Eva, Ava's younger sister, noticed Max the moment he stepped deeper into the flagship store.
She immediately curled her lip, her expression twisted with a mixture of mockery and cold disbelief.
To her, Max was nothing more than a discarded toy, a pathetic shadow from a past she wanted to erase.
"I can smell the stench of poverty from here. It is absolutely revolting."
"Are you following me, Max? Don't even think that coming here to flatter me will make me convince my sister to change her mind."
[Name: Eva]
[Age: 20]
[Ava's sister]
[Beauty Score: 51]
[Affection: 20/100]
Max felt a wave of genuine nausea as he looked at her.
Back when he and Ava were still dating, he had lived a life of blind self-sacrifice.
He had worked three jobs simultaneously, skipping meals just to buy expensive gifts for Eva, hoping she would speak well of him to her sister.
Now that the mask had fallen, he saw the sisters for what they truly were: shallow parasites.
He looked at her again, noticing that despite the layers of expensive foundation so thick it looked like wet plaster, her beauty score was only a mediocre 51.
The system was brutally honest; beneath the heavy makeup, there was nothing but average features and an ugly, arrogant soul.
"This is just a store, and I am a customer here to spend money. Is there something unusual about that?"
The fat man standing beside Eva let out a soft, condescending laugh.
He adjusted his silk tie, looking at Max with the kind of pity one might show a stray dog barking at a limousine.
"Young man, confidence is a good thing, but you shouldn't brag so loudly that it reaches the heavens."
"Even though the Fortune Group is a brand that only emerged three years ago, its growth rate has been like that of a dark horse. The cheapest item here costs a thousand dollars. If you only came in to touch things without buying anything, it's quite inconsiderate."
Max didn't care about their insults anymore.
He was no longer the boy who could be shamed by mere words.
He simply gave a brief, sharp retort before continuing his search for clothes.
"The young man heard you. Can the old man be quiet now?"
The fat man's face turned a deep, angry shade of purple.
He nearly choked on a curse word, his massive ego bruised by the dismissive tone of someone he considered beneath him.
Max ignored his sputtering and walked toward the high-end racks.
Eventually, Max selected a stylish, well-fitted outfit.
He wanted something sharp that wouldn't make him look like a desperate insurance salesman.
He felt satisfied with the choice and then picked up a pure white bracelet from a velvet display case.
When dealing with women, money was vital, but sophistication was equally important—a gift was never a bad idea.
"Daddy, that bracelet is so beautiful! I want it!"
Eva clung to the fat man's arm, her voice turning into a sugary, manipulative whine that made the nearby staff cringe.
"Hey, cashier girl over there! I want that bracelet!"
Hearing the fat man's command, the cashier immediately moved to block Max's path.
She judged his worth instantly by his worn-out sneakers and cheap shirt.
"What is this? Move aside so I can pay."
"Hmph. Look at your clothes. Do you think you can actually buy anything here? Security! Throw this beggar out of here before he ruins the atmosphere!"
She looked at Max with pure contempt.
Two large, muscular guards appeared, approaching Max with hostile intentions.
They saw Max as an easy target to impress their manager.
"Friend, please leave on your own. Don't force us to use violent measures."
Max felt so much anger that he actually started to laugh.
The absurdity of the situation was almost comical.
"And if I don't?"
"Then we will throw you out."
The moment the words left the guard's mouth, a fist cut through the air toward Max's face.
Max moved with a fluidity that shouldn't have been possible for a human.
He stepped to the side, letting the punch miss by an inch.
The first guard swung his other hand while the second guard joined the fray, both aiming for his ribs.
Faced with two simultaneous attacks, Max didn't retreat.
He threw two counter-punches of his own, his muscles rippling with the strength of an Olympic champion.
Thud!
The impact echoed through the store like a gunshot.
The collision of force sent all three men back a short distance.
Max remained rooted and unharmed, but the two guards felt their arms go completely numb.
They stared at him, paralyzed by a sudden, chilling fear.
They felt as if their prey had suddenly turned into a dragon, but they didn't realize that the presence of the next man actually saved their lives from being crippled by Max.
"He's hitting people! This damn beggar is attacking us! I'll sue you in court for assault!"
As Max began to move toward the screaming cashier, a deep, booming voice resonated from the back of the store.
"What is going on here?"
A man standing 1.9 meters tall walked out, wearing a sharp suit.
His physique was massive; his biceps were thicker than the length of an iPhone 15.
He carried an aura of suppressed violence that commanded instant silence.
"Manager, you're here! This beggar appeared and started destroying things and assaulting our people. How do you think we should punish him?"
The fat man laughed at Max's perceived misfortune and decided to enlighten him.
"Young man, you are in big trouble now. That is Logan, a legendary mercenary from the war who has since retired."
Logan stood there like an immovable wall, his voice filled with a cold, terrifying rage.
"Punishment? Of course, there must be a punishment."
"That's right! Punish this beggar as severely as possible!"
The cashier pointed her finger directly at Max.
Suddenly, a massive hand swung across her face, sending her flying backward.
She slammed into the floor and lost consciousness instantly.
Logan had held back his strength to keep her alive; the final judgment for someone who insulted the Young Master belonged to the Young Master alone.
To the absolute horror of everyone in the room, Logan walked up to Max and dropped to one knee.
"I am Logan Pan, the manager of this branch. I welcome the Young Master. Please, let me know your commands."
In his mind, Logan was reeling with shock and awe.
Holding 60% of Fortune Group's shares was an unthinkable level of power for one man.
Low-level employees might be ignorant, but high-level management knew exactly who the true owners were.
Logan was one of the few who had been briefed on the new majority shareholder.
He couldn't believe his staff had been so stupid as to offend the man who could shut down the entire company with a single phone call.
"It's nothing. I just came to buy some things. It totals about $200,000, right? Process it quickly, I'm in a hurry."
Max spoke with a cold, impatient tone that made the air in the room feel thin.
"I wouldn't dare take your money, sir. Everything you want is free of charge. Men! Pack these items for the Young Master immediately!"
The other employees scrambled like ants, their faces pale as they packed Max's items.
Eva and her boyfriend were frozen in shock, barely daring to breathe.
They stood there like statues, caught in the middle of a nightmare they couldn't wake up from.
What? Wasn't this guy just my sister's loyal, poor dog? How did he suddenly reveal this kind of status? Eva thought, her mind racing.
Suddenly, Max's gaze shifted toward them.
At the same time, Logan turned his head, his eyes filled with a murderous intent that felt like a cold blade against their throats.
The game was over for them, and the real terror was just beginning.