Chapter 6027

Hank had never feared death before. He believed that as long as he lived a fulfilling life, he could face death calmly when it arrived. Naturally, considering his wealth and focus on health, he thought any medical issues would be promptly addressed. With this in mind, he figured living past eighty should not be a problem. As long as he reached eighty, he would be mostly satisfied. Yet he never anticipated that despite all his precautions, he would encounter a formidable adversary like pancreatic cancer. All he wanted now was to see Charlie quickly and implore him to cure him, regardless of the cost. He promptly contacted his crew and requested that the private plane be refueled and undergo routine checks before takeoff. Leaving the hospital immediately, he took a bus to the airport. Hank had never been this busy in his life. He had flown to China just two days ago, returned overnight, and now needed to fly back again after landing only a few hours earlier. His mind calculated the time; it was early morning in China. By the time he landed, it would be evening in Chinese time, allowing him to have dinner with Charlie again. He had to make a reservation at Heaven Springs. On the way to the airport, he felt the urge to call Matt Finkelstein and ask him to arrange a meeting with Steve, so he could speak favorably on his behalf. However, remembering it was early morning in China and knowing Steve likely hadn’t woken up yet, he refrained from calling. He didn’t want to disturb him at such an hour and risk upsetting him. Instead, he decided to board the plane and wait three or four hours until morning in Aurous Hill, at which point he would use the satellite phone on the plane to call Matt. More than an hour later, his private jet took off from New York's Kennedy Airport, bathed in the glow of dawn. Fortunately, being relatively wealthy, his private jet had a direct flight to Aurous Hill; otherwise, the journey might take over sixteen hours if he had to stop. Hank had been awake all night, and though it was now quite early, he still couldn’t shake off the fatigue. Under different circumstances, one would surely find it impossible to sleep; however, he felt utterly exhausted, with his eyelids constantly fighting against gravity. He attempted to close his eyes, hoping for a brief rest, but every time he did, he imagined cancer cells racing through his body, leaving him feeling hopeless and desperate. Once the plane reached cruising altitude over the ocean, he couldn’t resist picking up the phone to call Matt Finkelstein. At that moment, Matt Finkelstein was enjoying breakfast in his hotel room. Lounging comfortably, his time in China had given him an unmatched sense of security. A while back, during a peak in public scrutiny, he had trouble sleeping, constantly worrying about being targeted. This anxiety had even reached a point where he couldn’t sleep on a private jet, fearing that he might fall asleep and never wake up. Considering the recent problems with private planes in the U.S., each incident made him even more anxious about dozing off mid-flight. However, ever since arriving in China with Steve, he had been sleeping soundly each night, drifting off the moment his head hit the pillow and waking up only at dawn.

His sleep quality had improved immensely. Feeling good as he ate breakfast, he planned to take it easy that day, intending to exercise in the hotel gym and swim, believing it was safe to do so. Once he adjusted to the hotel environment, he even thought about wandering the streets of Aurous Hill alone. Just then, his phone rang, displaying an unfamiliar number. When he answered, he heard Hank's voice: "Matt, you need to hurry and connect me with Mr. Steve. I want to invite Mr. Wade to dinner tonight!" In the past, he had merely been a facilitator for Hank, akin to an ancient madam. At that time, Hank hadn’t regarded him as a friend, but rather as an obedient servant. Now, however, Matt found it difficult to take Hank seriously as he had become one of Steve’s trusted associates. He sighed and said, "Hank, do you really think it's that easy to set up a meeting? Steve is the second-in-command of the Rothschild family; he isn’t that accessible. You should reconsider your expectations." Hank retorted angrily, "Matt Finkelstein, how dare you speak to me like that? Don’t forget you’re just a lackey of the wealthy like us!" Matt smirked, "That's unfortunate, Hank. I’m no longer your lackey; I am now Mr. Rothschild's and even Mr. Wade's. Do you really think I'm afraid of you?" Hank was taken aback by Matt's boldness and felt a surge of anger. Yet, as he prepared to unleash his frustration, he suddenly realized that Matt’s grandson had made a full recovery, removing any leverage he once held. In fact, wanting to see Charlie through Steve meant he genuinely needed to ask Matt for a favor. After a moment of silence, he forced a smile and said, "Matt, we’re friends here; let's not be so adversarial. You’re not afraid of me, and truthfully, I’m the one who needs your help." Seeing Hank acknowledge his position made Matt feel much better. He was aware that if Hank truly needed assistance with Charlie, he would have no choice but to repay him in kind. Decisively, he asked, "Didn’t you just return to the United States yesterday? Why do you want to have dinner with Mr. Wade tonight? Are you still in China?" Hank sighed heavily, "I’m actually on the plane now, heading back. I have something extremely important to discuss with Mr. Wade." Matt's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, could it be that Mr. Wade knows? Did he really diagnose you with pancreatic cancer?" Hank replied despondently, "Let's not even go there. Mr. Wade truly is extraordinary. He told me I had impotence, and I did. He diagnosed me with pancreatic cancer, and I genuinely have it. The doctor said my chances of living five years are less than ten percent. I’ve changed my mind—I’m determined to follow Mr. Wade for the rest of my life!" Matt exclaimed, "I once heard Mr. Rothschild mention Mr. Wade in conversation with Don Albert from Heaven Springs. Don Albert referred to Mr. Wade as the 'True Dragon of the World'—it seems he really has quite a reputation..." Hank pleaded, "Matt, as a friend, please help me out. Say a few kind words to Mr. Rothschild for me. Here’s my satellite phone number—reach out to me with any information.”