Luke looked quietly at the burly man in the dark green military clothes and let out a slow, quiet sigh.This was the worst part of keeping his cover. It was a tiring, never-ending chore. Every arrogant thug, every low-ranking soldier, and every greedy executive looked at his quiet manner and instantly thought he was easy prey.He had spent the whole morning fighting off sabotage, securing supply chains, and dealing with a death in the family.He just wanted to buy his wife lunch.When Luke didn't immediately jump back into the car, the guard's face turned red with fury. He wasn't used to being ignored by rich civilians."Are you deaf?" the guard demanded, stepping aggressively toward the luxury vehicle. "I told you to move this car!"Luke still didn't move. He kept his posture relaxed, his hands loosely at his sides.The guard scoffed. He reached down and unsnapped the heavy leather holster on his hip. He pulled out his black service pistol in one smooth motion. He didn't point it at

The grand marble steps of the Jade Pavilion gleamed under the afternoon sun.Luke left the parking lot behind, ignoring the muffled, panicked voices of the guards still kneeling on the asphalt. He smoothed the lapels of his charcoal suit and walked up the wide staircase. He just wanted to get Sarah's lunch and go back to the office.The restaurant's entrance was a tall archway made of carved dark wood and red clay tiles. Rich patrons in tailored suits, silk dresses, and designer sunglasses flowed smoothly in and out of the heavy double doors.Flanking the entrance stood two large men in sharp black private security uniforms.Luke paused for a moment. His eyes swept over them. They wore civilian security badges, but Luke saw the truth instantly. It wasn't the uniform—it was their posture. Their shoulders were perfectly straight. Their hands rested near their waists, close to hidden holsters. Their eyes scanned the crowd in careful, overlapping patterns.They were highly trained, active

Diana stared at the sleek, shiny bank card resting on the polished wood.Her expression stayed ice cold, completely unfazed by the girl's arrogance.Without a word, Diana picked up the card. She turned and walked over to the gold-plated payment machine on a nearby serving cart.She tapped the screen, manually entering the required five-million-dollar minimum charge."Let's see if Capital City money spends the same down here," Diana muttered.She swiped the card through the reader.The machine processed for a single, quiet second.Then, a harsh, flat electronic beep echoed through the empty dining room. The small screen flashed bright red.DECLINED.The young girl didn't scream. She didn't throw a fit.She just frowned. Her perfect eyebrows pulled together in genuine confusion."That's impossible," the girl said.She grabbed her smartphone from her designer purse. Her thumbs flew across the screen, opening her banking app."It must be an out-of-province fraud lock," the girl muttered,

The video showed the concrete floor of the Zenith Beauty factory.Kneeling in the center of the frame, surrounded by a tight, angry circle of over fifty factory workers, was the Factory Manager. He was stripped down to his boxers. His expensive dress shirt was torn, his face was badly bruised, and blood trickled down his chin.He was weeping, begging the men holding heavy iron wrenches for mercy.A bold red banner was plastered across the top of the video: ZENITH BEAUTY MANAGER CAUGHT FLUSHING MILLIONS IN RAW MATERIALS — WORKERS REVOLT.The lobby erupted.The journalists gasped, instantly shoving their microphones higher. Camera flashes strobed like lightning, reflecting off the giant screen.Vincent Frost's perfect composure cracked. "Turn that off!" He roared, pointing a shaking finger at the IT booth. "Cut the feed right now! This is a fake smear campaign!"The IT director ignored him, locking the control console.Sarah stared at the screen, a spike of worry hitting her chest. The

The heavy frosted glass doors of the executive suite clicked shut.Sarah grabbed the metal handle and twisted the lock. The frantic shouting of the press corps, the blinding camera flashes, and the swarm of police officers in the lobby were finally sealed away.She rested her forehead against the cool glass for a moment. She let out a long, shaky breath. The adrenaline that had kept her standing for the last three hours was quickly draining from her veins.Luke walked past her. He carried the insulated bags from the Jade Pavilion to the sleek black coffee table in the center of the room.Sarah turned around. She watched her husband unpack the containers. His dark charcoal suit was still spotless. He moved with quiet, calm efficiency, completely unfazed by the corporate war they had just survived.Sarah walked over and sank heavily into the soft leather sofa. Her legs felt like lead. The rich, savory smell of roasted duck and spiced vegetables filled the office, making her stomach grow