The second-floor conference room fell into dead silence.
Leo sat at the head of the table, with Vivian standing at his left.
Ethan and Remy sat across the long table, their gazes shifting back and forth between Leo and Vivian.
The cigarettes in their hands had long been stubbed out, and the cigarette butts in the ashtray were still emitting a final wisp of smoke.
Leo didn't bother with pleasantries or formalities; he spoke directly.
"To make a long story short. I called you here this time to offer you an Opportunity."
Ethan and Remy exchanged a glance, saying nothing, but their bodies leaned forward involuntarily.
"Three positions among the Ten Dons will become vacant, and the ten Shadow Beasts under their command have also been killed by us."
The air froze.
Ethan's mouth opened, closed, and then opened again.
His eyes were wide as copper bells, his pupils contracted violently, and his lips were trembling.
Remy was even worse; the lighter in his hand dropped to the floor with a sharp clatter, but he didn't even glance at it.
The Ten Dons—those were the ten people standing at the pinnacle of the world's underworld.
They held heavy military power, controlled countless assets, and had units of Nen Users like the Shadow Beasts under their command.
In the eyes of local gang leaders like them, the Ten Dons were the heavens, an unshakable existence.
Now, the heavens had collapsed in three places.
Leo scanned the two of them, his gaze calm.
"Vivian will take one of those positions. There are two other vacancies, waiting for the most suitable candidates."
A dry swallowing sound came from Ethan's throat.
Remy's fingers trembled slightly on the tabletop; he tried his best to control it, but he couldn't.
They understood.
Three of the Ten Dons were dead, leaving three vacancies.
Vivian was taking one, and the other two—Leo was looking at them.
This was an Opportunity, a massive Opportunity.
It was the kind of Opportunity that only happens once in a lifetime, one that would never come again if missed.
Ethan took a deep breath and stood up.
His legs were shaking, but he stood very straight.
He lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly from excitement.
"It is naturally most appropriate for you to arrange this position. We will listen to you. We will do whatever you tell us to do."
Remy also stood up, his movements half a beat slower than Ethan's, but his voice was louder, as if he were afraid Leo wouldn't hear him.
"Yes! We will listen to you! We'll go through fire and water for you!"
Leo looked at the two, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
His smile was faint, yet he was very satisfied.
Remy glanced at Leo and asked cautiously.
"However, there are still seven of the Ten Dons left. If they decide to attack us, we won't be able to handle it..."
Ethan nodded in agreement.
"We absolutely do not doubt your strength, but the Ten Dons have been entrenched in those positions for many years. Even without the Shadow Beasts, it would be easy for them to deal with us."
Leo cut off their worries.
"You don't need to worry; those remaining seven won't be able to jump around for much longer."
Three of the Ten Dons were dead; those seven would surely be unable to sit still and would find a place to gather and discuss how to respond, at which point he would wipe them all out at once.
Remy and Ethan exchanged a glance and finally felt at ease.
"We understand. We will fully support Vivian in taking her position among the Ten Dons."
Leo continued.
"Very good. You are both smart men."
He paused.
"The other two positions among the Ten Dons are yours."
Ethan's eyes lit up. Remy's lips were trembling, though it was unclear if it was from excitement or fear.
Leo's tone did not change.
"However—"
His gaze suddenly turned cold.
Killing intent instantly enveloped the entire conference room.
Malevolent Nen pressed down on the two of them; the surrounding air compressed, and an invisible force gripped their throats and squeezed their hearts.
Ethan and Remy froze simultaneously.
Their eyes were even wider than before, but their pupils had shrunk to pinpricks.
Their faces turned from flushed to deathly pale, the veins on their foreheads bulged, and sweat poured down like a waterfall.
They wanted to speak, to beg for mercy, to say that they would definitely obey, but their throats felt as if they were being choked by an invisible hand, unable to make a sound.
Their legs were shaking, their knees weak, and they were on the verge of collapsing to their knees.
"Just because you take those positions doesn't mean you can sit back and relax."
Leo's voice was very soft, but every word pierced their ears like a needle.
"Whoever doesn't follow Vivian's orders will find that—"
He paused.
"Death is the easiest outcome."
The killing intent came quickly and vanished just as fast.
Ethan and Remy slumped in their chairs, gasping for air.
Their backs were soaked with sweat, their shirts clinging to their skin as if they had been fished out of water.
Their faces were deathly pale, lacking any hint of color, their lips purple, and their eyes unfocused.
Remy had knocked over his ashtray, spilling ash and cigarette butts all over the table.
A few seconds later, the two gathered their wits.
They exchanged a glance, stood up simultaneously, lowered their heads simultaneously, and spoke in hoarse but firm voices.
"Boss! We will swear our lives to your loyalty, with Leader Vivian at the head; we will absolutely never betray you!"
Leo stood up, hands in his pockets, looking down at the two of them.
"Even if you betray me, it doesn't matter. I will simply destroy everything you have and replace you with two other people to sit in those positions."
His tone was casual, as if he were talking about something trivial.
"Vivian, I'll leave the rest to you. Get it done as soon as possible. My patience is limited."
Vivian bowed and nodded, her movements respectful and capable.
"Understood. In two days at most, everything will be settled."
Leo waved his hand and turned to leave the conference room.
The door closed gently behind him, and his footsteps quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Ethan and Remy let out long breaths, like drowning people finally surfacing.
They slumped in their chairs, sweat still streaming down their faces.
Vivian walked over to the head of the table and sat down, her gaze sweeping over the two.
Her expression was completely different from Leo's—no killing intent, no oppression, just a calmness that bordered on indifference.
"You two, mobilize all your power to smooth over the connections at the top."
Her voice wasn't loud, but every word carried weight.
"Once you are firmly in those positions, the Boss has a massive plan that requires your assistance. I don't want you pulling any tricks behind our backs."
Ethan nodded quickly, a smile forming on his face.
"No problem, Lady Vivian. We will listen to your arrangements."
Remy also leaned in, smiling obsequiously.
"Might I ask how we should address the Boss? So that in the future we can—"
Vivian's voice turned cold.
"Ask less about things you shouldn't know."
Ethan and Remy both shuddered simultaneously and nodded repeatedly.
Ethan wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a smile.
"Ah... yes, yes, yes, our heads were muddled. We hope Leader Vivian can put in a good word for us."
Vivian scoffed coldly.
"As long as you know."
She opened the documents in front of her and began discussing the specific details of the Ten Dons with the two.
Ethan and Remy sat up straight, listening attentively.
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100 POWER STONE = BONUS CHAPTER
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