At one end of the dock, two groups of people had suddenly drawn their firearms and were facing off. Behind them was the blue glassy stretch of ocean where seagulls and flamingos were wheeling about close to the water.
When Chief Maddaloni was confronted with this sudden turn of events, he was rather dumbfounded, not knowing which side he should assist.
According to international law, of course, he should help the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After all, this department could be said to be the Federation’s core law enforcement agency that possessed cross-continent authority in carrying out its duties.
Although some powerful regions had their own forces and did not give a f*ck about this agency, in a minor nation like Namibia, they did not have this capacity.
On the other hand, Chen Chen was a major bankroller to the authorities. If Chen Chen was apprehended in Namibia, Chief Maddaloni’s career would naturally come to an end. From then onwards, they could forget about Chen Chen continuing to invest in Namibia.
Chief Maddaloni was momentarily caught in a dilemma.
“Mr. Chen Chen, are you planning to rebel against the Federation?”
The man in sunglasses was fearless as he stared down the gun muzzles. Instead, he proclaimed, “We represent the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If you go against us, you’re going against the entire Earth Federation. Please think carefully.”
“I’ve always been a legitimate businessman and a law-abiding citizen. Why would I rebel against the Federation?”
Chen Chen smiled carelessly. “I’m just afraid that someone would impersonate the Federal Bureau of Investigation and try to kidnap me. After all, Officer, you must also know that I’m of considerable status. Many people have their eyes on me.”
“Is that so?”
The man in sunglasses narrowed his eyes. He took out his identification and held it before Chen Chen. “Have you got a good look now?”
“Sorry, I’m short-sighted. I can’t see it at such a distance.”
Chen Chen spread his hands innocently. “Please hold it closer.”
The man in sunglasses snorted coldly and walked closer, holding his identification right in front of Chen Chen’s eyes. “Surely you can see…”
“Swoosh!”
Just as he had placed it right before Chen Chen’s eyes, his vision went blurry for a split second. The identification he was holding was now in Chen Chen’s hands!
“You!”
The man in sunglasses bellowed in rage.
“Shh —”
Chen Chen raised an index finger, making a silencing gesture. Following that, he slowly tore the entire document in half in front of the man while a sneer curled upon his lips. “This identification is fake!”
“How dare you!”
The man in sunglasses stepped forward, but Cheng Cao’s gun was directly pressed into his face.
Chen Chen tore the document into fragments and raised one hand. Countless shreds of leather and paper fluttered through the sky. Meanwhile, Chen Chen walked forward at once without even glancing at the ashen expression of the man in sunglasses.
“Mister Officer, next time, remember to bring some authentic identification before you come.”
“Chen Chen!” The man in sunglasses clenched his fist, yearning to arrest his target. Even so, with thirty guns trained on him, he dared not take a single step past the boundary.
Each of Chen Chen’s bodyguards was bursting with a bloodthirsty aura. Were these still bodyguards? They were a group of savage mercenaries!
This businessman from Mainland China had nurtured his own private army!
Cheng Cao took the lead in putting his gun away only when Chen Chen had got into the car. Then, he made a gesture and everyone put away their firearms, turned, and walked away.
This display of extreme obedience caused the man in sunglasses to narrow his eyes.
He watched steadily as Chen Chen got into the car, then tore off his sunglasses and flung them onto the ground. At the same time, he glared at the black police chief beside him. “Chief Maddaloni, where are your officers? Even for a case under our Federal Bureau of Investigation, your local officers won’t cooperate at all?”
“I…”
Chief Maddaloni opened his mouth with a blank expression.
“Sir, we…”
The deputy on the side was about to ask the man in sunglasses a question.
“Enough. We’ll just report this to the higher-ups. Those who resist the Federal Bureau of Investigation will get what they deserve!”
With that, the man who wore sunglasses dusted off his hands and stalked off in the other direction.
Chen Chen sat in the car, silently watching the departing federal agents with a grave expression.
While he was on the Symphony of the Seas, Little X had sent a message, saying that a group of agents sent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation had reached Walvis Bay. Moreover, they had completed the extradition procedures and were ready to transfer him to the North American Continent while he was caught off guard.
In truth, if the Federal Bureau of Investigation had just come to question him, there would be no issue at all.
However, the crucial thing was that the Symphony of the Seas was a cruise liner owned by Royal International Cruise Line, which was an European company, just like how the man in sunglasses and his team belonged to the European branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Therefore, even if Chen Chen was extradited, he should be extradited to Europe, not North America.
Something fishy was certainly going on.
Indeed, Little X now sent another message.
Through targeted investigations, Little X had eliminated endless information on the Internet and finally came up with some useful data.
It turned out that several financial groups in North America had formed an organization called the “Als Mutual Aid Association”. Through certain channels, this organization learned about the technologies Chen Chen possessed and started to get its own ideas.
The plutocrats in this mutual aid association came from families that were not inferior to financial oligarchs such as the Edwards and the Rodriguezes. Naturally, they were not afraid of the eleven financial groups backing Chen Chen.
“Sure enough, some things can’t be hidden forever.”
Chen Chen narrowed his eyes. Although God’s Forbidden Zone had never shown itself in formal events, no secret could be kept forever. Furthermore, so many members of the families had regained their youth. Once something like this was exposed, it would instantly spread like wildfire among the upper classes.
Presumably, many plutocrats had learned of all this by now.
At first, they were merely onlookers, but now that Chen Chen was involved in a case, of course, those who were eager would take advantage of this, using certain methods to test Chen Chen.
With the lure of technologies that could restore one’s youth, even the upper echelons of the Federation would be highly tempted, to say nothing of those plutocratic families.
If Chen Chen could not even handle this first wave of challenges, naturally, he would be seen as a weak target to be bullied. In that case, more forces would surround and assault him.
It was akin to a pack of wolves that smelled blood, gradually entrapping a sheep in their midst.
“Since that’s the case, you can’t blame me…”
A fiery light flashed in Chen Chen’s eyes as he mumbled softly.
Although he could rely on the power of the eleven great families to resolve this crisis, surely that would be going too easy on his opponents? Since they had extended their claws toward Chen Chen, they should leave their claws with him.
Even if they were to end up sitting down and talking it out, Chen Chen would have to rip off their claws first before doing so.
Otherwise, would people not think that they could sh*t on his head in the future?
With this in mind, Chen Chen opened Little X’s app on the phone and said in a low tone, “X, hack into the airline’s network and book two tickets for me and Cheng Cao under fabricated identities. You know the destination…”