Chapter 441: Leaving Without a Trace

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Mmm, this feels nice!” After catching up on sleep for around 5 hours to adapt to the time difference, Zhou Chao was noticeably more alert and even looked less tired than before.

As he descended the stairs, he spotted Ling Chen and a middle-aged man he had never seen before sitting on the sofa, engaged in conversation.

Seeing Zhou Chao coming down from upstairs, Ling Chen quickly stood up and greeted, “Boss, you’re awake.”

“Mmm, who’s this?” Zhou Chao turned his gaze toward the middle-aged man standing nearby.

With a sly smile, Ling Chen looked at the man and said, “Boss, this is my good friend Gu Chen. He used to work on Wall Street and recently resigned to settle down in China, and 1 managed to convince him to join us.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Boss!” The two men shook hands politely.

Gu Chen had a deep, slightly hoarse voice, occasionally flashing a glint of shrewdness behind his frameless glasses. He appeared steady and astute, someone who knew how to conceal his true self.

“Please, have a seat!” Zhou Chao sat down on the only single-person sofa.

The villa, perched on the mountaintop, had huge floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a perfect view of the distant blue sea. It allowed the sea breeze to bring in a refreshing touch to the room.

As Zhou Chao’s gaze shifted from the gradually setting sun to the two formally seated men, he spoke, “Ling Chen, how are the arrangements here?”

“Boss, everything is set. We’re fully prepared in advance. Currently, all the funds in the offshore accounts have been converted to US dollars, totaling approximately 67 billion.”

Although the money still seemed substantial, Zhou Chao felt uneasy. After all, this operation involved manipulating the Dow Jones Index, and if other market players intervened, it could lead to significant consequences.

“What about personnel, locations, and equipment? Are they all in place?”

“Everything has been arranged. We have secured an entire floor of luxury suites in one of our company’s hotels, ensuring that we can work tirelessly for a week!”

“Mmm, then let Todd handle security. You know what I mean, right?”

Ling Chen hesitated for a moment upon hearing this. During their journey back from the airport today, Zhou Chao had introduced Todd to him, making him aware of Todd’s background. He understood the serious consequences that would follow any security breach.

Although he felt a bit anxious, Ling Chen had confidence in his subordinates.

“I understand, Boss!” Ling Chen replied with confidence.

“Alright.”

“Boss, should we go for dinner now? It’s nearly 7 PM,” Ling Chen glanced at his wristwatch.

“You can have it sent over; I’ll stay here to enjoy the sunset.” Zhou Chao stood up and headed toward the expansive terrace outside.

Ling Chen looked at Gu Chen, who was sitting beside him, and said, “You can wait for me in the car. 1 need to discuss something with the Boss.”

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll wait in the car,” Gu Chen agreed.

After watching Gu Chen leave the villa, Ling Chen walked over to Zhou Chao.

Zhou Chao, reclining on a sun lounger, asked as Ling Chen approached, “Is Gu Chen reliable?”

“He is, Boss. Gu Chen and his entire family are based in Modu. You can trust him completely.”

“Mmm, 1 understand. Go attend to your tasks. We have two more days to prepare, so take some rest. We can’t afford any mistakes when the time comes.” Ling Chen nodded and then left.

Once Ling Chen and Gu Chen had left in the car, Zhou Chao opened the system to investigate why the Dow Jones Index was dropping. Without a clear understanding, he knew that he would be nervous during the operation if he didn’t have some insights.

Digging up the previous check-in information, Zhou Chao opened it and found detailed reports. After he had gone through all the information, a strange smile appeared on his face, and he muttered, “Damn, this is way out of line!”

“Black Thursday!” Zhou Chao had already started imagining the abundant gains he would make from this unexpected turn of events. Thinking about it, he burst into laughter but quickly composed himself.

No one could have expected that Black Thursday had been caused by a Citibank trader’s mistake, selling six million shares instead of six hundred thousand, directly causing the Dow to plummet nearly six minutes and drop by over a thousand points!

As the sun gradually set in the west, darkness enveloped the surroundings. Looking at the bright lights at the foot of the mountain, it created a unique atmosphere.

Zhou Chao noticed a car driving up from the base of the mountain, and before long, it stopped at his doorstep.

Ling Chen and Todd got out of the car, each carrying two insulated boxes.

“Boss!” They spotted Zhou Chao as soon as they got out of the car.

Zhou Chao nodded and then entered the house.

“Why did both of you come together?” Sitting at the dining table and watching Ling Chen and Todd take out meticulously prepared food from the insulated boxes.

Ling Chen and Todd exchanged a glance before Ling Chen said, “Boss, you mentioned assigning Todd to handle security, and he asked if he should bring weapons. Since I was delivering food to you, we decided to ask together.”

Zhou Chao could tell that they were up to something from their appearances.

“Feel free to make your arrangements, but don’t overdo it. Remember, we’re all on the same team. If you scare people and it affects what’s happening the day after tomorrow, it won’t be good. Keep things under control!” Zhou Chao gently swirled the wine glass in his hand as he spoke.

“Don’t worry, Boss. Ling Chen has already made the arrangements, and we’ll stick to the plan as scripted,” Todd spoke candidly, causing Ling Chen to wear a wry smile.

Zhou Chao glanced meaningfully at Ling Chen but didn’t say anything more.

Todd noticed Ling Chen’s helpless expression and couldn’t help but ask, “Did I say something wrong, Ling Chen?”

Ling Chen shook his head in silence, then turned and walked toward the sofa, leaving Todd looking puzzled.

After dinner, the two men packed up and left. Zhou Chao locked the doors and windows before heading upstairs. He lay down on the bed and made a video call to Jiang Li, who was thousands of miles away.

After about ten seconds of ringing, Jiang Li finally answered the video call.

Zhou Chao saw a crowd on Jiang Li’s side and curiously asked, “All Li, are you out shopping?”

“Brother Chao, it’s a bit noisy on my end. Please wait for a moment. I’ll find a quiet place,” Ah Li replied, and Zhou Chao could see her running.

“Be careful and don’t run too fast,” Zhou Chao called out nervously, but he received no response.

After a while, he heard a welcoming sound, and the camera stabilized. Zhou Chao saw Jiang Li entering a coffee shop and finding a quiet corner to sit down.

“Phew, I’m exhausted,” Jiang Li put on her earphones and looked at her phone. “Brother Chao, it’s been quite a day. Your face almost got glued to the screen.” “Next time, don’t run around like that. What if something happens with so many people around?” Zhou Chao said angrily.

“I know. I won’t do it again. I just wanted to find a quiet place. By the way, Brother Chao, it’s already dark where you are,” Jiang Li noticed that it was nighttime outside Zhou Chao’s window.

“I’m not in China right now. I’m on Lanai Island. I’m here for some business. 1’11 be back in China after I finish my work. Why did you go shopping today?”

“I just wanted to check out some baby and maternity stuff for the future. Also, I wanted to buy some maternity clothes.”

“Are you crazy? Wait for me to come back, and I’ll accompany you to shop. How can 1 let you go shopping alone? I can’t relax.”

“I’m not a child anymore, and I can take care of myself. Besides, 1 was with my girlfriend, but she had to leave early because of something.”

“Then, please come back early. I won’t feel at ease otherwise.”

“1 got it. You’re acting like an old man,” Jiang Li muttered under her breath.

Upon hearing Jiang Li’s comment that he sounded like an old man, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with frustration.

Seeing Zhou Chao’s exasperated expression, Jiang Li burst into laughter.

They chatted for over an hour, and eventually, under Zhou Chao’s urging, Jiang Li drove back home.

“Boss, this is the place we’ll be using. It’s the control room,” Zhou Chao had arrived early in the morning and asked Ling Chen to bring him to the facility they would use.

The first room Zhou Chao entered was a large living room, around 300 square meters in size. It was already set up with various computer equipment and had plenty of food and drinks in the corners. There were also ten bedrooms distributed in different directions. After a quick tour, Zhou Chao nodded in satisfaction.

“During the upcoming days of this project, everyone involved will stay here. No one is allowed to leave, and all mobile phones must be surrendered.

Inspections are mandatory, and Todd, you’ll be in charge. Everything, including eating, drinking, and using the restroom, must be done within this area. No one is allowed to have any contact with the outside world. Even if the sky falls, no one is allowed to step out of the rooms without my orders,” Zhou Chao emphasized to Ling Chen and the others, ending with a stern look at Todd.

“Execute the tasks you arranged yesterday. I don’t want any double-dealing among us. Do you understand?” Zhou Chao’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.

Ling Chen, Todd, and Gu Chen exchanged glances and quickly responded, “Understood!”

“Well, Ling Chen, after lunch tomorrow, arrange for everyone to come in. Check what needs to be checked, and collect what needs to be collected. Make sure your subordinates are clear on this.”

“Boss, you can rest assured. Half of the people here are from our old team, and they know what to do.”

“If there’s any slip-up, I’ll hold you responsible!” Zhou Chao said before turning and leaving.

Ling Chen and the others looked at each other, and Todd finally said, “Let’s get started. Gu Chen, let’s first check the computer equipment and signals. Todd, you inspect the rooms for any unusual items.”

“Got it!” They immediately got to work.

Meanwhile, after leaving the hotel, Zhou Chao strolled along the beach. He found an empty beach chair and lay down. A server approached him and had a brief conversation before leaving. Shortly afterward, they brought him a large glass of chilled fruit juice.

As he gazed at the distant sea, sipped his cold drink, and soaked in the sunlight, Zhou Chao’s previously pent-up mood began to ease, and he felt much more relaxed..