Franklin's command cut through the air like a war horn. "The Ortega family must have a death wish. Mobilize Team Alpha and Team Beta. Sweep the perimeter. Capture every one of those fools outside. That is an order."Soldiers saluted and moved like a well-oiled machine. Dozens of men in combat rigs took off at a run, radios chattering, rifles slung and helmets glinting. They had barely cleared the staging area when Jaden's voice stopped them."Wait. Don’t go out there," he called, flat and calm. "Let them come in."Franklin frowned. It took him a moment to parse the meaning. Then a grin spread under his stubbled jaw. "Right. Let them in. Cut off their escape routes and then we deal with them."He barked orders. "Guards, stand down at the gates. Open them. Once they are inside, seal the exits. No one gets out.""Yes, sir."Outside the compound, the bulk of Finely Ortega's force was already in motion. Hundreds of vehicles crouched near the iron wall: Bentleys and Mercedes, a few blacked-

At his words, Gideon’s entire body began to tremble. His eyes went wide, the color draining from his face. In a voice that cracked with disbelief, he muttered,“General… Rift?”The soldiers holding him tightened their grip, but Gideon barely noticed. His knees buckled, and he slumped forward like a puppet with its strings cut.“No… that’s impossible…” His voice shook, a mixture of fear and despair. “He… he can’t be the General of the North Army…”The title hung in the air like thunder. Every soldier in the room stiffened at once. Even Franklin, who had seen countless battles, straightened with a sharp breath. The atmosphere turned heavy, suffocating.Franklin’s gaze was cold and unyielding as he gave his order. “Take him away.”“Yes, sir!”Two soldiers dragged Gideon out, his desperate muttering echoing faintly down the corridor. A few seconds later—BANG!The echo of a gunshot shattered the silence. Gideon Ortega’s voice would never be heard again.For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then

Floodlights illuminated the courtyard, casting long shadows across the ground where Chad and his men knelt with their hands behind their heads.Then, from the main entrance of the base, a group emerged — the rhythmic echo of their boots cutting through the silence like thunder.At the center of the group was Jaden Rift, flanked by Franklin, Kaelus, and Morganna.The soldiers standing guard immediately straightened their backs and saluted sharply. The air itself seemed to tighten as Jaden approached, his cold aura radiating power and command.Chad’s head jerked up at the sound of that calm yet terrifyingly familiar voice.“You again.”Jaden’s tone was like ice, and his gaze — sharp and unyielding — locked onto Chad.Chad’s heart skipped a beat. He blinked rapidly, trying to process what he was seeing. Behind Jaden stood a line of high-ranking officers — colonels, majors, commanders — all standing at attention as if before a supreme authority.He felt his stomach drop.“W–Who are you..

At the Ortega Family Mansion, the atmosphere was suffocating. The once lively estate—home to the most feared underworld clan in the Southern region—was now wrapped in silence.When George Ortega received word that his eldest son, Gideon, had been executed, and that thousands of their loyal followers were arrested, the old man’s world came crashing down.The phone slipped from his trembling hand. His eyes rolled back, and before anyone could reach him, he collapsed to the marble floor.“Father!” servants shouted as chaos erupted in the grand hall.Moments later, after being revived by the family doctor, George lay on his bed, his breathing shallow and weak. His wrinkled hand clutched the sheets tightly as he whispered, “Our family’s strength came from those men—our grip over the Southern underworld depended on them. With Gideon gone… and so many captured… the Ortega family is finished.”His voice cracked on the last word.Standing beside the bed, Finley Ortega, the younger son, forced

Selena nodded lightly, rubbing the back of her neck in mild frustration. “Yeah. Unfortunately, we haven’t found a suitable location yet. Every piece of land we’ve checked is either too expensive or too small for what we need.”Her tone was tired. For weeks, she and her team had combed through every listing, only to be met with disappointment. The project was urgent — Rift Corporation’s vaccine production required a secure and spacious site. But every delay meant another missed opportunity.A slow, knowing smile crept onto Xander Verrick’s lips. He leaned back in his chair, his voice soft and honeyed. “As it happens, the Verrick family purchased a plot of land last year at Phoenix. Roughly a thousand acres. All the documents are already approved and filed. If you’re interested, we could sell it to you.”Selena blinked, her eyes lighting up with surprise. “Phoenix?” she repeated, her voice full of hope. “That’s perfect! It’s far enough from the city for industrial use and close enough f