The atmosphere inside the Grand Celestial Hotel's grand ballroom came to a complete standstill. The sight of General Yudha Negara—the Supreme Commander of the Northern Sector's military—bowing at a perfect ninety-degree angle before Raymond seemed to bring time itself to a halt for every upper-echelon faction in the mortal world. The silence grew so suffocatingly thick that only the faint hum of the ballroom's air-conditioning system and the strained breaths of hundreds of international tycoons could be heard.Natalie Sterling remained frozen where she stood. Her slender fingers, which had only just slipped free from Raymond's grasp, now hung stiffly in the air. Her beautiful eyes stared at her husband's back, filled with psychological fear, sorrow, and overwhelming confusion. All this time, the pride of her upper-class faction had always placed Raymond in the role of a humble man whom she had to protect with all the capital and influence of Sterling Group. Yet the reality unfolding b

Dragged roughly by four elite tactical officers of the Northern Sector, Julian Vance and Chloe Miller were forced to leave the dazzling crystal lights of the Grand Celestial Hotel ballroom behind. The heavy footsteps of military boots echoed through the corridor, ignoring the horrified stares of hundreds of upper-echelon tycoons who now dared only to watch from a distance. The arrogance that had once defined the two business heirs had completely vanished, leaving behind nothing but trembling bodies restrained by black polymer grips around their arms.The cyber-glass doors of the main lobby slid open, carrying the escalating conflict out of the building's grandeur and into the cold reality outside.Beyond the entrance, the mortal city's night sky was veiled by a steady drizzle. The chilly air pierced through the skin, mingling with the scent of wet earth and puddles that reflected the flashing lights of military vehicles. The dark, coarse asphalt of the hotel forecourt became the stage

The drizzling rain continued to fall over the courtyard of the Grand Celestial Hotel, creating a chilling atmosphere that pierced to the bone. On the rain-soaked asphalt, Chloe Miller's hysterical cries gradually faded into quiet sobs of resignation. Meanwhile, beneath the shadows of the Northern Sector tactical troops' gun barrels, Julian Vance remained frozen in place. However, the moment the door of the military official vehicle closed and the imposing silhouette of Raymond, the God of War, disappeared behind the dark-tinted window, the last bit of strength in Julian's legs seemed to collapse.His rational mind, which had been paralyzed by the shock of Raymond's true identity, was suddenly forced into a frantic whirlwind of thoughts. The elite logic he had always relied on refused to surrender so easily on this muddy asphalt."No... I can't end up here," Julian hissed inwardly. Cold sweat mixed with the drizzle running down his forehead. "If I'm captured by the Altar Logistics forc

The roar of the military armored vehicles outside the courtyard of the Grand Celestial Hotel gradually faded into the distance, leaving behind an uncanny silence inside the main hall. The remaining golden spotlights illuminating the Apex Celestial emblem on the digital screen slowly dimmed, returning to the stable market graph of the Western Sector stock exchange. However, the atmosphere inside the hall had changed completely. There were no more whispers of contempt, no more cynical stares from the Western Faction speculators. All that remained was a crowd standing stiffly, enveloped by an overwhelming sense of reverence.Natalie Sterling remained standing where she was. Her eyes were fixed on the lobby exit, where Chloe Miller and Julian Vance had just been dragged away. Her breathing gradually steadied, although the pounding in her chest had not completely subsided. Her mind raced, trying to process the series of events that had unfolded within the past few minutes.As a female CEO

Their footsteps echoed softly yet steadily across the warm wooden floor of the living room. Natalie took off her maroon coat and gently draped it over the back of her favorite cream velvet sofa. Beneath the soft amber glow of the lights, the grandeur of the cyber-glass décor of the Grand Celestial Hotel felt worlds away, replaced by the simplicity of the home that had always been the safest refuge for the two of them.Raymond walked toward the kitchen without saying much. With movements so ordinary—a routine he had followed throughout their years of marriage—he switched on the small electric kettle on the corner of the countertop. He took out two plain ceramic mugs and began brewing warm jasmine tea. There were no tactical military movements, no cold authority of the man who owned the Logistics Altar and had just brought down two business dynasties within thirty minutes. In this small kitchen, Raymond became once again the unassuming man who always offered warmth to his wife after her