Chapter 100: The Old Fox is Still the Craftiest

While Santino and his entourage were stuck in Manhattan's traffic, inching forward, Castle, using the superb driving skills of Vanessa awarded by the system, weaved through the congested streets and sped towards the D'Antonio family's estate on Long Island.

Having already received notice from the family's eldest daughter, Gianna, the butler, who had met Castle twice before, was waiting at the estate's gate. As soon as Castle arrived, the butler wasted no time and led him straight into the estate.

"Mr. Castle, Miss Gianna has called and instructed us to fully cooperate with you. How can we assist you?" the butler asked after they walked into the grand hall of the estate.

With the finely honed skills of a CIA operative, thanks to Jason Bourne's training, Castle was no longer the fumbling novice he had been when installing surveillance in Adam's office. He quickly surveyed the room and replied casually, "I don't need your help. If Santino finds out you directly assisted me, it could be problematic for you. I think you should leave now so that if Santino discovers the surveillance equipment, you can say I secretly installed it myself."

The butler, appreciating Castle's considerate reasoning, nodded and quietly exited the main house.

Once alone, Castle wasted no time. He swiftly took out various small and micro surveillance devices from his portable space and installed them in the living room, small meeting room, and master bedroom. The skills acquired from Jason Bourne proved invaluable, allowing Castle to set up the equipment quickly and efficiently. After connecting the devices to his tablet and ensuring everything was functioning properly, Castle thanked the butler and left the estate. He then parked his car in a secluded spot nearby and patiently awaited Santino's arrival.

Thanks to the system and the grueling training of Jason Bourne, Castle had efficiently set up a comprehensive surveillance network, laying a solid foundation for tracking Santino's movements and plans.

Not long after Castle left, two bulletproof cars arrived at the estate. Frustrated by the horrendous traffic, Santino stormed out of the car, glaring angrily at the butler who had loyally served Gianna. Ignoring the butler, he stomped into the main building with his henchmen and bodyguards.

The butler wasn't offended. After all, Santino was technically still the eldest son of the D'Antonio family. Venting his frustration was nothing new. Moreover, the butler had just let Castle in to install surveillance equipment under Gianna's orders. Thus, he paid no mind to Santino's outburst and, after confirming there were no further instructions, left the main house to Santino and his group.

It was then that Castle, watching through his surveillance feed, saw the notorious Santino D'Antonio for the first time. The man wore a sullen expression, clearly irritated by the series of unfortunate events since arriving in New York. After entering the house, Santino sat brooding on the living room sofa, while his loyal henchman poured him a drink and the bodyguards swept the room for threats. Although Santino was a fool, his security detail seemed competent.

Castle wasn't worried about his devices being discovered, as they were not typical spy gadgets. Relaxed, he was quietly amused in his car when Sean's call came in.

"Rick, did you know Santino has abandoned his plan to go through the Continental to cause you trouble? He's having one of his men in New York hire mercenaries to assassinate you," Sean said bluntly as soon as the call connected.

"Uh... how did you know?" Castle broke into a cold sweat, realizing he had overlooked something.

"You asked me to arrange protection for Martha and Alexis, right? Since then, I've been monitoring Santino's moves. You boasted you could handle this yourself, but you see, you've already missed something," Sean wasn't angry, though. He intended this incident as a test for Castle but wouldn't remain indifferent to potential threats.

"Dad, I'm just one person. I only started monitoring Santino recently. Since you're telling me this, I assume you won't let Santino's man post the bounty, right?"

Richard "Face-What-Face" Castle shamelessly played the cute card with his dad over the phone.

For the old fox who had never experienced familial affection and had no experience dealing with a child's antics, Sean was unexpectedly disarmed by Castle's shameless charm, laughing heartily. "Of course, Santino's foolishness extends to his men. They even thought they could get help from KING on Bleecker Street. After KING refused, he had them watched. I just got word that Santino's man planned to post a hit on you in the underground. But now, that fool has been detained by my people.

I wanted to remind you that no matter how well you plan, unexpected events can always occur. If you can find help, don't hesitate to use it. Understand?"

Castle, sincerely accepting his father's advice, realized he had been overly optimistic in thinking he could handle Santino and his crew alone. Fortunately, informing Sean early on meant these contingencies were swiftly managed.

"Got it, Dad. What about Martha and Alexis? Are they safe?"

Sean, hearing the concern in Castle's voice, felt gratified. He responded with an imposing confidence, "Of course. Their safety is assured. You don't need to worry about a thing. Focus on dealing with Santino. And once more, do you need my help?"

Castle, having just been humbled, finally showed some backbone, "No, I've got it covered. Santino and his men are under my surveillance now. This time, I'll handle it myself."

Satisfied with his son's resolve, Sean knew one gentle nudge was enough. Overdoing it might hurt Castle's confidence. Hearing Castle's firm declaration, he simply reminded him to be careful before ending the call.

Castle, undeterred by his father's critique, felt no embarrassment. Growing up in a culture of strict familial hierarchies, it was only natural to be scolded by one's father. Putting unnecessary emotions aside, Castle watched Santino rage on the surveillance feed, a cruel smile forming on his lips: "Santino, the show is just beginning..."

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