The Rise of David

( Injustice, Family Tragedy, Martial Arts, Revenge, Hidden Destiny )

“Welcome to the continuation—but be warned, this only makes sense if you've danced with Book 1 first. If you’ve read it, welcome back into the fire.”

( Book I is already available on zbookstore  and Bookapy )

Book II

Chapter 61: A Misunderstanding

“All right!” Tommy nodded.

Just when Tommy was looking around for a mechanic while driving, he noticed a red Mercedes-Benz tailing them.

“Mr. Chance, we have a situation,” Tommy remarked as he glanced in his rear view mirror.

Turning around to look, David said anxiously, “Find someplace secluded. It’s too crowded here on the main street!”

Tommy made a sharp turn and sped toward the outskirts of Yeringham, and the red Mercedes-Benz continued to follow them closely.

Realizing that they were being followed, Josephine blanched, and her body began to tremble.

David put his arm around her shoulders and reassured her, “Don’t worry. Everything will be all right.” .

Tommy stopped the car when they arrived at a secluded area. Subsequently, the red Mercedes-Benz behind them jammed its brakes and screeched to a halt.

David got out of the car with his arm around the terrified Josephine.

From the driver’s seat of the red Mercedes-Benz, a short-haired girl with exquisite features alighted. Her round and petite face made her look just like a doll.

David and Tommy were stunned to see her, as she didn’t look like an assassin at all. Holding a wrench in her hand, she stared at David and Tommy with fear.

“Who are you? Let my cousin go, or I’ll call the police”

The girl’s hand was trembling violently as she pointed her wrench in David’s direction.

Shocked, David and Tommy turned to look at Josephine, whose eyes were filled with tears. She was so overwhelmed with emotions that she could barely speak.

“Frida, you’ve grown so tall that I barely recognize you!” Josephine ran toward the girl and gave her a hug.

Bewildered by Josephine’s reaction, Frida looked at David before returning her attention to Josephine. “Josephine, y-you weren’t kidnapped by these two?” Frida asked.

“Kidnapped?” Josephine was dumbstruck. Then, bursting into laughter, she said, “What are you talking about? They are my friends. Let me introduce them to you!”

She held Frida’s hand and brought her to David. “This is my cousin, Frida Shaw. Frida, this is David Chance and Tommy Lewis.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” David extended his hand for a handshake.

Blushing red in embarrassment, Frida shook his hand. “I’m really sorry to have mistaken you for criminals.”

It turned out that Frida had noticed the terrified expression on Josephine’s face when she was in David’s arms earlier in the car and because their car had been damaged from behind, she couldn’t help but assume that Josephine had been kidnapped.

Hence, she had called the police while following their car. However, she now realized that it was nothing but a misunderstanding.

“Thank God we got that cleared up. You gave me a scare. We thought you were a baddie too!” Josephine replied in delight.

“Josephine, what happened to your car? What are you doing in Yeringham?” Frida asked curiously. “We’re here to buy some herbs. As for the car, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it next time.” Josephine didn’t want Frida to know too much, as it would only endanger her.

“In that case, let’s go in my car. I’m on my way to have lunch with my sister. She will definitely be ecstatic if she knows you’re here!”

Frida did not ask further as she tugged Josephine straight toward her car.

Seeing that, David instructed Tommy, “Get the car repaired. We’ll stay in touch over the phone.”

After nodding in acknowledgment, Tommy left in the car. As for David, he followed Josephine into Frida’s car and sat in the back.

Josephine and Frida chatted incessantly, as they had not met each other in a few years. “Josephine, which company does your boyfriend own?” Frida inquired.

“He isn’t my boyfriend!” Josephine shook her head.

“Cut the crap. I saw it with my own eyes. If he wasn’t your boyfriend, would you have sat with him and let him hug you? Did you sneak out without your dad’s knowledge?”

Frida grinned cheekily at Josephine.

“No, my dad knows that we’re here in Yeringham,” Josephine explained at once...

She was worried that Frida would assume that she was eloping and give William a call.

“Hey, handsome, which company do you own? Since Josephine has the hots for you, you must really be something, huh?” Frida asked David mischievously. She was no longer afraid of him.

David smiled plainly. “I don’t own any. I’m unemployed and relying on your cousin for living expenses. In fact, she bought me these clothes.”

Indeed, Josephine was the one who bought the suit he was wearing. “A kept man?” Frida let out a Freudian slip.

“Frida, stop spewing nonsense!” Josephine glared at her before giving David an apologetic look. “David, I hope you don’t mind. My cousin can be overly frank sometimes.”

David simply smiled. “Good, I like people like that.”

“It’s useless for you to like me. I’ll be your relative soon!” Frida teased.

David responded with an awkward chuckle. Even though she has a sharp tongue and straightforward character, she does resemble Josephine quite a bit.

Soon, the three of them arrived at a restaurant. After parking the car, Frida led David and Josephine inside.

Sitting at a table by the corner, a lady with long wavy hair was looking intently at her phone. With a pair of sunglasses hanging in front of her chest, she exuded the charm of a career woman.

Frida walked up to her and exclaimed in excitement, “Yas, look who’s here?”

The lady was stunned the moment she looked up. Josephine started, “Yasmin, can you recognize me?” “Josephine?” Yasmin quickly got to her feet. “What brings you here? Quick, have a seat.”

“My friends and I are here to buy some herbs,” Josephine said as she took a seat beside Yasmin.

Only then did Yasmin notice David’s presence. After checking him out, she gave him a slight nod and extended her hand. “I’m Yasmin Shaw, Josephine’s cousin.”

“David Chance, Josephine’s friend.” David shook Yasmin’s hand in return.

After they were seated, Yasmin grinned at Josephine and asked softly, “Josephine, who is he? He looks really sharp! Well done, you!”

“Yas, stop asking. He’s…”

Frida pulled Yasmin aside and whispered a few words into her ear.

Yasmin’s face visibly darkened after that. In fact, the way she looked at David had drastically changed.

“Josephine, you have to be careful in choosing a boyfriend. You’re attractive. I’m sure you have many suitors. You’re still young, so you have to keep your eyes out for those who will seek to deceive you, or else it will be too late for regrets once you’re married.”

Even though Yasmin was speaking to Josephine, her words were clearly aimed at David. “Yasmin, you have misunderstood. Actually—”

“There’s no need to explain. I know everything. I was once your age,” Yasmin interrupted.

She then turned to David and sneered, “What’s your reason for being unemployed? Do you enjoy being a kept man?”

Realizing that Yasmin was picking on him, David looked on helplessly and didn’t know how to answer her.

“Yasmin, who’s a kept man? Does kept man still exist in this society?”

At that moment, a handsome man who was one point eight meters tall walked in.

“Zeke, you’re finally here! Why are you always late?” Frida said in a piping voice when she saw the man.

“I was held up by a business meeting. As usual, it will be my treat to make up for it. So please, go ahead and order whatever you want,” Zeke replied with a smile as he checked out Josephine.

“This is my cousin, Josephine, and this is her boyfriend, David,” Frida introduced them both to Zeke. “Hi, I’m Zeke Griffin. Yasmin’s boyfriend.”

Zeke extended his hand in a chivalrous manner to both of them. Meanwhile, Frida vacated her seat so that Zeke could sit with Yasmin.

“What are you chatting about to even broach the topic of a kept man?” Zeke asked Yasmin after settling down.

“It was just a casual remark. My cousin, who is the daughter of the richest man in Horington, found a loafer for a boyfriend. She even bought his clothes. If this isn’t the definition of a kept man, what is?”

Yasmin sighed in disappointment.

David grimaced. Even though Yasmin’s comments were well-intentioned on Josephine’s account, her incessant attacks infuriated him.

Sensing the change in David’s mood, Zeke said to Yasmin, “Not necessarily. It doesn’t matter if they come from different backgrounds. In fact, David seems like someone pretty capable to me. As long as he works hard, he will achieve success too. We shouldn’t look down upon others.”

After he finished, he nodded apologetically at David. “David, please don’t mind her. She has always been this straightforward.”

“Not at all. She was only looking after Josephine.”

David’s anger slowly dissipated, as he had a good impression of Zeke.

“Anyway, let’s order, shall we? This meal will be on me, so don’t any of you fight me for it!” Zeke called for the waiter and began ordering.

Shortly after, the table was filled with food. As they continued chatting, David discovered that Zeke was someone down to earth despite his important status. His family owned Goldenbirch Herbs, which was extremely famous.

Goldenbirch Herbs was among the top three herb traders out of eighteen in Yeringham. Their business revolved around collecting and selling herbs, and they were reasonably influential in the city.

David could see that Zeke wasn’t just a spoiled rich kid when he observed how the latter conducted himself.

“David, are you guys here in Yeringham to visit a relative or just look around?” Zeke asked.

As they could potentially become relatives, it would be a good idea for them to get to know each other better.

“I’m here to purchase some herbs,” David replied honestly.

“That’s great! Just let me know whatever you need. We have all kinds of herbs at Goldenbirch Herbs, and the quality of our product is guaranteed. Since we’re practically family, I’ll give you the best price possible. To be honest, this is a pretty lucrative industry to be in.”

Zeke misunderstood David’s intentions by assuming that he planned to start a business selling herbs.

“That’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m buying them for my personal use. I’m looking for ginseng roots and reishi mushrooms that are at least a century old. If you have any that are a thousand years old, it will certainly be fantastic!” David said casually with a smile.

Zeke was taken aback, while Yasmin scoffed, “Are you mad? Do you know how much they cost? Especially thousand-year-old ginsengs? The price is so exorbitant that there’s no way you can ever afford it.”

David remained silent, as he didn’t see the need to explain.

After regaining his senses, Zeke replied in a solemn tone, “David, I understand your ambition, but what you are asking for costs an arm and a leg. Despite how wealthy the Sullivan family is, even they might not be able to get you what you want. And if you don’t know how to judge the authenticity of the product, you might end up being cheated of everything you have!”

“Zeke, I appreciate the advice, but I know what I’m doing,” David said.

As David seemed to have made up his mind, Zeke didn’t try to dissuade him any further. Instead, he

offered, “David, since you have just arrived in Yeringham, you should get some rest. Tomorrow, come to Goldenbirch Herbs and I’ll show you around. With me by your side, no one will try to swindle you.”

“Why do you need to accompany him? Aren’t you busy enough? He’s overambitious and incompetent. Does he even know how to recognize a hundred-year-old ginseng?”

Yasmin’s disdain for David continued to grow.

“All right, now. Since they have traveled so far, it’s only right that we show them around,” Zeke replied with a smile.

“Go ahead if you insist, but I’m not free. I still need to work.” Yasmin frowned at Zeke. “Josephine, you’d better be careful and not just loosen your purse strings just because someone asked you to.”

“I understand, Yasmin.” Josephine nodded.

After the meal and bidding their farewells, David and Josephine planned to look for a place to stay. Yasmin had invited Josephine to stay with her, but Josephine had turned her down on David’s account. The moment they stepped out of the restaurant, Tommy drove over in his car after having it repaired. “This is my friend Tommy Lewis,” David introduced Tommy to Zeke.

“Hello, I’m Zeke!” Zeke shook hands with Tommy.

“David, I heard that the underground king of Horington is named Tommy Lewis and people call him Mr. Lewis. He is known to be extremely powerful in Horington and has hundreds of men under his command. Your friend here shares the exact same name as Mr. Lewis!” Zeke commented in surprise.

“There’re plenty of people who have the same name. Would someone like Mr. Lewis be a driver for a kept man? What are you even thinking?” Yasmin sneered.

The moment she heard it, Josephine wanted to explain to her cousin that Tommy was indeed who they were talking about.

However, David stopped her before she could say a word. With an awkward chuckle, he replied, “They just share the same name, that’s all.”

He didn’t want Tommy’s identity to be revealed for fear of attracting unnecessary attention to their movements.

After going their separate ways from the restaurant, David found a hotel and reserved three rooms, one for each of them. Truth be told, David had wanted to book only two rooms to save money, but Josephine had refused to allow him to do so.

Having traveled the entire day and being hunted by the Whitaker family’s assassins, they quickly fell asleep out of exhaustion.

Meanwhile, at the Whitaker residence, Kane was filled with anxiety.

More than half a day had passed, and he hadn’t heard back from his men. Even when he tried to contact them, he couldn’t get through either.

As his expression grew increasingly grim, the dread Kane felt intensified. He knew that something unfavorable must have happened to his men since they were unreachable.

“Alfred!” Kane called out.

“Mr. Whitaker.” A thin and hunchbacked old man entered.

He was the Whitaker family’s former butler and was of the same generation as Kane’s father. After retiring from his butler duties due to his age, he continued to stay with the Whitaker family, as they treated him as their own.

Back then, the Whitaker family had been attacked and surrounded by hundreds of their enemies. At the very last moment, Alfred had managed to rescue them by defeating their enemies single-handedly.

From then on, Alfred had become part of the Whitaker family.

“Alfred, bring some men with you to Yeringham, and capture the man who crippled Tyrion. If you can’t take him alive, just bring him in dead. If we don’t do this, I’m afraid the Jantz family will look down upon us even more!”

No matter what, Kane had to dispose of David; otherwise, he would be scolded by his wife every day and viewed with contempt by the Jantz family.

“Mr. Whitaker, don’t worry. I’ll definitely bring him back to you.” Nodding resolutely, Alfred turned and left.

The next morning, when David and the others were having breakfast in the hotel, Frida had driven over to meet them.

“Josephine, Zeke was worried that you wouldn’t know the way, so he asked me to pick you up,” Frida said.

“All right, then. Let’s go!”

“Josephine, you didn’t sleep with your boyfriend last night, did you?” Frida whispered after walking up to her.

“What are you talking about? We have our own respective rooms!” Josephine shot her a glare.

With Frida leading the way, David and the others arrived at Goldenbirch Herbs very quickly.

The shop was in the city center and had a floor space of more than a thousand square meters. Evidently, Goldenbirch Herbs was a very well-established business.

The moment they entered, the staff greeted Frida courteously, “Ms. Shaw, Mr. Griffin wants you to know that he is waiting for you at the back.”

“All right!” Frida nodded and waved at Josephine. “Josephine, let’s head to the back.”

As David and Tommy followed the girls from behind, they scrutinized the entire store. Even though it was still early in the morning, the store was already busy with customers. Some were verifying the authenticity of the goods, while others were bargaining for lower prices.

In the main lobby, there were thousands of herbs on display in the cabinets. Furthermore, all of their names and uses were clearly labeled, which demonstrated the professionalism of Goldenbirch Herbs.

David tried to sense the presence of any spiritual energy, but he realized that there was none. It only meant that there was nothing special about the herbs.

Nevertheless, it made sense to him, as no one would display their treasures in the main lobby.

After traversing the main lobby, they entered a narrow corridor before arriving in a large hall at the back. On both sides of the hall were warehouses that were filled with sacks of herbs.

“David, you’re here.”

Upon seeing David and the others, Zeke approached them with a smile. “Have a seat first. I have to entertain a guest. I’ll show you guys around once I’m done.”

“Zeke, take your time. There’s no hurry.” David grinned.

Zeke nodded in acknowledgment. “Men, serve them some coffee!”

After making sure David and the others were attended to, Zeke returned to his guest. At this moment, a middle-aged man was sitting at a square table right in the middle of the hall. Zeke arrived and took a seat right opposite him.

With an exquisite-looking wooden box placed in the middle of the table, both of them seemed to be negotiating a deal.

David sat down, sipped his coffee, and watched them out of boredom.

“Mr. Griffin, what I have here is a ginseng that’s more than a century old. You can tell what an excellent specimen this is by its shape and texture. Hence, I’ll offer it to you for twenty million, which is a steal. If you don’t take it, I’ll offer it to Trinity Herbs instead. I’m sure they will definitely buy it from me for that price.”

The middle-aged man suddenly raised his voice as he spoke to Zeke.

Chapter 62: A Bet

Due to how loud the man was speaking, he caught David’s attention by accident.

“Mr. Drake, I’m sure there’s still room for negotiation. This ginseng is indeed a quality specimen, but twenty million is too expensive for me. Why don’t you lower your asking price, and I’ll pay you right away,” Zeke proposed with a smile.

“Twenty million. Take it or leave it.”

Just as the middle-aged man spoke, he stood up with the box and prepared to leave.

“Mr. Drake, calm down, calm down. I’ll take it. Goldenbirch Herbs will take it just because we value your friendship.”

After stopping the middle-aged man, Zeke took out his phone. “I’ll transfer the money to you right away. If you still have any other excellent specimens, please bring them to Goldenbirch Herbs. I’ll definitely pay you a good price for it!”

“Hahaha, well said, well said.”

The middle-aged man laughed ecstatically. “Zeke, wait.”

Just when Zeke was about to pay, David walked up to him suddenly and stopped him. “David, what’s wrong?” Zeke asked curiously.

“Mister, can you let me take a look at that ginseng?” David requested. Instead of replying, the middle-aged man gave Zeke an inquisitive look. “Oh, he’s a good friend of mine,” Zeke explained at once.

Looking at David, the middle-aged man asked warily, “Mr. Griffin has already examined my ginseng. Is there a problem?”

“I suspect it’s a fake!” David replied with a smirk.

As if David had struck a nerve, the middle-aged man exploded, “What did you say? How dare you accuse my ginseng of being a fake? How can you say so without even looking at it? Mr. Griffin himself has examined the product, so how can it not be genuine? If you’re looking for trouble, let me tell you that I’m not someone to be trifled with.”

Zeke tried to calm the situation with a smile. “Mr. Drake, please calm down. My friend here just likes to joke.”

After reassuring the middle-aged man, Zeke furrowed his brows slightly at David. “David, I have examined it and found no problems. Besides, how do you know it’s a fake without even looking at it?”

“This ginseng is definitely a fake. If you don’t believe it, we can get it tested. If he doesn’t dare to open the box, it only serves to prove me right!”

David stared at the middle-aged man coldly, sending a chill down his spine. “Fine, I’ll open it. What will you do if it’s real?”

The middle-aged man picked up the courage to accept David’s challenge. Nevertheless, he didn’t dare to look David in the eye.

“If it’s real, I’ll compensate you ten million!” David declared confidently.

At that moment, Josephine and Frida came over. Both of them didn’t expect David to end up betting against someone.

Meanwhile, Tommy remained in his seat, drinking coffee with a smirk on his face. He knew that the middle-aged man had gotten himself into trouble.

When he saw how confident David was, the middle-aged man began to panic and looked at Zeke.

“Mr. Drake, since David wants to take a look, why don’t you just let him satisfy his curiosity? If you do so, I’ll increase the price I’m willing to pay you.”

Having examined it himself, Zeke didn’t suspect that the ginseng wasn’t authentic. But since David had insisted, he decided to give in to David’s request.

“Fine. Since you’ve said so, I’ll let him see it and shut him up!” the middle-aged man said through clenched teeth.

When the box was opened, they saw a piece of long and thick ginseng lying in it.

“Look how excellent the ginseng is. Even in Yeringham, this is considered extremely rare.”

The middle-aged man sneered at David, “Now that you have lost, where’s my ten million? In fact, you don’t even look like someone who has that kind of money.”

Ignoring the man’s comments, David reached out to grab the ginseng. “Hey, what are you doing?”

With a drastic change of expression, the middle-aged man tried to stop David, but it was too late. David was already holding the ginseng in his hand.

Picking it up, he attempted to break it by force. “David, what are you doing?”

Zeke’s expression darkened, for he knew that a ginseng’s value lay in its perfect condition. Any damage to it would significantly reduce its value. Hence, breaking it would render it worthless.

Crack!

The moment Zeke spoke, David had broken the ginseng in two.

Zeke closed his eyes. He could feel the rage welling up within him, for he lost twenty million in the blink of an eye.

Josephine and Frida stared at David in shock, not knowing what he was up to.

The middle-aged man, however, paled. Turning around, he tried to flee and didn’t even want his money anymore.

“Are you trying to escape? Do you think you actually can?” David grinned slightly.

Just when the middle-aged man tried to dash out, Tommy sprang to his feet and kicked the man back into place.

“W-What’s going on?”

Zeke was confused when he saw that the middle-aged man had tried to run. “Zeke, why don’t you check if the ginseng is real?”

David handed it to Zeke.

After receiving it, Zeke was briefly taken aback when he saw the part that was broken. Suddenly, he was filled with rage. “Damn it! How dare you try to swindle me? You must certainly have a death wish!”

Zeke approached the man and kicked his abdomen. He bellowed, “Men! Take him out and teach him a painful lesson!”

Soon, the man was led away, and cries of agony followed.

“David, I appreciate what you did today. If not for you, we would have suffered a terrible loss. The financial loss isn’t the issue. It’s the reputational loss that would be humiliating for me,” Zeke lamented.

“It’s normal to make mistakes. It happens to the best of us,” David replied with a smile. “David, how did you know that it was a fake without even seeing it?”

Zeke was intrigued.

“It’s simple. I have a very sensitive nose. I can tell just by smelling it.”

David told a random lie, as he obviously couldn’t reveal that he relied on sensing spiritual energy to do so. If the ginseng was more than a century old, he could easily pick up its energy.

Therefore, when he didn’t sense any spiritual energy from the box, he concluded that the ginseng was either entirely fake or just not a hundred years old.

Staring at David, Zeke remarked in disbelief, “I have never heard of anyone being able to authenticate herbs with their nose my entire life. Today has indeed been an eye-opener for me.”

“Josephine, what other hidden talents does your boyfriend have? He has a sense of smell that’s sharper than a dog!” Frida asked in surprise.

Right after she spoke, she realized her words had come out wrong. She then stuck her tongue out at David before smiling at him apologetically.

David returned the smile and didn’t mind at all, for he knew that Frida didn’t do it on purpose.

“David, since you have been a big help to me today, I’ll bring you around the city. If you see any herbs that interest you, I’ll negotiate on your behalf. Every herb trader in the city knows me. They will definitely show us some respect,” Zeke offered as he patted David on the shoulder.

With that, the five of them went to Yeringham’s largest herb market. After walking one round, David felt disappointed, as all the herbs sold there were of the ordinary kind. Even if there were any which were more than a century old, they had been crushed into powder and had lost their spiritual energy.

“David, is there nothing in this market that interests you?” Zeke asked when he saw the dismay on David’s face.

David nodded. “I’m looking for quality herbs that are more than a century old, but the herbs sold here are run-of-the-mill stuff which I don’t need.”

Having heard David’s answer, Zeke pondered briefly before suggesting, “I’ll take you to the many herb traders. All of them will definitely have some sort of treasure.

However, whether they’re willing to sell is a different matter.”

Due to the fact that they were hostile business competitors, Zeke seldom patronized other herb traders. After all, they would naturally be wary of his motives and hesitant to show them their prized treasures.

However, as David had done him a huge favor, he had no choice but to lower himself and approach his business rivals.

“Thank you, Zeke!” David expressed his gratitude.

“Don’t be a stranger. We’re family anyway. Come, let’s go.”

With that, Zeke brought David to Yeringham’s largest herb trader, Trinity Herbs. Trinity Herbs’ store was sprawled across thousands of square meters. It looked to be busier than that of Goldenbirch Herbs, given the crowd at the entrance.

“David, Trinity Herbs is stocked with many herbs that are more than a century old. In fact, I even heard that they have a thousand-year-old reishi mushroom among their prized collection. Their reputation is solidified by the fact that they’re the only ones in the entire city to carry millennia-old herbs,” Zeke explained as they entered the store.

The moment David stepped in, he could feel waves of spiritual energy flowing from inside. At that moment, he narrowed his focus on a few items that had sparked his curiosity.

“Zeke, does Trinity Herbs display their century-old herbs in the main lobby?” David inquired.

“Yes, they are the only ones to do so in the entire city. They control eighty percent of the century-old herbs in the city itself.”

Zeke had a glum expression on his face as he spoke. After all, it didn’t feel good talking about the achievements of his competitor.

“I see.” David nodded as he hid the delight he felt inside. Looks like my search ends here. With Goldenbirch Herbs’ help, I will have no trouble obtaining rare herbs going forward.

“Mr. Griffin, it’s a surprise to see you here. What brings you to my humble store?” At that moment, a plum and bespectacled elderly man walked up to them.

Despite his size, he was light on his feet. It was obvious from his swagger that he was a skilled martial artist.

“Mr. Rider, I’ve brought a friend today. I hope I’m not imposing on you,” Zeke greeted the elderly man respectfully.

“Not at all, not at all. Come, let’s have a drink at the back.” Zyaire ushered them onward with a smile.

Zeke nodded in acknowledgment, and the group followed Zyaire to the backyard.

Along the way, Zeke told David that the elderly man was Zyaire Rider. He wasn’t a local of Yeringham and had arrived in the city during its chaotic days when he was young. After being embroiled in the violence there, he had managed to emerge with a monopoly of the herb market in the city.

As time went by, he had given up on his violent methods and released his grip on the monopoly. Subsequently, many other herb traders began mushrooming throughout the city. In spite of that, he still retained control of the most valuable herbs.

Once they took their seats in the back, Zeke got straight to the point. “Mr. Rider, my friend is looking to buy a batch of century-old herbs, so I brought him to Trinity Herbs since you have the largest supply of them.”

“A batch?” Zyaire’s eyes lit up. “Hahaha, that’s wonderful! Mr. Griffin, since you thought of Trinity Herbs, I’ll make sure you get your cut.”

In the business world, getting a commission for introducing clients was a well-accepted practice.

“Mr. Rider, thank you for your offer, but I’m waiving the commission. He is a close friend of mine. All I’m asking for is that you give him the lowest prices,” Zeke answered at once.

“I understand.” Smiling, Zyaire turned to David and asked, “How many century-old herbs are you looking for, young man?”

“Everything you have,” David replied plainly.

Zyaire was briefly stunned. He replied with a smile, “I’m afraid that you’re not aware of how much century-old herbs cost, young man. A single item costs at least ten million. Those of excellent quality can run into tens of millions. Also, do you know how many of them I have here? In fact, do you even know how much there is in

Yeringham?”

Zeke whispered into David’s ear, “David, you can buy a little first to try. Despite how potent they are, it’s useless if you end up holding too much stock.”

At that moment, Zeke wasn’t aware that David was planning to make pills with them. He assumed that David was looking to sell them.

Ignoring Zeke’s comment, David asked Zyaire, “Mr. Rider, I heard that you have a thousand-year-old reishi mushroom which is the store’s prized treasure. I wonder if I’m allowed to take a look at it.”

“Oh? Are you interested in buying it?” Zyaire asked.

“If it really is a thousand-year-old reishi mushroom, I definitely want it regardless of the price.”

David would undoubtedly get his hands on the reishi mushroom if the claims were true, as it would elevate his strength to the next level.

“Haha, there’s more to the youths today than meets the eye. It seems that I’m truly getting old!” Zyaire burst into laughter. “But since it’s a prized treasure of the store, I’m not selling it regardless of the price. Let’s just keep this to herbs that are centuries old.”

“All right, then, Mr. Rider. Please show me your wares and name your price.”

David didn’t insist further. After all, he didn’t sense the presence of such a herb anyway. The only thing he felt was a slightly larger wave of spiritual energy from the back, indicative of a herb that was only a few centuries old.

Evidently, the thousand-year-old reishi mushroom that Trinity Herbs claimed it had was nothing but a boast.

Nodding in acknowledgment, Zyaire clapped his hands three times. Immediately, someone brought out five wooden boxes that contained century-old herbs, including reishi mushrooms and ginseng.

“All these are century-old herbs of the highest quality, young man. Do you want to take a look?” Zyaire pointed at the wooden boxes.

David shook his head. “There’s no need to, Mr. Rider. Just name your price.”

Zyaire was delighted by David’s response. In fact, he loved brazen youths who pretended to be knowledgeable despite not knowing anything at all. To him, such customers were the easiest to take advantage of.

“You really are an easygoing man. Since you trust me and are a friend of Mr. Griffin, I’ll offer them to you at twenty million per item. After all, Mr. Griffin knows the market value of century-old herbs and the fact that our cost price is twenty million too,” Zyaire proposed casually as he narrowed his eyes.

David knew that Zyaire wasn’t lying. After all, Zeke had almost bought the fake century-old ginseng for twenty million back at Goldenbirch Herbs.

“David, twenty million for century-old herbs of top quality is a reasonable price to pay,” Zeke said.

David nodded in response before asking, “Zeke, what about century-old herbs of lesser quality? What’s the market price for them?”

“Those are much cheaper. In fact, their prices are at least fifty percent lower and won’t cost more than ten million.”

“Mr. Rider, for these five items, I’ll pay you ten million for each of them. Even then, you’re still making a tidy profit,” David countered.

“What? Ten million per piece?” Zyaire raised his voice suddenly. “Are you suggesting that my herbs are of lower quality? Looks like you’re not a serious buyer at all and are here just to cause trouble. How dare you accuse me of selling herbs of inferior quality without even looking at them?”

“I don’t need to look at them. You should know the quality of your herbs better than I do. Also, it’s important to have integrity in business. Only then can you be successful over the long haul. Anyway, ten million for each item and not a penny more!”

David looked at Zyaire fearlessly.

In response, Zyaire held David’s stare in grim silence.

When he noticed Zyaire’s growing anger, Zeke interjected at once, “Mr. Rider, my friend is able to determine the quality of a herb without looking. How about I examine them on his behalf?”

Zyaire waved his hand. “You don’t have to. I have seen for myself how sharp he is. Fine, I’ll accept ten million for each item.”

Zyaire refused to let Zeke see the goods, as he could obviously recognize their quality with a single glance.

When David paid up without delay, Zyaire was astounded.

“I still have a few more century-old herbs. I’ll get my men to bring them.” Just as he spoke, Zyaire gestured to his men.

After that, they continued drinking coffee in the backyard.

While doing so, Zyaire began chatting with Zeke. “Mr. Griffin, do you know that someone has been selling pills in Horington recently?”

“Pills?” Zeke shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

“The pills can strengthen one’s body and enhance one’s lifespan. I tried one myself and found it to be reasonably effective. But when I got my men to conduct research on it, they couldn’t break down the ingredients and replicate the manufacturing process,” Zyaire lamented.

“I’m surprised to hear that there’s someone so skilled in Horington!” Zeke exclaimed.

It wasn’t a big deal if the manufacturing process couldn’t be replicated. But to not even be able to break down the ingredients was simply mind-boggling.

“I’m planning to visit Horington to meet this expert. It will be wonderful if I’m able to recruit him.”

Zyaire’s eyes were filled with anticipation. If he could hire someone like that, it would be akin to sitting on a gold mine.

When he saw the expression on Zyaire’s face, David smiled slightly. At the same time, Tommy shot David a glance while grinning in silence.

This expert is right in front of them. Unfortunately, they just don’t realize it.

At that moment, one of the staff rushed over and whispered something in Zyaire’s ear, causing his face to light up in delight.

“All right. You can go.” Zyaire waved his subordinate away. In an apologetic tone, he said to David and Zeke, “I’m sorry, but something cropped up. Let’s continue in the afternoon. I promise I’ll reserve the best for you.”

Hearing that, David and the others had no choice but to take their leave.

“I wonder what happened to make Zyaire delay such a lucrative transaction,” Zeke mused out loud as they walked out of Trinity Herbs.

Just as he spoke, he received a notification on his phone.

After reading it, he gasped, “There’s a thousand-year-old snow lotus available at the auction. It’s been a long time since Yeringham has even seen a snow lotus, let alone one that’s a thousand years old!”

“Auction?” David was puzzled.

Upon listening to Zeke’s explanation, David learned that there was an herb auction in the city. It had started out decent with occasional rare herbs being put on the block. Unfortunately, fakes began to creep in while the number of genuine items gradually declined. As a result, Zeke no longer paid attention to the auction as its popularity waned.

Chapter 63: A Hundred Million Deposit

“Now I know why Zyaire was in such a hurry to leave. He must have gone to the auction. The thousand- year-old snow lotus is extremely rare. Plenty of people will fight for it!” Zeke said.

“Let’s go to the auction too.” David was filled with excitement.

If he could get his hands on the thousand-year-old snow lotus, his skills would be significantly elevated. Zeke nodded and took David to the auction.

The auction was held on the outskirts of Yeringham, inside a classically designed building with a circular arch.

The outside of the building was filled with luxury cars that were usually not there. Evidently, many people had rushed over just for the thousand-year-old snow lotus.

When they arrived at the entrance, the staff immediately recognized Zeke. He handed Zeke a bidding paddle and informed respectfully, “Mr. Griffin, the deposit this time is a hundred million.”

“What?” Zeke was stunned. “Isn’t it usually ten million? Why did it increase to a hundred million?”

“Mr. Griffin, today is special. I’m sure you’re aware that a thousand-year-old snow lotus has been put on the block. Hence, the deposit has been increased to stop anyone who’s not serious,” the staff explained.

Zeke’s expression drastically changed, as he didn’t have a hundred million on him.

“Let me put it up,” David volunteered when he realized that Zeke might not have so much money on him.

After paying the deposit, David received a paddle, and they proceeded to the auction hall.

The usually quiet hall was now bustling with crowds. Everyone important in Yeringham was there. Even Zyaire was seated in front, chatting softly with someone.

At the sight of Zeke and the others, Zyaire was briefly stunned. Nevertheless, he nodded at them with a smile in an effort to greet them.

After they settled into their seats, David and company quietly waited for the thousand-year-old snow lotus to be brought out.

The auction started with some ordinary herbs that no one was interested in. Hence, many of them didn’t receive a bid at all. Evidently, everyone had come for the snow lotus.

“David, the bid is expected to be extremely competitive. If you intend to secure the snow lotus, do you already have a price in mind?” Zeke asked softly.

David shook his head. “I must have it regardless of the price.” Having heard David’s answer, Zeke didn’t say anything further.

“Josephine, what does your boyfriend actually do? Why is he so rich? You didn’t give him all that money, did you?”

Frida was intrigued by David’s identity after seeing him splurge tens of millions as if it wasn’t his money. “He doesn’t want my money. Do you actually think he’s a kept man?”

Smiling slightly, Josephine gave David a look of admiration.

She realized that she had become increasingly attracted to David. In fact, she felt deeply mesmerized by the unique charm he exuded.

Meanwhile, after a few more items were auctioned, the host finally brought out a large glass container. Soaked inside it was a snow lotus.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the highlight of the day, the thousand-year-old snow lotus. As all of you are aware, there hasn’t been any snow lotus discovered in Yeringham for a long time now. Due to the

difficulty in gathering it, the number of herbalists has declined. In fact, this snow lotus was discovered in the hands of a farmer who used it to brew medicinal wine.”

While the host was still explaining the origins of the snow lotus, the crowd was already in an uproar.

“Damn it, what sort of joke is this? Isn’t this just a lie? Did you actually invite us here for a snow lotus that is used to make wine?”

“Is the snow lotus even a thousand years old? From the looks of it, it probably isn’t even a century old. You guys are nothing but cons!”

“You even demanded a hundred million for the deposit! This is outrageous!”

When they saw the snow lotus, everyone raised a ruckus to express their disappointment.

David was the only one who lit up at the sight. He could barely hide his excitement. Though the snow lotus was soaked in alcohol, he could sense its strong spiritual energy bubbling in the liquid.

Though the snow lotus was not big and had been soaked in alcohol for God knew how long that caused it to lose its luster, it didn’t stop David from wanting it.

They didn’t know how to appreciate it, so David would get it easily. At least that was what he thought.

Despite the crowd’s curses and yells, the auctioneer didn’t flinch and continued with a smile, “The starting bid for the thousand-year snow lotus is one hundred million, with an increase in the bid of no less than ten million. Let the auction begin!”

Instead of raising his paddle, David took in the crowd’s reaction. As no one raised their paddles, he was inwardly pleased.

Right before David was about to raise his paddle, Zyaire, who was in the front row, raised his paddle. “One hundred million!” he declared.

Everyone erupted into discussions at the sight of Zyaire raising his paddle. “Mr. Rider is bidding for this snow lotus? Did we see it correctly?”

“Oh, Trinity Herbs is rich enough to buy such an expensive herb!”

“Just you wait and see. Zyaire is an old but sly fox. He wouldn’t have bid for an expensive herb without reason.”

Everyone gazed at Zyaire, who got to his feet after stating his bid. He announced, “Everyone, though the snow lotus looks to be in bad shape, it is at least a few hundred years old. Since it’s in Yeringham, we can’t let it leave. Otherwise, our reputation as City of Herbs would be affected. Thus, I’ll be bidding for it. Please don’t compete against me.”

Hearing that, everyone was unconvinced, but they dared not bid for the snow lotus.

Zyaire returned to his seat after that announcement. The auctioneer glared at him in displeasure but didn’t have the guts to yell at him. He asked pleadingly, “Anyone else? The snow lotus is a real bargain for its price!”

He did his best to encourage the others to bid so the organizer would get more profit. Alas, no one was bold enough to raise the bid.

Left with no choice, the auctioneer trudged back to the stage and raised his gavel to close the bidding reluctantly.

“A hundred and ten million!”

David raised his paddle without warning right before the auctioneer could do that. The auctioneer cast David a delighted look. Everyone else turned to look at David, too. Zyaire furrowed his brows and glared at David angrily.

“This bidder has offered a hundred and ten million. Is anyone else going to bid?” the auctioneer inquired and glanced at Zyaire anxiously.

The only person who could bid against him was Zyaire.

“A hundred and fifty million!” Zyaire declared as he raised his paddle in a slow manner.

After he raised the bid by forty million, everyone turned to David to see if the latter would raise the bid. Even the auctioneer gave him an earnest look.

“Two hundred million!” David raised his paddle without hesitation. Everyone else gasped in shock.

“David, that’s too much!” Zeke reminded him in a low voice.

At auctions, the bidders would normally raise the bid gradually. That way, they could sound each other out. Increasing the bid by tens of millions in one go was too much.

“Josephine, your boyfriend is awesome! Does he own a bank?”

Frida gazed at David curiously, as though she wanted to see through him.

“Didn’t you say he’s a leech? So now he’s awesome?” Josephine responded with a smile.

She was slightly surprised to learn that David was in possession of that much money. She had made up her mind to call William to ask him to pay for the snow lotus even if David couldn’t afford it. As the richest man in Horington, he could spare the money easily.

Zyaire glared at David and narrowed his gaze. A frosty expression took over his face. “Two hundred and ten million!” he managed between gritted teeth.

Right after he spoke, David raised his paddle once again. “Three hundred million!”

Hearing that, everyone gaped in disbelief. They started wondering about David’s real identity. The auctioneer beamed and roared, “The bid is now raised to three hundred million. I repeat, three hundred million. Would anyone else want to raise the bid? This bidder looks unfamiliar, so I believe he isn’t from Yeringham. Will no one from Yeringham bid against him? If news of this gets out, we’ll lose our nickname as City of Herbs!”

The auctioneer was smart enough to sow discord between David and Zyaire. Earlier, Zyaire claimed he didn’t want to embarrass Yeringham. If Zyaire didn’t raise the bid, he would be contradicting himself.

David glanced at the auctioneer. He’s good at sowing discord. He wants us to fight so they will get more profit!

“Three hundred and ten million!” Zyaire clenched his jaw and raised his paddle yet again. David was about to do the same when Zeke stopped him.

“David, even if the snow lotus is a thousand years old, it isn’t worth that much. Stop bidding!” Zeke advised.

It was currently overpriced and too expensive to be bought. David would suffer a loss if he won the bid.

“Zeke, I need the snow lotus!” David explained. He proceeded to raise his paddle and announced, “Three hundred and fifty million!”

The crowd regarded David with curiosity. They were eager to know why he was willing to part with an astronomical amount of money just to get the snow lotus.

Even those who weren’t herb experts knew that the snow lotus was overpriced. It wasn’t that valuable, especially since it was soaked in alcohol.

Does this young man hold a grudge against Zyaire and is targeting the latter on purpose?

That idea popped up in everyone’s mind. It was the only reason they could come up with after seeing David’s action.

Zyaire thought the same, too. His brows knitted together as he glowered at David. “Young man, are you doing this on purpose?”

“I don’t even know you, so why would I do it on purpose? In an auction, the bidder who offers the highest price would win the bid. Mr. Rider, if you want, you can continue raising the bid!” David responded with a smile.

Zyaire huffed, “We’re in Yeringham, so you’d better be careful!” With that, he stormed out of the venue.

After Zyaire’s departure, everyone cast sympathizing gazes in David’s direction. How dare he offend Zyaire? He must have a death wish!

“Three hundred and fifty million, deal! The snow lotus goes to you, sir…”

The auctioneer pounded the gravel happily and courteously handed the snow lotus to David.

After getting the snow lotus, David transferred the money into the auction house’s account and left with Zeke and the rest. He had achieved his goal that day, so there was no need to remain at the auction.

“David, you’ve offended Zyaire Rider. He won’t let this go. Besides, I’m afraid your deal will fall through,” Zeke said worriedly after they stepped out of the auction house.

“He won’t, so stop fretting about it. Businesspeople don’t differentiate between friends and enemies, for we only care about profit. I’m spending money to buy his herbs, and he’ll earn a profit from it. Why would he say no to the deal? It isn’t easy to get a big client like me,” David responded with a calm smile.

He wasn’t bothered about the matter at all.

“T-Then are we still heading to Trinity Herbs?” Zeke asked carefully. “Of course. We haven’t gotten the herbs yet. Let’s go!”

David gave a curt nod and entered his car to head to Trinity Herbs. Meanwhile, Zyaire was smoking with anger back in Trinity Herbs.

“I can’t believe someone dares to offend me in Yeringham! How infuriating!” he declared as he smashed his cup on the floor.

“Mr. Rider, should I get someone to get the snow lotus?” a young man asked. He was dressed in a crisp black suit, and his left ear was missing.

The man was Zyaire’s trusted subordinate and had been working with Zyaire back when he was involved in shady businesses in Yeringham. After Zyaire whitewashed himself, he kept the young man by his side.

Zyaire hesitated for a moment before frowning. “Remember to do the deed in a secluded place. Don’t let anyone find out about it!”

He had gone to great deals to whitewash his reputation, so it would be bad if the matter were connected to him.

Zyaire loved the snow lotus. He wasn’t planning to sell it out at an inflated price. In fact, he wanted to make it his store’s most prized possession. His store’s current prized possession was a fake. That was why Zyaire went to extreme lengths to bid for the snow lotus.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Rider. I know the drill.”

The young man gave him a nod and spun on his heel to leave.

At the sight of David, Zeke, and the like striding into the store, he immediately halted in his tracks. Zyaire was surprised to see David in his store.

“Mr. Rider, I’m here to seal the deal. I need to keep my word as a businessperson. Since I offered to buy your herbs, I won’t go back on my word!”

David flashed a smile at the sight of Zyaire’s shock.

“You’re a man of your word?” Zyaire scoffed. “After getting my snow lotus, I can’t believe you’re here in my store. You don’t have respect for me at all!”

“Mr. Rider, why did you say that? I bought the snow lotus with my money. It isn’t yours in the first place,” David responded with an innocent smile.

The man missing an ear declared icily, “Young man, stop putting up an act. If you give us the snow lotus, we shall spare your life. You’ll get to leave Yeringham unscathed. Otherwise, you’ll perish here!”

Right after he said that, a dozen men ran over to block the exit. The doors rolled down slowly, trapping them inside effectively.

Zeke, Frida, and the rest blanched in shock. Josephine promptly gripped David’s arm. “Mr. Rider, we can talk things through. This—”

“Scram. This is none of your business!”

Zeke was about to patch things up, but Zyaire yelled at him, causing him to shut up awkwardly. “Is this a robbery?” David inquired.

Unfazed by the threats, he was a sea of calm as he flashed a nonchalant smile.

“Young man, I can’t believe you’re still smiling right now. I admire you for your courage. Why don’t you sell the snow lotus to me at three hundred million? I won’t let you suffer a lot of losses. How does that sound?”

Fear rose in Zyaire’s heart when he realized David was unfazed. He was afraid that David had an influential backer. After all, David was rich enough to pay a few hundred million for the snow lotus.

Thus, Zyaire decided to take a step back by offering to buy the snow lotus. That way, David would get an out.

David scoffed. “You’re practically robbers. How dare you offer me a deal that causes me to lose fifty million? Do you think I’m foolish enough to agree to it?”

Zyaire’s expression turned dark. “Then state your price. I can also buy it back at the same price.”

“No matter how much you offer, I won’t sell it!” David answered as he shook his head in a firm manner.

“Hey, you’re forcing me to go the hard way. Do you really want me to take action?” Zyaire demanded, his face all scrunched up in anger.

“I’d advise you to stay put. It’s normal for deals to fall through, and you’ll still be a businessman if you don’t take any action. However, if you take action, your store will be labeled as an unscrupulous shop. I won’t hesitate to take action against an unscrupulous shop!” David said calmly.

He narrowed his gaze as a menacing aura rose from his entire being. “Who the h*ll do you think you’re fooling?” the young man roared. He threw a punch at David without hesitation.

David pulled Josephine and stepped backward as Tommy dashed forward eagerly.

He grabbed the young man’s wrist and exerted force. At once, the young man lost balance. Tommy promptly gave the young man’s leg a flying kick. Crack! A horrifying crack pierced the air as the young man’s femur fractured.

Without hesitation, Tommy grabbed the young man’s wrist and threw him over his shoulders before giving him the last kick.

His kick was so forceful that the young man’s chest caved at the impact. Judging by the look of it, all his ribs were broken.

The young man spat out a mouthful of blood as his expression contorted in anguish. “What…”

Zyaire was astonished, for the young man was his trusted aide and an experienced fighter. He couldn’t believe that the young man was defeated easily by Tommy.

After consuming the enhancement pill, Tommy had experienced a great improvement in his skill. Thus, the young man was no match for him.

Both Zeke and Frida were astounded to realize how strong Tommy was.

“Damn it, you despicable thing! You were still a baby when I became the underground king!” Tommy hissed. He kicked the young man’s head so forcefully that it killed the latter on the spot. After killing the young man, Tommy turned to Zyaire and asked, “Do you dare attack me, old fool?”

Zyaire was trained in martial arts, but he was no match for Tommy. Retreating in fear, he stammered, “W-Who are you?”

“My name is Tommy Lewis!” Tommy announced grandly.

Suddenly, Zyaire’s eyes widened as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. “Y-You’re the underground king, Tommy Lewis. No, you’re Mr. Lewis from Horington!”

Zyaire finally recognized Tommy. He had met Tommy twice, but that happened a long time ago, and his memory was hazy. Besides, he didn’t know Tommy would come to Yeringham without causing a fuss.

So, despite finding Tommy familiar, he didn’t pay any attention to the man. After Tommy introduced himself, he finally regained his memory.

“M-Mr. Lewis, I must’ve been blind for not recognizing you!” Zyaire immediately fell to his knees.

Tommy wasn’t lying. Zyaire might’ve previously been involved in shady businesses in Yeringham, but he was nothing compared to Tommy. After all, Tommy’s reputation was infamous, even in the surrounding cities.