When the elevator door opened on the fiftieth floor, Noah immediately spotted Jason, who appeared a bit anxious.
"Noah, what's going on? Why did it take you so long? And why did Matthew send me that strange text? He mentioned something about you guys having a problem..."
Jason's numerous questions caused Noah to smile slightly as he entered the living area of his luxury apartment.
The spacious living room features glass walls that showcase the stunning view of central Opal City.
Instead of hurrying to sit down, he walked over to the glass wall and stood there, taking in the city's scenery outside.
After standing there for a few minutes, Noah senses a pair of eyes watching him from behind. Sighing deeply, he finally turns to see Jason.
Noah noticed Jason's curiosity and concern still reflected in his eyes.
"Someone tried to kill me down there..." Noah replied casually, but Jason's furious response surprised him off guard.
"What the fuck! In this luxury apartment complex? How so?" Jason was left speechless. He thought the security in this place would be top-notch.
Noah didn't rush to respond to Jason but walked to the kitchen area. There, he noticed a coffee machine on the countertop.
After encountering Jack, he feels a throbbing ache in his head.
All he wanted was to conceal his identity, yet somehow, his friends began to notice his background.
He is not afraid if any of his friends know about his new wealth. Still, he wants to leave this city quietly, quickly, and with minimum ruse.
At this moment, with all the pressures, all he wanted was a cup of hot and strong espresso.
Noah turned to see Jason, who was still watching him with his curious gaze.
"Do you want coffee, Jason?" he offered.
"Oh, do you want some? Let me make it for us. I'd love myself a cup of joe, too." Jason said as he approached Noah.
"It's fine. I can make it for you." Noah stopped him and asked him to wait in the seating area.
Even though Noah didn't own a coffee maker at home, he was an experienced barista and had worked at the coffee shop for a while. So, he was quite skillful at operating machines like the one in front of him.
Soon, they sat in the seating area, facing each other.
Still curious about what was happening downstairs, Jason asked again, "Noah, are you okay? Did the security guard help you? Who would attack you in this nice place?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Noah sipped his coffee, maintaining eye contact with Jason. He continued, "I'm exhausted after crippling someone's hand."
"You fight with that person?" Jason asked in disbelief. He knows Noah can't fight; how could he have the strength to break someone else's hand?
'Could he just fight with a child?' Jason raised an eyebrow slightly. 'No... No... that can't be true! Noah was always gentle with children... He would never resort to violence against a child, would he?'
Jason quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.
"Hmm, that's why I have a headache now! Ugh, why can't those people just leave me alone?"
Noah set the empty cup on the table, leaned back on the sofa, and massaged his forehead while closing his eyes.
He wanted to plan how to deal with Jack and others, but Jason's question distracted him.
"Noah, was the person related to the thug who attacked Caldwell?"
"No. This person is wealthier and perhaps more ruthless than the one who sent a thug to Caldwell!" Noah answered without opening his eyes.
"Tsk...tsk... I can't believe you have so many enemies, Noah."
Noah couldn't help but chuckle as he heard that. Just a few days ago, he felt like he was nothing. But now, with his status upgraded, he finds that his enemy is slowly starting to surface.
"Oh, by the way, where's Matthew? Why didn't he come with you?" Jason's voice pulled Noah's attention again, and he gave up on his intention to rest his eyes.
After sitting up straight again, Noah turned to see Jason. "Matthew? I think he went feeding sharks!"
"What the...? Why is he feeding the shark?"
"Yeah. If I'm not mistaken, his pet is a great white shark!" Noah said with a lighthearted smile, amused as he imagined Jack becoming Shark's food.
Noah chose to rest in his bedroom, wishing to check his system without any distractions.
Earlier, when Jack challenged him, he received a few notifications.
After asking Jason to rest in his apartment below, he walked to the master bedroom.
The first notification he opened was the reward for recruiting Matthew.
He was stunned as he viewed the rewards.
...
[Congratulations, Noah Morgan! You received a handgun.]
[Congratulations, Noah Morgan, you gain Skill points +50]
[Congratulations, Noah Morgan, you gain Personnel points +50]
...
Curious, Noah retrieved his handgun from Space Storage.
As he held the real gun, he felt a slight tremor in his hand. It was his first time seeing and touching the actual weapon.
'I need to learn how to use it. Or...should I purchase the skill?'
Noah wondered as he checked his system. However, when he saw the price, it made his stomach churn.
'It's better to ask Jason to teach me!' He smiles while making a mental note to speak with Jason later.
Another notification that caught his attention was the revenge ledger, with Jack Donovan as the target.
Earlier, he didn't have time to choose yes.
Besides, he also needed to test his martial arts ability.
He invested a lot of money in that skill and felt impressed by the ability he gained. His strength increased significantly.
And what made him very happy—his speed—could not be seen by ordinary people's eyes like Jack's. With a swift move, he could catch Jack's dagger. Earlier, he felt Jack's move was slow, so he could capture his hand casually.
A satisfied smile spread across Noah's lips. But, when he spotted the bonus prize for choosing the revenge ledger against Jack, he regretted not choosing, yes!
"Gosh, I have just thrown away $ 100,000!"
Noah let out a deep sigh and dismissed his system as he walked to the bed, but his steps halted when his phone rang, showing Alan Caldwell's name on the screen.
"Uncle Alan?"
"Noah, sorry for calling. This is important. Someone wants to meet you; he's in my office now..."
Alan's voice sounded vague, almost couldn't be heard, as if whispering from the other end.
"Wanted to meet me? Who?"
"Victor White—"
Suddenly, Noah felt a chill run through him.
'Ryan's father... Why did he want to meet me?'