Chapter 35: Meeting With Ethan
As the sun sets over the bustling city of London, the lights begin to twinkle through the windows of the apartment buildings, creating a picturesque scene against the backdrop of the darkening sky. One of these buildings is a modern, high-rise apartment in the city's heart.
The apartment is tastefully decorated with a modern and minimalist aesthetic. The walls are painted soft grey, which complements the natural wood flooring. The living room is spacious, with a large sofa, a couple of armchairs, and a coffee table in the center. A smart TV hangs on the wall, and a soundbar provides clear, high-quality sound for your entertainment.
A small, modern kitchen is located off the living room. It has all the necessary appliances and utensils for cooking a meal, including a stove, oven, refrigerator, and microwave. The kitchen features sleek cabinets and countertops, which give the space a contemporary feel.
The bedroom is cozy yet spacious, with a comfortable double bed, soft linens, and plenty of storage space. The window offers a similarly stunning view of the living room, which is lit by a soft lamp on the bedside table.
As the evening progresses, the apartment takes on a new ambiance. The city outside comes to life as the lights of London shine brighter and the sound of traffic picks up amid the rain.
As the rain outside intensifies, drops hitting the window can be heard faintly in the background. Jack and Ethan are seated in the apartment's living room, engaged in an important meeting.
The room is dimly lit, with the only light source coming from a coffee table lamp. Jack and Ethan are dressed in casual wares, their attire slightly damp from the rain outside. Jack takes a sip of the coffee that was prepared for them.
"Thank you," Ethan said, once again expressing his gratitude to Jack.
Jack smiled and replied, "You're welcome. It's just the basis of cooperation."
"Well, we're not exactly buddies, so having some small guarantees in place makes sense. If this partnership goes well, we won't need to go through all this fuss next time we work together," Ethan explained.
"$ 5 billion should be enough for you, right?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise at Jack's bold request.
"No one ever said no to too much money, did they?" Jack said, grinning.
"Besides, after I receive the money, I'll give a portion to my boss, take a portion for myself, and give the rest to you."
"Give it to me?" Ethan shook his head, "I don't need it."
"That won't work," Jack said, looking outside at the rain, "You have to take this money. I insist."
"I understand," Ethan replied, understanding Jack's underlying message. "It looks like that money laundering operation I mentioned earlier will come in handy soon, huh?"
"That's right," Jack said with a laugh, "It's always better to be prepared and have more skills."
"I think you can teach me a lot about money laundering," Ethan replied with a smirk.
"Let me show you how the real professionals do it," Jack said, smiling.
"Wait a minute," Ethan interrupted, "Do I have to pay taxes on the cleaned money afterward?"
The two of them burst into laughter.
"Who pays taxes?" Jack asked. "As an IRS employee, I could tell you a hundred ways to legally avoid taxes. Come on, you didn't think I was going to let the government take a cut of our profits, did you?"
"Ha! I thought you would take advantage of your position," Ethan joked.
"No, no, that's too low-end," Jack replied, shaking his head. "As a competent IRS employee, I've mastered all the tax laws to catch tax evaders. And in the process, I've also learned how to legally exploit all the loopholes."
Ethan chuckled, "I can see that. But tell me, Jack, a dragon-slaying warrior will eventually become a dragon, right?"
Jack's smile faded as he looked at Ethan seriously, "No, Ethan. The people you mentioned have indeed changed. Their hearts have been corrupted by interests, their eyes have been clouded by desires, they have forgotten their bottom line."
Ethan raised his eyebrows, impressed by Jack's words. "Wow, you sound like a philosopher."
Jack chuckled, "Well, I've been around the block a few times."
Ethan nodded, "But seriously, how do you avoid becoming a dragon?"
Jack leaned back and thought momentarily before answering, "It's simple, really. I stick to my principles. I only take gray income from people who deserve it, like drug dealers and smugglers. I never touch those who haven't offended me first."
Ethan nodded, intrigued, "So, you have a set of rules for life?"
Jack grinned, "Don't we all? I'm not perfect; I have weaknesses, but I try to stay true to myself. I have my own bottom line, my original intention. I'll never forget that."
Ethan smiled, "Well, Jack, you're not so bad after all."
Jack chuckled, "I never said I was a saint. I'm just an ordinary guy with my flaws and my strengths."
Ethan laughed, "Well, I'm glad to have an ordinary guy like you as my partner."
Jack smiled, "Likewise, my partner. Likewise."
…
After Ethan left thoughtfully, Jack stared at the night view of London outside the window without moving for a long time.
The momentary heartfelt words made him fall into an emotion he had tried to avoid in the past few years, but he always fell into it sometimes.
That emotion is called nostalgia.
Jack is very clear that he is an ordinary person, his moral character is not noble, but it is definitely not bad. Moderate, this word is actually very suitable to describe his personality. And with such a character, he suddenly gained great power and traveled to another world. There are no limits, no constraints.
Jack was worried that he would become the "evil dragon" Ethan called. His goal is to one day be able to return to his world and see his brothers again. Therefore, he cannot allow himself to become a so-called "evil dragon" because it will not stop once the depravity begins. He didn't want to turn into another Acnologia from Fairy Tail.
He couldn't imagine what he would be like at that time. He has seen how power corrupts in his past life, and he doesn't want to become a power-hungry monster.
That's why he chose - to do as he pleased and live a carefree and fun life...
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