"After that, he hurled a few more insults at before shoving into a van, and… well, you know the rest." Pedro fell silent after saying that.
William and Delmar also lapsed into silence, each lost in profound thought about the matter at hand. They both knew precisely who was responsible and grasped the gravity of the situation. They were fully aware of the girl involved and the individual from whom she was extracting information.
The true dilemma wasn't rely identifying the person responsible, but rather determining the appropriate course of action. Both n ntally exhausted themselves, but ultimately decided to defer the decision for a later ti.
With a mutual nod of understanding, William and Delmar turned their attention back to Pedro, who was reclining on the dical bed, covered in a peculiar green dicinal ointnt and wires that gave him a sowhat ludicrous appearance.
"Well, that was very valuable information. Thank you," William said.
"Don't ntion it, boss. But do you have any idea who it is?" Pedro inquired.
"Well… let's just say I have a strong suspicion about who it might be. But let's set that aside for now and focus on you." William's words made Pedro raise his eyebrows. "Because you remained loyal and faced adversity head-on, and due to your exceptional work ethic, I've decided to promote you."
Even though there wasn't an official hierarchy in Pedro's line of work, he was still pleased to receive a promotion—even if it was to a similar role, but with a significant pay raise.
"Thank you, boss. I'll make sure to perform even better than I did before." Pedro said, gratified.
"You'll need to. From now on, you won't just be buying small shops and parcels of land; you'll also be securing business chains and companies. Rember, buy up anything you can get your hands on. Don't hesitate because the price seems steep.
If they can't be bought with money, offer them sothing unique, like rare scrolls, spells, or anything else that might captivate their interest, okay?" William instructed.
Pedro nodded. "Alright, boss… so from now on, I can literally buy anything?"
William nodded affirmatively.
"But what about skills and items? How am I supposed to get those?" Pedro asked.
"You'll inform about them, and I'll take care of the rest. Just make sure to secure everything you can, but don't antagonize the sellers over price. We have the financial ans, so we can afford to be generous. This will be the decisive factor in why everyone would prefer to sell to us rather than anyone else," William explained.
"Alright, boss, but what about other kinds of businesses… like brothels and similar establishnts?" Pedro asked, visibly uneasy.
"For those… ask Delmar," William replied, gesturing toward Delmar.
Delmar stepped in, "Yeah, regarding those, consult every ti you co across one for sale. It might have been a profitable venture once, but if they're selling, it could indicate they're having issues—maybe with the location, or perhaps their workers are facing… challenges. Always check with , or I can direct you to soone else.
But NEVER purchase one without my or the designated person's approval."
Delmar placed his hands on his head, "You never know what complications might arise from acquiring businesses like that… you could get entangled in legal troubles, or worse, your rivals might weaponize it against you."
Pedro nodded. "Alright, I'll make sure to do that."
They conversed a bit longer before William and Delmar rose to their feet. "Alright then, we'll leave you to rest. Don't even think about returning to work until you've fully recovered, both physically and ntally, okay?" William said.
Pedro nodded, and William turned around, exiting the room with Delmar, who took the silencing device with him. Neither of them spoke a word until they got into the car and it started down the road.
William was the first to break the silence. "Is this who I think it is?"
"The details align with what we know, and if it weren't for Hin He's slip of the tongue, it would've taken us a while to arrive at the sa conclusion," Delmar replied.
"I know the details are too precise to be a coincidence, but why don't you verify it once more?" William suggested.
Delmar remained quiet, observing William as he gazed out the window. Sensing Delmar's intense gaze, William added, "I—I just want to be absolutely sure, that's all. What if it's soone else?"
"Boss… we both know exactly who it is and what's going on. It's reached a point where we can no longer turn a blind eye," Delmar said, his tone grave.
William sighed. "Yeah, you're right. It's just hard for to accept that soone so close to could be the mole… soone so close that they could have easily eliminated , and no one would have even noticed until days later."
Delmar was at a loss for words. Everything William had said was spot-on. They were in a precarious position where the traitor could easily assassinate William. What made it even worse for Delmar was the fact that he had been the one to discover this individual and give his endorsent—an especially shaful realization for him.
"Don't hold yourself accountable for this," William said, noticing the expression on Delmar's face. "This isn't anyone's fault."
"Still, I'm the one who found the guy and made him your closest bodyguard. I bear at least so, if not most, of the responsibility for this." Delmar leaned back in his chair, reaching for a cigarette, only to realize he hadn't brought any, which only deepened his frustration.
"You can't hold yourself responsible for what goes on in soone else's mind. How could you have known the guy was suffering from depression and that soone would exploit that?" William said, attempting to console him.
"If soone else noticed, then I should have too. And this was just Hin He, who was trying to extract information and turn Pedro into a mole as well. What if it had been soone else? What if it had been the Freiggart Great House? Because if it were them, I'd be planning your funeral right now."
"I'm sure that even if it were my funeral, I'd at least have the funds to cover it," William said with a smile, but Delmar shot him a stern look.
"Boss…"
"I know, I know. It's a serious matter, and I shouldn't be making light of it. But seriously, neither of us could have known. From now on, we'll have to take every precaution necessary to stabilize our situation and secure our standing," William said, subtly alluding to both their external and internal challenges.
Delmar nodded, a slight smile crossing his face as he said, "You know, I thought I'd have to reassure you about this, but instead, you're the one reassuring . You're quite sothing, you know."
"Well… I had to. You looked like you were about to break down. But let's move on. Tell where he is and what his next move might be."
"In situations like this, we can assu Hin He has already abandoned him, and he knows it by now. He'll likely try to flee or do sothing drastic," Delmar speculated.
"Like what? Planting a bomb under my car?" William asked. "You did check for that, right?"
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