"Alright, since you're putting your family name on the line, what more can I say?" Professor Lai smiled as he turned to introduce several colleagues to William. "Mr. Devonshire, this is Mr. Tang from Jiangling Museum."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Tang."
"Likewise, Mr. Devonshire. It's a pleasure."
"These two are Mr. Li Xingguo and Mr. Liu Changzheng from Yongzhou Museum, and finally, this is Mr. Yang Wenshu from Jingzhou Museum."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Li, Mr. Liu, and Mr. Yang. I hope my team hasn't neglected any of you over the past few days."
"Haha, quite the opposite! Not only was there no neglect, but we felt somewhat overwhelmed. We've been staying in five-star hotels, with dedicated drivers for every outing. Whatever we wanted was delivered within an hour of asking. The treatment has been better than at a state guesthouse."
"You're too kind. It's only right. You are all esteemed experts that no amount of money could hire. Whatever requests you have, as long as I can manage it, I assure you there won't be any compromises." William gestured with his hands as he made the promise.
Seeing William's hand gestures, the professors burst into laughter. "Looks like you're quite familiar with Tianchao customs, even down to the hand signals we use in night markets."
"Just a little joke. I'm passionate about Tianchao antiques, so I picked up a few things as a hobby."
"That hobby suits you well as a wealthy man. When it comes to collecting antiques, besides passion, the most important thing is money. With enough money, you can buy anything you want. Just don't aim for antiques within Tianchao itself, or I wouldn't know who could compete with you," Professor Yang Wenshu said with a meaningful tone.
"You needn't worry. The best items in Tianchao can't be taken out of the country anyway. Unless I can one day establish a private museum within Tianchao, I'd rather focus on acquiring items from English nobles. There are still many Tianchao antiques in Europe. With my knack for making money, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to work with you all. I hope you won't hesitate to teach me the real skills so I won't be ridiculed if I make a bad purchase."
Needing their help, William became quite agreeable. Although he didn't lower his status, and his words carried a hint of pride, his tone remained humble.
The five experts were quite satisfied with William, who spoke fluent Mandarin, used idioms naturally, and had a conversational tone full of Tianchao flavor. "No problem, no problem. If you're interested in learning, we'd be happy to teach. We just hope we won't be too harsh and make you uncomfortable."
"I promise not to fight back, no matter how harsh the words or treatment," William said casually.
"You're exaggerating. We're just exchanging knowledge. These days, we only use tough methods with closed-door disciples. For others, it's about whether we hit it off or not. If there's mutual interest, we teach; if not, we keep our distance. Besides, us old guys wouldn't dare mistreat you. If your female fans found out, we might not even dare step outside in London!"
"Haha, that's right! If it doesn't click, it's better to keep your distance. No need to get entangled and feel frustrated."
As the conversation continued, Abigail, who was standing behind William, reminded him, "Boss, we should get going. There's not much time left before your meeting with Baron Cabore, and it would be very rude to be late." Her reminder made the five experts realize the time.
"Indeed, we should leave soon to avoid being disrespectful."
William nodded and gestured for the experts to board the vehicle first. Once they had gotten into a luxurious Mercedes minibus, William waved nonchalantly to Antonov, who was standing nearby.
Antonov quickly jogged over, stopping two meters from William, standing at attention with his feet together and gaze straight ahead, looking serious, almost as if he were about to salute.
Seeing this, William spoke in a firm tone, "You're no longer in the military. You need to break that habit, or anyone who sees you will know you used to be part of the Polar Bear forces."
"Understood, Boss." Antonov immediately adjusted his stance, relaxing his shoulders and spreading his feet apart, taking on more of an American special forces style.
"Good. Have you made arrangements for your family?"
"They're settled in Switzerland. Once things stabilize here, I'll bring them over."
"Alright, first help Abigail get into the car."
"Yes, Boss," Antonov nodded, turned, and walked to the Maybach extended bulletproof car, opening the door for William.
"Thank you," William said, helping Abigail, who was wearing an evening gown, into the car. He then walked over to 007, who had been waiting on the side, and waved Charlene over. Once she arrived, William said to Craig, "Look after Miss Charlene for me. After dinner, I want to see her, and we can also talk about some things that might interest you. Is that alright?"
Craig smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry."
Noticing Craig's nonchalant attitude, William shook his head and said to Antonov, who was standing beside him, "Stay with her, and be cautious."
"Understood, Sir," Antonov immediately nodded.
William's words made Craig's expression turn serious. Having worked with William several times before, Craig knew William wasn't insulting him by suggesting he couldn't handle watching over a girl. Instead, it was a warning to stay vigilant and avoid underestimating the situation.
As William's car drove away, Craig turned to look at Charlene, who was now surrounded by four of Antonov's men. Opening the door to his Aston Martin DB9, he said, "Shall we, Miss? We can have a nice chat before William sees you."
Charlene, feeling frustrated, watched William's car drive off. She couldn't understand how she'd been exposed. According to the intel, William Devonshire was a man who couldn't resist beautiful women, so why was he showing no interest in her at all?
As she glanced around at her situation, she instinctively wanted to make a move. However, the chilling sensation that overcame her from behind made her freeze in place. This feeling was far more intimidating than anything she'd experienced in training. Her nerves got the better of her, and she began sweating. Yet, she couldn't just surrender.
Craig, noticing her tension, chuckled, "I suggest you stay calm. If you cause trouble, I guarantee you won't make it out of London. The man waiting to meet you is William Devonshire, a guy with plenty of skilled guards and connections everywhere. If you try to run, the four cold-blooded 'Polar Bears' behind you will show you exactly how killers are outclassed by elite soldiers. And trust me, they won't have any mercy."
After a few moments of silence, Craig added, "You're probably not in any immediate danger; otherwise, William wouldn't have handed you over to me but instead to those four men behind you for secret detention. So, please, Miss," Craig gestured towards the Aston Martin DB9, "after you."
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