Did Li Xiao want me to wash my neck clean?
Jessica was stunned by the words, and then suddenly realized something.
Li Xiao—
He was about to discard all pretenses and turn hostile!
Instantly.
Jessica felt her heart pounding, her limbs growing cold, and her face turned pale.
In the past, when she represented the Rhode family and was with Li Xiao, Alexander, and others (negotiating with Zhao Tingshan), she naturally exuded the demeanor of a wife of a patriarch of the world's foremost affluent family.
That was because, in her subconscious, she knew she was qualified to be their equal.
But she had overlooked one fact—
That is, the reason why Li Xiao and Alexander allowed her to be their equal was due to the constraints of rules!
What if.
Li Xiao no longer cared about the damned rules, but tore off his hypocritical mask and revealed his true face of "those who obey me prosper, those who defy me die" from when he conquered the world?
How could he possibly still care about the international status of the Rhode family, the world's leading affluent family!
He would only treat them as enemies, spare no effort, and inflict the greatest possible harm on them.
He might even not hesitate to ignite a war in Britain, where the Rhode family was located!!
Upon this thought.
Jessica, fearing him even more, asked in a sharp voice, "Steward Bai, is Lord Li Long saying that he will disregard the peace rules that all parties have worked hard to establish over the years?"
"Rules?"
Li Xiao's voice came from the phone.
It was filled with deep disdain. "Madame Rhode, are you sure you want to talk about rules with me?"
Jessica questioned loudly, "Isn't it?"
"Alright."
Li Xiao replied, "Since you want to talk about rules, then I will talk about rules with you. Madame Rhode, before the Blackwater Forest incident, did my son Li Qianfan cause any harm to anyone, including the Rhode family?"
"No."
Jessica answered with certainty.
Li Xiao said indifferently, "But the Rhode family secretly supported the Dark Web and attempted to infect my son with 209 by betraying Dai Paipai, who was by his side?"
Jessica's lips moved—
Li Xiao asked again, "Who orchestrated the concealment of a large number of experts from the Battle Demon Temple in Blackwater Forest specifically to deal with my son? Who released the vampires currently ravaging the world? You know these things better than I do, don't you?"
Jessica was speechless.
"Clearly, you have always provoked us and schemed against my Longxu!"
Li Xiao's voice grew colder. "But you do not permit me to take necessary actions when I can no longer tolerate it. What is the difference between you doing this and a whore?"
When he uttered the word "whore," it meant that the mask had been completely torn off.
Jessica's face turned from green to white.
But she still couldn't utter a single word.
"If you want war, then war it is!"
Li Xiao dropped the words and ended the call.
Jessica held the receiver, motionless for a long time.
Before this.
Whether it was sponsoring the Dark Web and targeting Li Qianfan; or setting up a trap in Blackwater Forest to harvest the wealth of the Eastern Lands through war; or cooperating wholeheartedly with the Battle Demon Temple through the Moses family.
Jessica had never felt that doing so was wrong.
As long as it could bring the greatest benefits to the Rhode family, even if it meant the suffering of millions, they would not feel it was wrong.
They would only use the people's suffering to increase their global wealth harvesting!
The two greatest wars in human history were directly related to these so-called "genius entrepreneurs"!!
After suffering bloody retaliation, they would seek the world's pity through movies and literature to further their own interests.
Look at the current film and literary works—
They all portrayed the Normandy landings as the United States defeating that warmonger, but completely ignored the fact that the Soviet Union, after paying the price of tens of millions of lives, planted their flag in the heart of Germany.
Everything they were doing now, including letting vampires ravage the world, they still didn't feel was wrong.
But Li Xiao (Longxu), who was only a fraction of this interest group, was willing to break the rules for such a trivial matter?
Jessica couldn't understand.
After much consideration, she felt that Longxu was just bluffing!
"I don't believe you would dare to start a war."
After considering from every angle, Jessica scoffed dismissively. "Do you really think the Rhode family, which has looked down upon the world for hundreds of years, is easily intimidated?"
Raising her hand to cover her mouth, Jessica yawned and walked into the bedroom.
She had been increasingly drowsy lately.
Especially when she had to think, she felt her mental strength was significantly depleted.
Convinced that Longxu was just posturing to scare them, Jessica, who was full of disdain, soon fell asleep.
At two o'clock in the afternoon.
Green Rhode, who had gone out since morning to personally handle the funeral of the nine elders, returned.
His face was filled with suppressed shock and fear.
Half an hour ago.
Just as he was presiding over the funeral of the nine elders and formally announcing Bai Du Niao's crimes in front of hundreds of reporters, an accident occurred.
Someone attempted to assassinate him on the spot!
Fortunately, his dozens of bodyguards were professional enough. After sacrificing three lives and injuring seven people, they managed to ensure his safe return to the Rhode ancient castle.
Upon his return, he immediately convened a core meeting.
"We must thoroughly investigate who dared to lay a hand on me!"
Green Rhode looked at the few core members who had arrived first and roared angrily, waving his fist. "Whoever it is, I will make them pay the most tragic price!"
To dare to plot against the great patriarch of the world's foremost affluent family—
Damn it, was there no justice in this world!?
Before Green Rhode's roar subsided, the door to the conference room was knocked.
"Come in."
Green Rhode said impatiently.
The door opened.
It was his secretary, who reported in a low voice, "Your Excellency Count. Ten minutes ago, Mr. Lonnie was ambushed by unidentified individuals on his way to the castle for the meeting. Mr. Lonnie died on the spot, and only one of the six accompanying drivers and bodyguards survived."
What?
Green Rhode's face changed drastically!
Even Jessica, who had been frowning in thought and remained silent, trembled slightly.
As for the other core members attending the meeting, they felt a strong urge to find the safest place and hide.
"Who dares to ambush a core member of the Rhode family in broad daylight?"
Green Rhode's originally refined and elegant face began to contort.
The secretary's lips moved—
"Say whatever you want to say."
Seeing his hesitant look, Jessica spoke first.
The secretary had no choice but to brace himself and report truthfully, "While Mr. Lonnie was ambushed, his family was also assassinated by unidentified assailants. The number of casualties has not yet been tallied."
Green Rhode and others—
"Bai Du Niao."
"This must be Bai Du Niao's doing."
"They still haven't stopped after massacring more than thirty people in my castle!"
A core member exclaimed in terror.
Tap, tap, tap.
Urgent footsteps were heard from outside the door.
It was still someone from the castle's secretarial staff. "Your Excellency Count! The latest news from New York! Three high-ranking officials from International Ruixue were assassinated with their entire families just five minutes ago!"
Three high-ranking officials from International Ruixue were also assassinated!?
Before Green Rhode and the others could react, urgent footsteps were heard again.
This time it was still someone from the castle's secretarial staff.
Due to the extreme importance and urgency of the matter, he rushed to the door and shouted, "Your Excellency Count! Longxu has just issued a formal announcement. They claim full responsibility for the assassination attempt on Your Excellency the Count at the elders' funeral; and for the assassinations of Mr. Lonnie and several high-ranking officials of International Ruixue!"
Silence.
The conference room suddenly became deathly still.
Everyone's eyes widened, their faces filled with disbelief as if they had seen a ghost.
Longxu—
How dare Longxu, one of the four major powers in the world, break the peace rules that had been maintained for many years and openly launch a despicable assassination of the great patriarch of the world's foremost affluent family!?
"Could it be that Longxu is about to ignite the most tragic war in human history in Europe again?"
Many people subconsciously recalled the fuse of World War I.
The trigger for World War I was the assassination of a famous archduke on the street.
If that were the case—
Green Rhode and the others dared not continue thinking.
"What is Longxu trying to do?"
Green Rhode still appeared extremely angry, but he was trembling all over.
Despite never caring about the lives of others, he cherished his own life dearly.
He knew even better—
If Longxu completely tore off their masks and intended to annihilate the Rhode family, they would have only one outcome.
That is, the Rhode family would become a mere historical footnote!!
Jessica said slowly, "It is only because we plotted against Li Qianfan."
"How is that possible!"
Green Rhode immediately retorted. "For such a small matter, could Longxu disregard its own interests and world peace and break the rules?"
Jessica replied in a low voice, "This morning, after I received bad news from the Moses family, I called Li Xiao of Longxu to question him. At that time, he gave me a reply."
What reply?
Green Rhode and the others looked at her.
Jessica raised her hand and lightly gestured to her slender neck.