Chapter 2

The next morning, I sat quietly waiting in a 24-hour café.

A cup of black coffee sat on the table, untouched.

The phone rang.

"Sir, the financial interception network is fully operational. Target Jessica Smith's seventeen credit cards, four bank accounts, and two investment products have all been flagged for 'suspected international money laundering' and frozen. Also, there's a situation at St. Mary's Hospital."

"Go ahead."

"The target is heading to the hospital with the Smiths. Initial assessment suggests they plan to take extreme action against your daughter."

I set down the coffee cup.

As expected, I had overestimated their moral boundaries.

"What's the status of the A-level protection protocol?"

"The 'Dark Web Eye' special squad has arrived at the hospital and is coordinating with the attending medical team. The armed helicopter from the military medical base takes off in five minutes."

"Good. Let me hear their current conversation."

The phone transmitted real-time surveillance audio from inside their car.

Jessica's hysterical voice came through clearly:

"That bastard thinks he can play this game with me! He thinks freezing a few cards will scare me? Naive!"

Mrs. Smith's voice: "Jessica, are you sure this is okay? Lily is your biological daughter after all..."

"So what if she's my biological daughter?" Jessica sneered. "She's the last card I have left to play. Doesn't Victor love his daughter so much? I'll show him the consequences of not cooperating with me."

Mr. Smith's vicious voice: "Right! Just pull out those tubes directly. Let's see if he still dares to act tough!"

I hung up the phone, my eyes dropping to freezing point.

Twenty minutes later, I sat in the café, watching the hospital situation in real-time through an encrypted channel.

Jessica and her two accomplices arrogantly kicked open Lily's hospital room door.

Then they froze.

The room was empty.

"Where is she? Where's Lily?" Jessica screamed as she rushed to the nurses' station. "Where is my daughter?"

The duty nurse replied coldly: "Miss Lily Smith has been transferred to a military medical facility under classified orders. No visitation is permitted."

"Classified orders?" Mr. Smith's eyes widened. "That's impossible! We demand to see the director!"

At that moment, five fully armed security personnel emerged from the elevator, led by a scarred middle-aged man.

Their equipment clearly marked them not as ordinary hospital security, but as professionally trained military elites.

"Ladies and gentlemen." The scarred man displayed a badge. "Military classified mission. Please leave this area immediately."

Jessica completely lost it: "This is my daughter! I have custody rights! This is illegal!"

"Custody rights?" The scarred man sneered. "Based on evidence we possess, you are suspected of deliberately cutting off medical care for a minor. You have forfeited custody rights."

"I'll file a complaint! I'll call the police! I'll..."

Before Jessica could finish, the scarred man struck her shoulder with his rifle butt.

She screamed and collapsed to the floor.

"Final warning." The scarred man's voice was emotionless. "Leave immediately, or be charged with obstruction of military operations."

The Smiths turned pale with terror, scrambling to help Jessica up as they fled.

Meanwhile, I heard the sound of helicopter rotors.

Through surveillance, I watched a black armed helicopter hovering above the hospital roof as medical personnel carefully wheeled a bed equipped with various medical devices toward the aircraft.

Lily lay quietly on the bed. Though pale, her breathing was steady.

She was being transferred to the safest place in the world—a military medical base deep in the Virginia mountains.

There, she would have access to America's top medical teams, and no one could reach her.

"Sir, target safely transferred. Also, Jessica is having a breakdown at the hospital entrance. Should we...?"

"Ignore her." I stood up, leaving coffee money on the table. "Let her continue her tantrum. The higher she jumps, the harder she'll fall."

"Understood. One more thing—their phones show that tonight is Senator Davis's charity gala. Jessica is trying to raise one final million for political donations."

"How does she plan to raise it?"

"She intends to mortgage or sell the apartment you currently live in."

I smiled—a very dangerous smile.

"Excellent. Tell the legal department to place the highest level legal lock on that apartment's deed. Reason: 'Suspected involvement in international money laundering, freeze period unlimited.'"

"Copy that."

After hanging up, I left the café.

The sunlight outside was blinding, but my mood was better than it had been in ages.

Oh Jessica, did you really think Lily was my weakness?

Wrong.

She is indeed my life, but she's also my greatest source of strength.

To protect her, I would let the entire world burn.

Now you've lost your final bargaining chip.

Next, let me see how long a fake socialite with no money, no daughter, and no cards left to play can last.

My phone rang. It was Jessica.

I answered but said nothing.

"Victor! You madman! What have you done to Lily?" Her voice was completely broken. "Return her to me immediately! Immediately!"

I remained silent.

"Say something! Damn it! I know you're behind this! Those soldiers, those helicopters—you arranged it all! Just who are you?"

I chuckled softly and finally spoke: "Jessica, how much money do you have left?"

"What?"

"I'm asking how much cash you have on you right now."

She was silent for several seconds, her voice trembling: "What... what does this have to do with Lily?"

"Answer me."

"Two... two thousand dollars. But Victor, we can negotiate..."

I hung up.

Two thousand dollars.

That was the entire net worth of the woman who dreamed of breaking into high society.

Not even enough for tonight's gala ticket.

I continued walking forward, disappearing into Washington's busy streets.

Tonight would be quite a show.