Apart from showing weakness in front of Shen Yi, he was remarkably at ease when it came to negotiations like this. "You've captured so many people, you need someone to take the fall for you, to be your scapegoat, to calm the public opinion, to turn this 'incident' into an accident. I'm guessing the scapegoat you've chosen is Visconti."
"But honestly, that's not very credible. What if you add me? The heir of a notoriously vicious background."
When he said these words, the leader fell into deep thought.
To be honest...
Even setting aside the scapegoat issue, the mere mention of two billion dollars was enough to tempt anyone.
Shen Wenta knew that in negotiations, you had to be quick and decisive, and it was best not to give the other party time to hesitate.
Once they started weighing pros and cons and considering variables, too many unexpected things could happen.
"I can stay, sign all the documents, and admit that I planned, orchestrated, and led this whole thing."
These people didn't care who lived or died—they only cared about interests.
When enough interests were at stake, anything could be compromised.
"...You sure know how to sell yourself cleanly." The leader finally spoke. Once he couldn't hold back and opened his mouth, it meant he had agreed.
Shen Wenta curled the corner of his mouth. "I've always been a businessman."
"But I do have one condition."
"Name it."
"Shen Yi leaves right now, immediately, as in this instant. You send a speedboat to take her to the nearest port. I'll watch from here—until she gets on the boat and the speedboat is out of sight, only then will I sign your documents."
The leader frowned. "That's too fast. We haven't—"
"You can do it right now," Shen Wenta interrupted. "One speedboat, two crew members, take her to a port in international waters. Even at your slowest pace, you'll get there in two days on the sea."
"You can send people to watch her, monitor her the whole time. She won't run, she can't run. I just want her to leave this ship alive. That's all."
Shen Wenta made it sound light and easy, but the truth was, once she set foot on land, things would no longer be under the government's control in this region.
But clearly, this leader was dazzled by the two billion dollars and Shen Wenta's terms, and he nodded in agreement.
"Fine. I'll have it prepared now."
After agreeing, the leader felt a bit embarrassed that he had been cornered into negotiating by a man who was as good as dead.
A flicker of subtle annoyance churned inside him, making him unable to resist turning his gaze to the silent girl behind Shen Wenta.
She was very quiet, sheltered behind him, as calm as if this hopeless situation didn't affect her at all.
That Shen Wenta had negotiated for so long with him clearly meant he cared a lot about her.
The man raised his hand, and the gun unceremoniously pointed straight at Shen Yi.
When Shen Wenta saw his movement, his heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he shielded her entirely, using himself to block the muzzle.
"Don't you touch her."
His voice shot up sharply, almost piercing.
Where was the composure he had shown just moments ago?
The leader savored this reaction, curling his lips into a mocking grin.
Teasingly, he clicked the trigger twice without pressing it down.
Listening to that crisp "click" sound, watching Shen Wenta's face grow paler each time.
Having enjoyed the sight long enough, the leader withdrew the gun and glanced around the trembling crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, with a microphone hanging by his side, his voice cutting clearly through every corner of the deck, "How about we take a photo? Everyone, kneel down and put your hands behind your heads."
Otherwise...
He glanced around and fired a shot at random. The bullet hit a railing nearby, metal screeching as sparks flew.
A muffled gasp rippled through the crowd.
Nobody wanted to kneel with their hands behind their heads.
Everyone knew that, even after their deaths, these government officials would need to be photographed and maybe even exposed to the public for propaganda purposes.
The image of those once high-and-mighty faces kneeling on the ground—its impact, once spread, would be self-evident.
In fact, in their world, where evil forces reigned supreme, the credibility of every nation’s government with the public had long been reduced to zero.
Having finally caught a chance to assert dominance, boost credibility, and increase authority, they wouldn't let it slip easily.
Silence spread through the crowd.
The man raised his gun again, a blatant threat.
Soon, someone began to comply.
Once the first person knelt down, it was like dominoes falling—one by one, they bent over, clasped their hands behind their necks, and lowered their heads.
"Mr. Shen," the leader's gaze shifted back to Shen Wenta. His gun moved downwards, aiming at his knees.
"Will you kneel voluntarily, or should I fire?"
His tone was filled with malicious delight, impatient to see this young man, who had just been bargaining with him, bend his knees and bow his head.
Shen Wenta dug his fingernails into his palms, blood trickling through the creases between his fingers. His face was expressionless.
Shen Yi watched this scene unfold in silence.
She reached out with her other hand and wrapped it tightly around him, pulling him close against her, trying to shield him from those gun muzzles.
Shen Yi couldn't help but think—
He was so pathetic.
Her brother.
The hardest thing a pampered young master like him had ever endured was probably an iced American coffee.
He had never been pushed to this point before, had he?
Thinking this, Shen Yi stepped forward and stood in front of him.
Facing that dark, gaping gun muzzle, she looked at the leader.
"Don't bully my brother anymore."
The girl stood like a newly grown sapling—thin, frail, facing the gun without flinching.
The leader was taken aback.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Don't think the terms your brother and I discussed can't be revoked," he threatened coldly.
Shen Yi didn't care at all.
In fact, the gun in her pocket was practically itching for action.
Maybe she could just shoot this pretentious idiot and then just reset and start over.
Time was still pretty plentiful after all.
When she reset, she would go kill this show-off foreigner right from the start.
Shen Yi was the only person present who, in the truest sense, was fearless.
To everyone else, this fearlessness looked like idiocy.
Even the leader found it peculiar.
This kid looked like she was maybe fourteen or fifteen, with still-childish features, yet she had a surprising amount of strength, yanking Shen Wenta behind her.
She had a reckless, fearless, savage look about her.
"Your brother is so useless he needs you to speak up for him? Believe me, I'll take you down too."
Shen Yi grabbed Shen Wenta’s hand tightly and held him behind her. "Don't bully him."
"Or else I'll kill you."
Shen Yi's tone was incredibly domineering.
This attitude was as if she were carved from the same mold as her brother.
This scene was like a kitten coming to protect a big cat—a rare sight indeed.
The leader let out a sudden laugh, almost a snort. "You?"
