Exiting the training room, William made his way to his quarters, where he changed out of his clothes and indulged in a bath, attempting to alleviate the physical discomfort and erase the scars that Adam might have inflicted upon him.
Once refreshed, he went down the stairs and headed to the kitchen, where he discovered a lavish spread of gourmet dishes, each boasting ingredients with names that were as challenging to pronounce as they were intriguing.
As he settled at the table in the living room to enjoy his meal, he switched on the enormous television in front of him, just as an advertisement began to play. The commercial featured an overweight man and his attractive girlfriend lounging on a couch, brainstorming ways to spend their time together.
The girlfriend, with a flirtatious glint in her eye, attempted to seduce him, hinting at the prospect of some intimate quality time.
To William's surprise, instead of succumbing to her charms, the man turned away, made his way to his gaming room, donned a sleek fox outfit, and immersed himself in a VR gaming session. The scene then transitioned, revealing that the advertisement was promoting a cutting-edge VR system, highlighting its impressive features and the company behind it.
The ad boasted that this system was the pinnacle of innovation, offering exceptional value despite its so-called mid-range price point.
However, when William saw the price, he nearly choked on his food.
"What the F*ck is this about? How the hell is fifty thousand dollars considered MID-RANGE?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "This isn't even close to mid-range... that's just premium gear with an absurd price tag. Just admit the price is high. It's not like you're going to lose customers—you're a company that's raking in cash by selling VR systems."
But then, the next segment of the commercial caught William's attention, making him reconsider his initial outrage.
"Oh! It has a 4D mode... And a system that can project lifelike sensations too... Well, if that's actually true, then maybe this is worth the price," William conceded, feeling slightly sheepish as he reevaluated his stance after hearing the additional details.
"Maybe I should get one too..." he murmured to himself, discreetly pulling out his phone and dialing the number displayed on the screen. But just as the call was about to connect, Delmar walked in.
"What's this all about?" Delmar inquired with curiosity.
William felt a jolt of panic as he hastily ended the call and searched for a plausible explanation, "Uh, umm, well, this is actually—"
Instead of using the device, as William had anticipated, Delmar switched the TV channel to a news broadcast. The moment William saw the news anchor, his expression darkened. "What's this guy saying now?"
On the screen was Ramiel Cang, a man with a handsome face and a disarming smile, delivering the news. Ramiel was the anchor for METRO Light News and was widely popular.
However, William harbored a deep-seated disdain for him, as Ramiel frequently propagated baseless rumors about him and his family, insinuating that they were involved in criminal activities before amassing enough wealth to start a bank, supposedly to legitimize their operations.
Despite Ramiel's claims being pure fabrications, William couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. Though he usually didn't pay much attention to the news—knowing it could change its tune when something significant happened—he had to stay vigilant about Ramiel's words. The anchor had a large, loyal following that tended to take his statements at face value, even without concrete evidence.
More crucially, Ramiel was targeting the one area where William was most vulnerable: his money.
Most of William's wealth, aside from what was generated by his bank and the small businesses he had acquired, wouldn't hold up to scrutiny if the royal forces decided to investigate his lavish lifestyle.
Delmar turned up the volume, and Ramiel's voice filled the room with a tone of self-assured certainty. "As I've been cautioning you for the past few months, we're reaching a point where I can confidently state that several 'Families'" Ramiel made air quotes with his fingers, "are being exposed for concealing large amounts of black money in their homes.
"Just today, in Haili City, our brave forces, who risk their lives for us, uncovered a substantial stash of illicit money hidden in the beach house of a prominent business family's boss, registered under his wife's name."
"I was not only shocked but also relieved to see that the people I've identified as 'Potential Problems' were indeed problematic. I say relieved because I've been telling you who they are and what they do, and I know that everyone listening at home, in their offices, or even on old radios, will be safe from their schemes.
And I encourage you to inform your neighbors, friends, and loved ones to stay vigilant and stay safe."
"I'll keep warning you as long as I have breath in my body: the family being highlighted here is not who you think they are."
"The one you 'TRUST' is not one to be trusted."