At dusk, the corridors in Little Harry’s hospital were silent. Occasionally, there would be one or two nurses roaming the halls and keeping things in check.
Having dined at an expensive French restaurant with Stern and Alice, Lin Ruoxi bought some fruits and snacks before going to the hospital again to visit Harry who was still in the process of recovering.
Currently, Lin Ruoxi sat by Little Harry’s sickbed, with an unnatural expression on her face. It wasn’t because she was dissatisfied for paying the unethical siblings’ meal. More importantly, they would act immorally at the worst times possible.
Lin Ruoxi had all the more urge to escape when she was ‘praised’ by them. For example, she was called the angel of mankind, Virgin Mary of the current generation, the Goddess of Love Venus, etc. She couldn’t help but wonder if these siblings have never been treated to a meal before. Just because she aided them a litle, they tried so hard to please her.
If it wasn’t for their qualification in attending the Paris Fashion Week, Lin Ruoxi would start to doubt them for being well-known members of a noble family.
Little Harry’s mother was seated on the other side of the sickbed, cutting an apple for her child. She couldn’t stop thinking about how exactly she should thank Lin Ruoxi.
“Miss Lin, you mustn’t reject my offer this time. After Harry is discharged from the hospital, please pay us a visit. I know that Miss Lin is from no ordinary family, but please treat it as our appreciation for your kindness,” invited the mother once again.
When the mother begged Lin Ruoxi so sincerely, Lin Ruoxi felt that she shouldn’t reject her anymore. Thus, she nodded with a smile.
“Is Elder Sister coming to our home? Hooray!” Harry who was previously lying on the bed immediately got up and cheered.
“Harry, lie down! You’re being disobedient again,” scolded the mother.
Harry snorted in displease. He then pouted with disappointment. “How great would it be if Father could come home to receive them as our guests together.”
“Them?” Stern who had been hugging and whispering to Alice suddenly turned his head over. Smiling, he said, “Little Friend, did you just say ‘them’? Does this mean that we are invited as well? Haha, you’re really kind indeed. We’re rather free coincidentally, so we’ll be willing to follow Miss Lin to your house.”
Dumbfounded, Harry stared at the shameless Stern. He wanted to explain that he was referring to Uncle Yang earlier. He had no clue who the siblings were.
“Since you guys are Miss Lin’s friends, we’ll gladly welcome you over as well,” promised the mother immediately.
Lin Ruoxi extended her hand to rub her temple as she felt a major headache. Why must these siblings be so clingy? Why are they this shameless even toward a child?!
At this moment, there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll open it,” offered Stern.
Stern walked toward the door before opening it, revealing Goodman whom Lin Ruoxi hadn’t met for a day.
“Why are you here?” asked LIn Ruoxi in indifference. Upon seeing Goodman, she instantly behaved like she was at work.
Goodman wore a white suit and a red tie as usual. Politely greeting Harry’s mother and the siblings, he answered, “Ruoxi, I was thinking that you could use some company for dinner tonight seeing as though Yang Chen is not around.”
Lin Ruoxi realized something wrong and shook her head. “No need. I’ll be having it with Stern and Alice. You may continue with your tasks.”
The smile on Goodman’s face froze while he gazed upon Lin Ruoxi.
After a long time, he sneered and lowered his head before pulling his hair. Wickedly, he said, “Lin Ruoxi oh Lin Ruoxi. I gave you a final chance but you still did not cherish it.”
“Goodman, what are you talking about?” Lin Ruoxi held a premonition when she saw that Goodman’s behavior had turned abnormal.
Clap! Goodman clapped his hands softly, ignoring Lin Ruoxi’s question.
Suddenly, a few tall and burly men, who appeared to be policemen, dressed in black and wearing a dad hat suddenly rushed into the room!
When looked closely, one would realize the golden sun totem on each of the shirts at their chest area!
Lin Ruoxi paled and stood up violently. “Goodman, what is the meaning of this?”
“Hahah! What’s the meaning of this?” mocked Goodman, his face filled with disdain. “Lin Ruoxi, do you know why I have been serving in the global branch of Yu Lei International as the director in Europe?”
Lin Ruoxi remained quiet. She knew that Goodman wanted her to listen to his reason.
Goodman’s eyes were slowly filled with darkness. “I’ve started working in Yu Lei upon graduating from university. I didn’t get promoted by the Old CEO because I tried hard to please her, but because I possessed capabilities beyond that of normal people. Back then, I planned to leave Yu Lei quite a number of times. Based on my ability, I could totally set up my own company, but the old woman told me that if I did my job well, not only would she let me become the CEO, she would matchmake me with her granddaughter, who is you.”
Lin Ruoxi was stunned. She had never heard of her grandmother mention anything like that. But judging from Goodman’s expression, he seemed to be telling the truth.
“Judging from your response, it’s obvious that the old woman didn’t tell you about it. That’s right, she tricked me and sent me to Europe. She told me that it was a training for my inheritance of the CEO position. She was clear that I was the best person to manage the company here, so she used you as a bait to ensure my loyalty to Yu Lei.
“Actually, it wasn’t that I was unaware of her intention. However, I believed that as long as I worked hard to continuously expand the European branch and perform at my best, the day that you would come around and see me in a new light would soon happen, since you treat work like your life.”
At this moment, Goodman paused for a moment and clenched his fists. Furiously, he said, “However, it’s clear that I was wrong all this time. You’re no different from the old woman! You’re all liars!!! On the surface you look like you’re focused on work, but I believe you’re just a slut in a mask. You even married an ignorant savage secretly!”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. If you’re unwilling to stay, you need not insult me, you have every right to resign. I’ve never forced you to take up the position of director,” said Lin Ruoxi coldly.
Lin Ruoxi remained quiet. She was actually afraid deep down her heart as she wasn’t in her own country after all. While she was indeed Goodman’s superior, it didn’t mean she could oppress him.
Goodman snickered. “I won't resign. I still plan on becoming the CEO. Lin Ruoxi, I won’t allow anything I can’t get to slip into anyone else’s mouth! How is the worthless man surnamed Yang qualified to be your husband? He should die!”
“You!” Lin Ruoxi widened her eyes. She didn’t expect Goodman to investigate her relationship with Yang Chen.
Goodman didn’t continue speaking. He waved his hands to gesture the few men in black beside to take action.
The five men in black grasped the siblings in an incredibly quick manner, as if they had long gotten used to the sequence. One of them then seized Lin Ruoxi forcibly. Soon, even Harry and his mother were captured.
Harry’s mother screamed in fear. However, no matter how loud she was, no one in the hospital came over.
“It’s pointless. I’ve taken control over the whole hospital. I was just waiting for your arrival.” Smiling, Goodman walked toward Lin Ruoxi and wanted to touch her chin.
Being seized, Lin Ruoxi’s heartbeat quickened to maximum. She would soon be humiliated by Goodman and there was nothing she could do about it. She was so anxious that she almost fainted.
There was only one thought in her mind—why must Yang Chen be absent at this moment?!
However, she was unaware that they came because Yang Chen wasn’t there.
Slap!
The man in black seizing Lin Ruoxi slapped Goodman’s hand. As dull as a machine, he said, “Boss has said that you’re not allowed to touch the hostages before the plan is successfully executed.”
Violence flashed in Goodman’s eyes, but he was forced to restrain from touching Lin Ruoxi.
Next, the five men in black withdrew pieces of cloth applied with anesthesia to make the hostages unconscious before bringing them out.
Goodman walked at the last. He turned his head to look at the empty room before a wicked smile surfaced on the corners of his lips…
… …
Yang Chen who was on the way to the French military base on an island in the English Channel was completely unaware of what had happened in the hospital.
He didn’t have the habit of talking to his women on the phone, regardless if he was in his country or abroad. He had received numerous complaints from his women about it, while he tried to make a change, but he simply wouldn’t behave like ordinary men in relationships to make a call or send a text to their partners from time to time.
He indeed missed the few ladies in Zhonghai. He even had the urge to bring all of them for a vacation by the beach and do the activity he was passionate about under the sunlight…
However, his rationale allowed him to know that if he were to pull of something like that, Little Sister Lin wouldn’t just have a cold war with him, but straight-up drop an atomic bomb on him instead.
Perhaps due to his past, he didn’t find cell communication very reliable. With the risk of being eavesdropped in addition to signal interruption, he was more inclined to communicating face to face.
The cruise Louis XVI had departed the harbor Le Havre at eight o’clock sharp. The journey toward the island took half an hour, due to the ship operating at a relatively low speeds on purpose.
There were over two hundred attendants participating in the meeting. They were mainly representatives sent from the governments of different countries, mainly concerned about Apollo and the Realm of Gods. They had the responsibility to protect their own countries and leaders after all.
A minority of them were from large special organizations, mostly interested in the Sword of Thanatos. After all, the death of any country leader wouldn’t make a huge difference to them. That was the case for Panther Mercenary Group and Takamagahara, even more so for the Vatican and Dark Parliament. Being enemies, even if they couldn’t get their hands on the weapon, they had to at least prevent each other from obtaining it.
It was eight forty at night when the cruise parked by the island stationed with the French army. It was also one of the military bases of NATO in the English Channel. Ordinary ships weren’t usually allowed to get near them.
Led by Fodessa and the other officers from the Seventh Bureau, the two hundred or so participants dressed in various ways got off the cruise and walked toward the only square building along the coastline.
The building had nearly occupied half of the total area in the island. When looked from afar, the top of the construction was a runway for fighter aircrafts. Planes could land directly and take off there.
The army on the island had been replaced with the special forces. Ordinary soldiers were not cleared to have knowledge on this meeting after all.
Yang Chen followed the group leisurely behind. He had left Sauron and the others and pretended to not know any of them. It was clear that the members of the Sword in the Stone and Takamagahara held unfriendly intentions toward him, especially the cool Prince and the mysterious Nurarihyon who would dart him a glance occasionally. However, everyone knew that it wasn’t time to seek personal revenge, so Yang Chen was spared this time.
Upon stepping foot into the building, the declined pathway could be seen. Evidently, they had built an underground base to prevent air strikes.
“Your Majesty Pluto sure looks inattentive.” An attractive male voice could be heard by Yang Chen.
Yang Chen turned his head to the side and saw Lilith’s father Prince Sargeras whom he had met a while ago. He had transmitted a mind message to prevent the people around from listening to his conversation.
“You’re indeed one of the blood race who has lived for millenia. I really can’t hide anything from you, can I?” joked Yang Chen.
Politely, Sargeras smiled and answered, “Out of the thousands of years I have lived, I can only remember the latest hundred years or so. Everything else is a blur. Furthermore, as the human languages develop so quickly, the outside world is actually rather fresh to us of the blood race who do nothing other than sleep all day.
“How about you? Your Majesty Pluto don’t seem very interested in the Sword of Thanatos which most people value highly. To me, you’re the one with the closest origin with the sword among everyone here.”
Ignoring Sargeras’s doubtful gaze, Yang Chen shot back with a question, “I’m more curious, however, in why your precious daughter Lilith has disappeared.”
Sargeras looked left and right before shrugging his shoulders. “She has always been a mischievous one, that child. I too have no clue where she is now,” he answered with a smile.
“Humph.” Yang Chen shook his head with a faint smile. “What an impatient father and daughter.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Majesty Pluto,” answered Sargeras with an unchanged expression.
As they chatted while pretending to be uninformed, they had entered a large, bright meeting hall. Rows of semicircle tables and chairs were there without any dust, with nameplates placed on each of the frontmost ones.
Yang Chen came in uninvited, so he naturally didn’t have an assigned seat. Thus, he looked for one behind and sat down before crossing his legs and yawning, waiting for the meeting to start.
Since most people there were impatient and emphasized on efficiency, none of them cared if there was an opening ceremony or not. Hence, the meeting commenced the moment the last person entered the room.
Being the host and the representative of the Middle East, Fodessa walked onto the stage and reported the situation regarding Apollo and the Realm of Gods before asking for help from the different powers.
A few countries of NATO had a surface-level discussion before the key problem arose—who would become the anti-terrorism leader, and why should they cooperate with Fodessa?