Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet

"Good, as long as it's not," the old man said, though he felt a twinge of disappointment. If the weapons room really were in the estate or the Devonshire Castle, a surprise raid could lead to finding actual thermobaric bombs. Then, even if William was hailed as a hero, he'd still have to face prison.

But since they only had video footage, without physical evidence, there was no real proof. William could claim it was just a model, if he wanted.

"I'm not stupid enough to keep uncontrollable dangers nearby. But thanks for the reminder."

William purposely emphasized "dangers" in an odd tone, and with the smile on his face, the people on the other end of the video understood he was implying he wouldn't leave anything incriminating around.

Returning to the weapons room, he busied himself with preparations. Glancing at his watch, William said, "Gentlemen, you now have 40 minutes to inform your embassy staff to evacuate. After that, my people will deliver one of these super pineapples to the assassin hiding in your embassy—consider it a token of appreciation for the four bombs you sent me." Squinting with an intense look, he added, "You sent me four; I'm only returning one. If that's not enough, perhaps I should search the black market for something even more powerful than a thermobaric bomb to send your way."

"Are you insane?"

Other than nuclear devices, nothing is more powerful than a thermobaric bomb. The thought horrified Truman-Bull, who stood up, leaning on the conference table with a look of disbelief. "Do you even know what you're saying, William Devonshire?"

With William's wealth and resources, it wasn't impossible for him to buy a nuclear bomb on the black market. This left Truman, who already felt guilty, both furious and afraid.

Truman had thought he'd found a way to counter William, but this unexpected development threw all his negotiation plans into chaos.

That William was suspicious of them was no surprise to Truman. The world saw William as a genius, but Truman knew William was also a master at making money, with a team of skilled operatives under his command.

However, what astonished Truman was that William managed to identify the culprits as American operatives hiding in the embassy so quickly. Yet Truman wasn't a lightweight—becoming Vice President in America wasn't handed to him on a silver platter. After some thought, he realized William wouldn't truly bomb the embassy; this was just a way of saying he wouldn't let the matter slide without a satisfactory explanation.

Settling back into his executive chair, Truman feared only one thing: that William would release evidence to the public.

If the world learned of this, whether America could maintain its position of power was uncertain, but current leaders would definitely be ousted.

For a man as ambitious as Truman, the thought was unbearable. If he could, he would have taken William out in a heartbeat.

But Truman underestimated William's perceptiveness—or rather, his inexplicable sixth sense as a mage allowed him to detect Truman's murderous intent.

Narrowing his eyes, William listened as Truman calmed himself and said steadily, "Can you tell me how you figured out so quickly that it was our people behind this? Or perhaps, have you been monitoring our London embassy all along? Did you know from the start and just watch as we set up the bombs in your buildings?"

"Gad, the audacity to say something like that?" William chuckled. "You're acting as if you're the victims. Would you like me to show you the footage my men recorded?"

"No need," Truman said calmly. After a few minutes of silent thought, he spoke gravely. "I, Truman Bull, as Vice President of the United States, formally request you, as an ally, to locate and rescue President Benjamin Arthur. If you succeed, you'll receive a reward of no less than $500 million, and we will make every effort to have you honored as Duke of Oxford. This isn't a negotiation—there's no room for bargaining. If you have doubts, remember who we are. Thank you."

The room erupted in applause as Truman finished his speech. "Gad, Mr. Vice President, you're absolutely right. This isn't a negotiation or a discussion. After all, we are the United States."

"Right, right—you're number one in the universe. You're the boss," William replied with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "But I'm English. I'm not American, nor do I rely on you to survive. Even if King James were alive, he wouldn't have the power to command me.

"Gentlemen, we live in a world ruled by capital, and in this world of capital, people like me hold the power. I'm only 20—perhaps younger than your children. I hope there's someone among your descendants who can achieve your positions, or else the story could get quite interesting. But since you're offering money and a dukedom, I'll agree to save Benjamin. But I don't appreciate your tone. If you need my help, offer compensation first, and please be polite. Thank you."

The Americans, who had been passionately trying to maintain control, suddenly fell silent as they considered their offspring. Comparing their children to William, who had already amassed such power, left them with a bitter sense of futility. They were all seasoned foxes, too old to be taunted. Better to eliminate a foe quietly when possible than waste energy with words.

Truman and the others exchanged glances, feeling both regret and resignation. The opportunity to intimidate William had slipped away, and now it was William who had turned the tables, hinting at revenge on their descendants.

Though they were powerful, taking down someone as well-connected as William wasn't easy, especially since he had his own ways of fighting back. And without the ability to deliver a decisive blow, no one wanted an all-out battle.

Truman sighed and said, "Very well, Mr. Devonshire. We propose $500 million and the dukedom of Oxford in exchange for rescuing President Benjamin Arthur. Do you accept this job?"

This was why Truman had earned his position. His quick thinking and phrasing didn't undermine his authority. Once William accepted the job, Truman's side would immediately become the client. A client is treated with respect, and special requests are only natural.

For a moment, William considered if it was worth betting on Truman, as he had a feeling the old man could end up becoming the next president.

"$500 million and a dukedom in exchange for President Benjamin Arthur's life—is that correct, Mr. Truman?"

"Yes, Mr. Devonshire," Truman nodded, a hint of a smile finally breaking through. "So, do we have an agreement?"

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