"Yeah, okay. Did you invest in any of the consortia in Aston?" Frederick asked.It had been a long time since he last made this call.The Hades Reserve Treasury was an organization composed of the Northern Frontier's most powerful financial giants. They were responsible for managing his assets. It even included a top advisory team from Elysium and Wall Street in Libertia.Despite never needing the money from them, the committee still submitted astronomical financial reports to him every year.Even so, he never bothered to look at them. He tossed them straight into the trash, because the numbers were too long and overwhelming."Oh! Let me check, Lord Hades."James tapped away swiftly at his keyboard and said cheerfully, "Yes, we've invested in the thirteen largest consortia in Aston. The total amount is approximately three hundred billion, but it seems to have appreciated a lot over the years. It makes up about 90%...""Good!" Frederick took a deep breath. "Withdraw all of it now
"What's going on? Why did everyone's phones suddenly start ringing?"Everyone was baffled, but their faces turned pale when they saw the caller IDs."The Northern Frontier Bank...""The Northern Frontier Credit Union...""The Northern Frontier Securities Investment Group...""The Northern Frontier Petroleum Corporation..."These corporate giants were all leading privately-held startup companies in Drakonia, and they dominated nearly half of the country's economy. They controlled sectors ranging from finance, petroleum, and electricity to tobacco. Alongside the major state-owned enterprises in Imperial Capital, they almost monopolized Drakonia's economic market.These giants were also the primary backers behind the consortia in Aston State. Although the tycoons based in the Northern Frontier rarely intervened in business dealings in Aston State, today, they suddenly made calls that froze the air."Hello, Mr. Presley, It's me. What? You want to withdraw all our foundation's inv
The various consortia leaders were already desperate to the point of numbness, and they suddenly had a revelation upon hearing Frederick's words."Did you do this?" someone shouted."I remember now! Didn't this guy say before that he could bankrupt all our major consortia in an instant?""Could it be true?"The consortia leaders were shocked, and started talking all at once."But he's just a commoner from a third-tier cit! He has little skill and a small company. How could he make the giants from the Northern Frontier withdraw all their investments from us?""What credibility does he have? Even us, the local kings who rule the land, kneel and behave like obedient grandchildren in front of the Northern Frontier giants!"The room exploded with discussions and debates.Frederick remained calm, his expression unruffled."I have a flaw, which is that I'm quite impatient," Frederick said calmly. "If I don't receive a satisfactory response now… You'll have to fend for yourselves."A
In just a few seconds, Jennifer had figured it out.There was a seventy percent chance that Liana was behind this. As the princess of the Northern Frontier's top family, she could easily persuade the economic giants there to comply. After all, dealing with small consortia in Aston State was trivial for them."That bastard! He swore to me before that he had nothing going on with other women!" Jennifer felt a wave of discomfort. Even if Frederick had only used Liana's influence for their benefit, it was still a blatant betrayal in her eyes.Frederick addressed the subdued tycoons from the consortia with casual indifference."I hope you all keep your promises. Otherwise, I can make you experience death once. I can do it a second time, a hundred times..."Everyone nodded quickly. At this point, with the Northern Frontier backing Frederick, no one dared to act recklessly."You should also heed my advice not to get too close to the Nine Great Ascension Clans and their lackeys," F
Felix burst into laughter. "Mr. Lester, you're quite fortunate to have caught the eye of two outstanding beauties at the same time!"Frederick chuckled awkwardly. "What are you talking about? One is my boss, and the other is my deputy. Even if I had the courage of a lion...""Hey, I get it!" Felix interrupted with a mischievous grin, playfully punching Frederick's shoulder. "We're all men here! Besides, you're a master in matters of the heart..."Frederick was speechless.Felix seemed to have been quite the ladies' man in his younger days.Although his two capable assistants had left, discussions about their cooperation still needed to proceed. Frederick quickly finalized the contract with Felix and signed his name.Aerowind Enterprise officially became a partner of the Fortune Five Enterprise.After the business talk, Felix warmly invited Frederick for dinner at his six-star hotel. He even mentioned reserving the top-tier suite with the best view of Centropolis's night scene.
Jennifer was naturally proud and aloof, and she never liked to celebrate her birthday with others. She hadn't even mentioned it to her best friend Jasmine. Birthdays reminded her of getting older, which was something she dreaded. So, she rarely had any birthday parties. Over time, she even forgot her own birthday."But it's okay. At least this way, no one will quickly find out I'm already twenty-eight!" Jennifer sighed. Twenty-eight! Despite taking good care of herself and looking like a young lady in her early twenties, she knew she wasn't young anymore.For some reason, after receiving this birthday greeting, Jennifer suddenly felt a sense of loneliness as she looked around the empty room."Damn it! Why am I starting to miss that man?" Jennifer wished she could find a hole to hide in. It was so annoying! She, a PhD graduate who returned from overseas and the CEO of Prospera Corporation, actually had feelings for a junior employee!"No! Snap out of it! He's my subordinat
"Damn it... Damn it!" Jennifer hastily wiped her face with a tissue, furious with herself. "I'm actually shedding tears for that jerk! Jennifer, oh Jennifer, when did you become so pathetic? Hurry up, dry those tears, and pull yourself together! You're Jennifer York! You're destined to stand at the peak! You don't need a man!"Jennifer lifted her chin, regaining her demeanor as the ice-cold queen who looked down upon everyone. Solitude was her best companion!"I'll go sleep it off. I'll forget all the troubles of today! When I wake up tomorrow, it'll be a new beginning!"With that said, she turned to head back to her room to remove her makeup and wash her face. However, just then, the doorbell rang."Ms. York, I'm from a staff member at the hotel. Today marks the hotel's 30th anniversary, and every guest can receive a special gift! I'm here to deliver it to you!""Okay, thank you. Just leave it at the door, I'll pick it up later," Jennifer replied absentmindedly.But the
After Jennifer's tears finally subsided, she said through her remaining sobs, “I don’t recall ever telling you when my birthday is. How did you know it was today?”Frederick chuckled. "You forgot that your impressive resume is prominently displayed in the company. Even with a poor memory, I couldn’t help but remember since I pass it every day! Besides, forgetting my own birthday is one thing, but forgetting the birthday of the woman I love is simply not an option."Jennifer cried again, burying herself in Frederick's arms. She realized now that she did care about her birthday—not for the day itself, but to be remembered by someone important.Frederick smiled knowingly. In fact, he had almost forgotten Jennifer's birthday himself. Luckily, the scene at Felix's hotel today jogged his memory, so he quickly asked Felix for help and ordered a luxurious cake.After comforting Jennifer in his arms for over half an hour, she suddenly fell silent. She closed her eyes quietly, as if savori
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