Chapter 6014

After assessing the situation, Matt Finkelstein was the first to voice his opinion: "Since Mr. Wade has stated this, I fully support it! I will contribute the billion dollars!" The others exchanged glances, their expressions revealing their discomfort. One of them inquired, "Mr. Wade, will this issue be resolved once the money is paid?" Charlie replied calmly, "It can be resolved, but the funds you used to create this pool apply to you as well. In other words, if you return to your previous business in the future, the reward will still be beneficial to you. If someone exposes your criminal activities, they can also claim the reward. And if someone decides to take your life, they will be entitled to the reward as well." The man looked extremely disheartened, saying, "It seems terribly unfair for us to do this. We pay the money, yet we face future restrictions and possible harm from our own funds. This is simply unreasonable!" Charlie met his gaze and countered, "So, according to you, you intend to continue engaging in such activities in the future?" The other man muttered under his breath, "I believe these activities should remain behind closed doors, having no impact on anyone else. It’s just that some unsavory figures like Matt Finkelstein gather us together, take videos, and try to exert control over us. Later, these things can become scandals when exposed. Otherwise, we would simply enjoy ourselves without any external involvement!" Steve frowned and admonished, "Hank, you need to be careful with your words! You’re speaking to Mr. Wade, so show him some proper respect!" Seeing Steve’s intimidating expression, the man became even more disheartened and simply gave up, stating, "Mr. Rothschild, I hold you and Mr. Wade in high regard, but everything should be fair. We’ve never engaged in illegal activities in China. If Mr. Wade from China summons us to criticize and threaten us, even our future actions in the U.S. and elsewhere would fall under his jurisdiction. Isn’t that unreasonable?" Steve's cold tone responded, "Since it’s Mr. Wade who is speaking, it must be reasonable! Don’t dwell on how to profit; your mind should not be filled with those unsavory ideas. Remember, you are also a person with children and grandchildren. Did you consider them before getting involved in these activities?" The man looked wronged, saying, "Mr. Rothschild, I don’t have grand ambitions, nor do I need a lot of money. I simply wish to live a free life in the future. Is that so wrong? And regarding my children and grandchildren, if it weren't for someone like Matt Finkelstein recording me, they would never discover what I did on those islands. I was a playboy when I left home, and I returned as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. Isn’t that how it is for everyone?" Although the others didn’t dare to speak up directly, they all silently shared his sentiments. Charlie responded calmly, "I do have a tendency to involve myself in others' affairs. When I was unaware of your misdeeds, what you did in the U.S. was none of my concern, but now that I know, I must intervene." He then glanced at the man with a sneer: "You enjoy playing games, correct? Well, I will ensure you lose your ability to participate from now on. If you wish to engage in such behavior in the future, you should consider being the subject of others' games rather than the one orchestrating them." The man felt a surge of fear and couldn't understand Charlie's intentions. He remained oblivious to the fact that Charlie had transferred a unique power into his body, resulting in him losing his masculinity entirely, similar to Kenneth Wilson.

Steve looked at Charlie earnestly, saying, "Mr. Wade, I won’t allow this man to enjoy his wine. I believe it would be preferable for him to reflect on himself at Don Albert's dog farm." Charlie smiled and responded, "You truly know how to cause trouble for Don Albert. These individuals entered China through proper channels and openly. Furthermore, they arrived at Heaven Springs boldly. I can't even count how many surveillance cameras have captured this. Sending them to Don Albert’s dog farm would only create complications for him." Steve gritted his teeth in frustration, saying, "I simply cannot tolerate his pretentious demeanor. That’s fine; I’ll handle him when we return to the United States." Hank, the white man, grew anxious as he expressed, "Mr. Rothschild, I merely spoke my mind; I meant no harm..." Steve was on the verge of reprimanding him, but Charlie raised a hand to interrupt, surveying the group and asking, "Do you all believe it's your right to engage in covert activities on those islands?" No one dared to admit it, yet nobody denied it either. They were all individuals whose lifestyles and tastes had deviated from the norm. The average way of living no longer sufficed for them. If they were barred from such activities in the future, their lives would lose much of their excitement; in their eyes, life would become dull. This was similar to the distinction between casual smokers and drug addicts. These people were like the latter, completely consumed by their cravings. Not to mention regular smoking, even injecting drugs could barely satisfy them. Therefore, Charlie’s previous request felt to them like forcing a drug addict into recovery. Charlie fully grasped this truth. He offered a smile and waved his hand, as invisible energy flew around and entered the bodies of those present. He then stated calmly, "Forget it. I’ll give you one day to reflect on this. If you notice any changes within yourselves by tomorrow, remember, it’s all thanks to your friend who raised the issue. I’ll be hosting a banquet here tomorrow night. If you decide to accept my offer, come to the banquet. Steve will host you on my behalf. However, if you choose to attend tomorrow, each of you will need to pay 100 million U.S. dollars instead of the original amount." The group was baffled, unsure of Charlie's words. Could it be that he allowed them to consider the proposal without needing to pay the initial amount? Hank, willing to take a risk, asked directly, "Mr. Wade, if we don’t accept your proposal, will you allow Matt Finkelstein to go public with those videos and tarnish our reputations?" Charlie grinned and replied, "That would be too dull. Don’t worry, whether you choose to accept my proposal or not, I won’t let Matt expose your actions. Just take your time to think carefully about whether you want to accept my offer today or tomorrow. If you decide to accept it today, as I mentioned, it will be 100 million U.S. dollars; if you wait until tomorrow, it will be 1 billion U.S. dollars. If you choose to accept today, be sure to let Steve know." After that, he rose and addressed Steve, saying, "Steve, I won't share a meal with these individuals. Make sure to keep track of who registers, whether it’s today or tomorrow. Additionally, each of them will need to contribute 10 million U.S. dollars for today’s meal. Please collect that amount for me and give it directly to Don Albert. I’ll be leaving first."