Ch. 571..580
Life at the Top Chapter 571
In addition to that, “United Legends” was an online game that achieved unparalleled success within the country. Many innovative businessmen were transformed into millionaires through this game, which centered on players facing one another on the battlefield.
It was a game that was unique even within the global market.
“After the year-end holidays, I’ll make arrangements for you to head over to Coreana. You will find our profit point there. I’ll discuss the specific details with you then.”Jasper chuckled as he decided to maintain the suspense.He trusted Jack, but this was a matter that involved might lead to untold profits. Thus, Jasper was not willing to tell anyone about it in advance. Furthermore, there was no point in doing so either.At that moment, nobody in the entire world would be as confident as Jasper was regarding the domestic gaming industry.Although Jack was not clear about the entire situation, he knew that Jasper never bragged about anything without proper proof to back up his claims.Jasper had proved countless times that he would fulfill every promise he made, regardless of how unbelievable they seemed at the time.Therefore, Jack was extremely excited about this as well.
After quitting his job at Weresoft, he was now working at Sena. Although Sena was one of the country’s top Internet companies, it could not compare to Weresoft at all.Therefore, many people did not understand Jack’s choice.Although Jack was not vocal about it, he was under a considerable amount of pressure as well. He had been waiting for an opportunity to rise to success so that he could use empirical evidence to prove to everyone that he was not famous just because of Weresoft. He wanted to show that he was extremely talented and capable as well.Now that the opportunity to do so had finally arisen, he was beyond excited.“Alright. I’ll leave first. I’m returning to my hometown with my family later for the year-end holidays. We’ll see each other next year then, Mr. Laine,” Jack said with a smile spread across his face as he got up.
Jasper took out a check, which he had prepared a long time ago, from his coat and handed it to Jack. “This is your year-end bonus,” he said with a smile. Jack was stunned. “Hasn’t the end-of-year bonus been issued some time ago? What’s this, Mr. Laine?” He asked.Jasper laughed. “You’ve followed me through all my endeavors this year. You’ve helped out at the investment company, Terizone, and now you’re helping out at Sena. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to handle so many issues. Take this as an extra bonus just for you,” he said.Jack accepted the check and glanced at the figures scribbled on it, which would have come as a shock to any ordinary person out there. “In that case, I won’t reject it. Thank you, Mr. Laine,” he said in a sincere tone.It was a ruler’s obligation to bestow a title upon those who valued their status, and present benefits to those who valued such gains. One’s subordinates would only work to the best of their abilities if they obtained tangible benefits.
Jasper had never been stingy with regards to this.
If he gave Jack one buck today, Jack would help him generate a profit of ten bucks tomorrow. Therefore, it was clear was the correct move was when dealing with a man of Jack’s abilities.After sending Jack off, Jasper left the company as well. Since it was the holiday period, the office was completely empty except for the two foreign security guards that did not plan to return to their hometowns for the holidays.Jasper walked along the river after leaving the company. There, he spent time thinking about how to deal with the various problems that had arisen in the investment and real estate companies. He needed to decide on the plan for Sena to enter the gaming industry by the beginning of the next year too.
At that moment, a loud cacophony erupted in front of him as he walked along the path.
An unkempt woman ran toward Jasper in a state of panic with a few hotdogs clutched in her hands. A middle-aged man with a white apron tied across his waist was chasing after her. He looked like the boss of a hotdog stall.“Stop right there! This f*cker is back to steal my hotdogs again. I’ll catch you today no matter what!” The middle-aged man yelled as he chased after the woman.
“Move away!”
The woman running ahead hurriedly shouted at Jasper, who was blocking her way. The moment he raised his head to look at her, both of them were stunned.
Jasper had never expected to cross paths with Penelope Hunt in a situation like this.
Life at the Top Chapter 572
Although both of them had changed a lot, Jasper and Penelope could still recognize each other at first glance.
Penelope froze on the spot. She returned to her senses after a few seconds, then lowered her head and prepared to run away.
Right then, the boss of the hotdog stall managed to catch up with her.
He grabbed ahold of the collar of Penelope’s shirt and scolded her angrily. “F*ck, it’s been three days. You’ve stolen the hotdogs from my stall for three consecutive days. Even if you want to steal, don’t just steal from my stall alone. Do you really think that I’m that easily bullied?
“I’ll teach you a lesson today so you won’t dare to ever steal from me again!”
After saying this, the boss, who had a tall and burly physique, raised his hand to hit Penelope across the face.
“Wait a minute,” Jasper voiced out, causing the man to stop in his tracks.
The boss turned around to look at Jasper suspiciously. He toned down the ferocious expression on his face after noticing Jasper’s immaculate dressing and outstanding aura. He frowned and asked, “What’s wrong? I’m teaching a thief a lesson here. What does it have to do with you?”
Jasper pulled out a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and said, “Since you said that she stole from you, I’ll pay on her behalf. Don’t hold a grudge against her anymore. It’s almost Christmas, and you’re out here trying to run a business. Don’t bring bad luck upon yourself.”
“Heh! It’s a deal!”
The boss accepted the cash from Jasper happily. “I really bumped into a good person today. However, this is too much. I don’t have enough change on me,” he said.
“There’s no need to give me any change,” Jasper said. He glanced at Penelope, who was leaning away from him as she stood by the side. She had her head lowered and did not dare to look at him. “Take it as your compensation,” he told the boss calmly.
“That’s even better!”
The boss put the hundred-dollar bill into his pocket and cast a glare at Penelope. “You were lucky this time. If you ever steal from my stall again, I’ll beat you to death,” he warned her.
“That’s enough. You’ve taken the money, and I’ve given you some extra as well. You can go now,” Jasper said with a frown.
The boss grinned widely at him, then turned around and walked away happily.
“Why have you become like this?” Jasper asked Penelope, who was trembling with her head lowered, after the boss of the hotdog stall left.
Penelope continued to let her head hang low. It was as if by doing so, she was hoping that Jasper would not be able to recognize her. “I don’t know you. You’ve got the wrong person,” she said nervously.
Penelope then attempted to run away.
“Stop right there!” Jasper yelled.
Penelope stiffened, standing glued to the spot.
“Where’s your brother? What about your mother? Do they know that you’re living like this right now?” Jasper asked.
Penelope knew that she would not be able to evade this. Thus, she raised her head to look at Jasper, a despondent smile spread across her dirt-smudged face. “My mother has Alzheimer’s. She’s now bed-ridden as she can’t move anymore. My brother committed a crime two months ago and has been arrested,” she said.
A slight furrow formed on Jasper’s brows. In his past life, Calvin Hunt, Penelope’s brother, did not go to jail.
It seemed like after his reincarnation, the fates of many of those who were closely related to him in his past life have changed.
“Don’t you have a job? Your family has savings, right? How did you end up like this?” Jasper asked.
Although he had once hated Penelope Hunt and her family, and despised the way she would support her brother no matter the circumstances, those were all in the past now.
At the very least, Jasper did not any embarrassment at the hands of the Hunts during this lifetime.
Facing his wife from his past life as well as the woman that had been by his side for a few years of his current life, the woefulness in Jasper’s heart gradually overpowered the hatred he held for her.
After all, the two of them were on different levels right now. Their circumstances were different as well. Jasper had long since lost the rage and hatred he had for Penelope Hunt.
“It’s all because of Richton White!” Penelope blurted out, a vicious gaze in her eyes.
“After Hugh Lewis went down, there was nobody else that I could depend on. I got together with Richton White after that. I thought that he truly loved me, but he ran away after swindling me of all of my family’s assets and properties!
“Because of this incident, my mother was so angered that she eventually got Alzheimer’s. My brother fell to rock bottom as well. He joined a bunch of gangsters and messed around all day long. The gangsters beat someone up and ended up severely injuring someone. They ran away, but he had to take all the blame. I lost my job as well.”
She stared at Jasper. At that moment, her ex-boyfriend did not seem as mundane and unremarkable as he had been back in the day.
Life at the Top Chapter 573
The aura surrounding Jasper at that moment was already beyond what Penelope could fathom. However, she could tell that Jasper’s outfit was an expensive one. The man’s every move and even the simplest glance was filled with the prestige and aura of somebody of high-society.
In comparison, Penelope felt like a speck of dust in the mud while Jasper was a prince that towered over her.
There was nothing to compare between the two.
No one could possibly imagine that they had been a couple talking about wedding plans just a year ago.
Penelope shuddered slightly, but she did not know if she was shaking with resentment or regret.
Jasper lamented at the sight of Penelope, now as despondent as a beggar on the streets.
There were definitely no more romantic feelings between them.
Yet, the hatred he harbored for her seemed to have faded as well.
Jasper had once imagined that he would feel very proud as he stood before Penelope after he had finally made a name before himself. He wondered how it would feel to mock Penelope for looking down at him in the beginning, only to end up losing such a gem of a man.
However, even as all this was finally happening, Jasper did not feel even the slightest urge to mock her anymore.
He merely marveled at how fast the world could change.
“Take it.”
A wad of cash appeared before Penelope.
It came to total of around one to two thousand bucks.
“That’s all I have on me now. Go get nice clothes for you and your mom, and use the rest for Christmas presents. Regardless, things will get better next year.”
Jasper paused for a bit then continued, “John Jackson, the Vice President of the ICBS City Branch, is a friend of mine. He got promoted from Faith County, so he should still have a few contacts here and there. I could contact him when I get back to ask if he could assign you some temporary work at ICBS.
“But you’ve got to work hard for it as well. Study hard and pass the test. The ICBS has an internal test before hiring any employees, but John will help prepare a path for you if you pass the test. That should give you a steady job.”
Seeing Penelope standing blankly in front of him, Jasper replied, “Then find someone nice and live a happy life.”
Jasper placed the money in Penelope’s hands and turned to leave.
Penelope stared at the banknotes in her hand, then looked up, only to see Jasper’s figure walking away.
It was a crowded street, with people bustling around her, ready to celebrate the joy of Christmas. Penelope watched as Jasper’s figure vanished before she suddenly mustered the courage she did not even know she had to run after him.
“Wait!”
Jasper turned around and frowned upon seeing Penelope panting hard from the run.
‘What more does this woman want? She can’t be so deluded to think that we’d get back together, right?’
Jasper did not say anything, instead waiting patiently for her to speak first.
“I’m not here for anything else. I just wanted to tell you, that when I was stea… I mean, buying things this morning, I heard two young men, who I think are brothers, talk about something. I think one of them was called Terence or something.
“The Terence guy was trying to prove something to the other, and claimed that some bigshot was going to come after you, and as such, he was asking the other man to join in as well.
“I don’t know exactly what they said, but I heard them say your name so I jotted it down… but then again, they might also just be talking about another ‘Jasper’ so…”
Penelope then bowed deeply to Jasper, then turned to run.
Jasper furrowed his brows slightly as he watched Penelope’s figure disappear into the crowd. Instantly, he fell deep in thought.
Penelope turned at the corner of the street and stopped to catch her breath, when she suddenly bent down to wail.
Whether she was crying out of regret or something else was probably something only Penelope would know.
Even so, Jasper and Penelope were both very well aware of the current situation.
That the two of them were complete strangers now. The last contact they would ever have had come to an end with this helping hand Jasper had extended her.
Life at the Top Chapter 574
Jasper’s and Penelope’s meeting was pure coincidence.
As far as Jasper was concerned, helping Penelope was at most, a final farewell to his previous life and his past.
After all, Jasper was not a heartless person.
While the two had not shared a very happy past, Penelope was, if anything, still the woman who had been by Jasper’s side the longest.
Now that they each had their own lives to live, the least Jasper could do was bid that era of his life farewell.
Yet, Jasper had never expected Penelope to bring him such an important message.
‘Called Terence or something?
‘Who else but Terence Laine, then?’
Naturally, the people Jasper first thought of when he heard Penelope’s words would be the two brothers, Terence and Darrel Laine.
Taking a trip down memory lane, Jasper recalled Terence had never shown himself again after leaving the meal in a huff yesterday. Meanwhile, Darrel had been staying in Tefa City the entire time.
Upon returning home, Jasper called Julian over.
“Go poke around Shangri-La Hotel to see if Terence’s come back or not. If he did, I need to know when he got back and who he’s been in touch with since his return.”
After receiving Jasper’s instructions, Julian nodded and immediately went to investigate.
“Hold on.”
Jasper called Julian back.
“Keep a low profile. Don’t let anyone find out about your investigation,” Jasper reminded.
Julian smiled and turned to leave.
A little more than an hour later, Julian returned as night had just fallen.
“I’ve found what you wanted to know, Jasper. Terence returned around midnight yesterday. There’s a record of him at the hotel since he used his ID card to check into a room.
“Terence didn’t leave his room up until this morning, but when he did, it was with his brother Darrel. The two of them bought something then returned to the hotel. After this, the two brothers, along with their parents, took a car ride back to Faith County.”
Jasper furrowed his brows slightly and asked, “Where did Terence go yesterday? Who did he meet?”
Julian shook his head. “All I found out was that he had bought a ticket to the provincial capital after he left the dinner yesterday, then he took the last train back. But who he had met during this interval, I do not know.”
Jasper replied expressionlessly, “Alright, got it.”
After Julian left, Jasper sat alone in his study immersed in his thoughts.
Jasper’s instincts told him that Terence had gone to the provincial capital for a specific reason.
It might be to meet this so-called bigshot.
However, after he mulled it over, Jasper found that he could not think of any bigshots left who would want to take him out.
Finally, Jasper decided to call Dawson.
“Uncle Schuler,” Jasper greeted.
Dawson smiled. “What is it, Jasper? Did something happen?”
Jasper chuckled. “Nothing happened. I just wanted to check in you to see you were doing lately.
“Oh, and has there been any activity in the provincial capital lately?”
Dawson was stunned for a moment before he replied, “I didn’t hear of anything. Everything’s been quite calm recently.”
Jasper’s furrowed brows relaxed and he smiled. “That’s great then.”
Dawson could acutely sense that something was up, so he asked solemnly, “Did you receive news about something going on?”
Jasper replied, “Someone probably has their eyes on me, but I’m not absolutely sure of this yet. I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for a little longer before I can confirm the matter.”
Life at the Top Chapter 575
Dawson replied, “Alright then. Remember to call me if you need any help.”
Jasper nodded. “I will.”
Putting the phone down, Jasper’s expression darkened slightly.
A false positive was better than a false negative. Jasper never had the habit of getting comfortable, so he would always be somewhat cautious and keep his guards up.
The news from Penelope coupled with the results of his investigation from multiple places had solidified such a case.
‘Terence himself has ulterior motives as well as someone mysterious backing him up.
‘In order to do this, Terence even tried to pull Darrel into his plans.
‘But the fact that Terence has to persuade Darrel means that the latter either has no idea of what’s happening or hasn’t completely joined their side.
‘So who’s this mysterious mastermind behind it all?’
“It’s time for dinner, Jasper.”
His mother’s voice sounded from downstairs, breaking Jasper’s train of thought.
Exhaling softly, Jasper hummed in acknowledgment and walked out of his study. He decided that he would observe for a little longer before he came up with a plan.
At least now he had a target to keep an eye on and that was Terence Laine.
If the other party wanted to deal with him, then it would only be a matter of time before they made a move.
…
At the same time in a normal district in Faith County.
Darrel’s brows were knitted tightly as he looked at Terrence’s nervous expression with a deep gaze. He spoke with a heavy tone, “Have you gone crazy, Terence? Or did someone drug you with something? How could you be so blind?”
Terence harrumphed and replied, “You’re the one being stubborn here, Darrel. What’s so good about Jasper anyway? Why are you so willing to follow his lead?”
Darrel replied sternly, “Enough nonsense. I’d still be unemployed if not for him! I still need his support for my business next year, so what makes you think I’d do anything that would harm him?”
Terence scoffed. “That’s just him being charitable to you. Don’t you want to make your own money?
“Mr. Hanks already said that he’s willing to give you double of what Jasper’s giving you. You just need to nod your head and agree! You’ll get even more benefits after all of this is over, so why are you still hesitating?”
Darrel replied in annoyance, “That’s just an empty promise. Plus, do you know how this will sound like to our relatives if news gets out? Do you want to lose all respect?”
Terence spat on the ground and replied, “Don’t give me bullsh*t talk about our relatives, Darrel. Don’t you see? All these relatives do is look down on people, they don’t care what happens to you at all. All they care about is whether you’re broke or rich. If you’re the latter, then they’ll praise you every day and everything you do is deemed as right.
“Just think about it. These relatives have always said that the two of us would turn out to be outstanding people in society. Our familial conditions are better than Jasper’s no matter how you look at it. Before this, no one even looked at Jasper with respect.
“But what about now? Every single one of them is talking about how much of a genius Jasper is and how much more outstanding he is. I’m tired of all of this, but this is reality. This is the truth!
“The harshest part of this all is that even if you manage to open your hotpot restaurants, Darrel, all you get is just 10% of the shares. Jasper doesn’t even have to f*cking do anything and he’s getting the longer end of the stick! Why? All everyone has said up until now is how good Jasper is, but will anyone even remember how much effort you’ve put into this?”
Terence’s words had Darrel’s expression changing.
While the words were harsh, Darrel had to admit that his brother spoke the truth.
“We just have to show the rest of them that we’re the truly outstanding people in this family, Darrel. Jasper is just someone who got rich because he was lucky. He has no right to step all over us.
“Plus, we’re brothers. Why would I set you up?”
With Terence’s persuasion, he saw that Darrel was about to agree.
Darrel stood up in frustration and spoke, “Enough. My mind’s a mess now, so we’ll talk about this again in a few days.”
Terence’s gaze turned sinister as he watched Darrel leave.
He would be screwed if he did not manage to persuade Darrel. Zayden would not forgive him if that was the case.
That was why Terence had already decided he would do everything to persuade Darrel, no matter the price.
Life at the Top Chapter 576
Regardless of the sinister schemes being plotted, time continued to pass with each day.
It was New Year’s Eve now, and the new year would soon arrive.
Jasper did not go anywhere that day, opting to stay home with his parents instead.
However, that did not mean he had nothing to do. He was making calls to Old Master Law and the like to relay New Year’s Eve greetings.
Etiquettes should not be forgotten.
As for Gale Hurlbutt, Jasper had also called to greet him.
He had accepted Gale’s conditions two days ago.
This meant that he would assume the role of vice president of the Haddock Chamber of Commerce Waterhoof branch after New Year’s when work officially started again.
The news was still kept under wraps and there was only a handful who knew of it. Yet that did not stop Jasper and Gale’s relationship from growing closer.
The most important thing was…
He had to deal with the long phone calls with Anna and Wendy.
While the two women were far apart, they seemed to have a very tacit understanding not to call Jasper first.
Jasper was elated by the fact, so he spent more than an hour calling Wendy before he dialed Anna’s number.
Having called the people he had to, Jasper then received calls from Hudson, Jack, and a bunch of other people.
Everyone traded pleasantries, wishing for each other’s good health and prosperity in the new year.
These were all necessary conversations. One would not gain anything if they spoke too much, but not speaking enough would easily offend others.
After entertaining the people he had to, Jasper looked up to realize that it was past 12 a.m. now.
This marked the beginning of 2001.
Jasper walked over to the window and was surprised to find that it had begun to snow tonight.
Snow was rare in the southeast and it had been a few years since it snowed in Tefa City.
The only one beside Jasper now was the burly Julian.
“Julian, do you know any responsible female martial artists you could recommend?” Jasper asked.
Julian gave it some thought before replying, “I do have a martial artist friend who has just become a martial arts instructor. Do you want to invite her over, Jasper?”
Jasper smiled. “I can’t help but worry when there isn’t anyone with Wendy to protect her.”
Jasper nodded. “Alright, I’ll contact her tomorrow.”
Now that New Year’s Eve was over, it was January again and Jasper would only be getting busier as time passed.
There were plenty of people coming over to greet him, including John who brought Kai over.
Kai brought over a gilded crucifix. Seeing its design and weight, it had to cost at least 100,000 Somer Dollars.
Despite knowing that Kai was giving the gift as thanks and to fawn over Jasper, Jasper did not decline it when he saw how his religious mom, Sally, was so happy that her mouth stayed agape.
After dealing with the large group of people, Jasper and his parents arrived in Nauritus City at the provincial capital on the fourth of January.
It was the day Jasper’s and Wendy’s parents would meet.
Jasper parked the Bentley just before Dawson’s house. Dawson took the initiative to approach them.
He opened the car doors and reached out a hand to Charlie who was alighting the vehicle. “I’ve been anticipating for ages the day you’d come over, Charlie.”
Charlie smiled, still slightly nervous, and shook Dawson’s hand with both his hands. “Hello, Mr. Schuler. It’s nice to meet you too.”
Life at the Top Chapter 577
As if sensing Charlie’s nerves, Dawson smiled. “You don’t have to be too polite. While this is the first time we’re meeting, we’re going to be a family very soon. You’re older than me, so I’ll just treat you as my brother and call you Charlie. You can do the same as well.”
Seeing how easy-going such a wealthy man like Dawson was, Charlie immediately took a liking to the man and chuckled. “Then I’ll just call you Dawson, since I’m older than you.”
“There we go. This must be my sister-in-law, then?” Dawson turned to smile at Sally and greeted her.
Seeing how their parents were speaking cheerfully with one another, both Jasper and Wendy exhaled a sigh of relief.
“You look beautiful today,” Jasper told Wendy with a chuckle.
Wendy was donned in a pink faux-fur coat today with a scarf around her fair neck. Her choice of clothing had only made Wendy look more bright and playful.
Wendy chuckled. “You look very handsome today as well.”
The two families entered the villa with smiles on their faces, and Charlie gave Jasper a look to prompt the other to bring out a large box. Jasper then handed it to Dawson. “Uncle Schuler, my parents didn’t know what gift to get since it’s their first time coming over. Please enjoy this small offering of ours.”
Dawson was stunned. “It’s enough that you’re here, what’s with all this gift-giving?”
“These are rare goods, Dad. Some 200-year-old wild ginseng,” Wendy told him as she stood beside him.
Dawson’s expression changed. “200 years old? What a treasure.”
He opened the box in front of everyone, and within the red gift box was a stalk of wild ginseng that would unfurl to a length of more than one meter long. It looked like it was pregnant.
“This is too much,” Dawson turned to Charlie.
Charlie smiled. “Its value isn’t important. You were the one who told me not to be too polite.”
Dawson did not protest and accepted the gift with a smile.
Lunch went by joyfully.
Both Dawson and Charlie had drunk some alcohol, so the two went to their own rooms to rest after lunch.
Jasper was just planning to bring his girlfriend out on a date when he received a phone call from Sean.
Thinking that it was just a call for greetings, Jasper accepted it only to hear Sean’s frantic tone echo through the speakers once the call connected.
“Something has happened, Mr. Laine! The site… Something has happened on the site!”
Jasper’s eyebrows arched as he replied with a heavy tone, “What are you so panicked about? Tell me what happened slowly.”
Hearing that, Wendy’s expression turned serious as well.
Sean gulped a few times over the phone as he forced himself to calm down. When he spoke again, it was with an exceptionally grim tone, “I’ve just received news that a fire broke out at the site half an hour ago. Firefighters are still trying to extinguish the flames but they’ve already pulled out five to six people from the site. All of them are severely injured and official personnel is carrying out emergency rescue on them…”
Jasper was furious at what he heard and roared, “What the hell were the people in charge of the site doing? How many times have I told them that it’s New Year’s and while I understand everyone is trying to meet deadlines, we have to be careful! How could a fire break out at such a stage? And with five to six workers severely injured?!”
Sean replied sorrowfully, “We’ve been especially careful all this time but it was really weird how the fire started. It started from the workers’ living quarters during lunch break when most of the workers were sleeping. It started too abruptly for anyone to make it out in time.”
‘Where are you now?” Jasper pushed down his anger and asked.
“On my way to the construction site,” Sean replied frantically.
“Get there as fast as you can and focus on placating the workers. You have to control this situation and don’t let news of it leak yet. I’ll be there shortly.”
Jasper then hung up the phone.
“The site caught on fire, Jasp?” Wendy asked worriedly.
Jasper nodded and replied grimly, “We still don’t know what happened exactly, but there are already five to six of them severely injured. There might be more people inside but we haven’t found them yet. I’ve got to go over. Wait for my news here.”
“Should I wake my dad?” Wendy asked.
Jasper shook his head. “He drank quite a bit during lunch, so let him rest. I’ll deal with this.”
Jasper then informed Julian and sped toward the construction site.
Life at the Top Chapter 578
Flames and smoke engulfed the construction site on the South Bank of the Southface river, attracting the attention of countless people.
Long before he had even arrived, Jasper could already see how the fire brightened up half the sky as smoke burst into the air. The smell of burning materials permeated the air kilometers away from the scene.
“It’s not a small fire this time, Jasper. From what the looks of it, I’d say it’s pretty severe,” Julian spoke grimly to Jasper.
Jasper took a deep breath and replied calmly, “It’s alright. It’s not a loss if it can be fixed with money.”
The large Bentley arrived outside the construction site and was held back by the caution tape the firefighters had put up.
Jasper did not explain himself to the firefighters as he got out of the car and walked toward the site.
Jasper and Julian were currently around 700 to 800 meters away from the site, but despite the distance, Jasper could still feel the burning heat from the scene. That spoke levels about how severe this fire was and that it was rapidly spreading.
“Mister… Mr. Laine!”
Having arrived before them, Sean ran over with a pant. Sean’s meticulous suit was now in an embarrassing state with traces of soot all over. The man was drenched in sweat, and it was a sorry sight.
“How’s the situation?” Jasper walked toward the site with Sean following beside him.
While panting, Sean replied, “The fire hasn’t been put out yet, but the firefighters told me that from what they can see, the fire started in two different places. The workers’ rest and living quarters, and the warehouse for all the building materials.
“Both fires started almost at the same time, so that explains why the fire is so unrelenting. The firefighters suspect arson, but there’s no concrete evidence.”
Jasper replied grimly, “All of that can wait. The most important thing now is to contain the fire and minimize injuries and deaths.”
Sean took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I agree, that’s what I thought too—”
A firefighter who was seemingly the captain ran over to Jasper and interrupted Sean with a question, “Who are you?”
Jasper did not mind the other’s abrupt attitude and replied, “I’m the person in charge of JW Real Estates.”
The firefighter scoffed and pointed at the construction site that was still in flames. “What kind of safety measures are you using here? It’s really difficult to contain a fire like this. You’re going to have to take legal responsibility if people lose their lives or get injured by this!”
Sean’s expression changed, and he was about to chide the captain when Jasper waved at Sean to stop him.
“I understand how you feel, captain, but trust me when I say I’m more nervous about this than you. You have to believe me when I say that there’s nothing wrong with the safety measures in the construction site. We can talk about whether I should be held accountable or not later, but I only have one request right now.”
Jasper’s gaze turned solemn as he stared at the captain and continued, “Do anything you can to minimize the harm done to my workers!”
The captain was stunned when he heard Jasper. He had dealt with countless industrial fires and almost every boss was most worried about their property and materials. This was the first time he had heard such a request.
“Aren’t you worried about property loss?” the captain asked.
Jasper replied calmly, “I can continue investing if it’s just monetary loss and I can just buy more facilities if they break. But there’s nothing I can do to atone if human lives are lost here.”
The captain immediately found respect for Jasper at his words and gave Jasper an intense look before he spoke, “Don’t worry. It’s our job, so we’ll do everything we can to save the workers inside.”
Jasper took a deep breath and replied, “I only request that the firefighters take care of themselves as well, then.”
Life at the Top Chapter 579
Jasper then turned to Sean. “Mr. Tucker, on behalf of JW Real Estates, please donate one million Somer Dollars in cash and three firetrucks to the fire department that’s putting the fire out after all of this is over.”
Sean shouted reflexively, “Understood, Mr. Laine!”
The captain gave Jasper an intent look. “I’ve seen my fair share of rich men, but you’re the most unique out of all of them. I’m certain now that this fire has nothing to do with you.”
The captain then quickly ran back to instruct his team in putting the fire out.
Jasper and Sean stood by the entrance of the site and stared grimly as the red flames devoured the place.
From time to time, there would be severely injured workers carried out by firefighters. Each time he saw this scene, Jasper’s expression grew darker.
“Mr. Tucker,” Jasper called out.
“Yes, Mr. Laine?” Sean moved toward him.
“Immediately notify the office that every employee above the managerial level and those in charge of the site’s safety measures are to have all their remaining holidays canceled. They should return to the office right away.
“The company has only one job now and that is to team up to take care of the workers harmed in this fire.
“Every injured worker is to be compensated by the insurance company they signed their contracts with and if their insurance can’t cover them, then the company will top up the amount.
“I’m not short on money, let alone money that I should be paying,” Jasper replied heavily.
Sean’s heart lurched as he replied instinctively, “Mr. Laine, the compensation from their insurance companies is enough. We’ve bought them enough employment injury insurance, and it’s going to cost the company tens of millions if we pay the rest for them.”
Jasper turned to Sean coldly. “Tens of millions is nothing to me, but to these workers? That money is enough to pay for their entire lives!”
Sean did not even dare to look into Jasper’s frosty eyes. Shuddering, he quickly replied, “I understand, Mr. Laine. I’ll get to it right away.”
…
At the same time, Zayden was several kilometers away in a high-rise where he watched the fire brighten the sky over the South Bank of the Southface River while chortling.
“Not bad. Not bad at all. You’ve done well this time.” Zayden laughed loudly as he turned and clapped Terence on the shoulder.
Terence laughed drily and nodded, replying with a bow, “I’m happy that you’re satisfied with my performance, Mr. Hanks.”
While Zayden was laughing, his gaze could not be more sinister and cold as he stared at Terence. “You did well with lighting the fire, but you didn’t leave any evidence behind, did you?”
Terence shuddered and quickly looked down as he replied, “Don’t worry, Mr. Hanks. I had observed them for a few days before I acted. I didn’t leave behind any evidence at all.”
Zayden nodded. “Very good. Well done.”
Zayden then turned to look at the construction site that was bursting in flames. “What a beautiful sight. If only the fire was even bigger. How terrible do you think Jasper’s expression is right now?
“When I think of that, I just can’t wait to see what Jasper looks like. He must be heartbroken. He must be furious, wouldn’t you say? Hahaha!”
Terence shivered in terror amidst Zayden’s chortles but still laughed along with him. “Who does Jasper think he is? Who is he to compete with you, Mr. Hanks? This is just a small lesson, the true suffering comes later.”
Life at the Top Chapter 580
This fire became earth-shattering news that wracked through all of the Southeast Province. It had also taken 47 million out of Jasper’s pockets.
“Mr. Laine, Mr. Schuler, the fire has burned 40 million Somer Dollars worth of our building materials and facilities in total. There’s also an invisible loss of seven million for rebuilding and adding new facilities as well as compensations for the workers’ injuries.
“Moreover, while no lives are lost, there are 16 severely injured workers. Among them, five are permanently crippled and three were severely burnt as well. These people will have to live the rest of their lives in a hospital bed.
“After the relevant compensations and deducting the insurance, we still have to pay six million excluding the cost for the other mildly injured workers. Including them, it will amount to around 11 million Somer Dollars.”
It was in the middle of the night when Jasper and Dawson listened grimly to Sean’s report in JW Real Estates’ office.
Jasper initially did not intend to worry Dawson, but with how huge the issue was, it was only right that Dawson knew what was happening. Otherwise, any more mistakes would only result in greater losses.
“Do you mean our financial loss has amounted to around 60 million?” Jasper concluded calmly.
Sean replied in embarrassment, “These are all direct losses. We still haven’t considered the indirect losses. We won’t be able to start work for at least another week, so the halt in progress and the loss of past progress will amount to around another 30 million.”
Bang!
Dawson lit a cigarette and slammed the lighter heavily against the office desk.
Sean shuddered, not daring to look up at Dawson’s sinister expression.
Jasper turned to look at Sean. “You’ve worked hard today. You still have work tomorrow, so go home first and rest.”
As if he was shown the biggest mercy, Sean frantically bade them farewell and left the office.
With Sean gone, there were only Jasper and Dawson in the office.
“There’s something wrong about this fire, Jasper,” Dawson exhaled a breath of smoke and spoke.
Jasper leaned against the sofa and rubbed his temple, muttering, “Yeah, there really is something wrong. It’s too coincidental that I can’t explain it with the word ‘accident’.”
“A 100 million Somer Dollar loss. Haha, good job to whoever was behind this. One fire and we’ve lost 100 million just like that.”
Fiery anger burned in Dawson’s gaze as he spoke, “I’ve never made such a big loss since I started working. What a sinister scheme. This is a capable opponent we’re dealing with… Do you have an idea who this might be, Jasper?”
Jasper shook his head. “There’s no evidence at all. Whoever was behind this is very meticulous. Not to mention with a fire this big, any evidence would’ve been burnt away as well.”
“Alright then. Do everything you can to sniff out the person behind this, and I’ll deal with the public and the follow-up,” Dawson suggested.
Jasper nodded. “That’s probably for the best.”
As the night was dark, both Jasper and Dawson did not stay in the office for much longer. They quickly returned to their respective homes to rest.
Moments after Jasper woke up the following day, he saw Julian looking for him.
“Someone’s looking for you, Jasper,” Julian informed him.
Jasper frowned. “I’ll be very busy for the time being. If it isn’t anyone special, decline them.”
“It’s Darrel.”
“Darrel?”
Jasper’s head lifted as he replied calmly, “Have him meet me in the backyard then.”
In the backyard, a haggard-looking Darrel arrived before Jasper under Julian’s lead.
“Jasper.”
Darrel greeted him with a raspy voice.
Jasper pointed at the seat before him and smiled. “It’s just been a few days since we last met. How did the New Year’s wear you out till your cheeks are hollow?”