Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 476 - 456: Replacement

Chapter 476: Chapter 456: Replacement

Gao Yi’s idea was simple. Since everyone was so capable, each able to stand on their own, why bother crowding together and adding to the commotion?

Assassins are not mercenaries. A mercenary or two can’t do much on the battlefield, but a skilled assassin can take care of everything alone.

When the situation is a blaze, scattering turns it into a sky full of stars.

Dispersing these people, assigning a few targets to each, paying on time, and settling accounts promptly – wouldn’t that be nice?

Gao Yi thought his idea was good, but when he expressed his intention to disband, not a single person was willing to accept it.

Gao Yi had no choice but to say again, "What do you think? There’s no significant meaning for us to stick together, right?"

Finally, Sith spoke very seriously, "I can’t do that. I am on a mission, and my primary task is to protect you."

That made sense. The people sent by Marina had the main task of protecting Gao Yi, and that reason was a valid one.

Gao Yi looked at Dani.

As for Dani, it goes without saying that his soft house arrest was lifted because both Military Intelligence Sixth Department and Green hoped that Dani would stay close to Gao Yi and strengthen their connection.

If they were to separate, wouldn’t Dani just focus on being an assassin for the Garden? But Dani had no intention of being an assassin at all.

Without any hesitation, Dani said, "Don’t you know why I’m hanging out with you? So, of course, wherever you go, I go."

With things having been put to that point, there was no need to continue the discussion.

Gao Yi looked at Xinfeng, then he decided there was no need to speak, and simply shook his head.

Suddenly, Xinfeng asked, "What shall we do next?"

"I don’t know what to do, because there are too many things to deal with."

Gao Yi sighed helplessly and said, "Shaman’s assassination list has only three names ticked off. He wants to take revenge on Constantinople. I should complete it for him. But, I also want to target Andic Group. However, dealing with Andic Group won’t be resolved in a few days, and I have even more important things to accomplish."

Xinfeng said calmly, "What’s more important?"

"I need to complete a trade with the Russians, an information trade, but I have no idea when it can happen, I am still waiting for a response from them."

"Then let’s choose something we can do. You want revenge, so let’s head to Constantinople."

Gao Yi exhaled and said, "Andic Group is after me, just abandoning my main enemy doesn’t seem right."

Sith said calmly, "As long as we don’t stay in one place for too long, we can ensure safety. Andic Group is unlikely to predict your next move to Constantinople, so it’s entirely feasible to go."

Without a particularly urgent issue or a main offensive direction, Gao Yi scratched his head and said, "Hmm, that makes sense."

Xinfeng thought for a moment and then said, "Andic Group is the Dark Web. The Dark Web’s biggest feature is its spread across the information networks of Europe and the United States. I can offer you a way of thinking – to take down Andic Group, it’s not enough just to kill one or two of their leaders. They must be uprooted entirely."

Gao Yi nodded and whispered, "I know that."

"But you don’t know how to do it."

"You know how to do it?"

Xinfeng nodded and then said very earnestly, "From top to bottom, we must completely eliminate Andic Group at once. Assassination in response to assassination won’t work because Andic Group has the support and recognition from the upper echelons of the United States."

Gao Yi said, "It’s just the CIA and NSA, right? Now the CIA supports me, at least the NSA won’t oppose me, that foundation should be enough, shouldn’t it?"

Xinfeng smiled and shook his head, "You’re thinking too simply. Andic Group is an assassin organization, but it’s more than just an assassin organization. The soil that nurtured Andic Group is Bitcoin. So the question is, who needs Bitcoin? Now, if you take action against Andic Group, are you only harming Andic Group? If you cut off Andic’s Black Gloves, don’t you wonder whose hands they are on?"

Xinfeng clearly knew more. Curious, Gao Yi asked, "Do you know?"

"I do."

Xinfeng exhaled deeply, speaking with emotion, "Now, Andic Group hasn’t been able to kill you because you are just one person. The CIA has people protecting you, you have supporters, the Pentagon has people guarding you, and the FBI has your friends. Do you think Mason doesn’t know, or Andic Group doesn’t?"

Gao Yi remained silent.

Xinfeng continued, "You have not touched the interests of those behind Andic. Now, your issues with Andic Group are just personal grudges, so Andic Group can’t use the power of those behind them. You are only facing Freedom Wind and the assassins who want to kill you for the bounty. But if you truly have the strength and means to eliminate Andic Group yet lack the methods to maintain the value of Bitcoin, believe it or not, the moment you move against Andic, even Panetta can’t protect you, and he might be the first to want you dead."

From this perspective, Gao Yi had vaguely thought about it before, but not as thoroughly as Xinfeng had described.

If he were to turn against Panetta in the future, the reason might not be because of ’using someone until they are no longer needed,’ but because Panetta may have no choice but to sacrifice the car to save the general.

There was that possibility, a very real possibility.

Gao Yi thought hard for a moment, then he nodded and said, "You’re right, so what should I do?"

Xinfeng spoke earnestly, "Replace Andic, not eliminate Andic. Seize control of the Dark Web, rather than annihilate it."

It truly was a statement that startled him awake from a dream.

Gao Yi took a deep breath, then he murmured, "Replace, not eradicate."

"A Dark Web rooted in Europe and the United States has maintained the Bitcoin price at over six thousand dollars. If you can push Bitcoin’s price to thirty thousand dollars, believe it or not, all the underworld forces in the United States will have to bow down to you."

"Wait, what did you say?"

Xinfeng said calmly, "Six thousand two hundred dollars. At the end of last year, the price of Bitcoin surged to nearly twenty thousand dollars, but this year there have been too many digital currencies crashing like lightning, so Bitcoin followed suit in the downturn. Why hasn’t the Andic Group used particularly strong measures against you? Because they are busy stabilizing their base."

It’s October 2018 now, and the price of Bitcoin is just over six thousand dollars.

Why Gao Yi and the others, with the particular convenience of having Bitcoin, still choose to use US dollars, to receive and give money through transfers, is because they worry about the instability of digital currency.

Although keeping it might lead to appreciation, it might also completely crash to nothing.

So that’s how it is. The Bitcoin, which he had never taken to heart, is actually closely related to Gao Yi.

Seeing Gao Yi’s astonished look, Xinfeng smiled and said, "How long has it been since you last used Bitcoin, or visited the Dark Web?"

"Quite a while. Ever since I found out the Dark Web could locate every account, I haven’t been on the Dark Web."

Xinfeng nodded and said, "No wonder. Well, let me tell you now, the Dark Web’s strength and status have not been damaged. The fall in Bitcoin’s price is due to the influence of the larger digital currency market. However, because the Dark Web still exists, Bitcoin holders won’t sell off, and if they don’t sell off, the price won’t be dumped. Bitcoin’s price will inevitably rise again, so the interest parties behind the Dark Web can tolerate it. They can wait, while the real operators of the Dark Web, the Andic Group, are currently frantically operating in the underworld. They need to show that they can support the value of Bitcoin. As for you, you are just an individual, unable to make the Dark Web appear to be thriving, so you’re not feeling the pressure right now."

It’s somewhat complicated, but not difficult to explain.

The price of Bitcoin was on an uptrend before, but clearly, it was still not stable because this electronic currency had not yet been recognized. Put simply, the confidence of the holders is not very strong.

Just like the stock market, if the investors’ confidence is strong and there are enough newbies entering, the market will continue to rise.

If the confidence is lacking and the newbies leave the market, the stock market will fall.

If there’s no ability to predict the future, whether Bitcoin will continue to rise or crash overnight to be worth nothing is anybody’s guess.

The Dark Web isn’t like any stock; they are the trading market itself.

To the Dark Web, Gao Yi is, at most, someone who can decide the rise and fall of a particular stock, but can’t decide whether it is a bull or bear market. So, the busy Dark Web that is trying to boost the market simply doesn’t have the time for him, or perhaps they just can’t be bothered with him.

But one day, when the bear market is over, they don’t even need to wait for the bull market; Andic Group which will have freed up its resources, will surely have the capacity and time to deal with Gao Yi.

Gao Yi understood, so he felt an astonishing sensation.

He had always felt that the Andic Group was nothing special, nothing too serious, but it turns out they simply hadn’t had the spare time to care about him.

Xinfeng continued speaking calmly, "If you want to resolve the entire Andic Group, that means you want to crash the market, cutting off one of the critical pillars of Bitcoin. Right now, more and more people hold Bitcoin, but basically, it is still some upper-class people holding it. Even if the Dark Web is no longer a pillar for Bitcoin in the future, you must understand that no one likes to take risks, and no one knows what chain reaction the elimination of Andic Group by you will bring. So, who will they support? Who will they eliminate? You, Panetta, and your allies, who will survive?"

Gao Yi let out a long sigh and replied, "Understood, thank you!"

He must say thank you because this was the first time Xinfeng had clarified the underlying logic of the issue for Gao Yi, specifying the real difficulties and dangers.

It’s not unsolvable. You just need to establish a Dark Web that’s bigger and stronger than the current one and, of course, there’s a precondition, which is to settle only with Bitcoin. This is the fundamental solution to replace one Dark Web with another.

Or, more straightforwardly, to take over Andic Group’s nest, if Gao Yi can control the current Dark Web, that would have the same effect.

Both paths are quite difficult, but they do point Gao Yi in a direction.

To strenuously develop his own forces, to have the strength and scale needed to replace Andic first, this is the foundation.

Xinfeng went on, "But now, you need to be careful because if the Bitcoin market continues to be volatile, whether it’s falling or rising, the Andic Group will have to deal with you with full force. The reason is very simple, because their important collaborator Mason is dead."

Xinfeng is a real talent, he’s different, truly different.

Gao Yi couldn’t help but exclaim, "Yes, Mason is dead. Andic Group needs to make some sort of stir, but shouldn’t they be dealing with Panetta?"

"Panetta is not easy to mess with, but against you, it’s relatively simple."

Gao Yi thought for a moment, it made sense, and so he said confusedly, "You’ve pointed out a clear path for me, but how exactly do I walk it?"

Xinfeng smiled slightly and said, "Simple, go to Northeastern University, go there to weather the Bitcoin price turmoil."