The iron gates of Dragon Bay Villa were locked tight.
Outside, an old man in a wrinkled suit was banging on the bars. It was Duke Sterling. Just yesterday, he was the King of Diamonds. Today, he was a bankrupt old man dying of cancer.
"Let me in!" The Duke screamed, his voice cracking. "I know he's in there! I need to see Mr. Alex!"
The security guard inside the gate crossed his arms. "Do you have an appointment?"
"I am the Duke of Sterling!"
"You mean the guy who sells worthless rocks?" The guard laughed. "Sorry, pal. The boss is busy."
The Duke fell to his knees, coughing violently. Blood splattered on the pavement. He was running out of time.
Click.
The small side gate opened.
Luna stepped out. She looked at the Duke with cold indifference—the same man who had sent mercenaries to kill her and assault her.
"The Master will see you," Luna said. "But he says you are not allowed to walk on his driveway. You must crawl."
The Duke's eyes bulged. "Crawl? I am European Royalty! I have never crawled in my life!"
Luna shrugged and started to close the gate. "Then die."
"Wait!" The Duke shrieked. He looked at the long, uphill driveway. He looked at his shaking hands.
He swallowed his pride. He got down on his hands and knees.
And he crawled.
[The Main Hall]
It took him twenty minutes to crawl up the mountain. By the time he reached the front door, his expensive suit was torn, his knees were bleeding, and he was gasping for air.
Alex was sitting on a golden throne-like chair in the center of the hall, sipping tea. He didn't stand up.
"You look terrible, Duke," Alex said calmly.
"The water..." The Duke wheezed, collapsing on the floor. "Please... I know you have it. The Phoenix Spirit Water. I will give you anything."
"Anything?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "You have nothing. I destroyed your company this morning. Your net worth is zero."
"I... I still have the Ancestral Castle in Europe!" The Duke cried, pulling a deed from his jacket. "It has been in my family for 500 years! It's worth $200 Million! Take it! Just give me one bottle!"
Alex looked at the deed. A 500-year-old castle. That would be a nice vacation home.
"Sebastian," Alex gestured.
The butler took the deed and examined it. "It appears authentic, Master."
Alex stood up and walked over to the Duke. He held a small, cheap plastic water bottle filled with glowing blue liquid.
"This is 100ml," Alex said. "It will cure your cancer. But it won't buy back your youth. You'll still be a broke old man."
"I don't care!" The Duke reached out with trembling hands. "Give it to me!"
Alex pulled the bottle back.
"One more thing," Alex said, his eyes cold. "I want an apology."
"I... I apologize for trying to steal the water," The Duke stammered.
"No," Alex shook his head. "I want you to apologize for being poor."
The Duke froze. That was the insult he used to say to commoners.
"Say it," Alex commanded. "Say: 'I am a poor, pathetic loser, and I am sorry for offending the Great Tycoon.'"
The Duke stared at the floor. Tears of humiliation streamed down his face. He had lost his money. He had lost his castle. Now he was losing his soul.
"I..." The Duke sobbed. "I am a poor... pathetic loser... and I am sorry for offending the Great Tycoon."
Alex smiled. He dropped the plastic bottle onto the floor.
"Drink up."
The Duke scrambled for the bottle like a dog, unscrewed the cap, and downed it in one gulp.
Instantly, color returned to his face. The pain in his chest vanished. He could breathe. He was alive.
But as he looked up, he saw Alex standing over him, looking like a giant.
"Get out of my house," Alex said. "And if I ever see you in Europe... I'll take your shoes, too."
Guards grabbed the former Duke and dragged him out.
[DING!]
[Hidden Mission Complete: Break the Aristocracy.] [Reward: +100 Tycoon Points. +1 European Castle.] [Reputation Update: Global Elites now fear the name 'Alex'.]
Alex walked to the window and watched the Duke being thrown out the gate.
"Luna," Alex said.
"Yes, Master?"
"Pack your bags. We're going to Europe. I want to see my new castle."