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Fortunately, before leaving, Kerr picked up the satellite phone Jack had thrown from the bag onto the ground. At four in the afternoon after dawn, the rescue team found everyone in two speedboats. By the time they returned to the city, it was noon the next day.

Gordon was taken to the hospital for treatment after being bitten by a Stone Spider. Gale called the company to report on the operation, truthfully telling them about Jack's actions and the complete destruction of the Blood Orchids.

Gordon had originally been in charge of the finances, but since he needed treatment, Gale decided to pay Bill one hundred thousand dollars. In truth, they had encountered that waterfall because Jack and Bill had struck a private deal. Wanting to find the Blood Orchids sooner, Jack had agreed to pay Bill an extra fifty thousand dollars to secretly alter their route.

But now that this had happened and Jack was dead, Bill certainly could not reveal it. Naturally, he could not get that money either. Fortunately, his boat had not been worth much, so overall, he had still made a profit. Moreover, after returning, Bill and Sam had become quite close. It seemed Bill had gained something unexpected from this operation as well.

The hired mission had been to protect Jack and his group as they returned safely from the jungle. Although Jack had died, it had been entirely the result of his own actions, so Gale still paid Meng Zu one hundred thousand dollars. Overall, both Bill and Meng Zu had made money from this operation. Only Byron-Mitch Biological Company had suffered losses. Not only had it failed to achieve its objective, but all the equipment it had brought had been destroyed, and even Jack, the company's chief scientist, had died.

However, none of that had anything to do with Meng Zu. After receiving the money, he washed up, changed into clean clothes, and took a car to the airport. By the time he returned to his home in New York, it was already ten the next morning.

Meng Zu did not take the Blood Orchids out of the Storage Space. After all, he knew nothing about medicine. When he had the chance in the future, he could have an expert in the field study them.

Moreover, Blood Orchids only bloomed once every seven years, and their blooming period lasted just half a year. Inside his Storage Space, time was frozen. He had no idea when he would get the chance to find an expert to study the Blood Orchids, so keeping them in the Storage Space meant he would not have to worry about them withering.

As for why he had destroyed the Blood Orchids, that had been a decision Meng Zu made on the spot. Considering that Blood Orchids could extend a person's lifespan, they were an irresistible temptation to many wealthy and powerful people. Back then, only Houghton had happened to obtain a Blood Orchid by chance, and no one had found another one in all the years since.

But this time, they had found where the Blood Orchids grew. Once the wealthy learned of something so precious, their first thought would surely be to secretly claim the Blood Orchids for themselves. Then they would certainly find a way to silence informed people like Meng Zu. He was not afraid of ordinary people, but Hydra existed in this world. For all he knew, one day he could be surrounded while driving and shot to death in a hail of bullets.

Sam and the others had watched the backpack containing the Blood Orchids fall into the deep pit. That place had now been destroyed, so neither Hydra nor anyone else could obtain the Blood Orchids. As for why Meng Zu was so certain that Blood Orchids grew only in that one location, it was because of the Giant Python and Blood Orchid reliefs Sam had told him they had found among the Lopa Tribe.

The Lopa Tribe had lived there for generations, so they naturally knew the surrounding area well. The fact that they had fled by boat showed that they knew Giant Pythons would come there during mating season, which was why they had hurriedly abandoned their homes. The reliefs depicted only Blood Orchids and Giant Pythons, which was enough to prove that Blood Orchids grew only there. Otherwise, they would certainly have carved other animals as well.

The trip had taken eight days, so after driving out for a meal, Meng Zu went to the company. He found Frank, Uncle Yang, and Yang Hai all there. "Frank, how have you been feeling these past few days?"

"Pretty great." Frank stood up with a broad smile and hugged Meng Zu.

"That's good."

Uncle Yang asked with concern, "Homelander, this hired mission of yours really took a long time. I couldn't get through to you on the phone, and I thought something had happened to you."

Meng Zu sat down and said, "Couldn't be helped. There was no cell signal in the rainforest."

Yang Hai spoke up. "Brother Zu, Stark Industries' stock has fallen to its lowest point these past few days. As you instructed, I used all your money to buy Stark Industries stock."

Yang Hai had already told Uncle Yang about buying Stark Industries stock, but Uncle Yang was not optimistic about Stark Industries at all. He sighed and said, "Homelander, spending so much money on Stark Industries stock is too risky. You could lose a huge amount of money in the future."

Frank spoke up with a puzzled expression. "Evan, were you speaking Chinese? What were you talking about?"

Meng Zu and Uncle Yang's group had mostly been speaking Mandarin, and Frank had never learned it, so naturally he could not understand what the three of them were saying. Feeling as though he had been excluded, he could not help but ask.

Hearing that, Meng Zu switched to English. "Frank, it's like this. I had Xiao Hai buy Stark Industries stock for me over the past few days, but Uncle Yang isn't optimistic about Stark Industries. He thinks I'll lose money in the future."

Frank curled his lip. "I think Uncle Yang is right. A few friends of mine owned Stark Industries stock before. After Tony Stark shut down the company's weapons division, they were all cursing Stark and sold all their shares. Even so, they still lost quite a bit of money."

Meng Zu rubbed the bridge of his nose and gave a helpless, bitter smile. "You don't understand. Stark Industries stock has always been expensive. Although it's performing terribly now, it'll definitely rise again in the future. This is the only chance to buy it at a low price."

Meng Zu asked Yang Hai, "Xiao Hai, how much did you buy?"

Yang Hai glanced at Uncle Yang and answered somewhat helplessly, "Brother Zu, I originally wanted to invest all my remaining money, but my dad wouldn't let me. In the end, I only bought two hundred thousand dollars' worth of stock."

"Uncle Yang, I'm telling you, this really is the best opportunity. Stark Industries stock will become extremely valuable in the future." Meng Zu naturally did not want those close to him to miss this chance. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Let me put it this way. Tony Stark has actually invented something new. It's very important—I saw it with my own eyes. He said it would take another year or two, but once he announces it, Stark Industries stock will definitely skyrocket. By then, it'll be too late to buy."

Yang Hai's eyes immediately lit up. "Brother Zu, so Tony Stark really did tell you insider information."

Uncle Yang became curious about what could be so important and asked, "Homelander, what is it?"

He really could not reveal it. If the three of them accidentally let it slip, Tony Stark would certainly face considerable trouble when he tried to use the Ark Reactor to power new energy. If that affected Stark Industries stock, it would be a disaster. Without blinking, Meng Zu lied, "I can't say. I promised him I'd keep it secret."

Uncle Yang fell into thought. From all the years he had known Meng Zu, Meng Zu was not someone who made wild claims. In that case, what he said was probably true.

Uncle Yang made his decision and said to Yang Hai, "If that's the case, Xiao Hai, invest all your remaining money in Stark Industries stock."

"Yeah, Dad. Aren't you buying any?"

"Me? Of course I am. Other than enough money for us to live on, invest everything else. I trust Homelander." Uncle Yang said with a chuckle.

Meng Zu smiled at Frank. "Frank, you can buy Stark Industries stock now too."

After listening to their conversation, Frank asked with a face full of exasperation, "Evan, are you serious?"

"Of course, Frank."

"Frank, Evan wouldn't joke about something like this. This is a chance to become a millionaire."

"Fine. Evan, if you trick me into bankruptcy, I'll stick to you in the future. I'll eat and live at your place."

"No problem!"

After work that evening, Meng Zu went to the Continental Hotel. After all, he had not been there for eight days. "Charon, do you have any suitable bounties for me?"

Charon replied with a smile, "There's one bounty suitable for you."