Building The Strongest Family-Chapter 137: Reaction From All Parties

Neo-Luminara: The Iron Serpent’s Base- January 12, 2026

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In the heart of Apex District, where shadows linger and whispers echo, the Iron Serpent Headquarters rises like a monolith, a thirty-story tower of black glass with gilded edges that gleams under the neon glow of the city.

This unremarkable building sits at the southern end of a sparsely populated area, its lower levels housing a luxurious casino where billionaires and politicians gamble fortunes beneath dazzling crystal chandeliers.

Above them, in an exclusive realm reserved for high-ranking members of the Iron Serpent, power plays unfold.

In the penthouse boardroom, Madame Jae presides over a carved mahogany table, her fingers delicately tracing the rim of an exquisite century-old porcelain teacup.

The walls pulse with digital scrolls showcasing real-time market data, underground arms deals, and encrypted messages from their expansive global network.

Darius Kho, Madame Jae’s right-hand man (and no relation to the Consortium’s general),leans against a floor-to-ceiling window, surveying the sprawling city below.

His tailored suit hugs his athletic frame as he muses in a calm voice, "The Eastern Consortium just got humiliated... publicly."

Madame Jae sips her tea slowly, steam curling around her sharp features. "A rare sight," she replies thoughtfully.

Across from her sits Robert, their financial strategist, adjusting his glasses with an air of seriousness. "This wasn’t an accident. Someone set them up."

Darius smirks knowingly. "And here I thought the great Eastern Consortium was untouchable."

With deliberate precision, Madame Jae sets down her cup. "Do not underestimate them," she warns. "This isn’t defeat; it’s merely a trigger. The Consortium doesn’t lose,they escalate."

Robert pulls up a holographic feed displaying footage of the mayor’s so-called "assassination attempt," along with captured operatives and burning warehouses belonging to the Consortium. "The question is: who outmaneuvered them?"

Silence envelops them momentarily before Darius chuckles softly. "Does it matter? If someone’s cutting down the Consortium to size, we should be thanking them."

Madame Jae’s lips thin into a line as she responds firmly: "Or preparing for what comes next."

She taps on the table and activates their room’s AI system to project new files,contingency plans, asset redistributions, and names of known Eastern Consortium operatives still lurking in Neo-Luminara.

"The balance is shifting," she declares resolutely. "We adapt or we drown."

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Meanwhile, Marcus Silverstein’s penthouse office looms over Neo-Luminara like a king surveying his domain.

Around him sit twelve ruthless minds, the board of directors, gathered around an illuminated glass table where expressions are carefully masked.

"The Eastern Consortium’s failure is our golden opportunity," declared Helena, the dynamic CEO of Astralis Tech, her crimson nails tapping rhythmically against her datapad. "For years, they’ve blocked our expansion into Eastern markets. If they’re weakened..."

"If," interrupted Josef Kraven, casting a wary glance around the room, "the Consortium doesn’t stay weak for long."

Marcus Silverstein sat quietly, his deep calm eyes betraying a hint of concern. "This wasn’t random. Someone orchestrated this."

A murmur rippled through the room like a wave of uncertainty.

"The Iron Serpent?" someone ventured hesitantly.

Marcus exhaled slowly, weighing his words. "Possibly. But more importantly, what does this mean for us?"

Helena smirked confidently,"It means we finally have leverage! The Consortium’s reputation thrives on fear. If they can be challenged..."

Josef grunted in agreement. "Then the rules change."

Marcus nodded decisively,"Prepare our offshore holdings. If the Consortium is truly retreating, we need to move in fast!"

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In a dimly lit backroom at City Hall, Councilman Eli Rathke paced like a caged tiger, his face flushed with barely contained fury.

"This is a disaster!" he hissed vehemently. "The Accord is in shambles! The Consortium’s operatives were caught on camera trying to assassinate our mayor!"

Opposite him, Councilwoman Shira Vine lounged casually in her chair, her sharp eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Oh please! You’re not upset about the Accord; you’re upset because your backroom deals just went up in smoke."

Eli shot her an incredulous glare,"And what about you? The Consortium funded your last campaign!"

Shira smiled slyly,"And now they’re radioactive! Lucky for me, I’ve always been good at cutting ties."

In the corner, Deputy Mayor Lorne remained silent and detached as he observed their exchange with cold indifference; his comm buzzed with another encrypted message.

He didn’t even need to read it to know its contents:

’The Consortium is regrouping.’

And they expected him to hold up his end of the bargain.

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In the neon-lit alleyways of the lower districts, rumors spread like wildfire among those who thrived on whispers and secrets.

At a cramped food stall, two veteran beat cops hunched over steaming bowls of noodles while keeping watch on the bustling crowd.

"You hear about the arrests?" muttered Officer Ren quietly as if sharing state secrets. "They got Eastern Consortium enforcers,real heavy hitters."

His partner Jax slurped his noodles nonchalantly,"So what? They’ll be out by morning; they always are."

Ren shook his head, a look of disbelief etched across his face. "Not this time. Word is, someone leaked everything, our operations, bank routes, even safehouses."

Jax paused mid-bite, chopsticks hovering in the air. "Who the hell would be stupid enough to do that?"

Just then, a news alert blared from a nearby screen:

"OSBORN SECURITY SECURES CITY DEFENSE CONTRACT."

The cops exchanged uneasy glances.

"...Huh."

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Back in Arthur’s study, Evolon’s familiar blue form flickered onto the giant screen. But today, it was streaked with urgent crimson, a stark contrast to its usual calm demeanor.

"The city is reacting as projected," it began, its voice steady yet tinged with urgency. "Corporate factions are realigning. The Iron Serpents are mobilizing. And the Consortium... has initiated the Crimson Protocol."

Arthur frowned and looked up at Evolon, curiosity piqued. "The what?"

In response, the screen flashed to life with a classified dossier that seemed to pulse ominously.

"The Crimson Protocol," Evolon explained gravely, "is a scorched-earth contingency developed by the Founder of the Eastern Consortium himself. When activated, all compromised assets are liquidated; every trace is erased; any operatives who might be captured are... silenced."

Arthur leaned forward intently, his eyes gleaming with recognition as he asked, "How many times has it been used before?"

"Three times since the establishment of the Eastern Consortium," Evolon replied matter-of-factly. "Once during the Purge in Valencia in 1894, again after the Jakarta Data Heist in 1901, and finally in 1994 in Oculus City on the Umbra Continent when a high-ranking operative was compromised."

Arthur’s expression darkened slightly as he pressed for more details. "And what was the outcome?"

"Total deniability," Evolon stated flatly. "The Eastern Consortium vanished from those cities overnight, no trails left behind and no witnesses remaining."

A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment before Arthur smirked knowingly and said, "So we’ve got them running."

Evolon’s voice cut through with precision: "Temporarily. The Crimson Protocol isn’t retreat; it’s reset."

Arthur exhaled slowly and rolled his shoulders back as if preparing for battle. "Then we’d better be ready when they come back."

Outside their window, the city’s neon lights pulsed like a heartbeat, a reminder that danger lurked just beneath its vibrant surface.