The God of Wealth starts with doing whatever you want

The lights in the underground command center on Crescent Island were still as bright as day at three in the morning.

Xu Yun stood in front of the huge curved screen, watching the data stream scrolling on it.

Those are the global node information, fund flows, and member lists of the "Ghost" organization...

Or more accurately, everything that once belonged to the "ghost".

"The last three encryption servers have been cracked."

Liu Zhenwu's voice came through the communication channel, carrying a hint of fatigue but also an irrepressible excitement: "Our simultaneous operations in Zurich, Singapore, and the Cayman Islands were all successful."

Seventeen core members were arrested, nine financial personnel were detained, and cryptocurrency assets were seized…

Preliminary estimates exceed $800 million.

Xu Yun's fingers tapped lightly on the control panel.

On the screen, unfamiliar faces flashed by.

This is the legendary "ghost".

A transnational intelligence trafficking group with no nationality, no flag, and only money to pay.

"Did Bergman speak?" Xu Yun asked, turning his head.

"He spoke up, and he was very cooperative."

Liu Zhenwu pulled up a surveillance video from an interrogation room.

In the picture, Hans Bergman is sitting in a simple chair with a glass of water in front of him.

This man, who once served in the East German intelligence agency and later became the head of the "Ghost" Asian region, showed no arrogance on his face at this moment, only a calm acceptance of his fate.

He knew he had no choice.

Liu Zhenwu explained, “We showed him a copy of Miller’s document, as well as footage of other high-ranking members of ‘Ghost’ being arrested.”

He demanded a deal: all the secrets he knew in exchange for not being handed over to any national judicial body, and... a new identity and enough money for his retirement.

"Say yes."

Xu Yun said without hesitation, "But tell him that if subsequent verification reveals that he has concealed any key information, the transaction will be immediately voided."

The consequence of invalidation is that he will be sent to the last place he wants to go.

"clear."

The screen switches, and another set of images appears.

Isabella and Andrei sat in the same room, with a large number of documents spread out in front of them.

The two are working with the technical team to finalize and confirm the organizational structure, operating model, and client list of "Ghost".

This was requested by Xu Yun.

Only those who have actually worked inside "Ghost" can distinguish which information is true and which may be a trap.

"How well are they cooperating?" Xu Yun asked.

"Exceeded expectations."

Liu Zhenwu's tone was somewhat complicated: "Andrei is indeed a former KGB officer; he has a thorough understanding of the operational logic of intelligence organizations."

Isabella was very familiar with 'Ghost's' technical system and encryption methods.

The two complement each other perfectly, making them highly efficient.

Xu Yun looked at the two people working side by side in the video.

Isabella was explaining a vulnerability in a certain encryption algorithm to Andrei, who quickly took notes and occasionally asked a sharp question or two.

Their collaboration appeared seamless and professional, making it impossible to tell that just a few days ago they were rivals who were wary of each other.

This is the instinct for survival.

When the old master falls, a wise person will immediately seek a new patron.

"Have you compiled a list of those who escaped?" Xu Yun changed the subject.

"It's sorted out."

A list of twenty-three people popped up on the screen.

Each person's photo, known pseudonyms, last known location, and possible skills and resources are all clearly listed.

"According to Bergman and Isabella's testimonies, these 23 people were the most dangerous and most likely to retaliate members of the 'Ghost' organization."

Seven of them are former special forces members, four are top hackers, and two are demolition experts.

They are scattered around the world, and some may already have realized that something is wrong with the organization.

Xu Yun's gaze swept over those faces.

There was a middle-aged white man with sinister eyes, an Asian woman with an ordinary face but exuding murderous intent, and a young man who even looked somewhat frail.

According to the information, he is the top forgery expert at "Ghost" and can produce fake documents that are difficult for even customs officials in various countries to identify.

"Issue a bounty."

Xu Yun said, "We published it on all the major platforms on the dark web using anonymous accounts that we control."

The bounty for each person starts at five million dollars, increasing depending on the level of danger.

A reward of one million will be given for providing valid clues leading to the arrest of the target. The full reward will be paid if the target is captured alive and handed over to us.

Death certificate, reward halved.

Liu Zhenwu gasped.

"Mr. Xu, the total bounty for these twenty-three people... may exceed two hundred million US dollars."

Moreover, once it's released, the entire dark web will be shaken.

We might attract unnecessary attention.

"That's exactly what we want—vibration."

Xu Yun turned around, looked at the faces on the screen, and said in a calm but cold voice, "I want everyone to know what the consequences will be if they touch my people or my things."

This isn't about money; it's about the rules.

In this world, only when rules are established will others know what they can and cannot do.

He paused, then added, "And this money won't come from our accounts; it will be paid using crypto assets seized by 'Ghost'."

Using their own money to offer a reward to their own people is fair.

Liu Zhenwu was silent for a few seconds, then nodded and said, "I understand. The bounty will be issued tonight."

"besides."

Xu Yun said, "Notify Lin Wanzhou to put all overseas teams of 'Cloud Leopard' on standby."

Once a bounty target is identified, take immediate action.

I want to show these people that it's no use running away anywhere.

"Yes."

Communication was cut off.

Xu Yun stood alone in the command center, his image reflected on the huge screen.

Outside the window, the night sky over the Pacific Ocean began to take on a faint bluish hue.

Dawn is approaching.

He recalled the dinner he had a few hours earlier at the makeshift restaurant on the island.

Dinner is scheduled for 7 p.m. at a small restaurant on the second floor of the newly built administration building on the island.

The restaurant wasn't large, but it was decorated very nicely.

The sea is right outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the afterglow of the setting sun dyes the sea surface golden red.

When Xu Yun arrived, Isabella was already there.

She changed her clothes.

It wasn't sportswear or work clothes, but a simple dark blue dress; her hair was down over her shoulders, and she wore light makeup.

She looks completely different from the disheveled female agent who was arrested earlier.

"Sit down." Xu Yun pointed to the chair opposite him.

Dinner was simple: grilled fish, vegetable salad, rice, and a bottle of white wine.

The chef was a Cantonese chef hired on the island, and his skills were quite good.

The two ate in silence for a while.

Isabella spoke first: "The list is complete. There are twenty-three people, all tough ones. I've dealt with a few of them before, and they're not easy to handle."

"Therefore, a bounty is necessary."

Xu Yun cut a piece of fish, put it in his mouth, and laughed, "With a generous reward, there will surely be brave men. Even if they can hide themselves, their family, friends, and former enemies may betray them for money."

"Are you planning to take complete control of 'Ghost'?" Isabella asked.

"It's not a takeover, it's a restructuring."

Xu Yun took a sip of his drink and said, "'Ghost's' channels, resources, and technology are all valuable, but its operating model needs to be changed. It should no longer be a simple monetary transaction, but rather one that involves loyalty and control."

"You want to establish your own intelligence network?"

"Everyone who wants to live needs eyes and ears."

Xu Yun looked at her and smiled, "You know this better than I do."

Isabella remained silent.

Of course she knew.

While at the NSA, she witnessed too many cases of failure due to insufficient intelligence, and also too many successful operations due to accurate intelligence.

Information is power; in this era, information is everything.

"You're going to put me in charge of the technical aspects?" she asked, a hint of barely perceptible anticipation in her voice.

"If you'd like."

Xu Yun said, "You are more familiar with the technical architecture of 'Ghost' than anyone else, and you also know its weaknesses. You are the most suitable person to rebuild it."

"And what about Andrei?"

"He was in charge of the operations."

Xu Yun said, "His experience from the former KGB, combined with his understanding of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, is very valuable."

Moreover, he needs money to secure his daughter's future.

We have what he needs, and he has the capabilities we need; it's a fair trade.

Isabella nodded and remained silent for a while.

Outside the window, the sun had completely sunk below the horizon, the sky had turned deep blue, and the first star had lit up.

"What about Miller..." she finally asked the question she was most concerned about.

"The materials are ready."

Xu Yun put down his cutlery, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, and said, "Three key members of the U.S. Congressional Intelligence Committee, two senior officials of the Department of Justice, and several reporters from The Washington Post and The New York Times have all received anonymous emails."

The email contained a summary of Miller's financial problems, enough to pique their interest.

The complete materials will be sent according to my instructions in forty-eight hours.

“What if… what if he doesn’t fall?” Isabella’s voice trembled slightly.

He will fall.

Xu Yun’s voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable power as he said, “Politicians always have more enemies than friends.”

Miller climbed to this position, and you're not the only one standing on the corpses. Once someone fires the first shot, more people will follow suit.

Moreover, we're not providing his enemies with guns, we're providing them with missiles.

Isabella looked at Xu Yun.

Under the restaurant's soft lighting, the man's profile was sharply defined, and his eyes were deep.

He spoke so calmly, as if discussing tomorrow's weather rather than deciding the fate of a high-ranking U.S. intelligence official.

But it was this tranquility that gave her an indescribable sense of security.

It's a very strange feeling.

Just a few days ago, she was his prisoner, forced to cooperate by him through various means.

Now, she sits across from him having dinner, discussing how to rebuild an intelligence empire.

What's even stranger is that she doesn't seem to mind this change.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Xu Yun glanced at her and said, "No need to thank me. This is a transaction. You provided value, and I fulfilled my promise. That's all."

“I know it’s a deal.”

Isabella said, "But I still want to say thank you because... because you are the first person in all these years who is truly willing and able to help me."

Her eyes sparkled under the light.

That wasn't tears; it was something more complex.

There is gratitude, relief, and a long-suppressed emotion that is quietly awakening.

Xu Yun didn't reply, but simply raised his glass.

Isabella also raised her glass.

Two wine glasses clinked gently in the air, producing a crisp sound.

After dinner, Xu Yun escorted Isabella back to her room.

Her room was assigned to the third floor of the administration building; it was a suite with a private bathroom and a small living room.

It's much better than solitary confinement, and even more comfortable than many hotel rooms.

"Get some rest." Xu Yun stood at the door, preparing to leave.

“Wait,” Isabella called out to him.

Xu Yun turned around.

She stood inside the doorway, her hand resting on the doorframe, taking a deep breath as if making an important decision.

Would you like to come in and have a seat?

She asked, her voice lower than usual, "I... have some details about the 'Ghost' technical architecture that I'd like to discuss with you."

Xu Yun looked at her.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes flickered, but she didn't avoid his gaze. It was an invitation, subtle yet clear.

There was a few seconds of silence.

"Okay," Xu Yun said.

The door closed.

The room was dimmer than the dining room, with only a bedside lamp casting a warm glow.

Isabella didn't go to get any technical documents; instead, she went to the small refrigerator and took out two bottles of water.

"Actually... there are no technical details to discuss."

She handed a bottle of water to Xu Yun, her voice even lower.

"I just... don't want to be alone."

Xu Yun took the water, turned it on, and took a sip.

"Afraid?" he asked.

"A little."

Isabella admitted, "But it's not the remnants of the 'ghost' that I'm afraid of, nor Miller, it's... the fear that all of this is just a dream."

"I'm afraid I'll wake up and find myself still in that solitary confinement cell, and all the promises you made were just part of the interrogation process."

Xu Yun put down the water bottle and walked up to her.

The two were very close, close enough to feel each other's breath.

"This is not a dream."

Xu Yun said, raising his hand to gently stroke her cheek, and smiled, "I will do everything I promised you. Miller will fall, 'Ghost' will become history, and you... will have a brand new beginning."

His touch was very light, but Isabella felt as if she had been struck by an electric current.

All reason, all defenses, crumbled at this moment.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

This kiss was different from the one in the solitary confinement room.

That time, Xu Yun took the initiative, with a hint of testing and control.

This time, however, it was her initiative, driven by a desperate determination and a long-suppressed desire.

Xu Yun did not push her away.

His hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck, deepening the kiss.

In the glow of the desk lamp, the shadows of the two people overlapped on the wall, like two intertwined vines.

The clothes fell to the ground one by one.

A dark blue dress, a gray T-shirt, and then more.

Isabella's body was more flexible and more taut than Xu Yun had imagined.

Her skin was very fair, and it shone with a porcelain-like luster in the dim light.

But there are a few faint scars on her back and arms.

Those are the marks left by a career as a secret agent.

Xu Yun's fingers traced over the scars.

Isabella flinched, but did not flinch.

"They're all old wounds."

She said softly, her voice a little hoarse, "Some were left over from training, and some were... from missions."

Xu Yun didn't speak, but lowered his head and kissed the longest scar.

The kiss was light, yet it brought tears to Isabella's eyes.

She didn't know why she was crying.

Was it because of those painful memories of the past? Was it because someone finally saw her scars and didn't despise her? Or was it because...?

On this night, at this moment, could she finally shed all her pretense and strength?
Xu Yun kissed away her tears.

Salty, and warm.

Then his kisses traveled down her body, past her collarbone, her chest, and her flat stomach.

Isabella's fingers dug into his hair, and her body arched uncontrollably.

This is a strange feeling.

She hadn't been this intimate with a man in a long time.

During her time at the NSA, she had several brief relationships, but they all ended without a lasting commitment.

Those men either couldn't stand the nature of her job, or they left her after she resigned.

After joining "Ghost," she became even more afraid to open her heart to anyone.

In that world, trust is a luxury, and emotions are a weakness.

but now……

On this island deep in the Pacific Ocean, in this man's arms, she allowed herself to be vulnerable, allowed herself to yearn, allowed herself... to surrender.

That gentleness was replaced by a more primal and powerful force.

Isabella felt that she had never experienced anything like it before.

It's a feeling of being completely controlled and utterly conquered.

Surprisingly, she felt an unprecedented sense of security under this control.

My body is trembling, and my consciousness is fading.

She could only hold him tightly, her nails digging into the skin of his back, leaving faint marks.

The faint sound of waves outside the window mingled with the panting breaths inside the room.

After an unknown amount of time, as the final wave swept over, Isabella collapsed onto the bed, drenched in sweat, her mind blank.

Xu Yun lay beside her, her breathing somewhat rapid.

Neither of them spoke; they simply lay there quietly, listening to each other's heartbeats gradually calm down.

Then, Isabella turned to the side and rested her head on Xu Yun's chest.

His heartbeat was steady and strong, like a reassuring drumbeat.

"I..." she began, but didn't know what to say.

"Go to sleep."

Xu Yun stroked her hair and said, "There's still a lot to do tomorrow."

Isabella closed her eyes.

She thought she would have insomnia, after all, so much had happened that day.

Strangely, she quickly fell asleep in Xu Yun's arms.

That was the first time in three years that she didn't have nightmares.

Xu Yun woke up at six o'clock in the morning.

Isabella was still asleep, curled up beside him like a cat that had found its home.

Her face was calm, with even a faint smile at the corners of her mouth.

Xu Yun got up gently without waking her.

He put on his clothes and went to the window.

Outside the window, Crescent Island is awakening in the morning light.

The roar of cranes came from the direction of the port, and a new day began.

My phone vibrated.

It was a message from Liu Zhenwu.

"A bounty has been issued."

The dark web has reacted strongly, with information on seven targets already submitted anonymously.

The "Clouded Leopard" team is verifying this.

Xu Yun replied: "Continue to follow up. Also, notify Andrei to come to the command center for a meeting in an hour. It's time to discuss the specific plan for the 'Ghost' reorganization."

After sending the message, he glanced back at Isabella, who was fast asleep on the bed.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly in the morning light, as if she were having a beautiful dream.

Xu Yun's gaze softened for a moment, but he quickly regained his usual composure.

He turned around, gently opened the door, and went out.

like?

It's not really about that; I just wanted to experience different women.

Or is it simply a physiological urge?
The moment the door closed, Isabella on the bed opened her eyes.

Actually, she had been awake for a while, or rather, she hadn't been sleeping soundly at all.

Years of experience as a secret agent have instilled in her a habit of light sleep; any slight noise will make her alert.

But she didn't move; she just watched Xu Yun leave quietly.

Then, she reached out and touched the still-warm sheets beside her, a complicated smile appearing on her lips.

This man was powerful, ruthless, and meticulously calculating, but last night…

He also has tender moments.

Although that tenderness might only be fleeting, and although she knew that their relationship was essentially one of transaction and exploitation, at least in that moment, she was real, and he was real too.

This is enough.

Isabella sat up, the blanket slipping off her.

Looking at herself in the mirror, covered in marks, she felt no shame, but rather a strange sense of satisfaction.

Just as wild animals mark their territory with scent, those marks were the marks Xu Yun left on her.

And she did it willingly.

Get up, take a shower, and change into clean clothes.

When Isabella walked out of the room, she had already regained her usual calm and professional demeanor.

But there was something different in the depths of his eyes.

It was the look in their eyes that said they had found their place.

A kind of...peace after surrender.

In the corridor, she ran into Andrei, who had also just come out.

The former KGB agent glanced at her, a knowing look flashing in his eyes, but said nothing, only nodding.

The two walked side by side toward the command center.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Andrei asked suddenly, his tone flat.

"very good."

Isabella replied with equal indifference, "And you?"

I had a dream.

Andrei said, "I dreamt that my daughter graduated, wearing an academic gown, and smiling happily."

"That was a good dream."

"Yes."

Andrei paused for a moment: "So, in order for this dream to come true, I will work hard."

Mr. Xu has given me an opportunity, and I will seize it.

Isabella glanced at him.

This man, like her, was someone bound by the past, yet whose shackles were broken by Xu Yun.

They all have things they want to protect, and they all have reasons why they have to compromise.

And now, they are on the same path.

“We will all catch it,” she said.

The door to the command center opened.

Xu Yun stood in front of the huge screen, with his back to them.

On the screen, the page for dark web bounties is scrolling and refreshing, with new anonymous information constantly being submitted.

Hearing footsteps, Xu Yun turned around.

His gaze swept over Isabella and Andrei, his eyes calm, as if nothing had happened last night.

"They've all arrived."

He said, "Then let's begin."

Today's discussion will focus on how to rebuild a fragmented intelligence network into the eyes and ears we need.

He walked to the conference table and pulled up a brand new organizational chart.

"The new organization will be called 'Dark Eye'."

Xu Yun's fingers swiped across the screen, his voice echoing in the command center.

"Its mission is simple: to see what others cannot see, to hear what others cannot hear, and to know what others do not know."

Then, we will turn this information into our strength.

Outside the window, the sun had fully risen.

Golden sunlight streamed across the Pacific Ocean and into the command center, illuminating Xu Yun's face, the complex data and charts on the screen, and the start of this brand new morning.

Deep within the dark web, twenty-three names are being given ever-increasing bounties.

A hunt has begun.

The game between hunter and prey has always been the oldest rule in this world.

Xu Yun, too, gradually transformed from an unknown nobody into a powerful figure capable of shaking the world! (End of Chapter)