Refusing to back down, Dax stepped closer, chest puffed up like he was compensating for something, probably his height. Frankly, his face was the real issue.

My guards instinctively stepped back, which only fed his swelling ego.

Typical mob-thug energy—loud, reckless, and completely forgettable, the kind of character I tend to roll my eyes at when watching anime.

But at the same time, I couldn't help thinking I was paying my guards for decoration. They were about as useful as a screen door on a submarine, good for show, terrible when it actually mattered.

"It's not wise to talk to us like that, Mr. Mercer. You don't want to join your father too soon," he warned while still maintaining his arrogant tone.

They all laughed, thinking they found the soft spot, the magic button that would make me snap.

I leaned in just slightly, close enough for him to see just how much shit I cared about Daniel. Which was nothing.

"You actually go around threatening people who could buy you and your entire guild twice over?" I shot back. "What is this—a revenge fantasy to the rich? Born dirt poor and now trying to feel important? Newsflash: money still matters. You just don't have any."

I reached into my side pocket, pulled out a fat stack of cash, and tossed it at them.

"Keep the change. Buy some clothes, buy some manners—whatever helps you look less pathetic."

"You!" Dax snarled, snapping his hand forward, but one of his own guys yanked him back by the shoulder before he could make contact.

"Not here," the guy hissed under his breath. "Cameras everywhere."

Dax froze, jaw tight, the threads on his wrist trembling like they wanted blood even if he couldn't spill it.

The guy who stopped him, about the same height as me and dressed in browns and muted tones, stepped forward and took over the conversation.

"Mr. Mercer, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I apologize for my friend's behavior. Tell me the price you want for the building, and perhaps we can work something out."

"Ten billion," I declared with bluntly.

Their expressions contorted, disbelief and fury clashing in a single, silent gaze.

"Mr. Mercer, please, don't insult us. That's an outrageous amount," the man in browns said, trying to keep his cool.

"Well, you asked me. So I answered. You know how inflation works these days, don't you?" I added with a smirk.

"Do you really want to go up against our guild? I don't think our guild master would be too pleased that you did not give him some face."

I tugged my necktie into place, taking my time answer.

"Only an idiot wouldn't get the hint—I'm practically spelling it out for you. I don't give a shit about your guild master or whoever feeds you."

"You'll regret this," Dax said, his voice shaking. He couldn't hide how upset he was. It felt too personal, like he had a grudge against me rather than just following an order.

Honestly, that just made mocking him even more fun. I've always enjoyed putting arrogant people in their place—especially when they turned out to be some dramatic background character I barely knew, yet somehow thought they mattered to me.

"You wish. I've got enemies worth a hundred of you. I won't lose sleep over a side character. Get the hell out of my sight if all you can do is yap."

I waved them off like a pack of stray dogs, then headed back to the car.

VROOOM!

Our convoy quickly left the place, and Amanda looked at me with a concerned look.

All my guards were on edge as well—and I couldn't blame them. Most had military backgrounds, but none were Seekers. Against people like Dax, their training only went so far.

It made me wonder why Daniel never employed a Seeker. Was he just that confident no one would target him—or he simply underestimated how ugly things could get?

Either way, his lack of awareness was exactly why he ended up dead.

"Boss, I don't think this is a good idea at all," she could not hide the vibration in her voice.

She was right.

But actually, I noticed a meter appear in the corner of my vision while I was talking to that group. The more arrogant I acted and the more I frustrated them, the faster it filled.

If I pushed it to the max, the avatar card I'd get would probably outclass anything I ever earned. High risk, high reward.

"I can handle it. Even if that mythical guild is a Tier One, they're just planting their feet in this city. Besides, I've got my own set of friends who can back me up," I reassured her.

She nodded, no longer in the mood to ask more questions.

I turned my gaze toward the window, watching the convoy snake its way through the busy street below, engines humming and tires kicking up dust.

Suddenly, a strange chill ran over my skin, every hair standing on end. Instinctively, I began circulating my Qi, feeling the change in temperature ripple through me.

BOOOM!

The car in front of us blew sky-high, a towering fireball shredding metal and glass, shaking our own car like it was a toy.

Before my brain could catch up, a second explosion ripped through the street, echoing like thunder.

BOOOM!

"Shit!" I cursed, slamming my hands down and unleashing a swirling dome of shadows around Amanda and me, the darkness folding and twisting into an armor.

Then—BAM!—our car exploded in a searing blaze. Flames shot skyward, metal screamed and twisted, and the heat hammered against my shadows, testing their limits.

Taking a deep breath, I channeled my Qi into shadow energy, reinforcing the dome just enough to withstand the initial blast.

Once the heat dissipated, I carved a narrow slit in the black surface, just enough to see through.

'Have those idiots completely lost it? An assassination attempt…in broad daylight?'

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Authors Note:

Bonus 1/6.

Starting now, I'll aim to post three chapters a day until this backlog is cleared.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.