CHAPTER 342: CHAPTER 342 WHO’S THAT MYSTERIOUS GENIUS HACKER?

Bella giggled softly, her hand moving to ruffle his messy pink hair again. "You’ll be fine, Jay Jay. Maybe next time, find someone who doesn’t belong to a mafia or enemy organization," she teased gently.

Jay looked up at her, his smile finally returning, his eyes warm and affectionate. "Thanks, Bella Bell," he said, his voice softer this time. "You always make things feel better."

Later, Leo led Jay into his study. The study room smelled faintly of coffee and wood. Jay followed eagerly, his bandaged hands waving as he spoke, unable to hold in his excitement.

"Come on, bro, tell me already! You found that hacker, didn’t you? Who is he? Who’s that mysterious genius who wrecked Pablo’s entire base? I can’t stop thinking about it, like, did you hire him? Or are they working solo?" Jay’s voice rose higher with every question, his bright pink hair falling into his face as he leaned closer.

Leo didn’t answer. He simply walked to his desk, unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt, and sat down, that cold unreadable expression still resting on his face.

Jay, however, couldn’t stay still. He had been wondering for days who this hacker was, the one who not only destroyed Pablo’s main base but also took down two of his warehouses worth over a hundred million. Nobody had ever dared to go that far against Pablo before.

And it wasn’t just Jay. Everyone was talking about it. Whispers were spreading through the underground circles—men in suits, tech agents, mafia heads—all wondering what Leo was up to. Had he discovered some new kind of technology? Or joined hands with a hacker so powerful that even Pablo’s system collapsed like paper?

Some even believed Leo had built an entire cyber weapon of his own. Others thought he’d finally found an ally smart enough to rival his empire. But Leo hadn’t said a word about it to anyone. Not even Jay.

Jay tapped his foot impatiently and leaned on the desk. "Come on, bro, just a name! I won’t tell anyone. Male or female, that’s all I need. I swear I won’t breathe it to a soul."

Leo finally looked up, his gray eyes meeting Jay’s with quiet amusement. "You’ll know soon enough," he said simply.

Jay groaned, grabbing his hair dramatically. "You’re impossible! I swear, if I don’t find out tonight, I won’t sleep for a week!"

Leo leaned back in his chair, that calm, faintly smug expression never leaving his face. "Then don’t," he said quietly, his tone carrying that dangerous tease he always used when hiding something big.

Jay blinked, suspicious. "Wait. Why does that sound like I already know them?"

Leo gave him the smallest hint of a smile. "Maybe you do."

Jay froze, eyes widening. "Wait, what?!"

But Leo didn’t answer. He just picked up a file, completely ignoring Jay’s shocked expression, leaving him to spiral in wild curiosity.

You’ve got to be kidding me, Jay thought as he slumped onto the chair. I already know the hacker? Who the hell could it be?

Leo leaned back in his chair, his gray eyes, calm yet sharp with authority, fixed on Jay, who was sitting opposite him with that same careless grin.

"Alright," Leo said, his tone low and deliberate. "Sooner or later, you’ll meet that hacker yourself. But before that, tell me. Did you solve the problem, the one I sent you for in the first place?"

Jay’s grin faltered for a second, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, I did," he said quickly, leaning forward, his voice dropping lower. "That old man was a tough one though. Had about a dozen guards around him, men who looked like they’d kill first and talk later. But somehow, I managed to sneak in, get to him, and extract the information."

Leo’s eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you find?"

Jay smirked proudly. "Information about Base C of Maxo. Apparently, they’re planning something big, something they’ve been working on for months in silence. It’s not just about weapons, it’s about expansion. They’re trying to take over the southern trade routes, the same ones that connect to our supply chain."

Leo’s fingers drummed lightly on the armrest, his expression unreadable. "And?"

"And," Jay hesitated, his usual humor fading. "I overheard something else. They’re in touch with our rivals. The whispers are that they’re preparing for a powerful weapon, something experimental. I don’t know what it is yet, but from the way they talked about it, it’s not something small. It could shift the balance of power."

A cold silence settled in the room.

Leo’s jaw tightened as he processed the information. "Maxo’s been quiet for too long," he said finally. "I should’ve known he wouldn’t stay dormant. The last time he made a move, two entire groups vanished overnight."

Jay nodded, his tone more serious now. "Yeah, but don’t worry, bro. Whatever they’re building, it’s still under development. They’re trying to find programmers, engineers, weapon designers, but I doubt they’ll find anyone stronger than the ones we have. I mean, come on, our team’s the best in the game."

Leo looked up slowly, one brow raising. "The best?" he repeated, his voice faintly amused, almost mocking.

Jay blinked, confused, then chuckled nervously. "Uh, yeah? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Leo didn’t answer. Instead, he reached for the lighter on his desk, flicked it open, and watched the small flame dance between his fingers. "There’s always someone better, Jay," he said softly, his tone laced with something darker. "That’s why you never underestimate your enemy, or overestimate your own people."

Jay swallowed hard, the heat from the flame reflecting in his wide eyes. He knew that tone; it was the same one Leo used right before something serious happened.

"But still," Leo continued, closing the lighter with a sharp click, "if Maxo’s planning to challenge us again, then it won’t end the same way as last time." His voice turned low, dangerous, yet calm in a way that made Jay’s skin prickle. "He’s already lost too much. This time, I’ll make sure he loses everything."

Jay leaned back, whistling softly, trying to break the tension. "Wow, bro, remind me never to get on your bad side again. You sound like a movie villain."

Leo gave him a side glance, the corner of his mouth curling faintly. "You already are on my bad side, Jay. You just don’t know it yet."