Orion Kai 2

"Ethan Kai is missing," a woman wearing an all-black suit declared. "No one has seen him since Mr. Orion Kai arrived just a few hours ago. It seems that Orion Kai had some connections inside SEP, and he was able to intimidate the young Kai away."

"Is that so?" Kurokawa Yumi frowned.

"If I am right, Ethan should be on his way out of this country," the woman leaned back, side-eyeing Yumi. "That is if he wanted to live."

"The two masters must have been hiding him somewhere," Yumi said, her delicate brows furrowing. "They cannot hide him forever." She sighed as she looked at the funeral rites not too far away from them. She already knew that this trip would be useless.

The two masters would do everything to protect that boy. If they wanted to get rid of Ethan, they could not expect to do it here in Hanmiryeong. They needed to secretly find him.

Sadly, Ethan did not have any friends since he was younger. Moreover, their investigations into Ethan's time overseas showed that he was never close to any humans out there. That man must have loved being alone.

"Have you informed father?" Yumi asked.

"Yes, young miss."

"What did he say?"

"He told us to leave and go back home."

"Leave?" Yumi's face immediately turned ugly.

"He said it is no longer worth it."

Yumi clenched her jaw. She came here wanting to prove something to her father, yet that man really had to disappear? She snorted. It seems that Ethan Kai's luck was something else.

...

The room smelled of warm, savory steak, a rich aroma that enveloped the dinner table like a cozy blanket. The soft glow of dim lights cast a warm hue on the polished wooden walls, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a celebration than what had just unfolded - a funeral.

"Father, what if that Ethan really turns up?" Arlo Kai asked his father as he sliced his steak.

"Then I will take care of him," Orion answered without any hesitation. He then looked at the old man sitting opposite him on the rectangular table where they were eating. "Isn't that right, Mr. Li?"

"Of course," Old Man Li nodded, smiling. Then he added. "Now that Ethan Kai is no longer capable of marrying my granddaughter, I believe it is only right that we start talking about dissolving the engagement and making Olivia marry Arlo instead," Old Man Li did not hesitate to immediately talk about the reason why he personally requested this meeting.

The Kai Family living in Yeonpung cannot be considered wealthy or influential yet now that they are going to lead the Kai Consortium, everything will change. Old Man Li knew that Orion Kai was a very capable businessman and he would rather trust Orion than that punk Ethan Kai.

Old Man Li eyed Olivia, whose face looked like a tomato, sitting beside him. Seeing her bashful appearance, Old Man Li let out a sigh of relief. Orion Kai's appearance was indeed good. No one had expected it, but he was confident that everyone would want to work with Orion rather than the young pup Ethan.

"Of course," Orion smiled. "However, since this is the first time that Arlo met Olivia… isn't it best that we let the kids know each other before we make any other moves? As for the dissolving of the engagement, it is only right that this happens. We cannot exactly let the Li Family have connections with someone who had been hiding from SEP, no?"

Old Man Li nodded, a cunning understanding flashing in his eyes. Obviously, he understood Orion Kai's meaning. "Currently, the relic mine that the Li Family owns would hand ten percent of the monthly numbers. After this engagement… it is only right that the Li Family would increase this share."

"Oh?" Orion immediately arched an eyebrow, a sly smile appearing on his lips. "Fifteen is a little too low. When I start running Kai Consortium, everything will change. With the mercenaries that I have and the power of Kai Consortium… no one can exactly predict the outcome of the company. Do you not think so, Mr. Li?"

Old Man Li smiled. He knew that Orion was greedy, but he never thought he could be this… greedy. He immediately started making silent calculations. "I agree… fifteen percent is a little too low. For our future cooperation. Twenty would be—"

"Forty," Orion Kai held four of his fingers as he grinned at the old man. "I am planning to increase the monthly tributes to forty."

Seeing Old Man Li's face turning green, Orion added. "Kai Consortium is indeed very influential, but I believe it has yet to reach its potential. The Old Man… may his soul rest in peace, was a traditionalist. He disliked foreigners and did not exactly believe in technology. I believe Kai Consortium is a bit behind when it comes to technological research so… in return for the forty percent that each family under Kai Consortium will be contributing every month, I am going to make sure that each family will get all of the equipment that we are developing first before we sell it to the market."

"Equipment?" Old Man Li blinked. Kai Consortium is a large conglomerate, but its main business is the mines of magic stones and relics in Hanmiryeong. It does have a laboratory that deals with relics and their uses but it cannot be considered that special to the point of being able to make its own equipment from relics.

This was partly because most people who study relics would rather go to Jeonghae City and Gyeongyang Bay, which have better technology.

"What does Mr. Kai mean by equipment?"

"What else?" Orion smirked. It has not been a day since he arrived in Kai Consortium and yet he is already planning on some major changes. "The Essentia-powered equipment."

Before old man Li could answer, Orion continued. "We already decided to work with Jeonghae City."

Jeonghai City? Old Man Li arched an eyebrow. Old man Kai and his grandson coincidentally had an accident on the coast of Jeonghai City. Who would have thought?

Who would have thought that this was the action of someone who never once involved themselves with Kai Consortium? "I understand." Old Man Li gave Orion a knowing smile. It seems that Old Man Kai died at the hands of someone he once considered… family, eh?