253: Summon Alfred

Alfred had just hung up the phone with his father, the words "Welcome, Master" still lingering on the screen, and his taut nerves suddenly relaxed, an uncontrollable excitement welling up in his heart.

He was finally going to see the Master that his family had waited for nearly a century, and he would see him even before his father.

Although he had prepared himself to meet Jiang Chen before departing, this honor still made his chest burn with fervor.

He turned and walked towards the inner part of the warehouse, where the twenty core Flame Peak field agents he had brought were gathered, all foreign faces, standing tall and straight like pines.

Some were sitting at a table meticulously maintaining various firearms, the cleaning cloths fluttering between their fingers, their movements skilled and precise.

Others leaned back in chairs, watching Chinese TV dramas, occasionally mumbling a few words along with the subtitles, as if trying to adapt to the local language as quickly as possible.

Still others were engaged in simple combat training, the sound of their fists and feet cutting through the air, deep and powerful. Everyone was conserving energy, ready to await orders at any moment.

Alfred clapped his hands, and the crisp sound immediately made everyone stop their movements, turning to look at him in unison, their eyes filled with the solemnity of being on standby.

"Everyone stay put, strictly adhere to the safe house rules, and be ready for deployment at any time," he said in a steady tone, with an unquestionable command, then turned and walked into the adjacent lounge.

A moment later, he emerged in a well-tailored dark grey suit, shedding his previous aura of combativeness, appearing capable and understated.

Leaving the lounge, he walked directly to the parking lot in the warehouse's backyard, selected an inconspicuous black sedan, started the engine, and drove steadily towards Jiang Chen's location.

The black sedan drove smoothly through the streets of Shenzhen. Alfred's fingers, gripping the steering wheel, tightened slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the road ahead.

Following the address provided by Arnold, he soon entered a secluded villa area on the hillside. When the security personnel at the gate came forward to check, Alfred presented his pre-prepared identification and calmly stated that he was "invited by Mr. Jiang to visit." After verifying the information and making a phone call to confirm, they allowed him to enter.

The car stopped in front of Jiang Chen's villa. Alfred turned off the engine but did not immediately get out. Instead, he adjusted his suit collar and took a deep breath to calm himself.

He looked up at the villa, which had a simple appearance yet exuded understated luxury, and at the uniformed personnel scattered around it.

"Extremely low combat capability," he thought to himself, evaluating them.

Pushing open the car door, Alfred walked steadily towards the entrance. Just as he raised his hand to ring the doorbell, the door opened from within.

It was Li Zha who opened the door. Seeing the unfamiliar foreign face, he was not surprised. He politely stepped aside, making way: "Mr. Alfred, I presume? Chairman Jiang is waiting for you in the study on the second floor. Please follow me."

Alfred nodded slightly, said "Thank you" in standard Mandarin, not refuting that he should be addressed as Mr. Brando, then followed Li Zha into the house.

In the living room, Jiang Chao was sitting on the sofa looking at his phone. When he caught sight of Alfred, a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, but he did not ask any questions.

Alfred kept his gaze straight ahead, maintaining a proper distance, and followed Li Zha up the stairs.

At the door of the study on the second floor, Li Zha gently knocked: "Chairman Jiang, Mr. Alfred has arrived."

"Come in," Jiang Chen's steady voice came from inside the study.

Alfred pushed open the door, and the first thing he saw was Jiang Chen sitting behind the desk.

He was dressed in a simple white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his smooth wrists. A pen was clipped between his fingers, and his gaze was calm yet held an unquestionable deterrent power.

Despite the gentle attire, Alfred subconsciously straightened his back, as if facing a commander leading a thousand armies.

Jiang Chen was also observing Alfred.

He was burly and tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back, naturally exuding a sharp aura of someone who had seen much action. His deep-set eyes and high-bridged nose, typical of Westerners, were particularly striking. His blonde hair was neatly combed, and his jawline was taut, conveying a sense of stability and reliability.

Information provided by the system flashed through his mind: the Brando Family's ancestors were originally immigrants from the Greater German region, arranged by the system to relocate and settle in the Great Beautiful Country, where they founded the Flame Peak Group.

And this man before him, Arnold had said, was his most outstanding heir.

"Master," Alfred bowed slightly, his tone respectful to the point of reverence, carrying an undisguised awe.

This address, spanning a century, was exceptionally clear in the quiet study.

Li Zha, standing nearby, heard the word "Master," and his pupils suddenly constricted. His face was filled with an expression of disbelief. Having followed Jiang Chen for so long, he had never seen anyone address Jiang Chen with such solemnity. This foreign man before him, with his extraordinary demeanor, clearly had a relationship with Jiang Chen that was far from ordinary cooperation.

He subconsciously tried to quietly retreat from the study, but as soon as he moved half a step, Jiang Chen called out to him.

"No need to go out," Jiang Chen's voice was calm and even, as he looked up at Li Zha, "I trusted you enough to send you to pick him up."

Li Zha, as one of the earliest security personnel to follow him, had long since earned his trust, which was why he had been arranged to pick up Alfred earlier.

Li Zha's heart tensed, and he immediately stopped, respectfully standing in the corner of the study, his gaze lowered, no longer casually looking around, merely acting as a silent bystander.

He knew that since Jiang Chen had allowed him to stay, this matter fell within the scope of trust, and this recognition was heavier than a thousand pounds.

Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze and looked back at Alfred, pointing to the chair opposite the desk: "Sit."

Alfred sat down as instructed, his hands naturally resting on his knees, his posture as upright as a soldier undergoing inspection, his eyes always maintaining reverence for Jiang Chen, not daring to show the slightest slackness.

Jiang Chen's fingers lightly tapped the desk, getting straight to the point: "I called you here primarily for the safety of my family."

The tapping of his fingers was exceptionally clear in the quiet study, each tap like a strike on Alfred's heart, making him hold his breath even more intently.

"You already know about last night's events," Jiang Chen's gaze deepened, "Commercial spies infiltrated the Group, an armed team attempted to assassinate me, and there's an unidentified ferryman causing mischief in the dark. Their target is Solid-State Battery Technology, but I'm very clear that once their objective fails, my family will become their weakness."