Surviving In This Filthy World As A Novel Villain

Eric Vaughn's three mysterious masters were each unique.

This 'miracle doctor' master had incredible medical skills and even created that signature move Eric loved to show off with, the Acupuncture'. The only downside was that the master himself was physically weak, basically useless in a fight.

He could only handle patients. Against a normal person, all he could do was talk, because he'd lose any physical fight.

Honestly, if one of Eric Vaughn's other two masters had come, Alex might actually have been a little worried. Both the poison expert (second master) and the assassination expert (third master) made him feel a real sense of danger. But this needle-using medical master? Nah, not a threat.

Thinking this, he glanced down at the silver coin in his hand. An interesting idea popped into his head.

After telling him about Otis, Ashley also mentioned she was coming to the City herself to "talk business." She'd already booked a hotel – not the same one as last time, but a different five-star place called 'Colorless Hotel,' which happened to be one of Alex's own properties.

Heh, woman. Are you really coming here for 'proper' business? Hmm... more than just business. More like nine hundred million worth of 'big business'.

"Why the Colorless Hotel?" Alex asked curiously.

It's hard for things to stay 'colorless' when you're around! he thought.

Ashley Dawson stated it like it was obvious: "Because it's your property. Doing business here doesn't cost money."

Tsk! Alex inwardly scoffed. You just want a free ride. Getting your hands on my nine-hundred-million assets wasn't enough, now you want a free hotel room too... Alex felt deeply pained by this shameless behavior. After getting the room number, he decided he'd give her a harsh critique tomorrow.

After hanging up, Alex called over again. "Send some people to the train station. Keep an eye out for this person. When he shows up, have them tail him."

Because of the price, Otis is taking the slow train, and in a hard seat, no less, Alex recalled Ashley's info.

He forwarded the photo Ashley had sent – a screenshot from the Dawson family home's security camera feed – to Mr. Waters.

"Yes, Sir."

Mr. Waters glanced at the photo and turned to leave.

"You guys can go too." Putting away the gleaming silver coin, Alex spoke to the four young women standing side-by-side near the private room door, who had been doing synchronized exercises moments before.

Instantly, as if receiving a command, the four girls, who had been enthusiastically exercising, stopped their chest expansions mid-movement. They walked out neatly in a row.

Even after leaving, they wouldn't lose the memories from while they were hypnotized. People under [Mental Hypnosis] were different from those under regular hypnosis or psychological suggestion.

Even after snapping out of it, those affected by [Mental Hypnosis] retain their memories of that period. They would just find it strange why they were suddenly doing exercises, but wouldn't suspect anything was wrong.

Putting the silver coin away, Alex stood up and left the Club.

.…

Around 10 PM, colorful neon lights flickered along the roadside. The streets were bustling with couples hugging and strolling, quite lively.

Alex drove his flashy red Ferrari SF90 down Southern Cross Avenue, soon arriving at the Colorless Hotel.

City had three five-star hotels, and the Colorless Hotel was one of them, known for being the most modern.

Alex's Ferrari stopped right at the hotel entrance. The moment he stepped out, hotel security quickly surrounded both sides of the car, swiftly clearing a path through the entrance.

Hotel executives rushed out of their offices and headed downstairs. One by one, the top management arrived at the hotel lobby at top speed, their suits perfectly pressed, every button carefully fastened.

Others might not recognize Alex's car, but no employee of the Reid Industries failed to recognize it.

Unlike the typical 'Sons of Luck', wherever a villain like Alex went, his subordinates would recognize him instantly, using their fastest speed to do so, and still somehow find the time to arrange a grand entrance suitable for their boss.

In the top-floor suite of the Colorless Hotel, Ashley Dawson stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold at the hotel entrance. Welcomed by a crowd of hotel executives, Alex looked like an emperor inspecting his territory. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Hmph, what a show-off!"

Ashley pouted, thinking to herself that she wanted to implement something similar at her company someday. She wanted to experience what it felt like to be an empress making an 'undercover' visit.

On the living room sofa, Clara fidgeted nervously, glancing around aimlessly. She didn't even know what she was looking for, or searching for.

Before coming, she had been full of fighting spirit. The feeling of sneaking out behind her grandpa's back for a blind date felt incredibly thrilling. But as soon as she arrived in City, the thought that the man her aunt mentioned was coming up any second, that they were about to meet face-to-face...

She felt so nervous she wanted to run away.

"Auntie, maybe we should meet him tomorrow instead?" Clara leaned over the back of the sofa, looking at Ashley. She was kneeling on the sofa, her little white feet dangling and swinging nervously.

So nervous, what do I do?

Ashley pulled her gaze back from the window and turned around. "He's already downstairs."

"So fast!" Clara jumped up from the sofa in alarm, completely startled.

"What are you panicking about? He... he's not going to eat you," Ashley said, though even she didn't sound entirely confident about that last part.

Clara stammered, her small face flushed bright red. "But... but..."

"No 'buts'." Ashley walked over, looking directly into her niece's striking purple eyes. "Clara, don't forget why you came here. We flew, which was fast, but Otis is taking the train. He'll be here tomorrow."

She paused, then gave a faint, knowing smile. "Think about it. How long will Otis stay in City? And when will he bring that psycho student of his to Wade Family?"

Mentioning Eric Vaughn instantly snapped Clara out of her nervousness.

Compared to the horror of marrying that psycho, having a blind date with a potentially intimidating stranger suddenly seemed like a much, much better option.