Chapter 102 Adrian looked at Cora skeptically, "How do you know so much about me and my tricks?” He'd never seen anyone that came close to understanding the system like she did. If was almost disconcerting. “Let's just say I'm a tech genius who didn't make it to college," she smirked. Adrian looked at his hands. For months, the System had been his sword and his shield. It had made him a god among men. Taking it off line... it meant being human again and that also meant being vulnerable."Can you build a virus strong enough to crash the Lazarus firewall?" Adrian asked her.Cora smirked. "I'm a Vance. I wrote the code that Silas stole for the firewall. Give me an hour.""Do it," Adrian commanded. He turned to Joe. "Joe, I need gear. Black tactical suit, grappling hook, climbing spikes. No electronics. Nothing that emits a signal.""You're really going to do this the hard way?" Joe asked, his eyes wide. "Adrian, it's a fifty-story climb up the outside of a glass building in the rain.

Chapter 104 "Who is she?" Adrian asked, his eyes narrowing."That," Cora said, leaning against her desk, "is Lady Victoria Sterling. Formerly Lady Victoria Cross. Sister to Sebastian Cross, the shipping magnate you bankrupted yesterday."Adrian crossed his arms. "Julian got married? In the middle of martial law?""It's a political merger," Joe chimed in, tossing a file onto the table. "I pulled the records while you were climbing. Julian needed to secure the upper echelons. By marrying Victoria, he merged the Mayor's office with the largest private military contractor and logistics empire in the city. The Iron Guard isn't just a police force anymore, Adrian. Victoria's family just handed Julian a literal army.""She's the key to his legitimacy," Adrian murmured, his mind already calculating the angles. "Julian is a clone. A lab experiment built by Silas in a basement. The aristocrats of Aethelgard wouldn't follow him if they knew what he was. They follow bloodlines. They follow the C

Chapter 106 Gideon was a smart man. He knew exactly when to back down. and right now seemed like a good time. "The checkpoints are airtight," Gideon protested weakly. "The Iron Guard sealed the storm drains and deployed thermal drones.""I don't care if they deployed dragons," Adrian snapped, "You are the Rat King of Sector 7 and you always have a route. And I'm guessing you have a good runner too. Bring him to me."Gideon hesitated for a fraction of a second, weighing his pride against his survival. Survival won.He gestured to one of his trembling lieutenants. "Go get Viper. Bring him here. Now."While they waited, Adrian didn't speak. He simply sat on the sofa, owning the room. .A few minutes later, a young man was shoved onto the platform. He was lean, dressed in an immaculate, fitted gray suit that looked wildly out of place in the grimy club. He had silver-pierced ears and eyes that darted around the room with hyper-alert precision."This is Viper," Gideon grunted. "He's

Chapter 108The Cathedral of St. Jude - 11:55 AMThe Cathedral was a massive, gothic relic from a time before the smog, built of black stone and stained glass. It sat in the center of the city’s historic district, surrounded by wide plazas.Today, the plaza was a militarized zone.Victoria didn't come alone. She brought the Vanguard. Fifty heavily armored mercenaries cordoned off the streets. Snipers positioned themselves on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, their laser sights ready to do the job. Victoria stepped out of her armored limousine. She wore a tailored black pantsuit, looking every inch the general inspecting a battlefield. She was flanked by six of her absolute best Vanguard Praetorians, equipped with kinetic-dampening armor and heavy rotary cannons."The perimeter is secure, Lady Sterling," her captain reported. "Thermal scans show one heat signature inside the Cathedral. It’s him. Sitting right in the center pew.""Excellent," Victoria said, her lips curling

Chapter 110Victoria took the pen.She pressed the paper against the back of a wooden pew. Her hand shook, but she signed her name with aggressive, sharp strokes. First the annulment. Then the military withdrawal order.She shoved the papers back at his chest."There," she spat. "You have your piece of paper. You've stripped him of his shield. What happens now?""Now," Adrian said, taking the documents and slipping them into his jacket, "you take your broken toys, and you leave my city. I'd suggest booking a flight immediately. The airspace is going to get very crowded tonight."Adrian snapped his fingers.[ GRAVITY WELL: RELEASE. ]The invisible weight vanished and the six Praetorians gasped violently, sucking in air as they dragged themselves up from the ruined marble floor. They reached for their weapons, but Victoria raised a hand."Stand down," she commanded, her voice hollow but authoritative. "It's over. Leave the weapons. We're leaving."The mercenaries looked confused, but