[Volume 7: Winds Rising, Clouds Surging]

Chapter 1

　　Jile Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, was originally an uninhabited deserted island, but recently, it has suddenly become lively.

　　Because someone bought it, and that person is William Carter.

　　He doesn't know what Jile Island used to be called, nor does he care to know. Now, he has renamed it Jile—this is the land of happiness for him, his family, and his friends.

　　William Carter has been vacationing here, or rather, taking refuge here, for several months now, living a life like that of an immortal.

　　On Jile Island, he is not lonely. His family and the people he loves are all here, and of course, he is not lacking in friends either.

　　When William Carter first came to Jile Island, it was still an unexplored place with no development at all. Of course, as long as you have money, there are few things in this world that can't be done.

　　He built the first villa here. Soon, his capable subordinate and also his brother, Sarah Thompson, arrived—not alone, but with his family. He said to William Carter, "This little island is too desolate. Letting Uncle and Aunt live here alone would be too lonely, so I brought my own family so they could have someone to talk to and confide in." But how could his little scheme escape William Carter's eyes? Anyone could tell that, since he was mixed up in the underworld and afraid his enemies would come after his family, it was better to live a carefree and comfortable life on Jile Island than to spend every day in China on edge. And don't be fooled by Sarah Thompson's usual silly demeanor—he's actually very shrewd. He understands one thing: wherever William Carter is, it's bound to be safe. If his family lives here, nothing will happen to them.

　　No matter what Sarah Thompson's intentions were, William Carter gladly accepted and built another villa next to his own.

　　After it was completed, Sarah Thompson happily brought his family over and moved into the villa. He stayed on Jile Island for half a month, but couldn't stand the boring life here, so after letting William Carter know, he returned to China.

　　Sarah Thompson set a good example! He was the first, and soon Brian Cooper came as well. Brian Cooper is a man of few words, not as glib as Sarah Thompson. When William Carter asked him why he came, he only said two words: "For safety!"

　　In just a few months, the once desolate island became lively, with large-scale construction going on constantly. The single villa at the beginning had grown to nearly twenty, and many core members of the Wendong Society and the former Northern Hongmen followed the example of Sarah Thompson and Brian Cooper, sending their families to Jile Island.

　　William Carter originally thought he could enjoy a period of peaceful life on Jile Island, but after a few months, he found himself almost becoming a "foreman."

　　During the day, you could always see middle-aged men in swimsuits sunbathing on the beach, and even at night, there were often large gatherings.

　　Before Charles Foster came to Jile Island, he thought William Carter was living a dull life here. But as he approached the island by helicopter, he was startled by the colorful villas scattered across the island—especially on the other side, where a dock had even been built, and a small warship was moored there as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

　　The helicopter slowly landed on the helipad on the east side of the island. He bent down and jumped out, finally seeing William Carter, whom he hadn't seen for days and had been longing for.

　　Charles Foster is a proud man, always aloof. Besides himself, there are few people he truly respects, and William Carter is absolutely the most important among those few.

　　Before he could speak, his eyes reddened, tears glistening, his lips quivering, but with so much to say, he couldn't utter a single word.

　　William Carter liked Charles Foster very much. First, he was extremely capable and skilled—when it came to one-on-one combat, whether in the Northern Hongmen or the Wendong Society, few could match him. Second, his character was also something William Carter greatly admired.

　　Seeing him, William Carter was naturally delighted. Without waiting for Charles Foster to speak, he grinned and pulled him into an open-top jeep, saying with a smile, "Let's talk when we get home!"

　　Charles Foster got in the car and stole a glance at William Carter beside him. He was still the same as before, not much had changed—his features were still delicate, his figure still thin, his long, narrow eyes curved in a squint. If there was any change, it was that his cheeks were a bit rosier than before, making him look healthier.

　　"Have I changed much?" William Carter leaned back in his seat, gazed up at the sky, and asked with a smile. He didn't look at Charles Foster, but he knew he was being sized up.

　　Sigh! Charles Foster let out a breath. With Dong-ge, there were no secrets. Many people who had never met William Carter would ask him what he was like. His answer was, "He has eyes that can see through the autumn waters, and a gaze that penetrates the human heart." He laughed and said, "Dong-ge hasn't changed much—he just looks more energetic than before."

　　"Haha!" William Carter laughed heartily. Hearing such words of praise from someone as proud as Charles Foster always sounded a bit awkward, no matter how you heard it.