Robert absentmindedly ran his fingers over the table's surface, as if tracing the contours of an old memory. “He drifted between gangs, never pledging true loyalty to any one of them. That’s why so many people tried to win him over—whoever offered him the best deal, he’d work with. If he wasn’t happy? He’d walk away without a second thought.”Dean’s frown deepened, a trace of disbelief flickering in his eyes. “How does someone like that survive in this underworld? The major gangs wouldn’t tolerate an outsider with no allegiance, wandering between them like a free agent.”Robert sighed quietly, his voice carrying a mix of resignation and admiration. “Ordinary men wouldn’t stand a chance. But he wasn’t ordinary.”He slowly raised a finger and tapped it lightly against the table. “First—he was smart. He never positioned himself as a direct threat to any gang. Instead, he made himself indispensable.”Another tap. “Second—what he had to offer was irresistible. Intelligence, strategy, plann
Dean clenched his jaw. His mind raced through every detail of the Dragon Gang Massacre. The final pieces of the puzzle snapped into place.Chen had only ever been a younger brother trying to save his family. Damon had only ever been a leader trying to avenge his fallen men.And Vander was the true orchestrator of it all—the one who had cast the longest shadow.Dean took a deep breath, lifting his gaze to Robert. Slowly, he asked, “Uncle Robert… you once said that everyone who worked with him ended up dead?”Robert let out a chuckle, his eyes dark with meaning. “That’s right. If they weren’t outmaneuvered by him, they were erased to cover his tracks. There’s no direct proof, of course… but everyone who met their end had one thing in common—they had dealings with Vander.”Dean fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice lower this time. “So… you came here to escape him?”For the first time, Robert’s expression softened, something distant and wistful flickering in his
After finalizing the arrangements with the others, Dean finally felt a sense of relief. Greg, Damon, Chen, and Shawn were all in agreement—his best course of action was to stay put at Robert’s villa and stay out of the situation with Vander. Each of them had their resources and connections, making their moves far more effective than if he went charging in alone.“Your only job right now is to sit tight,” Greg had said over the call. His tone was teasing, but there was no mistaking the firm resolve beneath it.“We’ll handle Vander,” Damon had added, calm and certain.Even Shawn had chimed in, backing them up. “Yeah, Dean. Just take it easy for once.”And so, with the four of them pressing him from all sides, Dean had no choice but to slip into an unfamiliar state—one of complete inaction.Lying on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, fingers idly tapping against the edge of the mattress as he pondered what to do with himself. Having so much free time felt oddly unsettling. He was used
Damon chuckled softly, narrowing his eyes as he studied Dean. "Nothing special just wanted to see how you're doing."Dean was momentarily taken aback by the comment, then quickly shifted his gaze. "You are so boring."Damon's eyes wandered around the background of the video, and he noticed the scattered puzzle pieces on the table. He casually asked, "What are you working on?"Dean remembered what he had been doing and, with a shrug, pointed the camera down at the table to show Damon the partially completed image."A puzzle," he said, casually flipping over a piece. "This is what Greg left for me. I don’t even know what it’s supposed to look like when it’s finished."Damon’s eyes lingered on the incomplete smiling face for a moment, his expression subtly shifting."At this point, it’s hard to tell who it is. Could be that self-absorbed senior of mine," Dean muttered as he continued searching through the puzzle pieces.However, Damon fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his
When he finished washing up and returned to the room, Greg was sitting by the side, casually fiddling with his phone. When he saw Dean walk out, he asked offhandedly, "What’s so funny?"Dean cleared his throat, putting on a nonchalant expression. "Nothing."Greg narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously, but after a moment, he chose not to press further.Dean quickly changed the subject. "Last time, Damon mentioned we were supposed to track down Vander. Any updates on that?"At the mention of Vander, Greg’s expression tightened ever so slightly. He nodded. "We went... we reached his house."Dean immediately sensed something off in Greg's tone and furrowed his brow. "And no one was there?"Greg sighed softly, his voice tinged with a subtle resignation. "Nope, all we found was a note."Dean's brow deepened into a frown. "What did the note say?"Greg’s voice carried a strange undertone as if weighed by something unspoken. "It said, 'You don’t need to look for me. I’ll come to find you.'"A c
The sky was overcast, with gray clouds hanging low, as if adding a somber weight to this sorrowful day. A fine mist of rain fell gently, blurring the distant outlines of the mountains and settling upon the newly laid grass. The funeral procession stood quietly around the grave, each face etched with grief. Black umbrellas bloomed like a sea of darkness beneath the drizzling rain. The coffin was slowly lowered into the earth, and those dressed in somber black bowed their heads in silent prayer.The officiant's voice was soft and mournful, resonating in the stillness of the cemetery as he spoke of Noah Leslie's brief but illustrious life. His name had once been a legend in the business world, a self-made man who built a vast empire from the ground up. Yet today, the man who had once stood invincible now lay quietly in the coffin, a mere part of the past.Noah’s spirit stood silently to the side, watching it all unfold. He saw his wife, Kate Leslie, overcome with grief, her eyes swollen
He struggled, reaching out, desperate to hold onto something—anything—but his hands grasped only air, futilely waving in the emptiness. A cold, creeping chill began to crawl up his spine, sending shivers of dread through his body. His consciousness grew foggy, as though a thick mist was slowly clouding his thoughts, making it harder and harder to focus. The only sensation that remained sharp was a deep, gnawing fear, as if an endless abyss was drawing near, a chasm with no way out.As the darkness spread around him, Noah felt his mind begin to unravel. His limbs grew heavy, as though weighed down by invisible chains, his body sinking into an endless mire where movement was impossible. He could feel the crushing force of something far greater than himself, a relentless tide pushing him toward an unknown, bottomless void. Fear gripped him like a serpent, coiling tighter with every passing second, deepening his sense of helpless despair.Just as his consciousness seemed to slip into the
Noah began to outline the things he needed to learn and understand: Dean’s job responsibilities, the workings of the law firm, the background of his colleagues and superiors. He also jotted down personal matters to address, like managing relationships with family and friends and finding a balance between work and life. When he finished, he felt a slight sense of calm. Closing the notebook, he picked up his coffee and savored it slowly. The bittersweet flavor grounded him, a tangible reminder that this was no dream but a new reality he had to face head-on. Returning to the apartment, Noah once again examined Dean’s records, repeatedly reviewing his educational background, work experience, and social connections. He discovered that Dean was incredibly disciplined and hardworking, excelling academically throughout his life. In university, Dean had earned multiple scholarships and honors, and his involvement in legal projects had already given him a foothold in the field. Despite his yo
When he finished washing up and returned to the room, Greg was sitting by the side, casually fiddling with his phone. When he saw Dean walk out, he asked offhandedly, "What’s so funny?"Dean cleared his throat, putting on a nonchalant expression. "Nothing."Greg narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously, but after a moment, he chose not to press further.Dean quickly changed the subject. "Last time, Damon mentioned we were supposed to track down Vander. Any updates on that?"At the mention of Vander, Greg’s expression tightened ever so slightly. He nodded. "We went... we reached his house."Dean immediately sensed something off in Greg's tone and furrowed his brow. "And no one was there?"Greg sighed softly, his voice tinged with a subtle resignation. "Nope, all we found was a note."Dean's brow deepened into a frown. "What did the note say?"Greg’s voice carried a strange undertone as if weighed by something unspoken. "It said, 'You don’t need to look for me. I’ll come to find you.'"A c
Damon chuckled softly, narrowing his eyes as he studied Dean. "Nothing special just wanted to see how you're doing."Dean was momentarily taken aback by the comment, then quickly shifted his gaze. "You are so boring."Damon's eyes wandered around the background of the video, and he noticed the scattered puzzle pieces on the table. He casually asked, "What are you working on?"Dean remembered what he had been doing and, with a shrug, pointed the camera down at the table to show Damon the partially completed image."A puzzle," he said, casually flipping over a piece. "This is what Greg left for me. I don’t even know what it’s supposed to look like when it’s finished."Damon’s eyes lingered on the incomplete smiling face for a moment, his expression subtly shifting."At this point, it’s hard to tell who it is. Could be that self-absorbed senior of mine," Dean muttered as he continued searching through the puzzle pieces.However, Damon fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his
After finalizing the arrangements with the others, Dean finally felt a sense of relief. Greg, Damon, Chen, and Shawn were all in agreement—his best course of action was to stay put at Robert’s villa and stay out of the situation with Vander. Each of them had their resources and connections, making their moves far more effective than if he went charging in alone.“Your only job right now is to sit tight,” Greg had said over the call. His tone was teasing, but there was no mistaking the firm resolve beneath it.“We’ll handle Vander,” Damon had added, calm and certain.Even Shawn had chimed in, backing them up. “Yeah, Dean. Just take it easy for once.”And so, with the four of them pressing him from all sides, Dean had no choice but to slip into an unfamiliar state—one of complete inaction.Lying on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, fingers idly tapping against the edge of the mattress as he pondered what to do with himself. Having so much free time felt oddly unsettling. He was used
Dean clenched his jaw. His mind raced through every detail of the Dragon Gang Massacre. The final pieces of the puzzle snapped into place.Chen had only ever been a younger brother trying to save his family. Damon had only ever been a leader trying to avenge his fallen men.And Vander was the true orchestrator of it all—the one who had cast the longest shadow.Dean took a deep breath, lifting his gaze to Robert. Slowly, he asked, “Uncle Robert… you once said that everyone who worked with him ended up dead?”Robert let out a chuckle, his eyes dark with meaning. “That’s right. If they weren’t outmaneuvered by him, they were erased to cover his tracks. There’s no direct proof, of course… but everyone who met their end had one thing in common—they had dealings with Vander.”Dean fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice lower this time. “So… you came here to escape him?”For the first time, Robert’s expression softened, something distant and wistful flickering in his
Robert absentmindedly ran his fingers over the table's surface, as if tracing the contours of an old memory. “He drifted between gangs, never pledging true loyalty to any one of them. That’s why so many people tried to win him over—whoever offered him the best deal, he’d work with. If he wasn’t happy? He’d walk away without a second thought.”Dean’s frown deepened, a trace of disbelief flickering in his eyes. “How does someone like that survive in this underworld? The major gangs wouldn’t tolerate an outsider with no allegiance, wandering between them like a free agent.”Robert sighed quietly, his voice carrying a mix of resignation and admiration. “Ordinary men wouldn’t stand a chance. But he wasn’t ordinary.”He slowly raised a finger and tapped it lightly against the table. “First—he was smart. He never positioned himself as a direct threat to any gang. Instead, he made himself indispensable.”Another tap. “Second—what he had to offer was irresistible. Intelligence, strategy, plann
Greg chuckled. “Do you dislike accepting my goodwill that much?”Dean shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. “It’s not that I don’t want to—it’s just that it feels too heavy. Taking such a big help without giving anything in return doesn’t sit right with me.”Greg studied him for a moment as if weighing something in his mind. After a brief pause, he finally spoke. “Alright then… do me a favor.”Dean’s brows furrowed slightly. “What kind of favor?”Greg leaned back lazily in his chair, his voice light and casual. “Go to my room. In the big wardrobe, there’s a locked box. Take care of everything inside and bring it down to me.”Dean looked at him, puzzled. “And what exactly is in it?”Greg’s lips curved into a subtle, enigmatic smile. “You’ll find out once you’ve done it.”The call ended.Dean barely had time to exhale before he was about to head off to find Robert and report that Greg had agreed to take over. But before he could even take a step, his phone b
He spoke leisurely, but his tone showed a trace of helplessness. “She even told me to stay away from you. Said a kid like you had no business getting tangled up with people like us… that you'd only end up getting hurt.”Dean fell silent. He could understand Greg’s mother’s concerns—the Golden Eagle Gang’s reputation was well-known. And back then, he had been just an ordinary student… a little crybaby, even.But then Greg’s tone shifted, tinged with pride. “I proved to her that you weren’t a coward, just someone who knew how to endure. Only then did she agree to help me and speak to that old man. And after that… well, the old man took care of the problem.”So that was it. Everything finally clicked into place.Dean finally found his voice, though there was still disbelief in it. “How did you prove it?”Greg chuckled softly. There was an unmistakable laziness in his voice as he drawled, “I had my guys pretend to go after your family. And you rushed out to protect them. That doesn’t exac
Dean was momentarily stunned, then let out a sigh and smiled. “You truly do know a lot.”Robert lazily waved a hand, his tone carrying a hint of indifference. “Go get some rest…”Dean nodded, stood up, and headed for the door. Just as he reached it, he turned back to glance at Robert, a mix of emotions flickering in his gaze. “Uncle Robert, see you later.”Robert watched his retreating figure, the corners of his lips curling slightly. There was a barely perceptible trace of admiration in his eyes. ‘What a good kid.’Just as Dean was about to step out, Robert suddenly spoke. “By the door, on the left-hand shelf, second tier, second from the right—those antique gold-rimmed cups. Take them. They’re yours.”Dean froze mid-step, turning back in surprise. “I can’t possibly accept that!”Robert’s expression remained unchanged, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. “Take them. No refusals.”Dean opened his mouth, wanting to protest, but in the end, he simply walked over to the s
Dean furrowed his brow, a sense of unease creeping up his spine. Something in Robert’s words hinted at layers beneath the surface, as though there were truths left unspoken. His fingers tightened slightly as if trying to steady the flutter of uncertainty in his chest. “Like what? How much do you know? How… how far back does it go?”Robert’s gaze remained steady and sharp as he slowly uttered a name. “I know about what happened between you and Benjamin Winston. Does that answer your question?”The air seemed to freeze at that moment. Dean’s usually composed expression cracked, a flicker of shock flashing across his face. His throat tightened, his pupils narrowing slightly. Almost instinctively, he took a small step back, his lips trembling. “You… how could you know?”Robert’s gaze didn’t waver. He still held that unsettling calm, the air around him thick with a sense of unspoken power. But his voice carried a subtle pressure. “Do you know why that bastard stopped?”Dean’s breath caught