Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

From downstairs, Nyxavere's voice called up again: "Dad? I can't see anything in the Wilder house. Every time I try to look, it's just... nothing."

Parker adjusted his cufflinks with the precision of someone about to walk into cosmic warfare disguised as a social event. "We'll be down in a minute, sweetheart."

Zhang Ruoyun selected a dress that looked like captured starlight while Maya chose something that probably violated several international treaties regarding the weaponization of elegance. The three of them moved with the fluid coordination of people who'd learned to have universe-ending conversations while getting ready for parties.

"Before we head into this trap," Maya said, fastening earrings that cost more than most solar systems, "we need to talk about who we're actually dealing with."

"My exes," Parker said grimly. "The question is which one."

"Well, there's quite a list to choose from," Zhang Ruoyun said with the tone of someone who'd heard these stories before. "How many Existence-level beings have you dated across nine lifetimes?"

"Dated is a strong word for some of them." Parker ran his hands through his hair one final time. "In our existence, what humans call a one-night stand lasts a few hundred years. I've had... many relationships."

Maya's smile was sharp as cosmic law. "Hundreds of women across nine lifetimes. Some became wives, some became enemies, and some became both."

"Let's start with the obvious suspects," Zhang Ruoyun said. "Seraphiel the Burning Crown?"

"Third life, controlling tendencies, incredible power over celestial fire." Parker nodded. "Definitely capable of this level of manipulation. She always said I'd regret leaving her."

"Valdris the Void Empress," Maya continued. "Sixth life. The one who tried to merge your consciousness permanently."

"And when I refused, she swore she'd find a way to make me understand what it felt like to lose myself." Parker's expression darkened. "She could definitely orchestrate something this complex."

"Axiom the Truth-Speaker," Zhang Ruoyun added. "Seventh life. The one who tried to rewrite your personality."

"To match her ideals of perfection." Parker's voice carried old frustration. "When I rejected her 'improvements,' she said I'd learn the truth about myself eventually, whether I wanted to or not."

"Then there's Lysandra the Dream-Weaver," Maya said. "Second life. The one who could manipulate reality through shared consciousness."

"And Nephara the Soul-Binder from your fourth life," Zhang Ruoyun added. "The one who claimed she could strengthen souls through pain."

Parker felt the weight of cosmic relationship drama settling around him. "Any of them could be pulling these strings. Any of them would have the power and the motivation."

"But there's one more," Maya said quietly. "The one who might be the most dangerous of all."

Both Parker and Zhang Ruoyun turned to her.

"Dr. Evelyn Thorne," Maya continued. "The Therapist."

Parker went very still. "Oh, fuck."

"Who's Dr. Evelyn Thorne?" Zhang Ruoyun asked.

"One of Parker's exes who became a therapist," Maya explained. "Specifically, a therapist who specializes in treating his other exes."

"She what now?" Zhang Ruoyun's voice carried cosmic horror.

"After Parker dumped her in his fifth life, she decided to dedicate her existence to understanding why his relationships fail." Parker's voice was flat. "She became the galaxy's most successful relationship counselor by studying every woman I've ever left."

"She's built an empire counseling broken-hearted Existence-level beings," Maya added. "Made herself the richest entity in several realities by charging astronomical fees to help cosmic women get over the Prince of Existence."

Zhang Ruoyun made a sound that might have been laughter or existential dread. "So she's basically running a support group for your exes."

"A very expensive, very powerful support group," Parker confirmed. "And if anyone would know how to manipulate me using intimate knowledge of my psychological patterns..."

"It would be the woman who's spent lifetimes studying every relationship failure you've ever had," Maya finished.

"Plus, she'd have access to all of them," Zhang Ruoyun realized. "Every ex-girlfriend, every broken heart, every woman with a grudge against you."

"She's the most terrifying of them all," Parker admitted. "Because she doesn't just want revenge. She wants to prove her theories about why I'm fundamentally broken."

The room fell silent as the implications settled around them.

"But first things first," Maya said, checking her reflection one final time. "We need to figure out how to isolate Chione before the champions attack."

"That's going to be difficult," Zhang Ruoyun said. "She's their leader. They'll be watching her constantly and as you know although she's not having her powers yet, she's a protection around her and forcing her without alerting our daughter will be close to impossible."

"We'll figure it out," Parker said with grim determination. "Right now, it's time to head into this trap house knowingly."

He moved toward the door, then paused. "You realize this could go three ways, right? It could be a false alarm—maybe this is just someone else's doing entirely. It could be the end of me, exactly as this master puppeteer planned. Or..."

"Or?" both women prompted.

"Or we might be walking into the first step of a grand game that I don't know the ending to." Parker's grin was sharp as broken reality. "But regardless..."

"It'll be fun to play," Zhang Ruoyun finished with a smile that matched his.

"Right." Parker straightened his jacket. "Let's go crash a party and remake the global power structure while potentially walking into cosmic revenge orchestrated by my therapist ex-girlfriend."

"Just another Tuesday in the life of the Prince of Existence," Maya said.

As they headed for the stairs, Maya's expression grew more serious. "Parker, I hope Tessa is fine. Much as the young girl is annoying and always battles me for the empress position, she's still our sister. I don't want anything to happen to her or—"

Zhang Ruoyun shook her head firmly. "There's one thing each of Parker's enemies knows—you never touch a woman of the Prince of Existence. No one would dare harm them physically."

This is why Parker had so much to lose and nothing to lose at once.

Maya nodded slowly. "Right. That's what always makes Parker go berserk."

"I can't help feeling sorry for the Olympians who had the audacity to kill his woman," Maya continued. "Even the most powerful forces in Existence, Parker's greatest enemies, know to never even put a scratch on any of his women. But some low-tier gods went for a kill."

"They learned that lesson the hard way," Zhang Ruoyun said grimly.

"Anyway," Maya said as they reached the stairs, "whatever this master puppeteer is planning, Tessa is safe. While she might be held hostage as the situation suggests, she's safe."

"Unlike the oblivious gods, this grand game master knows the one single rule," Maya said. "Never harm his women when they play. That they know for sure."

"Which means," Zhang Ruoyun added, "whoever we're dealing with is sophisticated enough to understand the rules of engagement at this level."

"And arrogant enough to think they can win anyway, of he goes all out even with nothing on line!" Maya finished.

They descended the stairs together, three omnipotent beings dressed for a social event that might determine the fate of reality itself.

Nyxavere looked up from her tablet, her expression carrying the weight of someone who'd just discovered an impossible blind spot. "Dad, I can't see anything in the Wilder house. No matter how I try, it's completely blocked from my omniscience."

"We know, sweetheart," Parker said, kissing the top of her head. "We're about to go find out who's powerful enough to block you."

"Be careful," she said quietly. "Whatever this is, it feels bigger than gods playing games."

"It is," Parker confirmed. "But that's never stopped us before."

As they prepared to leave for the engagement party that would either save Tessa, expose a cosmic conspiracy, or walk them into the most elaborate trap ever conceived, Parker couldn't help but smile.

After all, if his therapist ex-girlfriend wanted to psychoanalyze him while orchestrating multiversal revenge, the least he could do was show up dressed appropriately.

The game was about to begin.

But was it his ex-girlfriend or girlfriends behind it all?

****

Guys just to remind you, I didn't bring Nyxavere so that we can have a daughter of the Prince of Existence to play spoilt. We're going close to the real reason why she's here.

The next things will be power play with blend of action, slice of life and more.