Around noon, Helen finished her work and stepped out of her office at Lanecorp.She immediately found Frank lounging around and sighed in exasperation. "I've been working overtime, but you're goofing around!"Her accusing glare sent Frank flinching, and he promptly got to his feet, smiling apologetically. "I have no idea what your work entails, but I guess the best bees are always busy bees. That's my girl for you—she's just amazing.""Heh. You're slick, I'll give you that."Helen snorted but showed no inclination to blame Frank, even linking arms with him and smiling. "There's a nice restaurant nearby. Let's go.""Really? To have the honor of Ms. Lane's interest? I really need to try the menu now." Frank smiled, and they left the office together.Many Lanecorp employees were watching, and since Frank and Helen had started work for a while, it was clear to them that those two were in a relationship. Still, many of the male employees were indignant—Helen was the board chairwoman
"Ah, ah, ah. It's alright."Frank raised a hand to stop Helen, smiling calmly despite the looks from the Lanecorp employees around them. "It seems like Mr. Hinds is upset, but he is right to prioritize the company's interest. However, while I have been slacking off, that doesn't mean I've done nothing."Wagging a finger, Frank chuckled as he finished, "After all, I did just bring in a major business deal for Lanecorp.""A major business deal? You?" Marco snorted, clearly skeptical. "You're the head of Lanecorp's health and security department, but you're nothing more than a glorified security guard. And you're saying you've been representing the company? Hell, I'll go down on my knees and apologize if you can even earn a hundred grand for the company!""You'd better not regret it now." Frank chuckled as he picked up the morning paper from a nearby shelf and passed it to Marco, pointing at the announcement of Zamri's highway project, "Check this out. There's a land lot where this hi
Marco had certainly seen through everything.The fact that Frank could access insider information from Zamri City Hall and buy that land ahead of time meant he was someone special.While Marco finally acknowledged Frank's abilities, Frank chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright, alright, I was just messing with you. Your board chairwoman is my wife anyway—my land is basically hers, see?""Aha… Hahaha… Of course…" Marco laughed along awkwardly.By the time Frank and Helen left, his eyes showed profound respect for Frank as he realized Frank was no freeloader.Still, it made sense—would Helen really fall for some good-for-nothing?Waving away the other employees who had gathered around him to watch, he barked, "What are you looking at?! Well, now you know better than to complain about Mr. Lawrence not deserving Ms. Lane during your lunchtime gossip!""Oh, I didn't expect that… Mr. Lawrence is actually that amazing!""I guess it's only right, since I don't think Ms. Lan
"Hello… What?! Come again?!"Helen and Frank both answered their calls at the same time, and their reactions were also identical."I'm sorry, Mr. Lawrence, but there's this group who came to the lobby and made a scene, refusing to leave. They claim you and Ms. Lane stole their land!""I'm sorry, Ms. Lane… But your mother, brother and cousin are here. I'm keeping them at bay, but they keep demanding something about returning their land?"The reports they received were basically the same, and both of them were gloomy when they realized that it was Gina.The fact that Gina chose to come now made her goal very clear—she found out that the value of that land lot she sold had skyrocketed."How could she…" Helen actually wanted to say out loud how Gina had the cheek to mention that land lot, but remembered that it was her mother. Her face flushed right then, and she was speechless even as she quaked with rage."It's alright, just calm down. We're heading back right now!" Frank said a
Gina was sitting on the floor, lying through her teeth without end. "Oh, the injustice! Not only did my daughter refuse to help me after I raised her, but she even forced me to give up my land!""That's right! She's now the board chairwoman of a major company, but she completely abandoned family now that she's made it! She even collaborated with people outside the family to beat up her own mother!"Peter joined in brazenly as well, pointing at the bandages on Gina's head.It was Zomber Group's bodyguards who actually hurt Gina, and Peter himself was the one who told them to do it. He clearly was doing anything he could just to get that land back, even if it meant pinning the blame on Frank and Helen!"Come and see! This is what Ms. Lane the girlboss and her boyfriend did!" Cindy was shouting as well. "How despicable! Liars, both of them! Buying land from Gene Pearce?! Lies, all of it!"Obviously, Cindy still bore a grudge over Helen firing here.It was lunch hour, and many Lane
Even as Gina thought to herself that anything could wait until after she took back her land, someone shouted, "Shush, be quiet! Ms. Lane is back!""Heh. Pretentious as always.""She calls herself a daughter? I would have quit already if this job didn't pay well.""Talk about moral degradation.""I'd disown her if she were my daughter!"On the other hand, Helen's stilettos clicked as she strode in, with her secretary Lily rushing to her with a pained look. "I tried to stop them, Ms. Lane, but…"Helen understood—Lily and the security guards could not use force since Gina, Cindy, and Peter were her family, and they could only allow the trio free rein."Don't worry. Just leave this to me." Helen clapped Lily on the shoulder, nodding at the security guards before making her way through the crowd.Even as she did, she could hear the words her own employees were saying, and her blood pressure shot up.Gina and Cindy's money over the years all came from her, and yet Gina willingly led
Cindy and Peter's outburst left the Lanecorp employees pointing and gesturing at Helen."That's so true. Urgh, I never knew she's really like that.""You don't really know a person, I guess!""Whatever. I'm resigning later—it's embarrassing to work for someone like her.""Yeah. I'd be too ashamed to face anyone once news spreads.""I'm writing my letter right now.""Me too."Helen could certainly hear their vocal scorn and disapproval. She suddenly yelled, "Gina Zonda!"Gina actually flinched, while the Lanecorp employees were stunned as Helen cried, "What have I done to you?! Why do you have to do this to me?!"She then pointed between Peter and Cindy, shouting, "Who planned this? I've been working so hard for years, and you've been living like kings thanks to that! Why do you have to keep putting me and Frank through so much crap?!"Though Helen was biting her lip and her expression appeared almost impassive, tears were gushing down her cheeks. "I've finally gotten where I
Bob snorted. "I really thought you were a strong, independent woman and admired you. I didn't think you were that despicable!""Exactly. Beating up your own mother with someone outside your own family?! You're worse than an animal!""No you're worse than Kallum Gaetz!""Hah! I refuse to let myself be lumped together with the likes of you. People would think that we're the same if they find out that I work for an ingrate like you!""I quit!""Me too!""What future is there working for someone so heinous?!"Other more excitable employees strode up and took off their employee IDs like Bob did, distancing themselves from Lanecorp right then.To make things worse, Lily, Helen's secretary, ran up to Helen. "Ms. Lane, the board is calling for an emergency meeting…"The purpose of said meeting was simply obvious—the board was ready to vote her out."No, listen to me. That's not it…" Helen argued feebly, but she was alone.What strength did she have to stand against the angry mob? Sh
As it turned out, the white-clad geezer did not return for revenge.People change as they age, along with their mindset, and develop a longing for their hometown.In fact, the white-clad geezer had returned to make peace with his family, and died in their company.Naturally, he was furious to hear that someone was using his name to bluff their way out and abduct his niece, the hag.And so he came with the rest of them, looking for Frank.After all, if Frank was not sent by the white-clad geezer, the only other person would be…-Back at the present, the white-clad geezer growled icily, "Where is my niece?"Frank smirked. "She paid the price for her crimes. What, do you want revenge?""A life for a life," the white-clad geezer growled. "That's the one rule that has never changed since olden times!"His entourage roared in approval. "Don't get so full of yourself, brat! He is different from the rest of us, and he can kill you anytime!""Really?" Frank simply snorted nonchalant
As the geezer spoke, he opened the rosewood box and put an ashtray in it. "I actually don't have any abilities—everything I make is produced from this box. With its help, I can imbue any object with an enchantment beyond human comprehension. See for yourself!"He closed the box and held it by its sides as the box glowed in a rainbow gradient.Frank felt a sense of familiarity as he watched, as the energy signature resembled the spiritron vein, but one different from the meteor.So what the heck was going on?While Frank was left surprised, the geezer stopped and opened the box, handing Frank the ashtray.As Frank held the ashtray, he saw that it really was altered—it could carry more now!The geezer then passed him a yellowed old book. "This is how you can use it!"Frank frowned. "Why are you giving it to me? I can't take it, or people would just say that I stole it from you when they find out."The geezer smiled in wry amusement. "It's yours either way, kid! And after you've d
To be honest, the hag really had not considered that question and was just playing along to her own whims, never once considering why she was such a philanderer.Frank then pressed his advantage. "Your so-called love is but a manifestation of your lust. It seems noble, but it has no warmth or color, and the world has no way of determining if it exists."If I want it, I can do what you do too. Heck, I'm sure that's the same for everyone else—they're just kind people who know that they shouldn't hog the limited resources of mental asylums.""Insolence!"The hag lunged at Frank as she realized that he was mocking her, but Frank was already prepared and pinned her to the floor with his telekinesis."Alright, you can quit hollering now. The more you do, the more you're just proving that you've lost!"Crouching in front of the hag, Frank growled coolly. "Did you think I'd only rely on brute strength to force your compliance? You're kidding—I don't even need to do that with someone like
It was just as the geezer had said—the hag had been pampered for so long that she could not tell right from wrong.In fact, in her mind, everything she did was never wrong and was even reasonable!That was what frustrated the geezer the most, and he simply stopped arguing and started whipping her with his belt.Pain really clears the mind, and the hag was no exception. In fact, she thought for a split second that she might have made a mistake.However, it only lasted for that split second—a little whipping was never really going to correct a lifetime of distorted beliefs!"I don't get it!" she cried. "Why do you treat my love with such disdain?! You don't have to love me, but you have to respect me!" The geezer laughed coolly and continued to whip her as he snapped, "That's true! But now, what I say goes—that's all there is to it!"That was when Frank suddenly reached out and caught the belt.It stunned the geezer, who quickly checked Frank's hand, and sighed after seeing that
It had been so long since he had seen his enemy, that the geezer almost fell out of his lounger.If he were to be honest, he really did not hold out much hope since it had been years, and no one lasted more than twenty strikes against the hag.However, while he was convinced that his revenge was futile in this life, Frank suddenly appeared.While he looked like he had nothing but his looks going for him, he brought the hag like she was some harmless hatchling."H-How did you do it?" the geezer exclaimed, presuming that Frank must have pulled some cunning trick.However, the geezer was once again reminded of the hag's conceit as she snorted. "How, you asked? With just a wave of his hand, and I lost!"Turning to Frank, she snapped, "There, he had his justice. Can you tell my uncle to show his face now?"Frank rolled his eyes. "I don't know your uncle. I only brought you here because of him!""No… That's impossible!" The truth was starting to dawn on the hag, but she still refus
"H-How did you do that?!"While the cabal was left flabbergasted, the hag was much calmer for some reason.After all, her father had told her about an uncle of hers, who had left the family because they kept abusing their earthbending ability.It was rumored that the uncle eventually cultivated a superior ability, fusing things that would otherwise not be just like what Frank just did.As such, she told her cabal as much, but Frank shook his head. "I learned your technique by directly observing you when you used it. And by doing so, I found a fatal flaw, which I adjusted for."He certainly did not have anything to do with the hag's uncle—he was just that quick a learner and that gifted to wield earthbending in an instant.Naturally, the hag was not about to believe that.No matter how gifted a person could be, there was no way anyone could learn earthbending instantly and even perfect it. In the end, someone must have taught him!As such, she was starting to get impatient with
Before the cabal could react, molehills appeared beneath their feet and sent them flying.Most passed out when they hit the ground, while the rest were barely holding on."W-Who the hell are you?!" The cabal had grown conceited since they did not have many rivals in a remote corner such as this one, and they therefore presumed that no one could challenge them.And now, they could not win with numbers against Frank, let alone one against one.Could anyone bear the shame?"What a bunch of mooks. I told you kids to stay on your training, but none of you listened. And now you're acting surprised?"A hunched hag appeared on a nearby alley, looking very much affable.Surprised, the cabal exclaimed, "What are you doing here, ma'am?""Do you think I'd miss the tremors?" the hag snapped coolly before wheeling on Frank. "Impressive physique! I certainly didn't expect you to hurt those boys."The cabal quickly warned her, "This isn't the time, ma'am. He knows earthbending, and he could
Frank's tone was calm, as if he was merely stating a fact. "What's there to deny? Even if I spilled my guts, do you stand a chance against me? See, no one does!"The man was furious—he had met plenty of conceited individuals, but Frank definitely took the crown!And seeing that Frank was not even in his thirties and was definitely small fry, he did not hesitate to slam his palm on the ground, which promptly started to move! "Interesting!"Frank stood his ground instead of leaping away, staring cooly at the molehills that streaked toward him. Even as the molehills were reaching Frank's feet, the man was left wondering why Frank did not dodge when the unexpected happened.The molehills struck the brat, but he remained unscathed!Earthbending was their cabal's signature technique, capable of causing seismic tremors—even if it was no match for real earthquakes, most people would still have trouble dealing with it.They were either torn into pieces by the shockwave, though the mor
Frank waited for a taxi and headed to his destination. Soon, the taxi stopped outside a dilapidated apartment.As Frank alighted and stared at the cracks on every block or the shaky foundations, even he could tell that it was in such a bad state it must be demolished. Shaking his head, he sighed in exasperation and entered the fifth unit on the sixth floor of Block D.He knocked on the door, and a smiling geezer opened it as he studied him. "What can I do for you, sir?"Able to tell right away that he was special, Frank asked, "Let's just call it a visit. I heard you could craft mystic items?"The geezer laughed right then. "I knew it. The nail that sticks out really gets hammered! I just want to keep my head down and live out my days, but you found me anyway.""Please don't misunderstand, sir," Frank quickly said. "I'm no robber, and I'm not going to steal from you. As long as you assist me, I can do anything for you.""Let's talk inside." The geezer stepped aside to let Fr