Divorced on Monday, Bought the City on Tuesday: The Infinite

The Rat's Nest

Chapter 9

The Apex Estate was less of a house and more of a villain’s lair. Perched on the highest peak of Sovereign Hill, it overlooked Valmont City through massive walls of bulletproof glass. The interior was sleek, minimalist, and drenched in silent, expensive technology.

Arthur stood on the balcony of his new master bedroom, looking down at the sprawling, ten-acre estate directly beneath his. It was the Sterling Manor. He could literally spit on Richard Sterling's roof if the wind caught it right.

The petty satisfaction was intoxicating.

He was just pouring himself a glass of two-hundred-year-old scotch when his phone vibrated violently against the marble counter.

It was Serena.

Arthur picked it up. "Hello, partner."

"Arthur, they're here!" Serena’s voice was breathless, panicked, and layered over the sound of shattering glass and shouting in the background. "Richard didn't send lawyers. He sent the Red Vipers!"

Arthur frowned, his newly enhanced cognitive processing instantly pulling up the data. The Red Vipers were a notorious underground syndicate operating in Valmont’s industrial sector. They were thugs for hire, known for extreme violence and extortion.

"Where are you?" Arthur demanded, his voice dropping an octave.

"I'm at the Horizon Neural Tech server floor," Serena cried out, a loud bang echoing through the speaker as someone kicked a door nearby. "I came to back up the AI algorithms before we transferred the company to you! They bypassed building security. They’re smashing the servers! They said if I don't sign the transfer over to Julian, they're going to throw me off the roof!"

"Lock yourself in the server room," Arthur commanded, his blood running cold with adrenaline. "Do not open the door for anyone but me. I'm on my way."

He hung up the phone.

Ding.

[EMERGENCY MISSION GENERATED: Defend the Asset.]

[Objective: Eradicate the Red Vipers from Horizon Neural Tech and protect Serena Sterling.]

[Reward: 20,000 SP + 1x Elite Vanguard Summon.]

Arthur didn't hesitate. He practically flew down the floating glass staircase to the subterranean garage of the Apex Estate. The house had come fully furnished, including a garage holding three pristine supercars.

He tossed himself into the driver's seat of a matte-black Lamborghini Aventador, slammed the start button, and ripped out of the garage. The V12 engine roared like a caged beast, echoing across Sovereign Hill.

He pushed the car to terrifying speeds, his Advanced Cognitive Processing allowing him to weave through city traffic like a professional racer. He covered a thirty-minute drive to the financial district in less than ten.

He slammed the brakes outside the Horizon Neural Tech building. The glass front doors were shattered. Two burly men in leather jackets with red snake tattoos on their necks were standing guard outside smoking cigarettes.

Arthur stepped out of the Lamborghini, adjusting his bespoke suit jacket.

"Hey, pretty boy," one of the thugs barked, tossing his cigarette on the pavement and pulling out a heavy steel baton. "Building's closed for renovation. Get lost before I dent that expensive suit."

Arthur didn't slow his stride. He walked straight up the steps toward them.

The thug swung the steel baton aiming directly for Arthur's temple.

To Arthur's new Grandmaster CQC senses, the swing was laughably, pathetically slow. It was like watching a child swing a pool noodle underwater.

Arthur didn't even break his stride. He simply raised his left hand, caught the steel baton mid-air with a deafening crack, and ripped it out of the thug’s grip. Without missing a beat, Arthur pivoted on his heel and drove his right elbow directly into the man’s sternum.

The sound of ribs fracturing echoed through the quiet street. The thug folded like a cheap lawn chair, instantly unconscious, spitting blood onto the pavement.

The second thug stared at his fallen comrade, his eyes bulging in absolute terror. He reached for a pistol tucked into his waistband, but Arthur was already moving.

Arthur closed the distance in a blur, gripping the man’s wrist and twisting it violently until a loud snap rang out. The thug screamed, dropping the gun. Arthur delivered a brutal, precise spinning kick to the man's jaw, sending him flying backward through the remaining shards of the glass doors.

Arthur stepped over the groaning bodies, his breathing perfectly even, his heart rate entirely calm.

"Richard Sterling," Arthur muttered to himself, cracking his knuckles as he walked toward the elevator banks. "You wanted to play in the mud. Let’s see if you know how to swim in it."

He pressed the button for the top floor.