Chapter 25: The Lord Is With Me
"Look at this—this is my heir. The concept of the food chain, what a novel argument! This surpasses those hypocritical Yankees by a thousandfold, even ten thousandfold. Those superficial Yankees can't hold a candle to my heir." Anna Bell held the telegram and marveled aloud. The Old Master didn't fully understand the content, but since it was written by her heir, it was undoubtedly a treasure for all humanity.
Anna Bell firmly believed this. Hadn't the president of the University of Texas at Austin praised it? If other professors were merely flattering, Gotthard Davis certainly wasn't. She knew his pretentiousness well—someone who had convinced themselves of their own righteousness was a talent in their own right.
"The young master is so outstanding. Madam has finally waited for a worthy heir," one of the servants congratulated with a smile.
"Padra, you're absolutely right. How could such a vast enterprise always be supported by a woman? If I hadn't personally given birth to a lifelong disappointment, I wouldn't have had to work so hard," Anna Bell said, staring intently at the servant with a chilling smile. "Rags-to-riches stories are beautiful, but William is destined to be far removed from such tales. Our family's heir starts ahead of others. When others learn to walk, we must already know how to run. Since William has laid a foundation that commands respect, I'll make this move bigger."
"Madam, please give your orders!" Padra nodded slightly, awaiting Anna Bell's next instructions.
"First, I want to know if this article is plagiarized. If no one has proposed similar arguments, that's best. If someone has, it doesn't matter—it's now my heir's," Anna Bell said calmly, unfazed.
"There are no similar arguments about the food chain, Madam. You can rest assured," Padra quickly replied.
"I want the food chain and endangered native animals to be widely discussed. We need newspaper coverage in two waves. First, influential newspapers in our state. Wait a few days for public opinion to form, then notify newspapers in the Southern states. But that's not enough," Anna Bell paused, pondering for a moment before continuing. "I want everyone to know about the existence of the Sheffield heir as quickly as possible. So, call the mayor of Houston. If possible, I hope to propose making the bison the state animal of Texas—a symbol."
"I'll contact him immediately, Madam!" Padra nodded and backed out of the room smoothly, as if he had eyes on the back of his head.
Though Sheffield had mentally prepared himself, he still underestimated just how terrifying a woman who had supported the family for decades could be. The speed at which the message spread far exceeded his expectations. This was perhaps the most efficient public opinion fermentation of the era, showcasing the Old Master's influence in Texas.
The operation was dazzling. The concept of the food chain rapidly moved from the University of Texas at Austin to the front page of the *Houston Daily*. Keep in mind, these were two different cities. While Austin was the capital, Houston was the largest city in Texas, with the highest population.
As for the newspaper layout, it had to be the headline. Within a few short days, the Dallas municipal government began proposing discussions to make the North American bison the city's mascot. The news spread seamlessly, quickly sparking discussions at the state government level.
"Dallas? Mavericks?" Sheffield had the habit of reading newspapers, as they were an important source of information in this era. However, after flipping through several papers, even with his thick skin capable of withstanding nuclear explosions, he could tell this wasn't natural—it was clearly orchestrated. But wasn't it a bit too high-profile?
"It's hard to believe that someone who proposed such a macro concept as the food chain is only a sixteen-year-old college student. But even being a sixteen-year-old college student is already remarkable. As the editor-in-chief with ten years of experience, I can responsibly say this student is undoubtedly a genius."
"Old Buddha… Grandmother isn't afraid I'll become a laughingstock. Now I somewhat understand why my father, whom I've rarely met, has been indulging in Paris. Ordinary people really can't handle this."
Empress Lü, Wu Zetian, Jia Nanfeng, or Empress Dowager Cixi? In Sheffield's eyes, they were all essentially the same, differing only in their era and national circumstances. With such a grandmother, ordinary people would surely go mad.
Sheffield thought that if Anna Bell had more sons, she might not be so extreme. Perhaps it was because the family had few heirs that she desperately wanted to create a superior successor.
By now, he had successfully obtained his diploma and returned to Arlington under the spotlight of all Texas, though no one truly knew who he was. It was a strange situation—he could hear people discussing how every newspaper was covering the same story: What is the food chain? Who is this student? Yet no one really knew who he was. It was like being in the eye of a storm—outside was chaos, but around him, it was eerily quiet.
Just stepping off the train at Arlington, someone was already waiting to greet him. "Young master, the old lady is waiting for you at the church!"
"Huh?" Sheffield was astonished. Why would she choose such a place? But despite his confusion, he dared not delay and climbed into the carriage. Could it be that she regretted causing such a stir and was now confessing to God? It wasn't impossible.
Soon, Sheffield realized he had overthought it. His grandmother was not that kind of person. When he arrived at the church and stood behind Anna Bell, watching this formidable woman bow her head in apparent piety before God, he felt a sense of unease.
Before Sheffield could say anything, Anna Bell handed him a diploma. After glancing at it briefly, Sheffield's face filled with impatience. "A theology degree?"
"Bought! Such trivial matters don't require my attention, but across the United States, everyone must acknowledge this degree," Anna Bell said coolly, her voice as cold as ever.
"Grandmother, honestly, I'm not interested in theology," Sheffield carefully chose his words, wondering what this was all about.
Before he could finish organizing his thoughts, Anna Bell spoke without surprise. "Your grandfather said the same thing. But in the end, I successfully made him a believer."
Sheffield didn't believe that someone educated in the modern era, likely Chinese, would believe in such nonsense. Some means must have been used.
"Have you read the Bible?" Anna Bell composed herself, as if returning to thirty years ago when she had brainwashed the men of this family for the second time.
"No!" Sheffield looked at the Old Master honestly, puzzled. What did this have to do with anything?
"If you had read the Bible, you would know some things!" Anna Bell said coldly, gazing up at the towering cross. "Destroying the Tower of Babel, dividing united humanity, unleashing the flood to destroy the world, blinding people's eyes, erasing their ability to think, trapping them in meaningless lives, establishing hierarchies and order—but when facing Him, people must embody sacrifice, dedication, and humility! What about your ideals?"
"The Lord is with me!" Anna Bell bowed her head, hands clasped, appearing utterly sincere.
"The Lord is with me!" Sheffield, his mind blank, mimicked her actions like a puppet. Anna Bell was right—people like him should be with the Lord, using His methods to deal with others.
(End of Chapter)