That night, the capital was sleepless.Amidst the powerful families, an undercurrent of activity surged.Some were shocked, others were thrilled, and some took pleasure in the misfortune.As the Emersons declined, their once mighty empire teetered on the brink, and many had been sharpening their knives in anticipation.However, even a dying camel is still bigger than a horse, and quickly devouring their assets wasn't possible—plans had to be made carefully and slowly.Now, with the sudden fall of the new head, Terry, the powerful families saw an opportunity.A chance to swiftly consume the remains of the Emersons—a heaven-sent opportunity!The entire capital seemed as wild and turbulent as the thunderstorm that had just passed, filled with frenzy and agitation.Austin paid no mind to any of this. After leaving the hotel, he returned to his residence.He despised the Emersons, but it was merely hatred.Initially, he could control his anger.But after Itijah's death and Terry'
Austin smiled as he spoke.Ezra said, "You don't need to worry so much, sir. Everything will be fine.""Taking care of your wife is always the right thing to do." Austin rubbed his nose.Ezra and Aldus both laughed.After a moment, Aldus hesitated, then asked, "Sir, what were you thinking about when you dodged that bullet?""I didn't want to wait for death. I fought until my last breath, so I could die without regrets," Austin replied.Was it really just desperation?Aldus was deeply shocked. People can indeed tap into their potential in extreme situations. But potential varies from person to person.To achieve something as extreme as dodging a bullet, how terrifyingly vast must Austin's potential be?The plane landed at the suburban airport.Austin first went to Dominion Properties to take care of some business.Dominion Properties had recently completed the West City Slum Redevelopment Project, bringing the company's scale up to the level of Jacob and Reginald's real estat
"Mr. Sanders, you're a pro at acquiring land. Do you really need my help with this?" Austin asked, puzzled.Jacob had dominated the business world for decades. Even in the competitive real estate industry of Isonburg, he held his own against Reginald, a property specialist, often leaving him struggling to keep up.A big shot like Jacob struggling to acquire a piece of land?Jacob rubbed his hands awkwardly. "Honestly, if it were here in Isonburg, I could get it easily. But that land is in Eastbrook, which complicates things for me."Austin didn't seem concerned. He waved his hand dismissively. "Just go straight to Dominion and talk to Matt and Wolf. They'll take care of it.""Thank you, Mr. Campbell!" Jacob said, visibly relieved."If we secure that land, I'll ensure you're well compensated. And if you're interested, we could even partner up on the development!""Alright, off you go then. I need to get back to my wife," Austin replied, waving him off as he headed towards Bamboo
Ezra nodded, acknowledging that Austin's assessment was spot-on.A lizard can survive even after losing its tail.So how could the Emersons, once the wealthiest family in the capital, not manage to hold on?Yet Terry, with all the options available, made the most foolish choice."You didn't just call me to talk about this, did you?" Austin suddenly asked, glancing at Ezra.Ezra gave an awkward smile. "Actually, Jennie asked me to get your opinion on something."After a brief pause, Ezra continued, "With Terry dead and the Emersons in shambles, Emersons' third son is aware of the feud between you and the family. But he's a smart one. He decided to back down and has offered to transfer part of the Emersons' assets to the Coopers.""A backdoor revival?" Austin raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised."I underestimated the Emersons. Turns out there's someone in that family with a brain."With the Emersons being devoured by all the major families, giving up some of their assets to the C
At the International Hotel in Eastbrook, Austin was taken aback when he saw Jacob and Wolf.Both looked disheveled, with Wolf sporting several bruises on his face, making him look quite battered."What the hell happened?" Austin asked, his expression darkening.It was one thing for them to insult him, but now that they had laid hands on his people, this wasn't something that could be easily resolved.Having been in real estate for so many years, Austin knew all too well how land deals typically played out.Back when he was the vice president of Dominion Properties, he'd often represented the company, taking on the title of president to help secure land deals.Typically, in deals like this, the heads of major real estate companies would sit down together, cigars in hand, discussing over wine who would get which piece of land.The bidding process was mostly just for show.Jacob hadn't managed to reach an agreement from the start, which is why he had hoped to join forces with Domi
"Let's go," Austin said calmly as he walked into the hotel.Jacob's expression was tense, and a sheen of sweat had quietly formed on his forehead.This whole mess had started because of him, and if Austin placed any blame on him, he wouldn't be able to bear it.Right now, all he could do was play the role of a pawn.He quickly stepped forward and approached the hotel lobby manager. "Hello, we'd like to see Simon."The smile on the manager's face vanished.He gave Austin and Wolf a condescending look."Oh, I remember you. You're the ones who got beat up by Mr. Marshman this afternoon, right?" he said, his tone dripping with arrogance and disdain.Jacob forced an awkward smile. "Could you please inform him that we're here?""Get lost. Mr. Marshman is a busy man. Do you really think just any random nobodies can see him?" the manager sneered, waving his hand dismissively."Or are you looking for another beating because the first one wasn't enough?"Jacob's face darkened.He mig
Austin's voice was cold and commanding, exuding an air of dominance.Everyone in the room instantly looked furious.All eyes turned to one man.He was the only one still lounging with a girl in his arms.The young man had a chiseled face, sharp and arrogant. He sat sprawled out on the couch, a cigar dangling from his mouth, his grip tight around the woman beside him.He sneered at the lobby manager. "What the hell are you doing? Letting in any random stray off the street?"The lobby manager panicked. "Mr. Marshman, it wasn't me! They forced their way in! It's Jacob Sanders—the guy you dealt with this afternoon!"Simon chuckled, then spat on the floor, his expression menacing. "I deal with so many people every day. You think I have time to remember every single name?"The lobby manager jumped in fright and quickly moved to the side.Austin slowly raised his hand and pointed at Simon. "You—get over here!""Pah!" Simon spat, leaning back arrogantly on the couch, the cigar still
In that instant, a single thought flashed through everyone's mind, including Simon's—this guy is a beast.The air in the room seemed to freeze.However, Jacob watched with burning eyes, visibly excited.Wolf quickly moved to stand beside Austin, ready to fight by his side."Step back," Austin said coldly."Mr. Campbell, I—" Wolf hesitated."They're just a bunch of nobodies. I can handle this alone," Austin's voice was cold and commanding, leaving no room for argument.But that one sentence, full of arrogance and dominance, struck a nerve in Simon and his men like a thousand sharp needles."Damn it, what are you waiting for? Get him!" Simon shouted.The remaining men, still shaken, exchanged glances before their expressions hardened, and they rushed at Austin.Austin moved like a phantom, his fists and feet leaving behind a trail of afterimages as they whipped through the air with deadly force.Austin had seen far worse in his life.This scuffle, which barely rose above the