320-322

Chapter 320: The Impossible Triangle 

The two irregular pink stones had fused into a single pink energy orb, radiating soft pink light. 

Under the influence of this light, even Roy, who had just been with two girls, felt a faint, restless itch in his heart. 

What was this thing good for? 

Roy hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch the pink energy orb. It instantly merged into his hand, and then he heard the system’s notification sound. 

[You have obtained the Authority of Lust (Minor)!] 

What the heck? Authority of Lust? 

Roy felt a mix of confusion and awe, but thankfully, the system provided an explanation. 

[Authority of Lust (Minor): This is a fragment of the original sin of lust. If you can collect all the powers of the original sins, you can become the true Lord of Hell, the supreme demon, Satan!] 

So that’s what it was—a requirement to become the Lord of Hell? 

Roy lowered his head, deep in thought. 

Indeed, after gaining the Authority of Lust, Roy felt like he could effortlessly manipulate others, making them fall into desire. 

But was this kind of power really what he wanted? 

Roy might not be the most morally upright transmigrator, but he had his own底线. 

If he relied entirely on the Authority of Lust to satisfy his desires, wouldn’t that make him no different from a hellish demon? 

Still, the thing had already merged into his body, and Roy had no idea how to remove it. For now, he’d just have to live with it. 

As for collecting the other authorities of the original sins… 

Better not to think too much about it. Although Roy had unexpectedly defeated the King of Lust, the process had been incredibly tough. 

He’d think about it again when he could take on a Hell Demon King head-on. 

After opening the treasure chest, Roy had planned to rest, only to find there was no space for him on the bed. 

After all, they were at a military dock. Even though Roy had been given a private room, the bed was a single one. 

Jay and Delilah had taken up most of the space, leaving no room for anyone else. 

With no other choice, Roy found a blanket in the room, spread it on the floor, and made do for the night. 

The next day, Hammer sent Roy to California. Jay, Delilah, and Bartholomew were also sent back. 

Bartholomew was headed to a military tribunal, while Jay and Delilah were to appear as witnesses. 

Roy, however, didn’t need to testify. After arriving in California, he first called Gerald to share the good news. 

Gerald was thrilled to hear that Bartholomew had been taken down, and he and Roy spent hours drinking whiskey together. 

Man, that guy really hated Bartholomew! 

Roy stayed in Los Angeles for a few days, mostly hanging out with Saltana. 

Unfortunately, Dalia and Amy were still out at sea, salvaging the treasure from the Antonia Grassa. This meant Roy couldn’t form a flexible team during his time in L.A. 

As a result, Saltana was feeling a bit overwhelmed by Roy’s attention and even suggested he head back to Texas. 

With no other option, Roy decided to give Saltana a break and find someone else. That’s when he remembered there was one person in L.A. he hadn’t yet won over—Melanie Hill, the short-haired senior beauty. 

Some might have forgotten Melanie. She was the stunning senior that Alan Berg had introduced to Roy when he came to L.A. to negotiate with UCLA’s administration. 

Back then, Melanie had nearly fallen for Roy, but her reserved personality kept her from taking the leap. 

In the months that followed, Roy hadn’t spent much time with her. They’d kept in touch on MSN, but their connection had cooled off. 

So, this time in L.A., Roy decided to rekindle things with Melanie and see if he could win her back. 

Luckily, Melanie was in L.A., and when Roy asked her out, she agreed right away. 

The two met at dusk, when the sun wasn’t so harsh, and took a walk along Santa Monica Beach. 

It was clear that deep down, Melanie still had feelings for Roy. But because of his playboy tendencies, she—someone who valued a soulmate connection—still had her doubts. 

It was summer, and Santa Monica Beach was buzzing with activity. This was the same beach where Roy had fought in a boxing match. 

At dusk, street performers would often play along the shore. Roy and Melanie commented on their performances, and that familiar, flirty vibe started to return. 

“Roy, I can’t believe you actually won an Olympic gold medal. Everyone at UCLA who’s in the know is talking about you!” 

The news that Roy would be starting at UCLA in the fall had spread, possibly with some help from the school. 

After all, an Olympic champion enrolling was great PR for admissions. There was no way UCLA wouldn’t capitalize on it. 

“Too bad you didn’t see me win in person.” 

Melanie pressed her lips together, giving a faint smile. 

“I bet there were plenty of girls there cheering you on. Besides, I watched all your matches on TV.” 

Just then, someone seemed to recognize Roy and approached him. 

“Excuse me, are you Roy Black?” 

The Olympics had ended a month ago, and the hype had died down a bit, but Roy’s fame at Santa Monica Beach hadn’t faded. 

“You’ve got the wrong guy. I just look a little like him.” 

The person hesitated, still studying Roy’s face, clearly unconvinced. 

Roy quickly grabbed Melanie’s hand and left the scene, finding a spot to put on Niddy’s black-framed glasses. 

It had been a while since he’d been in the public eye, and Roy had almost forgotten he was a public figure now. 

Seeing Roy with the glasses, Melanie’s expression softened. 

“You look like a totally different person with those on.” 

“Really? Can you still tell it’s me?” 

Roy flashed a grin. 

Melanie reached out as if to touch his face but quickly pulled back, realizing it might be too forward. 

“Roy, sometimes I think it’d be better if you weren’t so… dazzling. If you were just ordinary, like you are now.” 

There was a hint of sadness on Melanie’s face. She hadn’t managed to convince herself to fully accept Roy, yet she was still drawn to his charm. 

Especially now, when Roy had come back to see her. She’d been ready to turn him down, but one look at his face, and she found herself unable to resist. 

He was like a deadly poppy—irresistible and impossible to quit. 

“Melanie, if I were just an ordinary guy, would you still fall for me?” 

Melanie fell silent. 

It was a paradox. Women always fell for the most captivating flower, but once they had it, they wanted it to stop attracting others. 

Yet, a flower only stops drawing bees when it wilts—and by then, many women would scorn the faded bloom. 

It was a harsh reality. 

“Melanie, I once heard about this theory that there are impossible triangles in this world. Wanna hear about it?” 

“I think I’ve heard of that. Isn’t it something the Stuarts and the impossible trinity by economist Paul Krugman from last year?” 

Of course, a top-tier college student would know cross-disciplinary stuff. 

“No, no, I’m not talking about economics. I mean a sociological theory. Like the impossible triangle for men: handsome, rich, and faithful!” 

That got a laugh out of Melanie. 

“Are you trying to justify being a player?” 

Roy already checked off handsome and rich, so faithful was clearly off the table. 

“Melanie, you’re missing my point. I’m not justifying anything, just stating a fact.” 

“What’s the impossible triangle for women, then?” 

“Beautiful, smart, and gentle.” 

Roy leaned closer, gazing into her stunning eyes. 

“But I think you, Melanie, might just break that impossible triangle.” 

Feeling Roy’s breath, Melanie’s expression turned flustered. 

“W-Well, I’m not as perfect as you think. A lot of people say I look too sharp, not soft enough. And I’m kind of a loner—hardly have any friends.” 

“That’s the thing, Melanie. Life’s never perfect. Even getting three good things at once is rare. So why overthink it?” 

Roy pressed his forehead against hers, their noses touching. 

This was well beyond the boundaries of just friends, but Melanie didn’t pull away. Instead, she closed her eyes, mulling over Roy’s words. 

Yeah, life’s not perfect. So why was she still chasing some ideal soulmate? 

Did that kind of soulmate even exist? 

In a daze, Melanie felt something warm and soft against her lips. When she opened her eyes, Roy was kissing her. 

Her body stiffened for a moment before melting into him. She realized her body couldn’t resist his kiss—craving even more. 

Had she already fallen for him long ago? 

Melanie sadly accepted the truth and threw herself fully into the sweet kiss. 

Her ears picked up the sound of beautiful music, making her feel like she was in paradise, complete with a lovely singing voice. 

But then, Roy pulled away. 

“Roy, what’s wrong?” 

Breathing heavily, Melanie looked up at him, only to see him glancing over her shoulder. 

Was something behind her? 

She turned and saw a sunny, handsome guy with slightly delicate features, playing a guitar. 

So that’s where the romantic music and singing had come from. 

Talk about a perfect mood-setter! 

But Roy’s attitude was oddly off, and Melanie couldn’t quite figure it out. 

“Roy, do you know this guy?” 

Roy nodded. 

“Adrian, what are you doing here?” 

Adrian, who was actually Raphael’s human form, grinned at Roy and Melanie. 

“I was just passing through L.A. and saw you romancing this lady, so I couldn’t resist playing a little love tune for you guys.” 

Roy was speechless. This guy had zero tact, barging in while he was in the middle of something. 

“Can’t you do something productive instead of wandering around all the time?” 

“I am doing something productive—experiencing human life so I can better understand human psychology.” 

It sounded like something a certain unnamed author, Jiraiya, might say about “researching” at a women’s bathhouse. 

Roy was even more exasperated. 

At this point, Melanie, still in Roy’s arms, was thoroughly confused. Adrian’s talk about “experiencing human life” sounded like he wasn’t human himself. 

Wait a second… 

Melanie had encountered supernatural events before, like the Electronic Succubus incident and the Slender Man case. She knew the world held unnatural forces. 

So, cautiously, she asked Roy, “Who is this?” 

Roy introduced him. 

“You can call him Adrian. He’s Raphael’s human form.” 

As a devout Christian, Melanie instantly connected the name Raphael to its meaning. 

“Raphael? The archangel?” 

Her eyes widened, her faith teetering on the edge of collapse. This Adrian looked like a slacker, like the neighbor’s deadbeat younger brother. 

If angels were like this, was there any hope for humanity? 

“That’s him! This guy just loafs around all day, never doing anything worthwhile!” 

Adrian smiled, seemingly unfazed by Roy’s jab. 

“Roy, there’s some disagreement in Heaven about the current situation.” 

With God suddenly missing, it wasn’t just Hell stirring with undercurrents—Heaven was facing internal divides too. 

Unlike Hell, which had split into clear factions, Heaven’s disagreements were more… democratic. 

Uriel, for instance, leaned toward proactively engaging with the human world to counter Hell’s influence, which was why she’d been working closely with the federal government. 

On the other hand, Gabriel, God’s messenger and the one who’d blow the trumpet for Judgment Day, believed God hadn’t vanished but was playing a grand game. Heaven just needed to follow God’s old playbook and wait for His will, no changes required. 

Gabriel also opposed the plan for archangels to take turns descending to Earth to deal with demons. 

“Michael and I are the middle ground. We don’t agree with Uriel’s push to get cozy with humans, since that clearly goes against God’s prior stance. But we also don’t agree with Gabriel’s do-nothing approach, letting the human world get tainted by demons.” 

So that’s how it was! 

Though Heaven had its disputes, the four archangels had reached a compromise through discussion. 

Uriel could pursue her human alliances on her own. Gabriel, who wanted no changes, would stay and guard Heaven. 

As for Michael and Raphael, they’d stick to the original agreement: every hundred years, they’d take turns coming to Earth to eliminate demons. 

But Raphael was clearly bending the rules, sneaking down early to goof off. 

“Raphael, you and Michael get along well?” 

Adrian shrugged. 

“Pretty well. I was created after her, and she’s always looked out for me. In human terms, she’s like a big sister. Oh, by the way, Roy, wanna come with me to meet someone?” 

Melanie Hill (Demi Moore, iconic scene from Ghost) 

Chapter 321: The Wine of Original Sin 

Adrian suddenly said he wanted to take Roy to meet someone, which caught Roy off guard. 

“Who are you taking me to see?” Roy asked. 

Adrian flashed a mysterious smile. “You’ll find out when we get there.” 

Roy glanced at Mary, still cradled in his arms. She was in a daze, her faith shattered, her expression vacant.  

“Can I bring Mary along?”  

“Of course,” Adrian replied. “The person we’re meeting won’t mind.” 

“Alright then,” Roy said. 

“Let’s go!” Adrian led Roy and Mary through Santa Monica Beach, heading into downtown Santa Monica. 

A quick note for clarity: in the U.S., counties are a level above cities. When people talk about Los Angeles, they usually mean Los Angeles County, which includes a bunch of smaller cities or districts, each called a “city” in its own right. Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley, and the famous Beverly Hills are all examples of this. 

By now, the sun had fully set, and the lively nightlife was just kicking off. 

Adrian brought Roy and Mary to one of the busiest streets in Santa Monica, stopping at an upscale bar called “Timeless.” Despite its prime location in the heart of the action, the bar was surprisingly quiet, with only a few patrons inside. 

Adrian approached a man who was clearly the bar’s owner—no one else was just sitting around, and he didn’t look like a customer. The man had jet-black hair and a strikingly handsome, almost magnetic presence, the kind that made him stand out even in a place like this. 

“Adrian, you actually brought other people? That’s a first,” the man said, his tone amused. 

“Lucifer, can’t I have friends?” Adrian shot back. 

Their conversation made Mary’s eyes widen in shock. “Mr. Adrian, did you just call him Lucifer? As in Satan Lucifer?” 

Given that Adrian was the human embodiment of Raphael, there was really only one person he’d call Lucifer. Mary’s already fragile faith seemed to crack even further. 

Lucifer’s expression didn’t change. He gave Mary a brief, almost dismissive glance. “Adrian, is this chick your girlfriend? She seems a bit… clueless.” 

Adrian sighed, glancing at Lucifer. “Don’t say stuff like that. You’ll upset Roy.” 

Roy shrugged it off. “Nah, I’m not that petty.” 

His eyes, though, stayed locked on the black-haired man across from him. Roy had expected Adrian’s contact to be someone important, but he hadn’t anticipated meeting Lucifer, the King of Pride and one of the Seven Demon Lords of Hell. The way Adrian and Lucifer talked, like old buddies, confirmed Elizabeth’s theory: Lucifer still had deep ties to Heaven. 

While Roy studied Lucifer, Lucifer was sizing him up too. They locked eyes for a long moment, only snapping out of it when Adrian coughed awkwardly. 

“Ahem! Roy, Mary, sit down already. No need to stand there like statues.” 

The tension in the air had been… intense, to say the least. Roy quickly sat, pulling the still-dazed Mary onto his lap. 

Rumor had it Lucifer swung both ways, and Roy figured he’d better play it safe. 

Once they were seated, Lucifer snapped his fingers, and a bottle of wine Roy had never seen before appeared on the table, along with a few glasses.  

“Let’s have a drink before we talk,” Lucifer said. 

He popped the bottle open, and a rich, intoxicating aroma filled the air. Roy felt a jolt of energy, and even Mary, still lost in her haze, seemed to snap back to reality. She blushed when she realized she was sitting in Roy’s lap but didn’t pull away or protest. 

Lucifer poured glasses for himself, Roy, and Mary, but when he went to pour for Adrian, Adrian waved him off. “You know I can’t drink, Lucifer.” 

“Adrian, you’re in the human world now. Why cling to Heaven’s rules? You said you wanted to experience human life—this is a big part of it!” Lucifer’s tone was smooth, persuasive, like a devil tempting an angel. 

Roy couldn’t help but smirk. So this was how a Demon Lord worked his charm. 

But Adrian’s resolve was ironclad. If he wasn’t steadfast, his carefree attitude would’ve turned him into a fallen angel long ago. Despite his laid-back vibe, Raphael only played fast and loose with trivial things. When it came to Heaven’s commandments—like abstaining from alcohol and lust—he was unwavering. 

“Lucifer, you can’t trick me with that. Falling starts with these tiny steps. One small slip leads to another, and before you know it, you look back and realize there’s no way home.” 

Adrian’s words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, but Lucifer pretended not to notice. “Fine, more for our new friends then.” 

Roy eyed the amber-colored liquid in his glass, clear and shimmering. He wasn’t much of a drinker, but the scent was impossible to resist. Mary, a devout Puritan who never touched alcohol, looked equally captivated. 

“Mr. Lucifer, what kind of wine is this?” she asked. 

Lucifer’s smile was enigmatic. “This is called ‘Original Sin.’ It’ll give you an experience you’ll never forget.” 

The name Original Sin sounded ominous, especially coming from a Demon Lord. Roy hesitated, glancing at Adrian for reassurance. 

“It’s fine, Roy. You can drink it. I only abstain because of Heaven’s rules,” Adrian said. 

With Adrian’s approval, Roy relaxed. The Angel of Healing wouldn’t steer him wrong. He raised his glass and downed the wine in one gulp. Mary hesitated for a moment before following suit. 

As the amber liquid hit his stomach, Roy felt a fire ignite inside him. The blaze spread, burning from his core outward. It wasn’t just heat—it was a pink flame, the fire of lust, one of the original sins. 

The flames left Roy parched, his body feverish, consumed by a primal, almost animalistic urge he couldn’t put into words. 

Mary, on the other hand, reacted differently. After drinking, a faint white aura enveloped her, making her look radiant, almost holy—like an angel descended to Earth. Compared to Adrian’s slouched, irreverent posture, Mary looked more angelic than he did. 

It was a sign that Mary was free of any original sin, as pure as an angel. 

“What is this wine?!” Roy growled, struggling against the torment of his desires. Only by holding Mary tightly could he feel a sliverpure as an angel. 

“What the hell is this wine?!” Roy demanded, his voice rough with the agony of his burning desires. Clinging to Mary was the only thing keeping him grounded, her presence like a cool breeze against the fire raging inside him. 

Lucifer and Adrian exchanged a look, both clearly caught off guard by what was happening. 

“Lucifer, what’s going on? Why’s the wine doing this to him?” Adrian asked, his tone sharp. Roy had only drunk the wine because Adrian said it was safe, and if something went wrong, he’d feel responsible. 

Lucifer shrugged, looking almost sheepish. “How was I supposed to know your buddy’s carrying such a heavy load of original sin? Look at him—it’s like he’s got the authority of lust itself. Don’t you find that a little weird?” 

Adrian blinked, thrown by the revelation. He’d heard from Michael that Roy was just an upstanding human guy—half-demon, sure, but a good one. The idea that Roy was packing the authority of lust was a shock. 

“How’s he got the authority of lust?” Adrian asked, disbelief clear in his voice. 

Lucifer leaned back, studying Roy like he was some rare, fascinating creature. Adrian, meanwhile, was starting to lose his cool. He reached out, and a guitar appeared in his hands. He strummed a few chords, and the music flowed out, soft and soothing. Slowly, Roy’s body began to calm, the pink flames fading. 

“You set me up!” Roy snapped, glaring at Lucifer. Demon Lord or not, nobody played him like that. He wasn’t some pushover. 

Lucifer gave an awkward chuckle. “I didn’t know you were carrying the authority of lust, man. How could I predict this? And wait, there’s more! You’ve got Beelzebub’s mark on you, plus an unactivated seal from Asmodeus. You’re a walking mystery, aren’t you?” 

Adrian’s jaw dropped. He hadn’t expected Roy’s story to be this complicated. He trusted Lucifer’s word—Pride’s king didn’t bother with lies—so Roy really did have the authority of lust, plus marks from two Demon Lords. That was like a guy being married to two women at once. 

“Roy, what’s the deal here?” Adrian asked, his tone wary, his earlier friendliness gone. 

Roy’s mind raced, scrambling for a believable story. “A while back, I ran into the Queen of Lust. Took everything I had to send her back to Hell. That’s when I got saddled with this lust authority. She left her mark on me before she bailed. As for Beelzebub’s mark, that was a trick—she screwed me over!” 

It was all true, technically, and it passed Adrian’s lie detector. “Got it. Roy, you want me to help you get rid of that lust authority and those marks?” 

“No way,” Roy said quickly. Let Adrian strip him of something he’d nearly died to get? Not a chance. “I’ll handle it myself.” 

Lucifer, sharp as ever, caught the hint that Roy wasn’t telling the full story. He also noticed something else—traces of a unique bloodline in Roy’s veins. In Heaven or Hell, Lucifer was top dog. In Heaven, it took Michael and Gabriel to take him down. In Hell, neither Beelzebub nor Leviathan could touch him, and the lesser four Demon Lords would need to team up just to stand a chance. If Lucifer wanted to be Satan, he’d have claimed the title ages ago. Elizabeth had called him a terrifying man, and she wasn’t wrong. 

Lucifer’s piercing gaze made Roy uneasy. He was already regretting letting Adrian drag him here. 

Luckily, Adrian stepped in to shift the conversation. “Lucifer, how long you planning to stick around in the human world this time?” 

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll stay for good,” Lucifer said with a grin. 

Adrian frowned. “You’re just gonna ditch Hell? God’s not gonna be happy about that.” 

Lucifer’s smile turned bitter. “I never ran Hell to begin with. And didn’t the old man go AWOL? He bailed on Heaven first, so why should I care about Hell?” 

“Lucifer, I’m sure God’s got his reasons. We’re all out here looking for him,” Adrian said, his face unusually serious. 

Lucifer smirked. “What, you gonna rat me out to Gabriel?” 

The wine of Original Sin was taking effect on Lucifer now, too. A yellow mist rose from him, the color of pride. His authority over sin was far stronger than Roy’s, but he didn’t even flinch, like it was nothing. 

Adrian hesitated, then sighed. “I’ll keep my mouth shut, Lucifer. But Gabriel’s gonna find out eventually. Just… have your fun and head back, alright?” 

Back in Heaven, Lucifer and Raphael had been tight. Both had that same free-spirited vibe. Raphael respected Michael the most, but Lucifer was his best friend. Gabriel, on the other hand, couldn’t stand Lucifer. She was all about rules and order, and Lucifer’s chaos drove her up the wall. They’d bickered constantly in Heaven, and when Lucifer first got banished to Hell, they’d fought like cats and dogs—though Gabriel always lost. 

If Gabriel found out Lucifer was topside, she’d come down swinging, and things would get messy fast. 

“Enough, Adrian,” Lucifer cut in, his tone firm. “If I wanna go back, I’ll go. But if I don’t, nobody’s dragging me—not even the old man.” 

Adrian opened his mouth to argue, but Lucifer shut him down. “If you’re just here to preach about Hell, you can go. But if you wanna kick back and have a drink, I’m all ears.” 

Lucifer’s stance was clear, and Adrian knew he wasn’t budging. “Fine. I’m out for today,” he said, standing up. Drinking was off the table for him. 

Roy quickly pulled Mary to her feet, ready to bolt. She was still in a fog—tonight had been a surreal whirlwind for her. Pink flames, yellow mist, and not a single person around them reacting, thanks to the barrier Lucifer had set up. 

As Adrian stepped out of the barrier, Lucifer called after them. “Roy, I’m intrigued. Come back anytime.” 

Roy froze. Is this guy for real? 

He made a mental note to steer clear of this place from now on. 

One more for Mary. 

There’s no shortage of Lucifer-inspired stories out there, and this one borrows a bit from the vibe of the TV show Lucifer. 

Chapter 322: Ruled a Suicide 

California, a military prison. 

Click, click, click. 

The rhythmic sound of high heels echoed on the concrete floor, carrying far in the empty space. 

Finally, the heels stopped in front of a luxurious prison cell door. 

“Bartholomew, you have a visitor.” 

The cell door opened, and in walked a middle-aged woman, probably in her forties or fifties. She looked sharp, capable, and carried an air of authority. 

Bartholomew’s face lit up with shock when she saw her. 

“Chairman Genevieve, what are you doing here?” 

“When you get into trouble, of course I have to show up.” 

Genevieve wore a faint, approachable smile. 

But Bartholomew knew just how terrifying Genevieve could be behind that expression. 

“Tell me, how did this happen? Do you know how furious I was when I heard about this in San Francisco?” 

Under Genevieve’s commanding presence, the usually assertive Bartholomew shrank like a quail, stammering nervously. 

“Chairman Genevieve, here’s what happened! I was following your orders to keep an eye on the Layton couple’s canyon project, but not long after, there was an accident…” 

Bartholomew quickly recounted the events. When she finished, Genevieve’s face darkened, her expression turning grim. 

“I didn’t expect it to turn out like this!” 

“Chairman Genevieve, can you get me out of here?” 

Bartholomew looked at Genevieve with hopeful eyes, desperate to hear what she wanted. But reality dealt her a harsh blow. 

“You’re not getting out anytime soon. Frank Hammer has evidence against you, and he’s already submitted it to the Pentagon. Just stay put in this prison for a few months. Once the heat dies down, I’ll find a way to get you out.” 

Bartholomew was disappointed but could accept the outcome. At least her life was safe. 

“I understand, Chairman Genevieve. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” 

Genevieve nodded, satisfied. 

“Then use this time to reflect and lay low.” 

With that, Genevieve turned and left the cell. 

Click, click, click. As she walked away from Bartholomew’s cell, her expression darkened again. 

“Bartholomew’s outlived her usefulness. Let her end things… gracefully.” 

Her aide responded immediately. 

“Understood!” 

Then, Genevieve muttered to herself. 

“Sorry, Bartholomew. The Genesis Project can’t afford any slip-ups. This is the only way.” 

That night, Bartholomew was struggling to fall asleep in her cell. At her age, sleep was always elusive, often taking a long time to come. 

The cell door opened silently, and a figure slipped inside. 

Sensing something, Bartholomew opened her eyes—just as a cloth was wrapped tightly around her neck. 

She struggled desperately, but as a woman in her fifties, she was no match for her assailant. 

Soon, her struggles weakened, and she stopped breathing altogether. 

The figure removed the cloth, hung it on the cell door, and slipped Bartholomew’s head through it. 

After staging the scene, they locked the cell door and vanished from the military prison. 

The next day, Bartholomew’s body was discovered by a guard. Despite clear strangulation marks, the coroner ruled her death a suicide. 

Roy didn’t hear the news until a few days later. 

“Damn it! I underestimated Amatech’s guts. They had the nerve to pull this off right before a military tribunal!” 

In the manager’s office at the Dolphin Hotel, Gerald slammed his fist on the desk. 

If Bartholomew had made it to the tribunal, they could’ve dug up more dirt on Amatech. But now, she’d died in a military prison. 

A suicide? 

It was like rubbing the Pentagon’s face in the dirt! 

Sitting across from Gerald, Roy wasn’t all that surprised. Maybe because, coming from the future, he’d heard too many jokes about people “committing suicide” with ten bullet wounds in their back. 

“Is the Pentagon just gonna let this slide?” 

“No way! Even the most patient generals at the Pentagon won’t stand for this. I’ve got inside info: the White House is about to slap Amatech with a fine close to ten billion dollars. This’ll peel a layer off them. Mr. Black, if you’re interested, you could short Amatech’s stock. The news won’t break until the day after tomorrow!” 

Roy’s eyes lit up. Gerald was a solid guy, sharing such valuable intel. 

A fine that massive would tank Amatech’s stock price, making shorting it a sure bet. 

But Gerald’s move was classic Americana. How else did all those stock market wizards on Capitol Hill get so rich? 

Inside information, that’s how. 

“Mr. Olin, thanks for the tip.” 

Roy didn’t have experience shorting stocks himself, and none of the women around him did either. Fortunately, he’d recently recruited Katherine. 

Katherine had years of experience as a top corporate executive. Even if she didn’t know the stock market, she’d likely know reliable professionals who could handle the short for Roy. 

“Too bad we couldn’t take Amatech down for good. Once they recover, they’ll cause more trouble.” 

Gerald sighed. 

“What, a ten-billion-dollar fine isn’t enough to cripple them?” 

Roy looked at Gerald curiously. 

“It’s not that simple! If I know Amatech is facing a massive fine, don’t you think their iron lady, Genevieve Aristide, does too? All she needs to do is take the company’s liquid assets, add some leverage, and short her own company. When the stock plummets, she can buy it back at a lower price, weather the storm, and maybe even turn a profit!” 

Roy’s face lit up with realization. 

No wonder finance was so lucrative with insider info—it was hard to lose. 

As for stock market oversight? That was a joke. Exchanges could openly roll back trades or “pull the plug” if they wanted. Fairness was just a punchline. 

The only winner in a casino is the house. 

“Mr. Olin, if Amatech wants to stir up more trouble, let them. I’d like to see how many of their execs are willing to ‘commit suicide.’” 

This incident was a blatant warning. No one at the top was stupid. Even if Bartholomew’s autopsy said “suicide,” no one would buy it. 

The logic was simple: execs would think twice before making moves, lest they end up “suicided” like Bartholomew. 

Gerald nodded. 

“You’ve got a point. Even if Genevieve Aristide wants revenge, I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to go along with her.” 

“I’m not even sure she’ll hold onto her chairman position after this.” 

Roy and Gerald exchanged a knowing smile, no longer taking Amatech seriously. 

“By the way, Mr. Olin, I’m heading back to Texas tomorrow.” 

“Leaving so soon? Why not stick around a bit longer?” 

With Roy in L.A., Gerald felt at ease. No matter what came up, Roy could handle it. 

“Nah, folks back home are nagging me to return, and school’s starting soon. Gotta prep some stuff.” 

Truth was, Lilith was the one pushing Roy to come back. She was desperate to get a new body. 

With school starting in a week, Roy needed to sort out the body issue during the summer break. Once classes began, it’d be a long wait. 

Gerald chuckled. 

“Ha! Every time we talk, I forget you’re still a student.” 

“Mr. Olin, say goodbye to Saltana for me.” 

“Why not tell Rivera yourself?” 

Roy shrugged helplessly. 

“Saltana’s been avoiding me lately. Won’t even pick up my calls.” 

Roy’s stamina was just too much for her. On her own, Saltana couldn’t keep up, and with no teammates in L.A. to share the load, she needed a full day to recover after each “battle.” 

All that downtime burned through her vacation days. 

So, Saltana went into hiding to avoid another “defeat CG” from Roy. 

Gerald gave Roy a thumbs-up. That kind of physical prowess was every guy’s dream. 

“I’ll pass it along.” 

After wrapping up with Gerald, Roy left the office and called Katherine, explaining his plan to short Amatech. 

At first, Katherine was skeptical. Amatech was a global giant with stable stock prices. Shorting it would require massive capital. 

Unless a black swan event hit, no one would bother. 

But a black swan was indeed coming. 

When Roy shared his intel, Katherine got it immediately and said she’d team up with Penny to handle the short. 

Katherine hadn’t climbed the corporate ladder on looks but on skill and sharp instincts. 

Honestly, her face was average at best, even in her youth. She’d risen purely on talent. 

Roy was pleased with her decision to bring Penny on board. 

With work sorted, Roy tracked down Melanie. 

“Roy, you’re heading back to Texas tomorrow?” 

Melanie’s face was full of disappointment. She’d been so happy spending time with Roy these past few days and hated to see him go. 

They’d officially become a couple, though the conservative Melanie hadn’t let Roy cross the final line yet. 

But Roy was confident he’d win her over fully by the end of the year. 

Melanie was growing less resistant to physical closeness. At first, even a kiss made her blush, but now she was fine with hugs, kisses, and light touching. 

And that progress was in just a few days! 

Hitting a home run was only a matter of time. 

“Why the long face? Don’t forget, we’ll see each other again in a week at the latest.” 

Melanie brightened up. 

“You’re right! I almost forgot what day it is!” 

They say love makes women silly, and Melanie was showing signs of it, losing her scholarly edge. 

“Just wait for me in L.A. I’ll be back for you in September.” 

“Mm!” 

Melanie rested her head on Roy’s solid chest, greedily breathing in his scent. 

She wouldn’t get to smell it for the next week, so she had to get her fill now. 

Her puppy-like sniffing made Roy laugh. 

“If you like my scent that much, I can take off my shirt for you to smell.” 

Melanie instantly pulled back, blushing. 

She knew exactly what “taking off his shirt” implied. She wasn’t ready for that yet and needed more time to prepare mentally. 

“Roy, when you get back, don’t forget to reply to my MSN messages!” 

“I won’t.” 

The next day, Roy stood in the L.A. suburbs, preparing to return to Falls Town. This time, he’d try his new ability: psychic teleportation, aiming for Sawyer Manor. 

Over the past few days in L.A., Roy had practiced teleportation. Short-range, line-of-sight jumps were easy, and he’d even tested mid-range teleports across half the city with minimal error. 

Now, it was time to try a long-distance, cross-state teleport. 

Long-distance teleportation was definitely trickier, but mastering it would be a game-changer. It’d save him from exhausting long trips and free up a ton of time. 

“Focus. Picture Sawyer Manor’s location…” 

Line-of-sight teleportation was simple—just see the spot and go. 

But out-of-sight teleportation required imagining the destination or having spatial coordinates. 

The farther the distance, the more critical coordinates were, since imagination alone wasn’t always precise. 

Unfortunately, Roy wasn’t a wizard and hadn’t systematically studied how to establish coordinates. He had to rely on mental imagery. 

This meant he could only teleport to places he’d been. Without a mental image, he’d have no idea where he’d end up. 

“Psychic teleport!” 

A red glow flashed around Roy’s body, and he vanished. 

The next second, he appeared on a somewhat familiar highway, nearly getting hit by a big rig that barely braked in time. 

“Are you trying to die? Why’d you pop up in the middle of the road?!” 

Truck drivers weren’t known for their patience, especially when Roy almost caused a crash. 

What the driver didn’t know was that he was the one who’d have been in trouble. With Roy’s current physical condition, a collision would likely wreck the truck, not him. 

Still, it was Roy’s mistake, so he apologized. 

“Sorry, I got a bit dizzy.” 

The driver grumbled and drove off, leaving Roy to scan his surroundings. 

“This looks about ten miles from Falls Town. Didn’t expect the error to be that big for a long-distance jump.” 

Still, it saved him a thousand-mile trip. A ten-mile error was acceptable. 

“Should’ve hitched a ride with that truck. Guess I’ll have to call Claudia to pick me up.” 

Still Melanie. 

(Chapter End)