Chapter 528 A New Situation
Jonathan and Andy remained silent at Moonriver Estate. As one of the Eight Kings, Andy had fought on the battlefield for over a decade.
Jonathan rose to prominence three years ago and had been suppressing numerous armies of rebellion since. Even so, the battles Andy had fought before that were far more terrifying.
Without Jonathan’s direct methods, they had to resort to all sorts of other strategies, such as decapitation, counterintelligence, divide and conquer, torturing, and so on.
When it came to wars, an ordinary citizen’s worst fear would probably be death. However, to a soldier, the fear brought upon by death was nothing compared to the mental torment one might experience.
The most agonizing task of all was to infiltrate an opponent’s army as a spy. One who was given such a job would live on the verge of death every day, for a mere slip of the tongue could easily lead to one’s demise.
Yet, the worst that could happen wasn’t during the mission itself—it was when soldiers would return to their teams after completing their tasks.
All the applause and flowers they received upon return were but temporary, for they would then be subject to countless inspections and examinations for many years to come.
Not only did they have to remain vigilant at all times while inside their enemies’ base, but they would also end up under the surveillance of their own allies every day after returning. The army would also gradually marginalize them on the grounds of vacation, fearing that they had already been bought over by their enemies.
To have to guard oneself against one’s opponents while being suspected by one’s own allies—such was a spy’s inevitable fate. A brief moment of weakness could send many outstanding informants spiraling into endless cycles of self-doubt.
In fact, rather than die by their enemies’ hands, they would often pull the trigger on themselves as a result of being called into question by their own teammates.
Those eligible to become informants were usually the most loyal and brilliant soldiers an army could have. It would definitely be a pity to only place them in charge of maintaining public order.
Still, Andy knew that not inspecting them was the best outcome for them.
A flurry of footsteps resonated outside the garden, and the two looked out to see a group of men running in. They wore white robes over their military uniform.
“It’s the Yalegard Legion’s medical team. It’s not that Wilbur doesn’t let me bring anyone in. I just can’t bring that many,” Andy explained as he watched the soldiers run toward him.
“Mr. Goldstein, I remember you telling us about Wilbur Xanthos. You said he fired at you, and then he let you in. Now, you’re part of the medical team. What on earth is he up to? Could it be that he’s still thinking about the old times when you both used to work together, but he has orders to follow from the Office of Government Affairs?”
Andy’s comment made Jonathan smile faintly. “The old times? Please. Wilbur can’t wait for me to kick the bucket. He’d gain real military power only after I die.”
“Then, why is he…” Andy didn’t understand.
Jonathan unleashed the remaining spiritual energy inside his elixir field with a gesture of a hand. Then, turning the energy into thousands of threads, he lifted Sophia off the ground and placed her on the stretcher the medics had laid down next to her.
“These are some really serious injuries, so be careful. Take her straight to Jadeborough and have Zachary tend to her,” Jonathan instructed as he glanced at Sophia’s ashen face.
The medical team asked both men about their injuries before leaving. Then, Jonathan turned to Andy. “Wilbur wants me to die, but not now. If my guess is correct, he wants me to die at the right time.”
Andy was taken aback. Given that he was one of the Eight Kings of War—a man of prolific experience—it only took a brief moment for realization to dawn on him.
“Mr. Goldstein, are you saying that Wilbur…”
Trailing off, the older man extended his right hand and turned his palm over, his actions self-explanatory. Instead of answering the question, Jonathan patted him lightly on the shoulder.
“Don’t think too much about the other stuff. Just do as I’ve told you. By the way, gather every member of Quinten Xydias’ family, and leave not a single person out. Anyone who dares lay a finger on my family won’t be spared.”
“Yes, sir!” Andy replied with a salute. “What about you, Mr. Goldstein? If you’re planning to leave Yaleview, allow me to take care of that.”
Such arrangements weren’t unreasonable, considering the city’s current situation. The man had seen Jonathan get severely injured with his own eyes, after all.
Hence, he believed that the best option now would be to escort Jonathan out of Yaleview. The latter naturally knew what Andy was thinking but shook his head after feeling his own injuries.
“Carry on with your duties. I have some other things to take care of.” Later, every core Goldstein family member gathered inside the conference hall of the Goldstein residence and stared grimly at Jonathan.
“I believe I’ve made myself clear. All of you seated here are considered my elders if we were to go by the family hierarchy, so speak your minds,” the young man announced while seated in the very front.
“We object!” an elderly man responded with a shaky voice as he stood up with the aid of a cane. “I know you’re all staying quiet because you’re afraid of Jonathan, so let me be the first one to speak. I object to this!”
Jonathan turned to the old man. “I suppose I should be addressing you as Granduncle Simon.”
“Why, I wouldn’t dare refer to myself as Asura’s granduncle!” Simon huffed while striking the ground with his cane. “You must think you can do whatever you want to us now that you’re Asura, huh? But don’t forget that you’re part of the family too! Without the Goldsteins, you would’ve never become what you are today!”
Jonathan chuckled blandly. “You’re right. If you guys hadn’t kicked me out of the household back then, I sure wouldn’t have realized how disgustingly cold-hearted you humans could be, and I certainly wouldn’t have become the person I am today. That’s why I intend to repay you guys for the humiliation you caused me all those years ago. I’m also asking you to get out of Yaleview because blood is thicker than water. You might actually die if you don’t leave.”
“Die?” the old man sneered. “We wouldn’t be in this predicament if you hadn’t crossed the Osborne family! You started this whole mess!”
“That’s true! He p*ssed the Osbornes off, and now he’s acting like our savior!”
“Exactly. I’d say he just wants to move us all away so he can split the family assets between Sophia and himself.”
“We can’t give him what he wants! Our family has worked too hard to get to where we are today. How could we give up just like that?”
The hall was now in an uproar thanks to Simon, and the several dozens of core Goldstein family members began to question Jonathan. It was as though they had completely forgotten how he had saved them when they were kidnapped.
“Jonathan, I bet you and Sophia are conspiring to make us give up our family assets worth hundreds of billions! The Goldstein family doesn’t belong to you alone! Now that we’re all here today, you’ll never be able to—”
Thwack!
Following a loud noise, the young man who had just spoken was suddenly sent flying before crashing to the ground with a mouthful of blood and broken teeth.
“How dare you attack a family member in front of everyone like this? What has become of the Goldstein family rules?” Simon roared.
“I’m educating him,” Jonathan responded frostily while turning to the old man. “According to the family rules, he should be referring to Sophia as Aunt Sophia.”
