The next three days passed in a dizzying blur of high-level activity. With the historic alliance between Nexus Cryptics and Orion Technologies officially finalized and legally codified, Leo Carter's entire schedule shifted dramatically from cutthroat market warfare to meticulous, grand-scale preparation. The Global Innovation Summit was rapidly approaching. Unlike the regional corporate battlefield of Singapore, this exclusive summit operated on a fundamentally different, vertiginous plane of existence. The entities attending weren't just prominent regional market leaders; they were absolute global titans. These were massive multi-national organizations whose staggering geopolitical influence actively shaped policies across entire continents. They were legacy companies worth hundreds of billions of dollars, backed by sovereign investment groups controlling unprecedented amounts of institutional liquid capital. For the very first time in his career, Leo wasn't merely preparing to ag

Morning sunlight poured warmly into Leo's luxury suite. For once, no sharp alarms woke him from his sleep. There were no urgent board meetings, no unexpected crisis calls from the office, and no pressing System notifications flashing in his vision.There was just pure, unadulterated peace.Then—BANG! BANG! BANG!Someone began hammering on the heavy oak door as if they were trying to break it down. Leo groaned, throwing off the duvet. "There goes the peace."He walked over and opened the door. Samuel stood on the threshold, fully dressed in a tailored suit and wearing dark sunglasses. At seven o'clock in the morning. Inside the hotel.Leo blinked, rubbing his eyes.Samuel grinned broadly. "Good morning!""...Why exactly are you dressed like a movie star?"Samuel adjusted his sunglasses with two fingers. "We're in Switzerland, Leo.""So?""So we have to look international."Leo stared at him flatly. "You're wearing sunglasses indoors."Samuel paused, then slowly lowered the glasses dow

"Mr. Moreau would like to meet you."For several seconds, Leo simply stared at the waiter. Beside him, Samuel looked like someone had just told him he'd won the lottery. Lena blinked twice."You mean..." Samuel said carefully, "the Mr. Moreau?"The waiter smiled politely. "Yes, sir."Samuel slowly turned toward Leo. "You've been here for exactly one evening."Leo laughed. "I know.""And the founder of the summit wants to meet you.""I heard him."Samuel shook his head. "No. This is unbelievable."Lena laughed. "Relax.""I can't relax!" Samuel whispered. "I just watched one of the biggest people here ask to meet my boss."Leo smiled. "You make it sound dramatic.""It is dramatic!"Even the waiter struggled not to laugh. Finally, Leo nodded. "Lead the way."The waiter guided him toward a quieter section of the ballroom, away from the crowd, away from the music.Alexander Moreau stood near one of the large windows overlooking the lake. He wasn't surrounded by bodyguards. He wasn't holdin

The exhibition hall became livelier as the morning progressed. People moved from booth to booth, conversations filled the air, and technology demonstrations happened everywhere. Large screens displayed futuristic inventions, robots greeted guests, investors exchanged business cards, and founders pitched ideas. The entire place buzzed with energy. Meanwhile… Samuel was still eating. Leo looked at him. "Are there any pastries left in Switzerland?" Samuel looked at his plate. "Probably." Lena laughed. "I've never seen anyone so dedicated to free food." Samuel looked offended. "It isn't about the food." Leo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" "It's about the experience." "What experience?" "The experience of eating international pastries." Lena burst into laughter again, and even Ethan laughed. "I like this guy," Ethan said. Samuel nodded. "I like me too." The five of them continued exploring. Well… four of them explored. Samuel explored the snack stations. Eventually, they arrived at a

Morning sunlight streamed into Leo's suite. He slowly opened his eyes, then immediately closed them again. A few seconds later, there was knocking. "Leo!" He sighed. He already knew who it was. "Come in." The door swung open and Samuel entered, looking suspiciously energetic. Again. Leo frowned. "Do you ever get tired?" "No." "You're lying." "I drank coffee." Leo nodded. "That explains everything." Samuel grinned. "Big day." "It is." "Second day of the summit." "I know." "And tonight is the keynote session." Leo sat up. "I know." Samuel smiled. "Just making sure." Half an hour later, they met Lena and Ethan downstairs. Everyone looked surprisingly cheerful. Well... everyone except Leo. Lena laughed. "You still look sleepy." "I am sleepy." Samuel looked disappointed. "That's not the spirit of international business." Leo blinked. "International business sleeps too." Samuel ignored him. After breakfast, they headed toward the summit venue. The atmosphere felt even