Jason didn't stay on campus for long. After having lunch with Julia, Holly, and Megan, he left the university grounds in a Maybach and headed straight toward the Riverport Observatory Tower.
The moment the car stopped, Jason hadn't even fully stepped out when Olivia and a group of senior managers were already waiting outside. As soon as they saw him, they straightened unconsciously, greeting him with visible respect before escorting him inside.
The Observatory Tower had once been a landmark project, but over the years it had gradually declined. Office rentals were average, and several floors remained underutilized—yet operations were still running normally, with a number of companies leasing space inside.
When employees from those companies saw this scene, they were stunned.
"Who is that? This entrance is insane."
"I've worked here for years—this is the first time I've seen every manager come out together. Even our own boss doesn't get this treatment."
"So young… and that presence. Must be some top-tier heir. Which family is he from?"
A middle-aged boss nearby overheard them and stepped forward, his expression complicated. "What do you mean your boss can't compare? Your boss isn't even qualified to carry his shoes." He lowered his voice further. "That's Jason. The families you just named? They'd all have to step aside in front of him."
The boss immediately pulled out his phone and typed excitedly into a group chat: "The local legend—Jason—is back."
The group chat exploded instantly.
"Jason's finally returned?"
"I heard he's been traveling all over the state these past months, investing wherever he goes. His business empire already spans the entire region."
"No one even knows how rich he really is anymore—his background is a mystery."
The news spread rapidly—first to the Star Club, then to the Supercar Alliance. Most of the members were based in Riverport, and several immediately suggested holding a welcome banquet for Jason. Some of them had already added Jason as a contact earlier, participated in promotions for CloudWeave, and OmniCraft, or worked with Infinity Media on branding campaigns. Because of that, they understood far better than outsiders what Jason's recent statewide movements truly represented.
It wasn't wandering. It was expansion.
Jason was escorted to the top floor. The elevator doors opened to reveal an ultra-luxurious office that had been renovated exclusively for him. The project had just been completed.
Inside, Catherine and the entire legal department were already waiting, standing respectfully. All other managers remained outside. Olivia personally closed the door.
After Jason sat down, he gestured for everyone else to sit as well. Only after they did so did he speak. "Status update."
Catherine immediately replied, composed and precise. "Everything is ready. The diversified holding company you requested—Nine Continent Group—has been successfully registered." She continued, opening a folder. "We've completed the full framework for the parent-company-plus-subsidiary structure."
Jason now controlled too many companies—and they were too diverse. Technology firms. Media companies. Real estate. Piano manufacturing. Modeling agencies. Luxury brands. Cultural heritage projects. Low-altitude economy ventures. Traditional medicine. New energy. Without restructuring, management complexity would explode.
Following Olivia's advice, Jason established a holding group to serve as the parent company—centralizing management, finance, and strategy. Centralized financial control. Unified accounting standards. Central HR and IT systems. A unified corporate culture.
At the same time, each subsidiary would retain its operational independence. Their existing business models would not be forcibly altered.
Risk control was another priority. For example, in Infinity Media, Jason previously held 100% of the shares. That level of control came with serious drawbacks. Sole ownership meant unlimited liability. Even a 1% external shareholder changed the legal nature of the company entirely.
So Jason reduced his stake to 99% and allocated 1% to a partner. Bluntly speaking—he needed a buffer.
On top of that, a new holding platform was created: Infinity Media Group. This group entity would not participate in direct operations. Its sole purpose was control, coordination, and risk isolation.
Catherine finished her explanation and paused. Jason leaned back slightly, his expression calm. This wasn't just expansion anymore. It was consolidation. And once consolidation was complete, the scale of his empire would no longer be something the outside world could easily measure.
If Infinity Media were to raise capital in the public market in the future, investors would enter at the group level, not at the operational level. Under the group company, multiple actual operating subsidiaries would be established—such as Infinity Media New York, Infinity Media Los Angeles, and Infinity Media Bay Area.
If one day a super influencer with over a hundred million followers emerged, a separate subsidiary could even be created just for that individual. The influencer could hold equity in that subsidiary—possibly even more than fifty percent. That wouldn't matter. A large shareholding in a subsidiary would never threaten the parent company's control.
This was just one example. Infinity Media was merely a representative case. All of Jason's other businesses would follow similar structural logic.
At the very top sat Nine Continent Group. Every subsidiary ultimately answered to it. On the surface, these companies looked unrelated—tech, media, luxury, culture, manufacturing—but behind the scenes, they were unified under a single management system.
If any subsidiary ran into trouble, it could be isolated cleanly. Future acquisitions or newly established companies could also be absorbed into Nine Continent Group at any time.
Simple in theory. Extremely complex in practice. That was why Jason had instructed Olivia to recruit a large number of elite executives from top business schools, senior consultants, and legal experts, while massively expanding the legal and compliance departments. Everything had to be planned in advance.
At one point, Jason had considered another option. From the rewards of Task Five, he still had a skill book left—one that could instantly elevate any ability to Grandmaster level. If he used it on business strategy, he could personally control the entire commercial battlefield.
But after thinking it through, he dismissed the idea. Why bother? If money could solve the problem, why waste something so rare? That was exactly how old capital families operated. They didn't rely on personal genius—they relied on systems and talent.
This skill book was far too valuable. Using it casually would be a waste. Jason decided he wouldn't touch it unless absolutely necessary. After all, it was an instant upgrade. There was no rush.
If he faced danger at high altitude—upgrade parachuting. If he encountered an earthquake—upgrade parkour. If someone tried to assassinate him—upgrade close combat. Using it early meant gaining only one ability. Saving it meant infinite possibilities.
Jason carefully reviewed the entire restructuring plan once more. After confirming there were no loopholes, he looked at Olivia. She nodded.
Jason trusted her. Not only because of her ability, but also her loyalty. Her favorability toward him had already reached a high level, making the probability of betrayal extremely low. More importantly—if someone intended to betray him, that favorability would drop. Hers hadn't changed.
With everything confirmed, the plan was executed immediately. Nine Continent Group was officially established. Its headquarters was set within the Riverport Observatory Tower. The group absorbed all unrented office space in the building, and as Nine Continent continued to expand, it was entirely possible that the entire tower would eventually be used exclusively by the group.
Soon after, Olivia sent out formal invitations to the CEOs of all subsidiaries: New Vision Media, Piano Group, Starlight Fashion, CloudWeave Luxury, OmniCraft Group, Infinity Media, Classical Heritage Innovation Park etc.
They were summoned to attend a high-level strategic meeting at Nine Continent Group headquarters. As a shareholder of New Vision Media—and the only true partner among Jason's many subsidiaries—Lewis was also invited, attending in the role of independent director.
The foundation had been laid. What followed would no longer be simple expansion—but the rise of a fully integrated capital empire.
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