chapter 1 best candidate

Dong Hai City, International Airport.
"Hurry!"
"Hurry!"
A group of men in sharp black suits surged toward the exit, their faces etched with grave determination as if they were confronting a formidable adversary.
The bystanders hastily made way for them, curious as to their identity, their excitement palpable.
Their leader, a suited man, furrowed his brow deeply as if a thought had just struck him. Without hesitation, he abruptly turned and departed.
Before long, on a pedestrian path outside the airport, Orion Jiang sat on a bench, leisurely blowing smoke rings.
"The boss hopes you'll return. He misses you dearly," the suited man said respectfully from five paces away.
In the presence of others, the man in the suit exuded an air of authority that no one dared to challenge. However, before the young man before him, he felt humbled.
"Miss me?" Orion Jiang turned his head slightly, a hint of mockery dancing on his lips. "Does he want my power or my money?"
If anyone else had uttered such words, the man in the suit would have dismissed them. After all, why would the powerful Jiang family from Kyoto covet someone else's wealth and influence?
But this young man was different.
He was the sole heir of the Jiang family, the first god of war in the East, possessing immense strength and immense wealth.
"Fifteen years ago, when he banished me from the Jiang family and married that scheming woman, Orion Jiang ceased to exist," Orion Jiang exhaled the last puff of smoke. "Orion Jiang has no ties to the Kyoto Jiang family anymore."
He stood up and departed without further ado.
"Don't send anyone to track me down again. Otherwise, for each person they send, I will take a life."
A chilling aura enveloped the man in the suit in an instant.
It wasn't until Orion Jiang had vanished from sight that the man in the suit's clenched fists gradually relaxed.
His back was soaked with sweat.
In the presence of Orion Jiang, he felt genuinely nervous.
In the airport parking lot, a car had been waiting for some time.
Orion Jiang climbed into the vehicle and immediately made a call.
"Finn, is everything arranged?"
A voice came through the headphones.
"Give me the address."
After uttering those words, Orion Jiang abruptly ended the call. He clutched a crumpled candy wrapper in his hand, and his mind drifted back fifteen years.
At the tender age of fifteen, he had been expelled from the Jiang family and left to fend for himself on the unforgiving streets.
It was during those bleak times when hunger and cold were his constant companions, that a young girl in plain attire had extended the only candy she possessed to him.
Later, a mysterious figure had whisked him away.
When he had first emerged, the world had quaked in response.
Three years had passed, and at the age of eighteen, he had been hailed as the first God of War in the East.
Now, twelve more years had slipped by, and the God of War's formidable might had reverberated across the globe.
Yet, Orion Jiang had chosen a life of seclusion.
He could never forget that little girl.
Her pure eyes were etched into his memory.
Her kind visage remained with him always.
Carefully stowing away the candy wrappers, Orion Jiang took a deep breath.
If anyone he knew were present, they'd be astonished. The mighty first God of War was actually feeling nervous?
"I'm back."
The car sped away.
Meanwhile, the Wanshun Hotel in Dong Hai City was bustling with activity.
The renowned Lin family of Dong Hai City had embarked on a quest to find a suitable son-in-law for their granddaughter, Agatha Lin. The endeavor had attracted considerable attention.
In a private room within the hotel, Agatha Lin sat, her fists clenched, and her eyes reddened, overwhelmed with a sense of injustice.
Her mother, Cara Su, stood nearby, her face flushed with anger.
"Jasper Lin, they have ulterior motives! If you still want to be a man, refuse the old man!" She yelled, her voice trembling with rage. "Are you going to stand by and let your daughter's happiness be destroyed?"
Searching for a suitable son-in-law? Absolute nonsense!
Cara Su couldn't believe they were genuinely benevolent.
The Lin family had transformed from a humble workshop into a third-rate powerhouse in Dong Hai City over fifteen years. The family's patriarch, Lachlan Lin, was considered a rags-to-riches success story.
Lachlan Lin had three sons: Donovan Lin, who assumed control of most of the Lin family's enterprises; Apollo Lin, who ventured to the provincial capital to expand their market presence; and Jasper Lin, who had suffered a debilitating accident, leaving him with disabled legs. He was now confined to home, relegated to a life of scorn.
The decision to find a suitable son-in-law for their daughter had been encouraged by Donovan Lin and Apollo Lin. They had promised to seek out an exceptional match for Agatha Lin, swearing by their honor.
But what was the outcome?
The candidates presented were all rather lackluster, some of them even outright unsuitable. There was one individual who not only exceeded Agatha Lin's age by a decade but also grappled with intermittent mental health issues. This wasn't a search for a suitable husband for Agatha Lin; it felt more like a path to her destruction.
Jasper Lin's face flushed with anger, and his heart seethed with frustration. But despite his inner turmoil, he dared not defy the old man's wishes. He knew that Lachlan Lin's temperament had always been unwavering. Within the Lin family, disobedience towards him was unheard of.
"He's Agatha Lin's grandfather, and he wouldn't harm Agatha Lin," Jasper Lin stammered out after a prolonged silence, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson.
Cara Su was on the brink of collapse, pointing an accusatory finger at Jasper Lin, her voice breaking into sobs. "Why did I marry a weakling like you?"
She understood Jasper Lin had been a dutiful son. He used to adhere to Lachlan Lin's directives, and now, with his disability, he had grown even more submissive, unable to contest Lachlan Lin's decisions. But whichever man Agatha Lin was pressured to select as her husband, it spelled disaster for her.
Their family would become the object of ridicule throughout Dong Hai City.
Cara Su wept bitterly and hurled insults at Jasper Lin. Agatha Lin silently shed tears, while Jasper Lin could only clutch his limp thigh, inwardly reproaching himself for his inability to intervene.
"Mom, please, don't talk about Dad," Agatha Lin managed to force a smile, tears glistening on her beautiful face. "Perhaps Grandpa will eventually find a suitable match for me."
Unbeknownst to her, this had been the intention of her uncle and second uncle all along.
Upon graduating from college, they joined the Lin Family Group. In just two years, they had made remarkable strides, eclipsing their children. They harbored concerns that they might vie for the Lin family's assets, which prompted them to encourage their grandfather to search for a son-in-law to disqualify them from the succession race.
She knew it, and so did her parents, but they were powerless to fight back.
In the Lin family, no one could defy Grandpa's decisions—no one.
Agatha Lin rose to her feet upon hearing the bell chime.
"Let's go. Grandpa's growing impatient. It's time for another scolding session."
As Jasper Lin looked at Agatha, her body slightly trembling, he felt a bitter helplessness. He didn't dare to exchange a complaining glance with his wife.
Deep down, he understood that even though enduring life in the Lin family was often trying, at least the family was secure. What would happen if they were cast out of the Lin family?
Inside the hotel lobby, the lights gleamed brightly, and the guests had gathered.
Lachlan Lin, the patriarch of the Lin family, occupied the highest seat, clad in a finely tailored Tang suit, leaning on a cane, his face radiating pride.
"Congratulations, Master Lin."
"Congratulations to the head of the Lin family for gaining such an outstanding son-in-law!"
The guests showered Lachlan Lin with compliments.
"Dad, it's almost time, we should make the announcement," Donovan Lin, who stood nearby, was tall and exuded an air of authority.
He cast a glance at Agatha Lin, seated not far away, and proclaimed in a loud voice, "Our search for a son-in-law has concluded, and we've found the finest young man."
The finest young man?
Huh, deep down, he knew that this choice of an exemplary son-in-law was a selection of the worst option, one with even hidden flaws!
As long as Agatha Lin married, the Lin family's fortune would be completely severed from her.
Lachlan Lin would never allow any of the Lin family's assets to fall into the hands of someone bearing a different surname.
"Everyone!"
Lachlan Lin rose to his feet, and as he began to speak, all eyes turned towards him.
"Today, I'm proud to officially announce my granddaughter Agatha Lin's choice of husband!"