CHAPTER 139: CH-139

"Let’s finalize it. Get the guild officially up and running within a week."

Heads nodded. Fingers moved across keyboards, printers whirred, and signatures were stamped.

"Sir, we forgot to ask before you went missing. What do you want to call the guild?"

Names for the guild ran through my mind. So many options flashed, names that sounded grand, legendary, ones that could rival Phoenix, or any other big guild in the region.

I imagined something like Godlike, Dragon Tail, Supreme Entities. Each was bold, flashy... but that wasn’t what I wanted.

What I wanted was something simple, low-key, and that resonated with me.

"Degen Guild," I muttered.

The name drew mixed reactions. Some raised eyebrows, others smirked, but no one questioned it.

By the time the meeting wrapped up, lunchtime had already crept in. The long talk showed how fast corporate matters drained the hours.

Most of it was nonstop back and forth. No wonder triple-A games took years to finish in my old world. There was more talking than actual work.

All that remained was the association’s signature.

"Mr. Mercer, how about lunch? There’s a decent spot on the first floor, and we could bring our new receptionist. She just graduated and is still single."

Nearly choked on the water. The comment made it sound like I’m an old uncle creeping on young women, which was absurd.

"Ahem." Cleared my throat. "No need for that. I already had something lined up after this. Just take care of the Association and update me later."

click!

The door opened, and the three receptionists bowed their heads. Gave them a small smile before heading for my SUV.

As we drove toward another district, the city noise faded behind us.

Mountains rose on either side, their slopes dotted with trees that swayed gently in the breeze. I watched the road wind upward.

Then I saw it—Master Tang’s mansion, perched on the hill like it had always belonged there.

It has a different charm when seen in the daytime.

The Eastern-style architecture caught the sunlight just right. Golden rays danced across the tiled roof, and shadows traced the carved wooden beams. I slowed down to take it in.

Looking at it closely, I could almost imagine myself living there. The calm, the space, the quiet—everything about it made me want to stay.

The stone lions at the gate seemed to welcome me as if they had been waiting all along.

"Master Mercer,"

Maids in white Eastern robes bowed their heads and led me to another area, separated from the main house.

Unlike the last time I was here, they guided me to a gazebo in the middle of an artificial pond. A table inside was piled with food.

The Eastern-style setup had me kneeling on mats at a short, wide table. Every dish looked almost too perfect—made me wonder if they’d been prepared with some secret ingredients.

Still, I was in the mood to try something new, a delicacy I hadn’t tried before.

"Do you want some tea, Master Mercer?" Another maid appeared, prettier than the rest.

Her kimono wasn’t plain white—it had black-and-white flowers woven across it. Her skin was pale, and a small mole under her eye made her even more memorable.

She was probably around the same age as Aunt Ellie, giving off a subtle, alluring "caring aunt" vibe.

"It’s made from the finest leaves," she carefully poured it.

When she finished, she sat in front of me in a kneeling position.

"Please wait. Master Tang will be here soon," she said, bowing so low that her forehead almost touched the floor.

The submissive gesture stirred something in me. Master Tang had trained his women well—no wonder he could read me so easily. I should probably take a few pointers; Eastern culture likely played a big part in his methods.

Not just that—the way he trained his women was far more interesting. I should probably take some pointers from him . Eastern culture likely played a big part in it.

"Thank you, I’ll wait here."

She straightened and adjusted her kimono, giving a small, polite smile.

Roughly ten minutes later, the head of the house finally appeared. He wore his usual yellow robe that fell just past his knees, with an open black garment underneath.

His signature cane and round aviator glasses completed the look.

"Kid, you look better than I remembered. What have you been eating to get this strong in just a few weeks?"

"Master Tang, you really like to joke around. It’s only natural that I’ve changed after what I experienced in the tower. Adapt and survive, right?"

He laughed heartily. "Hahaha, as expected of someone with a special physique. That tower must have liberated you. "

"I also heard that one of Mythical Rank S died there because of an incident, but..." He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "Did you have something to do with it?"

I chuckled and took another sip. "I didn’t do anything. I pretended to be a nobody there, so I wasn’t even part of the raid team."

He nodded, though I could tell he didn’t fully buy it.

"So, why did you call me? I’m sure you have an important matter to discuss."

Master Tang smiled. "Let’s eat first."

We started with the food, savoring the flavors that clearly came from rare ingredients.

As the dishes slowly disappeared, he poured us both sake, the warm liquid sliding smoothly down. We clinked our cups together lightly before taking slow sips.

Midway through, he smiled at me across the low table. He leaned back slightly, fingers tapping the edge of the lacquered surface. It was clear he was about to shift the conversation.

"Kid, I have a surprise for you,"

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused. "What surprise?"

He chuckled, a low, knowing sound. "Remember our talk before?"

"What talk?"

"Oh, this will make you remember," he said, raising his hand casually. With a flick of his fingers, the paper-covered sliding door of the main house slid open.