"Yes, Don Veneziale, I wanted to inquire if you are familiar with a businessman named Daniel Emberweave," Aryan cautiously began his probing.
Don Veneziale glanced at Aryan, his expression betraying neither approval nor disapproval of the topic. He rested his hand on the armrest and tapped it a few times before responding.
"Yes, I am aware of him, Mr. Sharma. Who wouldn't be? His PR tactics have taken the country by storm. At this point, it's safe to say that almost everyone knows him," Don Veneziale answered with a smile, carefully maintaining his neutrality and withholding any specific information about Daniel.
"Don Veneziale, please understand that's not what I meant," Aryan insisted, attempting to clarify his intentions.
The Don's smile faded, replaced by a cold gaze fixed upon Aryan. Aryan felt a chill crawl up his spine, as if he were being stared down by a formidable, cold-blooded predator. Despite Aryan's skills and accomplishments, propelling him to the upper echelons of society even on a global scale, he remained a mere businessman. He dabbled in the gray areas of the business world, but that was the extent of his involvement with the underworld.
And who was Don Veneziale? He was the most powerful and influential figure in the underworld of Sector Alpha City. While he may not hold an official title as the most powerful man in the Tessia Kingdom's underworld, he certainly ranked among the top echelons of the criminal food chain. With Daniel backing him, no one dared to challenge him, not even mages.
The reason for Don Veneziale's growing irritation was that he had expected Aryan to approach him for a business emergency or to establish connections within the underworld. After all, this was their first meeting. However, it became apparent that Aryan had a different agenda, and one of his objectives was to uncover information about Daniel, the person backing Don Veneziale.
Don Veneziale knew that obtaining information about Daniel came with an exorbitant price tag, even for individuals with A Rank status. The complete version of Daniel's information could cost up to 10 million US dollars. Moreover, the term "Syndicate Union" was more commonly known among the privileged elites of the Tessia Kingdom than the term "The Curtained World."
It was evident to Don Veneziale that Aryan Sharma must have attempted to strike a deal or buy information from the Syndicate Union before seeking him out. However, it seemed that the deal had either fallen through or Aryan was unwilling to pay the steep price demanded. That explained why he had paid Don Veneziale a sum of 1 million US dollars, believing that Don Veneziale, with his direct dealings with Daniel, held the key to obtaining the desired information.
Having gained insight into the secret dealings of the Curtained World, Don Veneziale understood the taboo nature of certain individuals and the need to keep their existence hidden from those outside this clandestine realm.
And here was this idiot standing at his doorstep, inquiring about his powerful backer, someone who, in Don Veneziale's understanding, occupied a position at the very top of the underworld food chain. He was well aware that the Curtained World possessed otherworldly means of surveillance, and if he failed to provide satisfactory answers or if this Aryan character happened to possess information about Daniel's secrets from God-knows-where, he would face dire consequences and be held accountable by his backer.
With each passing thought, Don Veneziale's irritation toward the individual before him intensified, considering him nothing more than a troublesome nuisance.
Aryan grew increasingly uneasy under Don Veneziale's penetrating stare, enduring several minutes of silence before the Don finally broke it.
"Tell me honestly, Mr. Sharma," Don Veneziale demanded.
"Yes... Yes?" Aryan stammered, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"People call me many things, Don. Parasite, greedy bastard, comrade, or even a murderer. I am confident that none of them are fools," Don Veneziale began his monologue, leaving Aryan confused. Yet, an unsettling sense of foreboding began to creep over Aryan. If he didn't act quickly, he knew there would be dire consequences.
"Er... No, Don Veneziale! Please, you misunderstand my intentions. I merely wanted to inquire about him. I never intended to intrude on your secrets or imply that Daniel is one of your men!" Aryan attempted to defuse the situation, believing that Daniel must be connected to the Don in some way.
However, instead of calming him down, delighting in his submission, or even growing angry, Aryan witnessed an expression of fear and panic flash across Don Veneziale's face.
[This little shit! Now he claims that Lord Magitek is my subordinate!? Is he trying to bring me down with his words?]
Feeling increasingly frustrated and realizing that further conversation with Aryan Sharma would only be a waste of time, the Don discreetly glanced around, scanning the surroundings for any potential eavesdroppers. After confirming a sense of privacy, he locked eyes with Aryan, his gaze filled with anger and determination. With an icy resolve, he nodded at someone positioned behind Aryan, silently conveying a clear message of action.
"Ummph!" A strong arm snaked around Aryan's neck from behind, and a handkerchief doused in a potent sleeping drug covered his mouth and nose. That was the last thing Aryan knew before consciousness slipped away.
— 2:00 AM —
In the dead of night, the pitch-black sea stretched out endlessly, its mysterious depths concealing untold secrets. The moon cast an eerie glow over the waters, barely illuminating the scene that unfolded aboard a small fishing boat not far from the coast of Sector Alpha City. Aryan Sharma, disoriented and dazed, hung upside down from the crane of the boat, his limbs bound tightly with rope.
The atmosphere was thick with foreboding. Several imposing figures surrounded Aryan, their watchful eyes trained on him, leaving no room for even a glimmer of hope for escape. The men exuded an air of danger and intimidation, their presence suffocating. Aryan's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight of Don Veneziale sitting in front of him, his menacing stare glaring at him abyss that gaze back at him.
The moon's feeble light cast eerie shadows upon the faces of the men. Aryan's eyes darted from one figure to another, his mind racing with desperate thoughts. The two burly bodyguards flanked Don Veneziale, their muscular frames emphasizing their role as protectors and enforcers. Their mere presence sent a clear message: resistance was futile.
Above him, the moon illuminated the scene with an unsettling glow, accentuating the malice in Don Veneziale's eyes. The flickering light reflected off the water, casting an ominous shimmer on the faces of his captors. The cold sea breeze carried with it a sense of impending doom, intensifying the gravity of Aryan's situation.
As Aryan struggled against his restraints, the men tightened their grip on his fate. Their steely gazes held him captive, their every move calculated to ensure his compliance. The boat rocked gently with the rhythm of the waves, a reminder of the captive's helplessness in the face of overwhelming power.
Silence enveloped the vessel, broken only by the distant whispers of the wind. Aryan's attempts to plead for mercy were met with cold indifference. The atmosphere crackled with tension, as if the very air held its breath, waiting for the inevitable. Fear gripped Aryan's heart as he realized the depths of his predicament and the ruthlessness of his captors.
In this desolate corner of the sea, far from the safety of the city lights that glimmered as a distant, unreachable hope on the far horizon, Aryan Sharma found himself at the mercy of Don Veneziale, the most powerful mafia boss in Sector Alpha City.
"Nice night for diving, eh?" Don Veneziale remarked, a cold smile playing on his lips as he gazed out at the dark expanse of the sea. "I've heard there's a splendid diving spot nearby with breathtaking coral views. I wonder what it's like at night. Perhaps you'll have the chance to find out soon enough."
Aryan's pleas for mercy erupted from his trembling lips, his face contorted with fear and panic. "No! Please, don't!"
The Don swiftly shifted the conversation to business, abandoning any pretense of politeness. "Alright, let's get down to it. Who the f*ck are you? And why are you seeking in-depth information about Mr. Emberweave?"
"Mr. Emberweave?" Aryan stammered, caught between his desperate pleas and the overwhelming sense of fear and foreboding. Amidst the turmoil, his mind managed to process the respect and awe with which the Don referred to Daniel Emberweave.
This was the worst-case scenario for Aryan and his accomplices. If the boss of the most powerful underworld gang in Sector Alpha City, the sole holder of the A Rank Membership in the Syndicate Union in Tessia Kingdom, spoke of Daniel Emberweave with such reverence and admiration... Just how immensely powerful was Daniel Emberweave?
Realizing the gravity of his predicament, Aryan's survival instincts kicked in. With fear gripping his every word, he began to spill his secrets, revealing his true identity, his background, and even his most personal information, including his ATM password. Every detail poured out in a desperate bid to secure his life. He swore with utmost sincerity that he would never breathe a word about this night's harrowing events to anyone. All he pleaded for was a chance to walk away from this ordeal with his limbs intact.
Tension filled the air as Don Veneziale listened intently to Aryan's desperate plea. A moment of silence followed, the weight of the situation hanging in the balance. The Don's piercing gaze seemed to bore into Aryan's very soul, evaluating his sincerity and the value of the information he had just revealed.
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