All Chapters of THE KING RETURNS FOR WAR!: Chapter 31
- Chapter 40
42 chapters
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Stone Family Mansion - After the Press Conference Derek watched the press conference on his laptop, his face ashen. Adrian had just destroyed them publicly. Completely. With documentation. Evidence. Cold, clinical precision. There was no defense. No counterargument. The corruption was real. The evidence undeniable. Derek's hands trembled as he scrolled through news coverage. Every outlet was running the story. "Stone Industries Dismantled for Corruption." "Shadow Holdings Exposes Systematic Exploitation." "Derek Stone's Empire Collapses." His phone rang. An unknown number. He answered desperately. "Hello?" "Mr. Stone." A woman's voice. Professional. Cold. "I'm calling from the District Attorney's office. We're opening a criminal investigation into Stone Industries' operations. We'll need you to come in for questioning." Derek's world spun. "Criminal investigation?" "Based on evidence provided by Shadow Holdings. Bribery. Fraud. Safety violations resulting in death.
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Derek drove aimlessly, Adrian's offer echoing in his mind. Confess everything. Destroy himself completely. But save his father. Or fight. Deny. Make excuses. And watch his father suffer. Five years ago, he'd chosen himself over Adrian without hesitation. Framed an innocent man to protect his own position. Now Adrian was forcing him to make a different kind of choice. Redemption through confession. Or damnation through denial. Derek pulled over, his hands shaking on the steering wheel. He thought of his father. Broken. Silent. Dying inside. He thought of Adrian. Five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. And now offering mercy—conditional, painful mercy—but mercy nonetheless. Derek pulled out his phone and called his lawyer. "I need you to arrange something," he said, his voice hollow. "A press conference. Tomorrow morning. I'm going to make a statement." "What kind of statement?" "A confession." The lawyer was silent for a moment. "Derek, I strongly a
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The Morning After - Derek's Press Conference The news played on every screen in Shadow Holdings' break room. Employees gathered silently, watching Derek Stone stand at a podium, cameras flashing. Derek looked like he'd aged ten years overnight. His voice shook as he began. "My name is Derek Stone. I'm here to confess to crimes I committed over the past six years." The reporters erupted with questions. Derek raised his hand for silence. "Five years ago, I framed my foster brother, Adrian Kane, for embezzlement. I created false documents. I planted evidence. I lied to investigators, to my family, to everyone." His voice cracked. "Adrian was innocent. I sent him to prison for a crime he didn't commit because I was jealous. Because I wanted him gone." The cameras flashed relentlessly. "That's not all. Over the years, Stone Industries engaged in systematic corruption. Bribery of officials. Safety violations that resulted in worker deaths. Exploitation of tenants in our properties. M
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International Grand Hotel - Medical Conference The conference center was massive, filled with hundreds of doctors from around the world. Distinguished professors, renowned surgeons, research scientists. The annual International Medical Symposium attracted the best minds in medicine. Adrian and Elena registered under false names—Dr. Chen and guest. Adrian wore simple clothes, glasses, looked like any other young doctor attending to learn. Elena stayed close, fascinated by the atmosphere. "There are so many people," she whispered as they entered the main hall. "Over two thousand attending this year," Adrian said quietly, reading the program. "Presentations on everything from surgery techniques to pharmaceutical research to traditional medicine integration." They found seats near the back as the opening ceremony began. The conference chairman, Dr. Raymond Morrison from Johns Hopkins, took the stage. "Welcome to the 47th International Medical Symposium! Over the next three d
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Medical Conference - Main Hall Adrian stood at the bottom of the aisle, every eye in the auditorium focused on him. Two thousand of the world's best doctors. All watching. All skeptical. Dr. Morrison gestured for him to approach the stage. "Please, come up. Share your theory." Adrian walked to the stage, his movements calm despite the pressure. This was different from boardrooms or auctions. This was pure expertise. No money, no power—just knowledge. "Your name?" Dr. Morrison asked. "Adrian Kane." A ripple went through the audience. Some recognized the name from recent news about Shadow Holdings and Stone Industries. Others frowned, confused about why a businessman was at a medical conference. Dr. Foster leaned forward from his seat in the front row. "Mr. Kane, are you a licensed physician?" "No," Adrian said simply. "Then what qualifies you to diagnose a case that's stumped specialists from the world's top medical institutions?" "I studied under a master of tradit
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Outside the Conference Center Adrian stepped into sunlight, checking his phone. Multiple messages from Chen Wei. "Territory meeting preparations complete. Leaders arriving at 7 PM. Security in place." "Media asking questions about Derek's confession. Need your guidance." "DA Zhang trying to contact you. Urgent, he says." Adrian checked the time. 2 PM. He had five hours before the territory meeting. His phone rang. Dr. Zhao Ming. "Mr. Kane, please don't hang up." "Dr. Zhao." "I need to ask you something. In private. May I buy you lunch?" Adrian hesitated. He should return to Shadow Holdings. But something in Dr. Zhao's voice suggested this was important. "Thirty minutes. I have limited time." "That's all I need. There's a tea house two blocks east. Very private." Traditional Tea House The tea house was old-fashioned, quiet. Dr. Zhao had reserved a private room. They sat across from each other, tea steaming between them. "I'll be direct," Dr. Zhao said. "
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The Evening of the Treatment - Jennifer Walsh's Hospital RoomDr. Morrison sat beside Jennifer Walsh's bed, reviewing monitoring data for the seventh time in three hours. Every metric showed improvement. Not gradual improvement—dramatic, undeniable improvement."Your lung capacity is up another fifteen percent since this afternoon," he said, almost to himself. "Your neurological responses are normalizing. Your organ function readings look better than they have in six months."Jennifer smiled weakly. "I told you it worked.""It shouldn't have worked. Not this fast. Not this completely." Morrison looked at her seriously. "Ms. Walsh, what you experienced today contradicts everything I understand about medicine. Energy meridians aren't supposed to exist. The Celestial Needle technique is supposed to be mythology. And yet...""And yet I'm getting better.""Undeniably." Morrison stood and paced. "I need to contact Mr. Kane. Schedule follow-up treatments. Document this properly. Run comparat
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Meanwhile - International Medical CommunityThe footage had spread beyond social media. News networks picked it up. Medical journals requested immediate interviews. Hospitals worldwide wanted to understand what had happened.In Boston, at Massachusetts General Hospital, a team of specialists gathered to watch the videos."It's impossible," one doctor said. "Neurological recovery doesn't happen in minutes.""But we're watching it happen," another replied."It has to be fake. Staged. A publicity stunt—""Then explain the monitoring equipment. Those readings are real. I can see the model numbers. Those are our machines. They don't lie."In London, a traditional medicine researcher was already booking flights to the city. "I have to meet him. This changes everything."In Beijing, professors at the Chinese Medicine University were in heated debate."This proves what we've been saying for decades! Traditional medicine works!""One case isn't proof. We need controlled studies—""One case is
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Warehouse District - 7:15 PMAdrian and Elena arrived at the old harbor warehouse. The same location where Adrian had first met the seven elders. But tonight, it was different.Security was everywhere. Shadow Holdings operatives in civilian clothes, positioned at every approach. Underground sentries—territory leaders' own guards—creating an outer perimeter. Two hundred armed people surrounding one building.Wu Feng met them at the entrance. "Young Master. Mrs. Kane." He bowed. "Everyone is inside. Waiting.""Tensions?" Adrian asked."High. These leaders don't trust each other. Many have been rivals for years. Some have killed each other's people." Wu Feng's expression was grim. "Bringing them together was a risk. Keeping them peaceful is going to be harder.""That's why I'm here." Adrian walked toward the entrance. "To give them a reason to cooperate that's stronger than their rivalries."Inside, the warehouse had been transformed. A large round table dominated the center—deliberately
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Victoria Stone's Apartment Victoria Stone sat in her luxury apartment across the city, scrolling through news coverage of her brother's confession. Derek's face on every screen. The Stone family name synonymous with corruption and failure. She'd changed her surname to her married name—Victoria Chen now. Moved to a different district. Cut ties with her family publicly. All to escape the shame. But it hadn't worked. "Mrs. Chen, I'm afraid we're canceling your country club membership." The phone call yesterday. "Victoria, the charity board has decided to accept your resignation." This morning. "I'm sorry, but your application for the board position has been rejected." An hour ago. Everyone knew who she was. No amount of name changes or distance could erase that she was Richard Stone's daughter. Derek Stone's sister. Adrian Kane had destroyed her family. And now, by extension, he was destroying her. Her husband, Michael Chen, was a successful investment banker. But even he was fe