When Max stepped into his executive office, the scene that greeted him was far from the professional atmosphere he expected. The inner circle of the Billion Bloodline group was treating his high-end furniture like a playground. They were lounging across the designer sofas, shouting over each other, and raiding the specialized mini-fridges he kept stocked for high-level meetings. To make matters worse, they were leaving a trail of condensation rings and snack wrappers across his polished mahogany surfaces.
"What exactly is going on in here?" Max asked, his voice low and dangerous as he surveyed the carnage. "Do you guys truly lose all sense of self-control the moment Aron isn’t around to keep you in line?"
He glanced toward his main desk, half-expecting to see his shadow standing there. Usually, Aron would be at his side or at least lurking in the corners to handle the housekeeping, but ever since Max had infiltrated June Stone University, their dynamic had shifted. Aron was currently embedded as a janitor on campus, and even Max didn’t know his exact location at all times. He just lived with the silent assurance that if his life were ever in genuine peril, the silent assassin would materialize out of thin air.
Sitting in his office now were Wolf, Joe, Stephen, and a very relaxed Darno.
"Hey, take it easy, aren’t you supposed to be a rich dude now?" Darno said, popping a grape into his mouth. "You’ve got a building full of staff. You can just snap your fingers and get one of the cleaners to scrub the place, right?"
"So that makes it okay to turn my office into a dumpster?" Max countered, a vein beginning to throb in his temple. "I am already in a foul mood thanks to a certain loose-lipped man who can’t keep my identity a secret, so you’d better get on your hands and knees and start clearing this mess up immediately!"
It felt as if literal steam were about to vent from the top of Max’s head. Sensing the genuine shift in his aura, the others quickly scrambled to tidy up. Even Darno dropped to his knees to gather the trash. The only one who didn’t move was Wolf, who remained sprawled across the sofa with his arms stretched behind his head.
"I told you idiots this would be his reaction," Wolf claimed, his expression turning sharp as he looked at Max. "Anyway, Max, the antics aside, we’re here because there’s something pressing you need to know. Depending on how this plays out, we could be looking at a serious situation."
The sudden shift to a serious tone drained the levity from the room. The atmosphere became heavy with the weight of impending conflict.
"Oh, is this about what I was reporting earlier?" Darno asked, standing up and dusting off his knees. His ears practically perked up at the mention of a threat. "I’ve been tracking some suspicious activity. There have been unidentified cars circling our perimeter lately. Every time I send a scout to intercept them, or even when I try to run them down myself, they zoom off the second they see us making a move. They’re testing our response times."
Darno leaned against a chair, his brow furrowing. "It’s quite clear someone is planning a coordinated hit. Is it a remnant of the Gilt Rats looking for revenge?"
"About that," Wolf said, his voice cutting through the speculation. "I’ve been cross-referencing reports with Joe and Stephen, as well as some of our guys down at the Pit. It’s becoming very clear who is orchestrating this. It’s Dud... do you remember him?"
Max had a sudden, knee-jerk reaction at the mention of the name. Dud had already paid him a personal visit on campus, but he was surprised to hear that the man was moving so aggressively across all their territories simultaneously. Inside his mind, even the spirit of Na seemed jolted by the news.
"Dud?" Na said, his voice echoing with disbelief. "If he’s already surfacing across your entire infrastructure, it means he’s prepared, Max. He isn’t just looking for a scuffle; he’s looking for a war. This is something you should be genuinely worried about."
Max didn’t need Na to tell him that. He knew the two had worked together in the past, giving Na unique insight into just how dangerous and unpredictable Dud could be.
"That’s why we called the meeting," Joe said, pointing a thumb toward Stephen. "Apparently, Dud paid Stephen a visit while he was in his car. Stephen was with a few outsiders at the time, so he had to keep his cool and avoid causing a public scene. As for myself, I actually ran into the bastard on the street. I tried to throw a punch—smashed his car window to pieces—but I didn’t manage to land a clean hit before he sped off."
This revelation weighed heavily on Max. He was currently embroiled in the delicate task of infiltrating Donto’s circle to get to Randy, but now a ghost from his past was threatening to burn down everything he had built.
"Anyway, we’ve come to a conclusion," Wolf said, standing up and towering over the coffee table. "You shouldn’t have to worry about this, Max. We are strong enough to handle this threat ourselves. You already gave that man a beating once; don’t let him distract you from your goals at the university. You do what you need to do there, and leave the street work to us."
Max opened his mouth to refute the idea, to tell them that he should be the one to end Dud once and for all, but he stopped when he saw the looks on their faces. It was a look of absolute, unified agreement.
It struck him then—was this a first for him? Even during his time as the leader of the White Tiger gang, he was used to giving orders and demanding results. This was the first time his members were stepping up and volunteering to shield him from a threat, rather than waiting for his command. They had certainly come a long way from the ragtag group of fighters they once were. Even if Dud was coming prepared, he was in for a rude awakening if he thought he was dealing with the same version of the Bloodline he had bullied in the past.
"Alright then," Max finally said, a rare look of pride flickering in his eyes. "Wolf, I’m leaving you in overall charge of the defense. I trust you to handle this."
"Wait, Wolf?" Joe asked, looking slightly offended. "But he joined the group after me! Shouldn’t someone like Stephen be the one in charge?"
"It’s okay, Joe," Stephen said calmly, placing a steadying hand on Joe’s shoulder. "Wolf has experience running his own organization from the ground up. I don’t have that kind of administrative history. He’s the most suitable for a tactical deployment like this."
There was also the unspoken factor of Wolf’s Vow, which made him a terrifyingly effective commander in a large-scale brawl.
"I expect all of you to do a thorough job," Max added, his expression softening slightly. "And speaking of doing a good job... Darno, Na, I have a gift for both of you."