[Oh my! Real-life young master syndro! I wonder if when this guy loses, he’ll summon his ancestors for you to beat up too? Atherna comnted excitedly.
{Ugh... just go back to your ani-watching spree, please. Thinking about that actually happening is enough to give an aneurysm.} Maximilian let out an internal sigh at Atherna’s antics.
[Don’t mind if I do. (≧▽≦)]
{Wait... does this an you have so kind of entertainnt room with internet access inside my head!? And it’s sohow connected to our old world’s internet!? I’m so jealous!}
[He heeee (´～｀)] Atherna humd smugly.
While Maximilian was ntally chatting with Atherna, the situation outside took a turn for the worse. The gate blocking the corridor opened again, revealing a group of corporate soldiers with rifles raised and aid at them.
Switch was caught off guard. Her expression hardened as she narrowed her eyes at the approaching soldiers.
All of them wore sleek combat armor, so even in heavy gear, all standard-issue by the UEC, though marked with the corporate logo.
"Capture these two. They are intruders!" the man nad Tian barked, pointing directly at Maximilian and Switch.
The soldiers advanced quickly, weapons trained on them. To their shock, Maximilian made no move to resist. He stood still, entirely calm.
This sent a chill through both Switch and Gu Yichen. Was he really going to let himself be captured? Wasn’t he going to fight back? Was that earlier display of strength just a one-ti thing?
But while they panicked, Maximilian was rely thinking. He was starting to suspect that the real reason Dragon Fist, or Gu Yichen had brought him here and treated him so politely... was to use him. Perhaps as a tool in a power struggle for inheritance or corporate influence, just like in those dramas.
He sighed inwardly and opened his system UI, checking the status of his side quest.
— SIDE QUEST: MYSTERIES HIDDEN MASTER!! —
Description:
Every great villain must demonstrate their mysteries! Especially when aiming to beco the mysterious hidden master who is later revealed as the true villain! Display your mystery today—beco the greatest villain tomorrow!
Ti Limit: 24 hours
Primary Objective: Display your mysteries and awe the noobs who witness you. [Completed]
Bonus Objective: Get a disciple!
—
Maximilian didn’t like being used without his consent. But... considering he was also using the other party to complete his sub-quest, he decided to showcase a bit of his strength. Just a little. But before that...
"Mr. Gu," Maximilian called out to Gu Yichen. "Did you bring here because you wanted to use to gain an upper hand in your inheritance or corporate struggle?" he asked calmly.
Hearing this, Gu Yichen was visibly alard. "Of course not, Grandmaster! I never had that thought in the first place!" he quickly denied, waving his hands in panic.
"The reason I brought you here is because, in order to use the family’s resources to pick us up from the outpost, I had to accept a condition from my father, which was to et him here along with the party I joined in the expedition," Gu Yichen explained.
"Is that all?" Maximilian inquired.
"No... I also had to agree to sell all of my shares in the company back to him to compensate for the damage I caused," Gu Yichen replied, sha in his voice.
"Sell all your shares?" Gu Tian scoffed with disdain. "Isn’t that the sa as giving up your right to manage the company?"
"That’s fine," Maximilian said casually. "If that’s the case, co see once you’ve sold your shares and finished your business here. I’ll teach you my martial arts."
"What!?" This ti, both Switch and Gu Yichen were stunned.
Learning martial arts from soone of Grandmaster rank?! That ant the path to true strength, perhaps even invincibility, was now open to Gu Yichen!
"Teacher! Please accept my respect!" Capitalizing on the mont, Gu Yichen imdiately kowtowed to Maximilian, causing the latter to recoil slightly in surprise. He hadn’t expected such a dramatic response.
With three solid thuds, Gu Yichen bowed his head to the ground before Maximilian, then looked up at him with eyes full of admiration and newfound respect.
Maximilian gave a wry smile. This was... awkward.
"Ahem... er... thanks, but there’s no need for that. I’m not that much older than you," he said awkwardly.
"This won’t do. A Grandmaster like you deserves this much respect," Gu Yichen replied, eyes still gleaming.
Yes, yes, I get it; you respect . But seriously, read the room! We’re in the middle of a corridor, surrounded by soldiers aiming guns at us! God! Who is this guy!? Is he so kind of Wuxia protagonist!?
[Hahahaha! This guy is such a weirdo! (≧▽≦)] Atherna laughed inside Maximilian’s head.
Maximilian ntally groaned at her response.
"Okay, if you guys are done with your tradition or whatever," Switch said sarcastically, "could we maybe get out of here? I really don’t enjoy being stared down by a dozen rifles."
Hearing this, Maximilian smiled and turned toward Gu Tian, Gu Yichen’s older brother.
"Since this place doesn’t welco us, I’ll be on my way. Excuse ," he said calmly. Then he turned toward one of the nearby staff mbers and asked politely, "Could you please point to the nearest elevator? I’d like to leave."
But a sharp, arrogant voice interrupted before the staff mber could respond.
"Where do you think you’re going!? Intruder! You think you can just walk in here and leave whenever you feel like it!?" Gu Tian sneered.
"Capture him!" Gu Tian ordered.
"Yes, young master!" the corporate soldiers responded, imdiately moving to apprehend Maximilian and Switch.
Seeing his teacher disrespected, Gu Yichen’s temper flared.
"Don’t you dare!" he roared, flas igniting from his fists as he stepped protectively in front of Maximilian and Switch.
With a swift motion, Gu Tian unsheathed a blade and slashed toward Gu Yichen, forcing him back and away from the pair.
"This is too much! Gu Tian, you’re making a mistake!" Gu Yichen warned, his voice fierce.
"I think not," Gu Tian replied smugly. This was a rare opportunity for him to strike back.
Gu Tian was a child born of a mistress and had few advantages growing up. But through hard work and intelligence, he had risen in the family. Among the three brothers, Gu Yichen, being the son of the main wife, always had the upper hand.
In their childhood, Gu Tian was often bullied by Gu Yichen. That mistreatnt turned into a deep grudge that he carried to this day. As they matured, the bullying stopped, but Gu Tian’s brilliance began to outshine Gu Yichen’s status as the "favored son."
Their father, Gu Weizhong, had already concluded that Gu Tian was the better candidate to inherit the family legacy. Gu Yichen, despite multiple opportunities, had repeatedly failed to contribute aningfully to the family or its business.
Thus, Gu Tian’s arrogance, resentnt, and vengeful nature were often directed at Gu Yichen, whom he now considered far beneath him. He was cautious and respectful toward those stronger than him, but toward anyone he perceived as weaker, his true personality showed.
Normally, this flaw wouldn’t matter much; Gu Tian was good at calculating risks. But today, due to his ignorance of Maximilian’s capabilities, that flaw led him to make a terrible mistake.
And that mistake was being watched live... by Gu Weizhong himself, observing everything from a security monitor.
"Father!" Gu Yichen suddenly called out, looking directly at a nearby security cara.
"Father, I know you’re watching! This is a mistake Gu Tian is making, one that could bring disaster to our family! Please, stop this!"
But Gu Weizhong, seated calmly in his office, didn’t seem concerned. His philosophy for raising sons was the sa one he had endured as a child:
A trial by fire. Or, as the old saying goes, a lion pushes its cubs off a cliff so that only the strongest climb back up.
This was the way the Gu family n lived.
Without any intervention from his father, Gu Tian let out a satisfied smile. This was exactly what he wanted. These days, Gu Yichen barely showed his face, so Gu Tian hadn’t had many chances to vent the anger he’d carried since childhood. But today was a good day, and he planned to humiliate this so-called "son of the main wife" as much as he pleased.
As for the two insignificant people accompanying him? He already knew about Switch. The girl was a rcenary. Though she was undeniably beautiful, Gu Tian was sothing of a purist. He despised body modifications, especially seeing flesh replaced with tal, like what Switch had done to herself. Whether it was for her job or not, he still found it repulsive.
And the bespectacled man? He gave off the vibe of a pushover. Gu Tian didn’t know who the man was, but he figured he must be so nobody. Maybe even a scamr Gu Yichen found and foolishly believed to be so kind of big shot.
Heh... as expected of my stupid brother. Gu Tian thought.
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