By the time Liam returned home, the sun was already sinking, painting the western sky in broad strokes of orange and gold.
Walking through the front door of the mansion, he caught the faint clatter of porcelain coming from the dining, the aroma of roasting meat filled his nose, and the low chatter of voices.
Evelyn and the maids were already preparing dinner. They looked up as soon as he stepped inside, their faces lighting up immediately.
"Welcome back, sir," Evelyn said with her usual poise, bowing slightly.
"Welcome back," the girls echoed in unison, with bright and genuine smiles on their faces.
Liam returned the greeting with a nod and a soft smile. "Good evening."
Without lingering, he headed upstairs. He walked into his room and to his bed, and the moment the door shut behind him, he collapsed onto his bed with a satisfied grin stretching across his face.
The day’s memories rushed back in vivid detail — the roar of engines, the violent pull of g-forces and the blur of asphalt.
The exhilaration coursing through him wasn’t just from driving. It was from pushing himself, from walking into the arms of danger and coming out the other side not only unscathed but triumphant.
It reminded him of the battle with the Ironblood Bear. That same adrenaline, that same sharp edge of danger dancing just close enough to sting but not close enough to kill.
Liam frowned slightly, rolling onto his back, staring at the ornate ceiling.
He was starting to recognize a pattern. He was beginning to fall in love with extreme and dangerous things. And that thought unsettled him.
It wasn’t like him. In his old life, before the system, he had avoided risk whenever he could. He had lived carefully, never stepping outside the lines, never giving himself the chance to feel this kind of rush.
Was it that he had never liked extremes? Or was it that he had never had the chance to discover them?
Perhaps the truth was somewhere in between.
He let out a soft sigh. Either way, he couldn’t allow it to spiral. Thrills could be addictive, and addiction was the first step to recklessness. Dangerous was fine. Stupid was not.
He wouldn’t throw his life away chasing adrenaline. If he risked himself, it would only be in a battle that demanded everything of him — life or death, with no other option. And even then, he would rely on his wit to see him through.
He closed his eyes for a moment, steadying himself, before sitting upright again.
The group meet-up was tomorrow. All the preparations he needs to make had already been made. Captain Harris would pick him up in the morning, and from there, the day would unfold. And he can’t deny that he was looking forward to tomorrow.
Still, he couldn’t ignore the nagging thought that hovered behind it all.
It will take a whole month for the Family Office to be set up. Which means a month or more before the Gear Glass or anything significant on Earth can happen. But he couldn’t spend the whole month , flitting from party to outing. He still has responsibilities beyond social growth.
The cultivation world needed attention. There were still matters he could tend to there, small steps that wouldn’t draw too much notice but would build his foundation. He couldn’t forget that half of his power lay in that world, and neglecting it would be a mistake.
And then there was Earth.
The Nevada site construction. Once completed, it would serve as the foundation for the Gear Glasses project, as it would become the secondary storage place for the device, along with the warehouse in Nevada.
The raw materials Daniel had acquired for him were waiting. He needed to put them to use, exhaust the supply, and then source more from the Dimensional Space.
His thoughts turned toward the space itself, that vast and infinite reservoir of resources. Rich deposits of minerals and unknown elements lay scattered across its barren expanse, untouched, waiting. It wasn’t enough to know they were there. He needed to build an autonomous mining infrastructure, a system Lucy could control, extracting raw materials without his direct intervention.
And then there were the unknown elements. Exotic substances that didn’t exist on Earth, their properties still a mystery. They could be invaluable. He needed Lucy to study them and catalog them.
A long sigh slipped past his lips. The list was endless.
In becoming the wealthiest person in the world, he had also become the man with the greatest workload.
He chuckled bitterly, "The busiest man alive."
But he didn’t resent it. He couldn’t. The truth was, he had been given something extraordinary. A gift — or a responsibility. He didn’t know which. What he did know was that he couldn’t waste it.
There was a whole new world waiting for him — no, more than one world. Earth, the cultivation world, the Dimensional Space and even the magical world. And he would explore them all.
If life had been simple, he might never have received the system in the first place. He might have lived quietly and drowning in his debt, as he slips into the comfort of mediocrity.
But simplicity wasn’t his path.
And perhaps, that was why the system had chosen him.
The thought made him smile faintly. He knew that he was just bullsh*ting. There was no way that was the reason. Follow current novels on novel·fire·net
He was still lost in that train of thought when he felt Evelyn’s presence approaching the door. Her footsteps were soft, but his heightened senses caught them as clearly as if she were walking on glass. She was about to knock when Liam rose and opened the door first.
She blinked, surprised, before giving a graceful bow. "Sir, dinner is ready."
Liam nodded. "Thank you, Evelyn."
They walked together down the stairs to the dining room. The table was already set and the girls stood ready, their eyes lifting when Liam entered.
He took his seat at the head of the table, and they served him swiftly. Liam ate steadily, savoring the quiet. He offered thanks when he finished, and the smiles that bloomed on their faces were genuine, pleased.
Returning upstairs afterward, he allowed himself to rest.
The next morning came swiftly. Sunlight broke across Holmby Hills, washing Bellemere Mansion in gold. Liam woke early this time, his body refreshed, his mind sharp.
Without hesitation, he got out of bed. And with one thought, he appeared in the VIP suite of the Great Yan Empire.
He sat down on the broad bed, inhaled once, and spoke the words.
[Congratulations, host. You received 10,000 Gold Coins.]
[You received 100 Low Grade Spirit Stones.]
Liam nodded to himself in quiet satisfaction. The rewards weren’t extravagant, but they added weight to his growing stores of wealth and power in this world.
Satisfied, he returned to Earth and the familiar surroundings of his bedroom appeared around him again. He moved smoothly into his morning routine — a hot shower, clean clothes, and then downstairs for breakfast.
Evelyn and the girls greeted him warmly as always. He returned their greetings with a smile, ate without hurry, and when he finished, he rose with a calm word of thanks.
Outside, Mason and Nick were already waiting, as was the Ghost Black Badge in the driveway.
Mason bowed slightly, opening the door.
"Good morning, sir. The car is ready."
"Good morning, Mason," Liam said, stepping inside.