Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 834: Chapter 78: Taotie

“What’s the matter?” Arno was startled.

Caroline sat down and said seriously, “Do you remember that I told you about the day Livia died, when a bank card of mine was also stolen?”

Arno nodded and then sat down as well.

Caroline said, “Actually, that card was temporarily given to me for safekeeping by someone else… That person said the money inside was troublesome and couldn’t be moved casually. I don’t know the specific reasons, but that guy said that once the money is moved, the police may be involved.”

Arno frowned and suddenly said, “Are you saying… it’s dirty money?”

Caroline shook her head, “I told you, I don’t know. I was just keeping it for someone else. After the thing was done, that person promised to give me a rich reward.”

Caroline glanced at Arno, then said, “There was a password written on the card, and I couldn’t resist looking at it quietly… The numbers inside were a bit scary!”

Arno suddenly asked, “How much?”

Caroline showed a hint of caution, “The key isn’t how much money there is, but I think Harry will definitely try to get the money. Because he doesn’t know the money can’t be touched.”

“This…” Arno pondered seriously for a while, “How are you sure the money can’t be moved? Besides, why did that person let you keep such a big sum, and write down the password on the card?”

Caroline smiled bitterly, “Otherwise, how could someone as ordinary as me have come upon such a large sum of money? If I had such abilities, I wouldn’t be hiding here, afraid of a Boss of Boston. And, I don’t know why he wrote the password on the card, just as I don’t know why he chose me to keep it. However, I always feel that person isn’t ordinary. Normally, someone with such a large sum would pick someone unrelated like me to keep it, only if there’s something they are confident about?”

Arno was silent for a long time before suddenly asking, “Is this mysterious person really so dangerous?”

Caroline nodded seriously, thinking, “On the same night it happened, Big Boss Neymar from our slums was assassinated, as well as the confidant of another powerful boss next door who also died together. Because of this, the two gangs went crazy and started a feud. To speak of, Livia wanted to run away and hide for a few days because things were so chaotic at home…”

She glanced at Arno unintentionally, then smiled bitterly, “But she probably never expected the outside to be even more dangerous.”

“My condolences.” Arno offered comfort, then cautiously said, “So, do you think this money is related to the gang feud between the two big gangs?”

Caroline shook her head, “I don’t know that much, I’m just an ordinary person… but I think there might be a connection, otherwise it wouldn’t have happened on the same night. Actually, it’s just as well, I was blinded by greed when I took this job, now thinking back, it was too impulsive. That money isn’t the kind I can handle… Now that Harry has stolen it, it’s preferable, as any trouble can be pinned on him.”

“That guy killed Livia… It’s a kind of retribution, I suppose.” Caroline sighed, then looked at Arno suddenly and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, after all, Harry is still your…”

Arno’s face was a bit unnatural, then he shook his head, “It’s okay, we haven’t had feelings for a long time, whether he lives or dies, it means nothing to me…”

The conversation abruptly fell into silence, with Arno lost in thoughts.

Seeing this, Caroline suddenly said, “Um… want me to do something for you?”

Arno was taken aback, looking at Caroline with confusion.

Caroline gestured with her hand, moving it up and down, biting her lip, “I’m sorry… I can only comfort men in this way… I think you must be feeling really bad.”

“No… that’s not necessary.” Arno suddenly stood up from the sofa, “I… I want to walk outside… just to walk. If you… you have no business, it would be best not to go out.”

Caroline nodded to show she understood.

Arno quickly dressed and directly left the dormitory. After waiting for a moment, Caroline hurriedly put on a loose coat and stealthily followed.

She had lost everything, not just that bank card, even her savings had been seized by Boss of Boston… all because of that guy named Harry.

She didn’t know whether this Arno was really Harry, but maybe she’d find a clue.

People die for wealth.

…

…

After finishing a day’s work, Mr. Ofi returned home earlier than usual. Upon arriving home, he saw Bara rushing to him, looking worried.

“What happened?” Mr. Ofi frowned and inquired.

Bara shook her head, “Sir, I don’t know how to describe it… Why don’t you go see for yourself, Mr. Ferenc seems off today.”

Mr. Ofi was startled and frowned again, “Where is he?”

Bara quickly said, “He’s in the workroom in the backyard.”

Mr. Ofi threw his briefcase onto the sofa and went to the backyard workroom with Bara. It was simply a small wooden house used for storing odds and ends along with any home tools like hardware and the like.

When Mr. Ofi and Bara arrived, Dr. Ferenc was lying on the ground, chalk in hand, rapidly writing something on the floor.

One after another, there were complex formulas composed of various symbols and equations—not just on the floor, but even on the walls, tables, wherever a blank space was visible, it was all filled with different formulas.

Dr. Ferenc seemed to have fallen into a kind of madness, with the floor covered in discarded chalk.

“How long has he been like this?” Mr. Ofi’s frown deepened.

“For quite some time now,” Bara said, “Mr. Ferenc went straight here as soon as he came home at dusk. I didn’t pay much mind at the time. When I finished making dinner and was going to call him, I saw this. No matter how I called him, he ignored me.”

Mr. Ofi walked directly behind Dr. Ferenc, about to speak, when Dr. Ferenc suddenly stood up, “Harry, I’ve told you many times not to compute the ideal speed using merely the Tsiolkovsky equation for the quantity of rocket propellant and engine parameters; that formula is outdated!”

Mr. Ofi was suddenly startled by Dr. Ferenc’s shout.

His expression changed as he saw Dr. Ferenc talking to an old brown bear puppet on the table… Mr. Ofi didn’t know what was happening to Dr. Ferenc, but to him, Dr. Ferenc seemed to be talking to himself!

“This here is Harry,” Bara came over pointing at the brown bear puppet and then a worn-out tube television nearby, “This is Bove.”

With Mr. Ofi’s incredulous gaze, Bara names each remaining item in the workroom—the hammer, electric drill, fishing rod, naming each one.

Lastly, Bara picked up a deflated soccer ball from the ground and smiled bitterly, “This is you, Mr. Ofi… the doctor said you were bothering his work, so he kicked you… Well, I mean, he kicked this ball away.”

Every time Mr. Ofi heard Bara utter a name, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Bara hesitated, finally calling out to Mr. Ofi, and hesitantly gesturing around her head, “Sir, has there been… a problem with Dr. Ferenc here?”

“These people, all of them from back then…” Mr. Ofi suddenly shivered.

He strongly held Dr. Ferenc’s shoulders, carefully staring into his eyes, but Dr. Ferenc seemed insensitive, mumbling, “High-energy propellants, must use more efficient propellants with higher specific impulse… The first and second stage rockets should be lighter, they can be lighter… Just a bit more, just a bit more…”

“Old man!” Mr. Ofi shook Dr. Ferenc’s shoulders forcefully, “Can you hear!! Wake up!!”

“Still not working… still not working… Madam Maggie, please help me simulate once more, I seem to have thought of a new breakthrough…”

“Madam Maggie is already dead!!” Mr. Ofi suddenly roared.

Dr. Ferenc was suddenly taken aback, then looked at Mr. Ofi in confusion, frowned, and said, “Who are you? Why are you appearing in my lab? Don’t disrupt my work! The next experiment will start in half a year! Get out, don’t get in my way!”

Dr. Ferenc shook off Mr. Ofi’s hands, then took the chalk in his hand, turned around, and erased a pile of formulas on the desk, then continued writing.

Mr. Ofi became angry and directly reached out to grab Dr. Ferenc’s arm, snatched the chalk from his hand, and shouted angrily, “What kind of madness are you doing! I said, Madam Maggie is already dead! You are the one who caused her death!!”

Dr. Ferenc also started screaming, even forcefully pushing Mr. Ofi away, “Security! Security! Throw him out!! Security!!”

Dr. Ferenc frantically grabbed various tools on the table and threw them at Mr. Ofi.

Scissors, hammer, glue…

Bara saw this and quickly pulled Mr. Ofi out of the workspace, “Sir, I think perhaps we shouldn’t provoke Dr. Ferenc… his current state is not good.”

“He’s totally crazy!” Mr. Ofi cursed, “He doesn’t even recognize me!”

Yet Dr. Ferenc, after Mr. Ofi and Bara left the workspace, returned to calm, and began drawing on the ground again.

Mr. Ofi saw this, angrily shut the door of the workspace, and shouted furiously, “Lock it! Don’t give him food, let’s see how long he can keep pretending to be crazy!”

Mr. Ofi turned around and left.

Bara helplessly glanced at the window, Dr. Ferenc acted as if nothing was wrong.

Bara sighed, she somewhat knew about the family’s affairs… Was this Dr. Ferenc’s kind of retaliation for Mr. Ofi forcing him to resign from the research institute?

…

…

Song Tianyou had not slept in this late for a long time.

He only climbed out of bed around ten in the morning, feeling full of energy while also experiencing a sense of fulfillment; nothing makes one feel happier than fulfilling a longstanding wish.

“Sir, you’re awake.”

Uncle Wu had already brought servants, each carrying towels and other washing items, arriving in front of Song Tianyou.

Song Tianyou was in no rush to wash up, instead he asked, “Where’s Luo Qiu? Did he wake up? Was everything okay last night? It’s my fault, I slept too early.”

“Nothing particularly special happened.” Uncle Wu chuckled, “Young Master Qiu was also tired all day, and fell asleep early. But he’s already awake now, he’s hanging out with the eldest young master, said they were going to buy you something to eat.”

Song Tianyou smiled, “Whatever you want to eat, let the fourth make it, why need to go out and buy it?”

Uncle Wu said, “The eldest young master said he wanted some soy milk and youtiao, so he went to Zhonghua Street to buy them… should be back soon.”

Song Tianyou felt a wave of gratification, “These two kids are thoughtful… Uncle Wu, help me up.”

Uncle Wu quickly helped Song Tianyou up, “Careful, sir.”

Suddenly a man swiftly walked to the room’s door, respectfully said, “Sir, your satellite phone, it’s from Hua Country.”

“Hua Country?” Song Tianyou frowned and hurriedly said, “Take it.”

At this moment, Uncle Wu waved his hand, a group of servants orderly left the room. After Uncle Wu handed over the phone to Song Tianyou, he also left the room and closed the door properly.

This time, Song Tianyou finally said seriously, “This is Song Tianyou.”

“Little dog of the Song Family, it’s me.”

Song Tianyou hurriedly sat upright, his attitude became humble, “Sister Li, calling me this late, what’s the matter.”

This call was from Hua Country in the deep night… from Zhang Li Lanfang the old lady of the Zhang family.

“Little dog of the Song Family, I found some things about the person you asked me to investigate. I bet you will be very interested.”

“Please tell me.” Song Tianyou frowned tightly.

“Someone from your Song Family might have been secretly killed.” In front of her desk, Zhang Li Lanfang looked at some materials in front of her, “Here are a few documents, I’ll tell you…”

This was sent by Shi Shijie, sorted out completely. Zhang Li Lanfang didn’t hide anything, she calmly described what she found out, without omission.

“… That’s roughly it. My people are still investigating everyone present at the scene that year, hoping to provide you with more information as soon as possible. Little dog of the Song Family, are you listening?”

Song Tianyou was silent for a while before slowly saying, “Sister Li, may I ask for one more thing from you?”

“Tell me, what’s the matter?”

“I want to go back.”

Zhang Li Lanfang frowned, “How many people?”

Song Tianyou said in a deep voice, “Three hundred!”

“That’s too many.”

“More can’t be considered too much!” Song Tianyou said solemnly, “I know this is somewhat difficult, if Sister Li finds it too troublesome, Tianyou will think of other ways.”

“You are going to make a bloody storm… Little dog of the Song Family.” Zhang Li Lanfang sighed, “I’ll find a way, but can only do it in batches, also hope you won’t go too far.”

“Great kindness needs no thanks.”

“But I have a condition.”

“Please say.”

“I recently took a job, lacking professional personnel. Little dog of the Song Family, your three hundred men will need to lend me a hand, how about it?”

“Just follow orders.” Song Tianyou did not hesitate for a moment and agreed directly.