Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 526: Then You Wear It
The name Block Consortium wasn't exactly something that rolled easily off the tongue or stuck firmly in people's minds. But the situation in Kazimierz had already spread far and wide to the point that anyone with even a hint of international awareness knew about the upheaval that had taken place there.
Naturally, the Consortium's name had become something like a thunderclap across the land.
Even so, the Rat King simply couldn't bring himself to believe it. The man standing before him—who looked half out of his mind and didn't even hesitate to treat himself like a walking bomb—was supposedly the chairman of that very consortium?
Forget him, even if Wei Yenwu himself were here, he'd probably need a moment to process things after receiving that business card.
And yet, judging from this kid's expression and demeanor, he didn't seem to be lying. That left Lin Kojui, for once, unsure how to proceed.
"The Block Consortium you mentioned… Is it the same one I'm thinking of?"
The Rat King narrowed his eyes. No matter how much noise the consortium had made, it was still something that happened in Kazimierz. Being based in Lungmen, he had no reason to know who the mysterious head of that organization actually was.
But if what this kid said was true, then with his current standing, he really wasn't qualified to discuss business with him.
The information he had earlier? At best, it was just a stepping stone—a token of goodwill. If they were to talk about a real deal, it would require someone who could truly represent Lungmen.
Someone like Wei Yenwu.
"I mean… unless there's another Block Consortium in Kazimierz… I don't think I've opened any branches elsewhere?" Steven shrugged. "If you don't believe me, I could call my spokesperson to confirm it for you."
Truth be told, he had no experience playing the role of a corporate chairman. The whole 'overbearing CEO' act? Sure, he was great at that—but only when dealing with cute girls like Lin Yuxia, not some old, hunched-over rat.
"Or," Steven added with a casual shrug, "should I contact the one pulling the strings behind you? Maybe have that Wei guy come in person."
"This is an arms deal, after all. It could even involve war. Compared to someone in your position, having him step in might be the better option."
Whenever things got serious, Steven's reasoning sharpened considerably. As long as he wasn't acting up, his intelligence was perfectly average—if not slightly above.
For example, it wasn't hard for him to deduce that the Rat King was most likely working for Wei Yenwu.
Lungmen was a chaotic melting pot of all kinds of people, yet its underworld had remained eerily stable for years. No major upheavals, no large-scale conflicts—and on top of that, a universally acknowledged "emperor" of the underworld?
There was no way that this so-called 'King' and Wei Yenwu weren't connected.
"…I'm starting to believe you really are the chairman of that consortium," Lin Kojui said.
To deduce his relationship with Wei Yenwu from just that much information—calling him a promising young man wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Still… this guy looked like nothing more than an ordinary human. And yet he dared to do something like this alone.
Was he truly that skilled and fearless?
Or was there something seriously wrong with his head?
If Lin Kojui had to give his opinion, he'd definitely want his daughter to stay far away from someone like this. Who knew, maybe his madness was contagious.
"Believe it or not," Steven continued with a casual wave of his hand, "if we're going to talk business, I should at least finish dealing with my own matters first, right?"
"You've got time to contact Wei Yenwu, whether it's to verify my identity or discuss how you'd like to purchase these goods from me…"
"Either way, it's going to take some time."
Steven casually pulled out an ordinary handgun from his inventory, then fished out a detonator from the vest he was wearing and handed both over to the old man in front of him. He had already shown his sincerity—there was no reason for the other party to refuse now.
"Think of these as trial samples," Steven said lightly. "When you test them, remember to stay away from crowds. If anything… unfortunate happens, I won't be responsible."
He wasn't worried in the slightest about this old rat reverse-engineering his weapons. He had absolute confidence in his own creations.
Since the kid had gone this far, Lin Kojui conveniently used it as a way to step down from the situation. Just as the kid had said, he did need to sit down with Wei Yenwu and properly discuss how to handle this "outsider."
As for Umbrella, letting this kid deal with them wasn't a bad idea either. It would serve as a gesture of goodwill—and at the same time, give him something to do, so he wouldn't suddenly go off the rails and cause something incomprehensible.
Besides, those people weren't saints. Even if the kid slaughtered them all, it wouldn't be a loss for Lungmen.
"Very well. Since you has said as much, I see no reason to refuse," Lin Kojui said calmly. "As for their current location… how about I have my daughter lead you there? I trust you won't mind."
Taking the so-called "samples," Lin Kojui cast a glance at his daughter—who clearly looked like she wanted nothing more than to escape the kid vicinity—and then made a decision that could only be described as throwing his own daughter under the bus.
It wasn't intentional… well, not entirely.
But now that the kid had revealed his identity, things were no longer so simple. Regardless of any potential deal, just the title of "Chairman of Block Consortium" alone meant that if anything were to happen to him in Lungmen, the consequences would be… difficult to imagine.
Letting others protect him wasn't an option either. Leaving aside whether he would even tolerate it, Lin Kojui didn't fully trust Wei Yenwu's Shadow Guards—and the people he did trust wouldn't be acceptable to Wei Yenwu.
So, in his eyes, the only person who could both accompany the kid and keep an eye on him… was his precious daughter.
In terms of strength and capability, Lin Yuxia was among the very best. The only downside? She might go complain to her mother afterward—but that was still an acceptable risk.
"Hmm? Her?" Steven turned with a smile, glancing at the girl whose face had already completely fallen. He let out a soft chuckle. "Sure, no problem. I can take this chance to get to know the lass better."
"I'll tell Mom."
Lin Yuxia shot her father a meaningful look and left behind a single sentence—one that carried immense lethality for him—before reluctantly walking over to Steven's side. She rolled her eyes at him in clear annoyance.
Setting personal feelings aside, she knew she was the most suitable person for the job. With Santiago's tendency to randomly self-destruct, it was honestly a miracle he had survived this long in Lungmen without someone watching him.
Taking the lead, she guided him out of the candy shop. As a member of the Shadow Guards, she already knew exactly where the Umbrella group was gathered.
All she could hope for… was that this time, he would act at least a little more normal.
"Now that you're technically a business partner," Lin Yuxia said cautiously as she glanced back at him, "for your own safety, could you not wear that suicide vest anymore?"
Steven paused, seeming to seriously consider her suggestion. After a moment, he nodded, as if agreeing.
Then, without hesitation, he took off the dangerous vest… and handed it directly to her.
"You're right," he said with a perfectly natural smile. "Then you wear it. It has the same effect."
"…Huh????"
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 617: A Bold Guess[1]
Link: https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-160680628[2]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-160680628
[2] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-160680628