Chapter 714 Nest
The plan—meticulously designed and executed with top-tier operatives—had ended in disaster, just like the countless attempts before it.
Once again, they had underestimated Ross. Once again, they had sent men to their deaths.
Frustration filled the air like smoke.
Faces were pale, eyes wide with disbelief, as if still trying to comprehend how an abduction mission had turned into a massacre straight out of a horror film.
Back to the drawing board.
They had no choice. Their strategy had failed—again. Just as it had the last dozen times.
And every failure only made Ross seem more untouchable. More terrifying.
More inhuman.
As for Ross, the chaos surrounding his enemies was little more than background noise.
He couldn't have cared less about their failures or frustrations.
In his eyes, they were gnats buzzing around the titan he had become—insignificant, foolish, and destined to be swatted away if they ever truly became annoying.
If Ross wanted to, he could have crushed their entire nation underfoot.
In less than a day, he could destabilize their economy, bring their military to its knees, and turn their so-called leaders into desperate puppets dancing on his strings.
After all, he had done it before—most famously with the United States.
No one had believed it possible until it was too late. Now, the once-mighty superpower functioned with Ross's quiet approval.
The president smiled for the cameras, but only after receiving whispered instructions through secure lines that all led back to Ross.
But domination no longer thrilled him.
The game had become boring.
There was no challenge in ruling nations anymore.
Politics, military coups, subversive propaganda—he had mastered them all.
At this point, world conquest felt like a child's game, something better left to overambitious warlords or comic book villains.
Ross had moved on.
He was playing on a different board now. A bigger one.
His vision extended beyond borders, beyond economies, beyond even humanity's understanding of what power could look like.
While the world obsessed over governments and elections, Ross was engineering legacies, rewriting culture, shaping the next evolution of society itself.
So he let the fools plan and plot. Let them waste time and resources trying to touch him.
Let them keep dreaming. He had more important things to do.
Like enjoy his life.
At that very moment, Ross was reclining in a leather chair inside one of his penthouse atriums—a breathtaking, high-ceilinged space wrapped in glass and overlooking the glittering skyline of the city.
Sunlight streamed in from above, casting golden rays over the marble floors and the quiet ripple of a koi pond built directly into the living room.
In one hand, he held a tablet, lazily scrolling through the daily flood of emails his assistants filtered and forwarded for his personal review.
The subject lines ranged from the flattering to the absurd.
"Starring Role as Antagonist in Mega Budget Film"
Ross scoffed.
"Do a movie with me as the villain? Thanks, but no thanks," he muttered, tapping delete.
"Exclusive Interview Offer – Highest Bid Ever!"
Delete.
"Invitation to Judge on WorldStar Talent Series"
He rolled his eyes. Delete.
Fame. Publicity. Applause. He had no use for any of it.
The world already knew his name, and he didn't need to parade himself in front of the cameras to feel powerful.
Attention was a tool—useful when needed, but often just noise.
And then he saw it.
A subject line that made him pause.
"Biggest Reality tv show – Confidential Invitation"
His finger hovered. He tapped it open.
What he read made his brow rise slightly—an expression of genuine interest, rare for someone who had seen and done almost everything.
The message was written in veiled language, hinting at something far more complex than a party or a business proposal.
It wasn't about money or media. It was... deeper. Possibly entertaining. Definitely intriguing.
Ross leaned forward, reading every line again, slower this time.
"Hmmmm… this could be interesting," he murmured, lips curling into a small, almost mischievous smile.
He didn't call anyone. He didn't delegate it to a handler.
He began typing a reply himself—short, precise, and unmistakably Ross.
"I'll be there. Prepare accordingly."
He hit send.
Then he leaned back, staring out over the city with a spark in his eyes. The kind of spark that meant something big was coming.
It wasn't about ruling the world anymore. It was about reshaping it.
And this time, Ross wasn't just a player in the game.
He was about to redefine the rules.
***
"What?! Say that again!"
A middle-aged man jumped to his feet, his eyes wide with excitement.
His voice boomed across the sleek, modern office lined with LED screens and marketing posters.
"Ross Oakley accepted our offer!" the young woman standing across from him beamed. She was beautiful, well-dressed, and barely able to contain her joy. "He's going to be part of our show. He said yes!"
The room fell into a stunned silence before the man erupted again.
"Wow! That's... that's unbelievable! But wait—did he ask for some insane appearance fee? You know we have a strict budget. If he demanded something outrageous, we might—"
"No," the woman interrupted quickly, waving her hand. "He didn't ask for anything. In fact… he said he'd do the show for free."
"For free?!" The man blinked, stunned. "Ross Oakley? That Ross Oakley? Doing something for free?"
"Yes," the woman nodded, though her voice grew slightly more cautious. "But…"
The man narrowed his eyes. "But what?" he asked sharply, clearly annoyed by the hesitation.
"He had one condition," she said.
The man raised an eyebrow. "Aha. There it is." He crossed his arms, already bracing for something absurd. "Alright. Let's hear it. What's the catch?"
She hesitated, then added, "He wants full creative control… over his segment."
The room fell silent again.
The man stared at her, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"That's it?! That's nothing! Of course he can have it! He can wear a flaming crown and speak in riddles for all I care—if Ross Oakley is on this show, we're going to dominate the ratings!"