Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-OneThe arrival of the man in the white suit was like a sudden frost in the middle of a summer afternoon. He held the black envelope high, his eyes burning with a fanatical, desperate light. This was Silas, a low-level clerk of the ValeImperial Clan—the family that had discarded Adrian like a piece of broken glass a decade ago after his fathers death."Stop making caricature of him!" Silas screamed, his voice cutting through the dying roar of the helicopters. "Lina Andrews, you are not marrying a man; you are marrying a ghost! This individual was stripped of his name and his rights ten years ago. He is a 'Forbidden Branch. Any contract he signs is legally void! He is a nameless exile!"[Rage Bait: The Vultures Circle]Derek, seeing a lifeline in the middle of his drowning terror, scrambled to his feet. The presence of a Vance official—even a minor one—gave him a surge of misplaced courage."Did you hear that?!" Derek yelled, pointing a shaking finger at

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-threeSterling didn't wait for an invite. He marched into Lina’s office, with his personal physician, a man with three PhDs named Dr. Aris guided him by the elbow."So," Sterling’s voice boomed, dripping with the impatience of a man who hadn't seen the sun in twenty years. "Where is this Miracle Worker? I’ve spent eighty million dollars in Switzerland, Japan, and London. I’ve had my retinas reconstructed with stem cells and my nerves mapped by the most advanced technology. If this Adrian is just another charlatan selling herbal tea and hope, I’ll have this entire Hub demolished by sunset."Lina stood up, her face tight. "Lord Sterling, my husband is not a doctor for hire. He is—""He’s a man who got lucky with a crab shell and a bucket of ice," Dr. Aris interrupted, his lip curling in disdain. "I’ve reviewed the footage from the previous incident. It was a coincidence. Lord Sterling’s condition is absolute. The connection is dead. Suggesting a massage c

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-FiveThe luxury boutiques of the Central Plaza were usually a sanctuary for Martha Andrews. Here, the scent of expensive leather and the silent, reverent service of the staff acted as a balm for her soul. Today, however, the air felt thin.Beside her, Derek was preening in front of a three-way mirror, admiring a limited-edition velvet blazer. "The Main Branch elders were right, Mom," Derek said, and adjusted his cuffs. "Adrian’s Proxy nonsense was a flash in the pan. Did you see his face when the Vale official confronted him? He was terrified. That Debt Collector title is just a fancy name for a temporary courier. Once the Vale Clan finishes their audit, Adrian will be back to washing my car."Martha nodded, her fingers tracing a diamond-encrusted watch. "You’re right, Derek. I was momentarily blinded by the General’s presence, but the General serves the State, not a house-boy. Adrian likely found a lost token and is playing a dangerous game. It’s better

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-SevenLord Sterling’s secret bunker was impressive to a commoner, but to Adrian, it was just a basement with better air conditioning. He sat in a high-backed chair, looking at the blinking holographic screens with the same bored expression he used when checking a patient’s temperature."Master, the Vale Clan thinks you’re not worth their energy," Sterling said, pacing like a caged tiger. "They’re throwing a gala as we speak. They’ve even started the legal paperwork to seize your family’s old research land. They think the Azure Master is a ghost story."Adrian leaned back, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "Let them celebrate. It’s hard to scream for help when your mouth is full of cake. Let them spend every cent they have on the party; it just makes the bankruptcy hurt more."Dr. Thorne, a top-tier engineer Sterling had hired for a staggering eight-figure salary, adjusted his glasses and sighed. He looked at Adrian like a professor looking at a student w

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-NineThe North Atlantic lay smothered in gray mist and white-capped waves. It was like a stage to Young Master Hector Vance.He stood on the bridge of the Vance Aegis, with a three-hundred-million-dollar destroyer humming beneath his feet. Behind him, four frigates moved in formation, their guns aligned with a single target.Far ahead, small against the endless water, the Sea Nymph drifted, and almost already claimed.Hector was over confident that the sight was a joke to him. He adjusted his silk tie and turned to the high-ranking officers behind him. "Is this the Azure Master the Vale Clan was so terrified of? A teenage boy on a boat that looks like it belongs in a scrap yard?"The officers chuckled. "Young Master, he is likely a scavenger. He probably found a few Sovereign codes in his father's trash and thinks he can play Admiral."Hector sneered, picking up the fleet-wide radio. He cracked it and his voice boomed across the water, amplified by the A