Free Web NovelChapter 45: Mr. Zero
The figure simply said,
’’Don’t mind him. He’s just a busybody.’’
I nodded and followed the figure, but still glanced back at Carter.
Carter, with a bruised and swollen face, roared, baring his blood-stained teeth.
’’I KNOW YOU, you criminals! I already know your identity. So even a high-ranking noble like you is just a criminal after all.’’
’’HAHAHAHAH—.’’
Before Carter could utter another word, the naked muscular man slammed his fist into Carter’s face, shattering his teeth. Broken fragments of teeth clattered onto the floor, splattered with blood.
My ears twitched several times after hearing those words. I wondered who the high-ranking noble could be.
The figure just said.
"Those were just delirious ramblings. Sorry for letting the client witness that."
I nodded. But I knew those weren’t delirious ramblings – he was a policeman after all.
Carter... He was very devoted to his job. I could tell he came here alone to carry out the mission, but he made a big mistake.
Heroic actions often didn’t lead to good results.
Of course, I wouldn’t waste my time trying to save him. Now, Carter was just a dead man to me, but his earlier words still lingered in my mind.
If I could learn his identity, it would open many ways for me to exploit. Especially if the high-ranking noble was from a royal family, or one of the Knight of the Round Table families.
That information was gold.
In a room thick with shisha smoke, a group of people lounged on a circular sofa at the center of the room. My attention settled on a man wearing a demon mask. He sat with his legs spread apart, casually drawing a long puff from the shisha hose.
Beside him, several girls in sheer bikinis lay asleep across his thighs. Unconscious smiles lingered on their faces, as if they had been under the influence of some kind of drug.
I frowned.
His rank was [D – ], and he seemed to be very young. Based on the information Carter had gathered, if he was a high-ranking noble, he should have been one or two generations above me.
The man wearing the demon mask casually gestured toward the seat opposite him and spoke in a polite voice.
"Please, have a seat."
I nodded and walked toward my seat. In an instant, a naked woman approached me, pressing her ample chest against my arm as she whispered into my ear.
"Want something to eat?"
I simply looked at her with my usual empty eyes. The gaze alone was enough to make her shudder, and she quickly stepped away.
"Don’t talk with me, bitch."
My emotionless voice twisted her face with anger before she stormed off.
The man wearing the demon mask grinned.
"You can call me Mr.One."
He tapped his fingers together as he spoke.
"Let’s talk about the [Blood Crystal Stone]. How many kilograms do you have?"
I answered in a neutral voice.
"Three hundred kilograms."
...
Mr.One’s eyes widened in surprise. Several of his subordinates reacted the same way. In less than a second, their indifferent attitudes shifted into noticeably warmer ones.
Mr.One grinned.
"It’s an honor to do business with you. May I know your codename?"
I paused for a moment before replying.
"You can call me Mr.Zero."
The corner of Mr.One’s eye twitched for a moment before he forced out a smile.
"So, Mr. Zero... may I see the [Blood Crystal Stone]? I hope this isn’t a joke. Otherwise... I believe you know what I mean."
I showed no emotion. It seemed Mr.One felt provoked when I chose a codename that sounded as if I were his superior.
Without hesitation, I summoned a 100-kilogram crate of [Blood Crystal Stone] onto the table, startling the scantily clad girls and making them stumble backward.
Everyone stared at the crate with widened eyes. The crimson glow of the stones reflected in their pupils at that moment.
Mr.One picked up a piece of the [Blood Crystal Stone] and examined it for a moment before taking a sniff. Then, a smile spread across his lips.
"Mr. Zero, my apologies for doubting you."
He then called his subordinates over to weigh the stones before turning back to me.
"As for the current market price, it’s fifty dollars per gram this month."
I narrowed my eyes.
I had 300 kilograms of stone, which meant I would earn around fifteen million dollars... a massive amount of money. With it, I could buy many things. However, it still wasn’t enough for what I planned in the future.
I was going to establish my own organization to clear monster gates.
I paused for a moment before speaking.
"I want more. Fifty-five dollars per gram."
Mr.One grimaced in annoyance.
"What? Are you crazy? Fifty dollars per gram is the highest I can offer. Even if you find another buyer, they’ll offer you even less than I will."
I added calmly,
"If you raise the price, I’ll make a long-term deal with you. I’ll do business with you exclusively."
Mr. One rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he studied me.
After a few minutes, he nodded.
"That sounds good. I accept."
A faint smirk crossed my lips before I summoned the remaining crates of [Blood Crystal Stone] onto the table.
Thirty minutes later, his subordinates carried in several crates of cash and set them on the table. Mr. One spoke.
"Check it if you’d like. Sixteen million five hundred thousand dollars."
I smiled faintly before storing the money away.
Mr. One looked at me in surprise.
"You’re not going to count it?"
I answered calmly.
"There’s no need. Long-term business partners need to trust each other. I believe checking something this basic is not necessary."
Mr. One scratched the back of his head slightly.
"You’re right."
After the deal was finished, I quickly left.
***
Mr. One walked back to the sofa and sat down. He picked up his iPad and took a drag from his cigarette. Then, the woman who had clung to Henry’s arm earlier approached him. Sitting close beside him, she wrapped herself around his arm.
Mr. One smirked as he looked at the small red dot displayed on the screen. It was a tracking device.
"He’s quite smart, but not smart enough for me."
He gently lifted the woman’s chin.
"Right?"
The woman traced a finger across Mr. One’s chest and whispered,
"It was easy to plant the tracking device on him."
