Billionaire in Kingsman with a Marvel System

Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Finding Craig



After wrapping up matters with Sunday, William enjoyed a few leisurely days hiding out comfortably in the castle. In the mornings, he spent time helping Red Hare get familiar with the rider that Neil Jordan had chosen, building a bond between them. He watched as the rider trained with Red Hare to develop their rapport. After each training session, William would personally lead Red Hare around the arena, using the cover of its mane to secretly cleanse its body with nature magic, enhancing the horse's physical condition.

Given that Red Hare had only recently turned three years old, this was the ideal time for its physical attributes and speed to improve. A three-year-old horse is like a 16-year-old human, in the prime of its growth phase, so no one would associate Red Hare's improvements with William.

By the third day of testing, Red Hare's kilometer speed was already close to 67 seconds, on the verge of breaking the world record for an Akhal-Teke horse of 67 seconds per kilometer. From what old Neil said, while this speed still couldn't match English thoroughbreds over a kilometer, the St. Leger Stakes that they were entering was a middle-distance race of 2800 meters, meaning that the final stretch would be where Red Hare's stamina could shine. The Akhal-Teke breed was famous for endurance, and Red Hare was among the best of its kind.

Neil was very confident about their chances in the race. After participating in the St. Leger Stakes, the first leg of the American Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, wouldn't start until May of the following year. This gave Red Hare seven to eight months to participate in top-tier races across various countries, building up experience and strength for a shot at the American Triple Crown.

William was looking forward to becoming the owner of a champion horse. When you have more money than you can spend, what matters most is achievements, reputation, honor, and social influence. Owning a champion horse is a highly coveted honor among the wealthy. No horse had won the American Triple Crown since Secretariat in the 1970s, and William vaguely remembered that it wasn't until a horse named Pharaoh came along in 2015 that the Triple Crown was won again.

William was determined to claim the Triple Crown next year. If Red Hare won, its value would skyrocket, along with the value of the other horses in his stable. Although the increase might not be huge, William had a cheat. If he could produce another champion horse, the Devonshire Stables would undoubtedly become one of the top stables in the world. William wasn't about to miss out on something that could both make money and enhance the Devonshire family's reputation.

After finishing the nature magic on Red Hare, William handed the reins to Neil, watching as the horse reluctantly followed the old man, turning back every few steps. William couldn't help but sigh—horses were just like people; whoever treated them well was their master.

After having dinner with his mother back at the castle, William sat alone on the living room sofa, watching the news. The TV host exaggeratedly reported on a video showing the execution of English special agents. Seeing this, William knew it was time to resolve some issues. During the day, Gareth had called him several times, pressuring him to return to London to help. William managed to calm him down by claiming he was already taking action, but on the way back to the castle, Gareth called again. This time, Gareth, who was normally mild-mannered, issued some harsh words, saying he couldn't hold on much longer because some agents' identities had been exposed, and they were being killed.

The worst part was that the executions were being filmed and sent to TV stations. Certain shameless stations in England wouldn't miss the chance to air something so sensational, regardless of the potential for social chaos or leaks of sensitive information. They broadcast the video across England without hesitation.

William repeatedly assured Gareth that he would deal with the leak and catch the mastermind behind it, finally calming Gareth down.

The reason William hadn't acted yet was that he was waiting for Craig, this era's Bond, to return. With 007 charging ahead, why would he need to get his hands dirty? Besides, it's not like William hadn't made any preparations. He had sent the Expendables to Singapore to wait for Craig's return and act as his support. Two armed helicopters and other weapons were already stored in Malaysia, courtesy of arms dealer Yuri Orlov.

But after waiting more than ten days, Craig still hadn't returned to England. Was he really dead? William began to worry.

Feeling uneasy, William put on his headset and spoke into the air, "Sunday, create a task: target Daniel Craig, current 007. He should be in Morocco over the past few months. Check remote bars; he's likely seriously injured and unable to go to a hospital, so he'll be numbing the pain with alcohol."

"Understood. Task created and in progress. Please wait, SIR."

A few minutes later, Sunday's voice came through the earpiece, "SIR, I've found a video of a man resembling Mr. Craig at a seaside tavern in the Moroccan port of Tangier. There's a 90% chance it's him."

"What's he doing?" William felt relieved, but at the same time, he cursed Craig. With him still alive and needed right now, what was he doing not returning to England?

"SIR, Mr. Craig has just finished drinking and seems to be heading to a lady's home, much like he's done in the past."

Was he planning to meet a woman? "Can you stream the video to the TV in front of me?"

"No problem, SIR. I can access the cable TV transmission line, but a lower-level command prevents me from doing so without your authorization."

"Haha, good. Go ahead and transmit it," William said, satisfied. He needed an obedient and non-threatening AI system. A few seconds later, the television in front of William displayed a somewhat blurry video.

It was likely captured by a street camera. In the video, someone resembling Craig was seen knocking on the door of a small seaside cabin. A blurry female figure opened the door, and Craig entered, embracing the woman.

This bastard is enjoying a vacation! No sign of being on the run. I've been waiting for you to come and do the dirty work, and you're out there exercising with a beauty!

Furious, William said to Sunday, "Is there a phone in that cabin? If so, call it for me."

"Understood, SIR."

As Sunday finished speaking, William's phone automatically connected to a number. The line rang a few times before a slightly breathless female voice answered in French, "Who's calling?"

"Damn it," William cursed, immediately realizing what the two were doing. "Put the person next to you on the phone."

There was a pause before the woman's voice called out, "Alex, it's for you."

"Hello?" Craig didn't speak immediately, and William understood his hesitation. Putting it nicely, Craig was recovering from his injuries. To put it bluntly, he was deserting his duties. If he got caught, he might very well be killed on the spot.

William, annoyed, said, "Alex? Since when did you start using that name?"

Recognizing William's voice, Craig tensed up, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Nervously, he took the phone to the window and cautiously looked outside.

Craig, who wasn't actually part of the Special Branch, should have felt relieved. He knew what William's family used to do. For an agent hiding out, the last thing he wanted to face was a family like the Devonshires, who specialized in dealing with double agents.

After observing the unusually quiet street for a while, Craig's expression became despondent. "So, it's finally come to this," he muttered.

"What?" William asked, confused.

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