“Hudson, you’re fired. Don’t bother coming in tomorrow.”

  Sterling’s words struck Hudson like a bolt of lightning.

  Then, Sterling turned to his assistant. “Take Jenna to HR and get her paperwork processed for a full-time position.”

  Jenna was overcome with a mix of shock and joy. One moment she thought she’d lost her job, and the next she was being promoted. Her intern stipend was barely enough to cover rent; a full-time agent’s base salary was more than triple that, not to mention the potential for commission.

  She quickly composed herself and thanked the general manager. “Mr. Sterling, thank you so much! I’ll work even harder, I promise.”

  Mr. Sterling simply waved a hand. “Go on, get back to it.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Jenna practically floated back to her desk, her eyes darting toward Kael in utter amazement. A few moments later, to the stunned silence of everyone in the showroom, Kael followed Sterling out of the sales center and into the private community.

  As they walked, Kael took in the layout. The main gate opened onto a circular garden, which then fed into a winding paved path.

  They crossed a vast lawn to the community's center, which featured a large man-made lake and an artificial beach. Families played at the water’s edge while lifeguards watched from elevated towers. Circling the lake, Kael saw elegant gazebos and meticulously designed gardens. He was genuinely impressed. Cypress Point truly lived up to its reputation.

  Soon, they arrived at the villa district. The architectural style here was distinct from the condos, unified yet unique. Each villa had its own character while contributing to a cohesive, beautiful whole. Mr. Sterling led Kael to the villa closest to the river and stopped.

  “Sir, this is your home. Villa 8.”

  Kael surveyed the building. From the outside, its luxurious finish and fusion of classic and modern styles were undeniably appealing. But the real reason it was the crown jewel of the development was its location. There were eight villas in total. The first seven were arranged in a wide semicircle, but Villa 8 sat alone at the center, like a moon surrounded by stars. It was the absolute prime position.

  Sterling brought him to the front door. “Your biometric data has already been entered into the system, sir. The smart locks and all home devices are linked to you. Of course, if you prefer the traditional way, here is your key.”

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Kael nodded and stepped onto the porch. A discreet scanner near the door lit up, confirmed his identity, and the heavy door clicked open.

  He turned back to the manager. “Thanks for walking me over, Mr. Sterling. You can head back.”

  “Of course. I hope you enjoy your new home, sir. My contact information is in the smart home system if you need anything at all.” With a final, respectful nod, Sterling departed.

  Kael stared into the opulent interior and gave a wry smile. In his past life, he had been ranked 998th in the Godpath—a king in both the game and the real world that revolved around it. He had pulled every string he could to get his hands on Villa 8, but it had always remained unattainable. And now, it had just been handed to him.

  Stepping inside, his eyes were drawn to the soaring, twenty-foot ceilings of the grand foyer, the exquisite light fixtures, and the flawless decor.

  Three women, all appearing to be in their late twenties, stood waiting in the hall. They bowed in unison. “Welcome home, sir.”

  Kael froze. He’d assumed the house would be empty, not staffed with three housekeepers.

  The woman in the lead stepped forward. “Good morning, sir. My name is Gable. I am your head of house. These two are Maria and Sofia. They will be responsible for your meals and the upkeep of the villa.”

  Kael nodded. “A pleasure to meet you all.”

  He noted the soft, almost feminine touches in the decor, and a thought struck him. “Who was living here before me?”

  “This was Miss Whitmore’s residence,” Gable replied smoothly. “She instructed us that from now on, you are the master of the house.”

  Well. Just as he’d suspected.

  He put his hands behind his back, ready to explore his new domain, but Gable approached him again. “Sir, Miss Whitmore also requested that we take your measurements.”

  Kael paused, then looked down at his own worn clothes, which felt deeply out of place in such a setting. Lila really does think of everything. He nodded.

  Maria and Sofia efficiently took his measurements, noting them down in a small book. From their practiced movements, Kael guessed Lila had her clothes custom-made often.

  A few moments later, Maria left with the notebook. The garage door rolled open, and a Mercedes-Benz sedan drove out and disappeared down the street. Kael just shook his head with a smile. Living on another level—even the staff had luxury cars.

  Gable entirely unfazed by this, turned to him. “Sir, shall I give you a tour of the rooms?”

  Kael nodded, and she led him through the villa’s three floors. The first floor contained the main living area, two guest suites, two staff rooms, a bathroom, and storage rooms. The second floor had two master bedrooms, three secondary bedrooms, and a fully equipped gym. The third floor was a massive glass conservatory with a stunning panoramic balcony.

  Interestingly, every single bedroom on the second floor came equipped with its own top-of-the-line Godpath VR pod.

  After the tour, Gable informed him, “Sir, with the exception of Miss Whitmore’s personal master suite, you are free to use any room as you wish. The VR pods are all active and ready for use.”

  Kael thanked her and dismissed her, then decided to walk through the villa once more on his own. On the second floor, he found a room that was unlike the others. It was huge, set up with ten ergonomic gaming chairs in a circle. In the center was a 360-degree holographic projector. A massive whiteboard hung on one wall, covered in numbers and a hand-drawn map.

  The map looked incredibly familiar. “Wait, where is this from?” he murmured to himself. He stepped closer to the board, trying to place it.

  A voice came from behind him. “It’s the Putrid King’s lair in The Abandoned Mine.”

  Kael turned to find Lila standing in the doorway, a slight smile on her face. She’d returned at some point without him noticing.

  She walked over to the whiteboard and pointed at the diagram. “The Putrid King’s [Zombie Horde] ability was giving us a massive headache. My guild and I spent hours in here mapping out formations and pathing.” She shook her head with a wry smile. “We weren’t clever like you. It never occurred to us to just kite the boss into a tunnel and cheese the AI.”

  “Just a lucky guess,” Kael said, deflecting. In truth, he’d just read a guide about the exploit in his past life. He changed the subject. “How’s Caleb?”

  Lila sighed, her good mood vanishing. “Let’s not talk about him. Come on, it’s time for lunch. You have to try Maria’s cooking.”

  Kael followed her downstairs. The dining table was set with a beautiful spread of several exquisite dishes—small portions, but artfully presented. After one bite, Kael was full of praise.

  After the meal, he tried to ask about Caleb again, but Lila ignored the question, instead making a request of her own.

  “So,” she said, looking him straight in the eye, “Would you mind power-leveling us?”