The Mysterious Chairman Keith

Chapter 2

AWAKENING: LOST AND FOUND 

“Grrrrr~"

The pack of dogs lunged. Manuel barely moved but his body responded before his mind could think. One leg swept upward — a simple kick, instinctive and fluid.

A sonic crack split the air. The first dog was thrown backward as if hit by a car, bones snapping mid-air. The others froze, tails low, growls dying in their throats.

The force of his attack had broken the lock of the cage, leaving himself stunned.

Manuel stared at his own foot. The movement felt effortless, like breathing.

He turned and bolted, running without any direction in mind and the dogs chased after him as well.

His senses were heightened to an inhuman degree; he could even feel the vibration of the earth beneath his soles.

“What… what’s happening to me?” he whispered.

A flood of visions burst inside his head — movements, stances, strange breathing patterns, words in ancient languages. Cultivation methods, energy control, power that defied reason.

He gasped and grabbed his temples as memories not his own poured through him. Battles fought in misty mountains, men who split rivers with their fists, kings who ruled the world from the shadows.

When the torrent subsided, he dropped to one knee, chest heaving. He was drenched in sweat, but there was no pain — only clarity.

He wasn’t just alive. He was reborn.

Before he could process more, the night sky roared. Searchlights pierced the darkness. The rhythmic chopping of helicopter blades drew closer until several aircraft hovered above the junkyard.

A harsh wind whipped through the area. The dogs which had been chasing after him fled whimpering.

From one of the descending choppers, a woman stepped out, her boots crunching on gravel. She was tall, dressed in a tailored black suit that hugged her figure with military precision. Her hair was pale gold, tied in a tight bun, and her ice blue eyes scanned the area with predatory calm..

Two dozen armed men followed her, weapons slung across their chests. They moved with discipline, each one bowing slightly when Laura raised her hand.

Her gaze found Manuel immediately.

“So, it’s true,” she said, her voice smooth, clipped with authority. “The son of the King still breathes.”

Manuel’s instincts flared. “Who are you? What do you want?”

She took a few steps closer, her expression unreadable. “My name is Laura Ivanovich. I serve the Nightingale Group. We’ve been searching for you, Manuel Keith.”

He blinked, stunned. “Keith? My name is Manuel Reeves.”

Her lips curved slightly — not a smile, but something close. “That name was given to protect you. You were hidden after your father’s disappearance. The ring you wear… it’s your birthright. It recognized your blood and awakened tonight.”

Manuel’s mind reeled. “You’re saying my father—”

“—is alive,” she finished. “And waiting for you.”

He looked down at the glowing ring. His pulse quickened. The thought that somewhere out there, the man who had abandoned him at birth was alive. It twisted something deep inside.

“I don’t believe you,” he said quietly.

Laura tilted her head. “You don’t need to. But the Nightingale Group doesn’t send four helicopters for a corpse. Come with me, and you’ll see the truth.”

The soldiers stepped back as she gestured toward the nearest chopper.

Manuel hesitated. His instincts screamed not to trust her — yet the ring pulsed again, faintly, as if urging him forward.

He climbed aboard.

The ride was silent. City lights glittered below like scattered stars. Laura sat across from him, expression composed but watchful. Every so often, she’d glance at the ring.

“You’ve activated it early,” she murmured, almost to herself. “That wasn’t supposed to awaken until age twenty-five.”

Manuel frowned. “What is this ring?”

Her eyes flicked to his. “It’s not just a ring. It’s a seal — one that locks away your family’s power. When it breaks, the heir of the Keith bloodline inherits the Dragon Vein energy. That energy once ruled empires.”

He swallowed hard. “Why me? Why now?”

Laura’s gaze softened slightly. “Because your father is dying.”

The words hit him harder than he expected.

Before he could respond, the chopper began to descend. They landed on a rooftop — sleek, towering, overlooking the entire city.

NIGHTINGALE GROUP OF COMPANIES blazed across the building in gleaming silver letters.

As they stepped out, a line of men in suits stood waiting. They bowed as one. “Welcome home, Young Master Keith.”

Manuel froze. The weight of their reverence felt alien.

Through the crowd stepped a tall man in an immaculate black coat, his silver hair gleaming under the landing lights. His presence filled the space. It was calm, controlled, terrifying in its quiet power.

Dave Keith.

The moment their eyes met, Manuel felt something resonate, a faint echo of the same energy pulsing in his veins.

“Manuel,” the man said, voice deep, steady. “I knew the ring would help you.”

Manuel’s voice trembled. “You… you left me.”

Dave’s expression flickered — the smallest trace of guilt. “I had no choice. There was a war, one you couldn’t have survived as my son. You were hidden, your memories altered, your identity changed. But now… the world is shifting again.”

He stepped closer and placed a hand on Manuel’s shoulder. “You have my blood. My strength. You are my heir.”

Manuel stared at him. “Why tell me this now?”

“Because,” Dave said quietly, “you’re ready. And because I’m dying.”

Shock flooded Manuel’s face. He'd only just met his father and now, there revealed to him that the man was dying?

Dave continued, his tone like steel. “The Nightingale Group is collapsing under internal conflict. Enemies circle us like vultures. You are the only one who can lead it now.”

He turned slightly, gesturing toward Laura. “Laura will guide you. She’s my most trusted lieutenant, and your new chief of staff.”

Laura inclined her head slightly.

Manuel took a step back. “I’m not… I don’t even understand what’s happening. Yesterday I was a nobody. Today you tell me I’m heir to some empire?”

Dave chuckled faintly, though his eyes were tired. “The world doesn’t care what we understand, son. It only moves forward. You’ll learn quickly — power doesn’t wait.”

He reached into his coat and handed Manuel a sleek, obsidian-black card. “This holds access to every Nightingale account. Use it as you see fit. You’ll need it.”

Manuel hesitated, staring at the card.

Then Dave added softly, “Everything they took from you. From your dignity, your peace, even your life, take it back. And when you do, make them kneel.”

The air around them seemed to hum again, faint energy radiating from both father and son.

Laura’s voice broke the silence. “Sir, the board meeting is ready. Shall I escort the Young Master to the main hall?”

Dave nodded. “Yes. Let them see who their true successor is.”

Manuel took one last look at the man who was both a stranger and his father.

In that moment, beneath the gleaming skyscrapers and storm-lit clouds, Manuel understood something. The night he was betrayed hadn’t destroyed him, it had awakened something far greater.

The ring on his finger glowed faintly again, whispering like a heartbeat. He felt filled with power like never before.

And as Laura led him through the mirrored halls of Nightingale Tower, every step echoed with destiny.

He was no longer Manuel Reeves, the broken boy who gave everything for love. Even he found it hard to believe.