Unfortunately, that wasn't the last of our problems.
"So…you've figured out the true mastermind?" I asked when I reached the military compound. The military police had detained the mercenaries we had captured aboard the warship and were interrogating them. Obviously I wasn't allowed to take part in the interrogation. Best to leave it to the professionals.
What? CEOs interrogated prisoners? And are better than the police or military police at doing so? How did you get that idea? Oh…because you read a few CEO novels where the male lead intimidated the prisoners into confessing all the details of their crimes and the masterminds behind them? Dude…those are just trashy fiction. CEOs didn't do that in real life.
To be fair, CEOs don't pilot giant mechs in real life either, but there you have it. Then again, this was the future, and I didn't have a choice. I couldn't, in any good conscience, leave it to the soldiers to risk their lives using my inventions while I cowered in safety and watched from afar. Then I would become the very thing I hated back when I was doing my mandatory military service in Country S.
"Colonel Chan," I greeted Colonel Carl Chan when I reached his office, snapping up a salute. He rolled his eyes, probably because my salute was sloppy. I couldn't help it. I hadn't been a soldier for over a decade. I had participated in military missions, but that was only to test my war walkers and collect combat data. It didn't mean I was suddenly a top soldier.
"You're a civilian, dude."
"Right. Anyway, how's the interrogation going? What other information did you find out?"
"Not much. What we know, we've disseminated to you already."
In other words, we found out that the mastermind – or masterminds (emphasis on plural) – were a collective of organizations who bore a grudge against Riley Rong because of his strong-armed tactics of forcibly acquiring their company shares, intellectual products and commodities either through money or blackmail.
Riley Rong was quite the ruthless businessman, and he ended up making a lot of enemies because of that. Powerful enemies. It was funny…most CEO novels often described the male leads as consummate businessmen who were cold hearted, ruthless and merciless, but they never covered the repercussions of their actions. It was as if the authors thought the world revolved around the female lead alone and ignored everyone else. No decent human being was going to just sit back and let a young CEO bulldoze them about. Obviously they would find a way to fight back.
Also, when one company rose too quickly, all the other companies would become wary of it. The longstanding corporations, in particular, weren't about to let a single company monopolize the global market the way CEO novels always seem to make it happen. Plus the terms "genius" were thrown about far too much. For supposedly "genius" businessmen commanding global conglomerates, most of these CEO male leads had the mental age of a child, acting spoilt and pulling all sorts of immature stunts that would usually land them in jail if there was a hint of realism.
I wasn't naïve enough to think that all rapists would get charged and arrested – certainly there were female victims who were too scared and traumatized to report them, and the CEOs certainly had the power and wealth to shut them down. However, it was nowhere as simple and exaggerated as CEO novels made them out to be. And funny that the CEOs only ever raped one woman – the female lead – married her and fell in love with her eventually. So bloody convenient. In reality, such CEOs would probably have dipped their fingers into many women, including married ones, so it was absurd that these authors deluded themselves into fantasizing about a virgin CEO who would keep his purity only for the female lead (and was somehow great in bed despite never having any prior experience). I mean, come on.
"Sir? Are you there?"
Colonel Carl Chan was waving a hand in front of my face. I realized that I had drifted off. Shaking my head, I cleared my throat.
"So we know that the Er Enterprise, the Hao Holdings and Ye Conglomerate were all involved, right? Aren't we supposed to arrest them?"
"Trust me, we are trying. But they have the money to hire the best lawyers and refute our evidence. They were also very discrete. The payments and transactions were all done through third parties and are untraceable. All we have is the word of the parties involved. We can trace their relationships back, but their lawyers are arguing that it's circumstantial evidence."
"Can't blame them, I guess. They won't go down that easily."
"However, the fact remains that they were behind that cruise missile attack on the city. That's not something the government will simply let go of."
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with scapegoats," I grumbled. "The middle management, the middlemen handling all the negotiations and contacts with the mercenaries would shoulder all the blame while the masterminds – the upper management and CEOs – will get away scot free."
"I'm afraid that will be what happened." Colonel Carl Chan sighed. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing much we can do at the moment. And the government will probably let it go after they get their scapegoats. Since their object of grudge, Riley Rong, has been eliminated, these companies no longer have a reason to hire assassins and launch cruise missiles into the cities."
"If they did it once, they won't hesitate to do it a second time. Especially if they know they can get away with it."
"Damn it!" Colonel Carl Chan slammed a fist against the desk. "I know, but…damn it! What can we do? This isn't up to you or me. These bastards…they are literally untouchable!"
Pursing my lips, I considered for a moment. Personally, it didn't sit well with me either. I wasn't very happy about them getting away with their crimes and benefitting off their mass murder of so many people. Worse, these bastards almost killed me, Lily and my two bodyguards. They had no qualms killing innocent people along with their target if they thought it necessary. It was so frustrating watching them get acquitted despite the evidence we had.
Money made the world go round, but this turned into as long as you were rich enough, you could commit any crime you want and the law couldn't touch you. It was so…unfair.
Since they didn't play by the rules, I didn't see why I had to. No, I had to at least put on the impression that I was adhering to the law. It was that kind of game they were playing, after all.
"We will have the mercenaries testify in court, but these bigshots will have their lawyers' assistance. The lawyers will do everything within their power to overturn the evidence and claim their clients' innocence. There really isn't anything we can do." Colonel Carl Chan looked somber, his fists clenched as he placed them on the table. He sighed and shook his head, almost looking as if he was in despair. I nodded sympathetically.
"All right. Thank you."
I then turned away to leave, thinking hard. After a few moments, I called Bu Fan. He answered after a ring.
"Oh, Trevor. What's up?"
"We need to talk." My mouth was set in a grim line. "We are not going to let the masterminds get away with this. We'll have to bring them down…no matter the cost."
"Agreed. I'll wait for you at the usual place."
Jumping into my trusty Toyota, I quickly drove toward the place. Bu Fan owned a building – technically it was under Bu Businesses rather than his personal property, but since he owned Bu Businesses, there wasn't much of a difference.
It was a bar.
Correction. The bar was just a front, but it was usually a meeting place for more…covert operations. The staff might appear to be the typical bartenders and waitresses that you could find anywhere, but Bu Fan had picked his staff very carefully. There were audio dampeners that prevented eavesdroppers from listening in, anti-bugging devices and all sorts of things. If anyone wanted to plot something that was beyond the boundaries of the law, they visited Bu Bar.
There was a tacit understanding within the bar that the patrons didn't poke into each other's businesses. We paid each other no attention whatsoever. Anyone who violated that code would be kicked out by Bu Fan's bouncers.
This was actually a place where the police would occasionally drop in – not to make arrests, but to gather information about the underworld. After all, the bar was a place of…businesses. The authorities closed an eye to its existence and allowed it the license to run because of how useful it was. If you wanted information regarding the underworld, the best place to get it was from the underworld itself. And Bu Bar prided itself as a neutral ground where no bloodshed was allowed.
Otherwise all the patrons would turn on you in a second.
"Ah, Mr. Wick. Welcome to the Continental."
"…aren't you mistaking me for someone else?"
I raised an eyebrow when the bald, bespectacled bartender with dark skin greeted me while polishing a wineglass. He smiled, his white teeth contrasting with his brown flesh, and tilted his head politely.
"It's been a while, Mr. Wick…Mr. Shen."
"Why do you keep calling me that? I don't even resemble Keanu Reeves at all."
"Because we do enjoy all these pop culture references. By the way, Mr. Shen, I believe Boss Bu is waiting for you in room 24. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you want anything. Enjoy."
"Right." I nodded. "Thanks."
I then proceeded to room 24 without any further ado. Knocking on the door, I waited for the servitor installed within the door to run a biometric scan. Once it confirmed that I was who I claimed I was, the ghoulish servitor murmured, "Identity confirmed." With a click, the door opened to allow me entry.
"Trevor!" Bu Fan was reclining in his seat, surrounded by a few beautiful girls who fed him. There were a few guys standing, serving as guards. Gang muscle. In front of them, a few middle-aged men lounged in the couches, also served by young waitresses. Leaders of various underground gangs, I bet. Bu Fan raised his glass, as if to toast me. "You're finally here. Want a drink?"
"Uh, no thanks. I'll pass." At Bu Fan's indication, I took the seat opposite him. Taking a deep breath, I looked at him in the eye. "All right, Bu Fan. Let's get down to business immediately."