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Standing outside the room was Caleb, whom Jacob hadn't seen in quite some time. At this point, Caleb should have been undergoing special training with the Patrol Team in the Sundawn Plateau Wilderness Area.
However, to ensure the success of this mission and to provide Caleb with proper training experience, Jacob had specifically requested Captain Antonio of the Patrol Team to temporarily assign Caleb to him for a few days.
"Boss," Caleb greeted. After several months, he had become noticeably more capable. His physique appeared slightly leaner, yet somehow more robust at the same time.
"How have things been for you these past few months?" Jacob asked with a smile as he looked at Caleb.
Jacob had developed a certain level of trust in Caleb over time. This trust stemmed from a series of events that had occurred in the Wilderness Area, as well as the fact that Caleb had signed a contract with their family. Of course, the most crucial factor was that Caleb was also his father's disciple, making him practically half a member of the Lin family.
"Very fulfilling," Caleb replied. "It's just been a bit monotonous lately."
"How's your Infernape's strength coming along?" Jacob continued to inquire.
"It has already reached Overlord level," Caleb answered honestly.
While this growth rate couldn't compare to Jacob's extraordinary progression, it was considered quite fast by normal standards.
"Not bad at all," Jacob nodded approvingly before continuing. "You can drive, right?"
"A little. I only have a basic driver's license," Caleb replied truthfully.
"A little is enough. You should practice more whenever you get the chance. When your six-month special training with the Patrol Team ends, I'll come pick you up from the Wilderness Area. From then on, you'll be working with me directly," Jacob explained. "By the way, how's Davis doing?"
"His pressure is immense. There's not only internal competition to deal with, but ever since Roger's death, the external pressure from China has been increasing exponentially as well," Caleb said seriously. "The mortality rate is extremely high."
"I understand. In any case, you can rest for a while. Another person should be arriving soon."
Just as Jacob finished speaking, the doorbell rang again.
"They're here. Let's go welcome them together."
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Creak.
The door opened to reveal Sylvia, dressed in casual clothing, standing at the entrance.
"You're finally here. Come in and have a seat first," Jacob said, inviting Sylvia into the house. Unexpectedly, Sylvia pulled a small bag from behind her back and handed it to Jacob. "Boss, I heard from Raya that yesterday was your birthday. This is a gift I prepared for you."
A gift?
Just hearing the word "gift" now made Jacob feel uneasy.
"You really didn't have to..."
Jacob wanted to say something more, but since she had already purchased it, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. He could only shake his head and say, "Please don't send gifts next time."
"Okay," Sylvia nodded. "But you should try it on first to see if it looks good."
"What is it?"
"A belt."
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With both of his assistants having arrived, Jacob could now begin to execute his carefully laid plan.
Caleb would play the role of bodyguard and driver, while Sylvia would play the role of secretary. She would also utilize her hacking abilities to provide them with additional convenience when needed.
"Let's go have a luxurious lunch first," Jacob said with a smile. "Today, we only have one objective during the day: spend money. Spend as much as you want."
That's right—this was Jacob's straightforward plan: to act like a wealthy big spender and wait for someone to come looking for him.
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The three of them first went to a luxurious restaurant for a sumptuous lunch. Afterwards, in the afternoon, they headed to a nearby shopping district and began a shopping spree.
Sylvia was the most excited among them. It had been years since she had experienced such unrestricted shopping. She would stop at every store and carefully examine the items on display.
She browsed through both men's and women's clothing sections. She would try on women's clothes herself and have Jacob try on men's clothes.
At first, Sylvia adhered to the principle of being frugal. She would only try things on and wouldn't buy anything unless she genuinely liked it. However, under Jacob's constant encouragement—"Looks good!" "Buy it!" "Money is just paper!" and "How can we lure the target out if we don't spend more money?"—Sylvia gradually lost herself in the shopping experience, unknowingly purchasing many items.
Of course, Sylvia remained quite practical even in her enthusiasm. Since Jacob was paying, she bought very few things for herself. Most of the clothes she purchased were for Jacob, Raya, Zion, and Layne.
―――――――
By the end of the afternoon, Caleb was laden with shopping bags in both hands, but he had no complaints whatsoever. He diligently fulfilled his role as a porter.
"Let's go to a high-end spa for massages tonight, all of us," Jacob said with a satisfied smile.
―――――――
Two days later, following Jacob's financial offensive, word had spread throughout the entire hotel that a big spender who was throwing money around had arrived at their establishment. His reputation was firmly established.
At the same time, Jacob also spread the word that he would be leaving Black Dragon City in three days.
Finally, Jacob also called Zade, instructing them to temporarily leave Black Dragon City to create an opportunity for his plan.
As long as Zade remained in Black Dragon City, the Daun Family would definitely lie low and maintain high vigilance. However, once Zade left, the situation would be completely different.
With these three strategic approaches in place, Jacob didn't believe the Daun Family could possibly let go of the fat sheep that had presented itself right in front of them.
―――――――
Under these circumstances, another two days passed, yet the Daun Family still showed no signs of movement. Just as Jacob was beginning to doubt whether his plan would work at all, a junket operator finally came knocking at his door.
―――――――
"Hello."
The person speaking wore a crisp, well-tailored suit and had neatly combed hair. Standing beside him was the hotel manager.
The man in the suit smiled warmly and addressed Jacob. "Mr. Ian, I am Aaron."
Ian was Jacob's carefully chosen alias and his fabricated identity for this operation.
Jacob frowned slightly, looking at Aaron with feigned displeasure, and said curtly, "What do you want?"
"I heard that Boss Ian is here in Black Dragon City for tourism?" Aaron didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at Jacob and posed a question, while also glancing briefly at Sylvia standing beside Jacob.
The information in Aaron's possession indicated that the forty-something "Ian" was already married. This trip to Black Dragon City was supposedly part business inspection and part vacation—bringing his mistress for a romantic tourist getaway.
Perhaps to better play the role of a mistress, Sylvia's attire these past few days had been quite provocative: hot shorts and a camisole that made her extremely eye-catching.
Aaron thought to himself that "Ian" was truly fortunate to have found himself a blonde, blue-eyed foreign mistress.
"Mm," Jacob nodded, still maintaining the appearance of displeasure on his face. "What do you want?"
"I am, humbly speaking, the manager of an entertainment establishment, and I have some influence in Black Dragon City. Boss Ian, since you're new here, I'd like to serve as your host and invite you to dine at my establishment. Here's my business card," Aaron said with a practiced smile as he handed over his business card.
"By the way," Aaron added with a meaningful smile, "I do have certain connections related to the Pokémon business that Boss Ian is interested in. The key question is whether Boss Ian has the sincerity to engage."
"Excuse me for a moment, Boss Ian ."
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