The Tycoon's Odyssey

"Where are they? Do they think that are so important that they can make me wait?" he grumbled, irritation evident in his voice.

As if on cue, the door swung open, revealing a man and a woman, both wearing smiles that faltered slightly upon seeing the sight of the impatient figure before them.

"My apologies for the delay, Mr. Richard. We were caught in traffic," the man said smoothly.

A guard immediately seized the man and began checking him, removing any electronics with him.

Noticing their curious gaze, Richard said, "We can\'t take the risk of being recorded, so this meeting will be conducted without any electronics."

"Good! That\'s exactly what I wanted," Noah nodded in agreement.

Ever since when the series of videos of him went viral, Noah had been taking extra precautions, ensuring to stay away from any gadgets when he was in an important meeting.

Richard\'s gaze sharpened as he scrutinized the woman, his eyes narrowing in disdain. "Traffic? In a city like this? If you\'re from Rajput and can\'t even bypass traffic, what\'s the point of your so-called influence? It seems Mrs. Sonalia isn\'t regarded highly by the Rajputs, otherwise, you\'d have a convoy clearing the way for you."

Sonalia\'s face twitched with indignation, a frown forming as she struggled to keep her composure. But before she could respond, Noah gently placed a hand on hers, signaling her to stay calm.

"Rajputs don\'t flaunt their power or create a spectacle. We might not have the outward showiness of Stanley, but that doesn\'t make us insignificant. Our legacy, wealth, and influence have been built over generations. We don\'t need to parade our power to assert it."

Richard\'s eyes flashed with anger. "What are you trying to imply? Are you belittling me?"

"No, no," Noah replied smoothly. "There\'s no need to demean anyone. I am simply stating facts. The vast wealth, treasures, and land we\'ve inherited are enough to last a lifetime and more. We don\'t need to broadcast our affairs to prove our worth."

Richard\'s face reddened with fury. "How dare you—"

"Calm down, Mr. Richard, calm down," Noah interjected, his tone soothing yet firm. "We\'re not here to display status, nor are you. Let\'s focus on the matter at hand…Mrs. Suri and that viper, Evan."

At the mention of Evan\'s name, Richard\'s face contorted with rage. The memory of Evan surviving after his attempt to have him killed was still a sore point.

Richard\'s downfall began when his engagement with Suri was abruptly called off by her father, Nathaniel Barret.

The breaking of the engagement was a significant blow to Richard\'s plans to consolidate his influence. In a bid to salvage his position, he attempted to eliminate Evan, Suri\'s ally. However, the assassination failed, and Evan survived. When Richard subsequently attempted to send mercenaries, they were thwarted by the Singhs, a covert intelligence organization.

The fiasco escalated even further when Nathaniel publicly blamed Richard for the assassination attempts and then asked for further compensation for assaulting Evan and Suri.

His elder brother used the scandal to undermine him, cutting off his influential connections and the financial strain from the failed operations and the public humiliation further damaged Richard\'s standing.

The cumulative effect of these setbacks left Richard isolated, humiliated, and stripped of power and status, fueling his anger and desire for revenge against Evan and Suri.

The animosity he felt toward Suri was much more intense, fueled by his desire to reclaim his lost influence.

Noah and Sonalia exchanged quick glances, noting Richard\'s growing volatility.

"It seems we have a common enemy," Noah said, his voice steady.

"Just like you, we have a deep enmity with Evan. Isn\'t the enemy of my enemy a friend? So why don\'t we join forces to get rid of them together? With Rajputs and Stanleys united, such small bugs aren\'t worth our trouble?" Sonalia spoke with a sinister grin.

"Do you think it will be that easy? You might not know, but Suri is a Superhuman?"

"What?" Both Noah and Sonalia screamed in unison.

"Superhuman… are you sure?" Sonalia asked, her voice slightly quivering.

The sudden revelation hit them hard, and Richard couldn\'t help but give a bitter smile seeing their reaction.

Even he wasn\'t aware of this until he was effortlessly and swiftly beaten by Suri and only after snooping around did he finally get to know about it.

Thinking about this, his fists subconsciously clenched. If only he knew just how strong she was, he would have never dared to mingle with other women until he had used Suri completely and had dealt with her.

Noah kept mum, recently having gotten familiar with this superhuman shit.

Genetically modified humans were stronger than their peers, but it wasn\'t like they were invincible. Any type of bullet could still kill them and though their bodies had some resistance to poison, it wasn\'t enough to prevent their death entirely.

"Why don\'t we focus on taking her down first? Once we cut down the trunk, dealing with the underlying branch will be much easier."

Richard\'s expression darkened further. The idea of targeting Suri first resonated with him, offering a chance to strike back at those who had wronged him and the possibility of regaining some of his lost power.

"Since she is a Superhuman, we need to act subtly and use every means to stop her," Richard added and then rubbed his chin before a sudden thought came to his mind, "I have someone who might help us."

"Who?" the couple asked in confusion.

"Her brother."

_____

The underground lab buzzed with the hum of machinery, the soft glow of control panels casting an eerie light across the room.

At the heart of the room stood a massive pod, encased in a sleek metallic frame.

The pod\'s surface was smooth and gleamed, adorned with a complex network of tubes and cables that connected it to various apparatuses. Inside, a translucent liquid swirled gently, illuminated by a soft blue light.

The liquid, a serum designed for advanced biological experimentation, had a faintly luminescent, hinting at its cutting-edge nature.

Evan stood beside the pod, his gaze fixed on the serum within, while Mac, and the chief scientists, hovered nearby, his face a mask of focus and concern.

Evan\'s voice broke the silence, calm but measured, "Are you sure you want to go first?"