256: mastermind

Early the next morning, the political dignitary protection team dispatched by Alfred was fully in place.

The group of twenty-five individuals, all tall, sharp-eyed, and with impeccable resumes, were elites.

They had not only executed dozens of cross-border high-official protection missions, possessing ample combat experience, but also, through Flame Peak's secret channels, discreetly carried a batch of concealed firearms and non-lethal defensive weapons, appearing low-key yet extremely formidable.

With this professional force in place, Jiang Chen's hanging heart finally settled; his family's safety was at last most securely guaranteed.

He did not forget Xiao Jiayuan, specifically assigning five experienced female security personnel from the team to her residence for protection, avoiding the inconvenience of male guards.

Meanwhile, as Jiang Chen deployed security for his family, Arrod, through the intelligence database and field agents, launched a swift investigation.

In just one day, they traced the black-market arms dealer who supplied weapons to the armed militants, and simultaneously unearthed the mid-level leader who directly planned the assassination.

However, as the clues progressed and were sent back to Flame Peak headquarters, Arrod, after sifting through the capital chain, communication records, and personnel connections, discovered that all leads pointed to an extremely mysterious entity: the Illuminati.

Those seemingly independent nodes were actually connected by a hidden network, and behind this network was the organization that had long been rumored in the dark world, with influence spanning the globe...

The weekend, broken by an unexpected incident, quickly passed. On Monday morning, Jiang Chen rose early, put on a well-tailored dark grey suit, and after getting ready, walked downstairs.

In the living room, Li Zha and Cold Front were already standing by, and Alfred was also among them.

Seeing Jiang Chen descend, Alfred immediately stepped forward, bowing respectfully: "Boss."

Previously, Jiang Chen found the address "master" too formal and inappropriate, so he asked him to change it. Alfred pondered repeatedly and finally chose "boss," which showed both respect and propriety.

Jiang Chen nodded slightly, his tone steady: "Let's go."

As his voice fell, Li Zha and Cold Front took the lead and walked out. Jiang Chen followed closely, while Alfred maintained a half-step distance behind him, his posture rigorous.

Outside the villa, the previous motorcade had undergone a complete transformation. Besides the three range rovers and the vehicles brought by the Panshi Squad, there was an additional all-black bulletproof Escalade, with rigid body lines exuding a low-key dominance.

"This is a custom-made bulletproof Escalade that Flame Peak headquarters air-shipped overnight," Alfred explained opportunely. "To avoid delaying the itinerary, Flame Peak's private jet was used for urgent transport."

Jiang Chen's gaze swept over the vehicles, seeing a black sedan escorting both the front and back, forming a small, well-protected motorcade. He stepped into the car, and Alfred followed closely, sitting in the back with Jiang Chen.

The interior space was surprisingly vast, even more spacious than his previous cullinan. The leather seats were soft and comfortable, ergonomically designed, making long rides not tiring.

Jiang Chen leaned back in his seat, nodding contentedly, and looked at Alfred: "You've been thoughtful."

"It's my duty to share the boss's worries," Alfred responded, turning slightly. "This car uses ten-level bulletproof material. The windows, body, and even the chassis have been explosion-proof treated and can withstand heavy weapon attacks. The interior is equipped with an independent oxygen supply system, emergency escape routes, and a communication hub that links in real-time with the security team."

Jiang Chen listened quietly, his hands resting on his crossed leg, his gaze through the car window to the outside.

The motorcade slowly started, smoothly driving towards the Galaxy Center Building, with security checkpoints along the way signaling, everything proceeding in an orderly fashion.

At this point, Alfred handed Jiang Chen a tablet and spoke about the Illuminati's information.

At this moment, Alfred took a black tablet from his briefcase and handed it to Jiang Chen with both hands, his tone instantly solemn: "Boss, this is urgent information my father just sent, concerning the preliminary verification results of the Illuminati."

Jiang Chen took the tablet and unlocked it. An encrypted document immediately popped up on the screen: at the top of the page were the bold, black words "Illuminati," and below it was the core information, streamlined:

The organization's origins can be traced back hundreds of years. Its members are spread across various top-tier fields such as politics, business, military, police, and finance. Its actions are extremely secretive, centered on manipulating situations and maintaining its own interests, employing ruthless and unscrupulous methods. Many major historical events are suspected to have its shadow behind them.

Alfred said, "According to the confession of an arrested Illuminati apostle, the core objective of this operation is the Solid-State Battery Technology in your hands."

"They believe this technology will revolutionize the global energy landscape. They first tried to win you over, forcing you to hand over the technological core and control of the production line."

He paused, then said with a hint of coldness in his tone, "If the attempt to win you over failed, they would launch an assassination plan, then send people to impersonate and take over your industry, completely plundering this technology."

Jiang Chen's hand clenched sharply. So, the Illuminati was behind it all.

"What else did this apostle confess?" Jiang Chen looked up at Alfred, his tone calm but with an undeniable sense of pressure.

"He was just an peripheral executor and was unaware of the Illuminati's core structure. He only knew that this operation was coordinated by someone code-named 'Bishop' from the European region, and the ferryman was merely an intermediary they used to win you over."

Alfred added, "Father has already instructed the intelligence team to focus on investigating the true identity of 'Bishop,' and simultaneously to decipher the Illuminati's recruitment codes and communication channels, hoping to use this opportunity to counter-investigate their technology plundering network."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen finally understood that the "ferryman," who had kept him worried for two days, was merely an insignificant pawn thrown out by the other side.

He closed the tablet, his fingertips tapping heavily on his knee, his eyes swirling with fierce ruthlessness.

"Tell Arrod," Jiang Chen's voice was deep and firm, every word carrying immense weight, "I order that from today, all personnel fully investigate the Illuminati! Use all intelligence networks, all field forces, and spare no expense to thoroughly dig into their organizational structure, member list, financial channels, and technology plundering plan!"

"Find every possible way to locate and apprehend that person code-named 'Bishop'!"

His tone suddenly intensified, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes, "Since they dared to lay hands on me, dared to covet the Solid-State Battery Technology, they must be prepared to pay a heavy price! I will make him, and the Illuminati, realize that coveting what doesn't belong to them will only lead to utter destruction!"

"Additionally," Jiang Chen's tone shifted, regaining some composure, "continue the act of being won over. Follow their communication channels to uncover more core members; don't alert them. But once 'Bishop's' whereabouts are confirmed, immediately deploy the strongest operational forces, ensuring a decisive strike with no lingering problems!"

"Yes, boss!" Alfred solemnly accepted the order, immediately took out his encrypted communicator, and in a low voice, precisely relayed the instructions to Arrod, his tone filled with undeniable resolve.

The motorcade slowly drove into the Galaxy Center Building's exclusive underground parking lot. Security personnel along the way had already formed a tight cordon, their sharp eyes scanning every corner.

Jiang Chen put away the tablet, adjusted his suit cuff, and the cold severity in his eyes subtly receded, replaced by a profound, unfathomable composure.

Be it the Illuminati or the one code-named "Bishop," this war they had provoked had officially begun.

And he, Jiang Chen, would never be a lamb to the slaughter; he would only be a hunter with a sharp blade, not only protecting his technology and family but also utterly eradicating this hungry wolf hidden in the shadows...