**********
—One month later—
Hendrix Luxe Building,
After an entire month of preparation, Hendrix Luxe Inc. had finally begun its operations.
The jewelry company, established under Lev's growing business empire, was now officially open to the public.
It had been an incredibly busy month. Countless preparations had been completed in a short period of time to ensure that the company could begin operating as soon as possible.
Fortunately, everything had gone according to plan.
One of the biggest advantages Hendrix Luxe had over its competitors was its pricing. The company offered its jewelry at prices roughly 10% lower than those of other major jewelry brands.
However, affordable prices were not what made Hendrix Luxe truly special.
What the company was most proud of was its designs.
Every piece of jewelry featured intricate and elegant designs that were far more detailed and fashionable than what most other brands could offer. The aesthetics and artistic sensibilities of Gu Yuena and the others from the Douluo Dalu world, combined with the meticulous work of the Decepticons, had allowed Hendrix Luxe to produce jewelry that was unlike anything currently available on Earth.
And this was only the beginning.
The Hendrix Luxe Building was located in central Florida, a location that Lev had deliberately chosen.
Florida would eventually become the heart of his growing business empire.
This was where he planned to establish the headquarters of his other companies as well. From there, Lev intended to expand throughout the United States, eventually establishing a branch in every state before moving into international markets.
His goal was simple.
The Hendrix name would eventually become known throughout the entire world.
As for Gu Yuena's assistant in managing Hendrix Luxe, Xiao Wu had volunteered for the position.
However, Lev also wanted the company to gain public recognition as quickly as possible. To accomplish this, he allowed Gu Yuena to select several famous figures on Earth to serve as ambassadors for the brand.
After careful consideration, three American actresses were chosen:
Chase Infiniti, Cailee Spaeny, and Mikey Madison.
Following thorough negotiations, all three actresses eventually signed contracts with Hendrix Luxe Inc. and officially became brand ambassadors for the company.
It was a decision none of them would regret.
With Lev's resources, Megatron's seemingly endless supply capabilities, and the company's unique designs, Hendrix Luxe was unlikely to face any shortage of products anytime soon.
As a result, Gu Yuena and Xiao Wu quickly found themselves with little free time.
They spent most of their days at the company headquarters, leaving only after their work was finished.
Meanwhile, the other three major companies were also steadily progressing.
The automobile, technology, and clothing companies were already under development, with Sheng Ming, Bo Saixi, and Bibi Dong taking charge of their respective preparations.
Bibi Dong, in particular, had been extremely busy.
Together with her assistant, Qian Renxue, she had already traveled to several countries in search of suitable models and other personnel who could eventually represent the clothing company.
Although the companies were still far from being fully operational, Lev was confident that they would be ready to launch by the following year.
And when they did...
The world would undoubtedly be shocked.
On the other hand, Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan had both become pregnant.
This was largely thanks to the incredible luck Lev had enjoyed the previous month.
Both women were now staying on Hendrix Island under Tsunade's careful observation and care.
The news had come as a pleasant surprise to everyone.
At the same time, the other women could not help but feel a little envious.
After all, Lev's extraordinary luck had already proven itself to be truly ridiculous.
At the moment, Lev had just finished a meeting with Gu Yuena and several other executives of Hendrix Luxe.
He was now standing beside the building's transparent glass wall, looking down at the bustling area below.
The view was quite satisfying.
After admiring it for a moment, Lev suddenly remembered something.
"System, sign in for me."
His weekly sign-in was available once again.
[Congratulations! You have acquired $10,000,000.00.]
"Great. Another ten million."
Lev muttered with a satisfied expression.
At this point, he would gladly accept money over most of the other rewards he had received from the weekly sign-in.
There were, of course, a few exceptions.
The quadrupled Luck Attribute he had previously obtained was one of them.
That had been, without a doubt, the luckiest reward he had ever received.
Because of that incredible stroke of luck, Lev had previously acquired complete ownership of Delta Air Lines, one of the major airlines in the United States, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Even now, he could not help but credit that acquisition to the ridiculous amount of luck he had possessed at the time.
He certainly could not ask for anything more.
After his luck returned to normal, however, his weekly sign-in rewards became much more ordinary.
Most of the time, he received money, luxury cars, and similar rewards.
Not that Lev was complaining.
Money was still useful, especially now that he was rapidly expanding his business empire.
With nothing else requiring his immediate attention, Lev remained in his office for the rest of the afternoon.
Eventually, the workday came to an end.
Lev clocked out together with Gu Yuena and the others, leaving the Hendrix Luxe Building behind.
The Hendrix Group was still in its infancy.
But its foundation had already been laid.
And with every passing day, it was growing closer to the future Lev had envisioned.
**********
—Six months later—
Hendrix Island,
Another six months had passed.
By now, Hendrix Luxe Inc. had completely dominated the jewelry market across the United States.
What had initially been a newly established company had rapidly grown into one of the most sought-after jewelry brands in the country. Its combination of affordable pricing, exceptional quality, and designs unlike anything else on the market had made it incredibly popular among consumers.
The demand had become so great that people from other countries had even begun traveling to the United States just to purchase Hendrix Luxe jewelry.
Many of them had the same questions.
When would Hendrix Luxe become available in their countries?
When would the company open branches overseas?
To answer the overwhelming demand, Gu Yuena immediately began preparing for international expansion.
Together with Xiao Wu, she traveled to various countries to search for suitable locations where Hendrix Luxe could establish branches while also determining the proper channels and business arrangements needed to enter each market.
Meanwhile, the sudden rise of Hendrix Luxe had completely shaken the established jewelry industry.
Many competitors were unhappy.
Some began voicing their complaints publicly, while others attempted to approach the company directly.
Several major jewelry companies even arranged a meeting with Hendrix Luxe in an attempt to pressure the newcomer into changing its business practices.
Gu Yuena personally attended the meeting.
However, their complaints—and even their thinly veiled threats—were nothing more than a joke to her.
She simply listened with an amused expression before dismissing their concerns.
The competitors quickly realized that intimidation would not work.
So they changed their approach.
Some began searching for loopholes in Hendrix Luxe's operations, hoping to find something they could exploit. Others went even further and resorted to more violent methods behind the scenes.
None of it was visible to the general public.
From the outside, the jewelry industry appeared to be nothing more than a normal business competition.
But behind the scenes, an entirely different battle was taking place.
At first, both Gu Yuena and Lev simply ignored the situation.
They had no reason to concern themselves with petty competitors who were incapable of posing a genuine threat.
However, when some of those competitors became increasingly bold, Lev finally decided to take action.
The result was immediate.
Those who had previously been acting recklessly suddenly became very quiet.
There were still complaints, of course.
But they swallowed their anger and pride and chose to compete with Hendrix Luxe fairly.
At least, for now.
After all, it would only be a matter of time before many of those companies were forgotten by the public.
Eventually, some of them would have no choice but to accept reality and give in.
Meanwhile, the three ambassadors of Hendrix Luxe were living lives of extraordinary luxury.
Chase Infiniti, Cailee Spaeny, and Mikey Madison had never expected that signing a contract with a newly established jewelry company would completely change their lives.
The opportunities, wealth, and attention they received after becoming ambassadors far exceeded their expectations.
Rather than regretting their decision, the three became even more motivated and proud to represent Hendrix Luxe.
The company's success had made them realize that they had made the right choice.
Of course, Hendrix Luxe's rapid rise also attracted attention from the media.
Eventually, journalists and curious individuals began digging into the identities of the people behind the company.
It did not take long before Lev Hendrix and Gu Yuena began appearing across the news.
Fortunately, Lev had already dropped out of university before Hendrix Luxe officially opened.
Otherwise, he had no idea what would have happened if the media had discovered that one of the people behind America's newest business empire was still a university student.
Once his identity became known, many of Lev's old acquaintances began contacting him.
Friends, classmates, and other people he had known in the past started calling and messaging him.
Lev did not completely ignore them.
He answered some of their calls and occasionally participated in the group chats he had once been part of.
Those group chats, which had previously been relatively quiet, had practically exploded after his identity became public.
Lev occasionally replied to the messages, especially when the conversations were about their personal relationships and memories from the past.
However, there was one thing he made very clear.
When it came to business, Lev immediately became professional.
He would not entertain requests for favors, special treatment, investments, or business opportunities simply because someone knew him personally.
His personal relationships were one thing.
Business was another.
The same applied to the relatives of his former adoptive parents.
After discovering Lev's success, some of them also began contacting him.
But Lev rejected them without hesitation.
His adoptive parents were already gone, and as far as he was concerned, he no longer had any connection with those people.
He had no reason to reopen relationships he had already left behind.
There were even more ridiculous situations.
After news spread that Lev had been adopted, several people suddenly appeared and claimed that they were his biological parents.
Lev did not immediately dismiss the possibility.
Perhaps some of them were telling the truth.
Perhaps they were not.
But he had no time to investigate the matter right now.
There were far more important things occupying his attention.
He could always look into it later.
For now, he simply ignored them.
*****
Meanwhile, on Hendrix Island, Lev was enjoying a much quieter morning.
He was currently relaxing on the pier together with Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, watching the rising sun slowly emerge from the horizon.
Six months had passed since the island's major reconstruction had begun.
During that time, the old buildings scattered across the island had gradually been replaced with completely new structures.
The most impressive of them was the enormous mansion situated at the center of the island.
It had already become the main residence for Lev and his companions.
However, even after six months, the island was still far from finished.
Megatron and the other Decepticons were currently working on an enormous underwater underground facility beneath the island.
The facility would allow them to enter the underground structure while simultaneously providing them with an incredible view of the surrounding deep sea.
It was another one of the many projects Lev had planned for Hendrix Island.
At the same time, the island itself had also undergone significant changes.
With Sheng Ming's assistance, the vegetation surrounding the island had become exceptionally healthy.
The trees were lush and vibrant, while the entire island seemed to be filled with life.
As Lev sat on the pier, Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan were quietly basking in the warmth of the morning sun.
Suddenly, Tsunade's voice entered directly into Lev's mind.
"Master, I think it has been enough time for Zhuqing and Yan Yan to be exposed to the sun. Moreover, breakfast has already been prepared in the mansion."
"We'll be there in a minute," Lev replied mentally.
Dugu Yan immediately turned her head toward him.
"Someone's calling you, Lev?"
"Yeah. Tsunade said breakfast is ready and told us to head back to the mansion."
Lev looked at Dugu Yan with a gentle smile.
Before he could say anything else, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly spoke.
"Let's stay for a couple more minutes before going back."
She seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the rising sun.
"Yeah. Breakfast can wait," Dugu Yan immediately agreed.
Lev looked at the two women before letting out a small chuckle.
"If you both say so."
And so, the three of them remained on the pier for another five minutes.
Eventually, Lev decided it was time to return.
He gently took Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan back toward the mansion so they could finally have breakfast and rest properly.
After all, as their pregnancies progressed, their stomachs were becoming increasingly large and heavy.
Lev certainly wasn't going to let either of them overexert themselves.
**********
—Six months later—
Another six months passed, and things were going exceptionally well—not only with their careers and businesses, but also for the Hendrix family.
Not long before, Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing had both given birth to healthy baby boys. They named them Axel and Kellan, and the two newborns quickly became the jewels of the family, second only to Sherry.
Sherry, in particular, was overjoyed. She could not stop telling everyone that she was now a big sister. She eagerly helped look after her little brothers and seemed almost unwilling to leave their side.
Meanwhile, the business empire Lev had envisioned was finally beginning to take shape.
The vehicle company, which Lev had named Hendrix Motors Inc., had officially begun operations. The company produced not only cars, but also trucks, pickup trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and other types of vehicles.
Every vehicle produced by Hendrix Motors was powered by electricity. However, unlike conventional electric vehicles, Hendrix Motors had developed an entirely different power system.
After extensive planning and experimentation, Lev and Megatron had successfully recreated a device similar to the Arc Reactor from the Iron Man movies—although their version was considerably more advanced than the original.
Lev also decided to sell the Arc Reactor separately as the primary power source for Hendrix vehicles. Different versions were available, designed to last for one day, one week, or one month.
Once a reactor reached the end of its operational lifespan, customers could simply purchase a replacement directly from Hendrix Motors. In fact, they could buy as many as they wanted, provided they had the money.
However, the Arc Reactor came with one very important safeguard.
To prevent governments, corporations, or researchers from obtaining and studying its technology, Megatron had designed the device so that any unauthorized attempt by a human to tamper with or dismantle it would immediately trigger its self-destruct mechanism.
Aside from the revolutionary technology, the vehicles themselves featured unique and eye-catching designs that quickly attracted enormous attention.
As a promotional campaign—and to establish the prestige of the brand—Hendrix Motors created a special vehicle exclusively for the presidents and kings of every country.
The model was called The Sovereign.
At first, many of the leaders who received the vehicle were hesitant to accept it. They were naturally skeptical about a completely unknown company suddenly offering them an extraordinarily advanced vehicle.
However, their doubts quickly disappeared after they tested The Sovereign themselves.
Its advanced functions, incredible performance, and especially its complete explosion-proof capability left many of them stunned.
Soon afterward, several governments contacted Hendrix Motors, asking whether they could purchase additional units.
Others became even more interested in the technology behind the vehicle—particularly how Hendrix Motors had managed to make it virtually impervious to explosions and what role the Arc Reactor played in powering it.
Lev and Bo Saixi, however, refused to provide any information that could compromise their technology or affect their business.
Of course, some countries were far more persistent than others.
The United States and several other nations were particularly serious about uncovering the secrets behind Hendrix Motors. They attempted various methods to obtain information, but no matter what they tried, neither Lev nor Bo Saixi allowed themselves to be pressured.
With the sudden appearance of Hendrix Motors, virtually every major automobile manufacturer in the world shifted its attention toward the new competitor.
The company's momentum was simply too strong to ignore.
They had already heard about what happened in the jewelry industry after the rise of Hendrix Luxe, so they were far more cautious this time. Rather than immediately confronting Hendrix Motors, most companies chose to observe and gather information first.
In the business world, all eyes and ears were now on Hendrix.
Everyone wanted to know who Lev Hendrix really was.
How had a young man with seemingly no history in the business world managed to create companies capable of shaking entire industries?
How had he acquired technology that appeared decades—or perhaps even centuries—ahead of its time?
How had Hendrix managed to achieve so much in such a short period?
The questions continued to pile up.
Yet the answers remained frustratingly out of reach.
Lev rarely appeared in public, refused most invitations to meetings, and showed little interest in networking with other businessmen. Even when people attempted to approach him through acquaintances, they gained almost nothing beyond vague information.
The more the world tried to uncover the mysterious founder of Hendrix, the more elusive he became.
And for Lev, that was exactly how he wanted it.