The God of Wealth's System

Chapter 6

"Ten thousand dollars for a dull bowl? You must be out of your mind, Mr. Sean Alexander."

Isabella Moretti stared at the tea bowl inside the wooden box with doubt as they sat in the cabin of the Rolls-Royce, gliding through the city streets. Sean, who was adjusting the watch on his wrist, only offered a calm smile. The man’s aura had transformed completely. Not a single trace remained of the hunched-over courier with the lingering scent of sweat.

Sean’s transformation had begun the moment he stepped out of 'The Sovereign' boutique earlier that afternoon. He had spent eight thousand five hundred dollars on a three-piece suit custom-stitched with dark silk thread. He did not hesitate to drop another three thousand two hundred dollars on a pair of Oxford shoes made from Italian calfskin, a craft that took hundreds of hours to complete. Not stopping there, he had visited a renowned salon, wanting to showcase a new hairstyle. That treatment, of course, did not come cheap.

Combined with the two thousand five hundred dollars per night for a suite at the St. Regal Hotel and a lavish wagyu dinner, Sean had burned through almost all of his cash. From the total of fourteen thousand dollars he received from Barney the pawnbroker, the remaining balance in his pocket was now only a few hundred dollars. Financially, he was back on the edge of a precipice, but in appearance, he was the master of the room.

To some, this might have seemed like reckless waste. But for Sean, who had spent so long pinching pennies for a woman who ultimately betrayed him, this was a reward for himself. Even if he were to fail later, at least he could die in peace or rot in prison after tasting this luxury.

"Trust my eyes, Isabella. In the wrong hands, it is just clay. In the hands of the right collector tonight, it is the key to your port contract," Sean replied.

His voice was now deeper and filled with authority.

Suddenly, Sean’s vision was interrupted by a painful flash of blue light in the corner of his eye. The system screen appeared with blood-red text flickering rapidly.

[Critical Warning: Weekend Billing Cycle Detected.]

[Deposit Target: $500,000.]

[Remaining Cash Balance: $350.]

[Time Remaining: 46 Hours.]

[Failure Consequence: The system will release digital identity protection. Fake evidence files regarding 'Embezzlement' will be sent to the Police servers. You will be arrested as a fugitive.]

Sean clenched his fist beneath the fabric of his expensive suit. This system was truly merciless. Not only was he trapped by a debt of $1,491,000, but he was also being held as a legal hostage for a crime he did not commit. He had to secure half a million dollars tonight in the middle of this party, or all the finery he wore now would turn into a prison uniform in short order.

"Sean? Are you daydreaming?" Isabella asked, touching the smooth sleeve of his jacket.

"Just thinking about how expensive the price of your victory tonight will be, Miss Moretti," Sean answered while regulating his breathing.

Isabella chuckled softly. "You are the most confident man I have ever met, Mr. Alexander!"

The car came to a halt right in front of the grand lobby of the Atlantis Hotel. As Sean stepped out and opened the door for Isabella, the flashes of paparazzi cameras struck them like a lightning storm. Sean walked with a straight back. The system’s cell regeneration treatment had erased every scar from his face, leaving his skin as smooth as porcelain yet undeniably masculine. He was truly unrecognizable with his new look and hairstyle.

Sean stepped inside, letting his Appraisal Eye Level 2 work aggressively. Now, he didn't just see the price of the clothes on those around him. Rows of secret text floated above the heads of the VIP guests in attendance.

[Target: Supreme Judge. Secret: Holds illegal gold deposits in an offshore bank.]

[Target: Director of the National Bank. Secret: Currently covering up a $200 million investment loss.]

Sean smiled coldly. Each of these secrets was a gold mine. Each secret was a way to get the $500,000 he needed to keep breathing.

They stepped into the gold-plated Grand Ballroom. There, in the middle of the toasting crowd, Viktor Vane stood looking immensely proud in a white suit, positioned next to Sophia Miller, who looked stunning yet fake with her diamond necklace.

"Mr. Vane, what a lavish party," Isabella’s voice interrupted Viktor’s conversation with his business associates.

Viktor turned with a triumphant smile. "Ah, Isabella! I’m glad you came to witness my good fortune. And who is this gentleman beside you? I didn't know the Moretti Group had started hiring bodyguards for social events."

Sophia turned as well, ready to cast the same disdainful look she usually reserved for Sean. However, the moment her eyes met Sean's, her body went rigid. The champagne glass in her hand tilted, nearly spilling.

That face. The structure of that face was strikingly similar to Sean Alexander. But this man possessed an aura that was so dominant, so clean, and looked so powerful. His once thin body now appeared more solid and filled out beneath the expensive suit.

"Allow me to introduce my business partner and personal antique consultant, Sean Alexander," Isabella said with a tone of pride.

The name hit Viktor like a sledgehammer. "Sean... Alexander?"

Viktor sharpened his gaze. Impossible. The man he had beaten last night should have been a frozen corpse in the trash of the back alley. The man in front of him had clear skin and an intimidating stare, a world away from the courier who had whimpered beneath his boots just hours ago.

'Ho—how is this possible? This must be wrong,' Viktor muttered, his face starting to tense up.

Sean stepped forward, closing the distance until he could see the pores of Viktor’s face beginning to leak cold sweat.

"Congratulations on your engagement, Mr. Vane. And to you as well, Miss Miller. That is a very beautiful necklace. Was it bought with the proceeds of extorting others?" Sean asked in a tone that was incredibly smooth yet poisonous.

Sean leaned his body toward Viktor’s ear, whispering in a voice that only the man could hear.

"It turns out the world is quite small, isn't it? Such a shame, that pile of trash last night wasn't warm enough to make me sleep forever."

CRASH!

The whiskey glass in Viktor’s hand slipped and shattered into pieces on the Carrara marble floor. The entire Ballroom suddenly fell into a deathly silence. Every eye turned toward Viktor, whose face was now deathly pale, while Sophia looked as if she might faint from sheer shock and terror.

Sean simply stood there, smiling calmly, as if the sound of the shattering glass was the most beautiful music he had ever heard in his life.

To be continued...