Chapter 110: Fantasy Island!

Chapter 110: Fantasy Island!

Long Island was a landmass of absolute geopolitical complexity, anchored like a stone fortress in neutral international waters.

This island featured a fascinating geographical quirk, positioned squarely halfway between Eurasia and North America.

The sovereign soil belonged entirely to the powerful Long Family, serving as a prestigious neutral meeting ground where high-profile guests from both Eurasia and the UK of America could stay under a unified banner of diplomacy.

This specific operational layout was the exact reason a notorious criminal mercenary group like The Ace-Team could freely step foot onto what was technically considered Eurasian territory.

The delicate peace treaty between the two global superpowers created a highly unique legal zone.

Without a valid international passport, an individual could never board a commercial ship heading for either nation's mainland, but once ashore here, mingling, secret romantic encounters, deep-cover espionage, and multi-million dollar business deals were entirely permissible.

The island’s security infrastructure was heavily policed by a joint force comprising the elite Long Security Force and specialized federal agents from the Central Government, their armed patrols keeping a watchful eye on every shoreline.

Because of this strategic neutrality, the local administration maintained bustling Life Statistics offices dedicated entirely to international weddings, offering a direct legal pipeline for foreign nationals looking to immigrate.

The delicate web of international relations here functioned much like the historical dynamics between the USA and Japan back in my first world.

The maritime logistics were split cleanly across two primary ports, slicing the island's shores into distinct zones.

The eastern docks handled all naval traffic arriving from Eurasia, while a heavily fortified harbor located further down along the south-east coast managed incoming vessels from North America.

The docks were completely locked down by armed patrols, and anyone attempting to approach the massive cruise liners or cargo ships without cleared passports would be immediately detained by the guard details.

Illegal human smuggling operations certainly existed within the shadow of the docks, but such activities were forced to remain deep underground because open violations were met with lethal force.

Along the rugged south-west coast, the topography smoothed out to accommodate a small airfield and helicopter strip designed for chartered flights.

While it operated as a fully functional international airstrip, the concrete runways were too short to support standard commercial jetliners, keeping the air traffic strictly limited to private wealth.

A series of strict immigration mandates prevented Long Island from growing into a permanent, self-sustaining city.

The legal codes dictated that any foreign tourist or visitor would be immediately deported if they remained on the island for more than two consecutive weeks.

Furthermore, the local zoning laws banned the construction of standard residential housing, forcing all civilian guests to take up lodging in one of the three massive, ultra-luxury hotels dominating the skyline.

Only individuals with immense financial backing could afford to sustain a two-week stay under those exorbitant rates.

The operational staff lived in a completely different sector, tucked safely away from the tourist gaze.

Safely nestled between the North American port and the private airfield sat a massive, heavily restricted grid of apartment complexes built exclusively for the service employees and local security forces.

The civilian labor market was tightly controlled, with a massive majority of the island's workforce belonging directly to the four major Eurasian Syndicates.

This specific corporate monopoly worked heavily to my advantage, effectively granting me a localized zone of influence right out of the gate.

Naturally, the single largest presence among the syndicates belonged to the Hidden Dragons, given that the entire island was ancestral Long property.

The Fire Birds maintained a highly lucrative foothold of our own on the neutral territory.

Our syndicate owned and operated the largest of the two premier luxury casinos on the island. While we didn't have a dedicated hotel franchise under our direct branding, controlling the single most profitable hub for high-stakes gambling and adult pleasure was an incredible asset.

As the official Vice-Leader of the Fire Birds, handling our organization's high-end business ventures here would be my primary cover for the week.

None of the local businesses or service staff were owned or operated by the United Kingdom of America, as foreign entities were merely permitted to come and go under tourist guidelines.

When the legal dust settled, this soil was ultimately our sovereign Eurasian territory.

I took a deep breath, mentally filing away the complex layout of my new operational base for the upcoming week as I stepped forward to finish my mandatory entry inspection at the primary terminal.

The custom-stamp rang out sharply against the mahogany desk, and the female customs agent signed off on my entry papers before handing them to me respectfully, looking up with a soft flush spreading across her cheeks as she twirled her pen and murmured, "Welcome to Long Island, Mr Tang! Your CC paperwork and identifications are all approved and may enter, um... My name is Jenny Zhao if you would like a guide on the island? Here is my number, sir." while sliding a printed card right into my hand.

I smiled back smoothly, pocketing the slick paper with a practiced, casual nod as I realized she was just like many other women who were only after my Tang name.

I still have the card from that sexy woman from The Country Club Resort, the Fire Birds manager that liked talking to me.

Honestly, with my average looks, none of these women would talk to me normally under ordinary circumstances, since all of the incredible beauties at my side had deep, personal reasons to know me.

A few civilian women now, however, were approaching me out of pure recognition for just being featured in that one massive, nationwide commercial.

I checked my watch and adjusted my collar, offering her a parting grin as I turned toward the security turnstiles and said, "Well Jenny, I might be busy this week, but if I don't call this time, I will make it a point to find you on my next visit, bye." while sliding smoothly past her desk.

Walking through the rotating iron gate, I watched Mei hold her hand out with a broad grin, her eyes locked onto my pocket until I dropped the freshly acquired card right into her palm, causing her to smile triumphantly as she turned it over between her slender fingers.

Mei only let me keep the card from the Fire Birds woman because it belonged to my own organization, since she and my wives were highly coordinated when it came to keeping me clear of superficial sex traps, which just showed me how much they truly loved me.

I happened to be the last member of our group to clear the checkpoints, stepping out into the bustling lobby where Victoria checked her luxury watch, tapped her phone screen, and announced, "I called for the hotel limo to get us, so it will just be a bit." while her eyes scanned the crowd for our transport.

This Long Island was roughly the size of half of Hawaii from my last world, making manual travel completely out of the question.

I adjusted my jacket collar against the crisp ocean breeze and leaned close, whispering directly into Vick's ear, "Are you sure you want to stay at his, Ben International Hotel? I do have some of my people working there though?" to see if she was nervous about the location.

Lucy looked around the grand terminal architecture, her fingers tapping against her purse as she let out a soft laugh and told me with a playful glint flashing behind her glasses, "Rick, it is fine, not all of the hotel is under his control, so doing naughty things to us is difficult. Plus with you around to protect us weak ladies, we are safe, Ufufu." while leaning her shoulder against mine.

I shook my head at her playful sarcasm, looking down at her sharp profile and the mature confidence she always carried.

I had recently found out through her files that her actual age was thirty-one years old, meaning she was technically still within that energetic, playful prime of her life, entirely distinct from that overly formal, mature aura that most women over forty naturally exude.

Mercy nudged Lucy playfully, checking the alignment of her concealed holsters beneath her dress fabric before looking up to confirm with me in a low whisper, "Don't worry Master, there is nothing we can't be ready for. In the open like this, just stay at Miss Long's side and the Sniper is ordered to stand down, so we will be safe indoors." while keeping her perimeter watch.

A sleek, black limousine glided smoothly into the VIP loading zone outside the glass terminal doors, and a burly chauffeur in a pristine suit stepped out, immediately opening the rear door while greeting Victoria politely with a deep bow.

The driver was actually one of the two legendary, master-level hidden bodyguards who had been assigned to watch over her safety from the shadows.

Ben International Hotel...

Stepping out of the limo chassis, I caught sight of a massive thirteen-story building with a curving crescent-shape towering over the beachfront plaza.

In the center of the crescent curve was the wide brick limo-drive and unloading area, built to surround a massive marble fountain shooting up sprays of water in a brilliant, synchronized pattern. Looks nice actually.

An undercover guard casually brushed past us in the crowd, smoothly handing Victoria a room key he had gotten for us beforehand as we crossed paths near the entrance, ensuring we had immediate access.

The luxury room already contained the heavy operational gear we had shipped over ahead of time, including my trusty sniper rifle.

The man walked straight into the main lobby like he was a regular businessman on vacation, completely disappearing into the tourist crowd while our group of five made our way into the luxury hotel, heading straight for the private VIP elevators.

Reaching our two VIP rooms on the top floor, we moved inside to immediately perform a thorough security sweep of the place, locking the heavy mahogany doors tightly behind us.

Each of these massive rooms had two bedrooms and were designed exactly like the Hilton International suites I had stayed in.

On the left side of the layout were the two bedrooms, while the right side contained a large marble restroom and bathing area alongside a small kitchen and private bar counter.

Mei moved swiftly across the plush carpeting, drawing the heavy, light-blocking curtains and dropping the reinforced window blinds to completely block any exterior sightlines or potential snipers from the surrounding buildings.

Lucy and I immediately unholstered our compact digital frequency scanners, beginning a systematic grid-sweep of the walls and light fixtures to detect any hidden surveillance bugs or pinhole cameras.

The moment our scanners picked up the distinct electronic signatures of active hardware, we smoothly looped the data feeds to show nothing but an empty suite, allowing us to disarm the true physical threats in the room without alerting the watchers.

(A/N [Thief: Basic] Also disarm traps with this skill!)

Removing the metal vent-covers from the walls with a compact pocket tool, we peered inside to discover a total of four timed gas-canisters set to go off in five days at three in the morning, a setup designed so Chuck Ben could enter the room and capture or kill us at his absolute leisure.

Lucy and Mei gathered around the vent opening, examining the internal wiring with sharp, analytical glints in their eyes as their fingers moved expertly over the tiny toggle switches, surprisingly knowing how to reuse the traps much better than me.

Mei's proficiency made perfect sense given her rigorous assassin upbringing, but watching Lucy effortlessly rewire the complex military-grade ordinance proved she was a certified technical genius.

Mei detached one of the localized cylinders, holding the metallic canister up to the room light with a cruel smirk as she pointed toward the horizon and told me, "Since I know where the sniper has found his sniping locations, I will set these to remote activation at his three ambush-spots, fufu. The last one we will keep for a surprise." to turn his own traps against him.

Lucy giggled softly, leaning her back against the marble counter as she smiled and said to me, "Rick! I feel like we are super-spies, like in those James Bond movies!" while adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses.

I shook my head and reached out, tapping her lightly on the forehead to break her daydream as I told her the truth, "Nope, I can't see you being a successful spy, sorry, ha-ha!" to ruin her fantasy.

Lucy instantly stuck her tongue out at me in mock annoyance, leaving me completely unaware that I was the real idiot who failed to notice her actual technical talents.

Finishing up with the safety precautions, we deliberately reactivated the hidden microphones and cameras so that we could use secure direct messaging for our secret operational coordinates, while openly talking like ordinary, carefree tourists whenever we spoke out loud.

Interestingly, the sweep revealed a high-definition pinhole lens hidden right behind the master bathroom shower tiles, causing me to instantly claim that specific bathroom for myself so that whatever Chuck Ben ended up viewing on his private screens would be exclusively for his eyes only!

That night, the tantalizing aroma of hot, rich broth and sizzling beef filled the air as we ordered a massive tray of room-service and meticulously tested every single plate for foreign substances. Once we were completely happy with the safety of our dinner, we carried the platters into the secondary bedroom, gathering around the low table to eat together in a cozy space that our sweep had confirmed was entirely free of hidden surveillance.

Lucy and Mei were both eagerly eating steaming bowls of Chinese noodles with chopsticks, their smooth movements perfectly synchronized until Lucy looked up with a devious smirk to tell us about Chuck's latest medical condition.

"So I found out through the grapevine that Mr Ben suffered a bit from the spiked-drink." Lucy explained, her voice muffled slightly before she slurped up a heavy tangle of noodles, chewing with her mouth full as she continued. "The diarrhea was not a big issue for him other than lasting almost 12 hours, but... He made his little-banana raw from the rough and excessive masturbation. Not only did he make his mini-me raw, but due to where he was beating his meat, he has a slight infection. So that is why he is not trying to crawl into bed with you Boss. Good job Rick!"

Fuck, I stared down at my hands in mock disbelief, having absolutely no idea that my improvised chemical cocktail would accidentally cause the guy to get his own dick horribly infected. I am fully planning on killing this guy eventually, but man, won't his absolute last thoughts on this earth be kinda sad if he's brooding over a chafed, infected joystick?

Victoria let out a soft, elegant chuckle, holding up her glossy tablet to show us the Harem-Chat page running active on the screen as she chimed in. "I have updated the wives and told them we are good. They have been having a peaceful couple of days. Well maybe not poor Linda. She has had rough morning sickness for the past few days. Hana said it was normal though."

I nodded to her in silent sympathy, my jaw working over a thick, juicy Mushroom-Swiss Burger at the moment, letting the rich savory flavor distract me from the unfolding drama back home.

Mercy leaned forward against the table, her expression shifting back to that cold, razor-sharp focus as she told me, "The men watching the Ace-Team have reported they are sticking to the scheduled time-frame, so that means they will act on you the day after tomorrow."

I swallowed my bite, wiping my fingers on a cloth as I asked her, "That will be during Victoria's Long Company Meeting, right?"

Mercy reached across the short distance, her slender fingers gently wiping a stray smudge of sauce that was still clinging to my bottom lip before she finished. "Correct Master. They plan on luring you out to save Mrs Shen, who is supposed to be giving a hardware upgrade to the communications-facility at that time. They plan on sending you a call stating they have kidnapped her to bring you up into the mountain area."

Lucy swallowed her noodles, gesturing with her chopsticks to explain the tactical trap more thoroughly to me. "Up in the facility, you can't bring phones into the server-rooms, so they want to make it so you cannot call to confirm my safety. Then when you come out into the open there they want to snipe you. If it fails they will engage you at close range to kill you."

Mei set her bowl down with a soft click, a dangerous, confident smile touching her lips as she reminded us, though her tone made it clear she was already planning to handle the heavy lifting herself. "The sniper will be out of the fight thanks to Chuck's gifts so you only need to worry about the 3 other mercenaries. One is a hand-guns expert, another two are Master martial artists. But the forest is there, so fighting in there will make the gunman less of a threat to you, Master."

Victoria's elegant eyebrows knit together in genuine distress, her hands tightening around her tablet as she looked worried and asks, "Rick, let me send my two Masters to help you?!"

I shook my head firmly, reaching over to squeeze this wonderful woman's hand to reassure her. "My ability to hide and strike would be hindered if I had a team with me that I was not used to working with. I know you are worried for me, but I will not take chances and hide well. Sadly this is not my first run in with masters. I promise you, I will make it out with little to no injury."

Then I gestured with my chin toward their smartphones resting on the table. "I gave each of you my Cat and Mouse App and you can keep an eye out to see I am fine, and I can see all of you. And Lucy, don't try to investigate it or your system will be corrupted."

Lucy, who had completely fallen in love with the sheer technical brilliance of my custom program, stuck out her pink tongue and laughed with a playful pout. Yes, she desperately wanted to tear down the source code to see exactly how I had programmed it so she could improve the architecture.

"I need to know how it works! You got me excited and did not finish me off! Rick, you are bad, Ufufu." Lucy teased, her eyes shifting with an alluring, hyper-intelligent spark.

I leaned back, giving her a completely flat look. "Lucy, I told you, I can't let this fall into my enemies hands or they could hurt my friends, family, and me. Sorry for hogging it to keep you all safe."

Her gaze softened, a happy warmth melting away her competitive edge as she pouted one last time. "Then I will forgive your stinginess."

I rolled my eyes at her blatant dramatic display, making her laugh even louder as the tension in the room dissipated. Our night ended peacefully under the soft hotel lighting, and Victoria and I eventually retreated to the master suite, sleeping in the large bed together like married couples should, sharing a tender and deeply loving embrace that washed away the lingering stress of the day.

Day 2 on Long Island...

The morning sun broke over the glittering ocean waves, and our little group split up today due to me having official syndicate duties to attend to over at the Phoenix Casino.

Mercy, Victoria, and Lucy climbed into a separate luxury vehicle, planning to go sightsee across the coast with a few other female Long high-ranking officials. They were spending the afternoon visiting the main tourist sites, including the grand waterfalls that cascaded directly from the high mountain lake. During the warmer season, this specific lake was a massive, wildly popular destination for the younger generation of both superpowers to party, serving as the exact equivalent to Spring Break from my last Earth.

Meanwhile, Mei and I rode toward the entertainment district, eventually stepping through the heavy glass entrance of what looked exactly like a massive indoor stadium, packed to the brim with hundreds of games of chance from all around the world. There were tables for Dice, Black-Jack, Poker, rows of flashing Slots, and traditional Mahjong setups from the China Empire.

About a quarter of the high-rolling crowd here came from the UK, and they were sporting some incredibly interesting fashion choices. Right now, the hot new trend among the Western men was wearing stiff Bowler-hats. The men who weren't dressed in casual jeans and a button-down shirt were instead parading around in colorful two-piece suits, utilizing eccentric colors like deep brown or vibrant purple.

The foreign women from the UK were an entirely different story, strutting across the casino carpet in tight, form-hugging blue jeans paired with rugged cowboy boots and wide-brimmed female cowboy hats.

My past-life self experienced a minor cultural crisis as I stared at the crowd, trying to process these colliding fashion trends. In my last life, these specific time periods and styles were spread out across decades, but now my brain was completely confused due to the overlapping memories of this alternate Earth.

But then I thought about how Kim Smith regularly wore full riding clothing like a normal everyday outfit, and the weird mashup started to make a lot more sense. It seemed like the various historical styles had just coexisted for one or two hundred years, gradually meshing together into a unique global aesthetic. Mei noticed my distracted staring, gently tugging on my jacket shoulder and pointing me toward the VIP lounge where the local staff was waiting for my arrival.

I looked over toward the private velvet ropes, spotting a trio of senior Fire Birds members walking briskly toward us. I offered them a confident smile.

The leader, who functioned as the primary manager of the entire casino facility, was an incredibly sharp woman in her late thirties. Standing right beside her was her eager assistant in her mid-twenties, followed by a stern, broad-shouldered man in his forties who was clearly in charge of all the local security forces.

The woman bowed respectfully, her tailored suit moving flawlessly as she greeted me. "Greetings Vice-Leader Tang, I am Sasha, this is Carol, and that is Chris. Please, let me take you to my office to let you inspect what we have going on here, then after, feel free to play and explore to your heart's content."

So for the rest of the afternoon, Mei and I did just that, taking our time reviewing the ledger books before diving into the venue. We ate a spectacular meal right there in the executive dining room, and I even decided to try my hand at a few high-stakes games just for the raw experience. I pulled Mei over to the glittering electronic rows, making her pull the levers on the Slots for a bit. A massive, childlike grin instantly spread across her lips as she took part in something she had never been allowed to experience before.

I watched her face light up, a sudden wave of sympathy hitting my chest as I was reminded that she had never actually had a childhood, and her brutal life before meeting me was not very nice to be kind. Wanting to surprise her, I wrapped my arm tightly around her waist, holding her close against my side for the rest of the day, treating her like she was my absolute wife.

What Mei and I were completely unaware of, however, was that a deep-cover sleeper agent from the China Empire had been stationed right inside the casino lobby, taking detailed notes on our open display of affection to report back to the higher-ups. So without even knowing it, Mei's spontaneous public date had actually earned her a far better evaluation in the official empire dossiers than our previous Disneyland trip.

Mei was so overwhelmingly happy during our Casino date that she eventually leaned in close, whispering into my ear as she dragged me toward the elevator to get a private VIP room so she could properly reward me for being a great lover.

Cough, it looks like I hit the absolute Jackpot tonight!