The heavy gold seal of the Supreme Military Inspection Directorate gleamed like fresh blood under the grand chandeliers.For three full seconds, nobody in the Provincial Exhibition Center dared to draw a breath. Even the whirring cooling fans inside the television cameras seemed to groan under the crushing weight of the lead officer’s words.Execution for treason.Those were not words heard in municipal commercial disputes. Those were words reserved for foreign spies, war criminals, and traitors who sold national defense codes across the border.The eight exhibition security guards dropped their metal batons simultaneously. The heavy iron rods clattered noisily against the polished marble floor, rolling away like discarded toys as the guards threw their hands high into the air, their faces drained of all color.Chief Examiner Harold Humpton stood frozen, his round belly pressed mere inches from the officer’s chest. The air smelled sharply of gun oil, cold winter steel, and absolute au

The private Gulfstream jet bearing the dragon crest of the capital's Long family sliced through the stratospheric clouds like a silver blade. Below, the sprawling patchwork of fields, mountains, and provincial rivers melted away into a seamless blanket of white frost. Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was a masterclass in luxury. Polished mahogany panels, hand-stitched leather reclining seats, and crystal decanters filled with amber-hued century-old scotch defined a level of wealth that made provincial billionaires look like common peddlers.Elena Long sat across the aisle from Henry, her fingers resting lightly on a sleek titanium tablet displaying encrypted military and financial feeds from the capital. Despite her initial formal introduction on the tarmac, she had discarded her heavy crimson wool coat, revealing a tailored charcoal-gray executive suit that emphasized her sharp, commanding presence. Yet, every few moments, her hazel eyes flicked up to study the man seated opposite he

The marble tiles beneath Henry’s boots cracked further, sending spiderweb fractures across the center of the white jade stage.Inside the Grand Celestial Hall, not a single billionaire or foreign diplomat dared to breathe. Five hundred elites stood frozen around their banquet tables, staring up at the darkened holographic dome where the image of Henry’s mother had just vanished.On the steps of the dais, Patriarch Mo Zhen lay unconscious in a pool of his own blood. Beside him, Victor Mo was pressed face-down against the cold floor under the heavy combat boot of a Sovereign Guard, his broken teeth staining the jade crimson.Matriarch Bai Hansheng did not dare to lift her head from the floor. Her designer silk robes were soaked with cold sweat as she pressed her forehead against the bottom of Patriarch Long Tianji’s throne."Supreme Architect!" Matriarch Bai’s voice trembled so violently it echoed through the silent dome. "The Bai family swears eternal loyalty to the Directorate! Tonigh

Hundreds of camera flashes went off all at once, lighting up the marble foyer in blinding white light.Reporters leaned forward in shock, whispering in wild excitement as they pointed their microphones toward Henry. The entire crowd of business leaders held their breath, waiting to see what would happen next.Brandon puffed out his chest, smiling like a hungry wolf. He kept his finger pointed right at Henry’s calm face, making sure every single television camera captured the moment."Do not let this fraud fool you!" Brandon barked loudly, his voice echoing off the high stone walls. "He wore cheap clothes and washed pots in the Humpton villa for four years! Now he puts on a fine suit to trick the state!"The journalists began shouting over each other, their voices rising in a noisy storm. "Is this true?!" a reporter yelled into his microphone. "Did he really steal the files from your company?!"Brandon laughed with cruel delight, stepping closer to the cameras. "Every single word is tr