“Finally the reason I came to salt city. The famous Super Car Charity Gala.” John thought with a smile.Mr. Leo stepped out of the car first, adjusting his cufflinks. Behind him, John got out in a simple black suit. “John,” Mr. Leo said under his breath. “Remember. Half the people here can level a building. The other half can buy it.”“Got it,” John said.Lara was already waiting by the entrance. Tailored dress, earpiece, eyes scanning everything. She fell into step beside John immediately. “I’m here as your bodyguard,” Lara said, voice low. John glanced at her with a smile. “Thanks, for a moment I thought you wouldn't make it. I am glad you came.” John said. “But try not to die for me, okay?”Lara almost smiled. “No promises.”Inside, the air was thick with power and money. To the left: a man with frost trailing from his fingertips. He was Ice Elemental. CEO of Northern Tech. Net worth: 400 billion. To the right: a woman with faint sparks dancing in her hair. She was Light

The rain had finally slowed down by the time Lara pulled up in front of the big iron gates.This was the house of the mayor of Salt City. Big walls, big trees, big cameras on every corner. Guards in black suits stood at the gate.Lara got out of the car holding a black box. Inside was the Moonveil Herb, wrapped carefully. Her suit was still a little wet from the bridge, but she looked calm.One of the guards walked up to her. "Who are you? What do you want?"Lara held up the box. "I have a delivery," Lara said. "It is for the mayor's family. It is sent by Mr John Valerio. Mr Valerio will be there soon."The guard frowned and spoke into his radio. After a minute the big gate opened.Inside, the house looked like a palace. White floors, big lights, people running around with clothes in their hands. There was music playing from somewhere.An old man was sitting in the main hall. He had white hair and a cane. This was the patriarch of the mayor's family. Grandfather to the mayor.He l

John had been following Amina for several minutes, keeping a respectful distance as he moved through the dimly lit arcade behind her.The place was usually lively during the day, filled with vendors, students, and workers passing through. But at this hour, it felt abandoned — too quiet, too empty, the kind of silence that made even the softest footsteps sound loud.Amina walked with her head slightly lowered, her hands gripping the strap of her bag. She wasn’t strolling; she was hurrying, almost tiptoeing, as if she wanted to get through the lonely stretch as fast as possible.Every few seconds, she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes darting nervously through the shadows.John noticed the tension in her shoulders, the way her breathing quickened whenever the wind rustled a loose sign or a stray piece of paper skittered across the ground. He could tell she was scared.Just as she stepped into the most deserted part of the arcade, three figures slipped out from behind a row of closed s

Before John could move, the shopkeeper rang a brass bell at the front. The sound was sharp, cutting through the tension. “The next set of appraisals is to begin!” he announced, his voice practiced and loud. “Buyers should rush to the counter and get a spot!”Frederick’s head snapped toward the counter. His father had stopped giving him allowances months ago. He hoped he could hit a jackpot today to add to his money. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.John exhaled and walked toward the appraisal counter, Amina and the Loan Sharks right behind him. Amina kept her head down feeling uncertain, but hopeful.The Loan Sharks spread out slightly, forming a loose wall at John’s back.The hall buzzed with excitement, voices rising as everyone wanted a chance at fortune.But their main focus was John and Frederick.Prince Frederick acted first. He slapped some cash onto the counter.“I’m paying for two appraisals. Please.”The shopkeeper raised a brow, his expression unreadable beneath his gr

The crowd leaned in. “What is impossible?” “Speak up!” “Don’t scare us!”The shopkeeper pointed at the black liquid, voice shaking. “This… is The Spiritual Black Jade Essence.”Gasps exploded across the hall. “Spiritual Black Jade Essence?” “No way!” “That’s a myth!” “I thought it didn’t exist!”The shopkeeper shook his head rapidly. “It exists… but the chance of finding it is one in a million. Maybe one in ten million. I… I have only seen it once in my entire life.”Frederick’s relief evaporated instantly. “What does that mean?” he snapped.The shopkeeper inhaled deeply. “If the quantity were even slightly more than this… I’m not sure I would have been able to pay for it.”The hall went dead silent. Then someone whispered: “So… how much is it worth?”The shopkeeper raised two trembling fingers. “Two… million… dollars.”The hall exploded. “TWO MILLION? From that tiny stone? No way!” “Black jade is worth THAT much? Unbelievable!” “He just broke the rec