Early in the morning on the third day of the Lunar New Year, Yusuf Zuck and Ruth Wilcox took a taxi to the airport. The two were returning to Beijing together: Ruth Wilcox to attend to her hotel business, and Yusuf Zuck was going to pick up his car in Beijing and then head south to Hebei. He had promised Paisley Kirk and Miles O’Brien—he owed them that much.
At the same time, he also made contact with Marlon Shepherd, asking him to come to Sanya after the Spring Festival to help with property registration and to assist Rachel Fournier and Sophia with their driving tests.
When the two had arrived in Sanya, they brought plenty of New Year’s goods, but on the return trip, their luggage was empty.
At 8:40 a.m., the two of them, sitting in the departure hall, heard the announcement to start checking tickets and boarding, then they joined the queue and slowly moved forward. Latest content published on novel·fire.net
By 9:50 a.m., both had passed through the security check and were heading towards the boarding gate.
"Yusuf Zuck." Just as they were about to turn the corner into the gate, a voice suddenly called out. Someone was shouting his name.
Yusuf Zuck and Ruth Wilcox were momentarily stunned before turning around to see a group of people, with Kevin Nash leading them.
He stood with his group outside the security check area.
A frown formed on Yusuf Zuck’s brow because he hadn’t expected Kevin Nash to actually come to Sanya and seek him out.
In his plans, he knew Kevin Nash would appear sooner or later, but it was only now, when he was about to board the plane, that Kevin Nash found him.
After considering for a moment, Yusuf Zuck patted Ruth Wilcox’s hand, "You go ahead and board. I might need to wait a little longer; if not, I’ll take the next flight."
"Who are they?" Ruth Wilcox asked, puzzled.
"Some business acquaintances. You go ahead and board," Yusuf said, knowing it wasn’t appropriate for her to be present while he talked with Kevin Nash.
"Oh, then you’d better come back quickly. I’m boarding now." Hearing the urgent announcement over the airport’s PA system, Ruth Wilcox tenderly touched faces with Yusuf Zuck before entering the gate.
Yusuf Zuck strode out to stand before Kevin Nash.
"Let’s go. We need to talk." Kevin Nash showed a hint of a smile, seemingly with warmth. He never dreamt that this illegitimate son of his would achieve so much—not even the powerful Meskill Family had gotten the better of him. To be honest, he felt both proud and fearful.
He was proud that Yusuf was his son, yet fearful because this son was a wolf. Tyler Nash was dead, having jumped off a cliff, but it was still a death by coercion.
Therefore, he truly didn’t know how to handle this illegitimate son!
To kill him? It seemed that Yusuf Zuck was not so easy to kill now.
Not to kill him? To let him return to the Nash family?
Putting aside whether Yusuf would agree, even if he did, his return could potentially throw the Nash family into chaos.
Thus, for this meeting with Yusuf Zuck, he had made preparations for two eventualities: one for cooperation and the other... to eliminate a problematic son.
An uncooperative son who also harbored hatred toward him might as well be discarded. Kevin Nash could bear to make that ruthless decision.
In the game of power, minor scruples are often neglected. While it’s said that even a tiger won’t eat its young, if the cub seeks to devour its father, should the father willingly offer his head for the taking?
Guiding Yusuf Zuck into the airport café, Kevin Nash’s cohorts like the tengu dispersed around the perimeter.
"I had thought of visiting your stepfather at your home, but I feared it might upset you. After all, it’s the new year, and distressing your entire family would not be worth the trouble, so I hurried to the airport. Thankfully, I caught up with you." Kevin Nash sipped his coffee gently. This time, there was an unusual absence of hostility between father and son, and Kevin’s posture was exceptionally humble. His voice was not thunderous; his tone, even carried a hint of negotiation and warmth, seemingly not wanting to infuriate Yusuf Zuck, striving for peace.
"Speak plainly," Yusuf Zuck said indifferently.
Kevin Nash nodded: "I believe you must have numerous channels to know about the Meskill Family’s affairs. However, the intelligence I’ve received indicates that thirty-three of the Meskill Family have arrived in Sanya, and we believe they’re here for a vacation. Consequently, I’ve redeployed my men. After all, you carry my blood; you’re still my son, Kevin Nash. Thus, I do not wish to see you lying dead in the streets."
"Moreover, if you don’t mind, I think we can work together—not as father and son, not out of family ties, but purely as collaborators!"
"Our goals align at the moment. You want to deal with the Meskill Family, and there is an old grudge between the Meskill Family and our Nash family. It has always been a wish of ours to swallow them whole."
"If we cooperate, I believe it will be beneficial for both you and me."
"Of course, the Meskill Family might also wish to see us, father and son, turn against each other. Thus, I do not hope for infighting between biological father and son at such a time. Soldiers in battle should be father and son united, now is the time we should stand together against the outside world!"
"As for the end result..." Kevin Nash said faintly, "if the Meskill Family were to lose the symbol representing one of the four great clans, I think we’d both reap countless benefits. I hear you’re now worth billions, so with the Meskill Family’s assets, you could perhaps increase your fortune by many times over? Think it over carefully."
"But I want everything of the Nash family!" Yusuf Zuck said in a low, chilly voice.
Kevin Nash let out a chuckle, his disposition unaffected by Yusuf Zuck’s audacity. Instead, he shrugged and said, "You’re my son, Kevin Nash. Even if everything of the Nash family ends up in your hands, it remains within our Nash family. I’ve considered carefully your character, abilities, and mindset. You’re the quintessential candidate for Family Head. If the Nash family were entrusted to you, I would have no concerns about its decline within a hundred years. In someone else’s hands, I couldn’t be so sure!"
"Do you think I’m being kind? Don’t you realize I’ve always wanted to kill you?" Yusuf Zuck leaned back in the chair, relaxed.
"You wouldn’t." Kevin Nash shook his head, "After all, I couldn’t bring myself to kill your mother back then, so that grudge doesn’t stand. At worst, I abandoned you, which is not a capital offense. Moreover, I suspect your true intent isn’t as simple as killing me—if that were the case, you would have acted in Hong Kong when you had the chance and I was defenseless!"
Yusuf Zuck couldn’t help but admire Kevin Nash for being a cunning old fox with an incredibly sharp mind.
Taking a sip of coffee, he remained quiet for a long while before speaking: "I want sixty percent of the Meskill Family’s assets."
"Agreed," Kevin Nash nodded, "Better in your hands than in someone else’s."
"However..." Kevin Nash looked at Yusuf Zuck, "have you truly not considered returning to the Nash family? I’m willing to overlook Tyler’s death and ensure you have a place with the Nash family."
"As I said, I’m after everything of the Nash family," Yusuf Zuck scoffed.
"Heh," Kevin Nash laughed, shaking his head, "The Nash family is currently like a speeding train, and even if you became the conductor, you couldn’t steer the train’s course. So even if I were to forcefully place you in the position of Family Head, without understanding, without the ability to manage, to operate, you’d end up disgracing yourself."
"That’s why I said, if you return to the Nash family, you’d have your place. You need to adapt to this train; if not, how would it hearken to your commands?"
"I won’t return to the Nash family; I have my own ventures to attend to. But let’s deal with the Meskill Family first; we each take what we’re due." Yusuf Zuck shook his head; Kevin Nash’s sudden shift in demeanor was unsettling, and he also had a keen sense that Kevin Nash definitely had larger schemes in mind.
Trust him to propel me into the position of Family Head of the Nash family? That would be the true folly!