ROHLP (🔞)

《CHAPTER 36》Dushe-Valley

After the door slid to a close behind him, the newcomer briefly raised his cupped hands, voicing a flat greeting in his hosts' direction. The three men returned his greetings in unison with cheerfulness, albeit the expression on their respective faces told otherwise.

After the civil pleasantries were taken care of, one of the trio fast-tracked the meeting with a casual question seeing that their guest had refused both, the seat and tea.

"Hero, we trust you have successfully conducted the today's appointment?"

"Yes." The newcomer gave a firm nod. "What I know of the scopian insignia, I have imparted to your client. Here's the receipt." Saying thus, he withdrew the black ledgerbook from his lapel to propel it across the table at the seated men.

"Excellent." Intoned the man seated in the middle, as he reached for the book then slid it over to the agent seated on his right who had attended to Lo Shin last week. "Again, we can't thank you enough for agreeing to help us out in such short notice."

"It was no trouble at all on my part, so don't mention it." The newcomer said, uninterested. "Personally, I've enjoyed the experience, albeit a little regretful that I wasn't able to see the actual emblem to verify its authenticity." Indeed, he'd only a sketching of the object to work of.

"Sorry, hero. It's Dushe Valley's house rule to not pry on what clients don't provide." The agent on the right said blankly, reaching for the ledger-book and opened to skimp over its content. "Hence, nothing can be done on that account--"

"Hm, it's perfectly understandable, so you don't have to explain yourself." As he said this, the guest mimed a shrug. "After all, rules are rules. Regardless of what they may be, we must adhere to them, isn't that right?"

"Rightly so. And, since it's a business rule, that goes without saying." The agent agreed, closing the ledger-book and rested his hands atop it. "Sir, the receipt is in order." This statement he said into the ear of the man seated in the middle who acknowledged with a slight nod before beckoning to their guest;

"Hero, for your time and information today, Dushe Valley wishes to present to you, our gratitude that befits your effort."

At the word 'gratitude', the agent on his right stood up, grabbing the bag of gold off the table in the process. With a blank expression, he crossed toward the newcomer. The latter's face was a mirror-reflection of his own. Yes, the man was wearing his face skin to take the appointment today after refusing to sell the intelligence on the scopian emblem directly to Dushe Valley.

"If you insist, then, I can only accept." The other party replied in a toneless voice.

"I must say." The same man tactically said seeing the newcomer snaked out a hand to take the given gold. "It's too bad that we weren't able to convince you to sell up the insignia information outrightly to our establishment. That being said, we're still grateful for your cooperation today. We trust that your will keep your end of our agreements by being discreet about our contracted deal..."

"Senior Zuo, relax." Their guest cut in, stuffing the reward into his lapel with an imperious grin. "You needn't worry about me blabbing our private deal to outsiders. More or less, that contract we entered two days prior was a legitimate intelligence trade." He paused slightly to cross his arms over his broad chest.

Unbeknownst to him, from across the table, his hosts were silently grinding their teeth in annoyance as a thought erupted in their minds; You dunce, our establishment buy and sell intelligence, not trading it!

"In fact," He continued mockingly, "It aligned perfectly well to Dashe Valley's business model, no? Anyhow, whether or not you see it my way, isn't really my concern. Though, let me reassure you this; your establishment's reputation won't be tarnished by me." With that uttered, he tore off the face mask then tossed it uncaringly on the table before heading toward the door.