Everett was shocked; he had not anticipated Chris Shelby’s formidable strength. Knowing he was no match for Chris, he turned and fled without hesitation. As Everett ran, several members of the Phoenix Thorne immediately moved to block him.
Soon, Everett was engaged in a fierce battle with the Phoenix Thorne members. With a grunt, moments later, Everett spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed unconscious on the ground.
Chris Shelby, observing the Phoenix Thorne members, was taken aback. He hadn’t expected to encounter members of the Phoenix Thorne here. The last time he had seen them was on the East Coast, and now here in Middleton, it seemed he and the Phoenix Thorne were indeed fated to meet. “Take him away!” The Phoenix Thorne members ignored Chris and quickly carried the unconscious Everett away.
Chris turned to Esther and asked with concern, “Dear, are you alright?” Esther shook her head, “I’m fine!”
“Good, let’s go to sleep then.” For Chris Shelby, the incident was merely a minor interruption, not worth dwelling on.
The next morning, Esther had arranged to meet Lindsay, so they left the hotel and took a taxi. It was said that Middleton’s taxi drivers were quite talkative, and as soon as Chris and Esther got into the cab, the driver began to chatter non-stop. “You two are from out of town, right? Let me tell you, Middleton is under the emperor’s feet; a leaf falls here, and it could hit a minister!”
Chris scoffed at these words. Was it really so exaggerated that a falling leaf could hit a minister? After all, Chris had spent some time in Middleton and knew that although there were many elites, it wasn’t to such an excessive extent.
Seeing Chris’s disdainful expression, the driver huffed, “Don’t believe it? Do you know about Middleton’s Crimson Bloom?” Curious, Chris inquired, “What is this Middleton Crimson Bloom?”
“You look like a bumpkin, not knowing about Crimson Bloom!” the driver said scornfully. “Crimson Bloom is a group formed by the young masters of Middleton’s ten most noble families, and no one in Middleton dares to offend the people of Crimson Bloom.”
“Eh?” Chris was taken aback. To tell the truth, he really didn’t know about Crimson Bloom. After all, Chris was the Primus of Amerosia, and the members of Crimson Bloom were merely young masters of noble families, hardly on his radar.
Chris frowned and asked, “Is this Crimson Bloom really that powerful?” The driver laughed heartily, “Of course, Crimson Bloom is powerful! Led by the young masters of the ten noble families, it also includes young masters from many other powerful and first-class families of Middleton.”
“These people, relying on their family’s power and influence, act tyrannically in Middleton. We ordinary people can only feel angry but dare not speak against the members of Crimson Bloom.”
The driver’s face showed a mix of resignation and helplessness. Chris, visibly surprised, asked, “This is under the emperor’s feet; is there no law here? Are these Crimson Bloom members allowed to be so arrogant?”
“Law?” The driver scoffed, “You really are clueless. The ancestors of these Crimson Bloom members are the founders of the nation. In Middleton, who would dare to provoke them? Even Middleton’s patrol officers are powerless against them!”
Upon hearing this, Chris Shelby developed a slight interest in Crimson Bloom. Middleton was the capital of Amerosia, located at the emperor’s feet. As Amerosia Primus, Chris Shelby would not tolerate misdeeds by the privileged youth in Middleton. It was uncertain whether Lysander Frost was a member of Crimson Bloom, but Chris Shelby suspected that he was.
After all, the Frost family was one of the ten noble families, and Crimson Bloom primarily consisted of the second generation from these families. Who had brought these young heirs together? Whoever managed to unite all the noble heirs under one banner, the leader of Crimson Bloom was certainly no ordinary individual.
Soon, they arrived at the cafe where Esther and Lindsay had agreed to meet. Upon entering, Chris Shelby and Esther spotted Lindsay sitting in a corner. Lindsay wore a cap and large sunglasses, her face well-hidden. Chris Shelby sometimes thought it sad how celebrities had to disguise themselves like rats, fearful of being recognized.
Quickly, Chris Shelby and Esther sat opposite Lindsay. “Mr. Shelby, hello!” Lindsay greeted him promptly, recognizing her boss’s presence. Chris Shelby gestured with his hand and said, “You two chat, I’m just here for the coffee,” and started sipping his coffee. Lindsay then began to chat with Esther.
Lindsay, smiling at Esther, said, “Esther, why didn’t you tell me you were coming to Middleton last night? I could have picked you up from the airport and arranged a place for you to stay. Didn’t you know I’ve been in Middleton lately?” Middleton, after all, was the capital of Amerosia and a hub for the entertainment industry. Lindsay, now the top actress in Amerosia, spent most of her time there.
Esther replied with a smile, “I’m here now, aren’t I? You’ve got to promote me well this time!” Soon, Esther and Lindsay were deeply engaged in conversation. Chris Shelby, somewhat bored by the women’s chatter, preferred to stay out of it.
Bang! Suddenly, a loud noise erupted. Lindsay turned her head and her face fell. “Not good, my car’s been hit!”
Hearing this, Chris Shelby looked outside. He saw Lindsay’s red Ferrari had been hit by a Lamborghini parked at the curb. “Damn it, how did they park? They wrecked my car!” A young man emerged from the Lamborghini, cursing loudly.
“Let’s go check it out,” Chris Shelby stood up and walked over, followed by Esther and Lindsay. Lindsay inspected her car and found the trunk badly damaged. She confronted the young man, “How did you drive? Didn’t you see my car parked here?”
The young man, with a disdainful expression, retorted, “Don’t worry about how I drive. I’m asking how you parked! You dare block my way. If you don’t compensate and apologize, this isn’t over.”