The Book of Names.

The headquarters of the Nine Dragon Syndicate wasn’t simply a fortress—it was a monument to fear, carved into the black stone cliffs of a private island off the Sumatran coast. Towering walls of obsidian and reinforced concrete stood like sentinels against the sea, drenched by storms and centuries of blood-soaked ambition. From this remote stronghold, decisions had been made that shifted currencies, ignited coups, toppled democracies, and devoured forests faster than fire. The Syndicate didn’t just operate in the shadows—it was the architect of darkness.

Within the high-security chamber at the heart of the compound, three of the Nine sat in grim silence.

Tian Hao, the Shadow Banker, stood before a digital interface projected onto the obsidian wall. His immaculate white suit and silver-rimmed glasses contrasted sharply with the flickering chaos of global currency feeds behind him. His hands were steady, but his jaw tightened with every second of silence.