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*****
"You're really generous. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't have agreed to their terms so readily — at least I'd stall them a bit," teased a bespectacled middle-aged man as he stepped up to Ron.
Ron smiled unconcernedly. "Gade, you must understand: if we swallow Nathan whole and leave them nothing, their pride will be wounded. Trust me, these Asians care about face more than anything — and face is the most useless thing in the world.
"This is the first time I've personally organized an operation of this scale. If it succeeds, our family's influence within the company will grow massively — we might even come to dominate the entire company. I cannot accept failure.
"So handing over some insignificant assets to them isn't a big deal. If you feed the mongrels a few scraps, they'll bow to you."
"That's true. Nathan Island's guards aren't the main problem. It's those external forces. As long as they don't interfere, this operation will succeed," Gade nodded. The Spirit Tree was the most important thing — everything else was secondary.
"If those special-person test subjects want to be captured, we can always get them later."
"Have the hyenas lead the landing team, advance according to plan, and eliminate all resistance on the island!"
Ron waved his hand, issuing the operational orders.
One by one warships drew alongside the shore. "Heroes" wearing various distinctive tight outfits disembarked, each accompanied by heavily armed gene-special-ops squads, landing from all directions around the islet.
They would push inward from the perimeter, take every mutant and islander inside, and continue advancing until they reached the palace at the island's center to seize the Spirit Tree.
Besides the ground forces, hundreds of armed helicopters filled the sky.
The helicopters were outfitted with powerful missiles, rockets, heavy door-mounted machine guns, and snipers with specially modified vision. Their primary targets were the true experts present on Nathan Island.
At that moment, not far from the Behemoth company's warship, thousands of densely packed drones launched from a ship belonging to "Everywhere-Connect." They rapidly filled the air above the whole island.
"Attention all island residents: anyone who can speak Mandarin may assemble at the XXX coordinates on Nathan Island's east side. Everywhere-Connect will safely evacuate you. Those who committed crimes in the past will be treated leniently; those without crimes will be provided with identity and employment."
The drones repeated the announcement over and over. Anyone on the island who wasn't deaf could hear it.
There were indeed many criminals on the island — but some who once were criminals no longer were. For example, many mutants who committed offenses during wartime had angered powerful factions back then; over the years, those factions might have vanished. Then there were descendants of offenders from centuries ago — even less of an issue now.
There were a fair number of mutants who could be gathered up; if Everywhere-Connect could recruit and properly train them, they could become a not-insignificant force.
"Huang Boren, what's with your drones?" Ron's expression darkened as he watched the multitude of drones flying over the island; he immediately called the operation leader at Everywhere-Connect to demand an explanation.
This was ridiculous: those drones looked like public-address systems, but if they wanted, they could become killing machines in an instant. Their sheer numbers were a brazen threat.
"Oh, Mr. Ron, we're just thinking of your best interests," Huang Boren replied playfully. "If our people land and get into a fight with your forces, that'd be terrible. So we put up some loudspeakers: whoever wants to come can come, whoever doesn't can stay — it won't interfere with your operation. Isn't that right?"
Huang Boren's tone was exceptionally friendly; Ron didn't know how to respond.
He could only warn, veins bulging: "After the announcement, pull them back immediately, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
"No problem, no problem. We'll pull them back right away and won't delay your operation. If you see any stragglers, you can shoot them down on the spot."
Huang Boren kept up his cooperative, affable attitude — there wasn't a single complaint to be made.
"Words are an art. Don't always resort to violence. She's just a little girl — let me talk her into handing over the Spirit Tree."
At that, a blond young man swaggered up to Ron, extravagantly patting his hair with an air of confidence.
Ron frowned at the sight. "Jarrett, the Nathan King isn't simple. Attempt negotiations if possible; if negotiations fail, then withdraw."
"They won't stubbornly resist in the current situation," Jarrett said with absolute confidence in his own silver tongue. He boarded a helicopter alone and flew straight for the palace.
At the palace, George listened to the drone's announcement and chuckled inwardly at Everywhere-Connect's tactics.
"All the islanders have been safely evacuated to the palace hall and can join the fight at any moment," Li Mumu reported into his communicator.
George nodded, waved his hand to manifest a throne, sat down, and watched the helicopters approaching. "Then let's enjoy the clowns' performance."
Behemoth's helicopter touched down in front of the palace. Jarrett strode up the steps with two gene-warriors armed with guns.
But when he saw George sitting on the throne and Li Mumu standing beside the throne, he froze for a moment before recovering.
"I'm Jarrett, honored to represent Behemoth in paying respects to the esteemed Nathan King. We have matters to discuss," he said, mouth offering formalities but feet still moving — utterly lacking in genuine deference, his tone flippant and condescending.
George pointed downward. The three who had only reached halfway up the stair suddenly felt as if gravity had intensified; Jarrett and the two soldiers bent their knees and knelt on the steps as if forced down by an invisible weight.
"If you're here to pay respects to me, then speak while kneeling."
"Who is this guy? Isn't the Nathan King that little girl over there?" someone on the warship asked, puzzled, watching the person seated on the throne via surveillance — George's presence baffled them.
They had expected Jarrett's negotiation attempt to probably fail and to likely end badly for him, but they didn't expect the Nathan King to have been replaced at this moment.
What made matters worse was that this new person wasn't in any of their intelligence on Nathan Island.
"He looks familiar," said Ron's strategist Gade, pushing up his glasses as he thought. "I remember now: his name is Jin Baobao. He's recently quite famous in the Asian mutant circles — a very powerful mutant. I didn't expect he'd have ties to Nathan Island, nor that he'd become the new king."
"Powerful or not, he still needs to be subdued and listed as a first-tier target. Capture him alive along with the original Nathan King," Ron scoffed. An individual, however powerful, had its limits and wouldn't threaten his plan.
(End of chapter)