Ultimate Tycoon: Building the Richest Empire with System and Heroines-Chapter 64: Why Chase When They Destroy Themselves?

Jasmine leaned in, her voice soft and curious.

"So... that was your plan? You really put paintings in every room?"

Ethan gave a small nod, his voice just above a whisper. "Yeah. I had Virgil hide nine duplicates,one in every VIP room."

Rhea blinked. "Wait, but how did you know where Master Yun would be sitting?"

"I didn’t know," Ethan said calmly. "That’s why I told old man Virgil to put a duplicate in all the rooms. I made sure that wherever Master Yun ended up sitting... he’d have a ’painting’ in his room." He smirked slightly. "It was a blind move, but it worked."

Virgil, sipping tea like nothing happened, raised his brows. Jasmine looked at him and grinned.

"Wow, that old geezer really is good at action. Look at him acting all calm now."

Rhea looked serious though. "But isn’t that risky? I mean... What if someone actually checked the painting closely? Wouldn’t they have found out it was fake?"

Ethan’s eyes sparkled. "Nah. I already took care of that."

Natalie looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Ethan crossed his legs, relaxing like a man who had already won the war. "The original painting,the real Mosalina, is in this room." freēwēbηovel.c૦m

The girls looked at each other, shocked.

"Wait,what?" Rhea asked.

Ethan leaned forward slightly. "When Master Yun suddenly told everyone to stop bidding, I realized which room he was sitting in. After the painting got stolen, everyone rushed to the stage. At that moment, when no one was looking, I had old man Virgil swap the original painting into Master Yun’s room."

Even Virgil gave a slight smirk.

"Unbelievable..." Jasmine muttered. "You really planned everything down to that detail?"

Natalie shook her head with a grin. "I must say... that’s a total checkmate. You didn’t just outsmart them,you humiliated them."

"But what would’ve happened if no one else bid?" Rhea asked suddenly. "What if everyone actually listened to Master Yun and stopped bidding? You would’ve had no way to trace him."

Ethan smiled again, softer this time. "I took a gamble. And it was worth it."

The girls nodded quietly, watching the mastermind they followed.

Then Rhea frowned. "So... Do you think Gregory was lying back there? Or was he actually telling the truth?"

Ethan looked thoughtful for a moment, then answered, "Of course he was telling the truth."

Jasmine blinked. "Then why...?"

Ethan’s voice grew colder. "Master Yun didn’t expect the royal family to get involved. He probably thought it would stay between the auction hall and the merchant circle. So now that he’s caught, he’s trying to shift the blame completely onto Gregory to save himself."

Natalie clenched her fist. "That’s disgusting. He used his own student?"

"We can’t let him get away with it," Rhea added.

"We won’t," Ethan said smoothly. "We don’t even have to lift a finger. Gregory will do it for us."

The girls looked puzzled.

Ethan went on, voice steady and confident. "Right now, Gregory’s swimming in betrayal and rage. The master he worshipped just tried to throw him under the royal executioner’s blade. And I’ve already made sure the situation looks like Gregory is the one who failed the plan. Just a little twist, and both of them will turn on each other."

Natalie’s eyes gleamed. "So we just sit back and watch?"

Ethan’s smile deepened. "Exactly. Just wait. One will break. The other will burn.

Seraphina looked at Luke.

"We will hang both of them. In front of everyone."

"Yes, of course, Princess," Luke replied without hesitation.

Natalie crossed her arms. "The Princess is going to kill them. He won’t escape. Ethan, how do you think Gregory will take revenge on his master now? Your plan’s going to fail."

Ethan just smiled. "It won’t."

He turned to Alistair. "Old man Alistair, I need your help."

"Sure," Alistair said.

Without wasting time, Ethan stepped forward and faced Seraphina.

"Princess Seraphina," he said, "before you hang them... can I speak with you alone?"

Her brows furrowed. "What did you just say? Alone?"

Luke’s glare sharpened like a blade. "You—!"

Ethan blinked, realizing what he’d just triggered.

"Ah, f*ck," he muttered under his breath. "I forgot about him for a second."

He raised both hands quickly. "Not alone, not alone! Sir Luke, of course you can come. In fact, all of us should go."

He turned and signaled to his gang,Natalie, Jasmine, Rhea, and Alistair.

Seraphina stared at him, then gave a slow nod. "Fine. Luke, come."

She turned to Virgil. "They must not escape."

Virgil nodded with a serious expression.

A few minutes later, they arrived in a different chamber inside the Grand Knox compound, away from the auction chaos.

Seraphina looked at Ethan. "Speak. What do you want to say?"

Ethan stepped forward. "When you take both of them, Trevo, and Gregory,to be executed... create an opening. Let them escape."

Luke narrowed his eyes. "What? Why would we do that?"

Ethan looked at both of them. "Because I only told you half the truth. Master Yun is the real thief."

Seraphina’s eyes widened slightly. "Then why did you say earlier that he wasn’t?"

"Because they both are," Ethan said calmly. "But my goal wasn’t just to reveal the thief. It was to create a rift between master and disciple. If you let them escape, especially Gregory, he’ll definitely go after Master Yun for betraying him."

He paused. "That betrayal is powerful. Gregory will lose his mind. He trusted his master more than anything. And Yun just threw him under the bus."

Seraphina folded her arms, considering. "So you want me to risk the royal reputation just to trigger some revenge?"

"No," Ethan said. "I want you to use their hatred. Gregory’s revenge will lead you straight to more secrets. Master Yun is hiding something bigger. He always was."

Seraphina looked at Luke. "What do you think?"

Before Luke could answer, Ethan nudged Alistair.

Alistair stepped forward. "Princess. I know this sounds risky. But I hope you trust this old man’s judgment."

There was silence.

Seraphina finally nodded. "Alright. Let’s go with your plan."

Luke hesitated, then slowly nodded as well. "Understood."

Ethan smiled slightly.

Time to end both master and student.

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