Inside the four districts was the Zhou family mansion, which occupied most of the city's most exclusive environments. From the towering iron gates at the entrance to the marble, were assisted by footsteps of servants moving around with their tasks while inside security personnel remained stationed around the estate, ensuring nobody entered without permission.Yet despite all the luxury surrounding them, inside the dining room, nobody seated at the dining table looked comfortable as heavy silence lingered through the room.The long mahogany dining table stretched across the center of the room, large enough to accommodate dozens of guests, yet only a handful of family members occupied it that morning. Crystal chandeliers hung overhead, casting soft golden light across expensive silverware and untouched breakfast dishes.Nobody seemed interested in eating, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense with every passing minute.At the head of the table sat Mr. Zhou, his expression dark an

Elizabeth waited several seconds. When no response came, she leaned back comfortably, and her attention shifted toward Mr. Zhou. "If there are no objections, shall we begin?"Before Mr. Zhou could answer, one of the twins suddenly cleared his throat.Elizabeth didn't look at him. She could already feel the attention he and his brother had been directing toward her since she entered.The first twin flashed a charming smile. "Ms. Elizabeth."She finally glanced in his direction. I and the young man straightened immediately. "We understand the drive here must have been exhausting, so before we discuss business, can we offer you breakfast? Coffee? Tea? Anything at all?"His brother quickly nodded. "Absolutely. It wouldn't be proper hospitality otherwise."Across the table, Zhoula immediately narrowed her eyes. The sudden enthusiasm in her brothers' voices made her want to kick both of them under the table.Five minutes ago they had been complaining, and they sounded like eager puppies. El

The room remained silent; everyone waited for an answer, but Ryan gave them nothing. Odessa leaned forward. "What are you hoping to accomplish?" Finally, Ryan took a step forward, ignoring her question. "That's my first request,” he said with a calm voice. "When it's done, we'll discuss the competition." The statement only made the ex-tier student furrow their brows in astonishment. Nile let out a laugh. "You understand requests can be denied, right?" Ryan nodded. "You also understand you're already registered for the competition." Ryan nodded again. Nile grinned at him, but his eyes showed no emotion. "There is no withdrawal once registered.” "I know,” Ryan answered. Nile spread his arms. “Then what makes you think we're going to help you burn down an entire port?" Ryan's gaze hardened. “There is a first time for everything. " The temperature inside the room seemed to drop. Several students exchanged uneasy looks. Even Nile's smile weakened. "So you're serious." Ryan did

The most dangerous people rarely announced themselves.Even so, it was difficult to imagine these academy students willingly walking into a heavily guarded port owned by one of the most powerful families in the region. He didn't know the deal Ryan had with them but he was surprised at his progress.His thoughts were interrupted by Harrison."The things you requested weren't easy to obtain on such short notice,” he said. The older man's voice carried a hint of fatigue, and for the first time, Ryan noticed the faint shadows beneath Harrison's eyes. His suit was immaculate as always, but the small details betrayed him."Where is it?"Harrison turned towards the SUV. "It's in the rear compartment,” he replied. Without another word, he pressed a button on the key fob, and a mechanical click echoed through the quiet road. The rear section of the SUV slowly unlocked with hydraulics hissing.Everyone instinctively moved closer and was greeted; a single black duffel bag rested in the centre of

"We didn't realize it was you." The other officers immediately followed his actions. "Please forgive the misunderstanding."Ryan watched the dramatic change with interest. Only moments ago the man had looked ready to search the entire vehicle. Now he looked as though he wanted to disappear."The information we received regarding Mr. Wright's arrival wasn't what we expected," the officer explained nervously. As he spoke, his eyes scanned the vehicle again, moving from Ryan, Nile, and Alex as if he were attempting to identify the mysterious Mr. Wright.The officer beside him hearing the name suddenly looked stunned. His mouth slowly opened. "You mean Mr. Wright?"He turned toward his colleague, who nodded immediately. "Yes, the owner of Redeemed Airline."The man's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and Ryan remained silent, but internally he was caught off guard.He knew his father possessed enormous wealth and subdivisions were spread across the city, which he was yet to memoriz