War God: Revenge of Trash Ex-Son-in-Law

CHAPTER 3

Raymond stepped out of the main lobby of Bellevue Hospital. He was only wearing a plain black T-shirt and faded jeans—the only clothes left inside his old backpack. Around him, people hurried past, indifferent to the figure of the young man who had just risen from the brink of death.

The man stopped near the East 26th Street bus stop. He glanced at the bluish bruise on his left wrist from last night’s collision. The cheap watch Chloe gave me is already destroyed, he thought as he curled his lips into a bitter smile filled with irony.

Suddenly, a pitch-black sedan with tinted windows slowed down and stopped right in front of him. The driver’s door opened quickly. A sturdy middle-aged man stepped out with swift movements. The man wore a black suit without any rank insignia, yet the aura of firmness could not be hidden from the lines on his face filled with old scars.

He was Yudha Negara. In this mortal world, he was known as a three-star Pentagon general. However, within the ancient memories that had only awakened seven percent inside Raymond’s mind, Yudha was his loyal commander on the Altar Battlefield thousands of years ago.

Thud!

Ignoring the stares of the people at the bus stop, the great general immediately knelt on one knee on the sidewalk. He lowered his head deeply before Raymond.

“Your servant... Commander Yudha, greets Your Supreme Majesty!” Yudha’s voice trembled as he struggled to contain his emotions after his long search.

Raymond was not surprised. “Rise, Yudha. This is New York, not the Altar Battlefield. There are too many eyes for ancient ceremonies like this.”

Yudha immediately stood upright. His face, usually as cold as ice, was now filled with reverence and restrained fury. “Three years ago, I thought I had lost you forever, Your Majesty. I deliberately established the Altar Logistics network solely to search for your whereabouts. Why... why were you living in such a miserable place in such a frail condition?”

Raymond calmly walked toward the car. Yudha swiftly opened the rear passenger door for him.

“My soul was sealed by Earth’s natural laws, causing me to lose my memories and live as an obedient son-in-law,” Raymond said flatly as he entered the warm cabin of the car. “But last night, a rich bastard named Julian Vance shattered that seal with the front of his car.”

Bang!

Yudha closed the door before immediately sitting behind the steering wheel. Through the rearview mirror, the old general’s eyes glowed red with fury. “Julian Vance? The crown prince of Vance Corporation? Give me two hours, Your Majesty. I’ll deploy troops to flatten their residence and drag that brat’s head before you!”

Raymond leaned his back against the soft leather seat. He stared at his own palm.

“Do not use military force, Yudha. That would be far too cheap for the downfall of such an arrogant dynasty,” Raymond said calmly yet coldly. “They took my dignity using money and mortal power. Therefore, I will destroy them on the very same stage.”

Yudha took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions. “I understand. Then, what are your next orders? Tonight, the Miller family and Vance Corporation will hold an exclusive banquet to celebrate their stock merger.”

Raymond looked out the window, staring at the rows of skyscrapers with eyes as cold as ice. “I need a clean new identity to move around this city. Prepare decent clothes, and let Altar Logistics begin slowly cutting off the Miller family’s business lifeline from behind the scenes.”

“Understood, Your Majesty. All your needs are absolute orders,” Yudha replied as he pressed the gas pedal.

Raymond tapped the glass divider with his index finger, cutting through the silence. “One more thing, Yudha. Starting from this second, keep my true identity completely secret. Not a single person in this world must know who I really am.”

Yudha froze for a moment, staring into the rearview mirror. “But Your Majesty, with your current power—”

“Listen,” Raymond interrupted firmly. “Do not bring up titles like dynasty, ‘Your Majesty,’ or any other ancient honorifics. We live in the modern era now. Speak like ordinary people. If you accidentally address me like that in public, it will only attract the attention of old enemies from the Upper World.”

Hearing that explanation, Yudha immediately realized his carelessness. He swallowed hard before nodding in understanding. “Understood, I-m... I mean, understood, Raymond. I get it. From now on, I’ll call you by your current name. The Altar Logistics network will also seal all of your personal information.”

Raymond crossed his legs, staring out the window with an unreadable gaze. Being disappointed and betrayed by Chloe for three years had instead forged his mentality into something far crueler.

“Good. I need room to move freely without being tied to the status of my past,” Raymond said, his voice lowering with intimidation. “Let my ex-wife and the world believe I’m nothing more than a beggar lucky enough to survive. I want to see how high they climb before they finally fall into the abyss I dig for them.”

Yudha smiled faintly, beginning to understand the emotional tactics his superior was playing. “Understood, Boss. Your new clothes and civilian cover identity will be ready within an hour. After that, the stage of New York will belong entirely to you.”