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

Chapter 5

The Manhattan afternoon sun was beginning to lean westward, casting long shadows from the skyscrapers onto the gray asphalt. Raymond walked along Fifth Avenue, ignoring the growling in his stomach after not eating anything since leaving the hospital. In his hand, a paper folder containing a daily job application form appeared slightly crumpled at the edges.

The system at the corner of his vision flickered softly.

[ Synchronization of the God of War Soul Core: 8% ]

[ Body Status: Mortal Energy Level Low. Nutritional Intake Recommended. ]

Raymond let out a short breath. Becoming a mortal human with only a small percentage of his power restored was proving to be rather troublesome. However, he had no intention of asking Yudha for financial help regarding personal matters such as food or a place to stay. To him, rebuilding this mortal body from zero was part of restoring the foundation of his strength.

His footsteps stopped in front of a daily labor agency office for the Brooklyn port and warehouse district. The office was stuffy, filled with the thick smell of cigarette smoke and instant coffee. Behind a cheap wooden receptionist desk, a bulky middle-aged man with faded tattoos on his arms stared at Raymond suspiciously.

The man tossed Raymond’s form back onto the desk. “Raymond? Just Raymond? Where’s your last name, kid? And what the hell is this... the Social Security Number column and your residential history for the last three years are blank?”

Raymond smiled casually, his face remaining calm without the slightest trace of panic. “I suffered amnesia three years ago because of an accident in Brooklyn. I don’t have complete documents right now, but I can do any kind of physical labor in a warehouse.”

Hearing Raymond’s words, the bulky man suddenly burst into loud laughter, a harsh laugh that caused several other job applicants in the room to turn around and smirk mockingly.

“Amnesia? You think this is some Hollywood drama movie, huh?!” the man slammed his hand on the desk, his voice rising with ridicule. “In New York, bastards without official identities only fall into two categories: illegal immigrants, or fugitives running from prison! And you actually dare walk into my office and apply for legal work with blank papers like these? Get out before I call immigration officers or the cops to drag you away!”

“Hey, look at that guy! His scam is ridiculously cheap!” shouted one muscular man from the corner of the room, followed by mocking laughter from the other applicants. “Go back under a bridge, Bum!”

Raymond responded to all the insults with nothing more than a calm, faint smile. In his mind, he knew exactly why this was happening. The new civilian identity being prepared by Yudha’s intelligence network had not yet been fully completed or entered into New York’s public system. Yudha needed time to completely erase the traces of “Raymond, the Miller family’s son-in-law” so it would not attract suspicion from hostile factions of the Upper World that might be monitoring identity networks. So for now, by mortal law, Raymond truly had no valid background.

For a God of War who had once commanded millions of troops, the insults of these rough workers were nothing more than the buzzing of flies in the summer heat. There was no reason to dirty his hands in a place this insignificant.

Just as Raymond turned around to leave the suffocating office, the sound of rhythmic, crisp applause echoed from the entrance.

Clap... clap... clap...

“Very impressive, Raymond. I didn’t know you’d changed professions and become a street comedian now,” the mocking voice sounded extremely familiar.

Chloe Miller stood in the doorway, leaning elegantly against the wooden frame with a victorious smile perfectly stretched across her lips. Behind her, two personal bodyguards of the Miller family stood at a distance, while Evelyn chose to wait inside the Mercedes parked along the roadside. Apparently, after finishing their business meeting, Chloe had deliberately ordered her driver to follow Raymond just to see how miserable her ex-husband’s life had become after being thrown out.

The bulky man behind the receptionist desk immediately changed his expression into one of friendliness and respect upon seeing Chloe’s luxurious appearance. “Ma’am, is this unidentified man bothering you?”

“Oh, no. He’s not bothering me,” Chloe walked closer to Raymond, staring at the crumpled folder in his hand with overwhelming satisfaction in her eyes. “He’s just my former servant who was recently fired because he couldn’t do his job properly. I never expected that after leaving the Miller house, you wouldn’t even have enough dignity left to get a simple daily labor job.”

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her chin arrogantly, savoring every second of the moment where she could see Raymond at his absolute lowest point. Her applause earlier had been a celebration of her decision to throw Raymond out last night.

“Raymond, look at yourself now,” Chloe whispered, her voice dripping with poisonous contempt. “Without the Miller name behind you, you’re nothing more than a speck of dust in New York. No identity, no money, and not a single place in this city willing to shelter a useless man like you. Do you regret lying to me now about those photos in Queens?”

Raymond looked at Chloe, allowing the woman to enjoy her illusion of victory. The smile on Raymond’s face only widened further, a smile that somehow made the hairs on the back of Chloe’s neck suddenly stand up, ruining the satisfaction she had just felt.

“Regret?” Raymond casually dropped the crumpled paper folder into the trash bin beside the receptionist desk. “Chloe, the identity papers you glorify so much in this world... within the next few days, they won’t be able to save Miller Group from destruction. Enjoy your laughter this afternoon, because tomorrow, you won’t even have the strength left to cry.”

“You—” Chloe was about to curse at him, but Raymond had already walked past her, leaving behind a cold masculine scent and an oppressive aura that suddenly made the suffocating room feel frozen.