King-In-Law, The Hidden God Of War!

002

Inside the lobby of the Desert View Hotel, the atmosphere was lively and filled with dazzling lights. Everyone was dressed in luxurious outfits, and the cars parked outside were all shiny and extravagant, yet no one noticed the old, worn-out jeep parked discreetly at the curb.

With no time to wait for other vehicles, Raymond had chosen to drive this old jeep himself. Raymond stepped out, wearing plain clothes, his calm yet piercing gaze quietly sweeping over everyone present.

As soon as he appeared, several acquaintances recognized him immediately and began to mock him:

“Oh, isn’t that Raymond Wang? After years in the army, he's still poor and shabby as ever!”

“Sophia Thompson's family is holding another groom-selection event now; wonder if this old flame has any chance at all?”

Someone even intentionally blocked Raymond's path, eyes full of disdain, clearly treating him as an outsider.

Raymond said nothing, only curling his lips into a cold, faint smile.

He walked slowly past them, ignoring the sarcastic laughter behind him.

But just as he stepped inside, a rumble of powerful engines echoed from afar.

Everyone turned to look, only to see a grand procession of twenty supercars gliding by like a divine army. Each wheel seemed cast from pure black gold. Among them was a Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta, previously auctioned for an astounding $17 million, silently slicing through the night like a dark blade. Leading the convoy was a Bugatti La Voiture Noire, the absolute emblem of royalty. These cars simultaneously halted in front of the hotel’s entrance, each vehicle either auction-exclusive or bearing the highest-ranking license plates in the city.

Excitement surged instantly, leaving everyone astonished:

“Oh my God, twenty supercars! Such a gathering of vehicles must mean some extraordinary figure has arrived! A woman's second marriage warrants such extravagance?”

“They seem to be all auction vehicles, including armored SUVs! Unbelievable!”

“Each of these cars costs millions of dollars; that Bugatti La Voiture Noire alone costs nearly twenty million. Who could possibly be so wealthy and powerful?”

“That Bugatti La Voiture Noire, license plate War-001… isn’t this…”

From excitement turning into chaos, someone suddenly shouted:

“That's the vehicle of Deathmarch, the God of War!”

The entire banquet hall fell silent in an instant. Not just the guests, even the highest-ranking city officials had never witnessed such a spectacular scene. Soon, news that some mysterious tycoon had arrived at the Thompson family's groom-selection event spread like wildfire, attracting dozens of tycoons eager to see who was behind such extravagance.

The fifth-floor ballroom of the Desert View Hotel glowed with brilliance, buzzing like a royal ball. At luxurious banquet tables sat businessmen, officials, and influential guests, but everyone’s attention was fixated on the woman known as the "most beautiful flower in the city": Sophia Thompson.

Sophia sat motionless behind a velvet curtain, her face pale, hands ice-cold. The joyous music outside couldn't drown out the whispers of humiliation and contempt that filled the hall.

Then Dante Thompson, Sophia's father, cleared his throat, standing to announce:

"Today is an important day for the Thompson family. We will choose the most worthy husband for my daughter."

Meanwhile, Kiera Thompson, Sophia's mother, leaned close, whispering sharply into her ear: "Remember, only Young Master Grant can save this family's reputation! You must actively close with him, understood? Don't disappoint me again."

The host began to announce the list of "candidates" for the groom-selection: a pot-bellied uncle nearing sixty, an infamous businessman so unattractive he remained unmarried, an unemployed young man whose only property seemed to be a battered old motorbike, along with several other names that made Sophia’s face turn pale.

Guests below made no attempt to hide their laughter and ridicule.

"Sophia Thompson, the city’s renowned beauty, reduced to choosing from a pile of trash!"

"So beautiful, yet forced to sit and wait for someone else to choose her, how tragic."

"She married a poor soldier before, being discarded was inevitable."

"What a shame, unparalleled beauty but merely an item for the wealthy to toy with!"

An elderly female guest shook her head, sighing deeply: "Indeed, a woman’s beauty, no matter how exquisite, can’t compare with good fortune."

These whispers seemed quiet yet pierced Sophia’s heart like knives.

Behind her, her mother Kiera continuously reminded her again and again, but each word stabbed sharply into Sophia’s remaining pride.

"You must remember clearly, today is our family's only chance to salvage our dignity. As long as Young Master Grant agrees to marry you, no one will dare look down on us again! Don’t act arrogant, and don't even think about mentioning Raymond’s name. We've suffered enough humiliation already!"

She leaned closer, eyes filled with ambition: "I've had enough of people's ridicule. If you mess this up again, don’t blame me for being cruel!"

Dante merely sighed, occasionally glancing at Sophia. But in his eyes, there was no longer any hope left for his daughter.

Laura - Sophia's younger sister stood with arms crossed, her lips curled up mockingly. She whispered to her mother intentionally loud enough for Sophia to overhear:

"Does she think she still has a choice? Everyone in city knows she's just a stepping stone for our family’s advancement, not a princess! If I were her, I'd lift my head and accept reality."

Laura then turned to Sophia, smiling contemptuously:

"Did you know people now say you're truly beautiful, but unfortunate, just a prize for others to fight over?"

Laura smirking, not forgetting to add fuel to the fire: "You should cling tightly to Young Master Grant. Don't dream of anyone else. A divorced woman, abandoned by her husband, who would want you now, except those old, ugly, or worthless men out there?"

Sophia clenched her fists tightly, her eyes filled with unshed tears that she desperately held back. Each of Laura’s words struck her like a whip, cutting deeply into her already tattered pride.

Outside, the guests’ whispers never ceased. One man laughed loudly: “If she catches Young Master Grant’s eye, it’ll really change her fate, such a pity for her beauty..."

"Dream on. Victor’s already made it clear, anyone daring to compete with him will have to face the Grant family. She can’t escape even if she wants to!"

"The other bigshots here came only to enjoy the show. No one would dare leap into the fire against Victor."

"Her ex-husband was a soldier, wasn’t he? Disappeared for four years, he must’ve gone back home to herd cows!"

"Ha, I heard he was quite tall and handsome, which is how he managed to attract the noble Miss Thompson... Who knew he’d run off right after marrying her, leaving behind a beautiful wife in a state no better than an abandoned pregnant woman! Poor thing!"

Sophia felt everything in front of her grow blurry, the laughter, the ridicule, the prying eyes, all trampled on what little dignity she had left.

Suddenly, her mother spoke again, this time addressing Dante but deliberately loud enough for Sophia to clearly overhear:

"Do you see this now? All the humiliation today is her fault! If she’d listened to me and chosen a wealthy man instead of that worthless soldier, we wouldn’t be in this mess!"

Dante replied heavily, his tone irritated: "I just hope all this ends quickly. After today, our family might finally stop being the target of gossip..."

Laura giggled maliciously, landing one final blow: "Make sure you don’t embarrass the family further, sister dear. Don’t throw a tantrum or cry, no one’s going to pity you!"