***** One after another, lavish offers came from the six men… offers that would have long made any normal person faint from shock and lose their minds. But Zachariah did not so much as blink. He just listened silently, not interrupting, reacting, or even raising an eyebrow. He let them finish presenting their offers before, finally, he opened his mouth with the same casual ease, his gaze still clear and calm, sweeping at all six men. “No," he responded. It was just one word spoken without the slightest tinge of hesitation or emotion. However, the impact was immediate. The six bowing figures froze for a second, then they trembled as though struck by lightning. In the following second, their risen hope collapsed into utter disbelief and shock, all six finding it difficult that Zach would refuse such offers. It took a moment before they recovered, and… “You… must you really leave?!” The president blurted, his expression turning pale. “The... the country might fall if you ret

***** Still in the tent. Zachariah watched the six men with his ever-unreadable face, though a faint tightening at his jaw betrayed the slightest stir of surprise. He hadn't anticipated this reaction… not the instinctive loyalty or the fire in their eyes. No, he hadn’t briefed his past with the six for pity, for validation, or because he expected them to leap to action. He had done it because they deserved some explanation. And yet, watching them, Zach couldn’t help but feel something unfamiliar prick at the edges of his consciousness. For the first time in years, a flicker of emotion stirred in him, and before he even realized it, his lips twitched… not fully, but enough to soften the cold mask he wore. Contrary to what most people assumed, Zach hadn’t come to the West End because he wanted to save the country. He had never fought with his life on the line for glory, praise, medals, titles, or even the endless worship shoved in his face. The only reason he had ever stepped

***** On the plane, seated by the window, Zach stared at the vast stretch of darkness outside, but his eyes weren’t focused on anything. If anything, they were fixed instead on the unfortunate night ten years ago… a memory that surfaced every single time he was alone and even more vividly each time he briefed it just as he had in the tent earlier. Once again, Zach could see the scene of his father shielding him, his brother, and their mother, from the raging fire with nothing but his own body, his arms wide. Although a decade had passed, the way the inferno wrapped around his father's body, consuming him, was still very clear in his mind. Then there was his father's agonizing scream that still echoes fresh in Zach’s head, refusing to fade no matter how many years passed. …. Then there was his mother. Zach could still see the horrified look on her face, but even then, she still forced herself to act, dragging him and his brother through the flame. As though it just happened, th

***** Zach’s eyes suddenly snapped back to the present as his cell phone vibrated twice in his hand. The device was oddly shaped, its design so archaic that it was more suited to a museum than a modern pocket. Unhurriedly, Zach glanced down at the screen, and… he paused. Two encrypted messages are currently flashing on it. Seeing this, his brows furrowed slightly, but still, he calmly pressed his thumb against the screen, and instantly, a greenish light spread beneath his fingerprint, a scanning interface blooming to life. A moment later, the scan was completed, and immediately, a notification popped up. [Identity confirmed.] Then the screen shifted, and the first encrypted message quietly opened before his eyes. [Supreme Overlord,] it read. [We have, due to our incapability, failed to discover the true masterminds behind the night’s incident. However, several prime suspects have been identified. We shall accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate for our failure.]

***** As it turned out, Crossway City’s higher-ups had already learned of West End’s victory, and more importantly, they had discovered that the Supreme War God had originated from Crossway and that he was returning tonight. That was why everyone of them had gathered at the airport with their families in tow, bringing the most exquisite gifts they could find… antiques, rare treasures, family heirlooms, and even assets worth small nations. All of it to impress him, gain his favor, and catch his attention. The realization hit Zach like a slap to the face, and for a brief moment, his eyes couldn't help but narrow slightly. His first thought was that the six men at the West End had betrayed him. But then the thought barely lasted a second before he dismissed it, knowing that only one person was mischievous enough to pull something like this… his master. The man was one of the most powerful and oldest entities Zach had ever known… and yet, he was also the most infuriatingly chil