Chapter 91: Killing with a Borrowed Knife
Chapter 91: Killing with a Borrowed Knife
Mikesson Boyle participated in the Second Gulf War. He retired two years ago and joined Academi, codename Chimpanzee…
Smith Jack, a retired member of the Delta Force, joined Academi three years ago, codename White Mouse…
Chen Mo looked grimly at the information before him. These two were mercenaries from Academi.
Academi wasn’t widely known to most. But another name, Blackwater USA, had become infamous due to scandals before rebranding to Academi.
This private military and security company, born from America’s military-industrial complex, was one of three major firms contracted by the U.S. Department of State. It was also among the world’s most notorious mercenary corporations.
Seeing these details on his computer worsened Chen Mo’s mood. Being targeted by mercenaries meant serious trouble.
Mercenaries usually operated in Africa and the Middle East—wherever war broke out, they’d appear.
These merchants of death worshiped only money.
They held no loyalty to nations. For payment, their guns could even turn against their homeland.
Huaxia was off-limits to mercenaries. The risks these men took to come here meant Chen Mo couldn’t afford carelessness.
He urgently needed to unmask whoever sent them. Being watched unseen made him deeply uneasy.
“Ink Girl, find out who hired them,” Chen Mo ordered.
“Okay.”
Ink Girl went silent. This time, her reply wasn’t instant. Chen Mo waited patiently.
After a long pause, she spoke.
“Brother Mo, Academi’s database shows no contract targeting you.”
“A private deal?” Chen Mo frowned.
Mercenaries with insider connections could cut out their employer, hiring directly to keep the full payment.
Such shadow operations broke their rules, but greed often overrode caution.
“However, I located emails about you in Academi staff’s personal inboxes,” Ink Girl reported.
“Whose emails?”
“Sent to Berg. The sender was Taylor.”
“Show me their profiles and the emails.”
Chen Mo sensed a thread leading straight to his would-be killer.
“Of course, Brother Mo.”
Two personnel files and email contents flashed onto his desktop.
“Shugel? Dig into Shugel’s background.”
Taylor’s profile was unfamiliar, but Shugel, listed as Taylor’s boss, caught his attention.
Employees didn’t scheme against random people. Following this chain would reveal the motive. Truth felt close.
Ro Shugel, age 67. Former CEO of Northrop Grumman. Currently one of Apple Inc.’s eight board members…
Apple Inc. Chen Mo finally understood. This likely traced back to Cook’s failed negotiations. Too convenient—trouble followed Cook’s departure.
His technology drew this attack. Shugel’s powerful position alarmed him. Leaving this threat unchecked courted disaster.
“Compile Shugel’s full profile—especially crimes and enemies,” Chen Mo instructed.
Shugel was beyond his reach in the United States. He’d need to kill with a borrowed knife.
Given his situation, this was the wisest move. No capitalist at that level kept entirely clean hands.
“Brother Mo, the files are ready.”
As Ink Girl spoke, a compressed folder appeared. Scanning it, Chen Mo froze.
Inside were secret documents: private arms deals, smuggling records, murders, kidnappings. Photos, videos, audio recordings.
The implicated included rivals, mercenary firms, and U.S. officials.
Chen Mo now felt 90% certain Shugel was behind the assault.
“Send all files to everyone involved. Mask our IP. Stay anonymous.”
He savored this borrowed-knife strategy.
With Shugel idle, danger lingered. Keep him busy—too busy to strike back.
“Finished. All sent successfully.”
“Monitor Berg, Taylor, and Shugel. Alert me of any new moves against me.”
Satisfied, Chen Mo headed to his laboratory to resume assembling robots.
That evening, he drove Xiaoyu home from the hospital to recover at their villa.
—
Across the ocean, in a Carolina estate.
Prince, founder of Blackwater and current Academi President, sat in his study. His military past showed in his bearing.
Now, his face resembled a furious lion’s.
His morning began with an unwelcome email—a dossier of Shugel’s crimes: arms smuggling, murder evidence.
Worse, Prince recognized operations he’d personally overseen. Claims from ex-employees now had cold, hard proof.
The evidence had landed directly in his inbox.
Most allegations targeted Shugel, he noted grimly.
Someone wanted him as the knife against Shugel. That stung. Yet he’d have to act—several implicated congressmen could drag him down if Shugel fell.
“Damn it!” Prince hurled his mouse at the monitor. Breathing deeply, he dialed Shugel.
“Ro, we need to talk,” Prince said through gritted teeth.
“Save it. Landy just called me.” Shugel’s voice was hollow as he stared at the same damning files. Fear radiated from him.
What came next? He no longer cared how the evidence leaked.
“Landy knows? What’s your plan?” Prince pressed.
“My plan? Landy said federal agents are en route.” Shugel sounded aged, wrinkles deepening overnight.
“For your family’s sake,” Prince’s tone turned icy. “You know what must be done.”
“Understood. Just… spare them.” Shugel replied lifelessly.
After hanging up, Shugel’s gaze fell on an elegant pistol. His wrinkled hand trembled before lifting it.
Bang!
The gunshot shattered the mansion’s morning calm.