Ultimate Tycoon: Building the Richest Empire with System and Heroines-Chapter 63: Ethan’s plan revealed

A few hours before the Grand Knox Auction...

Inside a private lounge away from the bustle of the hall, Ethan stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out at the golden skyline.

Behind him, Virgil, Alistair and the others from Ethan’s side were seated around a small table. Everyone was in the middle of casual chatter when Virgil suddenly said, "Master Yun will be arriving tonight."

Ethan’s lips curled into a grin.

That was the moment the idea sparked in his mind.

He didn’t say anything immediately. He just stood there, lost in thought.

Master Yun doesn’t completely trust Gregory. But Gregory... he trusts his master with everything.

What will happen if that trust is shattered? If the one thing Gregory never questioned... is turned into a dagger?

Ethan turned around slowly, his tone casual but firm. "Old man Virgil."

Virgil raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Can you do something for me?" Ethan asked, voice calm.

"Say it," Virgil replied.

"How many VIP rooms are there in the auction hall?" Ethan asked.

"Ten," Virgil said after a pause. "Why?"

Ethan’s smile widened. "Can you make ten duplicate Mosalina paintings?"

Virgil blinked. "I can... but they won’t be perfect. From a distance, they’ll look real. But if anyone holds them close and inspects carefully, they’ll know they’re fake."

"That’s good enough," Ethan said. "From far, no one will know. Only if you examine it up close, it’ll be obvious."

Virgil squinted. "But why ten?"

"One will be shown to the audience," Ethan said plainly. "The rest... you’ll hide in all ten VIP rooms. Hide them well enough so that no one notices."

Alistair, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "But why? What’s the point?"

Ethan didn’t answer immediately. He walked over and poured himself a glass of water.

Then he said, "You remember what Albert told you, right? Gregory originally planned to buy the Mosalina painting. But I took it."

Alistair’s eyes narrowed. "This boy... ."

Ethan continued, voice calm but razor sharp. "After Virgil announced that the painting would be auctioned, Gregory must’ve gotten angry. And of course, he must’ve told his master."

"Which means..." Alistair muttered.

Ethan nodded. "Master Yun must’ve made a plan. Either he will tell everyone not to bid... or he will plan to steal it."

Virgil frowned. "Impossible. Master Yun would never go that far."

Ethan smiled, but his tone turned icy. "Old man, are you sure? If you won’t do this, then I’ll just take the painting and leave. After all, I’m the owner, aren’t I?"

Virgil’s face stiffened. "You wouldn’t—"

"I would," Ethan said simply.

The room went silent.

Alistair looked at Virgil. " Just think of it as a request from me."

Virgil let out a long sigh. "...Fine. You’re the owner. And since Alistair believes in you so much, I’ll go along with it."

"One more thing," Ethan said, stepping forward.

"What now?" Virgil muttered.

"Give me the original Mosalina painting."

Virgil flinched. "You want the real one? Why?"

Ethan didn’t explain. He just looked at Virgil calmly and said, "The Master Yun you trust so much... tonight, you’ll see his true face."

There was no humor in Ethan’s expression now. Only sharp, cold resolve.

Virgil hesitated... then finally reached into the secure drawer behind him. He pulled out the sleek black titanium case , the original.

He handed it over.

Back to present

Gregory clenched his fists, his face contorting with rage and desperation as he suddenly shouted, "Why are you lying, Master?!"

All eyes turned.

Master Yun, who had been silent in cold disappointment just moments ago, now looked sharply at his former disciple.

"You’re the one who planned everything!" Gregory roared, stepping forward, pointing a trembling finger at him. "You told us to stall the bidding! You told us to delay it until your people could steal the painting!"

Gasps echoed around the hall. Nobles looked at each other, stunned.

"You even gave me the location of the hidden vault under the hall!" Gregory’s voice cracked. "Me and Trevor,we just followed your orders!"

Trevor flinched as everyone turned toward him.

Gregory spun around. "Trevor! Say it! Tell them the truth!"

Trevor, pale as a corpse and sweating bullets, stammered. "Y-Yes! It was all M-Master Yun’s plan... he gave us the exact coordinates... he told us to delay and confuse the bidding..."

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

"No way... Master Yun planned it?"

"He’s one of the most respected figures in the Eastern Region!"

"He tried to frame his own disciples?"

Luke’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Master Yun again.

Seraphina’s expression had grown unreadable, her sharp eyes darting between the accusers and the accused.

"Master Yun?" she said, her voice calm but edged with cold steel. "Anything you’d like to say?"

Master Yun’s composed exterior cracked for the first time.

He stepped forward quickly, his voice full of desperation now. "Your Highness! This... this is madness! Lies! Gregory is fabricating everything,he’s trying to pull me down with him!"

Gregory scoffed, voice shaking with anger. "After all I did for you... after everything ... This is how you repay me?"

Master Yun’s fists were trembling behind his back. "Princess, believe me,I would never in my life dishonor the crown. I am shocked that the disciple I trusted the most would speak such vile things about me."

But it was too late.

The crowd was already questioning everything.

Ethan, standing a few steps behind Alistair and the girls, chuckled quietly. His arms folded as he watched the drama unfold with gleaming eyes.

"This is good..." he thought. "This is very good. Break each other. Tear yourselves apart. It saves me the effort."

Luke stepped toward Gregory, one hand on the hilt of his blade. "You say It was his plan. But your story... does not align with what we’ve seen."

Gregory, breathing hard, muttered under his breath, "I followed every one of your orders... and now you want to use me as a scapegoat? No. Not like this."

Master Yun suddenly stepped forward and said, "Princess, you shouldn’t let these criminals have an easy death. You must hang them in front of everyone... so that no one will ever dare to do it again."

Seraphina turned her head slightly and looked at Luke. He gave a firm nod.

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