The Tycoon's Odyssey

The System raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

[Richard? I didn\'t expect him to be mixed up in this.]

[He\'s been quietly maneuvering within the shadows, aligning with those who have their own agendas,] Aurora explained, her tone filled with frustration.

_____

Somewhere in Bombay…

The air in the damp room reeked of metal and misery, a stark reminder of the horrors that had transpired within its confines.

The room was dimly lit, the flickering lightbulb within casting eerie shadows across the grimy walls. The air smelled thick and stale, infused with the acrid scent of blood and despair.

At the center of the room lay a series of makeshift tables, their surfaces stained with dark, dried blood—remnants of the horrors that had transpired within these four walls.

Bound to the tables were several figures, their bodies twisted and battered, a gruesome testament to the brutality they had endured.

Their skin had been mottled with bruises and some even bearing the unmistakable marks of burns, while others showed raw patches where flesh had been stripped away. The agonized expressions frozen on their faces spoke of the terror they had experienced.

The sound of their muffled whimpers filled the air, punctuated by the occasional groans of pain. One man, his eyes wide with fear, desperately tried to turn his head, searching for any glimmer of hope or rescue.

Nearby, a woman lay still, her chest rising and falling shallowly, the remnants of her spirit nearly extinguished.

On the walls, grotesque instruments of torture hung ominously, each one designed to inflict maximum pain. Pliers, scalpels, and other tools glinted in the dim light, a chilling reminder of the cruelty that had taken place.

As the door creaked open, the anguished cries seemed to fade into a haunting silence, leaving only the echoes of despair in the room.

As the door opened, a woman stepped out, her expression bone-chilling.

With deliberate precision, she removed her gloves, the snap of latex echoing ominously in the silence. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the gloves into a nearby dustbin, the gesture both casual and repugnant.

"Miss!" a sharply dressed woman in a tailored black suit bowed slightly, her posture tense with urgency. "It\'s your brother Paul who is behind this, Miss!"

Suri\'s eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on the woman. A slight shake of her head followed, her lips curling into a sardonic smile.

"Do you think he alone has the guts to pull this off?" she retorted, her voice dripping with disdain. "The team was laid by highly trained troops—something Paul can\'t mobilize arbitrarily."

The suited woman shifted uneasily, her expression betraying the tension bubbling beneath her composed exterior. "He is the main culprit, but I\'m sure there are others who are involved. It\'s just… hard to track."

Suri crossed her arms, her fingers tapping against her bicep as she paced the dimly lit corridor, her mind racing with the possibilities as she recalled her encounters with deceit and treachery. "We don\'t have concrete proof," she murmured, her voice thoughtful.

"All of this is just speculation. And their statements? You can\'t always trust what people say to manipulate others."

A flash of anger crossed her features, quickly suppressed by a calculating calm. She paused and then rubbed her chin, a habit she had developed during countless investigations.

"I know there are those in Indra who want me dead," she said, her tone suddenly taking a sharp turn, "and they are likely involved in this mess as well."

Her gaze hardened as she straightened her posture, a faint smile lingering as she considered her next move. The weight of the room pressed down on her, but she welcomed the challenge; it was a familiar sensation.

Suri felt a surge of determination coursing through her, reigniting the icy resolve that had carried her through countless trials.

After giving a series of orders, Suri left, a deep frown etched on her face.

_____

After finishing the gruesome torture, Suri stepped into the shower room.

She stood before the shower, her heart heavy with the weight of the horrors she had just witnessed.

In one swift motion, she tore off her bloodied dress. The fabric ripped easily and fell away from her body. She stepped under the stream, letting the hot water cascade over her, drenching her from head to toe. The steam enveloped her and for a moment, it felt like a cocoon, shielding her from the harshness of the world outside.

Her hair, drenched by the cascading water, clung to her skin in sleek, dark strands, framing her face. The water highlighted the natural waves in her hair, giving it a glossy sheen as it flowed down her back and shoulders.

The wet fabric clung to her body, accentuating her and highlighting her silhouette. The gentle contours of her waist and hips formed an alluring hourglass shape, while her toned arms and shoulders hinted at the strength she had built over the years.

The steam in the air wrapped around her, adding a layer of softness to her already striking figure, making her appear both fierce and vulnerable at that moment.

As the warm water trickled down her skin, memories of her rough childhood surfaced in her mind. She didn\'t claim to have experienced the toughest upbringing, but it had its share of challenges. Each experience, no matter how painful, had played a role in shaping her into the person she is today.

Suri had done everything in her power to improve herself. She studied hard, managed her businesses, trained herself in combat, and endured extreme torture to become something more than human—a superhuman.

She had fought to break free from those who sought to control her, all the while caring for her maternal family.

There were times when she had wished she could just stop and relax, but the reality of her situation wouldn\'t allow it. Her half-siblings and other enemies constantly sought to eliminate her to clear their paths and if she ever let her guard down or stopped getting stronger, she knew that only death would await her.

This was why she hated her father so deeply. If he hadn\'t married another woman, she and her mother wouldn\'t have to live with a time bomb ticking behind them, a threat constantly looming over them. Every day felt exhausting, and the pressure was unrelenting.

Suri longed for warmth and peace, a feeling of solace that seemed forever out of her reach. Unlike many women who sought independence and claimed to be strong while staying single, she longed for something different. She wanted to be part of a loving family, to care for her children, and to guide them as they grew and see them reach their greatness.

A deep sigh escaped her lips, echoing softly in the steamy room. "It seems I should retire early," she murmured, "before the media tries to destroy my peace of mind."

With those thoughts swirling in her head, she closed her eyes and let the water wash away the remnants of the day, hoping to find some clarity amidst the chaos.

_____

Logging Evan in took Aurora a little longer than expected; she had to update the sequence to accommodate his newly restructured brain.

"Holy SHIITT!"

As Evan stirred awake, he felt as though he had been in a deep slumber for ages. The weight of his body pressed down on him, and he groaned while placing a hand on his forehead as he sat up.

Aurora had intentionally held off on refreshing his senses; without complete data from his upgraded brain, since attempting to do so would be akin to a blind archer shooting an arrow hitting a target—possible, but success on the first attempt was far from guaranteed. As soon as Evan opened his eyes and rubbed his temples, Aurora swiftly initiated a deep dive into his brain\'s data.

Once she gained access, she meticulously analyzed the new information. Moments later, her diagnostics were complete, and she moved quickly to invigorate him. As the rejuvenation surged through his system, it unleashed a torrent of system notifications that filled his vision.

"Huh!" Evan exclaimed, shutting his eyes against the overwhelming flood of screens appearing before him.

[DING!]

[Congratulations! You have successfully evolved.]

[You have survived the onslaught of cosmic energy, resulting in significant mutations within your body.]

[You have evolved into a Cosmic Human.]

Evan blinked his eyes and stared at the screen in confusion.