William's explanation might have fooled the inexperienced Ben Gates and Riley, but any seasoned agent would have seen through his excuses immediately.
"This is quite surprising, William. I didn't expect someone as wealthy as you to hold an official position. Are you like the characters in the movies with a bunch of operatives doing special tasks?" Riley asked in amazement.
God, Riley's imagination was spot on, but could he admit that? William quickly shook his head.
"How could that be, Riley? That's just in the movies. I'm not even twenty yet and I made my fortune in less than six months. I'm busy enjoying life; I'd be foolish to involve myself in dangerous activities."
Saying this, William had a sudden realization. Since his rebirth, aside from making and selling games and those three months in Switzerland, he had been doing one foolish thing after another. Oh God, I really am quite foolish.
This wasn't the time when Pierce, the former 007, and M, Gareth, had approached him. Back then, newly reborn, with a mother and no support, he had been cautious about everything, following his grandfather Henry's plans without question.
Everything had to be secret, constantly thinking about covering his tracks. In the past six months, he had killed nearly a hundred people. Oh God, I am now a billionaire; why do I still handle everything myself? Money is the greatest superpower.
William slapped his forehead hard, making Ben and Riley wince in sympathy.
Understanding this, William smiled at Ben and Riley, thinking that since they had reminded him, he would go easy on them in the future. However, he would still take advantage of them as long as they didn't get in his way.
It seemed the plan had to change. Given Ben and Riley's condition, they might really go to that beautiful supervisor, as in the movie. If they couldn't persuade her, they would definitely proceed to steal the Declaration of Independence.
That meant Ian's group was now unnecessary. With this in mind, William apologized to Ben and Riley and stepped aside, retrieving a new phone from his storage space. He sent a message to the hitman Winston had arranged, instructing him to go to the Pittsburgh countryside and eliminate Ian's group.
As for Shaw, William decided after a few seconds of thought to have him eliminated as well. However, it seemed that God indeed intended for Shaw to return to his family. Just as William made his decision, he received a call from Shaw.
Answering the call, Shaw said, "Mr. Devonshire, Ian has decided to act on the night of the National Archives' 66th anniversary three days from now. We will head to D.C. tomorrow morning to prepare."
This call made William hesitate. If Shaw was truthful, then he couldn't kill him. Despite his ruthlessness, he still valued credibility.
"Good. Call me in three hours; I have important instructions for you."
Shaw, likely very tense, immediately understood William's implication and stammered, "Under-understood, Mr. Devonshire."
"Think about your family, Shaw. Don't end up with money you can't spend. After this, I'll give you five million pounds. But if you betray me, I'll use that money to place a hit on you. Think carefully if you can escape the Continental Hotel's reach. Once the hit is placed, you won't have time to find the treasure."
There was silence for several seconds before Shaw replied, "Understood, sir. I will cooperate with your man and make sure everything is taken care of. This is a rural farm, and I will personally handle the bodies."
Perhaps having made up his mind, Shaw's tone was firm, even offering to handle the bodies himself, thereby incriminating himself.
"Good, Shaw. I appreciate smart people. We might have more opportunities to work together in the future. Money isn't endless; what you can spend is real. When you return to England, give my regards to your children. They have a good father. I look forward to hosting your family in Oxford."
"Thank you, Mr. Devonshire. Oh no, thank you, boss. It's an honor to work for you."
Hanging up, William directly called the hitman, instructing him to proceed with caution, confirming Shaw's reliability before eliminating Ian's group and the retired guard.
With everything arranged, William cheerfully returned to Ben and Riley. "Sorry for the wait. Go handle your business. I'll wander around here and wait for you, then we can have that grand meal together."
Riley said, "Ben, I think you should go with William to see that supervisor, Abigail. William is more famous than us, and maybe he can convince her to let us examine the Declaration of Independence."
Ben eagerly asked, "Can you do that, William?"
Thinking of the beautiful supervisor from his memories, William felt tempted. If something could happen between them, even better. "Of course. While I can't help you with the police, I can definitely introduce you to the supervisor here."
Ben, delighted, said, "Thank you, William. I never thought you'd help me. If I were as wealthy as you, I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble to find treasure."
William was surprised by Ben's words, realizing that Ben hadn't given up on treasure hunting and was actually craving wealth. His outwardly selfless behavior was just a façade.
The two of them walked into the National Archives, and as soon as William removed his mask, he was recognized.
"My God, you're William Devonshire, the billionaire?"
William gave what he thought was a charming smile. "Hello, ma'am. I'm William Devonshire. Is Dr. Abigail here?"
"Yes, I'm Jill Bowler. I'll arrange for you to meet her in ten minutes. Could you sign an autograph for me? My daughter adores you."
"Of course." William took an unused notebook. "What's your daughter's name, ma'am?"
"Tracy. She's fourteen," Jill said.
William wrote, "Wishing Tracy everlasting beauty and happiness, William Devonshire."
Jill, looking at the autograph and note, thanked him profusely. "Thank you, Mr. Devonshire. Please sign your names here."
After signing the visitor log, Jill led William and Ben to a waiting area outside the office, served them coffee, and said, "Please wait a moment," before knocking and entering Dr. Abigail's office.
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