The Tycoon's Odyssey

Upon hearing Jagesh's words, which would make anyone feel that he was about to lose his mind, Richard's lips twitched, but the sarcasm did little to hide his own unease.

Jagesh's reaction was a bit lacking and reflected the bitter irony he felt. In the past, he might have lost his temper too, maybe even thrown things himself. But now, there was only a weary acceptance reminder—a realization that their fury and despair were going to change nothing.

In the dark corners of his mind, Jagesh thought of his grandfather's words, words that had managed to calm him down in his worst moments: It's not about winning every battle; it's about having the last laugh.

No matter how many times the opponent wins, you just need to win once and in that win, you just need to get rid of the enemy forever.

"If this is where we stand," Jagesh said slowly, "then everyone in this world should be worried. If someone with that kind of power decides to go rogue… it's a global crisis just waiting to happen."

The weight of his words settled over them like a lead blanket. Each of the present knew that regardless of their understanding of advanced technology, this went beyond any of their individual victories or failures.

They were up against something much larger, something far more dangerous than any one of them alone could withstand.

Jagesh's gaze shifted from Richard to Paul, his eyes narrowing as he tried to read the thoughts lurking behind their blank faces.

Something about their expressions unsettled him. He knew all too well that loyalty was a rare currency in politics; no ally was eternal, just as no enemy was permanent.

His instincts told him that neither Richard nor Paul could even be trusted if the rewards were tempting enough. After all, if this groundbreaking technology originated in Indra, it should stay in Indra. But what if these two were already considering alerting their own governments?

The USL and Great Royal wouldn't sit idle once they learned about this.

Jagesh thought grimly. If they knew the full potential of this power, they would act quickly, possibly even make an attempt to poach this dangerous asset. And Richard and Paul—the very men he was supposed to trust—were precisely the ones he needed to watch most carefully.

A chill ran through Jagesh's spine as he contemplated his next moves.

In fact, little did he know that he was much closer to the truth than he realized.

Across the room, Richard was lost in his own mental calculations. The gears in his mind turned, calculating every potential outcome and every benefit he could bring to the USL if he revealed what he knew.

A thin smile crept on his lips as he thought of the recognition that might await him if he contributed to this discovery.

'If I manage to pull this off, the higher-ups in the family will finally see me as a valuable asset,' he mused. He might even rise in the ranks, and earn respect. And as his influence started to spread, he might finally get the chance to inherit.

Richard's mind raced through scenarios of promotion, prestige, and a newfound sense of security within his own circles. 'They'll have to look at him differently,' he thought, a spark of ambition lighting in his eyes.

He would no longer be an ordinary guy from a big family, but a valuable asset to his family.

Meanwhile, Paul's thoughts took a darker turn, laced with greed and a thirst for power and control.

'If I can pull this off, I'll have a position that no one will be able to challenge,' he mused, the edges of his lips curling in a faint smirk.

'With this technology, I'll be the one in charge. I won't need to answer anyone. After that, I won't need to bend to the whims of bureaucrats or cowards trying to stifle my ambitions.'

His mind stretched out, envisioning a future where he held the reins, where he was the one calling the shots, someone who was untouchable and feared.

Across from them, Noah sat rigidly, a different emotion twisting inside him—fear. It clenched his heart, sharp and unyielding.

He could barely imagine what would happen if Evan ever learned of their plans if that tech-wielding powerhouse decided to turn his wrath upon them.

'What if he comes for us?'

Noah's thoughts spiraled, panic coiling around each of his thoughts. 'With a technology like his, there's no way to stop Evan. He can literally tear through us in seconds.'

His thoughts raced further, his mind picturing worst-case scenarios that made his pulse quicken. Evan, with all his terrifying enhancements and unearthly power, was hunting them down, wanting to exact revenge that would be nothing short of merciless. Noah has seen firsthand how ruthless he could be.

'I can't be caught in his crosshairs,' Noah thought, a bead of sweat tracing down his temple.

_____

The convoy moved steadily through the bustling streets of Utkal as the rhythmic hum of the engine was punctuated by the occasional honk of nearby vehicles.

Inside the armored car, Evan sat beside Suri, his gaze fixed out the window, looking at the scenery blurring away. He could feel his hands tremble slightly, and sensing his unease, Suri grasped them firmly.

"Don't worry; everything will be alright," she assured, her voice steady, a comforting balm against his rising anxiety.

Evan nodded, though his heart still raced wildly.

His parents were confined in a secure location outside the city, heavily guarded to protect them from any potential threats. Aurora was closely monitoring the situation, ensuring that nothing could jeopardize their arrival.

As the car finally came to a stop, Evan took a deep breath as if preparing himself. The heavy door swung open, and he stepped out into the warm sunlight. As he and Suri emerged, the guards greeted them with salutes, their expressions a mixture of respect and vigilance.

"Your forces are increasing and growing stronger as well," Suri remarked, observing the disciplined ranks of soldiers positioned nearby.

"I've been focusing on increasing their number by devouring others," Evan replied, a hint of pride in his voice.

Suri shot him a cautionary glance. "You shouldn't be overly reliant on changing and brainwashing their mind. Nothing is absolute; it might backfire."

"I got it," he said, though her caution lingered in the back of his mind. He didn't mention the loyalty contract he had imposed.

Unlike the ones he trusted the most, a majority of his followers were forced to sign contracts. However, having him bear the burden of many wasn't possible so he decided on people.

Under him were Mac, Roman, Victor, and a few others, who had personally signed contracts to be fateful to him.

Now each one of them had their own underlying and they would sign the contract with their name and then make them their underlying. Things were dispersed like this.

The reason for doing this kind of loyalty contract was because the bond between the souls and a single person couldn't bear the burden of too many, so, dividing and dispersing them onto different people was the most viable option.

Soon, the guards led them inside, the air thick with anticipation. A guard stepped forward. "Sir, your parents are in the living room," he said, gesturing for Evan to proceed.

Evan took a moment to collect himself. He approached the door and pressed his hand against the cold knob, anxiety bubbled within him. Inhaling deeply, he forced himself to calm down before he turned the knob slowly.

CREAK!

The sound echoed in the tense silence, but before he could push the door open further, it suddenly flew open, flinging wide with a staggering force.

Before he could react, a shadow darted through the threshold, colliding with him. The impact jolted him back, and for a fleeting moment, time stood to have frozen as his mind raced, grappling with what had just happened.