WHEN THEY ALL LAUNCHED I BECAME THEIR GOD

Chapter 8

Immediately Maxwell's jaw clenched so hard he thought his teeth might crack.

He couldn't believe this. Couldn't believe Darlington had the audacity to walk in here and ask for the assignment that had just been given to him to not five minutes ago. Yes, they were rivals. Yes, they'd competed their entire lives. But to request this task, to try to take it from him when the patriarch had already made his decision it was a slap in the face.

If the patriarch took the assignment away from Maxwell and gave it to Darlington instead, Maxwell would be humiliated in front of the entire family. His authority would be undermined. His position would be weakened. Everything he'd worked to build would crumble.

He couldn't let that happen.

Maxwell cleared his throat and spoke before the patriarch could respond. 

“I'm afraid that's not going to be possible.” His voice came out steady, controlled, even though rage was burning in his chest. 

“I've already been given sole authority to find the God of Acupuncture. And I won't fail.” He looked directly at Darlington. “Whatever I put my mind to, I succeed. You know that.”

Darlington's expression didn't change. He didn't look angry or disappointed or even surprised. He just turned those cool, assessing eyes on Maxwell and tilted his head slightly.

No, Maxwell,” Darlington said quietly. “This isn't about you.”

The words hung in the air.

“This is far bigger than you. Far bigger than me.” Darlington's gaze swept across the chamber, taking in all the assembled family members. “This is about our future. This is about the clan the entire family. This isn't about one person.”

Maxwell's jaw tightened even more, the muscles jumping beneath his skin as he heard what Darlington just said. But Darlington didn't stop. He didn't even pause. He continued, his voice calm and measured, designed to sound reasonable to everyone listening.

“We all know how careless Maxwell can be.” Darlington's eyes swept across the chamber, making sure everyone heard him clearly. “Yes, we all know how careless he can be. And we cannot afford to make mistakes in a situation like this.” He gestured toward the patriarch. 

“We own the resonance stone. That's why we've been able to know that the God of Acupuncture has awakened. We have the advantage right now the only advantage.”

He paused, letting that sink in.

“But if the other families hear even a rumor about this, they'll start searching too. The Harrison family, the Chen clan, the Westbrook syndicate they all have their own networks, their own resources. Once word gets out, we lose our edge.” Darlington's voice grew more urgent. 

“Right now, we have the clear upper hand. We need to use it quickly. We need to move fast and decisively. There's no room for slacking behind. No room for mistakes.”

Maxwell's fists clenched at his sides so hard his knuckles went white. His whole body was rigid with barely contained fury. He could feel eyes on him family members watching, judging, comparing him to Darlington just like they always did.

He couldn't stay silent. Couldn't let Darlington undermine him like this in front of everyone.

“Are you trying to say I'm incompetent?” Maxwell's voice came out low and dangerous.

Darlington turned to face him fully, and there wasn't even a hint of apology in his expression. 

“Well, that's how it's sounding.” He shrugged slightly. 

“And I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking it. Many people here are literally thinking the same thing.”

More whispers rippled through the chamber. Some people nodded. Others looked uncomfortable. But nobody spoke up to defend Maxwell.

That silence cut deeper than any words could have.

Maxwell stood up from his kneeling position, his movements sharp and controlled. He walked closer to Darlington, closing the distance between them until they were nearly face to face. 

“You think you're better than me? You think you can just waltz in here and take what's mine?”

“I think I can succeed where you might fail,” Darlington replied calmly. “That's all that matters.”

At that moment Maxwell's hand started to rise whether to shove Darlington or grab him by the collar, he wasn't sure. But before he could make contact, the patriarch's voice cracked through the chamber like a whip.

“Cut off this nonsense! Both of you!”

Maxwell froze. Darlington went still.

The patriarch rose from his chair slowly, his ancient frame somehow still commanding despite his age. His eyes swept over both of them with cold disapproval. 

“This is exactly the kind of childish rivalry that weakens this family. You think our enemies care about your petty competition? You think the Harrison family or the Chen clan are sitting around arguing about who gets to search? No. They're organized. They're focused. They're unified.”

Both Maxwell and Darlington lowered their heads, chastened.

The patriarch was silent for a long moment, clearly thinking. Then he spoke, his tone decisive. 

“The job has been given to Maxwell. I made that decision before you arrived, Darlington, and I stand by it.”

Maxwell felt a surge of relief—

“However,” the patriarch continued, and that single word made Maxwell's stomach drop again, “because of the urgency of the situation, and because Darlington has raised valid concerns about timing, I'm imposing a deadline.”

He pointed at Maxwell. “You have forty-eight hours. Not a minute more. Forty-eight hours to locate and make contact with the awakened God of Acupuncture. If you cannot do it in that time—” He turned to Darlington. “—then you will take over the search from there.”

Darlington nodded immediately, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Thank you, Grandfather. That's more than fair.”

Maxwell wanted to scream. Forty-eight hours? To find one person in a city of millions with almost no leads? It was nearly impossible. The patriarch knew it. Darlington knew it. Everyone in this chamber knew it.

This wasn't a fair chance. This was setting him up to fail so Darlington could swoop in and save the day.

But Maxwell couldn't say that. Couldn't argue. Not without looking weak, not without seeming like he was making excuses before he'd even started.

So he bowed his head and said through gritted teeth, “I understand, Grandfather. Forty-eight hours. I won't need more than that.”

“Good.” The patriarch sat back down. “Then get started. Every second you waste standing here is a second you could be searching.”

Maxwell turned to leave, his mind already racing through possibilities, strategies, places to start—

That was when Darlington's voice cut through his thoughts.

“Wait. Before you go.” Darlington's tone had shifted, becoming curious rather than challenging. “Who is she?”

Maxwell stopped and turned back. Darlington wasn't looking at him anymore. His eyes had moved past Maxwell to where Megan stood near the back of the chamber, trying to make herself invisible.

Darlington walked a few steps closer to her, his head tilted slightly as he studied her. 

“I don't recognize her face. She's not family.” His gaze sharpened. “So who is she?”