North American riot police: Start by arresting P. Diddy!

Chapter 233 The Spectre Party is founded! Let's meet up with our old buddies!
What does 10 billion US dollars mean?
Let's continue with the conversion using a stack of ten-thousand-dollar bills: 10 billion is equivalent to one million stacks.

Each stack is about ten centimeters thick, and if a million of them were stacked together, they would be 100,000 meters high.

If standard 40-foot container trucks are used for transportation, at least 250 trucks would be needed to load the goods.

However, in less than thirty seconds, from the moment Harold inserted the USB drive containing the super virus to the completion of the transfer, this astronomical sum of money was dispersed and transferred like flowing water through countless overseas accounts, and finally all of it was transferred into the accounts of dozens of shell companies he had established in his early years.

This move gave this already incredibly wealthy billionaire an additional 10 billion yuan in cash flow.

"so."

In the library, after listening to Rorschach recount his glorious achievements, Anna raised a finger, trembling with rage: "You swindled one hundred—no, one hundred and five billion—from the federal government! And you only gave me ten million?! Fuck! Do you know how much blood and sweat I've shed for you these past few months? You won't even give me one-thousandth? You're a modern-day Scrooge!"

"Is it really necessary to get so angry?"

Rorschach sighed and pressed Anna's forehead, pushing her away. "This 10 billion is practically free. Just tell Harold what you want to buy, right? Do you think he'd mistreat you financially?"

This is true.

Since they connected with Harold, although their status hasn't changed much, their material conditions have indeed undergone a dramatic transformation:
Rorschach carries more than a dozen identity documents with him, each linked to a bank account containing millions of dollars, which he can use at will.

Clyde was able to live a carefree life in the South entirely because Harold entrusted him with managing the farms and ranches he had acquired there.

Now that kid rides his horse across tens of thousands of acres of private land every day, just like a medieval rancher.

John's new home is a complete replica of his destroyed former residence, designed by a designer hired by Harold at great expense.

Considering the special nature of this guy, Harold thoughtfully prepared several identical spare villas.

As for Anna, despite her constant complaining, she holds the ultimate VIP card for all the luxury stores on Fifth Avenue in New York, enjoying the exclusive service of having the stores closed for business every time she shops.

This treatment was far more lavish than what she received during her time in the KGB.

After all, the KGB's budget probably couldn't even compare to the annual interest on a Harold's bank account.

So despite being wanted super criminals, they all actually lived the luxurious lives of the super-rich.

As Harold listened to Anna's mutterings, a slight smile appeared on his lips. He took out a stack of ten bank cards from the drawer and gently placed them on the table.

"This is for you, Anna. There are fifty million in each card, a total of five hundred million."

He adjusted his glasses and said gently, "If... if we really can retire, this will be your retirement pension."

"Yes!"

Anna's face lit up instantly, and she grabbed the bank card on the table, her cheeks flushing with excitement.

Although retirement seemed a long way off, and she knew all too well that she could die at any moment in a dangerous mission arranged by Rorschach, it didn't stop her from dreaming of a wonderful future.

Five hundred million US dollars!

Even with her extravagant spending habits, as long as she doesn't make reckless investments or gamble away her money, she could live a luxurious life.

Harold watched this scene with a smile.

Not only Anna, but he also prepared the same amount of money for Clyde in the south and John, who was walking his dog in some unknown corner.

As Rorschach said, since it's ill-gotten gains anyway, we might as well share it with everyone.

"With so much money, how are you planning to spend it?" Luo Xia teased Anna, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Take care of yourself, and don't spend all your time having sex with dozens of female models. Of course, if you do, remember to invite me."

"Tch, get out of here!" Anna rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid if I take you along, your little bit of money won't be enough to pay for the upbringing of dozens of children."

"."

Gen, sitting on the sofa, silently watched this heartwarming scene, his eyes filled with envy.

As a high-ranking member of the Cobra organization, she possesses top-notch hacking skills, and apart from a few core members, almost everyone holds her in high esteem.

But even at high-level gatherings, cocktail parties, and banquets, the atmosphere has never been as relaxed and harmonious as it is now.

Rorschach Butcher, in particular—before we even met him, he had already been portrayed as a ruthless and cold-blooded monster due to deliberate smear campaigns by the media.

But this man in front of me, who was being rebuked but still smiling, doesn't seem as scary as the rumors suggest.
Despite thinking this, Luo Xia's fearsome reputation still made her hesitant to approach him rashly.

However, someone broke through this hesitation.

"Um... there's no share for me?"

A timid voice suddenly broke through, causing everyone to turn around.

Under everyone's gaze, Caitlin brazenly forced a fawning smile.

Half an hour earlier, after Rorschach exposed all her disguises and schemes in the car, the supervillain gave her two choices:

The first option: Take the money and leave, and Rorschach will pretend he never met her.

The second option: Join his criminal team. Although it involves facing pursuit by law enforcement agencies worldwide and is extremely risky, it will not only bring wealth far exceeding the money in the car, but more importantly, it will grant you a flawless new identity that will never be discovered.

Caitlin's first reaction was, of course, to run away.

She's not the kind of naive newbie who gets easily swayed by sweet talk; she's long past the age of being innocent and childish.

But just as she was about to push open the door and get out of the car, she suddenly remembered the 10 billion dollars that Rorschach had just obtained, and that incredibly realistic FBI badge.

Caitlin hesitated.

The wealth she's accumulated through theft and fraud over the years is more than enough for her to live a carefree life for the rest of her days.

But as a professional criminal, she shares a common occupational hazard with most of the top criminals in the field—enjoying the thrill of committing crimes.

She was obsessed with the sense of accomplishment she felt after outmaneuvering the police and the wealthy, and then gracefully and calmly leaving the scene.

Even though she wasn't short of money, she was still addicted to this kind of exciting game.

More importantly, although she is far less famous than Rorschach Butcher, she is also wanted by multiple countries and has to live in hiding under a false identity.

If I can obtain a new identity as Rorschach promised.
After much hesitation, she finally nodded reluctantly in agreement under Luo Xia's ambiguous gaze.

Back to the present, facing everyone's scrutinizing gazes, Caitlin straightened her chest confidently: "As a newcomer, shouldn't I get a signing bonus?"

"you"

Luo Xia shrugged: "Of course there are benefits for newcomers, but you're not a full member yet. You have to pass the trust test first."

"Waterfa?!"

Caitlin, hands on her hips, looked like a cat with its fur standing on end: "You didn't trust me, yet you hired me? Are you kidding me?"

“That’s not contradictory,” Luo Xia said, waving the bank card in his hand. “Right now, I just admire you. I’ll only truly trust you once you pass the test.”

With that, he tossed the bank card lightly to Caitlin: "Here, there are two million. Pass the test and it's yours." "."

Caitlin snatched the bank card, snorted, tossed her long hair, walked straight to the sofa, squeezed her hips against the wall, and sat down next to her.

She had noticed long ago that this girl, like herself, seemed to be an outsider.

But strangely enough...
Caitlin secretly observed Gen's exquisite features, then glanced at the ever-proud Anna.

How come all the women in this organization are so beautiful?

Night falls on the rooftop of the library.

The enticing aroma of barbecue filled the night air, mingled with the malty fragrance of beer.

Rorschach stood in front of the grill, skillfully flipping the sizzling steak, drinking beer while discussing tactical analysis of the latest NFL season with Clyde, who had just flown back from the South on a private jet.

Harold and Root sat on the sofa, deep in conversation about the latest breakthroughs in hacking techniques. Caitlin tried to interject several times, but couldn't keep up with their jargon at all.

Unlike when they first met, Harold now looked at Root with obvious admiration—this woman's programming skills were truly amazing.

John was playing frisbee in a corner of the rooftop, holding his little bulldogs Stuwell and Brian.

This usually aloof man only shows a childlike smile in front of his dog.

Anna, meanwhile, was nestled in a recliner, chatting animatedly with her girlfriend.

I heard that her European girlfriend recently came to New York, and the two are planning to spend a romantic weekend together and enjoy some time alone.

Before long, plates of golden and tempting roasted meat were placed on the table, glistening with oil and sprinkled with special spices, emitting an irresistible aroma that made one's mouth water.

Rorschach honed his barbecue skills in the army.

After all, in that godforsaken place in the Middle East, vegetables and fruits have to be airlifted, and only beef is plentiful and filling.

He once thought that if he ever encountered an enemy who also possessed the [Eye of Judgment], he might unleash the "Barbecue Master" skill when he was killed.

After everyone had eaten and chatted for a while, Luo Xia suddenly spoke up: "Actually, the reason I gathered everyone here is to discuss something with you all."

Harold already knew his plan and showed no surprise.

But the others all cast curious glances at them.

“I think we shouldn’t continue with these small-scale operations. It’s time to establish a formal organization,” Luo Xia said directly, without beating around the bush.

Minor skirmishes?

Upon hearing this, the expressions on everyone's faces became subtle.

Looking at Rorschach's feats over the past few months, any one of them alone is earth-shattering, and certainly not a small-scale operation.
John, who is usually taciturn, was the first to ask: "An organization like the High Table?"

"High Table Meeting?"

Luo Xia chuckled and shook his head. "Buddy, you overestimate them. A hitman alliance cobbled together by gangsters, apart from the Continental Hotel being their intelligence hub, can't really offer anything remarkable."

John frowned thoughtfully, then nodded in agreement.

Rorschach surveyed the crowd, his gaze intense, and said, "What we want to establish is an organization like Cobra! We'll set up secret bases overseas, train highly skilled agents, infiltrate the intelligence networks of various governments, and most importantly—develop cutting-edge new weapons!"

Gen couldn't help but pour cold water on the idea: "While I don't object to your grand plan, to be honest, reaching the scale of Cobra would require hundreds of billions of dollars. The 10 billion you just received would probably not even make a ripple in a business of this scale."

“That’s right, you’re absolutely right.” Rorschach nodded calmly and smiled. “So I’ve decided to just snatch Cobra and take all their possessions for myself!”

“OK.” Gen said no more, but secretly looked at Luo Xia with the eyes of someone looking at a madman.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council have spent huge sums of money trying to eradicate Cobra, but they have failed. Now Rorschach wants to take its place and even usurp its territory. She really can't understand whether this is blind confidence or if there is some real plan.

“I completely agree with you, buddy.”

Clyde took a swig of beer and said boldly, "With just a few of us, the Federation won't even realize we're a threat. They're afraid of Cobra because of the organization's immense power. If we could reach that scale, the White House probably wouldn't be able to sleep at night!"

“You’re right.” Rorschach snapped his fingers and pointed excitedly at Clyde. “This is my ultimate goal: if I’m going to do something, I’ll do it the biggest!”

The group exchanged glances, and finally, without prior arrangement, all turned their attention to Harold.

Even Caitlin, who had just joined the team, could see that although Rorschach was the decision-maker, he always paid special attention to Harold's opinions, and the two had the closest relationship in the team.

But this time, Harold did not raise any objections as usual. Instead, he pondered for a moment and then nodded: "I think Rorschach has a point."

OK
Seeing that the major investor had spoken, the others no longer objected and expressed their agreement.

"But Luo Xia, aren't there too few of us?"

Clyde shook his beer bottle and frowned, "Even if we take the elite route, we'd need at least hundreds or thousands of peripheral members to support such a large operation."

"Fuck. Hundreds or thousands are a problem for later. Where am I supposed to find people for you now? But..."

Luo Xia stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You're right. I do know a few good old friends, but I haven't contacted them in a long time."

He looked up at the starry sky, as if recalling the past, and a look of nostalgia appeared on his face.

It's time to see those old friends. I wonder how they're doing these days.

"One last question."

Harold adjusted his glasses. "What's the organization's name?"

Immediately, everyone started discussing it at once:

"How about the Hydra? A cobra only has one head, but we have nine! Cut off one head, and two more will grow back!"

"Shit, isn't that name so cringey? Did you grow up reading comics?"

"【The Avengers】? Aren't we all going against the Federation? This name is quite fitting."

"This is the real world, okay? It's not some fucking Marvel comic, don't be so childish."

"[Skull and Bones]?"

Even more outrageous

Amidst the ongoing debate.

Rorschach suddenly slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "In the eyes of the Federation, we are all heinous criminals; but in the minds of the people, we are mysterious legends. Therefore—"

He declared decisively, "Let's call it Spectre!"

(End of this chapter)