Chapter 1 Help Me

Luna Smith could never have imagined that she would be betrayed by her own father. To her disbelief, he had actually sought out several men with malicious intent, planning for them to assault Luna and capture the horrific act on film. His vile scheme was to use this as a threat to wrestle away the shares of her mother's company that Luna held. By the time Luna realized there was a problem, it was already too late. She had unknowingly consumed the red wine laced with an aphrodisiac. The drug would take a few minutes to fully kick in, and during that time, Luna had to save herself. She grabbed the bottle of red wine from the table and smashed it over her father, Edward Smith's head. Then, seizing the opportunity, she pushed open the door of the private dining room in the hotel and made her escape. Behind her, the grumbling voices of a few men could be heard. Luna's mind was in utter chaos as she ran aimlessly around the hotel corridor. While she was about to be caught, she noticed a room ahead with the door slightly ajar. Without any hesitation, she darted in and quickly locked the door. “Who are you?” The man inside the room stood up. His towering figure blocked the sunlight streaming in from the window, casting his entire front in shadow. His features were indistinct and hazy, impossible to make out clearly. All that Luna could detect was a strong scent of alcohol and a faint hint of blood. The man looked intently at the unexpected visitor. Despite wearing no noticeable makeup, she was strikingly attractive in her sky-blue, luxurious dress. Her complexion was flushed, and her forehead was lightly damp with sweat, causing her hair to fall slightly out of place. He wondered if she were one of those call girls hired by his mischievous friends. Before he could continue guessing, Luna had already collapsed on the ground, completely drained. All she could muster was a weak plea. “Please... help me...” Even though he didn't fully understand the situation, he still carried her to the bed. Shouts and curses echoed from beyond the door, likely from someone chasing after her. Before long, relentless pounding began on the door. “Open up! I saw that woman run inside! If you don't open this door right now, I swear you'll regret it!” Edward stood outside the door, creating a commotion with a group of people. As soon as the door was cracked open, Edward eagerly squeezed himself through. But in the next moment, he slowly backed away. Accompanying him as he emerged was a handgun pointed at his forehead, and the man wielding the gun reeked of alcohol. “Oh, and how do you plan to do that?” Upon seeing the man who emerged from within, the people who had originally intended to rush in were stunned. They all recognized the man before them. There wasn't a single person in the entire Crownford who didn't know him. For people living on the fringes of the law, it was vital to know the man before them if they wanted to avoid mysteriously disappearing one day. After all, he was the most successful entrepreneur in Crownford and the leader of its largest underworld organization. He was Arthur Finch, known to many as the Tyrant. Moreover, he had been drinking. “Mr. Finch...” Edward noticed a hint of anger on Arthur's face, which made him smile bitterly. He hadn't expected that Luna would actually run into the room of the intimidating figure before him. Upon seeing Arthur's gaze shift toward him, Edward hastily put on a friendly smile. “We were just chasing a thief. Someone saw her running into your room...” “Oh? Are you suggesting that I have something to do with the thief? What kind of hidden treasure could this city possibly hold that would be worth my time to steal?” Arthur's lips curved into what seemed like a smile, but those standing at the doorway could only feel a chilling coldness emanating from it. A single thought surged in everyone's mind: If they didn't provide Arthur with a satisfactory answer, they would meet their doom.