Chapter 16: A $1 Billion Bounty
Bronte quickly stepped forward too, grabbing Caroline's hand with an eager smile.
"Caroline, you're finally back! I missed you so much I couldn't sleep. Come inside and rest, I'll get you some fruit."
Doyle stood to the side, bowing and scraping along with her. "Mr. Anderson, please come in, please come in."
Caroline looked at Doyle and Bronte's behavior, feeling really uncomfortable inside. She tried to pull her hand back, but Bronte gripped it tightly.
She looked up at James, her eyes showing a hint of pleading for help.
James saw it all, but felt nothing inside.
He wasn't the type to hold onto the past, especially when it came to Caroline's family. As long as they behaved themselves from now on and didn't cause trouble, he wouldn't hold it against them.
He nodded slightly, his tone calm. "Thanks for the trouble, Mr. Collins."
Just that one sentence made Landon act like he'd received the greatest honor, quickly stepping aside to show the way.
"No trouble at all! It's an honor for the Collins family to have Mr. Anderson here! Please, please come in!"
The group walked into the courtyard, with the Collins family members bustling around serving them, pouring tea and water, bringing fruit, running around busy.
Landon wanted to chat with James about Anderson family matters, but didn't dare speak up rashly. He could only stand to the side with a smile on his face.
James sat on a stone bench in the courtyard. Caroline stayed by his side, peeling an orange for him, her fingertips holding a segment up to his mouth.
James bit into it, catching a glimpse of Landon's careful manner from the corner of his eye. The corner of his mouth curved slightly, but he said nothing.
While eating the orange, a Specter Syndicate member walked over with a serious expression.
The Collins family members tactfully moved aside, not daring to interrupt. Only then did the member speak seriously.
"Mr. Anderson, just got word from the dark web. Someone's put out a bounty on your head - one billion US dollars."
James raised his eyebrows at this, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. He curved his lips with amusement. "One billion dollars? Wonder who's got such deep pockets?"
The member shook his head. "It happened so suddenly, I haven't been able to find out who's got the guts to do this."
Who would dare put a one billion dollar bounty on James's head? Did they have a death wish?
James had someone bring him a laptop and went straight to the dark web. Sure enough, his bounty was right at the top.
The dark web's comment section kept refreshing, filled with threats from various forces.
Even retired veteran mercenaries couldn't help but pop up to check things out.
[One billion dollars! The Reaper's head - if someone pulls this off, they can enjoy life for the rest of their days!]
As soon as the comment was posted, it was pushed up by hundreds of replies.
[Stop dreaming. Who is The Reaper? Ten years ago he single-handedly wiped out an entire mercenary squad. Specter Syndicate is now the most powerful organization in the underground world. You want to go die?]
[I've been retired for three years, didn't want to get involved in this stuff anymore, but one billion dollars! Plus if you can kill The Reaper, you become a legend in the mercenary world. I'm taking the gamble!]
[Everyone afraid of The Reaper is just a coward? The mercenary world has always been about gambling with your life. If you're scared, don't come, don't get in the way of us making money!]
......
These comments, no matter which side they came from, all carried a hint of fear when mentioning James's name.
Even the ones talking the toughest didn't dare actually look down on James.
It's just that the temptation of one billion dollars was too great, enough to make all mercenaries see red. Even knowing hell lay ahead, they'd willingly jump in.
After all, in the mercenary world, money and reputation are everything.
And taking The Reaper's head would get you both one billion dollars and instant fame. No one could resist that kind of temptation.
Caroline saw all these dense comments from the side, her face turning pale.
She grabbed James's hand, speaking in a panic. "James, what do we do now?"
"Should we find somewhere to hide? Silvermoon City is too dangerous right now."
Just thinking about those vicious mercenaries made her heart clench into a knot.
Those people only had eyes for money - they'd do anything.
No matter how capable James was, he couldn't handle wave after wave of people coming to kill him.
James put down the laptop and pulled her into his arms, gently patting her back to comfort her.
"Hide? My life has never been about hiding. This little scene is nothing."
"But it's a one billion dollar bounty."
Caroline buried herself in his embrace, her voice muffled.
"So many people will risk their lives for it. They won't let this go."
"Let it go?"
James scoffed, his fingertips stroking her hair.
"I never planned on letting them off anyway. If they dare come after me, they better be ready to die."
He knew clearly that hiding was pointless. Once these mercenaries took the job, they'd chase him to the ends of the earth.
Rather than hiding, better to face them head-on and make an example of them.
Let everyone know that his head isn't something just anyone can covet.
"Iron Wolf, go check how many people have their eyes on my life."
James's tone was calm, but the killing intent in his words was everywhere.
The Specter Syndicate member called Iron Wolf took the order and immediately went to investigate.
In less than half a day, he came back to James with a tablet, looking serious.
"Mr. Anderson, the dark web has tallied it up. At least five mercenary squads have taken the job. They're all internationally known tough guys. Two of them have even done village massacres. They're all heading to Silvermoon City now. The fastest squad will probably arrive tomorrow."
The tablet listed the mercenary squads' names and information.
Every single one of them had blood on their hands. In the photos, each person looked vicious with ruthless eyes.
James glanced at it, tapping his fingertips on the tablet. The corner of his mouth curved in a bone-chilling smile, his eyes showing no fear, only killing intent.
"Five squads? That's fewer than I expected."
"Go put out word on the dark web that I'm waiting in Silvermoon City. Anyone not afraid of dying can come right ahead."
Iron Wolf froze for a moment, then understood. A fierce look flashed in his eyes as he immediately nodded. "Got it, Mr. Anderson. I'll handle it right away and make sure the whole underground world hears it."
He knew James's temper - the more he was provoked, the more ruthless he got. This was to tell everyone that if they wanted to kill him, they'd better be ready to die.
The moment the message went out, the dark web exploded again.
The mercenaries who'd been talking tough suddenly went quiet. Many forces started watching and waiting - no one dared to be the first to step up.
After all, The Reaper's reputation wasn't just talk. It was built by stepping over countless mercenary corpses in the international underground world.
Everyone was waiting to see how this game between hunter and prey would end - who would live and who would die.
The underground world's storm instantly gathered over Silvermoon City.
When Caroline found out, she panicked even more, but didn't try to persuade him again.
She knew that once James decided something, no one could change it.