Fleur was silent for a moment before lamenting wearily, "It seems that Zekeiah and Mr. Zorro are already dead. I never expected that my Four Great Earls, who have roamed the world for decades without a single defeat, would fall one after another in such a short time." As she said this, she clenched her fists and growled with a fierce expression, "What I can't accept the most is that with four earls dead, I haven't even caught a glimpse of the enemy. I don't know their names, who they are, or how many people they have under them! In over three hundred years, aside from that time when I was chased into Mount Tason by the Qing army, I've never been so passive! It's absolutely infuriating! Damn it!" Tarlon's face twisted into a nervous grimace with an obvious hint of concern. The death of the Four Great Earls would inevitably bring a tremendous shock to the Qing Eliminating Society, leading to doubts and concerns for himself, the Three Elders, and the Griffin family, who led the Five
The Department of Homeland Security received a crucial tip early in the morning. An agent affiliated with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) had reported to the National Security Agency (NSA) that someone was carrying highly classified information related to defense chips on a business jet that had taken off from New York a few hours ago and was heading to Oskia. The NSA received numerous similar reports daily through various channels, but the investigation had shown that the vast majority were unfounded, and some were even pranks. However, this tip came from an agent in a sister agency, which significantly increased its credibility. They were all agents who understood the seriousness of the national defense work, which directly affected their jobs and corresponding legal responsibilities. No one would joke about such matters. Just as the NSA was discussing countermeasures, they received another shocking piece of news. The DIA agent who had provided the tip had fallen to
The pilot, of course, obeyed the air traffic control's order, so he maneuvered the aircraft to circulate over Hudson Bay and return to the United States. Two F35 fighter jets took off from the Vermont National Guard and headed for Canadian airspace to escort the plane. At this moment, Tarlon watched the flight software and saw that the plane Zekeiah chartered had turned around and returned to the United States, so he went to Fleur and reported, "Lord, the plane has returned." Immediately after he had finished speaking, he received another message from the Scout. He went through it swiftly and enunciated, "Lord, I just received a message from the Scout in the frontline that two F35s from the Vermont National Guard took off and flew north to Canada. It is believed that they are monitoring and escorting Zekeiah's plane." Fleur nodded and calmly said, "If Zekeiah and the treasure tower are really on that plane, the military will immediately snatch the tower. The Rothschild family i
Fleur knew the background of the Four-Sided Treasure Tower as well as its importance, especially its extravagant creation during the Tang Dynasty. As a master of cultivation, she knew very well that despite its diminishing power after so many years, the tower's remaining power would be of great help to individuals or a small to medium-sized group. The Rothschild family, which possessed it, did not understand Reiki, did not practice cultivation, and did not comprehend the core formations of the treasure tower. Yet, simply by holding onto it, they had thrived for almost three centuries. This was the best proof that the power of the treasure tower still existed. Hence, Fleur felt that the Qing Eliminating Society's stature was nothing in the context of her almost hopeless pursuit of life extension. Did the Griffin family really assume that she would let them inherit the Qing Eliminating Society when she died in a hundred years? They were being delusional! The organization would
"It would be the best if we can get it." "But If we can't, we must destroy it!" "It will be the biggest threat to the Qing Eliminating Society if it really falls into the hands of that mysterious killer!" At this point, Fleur's expression became extremely grim as she gritted her teeth and snarled, "You know very well that over all these years, the question of whether Ashley is truly dead has been my greatest concern! I've invested so much effort into the Acker family, laying out plans for twenty years, just to force her out of hiding, but time and time again, things have not gone as I hoped. Worse yet, our organization has suffered heavy losses as a result!" "The only thing I'm most worried about is that Ashley is still alive. It'll be our worst outcome if that mysterious person is from her side!" "If that is true, Ashley will be the first enemy who can destroy the Qing Eliminating Society!" "And if they get their hands on the precious treasure, they will have absolute vict
To Fleur, the one hundred thousand members of the Qing Eliminating Society were insignificant. It was as if she was not talking about the lives of over a hundred thousand people but rather a swarm of ants. More importantly, among them were a considerable number of direct descendants of the Griffin family, her very own generation. Although Tarlon did not care much about human lives, he was not as ruthless and indifferent as Fleur. At this moment, he finally realized the difference between him and the almighty. He could not care about the life and death of some people, but the almighty did not care about anyone in the world at all. To Fleur, as long as she could get the next 500 years of life, she would sacrifice the lives of the Qing Eliminating Society's members without hesitation. However, Tarlon was not terrified by her decision. Fleur's offer was so enticing that he began to look forward to the future Fleur had promised him. So, he said to Fleur with a determined e
Just when Fleur was on the edge of her seat, the helicopter pilot suddenly received a radio message that said, "N77DT, this is the NYPD. You are leaving New York airspace. Please return to New York airspace immediately and proceed to the designated location for landing and inspection.The pilot was startled. NYPD was the abbreviation for the New York Police Department, and N77DT was the registration number of the helicopter he was flying. This meant that the police had just spoken to him directly. The pilot was a member of the Qing Eliminating Society in New York. Until today, he had remained in silent standby at the organization's New York base. According to the organization's internal rules, during the silent period, except for the Scouts responsible for vigilance, no one was allowed to leave the base without permission, seek out external information, or actively contact the outside world. They should behave like a submarine in silent mode. Therefore, the pilot did not know
The location used by the NYPD to inspect helicopters was an open-air helipad owned by an aviation company in Northwest New York. The scale of the company was very large. The helipad and hangar alone could park hundreds of helicopters. Besides that, the company had purchased dozens of helicopters of various types. It was the largest aviation company in New York and was the Rothschild family's asset. Helicopters were relatively common in the United States. Many wealthy people and corporations owned helicopters. The helicopter rental business was also very popular. Many celebrities, politicians, and wealthy people often rented helicopters for their travels, making aviation companies quite common in the country. However, most companies or business owners had only one helicopter. It was not worth investing in dedicated facilities and teams just for parking, maintenance, and upkeep of a single helicopter. Thus, they often entrusted the helicopter to an aviation company, which managed
This trip to New York made Charlie realize the truth. No matter how strong a person was, they couldn't stay strong under all kinds of circumstances, neither Charlie nor Fleur. Fleur had to keep a profile as low as possible whether in Oskia or New York. What impressed Charlie the most was that in the video footage he had obtained from the Rothschild family, it was clearly visible that Fleur, while in New York, was confined to the helicopter with the registration number N77DT, fully cooperating with the Rothschild family's inspection. Her four-hundred-year cultivation, which she prided herself on, was tightly suppressed by modern AI models and contemporary weaponry, leaving her no opportunity to catch her breath. The reason she was suppressed so completely was that at that time and in that environment, she had no subordinates available for mobilization. If she had to fight head-on, she could only take the risk of relying solely on her personal strength. If Charlie could destr
In his utter despair, Julien could only say respectfully like a submissive servant, "Please rest assured, I will make the most of this opportunity. I will do everything I can to maintain the businesses your grandfather has left in the U.S., and I guarantee the return will not fall short of your expectations." Upon hearing his pledge, Charlie's tone softened slightly, and he replied indifferently, "Then, I'll be watching your performance." With that, Charlie ended the call. After listening to Charlie's conversation with Julien, Keith, Christian, and Kaeden were left somewhat stunned, unable to fully comprehend what had just transpired. Keith eventually came to his senses a while later and said, "Charlie, I don't mind losing those assets. If it doesn't work out, we can sell them at a discount. It's a one-time solution. Julien is arrogant and overbearing. If you piss him off, he might cause you trouble one day." "Don't worry, he won't." Charlie shook his head. "Julien has no lev
In just a few seconds, Julien, on the other end of the line, had cursed Charlie under his breath with all the vulgar words he knew. "Fuck you, Charlie! He's so mean! Does he really think that I'm a greenhorn?!" "'Give me a chance, I'm useless'?! Why are you so arrogant?! Do you see me as your lap dog?!" "So what if you bet on Dad?! Do you think I'll be freaked out?!" At this point, he suddenly felt his heart skipping a beat and muttered, "Damn... Yeah, I really am freaked out! Dad may preside over my funeral! What has my life even been worth, then?!" At this moment, deep inside, Julien felt a sense of despair like never before. With his identity and background, he had not been emotionally rich since the moment he was born. Unlike the vast majority of people, in his more than fifty years of life, he had almost never experienced hardship, suffering, sorrow, or despair. As the saying went, 'A full man doesn't know the hunger of the starving'. It was like the lords in med
Charlie hummed lightly, and then, no longer joking, said seriously, "Since you've said that, I actually do have something I need your help with." "Please go ahead!" Julien immediately responded. "As long as it's within my ability, I'll give it my all! Please give me a chance to help relieve your worries." Charlie said, "My grandfather is planning to move all of his businesses in the U.S. that can be relocated back to Oskia, but those real estate properties and industries that cannot be moved out will need someone to take over for the time being. As you know, real estate requires proper management and operation to ensure its value steadily increases. The physical industries that can't be moved out need strict oversight to ensure they remain stable and grow. He and my uncles no longer have anyone capable of managing things independently in the U.S., so I hope you can help by taking over these businesses and managing them for us." "Oh, I see." Julien sighed in relief and quickly sai
Julien cursed under his breath, "Damn you, Charlie! How dare you rub salt in my wound! How is Dad? Don't you know best?!" Despite his rage, he didn't dare to truly rant it out. Hence, he calmed himself down and answered respectfully, "Thank you for your concern. You asked Queen Helena to visit him, and he's completely cured now." "Good to know." Charlie asked with a smile, "Julien, do you hold any grudge against me because I cured your father?" Julien—like a cat that had its tail stepped on—quickly blurted out, "No! No. I'm very grateful. I don't hold a grudge against you." Charlie asked curiously, "By the way, now that your father has recovered, has he handed over the position of family head to you as agreed?" Feeling utterly frustrated, Julien grumbled in a muffled voice, "No, he didn't, but he did clarify my position as the first heir." At this point, he couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "Mr. Wade... you really just rained on my parade!" Charlie no longer beat a
"The Rothschilds?!" Charlie's words made Keith, Christian, and Kaeden blurt out in utter bewilderment. Keith coughed and said, "The Rothschilds have always been arrogant and cocky. In their eyes, there is no company or family in the world that stands on equal footing with them. Even though our family is the second-largest in the U.S., so what? Harrison still acts arrogantly when he sees me, high and mighty, despising me." He continued, "I've known Harrison for so many years, and he's only ever been polite, even respectful, to me once—and that was after Zekeiah's death, when he called me to discuss things. With his unappreciative and high-handed attitude, after Zekeiah's issue was resolved, he wouldn't have felt he owed me any favor." "We don't have to go through Harrison." Charlie smiled and said, "I'll have Julien do it." "Julien?!" Kaeden asked involuntarily, "Do you mean Harrison's eldest son, Julien?" "Yes." Charlie nodded. "Him." Kaeden sneered, "Julien is even more
Charlie asked, "What are you going to tell Aunt Lulu?" Keith replied, "Zekeiah is famous in New York. It won't take long for the news of his disappearance to spread. When Lulu hears about it, she should be able to guess that he is dead. As for other details, it's better not to tell her. Everyone should keep it a secret, and no one should mention him again." He then took a deep breath and lamented, "Zekeiah posed a great threat to us when he was alive, and his death is the best outcome for us. Now that he's dead, this matter should be completely closed off, and no further consequences should be allowed to arise. Lulu should be able to understand this." Charlie nodded gently. As Keith had said, an unspoken approach to handling the matter was actually the best solution. Keith changed the subject and began, "I've discussed it with Christian and Kaeden. We will gradually withdraw from the U.S. market. Apart from the equity in other companies we've invested in there, we want to move
Christian then added, "Dad has been indulging in spending recently. The various collaborations he's been discussing have already totaled over a hundred billion dollars. They're all promising domestic industries with a very wide coverage. In a few days, Kaeden and I are heading to the south. We've invested in a lithium battery company and are planning to build a top-tier R&D base for power lithium batteries in the south, specifically for the high-density batteries needed for new energy vehicles." "Next, Kaeden plans to launch a new energy vehicle brand, leveraging the country's top-tier supply chain in the field of new energy to directly engage in vehicle manufacturing." Charlie asked curiously, "Grandpa doesn't seem to have been involved much in manufacturing before. Why jump straight into vehicle manufacturing this time? This industry has a long investment cycle, requires a lot of attention, and the profit margins aren't exactly promising." Christian smiled and explained, "New e
It was already ten in the evening when Charlie finally arrived at Aurous Hill. After passing through customs and completing the entry procedures, Charlie went through the VIP walkway inside the airport. He would then take the private jet prepared by the Acker family and fly to Eastcliff. Because of his concern that Fleur's underlings would monitor his entry information since Keith was publicly conducting in-depth investment cooperation with the Oskian government in Eastcliff at the moment, Charlie decided to fly to Aurous Hill from the States. By entering the country through Aurous Hill and going to Eastcliff from there, he could bypass Eastcliff's international terminal and customs. There were hundreds and thousands of domestic flights coming in and taking off in Eastcliff every day, and these passengers would not be the target of the Qing Eliminating Society's surveillance. Charlie's only purpose for going to Eastcliff this time was to meet with Keith, update him on the situa