Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 198: Reckless Sword

After the meeting had finished that evening, the next day began with an extremely hot morning.

The early sun cut through the clouds like a blade, scattering golden light across the marble helix of the Morrison Building.

From the 91st floor, Richard Morrison stood by the glass wall of his private study, a crystal tumbler of scotch in hand and the skyline of Los Alverez spread before him like an empire waiting to be claimed.

But not his empire.

Not anymore.

Archibald Mooney had returned.

And just like that, Richard was the second-richest man in the state again.

He took a slow sip of the aged Glenfarclas, letting the burn ride the back of his throat like a bitter truth.

The numbers had already started adjusting. Market confidence surged at the news of Archibald's return. His subsidiaries, his bonds, his government-linked asset vaults— they'd begun soaking up institutional attention like sponges.

Richard's fingers tapped the glass softly.

He had grown used to being the one behind the curtain— the spider in the dark. His wealth was vast, diverse, fluid, not tied to the grandstanding of the Mooney legacy.

But now, with Archibald back in the seat of power, every chain he controlled— from pharmaceuticals to military contracts— was one flick away from being tightened.

And Richard knew it.

More than that, he felt it. The shift in weight, the rearranging of the chessboard. One false move, one provable link to something unsavory, and Archibald could make half of Richard's commercial framework freeze overnight.

It wasn't like he hated Archibald. He respected him greatly. Archibald was one of the reasons why Richard's business expanded to the level it did.

He had also spent the last few years doing Archibald's bidding in Los Alverez. The Gareth Smithers situation was something he didn't want to be a part of, yet, Archibald had forced him to fix it. Many other deals he had made in Archibald's name and others he'd declined as well.

Richard knew that at this time, with Archibald's close monitoring, doing what he wanted was going to be even more difficult. Especially if they somehow concerned the old bloke in one or the other.

Which meant...

"This Darren Steele situation," he murmured aloud, "must be handled with precision."

First of all, the boy had partnered with Leonard Holloway and for some reason, Leonard was now leading him in doctor ratings in the state and the country as a whole. Holloway Medicals was growing fast and was now a major competitor in the health market with Morrison's Hospitals.

Then the boy had messed up the whole Gareth Smithers cover up which led to Archibald having a reduction of trust in Richard's execution.

Then, the boy had cost him an ally in Donald Henderson, and a friend in Ryan Anders.

His protégé. His friend. His inside hand.

Vanished. Disgraced. His legacy was torn and crumbled. And all because of Steele.

Richard's eyes narrowed slightly. Look at the damage he left the businesses of Los Alverez in.

He never thought for one second that Anders managed the wealth of many companies which also had investments with smaller companies.

Since Ryan left, everything fell to shambles while Darren Steele and Kaito Sagomoto flourished!

Richard grunted.

He should have taken care of it earlier, when Archibald was out of state. But now that the old lion was home, Richard had to play it quietly.

No open warfare.

Subtle knives. Silent weapons.

And for that... he'd need a sword reckless enough to swing.

In Moon Enterprises, on the 69th Floor where the executive office was, Tyler Mooney was lounging behind his desk when the door creaked open. He didn't bother looking up.

"If this is about the lunch order, just tell Maria to drop the caviar—"

"Tyler."

The voice was a blade in velvet.

Tyler blinked once, sat up a little straighter, and looked toward the doorway.

There stood Richard Morrison, not announced, not escorted, simply there, like a shadow that had wandered into the light.

"Mr. Morrison," Tyler said, masking his surprise with a grin. "To what do I owe the unexpected chill in my office?"

Richard stepped in with the measured grace of a man who had never once knocked. He glanced around the modern decor, mildly unimpressed, before sitting without invitation in the leather chair opposite Tyler's desk.

"This is what you turned Ryan's old office into. A shame. It seems your taste in furniture is as juvenile as your sense of subtlety."

Tyler's brow twitched, but he smiled. "And your taste in suits is still violently imperial. To what do I owe this honor?"

Richard folded one leg over the other. "I'm here because the balance is shifting. Your father's return re-establishes one pillar. But there's another element that needs pruning."

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Ha! Ha! Ha! So losing Ryan Anders opened your eyes! If you're talking about Darren Steele, then—"

"Don't say his name like you know what he is." Richard's voice was suddenly flat. Cold. "You think he's a loud-mouth with clever tricks. I see him for what he is— a calculated disruption. One that cost me a key asset. And one that now dances too close to state contracts I've worked decades to influence."

Tyler leaned back. "So you've come to me because you want help ruining him. You must be desperate."

"Pfft. Desperate? Such a word doesn't exist in my dictionary. What I am is cautious, Tyler." Richard's smile returned, tight and superior. "I've learned not to underestimate reckless princes."

"Is that meant to flatter me or insult me?"

"Pick your poison."

Tyler smirked. "Alright then. You want to kill the boy king quietly. So what's the ask?"

Richard's fingers steepled. "Your company controls several passive channels that influence startup acquisition, vendor certifications, and infrastructure deployment approvals. You also host the Moon Digital Bidding Gate— the same one Trendteller will soon try to access for their international expansion."

Tyler's grin widened. "And you want me to block his access?"

"No," Richard said softly. "That's too visible. I want you to delay it. Create 'pending reviews.' Introduce new documentation compliance rules. Make it look like bureaucracy."

He leaned in.

"And while you tangle his feet, I'll start pulling his allies' funding. Quietly. Efficiently."

Tyler whistled. "You've really thought this through."

"Of course I have. But here's the part you'll like…" Richard's voice dropped. "You get to do it your way. Loudly, if you wish. Just make sure the Mooney name doesn't get tied to it. We don't want your father's trouble now, do we?"

"No. We don't..." Tyler tapped a pen against his desk, considering. "What's in it for me?"

Richard stood smoothly. "Your father may be king. But I can make you something else. Something that doesn't need a crown."

He stopped there and turned toward the door.

"You have your orders. Don't disappoint me."

As he left, Tyler looked down at the stack of files Lila Torres, CEO of Trendteller had submitted for Trendteller's international deployment. He thumbed through them, smirking.

> "Well, Darren," he said quietly. "Looks like I finally get to play with your food. Amir, Jaxon... It's finally time to party!"