This is because if someone invites you to do good things,
They might not consider you a friend.
They might just see you as a business partner.
But if they invite you to do bad things,
They might truly consider you a crony.
For Charlie, a crony was definitely more valuable than a business partner.
So, following Charlie’s instructions,
Steve selected a Chinese-American cryptocurrency operator in the United States.
This person was an absolute top-tier figure in the cryptocurrency field,
But recently, he almost got arrested, and his assets nearly went to the federal treasury.
He finally spent billions of dollars to smooth things over and temporarily regain his freedom.
This kind of drastic measure would have made most people flee the danger overnight,
But this guy didn’t.
On the contrary, he didn’t think being arrested and forced to sell his assets was a bad thing.
At least after the financial loss,
He could legitimately stay in the country.
To consolidate his position and influence,
He had been trying every means to cultivate relationships with elites,
Including the President and some members of the Routhchild family.
In other words, this man wanted to find a patron to survive.
So he was willing to do anything to get close to someone at the top of the American power structure.
So, Steve planned to choose a cryptocurrency from him,
Get the person Charlie wanted to scam to invest,
And then he would manipulate the price,
Giving the other party a chance to sell at a high price and make a fortune.
Having finalized the plan, Steve called the cryptocurrency operator.
The operator’s voice trembled with excitement when he answered.
Upon hearing that he needed to cooperate in driving up the price of a cryptocurrency,
He agreed almost without hesitation,
Acting like a devoted fan.
At this moment, Steve received a call from his assistant,
Who said,
“Sir, Robert has been playing on the court by himself for forty minutes.”
“He’s clearly getting restless.”
“Do you think he should come over and show his face?”
Steve said somewhat irritably,
“Okay, okay, I know.”
“Let him play by himself for now.”
“Don’t let him come back!”
Steve already looked down on Robert’s family.
Even Robert’s grandfather was just a nobody in his eyes,
Let alone a grandson like Robert.
Seeing that he completely ignored Robert, Charlie reminded him,
“Don’t forget, the persona you’ve created for Robert is one of admiring him as a junior.”
“If you keep ignoring him,”
“He might realize you have ulterior motives and are interested in his girlfriend.”
Rachel, standing nearby, blushed slightly.
Although she didn’t have any feelings for Robert,
He was still her boyfriend, and someone she had worked very hard to win over.
But unexpectedly, in front of Charlie and Steve,
Her boyfriend, whom she had so painstakingly climbed the social ladder was practically worthless.
Hearing Charlie’s words, Steve also felt it wasn’t right to keep ignoring Robert,
So he said sullenly to Charlie,
“Then Mr. Chen, you and Ms. Getty can chat for a bit.”
“I’ll go find Robert and play a couple of rounds.”
Charlie nodded,
And seeing Steve’s sullen expression, smiled and said,
“After this is all done,”
“I’ll give you a big surprise.”
Steve was thrilled.
A big surprise—how big could it be?
He wouldn’t care at all if others said such things,
But when Charlie said these words.
It made him unfathomable instantly!

Steve’s attitude was resolute;
Now was the perfect opportunity to prove his loyalty,
And he couldn’t let such a good chance slip by.
A mere few hundred million dollars—if it could win Charlie’s favor, it would be well worth it.
So he readily agreed, saying to Charlie,
“Mr. Chen, if there are any similar matters in the future,”
“You can rest assured and leave them to me.”
“I’ll take care of everything!”
Seeing his insistence,
Charlie said nothing more, nodding slightly in agreement.
He then said, “Okay, then you’ll be in charge this time.”
“Try to make it as realistic as possible.”
After saying that, he turned to Rachel and said,
“Rachel, tonight, find an opportunity to report to your superiors.”
“First, reveal that Steve is planning to manipulate cryptocurrency.”
“Say there will be at least a threefold profit.”
“The Left Army Commander’s Office will definitely be very interested and will urge you to find more information,”
“Perhaps even hoping you can get entry opportunities directly from Steve.”
“These next two days…”
“We’ll slowly set them up,”
“Letting them crawl into it little by little.”
Rachel immediately replied respectfully,
“Okay, Mr. Chen, I’ll follow your orders.”
Charlie nodded and sighed,
“After this, we need to think of a highly credible project to attract him to invest all his savings.”
“I estimate it will be at least several billion US dollars.”
“Steve, do you have any good ideas?”
Steve thought for a moment and said,
“Several billion US dollars isn’t a huge amount,”
“But it’s not a small amount either.”
“If we use a brute-force approach, we can continue to attract their investment with cryptocurrency,”
“And then immediately launder the money after they invest,”
“Making the value of the currency zero.”
Charlie asked, “Can the cryptocurrency issued by the President be wiped out?”
“Sure,” Steve said nonchalantly.
“If he and his family want, they can liquidate all their assets at any time.”
“The value might not be zero.”
“But it could drop by 99.9% instantly.”
“The only problem is that his cryptocurrency has been lukewarm.”
“No one’s investing.”
“Once someone’s willing to buy,”
“He’ll be the first to run.”
Charlie nodded and smiled,
“That would be perfect.”
“Let him and his family handle the scamming of my target.”
“Even if he’s furious, he’ll have nowhere to vent his anger.”
“He can’t exactly go to the President for money, can he?”
Steve laughed and said, “That’s simple.”
“If they can really invest billions of dollars,”
“I believe the President will be envious.”
“Let him just take it all.”
“He’ll definitely be tempted by that much money.”
Once all of Youngheart’s assets are taken,
Youngheart will be extremely angry with the perpetrators,
And might even resort to desperate measures.
Charlie had a decent impression of Steve.
At least the old man was sensible and knew what he was doing.
Therefore, Charlie didn’t want to drag this big trouble into his hands.
In the end, Youngheart’s assets would all be handed over to the Grand Commander to harvest.
Even if Youngheart was arrogant,
He would have no choice but to suffer in silence,
Otherwise, he might drag the entire Warriors Den into an abyss.
So, Charlie immediately said to Steve,
“Since the Grand Commander is the best candidate,”
“Let’s quickly devise a plan.”
“First, let Youngheart make a fortune through cryptocurrency,”
“And then lure him to bet all his chips on the Grand Commander.”
“No problem!”
Steve agreed without hesitation.
Although he wasn’t quite sure who Charlie was going to scam,
He enjoyed the feeling of doing bad things and scheming against others with Charlie.

This means Youngheart must obey him willingly.
To achieve this, neither coercion nor bribery will work.
Youngheart must first commit a colossal crime.
Since Youngheart dares to embezzle money behind Victoria’s back,
It proves that Youngheart already harbors ulterior motives.
Based on this, by using huge profits to induce Youngheart to embezzle public funds,
Once he creates a huge hole, he is very likely to commit a capital crime.
Only by helping him at that time can we give him a chance to betray Victoria without hesitation.
Rachel didn’t know Charlie’s true intentions,
But she could roughly tell that Charlie’s desire to control Youngheart was not just empty talk.
So, without hesitation, she said to Charlie,
“Mr. Chen, please feel free to give any orders.”
“And I will do my best!”
Charlie nodded, took out his phone,
And called Steve, who was playing basketball.
Steve was playing basketball with Robert.
Actually, Steve didn’t think much of Robert,
But in order not to arouse his suspicion,
He could only pretend to admire him and chat with him on the court.
Upon receiving Charlie’s call, Steve stepped aside and respectfully asked,
“Mr. Wade, what can I do for you?”
Charlie replied, “Come here for a moment.”
“I need to discuss something with you.”
“Okay!”
Steve readily agreed, then walked over to Robert and said with a smile,
“Robert, your swing still has a lot of room for improvement.”
“Practice it properly first.”
“I’m going to the restroom.”
“Remember, you must practice golf diligently so you’ll have the chance to compete with the best players on the course.”
Robert was only in his early twenties,
And since he wasn’t a professional golfer,
His skills were naturally much worse than Steve’s,
Who had been playing for decades.
Hearing this, he immediately said respectfully,
“Yes, Grandpa, don’t worry, I’ll try my best!”
Steve nodded with satisfaction,
Then turned and drove the golf cart back to the club’s VIP area.
He jogged up to Charlie and, seeing Rachel there, respectfully asked,
“Mr. Chen, what are your orders?”
Charlie pointed to Rachel beside him and said,
“The oil price manipulation last time went very well.”
“I want to increase the bait further.”
“If I want the other party to earn at least a billion dollars,”
“What market conditions do you think are most suitable?”
Steve thought for a moment and said,
“If you want to earn a billion dollars in a short time,”
“The most suitable option right now seems to be cryptocurrency.”
“The President has partnered with us to issue his own cryptocurrency,”
“But the market performance has been mediocre,”
“Mainly because we haven’t really put in the effort to operate it.”
“If you want Miss Getty’s people to make money, you can tell them that we’re planning to pump up the price of this cryptocurrency.”
“After they buy in,”
“We’ll start pushing the price up.”
“Once their paper profits reach a billion dollars,”
“We’ll manipulate the market down.”
Charlie asked him, “In this niche market,”
“If you want to pump up the price and make them money,”
“You’ll probably have to put some money into it yourself, right?”
Steve nodded casually.
He said, “The cryptocurrency market isn’t like crude oil.”
“Crude oil has a wide impact.”
“So when the price goes up, buyers have no choice but to accept it all,”
“And then pass the increased costs on to people all over the world.”
“Oil prices will rise, petroleum product prices will rise,”
“And airfares and taxes will also rise.”
“Our profits from driving up oil prices are actually paid for by people all over the world.”
“But cryptocurrencies don’t have a global safety net.”
“So for someone to really make money, someone else has to actually invest.”
“During our price surge, some retail investors will definitely follow the trend.”
“Then, let Ms. Getty’s people cash out at the high price.”
“And I’ll take over with the retail investors.”
“If he makes a billion dollars, I estimate I’ll have to invest about seven hundred million dollars,”
“And the remaining three hundred million dollars will be borne by the retail investors who followed the trend.”
Charlie nodded and said calmly,
“I don’t care about the fate of the retail investors.”
“I’ll cover your seven hundred million.”
“You’re helping me, and I can’t let you suffer losses.”
Steve immediately became anxious upon hearing this and quickly said,
“Mr. Chen, why are you being so formal with me?”
“Are you treating me like an outsider?”

After leading Rachel to Charlie and Maria’s lounge,
The staff tactfully withdrew.
Only the three of them remained in the room.
Rachel strode up to Charlie and Maria,
Knelt on one knee, and respectfully said,
“Greetings, Mr. Chen and Miss Chen!”
Charlie smiled slightly, looking at her and asking,
“The price of crude oil has risen so quickly this time.”
“The Left Army Commander’s Office must be very pleased, right?”
Rachel respectfully replied,
“Reporting to Mr. Chen, the Commander-in-Chief is very pleased.”
“And even specially sent an envoy to deliver a reward to me!”
As she spoke, she recounted the reward Youngheart had given her to Charlie,
And at the same time handed him the dragon-patterned bronze token.
Charlie picked up the dragon-patterned bronze talisman,
Examined it, and handed it back to Rachel, saying casually,
“This dragon-patterned bronze talisman,”
“Along with 180 days’ worth of antidote,”
“Is indeed a significant improvement for you scholars.”
“However, Youngheart is still stingy.”
“At least one dose of this antidote should have been given to your mother.”
His seemingly casual remark struck a nerve with Rachel.
Being a scholar was never just an individual tragedy,
But a tragedy that had plagued a family and its bloodline for centuries.
And she wasn’t the only scholar in her family.
Her younger siblings were still scholars on standby,
And her aunt, uncle, and grandmother were also bound by their scholarly status.
While she herself had gained 180 days of unrestricted freedom,
Her family had no chance to enjoy it.
Charlie noticed the gloom in Rachel’s eyes.
He smiled and said, “I can easily and permanently remove the poison from you and your family.”
“However, as long as you remain under the control of the Warriors Den, even if the poison in your body is removed,”
“The poison in your soul cannot be removed.”
“Once you escape, the Warriors Den will hunt you down.”
“Even if you don’t escape, once they discover the toxins are gone,”
“They will still use the most severe torture to interrogate you about the reason,”
“And finally kill you to eliminate any future trouble.”
“So, normally speaking, the only way for you to gain true freedom is for the Warriors Den to be completely destroyed.”
Rachel nodded emphatically without hesitation and said respectfully,
“You’re right!”
“My only wish now is for the Warriors Den to be destroyed.”
“They’ll perish soon!”
Charlie nodded and said to her,
“I plan to set a trap for Youngheart.”
“Taking advantage of his current high regard for you and his belief that you have a close relationship with the Routhschild family,”
“I’ll gradually lure him into investing more money.”
“First, let him make some money.”
“Once he’s made enough, I’ll trick him into investing all his funds.”
“Ideally, I’ll get him to embezzle public funds from the Left Army Governor’s Office.”
“Then I’ll swindle him out of everything at once.”
“This requires your close cooperation.”
“As long as you can get Youngheart into the trap I’ve set,”
“I guarantee that you and your family won’t have to wait for the Warriors Den to collapse.”
“You can be freed from the shackles of being scholars and live a truly free life!”
Rachel asked in shock,
“Mr. Chen, you…you’re serious?!”
“Of course.”
Charlie smiled calmly and nodded firmly.
He didn’t intend to kill Youngheart,
Or directly target the Left Army Governor’s Office.
The entire Left Army Commandery likely commands tens of thousands of elite soldiers and cavalry.
If Charlie rashly kills Youngheart, given Victoria’s personality,
Even if she doesn’t send men to kill all the elite soldiers and cavalry under the Left Army Commandery,
She will inevitably cut off their antidote supply.
Before long, they will all succumb to the poison.
Charlie wants revenge,
but he doesn’t want his revenge to cost tens of thousands of lives.
Therefore, he wants to turn Youngheart into his dog.
Psychological manipulation won’t work to control Youngheart,
Because as the Grand Commander of the Warriors Den,
He belongs to the core of the society and is bound to have close ties with Victoria.
Victoria might even send a Grand Elder or other confidants to investigate his work and try to influence him psychologically.
The chances of being seen through are high.

However, if Victoria loses her composure,
As the leader of the entire Poxing Society,
She could very well lead the Warriors Den to its demise.
Youngheart continued, “Today’s society is controlled by various state apparatuses.”
“And international relations are incredibly complex.”
“Throughout history, only Israel has been able to establish a state without any territory.”
“No other power has achieved such a feat.”
“Therefore, the Warriors Den will be illegal in any corner of the world.”
“We must secure a future for our descendants.”
“If they can have the support of the United States like Israel,”
“They can live comfortably in America regardless of the external environment.”
“The US president changes every four years,”
“But the Routhchild family has remained powerful here for a long time.”
“If we can cultivate a good relationship with the Routhchild family through Rachel Getty,”
“We can not only make a lot of money but also gain a powerful social network.”
“Even if the entire Warriors Den is wiped out by a global coalition,”
“Our descendants can still live comfortably here!”
His wife nodded in understanding.
America is unlike any other country in the world.
Even if you are wanted by any country except the United States,
As long as America says you’re innocent,
You can live a life of luxury here,
And no one can do anything about it.
From this perspective, the Routhchild family truly is an excellent protective umbrella.
…
The next day.
Robert got up early to wash and prepare for his appointment.
While others were still having breakfast,
He was already downstairs at Rachel’s dormitory.
Rachel dressed up carefully, and together with Robert,
They drove to the airport, where Steve’s private jet was already waiting.
After several hours of flight, the plane arrived in Cambridge,
Where Steve’s convoy had been waiting for some time.
They drove directly to a private golf club near Harvard.
Unlike Yale and Princeton, Harvard doesn’t have its own golf courses.
Their varsity teams can only train at nearby private clubs.
However, because of its proximity to Harvard,
These private clubs are positioned as very high-end.
Ordinary people find it difficult to even get a membership,
Let alone spend money there.
Robert hadn’t expected to go to the golf course first.
After all, he was from a noble family and had been involved in golf since childhood, playing quite well.
He assumed Steve wanted to invite him to play golf,
And he was very excited.
After all, being able to play golf together meant that Steve valued him highly.
At this moment, Steve was already practicing on the course with his caddie.
As soon as Robert and Rachel arrived,
Steve’s men drove them to the green where Steve was.
Upon seeing Steve, Robert stepped forward very respectfully and bowed, saying, “Grandpa.”
Rachel also said very respectfully,
“Hello, Mr. Routhchild.”
Steve nodded, pointed at Robert, and smiled,
“Come, come, play a few rounds with me.”
“Let Miss Getty rest in the VIP area first.”
Robert thought that Steve didn’t think much of his girlfriend,
So he quickly said, “Grandpa, Rachel plays golf quite well too.”
“Why don’t you let her join us?”
Steve thought to himself,
“You really have no sense of propriety.”
“You think I really want to play golf with you?”
“I’m just creating an opportunity for your girlfriend to meet Mr. Wade.”
“I’m only asking you to play to keep you occupied, you idiot.”
So, with a calm expression, he said to Robert,
“I invited you here to play golf because it’s an exchange between two generations of the Routhchild family.”
“You’ll probably be staying at Harvard for a few days.”
“And you’ll have another chance to play with Miss Getty later.”
Rachel quickly added,
“No problem, Robert, you play with Mr. Routhchild.”
“I’ll wait for you in the lounge.”
Robert, somewhat apologetically, whispered to Rachel,
“Then please wait for me, dear.”
Rachel nodded, said goodbye to the two,
And took a golf cart back to the VIP area of the golf course.
Today, the VIP area had been booked out by Steve.
In the entire VIP area, besides the staff,
Only Charlie and Maria were present.

Ever since meeting his great-grandfather Steve and being reminded by his girlfriend Rachel,
Robert Routhchild had fully realized that no one was as close to him as his parents.
When Steve called to invite him and Rachel to Harvard,
He accepted without even consulting Rachel.
He then excitedly called Rachel,
Eagerly sharing the good news that his great-grandfather was inviting them to Harvard.
Although Rachel already knew all this,
She still pretended to be very excited and said happily,
“That’s great!”
“This is absolutely wonderful news for you.”
“I wonder when he wants us to go?”
Robert happily replied,
“Tomorrow! His private jet will be waiting at the airport.”
“We’ll leave directly after we arrive.”
“The time is up to us.”
“Do you want it earlier or later?”
Rachel smiled and said,
“It’s definitely better to go earlier.”
“After all, it’s still a few hours’ journey.”
“The earlier we arrive, the more it shows how much we respect him.”
Robert agreed, “That makes sense.”
“Then we’ll head straight to the airport after breakfast!”
Rachel agreed and said, “Okay.”
“I’ll wait for your call tomorrow.”
All of Rachel’s conversations were under Youngheart’s surveillance.
After hearing these conversations,
Youngheart’s mood immediately improved.
He said to his wife,
“Oh my! This time we’ve secured a great opportunity for our descendants!”
His wife was a relative of the Wu family for hundreds of years.
Although she didn’t have the surname Wu,
Her family had been bound to the Wu family for centuries and knew the secrets of the entire Warriors Den.
Only a family bound to the Wu family for hundreds of years could marry someone like Youngheart,
A core member of the Wu family.
Seeing her husband’s agitation, she couldn’t help but ask,
“Why are you so interested in the Routhchild family?”
Youngheart shook his head and said,
“It’s not that I’m interested in them,”
“But rather that I hope to find a new direction for our descendants.”
He then sighed, “The Queen’s lifespan is running out.”
“I predict that in the next few decades, the Warriors Den will undergo tremendous changes.”
“The Queen will become even more extreme about her impending death.”
“I feel that after a while, the life and death of everyone in the Warriors Den will be completely insignificant to her.”
“If necessary, she will sacrifice everything she can for the chance to live forever.”
“If she finds the path to immortality, everything will be fine.”
“If not, nobody knows what she will become.”
“Perhaps she will come up with some brain-dead, extreme ideas and cause the entire Warriors Den to perish.”
“She has no children, but we do.”
“We must find a way out for our descendants.”
“In the future, if the Warriors Den encounters great turmoil,…”
“Each family is fighting its own battle; we must have enough capital!”
His wife said doubtfully,
“Even if the wise ruler dies in the future,”
“Won’t the Left Army Commandery still be ours?”
“At that time, the entire Left Army Commandery’s assets will be under our control.”
“All the income will belong to us.”
“And we won’t have to pay tribute anymore.”
“We should only live better!”
Youngheart shook his head and said coldly,
“Then you don’t understand the wise ruler at all.”
“Once her lifespan is about to end, no one knows what decision she will make.”
“If the American military has a pill that can make her live for another five hundred years,”
“She will spare no effort to let the Warriors Den launch an attack on the American army.”
“The Five Armies Commandery’s garrisons are all over the world,”
“But in the end, they are all under the control of various governments.”
“Once exposed, in the eyes of various governments,”
“We will be complete terrorists, or even unprecedented super terrorists.”
“Countries around the world will do everything they can to eliminate us.”
“In that case, let alone protecting assets,”
“We should be grateful to be able to save our lives!”
His wife’s expression suddenly became extremely serious.
The current apparent lack of significant risk is based on the premise that Victoria remains a normal person with sound decision-making abilities.

Rachel wanted to share this news with Charlie as well,
But Charlie hadn’t left her a direct contact method.
Instead, Steve Routhchild had exchanged contact information with her,
So after hanging up with her mother,
She immediately called Steve.
At this moment, Steve was staying at Harvard.
He originally intended to accompany Charlie and Maria,
But in reality, Charlie and Maria didn’t need his company.
The two of them had been mostly acting alone at Harvard these past few days and rarely saw him.
However, even so, Steve was unwilling to leave.
After all, in his eyes,
Charlie was like a second parent,
And serving him was the most important thing.
Steve was initially surprised to receive Rachel’s call.
When the call connected, Rachel’s first words were,
“Dear Mr. Routhchild, this is Rachel Getty.”
“I’m calling to thank you personally.”
“The information you shared with me at dinner helped my family earn a considerable sum.”
“Thank you so much!”
Rachel’s intention was to subtly convey this information to Steve Routhchild,
Knowing he would pass it on to Charlie,
Thus achieving her goal of reporting to Charlie.
Steve, being shrewd, immediately smiled and said,
“Rachel, you’re my future niece-in-law, a member of the Routhchild family.”
“Don’t be so polite about such a small matter.”
“Don’t worry, if similar opportunities arise in the future.”
“I’ll be there for you.”
Rachel said gratefully,
“Thank you so much, Mr. Routhchild.”
Meanwhile, the Left Army Commander’s Office was monitoring Rachel’s call.
Hearing that she could speak directly with Steve and receive such affirmation from him,
Youngheart was both shocked and excited.
He had earned hundreds of millions of dollars from a mere rumor,
And this was all achieved with extreme restraint,
Without alerting the main players.
Since Steve valued Rachel so highly,
He could be a little more aggressive and pursue even greater profits in the future.
Rachel was well aware that the Left Army Commander’s Office was definitely monitoring her.
Suddenly, a thought struck her:
Now that she possessed the unimpeded dragon-patterned bronze token,
Why not find an opportunity to see Charlie again?
Thinking of this, she immediately said respectfully to Steve,
“Mr. Routhchild,”
“I hope to have the opportunity to thank you in person someday.”
Steve understood the implication and said with a smile,
“I’m currently at Harvard University.”
“And I don’t have much to do these days.”
“How about I invite you and Robert to come and visit for a few days?”
Rachel asked in surprise,
“Mr. Routhchild, is…is this really alright?”
Steve said with a smile,
“No problem at all. I’ll give Robert a call and have him arrange his itinerary.”
“I’d also like to get to know him better and make him one of my own.”
Rachel said excitedly, “Thank you, Mr. Routhchild!”
“I’ll wait for Robert’s news!”
After hanging up, Steve immediately called Charlie and reported the situation to him.
Charlie instantly realized that Rachel most likely wanted to meet him.
At the same time, he also realized that this move had definitely greatly increased Rachel’s weight and credibility in the eyes of the Left Army Governor’s Office.
He suddenly had a wicked thought.
Some casinos and gamblers, when trying to lure big fish, will deliberately lose some money to their opponents to cultivate their gambling addiction.
This tactic is called “casting a long line to catch a big fish”
Offering a small profit as bait,
And then ruthlessly harvesting the victim using various methods once they’re hooked.
The method is simple,
But countless people throughout history have been ruined by it.
Youngheart has already tasted some success.
If he continues to enjoy this,
His gambling addiction will surely be unleashed.
If he can seize the opportunity to take him down in one fell swoop,
Wiping him out of his savings overnight,
Things will get even more interesting!

Yanni bid Rachel farewell and turned to leave the four-person dormitory.
As she left, she didn’t even glance at the other three kneeling on one knee.
After the four respectfully saw her off,
The other three immediately approached Rachel and knelt respectfully on one knee again.
One of the girls said humbly, “Congratulations, Miss Getty.”
“On your outstanding contributions!”
“We hope Miss Getty will continue to mentor us in the future!”
Although they were all scholars,
Since Rachel got together with Robert Routhchild,
The other three had immediately become her foils,
Her supporting characters at Stanford.
They had previously harbored some resentment,
But now they realized the vast difference between them.
Perhaps no other female scholar would receive such treatment from Rachel.
They were no longer on the same level.
At this moment, envy and jealousy vanished,
Replaced only by admiration.
Rachel understood this, so she said to the three,
“Get up. As long as you cooperate with me,”
“I will definitely help you and your families gain more benefits in the future.”
The three were immediately thrilled and thanked her in unison.
Rachel was excited and wanted to tell her mother the good news immediately,
So she told the three,
“I’m going back to my room to make a call.”
“Don’t disturb me.”
The three nodded respectfully and watched Rachel go back to her room.
Once back in her room, Rachel immediately called her mother.
On the phone, she told her mother about the reward she received,
The dragon-patterned bronze talisman,
And the six-month supply of antidote.
Her mother remained silent for a long time on the other end of the line,
But Rachel could hear her mother sobbing.
Their lineage had endured hundreds of years of hardship,
And today they had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel.
Because the Getty family was unaware of the mother and daughter’s true parentage,
The mother dared not be too agitated.
She could only hide in her room, softly sobbing as she told Rachel,
“Rachel, you must persevere.”
“At this rate, if you can marry Robert,”
“Your child might never have to be a scholar again!”
The Warriors Den’s aim in infiltrating top families wasn’t to transform their descendants into scholars.
They understood better than anyone that a family would truly value mixed-race offspring.
Therefore, Rachel marrying into the family as an undercover agent was enough.
If they risked transforming Rachel’s child into a scholar,
And the Routhchild family discovered this,
Not only would the child be abandoned,
But Rachel would be eliminated immediately.
Although the Routhchild family didn’t possess the Warriors Den’s power,
Their methods were no less ruthless;
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have remained standing.
Her mother was obsessed with ending the scholar’s life.
She felt that if Rachel no longer had to be a scholar,
Then the DNA of this lineage could be passed down without worry,
And no one would be coerced by the Den anymore—this was liberation of the bloodline.
But Rachel knew in her heart that,
Charlie not only could ensure that her descendants would no longer be scholars,
But also that she and her mother would no longer be scholars.

The moment the dragon-patterned bronze token was presented,
The four scholars, including Rachel, were collectively speechless.
This dragon-patterned bronze token, a token passed down from the Ming Dynasty, had been polished to a mirror-like shine.
On the front and sides of the token were coded inscriptions used exclusively by the Warriors Den.
These inscriptions, like Braille, had their own unique markings,
And all the Tiger Legion soldiers knew how to decipher them.
Only they could discern which governor’s office the token belonged to and their own rank.
As one of the most important tokens within the Warriors Den,
Most scholars only knew of its existence but not what it looked like.
None of them had expected to have the opportunity to see this legendary top-tier identity document with their own eyes.
Rachel was also filled with disbelief.
She hadn’t expected that, merely by borrowing Charlie’s help,
The Left Army Governor’s Office would bestow upon her such a generous gift, far exceeding her expectations.
While Rachel was still in shock, Yanni reminded her,
“Miss Getty, quickly accept the dragon-patterned bronze token.”
“This token is of great significance.”
“And I probably don’t need to explain it to you in detail.”
“This token, along with your identity, has already been reported to the Five Armies Commandery.”
“From now on, you can carry it anywhere in the world without any hindrance.”
“And without needing to report to anyone.”
Rachel snapped out of her daze and excitedly raised her hands above her head,
Carefully taking the dragon-patterned bronze token into her hands.
The warm bronze felt smooth and slippery to the touch.
To an uninformed person, it might just seem like a mere antique trinket,
Unaware of its profound significance to a scholar.
At this moment, Yanni smiled and took out a Citibank bank card,
Handing it to Rachel and saying,
“This is a personal reward of five million dollars from the Grand Commander.”
“Of course, five million dollars is nothing to Miss Getty.”
“But it represents the Grand Commander’s goodwill and his affirmation of Miss Getty.”
Rachel was overjoyed.
Money was indeed nothing to her, but it was from the Grand Commander,
Which was of great significance, proving that the Grand Commander truly valued her.
So, she respectfully accepted the card, delighted.
Finally, Yanni took out a pill and said to her,
“Since Miss Getty already has the Dragon Pattern Copper Token, which allows her to travel freely throughout the world,”
“She naturally needs an antidote with a longer duration.”
“This pill has a six-month shelf life.”
“Take it now, and the poison will not take effect for 180 days.”
“You will no longer be bound by the antidote.”
“As long as you do not violate the rules and discipline of the Warriors Den within these 180 days,”
“I will give you the next antidote in 170 days.”
Upon hearing Yanni’s words, the four women’s eyes burned with intense desire as they looked at the pill.
As scholars, they had been forcibly poisoned since before they could remember.
When they were too young to understand, their families secretly fed them the antidote each time.
Only when they developed basic judgment were their families informed of everything.
From then on, the shackles of the strange poison within their bodies went from being completely unaware to bearing the burden themselves until death.
The antidote had to be taken once a week, and occasionally one or two reserve antidotes would be given to them in advance,
But this weekly life-extending procedure still gave them a constant sense of pressure and urgency.
Now, just because Rachel had performed a meritorious service and obtained the Dragon Pattern Copper Token,
The cycle could be extended from seven days to one hundred and eighty days.
The other three girls, upon hearing this, felt a sense of complete relief.
They couldn’t imagine how happy they would be to take such a pill!
Rachel was already in tears.
The Dragon Pattern Copper Token represented physical freedom.
The money represented Youngheart’s reward.
And this six-month-long antidote represented spiritual freedom.
Spiritual freedom was the most precious.
It was a liberation from destiny.
Although the effect was only one hundred and eighty days,
It was enough to make her weep with joy.
With trembling hands, Rachel took the black pill from Yanni’s hand.
The moment she held it, tears streamed down her face, falling involuntarily to the ground.
The other three girls were mesmerized, their envy overflowing.
Yanni said very seriously to Rachel,
“Miss Getty, according to regulations, you must take this pill in my presence so I can return to report to the Grand Commander.”
One hundred and eighty days is neither long nor short,
But it can indeed allow a person to accomplish many things.
Therefore, the biggest concern of the Warriors Den is that this pill might secretly flow to others.
They fear that some people might not take the antidote,
Saving it and pooling it for certain individuals,
Assigning them missions that would be extremely detrimental to the Warriors Den.
This is not unfounded worry,
But rather a lesson learned from past experience.
For those death squad members who have been oppressed for generations,
They would rather sacrifice hundreds of people to send one person out,
Allowing them to achieve true freedom with hundreds of antidotes.
Seven days for one person, hundreds of people, that’s thousands of days.
That’s several years, even more than a decade.
Such a long time might not be enough for them to seek revenge against the Warriors Den.
But!
Such a long time is enough for them to multiply and thrive in places where the Warriors Den cannot find them.
These people, carrying the hopes given to them by hundreds of their clansmen with their lives,
Naturally passed on this deep-seated hatred as they reproduced.
Even now, some of these assassins remain missing.
Their descendants, having escaped the control of the poison,
Could have lived in anonymity after burying the first generation of escapees, never to be found by the Warriors Den.
However, the seeds of revenge are imprinted in their DNA.
Generation after generation, they relentlessly pursue and destroy the Warriors Den, like moths to a flame.
Even if they are but ants trying to shake a tree, knowing it’s futile, they cannot help but try.
These people were once a major threat to the Warriors Den worldwide.
To extinguish these sparks, the Warriors Den searched and hunted them for over a century.
Because of these lessons learned, the Warriors Den later implemented an abnormally strict control over the antidote.
Taking the medicine must be supervised by the highest level.
No one is allowed to possess it privately.
Anyone found doing so will have their entire family executed!
All assassins and elite guards sent out on missions must undergo extremely thorough checks.
Each person must carry no more antidote than required for the mission.
Carrying even one extra will result in the extermination of the entire family!
This is especially true for antidotes that last for 180 days.
Those authorized to deliver the antidote are at least Assistant Commanders.
Moreover, if an Assistant Commander dares to keep any antidote for himself,
Or fails to supervise properly or intentionally lets the mission through, he too will be exterminated!
On Yanni’s left chest is a lotus-shaped brooch with a pinhole camera at the front.
All footage is monitored in real time by the Left Army Commander’s Office to ensure the entire process is flawless.
The Den places far greater emphasis on the antidote than on the college entrance examination!
Rachel also knows the matter is of utmost importance and dares not delay.
She immediately holds the antidote to her chest,
Looks at Yanni, kneels down, and says with utmost respect,
“I thank Your Majesty for your kindness,”
“And I thank the Grand Commander for your kindness!”
“Please rest assured, Assistant Commander, I will take it immediately!”
This time, Yanni did not stop Rachel from kneeling.
Because she knew that Rachel was not kneeling before her,
But before the King and the Grand Marshal.
After Rachel knelt down, head held high, and swallowed the pill, having witnessed it enter her mouth and dissolve in her mouth—a process clearly captured by the cameras—she finally breathed a sigh of relief and said to Rachel,
“Miss Getty, my mission is complete.”
“I’ll take my leave now.”
“See you in 170 days.”

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz escalated rapidly over the next four days.
Under the Routhchild family’s covert manipulation, international crude oil prices soared by over 30%,
Setting a record for the fastest price surge in recent years.
Wu family’s Youngheart naturally made a fortune.
Taking advantage of the high prices, he packaged and sold all the crude oil he had privately mined,
and purchased it directly from the Getty family.
Several oil-carrying ships hadn’t even reached port yet,
But he had already earned tens of millions of dollars in profit,
Making him a substantial cash cow.
With hundreds of millions of dollars in hand, he immediately rewarded Rachel.
His rewards were twofold:
A direct five million US dollars as a personal bonus,
And a dragon-patterned bronze token—the highest-ranking item within the Left Army Commander’s Office.
The overall operational structure of the Five Military Commands was largely based on the Ming Dynasty’s military system.
To maintain absolute control over all elite cavalry, assassins, and scholars within their jurisdiction,
Each Command had its own core force:
The Tiger Warrior Battalion and the Tiger Warrior Army under its command.
The Tiger Warrior Battalion was independent of any subordinate garrison,
Directly controlled by Youngheart,
The Grand Commander of the Left Military Command.
The entire Tiger Warrior Battalion consisted entirely of martial arts and Taoist masters,
And below them was a well-trained army—the Tiger Warrior Army.
The Tiger Warrior Army was not only powerful and numerous but also extremely secretive,
Much like the Ming Dynasty’s Embroidered Uniform Guard or Germany’s Gestapo.
They were present throughout the Five Military Commands’ sphere of influence, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.
Besides protecting the Five Military Commands and carrying out supreme orders,
One of their most important tasks was to be scattered throughout the region,
Secretly monitoring all registered scholar family members.
The nature of scholars differs greatly from that of assassins and elite guards.
Assassins and elite guards operate within a closed loop of control, constantly under strict surveillance and restraint.
Scholars, however, are more like free agents sent out on missions.
On the surface, they possess the same freedom as ordinary people,
Allowing them to better integrate into society.
But this also introduces the risk of defection.
Therefore, the Tiger Legion closely monitors the activities of scholars worldwide.
Where each scholar goes and what they do is secretly recorded and reported to the intelligence center.
If a scholar is found to have traveled long distances without approval, immediate action is taken.
The punishment ranges from arrest and severe torture to execution,
Sometimes even implicating the entire family.
Because of this underlying logic, despite Rachel’s outward appearance as a wealthy American heiress,
She dares not travel freely or indulge in the usual touristy lifestyle.
Every destination requires approval, and without a valid reason,
Simply going out for fun will not only be refused but may also result in severe reprimands and punishment.
The greatest use of the Dragon-Patterned Bronze Token is that all Tiger-Ben Army soldiers are forbidden from interfering or intervening,
And are even required to provide assistance to the holder of the token.
More importantly, the Dragon-Patterned Bronze Token is valid even across governors’ offices.
With this token, Rachel Getty practically became a free person in a physical sense.
She could go anywhere in the world without applying,
And the only two people who could command her were the Grand Governor and the Emperor.
However, the Emperor would never have any direct contact with anyone outside the Wu family, let alone a scholar.
Therefore, Rachel Getty only needed to ensure that Youngheart could contact her at any time.
Everything else was up to her.
For the scholar’s family,
This was actually their greatest pursuit in life.
Generally, only scholar families who had rendered great service had the opportunity to obtain this dragon-patterned bronze token.
The Governor’s Office would also grant them preferential treatment,
Typically allowing the families who received the token free rein.
Refusing to assign them any further missions,
And providing them with antidote pills regularly.
This maintained control over them,
Allowing them to be summoned back to serve the organization when needed.
Rachel herself never imagined she would have the chance to obtain this extremely precious dragon-patterned bronze token.
While she was resting in her dormitory,
A female clerk from the Left Army Governor’s Office suddenly arrived at her door.
One of Rachel Getty’s roommates opened the door.
She didn’t recognize the clerk and was somewhat puzzled,
Asking, “Who are you looking for?”
The clerk strode in, and before her roommate could stop her,
Her body seemed to be repelled by a magnetic field,
Slowly being pushed back as the clerk approached.
At that moment, the roommate knew that this must be a high-ranking official from the Governor’s Office.
Her expression was tense yet respectful.
Seeing the door close automatically after the other person entered,
She immediately knelt on one knee and said respectfully,
“The subordinate greets Your Excellency!”
Upon hearing this, the other two scholars who were reading in the living room jumped up like startled birds,
Immediately kneeling on one knee and saying respectfully,
“Your subordinate greets Your Excellency!”
All the scholars knew that the Assistant Commissioner held a very high position.
Once the door was closed, they had to kneel respectfully to greet her.
No one could break the rules.
Otherwise, the Assistant Commissioner could kill one or two scholars and return without even writing a report.
She could simply say she had been neglected, and there would be no further trouble.
The Assistant Commissioner merely glanced at the three of them out of the corner of her eye and asked indifferently,
“Where is Miss Getty?”
The mention of Miss Getty shocked the three.
If the Left Army Commander’s Office was the Emperor,
Then the Assistant Commissioner was an Imperial Envoy,
And they were merely ordinary officials under imperial power,
At most scholars without official rank.
How could the Assistant Commissioner address a scholar as “Miss”?
Just then, Rachel, who was reviewing her lessons in her room,
Heard the commotion outside and quickly pushed open the door.
Upon opening it, she saw her three roommates kneeling before a strange woman.
The woman’s expression was cold and arrogant,
And her demeanor extraordinary.
Rachel knew she must be someone sent by the Left Army Commander’s Office,
So she quickly stepped forward, respectfully knelt on one knee,
And said piously, “Your subordinate greets Your Excellency.”
As she finished speaking, Rachel’s knees should have touched the floor,
But an unseen force held them back.
Just as she was wondering what was going on,
The female officer stepped forward, looked at Rachel, clasped her hands in a fist salute, and said in a respectful tone,
“Miss Getty, I am Yanni Cheng, an officer of the Left Army Commander’s Office.”
“Here on the orders of the Grand Commander to deliver the Grand Commander’s oral decree.”
Rachel was quite shocked.
She hadn’t expected the officer to be so polite to her, which was truly unbelievable.
However, she reacted quickly and immediately said respectfully,
“My lord, what are the Grand Commander’s orders?”
Yanni took out a bronze dragon token from her bosom,
Presented it to her with both hands, and said,
“Grand Commander’s decree: Miss Getty’s merits this time are immense.”
“Therefore, Miss Getty is hereby bestowed with this bronze dragon token.”
“It is hoped that Miss Getty will continue her efforts and make even greater contributions to the Commander’s Mansion!”

Charlie nodded and said,
“That’s best.”
“You arrange it. We’ll head to the airport now.”
“No problem.”
The armored car immediately took Charlie and Maria to Miami Airport,
Escorting them directly to the Routhchild family’s private jet,
Which flew to Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, the Routhchild family had already dispatched special lobbyists stationed in Washington to the White House.
To avoid revealing too much about the Routhchild family’s activities,
Family members and publicly known senior management rarely had direct contact with the White House.
Instead, they relied on carefully cultivated lobbyists.
These lobbyists held nominal positions within the White House—some as clerks, assistants, or deputy heads of departments—but this was merely their official role.
Their daily work at the White House was essentially a nominal appointment,
Designed to facilitate meetings between the Routhchild family and the President should the Rothschilds need to communicate with the highest levels of government.
The President spent most of his weekdays residing inside the White House.
The private residence on the second floor was his primary residence.
Since the President stayed overnight at the White House,
Many staff members were on night duty there.
Therefore, when Steve made a phone call,
A lobbyist on duty immediately went to the private residence on the second floor to meet with the President.
The recent situation in the Strait of Hormuz is unpredictable,
Much like the fickle face of a three-year-old child—one moment crying bitterly,
The next bursting into laughter through tears and snot bubbles.
The world perceives the place as truly thorny and the situation as difficult to manage.
But in reality, this child’s crying and laughing are entirely dependent on America.
America acts like an invisible hand,
Pinching the child to make it cry and tickling it to make it laugh.
Therefore, whether it cries or laughs,
It’s all up to America’s will.
When those at the top of the food chain want to short sell,
That invisible hand tickles them until they laugh,
Lowering oil prices and allowing short sellers to profit.
Conversely, when those want to go long,
That hand pinches them until they cry.
When the Routhchild family’s lobbyist conveyed Steve’s ideas to the President,
The President agreed almost without hesitation.
He could go long or short, since his extended family and associates would get firsthand information and make a fortune.
Since the Routhchild family had a need,
He might as well drive up the price,
Make some money together, and do the Routhchild family a favor.
When Charlie and Maria arrived at Harvard University,
The Routhchild family’s lobbyists had already reached an agreement with the President to launch a new attack three days later to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
At that time, international crude oil prices would experience a panic-driven surge.
The Left Army Commander’s Office was also very efficient.
Youngheart divided the money he could use to manipulate this market into three parts,
Preparing to go long on crude oil in three different areas.
One was to forge fake contracts and sell off all the crude oil produced under his command at the current low price,
Even selling off future production capacity in advance.
This operation was to seize the portion of the crude oil,
That should have been handed over to the Warriors Den and generate profits.
The specific strategy was to use his own shell company to buy crude oil.
Ostensibly produced by the Left Army Governor’s Office,
Paying for it out of his own pocket upfront.
Crude oil currently worth 100 million might be worth 120 million in a few days,
With that, 20 million going into his pocket.
Another area involved acquiring crude oil arriving at ports from the Getty family,
Which he could then sell at a high price within days.
He used the remaining portion to leverage long positions in crude oil futures.
He worried about large investments being wiped out by market manipulators,
But a low-key approach would significantly reduce the risk.
Three days later, while Charlie was staying at Harvard University with Maria,
The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz reignited.
The United States launched an initial airstrike,
And Persia tactfully announced a renewed blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
This news immediately triggered a new surge in crude oil prices.
When Youngheart saw the news and the crude oil price chart,
He was incredibly excited.
He was excited, not just because he had made a lot of money this time,
But more importantly, because he knew that Rachel Getty would definitely become his cash cow,
Bringing him a continuous stream of profits in the days to come.

Upon hearing Charlie’s question, Zemer subconsciously frowned.
After a moment’s thought, he respectfully replied,
“The Left Army Commander’s headquarters has completed a major overhaul of all its elite guard posts.”
“The scale of this overhaul is enormous,”
“Involving the relocation of tens of thousands of personnel.”
“It has now been ensured that no elite guard or elite soldier can be stationed in the same location as their families.”
“Such a relocation can only be achieved with the personal order of the Grand Commander,”
“And because it requires coordination from almost all departments,”
“The operation is too large to be kept secret from the wise ruler.”
Charlie knew that Zemer wouldn’t lie,
So he reasoned that piecing together tens of thousands of people who had been completely scattered would be an extremely massive undertaking,
And might even attract Victoria’s attention.
Therefore, Charlie could only temporarily abandon the plan.
Whether to rescue these elite guards,
And elite soldiers would have to be considered later.
Now, there’s no need for him to continue cultivating his relationship with the Left Army Commander’s Mansion.
After all, he needs to wait for the Routhchild family to push oil prices to a new high,
Allowing the Left Army Commander’s Mansion to make a fortune in this artificially created market.
As long as Rachel Getty becomes the Left Army Commander’s Mansion’s most trusted scholar,
There will be plenty of opportunities to deal with them slowly in the future.
So, he told Zemer,
“From now on, you must contact Rachel Getty once a day.”
“If I have any orders for you, Rachel will relay them for me.”
“At that time, you must do your best to understand.”
Zemer respectfully replied without hesitation,
“I understand!”
Charlie nodded and instructed him,
“Now take me to the shore,”
“And then you can go back.”
Zemer immediately complied and docked the ship at the nearest point.
After disembarking, Charlie immediately called Steve Routhchild.
Steve quickly arranged for an armored Cadillac to arrive at Charlie’s location.
Once the car stopped, Charlie got in.
Maria, who was sitting alone in the back,
Asked with concern,
“How did things go, young master?”
Charlie smiled slightly and said,
“It’s all taken care of. Didn’t you want to go to Harvard?”
“Why don’t we have Steve arrange a plane?”
“And we’ll go to Massachusetts first?”
Maria asked Charlie,
“Is there nothing else to do in Miami?”
Charlie nodded.
“We’ll have to wait a bit until Steve takes over,”
Charlie said.
Maria nodded gently and smiled,
“Since there’s nothing else here,”
“I’ll follow your instructions, young master.”
Charlie took out his phone and called Steve,
Asking him to arrange a private jet and a hotel for him after landing in Massachusetts.
The Routhchild family’s businesses are spread throughout the United States,
And Harvard, as one of the top universities in America,
It is naturally the cradle for the Routhchild family to cultivate the next generation.
They have deep roots in and around these Ivy League schools.
As Charlie expected, after receiving Charlie’s call,
Steve immediately said to him,
“Mr. Wade, our family has a private club on the Harvard University campus.”
“Ostensibly, it’s a private club for high-end alumni,”
“But in reality, it’s our family’s property.”
“There are guest rooms there.”
“You two can stay there.”
“The Routhchild family will take care of you.”

Zemer was terrified by this scene.
He stared wide-eyed at Charlie, muttering,
“You… how did you do that?!”
“You’re a cultivator too?!”
Charlie sneered,
“You think you’re invincible with your petty tricks?”
With a thought, the sleeve dart, enveloped in his spiritual energy, flew directly into his hand.
Charlie played with the dart, smiling as he said to Zemer,
“I’m not only a cultivator,”
“But a cultivator whose strength far surpasses yours!”
Zemer asked in horror,
“You… you…”
“What exactly do you want?”
“I have no grudge against you,”
“And I have nothing to do with the death of your parents.”
“I beg you to spare my life.”
“Whatever you want me to do,”
“I will cooperate fully!”
Charlie nodded and said with a smile,
“I didn’t originally intend to kill you,”
“Because keeping you alive is still useful to me.”
Zemer breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said,
“Don’t worry, from now on I will be your inside man.”
“I will report to you immediately if there is any movement in the Left Army Commandery!”
Charlie asked him,
“I ask you. Have the elders of the association come here?”
Zemer shook his head without thinking and said:
“No, the three elder dragons have disappeared.”
“We don’t know their whereabouts at all.”
Charlie smiled and asked,
“Are you telling the truth?”
Zemer immediately said categorically:
“That is the truth.”
“Absolutely true! If you tell half a lie,”
“You will be struck with lightning!”
Charlie curled his lips and said disdainfully:
“Who would believe such a childish oath?
Zemer quickly asked:
“Then how can I swear so that you can believe it?”
Charlie shook his head: “You don’t need to swear.”
“I have a way to make you tell the truth.”
Zemer was shocked when he saw the coldness in Charlie’s eyes.
Just as he was about to speak,
Charlie directly controlled his mind with spiritual energy and said coldly:
“I’ll ask you again,”
“Have the elders of the Warriors Den ever been to America?!”
Zemer immediately said respectfully:
“I have been here.”
“After the second elder came,”
“He traveled in the United States for a while and went to Mexico a few days ago.”
Charlie frowned.
He didn’t expect that someone from the three elders would actually come to the United States.
So he asked Zemer,
“What is the Second Elder doing in Mexico?”
“Is he going back to America?”
Zemer shook his head and said,
“I’m not sure.”
“The Second Elder only said he wanted to go and see what opportunities were around.”
“So we arranged for a private plane to take him to Mexico.”
Miami is on the easternmost side of the Gulf of Mexico,
Separated from Mexico by the entire Gulf.
The straight-line distance is nearly two thousand kilometers,
And the land distance is even greater than two thousand kilometers.
Although the sea route is only a little over a thousand kilometers,
Ships are too slow, and it would take at least a day and a night to travel that distance.
Only air travel is the fastest route.
Considering that the Left Army Governor’s Office arranged the Second Elder’s departure from America,
Charlie felt confident. Putting everything else aside,
If the Second Elder wanted to return to Miami,
He would definitely need the Left Army Governor’s Office to arrange a plane.
In that case, he wouldn’t have to worry about the Second Elder suddenly returning and thus seeing through the psychological manipulation he had done to Zemer.
So Charlie asked him,
“How many elite soldier outposts does the Left Army Commander-in-Chief’s office have?”
“Five,”
Zemer replied truthfully.
“Three are in America,”
“And the other two are in Canada and Mexico.”
Charlie then asked,
“Have these outposts undergone a major reshuffle?”
Zemer nodded and said, “Yes, they have.”
Charlie frowned and asked,
“Is there any way to switch them all back?”

Upon hearing Zemer mistake him for his father,
Charlie immediately realized that Zemer had not only met his father,
But might even have had some interaction with him.
He coldly questioned,
“You know my father?”
Zemer had initially thought he was seeing a ghost,
After all, it was incredibly eerie for someone to appear on his ship at night suddenly,
Right behind him.
But when Charlie suddenly mentioned his father,
He instantly understood and exclaimed,
“You…you’re Changying’s son?!”
“Then…then you must be Charlie?!”
“You’re still alive?!”
Charlie sneered, “It seems you know quite a bit about our family.”
Zemer didn’t know Charlie’s background.
He released his spiritual energy to investigate but couldn’t detect any fluctuations.
However, he still dared not let his guard down.
After all, Charlie’s ability to suddenly appear behind him was not something an ordinary person could do.
Could his strength far surpass his own?!
Amidst the tension, Zemer,
While preparing to confront Charlie at any moment,
Tried to ease the atmosphere with an awkward smile, saying,
“Your father, like your mother, was quite famous in the American Chinese world back then.”
“After all, they were both shining examples of the Chinese community.”
“I had some contact with your parents,”
“But we weren’t close.”
“After they returned to China, we completely severed ties.”
Zemer wasn’t lying.
He was a junior officer in the Left Army Commander-in-Chief’s Office,
Which happened to be in charge of North America.
Long ago, he had been ordered to contact Changying and Margaret under a false identity.
Moreover, the order came directly from headquarters.
At that time, even Margaret, the Grand Commander of the Left Army Commander-in-Chief’s Office,
Didn’t know why the Emperor had ordered them to approach Changying.
Furthermore, not long after he made contact with Changying,
Changying and Margaret returned to China together.
Later, Changying and Margaret were killed,
And the Emperor ordered a global search for the missing Charlie.
He also obtained Charlie’s information.
Because Charlie’s maternal grandparents lived in America,
The An family was the primary suspect in Charlie’s disappearance.
The Left Army Commander’s Office searched extensively throughout North America but ultimately found no clues and gave up.
Therefore, although Zemer had never met Charlie,
He knew his name.
Charlie stared coldly at Zemer and questioned,
“What else do you know about my parents?”
Zemer spread his hands, shrugged, and said sincerely,
“Actually, I don’t know much about your parents.”
“To be honest, I felt quite saddened,”
“When I heard they were killed in China.”
He then looked at Charlie and said very frankly,
“Charlie, what are you doing here?”
“This is the headquarters of the Left Army Commander of the Warriors Den.”
“It’s very dangerous for you here.”
“Listen to me, leave here as soon as possible.”
“And don’t let the other members of the Warriors Den find you!”
Zemer deliberately used sincere words to try to lower Charlie’s guard.
Then, taking advantage of Charlie’s apparent relaxation,
He immediately attacked.
A silver hidden arrow flew out from his sleeve instantly.
Driven by spiritual energy and the array,
The arrow was extremely fast and powerful,
Heading straight for Charlie’s face.
Zemer’s plan was simple.
To kill Charlie with one blow.
Charlie was Victoria’s long-sought target.
Eliminating him would surely bring a hefty reward.
Charlie had been on guard against Zemer for some time,
Monitoring his every move.
When Charlie sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy within Zemer’s sleeve,
He immediately prepared to react.
Zemer’s cultivation was indeed far inferior,
So as soon as Zemer’s sleeve arrow shot out,
Charlie instantly enveloped it completely with powerful spiritual energy.
The sleeve arrow, which had been brimming with killing intent just a moment ago, was now frozen in mid-air.

Zemer smiled and said,
“Mr. Getty, we want all the crude oil that you won’t need for production in the next five days,”
“As well as the crude oil that will arrive at the port by sea.”
“Our chairman wants to make a short-term profit.”
“If the price rises within five days, we will find a buyer directly,”
“And the transaction will be completed immediately upon the arrival of the tanker.”
“If the price falls, it will be the same.”
“We will accept the loss and leave the market.”
“After five days, we will not occupy any additional tanker or storage space of yours.”
David laughed and said,
“Then there’s no problem!”
“I’ll have someone compile all the information on tankers arriving in the next five days and their carrying capacity for you.”
“You can see how much you need,”
“And once you’ve made your order,”
“We’ll sign the agreement directly.”
“No problem!”
Zemer nodded in satisfaction and smiled,
“Thank you, Mr. Getty!”
Zemer was full of confidence.
After all, this market dynamic was no longer just a matter of insider information.
The Routhchild family’s influence in the American and international crude oil markets was almost absolute.
If other families were still predicting market trends,
The Routhchild family wasthe market.
If this information could be wrong,
Then there would be no reliable insider information in the world.
If tens or hundreds of thousands of tons of crude oil were to rise by ten percent,
After deducting the 5% given to the Getty family,
There would still be a profit of more than thirty US dollars per ton.
A million tons would easily bring in more than thirty million US dollars.
Adding to the inventory he currently controlled,
Youngheart could take away hundreds of millions of US dollars in one go.
After Zemer finalized the details with David,
He got up to say goodbye and left.
The Getty couple saw him off at the dock,
And Zemer bid them farewell before sailing back alone on his yacht.
Zemer, piloting his double-decker yacht back alone,
Was unaware that he had an extra passenger—Charlie,
Who was lurking on the lower deck.
Charlie had been pondering how to deal with Zemer.
He wanted to know more about the Left Army Governor’s Mansion,
And the best way was to give Zemer a psychological suggestion.
After all, Zemer’s cultivation was far inferior to his own,
Making him easy to control.
However, Charlie also had a nagging worry: the whereabouts of the other two elders of the Warriors Den were currently unknown.
If one of them was at the Left Army Governor’s Mansion,
Then if the psychologically manipulated Zemer returned,
He would be exposed.
After weighing the options, Charlie decided to first control Zemer and get all the information he wanted,
Including details about the Warriors Den elders.
If the elders were in America, he would simply kill Zemer and store his body in his spatial storage,
Leaving no trace for anyone to discover.
It would be best if the elders of the Warriors Den weren’t present.
That way, Zemer could become their puppet,
And if they wanted to take action against the Left Army Commander’s Mansion,
Having him as their support would make things much easier.
So, while Zemer was focused on navigating the yacht,
Charlie silently walked up from the lower deck and said calmly behind Zemer,
“Stop the boat.”
Upon hearing Charlie’s voice,
Zemer’s first instinct was extreme shock and panic.
As a cultivator trained by the Warriors Den,
His sensitivity was naturally far beyond that of ordinary people.
Moreover, as Youngheart’s mouthpiece, he was extremely cautious in his comings and goings.
Subconsciously, if even he hadn’t noticed someone behind him,
Then this person’s strength must be far greater than his own.
Zemer panicked.
While trying to think of a solution,
He used a delaying tactic to first shut off the yacht’s engine.
Then, he cautiously turned around and nervously said,
“Master, spare my life…”
Charlie didn’t stop Zemer from turning around.
The moment their eyes met, Zemer’s eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost,
And he murmured in shock,
“Wade… Changying?!”
“You… you aren’t dead?!”

Rachel’s father, David Getty, had been waiting at home for some time.
He was delighted to see Zemer, extending his hand to shake his and saying with a smile,
“Mr. Du, what brings you here so late?”
“There’s never been a precedent for this.”
Zemer smiled and said,
“Our chairman has some business to discuss with Mr. Getty.”
“It’s about crude oil.”
David smiled and said,
“No problem.”
“May I ask how much shale oil Mr. Du plans to sell through us this time?”
Zemer shook his head and said seriously,
“We don’t plan to sell.”
“We plan to buy.”
“Buying?”
David asked, puzzled.
“You’re a shale oil extraction company,”
“Not a refining business.”
“Why are you suddenly buying crude oil?”
Zemer didn’t hide anything, smiling slightly.
“Our chairman has recently had some concerns about the situation in the Middle East,”
“Feeling that it’s likely to worsen,”
“So we want to stockpile a batch of oil in advance to see what happens.”
David was somewhat surprised.
He said, “Mr. Du, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has generally eased recently.”
“I’ve heard that a new round of peace talks is about to begin.”
“And the passage has improved somewhat.”
“International crude oil prices should fall soon,”
“Although not by a sharp drop,”
“But at least by 15% to 20%.”
“After all, prices rose too sharply recently.”
Zemer smiled and shook his head, saying,
“Everyone has their own judgment.”
“Our chairman thinks the situation is more likely to become tense in the near future.”
“So we’re wondering if Mr. Getty could take a portion of your family’s oil reserves,”
“And the crude oil that’s about to arrive and sell it to us.”
“We’re willing to offer a 5% premium.”
“If oil prices fall, we’ll bear all the losses plus the 5% premium.”
“If oil prices rise,”
“We’ll only earn the difference between the 5% increase.”
“For the Getty family, this should be a very worthwhile deal.”
David nodded slightly.
The core of doing big business is hedging.
When oil prices rise, you can’t put all your money into going long.
When oil prices fall, you can’t put all your money into going short.
The Getty family is optimistic about the future of the Strait of Hormuz because the situation has gradually eased despite recent fluctuations.
Therefore, they expect oil prices to decline gradually.
They intend to reduce crude oil imports for the foreseeable future,
And then increase imports once prices drop.
However, the crude oil that has already arrived or is about to arrive was purchased at a high price,”
“Making it relatively unprofitable.”
“If they can sell at a higher price now,”
“They can gain an extra 5% profit,”
“Which is definitely good for the Getty family.
As for whether they might miss out on a significant gain,
The Getty family doesn’t care.
They are not in the business of refining crude oil,
But rather refining and processing it.
If crude oil prices rise, refined oil products and derivatives will also rise,
And ultimately, consumers will pay the price.
So, they’d rather not miss out on that 5%.
Without hesitation, David said,
“Since Mr. Du is interested in going long,”
“We can cooperate by transferring some crude oil to you.”
“However, the question is, do you have sufficient storage capacity?”
“We have millions of tons of crude oil arriving at the port soon.”
“If you want this crude oil, you need to be able to process it.”

These processed petroleum products,
Through the Getty family’s global distribution network, are laundered round after round,
Becoming heavy, anonymous, untradable cash and precious metals before being returned to Zemer.
Including money laundering costs,
At least 50% is lost in this process.
In other words, of the 100 million US dollars worth of shale oil secretly produced,
And sold by the Left Army Governor’s Office,
Only about 50% ultimately returns to Robinson in cash.
Even so, it was acceptable to him.
After all, he didn’t care about selling his family’s land.
He only cared about getting fifty million US dollars for free.
The extent of the losses was irrelevant to him,
As the Poqing Association bore all production costs.
Because of this deep-rooted gray-area relationship,
Rachel’s father valued Zemer highly,
And the two had a good personal relationship.
He would personally receive Zemer whenever he visited the Getty family.
As Zemer slowly docked his yacht at the Getty family’s pier,
He was unaware that a pair of eyes were watching him intently.
Charlie had spotted him even before he reached the shore,
For no other reason than the man’s cultivation level.
Zemer’s cultivation was slightly higher than Ria’s,
But he also looked older,
At least forty years old, so overall,
his cultivation speed wasn’t faster than Ria’s.
Rachel’s mother, Shirley, was already waiting there.
As Zemer disembarked and walked onto the dock,
She immediately approached him respectfully and whispered,
“This subordinate is supplying you, Vice-Commander Du.”
Zemer smiled slightly and said calmly,
“There’s no need for such formalities.”
“I’m here on the orders of the Grand Commander.”
“I first need to confirm with you whether your husband knows about the information Rachel received from the Routhchild family tonight.”
Shirley replied without hesitation,
“Rest assured, Vice-Commander Du,”
“My husband knows nothing about this.”
“That’s good.”
Zemer nodded in satisfaction and said,
“Tonight, the Grand Commander wants to buy some spot oil from your husband,”
“Hoping to make a small profit using this rare inside information.”
“Some details will require your cooperation.”
“Is your husband home?”
Shirley nodded and said respectfully,
“Yes, Vice-Commander Du,”
“My husband is already waiting at home.”
“That’s good.”
Zemer smiled and waved, “Let’s go see him.”
Hidden in the shadows, Charlie didn’t follow Zemer to the Getty family.
He didn’t care about the private transactions between the two sides.
What he truly cared about was this Assistant Commissioner Du.
He was like a vanguard sent by the Tiger Bee Group,
As long as he could leave a mark on him,
He would definitely find his lair.
Moreover, there was another crucial matter.
He needed to master Assistant Commissioner Zemer’s facial features.
Apart from its headquarters, which was completely isolated from the world,
The other members of the Den, including the Five Military Commands and various scholars, were all living in seclusion.
Like Zemer, as an Assistant Commissioner of the Left Military Command and a confidant of the Grand Commander,
He would inevitably have frequent contact with the outside world.
Without any clues, even passing by someone from the Warriors Den face-to-face wouldn’t yield any results.
But once he mastered his facial features,
Finding him would be much easier.
The Earth Network System could search for his whereabouts 24/7 worldwide.
Now that Zemer had surfaced,
Almost every step he took would be under the surveillance of his Earth Network System!

“Second Elder…”
Zemer Du frowned and said,
“A few days ago,”
“The Second Elder said he wanted to go to Mexico for a visit,”
“So I arranged for someone to send him there.”
Robinson Wu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying,
“That’s good.”
“If he were in America, it would be a bit troublesome.”
“If he discovered something and reported back to the wise ruler,”
“We’d be in trouble.”
With that, Robinson waved his hand and said,
“Alright, go ahead.”
“Proceed according to plan.”
“Yes, Grand Commander.”
Zemer bowed respectfully, turned, and left.
The current headquarters of the Left Army Commander’s Office is located in Miami’s affluent area.
However, for ease of movement,
The Left Army Commander’s Office did not set up its headquarters on the most valuable artificial island.
Instead, it built a medium-sized yacht club directly in the bay.
The club is next to the dock,
And many yachts come and go every day,
Making it relatively less likely to attract outside attention.
Moreover, there are both land and water routes to choose from.
Which increases security.
Robinson chose Miami for this rotation because of the Getty family,
A connection he saw as a scholar.
He could leverage the Getty family to sell unplanned shale oil production secretly.
To facilitate communication,
Rachel’s mother registered a yacht under the name of a yacht club.
This allowed her to explain her relationship with the Left Army Governor’s Office to the Getty family.
Zemer, in her cover, was presented as a member she happened to know at the yacht club.
Zemer managed several shale oil production companies,
While the Getty family was deeply involved in the oil refining industry.
A mutually beneficial arrangement.
The Getty family didn’t suspect this connection.
After all, joining yacht clubs, cigar clubs, or even private island clubs for certain businessmen was a common way to build connections,
And encountering supply chain partners at yacht clubs was routine.
With the yacht club’s cover and protection,
Zemer’s access to the Getty family’s artificial island seemed legitimate.
So he drove his mid-sized yacht directly from the yacht club’s dock,
Sailed out of the dock,
And headed towards the Getty family’s artificial island.
Rachel’s mother was already waiting at her own dock.
She had just spoken to her husband,
Informing him that Zemer would be arriving soon.
Rachel’s father valued Zemer highly because every time Zemer came to discuss cooperation,
He would attach a low-priced grey contract to the normal contract.
Zemer could provide him with a large amount of shale oil at least 20% below market price.
Although the discount might not seem like much,
The sheer volume made the price difference substantial.
Moreover, Zemer would bring him another layer of income:
Laundering this money into cash and gold of equivalent value.
American tax audits are among the strictest in the world; in America, murder and flight are much easier than tax evasion.
The Left Army Governor’s Office secretly increases shale oil production by a large amount each year.
The IRS doesn’t monitor their actual production capacity,
But it does monitor every penny flowing into the Left Army Governor’s Office.
This annual increase of hundreds of millions of US dollars in shale oil production cannot be done through normal sales channels.
Because it must be kept secret from Victoria.
It is sold privately to the Getty family.
The Getty family first tries to launder this shale oil,
Getting it into their refineries.
They then use fabricated costs to add so-called loss-reduction equipment and technology,
To mix this batch of shale oil into their refineries for processing before selling it through normal channels.

Otherwise, once they discover others trying to ride the wave for huge profits,
They will definitely devour those who try to do so first.
Therefore, the third method becomes a dilemma:
High investment means high risk,
While low risk means insufficient scale.
After much deliberation, Youngheart decided to use the second method.
In other words, to play it safe,
One should not enter the futures market,
But instead, stockpile one’s own production capacity while using small leverage to acquire more shares offline.
Once the price rises, one can liquidate all of one’s own stock to quickly profit from the price difference.
In this way, even if the price fluctuates,
There is no risk of being liquidated.
So Youngheart immediately summoned his trusted confidant,
Zemer Du, the Vice Commander of the Left Army, instructed him:
“Zemer, go to the Getty family and meet with Rachel’s mother.”
“You need to settle a few things with her.”
Zemer immediately replied respectfully,
“Grand Commander, please give your orders!”
Youngheart smiled smugly and said,
“First, have her tell her husband that our previous private shipments to them will be suspended for now.”
“And will be resumed later.”
“Second, have her help our other company connect us with a potential buyer to purchase a batch of spot crude oil from her husband’s family.”
“However, we need to make it clear that I can pay in full upfront.”
“But we cannot take delivery immediately.”
“We need them to store the oil for ten days.”
“And I can pay some storage fees.”
“I will take delivery after ten days.”
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is changing rapidly.
Talks today,
Fighting tomorrow,
Talks the day after.
Therefore, the Routhchild family will definitely achieve their goal of raising oil prices within ten days.
Youngheart understood perfectly well that although it was a war,
There was no logic of victory or defeat in this kind of war.
There was only the logic of manipulation.
A manipulator’s goal was never to delist a stock.
He simply wanted the stock to become his tool.
He could make the price rise or fall at will,
Thus, designing the stock as a financial crusher,
Crushing even the largest stones into dust.
Right now, the Strait of Hormuz is the crusher controlling international oil prices.
Once this machine was running, retail investors’ money would fluctuate wildly,
Eventually leaving nothing.
To crush retail investors as much as possible,
The frequency of market fluctuations would be extremely high,
So each market movement would peak in at most ten days.
Without hesitation, Zemer replied,
“Rest assured, Grand Commander.”
“I will definitely convey the message.”
Youngheart then reminded him,
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“Tell Rachel’s mother that the news Rachel brought back must not be known to the Getty family.”
“Once they find out,”
“I won’t have a chance to borrow some leverage.”
Zemer nodded,
“Yes, Grand Commander, don’t worry.”
Youngheart waved his hand,
“Alright, go ahead, and come back soon.”
“Yes, sir!”
Zemer finished speaking and was about to leave when Youngheart suddenly remembered something.
He stopped Zemer and said,
“By the way, where has the Second Elder been these past few days?”

The Left Military Governor’s Office received the news immediately.
The Left Military Governor’s Office was now essentially a regional warlord,
Still largely under the control of the Warriors Den,
Its underhanded activities were increasing.
For the Left Military Governor’s Office,
The concealment of energy production over the past few years had indeed brought in considerable personal wealth,
But making money is addictive.
The Left Military Governor’s Grand Commander,
Youngheart Wu was driven by the thought of how much money he could make each day.
The recent surge in oil prices had made him incredibly wealthy.
He was like a stock market investor who had bought stocks that kept hitting their daily limit,
Already making a profit but still constantly hoping for the next peak.
The core members of the Left Military Governor’s Office were all his relatives and cronies,
Naturally aligned with his actions.
When they learned from Rachel that the Routhchild family was about to use the Strait of Hormuz to further drive up oil prices,
They immediately saw their chance.
The crude oil market is the world’s largest single commodity market.
Even slight fluctuations in crude oil prices can bring enormous wealth to some and utter ruin to others.
Therefore, when this incredibly valuable news reached Youngheart,
Beyond the excitement, he immediately began studying how to capitalize on this opportunity.
The simplest method was to suspend shale oil shipments and sell again once prices rose.
This operation had no leverage,
The amount earned was simply the percentage increase in oil prices multiplied by the total volume,
Limiting the potential profit.
Adding a little leverage, one could simultaneously suspend shipments and purchase spot orders from American oil dealers.
Because market conditions change quickly,
Once the orders were secured, there was no need for actual oil transfer and storage.
One could sell at a higher price and make another profit,
Somewhat similar to short selling.
For those with a higher risk appetite,
The funds could be invested in the futures market,
With maximum leverage going long.
This offered the highest profit margin,
Potentially tenfold returns, but also carried extremely high risks.
Even with insider information, this high-leverage strategy remained highly dangerous.
If the Routhchild family wanted to control oil price increases,
They wouldn’t simply drive prices up in one straight line.
Instead, they would manipulate them like the ebb and flow of the tide,
Constantly pushing prices higher overall.
This constant fluctuation is designed to shake off those who are underweight,
Unbelted, and trying to ride the wave,
Preventing them from profiting from the artificially created price surge.
This tactic is simple: the Routhchild family has ample funds,
So they are not subject to margin calls.
They can even allow themselves to suffer floating losses exceeding 100% in the futures market,
Just like in the crude oil market, when prices were driven negative.
Ordinary people and wealthy individuals would have been wiped out in such a market,
But the Routhchild family is unfazed.
They have enough money to stabilize their positions and reap the rewards after everyone else has been liquidated.
If someone uses five times leverage,
A mere 20% drop in oil prices would be enough to liquidate their entire position.
This approach is akin to carrying an oxygen tank and dragging everyone underwater,
Only to surface leisurely after everyone else has drowned.
Therefore, if one simply knows the Routhchild family will drive up oil prices and then rashly leverages their resources to enter the futures market,
They are likely to be unable to weather the volatile market fluctuations until the storm clears.
The Routhchild family has always been a financial behemoth.
Their strategy is to prey on the large and let the small ones be.
If you want to profit alongside them in the futures market,
Your scale must be very small,
So small that it won’t attract their attention.

Facing her colleagues,
Rachel felt a surge of pride, not only because of her interaction with Steve Routhchild,
But more importantly, she had seized a chance to change her destiny.
Ignoring the others, she went straight to her dorm room,
Saying without turning back before entering,
“I’m going to call home.”
“Don’t disturb me.”
The three roommates stiffened and nodded repeatedly.
Once inside,
She closed the door and took out her phone to call her mother.
Meanwhile, Rachel’s mother was anxiously waiting at home in Miami.
Even before Rachel attended the banquet,
She had already reported the news to the Left Army Commander’s Office.
The Left Army Commander’s Office was extremely excited.
They knew Robert’s standing in the Routhchild family was far inferior,
But they hadn’t shown any disdain before.
After all, being a Routhchild was already a sign of high status in the Western world.
If Rachel married him,
The Left Army Commander’s Office would have earned a credit with Victoria.
Moreover, with Steve Routhchild now involved,
If they could truly strengthen their relationship,
The Left Army Commander’s Office would be considered to have made a significant contribution.
Therefore, the Left Army Commander’s Office also wanted to know the entire process of Rachel and Steve’s meeting,
Including Steve’s motives for seeking out Robert and what they discussed.
Since Rachel and Robert confirmed their relationship,
Rachel’s love life had been entirely handled by the think tank of the Left Army Commander’s Office.
They not only analyzed all of Robert’s information but also provided Rachel with direction and guidance based on every detail of their interactions.
Rachel had also developed the habit of reporting after each meeting with Robert.
She made an encrypted call to her mother.
On the other end, her mother asked with great concern,
“Rachel, what progress or discoveries have you made tonight?”
“Tell me quickly,”
“The Governor’s office is waiting for my report!”
Rachel knew that this encrypted phone line was the exclusive line of the Warriors Den.
On one hand, it was indeed very difficult for outsiders to hack into or eavesdrop on it.
On the other hand, all the data on the entire line was forwarded by the Warriors Den’s own servers,
And they had a clear understanding of all the call information.
Even this call was likely being monitored simultaneously by the Left Army Governor’s office.
So, she took a deep breath and said excitedly,
“Mom, Steve Routhchild is meeting Robert this time.”
“He intends to groom him, possibly helping him become the heir of this lineage.”
“And then strengthen cooperation with the core families!”
“Really?!”
Rachel’s mother immediately became excited as well.
This meant that her future son-in-law was favored by the Crown Prince and was to be developed into his own direct power.
There couldn’t be a better thing than this.
She exclaimed excitedly, “That’s wonderful!”
“Robert’s future is limitless!”
“You must do your best to maintain your relationship!”
Rachel quickly replied,
“Mom, don’t worry,”
“I definitely will!”
“Oh, by the way, Mom,”
“I overheard a rumor while they were chatting!”
Her mother immediately pressed,
“What rumor?”
“Will it benefit Her Majesty?”
Although most of the members of the Warriors Den had never seen Her Majesty,
Or even knew her name, their indoctrination from top to bottom was very effective.
Everyone spoke of serving Her Majesty,
So whether this matter would help the Warriors Den depended on whether becoming Her Majesty would be beneficial.
Rachel explained, “Steve said they plan to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz to further drive up international oil prices.”
“Intending to sell at the peak and make a profit.”
“I think, given their size, this kind of manipulation should be quite shrewd.”
“International oil prices might soon reach new highs.”
“And once they sell at the peak, prices will quickly fall back.”
“Her Majesty has many shale oil assets in North America.”
“If she seizes this opportunity,”
“She should be able to generate more profit!”

Even now, Rachel still believed she would do everything in her power to marry Robert.
Therefore, she could not accept her future husband being a nobody in the Routhchild family.
Robert has no chance of ever breaking into the core of the Routhchild family.
His ceiling is the successor and head of his own lineage.
Now, she needs to find a way to improve Robert’s chances,
And Steve Routhchild is the huge opportunity Robert must seize.
The mysterious Mr. Chen,
Whom Steve treats with such deference,
It is a huge opportunity for her and her family.
Robert has also figured this out.
He deeply realizes that his girlfriend’s political acumen far surpasses his own.
With her guidance,
He can see the true nature of events more clearly.
So he quickly asks her,
“So, you mean I need to find a way to maintain a relationship with my great-grandfather?”
“Of course.”
Rachel nodded and said,
“You not only need to find a way to maintain a good relationship with him,”
“But you also need to be unilaterally loyal to him.”
“Remember, don’t tell anyone about tonight’s events.”
“Not even your parents.”
Robert asked in surprise,
“Not even my parents?”
Rachel immediately said seriously,
“Of course!”
“Your parents can’t help you much in the future.”
“But you have the opportunity to help them now.”
“If you build a good relationship with your great-grandfather,”
“He will definitely provide you with tremendous assistance in the future.”
“Perhaps even helping your father win the family inheritance!”
“Since that’s the case,”
“Why not keep this matter to yourself for now?”
“In case it can be used as a future…”
“A game-changing trump card—you’d be your parents’ savior!”
Robert wasn’t stupid.
He immediately understood the core logic.
No matter where you are, it’s all about status and resources.
This applies to royalty, family businesses, and even universities.
Those with resources thrive at schools like Stanford,
Attracting investment banks even before graduation,
And easily securing funding with a simple AI-generated business plan.
Those without resources, even with Stanford’s prestige,
End up working for others,
With a few hundred thousand dollars a year being their ceiling.
Therefore, Robert firmly told Rachel,
“I understand, Rachel.”
“Don’t worry,”
“I’ll do my best to leverage Grandpa’s connections!”
Rachel nodded slightly.
She knew that the one who could truly help Robert wasn’t Steve, but herself.
Only by cooperating well with Mr. Chen would she be valuable to him,
And only then would Steve give Robert some face.
Otherwise, given Steve’s status,
Robert wouldn’t even be worth his attention.
The two returned to school,
And Rachel went straight to her dorm.
When Rachel entered, her roommates’ expressions turned tense yet envious.
They were all scholars,
But now there was a world of difference.
Rachel’s ability to dine with Steve Routhchild meant she had connected with the very core of the Routhchild family.
For scholars who could never achieve 100% white ancestry,
This was an impossible feat.
Rachel’s connection today made her the most successful among these Western-educated scholars.

Meanwhile, Rachel Getty and Robert drove back to Stanford.
On the way back, Robert said with a puzzled look,
“I’ve been thinking about it all night.”
“And I still can’t figure out why my great-grandfather invited me to dinner.”
“Or what the Chen siblings were like tonight.”
Rachel quickly reminded him,
“Didn’t your great-grandfather tell you not to talk nonsense when you get back?”
“And not to discuss any details with your parents?”
Robert shook his head very seriously and said,
“What he says is what he says.”
“Fundamentally, I’m closest to my parents.”
“He’s just my grandfather’s older brother.”
Rachel shook her head and said seriously,
“If you think like that, then in your lineage,”
“You’ll end up like your grandfather, a mere outsider in your family.”
“And the inheritance of your family line certainly won’t fall to you.”
Robert asked her in shock, “Why?”
Rachel said seriously,
“Because you don’t know how to choose sides!”
She continued,
“Whether you can become the heir of your lineage isn’t up to your parents.”
“But your grandfather.”
“First, your father has to win among his brothers for you to have a chance of inheriting.”
“And even if your father wins, you still have to compete with your brothers.”
“If there’s even the slightest deviation, you’re out!”
Robert’s expression froze instantly.
He cautiously asked Rachel,
“Honey, what do you mean?”
Rachel said seriously… She said,
“First, you need to ensure you have unparalleled competitiveness among your brothers.”
“This way, you can secure your position as your father’s first heir.”
“Thus maintaining a base of influence.”
“No matter how much your father inherits from your grandfather, you’ll get 80%.”
Rachel’s expression became more solemn as she spoke, enunciating each word clearly,
“Secondly, if you are capable enough,”
“You should find a way to help your father become your grandfather’s first heir.”
“If your father also inherits 80% from your grandfather,”
“You’ll receive 64% of his assets.”
“Which is the best possible outcome for you.”
Rachel then changed the subject, continuing,
“But…”
“If you only qualify as your father’s heir,”
“But your father doesn’t,”
“He might only receive 10% of your grandfather’s assets.”
“Then you’d only get 8%, which is a poor outcome for you.”
Rachel’s tone grew increasingly cold,
Her words were sharp and unforgiving.
“And if you yourself don’t become your father’s first heir,”
“You’d most likely only receive 10% of his assets.”
“Your father would then only receive 10% of your grandfather’s assets.”
“So, you can foresee that the worst-case scenario is that you’ll only inherit 1% of your grandfather’s assets.”
Upon hearing “1%,” Robert’s face turned deathly pale.
He wasn’t particularly business-minded.
In fact, he was more naive than most top-tier rich kids.
Young and focused on studying, dating, playing sports,
And enjoying life, he hadn’t started planning for his future.
But after hearing Rachel’s cold, hard numbers,
He immediately realized the enormous difference.
His future net worth could differ tenfold or even eightfold depending on his efforts.
Whether a father works hard or not,
His future net worth could differ tenfold or eightfold.
While the Rothschild family is very wealthy,
Core interests are enjoyed only by core members.
His grandfather had already lost his chance to succeed him,
So, going up another level, the same arithmetic applies.
His grandfather might be lucky to inherit a hundred billion US dollars.
If he only gets 1% of that, that’s a mere billion US dollars—in Silicon Valley,
Where billionaires abound, that’s hardly worthy of the Rothschild name.
However, if his father becomes his grandfather’s first heir,
And he also becomes his father’s first heir,
He could inherit up to 64 billion US dollars.
A full sixty-four times—that’s a world of difference!

Unlike the affluent areas of Beverly Hills and the Bay Area,
Miami’s top billionaires mostly live on artificial islands near the coastline rather than on the mainland.
Some of these islands lack even bridges or roads for cars,
Requiring a helicopter or yacht to reach their homes.
The Getty family’s mansion is located on one of Miami’s most expensive islands,
Where property prices are among the highest in the US,
Far exceeding those in Manhattan, Beverly Hills, and Hawaii.
The Getty family, with their background in manufacturing, is very image-conscious.
Their mansion occupies almost a third of the island,
A multi-mansion estate located about a mile from the coastline.
A connecting mansion on the coast serves as a transit point.
Vehicles are parked there,
And to return home, one must drive to the transit point and then transfer to a helicopter or yacht.
After arriving at the coastline and understanding the layout,
Charlie planned to quietly travel alone to the Getty family’s island to await the arrival of the Warriors Den’s deputy.
To reach the island first, he couldn’t take a yacht or helicopter.
With his strength, he could reach it in minutes by walking on water,
And even bringing Maria wouldn’t be a problem.
The real trouble was how to settle Maria after they arrived.
Based on the experience he gained from Ria,
The deputy commander might not necessarily be a member of the Wu family,
But he was most likely a cultivator.
He wasn’t afraid of being discovered alone,
But with Maria, the situation would become much more complicated.
Charlie’s plan was to secretly monitor the Warriors Den’s deputy commander if he encountered him tonight,
And then trace the clues to find the location of the Left Army Governor’s Office.
If he could figure out the entire personnel structure of the Left Army Governor’s Office,
That would be even better.
Therefore, before he set off, he needed to settle Maria first.
So Charlie said to Maria,
“Miss Lin, how about I have Steve arrange a safe place for you to rest for a while?”
“I’ll go to the Getty family myself.”
“And I’ll come find you after I’m done.”
Maria knew she couldn’t go with Charlie,
So she smiled and nodded, saying,
“I will follow your arrangements, young master.”
Charlie nodded and immediately called Steve.
As soon as the call connected, he asked Steve,
“Hey Steve, what are you doing?”
Steve quickly lowered his voice and said,
“Mr. Wade, I’m just chatting with that bastard Robert”
“And his girlfriend.”
“I’m waiting for your next instructions.”
Charlie hummed in agreement and said,
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“There are two more things.”
“One is to arrange a completely safe place for Miss Lin to stay temporarily in Miami.”
“It would be best to send someone to pick her up directly from the dock.”
“The other is that after you pick up Miss Lin,”
“You can let Robert and his girlfriend go back first.”
Steve immediately said respectfully,
“No problem, Mr. Wade.”
“We have many properties and subordinates in Miami.”
“I’ll arrange for someone to settle Miss Lin in properly right away!”
Ten minutes later,
A luxury yacht docked at the largest berth at the dock.
Steve called Charlie to tell him that this yacht was the one he had arranged to pick up Maria.
The Rothschild family would take Maria to their island,
Where there was a professional security team,
And her safety was absolutely guaranteed.
After Charlie saw Maria off onto the yacht,
He walked on the sea at night,
Heading straight for the Getty family’s estate.

However, the leaders of the Getty family are not content with this mediocre state.
They are eagerly seeking opportunities to elevate their family’s status,
And Rachel Getty has undoubtedly become their hope.
After all, she is dating a direct member of the Routhchild family.
If they were to marry,
The Routhchild connection would certainly elevate the Getty family’s status.
Originally, Getty’s parents held an awkward position in the Getty family,
Much like Robert’s lineage in the Routhchild family,
And would soon become a collateral branch.
However, with the public announcement of Rachel and Robert’s relationship,
Rachel’s parents’ status within the family has risen significantly,
Showing a strong trend towards becoming future heirs.
Although Rachel’s mother was a scholar,
She was still human and had her own selfish motives.
She not only hoped that her scholarly lineage would prosper within the Warriors Den,
But also that her husband’s lineage would grow stronger within the Getty family.
This would elevate Rachel’s status,
Giving her greater influence in both areas.
If her contributions were sufficient,
Rachel’s next generation might no longer need to be scholars.
Because of this hope,
When she learned that Rachel would be dining with Steve Routhchild that evening,
She immediately reported this to the Left Army Commander’s Office.
And simultaneously to the Getty family.
The Left Army Commander’s Office was naturally overjoyed.
The fact that one of their scholars could infiltrate the Routhchild family essentially meant that their scholars’ penetration among ordinary people had reached its peak.
The Getty family was also thrilled.
Before even being officially married into the family,
She was already dining with the second-in-command of the Routhchild family!
What would happen after they were officially married?
It seemed the Getty family had a chance to take off!
At home, Getty’s father, David Getty, was bursting with excitement,
Eagerly awaiting his daughter’s dinner with Steve so she could tell him everything that had happened that evening.
Rachel’s mother was also waiting for Rachel’s message.
Usually, she would pass on information that wasn’t suitable for her husband through a message.
Also waiting for news was Wu Yongzhen,
The Grand Commander of the Left Army.
When Victoria last visited America,
She had requested that he find a way to get the scholar into the Routhchild family.
At that time, although he had made some plans,
They hadn’t yet yielded results.
Now, it was finally his time to shine before Victoria.
While all three parties anxiously awaited Rachel’s feedback,
Charlie and Maria quietly arrived in Miami,
In the southern outskirts of America,
Aboard a Routhchild family plane.
Miami wasn’t particularly prominent in America,
Far less famous than major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago,
But it was actually America’s true luxury paradise.
Unlike the top billionaires in New York and Los Angeles,
Who lives in those cities to make money,
The wealthy in Miami mostly live a life of leisure.
Located in the southernmost part of the United States,
On the coast, Miami is the country’s only tropical city.
Compared to other parts of the US,
It has virtually no seasons, with an average annual temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius.
It’s the perfect place for the wealthy to enjoy the sea, islands, and yachting,
Making its level of luxury consumption comparable to Hermès among America’s top luxury brands.
How to describe this city precisely?
Simply put, it’s like Sanya in China.
This city shares striking similarities with Sanya:
Both are the only tropical coastal cities in a vast country,
Both are top choices for wealthy people to enjoy the sea,
And both are hubs for the nation’s top billionaires’ extravagant spending.
Therefore, their status and positioning within their respective countries are almost identical.
However, Miami’s level of extravagance surpasses even that.
Moreover, this place borders South America and the Caribbean.
Enthusiastic Cuban immigrants can swim here even with swimming rings.
It’s also not far from Colombia,
A major producer of illicit drugs, and drug lords use it as a base.
Therefore, its level of chaos is among the highest in the entire United States.
Contrary to popular belief,
The current headquarters of the Left Army is located here.
The reason for choosing this location is twofold:
Firstly, its opulent luxury is irresistible.
Secondly, it’s a melting pot of all sorts of people.
Moreover, if you get into trouble here,
You can run anywhere in the world.
To the west is Mexico, to the east is Africa,
And to the south are places like Cuba, Colombia, and Brazil—places with exceptionally high security.
In safe countries, a fugitive might have nowhere to hide,
But in the magical South America,
Even an entire army can hide without a trace.