Future Masters in Modern Times

Chapter 22: Rest and Recovery

The time spent on the helicopter felt incredibly brief; they soon arrived at the Duchy of Rems Air Force Base, where a dense crowd had gathered. Colonel Maxdi skillfully piloted the armed helicopter, carefully searching for a landing spot. Zhao Wuji was the first to stand up, waiting to disembark. Seeing him rise, Catherine instinctively stood up as well. Just then, the helicopter suddenly touched down, causing the entire cabin to lurch. Zhao Wuji, of course, remained completely unaffected, as his feet were planted firmly on the floor of the cabin, gripping it tightly so he wouldn’t fall easily. Catherine, however, was a different story. The sudden jolt threw her off balance, and she stumbled backward. “Miss, be careful!” the bodyguard cried out, but he was unable to catch Catherine in that split second. “Ah…” Catherine let out a shriek, her hands reaching out to grab something but finding nothing. Just as she was about to fall, she felt herself land in a strong embrace, and a clear voice rang in her ear, causing her heart to sink with relief. “Are you all right?” Everyone else’s hearts, which had been in their throats, finally settled. Catherine turned her head to look; Zhao Wuji’s face bore a faint smile as he asked her softly. “I’m fine,” Catherine murmured, her eyes unfocused as she gazed at the man before her. The feeling of being enveloped in warmth was utterly intoxicating. Just a moment ago, for some reason, she had seen Zhao Wuji stand up and, in a daze, had tried to stand as well. She hadn’t expected to lose her balance and fall—it was only thanks to Zhao Wuji that she was safe. Adelaide stepped forward, casting a meaningful glance at Zhao Wuji. She helped Catherine up from Zhao Wuji’s arms and asked if she was all right. Catherine shook her head, indicating she was fine. Colonel Maxdi set aside the walkie-talkie and other equipment he’d been wearing on his head, walked to the door of the armed helicopter, and opened it for everyone. As soon as the door opened, a large crowd surged toward it, peering anxiously into the helicopter’s cabin. Housekeeper Amanda led the way, working with Colonel Maxdi to clear a path through the crowd so that Adelaide and the others could disembark. Adelaide, supporting Catherine, carefully stepped out of the helicopter and onto the tarmac of the Air Force Base. The moment their feet touched the ground, a sense of relief washed over them; their experience at Lobestan Prison would truly be unforgettable for the rest of their lives. “Young Master, Young Lady, welcome back safe and sound. I’m Barton,” said a slightly balding, heavyset middle-aged man in a suit as he stepped forward to greet Adelaide and Catherine. Adelaide nodded in response. “Thank you.” It turned out this middle-aged man was the Du Pont family’s manager at the Duchy of Limes Corporation. Upon hearing that Adelaide and the others had been in danger in prison, he had been frantic with worry and had rushed over as quickly as possible. If anything had happened to the Du Pont family’s young master and young lady on his turf, he would have been held fully responsible—and losing his job would have been the least of his worries. Now that they had finally returned, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Young Master, Young Lady, I’ve already prepared accommodations for you here. Please follow me!” The middle-aged man said earnestly, pointing to a luxury sedan parked nearby. Adelaide thought it over and decided they needed to rest for a while; she also consulted her younger sister, Catherine, and they agreed. So, they decided to rest for a while and wait until the next day to set off for the United States. Zhao Wuji, however, remained in the Duchy of Limes to accompany a plane traveling to Siberia to procure supplies for the Siberian Training Camp. “Please.” Barton bowed slightly, opened the car doors for them, and invited Adelaide and her companions into the sedan. Adelaide hesitated for a moment, then looked at Zhao Wuji and said, “You should come in too.” In fact, if it hadn’t been for what happened in prison, Adelaide would never have treated Zhao Wuji this way—at most, he would have been crammed in with the bodyguards. But now that Zhao Wuji had saved their lives, Adelaide knew exactly how to handle the situation. Catherine also looked at Zhao Wuji with anticipation, hoping to sit next to him. This scene took Barton completely by surprise. What kind of status did the heir to the Du Pont family hold that she would now take the initiative to invite an Asian man to ride with her? Who was he? A huge question mark loomed in Barton’s mind. But what surprised him even more was yet to come. Zhao Wuji shook his head and said, “Never mind, I’ll sit with them after all.” Zhao Wuji pointed at the bodyguards standing at attention and said. In that instant, a hint of disappointment flashed in Catherine’s eyes, while Adelaide’s expression remained completely unchanged. She nodded without saying a word, then was the first to duck her head and slip into the sedan. Catherine glanced back at Zhao Wuji with a hint of reluctance before finally slipping into the sedan. He had actually turned down Adelaide—Barton couldn’t imagine such a thing, yet he couldn’t quite figure out who Zhao Wuji really was. He’d heard that Adelaide and her group had come to Lobestan Prison specifically to find someone—could it be him? He certainly wouldn’t dare to neglect someone whom Adelaide had taken a liking to, so he stepped forward and asked, “How about I arrange a separate car just for you?” “Thank you for your kindness, but that won’t be necessary.” Zhao Wuji waved his hand and strode forward a few paces. Ahead, his bodyguards were climbing into a large motorhome. A faint smile crossed Zhao Wuji’s face. For some reason, he was reminded of his past life—back then, whenever he and his comrades-in-arms headed to the battlefield, they’d also cram into the cramped cabins of spaceships just like this. Seeing Zhao Wuji squeeze in with them, the bodyguards were all taken aback. Having witnessed his formidable strength firsthand, they naturally felt a sense of respect for him. With smiles on their faces, they all stepped aside to let Zhao Wuji enter first. Although these bodyguards came from all over the world, they were all employed by the same company: Lion Roar Security Company. Backed by massive financial resources, Lion Roar Security Company provided its bodyguards with the best training available, and their caliber ranked among the highest in the global bodyguard community. Generally speaking, Zhao Wuji was a man of action rather than words. So, after entering and offering a rather friendly smile at the start, he said nothing more and simply sat there in silence. Consequently, the atmosphere in the car during the rest of the trip was rather strange. With so many grown men sitting there, everyone remained silent, not uttering a single word. With anyone else in the car, it certainly wouldn’t have been like this—the atmosphere wouldn’t have been overly lively, but it wouldn’t have been this cold either. But with Zhao Wuji, it was different; this was simply because the impression he had made on them was so profound. Of course, Zhao Wuji couldn’t be bothered to try to lighten the mood or anything like that. Amid this atmosphere, the car slowly made its way to the hotel where they would be staying. Meanwhile, in the United States, ten thousand li away. In a quiet, beautiful setting, a manor lay hidden. From the outside, the estate looked unremarkable—but that was precisely what made it so extraordinary. This was the residence of the head of the Du Pont family. Though the estate appeared outdated on the outside, every corner was equipped with state-of-the-art security systems, ensuring its absolute safety. Inside the estate, a grand avenue stretched from the main gate all the way to the front of the building. Both sides of the avenue were lined with rare plants from around the world, and in the center of the avenue, crystal-clear spring water continuously flowed from a pure white sculpture. Further ahead, a staircase paved with an unidentified type of stone leads straight to the classical-style building. Inside the building, everything seemed quite ordinary. In the study on the second floor, a middle-aged man dressed in plain clothes listened with a grave expression as one of his subordinates spoke. He was the head of the Du Pont family—Soth. “Head of the Family, we’ve identified the person.” The man hesitated for a moment, then remained silent. “Go on,” the middle-aged man said, his expression impassive. As the head of the Du Pont family, he had long since cultivated a composed demeanor in the face of any situation. “Based on the tattoos on that man and various other clues, we’ve determined that they’re all from the Doomsday Empire.” “Hmm. Go on. Where did they go? What were they doing there? Is this connected to Adelaide?” Soth asked, furrowing his brow, his thoughts unknown. “It doesn’t seem to be directed at the young master; their encounter with him appears to have been a coincidence,” said the man reporting to Soth, offering his assessment. “People from the Doomsday Empire?” Soth felt a headache coming on. They were in the open, while the Doomsday Empire operated in the shadows. If they really did end up facing off against them, it would be quite a hassle. Fortunately, it seemed the Doomsday Empire wasn’t targeting Adelaide. “But it seems we’ve disrupted the Doomsday Empire’s plans this time. I hope this doesn’t escalate into a major incident!” Soth thought to himself. Waving for the others to leave first, Soth walked to the window and gazed into the distance. The view outside was breathtakingly beautiful, yet his mind was in a complete turmoil. The car came to a stop in front of an imposing skyscraper. This was their hotel—the Sharon Hotel, a global chain of five-star hotels owned by the Du Pont family. The Sharon Hotel had a history spanning half a century. It was one of the Du Pont family’s most important businesses and a world-renowned five-star hotel, having repeatedly ranked among the top in France’s list of world-class five-star hotels. In front of the hotel, a steady stream of well-dressed, successful professionals filed in one after another. After Zhao Wuji and his group got out of the car, the lobby manager rushed out of the hotel and eagerly led them inside. As soon as Zhao Wuji entered the hotel, he caught a faint whiff of perfume. One after another, curvaceous young women spotted this group of ruggedly masculine men, their eyes blazing with intense desire. Their mesmerizing gazes stirred a restless desire in every man’s heart. The lobby manager cleared his throat and led them to the VIP elevator, which went straight to the top floor of the hotel. Once inside, they realized the elevator wasn’t crowded at all—it was spacious, well-lit, and well-ventilated, ensuring the guests’ comfort during the ride.