153: Chapter 153: Shall We Talk Business Now?
(Please Subscribe, Favorite, and Vote for Monthly Tickets) 153: Chapter 153: Shall We Talk Business Now?
(Please Subscribe, Favorite, and Vote for Monthly Tickets) Jessie was kind and gentle, but she did not understand Joey.
Those who lived in happiness and warmth found it difficult to comprehend the pain of soone who had suddenly lost everything.
Moreover, the incident that caused Joey to lose everything might not have been an ‘accident’.
The mission of this Copy World was ‘to investigate the cause of the accident at Avis Machinery Factory’.
This ‘accident’ had a ’cause’.
Given what had happened to Joey so far, this ’cause’ was likely far from benign.
By the ti He Ao had packed everything up, it was already eight in the morning; bright sunlight stread through the open windows onto the living room floor still dotted with water stains, reflecting glittering light.
He Ao glanced at the date, today was Sunday.
In the past, Joey’s father would get up early to make breakfast on this only rest day of the week, dragging his drowsy son to enjoy the morning sunlight.
Joey’s parents were not highly educated, having entered the workforce right after graduating from a community high school.
His father was a man of few words; he could no longer win logical argunts against his son who attended a private high school and had excellent grades.
Whenever Joey had an argunt with him, his father would turn red, raise his hand, then silently lower it and walk to the balcony to light a cigarette.
At tis like these, his mother would step in to diate between father and son.
But most of the ti, his father was actually silent and gentle.
He Ao picked up the submachine gun lying on the table, pulled the bolt, and the chanical impact made a crisp sound.
After ensuring the gun was functioning properly, he packed it away, walked to the corner to unplug the Combat Suit’s charger, put it on—its battery was now fully charged—and then slipped on a pair of wide pants and a coat over the Combat Suit.
Luckily, Joey used to be on the heavier side, so these oversized clothes could barely conceal the Combat Suit.
Earlier at dawn, He Ao had tested out the Martial Arts Training, but it was obvious that Joey didn’t have any talent for Martial Arts; his talent was even far inferior to Ande’s.
The energy that had entered Joey’s body vanished in the blink of an eye.
That was the kind of person Joey was: ordinary, simple, average.
He had no luxurious family background, no amazing talents, just a warm and ordinary ho.
This ho was burdened with a thirty-year mortgage, the household living a simple and tight-knit life on ager wages.
It might have been just one of the thousands of ordinary families in Dawn City, but it was Joey’s everything.
After settling the mortgage and all debts, and paying for the funeral expenses, the compensation for Joey’s parents left only thirty-five thousand.
Joey, still a student, had no way to continue paying the property taxes on the house and his living expenses.
Even if he sold the house left by his parents, he couldn’t afford the high tuition of a private university while supporting himself, and the value of a degree from a community college was even less than that of the high school he was attending right now.
His only choice was to give up the opportunity to further his education after high school graduation and work to support himself.
He had nothing left.
And even at this point, there were people from the Hyena Gang who wanted to drive him to despair, all because he sought the truth behind his parents’ death.
Whatever the real reason behind the accident, it should be brought into the sunlight.
He Ao lifted his head and gently pulled open the door.
——
Avis Bar
This was just a small bar located in the corner of the Avis District in the Aston District, its neon sign already sowhat worn and old.
At this mont, the lazy glow of the morning sun spilled onto the streets and the faces of the bustling pedestrians.
From ti to ti, gunshots could also be heard in the alleys.
After nearly two months of chaos, the disorder in the Aston District seed to be nearing its end, with it yet unknown who would beco the new underground ruler of this chaotic area.
Wearing a wide-brimd cap and a bulky figure, the chubby youth struggled carrying a suitcase and slowly approached the entrance of Avis Bar.
The door of the bar was ajar, the dazzling and opulent lights not yet turned on; at the beginning of the day, this place that bustled with nightlife was filled with a sense of desolation and loneliness.
He Ao slowly pressed down on the door handle, attempting to push the door open.
At this mont, a tall man dressed in a black suit blocked the crack of the door, preventing He Ao from pushing it open.
“We’re not open in the morning,”
the tall man said in a cold voice after looking at He Ao.
He Ao adjusted the brim of his duckbill cap, looked around, held the case in his arms, and cautiously said to the tall man, “I’m here to deliver a task to Mr.
Noad.”
The bars operated at night, whereas the interdiaries did business in the morning.
That was the rule for most bar interdiaries in the Aston District.
“Which gang are you with?”
The tall man frowned.
“Hyena Gang.”
He Ao carefully showed the man the surface of the case, which bore the distinct emblem of a hyena skull, the emblem of the Hyena Gang.
On hearing the na, the man’s frown deepened.
He reached out, “Just give the stuff.”
“No,” He Ao quickly hugged the case tighter, “Our boss said it has to be handed over to Mr.
Noad personally.”
At those words, the man paused, gave He Ao a glance, then pulled open the door and walked deeper into the bar.
And He Ao carefully followed him in, looking around and taking a seat by the entrance of the bar.
He looked just like a child who had co to a strange area, lost and unsure.
Before long, the tall man ca towards He Ao with an elderly, portly old man in brown suspenders.
“Boss, he says he’s here to complete a task for the Hyena Gang.
Looks like a kid.
Why would those crazy Hyenas send a kid for a task?”
The tall man leaned close to the elder, whispering.
“Everyone has a ti when they don’t know anything,” Noad said with a smile, looking over at He Ao who was sitting hunched over, glancing around with his cheeks shadowed by the duckbill cap, then turned to his companion, “Of course, it’s not unreasonable for a newbie to lose the goods on the way.”
“But the Hyena Gang…”
The man hesitated.
“The Hyena Gang will be gone soon,” the elderly man said with a smile, lighting a cigar, “Viktor won’t let those mad dogs off.
The Hyena Gang won’t last much longer.
Do it cleanly.
With the man and stuff both gone, there won’t be any evidence left, right?”
“Yes.”
The man nodded and stepped aside.
After the man left, the old man slowly approached He Ao and said kindly, “Little guy, you’re looking for Noad?
What do you want with him?”
The thick smoke from the cigar enveloped He Ao’s face, and he waved his hand to disperse the smoke before looking up at the elder, “Yeah.”
Then he struggled to lift the case in his hand, “They sent to deliver goods, deliver…
what’s it…
Corpse sothing Flower…”
“Corpse Flower,” the old man corrected with a smile, sitting opposite He Ao and eyeing the case in his hands, “May I see what you’ve brought?”
While it made little sense for the Hyena Gang to send a clueless young man to deliver goods, the world was full of nonsensical things.
This was Noad’s territory, and on his turf, he could make the nonsensical “make” sense.
Moreover, the case was indeed the kind the Hyena Gang used for transporting Corpse Flowers.
“Right, that’s the na,” He Ao, upon hearing ‘Corpse Flower,’ nodded his head in sudden understanding, then looked at the elder with confusion, “Why should I show you?
I have to hand this case over to Mr.
Noad personally, and then I have to negotiate with him.”
“Interesting,” Noad took a puff from his cigar, looking at He Ao with amusent, “I am Noad.
What business do you want to discuss with ?”
“You are Noad?” He Ao looked at him skeptically, “Who can prove that?”
“Everyone here can prove it.
Your boss too,” Noad said with a laugh, gesturing with his hand.
The bar staff who had been scattered around promptly stood up, looking at He Ao.
“Well…
okay then…” Looking intimidated by the show of authority, He Ao shakily placed the case on the table and slowly opened it in full view of Noad, “This is what I’ve co to deliver to Mr.
Noad.”
Noad’s eyes gradually made out the entirety of the contents of the case; it was completely empty except for so traces of moisture, no sign of anything else, except for a black, olive-shaped object lying at the center.
An explosive laser grenade!
Noad was startled and was about to stand up when the person across from him was quicker.
He Ao grasped the laser grenade inside the case with one hand and placed the other on Noad’s shoulder.
Looking up, Noad only saw the young man’s face with a smile,
“Mr.
Noad, shall we discuss business now?”
The young man’s hand slowly moved to the pin of the grenade.
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