Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 59 - 59 55 Big Shot

59: Chapter 55 Big Shot 59: Chapter 55 Big Shot The Dark Web was deeper than Gao Yi had imagined.

From Gao Yi’s own experiences, those who could accept tasks on the Dark Web were no ordinary characters, but those who could post tasks there were clearly even more formidable.

Money was not omnipotent, but it certainly transcended the concept of omnipotence.

No amount of money could buy eternal life; however, with money and the channel of the Dark Web, one could purchase death.

One could buy someone else’s death.

Then the question arose, what exactly were the goods being traded on the Dark Web?

Looking at the Assassin section of the Dark Web, from the perspective of the commissioners, the services provided by the assassin were the goods.

For the assassins, the targets provided by the commissioners were the goods.

For the Dark Web itself, both the paying commissioners and the working assassins were goods.

A Dark Web-guaranteed transaction actually involved four main participants, namely the Dark Web, the commissioner, the assassin, and the most crucial yet least important: the target.

From the perspective of mutual generation, the existence of the commissioner, the assassin, and the target together gave rise to the Dark Web.

From the perspective of mutual overcoming, the assassin overcame the target, the target overcome the commissioner, the commissioner was to counter the Dark Web, and the Dark Web overcame the assassin.

But the commissioner countering the Dark Web was just a theoretical, slight threat at most.

The greatest threat to the Dark Web was merely that the tasks from the commissioners were not completed promptly on this platform, nothing more.

The most the commissioners could do to restrain the Dark Web was switch to another platform.

If there were several competing Dark Webs, then a commissioner switching platforms would be a threat; but if there was only one dominant Dark Web left, then switching platforms would be meaningless.

In conclusion, the target was the most crucial basic nutrient in this ecological chain, and the Dark Web was the top predator benefiting the most and almost never threatened.

Only by understanding the underlying logic of the Dark Web’s existence and operation could one comprehend why the Garden was so eager to complete the Dark Web’s task.

The Garden, as a vendor on the Dark Web, would have to close down if it didn’t sell.

For Gao Yi, understanding this meant he knew he could take absolute initiative in this unavoidable task the Garden had to undertake.

Many assassins might never understand what role they truly played on the Dark Web, and wouldn’t even consider these questions.

But for Gao Yi, at least he could think about what role he played in this underworld ecosystem, figure out his position and role, and then when choosing targets, at least he wouldn’t pick someone whose death, even if it brought him money, couldn’t be enjoyed because he might be killed first.

For instance, those high-profile, powerful individuals, Gao Yi wouldn’t even consider them.

So Gao Yi left the choice of target to Sean.

If Sean gave Gao Yi a target, it was also a test from Gao Yi to see what Sean would choose.

If Sean picked an inappropriate target, then the friendship they had established thus far would end there, Gao Yi would thank Sean for everything he had done; as a return, he could spare Sean’s life.

If Sean selected a suitable task, even one matching the difficulty expected of Grade A tasks, yet not drawing endless investigations and assassination attempts after completion, then Gao Yi would believe Sean truly wanted a long-term cooperation and didn’t regard him as consumable.

So, though Gao Yi appeared like a hot-headed newcomer, he was indeed a hot-headed newcomer, but he wasn’t foolish; he was very shrewd.

Gao Yi was a bit nervous; if Sean chose a consumable task for him, should he turn against Sean immediately or hold back for now?

On reflection, if Sean had indeed recommended a consumable task, that would mean he intended to trap Gao Yi.

Having recognized that, why hesitate over any moral burden in eliminating him right away?

Somewhat indecisive by nature, Gao Yi cleared this matter up for himself and sat quietly, his face expressing impatience and indifference as he waited for Sean to make a choice.

“There are many Grade A tasks, but not many are doable.”

Sean obviously contemplated taking that mission; he had almost settled on one, and now that Gao Yi asked him to choose, he immediately opened a task and said, “Check this out.”

A Grade A public task, with a bounty of twenty million dollars, the target being Ditzel Eller Mondrian.

The method of death wasn’t specified; as long as he died, it would suffice.

The fewer the demands, the tougher the job, because the commissioner no longer cared about hiding the murderous intent, indicating the target was very challenging to kill.

The less detailed the introduction, the more significant the target, like this one with not even a single word of introduction meant everyone should know this target, and there was no chance of getting the name wrong, at least a world-famous person.

In sum, the fewer the words, the tougher the task.

After glancing briefly at the task’s specifics, Gao Yi said perplexedly, “There’s no introduction here; who is this person?”

Sean evidently knew the target’s information by heart.

“Ditzel, don’t you know him?

He’s a celebrity, a French celebrity, truly a legend.

If you’ve been around Europe, you’d definitely have heard his name.”

After a brief pause, Sean continued, “Ditzel is a businessman, born in the 93rd district on the northern outskirts of Paris, which is the poorest, most dangerous, and most chaotic area in France.

But Ditzel became a billionaire and is among the top ten wealthiest in France, especially since he also entered the political arena, served as a Member of Parliament, and his highest position was Minister of Urban Residence and Transport of France.”

Gao Yi raised an eyebrow, “Oh, he’s an official then?”

Sean slightly smiled and said, “Don’t worry, he retired almost ten years ago.

If he were an in-term official, I wouldn’t consider him as a target.”

“That’s a relief.

You scared me there.” Gao Yi stroked his chin, “But you see, I have my principles; I don’t kill good people.”

If one considered being an assassin just a profession, why should one kill good people?

The underworld is riddled with countless scum deserving death, so why struggle with conscience after killing good people and facing the psychological burden when eliminating a heinously wicked villain could feel like delivering divine retribution, bringing oneself joy and inner satisfaction?

Thus, why would Gao Yi ever kill a good person?

Sean smiled again and said, “Relax, I know your principles.

Actually, you don’t even need to emphasize them.

Think about it, can anyone who rose from the 93rd district and become a mogul in business and politics be a good person in the general sense?”

Gao Yi candidly responded, “I don’t know what the 93rd district is, nor do I know the target’s history.

Tell me more.”

“The 93rd district is mostly populated by people from North Africa and Arabs.

Ditzel is caucasian, but being born in the 93rd district, it was impossible for him to have started out legitimately, so Ditzel has been tough since his youth.

He first unified the 93rd district before moving beyond it.

Let me put it this way, he engaged in any business that could make money!”

Gao Yi spread his hands, “Any business that could make money, such as?”

“Anything you can think of, everything that’s available on the Dark Web, drug trafficking, human trafficking, organized theft, trading stolen goods, arms trading…”

Sean didn’t even know how to list them all; Gao Yi waved his hand, “Okay, I get what money-making businesses are there; what else?”

“Ditzel moved beyond the 93rd district in the early ’90s.

He had the capital, but it was after moving beyond the 93rd district that he entered a path of rapid development.

He would buy businesses at low prices and sell them high.

Let me put it this way, Ditzel had more lives on his hands than you and I combined, and he wasn’t the kind of tycoon that climbed up by others’ support; he truly rose from the bottom, bloody and real.

It was only in the early ’00s that he cut ties with his shady history and laundered himself into a legitimate businessman before mixing into the political sphere.”

A real tycoon who fought his way up from the bottom is tough and not to be messed with.

Gao Yi seriously said, “Then he doesn’t know he’s been put up for a bounty on the Dark Web?”

“He knows, so he takes especially good care of his security and also uses the Dark Web to eliminate many of his competitors.

As far as I know, at least not less than ten assassins have died by Ditzel’s hands.”

Sean hesitated for a moment, then with a shamefaced expression, he spoke softly, “We’ve received invitations to assassinate Ditzel before, not public tasks, but direct tasks traded directly on the Dark Web with the commissioner, worth 50 million dollars, but we failed and had to abandon the commission.”

“Oh, is that so…”

Sean spoke softly, “But because of this failed mission, we’ve done extensive research on Ditzel, long-term tracking, and have gained deep insight; all these are valuable experiences.

So, my first choice of target is him.”

Gao Yi thought and said, “So, taking down Ditzel won’t bring about a French official manhunt?”

“No, I can assure you of that.

Oh, Ditzel’s tenure as a minister was short, and he was sentenced to four years in prison for bribery and fraud; now, he has no association with the French government.”

Not bad, the target Sean chose, although sounding formidable, at least wasn’t the kind that could provoke a pursuit by a major country.

If that were the case, Gao Yi would not be willing to give Sean any face.

After pondering for a moment, Gao Yi looked at Sean and said, “Since you’ve already chosen Ditzel, you must have spotted an opportunity, right?”

Sean immediately responded, “Ditzel was one of several backup tasks, not the only choice.

Actually, I haven’t discovered a particularly good opportunity yet.

What we know now is that one of Ditzel’s former subordinates, who followed him for many years and is now a successful businessman after also going legitimate, is hosting a large charity dinner in a month.

I speculate, I suspect, perhaps Ditzel might attend this dinner.”

Probably, possibly, perhaps—nothing definite, but that’s normal.

If it were easy to ascertain a target’s whereabouts, assassinations wouldn’t be this difficult.

Sean, appearing a bit anxious, spoke softly, “You mentioned focusing on tasks that can be handled inside a restaurant; I think a charity dinner might be a good opportunity, so I’ve been extensively screening, paying close attention, and after a long time, I found this clue and chance.

What do you think, is it worth considering?”