Davidson forced himself to stay calm and shouted, Listen up! I am the second master of the Austin Family. My status is far beyond what you could ever hope to reach in your entire life. So think twice before crossing me completely, or you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences!Alan did not grow angry. He let out a hearty laugh and said, Don’t flatter yourself so much. At the very least, you ought to figure out who I really am first.Figure out who you are?Though he feared Alan’s strength, Davidson looked utterly disdainful upon hearing this. He stared at Alan and sneered, I’ve long dug up everything about you. You’re just a nobody, a live-in son-in-law of the Mill Family in Plus City. A trivial clan from a small town—what right do you have to act arrogant in front of us?Exactly!Orwell chimed in coldly right away. Get this straight. Even if you gathered all the major families in Plus City and combined their power and wealth, they still wouldn’t amount to half of the A

Alan’s words made him realize this was tantamount to having his power stripped for his eldest brother’s benefit.Within a corporation, the number of employees or departments under one’s control matters far less than the voting clout one wields inside the firm. The voting rights attached to shares are the core leverage for internal power struggles.Handing over all his voting rights now meant laying down every last weapon and forfeiting any chance of mounting future resistance. Truth be told, he loathed the prospect of being placed entirely at another’s mercy.Still, after weighing his options, he saw no viable way out. Could he refuse? Even if he did, nothing would change. Omba had fully recovered his health and had the young heir of the Smith Family backing him; Davidson stood no chance against the pair.Alan was handling this openly and fairly, granting him amnesty in exchange for yielding his voting power. Should he reject the deal, the opposition would shift to underhanded plots,

A down limit means a stock is barred from falling further once its price drops by 10 percent; massive sell orders pile up at the lowest allowed price, trapping the share price and preventing any upward movement.In fact, the down limit can be lifted if an investor buys out all pending sell orders stacked at that floor price.Brokerages and institutional investors boast the sharpest market instincts in the stock market.The moment they saw Omba looking perfectly healthy and sound, they instantly concluded the morning news about his critical illness was entirely fabricated.Consequently, they were fully convinced Austin Group’s stock would surge without delay.By snapping up all sell orders at the down-limit price right then, these institutions could buy shares at the absolute bottom.Should the stock reverse course, climbing all the way from the down limit to the up limit in a single trading day, bargain-hunting institutions would pocket a full 20 percent gain within hours.For example

As they neared the foot of Ridge Hill, Omba turned to Alan. Alan, tell the driver to pull over. You take the wheel.Alan hoped to keep his identity hidden from any members of the Smith Family for the time being, so he and Omba had agreed the previous day that he would pose as Omba’s driver and personal assistant for the tomb visit.He nodded. Very well, Uncle Omba. I’ll drive.The chauffeur pulled the car to the roadside, handed a pair of sunglasses to Alan and said, Mr. Alan, these are for you.Alan put on the sunglasses, pulled a disposable face mask from his pocket, then climbed into the driver’s seat. The original driver did not remain in the vehicle and instead boarded one of the following escort cars.Alan steered the sedan onward. Upon reaching the base of Ridge Hill, a stately white marble archway came into view, with an automatic gate shut tight beneath it and several security guards standing sentinel on either side.The lead car halted before the gate, and the rest of the mo

Having finished speaking, he bent low and knocked his head nine times solemnly before the headstone.As the old saying goes, men kneel to heaven above, earth below, and parents in between. But in Alan’s eyes, neither heaven nor earth deserved his obeisance; his mother and father alone in all creation were worthy of his kowtow.Omba stepped forward then, dropping to one knee by the grave. Eldest brother, sister-in-law, I made a promise eighteen years ago, and I’ve kept my word at last — I’ve brought Alan home to you. Look at him now, a fine, outstanding young man, every inch the extraordinary talent you once were!He wiped away his tears and went on, The last time I visited your resting place, I thought I’d join you soon, yet Alan pulled me back from death’s door. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a while longer before I come to your side…Tears choked off Omba’s words as he broke down weeping.Nancy stepped up and knelt on one knee beside him, her voice quivering with sorrow. Eldest brot