Chapter 13: Base of Operation
"How could you just trust him that he truly put the exact and correct amount inside the briefcase just now?!" Lawrence was fuming in annoyance as he followed behind Kael.
"Here's the thing, okay. Once we pay Manager Drex for the leasing of our soon-to-be base of operation, we'll take out exactly the amount left after the purchase inside and hand him the briefcase, happy?" Kael finally relented and chose to comfort Lawrence.
"Well…" Lawrence began to think. If they do that, and Manager Drex had indeed cheated them, then the latter would only end up suffering the consequences anyway. "Make sure to do that this time!"
Of course, he trusted Kael and had even accepted the latter to lead the negotiation. But still, he can't help interrupting when he feels like they are being wronged. Kael was still young, so he really couldn't blame him if he screws up. Nevertheless, he won't accept it.
"How about this time, you pick the location?" Kael had to do this so that Lawrence would stop complaining.
"In that case," Lawrence started looking around. "We'll go there!" He could still remember those groups following after them were hiding in that exact location when they last spotted them. So, if his guess is correct, Jayem should also be closed by.
"Your choice," Kael simply raised his free right arm to express his surrender.
Following Lawrence, who was carrying both empty bags and the luggage, the duo soon found Jayem, who was cleaning the blood that tainted his clothes.
"Oh, you guys are finally here?"
Jayem approached them before sitting near them and continuing his cleanup.
"Is it done?"
"Not yet," Lawrence shook his head.
"Why?"
"Kael wanted to rent a property from Manager Drex."
"That's actually such a good idea!" Jayem approved of that. As far as he was concerned, people who knew Manager Drex would hesitate to touch any of his properties. So, if they live in one of those, they would only have a slight concern about being attacked due to the latter's influence.
"While you guys were busy earning some cash, I found this phone from their leader." Jayem threw a phone to Kael as he glanced at the owner, who was already dead. "I already checked it. It contains a few girls' numbers and their boss's number."
Kael safely caught the phone and started confirming Jayem's claim. "I guess this man is loyal to his boss, but not to his girls."
"Not exactly. Look at his message to some of those girls."
Checking the messages, Kael soon understood why. "He actually thought of killing their gang's boss, and he even dreamed about becoming a gang boss someday. Too bad we squashed that dream today."
"We can never trust people easily these days," Lawrence couldn't help but lament while shaking his head in disappointment. Finding people that is loyal is extremely hard in Rustfall. "Right, Kael?"
Clearly, Lawrence was still annoyed that Kael just casually threw bits of their history at Manager Drew earlier.
"It seems like you've finally lightened up to me?" Kael smiled instead of defending himself. Unlike their last interaction, Lawrence doesn't seem to be reserved anymore with him.
Lawrence snickered. "Anyways, when is Manager Drex going to come?"
"I'm already here."
Suddenly, a middle-aged man stepped out from behind them, exactly from where the dead bodies were lying.
"You were actually telling the truth about people secretly following your group." Manager Drex surveyed briefly before approaching Kael's group. "And here I was thinking that you actually sent your companion to sneak inside our base. I apologize for that."
"Is that why you took some time to get here?" Kael motioned with his hand to offer a piece of debris for Manager Drex to sit on. Right now, the three of them were also sitting on pieces of debris.
"I just have to make sure you're not pulling my leg," Manager Drex said as he sat on a piece of debris, completely unbothered. He took out a rolled folder from his back and handed it to Kael. "I also had to print these out. That's why it took me a bit of time."
They genuinely had to wait for only a few minutes.
Kael accepted the rolled folder and unrolled it. It appears to contain a bunch of paper that lists Manager Drex's properties in Rustfall inside.
As he continued to read, he realized that their measly sum of fifteen thousand Novarian Dollars wouldn't be enough to buy the best and mid-tier properties.
"Oh, don't worry about the price. I can give you a loan. Of course, with interest," Manager Drex wasn't worried that Kael's group would just run off and not pay the loan. He was confident that this group was one of those that seemed not to belong in Rustfall. And if he was correct, they'll most likely be going to one of the four continents soon. "You can consider it as you owing me a favor."
Lawrence and Jayem beamed in delight.
However…
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline that." Kael shook his head.
Manager Drex might be someone who'll become an enemy of Nexus in the future. But right now, he is still part of Nexus. He would have accepted it if it didn't involve him owing him a favor. But after that condition, he'll have to take the safest route.
His only intention right now is to leave an everlasting first impression with Manager Drex. Unless something beneficial is thrown on top of the table, he'll refuse anything else in fear that it will cause a major change in the original course of events.
He could still vividly remember just how much trouble Manager Drex had caused Nexus in his first life. If he doesn't tread carefully and it ends up with Manager Drex becoming a strong ally with Nexus instead, then he'll be the one to face that kind of trouble.
"Suit yourself," Manager Drex didn't mind it. Of course, he wants Kael's group to owe him a favor. But he doesn't intend to force it. After all, they're still considered customers.
Lawrence wanted to say something, but Jayem stopped him. The latter believed that Kael must have a valid reason for declining the offer, and he believes it has to do with Manager Drex being part of Nexus.
After looking for a bit longer than initially expected, Kael soon found a property that could be considered the best within that type of price range.
Naturally, he wanted to consult with Lawrence and Jayem before finalizing it.
The property they were considering renting was a two-story apartment that had all the primary and functional spaces a house needed, plus it had four bedrooms, access to a roof, and a small front yard.
"I wanted that property with the concrete wall, but I guess this is better." Lawrence agreed.
Earlier, they spotted a somewhat expensive property that was a one-floor house but was surrounded by concrete walls that acted as a firewall while at the same time providing extra defense and security for their base of operation.
His reason for preferring this property instead of a walled property was simply because of its location. Compared to the other properties that fit within their budget, this property was the closest to the Nexus outpost. Moreover, living in a walled property is like screaming, "We are hiding a secret here that all of you shouldn't find out!"
That kind of mindset would have been fine in the other four continents, but in Rustfall, that only attracts potential troublemakers.
"I'll leave it up to you two to decide," Jayem trusts the duo's decision on which property is best for their group. Now that he mentions it, they haven't officially created the group yet. He'll have to bring this topic up later today.
"Then I guess it's final." Kael returned the folder to Manager Drex. "We want to rent the property you labeled with the number 28."
"That's a good choice!" Manager Drex smiled in delight. He might not completely know their reason for choosing that property, but one thing was certain for him—it's close to their base, which means they'll be selling all the goods they found in Avalon to us.
"That property costs two thousand Novarian Dollars to rent, plus a one-month deposit and one-month advance. But since your group is technically the first customer that sell Avalon goods in Nexus' branch in Rustfall, and I guess you'll be a loyal customer in the future, then I can waive the one-month deposit. So, you'll only have to pay me four thousand Novarian Dollars, and the next payment will be in the third month. Do you have any problem with that?"
"No problem at all," Kael opened the briefcase and took out eleven thousand Novarian Dollars and put them inside the luggage that Lawrence was carrying. Then he handed back the briefcase to Manager Drex. "Assuming you gave us the correct and exact amount of cash, that should contain exactly four thousand Novarian Dollars."
"You don't need the briefcase?" Manager Drex was pleasantly surprised.
"Everyone in Rustfall will think that we are carrying a lot of cash with that briefcase on hand." Kael was also thinking of getting rid of the briefcase as it would be so eyecatching. They have two bags and a luggage with them anyway, which Lawrence is carrying right now.
"I'm fine with that," Manager Drex accepted the briefcase before he took out a bunch of keys from his back pocket. After rummaging through the set of keys for a few seconds, he finally took out a key with a label number of twenty-eight. "Here's the key to your new home. As for the paperwork, I'll bring it with me tonight."
"Okay!" Kael accepted the key.
Finally, they were finished with this matter.