The God of Wealth starts with doing whatever you want

As the morning light pierced the horizon of the eastern Pacific Ocean, Crescent Island had already been awake for an hour.

In the port area, the last batch of prefabricated components is being lifted by cranes to their designated positions at berth number three.

Welders stood on scaffolding, the arc light from their electric arcs flickering in the morning mist beneath their protective masks, like some kind of strange fireworks.

On the distant mountainside, a radar antenna array disguised as rock texture began to slowly rotate, scanning every inch of the sea and air within a 300-nautical-mile radius.

Xu Yun stood on the balcony of the top-floor suite of the administration building, holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

He was wearing a simple white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, his bare feet on the cool marble floor, watching the island gradually take shape as it unfolded in the morning light.

Five months.

From a simple dock and a few rows of prefabricated houses, it has now grown into a complex with three 10,000-ton berths, a nascent underground command center, two 3,000-meter runways, and a comprehensive community that can accommodate 800 people.

This speed would be considered a miracle even in any large-scale infrastructure project in any country in the world.

But behind the miracle lies an almost fanatical dedication.

Money, money that never stops flowing in.

The $800 million in crypto assets seized from the "Ghost" organization have been laundered and reinvested in projects by the financial team led by Lin Wanzhou.

Xu Yun's own investment portfolio in major global markets has generated more than three billion US dollars in profits over the past six months, with nearly half of it flowing to Crescent Island.

There are also those gray channels that are inconvenient to disclose.

The generous payments made by some Middle Eastern royals to “private security advisors” and the clandestine transfers of “intelligence support” by some Southeast Asian political figures.

These funds, like blood, sustain the growth of this steel island.

"woke up?"

Isabella's voice came from behind.

Xu Yun turned around and saw her walking out wearing his shirt, the hem of which just covered mid-thigh, her legs were bare, and her hair was a little messy.

The morning light outlined the curves of her body; the top two buttons of her shirt were undone, revealing her collarbone and a small patch of skin.

She walked over to him, naturally took the coffee from his hand, and took a small sip.

"Bitter." She frowned.

No sugar added.

"I know."

She smiled, took another sip, and said with a smile, "But I like it."

The two stood side by side on the balcony, watching the port below gradually come to life.

A group of workers in orange overalls were marching in formation toward the construction area. The safety supervisor was taking attendance, and his voice came through a loudspeaker with a slight static.

Further away, on the airport runway, a small commuter plane was landing; the last batch of special steel purchased from the Philippines had arrived.

"Andrei sent a message this morning."

Isabella handed the coffee cup back to Xu Yun, leaned against the railing, and said, "He's making good progress in Kyiv and has already reconnected with three old contacts from his KGB days."

One of them is now the deputy head of the Security Service of Ukraine, and can provide 'certain favors' in Eastern Europe.

"cost?"

"Two million dollars in 'advisory fees' per year, plus helping him open several anonymous accounts in Swiss banks."

Isabella paused for a moment and then said, "Andrei said the price is fair, and the deputy director has what we need."

Details of the Russian intelligence agency's deployment in the Black Sea region, and a map showing the distribution of NATO listening posts in Eastern Europe.

Xu Yun nodded and said, "Tell him you agree, but you need to get the samples first."

"clear."

Isabella took her phone out of her pocket, quickly typed in a message, and sent it.

She was very focused when she typed, her brows furrowed slightly, and sunlight danced on her eyelashes.

Xu Yun looked at her.

She has changed a lot in the past two weeks.

It's not about appearance.

She is still Isabella, with her exquisite features and aloof demeanor.

But something deeper has changed.

The wariness and vigilance in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a more complex emotion.

Trust, dependence, and an almost greedy yearning for a new life.

She began to actively participate in the establishment of "Dark Eye," not only in terms of technology, but also in personnel recruitment, intelligence network architecture, and even budget allocation.

She demonstrated an organizational ability and strategic vision that surprised even Xu Yun.

"You said last night that you wanted to build a laboratory on Crescent Island?"

Xu Yun asked, then took another sip of coffee.

After sending the message, Isabella looked up and said, "Yes. It's not an ordinary lab; it specializes in signals intelligence and cryptography."

You know about the 'Persephone' project I led when I was at the NSA…

"Quantum entanglement monitoring".

"Correct."

Her eyes lit up, with that special gleam that comes when she talks about her field of expertise.

"The theoretical basis of that project was advanced, but the implementation method was very crude."

Miller and his colleagues were too eager for quick success and instant benefits, wanting to jump directly to the application layer and neglecting basic research.

But before I left, I had actually derived a completely new mathematical model that could significantly improve the accuracy of non-invasive thought monitoring.

Xu Yun put down his coffee cup and asked, "What do you need?"

"First of all, there's the equipment."

Isabella started counting on her fingers.

"At least two superconducting quantum interference devices; a cryogenic constant temperature system; a high-precision magnetic field shielding room; and a dedicated quantum computing prototype."

It doesn't need to be too advanced, just enough to run my algorithm.

"Budget?"

"Preliminary estimate...eighty million US dollars."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Xu Yun cautiously, seemingly worried that the number was too large.

Xu Yun smiled.

"Eighty million? I thought it would be at least two hundred million."

He said, "I'll give you a limit of 150 million, and I'll add more if that's not enough."

The equipment list was sent to Liu Zhenwu, who would then arrange procurement channels. Some items might require special channels from Switzerland or Japan.

Isabella was stunned.

"Aren't you going to ask me what I'm going to do with this research?"

"You can research whatever you want."

Xu Yun turned around to face her, reached out and smoothed the messy hair on her forehead, and said, "This island, this laboratory, are all yours. You can do whatever you want with them."

His fingers were warm, still carrying the warmth of the coffee.

Isabella felt her heart skip a beat.

"just in case……"

She lowered her voice and asked, "What if what I'm researching is dangerous?"

"That's better."

Xu Yun's smile deepened as he said, "A dangerous weapon is safer in your own hands than in the hands of the enemy."

He paused, then added, "And I believe you."

You are not Miller, not someone who would sacrifice everything for power and profit.

I know you have your bottom line.

These words, though spoken lightly, struck Isabella's heart like a stone.

She lowered her head, her eyes feeling a little hot.

Over the past three years, she has heard far too many things.

Miller called her a "valuable asset," Bergman called her a "useful tool," and even she herself once defined herself as a "weapon of revenge."

But no one has ever said, "I believe you."

No one ever said "you have a bottom line".

"Thank you."

She spoke softly, her voice slightly choked.

Xu Yun didn't say anything more, but simply pulled her into his arms and hugged her gently.

The morning breeze blows across the balcony, carrying the salty smell unique to the Pacific Ocean and the metallic scent of welding work in the distance.

The roar of cranes, the shouts of workers, and the long whistles of ships as they docked could be heard from the port below.

The hug lasted a long time.

Until Xu Yun's phone vibrated again.

She stepped back a little, glanced at the screen, and said, "It looks like it's Lin calling."

Xu Yun pressed the answer button and turned on speakerphone.

"Mr. Xu."

Lin Wanzhou's voice came through, accompanied by some background noise, as if it were coming from an airport.

"I just arrived in Singapore and I have a situation to report."

"explain."

"The bounty we posted on the dark web has yielded results."

Lin Wanzhou's voice turned serious.

"Of the 23 targets, as of early this morning, nine have been confirmed dead and five captured alive."

Of the remaining nine, three contacted us, offering to surrender and hand over all the intelligence they possessed in exchange for new identities and a settlement payment.

"condition?"

"Two million dollars per person, plus the protection of 'Dark Eye'."

"Promise them."

Xu Yun said without hesitation, "But tell them that after surrendering, they must undergo a three-month 'loyalty test' before they can get the money and their identity."

"Understood, and also..."

Lin Wanzhou paused for a moment, then said, "Latest news about Miller."

The congressional hearings concluded yesterday, and the Department of Justice has formally filed charges against the defendants on seventeen counts, including bribery, abuse of power, and attempted murder.

Bail was set at five million US dollars, but the judge rejected his bail application, citing a flight risk.

Isabella gripped her phone tightly.

Where is he now?

"A federal detention center in Virginia, solitary confinement."

Lin Wanzhou said, "His wife filed for divorce yesterday, requesting a division of property and primary custody of their two children."

His son was ostracized by his classmates at Princeton University, and his daughter was expelled from a private high school...

Essentially, society has died.

A moment of silence.

"need……"

Lin Wanzhou asked cautiously, "Should we arrange for someone to 'visit' him?"

His so-called "visit" was certainly not an ordinary prison visit.

Xu Yun glanced at Isabella.

She bit her lip, her face was a little pale, but her eyes were complicated.

Anger? Pleasure? Or... something indescribable?
"Need not."

Xu Yun replied, "Let him live. Living in prison, watching his world crumble little by little every day, is more painful than death."

"understood."

Lin Wanzhou continued, "There's one more thing. We've made some progress on those shell companies registered in the Cayman Islands that you asked me to investigate."

"Explain in more detail."

"These three companies have dispatched a total of seven 'research vessels' to the waters surrounding Crescent Island in the past eighteen months."

It's nominally marine geological research, but in reality...

Lin Wanzhou lowered her voice even further.

"Our intelligence agents obtained a copy of the navigation log of one of the ships."

The data recorded above is not geological data, but sonar scan results and underwater topographic mapping, with very high precision.

Moreover, the log repeatedly mentions a code name: 'Dragon's Lair'.

Xu Yun's eyes turned cold.

"Dragon's Lair".

"Correct."

Lin Wanzhou said, "We analyzed the navigation trajectory and found that the scanning area of ​​the seven ships covered all possible underwater tunnel entrances, natural harbors, and underwater canyons suitable for submarine concealment around Crescent Island."

They're not looking for resources; they're looking for military vulnerabilities.

Isabella interjected, "Who's behind these three companies?"

"On the surface, they are three different offshore funds, but if you trace them back further..."

Lin Wanzhou paused, the sound of typing came from the keyboard, and said, "In the end, they all point to the same place: Tokyo."

“Japan?” Isabella frowned.

"To be precise, it was a special intelligence unit under the Japanese Ministry of Defense, but there was no direct evidence. The funds changed hands at least six times."

Xu Yun walked to the edge of the balcony, placed her hands on the railing, and looked at the sun rising over the distant sea. Golden sunlight bathed the sea, making it sparkle and shimmer, a scene as beautiful as a painting.

But beneath this beautiful scenery, undercurrents are surging.

"Old Lin, compile a complete report containing detailed information about these three companies, along with their cash flow charts."

Xu Yun's voice was calm, yet carried a cold quality as he said, "Then, anonymously, send them to two places: the Pentagon in the United States, and... the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation."

Isabella looked at him in surprise.

Lin Wanzhou was also taken aback: "President Xu, what you're doing will..."

"It will make them suspicious of each other and restrain each other."

Xu Yun turned around, his back to the morning light, his face sharply defined in the shadows. "They'll suspect that Tokyo is up to something behind their backs. As for Moscow... they never miss an opportunity to cause trouble for the United States."

He walked up to Isabella, took the phone from her hand, and said to Lin Wanzhou, "Remember, when you send it out, you need to 'embellish' it a bit."

Make the report appear as a leak from a disgruntled insider, rather than a carefully planned intelligence delivery.

"I see."

Lin Wanzhou said, "I will make sure it's done flawlessly."

"In addition, the defense system on Crescent Island needs to be upgraded."

Xu Yun looked down at the port and said, "The existing radar and sonar systems can only cover a hundred nautical miles around, which is not enough."

I need full coverage of 300 nautical miles, including underwater listening arrays, a low-altitude drone patrol network, and... satellites.

"satellite?"

"Correct."

Xu Yun said, "Contact Musk, lease the dedicated frequency bands of three Starlink satellites, and then buy two second-hand military reconnaissance satellites through an intermediary."

Money is no problem; I want to have my own eyes in the skies above Crescent Island within a month.

"Understood, I'll take care of it right away."

"besides."

Xu Yun added, "Send a message to Andrei, asking him to visit Israel on his way back from Eastern Europe."

"Israel?"

“Find a few retired Mossad technical experts, especially those specializing in electronic warfare and cyber attack and defense.”

Xu Yun said, "Offer a high price, twice the market price, no, three times."

I need them to come to Crescent Island to train our security team.

"Yes."

The communication was disconnected.

Isabella looked at Xu Yun with a complicated expression.

"You're playing a very big game."

"The chessboard was already set up."

Xu Yun handed the phone back to her and said, "We've only just found our place."

He finished the last of his coffee and walked into the suite.

"Go change your clothes, I'll take you somewhere."

"Where?"

"Airport."

Half an hour later, Xu Yun drove the electric off-road vehicle provided on the island southeast along the newly built ring road.

Isabella sat in the passenger seat, having changed into work pants and hiking boots, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail.

She watched the scenery rushing past the window.

Newly transplanted palm trees, solar panel arrays still being installed, exposed rocks on the distant mountainside, and construction scaffolding.

“Isn’t the airport in the north?” she asked.

"Go to another airport."

Xu Yun turned the steering wheel, and the car turned onto a narrower dirt road.

The road was clearly newly built, with bare soil and gravel on the surface, and the bushes on both sides had been roughly bulldozed.

The car bumped along, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Five minutes later, they arrived at a small flat area hidden in the valley.

It is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only a narrow exit on the east side facing the sea.

On the flat ground, a runway about 800 meters long has taken shape, with two airplanes parked at the end of the runway.

It's not an ordinary commuter plane.

It's a fighter jet.

Two dark gray J-10S fighter jets, with training air-to-air missile models hanging under their wings, gleamed with a cold, hard metallic luster in the morning light.

"This is……"

Isabella opened the car door and got out.

Xu Yun followed behind her and said, "The first hangar on the island is still under construction, so we'll leave it here for now."

"You got this?" Isabella turned to look at him, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"borrowed."

Xu Yun smiled and said, "Give me six months."

"What kind of bet could win two fighter jets?"

"I bet that in the next air force exercise, the new tactics I proposed will increase the interception success rate by 30%."

Xu Yun walked to a plane, reached out and touched the cold fuselage, and said, "General Liu doesn't believe me. He said if I can do it, he'll let me play for half a year."

Isabella walked up to him: "And then?"

"Then last week's exercise, using my tactics, increased the interception success rate by 37%."

Xu Yun smiled with a touch of childlike smugness and said, "The other party was so angry that they cursed, but they still honored their bet and sent over these two treasures."

He looked at Isabella and asked, "Would you like to go up and take a look?"

Isabella hesitated for a moment: "Me? Is that okay?"

"Why not?"

Xu Yun walked to the gangway and made a "please" gesture.

Isabella hesitated for a second, then climbed up.

The cabin was narrower than I had imagined, but everything was well-organized.

The dashboard is densely packed with control levers, accelerators, and buttons and switches of various colors.

The leather seats were hard, and the five-point seatbelts held her firmly in place.

Xu Yun followed her into the rear cabin and sat behind her.

"Put this on." He handed her a flight helmet.

The helmet is heavy and lined with soft, cushioning material.

After Isabella put it on, a heads-up display appeared in front of her, showing various data: altitude, speed, heading, fuel level...

"Can you hear me?" Xu Yun's voice came through the helmet headset.

“Yes,” Isabella said, her voice a little strained.

"Relax, we're not flying, just sitting here."

Xu Yun smiled and said, "However, if you want to learn, I can teach you."

Isabella turned her head and looked at him across the seat: "Really?"

"real."

Xu Yun said, "The system has a complete set of simulation training programs, from basic flight to tactical maneuvers."

If you're interested, just two hours a day, and you'll be able to fly basic subjects in three months.

Isabella stared at the dashboard in front of her, at the complex pointers and numbers, and at the symbols and abbreviations she couldn't understand at all.

But for some reason, she felt excited.

A long-lost desire to conquer the unknown quietly rose in her heart.

“I want to learn,” she said.

"it is good."

Xu Yun's voice was gentle as he said, "Starting tomorrow, I will teach you every afternoon at four o'clock."

They sat in the cabin for a while longer.

Xu Yun explained the function of each instrument to her, told her how to hold the control stick, how to push the throttle, and what to pay attention to during landing.

Isabella listened attentively, occasionally asking questions that were clever and hit the nail on the head.

“You are very talented,” Xu Yun said.

"I used to learn how to fly a helicopter."

Isabella said, "It was part of my escape skills when I was with the NSA."

"Different."

Xu Yun shook his head and said, "A helicopter is a tractor, and a fighter jet is a Ferrari. But you do have talent."

Sunlight streamed through the canopy, casting the shadows of the two men onto the instrument panel.

It's very quiet.

The only sounds were the distant waves and the occasional cries of seabirds.

“Xu Yun,” Isabella suddenly spoke.

"Ok?"

Why are you so good to me?

This question came as a surprise.

Xu Yun remained silent for a few seconds.

"I do not know."

He said honestly, "Maybe it's because...you remind me of my younger self."

"You before?"

"Ah."

Xu Yun looked out the window, his gaze distant.

Isabella didn't say anything.

"When I first arrived in Jiangcheng, I lived in a basement and ate instant noodles. At my poorest, I couldn't even afford a subway ticket."

Xu Yun's voice was calm, as if she were telling someone else's story.

"Sometimes I think, if someone had helped me back then, maybe the road wouldn't have been so difficult."

Isabella felt her eyes start to burn again.

"So you'll help me?"

"It's not just about helping you."

Xu Yun looked at her and smiled, "It's to help all those who are unwilling to be controlled by fate."

He laughed: "Sounds pretty cringey, doesn't it?"

"A little."

Isabella smiled, but tears streamed down her face.

"But I like it."

She turned around from her seat and kissed him across the seat.

"But you chose this place!"

Xu Yun smiled.

After fighting inside the fighter jet for a while, the two climbed out of the cockpit, satisfied.

Before leaving, Xu Yun took a metal box from the trunk and placed it next to the landing gear of one of the planes.

“What is this?” Isabella asked.

"A small gift." Xu Yun opened the box.

Inside was a complete flight suit, custom-made, dark gray, with "Dark Eye" badges on the shoulders.

One closed eye.

There was also a pair of gloves, a pair of boots, and even a custom-made flight helmet with her initials, IC, printed on the side.

Isabella was stunned.

"When will you..."

"The measurements were taken last week and just airlifted over yesterday."

Xu Yun said, "Shall we give it a try?"

Isabella picked up the flight suit; the fabric was thick and sturdy, with a rough texture.

She walked to the back of the SUV, pulled up the window shutters, and began to change her clothes.

Five minutes later, when she reappeared in front of Xu Yun, she was a completely different person.

The dark gray flight suit fit her figure perfectly, making her look incredibly dashing.

The boots fit perfectly, and the gloves fit just right.

Finally, she put on the custom-made helmet, pushed up the visor, revealing a pair of incredibly bright eyes.

"How is it?" she asked, her voice muffled but with a hint of amusement coming from inside her helmet.

Xu Yun stared at her for a long time.

Then he walked up to the other person and helped straighten their collar, his movements very gentle and careful.

"Perfect." (End of Chapter)