Chapter 181: Counter.
In the morning, the Jade Capital City was stunned by the news that the ICB branch in the Jade City was breached and the people who did it melted the doors and the floor of the vault. The police was shocked when they found that not a single dime was missing and that their existed a room under the vault which did not match the blueprint.
The hidden door ticked off the police. They directly went to the higher authorities and asked for a 'show cause' commission. They questioned the bank people to give a detailed letter about why this room was built and kept off the blueprints. Although the impact would not be much, but the momentary instability in the stock market would effect the board members.
Hao Ren sat in his cabin, leaning in his boss chair and said, "Xiao Mei, did the Rose family cry?"
Xiao Mei replied, "Yes, they did. Five members died in a night, obviously they cried. They have basically closed off themselves. Rich people are so afraid of death."
Hao Ren smiled at her remark and said, "Find out if their is any illegitimate off spring of the Rose family."
Xiao Mei replied, "Were I to be a human, my eyes would open wide. Boss you are wish to change the entire Rose family?"
Hao Ren shook his head while swiveling in his chair, "I wish to change the one who holds power in the Rose Family. These entitled pricks do not even know what the world needs. They just feed off of the weak and poor, target those who try to stride ahead. Fuck them and fuck their interests. They wish to treat the world as a chess board, then why can't I treat them as chess pieces?"
Xiao Mei replied, "For someone who is afraid of his wife discovering the habit of stealing ice cream, you sure sound dominating."
Hao Ren sensed his eyelid twitch hard. Last night he felt like eating Ice cream and so he had to steal a portion from the one Han Lingshi set aside for herself. He was afraid that she would kick a fuss about it, so he went to the store bright in the morning and got some more for her.
Xiao Mei was snarky as hell, and she did not spare anyone. Hao Ren did not reply and said, "What do you know, go get things done."
Xiao Mei chuckled and said, "Embarrassment begets anger."
Hao Ren wished to beat her up, but he decided to change invest his energy in plotting how to get rid of the Rose family.
...
Han Lingshi was having a cup of tea, when the door was knocked. She said, "Come in."
The door opened and a calm cold voice said, "President Han, Good morning."
Han Lingshi was surprised, she raised her head and found Maya Okudera, standing across her. She stood up from her chair and walked around the table. She knew that Hao Ren promised of restoring her ability to walk, but still it was really shocking.
Han Lingshi smiled and hugged her friend. Maya Okudera was taken aback but she sensed a subtle warmth creeping up in her heart. She said, "Thank you, I will always remember this."
Han Lingshi broke the embrace and shook her head as she said, "Ren did it with a selfish motive. I am just happy that you can stand on your feet."
Maya Okudera asked, "What motive does President Hao has?"
Han Lingshi said, "Have a seat first, I will tell you about it."
Maya Okudera had come back from the rehab after three months, and now she was as fit as an athlete. Han Lingshi thought it was about time she told her what she and Hao Ren had in mind.
Just when she was about to speak, the intercom rang, and Han Lingshi accepted the call, and the receptionist said, "President, there is a Miss Yin Ye at the gates, she claims to have an appointment with you."
Han Lingshi replied, "Send her up."
Last time Hao Ren waited to meet her at the gates, ever since then she instructed the people to confirm such things with her in person. After the call was done, Han Lingshi said, "Maya, wait for a few minutes, have some coffee in the mean time and tell me about your rehab."
Maya nodded with a smile and said, "Well, those people that President Hao arranged to help me were really thorough. At first I thought I was going to die, but then I started enjoying it."
As they talked, a few minutes later, the door of the cabin was knocked, and Han Lingshi called Yin Ye inside. Yin Ye was dressed in a formal clothing, and was well groomed. She greeted Han Lingshi who nodded and gestured her to sit down.
She said, "Maya, as you know by now, this world is not as simple as it may seem to be on the surface. Right?"
Maya nodded, and Han Lingshi began to introduce her to cultivation. The former was still somewhat doubtful but when the snowflake condensed above Han Lingshi's palm, and the room temperature fell drastically. Maya was surprised to see this and Yin Ye felt a strong fear in her heart.
Han Lingshi explained her background to the two of them and then she said, "If I am ever going to take back what rightfully belongs to me, I will need help from people who I can trust with my life. Miss Yin and I have an understanding so we are already in cahoots.
However, you are different Maya. I have always seen you as a younger sister and you have never let me down. I understand that I am asking you a lot, and if you wish to stay out of it, then I will respect your choice."
Maya thought for a bit and then said, "I have always followed you, and I will always follow you, President Han."
She smiled as she said this, and Han Lingshi sighed as she profusely thanked Maya. Han Lingshi then looked up to Yin Ye and said, "Miss Yin, if you do not mind, stay in the company dormitory, I will assign the position of my personal guard to you, so you will become an official employee."
Yin Ye nodded, and they began to discuss about the future plans.
...
In the meanwhile, the Rose Family was holding a meeting in there family mansion which was literally a small palace located in the Stag Nation. They were so rich that they had multiple palaces located in different cities of the nation. There was a rumor that the Rose Family was actually the one that controlled the finance and the economical veins of the nation and not the government.
In the head of the family seat, an old man was sitting looked at the ten men and women sitting in different seats. He asked in a somber voice, "Who? and Why?"
Three words, and the temperature of the meeting chamber dropped. One of the young men replied, "Great grandfather, we are still looking into it. The information from the dark web should return in a bit."
The old man gazed at him sharply and asked, "Do you all have no idea why this could have happened? Five people died, such a big security lapse, who did you all provoke to incur such wrath?"
A voice echoed in the room, "Me. Greetings, Mister Onyx Rose, I apologize for abruptly coming to your family meeting, but I was wondering if you had been looking for me. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Hao Ren, a few days ago, Late Damion Rose put out a kill contract on my head. He appointed the best mercenary group in the world, the alpha blade."
The old man had already clenched his fists and said, "So you killed him and four others of my family. Do you even know who you are talking to?"
Hao Ren's face appeared on the screen before him. They were now connected on a video call and the entire Rose family was shocked to see such a young man was so calm while facing Onyx Rose, who made even the world leaders fear him.
Hao Ren replied calmly, "It would be nice if you reined your temper. Had it been just me that you came after, I would have only retaliated in kind. Your ambition implicated my family, and so, I had to give you an answer as well. In the Han Nation, we have an idiom that I believe in. Return a favor hundred times, and return a grudge thousand times."
The old man was so angry that he broke out in a laughter and said, "Do you really think you can do anything to us at all? I will destroy you..."
Hao Ren said, "Onyx Rose, you better keep that kill you and kill your family for the ones who fear them. I have dealt with your dogs. Now, you will never get a chance to do so. As of this moment, I have put out an open contract on the heads of the Rose Family members, One Billion Dollars per head. Anyone who can make a kill, will get the money. Wish you all the best."
The call was disconnected, and the people were left in a daze, the old man was so angry that his face was flushed. He had never been talked and threatened in this manner. Even the rich and powerful were scared of him and then there was this guy. Not only did he barge inside the personal space but also humiliated him before the entire family.
He yelled, "Find out how he did it, and call Master Night for me, right away."
The people got to work and calls were made soon enough the young man said, "Great Grandpa, he really placed open contracts on all of us. They just appeared five minutes ago. This guy recently launched the holographic technology and this has created ripples in the market. The companies where we made investments, are all suffering because of this."
The old man yelled, "Veronica, is your investment team feeding on shit? I do not care how you do it, I want him to go bankrupt within two days. I want to see how he will fulfill those contracts. I want him dead. Do you all hear me??!!"
The war had begun and Hao Ren had already planned his moves.