Chapter 21
The next day finally arrived and Max was ready for his meet up with the woman from yesterday. Currently, he was fully dressed as he glanced at his wristwatch.
"12:45pm."
"It would take me around an hour to get to the address she gave to me," Max mumbled as he looked at himself in the mirror. A grin stretched wide across his face.
"Damn, this is the life! I remember when Joe used to watch anime and some movies where the MC would get transmigrated with a system. Some of them grow a harem while some don't, but one thing common with them is that they face world-ending threats.
I guess I'm just too lucky that I'm not faced with a threat like that. All I have to do is grow my strength and power while having sex as much as I want until I'm ready to take on that betrayal from Suz and her lover," Max muttered, clenching his hands tightly. A dangerous glint flashed across his eyes.
'I remember that anonymous caller and Jack saying he was the heir to a mafia lord. If so, then it means I'm not strong enough to take them on right now. I know how dangerous people like that can be.
So I need to build my strength, grow more skills, level up more, and then I will hunt Jack, his family, and Suz down with all my might. That's my promise. But till then, let me go meet my customer.' Max grinned devilishly as he took some cash from the place he usually saved his money.
He exited the room with a cheerful smile on his face. As he walked around, he noticed something again due to his new, sharper senses.
The people seemed more stiff than before. Though they lived in the slum part of town, it didn't stop it from having some rundown shops that were still functioning.
Max noticed that the people there looked frightened, glancing left and right in worry. Even some shop owners were hurriedly closing down their shops with nervous looks on their faces.
'What is going on here? This was the same way they all looked yesterday when I came back home. But it looks like today is much worse.
The kids that usually run around the streets are nowhere to be seen,' Max thought as he leapt across a pothole and kept walking.
His hands stayed tucked in his pockets as he moved forward, scanning the neighborhood carefully.
'It's actually none of my business. I don't know any of them, so why should I bother finding out about their problems?
As long as it doesn't bother me or interfere with my business, I'm good.' Max sighed as he passed through the alleyway where he usually almost got drenched. This time, there was no splash of water.
Instead, the same woman stood at the base of the stairs as if eagerly waiting for someone. When Max passed by, her eyes widened.
'Wait! Isn't he the same person I drenched one time?' she thought. Max didn't even bat an eyelid at her and kept his eyes fixed on the road until he had fully passed the neighborhood. 'He looks well kept instead of being tattered like before.'
---
"I hope I'm not late," Max muttered as he quickly transformed into Damian before hailing down a taxi and handing the driver the address.
After several minutes of weaving through the streets, the taxi screeched to a halt in front of a house.
The woman's home stood like a quiet fortress at the end of a secluded street, a towering three-story mansion wrapped in an aura of elegance and silent authority.
A massive wrought-iron gate, embellished with intricate floral patterns and tipped with golden spikes, encircled the entire property like a protective barrier.
Beyond the gate, a cobblestone driveway curved toward the main entrance, flanked on both sides by neatly trimmed hedges and tall, graceful trees that swayed gently in the afternoon breeze.
The faint scent of roses drifted from a flowerbed near the gate, adding an almost surreal calm to the otherwise intimidating sight.
The house loomed behind a towering black gate, its presence impossible to ignore. Three stories high, the building stood tall and proud, like a silent monarch ruling over the heart of the neighborhood.
Smooth white walls gleamed beneath the afternoon sun, broken only by tall rectangular windows trimmed with sharp, dark frames that seemed to watch anyone who dared to approach.
The roof was lined with dark grey tiles, cleanly slanted with twin chimneys rising like watchtowers from both ends.
A wide balcony jutted out from the second floor, its wrought-iron railings curled into intricate spiral designs that hinted at elegance and wealth.
Flower boxes clung to the railing edges, spilling green vines and blossoms down the walls in graceful trails, softening the otherwise imposing structure.
The property was enclosed by a thick concrete fence crowned with pointed spikes, a clear statement of both protection and privacy.
The heavy front gate, decorated with golden accents, shimmered faintly whenever the light caught them at the right angle, adding a regal air to the house's already commanding presence.
On either side of the building, stone pillars stretched upward, reinforcing its grand and stately feel. A short flight of stairs led directly to the main entrance, where a double door carved from polished dark mahogany stood as the final threshold.
Sleek outdoor lamps flanked the entrance like vigilant sentinels, ever watchful. Despite the peacefulness of the street it rested on, the house itself radiated power, authority, and unspoken rules that warned strangers not to overstep.
"Sheesh! Looks like this woman truly swims in wealth," Max muttered under his breath, practical dollar signs flashing in his eyes. He quickly paid the cab driver before heading towards the massive gate, his lips curling into a faint smirk.
Pushing the gate open, he noticed several CCTV cameras perched discreetly along the sides of the building. He barely spared them a glance before checking the time on his wristwatch.
"1:50 p.m."
'Perfect,' he thought with a small nod.
Max strode confidently to the mahogany double doors and pressed the doorbell on the side.
The bell rang loudly, its sound echoing faintly from inside. Max stood calmly before the entrance, his hands still tucked in his pockets, his faint smile lingering as if he already belonged there.
Minutes ticked by with no response. He pressed the bell again, this time letting it ring longer, until finally...
Click!
The door creaked open to reveal a breathtaking woman, though not in the way Max expected. She was stunning even in her casual wear: an orange crop top and blue shorts clinging to her figure.
But her hair was a wild mess, scattered across her face in tangled strands, and her smile looked strained, forced into place.
"Ohh, Damian. You're here," the woman said, her voice steady but her eyes betraying unease. She made no effort to straighten her hair or compose herself.
'Something's wrong,' Max thought immediately, narrowing his eyes as he studied her cautiously.