The Oracle Ruler

The Five Grand Martial Families.

The Shadow Mercenary Guild was one of the most feared and powerful secret organizations on Earth.

In the underground world, there was a saying:

“No matter how powerful you become, your limit will always be the walls of the Shadow Guild.”

They were not merely mercenaries.

They were the invisible guardians of the world.

Within the guild were elite assassins trained to erase targets without leaving a trace, battle warriors capable of fighting entire squads alone, IT prodigies who could infiltrate the most secure networks on Earth, and master weaponeers who built weapons decades ahead of modern technology.

Their headquarters was hidden deep within the A****n rainforest, in a region where satellites mysteriously malfunctioned and where ordinary humans could never reach.

To the outside world, this place simply did not exist.

Bradley stood in the middle of the massive base, surrounded by thousands of disciplined personnel.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“What exactly am I doing here?” Bradley asked, frowning at the middle-aged man standing before him.

The man’s aura was calm yet terrifying.

“Follow me to my office.”

Without waiting for a reply, the man turned and walked away.

Bradley sighed slightly before following him. As they walked through the base, Bradley felt extremely uncomfortable.

Not because of danger.

But because of attention.

Everyone was staring at him.

The female recruits looked at him with barely hidden excitement.

Bradley’s handsome face, tall figure, and refined aristocratic aura made him stand out like a diamond in a pile of stones.

Some of the girls whispered among themselves.

Others openly stared.

Meanwhile, the male recruits glared at him with obvious jealousy.

Their expressions clearly said:

Why does that guy look like that?

Bradley ignored them all.

His attention was focused elsewhere.

The deeper they walked into the base, the more impressed he became.

The buildings were constructed with materials he had never seen before.

Advanced holographic screens hovered in the air.

Combat drones occasionally flew overhead.

The technology here was far beyond anything used in the outside world.

Even the richest corporations on Earth would struggle to replicate half of it.

Impressive…

Bradley silently praised the creators of this place.

They soon arrived at a large office.

The middle-aged man entered first.

“Sit.”

Bradley calmly sat down across from him. While pretending to be relaxed, Bradley carefully observed the room.

Then his eyes suddenly froze.

On the wall was a framed photograph.

In it stood a young man with a confident smile.

Bradley recognized him instantly.

“…My father.”

The middle-aged man chuckled.

“You’re surprised to see your father’s picture here, aren’t you?”

Bradley nodded.

The man leaned back in his chair.

“Jacob Lane was once a student of this guild.”

His tone carried admiration.

“He was a genius… a true monster.”

“In our entire generation, no one could rival him.”

Bradley’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“If it weren’t for his obsession with making money,” the man continued, “he would be the one sitting in this chair today as the Patron of the Shadow Mercenary Guild.”

Bradley leaned back in his seat.

“Seems like there are a lot of things hidden from me.”

He then asked calmly,

“By the way… what exactly is this institution?”

The Patron smiled.

“There are indeed many things you don’t know.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“Tell me, Bradley.”

“Have you ever heard of the Five Grand Martial Families?”

Bradley frowned.

“The Five Grand Martial Families?”

The Patron nodded.

“They are the true rulers of the underground world.”

His voice became serious.

“This world is not as simple as you think.”

“Cultivators exist.”

“Hidden powers exist.”

“And the underground world must be controlled… otherwise chaos would destroy civilization.”

He paused briefly.

“That is why the Five Grand Martial Families created this guild.”

“To maintain balance.”

“To train elite agents.”

“To eliminate threats before they reach the surface world.”

“To ensure that ordinary humans never discover the truth about cultivation.”

Bradley finally understood something.

At that moment, he felt like a frog sitting at the bottom of a well.

All his life, he had been proud of being the richest young man in the world.

But compared to this hidden reality, his knowledge was laughably small.

“Who are the Five Grand Martial Families?” Bradley asked.

The Patron slowly stood up and walked toward the window.

“The most powerful family…”

He turned around.

“…is the Lane Family.”

Bradley blinked.

“The family that secretly rules the United States.”

Bradley immediately frowned.

“Hold on.”

“What do you mean my family rules America?”

“Do you know that statement alone could get you prosecuted?”

The Patron burst out laughing.

“Hahaha!”

“Boy… the President you see on television is merely the public ruler.”

He lowered his voice.

“But the true ruler behind the curtain…”

“…is your family.”

He continued calmly.

“When your father meets the President privately…”

“The President greets him with respect.”

“If the Lane Family wishes America to enter a war…”

“It would only take a single word.”

Bradley was stunned.

At that moment,

Leonora’s voice echoed in his mind.

[He is telling the truth.

Your family is extremely powerful. Not only in this realm…

But also in the realms above.]

Bradley slowly exhaled.

“…Seems I have a lot of homework to do.”

Then he looked up again.

“What about the other four families?”

The Patron nodded.

“The second family is the Windsor Family in the United Kingdom.”

“They are not merely the royal family…”

“They are the true rulers of Britain.”

“The third is the Romanov Family.”

Bradley immediately interrupted.

“Wait… didn’t the Romanov dynasty disappear long ago?”

The Patron smiled knowingly.

“Yes.”

“That’s what the world believes.”

“But many truths are hidden from

history.”

Bradley nodded slowly.

“The fourth family is the House of Saud, rulers of Saudi Arabia.”

“And the fifth…”

“The Zhong Family of China.”

The Patron’s voice became heavy.

“Each of these families possesses power capable of shaking the entire world.”

“People think they are simply wealthy and influential…”

“But in reality…”

“They are far more terrifying than anyone can imagine.”

Bradley remained silent.

He hated ignorance.

And today he realized how ignorant he truly was.

But he silently made a promise.

I will learn everything.

The Patron suddenly clapped his hands.

“Alright..Let’s return to the reason you are here.”

Bradley looked up.

“Your grandfather, who was once a Patron of this guild, gave me strict orders. He wants you to undergo every single training program here. You will not leave this place until you become at least a Peak Stage Level 3 Body Refiner. You must also pass every trial assigned to you.”

Bradley forced a small smile.

“So basically… prison.”

The Patron smirked.

“And one more thing. You will receive no special privileges because you are a Lane. You will be treated exactly like every other recruit.”

Bradley sighed and nodded.

“I understand.”

The Patron then tossed a small metallic key across the table.

“Your identity as the heir of the Lane Empire must remain secret. There are other members of the Five Families training here. They believe their noble identities make them superior. That arrogance is exactly what ruins their progress.”

He looked directly into Bradley’s eyes.

“Here… you are just another recruit.”

Bradley caught the key. This opens your locker and your dormitory.”

Bradley stood up.

Without another word, he walked out of the office.

As the door closed behind him, a faint smile appeared on his face.

“The Five Grand Martial Families…”

He looked toward the massive training fields outside.

“It seems this place is going to be very interesting.”

And somewhere deep in his mind,

Leonora quietly said:

[First System Mission Incoming…]