The Campbell Family’s private skycopter sliced through the storm-lashed skies of Aurelian Prime, its engines howling like a banshee.

Inside the plush cabin, Kingston stared blankly at the sprawling city below, his mind racing yet empty.

His phone buzzed incessantly,calls from the board, security alerts, and frantic messages from his father.

But he ignored them all; there was only one thing on his mind.

As their estate came into view, a monstrous blend of Old Earth elegance and modern fortress, with gilded rooftops gleaming defiantly in the rain,Kingston felt a surge of urgency.

The moment the skycopter touched down on the private landing pad, he was already moving before the engines had fully powered down.

Servants scrambled out of his path as he stormed through the vaulted hallways, their eyes wide with fear.

They had never witnessed Julian Campbell,always composed and unflappable,like this.

He found Alistair Campbell in the family’s private war room, surrounded by holographic displays mapping out the Federation’s political landscape.

At sixty years old, Alistair remained a formidable presence; his silver-streaked hair and sharp features mirrored Kingston’s own.

One look at his son’s face told him everything he needed to know.

“Christopher.”

Kingston wasted no time on pleasantries. He pulled up footage on the central display that made Alistair go silent as he watched their youngest son meet his tragic fate.

When it ended, Alistair turned to gaze out the window, his voice dangerously calm. “Eastern Consortium.”

Kingston’s jaw tightened. “They sent it to me during the board meeting,as if it were some kind of taunt.”

Alistair slammed his fist onto the table with such force that it cracked the marble beneath it. “This is a declaration of war.”

Kingston’s mind raced; Christopher might have been reckless at times, but he was still family, and no one dared touch a Campbell without facing dire consequences.

“We hit back. Hard.” His voice was ice-cold. “I want every Consortium asset in the Federation frozen by morning! Every backdoor deal exposed! Every…”

“Not yet,” Alistair interrupted sharply. “The Consortium doesn’t act without reason. What did Christopher do?”

Julian hesitated for a moment before answering grimly: “He was… handling that piece of land owned by the Osborn Family.”

“The Osborn Family?!” Alistair narrowed his eyes at Kingston in confusion as if trying to piece together a puzzle gone awry. “They’re just a small-time family in Neo-Luminara making some noise lately!”

“Oh!” With that Alistair didn’t ask any questions.

————-

The Campbell estate’s war room is a sanctuary of cold calculation.

Holographic map of the Aurelian Federation, glowing ominously in the dim light.

Real-time data feeds flicker across the display, tracking political maneuvers, corporate takeovers, and the subtle shifts in influence among the great families.

The air carries the rich scent of aged whiskey and polished mahogany, mingling with a faint tang of ozone from active holography, a sensory reminder that this is no place for the faint-hearted.

At sixty-two, Alistair Campbell stands before the central display like a seasoned general surveying his troops.

His broad silhouette casts an imposing shadow over projected map.

With silver-streaked hair neatly trimmed and a custom-tailored suit concealing subdermal armor beneath his skin, he exudes authority and experience.

Behind him paces Kingston, Alistair’s younger counterpart whose usually impeccable composure is starting to fray at the edges.

“Explain it to me again,” Alistair commands, his voice deceptively calm yet laced with tension. “From the beginning.”

Kingston halts mid-pace, ice-blue eyes flashing with urgency. “Christopher was dealing land in Neo-Luminara, the prime territory within what the government calls the Northern Expansion Plan. That land belongs to the Osborn Family I mentioned.”

Alistair remains focused on the display. “And?”

“Then this.” Kingston gestures sharply, pulling up an encrypted message that reveals haunting footage, Christopher’s last moments captured on screen: monofilament wire glinting menacingly as his golden cyber-eye flickers in darkness.

“The Viper always strikes twice.” –EC

Alistair’s jaw tightens almost imperceptibly at this ominous reminder. “The Eastern Consortium doesn’t make idle threats. What did your brother do?”

Kingston exhales sharply, raking a hand through his platinum-blond hair in frustration. “That’s just it! He didn’t do anything worth this kind of retaliation! The Osborn land is trivial compared to our core holdings, there’s no reason for them to care or send Raven!”

Finally turning to face Kingston with piercing intensity, Alistair counters: “You’re missing something.”

“I’ve reviewed everything!” Kingston snaps back defensively, “Christopher’s comm logs…his financials…his,…”

“Not his,” Alistair interrupts softly but firmly. “Theirs. What’s happening in Neo-Luminara that we’ve overlooked?”

Kingston leaned back, a frown etching deeper lines on his forehead as he activated a secondary display. “Nothing too serious,” he said, his tone dismissive. “Just the usual corporate squabbl… “

Alistair raised a hand, cutting him off. “Hold on. What about the Consortium’s movements?”

Kingston scrolled through reports, his brow knitting together in concentration. “It’s mostly quiet… but…” He paused, eyes narrowing at a buried news alert.

“There was an incident last month, a failed assassination attempt on Neo-Luminara’s mayor. Our operatives were caught on camera.”

Alistair’s gaze sharpened like a blade. “And?”

“Honestly? It was just a botched job,” Kingston replied with a flick of his wrist, dismissing the report as if it were nothing more than an annoying fly buzzing around his head.

“Their operatives got caught, some safe houses went up in flames,standard fallout.”

But Alistair’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Are you sure about that?”

Kingston hesitated for a moment longer than he should have.

Stepping closer to the hologram, Alistair traced the timeline with deliberate fingers. “The mayor survived the attempt; their operatives are exposed now. And just weeks later, Christopher,who conveniently happened to be in Neo-Luminara,is executed by their top assassin.”

His gaze locked onto Kingston’s with fierce intensity. “This isn’t just coincidence.”

Kingston’s mind raced as realization dawned upon him. “You think Christopher was involved in that assassination attempt?”

“I suspect,” Alistair replied slowly, choosing his words carefully, “that your brother had a knack for playing games far beyond his understanding.”

A chill crept down Kingston’s spine; Christopher had always been reckless,but this?

“If he did meddle in Consortium affairs…” Kingston began.

“Then this wasn’t merely an execution,” Alistair finished grimly. “It was a message.”

Fists clenched tightly at his sides, Kingston growled, “We can’t let this slide.”

“No,” Alistair agreed firmly but cautiously. “However, we mustn’t act blindly either.”

He turned back to the star map displayed before them; his voice became icy and resolute: “First things first,we need to uncover what Christopher truly did while in Neo-Luminara: every meeting he attended, every transaction made, every shady deal struck.”

Kingston nodded sharply; determination surged through him like electricity coursing through wires and said,”I’ll have our intelligence team dissect everything from last month.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep