What It Means To Be King

Chapter 1 : A Gunshot Wound, A Crippling Plight

It had been known overnight from the news and media. 

Crimes and injustice happen everyday, knowing no victim and innocence. The Xi Holdings, for example, is an old company that had stayed rooted as one of the most successful business in China. Their history runs deep and more than 10 generations working day and night to keep it standing. However, there still had been some crime records involving the company, as most old companies would. Some hated them which was understandable. The Xi Holdings, an old company that reaped the position as the wealthiest company in China, was so persistent that it let nobody at all, itching into the spot. There had been many attempts on dragging them down, both legal and illegal ways, all to no avail. Hence the reputation that a great many respected to this day.

The owner of the Xi Holdings had two sons. One was a teenager that excelled in business, pertaining mainly from the influence of his father. The teenager too, was adored by many. He had his own business, thus making his own money since a young age. Some say that he bought his own residence to live alone.

The second son was barely five years old though. The age gap between the two was shocking, and some speculated that the second son was adopted. There was never a confirmation made public, so people's mouth ran and ran. This toddler, however, was almost nothing like his brother. He was quiet and shy, absolutely not enjoying the presence of any other people than the ones he was most exposed to. He had yet to show signs of talent or intelligence, but there was no rush. It could be said that this second son was loved by his family so much.

This is where the problem began rising. The boy was so young, and he was the quiet type. In the face of danger, the boy couldn't possibly run, as his legs would've been too shaken to even move. No one knows what he encountered that day, but when they found him a second too late, there was already a bullet in his head. The five years old boy had been shot, and no one had yet to know who the culprit was.

The Xi Holdings was shaken up the next morning with the news of the owner's son's injury. Thankfully though, the angle of which the bullet pierced through his head was a little further than a fatal spot, so the boy was still alive when they found him. He was rushed to the hospital, and the family demanded treatment to keep the young boy alive and well. The hospital did all they could, but since the boy was so young, the mortality rate decreased more and more, enough to shake the hearts of any mother who heard of it. Multiple surgeries were taken and paid for in order to save the child, thus declining their wealth.

But the main reason for this misfortune is exactly because of their wealth. Someone had been trying to disrupt the company and even hurting an innocent child along the way, completely ignoring any moral. And while the family was busy trying to keep the child alive, it was so damn easy to get through any of their defences, hence they were able to rob their bank accounts. The perpetrator hadn't managed to get too much before he was caught. It was a shame that the money that was taken hadn't been with him when they did catch him. They were all transferred away, proving that there was someone else behind this.

But with that much loss from the scammer, and all the child's hospital bills, the Xi Holdings became poor in such a short time. And as if waiting behind the bush all along, waiting for the perfect timing to attack, almost all rivalling companies added salt to the injury. Not only were their projects taken, their workers themselves firing and being fired so damn randomly. More than 30% had willingly resigned, leaving only a few remaining. The business became corrupted in a short amount of time that it shocked the whole country.

This was clearly a scheme, everyone could tell. However, the culprit was yet to be found.

As for the moment, the five years old boy was resting in the hospital with multiple life support devices latched onto him to keep his brain working. Beside him was the mother and father, both of which were rendered paupers from nobles in a matter of two weeks. They had to sell their assets for the latest treatment, and their treasures for a place to live and food to get by. The company was still standing, barely if not it.