I didn't sit there alone for too long. Will showed up pretty quick.
- So, what do you think? - he asked.
- You an the whole discussion?
- Mainly the district idea.
- I think is good, but it will be hard to achieve. Velvet Lotus's position in the city is too strong. We might create an alternative, but it will be a poor one compared to the original. Besides, the cost will go into millions of points. Blue will use those numbers to get stronger.
- I thought the sa - he said while squinting his eyes, to look at the bright sky. - Maybe we should just go to war? Eradicate the cockroaches, and finish this whole ss of a situation. We only keep stretching it out, and it benefits him, not us.
- Maybe. The thing is, no matter what you say, Hatta, Boris, and Nobuo won't go for it. They don't want war. neither. Maybe...
I didn't finish, surprised by my own thought.
- Maybe what?
- Maybe we should just live Blue alone? We all have been obsessing over him so damn much. Is it worth it?
- If you think he changed, you are naive. We can't let him just do as he pleases, Peter. You know what he wants, and the guy showed us ti, and ti again he won't stop until he reaches his goal. Who knows what class he might discover eventually, and things he will be able to accomplish. He doesn't have any moral values. He promised Aisha to kill his own n. He killed Zhang Yong, a guy who gave him everything. Wake up, Peter!
I sighed, with a slight smile.
- Yeah. You are right. Maybe I'm just tired, and that's why I'm speaking such bullshit. Just... Sotis I wonder if I'm just trying to do the right thing or it's my own obsession over the guy.
- If it's an obsession, then I'm obsessed as well. Hatta is too. Not to ntion that we have two new mbers in our little triangle of hate. The guy has to go down, period. It's him or us.
- Ok mom. Enough lecture, I get it.
He smiled.
- You little brat. How dare you speak to your mother in such a way. I should wash your mouth with a bar of soap.
I laughed. Will changed my mood with just a few words. He was really good with people. I admired this part of him and was a little bit envious.
The topic changed to so random things, and eventually, he started to plan his own mansion in a nonexistent district. I just listened, smiling and nodding when I was supposed to. Ti was passing rather slowly, but eventually, it started to slowly get darker and darker.
Blue with Williams showed up with few ard hunters and two other pulling carts filled with crystals behind them. They were covered in blood, tired, walking slowly.
He noticed and William, then smiled and kept going until he finally reached the device. I had this urge, to just shadow walk to him and slice his head cleanly off with a created blade. Will probably noticed because he said:
- Whatever you are thinking now, don't do it.
- I know.
We watched as they waited in line, then sold their score, and did a bit of shopping, spending the points on upgrades, since no object appeared on the glyph. Then they moved to the side and waited.
Not too long after Zoë appeared, and briefly talked to them, then headed in our direction. They collected themselves and started moving, clearly aiming for Velvet Lotus.
- The eting will start soon. Go - she said, not even stopping.
- Thank you - was Will's reply.
I, on the other hand, didn't say a thing.
We both slowly began walking in silence. Eventually, we reached the club. The empty cart was left by the entrance, and next to it was Hailwic, standing on guard's duty.
- Get in - she said with a cold voice.
I nodded and passed next to her to enter, but then she whispered:
- Sorry.
It made stop for a mont, to look at her, but she avoided my eyes. Clearly to ashad of herself. Then I resud my walk and passed through the first room to the main hall.
It was rather bright with all the candelabras gathered around the place, and olive lamps. Everything was prepared for the eting, and most of the invited people, judging by chairs, was already inside. I saw Blue accompanied by Stephen Williams. Zora, with her lieutenants. Jayadeva with a younger man sitting next to him. He had similar facial features, so I guessed they were related. There was also Juan and so of his soldiers. Couple of other people I didn't recognize, with a single black man I knew very well - Kagiso Mbeki.
We exchanged brief greetings. Then I sat on an empty chair. Will took the spot right next to . We waited in silence until all the spots were filled.
Hatta ca with Amit, Boris only with Ilja, and Nobuo with two of his n. After they sat down, the eting started.
Aisha was the first one to speak, and she talked about how during the recent day three organizations cut the rest of the crystals. Many agreed with her and kept nodding as she was talking.
I ignored her because I caught Blue looking at in the corner of my eye. He wasn't listening either. We had this strange mont, while in the background discussion got heated, as Aisha kept throwing other accusations, mainly towards Hatta. He wasn't just idly sitting and ca back at her with his own harsh words.
Blue's face was calm, and I couldn't read any other emotions besides that. He was focused. Didn't try to taunt with a smile, or anything. Then he suddenly stood up. Everybody beca quiet as they looked at what he was gonna do.
- Peter, do you mind giving a mont of your ti?
- I don't have anything to talk about with you.
- I insist.
- We are in the middle of an important eting right now - Aisha pointed out.
- You are in the middle of an argunt. I believe neither Peter on my humble self is needed for you to continue your little fun. We will return after you are finished though - he said and smiled at her.
She was confused, just like . I peaked at Will, and he nodded, giving a sign to go, so I stood up and followed Blue to the side. The debate resud. The argunt kinda died down, but you still could clearly hear how we were treated like so kind of villains. Our actions made us very unpopular among almost everybody else.
- I would like to continue our conversation from earlier.
- There is nothing to continue.
He sighed.
- I believe you are a smart man, that can look past a few disagreents into a brighter future. We don't need to fight.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cut your crap. I know you too well that you are trying to butter up, but it won't work. We are enemies.
- We used to be enemies - he corrected . - The whole situation with Uhm's changed everything. At first, I didn't believe it, then I thought it could be worth my ti, but after conversing with them, I truly changed my plans.
- And you expect to buy it?
- Look. I didn't want this to happen, but you forced . We had an agreent that after the expedition cos back, we will renegociate, but instead of doing it, you kept cutting off not only but also everybody else. Aisha pressured to make a move, just as everybody else. I did what I had to.
- You are just admitting to scheming behind our backs.
He snorted.
- What else was I supposed to do? Let you and Hatta impale in the middle of the city for all my alleged cris? I made necessary moves to keep my position, as well as my life.
- You keep talking about the truce, but what exactly part of it is putting your spies in Wuxia? From the very beginning, you didn't want any truce. You wanted to get rid of us. We just didn't buy your bullshit that's all. We did what we had to do.
- How about I give you so ti, to cool down, and we resu this conversation after we are done with splitting the hunting grounds?
- I don't need to cool down, and I won't buy your bullshit. I'm not going to change my mind.
He sighed heavily.
- To be honest, I didn't expect you to be so stubborn. I guess I need to try talking with William or Hatta. Maybe they will be a bit more open-minded. There are bigger things out there than this silly city. I'm sure they will see what you are unable to.
After those words, he left and returned to his chair by the table.. I followed him after a mont and rejoined the heated debate.
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