Mercenary’s War

Chapter 2179 - 2156: The Heirs

While Yarebin was in Rome, he always stayed at a five-star hotel, but when Gao Yang arrived, he had no such luck and could only use the old method of trespassing. Moreover, it was necessary for a dozen people to act separately, scattered in groups of threes and twos in nearby areas.

Gao Yang took Justin to his place, a very small studio apartment, where Yarebin was already seated on the only sofa in the cramped living room. As Gao Yang and his companions entered, Yarebin, exuding an air of authority, directly asked, "Are you Justin?"

"Yes, I am."

Yarebin stared at Justin for a moment and then said in a deep voice, "You’re involved in intelligence work. Among intelligence operatives, there are those who are the most despicable and those who are steadfast and unyielding. You’re not the steadfast type, but you’re not the most despicable either."

After delivering this cryptic evaluation, Yarebin nodded and said to Justin, "You didn’t betray or exploit my student. Sit down."

Justin glanced around the cramped living room, finding no place to sit, but upon Yarebin’s instruction, he fetched a small chair, and like a schoolboy, sat opposite Yarebin. As for Gao Yang and his three companions, they had no choice but to stand.

Once Justin was seated, Yarebin slowly said, "This matter began because of you. If you have already lost your threat to Mario, then Mario wouldn’t persist in pursuing you, especially not at the risk of offending Grand Ivan, just to get your whereabouts from my student. Now, tell me what Mario fears about you? What makes Mario willing to go to great lengths to find you?"

Justin hadn’t removed his makeup; his face remained expressionless, but his eyes were filled with confusion as he said, "I don’t know, I really don’t know. If I knew, if I knew I had any power to leverage, I absolutely wouldn’t have remained hidden until now."

Yarebin shook his head and said, "Troops, the Cicero Family has been in succession for hundreds of years. Although intelligence work is something of the past century, the Cicero Family knows how to survive. An heir to a family shouldn’t be taken down easily without the ability to retaliate."

Justin’s eyes remained bewildered as he said, "But truly there’s nothing, nothing at all."

Yarebin waved his hand and said, "Then start from the beginning, from the moment you took over the Cicero Family."

After a long pause and contemplation, Justin said in a deep voice, "That was several months ago. I was in Italy, and I suddenly received a call from my father’s assistant, asking me to go to my father’s place immediately, and so I went."

Yarebin extended his hand, saying, "Let me interrupt, you’re an illegitimate child."

"Yes."

"So who was your mother?"

"My mother is deceased. She was a model, quite well-known in the late sixties. My father fancied her, and then there was me. After I was born in 1972, she ended her modeling career and raised me alone. Well, although I’m an illegitimate child, my father treated us quite well. We had villas, luxury apartments, and plenty of money in Milan. My father would occasionally see me, but in 1990 my mother died from excessive Western poisoning, and my father brought me back to his side."

In a low voice, Yarebin said, "So, you returned to your father’s side when you came of age."

"Yes."

"Alright, let’s skip over your growth within the Cicero Family. I know it wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience. Continue with the day you took your position."

Justin raised his head, speaking softly, "I returned to my father’s side. He was lying in bed surrounded by many doctors and nurses. He had liver cancer. People were waiting for him to announce his successor, but he delayed for a long time. I didn’t expect it would be me. I never thought..."

Yarebin waved his hand and said, "Skip this part, tell me every word your father said to you."

Justin sighed and spoke solemnly, "When I arrived, my father dismissed everyone from the room and then said, ’Justin, do you have the courage to accept the position of Head of the Cicero Family?’ I was very surprised; I asked why it was me, Father."

Yarebin was very focused and said, "Then!"

Justin said in a low voice, "My father said, ’The Cicero Family is very powerful, but also very dangerous. Countless people are waiting for us to make mistakes; countless people desire everything the Cicero Family possesses. For a big family to pass down its legacy, the right successor must be chosen. Your brothers, they are too proud; they are arrogant and proud. They don’t understand the difficulty of creating wealth, nor the risks of protecting a family. You are different, Justin; you have always lived in the gaps, knowing how to take advantage of opportunities. You’ve experienced many dangerous moments and managed to focus on developing a new intelligence market, succeeding, which shows your ability. You don’t need to lead the Cicero Family forward because it has reached its peak already. What you need is humility and a keen sense of danger. So, you are the new head of the family.’

Yarebin took a deep breath and said, "Exactly, continue."

Justin smiled wryly and said, "Actually, my relationships with my brothers are fairly decent, not great but also not bad, mainly because we hardly had any opportunities to be together. So, I asked why not Mario, the eldest and quite capable. My father said that anyone in Mario’s position would appear capable."

Justin spread his hands, sighed, and said, "My father said that Mario is clever in small matters and adept at disguise, but he utterly fails to discern what’s truly important in major matters. Being smart in small issues and confused in significant ones would only bring disaster to the Cicero Family. Then I said, ’Alright, I am willing to take responsibility, Father.’"

Yarebin urgently asked, "And then? Didn’t your father say anything else?"

Shaking his head, Justin replied, "No, after that he instructed his assistant to gather all my brothers together. My brothers had arrived before me but were waiting in a different room, as my father didn’t allow them to come over."

Yarebin shook his head and sighed, "I know your father, I know him, he was a remarkable person. He couldn’t reveal too early his intention to choose you as the successor, as that would lead to chaos. But he was also losing his edge in old age; he should have first given you power before announcing the successor, not reveal your power as intimidation during the announcement, that was too late!"

Justin looked at Yarebin with a face of shock, then stammered, "Exactly, that’s how it was, truly remarkable, who exactly are you?"