“The Drug Lord, huh.”
To Lennok’s surprise, he recalled having heard this na before.
He had encountered it during his collaboration with Dyke Corporation.
Dominic Cabaro had been the one who financially supported the Cigar Bang Gang. Paul Auckerman, a notorious drug dealer, had been one of the Drug Lord’s close associates, expanding his influence within Vulcan.
Even though Lennok had resolved the issue by eliminating Jude Russell, the vampire knight who had been escorting Auckerman at the port, the tales he had heard about Dominic Cabaro continued to linger vividly in his mory.
No, the reason this na had left an impression on Lennok’s mory… must be because Cabaro was one of the newly recruited mbers of the Pandemonium.
“Juice Master…”
[Do you know him?]
Observing Lennok’s reaction, Yakson’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
But Lennok, instead of an imdiate response, gazed at her in silence.
Though she attempted to conceal it with a composed deanor, her eyes betrayed a darkness when he ntioned the Drug Lord.
Recognizing the emotion in her gaze, Lennok couldn’t help but question her true intentions.
“Do you want to kill the Drug Lord?”
[….]
Yakson remained wordless.
Her silence conveyed enough.
Lennok rose from his seat.
“This is an incompatible proposition.”
Killing the Drug Lord as the condition for receiving treatnt from Yakson? Considering the power Lennok had amassed, confronting him directly might not be impossible. Still, it was not a proposal he would accept readily.
After all, the Drug Lord was a mber of the Pandemonium. Putting aside his abilities and background, one could only imagine the layers of protection surrounding this affluent magnate.
What would beco of drug distribution across the continent if the Drug Lord were to et his end? How would the ensuing chaos be managed?
Unless he could ensure that the deed could be done in complete secrecy, it was a task he wouldn’t even contemplate.
Yakson quickly relented.
[I apologize. It was a montary mistake. Please, sit.]
Ignoring her words, Lennok peered down at her with narrowed eyes.
Regaining her emotional composure, Yakson continued.
[Back in the day, when I was actively working in this city, he approached .]
“……”
[He said that my dicinal skills would be a great asset to his business. I rejected his offer, and he hard my family.]
Her hand began to tremble.
[I had no choice but to heal my family myself. And then… I forgot all about my husband and children.]
Did the Drug Lord exploit the limitations of Yakson’s abilities in the most malicious way possible?
This could very well be one of the direst consequences for Yakson Anushka Greenway.
In a disheartened tone, she whispered.
[Once a relationship is severed, it never returns. Even if it is barely reconnected, it becos sothing entirely different. I couldn’t even rember who my old family were.]
“……”
[I bla myself for this curse. For my foolishness that led to all of this… and for everything he did to .]
Now, her emotions of hatred were impossible to conceal.
[You should know as well. Those high-level wizards who limit themselves in the hopes of reaching a higher plane… Those who endlessly push themselves for ascension, will eventually crumble under the chains they’ve made.]
“……”
[So that this foolish cycle can be avoided.]
Restrictions and chains.
Lennok considered that her inability to speak might be linked to her circumstances, but he refrained from pressing for further details.
Yakson had offered him that advice to instill caution due to his exceptional talent, but Lennok deed such counsel aningless.
The concept of sacrificing sothing to gain sothing else was all too familiar to Lennok.
Even before he opened his eyes to this world, hadn’t he predetermined all the penalties and constraints he would have to bear?
In the grand sche of things, he was no different from Yakson or any other high-ranking wizards.
Yet, if there was one distinction, it was that Lennok had not surrendered, unlike Yakson, who had already succumbed to her limitations.
Instead of expressing such sentints to Yakson, Lennok spoke calmly.
“I will get Malabest from the Drug lord’s warehouse. We can discuss the paynt for the treatnt later.”
Yakson nodded in agreent.
[I won’t accept paynt. The fact that Jenny ca with you must an that.] Yakson added, indicating her willingness to help without expecting compensation.
Could this matter be related to Kaiser? Regardless, it wasn’t a loss for Lennok. He had essentially shifted the debt from Yakson to Jenny.
Although Yakson’s tragic story had initially piqued Lennok’s interest, he quickly lost it. While it might serve as a cautionary tale for high-ranking wizards who imposed limitations on themselves, it held no significance for Lennok. He never dwelled on the past; he had no regrets.
From the beginning, Lennok’s path was predetermined. He would steadily increase his abilities, hoping to one day reach his desired goal. Even feeling pity for those who had given up was a luxury Lennok couldn’t afford.
Would there co a day when Lennok would reflect on the advice given to him? Before that mont arrived, he would already be moving forward.
Having said all that needed to be said, Lennok left Yakson’s house without hesitation, with a strong feeling that Jenny, who had been sleeping near the lake, would soon awaken.
It was ti to address everything he had overlooked in order to et Yakson.
*****
“Malabest…” Jenny muttered, shaking her head with a pained expression.
Back in Jenny’s pub, away from Yakson’s mountain range, Lennok summarized his conversation with Yakson for Jenny and Jordan.
Conversations about his body remained a secret shared only by Yakson and Lennok. rely ntioning the need for the drug Malabest, and the possibility of having to acquire it from the Drug Lord’s vault, was enough.
“I’ve heard the na before.” Jenny replied.
“It’s definitely not easy to obtain.” Jordan chid in.
“Jordan, do you know sothing?” Lennok inquired.
“It’s considered a legend that has passed in that industry. Since the purification of the collapsed island, the practical ways to obtain new drugs have completely disappeared, and more efficient drugs have been developed, so it’s natural.” Jordan explained.
It seed that the supply of Malabest had essentially been cut off, but there was no major issue as the demand for it was extrely limited. Unless soone had rare symptoms like Lennok, there was no reason or necessity to acquire it.
“There’s no need to rob the drug lord’s vault,” Lennok declared.
“Do you an we could also deal with Juice Master?” Jenny asked.
“After all, all we have to do is get Malabest from him.”
Lennok had no personal knowledge of Dominic Cabaro’s character, and if he wasn’t directly involved with Lennok, it would be best to avoid any conflict.
Upon hearing Yakson’s words, Lennok’s thoughts shifted from breaking into the drug lord’s vault to obtaining the item through trade.
If Lennok could offer sothing enticing to Juice Master, it might be possible to request a trade for the drug he needed.
“We have to make sure before we go in,” Jenny warned with a stern expression. “As soon as we show interest in trading with the drug lord, it’s obvious that his focus will shift to his vault. If we try to rob the vault after a failed trade, the difficulty will be much higher than before.”
Jenny’s concern for Lennok’s business was evident, but for now, he needed to focus on the imdiate issue. She was right—handing over the initiative to the other party from the start was not advisable.
Jenny had a clear understanding of the type of work Lennok preferred.
“We could use both thods at the sa ti,” Jordan suggested.
“When we bring the drug lord to the trade table, his vault security will naturally loosen. How about using that opportunity to rob his vault?”
Lennok shook his head firmly in response.
“The risk is too great. If anything were to happen during the trade, both incidents would naturally be linked. Stealing Malabest, the very item we intended to use for trading? It’s a thod we should only consider if we’re ready to sever all ties with the drug lord.”
Lennok had the advantage of being able to avoid close scrutiny due to his ability to change his face and resist tracking magic and curses. However, the sa couldn’t be said for Jenny and Jordan. Even if they assud new identities, they might still struggle to escape the scrutiny of tracking magic.
Lennok smirked as he rejected Jordan’s suggestion.
“But both of you seem to understand well what Juice Master would think.”
Jordan and Jenny exchanged awkward glances.
“Haha, did it show?” Jordan muttered, and Jenny gave a hesitant smile.
While they proposed different solutions, all of their alternatives operated on the assumption that the drug lord wouldn’t engage in a fair trade. If these two well-inford individuals were speaking so indirectly, there was no need to elaborate on the drug lord’s character.
“I didn’t want to say this because you don’t seem to think that badly of the guy, but if you know him even a little, you wouldn’t think of successfully trading with him,”
“……”
“The man who reached the pinnacle of the lowest drug industry. No need to say what it ans that he has never lost once in a political arena where betrayal and collusion happen as naturally as breathing. If we simply go for a trade, there’s no chance it’ll end smoothly.”
If even Jordan expressed such sentints, it was nearly impossible to expect a favorable outco from dealing with the drug lord.
“The best course of action would be to find Malabest from sowhere other than the drug lord’s vault, but… if we absolutely must lay hands on the drug lord’s goods, we’ll have to sneak in through the back door—”
“And do it without anyone noticing. That would be the next best option,” Jenny added.
“Fortunately, Van, you are one of the most competent wizards I have ever t. If other freelancers were involved in this, I would simply advise giving up, but it’s worth trying if it’s not a head-on confrontation.”
Tap tap tap!!
She began tapping her laptop keyboard, causing the deep web screen to flicker as she continued.
“First, I’ll prioritize finding other locations for Malabest. Then, based on the public schedules and the location of the vault, I’ll gather data.”
“How long will it take?”
“I can only gauge it once I start, but at most, it should take two weeks.”
Considering that Jenny was not only assisting Lennok but also collecting information from various sources, this tifra seed reasonable.
Lennok nodded, finished his drink, and rose from his seat.
“Then I also have other things to take care of in the anti.”
“What?” Jenny asked.
Looking at Jenny with a smile, Lennok replied, “Compassion of the archangel. I can’t just leave it like that.”
While dealing with the drug lord was a priority, Lennok had no intention of neglecting the valuable multicolored gem he had acquired. The exploration team would undoubtedly do everything in their power to recover this piece of the ancient artifact, and conflict was inevitable.
Irina Pheffield, who held the ‘compassion of archangel’ in high regard, wouldn’t simply back down. If a confrontation was inevitable, Lennok intended to take the initiative.
“I’ll settle things with the exploration team and retrieve the remaining artifact from Irina Pheffield. There’s a mountain of things to do.”
By tracing the final bidder for the artifact at the auction, it could potentially lead to Irina Pheffield.
Once he took a stand, there would be no hesitation in his actions.
Lennok was determined to see Irina’s face personally.
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