On the Threshold of the Goldwyn Empire

  When the massive hydraulic doors of the spacecraft slowly hissed open, the blinding golden light from outside momentarily dazed Arthur's eyes. This was the most prestigious and impenetrable sector of 'Sun City'—the Goldwyn Territory. Albert Goldwyn had three brothers, but two of them were not currently on Blue Star; they were either leading the family's interstellar business in a distant galaxy or working to secure the empire's borders. Today, the youngest brother, Edward Goldwyn, was present with his entire family to welcome them.

  Edward possessed a calm and dignified personality. As his gaze fell upon his niece, Catherine, the affection of many years welled up in his eyes. He became emotional seeing her alive and safe after all this time. Edward was genuinely happy for his elder brother, who had finally found his lost daughter; the tragedy from years ago had shattered Albert. In that same incident, Edward himself had lost his beloved daughter-in-law, Julia Star, who was John's wife. Consequently, John had to marry Julia's twin sister. Standing with Edward were his two sons—John and Erathen.

  Behind John stood his wife, Jenny Star. John's two children, Lily and Lucky, were as humble and friendly as their grandfather Edward. Lily eagerly stepped forward and took little Annie's hand, giving her an affectionate smile. However, standing on the other side were Erathen, his wife Layla Valentine, and their three children.

  The demeanor of these three children was the exact opposite. The eldest daughter, Mony, and her two brothers, Zane and Rex, were the embodiment of arrogance. The absolute power and wealth of the Goldwyn family had blinded them; they considered themselves god-like and viewed the rest of the world as mere insects. Mony looked at Arthur's old shoes and plain attire with disdain, whispering a taunt into her brothers' ears, "So, is this the 'helpless' cousin who crawled out of the sewers of Luna City? The stench of poverty still lingers on his body."

  Mony never liked poverty or ordinary people. Her friends could only be those who were elite and superior, never from the lower class. Contempt was clearly visible in her eyes. Had her grandfather not given the order, she would never have come here.

  Albert stepped forward and introduced everyone. "This is my daughter Silvy, this is my grandson Arthur, and this is my lovely granddaughter Annie." Everyone then looked toward Silas, who was standing next to Victor. Albert smiled and introduced him, "This is Silvy's adoptive father, who raised Catherine for years. As for Catherine's husband, we will speak about him later."

  Arthur and Annie greeted the elders with a 'Namaste' and began to observe everyone. Edward stepped forward and pulled Catherine into a hug. His voice was heavy with emotion, "Child, you have endured a long exile. Now you are in your own home, where your safety is my responsibility." He then looked at Arthur and Annie, saying softly, "Arthur, you are very capable, my boy; you will surely become great in the future. And Annie is so lovely and sensible."

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  Catherine felt a spark of happiness in her heart seeing her uncle treat them with such kindness. Albert, reminding everyone of the time, said, "Come now, are we all going to stand here and mingle all day?"

  Following this, the procession moved toward the main villa. Upon entering the palace-like Grand Hall, Albert Goldwyn's expression turned stern. Addressing everyone, he declared, "From this day forward, Catherine and her children are an inseparable part of this family. Let me be clear—you must show them the same respect and dignity that you show me. If anyone dares to harm their self-respect, I will not hesitate for a second to expel them from the Goldwyn Empire."

  Hearing Albert's thunderous voice, the faces of Erathen and his children turned pale. Edward, trying to manage the situation, nodded in agreement and looked at Arthur, saying to Albert, "Brother, I have heard a lot about Arthur. Standing against a titan like Genex Corporation in Luna City is no ordinary feat. This boy is extremely talented and brave. I suggest we hand him the command of our 'Genetic Research Wing' so he can establish himself in the business world."

  However, Albert Goldwyn calmly raised his hand. "No, Edward. Arthur's destiny is not written in business files, but on the battlefield. I will send him to the 'Royal Academy'. The combined 'Blood' and 'Goldwyn' blood flowing in his veins must awaken its true power—as an Evolver."

  Edward understood that power was everything. The current generation could only show their dominance by becoming Evolvers. Noble and powerful families were doing everything possible to turn their youth into Evolvers. If Arthur were given a company to manage now, he might become weak, which would be an injustice to him. Therefore, Edward did not argue further and gave his consent.

  Erathen's family offered no reaction. They believed that Arthur wouldn't be able to achieve anything special on the path of an Evolver; they wanted to watch the "show" when the time came.

  After the meeting, a separate and vast 'Estate' was assigned to Arthur's family. This area was like paradise—a magnificent villa, a private garden filled with exotic flora, and a state-of-the-art security system. Lady Isabella, wishing to spend time with her daughter after their reunion, went along with them.

  In the evening, amidst the cool breeze of the garden, the younger generation of the family gathered. Mony and her brothers were boasting about their 'Potential Ranks' and future evolutionary levels as if they had already become gods. On the other side, Arthur sat in solitude, talking to Annie.

  "Brother, do these people really consider us a part of them?" Annie asked in a timid voice.

  Arthur looked at the towering skyscrapers of the shimmering Sun City. There was a strange depth in his eyes. He said in a calm tone, "Annie, when a lion enters a pack of wolves, the wolves don't accept him as one of their own, but they certainly fear him. We don't need their love; we need the dread of our name in their eyes. And that dread is coming very soon."

  Just then, Lily and Lucky came and sat near them, sharing news about the Royal Academy with Arthur and Annie. Meanwhile, Catherine and her uncle Edward discussed the wounds of the past and the fears for the future. Edward was truly satisfied with his niece's return, but Arthur's vigilant eyes remained fixed on his cousins, who regarded him as a 'weak rival.' He knew that tomorrow marked the beginning of a great war—and the first step was the entrance gate of the 'Royal Academy.'