Marcus and Elena practically sat at the edge of their seats when the White Comets suddenly cut their feed. But they understood that they had just gone through a lot, and it was natural for them to want some personal space to recover.
“Okay folks, seems the White Comets are in the clear and want some recovery time! They can no longer be our stars right now,” Marcus said, his tone firm. “So we’ll probably get back to them later.”
Elena nodded. “For now, our focus should be on the Berserkers. Word is their guild master, Lady Anya, has arrived and is ready to lead them to victory!”
Marcus clenched his fists in excitement. “Oh, so the Berserkers are back in the game. Seems the other guilds can’t afford to let their guard down!”
“So why don’t we take a look at how our several-year winners are going to claim victory yet again this year?”
…
Meanwhile, in the Zhang family estate, Lady Lian lay on a luxurious couch in her mansion. She was dressed in a black and silver dress while she watched the livestream on a blue holographic display, her mind wandering as she observed the events unfolding.
“That Alister… He is an interesting young man,” she mumbled to herself, her eyes fixed on the screen, recalling the moments from earlier before the feed was cut.
“The air he has around him is almost similar to Master Spade. How interesting,” she said, taking a sip from a glass of red wine close by.
KNOCK KNOCK
A knock echoed through the massive door of her room. “Come in,” she called out.
The door creaked open, and a maid stepped in, bowing slightly. “Pardon me, Lady Lian. The family head has demanded to see you. He awaits your presence in the meeting room.”
Lady Lian’s brows furrowed in confusion. “The next big family meeting isn’t until a couple of days from now. What does he want?” she said as she slowly set down the glass cup she held on a hovering table close by.
The maid shifted nervously. “He demanded to see you personally, my lady. There is no ongoing meeting.”
Lady Lian narrowed her eyes, suspicion appearing in their depths. “Oh, really?”
She rose gracefully, grabbing a furry scarf draped over a nearby chair. With a soft voice, she called to her wolf, “Fenrir, follow me. I wonder what that old man wants now.”
Fenrir, her majestic silver wolf, stood and walked beside her. Lady Lian stepped out into the hallway, passing by portraits of herself and Fenrir.
The luxury of the mansion was evident in every detail, from the expertly crafted decorations to the polished floors, and the massive carvings hanging on the walls.
Her two bodyguards fell into step behind her as she made her way to the main building, past the beautifully maintained garden.
Upon reaching the main entrance, the bodyguards stationed there opened the doors and greeted her with deep bows.
“Evening, young miss.”
Lady Lian continued her steps through the grand halls, passing by strange, hovering technology encased in glass displays.
One particularly large glass display caught her attention. Inside, a golden sword hilt hovered, emitting a soothing aura that seemed to calm the very air around it.
Gazing at it, she paused, as if wanting to take in the sight. She finally let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping as she couldn’t help but murmur, “Father… Where did you go?”
She reluctantly tore her eyes away from the display and continued on her way, her expression turning serious, her steps echoing through the hallways.
As she approached the meeting room, her mind raced with thoughts of what could have prompted this unexpected summons.
She steeled her nerves for whatever awaited, knowing that in the Zhang family, nothing was ever straightforward.
Lady Lian arrived at the doors of the family’s meeting room and composed herself. She took a deep breath and knocked before speaking.
“May I come in?”
A deep voice from within responded, “Enter.”
She pushed open the heavy wooden doors, revealing a dimly lit meeting room. The room was dominated by a massive, sleek table that gleamed under the faint light.
Hovering above the table were several holographic windows, casting a cool, blue glow that contrasted sharply with the darkness of the room. Shadows stretched along the walls, making the air tense.
At the end of the room stood the family head, his back to her, staring out at the moon hanging in the night sky. He was a tall, imposing figure with a sharp, angular face and piercing blue eyes.
His silver hair was neatly combed back, and he wore impeccably tailored silver robes that seemed to enhance his powerful presence.
His name was Zhang Xian, and he was known for his no-nonsense attitude, sharp tongue, and equally sharp mind. His reputation for being both direct and insightful was well-earned, and it was these traits of his that allowed him to expand the influence of the family far better than his father did.
“Lian,” Zhang Xian said without turning around, his voice cold and demanding. “How goes your plan to contribute to the family’s biggest project?”
“I hope you aren’t planning to disappoint me yet again.”
Lian tensed, her fingers gripping the edge of her scarf. “I have managed to make contact with a master who will be helpful in the mining.”
“He and I have come to an agreement, and once I have fulfilled my end, he gave his word to help out the best he could,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
Zhang Xian turned slowly to face her with a skeptical look on his face.
“A master, you say?”
“I highly doubt a master would be inclined to heed your request. They are detached from material things, so using money to persuade them is pointless.”
“Do not lie to me, child.”
“I would nev-”
Lian opened her mouth to protest, but Zhang Xian cut her off by raising his hand, demanding
silence.
“I honestly didn’t call you here just to see if you had a plan. Frankly, I doubt you even have one. Even if you did, it wouldn’t be remarkable, much like all you ever do. What I want is for you to personally strengthen our family by making a significant connection.”
Lian was confused. “What do you mean?”
Zhang Xian fixed his gaze on her, his eyes hardening.
“At your age, all your cousins and sisters have long since gotten married. The connections they bring through these unions are a significant part of why our family remains prosperous.” Lian’s face darkened; she knew where this was going, and she didn’t like it. “This again?” Zhang Xian’s tone grew more serious. “Is this disrespect I hear, Lian?”
Lian’s jaw tightened as she struggled to maintain her composure. “No, it’s not disrespect. I just don’t understand why this is suddenly so important.”
Zhang Xian stepped closer, his gaze turning cold. “It’s not sudden. It’s always been important. Our family’s strength lies not just in our resources but in our alliances. I’m sure you are well aware of that. And so, you, as daughter of this house, need to fulfill your responsibility in securing an alliance.”