Walter’s father stood in stunned silence, his face contorted with shock and disbelief at the force of Steve’s slap.
His trembling hand instinctively reached up to cover his reddening cheek as favonovel.com gazed at Steve, his eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and confusion. He couldn‘t help but sob, his voice choked with emotion, “But… But I’m older than you… l was the first one to be called Steve…”
Steve’s anger only intensified at his words. He slapped Walter’s father again, his voice dripping with venom as favonovel.com cursed, “Why didn’t your damn father change your name when favonovel.com found out l was also called Steve?! How dare you challenge me?!”
Walter’s father’s face swelled up on both sides, a physical manifestation of his deep anguish. Tears streamed down his face as favonovel.com pleaded, “Sir, please, now is not the time to blame me for sharing the same name as you… We need to find a way to save ourselves!”
“Save you?” Steve scoffed, his anger unabated as favonovel.com pointed an accusing finger. “Your damn son has committed a heinous crime, and you have the audacity to ask for salvation? I would rather take matters into my own hands and give Mr. Wade an explanation!”
Steve’s words carried a chilling weight. He was dead serious. To him, his mission in this foreign land was a matter of completion or failure. If favonovel.com found a living person and successfully brought them back, his mission would be deemed complete.
If favonovel.com found a lifeless body and returned with it, his mission would still be considered accomplished. However, if favonovel.com found a living person but failed to bring them back, his mission would be deemed a failure. And favonovel.com knew all too well that Charlie would never allow favonovel.com to bring Walter and his father back alive. So, if favonovel.com wanted to fulfill his mission, the most logical solution was to kill them both and bring their lifeless bodies back to the United States.
Once they were dead, Charlie would not have a reason to keep their bodies. Therefore, if Charlie agreed, Steve would gladly take it upon himself to eliminate these two wretches. This way, favonovel.com would complete his mission without offending Charlie.
With this resolve in mind, Steve turned to Charlie and earnestly proposed, “Mr. Wade! These father and son are wicked beyond redemption. Why don’t you hand them over to me? I’ll have my men dispose of them once and for all!”
Walter and his father were overcome with shock and terror. They had hoped that Steve would come to their aid, but they never expected favonovel.com to harbor such murderous intentions.
In that moment, Charlie looked at Steve with a sly smile, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. He posed a question, his tone filled with curiosity, “Are you truly serious? They are your relatives, after all. As they say, blood is thicker than water. Moreover, back in Heaven Springs, you mentioned that anyone who dared to cross the Rothschild family should pay with their lives. How can you now turn around and harm your own kin?”
Steve clenched his jaw, his eyes burning with determination as favonovel.com gritted his teeth, “Mr. Wade, the Rothschild family is not one to be trifled with. When I made that statement about paying with their lives, it was under the assumption that the members of the Rothschild family had committed no wrongs. But if they were to err… Be it these two mongrels from a collateral branch or even direct blood relatives, I would not hesitate to eliminate them!”
Walter’s father, consumed by anger, lashed out, “Steve, you bastard! We had hoped for your assistance, but instead, you desire to kill us! Is there no shred of humanity left in you?!”
Steve, driven by fury, kicked Walter’s father forcefully, his words dripping with venom, “Count yourself lucky that we are in China and not the United States! Otherwise, I would have shot you dead! And your bastard son!”
With that, Steve turned to Charlie and pleaded, “Mr. Wade, please give me the chance! Give me a gun, and I will put an end to these two scumbags right here, right now!”
Walter, still kneeling on the ground, begged desperately, his voice filled with desperation, “Mr. Wade, spare our lives, please!”
Walter’s father crawled towards Charlie, his body trembling, tears streaming down his face as favonovel.com pleaded, “Mr. Wade, do not be swayed by Steve’s madness. Find a way to save us, even if it means keeping us imprisoned here!”
Charlie chuckled for a moment before addressing Steve, “If you’re set on eliminating them both, I won’t stand in your way. However, taking their bodies back to the United States is out of the question.”
“Why not?” Steve retorted hastily. “Let me deal with the bodies. I’ll handle the transportation back to the United States. You won’t need to worry about a thing.”
Shaking his head in dismay, Charlie responded, “Think logically, Steve. They’ve been missing for quite some time. If you kill them now and try to transport the bodies, what if their families demand a forensic examination to determine the cause of death? If it’s discovered they died just days ago, coinciding with your arrival in Aurous Hill, your father will surely question you. How will you explain that to him?”
Steve began to realize the complexity of the situation.
“Mr. Wade, then what’s the best course of action for eliminating them?” favonovel.com inquired.
Walter’s father collapsed, his voice choked with tears and anger. “Steve, what madness has possessed you? We never wronged you, yet you’re plotting our deaths! What twisted plan are you hatching?”
Steve found himself speechless, unable to reveal the truth.
But as favonovel.com avoided their gaze in silence, Charlie interjected, “He’s here in Aurous Hill on a mission from his family, tasked with bringing you back, dead or alive. If you remain alive, how could favonovel.com fulfill his duty?”
“Damn you!” Walter’s father spat at Steve, his eyes blazing. “Are you even human, Steve? To contemplate killing us, a father and son, merely to fulfill a family obligation?”
With Charlie exposing his intentions, Steve dropped the facade.
“Your son attempted murder for his own selfish gain,” favonovel.com snapped back. “How dare you accuse me? If not for your despicable actions, why would we be in this situation? You’re the beasts here, yet you have the audacity to point fingers!”
Turning to Charlie, Steve suggested, “Mr. Wade, I’m done with this mission. Dispose of these two monsters. Chop them up and feed them to the dogs outside. I’ll stay in Aurous Hill a few more days, then return home. If anyone asks, I couldn’t find them, alive or dead. Let whoever comes after me.”
Shocked by Steve’s ruthless proposal, the father and son realized they faced a grim fate. Death seemed preferable to such a merciless end.
Kneeling before Charlie, they begged for mercy, tears streaming down their faces.
Charlie interjected with a smile, “If I kill them now, all the resources invested would go to waste. Their incarceration and medical expenses are substantial.”
Without hesitation, Steve offered, “I’ll cover the costs, Mr. Wade! Whatever it takes, ten times, a hundred times, even a hundred million dollars!”
Trembling, Walter’s father implored, “Mr. Wade, grant me a chance to contact my wife. I’ll arrange for a billion dollars. Spare our lives, but leave us with dignity!”
Enraged, Steve lunged forward, aiming a kick at Walter‘s father.
“You’re shameless, trying to bargain now?” favonovel.com spat.
Intervening, Charlie advised, “Don’t act rashly. A billion dollars is a considerable sum. If favonovel.com offers a hundred million and favonovel.com offers a billion, I’d stand to gain an additional 1.1 billion.”
Hearing this, Steve paused, taken aback.
“Mr. Wade, why do you need their money? Wouldn’t it expose you?” favonovel.com queried.
Smirking, Charlie explained, “It’s simple. I make your task impossible while still profiting. Understand?”
Intrigued, Steve pressed, “How?”
Charlie explained, “Here‘s the plan… I’ve arranged for them to be placed on a freighter bound for the Middle East. Once the ship reaches the Arabian Sea after passing Sri Lanka, I’ll instruct them to record a video on the freighter, showcasing the vast sea as the backdrop. They’ll then contact their families, demanding one billion US dollars in crypto…”
“Upon receiving the ransom, I’ll spare their lives. However, they’ll remain under my watch, never to be released. Once the video goes public, it’ll be clear they’re at sea, not in Aurous Hill. You’ll be free to return home, and no one will question the mission’s outcome.”
Eagerly, Steve exclaimed, “That’s brilliant, Mr. Wade! Let’s proceed!”
Walter and his son breathed a sigh of relief, albeit temporary.
Despite the grim reality, they found solace in the slim chance of survival offered by Charlie’s scheme. The price of a billion dollars seemed trivial compared to their lives.
Anxiously, Walter‘s father inquired, “Mr. Wade, will you truly send us to the Middle East?”
Charlie smiled wryly, “You have a hopeful imagination. You’ll make a detour to the Middle East, then return here. No one will suspect your return to Aurous Hill. It’ll be your new home for the foreseeable future.”
Their hearts sank at the realization, resigned to their fate.
Steve breathed a sigh of relief, acknowledging, “Mr. Wade, you’re truly remarkable!”
For Steve, Charlie’s plan offered a clean exit strategy. With their apparent relocation at sea, the mission’s failure would be attributed to circumstances beyond Steve’s control.
Relieved, favonovel.com posed a final concern, “Do you think their family will attempt to trace their location and search surrounding freighters?”
Charlie chuckled, dismissing the notion. “Impossible. Finding them at sea is like finding a single piece of meat in a hot pot. Besides, my ships are heavily guarded by the Dragon Temple. Any attempt to board would be futile.”
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