Chapter 191: Playing A Game Of Chess

Bellemere Mansion, Los Angeles.

Morning sunlight poured through the tall glass windows of the mansion, diffusing softly across the polished marble floors.

Liam walked calmly through the quiet corridor, his mind already awake and active. He had finished his morning routine not long ago and had also taken a short visit to the cultivation world for his daily sign-in; he got 100,000 Gold Coins and 500 Low Grade Spirit Stones rewards.

Now, he was on his way to the study. Daniel was waiting for him there.

The man had called early that morning, saying "There’s something important we need to discuss, sir."

That alone had been enough for Liam to guess what the topic would be. It had to be Lucid — and perhaps the results of the FAA’s so-called "routine inspection."

He pushed open the door to the study.

Daniel Conley stood from the leather chair by the desk the moment Liam entered.

"Good morning, sir," he said with a respectful nod.

"Morning, Daniel," Liam replied, his tone even. "You said you had something important."

Daniel waited until Liam had taken his seat before speaking. He glanced briefly at his tablet, then met Liam’s eyes.

"Yes, sir. The inspection on the A380 is officially complete," he began. "The FAA found nothing irregular. The aircraft is cleared for unrestricted operation. They’ve issued a formal statement of appreciation for your ’cooperation and transparency.’ In short, sir, the Flying Palace is yours to fly again — without restrictions."

Liam leaned back in the chair, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "That’s good news," he said. "Though I already knew they wouldn’t find anything."

Daniel allowed himself a faint smile. "Of course. Still, it’s official now. The only thing I would advise, sir, is discretion. The federal agencies haven’t lost interest. They’re still watching — very closely."

Liam nodded once. "I’m fully aware of that. Go on."

Daniel tapped his tablet, bringing up another file. "The White House has made first contact. They’ve sent a liaison from the National Economic Council to reach out to you."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "To reach out? How diplomatic of them."

Daniel gave a dry chuckle. "Yes, sir. Publicly, they’ll release a statement praising your ’entrepreneurial vision’ and your contributions to innovation. Privately, however, the liaison’s task is to take your measure — to determine if you’re dangerous or if you have any technology poses a national-security threat. They’ve also extended a discreet invitation to Washington for a private dinner or meeting. The tone is cordial, but the purpose is evaluation."

Liam’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes sharpened slightly. "Interesting."

Daniel continued, scrolling through his notes. "It doesn’t stop there. Several U.S. embassies have begun informal outreach, offering tax incentives, business partnerships, and introductions to key government figures. Their goal is simple: to keep you anchored here — to ensure you stay invested in American soil."

He paused for a moment before adding, "Outside the U.S., other players are moving as well. HSBC Private, Coutts, and Barclays Wealth have all contacted the Family Office, each offering specialized portfolios and incentives to relocate part of your wealth to London. Their message is clear: they want your assets in the U.K."

Liam’s smile widened slightly. "The British always move fast when money’s involved."

Daniel nodded. "Indeed, sir. Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Washington sent ’friendly congratulations’ through official diplomatic channels. The message was framed as interest in luxury and technology cooperation. Nothing direct — but enough to signal intent."

He swiped to another page. "From the Middle East, it’s more open. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar have all sent advance notices that their luxury envoys will arrive in Los Angeles within a week. They’re inviting you to visit their capitals — Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Doha — to discuss sovereign-fund partnerships. They’re offering access to major infrastructure and innovation projects. Billions are on the table."

Liam chuckled quietly, almost shaking his head. "All of this... because of an aircraft?"

"Partly," Daniel said. "But mostly because of what you represent — an independent power center they can’t quantify or control."

He took a breath before continuing. "Lastly, there’s JP Morgan."

Liam’s attention sharpened slightly.

Daniel went on, his tone careful but confident. "They reached out yesterday through their Private Banking network. They congratulated you on Lucid’s launch and expressed interest in strengthening their relationship with Bellemere. Their proposal is ambitious — they want to establish a Private Holding Trust domiciled in Switzerland, with JP Morgan as the global trustee. Officially, it’s for asset diversification and international risk management. But in truth, sir, they’re trying to tie your wealth permanently to their custody network."

He looked up. "It’s a strategic move. They’re offering to use their influence as leverage. According to their message, their lobbying divisions are already nudging congressional committees toward ’measured regulation of neural tech.’ In other words, they’re protecting Nova Technologies from any aggressive legislation."

Liam tilted his head slightly, intrigued. "Go on."

"They’re also deploying what they call ’mirror nodes,’" Daniel said. "Essentially, fake Nova payment signatures. These decoys will appear in global transaction systems, redirecting any hostile trace attempts back to JP Morgan instead of to you. It’s a shield, of sorts — one that makes them look like the center of Nova’s network."

A low hum of approval escaped Liam’s throat. "Impressive. They’re protecting themselves, of course, but they’re protecting me in the process."

Daniel smiled faintly. "Exactly, sir. Mutual benefit."

Liam leaned back, thoughtful. "You’ve done well to summarize it. Most of this, I already anticipated. Still, it’s amusing. Nations and corporations circling like sharks — all because of one plane and a few toys."

He wonder how they would react when they find out that he’s the richest person in the world or about Lucid.

But he knew that both will take a while. It will be even more for Lucid, as he estimates that if JP Morgan continues to keep their lips sealed, it will take at least a year before they find out.

But as for him being the world’s richest person, he’s giving them a few weeks to a month or two, before they find out. He wasn’t sure when exactly, but he knew that it wouldn’t take too long.

Now, back to everything Daniel said, Liam was pretty interested. He tapped his finger idly against the armrest, his voice calm but thoughtful. "The U.S. will try to contain me, of course. Keep me within their system. The others will compete to pull me out. Typical geopolitical tug-of-war."

He turned his gaze toward the window, where the morning sun glinted off the distant skyline. "But I won’t let them dictate the game. If they want to compete for me, then I’ll let them — against each other."

A faint smile formed on his lips. "We’ll make them think they’re winning, when really, they’re just bidding higher."

Daniel studied him quietly. The young man’s composure never ceased to impress him. Where most billionaires panicked at the thought of government scrutiny, Liam seemed almost entertained by it.

After a few moments, Liam spoke again. "Still, before I start playing with governments, I need to handle JP Morgan properly. They’re not doing all this from kindness. There’s profit somewhere — there always is."

He looked back at Daniel. "But that’s good. Mutual profit builds loyalty. When both sides gain, betrayal becomes expensive."

Daniel nodded in agreement. "Precisely, sir. I believe we should accept their proposal. Having JP Morgan as a shield — and an ally — will make things easier when the world discovers Nova’s true ownership. It keeps us legitimate and insulated."

Liam’s gaze was distant but calculating. "Yes... it would also grant us access to their intelligence network and political reach. They’re woven into every corner of the financial world."

He smiled faintly. "If the world wants to play politics, I’ll play economics. They make laws; I make markets."

Daniel’s lips curved in a knowing smile. "Then you intend to accept their offer?"

Liam nodded slowly. "Yes. Accept it — but make our terms clear. We’ll cooperate, but not surrender control. They can manage the trust, but we decide its flow. And make sure they understand — Bellemere remains sovereign."

"Understood, sir," Daniel said, taking notes.

Liam leaned forward slightly. "Also, send word to Geneva. Have them draft a mirrored holding structure under Bellemere, something that can’t be pierced legally — just in case JP Morgan’s goodwill ever runs dry."

"Already in motion," Daniel replied. "I anticipated you’d ask."

Liam gave him an approving nod. "Good. That’s why I keep you close."

Now, Liam has to make a decision on how he was going to deal with the world’s governments.