“Who did I offend?” Ethan Gray asked.

  Simon Long stared at his protégé, exhaling smoke. “Charles Harper.”

  Ethan's expression hardened. “He contacted you?”

  Simon nodded.

  “We have history,” Ethan confirmed.

  “You're a combat athlete—provincial team at sixteen, national squad by twenty. How'd you cross paths with a tech mogul?” Simon's confusion etched lines across his forehead.

  “Life's full of plot twists,” Ethan smirked.

  “This isn't a joke!” Simon crushed his cigarette. “Charles Harper owns Tiger Shark Group. Cross him, and you're digitally erased!”

  “I know.” Ethan leaned against the locker. “Five-trillion market cap. Third-largest tech empire. Their claws dig deep.”

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  The Harper dynasty ranked among Xia's top ten wealthiest families. Tiger Shark Live—the nation's dominant streaming platform—was Charles' grandfather's legacy. Over six decades, the conglomerate had metastasized into e-commerce, gaming, music. The Harpers retained 8.2% equity yet controlled 50%+ voting rights—a stranglehold.

  “Their influence is absolute,” Simon pressed. “No sponsors. No media mentions. Your reputation flatlines overnight.”

  “Combat careers hinge on fame. I'm aware.” Ethan's smile didn't reach his eyes.

  By Xia's martial rankings, Ethan was third-tier. His master, Liu Hai—the five-time World Combat Championship finalist—occupied the pantheon. Top-tier legends commanded eight-figure match fees. Ethan's best? A single quarterfinal run netting $1.5 million.

  “Compromise,” Simon urged. “Retract whatever—”

  “Some lines,” Ethan interrupted, “you don't retreat from.”

  Simon's jaw tightened. “This isn't just blacklisting. Harper's vindictive.”

  “Moonlake City awaits.” Ethan shrugged. “My Baji Quan Academy has a thousand disciples there. Modern surveillance keeps bullies in check.”

  “Teaching peasants in a tier-two city?” Simon scoffed. “You'll barely clear six figures.”

  “Dividends from past wins cover necessities.” Ethan grabbed his gym bag. “I'll survive.”

  Since childhood, Ethan had trained under Moonlake's twin traditions—Baji Quan's explosive strikes and Chuo Jiao's sweeping kicks. His father, a globetrotting martial arts influencer, had founded the city's Baji branch. In the post-Combat Championship era, such schools flourished nationwide.

  “Maybe retiring's the reset I need,” Ethan mused. “Master Liu took gold at forty-five. I'm twenty-nine—plenty of runway.”

  A world title meant $500 million in endorsements. Official media fanfare. Harper's shadow would shrivel under that spotlight.

  “What did Harper demand?” Ethan asked.

  “Your termination.” Simon avoided eye contact. “My liquor brand relies on Tiger Shark's platforms. I can't fight this.”

  “No blame here.” Ethan clapped Simon's shoulder. “Businessmen dance to capital's tune. Warriors?” He tapped his temple. “We follow this.”