Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2648 The Naive Guy (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Even God can't save you.

As the words reached their ears, the Duke and Philip heard several "puffing" sounds.

The two men were in utter shock as a man approached, holding a pistol fitted with a silencer.

Meanwhile, the bodyguards on the plane were lying in pools of blood.

They fell before they even had a chance to draw their guns.

Looking at the people walking over.

The Duke glanced again at the bodyguard who had been hit in the head, then looked at him and said:

"You...you found out so quickly?"

The Duke sized up the young man in front of him. He was wearing a pilot's uniform, was very handsome, and had a sunny smile.

If it weren't for the weapon in his hand, it would be hard to associate him with death.

Although the young man had a smile on his face, one could be certain that he would shoot if the young man made the slightest move.

"That's not important. What's important is... your conspiracy has been exposed."

Thomas sat down opposite the Duke, still holding the silenced pistol in his hand.

"Now, you need to pay the price for the crimes you have committed."

"cost……"

The Duke's lips curled into a smile, and then he said:
"What kind of price? You want me to pay a price? Hah..."

The duke laughed wildly, a mocking smile flashing across his face as he looked at the young man before him:

“You’re the first person to say that in all these years. No one has ever said that to me in all these decades; I’m the only one who has made others pay the price.”

Then the Duke said disdainfully:
"Where are you from? The CIA? The KGB? Or...? None of that matters. What matters is—"

The Duke glanced at the white clouds outside the window, and then he said:

"After the plane lands, you won't see any cars taking me away. Instead, your people will tell you—it's all over."

Do you know why? "

The Duke spoke very calmly, as if he were having a casual conversation, recounting a little-known fact.

"Because in this world, there will always be someone with more power than you, and they can decide everything."

As he spoke, the Duke casually lit a cigar.

I took a puff.

The Duke appeared remarkably calm amidst the smoke.

He wasn't afraid of being taken to court. Because he knew very well.

All the evidence has been eliminated, except for...

The Duke turned his gaze to Philip and smiled.

He believed Philip would make the right choice.

Feeling a gaze cast his way from the side, Philip's heart tightened. He met the Duke's gaze and, flustered, blurted out:

“Lorenzo, I…”

The Duke frowned slightly. He didn't speak, but continued smoking his cigar.

Lorenzo...

This name sounds so unfamiliar!

For many years, people have called him Duke.

So many years have passed that he had almost forgotten the name Lorenzo.

So why is Philip calling out this name now?
Did you want to discuss with him the friendship between two people who grew up together?

That damn idiot!
They were truly blinded by life.

He even got a little carried away and forgot his own identity.

However, the Duke did not speak, but simply frowned and silently smoked his cigar.

As for Philip, he looked at the Duke with some apprehension.

Of course, I understand what the Duke meant by those words.

But... when Philip is torn, does he have a choice?
Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Thomas suddenly felt an urge to laugh.

He just watched the two of them like that.

When he accepted the mission, he thought he was going to face vicious bandits.

But now?
However, he was only dealing with a guy who had been pampered for many years.

Looking at this guy, Thomas thought for a moment and decided to shatter all his illusions, and then he spoke.

“I know you have many friends. And if nothing unexpected happens, you should know many of their weaknesses.”

Thomas had no idea how many friends this guy had, or what he controlled.

However, he didn't mind shattering the other person's illusions at this time.

Yes, you have to shatter the other person's illusions first before you can gain more.

"You're imagining that as long as there's no direct evidence against you, you can get away with the charges with the help of your friends and not have to pay the price for your actions, right?"

Lorenzo, a cigar dangling from his lips, stared at the other man in astonishment. This was exactly what he had expected… in fact, he thought it wouldn't even come to a courtroom. After all, the law was for ordinary people, and he—he was a duke.

He not only has many allies, but he also has many things at his disposal that make those people hesitant to act, so he believes they will make the right choice.

For the first time, Lorenzo felt fear in the face of the assassin's words, because they were far beyond his control.

Or rather... he hadn't expected those people to be so unruly.

Do you think you'll be taken to court?

Thomas shook his head, then looked at the so-called duke in front of him as if he were a pitiful wretch.

Then he continued.

There is no direct evidence pointing to you. But all the circumstantial evidence points to you, and that is enough.

And I... am here to make sure you pay the price for your actions.

Thomas's voice wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down Lorenzo's spine and filled him with a strange sense of dread.

The cigar in his hand even fell to the ground involuntarily.

Despite being a big shot, despite having seen the world and experienced many storms.

But he never imagined that he would face such a situation one day, or rather, he never imagined that those people would handle the problem in this way.

"No, you can't kill me."

After a moment of panic, Lorenzo seemed to calm down again, and he stared at Thomas and said:
“Your boss would absolutely not let you do that. They know very well…”

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow, then, as if he had figured something out, said:

"If someone like me were assassinated by you, it would definitely cause a huge uproar. My friends, my allies, they would all be investigating, and at that time..."

Just as hope was about to well up in Lorenzo's heart, he heard Thomas say:

"By then, you'll be a dead man."

……

The television screen flickered with static, the signal was intermittent, but it clearly delivered a breaking news report to Hans's eyes.

According to the latest Reuters report, a private business jet went missing early this morning local time over the mid-Atlantic. Search and rescue teams are currently recovering wreckage and bodies in the area. Reliable sources indicate that the aircraft belonged to Lorenzo de' Medici, who rarely appears in public and is virtually unknown to the outside world…

The news anchor's voice came through the crackling speakers, and Hans froze, his eyes fixed on the screen.

He kept waiting for the news. He believed that news of someone's sudden death would appear on television, and that the person would be someone of a certain status and position.

But he never expected it to turn out this way.

The television screen switched to a slightly blurry photograph—a man in a sharp black suit, with a caption appearing at the bottom of the screen: Lorenzo de' Medici, 63 years old, a descendant of the Medici family.

"As is well known, the Medici family, which once dominated the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, has long since died out. This family, which stirred up European politics as papal bankers and sponsored countless artistic giants, is now extinct."

Officially speaking, this family has been lost to history. As is well known, the family disappeared after the last heir of the Medici family married into the French royal family and became Queen of France.

However, this family has always existed, and Lorenzo de' Medici is the heir of this family. His ancestor was an illegitimate son of the Medici family.

For centuries, his family had operated behind the scenes in the financial industry, earning respect and admiration throughout Europe thanks to their vast wealth, and were thus addressed as 'Dukes'..."

At this moment, the television news anchor's voice carried a hint of regret:
"But strictly speaking, Lorenzo never received any official title of nobility; the title of 'Duke' was merely a respectful designation from outsiders."

Now, with the crash of this business jet, this "not-a-Medici Medici" has also brought the family's legend to a complete end.

The news footage switched again, showing the turbulent Atlantic Ocean, with the lights of the search and rescue ships flickering in the night. The anchor concluded:
"The cause of this air crash is still under investigation. Some experts speculate that it may be due to mechanical failure, while others believe that human error cannot be ruled out..."

Hans's pupils suddenly contracted, and the indifference and composure on his face shattered instantly, replaced by disbelief and astonishment.

"Could it be him?"

The others in the safe house also stopped what they were doing; they were all waiting for the news.

But I never expected this news.

Hans didn't respond. In his mind, everything was connected, from London to Beirut, from those who were purged to the mastermind they had been trying to lure out. ...All the seemingly unrelated points seemed to be subtly linked together by the appearance of this name.

Is he the mastermind or a scapegoat?

Thinking of this, his brows furrowed tightly, and his mind was filled with doubt.

Was Lorenzo de' Medici the mastermind or a scapegoat?

Is he the mysterious figure who orchestrated the flow of funds to Beirut and planned the London terrorist attacks?

Is it the real target they chased across half of Europe, yet remained hidden behind layers of fog?
Was the plane crash an accident, or another meticulously planned cover-up?

Who knows the answer?

Hans's throat bobbed, and then he asked:
"is it him?"

No one could answer him.

The safe house was deathly silent; at that moment, no one knew the answer.

"Isn't this too much of a coincidence..."

Andrei, watching the news on TV, said:
"We just got a lead, and then he was in a plane crash. What a coincidence."

Do we have any evidence pointing to him?

When Hans asked the question, he already knew the answer—no, at least not yet.

(End of this chapter)