The tension in the Grand King ballroom thickened like mist. Chairman Park's calm eyes met Su Yan's unflinching gaze.
At his side, Park Joon gave a small, almost playful smile and took a step forward.
"Miss Su," he said lightly, "your confidence is admirable. For a woman without a martial background, you stand very firm against us. I suppose your backing must be… extraordinary."
His words carried a faint edge.
A flicker of surprise passed through the Su Family's faces. Backing? Martial world?
They exchanged uncertain glances. The Su Family was a pure business house—no warriors, no cultivators. Their entire reason for siding with the Park Group was to avoid offending any hidden martial forces.
But Su Yan? She'd always been the elegant, cold CEO—the woman who conquered meetings with numbers, not fists.
Chairman Park folded his hands behind his back. His aura, calm yet heavy, rolled faintly through the air. "We have only come to discuss business," he said, "but my son is right. If unseen forces stand behind you, we deserve to know."
Su Yan's fingers tightened slightly around her glass. Her expression stayed the same as like before calm, aloof, untouchable.
"If by 'forces,' Chairman Park, you mean intelligence and competence, then yes," she said quietly. "I have both."
A few people almost choked on their drinks.
Park Joon's smile stiffened. He inhaled slowly, the veins on his temple faintly showing.
"Miss Su… you shouldn't mistake courage for recklessness."
Then, he released it—his cultivation pressure.
A faint hum rippled through the marble floor. The air thickened, like the weight of a thundercloud pressing down. The chandeliers swayed gently, and several guests stepped back in alarm. The tiles beneath Park Joon's polished shoes cracked with a sharp snap.
He was a third-level martial artist, and the sheer force of his presence made nearby guests pale.
But Su Yan did not move.
She stood there, straight-backed, The blue fabric of her gown fluttering faintly from the unseen wind. Her eyes remained cold and calm like still water untouched by storms.
Murmurs rose through the hall.
"She's still standing…"
"That pressure—how is she—?"
"Does she also have a powerful martial artist nearby?"
Even Park Joon's brows furrowed. Something felt… wrong. The pressure he was releasing—it wasn't landing properly.
A faint chill ran up his spine.
Then—
"This is a business gathering," a lazy male voice said, cutting through the tension like a blade through silk. "If you want to compare strength, take it outside. Don't ruin the wine."
Everyone turned there. On a sofa near the back of the hall, sat a young man in a black suit. His jacket was unbuttoned, his tie loose, and one arm rested casually along the backrest. A cocktail glass dangled between his fingers.
He looked relaxed, almost indifferent—so much that people hadn't even noticed him until now.
But the moment they did, they couldn't look away.
His presence wasn't loud, but it swallowed the room. A quiet abyss. An invisible gravity that made the air itself tremble.
Even Chairman Park's expression changed slightly. His instincts, sharpened by decades as a fifth-level martial artist, screamed danger.
Su Yan's eyes flickered. For the first time that night, something shifted behind her calm mask. Just a small fleeting warmth.
Park Joon frowned. "And you are—?"
The young man smiled faintly, setting down his glass. "Someone who doesn't like noise."
He stood up. The motion was smooth, unhurried—but the faint sound of cracking air followed his steps.
Before anyone could react, the weight of his presence filled the ballroom—far denser, far colder, than Park Joon's. The chandeliers shook once more, this time from a pressure that seemed to fold space itself.
Then it vanished, like it had never existed.
Park Joon's heart skipped. Chairman Park's eyes narrowed in silent understanding. This man wasn't ordinary. Not even close.
"Apologies," Chairman Park said at last, his tone polite. "It seems we can not business tonight."
Without waiting for a reply, he motioned to his son. The two bowed slightly and turned away. The Su Family followed suit, muttering excuses as they retreated. Su Jin look at her with almost fire splitting out of his eyes. But he still retreat.
He know this man is her husband, now he is a martial artist, its not wise to act against her. The guests, sensing the storm had passed, returned to their drinks—though none dared to speak too loudly.
Su Yan remained where she was, expression calm as ever, but inside… her heartbeat had quickened.
The man who had appeared so casually now stood beside her, glass in hand. He didn't even look at her when he spoke.
"Still as dramatic as always, aren't you?"
She glanced at him sideways, her voice cool. "And you still like making grand entrances, don't you?"
A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "Well, it keeps things interesting."
-----------------------------------------------
The night air outside the Grand King Hotel was cool, carrying a faint trace of perfume and city dust. Flashing lights from reporters still glimmered in the distance as the crowd slowly scattered.
Su Yan stepped ahead, her heels clicking against the marble path. Lin Zhan followed a step behind, hands in pockets, that same lazy air around him.
She walked to the black two-seater parked near the exit and slipped into the passenger seat. Her smooth movement, the faint turn of her chin, said everything: Drive.
Lin Zhan raised an eyebrow. "What, no greeting? I've been gone for months. Not even a 'welcome back, dear husband'? just—drive..."
She gave him a sideways look, calm but faintly amused. "You were busy fighting monsters, weren't you? I didn't want to interrupt your… heroic schedule."
He grinned. "You did miss me, though."
Her hand paused on the door handle. She looked at him, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Dream on."
"Already did," he said easily, opening the driver's side door. "It was a good one."
She shook her head, a hint of color rising on her cheeks despite her efforts to hide it. "You never change."
He leaned a little closer, voice dropping. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Su Yan ignored him, sliding gracefully into the passenger seat. "Drive, before someone takes pictures."
He chuckled, started the engine, and the car purred to life. As they pulled away from the glowing hotel, the city lights reflected off the windshield like scattered stars.
She didn't answer. Only crossed her legs and looked out the window, her profile lit softly by the neon glow. A small smile tugged at his lips as he started the engine.
The car hummed to life, sliding through the Seoul streets. Tall glass towers passed by, their lights reflected on the windshield. For a while, there was silence — the kind that felt both peaceful and tense.
Finally, Lin Zhan spoke.
"So… you're not CEO anymore?"His tone was casual, but his eyes glanced sideways with a hint of curiosity.
Su Yan's voice was calm, almost detached."Just stepped down. The board wanted someone 'more pliable.' I still hold the shares that matter."
"Hmm." He chuckled softly. "That sounds like you. Never really the type to obey anyone."
She turned slightly, arching one brow. "And you are?"
"I'm the type who gets in trouble for not obeying anyone," he replied, smirking. "You should try it sometime in the martial world."
Her eyes flickered at that.
"You'd do well there," he said seriously. "Your talent might surprise you. I can guide you myself."
Su Yan leaned back, arms folded. "You've told me that before. But I'm not sure if my talent is better in business… or fighting."
He grinned. "You handle shareholders like assassins. Maybe both."
She gave a faint snort — which can counted as laughter with her cold persnality."Flattery doesn't work, Lin Zhan."