Chapter 184: Lion’s Den

The Sterling spire was a huge, shiny building made of glass and shiny steel that reached the sky, making every other building in the capital look small and old-fashioned. Luxury transports flew from its glowing landing spots, with a calm energy that buzzed around it. This was a place where the world was run by money not by politicians.

Jonah fixed front of his fancy black jacket for the tenth time. It felt hard and strange, like a costume.

” Stop moving around,” Seraph’s voice said in his ear, sent through a tiny, hidden earphone. “You look fine.”

“I feel like I’m about to be eaten by sharks,” Jonah whispered back, his eyes wide as he looked at the huge entrance room. The floor was made of shiny marble, the ceiling was three stories high, and a huge, crystal chandelier hung in the center.

“Just remember the mission,” Seraph’s replied, her voice sounding calm. “Smile, shake hands, and find out what Sterling knows. We’re right here with you.”

Jonah looked over his shoulder. Vanessa stood a few steps away, looking very beautiful in a dark blue dress. She looked calm, but he could see her shoulders were tight. She gave him a smile.

A little further back, Seraph looked like a diplomat’s helper, her hair tied in a bun. She looked like a bored office worker, but Jonah knew her eyes were checking every person in the lobby, looking for danger, and remembering all the ways out.

They were in a risky situation, and they totally didn’t fit in. This wasn’t a fortress they could just smash into. This was a fight with polite words and good manners, and they all believed it was more dangerous than any place set up to be a death trap.

A man in a silver suit approached them. “Mr. Jonah,” he said with a calm smile. “Mr. Sterling is so pleased you could make it. He is waiting for you in the main ballroom.”

They were led through a set of huge doors and into the gala.

The room was stunning. It was a massive, circular ballroom with a glass ceiling that showed the sky. Hundreds of the most powerful people in the world were gathered there: politicians, military leaders, CEOs. They all wore expensive clothes and jewelry that sparkled under the lights. The quiet murmur of their conversations was the sound of money and power.

And in the middle of it all, Julian Sterling was there, acting like a king who had everyone’s attention.

He was just as charming as everyone said he was. He was handsome, with bright eyes and a good smile. He saw Jonah and his smile grew bigger.

“Jonah!” he said, his voice welcoming as he walked over to them, his hands stretched out. “The hero of Port Blossom! It is an absolute honor to meet you.”

Jonah took his hand. Sterling’s hold was strong and sure. “Mr. Sterling,” Jonah said, his own voice sounding weak and awkward next to it. “Thank you for asking us to come.”

“Please, call me Julian,” Sterling said, patting Jonah’s shoulder in a friendly way. He looked at Vanessa with a sign in his eye that showed he liked what he saw. “And you must be Vanessa, the Runic Engineering genius. You are really doing a great work.”

He was nice and charming. And his eyes, Jonah noticed, were as cold and analytical as a computer. He was looking at them like valuable, interesting assets.

“The situation in Port Blossom is a terrible tragedy,” Sterling said, his expression turning serious for a moment. “A terrible event. That monster, Thorne… to use his genius for such destruction. A brilliant mind, but so wrong in his ways.”

He spoke of Thorne like a failed plan, not a person who killed many people..

Jonah felt a sudden rush of fear. This man was dangerous. More dangerous than Thorne, because his evil was hidden behind his friendly face.

Sterling led Jonah through the crowd, introducing him to powerful people, saying good things about how brave he was. Jonah just smiled and nodded, his mind thinking fast as he was trying to find a weak spot in Sterling’s friendly act.

They stopped in front of a large, glowing screen that showed the Syndicate’s latest tech achievements. There were designs for new energy sources, advanced medical devices, and powerful communication systems.

Sterling pointed to the display with a proud look on his face. ” We are at the start of a new era, Jonah. An era of great innovation.” He then turned to Jonah, his charming smile returning, but his eyes were sharp and attentive.

He lowered his voice a bit, as if he was telling a secret to someone just like him.

“Creation is a messy business, isn’t it?” he said in a casual way.

Jonah’s heart skipped for a moment.

“The key isn’t the genius of the artist,” Sterling continued, his eyes twinkling. “But the efficiency of the factory.”

He paused, letting the things he said settle for a bit.

“We must always innovate.”

The age of mass production has begun.

It was Thorne. It was Thorne’s way of thinking. His exact words. The same speech he had given in the collapsing fortress, now being spoken with a friendly smile at a fancy party.

Jonah was suddenly felt scared. He felt as if he had been punched hard in the stomach. Everything started to seem right in his mind. The timing of the Syndicate’s offer. Sterling’s knowledge of Thorne’s work. His strange eyes.

He had been in a different kind of fight all this time. He thought his only enemy was a mad scientist hiding in the shadows. But he was mistaken. The real enemy was standing in front of him, smiling with most powerful people in the world.

The Sterling Syndicate didn’t just fund Dr. Thorne.

They were his partners. And this party wasn’t a meeting. It was an interview to find new people. And Jonah had just walked right into the head office of the new War.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep