’How?! How?!! How?!!! How did he know!!!!’ Wade’s complexion turned deathly pale. The confidence he had struggled to maintain shattered completely.
His fingers trembled uncontrollably against the tabletop.
Across from him, the young woman sensed the dramatic shift in atmosphere.
"Sir Wade..." She forced an awkward smile as she stood. "I’ll... leave you two to talk."
Without waiting for a response, she hurried toward the restroom, eager to distance herself from whatever was unfolding.
Only after she disappeared did Wade slowly look back at Aiden.
His voice trembled; "...Who are you?"
Aiden leaned comfortably against his chair, as relaxed as though he owned the restaurant.
"It doesn’t matter who I am. What matters...is that I know enough to make your family’s empire collapse overnight. And I assure you... What I know is only the tip of the iceberg."
Wade swallowed hard. For the first time in years, genuine fear crept into his eyes.
Aiden casually glanced at the time displayed on his personal terminal.
[9:41:22 PM]
Two hours and eighteen minutes remained before Eclipse Online descended upon reality. Every second mattered. He looked back at Wade.
"My time is valuable. I’ll keep this simple."
"I have two conditions."
"Five million Universal Points."
"And the keys to your modified Rezvani."
The words were spoken as naturally as if he were ordering lunch.
Wade’s eyes widened. "Five million?"
"And my Rezvani?" He nearly lurched out of his chair.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"That’s my favorite car!"
Aiden raised an eyebrow. A faint trace of amusement appeared in his eyes.
"You say that... as even though I’m trying to be reasonable." He tapped the table once. "Compared to what your family stands to lose... This is pocket change."
Then his expression turned completely cold. "I’ll give you thirty seconds."
"When they’re up, everything I know will reach the relevant authorities, your competitors, and every major media outlet."
"You can choose to believe I’m bluffing."
Aiden fell silent. He turned his gaze toward the panoramic windows overlooking the bustling city.
Outside, traffic flowed as usual. People laughed. Buildings shimmered beneath the afternoon sun.
No one realized the world had less than a few hours hours left. Behind him, his fingers tapped lightly against the tabletop.
Tap!
Tap!!
Tap!!!
Each quiet sound echoed like a countdown inside Wade’s mind. Seconds stretched into an eternity. His breathing grew heavier.
The last sliver of hope vanished from his eyes. He couldn’t risk it.
Not when the man before him knew secrets that should have been impossible to uncover.
"...Fine."
The word escaped him like a defeated sigh. His shoulders slumped. "I’ll do it."
"The account..."
"I’ll transfer the money."
"And the Rezvani... It’s parked downstairs." For the first time since Aiden had sat down, Wade Sloan looked utterly broken.
He quickly accessed his personal terminal and authorized the transfer. His fingers trembled slightly, less from fear than from suppressed anger.
Aiden Cross calmly entered an anonymous account number, one prepared and layered through multiple encryption channels long ago.
A moment later...
[Ding!]
[5,000,000 Universal Points have been received.]
The notification chimed softly. The funds had been transferred. And he Instantly confirmed it...
At the same time, Wade Sloan pushed forward a heavy car key engraved with a beast-fang emblem. His face was pale, his eyes filled with resentment he no longer dared to express aloud.
Aiden picked it up. ’Such Solid, weighted, and high-quality craftsmanship... This is their latest release huh...’
The key belonged to a Rezvani off-road vehicle, a machine known for its reinforced chassis, extreme durability, and superior off-road adaptability. In the early days of the apocalypse, when roads collapsed and order vanished, it would be far more valuable than any luxury supercar.
"Good." Aiden stood, his gaze lowered slightly toward Wade Sloan.
"Remember this. You never saw me today."
A brief pause.
"And if I hear even a rumor afterward..."
The atmosphere shifted. For a split second, an invisible pressure descended.
A faint killing intent, refined through years of surviving slaughter in his previous life, slipped out unconsciously.
It was not loud or exaggerated. His gaze looked calm to any outside observer but to Wade it felt like being stared at by something far beyond human.
Wade Sloan’s breath hitched. His body stiffened.
Cold sweat broke out across his back as instinct screamed at him to submit.
He could only nod repeatedly, unable to form words.
Aiden withdrew the pressure just as suddenly as it appeared.
Without another glance, he turned away. Around him, the restaurant remained unchanged.
Crystal glasses clinked. Soft music played. Elegant laughter continued beneath warm lighting.
No one noticed that a transaction capable of altering lives had just concluded in complete silence.
Moments later, Aiden stepped into the elevator. The descent was smooth and silent.
By the time he reached the B3 parking level, the city above already felt distant, like another world entirely.
There, waiting in the dimly lit garage, sat the Rezvani.
Matte black, heavy and predatory looking, this was the the no 1 off-road Car, the rezvani had rebranded their company icons to a beast fang after dominating the market for a while...
It was a machine that looked less like a vehicle and more like a weapon.
Aiden opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. The interior was utilitarian and aggressive, filled with reinforced controls and performance displays designed for extreme conditions.
He inserted the key and turned it.
RUMBLE!
The engine awakened with a deep, controlled roar that echoed through the parking structure like a beast stretching after a long slumber. Aiden glanced at his terminal.
[9:49:05 AM]
Funds secured, vehicle obtained, and he had done all that in fifteen minutes.
That was clean, efficient, bloodless and mundane out of place from the methods this world would shift too soon. Yet his expression remained unchanged.
There was no satisfaction in his eyes, only cold calculation, as though he had merely checked off the first item on a much longer list.
"This is only the beginning."
The real advantages had not yet been taken. The most important opportunities were still ahead.
He pressed the accelerator. The Rezvani surged forward, tires gripping the ground as the armored machine shot out of the parking space.
Above, the city remained bright and alive, still clinging to its illusion of peace.
Outside the window, streets blurred into streaks of light. Buildings drifted past like fading memories.
Aiden’s gaze stayed fixed ahead. The hound had awakened. The fangs were ready. And the hunt, had officially begun.