Chapter 5988

Matt Finkelstein is no fool. Despite Steve likening him and other dubious tycoons to wild dogs, he was striving to rouse himself from complacency. Only he could rescue himself at this crucial moment. He was all too aware that he harbored numerous secrets. If he failed to eliminate Tawanna, there were many others who would want him dead. In this dire situation, he realized he had two options: surrender or escape. However, things had changed. Someone wanted to take him under their wing, and that person was the second-in-command of the Rothschild family. If he aligned himself with this individual, no one would dare to harm him again. With this thought in mind, he said to Steve, filled with excitement: "Mr. Rothschild, as long as you promise to keep me alive, I am willing to go to great lengths for you, without a second thought!" Steve smiled and replied, "Have your plane request a return route and head straight to New York. I will arrange for someone to pick you up at the airport." “Understood!” Matt Finkelstein replied without hesitation. “I will inform the pilot right away!” A few minutes later, the private jet made a 180-degree turn over the ocean and headed back to the U.S. mainland. Simultaneously, the news of the retraction of the bounty was circulated worldwide to those closely monitoring the situation through the underground network. The withdrawal of a bounty order is quite rare. This is primarily due to the 10% agency fee that comes with placing such orders. Most individuals consider it closely before committing to bounty orders, as they stand to lose a significant amount in both directions. This situation also provides a level of security for the assassins undertaking the job. If they act and the other party withdraws the bounty before they succeed, all their prior efforts would be rendered futile. Additionally, when a bounty order is officially withdrawn, the platform will allocate a small portion to fairly compensate the assassins who have already commenced action. At this time, the $1 billion bounty order was officially withdrawn, leading countless assassins preparing for or racing to Tokyo to halt their operations. The survivors of the Bluestone Alliance had all been apprehended and would soon face interrogation by the Metropolitan Police Department, through which their identities would be thoroughly investigated. This spelled significant losses for them. Upon learning that the secret money had been withdrawn, Charlie said to Tawanna, "The $1 billion bounty is officially invalid. From now on, you shouldn't worry too much about your safety." Tawanna burst into tears of joy, saying gratefully, "Mr. Wade... Thank you so much... Without you, we would probably have perished here tonight..." Charlie waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need to keep expressing your gratitude. I’ll be leaving for China tomorrow. Since you have several performances scheduled in Japan, I will take this opportunity to confirm the dates and locations of your concerts in China in the next few days. You can head to China just after your gigs here." "Sounds good! Once we finish the work in Tokyo, I'll go to China as soon as possible!" Tawanna couldn't wait to travel to China for the concerts. She was more than willing to do twenty concerts or even perform for an entire year. Charlie nodded in agreement, and Mitsui Yoshitaka, who was beside him, urgently chimed in, "Mr. Wade, it’s quite a journey for you to come to Japan; why not stay a few more days? I’d love to host you properly." "No need," Charlie replied. "We have a flight booked for tomorrow evening, and there’s no reason to change our plans. Besides, I need to return to prepare for the concert. I’ll come to visit you again when I have the chance."

Mitsui Yoshitaka expressed his thoughts, saying, "Mr. Wade saved our lives, and we haven't properly thanked him yet. I feel regretful that you’re leaving so soon..." Charlie smiled and said, "Since Mr. Mitsui is being so considerate, perhaps you could help me settle the costs and logistical expenses for Miss Tawanna's twenty concerts? I don’t expect to pay anything extra for these performances." Initially grateful to Charlie, Mitsui Yoshitaka became uneasy upon hearing this. When has he ever encountered someone so brazenly trying to convert favors into cash? The combined market value for Tawanna’s concert fees, box office share, and advertising revenue is around $10 million per concert. This isn't an exaggeration; Tawanna's concert expenses, including venue investment, stage design, and sound costs, are extremely high. The stage construction alone costs millions, with the top-notch sound systems typically airlifted from the United States and transported after the performance—plus the enormous LCD screen that towers as high as seven or eight stories, escalating costs further. Additionally, Tawanna's concerts utilize her exclusive crew. In simple terms, the scaffolding is all imported from the U.S., involving a team of hundreds that requires careful management of food, accommodations, and salaries—making production costs quite substantial. Even if the organizing company nets zero profit from these twenty concerts, the hard costs alone easily surpass $100 million. Though the Mitsui family is very wealthy, they are not accustomed to harsh realities, having never faced significant hardships or betrayals. Charlie's direct approach to demand such terms felt utterly unacceptable to him. Noticing him struggling to respond, Charlie provocatively asked, "Mr. Mitsui, do you have any objections?" Just as Mr. Mitsui prepared to speak, Shinmei, seated nearby, swiftly interjected, "Mr. Wade, I believe Odosan feels that such a small amount is insufficient to express his gratitude. Given Miss Tawanna’s influence, I’m confident there will be plenty of opportunities for similar collaborations in the future. What if we increase the number of concerts from twenty to fifty? This way, our family won’t seem so petty." Mitsui Yoshitaka stared at his daughter in disbelief, trying to fathom why she would unexpectedly undermine him. Mitsui Shinmei shot him a warning glare and continued addressing Charlie, "We commit to conducting fifty performances. All expenses for these fifty shows will be covered by our family. As for the schedule, frequency, and locations, it is entirely up to you, Mr. Wade. Extending the timeline to three to five years is not an issue." She then turned to Tawanna and assured her, "Miss Sweet, have no worries. Your compensation for these fifty performances will be managed by the Mitsui family." Tawanna quickly protested, "No, no! I can perform for Mr. Wade without charge. I won't accept any payment." Charlie promptly responded, "Don’t say that. It’s not right to refuse payment. It would imply that you don’t value Mr. Mitsui’s support. Your assets pale in comparison to his. You should accept it, and you can always donate the funds to those in need." After saying this, he looked back at Mitsui Yoshitaka and inquired, "Am I not right, Mr. Mitsui?" Mitsui Yoshitaka felt a deep sense of discomfort, but seeing his daughter signaling him, he reluctantly nodded and repeated, "Yes, yes, Mr. Wade is right."