Alex took out his smartphone and pressed the fast call number 9.

“Good day, Mr. Leonhart. I am Julia, your First Royal Mastercard personal concierge. How may I assist you?”

“Do you know where I am right now?”

“Yes, your card has GPS. You are at Vancouver’s Noble Knight Club.”

“I want to become a member.”

“We are processing that now. You can use your Mastercard as the membership card,” Julia replied.

The glass door suddenly opened.

“Your membership has been approved. Do you need anything else, sir?”

“No, thank you.”

Alex put his smartphone in his pocket and walked into the club.

The guard hurriedly blocked his path.

“I think the system made an error. You cannot enter.”

“I am a member here,” Alex explained. “Why do you think the system let me in?”

The guard was confused but asked again, “Do you have a membership card? I want to check it. If you don’t have one, please leave.”

Alex took out his First Royal Mastercard.

The guard had never seen this kind of card before.

“Sir, I don’t think this is a membership card. You cannot enter.”

“Just scan it, or should I call your manager?”

The guard had a bad feeling since the card seemed so luxurious.

He was hesitant, not knowing what might happen, but when the manager came, it could turn ugly.

He chose to scan the card.

The scanner beeped and displayed the member's identity.

The guard was shocked.

He read the identity, and his face turned pale.

Without hesitation, he quickly knelt.

“I am really sorry for not recognizing such a top member. Please forgive me.”

The guard was paralyzed with fear; he had just mocked the top member.

He might get fired, and his family of five would suffer.

“You saw nothing, understood?” Alex said.

“Yes, sir, I saw nothing.”

“Tell me, where did the two girls go?”

***

Sophia and Lyra were warmly welcomed as they entered the club’s main hall.

They exchanged pleasantries until Lyra noticed the frightened guard guiding Alex into the hall.

“Damn,” Lyra whispered to Sophia, “It seems like the guard wants to get in our good graces by letting him in. Shall I call the manager to chase him out?”

“Let him be,” Sophia replied.

“You’re right, Chris will take care of him later,” Lyra said, and they pretended not to know Alex.

"Look! Chris has started his world rank competition online!"

Alex could see what seemed like a real virtual hologram: a man with a sword fighting a man with a spear.

The swordsman in the ring struck his opponent skillfully.

In just four movements, the spearman was cut in two, and the hologram destroyed.

“Chris wins the 1,467th Rank!”

The whole hall applauded.

“He is the best in Vancouver, pushing the 1,500 rank.”

“No one in Vancouver could pass this rank.”

“Yeah, from 10 billion people, he ranks more than 1,500.”

“He is rich, strong, and handsome. Whoever marries him will be very happy!”

“Yeah, who wouldn’t be crazy about him?”

Sophia also felt happy for Chris.

Chris walked from a room with a special combat suit that could connect him to any opponent around the world.

He spotted Sophia and approached her with a smile.

"Sophia, Lyra, I’m glad you’re here."

Just then, Chris’s eyes fell on Alex.

"So that is the scum?"

“Yeah, the riffraff I told you about, Alex." Lyra sneered.

A muscle ticked in Chris’s jaw as he stared coldly at Alex.

How did this loser dare marry his sweetheart?

"I see, so you’re the leech. Divorce Sophia now while I am being kind to you."

“Why?” Alex coldly asked.

“Isn’t it obvious or are you too stupid to realize? You don’t deserve her!”

“Well, my opinion is just the opposite. I believe that, in every way, I am deserving of her.”

Sophia’s eyes widened at Alex’s shameless remark.

“How naive! You don’t have any wealth that makes you fit for her.” Chris sneered.

“Believe me, you are poorer than me by at least a thousand times in terms of wealth.”

Chris frowned and eyed Alex disdainfully.

Indeed, this was an ignorant fool with no shame.

"You know what, if you’re a man, join me for a bout."

Alex shook his head.

"I don’t play with children. People will say I’m a bully."

"BOO! Shame on you!"

Some of Chris’s fans were angry.

“This coward doesn’t dare!”

"If you’re scared, just say it."

"Yeah, there is no need to deny it! Damn bastard."

"You are scared, aren’t you?" Chris mocked.

“Scared? Of you?” Alex laughed. “So cute of you.”

Chris’s eyes turned red with fury.

“A man can be destroyed but not insulted. If you dare, prove it then! Let’s fight there.”

“If you lose, I want you to divorce Sophia right now.” Chris added, revealing his final aim.

“What if I win?” Alex asked.

“You win?” Chris sneered disdainfully.

How could that be possible? He never considered that.

No one in Vancouver could beat him in virtual combat.

Meanwhile, a round of laughter erupted in the club.

"Oh my goodness! What shameless boasting and audacity!"

“Chris, teach that village boy some manners.”

“What do you want?” Chris scoffed.

“Do you have a house in Vancouver? Put the biggest one up.”

Alex looked at him expressionlessly and added, “Since you’re so eager to embarrass yourself, I’ll let you have your way.”

"You talk as if you can beat me. Who do you think you are, a grand master?"

Chris said with a smirk, "I doubt you have ever played this kind of game."

Chris was confident that only wealthy men could afford such expensive toys, and Alex definitely didn't look like he could.

"There’s a first time for everything, right?" Alex shrugged casually.

Chris laughed with contempt.

It looked like victory were already assured.

He touched his smartwrist, and a 3D hologram of a big mansion appeared.

"This mansion in West Vancouver is mine. I bet on it. If you lose, you’ll divorce Sophia."

Chris had bought that house with his personal savings, thinking it would be the perfect place to take Sophia to spent night together, not too far from her house.

He was already imagining having two babies with her there. He was putting up his best house because he couldn’t fathom losing to a complete newbie.

"Deal," Alex replied with an air of calm.

"Then what are we waiting for? The sooner you divorce Sophia, the better."

Alex stood, "Where do I start the game?"

Everyone looked at him like he was a complete fool and started to laugh.

"He’s a complete newbie!"

"He doesn’t even know how to start!"

“What a fool! I can’t wait to see him kneel for mercy.”

They were all Chris's fans and friends, and obviously on his side.

"Sir Alex," suddenly a sweet voice called out, "please follow me. I’m Michelle, your personal trainer."

Alex turned to see a woman in her early thirties, the prime of youth blending seamlessly with the maturity of experience.

Her beauty was striking—classic yet timeless, with radiant skin and a figure sculpted with precision and grace.

Her presence alone was magnetic, drawing admiration and respect in equal measure.

"No way!"

"Miss Michelle giving personal training to a newbie?!"

Everyone was shocked.

Michelle was the General Manager of the Noble Knight Club branch in Vancouver, the highest authority there.

Even Chris had only been trained by an instructor.

No one ever imagined that Michelle, the General Manager herself, would provide this service.

Alex followed Michelle to the right side of the podium.

Someone asked in shock, "how did he get this kind of service?"

But no one stood up to answer.

Sophia was equally shocked.

Chris, who never received that level of service, jealously said, "It’s not about the service; it’s about whether he can fight or not."

Inside the big room, with Alex and Michelle, he demanded, "Explain yourself."

Michelle quickly bowed, "I am sorry Sir, I promise not to reveal your identity. You made the highest possible membership, and every time you enter the Noble Knight Club, the top trainer on staff is alerted and assigned to you. And that is me. It’s part of the management."

Alex nodded, "Teach me how to use this machine."

Michelle opened a briefcase she was carrying. "This is our special suit for top members, with 100% sensitivity and many other functions."

"Cut the crap. Just tell me what to do."

Michelle nodded.

"Please remove your clothes and wear this suit."

Alex removed his simple shirt, revealing his perfect muscles, marked by a few sword scars. Michelle helped him put on the suit, her face turning red as she looked at Alex's perfect body.

Knowing this man was wealthy and handsome, he was the perfect man, though younger than her.

"This suit will cover your body and give you real sensations in the virtual game."

Michelle, in the control room, hit some buttons, and suddenly Chris’s hologram appeared in their room’s ring, ready for the match.

"You can pick your weapon on the wall and fight the hologram here. It will feel like a real fight."

"I know what a real fight is."

Alex said and stepped into the ring with a one hand sword.

Chris, as a hologram, sent a voice directly to Alex, "Let’s secure our bet online so there’s no backing out. If I lose, you will get my house; if you lose, you’ll divorce."

"No problem."

Michelle was making the best preparations when Alex asked, "Does this suit come with gravity weights?"

"Yes, the custom settings can increase gravity for training."

"Give me five times gravity. I want to fight him under that condition."

"Yes," Michelle agreed, and at the same time, Chris received a notification: "Your competitor wants to use five times gravity for himself. Do you allow it for the fight?"

Chris read it a few times and almost laughed.

This newbie clearly didn’t know anything, or he had accidentally pushed the wrong button. He quickly hit yes, knowing it would slow Alex's movements down by five times.

Outside the room, people were watching the middle ring where two holograms stood.

Alex wasn’t moving at all.

He didn’t even get the starting stance right for the duel.

"Look at that loser standing there, like a fool."

“A 200% novice, I bet. How awkward!”

“If he were to win, I would livestream eating my boots.”

"Sophia, I bet Chris will end him with one strike." Lyra said, smiling brightly, as if she had already foreseen Alex’s failure.

"Chris!" many people chanted his name.

Then Chris started to rush toward Alex with his sword.

“Yeah, right! Come on, Chris! Kick the shit out of him!”

However, the next moment, the text on the screen read: "Alex wins."

"What?"

“No way! It can’t be!”

Everyone was shocked.

Alex was still there, standing and even yawning, with one sword still down.

Meanwhile, Chris’s body was lying on the ground, limp and as soft as an eel.

How had Chris’s body suddenly split in two, causing him to lose?

Nothing made sense. They saw nothing.

"Second round!"

Chris didn’t know what happened either.

He calmed himself, determined not to rush.

He stepped closer to Alex, who was still yawning.

As Chris swung his sword, Alex’s sword, faster than a blink of an eye, had already cut his head before he could even raise his sword.

"Two wins out of three rounds. Alex won the bet!" the system announced.

What the fuck?

When the system declared Alex the winner, the entire hall fell into stunned silence.

They couldn’t believe their ears or eyes.

"How can a loser who barely knows the game win?" someone blurted out.

Shock rippled through the room. Everyone had expected Alex to lose.

After all, Chris was the highest-ranked player in Vancouver!

How could a newbie win him? Impossible!

"There must be a mistake, right?" another person muttered.

As Alex exited the room, with Michelle following him, people noticed something unusual—his gaming suit.

It’s the latest, most expensive gaming suit, equipped with AI assistance.

A newbie could become a master by activating the AI. Originally designed for military use in war, it’s now a game-changer in the virtual world.

Seeing that super expensive gaming suit for the first time, their surprise quickly turned to anger.

"You cheated! That suit must’ve boosted your fighting skills," someone shouted.

"Yeah, no way a newbie could win without cheating," another voice chimed in.

"He’s just a newbie. Miss Michelle must have rigged the suit for him."

Accusations flew at Alex.

Michelle felt she had to clear the accusation and stepped up. "Listen, although his suit has AI assistance’s function, Sir Alex here won with just his skill."

The whole hall fell silent, then exploded in laughter.

“Hahaha...”

“Michelle must be joking!”

"If you don’t believe me," Michelle added, "I can replay everything for you to see."

"No need," Chris said as he approached.

"Let him enjoy his little victory. I let him win this time with his AI-assisted suit, but I’ll demand a rematch when he’s learned not to use that suit."

"Oh, so chivalrous, Chris," someone quipped.

"So gentlemanly."

“You are the best Chris,” Lyra sneered, "Not like someone clearly using cheats but doesn’t dare to admit it."

"Michelle," someone asked, "why did you let him use that expensive suit? I heard it’s only for special top members. I never see anyone on Vancouver use it."

Everyone looked at her with interest while Michelle, unable to tell the truth, came up with an excuse.

"Mr. Alex here is the 10,000,000th lucky visitor of the Noble Knight Club. And he won the special top member card. Please treat him kindly, okay?"

"Tch, what a lucky bastard."

"Even a dog has its day."

"Chris, how about you both fight again, and I’ll change Mr. Alex’s suit to a normal one?" Michelle asked.

"No, I’ve got better things to do," Chris replied. "Tonight’s the Alfred Kingston banquet. I don’t have time for this clown. Let him learn first."

Chris feared another defeat; only he knew Alex had used five times gravity while fighting. Even if Alex used AI support, Chris would have received a notification for fairness.

And he really didn’t use that.

Chris shot Alex a look. "You won’t hold onto that victory for long. I’ll see you in the next fight."

"Anytime you want," Alex replied. "But I’m not here to bully kids."

“Don’t forget the mansion, though.” Alex reminded casually.

Chris’ face darkened and looked so unpleasant that it was as if he had been forced to swallow a full mouth of shit.

Just then, Sophia cut in, "Shut up! When people show you kindness, don’t boast. You’re only making yourself look worse."

Chris, buoyed by Sophia’s support, smiled. "Yeah, it’s best if he just shuts up. Sophia, we’ve got a banquet to get to. Care to join me?"

"Really?" Sophia asked, her eyes wide.

"My father told me Mr. Alfred Kingston is making a banquet to welcome a high-ranking guest tonight," Chris announced, loud enough for all to hear.

The mention of Alfred Kingston, Vancouver’s richest man, filled the room with envy.

If only they could attend the banquet, they might secure their future with high-ranking connections.

To become rich, it’s all about connections.

Lyra asked, "Can I come too?"

"Sorry, Lyra, it’s invite-only. Maybe next time," Chris replied.

Lyra’s face fell. The Kingston banquet was the most sought-after event in the city, and invitations were rare.

"Do you know who Mr. Kingston is welcoming?"

"No idea, but it’s supposed to be someone very important."

"Damn, I really want to join the banquet!"

Michelle glanced at Alex. There’s a possibility Alex is the guest, as there has never been a top member in Vancouver’s Club for the five years she’s been here.

Alex looked at her. "Please teach me how to use this suit for training?"

They busied themselves while Sophia tried to show gratitude to Chris. "Thank you, Chris. You’re such a help to me and my family."

Lyra chimed in, "Yeah, Chris is kind. Not like some loser who scams people with get-rich-quick schemes."

Sophia, Chris, and Lyra all glanced at Alex, making their point clear.

They had brought the loser here to make him feel out of place, but it turned out he became the top member, which was really frustrating.

"The banquet’s tonight. We need to get ready," Sophia said. "I’ll make sure to look my best. Maybe the important guest will notice me."

Alex was still learning the ins and outs of the suit from Michelle when he overheard them talking about the banquet.

"Fair plan," he said. "But how do you know the banquet’s even happening?"

Chris scoffed, "Do you even know what you’re talking about? Stop embarrassing yourself."

"Believe what you want," Alex said. "But the guest of honor isn’t coming. What’s a banquet without him?"

Lyra sneered, "Do you even know who this important person is?"

Alex smirked. "Yeah. It’s me."