2026-01-16 18:13:58Warren escorted Marcus out of the station, their footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. The air outside was cooler, cleaner. Marcus breathed it in, letting it wash away the stale smell of the holding cell.
"Mr. Hayes."
Warren's voice was quiet, almost hesitant. Marcus looked at him.
"I apologize again for what happened today. It was inexcusable."
Marcus nodded but said nothing. There wasn't much to say. Warren had already bowed, already shown his remorse. Words were just words after that.
They reached the car, a simple black sedan parked at the curb. Warren opened the door but didn't gesture for Marcus to get in yet.
"Mr. Chen organized something for you tonight."
"Raymond Chen?" Marcus asked.
"Yes. He's arranged a gathering. A party at the Grand Meridian Hotel."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. A party. The last thing he felt like doing was socializing.
Warren seemed to read his expression. "It's not what you think. It's a public event, yes, but the real purpose is different."
He glanced around, making sure no one was listening.
"The public won't know who the VIP is until the announcement. But the people who matter, the people who were loyal to your father, they'll be there. People you can trust in the business world."
Marcus absorbed this slowly. His father's allies. People who'd stood by him, or at least hadn't betrayed him when everything fell apart.
"The invitation has already been sent to select individuals," Warren continued. "7 PM tonight."
He gestured to the car. "Mr. Chen's people will prepare you. They'll pick you up at 5."
Marcus slid into the back seat. The leather was soft, the car immaculate. Warren closed the door carefully, almost reverently.
Through the window, Marcus watched him step back. Warren stood there as the car pulled away, his face still showing traces of disbelief.
The man had bowed to a messenger.
Marcus looked away.
*******
The establishment was upscale but not flashy. Quiet elegance, the kind of place that didn't need to announce itself.
Staff greeted Marcus with professional smiles and guided him to a private room. A barber waited, tools laid out precisely. A tailor stood nearby with fabrics draped over his arm.
"Mr. Hayes, please sit."
The barber's hands were skilled, efficient. The scissors moved quickly, shaping, trimming, transforming. Marcus watched in the mirror as his overgrown hair fell away, as his unkempt beard was shaped into something clean and sharp.
He remembered the cheap haircuts. The ones he gave himself in the bathroom mirror with dull scissors, trying to look presentable enough for work. Trying and failing.
The tailor stepped forward next, measuring, pinning, adjusting. The suit was quality, not excessive, but well made. The kind of thing a successful businessman would wear without trying too hard.
The shoes came last. Polished leather, fitted perfectly. No flapping sole. No worn heels.
Marcus looked down at them and thought of the interns laughing. Thought of Derek's voice. "Did you fish those out of a dumpster?"
The staff moved around him, final touches. Cologne, subtle and expensive. A watch, simple but elegant.
"Mr. Hayes, if you'll look here."
Marcus turned to the full length mirror.
The man staring back at him was a stranger.
Clean. Polished. Respectable.
Not luxury flashy, just refined. Like someone who belonged in boardrooms and business dinners. Like someone who'd always had money.
He thought of Vanessa. Her obsession with appearances, with status, with being seen with the right people.
She'd wanted this version of him.
And now she'd never have it.
The satisfaction was cold and small, but it was there.
*******
The car dropped Marcus at the end of the street, just as he'd requested. He wanted to walk the last block, to clear his head, to settle the nerves that had started creeping in.
The evening air was cool. City sounds surrounded him, distant traffic, conversations from open restaurant doors, the rhythm of a place alive and moving.
He reached the Grand Meridian Hotel. No red carpet. No photographers. Just a doorman in uniform who opened the door with a polite nod.
"Good evening, sir."
Marcus stepped inside.
The lobby was elegant, all marble and soft lighting. He followed the signs toward the ballroom, his new shoes silent on the polished floor.
The ballroom doors were open. Music drifted out, soft and live. Conversations hummed beneath it.
Marcus stepped inside.
Chandeliers hung overhead, crystal catching the light. The crowd was well dressed, champagne glasses in hand, faces animated with conversation. Corporate types, business professionals, the kind of people who made deals over drinks and called it networking.
Nobody turned when he entered.
Nobody noticed him at all.
He was just another guest. Anonymous in a room full of strangers.
Marcus scanned the crowd, looking for Raymond. He spotted him across the room, standing with a group of older men, all of them deep in conversation.
A waiter passed with a tray of champagne. Marcus took a glass but didn't drink. Just held it, something to do with his hands.
He observed the room. The social games, the practiced laughs, the way people positioned themselves near anyone important. It was a performance, and everyone knew their role.
A ripple of attention moved through the room.
Conversations paused, just slightly. Heads turned toward the entrance.
Marcus followed their gaze.
Victor and Vanessa walked in like they owned the world.
Victor's suit was designer, cut perfectly to his frame. His watch caught the light, expensive and deliberate. Every inch of him screamed success.
Vanessa was stunning. Her dress clung to her in all the right places, the fabric shimmering as she moved. Diamonds glittered at her neck, her ears, her wrist. Her hair was styled to perfection, makeup flawless.
They moved together, synchronized. His hand on her lower back, possessive. Her smile radiant, confident.
The perfect power couple.
People watched them. Whispered.
"That's Victor Langford, the CEO."
"His girlfriend is gorgeous."
"Look at those diamonds."
Victor and Vanessa basked in it. They floated through the room with the kind of pride that came from being admired, from being envied, from being seen.
Vanessa's eyes swept the crowd, her smile bright and practiced. Looking for the next important person to charm, the next connection to make.
Her gaze moved across the room.
And landed on Marcus.
The smile froze.
Went stale.
Like something had died behind her eyes.
Her steps faltered, just barely, but enough.
Victor felt her stiffen. "What's wrong?"
He followed her gaze.
Saw Marcus standing there, champagne glass in hand, looking back at them.
Victor's face drained of color. The confident expression cracked, crumbled. His champagne glass trembled in his hand.
Both of them froze mid stride.
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Chapter 216
The next day.Aldrian sat in his room, a cauldron placed in front of him. After returning from the Alchemist Association headquarters, he had delved deeper into his knowledge of alchemy. He purchased advanced books on alchemy, the most expensive cauldron available in their store, and ingredients for concocting pills. All of these purchases were but a drop of water in the ocean of his wealth, so he spared no expense.Just as he had done when learning blacksmithing, he was eager to practice his concoction skills. Inside his luxurious room, he had already created formations identical to those in the Alchemist Association’s concoction room. Anyone passing by his room would neither smell nor sense anything unusual.Aldrian seemed lost in his own world as he immersed himself in practice, already having produced several pills using new recipes. He resembled a child with a new toy, his enthusiasm for learning alchemy reaching new heights. After several hours, he finally stepped out of his roo
Chapter 215
The young man kept walking but glanced at the old man for a split second before saying,"Yes, elder brother is still on the frontlines. He is in Karak now, inspecting the remnants of the battle. The simultaneous appearance of the Wrath Devil and an Emperor-stage Hydra is no simple matter, so father has asked him to stay there for some time, just in case something happens."This young man was none other than Alderia Doria, the second prince of the Doria Empire."He is also there to investigate the sudden appearance of a golden light, which was revealed to be a technique—a powerful one at that. The problem is, we don’t know anything about the person who unleashed it. Is he a friend or a threat to the empire? We are still investigating whether this could also be one of the reasons the devils retreated. That said, with my elder brother’s instincts and sharp senses, I am confident he will uncover something," Alderia added."By the way, let’s put that aside for now, teacher. I must thank yo
Chapter 214
They emerged from the room under the watchful eyes of many onlookers. The three grandmaster alchemists had been inside the room for over three days, and this was the first time they had come out. Following them were a young man and a young woman, leaving the crowd wondering about their identities.The three grandmasters appeared to be escorting them as they made their way to the upper floor. Those who had previously seen Aldrian buying a beginner’s book felt as though they were dreaming. Who was this young man, that even the grandmasters of the association would personally escort him?Many people murmured among themselves, speculating about what had happened and questioning Aldrian’s identity to warrant the privilege of meeting with the three grandmasters of the Association. Ignoring the chatter, Aldrian and the others continued walking toward the topmost floor of the building. As Aldrian ascended, he observed the various sections on each floor, noticing that the higher floors held in
Chapter 213
After closing the door, Marco looked at Aldrian with a blank expression. He had just asked the receptionist who attended to Aldrian, and true to Aldrian’s words, he had indeed only purchased a cheap cauldron and a beginner’s book on alchemy. Marco had also contacted the registration department through a communication artifact, and they confirmed that there was no one named Aldrian Aster in their records.Did Aldrian come from another alchemist association? If they had someone like Aldrian, they would surely boast about it to the entire continent and make the Alchemist Association eat their dust. Aldrian’s mere appearance had already shifted the balance of power among the alchemist groups on the continent. But even if Aldrian truly belonged to another association, what purpose could he have in joining the Alchemist Association? To steal recipes? No, with Aldrian’s capabilities, there would be no need to steal anything.He couldn’t make sense of the situation. Did Aldrian really achieve
Chapter 2120
"How did you do it? This kind of pill is unheard of—the purity, the smell, the energy it exudes—there’s nothing like other pills," Marco said as he took the pill, gazing at it as though inspecting a treasure. He then looked at Aldrian."May I consume it?"Before Aldrian could answer, someone had already entered the room."Damn it, Marco got here before us.""That old man is really fast."Two people entered through the door—a man and a woman of the same age as Marco. They walked inside and immediately glanced at the pills in Marco’s and Aldrian’s hands. They wore the same robes and badges, each adorned with 10 stars, signifying that they held the same status as Marco."Aberin Louise and Maria Valentina."Aldrian glanced at their information before answering Marco."Of course, senior. You can consume it. It’s only a supplement pill—I can make more if you need," Aldrian replied.Hearing his answer, the three alchemists widened their eyes in disbelief."This is a supplement pill? Not some
Chapter 211
After waiting for a while, Aldrian thought to himself."Let’s see if my Eyes of Heaven can work here like it did in blacksmithing."With that thought, a screen suddenly appeared before his eyes, displaying numbers, steps, and instructions to achieve the most perfect result."Good," he smiled. He was not surprised that his Eyes of Heaven could do this much, as it wasn’t all that different from creating an artifact.The screen displayed complete information: the precise temperature of the cauldron, the sequence in which the herbs needed to be added, and the methods he needed to use.After the cauldron’s heat reached the temperature indicated on the screen, he immediately picked up one of the herbs and placed it inside.Elaine, watching from the side, quickly realized from Aldrian’s movements that he had never handled a cauldron or anything related to alchemy before. His actions seemed rigid, unlike the fluid motions of the alchemists she had observed at the Association long ago.She won
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