Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!-Chapter 243: Olive Tree in Hell

The girl's gaze remained fixed out the window, her sharp eyes locked northwest—Seoul, beyond the fading skyline. The setting sun bathed the city in deep orange, casting long shadows that stretched across the hospital's pristine floors.

"His first target was a Transcendent," she murmured, her fingers grazing the cold glass. Her voice carried the weight of something far beyond her twelve years.

The shift had begun. A Transcendent—gone. Erased like they were nothing but fodder. Seoul's underworld was about to implode. The lower ranks, the mid-tier factions—everyone scrambling to make sense of what the hell just happened. And soon, the target list wouldn't stop at just Korean elites. The whole damn world was about to feel it. Because Nihility was here!

She sighed, stepping away from the window, her bare feet making soft taps against the polished floor as she weakly made her way back to the hospital bed.

Here in Busan, everything was still peaceful—for now. The outside world was barely catching up, but the people who actually mattered? The ones who knew what was really at stake? They were already losing their shit.

The Prince had awakened.

And the storm was just beginning.

******

Beverly Hills – Ravencroft Family Car!

Maya, Evelyn, and Annabelle sat in silence as the sleek black luxury car sped through the streets, taking them home. Their parents had called. Which, in their world, meant drop everything and get your ass back—NOW.

Annabelle sat in the middle, her hands clenched in her lap, visibly trembling. Evelyn and Maya could feel the tension radiating off her like a damn space heater, so without a word, both girls reached out and squeezed her hands.

"Don't worry," Evelyn said, her voice soft but steady. "I'm sure the Prince will forgive you, Annabelle. He's not unreasonable."

Annabelle's breath hitched. "Y-you don't know that… I can't forget that hatred in his eyes, Evelyn. I'm so done for."

"Get a grip." Maya's voice was sharp, unimpressed. "You had a choice back then, Annabelle, but you chose otherwise. Now you wanna sit here and cry? Bitch, if you think you're in trouble, what about Julian and Robert, huh? You think you're the only one shaking in their overpriced boots? Now stop whining."

"Maya," Evelyn shot her a look, but there was no heat behind it. She sighed instead, shaking her head. She understood. Maya wasn't wrong.

Hell, Maya had warned Annabelle so many times. But did Annabelle listen? Nope. And now? She wasn't ready paying for it.

Annabelle looked down, embarrassed.

"You have one day to think before we meet him," Maya continued, her voice dry. "We're waiting until everyone's gathered. So until then? Work on your excuses, honey."

The chauffeur of the Ravencroft family—an older, no-nonsense guy—kept his hands steady on the wheel but sighed internally.

Rich family drama. A mess way above his pay grade.

But damn—wasn't it insane?

The pitiful kid everyone used to ignore amd thrown around? The one they barely acknowledged and bullied? Somehow, he was now a Prince.

And not just any Prince.

A damn terrifying one.

Even the biggest names in the world were bowing to him—and he wasn't even there.

The chauffeur shook his head. Rich people were fucking crazy.

****

The restaurant was pure money. A high-end French spot that practically screamed exclusivity, with chandeliers dripping in crystal, soft jazz humming in the background, and waiters who carried themselves like they had PhDs in fine dining. The air smelled like expensive wine, aged steak, and the kind of luxury that made you reconsider your bank account choices.

Parker sat across from Tessa, watching as she swallowed a bite of steak, then took a slow sip of her red wine. Her lips glistened slightly under the golden lights as she looked up at him, catching his stare.

"What?" she asked, setting her fork down. "Something on my face? Or am I just too fucking gorgeous to ignore?" She smirked, her usual mix of cocky and charming.

Parker leaned back, amused. "You're an amazing woman, Tessa." He paused, his voice dropping slightly. "The only person I'm actually thankful for ever doing something bad to me."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Because if it wasn't for that humiliation on that day, I wouldn't have met someone amazing as you."

"Talk about blessings in disguise!"

Tessa blinked, then let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "Damn, someone's got his way with words." She took another sip of wine, then reached across the table, lacing her fingers through his.

"At that time, I was really scared, Parker. Like, actually scared out of my damn mind that I didn't know what was happening before my hand moved on it's own. I was on the run, and I thought my life was about to end. But after just a few hours with you? I realized something. You were lonely and I found that peaceful in some way... Lonely but free and I wanted to be part I guess, I wanted to be free like you. Maybe our situations weren't exactly the same, but we were both just… trying to escape something."

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Parker exhaled softly, fingers tapping against his wine glass.

"That day," she continued, "we were just two scared kids. No idea what the world had in store for us. No plan. No future. Just running. But somehow, I found myself wanting to be around you. And before I knew it you drew me in and helped be not get traumatized by that incident with my uncle, I fell in love with you. You became my olive tree in that hell I had experienced."

"And here I thought I was gonna be the one doing the talking," Parker teased.

She grinned. "Sucks to suck."

They both laughed, their voices blending into the soft hum of conversation around them.

Parker's gaze drifted toward the large floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling streets of LA. The evening had settled in, and outside, people rushed along the sidewalks, some hurrying home, others chasing deadlines, all moving like they had somewhere desperately important to be.

Parker glanced outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the city move under the warm glow of streetlights. The evening air buzzed with the usual chaos—people rushing to beat deadlines, others heading home after long shifts, their faces worn with exhaustion.

Then, one person in particular caught his attention.

A girl—about his age—hurried down the sidewalk, her crossbody bag bouncing against her hip as she weaved through the crowd. Her outfit was simple: a fitted hoodie, jeans, and sneakers that had seen better days. Despite the cool evening, she was sweaty, clearly having sprinted to get here.

She slipped into the restaurant and rushed straight to the back, where the waiters and waitresses gathered. But before she could even catch her breath, a middle-aged man—her manager, probably—stormed up to her and started laying into her. And judging by the way his arms were crossed, she was about to get her ass chewed out.

Late for work.

Parker could see it all in an instant. The frustration. The guilt. The exhaustion. The way she kept nodding, apologizing, shoulders tense, fingers gripping the strap of her bag like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

She had tried to be on time. She had run here, pushed her body past exhaustion, yet time—merciless, unforgiving as always—had caged her anyway. Parker could tell—she had tried. She was still sweaty from running, but time? Time was a bitch. It didn't give a damn how hard you worked.

He watched as the manager started laying into her, voice low but sharp. She kept her head down, fingers twisting the strap of her bag, her shoulders stiff.

"Tessa," Parker murmured, still watching.

"Hm?"

"If you had the chance to get powers—like, any powers. What would you choose?"