The Retired Young Mercenary Is Secretly a Billionaire

A German Airways flight touched down at Star Harbor International Airport.

The wheels struck the runway with a soft jolt before the aircraft began slowing beneath the evening sky.

It had arrived directly from Frankfurt.

Among the passengers walking through immigration was a man carrying very little luggage.

One suitcase.

One black coat folded over his arm.

Nothing about him appeared particularly unusual.

At least, not to ordinary eyes.

He completed immigration without trouble.

Collected his luggage.

Then followed the signs toward the arrival gates.

Gate Seven.

He stepped into the large public arrival hall and stopped for a moment.

People moved around him constantly.

Families waited behind barriers.

Drivers held name cards.

Announcements echoed from the ceiling.

Tourists searched for transportation.

He quietly looked around.

Star Harbor.

He had heard plenty about the city.

The rapidly expanding economy.

But he had never expected to personally come here.

He adjusted the handle of his suitcase and began walking.

High above him...

A security camera rotated.

Its lens moved.

Focused.

Then stopped directly on his face.

Facial recognition completed almost instantly.

A silent alert left the airport network.

Seconds later, that alert appeared somewhere far away.

Sterling Security Base.

One of the monitoring agents immediately looked at the notification.

His fingers moved across the keyboard.

"Match confirmed."

Another agent looked over.

"Inform the field team."

A secure message was sent.

...

He had barely spent several minutes outside Gate Seven when a black car smoothly stopped near the curb.

The rear windows were tinted.

The passenger door opened.

A man in a dark suit stepped out.

He walked directly toward him.

"Mr. Schmidt."

Schmidt’s eyes immediately sharpened.

The man stopped several steps away.

"Welcome to Star Harbor."

He gave a polite nod.

"Boss sends his greetings."

Then he gestured toward the car.

"Please come with us."

Schmidt stared at him for several seconds.

No one had known exactly when he would arrive.

He hadn’t contacted anyone in the city.

He hadn’t even booked transportation yet.

Yet someone was already waiting for him.

Schmidt almost laughed.

Without asking a question, he handed his suitcase to the driver and entered the car.

The agent sat in front.

The vehicle joined the traffic.

For several minutes, Schmidt simply watched the city through the window.

Tall buildings.

Busy streets.

Construction projects.

Clean commercial districts.

The city was larger than he had imagined.

Eventually he asked,

"How did you know I was here?"

The agent looked through the rearview mirror.

"Boss has his own ways."

Schmidt raised an eyebrow.

The agent smiled faintly.

"It’s his city."

Schmidt looked outside again.

"Star Harbor isn’t exactly a small city."

The agent didn’t respond.

Schmidt chuckled.

"But..."

He leaned back.

"We are talking about Light."

His expression became thoughtful.

"The genius strategist."

He shook his head slightly.

"I suppose it makes sense."

The agent smiled.

Then his phone buzzed.

He checked the screen.

A secure call.

The agent turned slightly and extended the phone toward the back seat.

"This is for you."

Schmidt looked at it.

"For me?"

"Yes."

He accepted the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

A familiar voice immediately came through.

"I heard you made quite a scene in Frankfurt."

Schmidt froze for half a second.

Then smiled.

"Light."

Miles chuckled.

"You killed your own uncle in front of half the underworld."

A pause.

"Quite rebellious."

Schmidt’s smile disappeared.

His eyes moved toward the passing streets.

"For eleven years..."

His voice became quieter.

"I trusted that man."

Miles remained silent.

Schmidt continued.

"I believed everything he told me."

"Every story."

"Every accusation."

"Every reason he gave me to hate you."

His fingers tightened around the phone.

"Only to discover..."

He looked down.

"...that he was the one who destroyed everything."

His jaw clenched.

"My father."

"My childhood."

"My entire life."

Schmidt closed his eyes briefly.

"I suppose I should thank you."

Miles replied calmly,

"Better late than never."

Schmidt gave a bitter laugh.

"That’s one way of saying it."

Miles continued,

"Well..."

"You came at the perfect time."

Schmidt became attentive.

"Oh?"

"I suppose you owe me something."

Schmidt laughed.

Miles continued shamelessly,

"So I’m going to expect something in return."

Schmidt didn’t hesitate.

"Anything you ask."

Miles’ voice changed slightly.

More serious now.

"I heard one of your clients is the WEB."

Schmidt’s expression immediately hardened.

"The WEB?"

"Yes."

"The people you supply weapons to."

Schmidt sat straighter.

"What about them?"

He paused.

"They’re one of our largest clients."

Miles immediately corrected him.

"Not yours."

Schmidt frowned.

"What?"

"They were your uncle’s clients."

Silence.

Miles continued.

"I also heard your father never wanted dealings with them."

Schmidt’s fingers slowly curled into a fist.

"He hated people from Norway."

Schmidt stared toward the window.

"What are you trying to say?"

Miles replied casually,

"Nothing yet."

Then added,

"I’ve simply heard a few things."

Schmidt became quiet.

After several seconds, he sighed.

"My mother..."

Miles listened.

"She was Norwegian."

That was something Miles hadn’t expected.

Schmidt continued.

"She abandoned us."

His voice remained controlled, but there was still bitterness hidden beneath it.

"Left my father."

"Left me."

"For someone else."

Schmidt slowly looked down.

"I was young."

"But I remember what it did to him."

He laughed without humor.

"So yes."

"I understand his hatred."

Miles finally understood.

"Oh."

There was a brief silence.

"That’s the reason."

"Yes."

Schmidt leaned back.

"Now tell me."

His expression became serious again.

"What do you have against the WEB?"

Miles was quiet for a moment.

Then answered,

"The world has something against them."

Schmidt frowned.

"The world?"

"The problem is..."

Miles continued.

"...the world doesn’t know about them yet."

Schmidt listened carefully.

"They aren’t satisfied with money."

"They aren’t satisfied with influence."

"They aren’t satisfied with controlling one market or one government."

Miles’ voice hardened.

"They want total control."

Schmidt’s smile disappeared completely.

"Of the world?"

"Eventually."

Miles continued.

"Governments."

"International organizations."

"Financial systems."

"Political decisions."

"Everything they can influence without standing in front of a camera."

Schmidt stared ahead.

"That’s ambitious."

"It’s insane."

Miles sighed.

"But the greed for power is difficult to give up."

He paused.

"And fortunately..."

A faint smile entered his voice.

"...this world is already too greedy to tolerate a monopoly."

Schmidt laughed.

"That’s probably the most optimistic thing I’ve heard about human greed."

Miles chuckled.

"I work with what I have."

Schmidt looked outside.

"Sounds serious."

"It is."

"Then what’s in it for you?"

Miles immediately sighed.

"Well..."

His voice suddenly sounded tired.

"To tell you the truth..."

"I’m retired."

Schmidt stared at the phone.

Then started laughing.

Miles continued,

"And I really hate people who disturb my retirement."

Schmidt’s laughter slowly faded.

Something about that sentence struck him differently.

"My father wanted to retire too."

Miles became quiet.

Schmidt looked toward the buildings outside.

"He kept saying it."

"After one final deal."

"After one final year."

"After one final problem."

"He believed he could eventually stop."

His voice softened.

"He wanted to give me his time."

"Give me a better life."

For several seconds, only the quiet sound of the car could be heard.

Then Schmidt asked,

"Tell me something, Light."

"Ask."

Schmidt hesitated.

"Can I retire too?"

Miles didn’t immediately answer.

Schmidt lowered his head.

"I’m tired."

His voice was unusually honest now.

"Really tired."

"My entire life has been revenge."

"Business."

"Weapons."

"Enemies."

"Trying to become strong enough to kill someone I thought destroyed my family."

His grip loosened around the phone.

"And now that everything I believed has collapsed..."

Schmidt sighed.

"I think I’ve had enough."

He looked toward the Star Harbor skyline.

"Maybe it’s time I settle somewhere."

"Restart things."

Miles answered calmly,

"Believe me."

"Star Harbor is the perfect place for retirement."

Schmidt smiled slightly.

"If you truly retire..."

Miles continued,

"...and you don’t want people finding you, they won’t find you here."

Schmidt looked amused.

"That sounds strangely threatening."

"It’s reassuring."

"Depends on perspective."

Miles laughed.

Then asked,

"What do you plan to do?"

Schmidt became quiet.

"I don’t know."

He thought for a moment.

Then suddenly asked,

"Do you have kids, Light?"

Miles smiled.

"Not yet."

Miles leaned back wherever he was.

"But I have a family."

Schmidt looked outside again.

His reflection appeared faintly against the window.

"I don’t."

His voice was quieter.

"No one left."

Miles didn’t interrupt.

Schmidt smiled faintly.

"So..."

"I should probably build one."

Miles almost laughed.

"I never knew you were this emotional."

Schmidt frowned.

"Seriously?"

Miles smiled.

"What?"

"When exactly did you get the chance to understand my emotional side?"

Schmidt shook his head.

"You disappeared for eleven years."

"Then our first proper confrontation after that involved you humiliating me."

Miles laughed.

Schmidt continued.

"When did you ever see me?"

Miles’ smile widened.

"More than ten times."

Schmidt stopped.

"What?"

"At least."

Schmidt sat straighter.

Miles continued casually,

"Sometimes at the Conclave."

"Sometimes random places."

"We even met in Frankfurt once."

Schmidt’s expression became completely confused.

"No."

"Yes."

"We talked."

Miles paused dramatically.

"We even made a deal."

Schmidt stared forward.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Miles laughed.

Schmidt asked,

"You mean..."

His eyes narrowed.

"...I’ve seen your real face before?"

Miles immediately corrected him.

"Well..."

"You never saw my real face."

Schmidt frowned even more.

"You were always at the Conclave?"

"Sometimes."

"I don’t understand."

Schmidt tried searching through years of memories.

Faces.

Masks.

Dealers.

Clients.

Middlemen.

Mercenaries.

Then Miles asked casually,

"By the way..."

Schmidt stopped thinking.

"What?"

"What about that bad habit of yours?"

Schmidt frowned.

"What bad habit?"

"Drugs."

Schmidt’s face changed.

"What are you talking about?"

He almost sounded offended.

"I haven’t touched drugs since..."

His sentence stopped.

Completely.

Miles said nothing.

Schmidt’s eyes slowly widened.

A memory surfaced.

Schmidt suddenly leaned back.

"No..."

Miles smiled silently on the other end.

Schmidt stared at nothing.

"It makes sense."

Miles said nothing.

"You were there."

Schmidt’s voice slowly filled with disbelief.

"Every year."

"When Light disappeared..."

His eyes narrowed.

"...you appeared."

He searched his memories harder.

"And when you disappeared..."

Schmidt suddenly laughed.

"Light appeared."

Miles chuckled.

Schmidt placed one hand over his face.

"How could I be this stupid?"

Miles answered immediately,

"If you think about it that way..."

"The entire underworld is stupid."

Schmidt lowered his hand.

Then spoke slowly.

"Light."

"The genius strategist."

His expression changed as the final realization settled.

"Was Ghost."

Silence.

"The Ghost of Graveyard."

Schmidt stared at the phone.

"No one would ever come to that conclusion."

Miles smiled.

Schmidt’s thoughts moved rapidly.

"Wait."

"How did you end up in Graveyard after disappearing?"

Then another realization hit.

"No."

His eyes widened.

"You didn’t end up there."

Schmidt leaned forward.

"You were with Graveyard from the beginning."

Miles said nothing.

Schmidt started laughing.

"It was planned."

"The disappearances."

"The identities."

"Everything."

His laughter became louder.

"You fooled everyone."

He shook his head.

"The Krause family spent years trying to understand Light."

"The underworld searched for you."

"People created entire theories about where you came from."

Schmidt looked almost impressed now.

"And the entire time..."

"You were Ghost."

He laughed again.

"You little evil bastard."

Miles immediately protested.

"Evil?"

Schmidt continued laughing.

Miles sounded genuinely offended.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"What else should I say?"

"I helped you."

Miles continued.

"I got you out of your drug addiction."

"And your response is to call me evil?"

Schmidt wiped the corner of his eye from laughing.

"Fine."

His expression softened.

"It looks like I owe you much more than I thought."

Miles smiled.

Schmidt leaned back.

"Then..."

"Before I retire..."

His voice became serious.

"I’ll do one final thing for you."

Miles became quiet.

"Tell me what you need regarding the WEB."

Schmidt paused.

Then added,

"Although..."

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Weren’t you close to their Princess during the Conclave?"

The car began slowing.

Schmidt noticed the massive secured compound outside.

Tall fences.

Controlled gates.

Security checkpoints.

Armed personnel.

The car stopped.

Before Miles could answer his question...

Someone knocked on Schmidt’s window.

Schmidt frowned.

Then rolled it down.

A familiar voice came from outside.

"How about we discuss that over lunch?"

Schmidt froze.

He slowly turned.

Miles stood outside the vehicle.

Hands casually inside his pockets.

Young.

Relaxed.

No mask.

No tactical equipment.

No intimidating clothing.

Nothing about the man standing there matched the image Schmidt had built in his head over eleven years.

Miles smiled.

"I know a good restaurant."

He leaned slightly toward the window.

"Just eating there might convince you to stay permanently in Star Harbor."

Schmidt didn’t respond.

He simply stared.

This young man...

He looked almost the same age as him.

Maybe younger at first glance.

Clean face.

Calm eyes.

An almost innocent appearance.

The man who had haunted the thoughts of many.

The legendary Ghost.

This was him?

Miles touched his own cheek.

"What?"

Schmidt remained silent.

Miles raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something on my face?"

Schmidt finally smiled.

The car door opened.

He stepped outside.

Miles extended his hand.

"Miles Sterling."

His smile was simple.

"Nice to meet you, Schmidt."

Schmidt looked at the hand.

Then at Miles.

Something about the introduction felt strangely important.

No masks.

Just a name.

Schmidt accepted his hand.

"Miles."

He nodded slowly.

"Not Light."

"Not Ghost."

"But Miles."

Their hands tightened in a firm handshake.

Schmidt smiled.

"Nice to meet you for real..."

"Miles."

...

Horizon Biotech Marine Life Research Center

Monaco

The room was dark.

Only a faint strip of light entered through the curtains.

Thea lay on the bed.

Her eyes were closed.

But she wasn’t sleeping.

She had been trying for almost an hour.

Every time her breathing began to slow...

Her mind dragged her back.

Back to Bjorn.

Back to the conversation she wished she could erase.

Thea turned to her other side.

Pulled the blanket closer.

Closed her eyes harder.

Nothing.

Sleep refused to come.

Dark circles had begun forming beneath her eyes.

Her face looked pale.

Exhausted.

The pressure from the past several days had finally started showing.

Monaco.

The missing Prince.

The WEB.

Miles’ call.

Especially Ivy.

Thea squeezed her eyes shut.

Then Bjorn’s voice returned.

Clear.

Cruel.

Impossible to ignore.

...

"I knew about your parents."

Thea froze in the memory.

Bjorn stood before her.

Calm.

Almost fatherly.

Which somehow made the words more frightening.

"I know how they died."

Thea’s fingers slowly tightened.

Bjorn continued.

"You escaped from the people who murdered them right in front of you."

Her breathing stopped.

"I know."

Thea stared at him.

Real fear appeared in her eyes.

Bjorn took another step.

"You also have a younger sister."

Thea’s face went pale.

Bjorn watched every reaction.

"She was adopted by a family in Haven."

Thea couldn’t speak.

Bjorn continued calmly.

"You even send gifts to her."

His expression softened.

"Every Christmas."

Thea’s entire body became cold.

Bjorn knew.

He had always known.

All those years.

All the lies.

Every careful secret.

Every measure she had taken to keep Ivy away from the WEB.

Meaningless.

Bjorn slowly walked around her.

"I knew from the beginning."

Thea stared forward.

"I knew you lied about escaping from the orphanage."

Her heart pounded.

Bjorn continued.

"But I still adopted you."

Thea slowly looked toward him.

"Not only because my wife wanted you."

A strange sadness entered Bjorn’s eyes.

"But because..."

"I saw myself in you."

Thea remained completely still.

"My parents were killed in front of me too."

Bjorn’s voice became quieter.

"We share the same fate."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"You and I were created by the same kind of world."

"The same broken system."

"The same indifference."

Thea’s jaw tightened.

Bjorn continued.

"I don’t know why you lied."

A faint smile appeared.

"Actually..."

"I think I do."

His gaze sharpened.

"You wanted to protect your sister."

Thea’s expression finally cracked.

Bjorn saw it.

And smiled.

"That’s admirable."

He stepped closer.

"Everything we’re doing now..."

"Everything I have built..."

"It’s for people like us."

Thea’s breathing became uneven.

"People nobody protected."

"People the system never cared about."

"Children who lose everything..."

"...while those in power continue living as though nothing happened."

Bjorn extended his hand toward her.

"If you stand beside me..."

His voice became firm.

"You will become the cannon that breaks this system."

"The force that creates change."

Thea stared at him.

Then Bjorn’s expression became colder.

"But..."

His hand lowered.

"If you decide to betray me..."

Thea’s heart stopped.

Bjorn looked directly into her eyes.

"Your sister will face the same fate."

Silence.

"The same fate..."

He paused.

"...my sister faced."

...

Thea’s eyes suddenly opened.

She sat upright.

Her breathing was fast.

Sweat covered her forehead.

The blanket slipped from her shoulders.

For several seconds...

She didn’t know where she was.

Then the Monaco room slowly returned around her.

The curtains.

Her luggage.

The secure phone resting nearby.

Thea pressed one hand against her forehead.

Her fingers trembled.

"Ivy..."

Her voice broke.

She lowered her head.

Images of her little sister appeared in her mind.

Small hands.

A smile.

A life Thea had watched only from a distance.

A life she had sacrificed everything to protect.

Her eyes became wet.

"I will..."

She swallowed.

"I will never let anything happen to you."

Her hands tightened around the blanket.

Tears slowly gathered in her eyes.

"I promise."