493: Chapter 488 You have no right to talk to me about guarantees

Shen Yan's voice sounded near his ear.

"This school was funded by the Hosen Family."

"With just one word from Old Hossen, Timothy can get in."

Kevin instantly understood.

"Threaten him using his son?"

"No."

Shen Yan shook his head.

"We are helping him."

Kevin was stunned.

"Helping him see clearly how foolish it is to stake his entire family's future on a sinking family."

Shen Yan pushed another cell phone in front of Kevin.

It already displayed Old John's number.

"Call him."

"Tell him that before five o'clock this afternoon, he must send everything he knows about the 'Song of the Siren' Foundation via an anonymous email to this address."

"Otherwise, the admissions office at North Gate High School will receive a detailed report at 5:01 regarding him embezzling stable funds to keep a mistress outside."

Kevin looked at the number string, his fingers feeling somewhat cold.

He thought of Old John's son, Timothy.

A boy about his own age, shy, quiet, who would blush every time he saw Kevin.

Was he going to personally destroy that boy's future?

"What's wrong?"

Shen Yan saw through his hesitation.

"Think it's cruel?"

Kevin didn't speak, but his tightly pressed lips said everything.

"Then when you were lying on the hospital bed, covered in tubes, did he feel it was cruel?"

"When Andrew sent people to hunt you down and locked you in the farm to wait for death, did he feel it was cruel?"

"Kevin, this isn't a friendly dinner."

"This is war."

"Mercy towards the enemy is cruelty towards oneself."

Kevin's breathing became heavy.

The image of "Lightning" falling into a pool of blood flashed in his mind.

The harsh sound of metal grinding when the cable car steel rope snapped also flashed.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the hesitation in his eyes had vanished.

He picked up the phone.

He pressed the call button.

The phone rang three times before being answered.

"Hello?"

It was Old John's slightly hoarse voice.

Kevin didn't speak; he felt like something was blocking his throat.

Shen Yan extended a finger and tapped lightly on the table.

Thump.

Kevin flinched and finally found his voice.

"Mr. John."

His voice was as dry as sandpaper.

"Your son, Timothy's, interview at North Gate High School today went very smoothly."

Silence followed on the other end of the line.

A few seconds later, Old John's voice returned with a hint of vigilance.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who cares about Timothy's future."

Kevin spoke word for word, following Shen Yan's instructions.

"I heard North Gate High School has a very strict school spirit, and they scrutinize the family background of students very carefully."

"For example, the father's conduct."

A suppressed gasp came from the other end of the line.

"What exactly do you want?"

"Before five o'clock this afternoon."

Kevin recited the email address.

"All the evidence of Andrew using the 'Song of the Siren' Foundation for money laundering."

"Including, but not limited to, fund transfers, account information, and the transportation routes for those rare minerals."

"I want all of it."

"You're crazy! I don't know anything!"

Old John's voice suddenly rose sharply.

"It doesn't matter if you know or not."

Kevin's tone was cold, devoid of any warmth.

"I only know that if I don't receive the email by 5:01..."

"The principal's email at North Gate High School will receive an additional letter of complaint."

"The content of the letter will detail how you used your position to sell the Hossen Family's horses, converted the money, and bought bags for your mistress in the West City."

"Oh, right, there are also a few clear photos of you two together."

Dead silence followed on the other end of the line.

Kevin could hear Old John's heavy breathing, like an old ox dying.

"You... you are destroying him!"

Old John's voice carried a hint of pleading.

"The one destroying him is you."

Kevin hung up the phone.

He threw the phone onto the table as if tossing away a red-hot iron brand.

He leaned back in his chair, panting heavily.

Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He felt like he had just been pulled out of water.

"How do you feel?"

Shen Yan handed him a glass of water.

Kevin didn't take it.

He looked at his own hands, which were trembling slightly.

"I feel... disgusting."

he said in a low voice.

"What's the difference between us and him, and Andrew?"

"The difference is which side we stand on."

Shen Yan withdrew his hand.

"When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back into you."

"You can choose to be swallowed by it and become the same thing as it."

"Or you can choose to make it your weapon."

Shen Yan clicked on Pete's file.

"Next one."

Pete's handling was more direct and bloody.

Shen Yan contacted the owner of the 'Rattlesnake' casino, a man named Donnie, through 'Ghost'.

A sum of money was transferred to Donnie's Switzerland account.

A simple instruction was sent over.

"Make him lose."

"Lose until he wagers his very soul on the card table."

Over the next few hours, real-time updates from the Private Detective kept coming in.

"Target has entered the casino and sat down at the Blackjack table."

"Target has good luck, won five thousand dollars."

"Casino manager came out and invited the target to the VIP room to play Texas Hold'em."

"Target accepted."

"Target lost all the money he brought in the VIP room."

"The casino offered him one hundred thousand in chips."

"Target lost it all."

"The casino offered him another two hundred thousand."

"..."

The text on the screen was like a cold carving knife, recording the downfall of a person.

Kevin just watched.

He didn't say a word.

Until the last message came through.

"Target owes the casino five hundred thousand and has been taken into the back office."

Shen Yan dialed another number.

The call was answered quickly, and a man's painful groan could be heard in the background.

"Mr. Pete."

Shen Yan's voice was calm and steady.

"I heard you ran into a little trouble."

Pete's voice on the other end was filled with fear and despair.

"Who are you? Are you one of them too?"

"No."

Shen Yan said.

"I am the one who can save you."

He pressed the play button.

A recording played from the phone.

It was a conversation between Pete and a mineral smuggler, clearly mentioning the name 'Song of the Siren' Foundation and the amounts of several transactions.

Pete's groans stopped abruptly.

"I'll give you a choice,"

Shen Yan stated.

"One: I turn this recording, along with your name, over to the FBI. You will spend the rest of your life in prison, and your wife and daughter will live difficult lives carrying your infamy."

"Two..."

Shen Yan paused.

"Organize all the dirt you have on the 'Song of the Siren' Foundation and send it to the email address I specify."

"The five hundred thousand you owe the casino will be written off."

"Another five hundred thousand will be added to your overseas account."

"Enough for you to take your family, leave St. Ludo, and start over somewhere no one knows you."

"You... how can you guarantee that?"

Pete's voice trembled.

"You are not qualified to talk about guarantees with me."