Chapter 98: Chapter 98: An Unexpected Partnership

The man on Arthur’s doorstep looked utterly ordinary—medium height, unremarkable suit, forgettable features. Everything except his eyes. They burned with the kind of desperate intelligence that came from betting everything on a single throw of the dice.

“Can I help you?” Arthur asked, his tone perfectly polite.

“My name is Wang Yun,” the man said with a slight bow. “I believe you and I have much to discuss, Mr. Hayes. May I come in?”

Arthur’s eyebrows rose, but he nodded, leading his unexpected guest into the sitting room. He gestured to a leather armchair while settling into his own. Afternoon light filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the Persian rugs.

“Tea?” Arthur offered, playing the gracious host.

“Thank you.” Wang Yun sat with careful precision, his back straight. His eyes never stopped moving, subtly cataloging exits, assessing the room.

Arthur poured from the silver service Winky had discretely left behind before vanishing. Steam curled between them like unspoken questions.

“So, Mr. Wang,” Arthur began, his voice a mask of polite confusion. “What brings you here?”

Wang Yun set down his cup with deliberate care. “I worked for Lord Ashridge.”

Arthur feigned a look of dawning recognition. “The Earl who died in that tragic yachting accident?”

“Yes,” Wang Yun replied, his tone flat. “The ’yachting accident’.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Arthur said, his voice conveying polite disinterest. “But I fail to see what that has to do with this visit.”

“Please,” Wang Yun’s voice was level, cutting through the pretense. “We both know he didn’t die in an accident.”

“Really?” Arthur leaned forward, his expression now one of grave concern. “Then surely you should be speaking with the authorities?”

Wang Yun met his gaze. “There’s no need. I know you are the one who killed my lord.”

The air in the room grew still. Arthur’s reaction was instantaneous, a masterclass in feigned shock. His eyes widened, a flicker of fear followed by a wave of righteous indignation. “What? Do you have any idea how insane that sounds? An eighteen-year-old boy killing three of the most powerful men in the country? You must be mad. Please leave, or I am calling the police.”

Wang Yun didn’t flinch. “I am not here to threaten you, Mr. Hayes. I am here to make a proposal.”

“A proposal?” Arthur scoffed. “You barge into my home, accuse me of murder, and want to talk business? You’re delusional.”

“Am I?” Wang Yun asked softly. “I have done my research. The three Lords disappear simultaneously. Soon after, they die at a fortress so secret that not even the country knew of its existence. An impossible breach.” He paused. “I knew no mundane power was responsible, which left only one option.”

“Which is?” Arthur asked, humoring him.

“Someone with super powers.”

Arthur’s laugh was perfectly calibrated—pitying, dismissive. “Super powers? Mr. Wang, I think you’ve been reading too many comic books.”

“I know they’re real,” Wang Yun stated with unnerving certainty. “My grandfather back in China used to tell me stories of men who could shatter bricks with their bare hands. I also saw strange individuals around my Lord, men with… unnatural means. So, yes. I am quite sure super powers are real.”

Arthur leaned forward slightly. “Let’s say you are right. Super powers are real. But again why come here? Are you suggesting I..”

“I’m not suggesting anything.” Wang Yun’s eyes never wavered. “I’m stating facts. I accessed the Earl’s records. One of his last directives was an investigation into a list of people he feared were coming for revenge. I knew one of them had to be the one. So I started looking for the most suspicious candidate.”

“Resourceful of you,” Arthur noted dryly.

“I have my means,” Wang Yun said simply. “Among the names was one Arthur Hayes, whose parents were murdered on the Earl’s orders. A boy who somehow survived the attack on his home while the trained assassins vanished. A boy with a significant period of his life—from the age of eleven onwards—completely unaccounted for. And most importantly, a boy with documented connections to a secret department within MI6.”

Arthur remained silent, inwardly stunned. This man had connected dots that entire intelligence agencies had missed.

Wang Yun pressed his advantage. “The conclusion is simple. You awakened some kind of power on the day of the attack. This attracted the attention of MI6. You then went somewhere to train your powers and returned for revenge.”

“That is the most ridiculous story I have ever heard,” Arthur said, setting down his teacup with exaggerated care. “But let’s play along. If you truly believe all that, why are you here? Why confront a supposed killer alone? Are you not afraid I would silence you permanently?”

For the first time, a deep, weary pain flickered in Wang Yun’s eyes. “Because, Mr. Hayes, I have nothing left to lose, and everything to gain.” He took a breath. “May I tell you my story?”

Arthur gestured for him to continue.

“I graduated from London Business School with first-class honors.” Pride flickered in his voice before fading. “I was young, brilliant, ambitious. The City welcomed me with open arms.”

He paused, lost in memory.

“I spent five years at Barclays, then Goldman Sachs. Learning, building capital, making connections. But I wanted more. I wanted to build something of my own.”

“Phoenix Capital Management.” The name came out like a prayer. “Started with two million pounds and three clients. Within eighteen months, we managed fifty million. I was written up in the Financial Times. The golden boy who proved the American Dream could happen in London.”

Arthur waited through the pause, knowing what came next.

“Then one night, men came to my house.” Wang Yun’s voice went flat. “Professional. Efficient. I woke up in a room with no windows, chained to a desk.”

His hands trembled slightly before he forced them still.

“Lord Ashridge explained my new position. I would launder his money, manage his investments, and make his criminal empire appear legitimate. In exchange, I would live.”

“You could have gone to the police,” Arthur interjected although he himself did not believe it would have changed anything..

“And say what?” Bitterness dripped from his words. “An immigrant of no standing accusing a peer of the realm? They showed me what happened to the last person who tried.”

Wang Yun straightened, pushing past the memory. “For years, I was his slave. I managed his portfolios, laundered his blood money, and made him obscenely wealthy, all while being kept under constant watch. My life was a gilded cage. I thought about ending it many times.”

The pain in his memories was raw, visceral.

“Then, a miracle happened. The Earl vanished. The organization fell into chaos. It was the chance I needed to escape. But I know it’s only a matter of time before his successors, or the people behind him, find me. A man with my knowledge is too valuable to be left wandering free. I need a backer. A protector. Who better than the man who killed the unkillable?”

“That’s quite the tale, Mr. Wang,” Arthur said smoothly. “But even if it were true, what makes you think I need an employee?”

A ghost of a smile touched Wang Yun’s lips. “Because I’ve been watching you for the past few days. I saw you researching how to start a hedge fund. I saw your frustration with the legal maze. You need someone who understands these systems.”

He looked at Arthur, his gaze now sharp as a razor. “You want to build an empire, Mr. Hayes. I am the man who can build it for you.”

As he spoke, Arthur’s passive Legilimency probe confirmed it all. The man’s story was true. His intellect was staggering. His loyalty, if earned, would be absolute. Wang Yun wasn’t just smart; he was a genius, forged in the fires of suffering and ambition. He was exactly what Arthur needed.

Arthur let the silence stretch for a moment before his entire demeanor changed. The facade of the innocent teenager dissolved, replaced by an ancient, cold calm that made the air in the room grow heavy.

“You are correct,” Arthur said, his voice devoid of its youthful affectation. “On all counts. Your analysis is impressive, Mr. Wang.”

A wave of relief washed over Wang Yun’s face. “I knew it. My gut told me I was right.” Then, his professional curiosity took over. “But I have to ask… how did you do it? How did you take out all of them?”

Arthur smiled, a thin, humourless expression. He waved a hand casually.

Wang Yun’s world twisted. His bones reshaped, his skin sprouted feathers. His perspective shrank as the grand sitting room warped and expanded around him. In a nauseating instant, he found himself perched on the back of the velvet armchair, a small, terrified owl.

Just as quickly, the world twisted back. He was on his feet again, stumbling, gasping for breath, his heart hammering against his ribs. “I… how… what?” For the first time, his composure cracked completely.

Arthur hadn’t moved. “Magic,” he said simply, as if discussing the weather. “There’s a hidden world of wizards living alongside this one. Secret schools, governments, entire societies you’ve never imagined.”

“Magic is real,” Wang Yun repeated, his voice filled with a childlike awe that eclipsed his fear. “Actual magic.”

“Very,” Arthur confirmed. He extended a hand. “Now, about that empire you were going to build for me…”

Wang Yun looked at the outstretched hand, then back at Arthur’s face. He saw not a boy, but a force of nature. He grasped the hand firmly, sealing their new, unconventional, and terrifyingly promising partnership.

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