Chapter 594: Trip to Egypt!
The Phenomenon
The interview finally concluded after two hours. During the discussion, Luke and Anderson touched on a variety of topics, including superheroes, current affairs, politics, and civilization. Luke displayed an extremely thought-provoking intelligence.
Every one of his statements and opinions accurately hit the mark. He was at times humorous and witty, at other times confident and assertive. He maintained firm control over every topic, making it hard to believe this was the intellect of a twenty-year-old boy.
Anderson was left wanting more. If he could have, he truly would have set the interview time to twenty-four hours to have enough time to explore this young man's secrets.
After the interview, the studio erupted in thunderous applause.
The internet was even more frantic. Many people lamented that this was the 21-year-old World's Richest Person. There was nothing left but admiration; his intellect and experience were simply unmatched.
Luke's reputation soared, instantly making him an idol for men and an aspirational goal for women.
The interview video circulated across all major media outlets, garnering hundreds of millions of views. Even more astonishing was the stock market. Overnight, ShowMe's share price rose by 20%. Luke's wealth reached $130 billion, opening up a huge gap of $50 billion with the second-richest person.
He was a phenomenal, sensational figure.
Across the five continents, with the exception of Africa, no one was unaware of Luke Shaw's name.
Concerns in Coast City
In Coast City, at the Ferris Estate.
After watching the video, Mrs. Ferris nudged her daughter.
"Tell me something. When are you two getting married?"
"Mom, what are you talking about? We're still so young."
Carol waved her hand. "Luke is only twenty-one; it's too early."
"And what about you? You must be twenty-five now!"
"What's wrong with twenty-five? I'm in the prime of my life."
"How many years of 'prime' do you have left?"
Mrs. Ferris pointed at her daughter, a look of disappointment on her face. "Listen to me, find a chance to set the wedding date, or you'll regret it."
"I don't want to get married. Things are fine the way they are."
"Fine? What's fine about it? One of you is on the East Coast, the other on the West. You don't even see each other every day. Aren't you worried he'll cheat? Let me tell you, things are different now," Mrs. Ferris insisted emphatically.
"He's only twenty-one and is already the world's richest person. He's rich, talented, and his looks and charisma are impeccable. Someone like him is rare. If you don't keep a close eye on him, another woman will snatch him away."
"Luke isn't like that. He values relationships very much."
"The ones who value relationships are the most troublesome... Forget it, I won't bring it up again." Mrs. Ferris changed her tone. "Let me ask you one more thing. You've been together this long, haven't you thought about having a child?"
Carol's expression stiffened. She waved her hand. "It's too early! I'm in the middle of developing my career. We'll talk about it in a few years."
"What about him? Doesn't he want one either?"
"He hasn't said."
Mrs. Ferris looked at her daughter suspiciously and couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that, in that area... you two are having issues?"
"Mom, what are you talking about? How could that be?"
Carol was completely exasperated. She put on her slippers and rushed back to her bedroom. Once inside, her expression slowly changed. She, too, had doubts about having children. They had been together for so long and rarely used protection. Logically, she should have gotten pregnant, yet she'd never shown any signs of it.
"Is there something wrong with my body?"
A huge sense of panic welled up. She immediately put on clothes and rushed to the best hospital for a check-up. The result brought her a huge sigh of relief: her body was normal, perfectly healthy, with no signs of infertility.
So, where was the problem?
A New Identity in Egypt
After becoming the world's richest person, Luke's life completely changed. Before, no paparazzi dared to follow "Young Master Shaw" when he went out. Now, it was different; wherever he went, there was a swarm of desperate reporters. Dio punished them severely, but the scoundrels remained incorrigible, practically daring him to kill them.
Luke genuinely couldn't afford to take lethal action right now.
The situation was awkward and highly irritating. Paparazzi were staking out the Seaside Villa, and the Cape Villa had become a key focus of attention.
Luke realized he needed to disappear for a while. Perhaps he should take a vacation, or maybe find the Nth Metal hidden deep in the desert.
On July 23rd, the Washington Historical Museum received a special invitation to participate in an expedition to an underground pyramid in Eastern Egypt. Diana initially did not want to go but couldn't resist the "coercion" of her friend and the museum director, so she reluctantly agreed to travel.
The group flew to the Egyptian capital. Immediately after landing, a tall, handsome young man approached them. The youth smiled, exuding a gentle and refined air that instantly made people comfortable. His light-green eyes were like deep pools, drawing people in.
The person in charge introduced him:
"Mr. Darnel Lucio, a graduate of the University of London, holds PhDs in both history and archaeology, and is the initiator and participant in this operation."
Lucio greeted them with a smile.
"Hello, and welcome to Egypt."
Barbara Minerva felt her heart melt. This man was unbelievably handsome. She quickly extended her right hand.
"H-hello, Mr. Lucio."
Lucio smiled and nodded. As his eyes quickly swept over Diana behind her, he gave an inconspicuous wink. The meaningful look left Diana perplexed.
Wait...
She suddenly realized something and covered her mouth in shock.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" asked a companion.
"N-nothing," Diana quickly waved it off, but couldn't help glancing at the retreating figure of "Darnel Lucio," an utterly strange expression on her face.
It was already dark when they reached the hotel. The group decided to have dinner together in the restaurant. At the dinner table, Lucio, acting as the host, briefly outlined the expedition's route. Starting from the capital, Cairo, they would travel east to find the underground ruins of Khandaq, an ancient historical kingdom located between Egypt and Israel.
All expenses for the trip were covered by Lucio. If the target was found, everyone would receive an additional compensation of $500,000, on top of their agreed-upon fees.
The bonus was generous, and the participants looked excited.
Barbara Minerva asked curiously,
"Is Mr. Lucio British?"
"No, I was born in the United States and raised in the UK."
"What does your family do? Antique trade?"
Lucio smiled and shook his head. "I wouldn't call us antique dealers. It's just a personal hobby. My family does have a tradition of collecting antiquities."
Barbara Minerva's eyes lit up. Collecting antiquities? Could he be descended from British nobility?
Diana secretly scoffed, unable to resist a playful tease.
"The surname Lucio belongs to Latin American countries. Sir, are you sure you're British?"
Everyone looked surprised and instinctively turned their attention to them. Barbara Minerva gave her friend a warning glare, but Diana remained unperturbed, still smiling as she looked at "Darnel Lucio."
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