Chapter 1: A Journey That Changed Everything
Indonesia's main international airport buzzed with the bustle of passengers as Adrian Bong stepped off the plane returning him from Beijing. The 28-year-old man pulled his suitcase, feeling the exhaustion of a week spent in China managing his family's business expansion. In his jacket pocket, an intricately carved antique ring felt cool against his fingers.
Adrian's face looked tired but satisfied. This business trip was crucial for the future of Bong Food Industries, the family's food company established for three generations. Since his father, Bong Tjhuan, passed away from a sudden heart attack three years ago, the burden of managing the company—with a turnover of hundreds of billions of rupiah—had fallen on his shoulders. At his relatively young age, Adrian had to learn to run a complex business with thousands of employees and dozens of branches across the archipelago.
"Young Master!" exclaimed Uncle Suryo, a sturdy, middle-aged man waiting for him at the arrivals area. The 55-year-old former soldier still looked strong despite his graying hair. His stern face reflected years of military experience. The crisp white shirt and black trousers he wore gave him a professional and dignified appearance.
"Uncle, thank you for picking me up," Adrian said with a smile as he shook hands with his late father's trusted confidant. Suryo Widjaya was no ordinary assistant—he was a former military officer who had served as head of security and personal assistant to the Bong family for the last 15 years. His loyalty and dedication were beyond question.
"How was the business trip with Mr. Qiao?" Uncle suryo asked, taking Adrian's suitcase with a trained, efficient movement.
"It went very smoothly. The contract for our canned food distribution throughout mainland China has been signed. Mr. Qiao is still very grateful to my father, who once helped him," Adrian replied, recalling Qiao Wei Ming, his father's good friend who had become Beijing's largest food distributor. The 50-year-old man had once been a poor immigrant from Indonesia struggling to build a business from scratch in a foreign land.
"What's the value of the contract, Young Master?"
"Two hundred billion rupiah for the next two years. This will increase the company's turnover by almost 40 percent," Adrian answered proudly. "Mr. Qiao even promised to help open distribution channels to other Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam."
Uncle suryo nodded in admiration. "Your late father would be proud to see how you've grown the company. You've truly inherited his business acumen."
As they walked toward the spacious parking lot, Adrian subconsciously touched the ring in his pocket. He had bought it from an old woman at the Panjiayuan antique market in Beijing. The incident still felt strange and unsettling. On his last day in Beijing, after finishing all business affairs, Adrian took time to visit the renowned antique market. He had always been fascinated by historical artifacts and ancient culture.
Amid the bustling stalls, his eyes were drawn to a shabby old woman sitting in a quiet corner. About 75 years old, she wore dull brown clothing, her face deeply wrinkled, her hair a tangled gray. Her sad eyes radiated a deep sorrow, as though burdened by countless bitter stories. Beside her, a little girl around four years old played with a worn cloth doll, occasionally peeking at her grandmother with innocent eyes.
"Mengmeng, don't go far," the grandmother said weakly in a hoarse voice. The girl, despite her shabby clothes, was adorable—round-faced with large, crystal-clear eyes and jet-black hair tied into pigtails with simple rubber bands. Her chubby cheeks and innocent smile made anyone want to protect her.
For some reason, Adrian felt compelled to approach them. His heart was moved by their poverty. Laid out before the grandmother on a tattered cloth were just a few seemingly worthless items—some rusty ancient coins, a cracked wooden bracelet, and a worn metal ring with strange, intricate carvings.
"How much for this ring, Nai Nai?" Adrian asked in halting Mandarin, pointing to the ring that had caught his attention. Something about it radiated a mysterious aura he couldn't explain.
The grandmother looked at Adrian with eyes that seemed to see into his soul. "Only 50 yuan, young man. That ring is a memento from my late husband."
The price was very cheap for an antique ring. Feeling pity for their condition, Adrian gave her a hundred yuan.
"Keep the change for the little one, Nai Nai."
"No, 50 yuan is enough," the grandma refused, shaking her head.
"Just take it, Nai Nai. It's for Mengmeng's snacks," Adrian insisted with a warm smile. He couldn't bear seeing the malnourished child.
Grandma smiled gratefully, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you, kind young man. May God repay your kindness. With this money, Mengmeng can buy milk and bread for a few days."
Adrian even snapped a photo with shy little Mengmeng after giving her some candy from his bag. The girl smiled sweetly while hugging her doll tightly. That photo was now saved on his phone as a precious memory.
Now, on the way back to his mountainous hometown in his Toyota Century SUV, Adrian felt a strange sensation from the ring. It was as if a strange energy flowed from the cold metal through his body. The ring fit perfectly on his finger, its intricate carvings forming ancient symbols he didn't understand.
"Uncle suryo," Adrian said, glancing at the capital city they were leaving behind—the tall buildings neatly lining both sides of the toll road. "How are things at home? Are my uncle and his family still living there?"
"Yes, Young Master. They say they still want to 'look after' you," Uncle Suryo replied, his tone tinged with cynicism. "But I think you already know their true intentions."
Adrian nodded, his expression hardening. Ever since his father's death, his uncle Asong, along with his wife and two children, had been living in the family home under the pretense of "looking after" the young and inexperienced Adrian. But Adrian knew their real motive—to seize control of his late father's multi-trillion-rupiah food empire.
"The important thing is that we stay vigilant. I've started to suspect some of their movements lately," Adrian said, eyeing the ring on his finger, which felt warmer by the minute.
Uncle Suryo glanced in the rearview mirror. "You're right, Young Master. Yesterday I overheard Mr. Asong on the phone with someone, talking about dividing up company shares. It seems they're planning something."
The trip to the mountain city took nearly four hours due to heavy traffic. Throughout the journey, Adrian continued to feel the strange sensation from the ring. At times, he thought he heard faint, indecipherable whispers, as if a voice from another dimension was trying to reach him. One thing was clear—there was something very unusual about that seemingly simple object.
As they entered the cool, clean-aired mountain city, the sky had already begun to darken. City lights flickered to life one by one, painting a glowing tapestry at the foot of the mountain. Adrian gazed out the window, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the ring—unaware that his life was about to change completely in the coming days.