The SUV cruised along, and I spotted plenty of people on the road who had to be Seekers—judging by the way they carried themselves and the insignias on their uniforms marking their guilds.

It wasn't mandatory, of course, but some people loved flaunting their affiliation, especially if they'd joined a famous guild.

More buildings appeared, packed tightly to house as many people as possible.

And on the street were different types of stores, I even saw one that was selling Tower-Grade weapons.

"Is the Phoenix Guild building nearby?" I asked Amanda, mostly to kill time.

"Yeah, you can't miss it. It's huge—one of the biggest around," she commented.

The view changed when we took a turn, and there it was: the famous Phoenix Guild.

Ten floors tall and sprawling enough to fit over a hundred thousand people, the building was a monument to excess. With that much space, they weren't just rich—they'd gone way past that.

As expected of one of the only three Tier-One Guilds in the city, they're on a whole other level, in both power and wealth.

Twenty minutes later, we reached a quieter part of the district, where traffic was barely a nuisance. The building that I plan to buy loomed ahead.

Brand new, spotless—nothing to complain about, except that it felt a bit small compared to the monstrous buildings I had seen earlier.

The SUV rolled to a stop in front of the entrance, and we were immediately met by a man who looked like he spent half his life in boardrooms and the other half practicing his "Dealing smile" in the mirror.

Thick glasses perched on his nose, the lenses so hefty they practically screamed "bad eyesight,".

"Welcome! I'm Harold Trent," he greeted, sweeping a hand toward the entrance. "I think you're going to love this place."

Amanda gave me a subtle look—I nodded, and we followed him inside, his grin glued in place.

He was probably already daydreaming about his commission. Even at a measly 1%, that would still be a cool five million.

"This is the main reception—the very first thing your visitors will see. It's already stylish, but I'm sure Mr. Mercer's taste is far more refined. With a few tweaks, you can easily elevate it to match your status."

The first floor opened into a double-height hall, the ceiling soaring above us.

I forced a smile, but inside I was cracking up at just how hard he was trying to sell it.

Still, I couldn't exactly say I hated it. Being a bit removed from the other guilds building gave it privacy and a low-key vibe.

The walls were also clean and modern, floor-to-ceiling windows letting in plenty of sunlight.

Outside, the facade was sleek and understated; nothing gaudy, just the right mix of contemporary style and solid construction. A little landscaping here, a fountain there, and the exterior could really shine.

We toured more of the first floor, which had other vacant rooms I could customize however I wanted—maybe a gym, a cafeteria, a food court… the possibilities were ridiculous.

Next, the broker led me to the elevator and up to the upper floors. Each level had multiple rooms—ideal for housing guild members comfortably.

The rooms weren't shabby either—each came with a queen-size bed, a 60-inch TV, its own bathroom, a small kitchen, and all the other amenities you would need to keep guild members comfortable… and, apparently, mentally healthy.

Amanda whispered something about the price and taxes, but I was already calculating in my head. Space, layout, versatility—it all checked the boxes. A building like this could serve the guild for years.

The broker, meanwhile, was still prattling on about the location, the nearby market, and transportation. I half-listened, half-mapped out renovations in my head.

By the time we finished the tour, I knew exactly what I wanted.

That was… until we sat down at the table and the broker's cheerful demeanor vanished, replaced by a serious expression.

"Excuse me, I need to take this call. It's the regional manager," he stood up.

I had a bad feeling about it, but I stayed quiet.

When he got back, he sank into his chair and drained the bottle of water in one gulp.

"Are you alright, Harold?" Amanda asked. From what I knew of her story, she and he used to be classmates.

He didn't say anything, just straightened his collar. "I'm sorry… I just heard the news. The price has gone up—to six hundred million."

Amanda's mouth dropped. "Six hundred million? Seriously? We agreed on five hundred! Are you just making numbers up now?"

"I'm sorry, but the bank just bumped the price. Another guild's eyeing it, so I'm risking telling you this in person. Feel free to walk away."

Creak!

She stood up so fast I thought she would snap the chair. She was furious—mostly at herself for looking completely incompetent and wasting my time.

"Boss, let's get out of here. Never. Again. With him."

"Relax, Amanda. A hundred million isn't the end of the world," I said, glancing at the broker. "I'm buying it. Just get the papers ready."

His eyes went wide.

"Uh… s-sir, are you sure? A hundred million increase is—well—it's a lot and unfair to you." he stammered.

"Whether it's fair or not? That's for me to decide. Besides, a hundred million barely scratches the surface of my deep pockets."

"But sir, the other guild who wanted to buy it—"

I waved him off, grinning. "So that's why you hiked the price. Scared of them, but not scared of getting on my bad side?"

My eyes flared green, and even without unleashing my shadow aura, the temperature in the room plummeted.

"Sir, it's not about—" Harold started sweating despite the AC running at full power.

"Not about what?" I interrupted, a single tap of the table made the room feel ten degrees colder.

The broker didn't even dare breathe.

"I hate it when people make a fool out of me. I wasted my valuable time coming here, and you—" I jabbed a finger at his face. "You dare insult me?"

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