Chapter 169: Construction

?Several residents immediately surged forward.

?"Mr. Landon, about the broken elevator—"

?"And the plumbing on the third floor—"

?"The power fluctuations have been—"

?"Everyone, please." The old man raised a hand, cutting them off before the outrage could snowball. "Save your breath. I’m not here to discuss the building’s maintenance issues."

?The residents froze.

?A few exchanged bewildered glances, while others scowled in irritation.

’?What does he mean he’s not here to discuss them?’

?The landlord straightened his jacket before continuing smoothly. "I’m here for one reason. This property has been sold, and I am no longer responsible for its management."

?For several seconds, total silence gripped the courtyard.

?Then, the crowd erupted.

?"What?!"

?"You sold the building?!"

?"Who in their right mind would buy this dump?"

?"Wait, so we have a new landlord?!"

?The old man waited patiently for the commotion to die down before nodding. "That is correct. Effective immediately, the property belongs to its new owner. Any future complaints or maintenance requests should be directed to him."

?The tenants stared at him in utter disbelief. They had spent months pleading for basic repairs, yet the landlord had apparently decided that offloading the property was far more convenient than fixing it.

?Still, the revelation raised an obvious question.

?Who would willingly purchase such a dilapidated apartment complex?

?Seraphina, however, had already figured it out.

?The moment the hovercar had arrived, she had sensed a familiar, towering mana signature approaching the district. Nyxara had recognized it as well, and the two exchanged a brief, knowing look.

?Seraphina’s smile slowly vanished.

’?That little rascal.’

?Of all the things her son could have bought with his newly acquired fortune, he had apparently decided to purchase their entire apartment building without bothering to inform her first.

?She pinched the bridge of her nose. ’He couldn’t even give his own mother a heads-up?’

?The deep purr of a high-end engine shattered the crowd’s speculation.

?A second hovercar glided down the street from the opposite direction.

?Unlike the previous landlord’s vehicle, this was a brand-new, ultra-luxury model. Its sleek, polished obsidian hull stood out brilliantly against the older transports passing through the district.

The design was aggressively modern, featuring a streamlined chassis and a silent propulsion system that hovered effortlessly above the asphalt.

?The residents turned, mesmerized.

?The vehicle glided to a stop beside the first hovercar, its gull-wing doors lifting silently.

?A young man stepped out.

?Standing well over six feet tall, with golden-blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and sharp, refined features, he radiated an unmistakable aura of quiet authority.

His black clothing was tailored and elegant, and his expression remained perfectly composed as he surveyed the crowd.

?For a moment, the residents simply stared in stunned silence.

?Then, recognition rippled through the gathering.

?"Isn’t that... Cassian?"

?"Wait, Seraphina’s son?!"

?"What is he doing here?!"

?Mr. Parker looked between Cassian and the luxury hovercar, his jaw hanging open.

?Mr. Wayne adjusted his glasses, as though doing so might help his brain process the absurd sight.

?Even Mr. Atlas was rendered temporarily speechless.

?They all knew Cassian had recently awakened as a Lord. They understood he now possessed supernatural abilities that placed him above ordinary citizens.

?But that didn’t mean they ever expected him to roll up in an ultra-luxury hovercar worth a small fortune.

?And why was he arriving alongside their landlord?

?The elderly man who had just sold the property immediately stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Cassian. "Lord Cassian, it’s an honor. I’ve prepared the transfer deeds as requested. The property is now officially registered under your ownership."

?The entire crowd went dead silent.

?Every single eye snapped toward Cassian.

?The old landlord’s subservient posture, combined with his words, made the reality painfully, hilariously clear.

?Their new landlord was Cassian Voss.

?Seraphina closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh.

?When she opened her eyes again, Cassian was already strolling toward the crowd with a relaxed, easygoing smile.

He offered a quick glance at the stunned residents, then looked at his mother, whose expression promised a very thorough interrogation later.

?Cassian’s smile widened slightly. "Good morning, everyone."

?Nobody answered right away. They were still trying to wrap their minds around the fact that the young man they had watched grow up had just bought their entire complex on a whim.

?Finally, Mr. Atlas found his voice. "Cassian... boy, tell me something." He pointed a trembling finger at the rundown building behind them, then at the previous landlord. "You’re not telling me you actually bought this place, are you?"

?Cassian glanced back at the deteriorating facade of the apartment complex, then met Atlas’s gaze with a deadpan expression.

?"Why wouldn’t I?"

?"..."

?Atlas stared at him, completely speechless.

....

By the time Cassian finished introducing himself as the new landlord, the residents were still struggling to process the news.

?Their former landlord had sold the entire six-story apartment complex to one of their own neighbors.

And rather than simply collect rent and fade into the background, Cassian had immediately announced that the building would undergo a complete, top-to-bottom renovation, entirely at his expense.

?Naturally, the residents had been skeptical.

?After all, this was the Lord Era. Technology had advanced to the point where entire structures could be constructed or overhauled within hours, provided one possessed the appropriate equipment and sufficient funds.

However, such high-speed contractor services were notoriously expensive.

?Fortunately, Cassian had money to burn.

?Although he had purchased the complex at a steep discount after some rather persuasive negotiations with the former owner, the final price had been remarkably reasonable.

Even after closing the deal, he still retained more than enough Astral coins to hire a top-tier construction firm equipped with autonomous heavy machinery.

?He wasted no time.

?The tenants were temporarily relocated to a rented hall nearby while the overhaul commenced. Swarms of autonomous construction units descended upon the building, dismantling damaged structural sections, gutting outdated infrastructure, and installing high-grade systems with terrifying efficiency.

?Workers and drones moved in synchronized patterns guided by advanced architectural algorithms.

Corroded pipes were ripped out and replaced, electrical grids were completely modernized, and load-bearing walls were reinforced without disturbing the core structural integrity.

?The project moved at a pace that would have been unthinkable in the old era.

?Before five hours had passed, the work was complete.