Chapter 10: The God of the Golden Dragon
The words "Only 40 billion?" hung in the air of the Jade Pavilion like a physical weight, crushing the breath out of everyone in the room.
The trio had three completely different reactions. Theodore Sterling felt a cold sweat prickle his scalp; he had expected a grueling negotiation, but Ethan's dismissive tone confirmed his deepest fears—this was a man who viewed billions as mere pocket change. Elena Roger felt a dizzying sense of vertigo, the sheer scale of the wealth making the room spin. But it was Harrison Vance who suffered the most. His face went from pale to a sickly, mottled gray. His mouth hung open, his vocal cords paralyzed. He looked like a man watching his own execution in real-time.
After a long, heavy moment of silence, Sterling was the first to regain his composure. He cleared his throat, his respect for Ethan now bordering on reverence.
"I... I see, Mr. McCain," Sterling stammered, before forcing his professional mask back on. "I will call the hotel's lead accountant and our legal team immediately to begin the swift transfer of the first 20 billion. There are logistics to discuss regarding the staff, the deed, and the operational transition."
Ethan took another sip of his cognac, his eyes cold and distant. "That won't be necessary. I have no interest in the day-to-day management of a hotel. I prefer to be hands-free." He gestured toward Elena, who was standing frozen by the table. "If there is anything you need regarding the Golden Dragon, contact Elena. She is the new General Manager, effective immediately."
The announcement was like a second thunderclap.
Elena and Vance's eyes met across the room, a silent clash of two different worlds. Vance felt a surge of poisonous envy; the woman he had just tried to ruin was now his successor—and his superior. He thought of his 100-million-dollar lifestyle vanishing and felt a hole open up in his stomach. Elena, on the other hand, felt a surge of pure, unadulterated joy. Although they were only separated by a few feet of carpet, the distance between her old life and her new one was now measured in light-years. In the span of a few hours, she had gone from a stressed employee to the ruler of the city's most prestigious landmark.
Suddenly, the hotel accountant walked in with a slick laptop and a professional smile. He wasn't just the hotel's accountant; he was the primary financial officer for Sterling's various companies. He had only followed Sterling to the hotel today for routine checks, but he couldn't help but be stunned by the sudden change in management. Unlike Vance, he knew more about the other shareholders and the terrifying depth of their backgrounds. He greeted Ethan, though he was internally shocked by how young the man looked.
He placed the laptop on the table and input a series of encrypted keywords. After a moment, he turned the screen so both Ethan and Sterling could review the terms. Ethan's eyes fell on the bold text: "The first 20 billion. Initiate the transfer."
The accountant asked for the mode of payment. Ethan replied calmly, "Fingerprint."
He placed his hand on the biometric scanner. Within seconds, the silent hum of high-speed servers filled the executive channels, moving a mountain of wealth through the digital ether.
[DING!]
[Transaction Confirmed: $20,000,000,000.00 Sent.]
As the money left his "Wealth" stat, Ethan's vision was suddenly flooded with the blue light of the System Interface. The numbers began to roll like a high-speed slot machine.
[ZILLION SYSTEM INTERFACE]
Host: Ethan McCain
Body: 16 (Athlete Level)
Mind: 28
Wealth: $9,860,000,000,000,000.00
Lavish Points: 200
Ethan stared at the 200 Lavish Points. If a single point could rebuild his entire physical structure, 200 points could turn him into something the world had never seen. He felt a surge of adrenaline so potent his heart felt like a drum.
"The transfer is verified, sir," Sterling whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "The Golden Dragon... is yours."
Sterling turned to Vance, his gaze hard. "Harrison, come. Let's finish the transfer procedure." Before leaving, Sterling handed Ethan his private contact card, urging Ethan to reach out if he needed anything. He mentioned wanting to discuss more with Ethan later, but for now, he had to rush the hotel transfer. A strong smile played on Sterling's lips as he thought of his own future. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of face his brothers would make when they found out he had secured a friend from the Hidden Families.
Vance didn't move for a second, his eyes fixed on the desk where his career had died. Finally, he turned and walked out, his shoulders slumped, looking twenty years older than when he had entered. Sterling followed, closing the heavy mahogany doors behind them, leaving Ethan and Elena in the sudden, ringing silence of the Pavilion.
The moment the doors clicked shut, Elena lost all her professional composure. The weight of the day—the insults from Vance, the fear of losing her job, and the sudden, miraculous rescue by Ethan—broke over her like a wave.
With a small cry, she jumped into Ethan's arms. He caught her easily, his new strength making her feel light as a feather. In her overwhelming happiness, she didn't think; she simply wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in a fierce, emotional kiss.
It lasted only a few seconds before the reality of what she had done crashed into her mind. She pulled away, her eyes wide with shock. She quickly sat back down in her chair, her head bowed low, her hands trembling in her lap. If one looked closely, they could see a deep, burning shade of red spreading from her neck to her ears.
Ethan sat there, stunned. He touched his lips, the phantom heat of her kiss still lingering. He understood she was simply overwhelmed with joy, but the spark between them was now undeniable. To ease the sudden, heavy tension in the room, he cleared his throat and asked a simple question.
"Elena... do you have a car?"
Caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic, she looked up, her face still flushed. "A car? Yes, I have a modest sedan in the employee lot. Why do you ask?"
Ethan stood up. His worn-out, cheap clothes were a sharp contrast to a man who had just paid a 20-billion-dollar advance, but a small, confident smile played on his lips.
"I want you to drive me to a 4S car shop," Ethan said, his eyes flashing with anticipation. "It's time I got myself a real ride. A king shouldn't be taking the bus, don't you think?"
Elena let out a shaky laugh, her heart still racing. "I think you're right, Ethan. I think you're right about everything."
As they walked out of the Jade Pavilion and into the lobby together, the first lady who had attended to Ethan felt a sharp pain in her chest. The news of the hotel changing management had spread like wildfire among the employees; they all knew Elena was now the new General Manager. The receptionist thought bitterly that if she hadn't called Elena, she might have been the one walking down the hall with Ethan right now. But alas, it was too late.
Ethan felt the world opening up. He had the money, he had the girl, and now, he was about to get the power.