Chapter 1740: Make sure it’s worth the effort

What Penny told Wild and Yugi was the truth—and nothing but the truth.

Putting Prime Group under fire and allowing the public to persecute it would inevitably draw people out of the woodwork. Some would simply celebrate out of spite or because Prime Group had blocked their way in business.

But this move made it easier to separate those who merely disliked Prime Group from those who needed it to disappear.

Just like in her first life, those who stood in the way were eliminated, making room for someone else to rise.

Back then, it had been Global Prime Logistics—Atlas—that stood in Nathalie’s way. Why? Because Atlas had firm control over several key piers and shipping routes. She needed him to loosen that grip.

Even if Atlas hadn’t ended up in prison, but Penny did, the result was still the same — the Bennet Family fell.

In this life, Global Prime Logistics was no longer an obstacle. And that was thanks to Prime Group.

Why target Prime Group instead of the Millers?

Because Penny had bought out the Miller Company, and targeting them would be pointless if Prime Group stood behind them.

So now, the obstacle wasn’t just Atlas. It was Penny herself. The very person they once sent to prison—simply because they could—was now the target again.

Following this logic, Penny was certain that Nathalie’s forces would soon begin courting Prime Group’s business rivals, just as they had approached the Millers in her previous life. They wouldn’t miss the chance to take her out of the picture.

Which made them easier to entrap—because now, she knew exactly where they were heading.

But more importantly, this setup would make them believe Penny was staying behind to clean up the mess.

"I’ll be flying out," Penny said, keeping her eyes on Wild and Yugi. "That’s why I called you here. Since I’m inviting trouble, I want them to think I’m still here—stressing out, trying to fix what I should be fixing."

"Where are you going, young woman?" Wild frowned, casting a grim look at Mint, Hugo, and Zoren. "Where exactly are you dragging her?"

"In my defense, I’m against it," Hugo quickly said. "Zoren and I both don’t want her tagging along. We don’t need her."

Penny rolled her eyes, while Mint cleared her throat and leaned forward on the couch.

"Penny, don’t listen to these fools," Mint said sincerely. "You’re a great asset. I believe in your potential—and I need you."

Zoren scowled at Mint, who clearly never missed a chance to score points. But he brushed it off for now and turned to Wild.

"Uncle Wild," he said, "everyone objected to bringing Penny because where we’re going is extremely dangerous. But knowing her, we’re sure she’d follow us anyway—even if the destination was hell."

Wild and Yugi didn’t doubt that for a second. They both turned to Penny, who offered them a smug grin.

"So, to avoid more problems, we’re taking her with us," Zoren added. "This scandal gives her a head start. It’s enough of a distraction to make people believe she’s stuck in Anteca dealing with this."

"I see," Yugi nodded, finally piecing things together. "How do you want me to handle the situation?"

"Handle it your way," Penny replied. "Just don’t fix it too quickly. Keep the company from sinking, but don’t silence the noise completely. I’ll hold an emergency meeting tonight to brief everyone."

"As you should," Wild snorted. "Those old folks only listen to you."

Penny hummed, then turned to Wild with a look that made him narrow his eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked. "What do you want from me now?"

"Yugi’s already got the company side covered," she said. "But, Uncle Wild, I called you here for a different reason."

"Huh?"

"I mentioned we’re leaving quietly, and this whole scandal will help conceal that. But I need you to keep an eye on my father."

Wild blinked. Then, understanding clicked into place.

"My dad will definitely get restless when he finds out we’ve left. And knowing him—"

"He’ll come after you," Wild finished. "Of course. He’ll chase you down just to keep you safe. Sounds like his kid, after all."

Penny pressed her lips together. "So?"

"Fine," Wild sighed, waving a hand. "Don’t worry. I’ll look after him."

"Thank you, Uncle Wild."

"Don’t thank me yet," he warned. "If your dad insists, we might end up joining you anyway. I’ll take Haines with me and leave him in the middle of nowhere if I have to."

"Thanks," Penny smiled. "Knowing you’re with him makes me feel a lot more reassured."

Wild clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Now that their roles were clear, Penny went over the remaining details to keep their plan airtight. But as she did, she paused.

"The police will be granted a search warrant," she said, nodding toward Mint. "But don’t worry—it’s just for show."

Mint grinned. "They’re friends. Their job is to make this look real and raise the tension. So be nice to them, okay?"

"I’ll prep a buffet," Yugi said dryly. "But they better return every single document they take."

"No need to worry," Hugo added. "Since it’s all for appearances, just focus on making it look convincing. That includes fooling even Prime Group employees."

"Why?" Yugi frowned. "You think there’s a mole in the company? We screen everyone thoroughly."

"Better safe than sorry," Wild muttered. "Let’s handpick people we trust to stash important documents and swap them with harmless ones."

Yugi considered it and nodded. "That’s smarter than retrieving anything after the fact. But it’ll be a lot of work."

They’d have to move boxes, transport sensitive files, and replace them with decoys.

"I know, but please bear with me," Penny said softly, locking eyes with Yugi and Wild. "I’m sorry for giving you more work, but this is important to me."

The two men studied her for a moment before exhaling quietly.

"You don’t have to apologize," Yugi said. "You’re the boss. It’s your call."

"Whatever this is," Wild added with a gruff tone, "make sure it’s worth the effort."

A smile tugged at Penny’s lips. Mint and Hugo exchanged knowing grins, while Zoren gave the two men a look of quiet appreciation, mentally crossing Yugi’s name off the rival list in his head.