“What did you just say?”Melanie Sanders and Eleanor Davidson were on the verge of tearing into each other before Russell Sanders and Patrick Davidson stepped in, forcing the tension down.“The more they gloat, the less we can afford to fight among ourselves.”Russell’s expression was grave. If this war was to continue, they needed a real strategy—and fast. Once Hill Group’s Snow Beauty Secret hit the market, the tide would be beyond their control.Daisy’s next words, meanwhile, seemed to slice right through their discord.“You’ve already seen our quality and safety certifications. The reason our product has no side effects is simple: it nourishes the skin from within using herbal actives, addressing problems at their root.”Several media outlets had gone live; the chatrooms were even more feverish than the hall itself. As viewer counts surged across platforms, Hill Group’s launch became the hottest story online—crashing threads beneath the weight of a million voices.Snow Beauty Secr

At Daisy’s words, the faces of those who had hurled insults at her and Hill Group during Bianca Irving’s dinner turned ashen.They glanced at Daisy with nervous caution. She regarded them with a faint, inscrutable smile.Finished.Cold dread raced up from their heels to their crowns.Had they known this moment would come, who would have chosen to cross Daisy then? Offending the Sanders family was one thing—but you do not offend money. And wasn’t money precisely why they’d shown up today?There was no antidote for regret now.Asking others to speak for them was even more futile. They were competitors today; every fewer bidder meant a larger slice for the rest.“Miss Daisy, the Sanders people forced our hand that night. It wasn’t what we truly thought.”The loudest voice from that evening tried to defend himself, thin with guilt. Daisy only smiled and nodded.“I understand your position. That’s why I’ll still select a group to continue working with us.”A murmur of realization rippled t

The instant Neil Peterson saw them clearly, his composure fractured.“Master Griffin? Master Holden? What on earth—”Behind them stood a line of small dojo heads, some barely recognizable through the swelling, others carried in on stretchers.A throb pulsed at Neil’s temples. His instincts screamed that something had gone terribly wrong.“Mr. Peterson, we’ve all been hit by dojo challengers!”“Yes, Mr. Peterson—they didn’t even bother with words. They walked in and started swinging! I stepped up to reason with them, and they said they were here to take revenge on every dojo in Skyline City.”“My nephew was beaten within an inch of his life! He’s in the hospital right now—we don’t even know if he’ll make it!”Dojo challenges? Neil’s first thought was J. Ino. Had that man still not given up his grudge?Ronald took a step back. “Dad, could the one behind this ‘retribution’ be J. Ino?”Father and son were thinking the same thing. But the word “they” made Neil suspect it wasn’t that simple

Archie Nolan’s injuries were severe. Even conscious, he was suffering. Wesley Nolan’s eyes burned red with fury. This made twice now—whether his son’s arm would be ruined was anyone’s guess. A fighter without an arm—how could that not matter?Wesley and Raymond Mitchell rose in the same breath and lunged at Ki Fujiwara with blistering speed.Jirō Saionji had no intention of letting them fight two-on-one. He drew his blade in a single motion and slashed for Raymond. The blade-wind hardened to a cutting gale; Raymond twisted away, but his left shoulder split open beneath a razor of wind, crimson soaking his shirt in a heartbeat.“Their blade-wind is vicious—watch the arcs!”Even as Wesley barked the warning, his fist skimmed for Ki Fujiwara’s face—and in that instant, Ki Fujiwara dropped straight back, hit the ground flat, then snapped upright like a sprung hinge.“Jujutsu—Hinoku jujutsu!”One of the dojo heads shouted the warning.Wesley’s expression froze; he recovered instantly and d

At the Joy Hotel in Skyline City, Adrian was juggling contracts while keeping an eye on the crowd.He’d thought he could slip away once the Snow Beauty Secret launch wound down. Instead, sharp-eyed Freya had hauled him back to play pack mule.Adrian sighed and accepted his fate. The post-event signing frenzy refused to cool; every company head seemed remarkably accommodating. In a short span, he’d stacked up five or six completed contracts.Daisy was over the moon and chose to ignore Adrian’s long-suffering face.He’d lost count of his sighs. He should’ve taken the back exit, not the front. Then Freya wouldn’t have collared him so brazenly to work. No lounging, no slacking, not even a bite to eat—despair lapped at his ankles.Would someone please rescue him from this venue…His phone buzzed, a faint vibration. Adrian, moving at a leisurely crawl, fished it out. Who could possibly be calling now?A message from Ronald Peterson popped up. “Dr. Doyle, help! A few Hinoku bastards are tryi