At the same time.
After entering the East Sea, the signal became intermittent, and Xiao Wu took this opportunity to contact Li Qiutao and report last night's battle truthfully.
Li Qiutao was relieved to learn that Chen Jinzhao was unharmed and laughed heartily, "As expected of my nephew, he truly has some of my demeanor. You don't need to worry about the rest; I will handle it."
He hung up the phone.
Li Qiutao, who had not slept all night, washed his face. Feeling refreshed, he became much more spirited.
However, this matter was not over.
Li Qiutao murmured, "The Roth family actually came to join the fun. Since they dared to come, they must be prepared for failure. Although Mick Roth has been killed, I don't think it's enough."
"Light a fire, let's liven things up."
That morning.
Several warships patrolled near the East Sea, followed by a fire on a cruise ship belonging to the Roth family. Before rescue arrived, it sank to the bottom of the sea, causing an uproar in the international community.
The cruise ship was worth a billion dollars, and it was destroyed just like that.
Along with the remains of Mick Roth and others, it sank deep into the ocean, with almost no possibility of ever seeing the light of day again.
Everyone knew that the Roth family's cruise ship could not have caught fire. As for the truth, perhaps only a few people knew.
Across the ocean, in Mitly.
Mitly was the world's sole superpower, second to none in terms of military and economy. With its powerful military operational capabilities, it enjoyed a supreme status on this planet and always had the final say in international society.
As the sun rose in China, the west coast of Mitly was experiencing sunset.
At this very moment.
In a super manor in the wealthiest region of the west coast, several middle-aged men with blonde hair were holding an emergency meeting.
After two hundred years of development, the Roth family had grown and prospered, controlling hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth, making them one of the most powerful families in the world today.
The reason these mid-generation leaders were meeting today was to deal with the public outcry following Mick Roth's death.
Sitting at the head of the table was the leader of the mid-generation, Johnson Roth, currently the most promising candidate for the head of the Roth family. No one among the mid-generation disagreed with him.
"Everyone has heard about Mick Roth, right?" Johnson Roth said.
The four nodded.
A slightly overweight middle-aged man shifted his chair. He was Matt Roth. "Boss, when has our Roth family ever endured such humiliation? In my opinion, we must lodge a stern protest with China through national channels and demand they hand over the murderer. Otherwise, others will follow suit, and the prestige that the Roth family has built over the years will cease to exist."
This sentiment was endorsed by the other three.
"Boss, what are you hesitating about? Mick Roth was a young talent of our family, and now he has died under mysterious circumstances. How can we stand by and do nothing?" Matt Roth was extremely puzzled.
Finally.
Johnson Roth spoke.
He said with a grave tone, "I have already reviewed the transmitted video and identified the murderer."
Matt Roth and the others looked surprised. "Boss, since you already know the identity of the perpetrator, it should be easier to handle the rest. Just send someone to arrest him, right?"
Johnson Roth chuckled bitterly. "This is an old acquaintance, one you all should know."
The others became even more confused.
Matt Roth scratched his head and said, "Boss, just tell us directly. What's the point of guessing?"
"Then I'll be direct. The person who acted was China's Eye of the Candle Dragon, the one who killed Jack." Johnson Roth's words caused everyone to gasp, almost suffocating.
Their eyes widened as if they had seen a ghost.
Jack Roth held a much higher position in the family than Mick Roth and was a key prospect for family development. After he was killed by the Eye of the Candle Dragon, the Roth family didn't even dare to utter a word!
Now, another person, Mick Roth, whose status was much lower than Jack Roth, had died, and it seemed equally unbearable.
"Are we going to swallow this insult?" another, slightly older man said. His name was Snyder Roth, an important member of the family council and a hawk-like figure within the family.
The crowd started discussing the matter, chattering incessantly.
"Yes."
"The Roth family has influenced the global landscape for years. We don't believe we can't kill a special forces soldier."
"In my opinion, we must send people into China to assassinate Chen Jinzhao! This is the price for offending the Roth family, a way to 'kill the chicken to scare the monkeys' to those who lurk in the dark and covet the Roth family."
"..."
Johnson Roth pondered for a moment, then raised his hand and made a gesture in the air, silencing the council instantly.
"Everyone, you still don't understand Chen Jinzhao."
"From what I know, Chen Jinzhao has an extraordinary background. His status may not be inferior to Qin Fengwu. Theoretically, Chen Jinzhao also has a chance to compete for the highest position. Do you understand what I mean? If he dies, it will surely enrage China. So, we have two paths before us: one is to launch a decapitation operation against Chen Jinzhao as you all suggested, and the other is to compromise with Chen Jinzhao and support him step by step towards the highest position!"
"If he gains power in the future, it will also benefit us."
Johnson Roth was able to remain rational at all times and make the most suitable decisions for the family, which was why he held this position.
The faces of the others changed slightly. Snyder Roth strongly opposed the second option!
Anger flared in his hawk-like eyes. Snyder placed his hands on the table and said to Johnson Roth, "I disagree with the second path. Our family is among the top in the world. Why should we bow to a young man? If this gets out, it will be bad for the family's reputation. The outside world might even laugh at us for being spineless and liking to be dogs for others."
Johnson Roth nodded, as this was his greatest concern.
Snyder continued, "If Chen Jinzhao and we only had a minor conflict, the second path would still have theoretical feasibility. However, he has killed two of our rightful heirs consecutively. The Roth family must retaliate forcefully!"
For a family to remain strong and prosperous, backbone and integrity were the most important.
Johnson Roth looked at the other three and then said, "Since everyone's opinions are not unified, let's proceed with a vote. According to the old rule, any proposal with more than three votes will pass."
"Those who vote in favor of launching a decapitation operation against Chen Jinzhao, please raise your hands!"
Snyder raised his hand without hesitation. After deliberation, the other three also raised their hands. All four pairs of eyes fell on Johnson Roth, but he did not raise his hand for a long time, instead letting out a sigh.
"This proposal has received four votes, meaning it has passed."
"I now declare that the Roth family will launch a decapitation operation against Chen Jinzhao! However, this operation must not be publicized, and after its success, we must not claim responsibility for this incident!"
"Everyone, get to work!"