Meanwhile, back in River City, the grand estate stood as a towering monument of wealth and power. Filled with luxury items, imported foreign cars, rare flowers, and trees flown in from across the globe, the entire compound radiated an atmosphere of absolute noble supremacy. The servants moved about with practiced, flawless manners, yet their eyes carried a visible, haunting terror—the deep-seated fear of offending someone or making even the slightest mistake. Uniformed men patrolled the grounds, carrying themselves not like ordinary security, but like elite lieutenants and generals of a private army answering only to this particular household rather than the country.
Guards trained to absolute perfection stood at attention, armed with high-tech weapons ready to dispose of any intruder in a fraction of a second. A rigid hierarchy was visible even among the guards themselves. This was none other than the compound of the Smith estate. Discipline, extreme luxury, and terrifying power elevated them far above anything Metro City had ever seen. And yet, even though we were talking about the Smith clan—reputed to be the weakest among all four major noble families—the scale of political influence, wealth, and power in this city made Metro City feel like a tiny marble used in a child’s game.
It was said that whoever gained control over River City practically controlled the world. Inside the main hall of the Smith estate, a heavy, suffocating silence blanketed the room. Suddenly, one of the family lieutenants stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Patriarch... if you allow me, I would like to say something." Even though he was heavily armed, his voice carried a faint, nervous tremor of fear.
Karon Smith glanced at him coldly. "Go ahead. I’ll allow it."
The lieutenant swallowed hard, choosing his words carefully. "Sir, with all due respect... I know you hold immense influence in the current era, but the elders of the Smith clan still hold ultimate power over you. I know that waging war against Metro City is like slicing butter with a hot knife—smooth and easy. But if the mayors, political leaders, and media turn this into a political power-gaining propaganda campaign, the elders might use it as an excuse to strip you of your head position."
Karon let out a low, dangerous growl, and a bead of cold sweat began to slide down the lieutenant’s forehead and onto his cheek. "Don’t stop. I’m listening," Karon murmured softly.
"Sir... why don’t you take a step back and think about how to win the elders over to your side first?" the lieutenant continued cautiously. "Because if you lose your position, or if ’Sir’ finds out what is happening within the Smith clan and decides we are incompetent, nothing good will come of it—neither for you nor for the rest of us."
Karon gestured with his hand, motioning for the lieutenant to step closer.
Sweating profusely, the lieutenant had no choice but to obey his master’s command. He forced his trembling feet forward, stood right beside Karon Smith, and whispered, "Yes, sir."
Without a single warning word, Karon wrapped his thick arm tightly around the man’s neck, cutting off his air supply as his grip tightened into an iron vice. With his free hand, he snatched a heavy silver fork from the dining table and plunged it repeatedly into the lieutenant until dark blood splattered across Karon’s face.
Karon looked coldly at the other staff members and lieutenants trembling in the room. The servants were terrified to their core, but they didn’t dare scream because the last time a servant had cried out in terror, they had suffered the exact same brutal fate. Even the surviving lieutenants were shaken to their bones, yet they immediately signaled the cleaning and disposal crews to handle the gruesome mess without a word.
Wiping the blood from his cheek, Karon looked at his remaining officers. "Go make a plan. I killed him, but that doesn’t mean he was entirely wrong. Go figure out how to get the elders on our side while I take a hot shower. But as soon as I step out of that bathroom, I expect a strategy decisive enough to impress me—one that will let me turn the elders to our side."
As Karon walked away toward his private chambers, every single soldier, lieutenant, and even the head general stood completely frozen and rigid until he completely disappeared from sight. Only then did they all take one massive, collective breath of relief.
One lieutenant whispered in a voice so quiet it was barely audible, "If the dead man was right, why did the Patriarch kill him?" He was talking about Karon executing the officer for merely pointing out the truth about the elders.
General Rey, who had served by Karon Smith’s side ever since Karon was first chosen as a candidate for the patriarch position, stared straight ahead and answered coldly, "Because that fool made the fatal mistake of showing Patriarch Karon his weakness and reminding him that he holds limited power against the elders. If you want to keep breathing, stop talking—even in a whisper."
After half an hour, Karon Smith stepped back into the study room, his hair damp from the shower. "Did any of you come up with a proper plan, or do I need to take another shower and clear out the room again?" he asked darkly.
General Rey immediately stepped forward, dropped smoothly onto one knee, and lowered his head. "If you will allow me, Patriarch, I have a plan, sir."
Karon glanced down at him with a slight lifting of his brow. "Rey, you can stand up and talk."
"I am fine right here on my knees, Patriarch," Rey replied steadily. "My plan is simple: you set up an urgent meeting with the elders. Tell them that an arrogant young man from a mysterious hidden family is openly challenging the might of the Smith family. All you have to do is skillfully provoke the elders, using their own pride, influence, and personal authority to make that young leader pay. That will yield the best possible outcome for you."
Karon narrowed his eyes. "How so?"
"Sir, I know I don’t need to explain basic tactics to someone as smart as you, but thank you for giving this humble servant the chance to show his loyalty," Rey said smoothly. "We both know there is no way ’Sir’ doesn’t already know what is happening in the Smith clan and what went wrong in Metro City. But if you manipulate the elders into taking aggressive action, ’Sir’ won’t punish you. Instead, he will remember that you used the elders to clear a stronger path for the future of our house. This will elevate your standing in ’Sir’s eyes, and in the future, you might receive even greater support—pushing your position not just above the elders, but perhaps even matching the level of the powerful Kensingtons and Harringtons."
Hearing all of this, Karon couldn’t help but feel a deep surge of pride and satisfaction.
"Stand up, Rey. That is my order as Patriarch," Karon commanded with a grin.
Rey stood up smoothly. Karon walked over to him. While the other lieutenants around the room were visibly sweating and shaking with residual fear and terror, General Rey stood completely calm, showing neither sweat nor fear. Karon looked him straight in the eyes, then burst into a harsh, menacing laugh. He pulled Rey into a rough, brotherly hug. "You always find a way to solve my worries and problems, Rey! And the best thing about you is that you never show fear on your face, only absolute respect. That is why I value you above all the rest."
Karon pulled back, his expression turning businesslike. "Go and schedule a formal meeting with the elders for tomorrow first thing in the morning."
"Understood, Patriarch," Rey nodded. Then, leaning in slightly, he added, "And sir, I heard a piece of intelligence that might interest you, if you care to hear it."
"Oh? Go on, what is it?" Karon asked.
"Sir, I heard through our underground channels that this young leader who humiliated us is actually the chairman of the Cosmos Group, and he plans to travel to River City either at the end of this month or the beginning of next month to expand his business." A cold smirk touched Rey’s lips. "You can use this exact detail to provoke the elders even more—telling them that this young punk is so arrogant that after offending the Smith family, he dares to waltz right into River City to expand his business as if nothing ever happened."
Karon stared at Rey, his expression turning into one of absolute admiration. "You really are the best asset I have." He turned to his secretary standing nearby. "Transfer 5 million Stardollars to his account immediately as a reward."
The secretary nodded quickly. "Yes, sir!" and immediately began processing the financial transfer through his encrypted phone.
Rey bowed his head respectfully. "Sir, it really wasn’t necessary. It is simply my duty to solve your problems."
"Keep the money, Rey," Karon laughed heartily, waving a hand dismissively. "Now, go arrange that meeting with the elders for tomorrow morning without fail!"