Chapter 369 The Contract
These days, in Oceanvile, the Winfreds definitely had the toughest time. Xavier had a heap of problems on his plate. Even though he knew he had ruffled the feathers of the Hacker Alliance, he just couldn’t seem to focus on dealing with them right now.
And it didn’t seem like the Hacker Alliance was making any moves, so he had sort of brushed it off for the time being.
But little did he know that this time, the Hacker Alliance struck hard. By the time Xavier received the message, it was already too late.
The leader of Withalist from the Hacker Alliance personally intervened. The leader of Withalist caused quite a stir in the Winfreds’ projects and even made a public declaration to the entire Oceanvile.
Anyone who dared to assist the Winfreds would be considered an enemy of the Hacker Alliance. The Hacker Alliance was not one to do business with its enemies, and once one was on their blacklist, there was no chance of cooperation.
The Hacker Alliance’s influence was vast. For some tricky matters, people often needed to approach them. No one wanted to offend such a massive organization.
In just one day, Xavier couldn’t hold on any longer. The Winfreds’ financial chain broke, all their projects came to a halt, and they were losing hundreds of millions of dollars every day.
Xavier aged overnight, and his health deteriorated. To save the Winfreds, Xavier reached out to the leader of Withalist. However, the other party only agreed to communicate online and refused to meet in person.
Xavier had no choice but to accept, as he had heard that the Hacker Alliance members were shrouded in mystery. Many didn’t even know their gender.
After the screen link was established, it remained pitch-black. Xavier thought his computer was acting up and quickly asked his assistant, “What’s going on?”
Before the assistant could check, a cold and deep male voice came from the darkness of the screen.
“Xavier, you’ve got quite the nerve.”
Xavier realized that his conversation partner was using a blacked-out screen, and he shot a quick glance at his side to signal his assistant.
The assistant obediently left the room. After that, Xavier spoke with great deference, “Mr. Withal, this is all a misunderstanding. My son, in his ignorance, offended the Hacker Alliance. Mr. Withal, I humbly request your forgiveness.
“I was seriously ill recently and didn’t handle this matter properly. Mr. Withal, please grant the Winfreds another chance.”
After witnessing the Hacker Alliance’s capabilities, Xavier was well aware of the vast difference in power between the Winfreds and their opponent. He couldn’t afford to maintain a haughty attitude.
All he could do was bow down and apologize. It was something he had probably never done in his entire life.
“Xavier, offending the Hacker Alliance comes at a price. Do you understand?”
How could Xavier not know? In just a couple of days, the Winfreds’ assets had already plummeted by half. That was a heavy enough price.
“Mr. Withal, this time, it’s the Winfreds who have wronged the Hacker Alliance. We acknowledge our mistake! Please, show mercy and spare the Winfreds. The Winfreds are willing to bear the cost!”
Withal didn’t want to waste any more words. The instructions from Catherine were crystal clear, and he was following them.
“Xavier, since you’re willing to bear the cost, that’s good. I’ve sent you a contract on your computer. Sign it, and I’ll arrange for someone to collect it.”
After that, the screen disappeared entirely. Xavier hadn’t even had a chance to react before he heard a sound from his computer.
The Hacker Alliance excelled in computer skills. They could hack into even Alton’s national security agency, let alone his computer.
Xavier wasn’t surprised at all that they could transmit messages directly to him. When he opened the file and saw its contents, he nearly spat blood on the screen.
It was all because of his wayward son. If he hadn’t acted so arrogantly, the Winfreds wouldn’t have to endure this.
What was initially just a mining facility lent to the Hacker Alliance for three years had turned into a direct gift to the Hacker Alliance. Xavier had no room for negotiation.
Xavier understood that the longer he delayed signing this contract, the more losses the Winfreds would incur. So, he printed the contract, signed his name, and stamped it with his seal.
As he signed, Xavier’s hands trembled. He had never experienced such humiliation in his life. After signing, Xavier called his assistant in.
“Keep this document safe. If the Hacker Alliance’s people come tomorrow, hand this over to them.”
Xavier stared at the document. Once his assistant had put it away, he couldn’t contain his inner bitterness and fury any longer. He coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The assistant was startled. He hurriedly approached and checked on the situation. “Mr. Winfred, are you okay?”
Xavier felt like everything was going dark in front of his eyes, and before he could say anything, he fainted.
News of Xavier’s worsening condition quickly spread in Oceanvile. Upon hearing the news, Jeremy rushed back to the Winfreds’ with the butler. They also brought Erick, who had been imprisoned in the dungeon.
Time was of the essence, and Xavier was critically ill in bed. Jeremy knew he had a big problem on his hands. It was all because of his negligence with the Hacker Alliance.
Offending them had brought a colossal disaster upon the Winfreds. The only way out now was to wake Xavier up.
As long as he was conscious, there was a glimmer of hope for the Winfreds. On the Hacker Alliance’s side, due to Xavier’s concession, they had temporarily halted their attacks on the Winfreds. This gave the Winfreds a moment of relief.
With Xavier incapacitated, Jeremy took charge as the head of the Winfreds. In Oceanvile, their influence within the city allowed them to handle certain matters more easily.
Jeremy immediately contacted the hospital to arrange a kidney transplant for Xavier. At the hospital, the doctors suggested conducting a comprehensive examination on Erick.
Upon hearing the doctor’s suggestion, Jeremy grew impatient and asked, ” Didn’t he just have one not long ago? How long will a new examination take?
The doctor replied, “It will take at least 48 hours.”
Jeremy was in a hurry, and he couldn’t wait that long.
“Forget the examination. It’s been less than a month since the last one. His health won’t have changed significantly.”
Knowing that Erick was going to provide a kidney for Xavier, Jeremy refrained from causing him serious harm.
He only allowed minor injuries and made sure Erick received medical treatment afterward, so Erick was currently in good health.
The doctor wanted to object, but Jeremy’s temper flared up, and no one dared to oppose him. He angrily told the doctor, “Do you want to stay at this hospital or not? I’ll tell you what to do, and you’ll do it!”
This was a private hospital where the Winfreds held a significant stake. For Jeremy, removing a doctor was a simple matter.
The doctor didn’t dare to provoke Jeremy and followed his instructions. After the doctor left, the butler carefully considered the situation and felt it wasn’t right. He intended to offer a suggestion to Jeremy, but before he could speak, Jeremy interrupted him.
“Donald, I know what you’re going to say, but there’s no need to. Saving my father is the top priority, and we can’t waste a minute. As long as my father is awake, we can handle anything.”
The butler understood that as long as Xavier woke up, there was hope for the Winfreds. So, he didn’t try to persuade Jeremy further.
