone rang again.Frederick answered Selene's call quickly, but before he could ask anything, Selene's tearful voice came through."Fred, Mom's been kidnapped!"Frederick's face darkened instantly, and his killing aura surged."Alright. Don't worry, Mom will be fine."With that, Frederick hung up the phone; he then immediately called Melanie, who was still in the Imperial Capital, lazily lounging in bed."Do you have any intelligence on the Steinfields in the Imperial Capital?" Frederick asked through gritted teeth.He didn't need much thought to figure out who was behind this. There was hardly anyone left in Mirage City bold enough to cross him, except for Kaizer. And now, Sylvia had been kidnapped
When the elevator doors opened, Jasmine stepped out into the lobby.Kaizer's eyes lit up as he eyed her from head to toe. Though he had seen pictures of her before, she was more of an eye candy in person. Kaizer, holding his rifle, approached her. "Ms. Smith, you certainly kept me waiting!""What do you want with me?" Jasmine asked coldly. She knew that showing fear or vulnerability would only embolden these lawless men."Ms. Smith, why don't you take a guess?" Kaizer reached for Jasmine and lifted her chin with the barrel of his gun, forcing her to look at him.Jasmine met his gaze without a hint of fear."Is it money you want? The company has ten million in cash reserves. You can take it, and I guarantee I won't call the police. We can pretend nothing ever happened as long as no one is hurt. As for the funds in the company’s accounts, you wouldn’t be able to take it even if I transfer the money to you with today’s financial systems," Jasmine spoke calmly."Ms. Smith, you're q
Bang!With a loud crash, the door was violently kicked open. Kaizer and his men stormed into Frederick’s place.Sylvia was startled, and she shouted, "What do you guys want?" "We're here to kidnap you!" Kaizer strode toward Sylvia. Then, he snatched away her phone and crushed it."Tie her up and take her away!" Kaizer and his men acted quickly. Selene, on the other end of the video call, was shocked by the strangers. Fortunately, she was still on alert. She quickly tried to call Frederick while shaking with fear. However, Frederick’s phone was off since he was on a flight."How’s everything going on your end?" Kaizer asked his men over the phone."We’ve rigged all four walls of Aerowind Enterprise with high-powered explosives. Once we detonate them, the whole building will turn to ashes," his subordinate reported.A smile finally appeared on Kaizer’s face. "Good, I’m heading over now." Soon, Kaizer arrived at Aerowind Enterprise with a backpack."I want to see Ms. Sm
Upon hearing Frederick’s words, Woody stumbled. "Take him away!" one of the senior officials from the Supervision Department ordered.The respected elder of the Drakonia Royal Court, Woody, was escorted away along with the evidence and witnesses."After today, the Lamberts will cease to exist, and you're finally free." Frederick sighed in relief, and smiled at Easton.Easton looked slightly lost. He wasn’t sure what to do next with his sudden freedom. "What's wrong? Struggling to find a new purpose in life?" Frederick teased.Easton nodded, and replied, "Yeah, my ambitions have been completely worn down these three years. I feel a bit aimless.""Should I find you a job?" Frederick suggested casually."It’s best if I could work for you, Mr. Lester!" Easton’s eyes lit up with excitement."I have a pharmaceutical company under me. If you're interested, you could take the position of Chief of Biomedical Engineering," Frederick said jokingly. To his surprise, Easton was genuinely