Chapter 979: Chapter 664: Lanel [10] Jared Oliveira: Sis, I’m Gay
"Get back here."
As soon as Nora Scott spoke, the receptionist stopped in his tracks and quickly ran back.
He respectfully asked, "Nora, is there anything else you need?"
The inspection group: "..."
Damn, this little punk is really two-faced!
Nora asked the receptionist for a few dishes and, after some thought, added a few snacks. Fearing he’d forget, the receptionist carefully recorded her orders.
Once Nora had finished, the receptionist asked respectfully, "Anything else?"
"That’s it."
Nora lifted her eyelids.
"I’ll go buy them now, be back soon."
Having gotten Nora’s permission, the receptionist then ran out the door.
"Look, look," the inspection group couldn’t help but speak up. A fat man tapped his bowl with chopsticks, looking at her with a face full of disgust, "A big star is really a big star, even in this remote place they have fans. Fans are like lapdogs, they’ve completely lost their dignity."
Nora looked up.
The fat man saw this, stuck out his neck and continued, "Right, you’re a big star, you know Mechanical Techniques, you’re amazing, we ordinary people can’t afford to offend you—"
Before he finished speaking, a silver needle flew past, grazing his ear and piercing his skin. It didn’t hurt much, but it scared half the soul out of him.
Just a moment ago, Nora had pulled out a bamboo flute and, after pressing some hidden mechanism, a silver needle shot straight towards the fat man with great force.
"..."
Everyone was utterly stunned.
Felipe Clark swallowed hard.
"Apologies, my hand slipped." The bamboo flute spun twice in her hand, Nora coldly glared at the inspection group, "I have a terrible temper and have been playing the big star for quite a while. Take note, since when it comes to skills, as a disciple of a Martial Arts Master, I can take on all of you single-handedly."
"..."
In broad daylight, under the blue sky... this woman was blatantly threatening them!
So infuriating!
Yet, thinking about that silver needle earlier, they couldn’t help but tremble in fear.
Indeed, they’d heard rumors that Nora had learned martial arts...
Martial arts paired with mechanical techniques, definitely a female knight of the Martial World. But this kind of setup on Nora Scott, she should be the saint of the wicked cult.
*
While waiting for the receptionist, Nora moved a chair to the inn’s entrance and began playing the bamboo flute.
The inspection group almost had an on-the-spot breakdown.
The sun rose, the sunlight was perfect.
A backpack was tossed beside Nora’s feet. She glanced sideways at the backpack owner, seeing April Thomason lively and spirited, she paused in her flute playing.
"Interesting stuff," April Thomason raised an interested eyebrow, then gave her a thumbs up, "It has that martial arts novel vibe."
"You’re too kind."
Nora lifted her chin slightly.
"..."
The inspection group, who came out a step behind, nearly tripped at the entrance upon hearing their conversation.
?
Does this Living Map of an assistant have bad hearing?
Felipe Clark called over to April Thomason, "Assistant Thomason, it’s time for us to go."
April Thomason looked at Nora Scott, "What about them?"
"They," Felipe Clark spoke icily, "We don’t have a say in their matters, can’t interfere."
April Thomason lowered her head, exchanged a glance with Nora Scott, shrugged.
Nora chuckled softly, telling her to go on ahead.
"Leaving."
April Thomason bent over to pick up the backpack.
But at that moment, she whispered to Nora Scott, "Last night, Annabelle Pinto knocked on Jared Oliveira’s door, only came out at dawn."
Nora narrowed her eyes.
April Thomason picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
At this moment, Jared Oliveira walked out from inside, yawning continuously, dark circles under his eyes.
He lifted his gaze, Nora languidly spoke, "Mr. Oliveira didn’t sleep well last night?"
Her voice contained danger.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Jared Oliveira’s leg softened, he missed the threshold, almost kneeling at the door. Thankfully, April Thomason swiftly supported him, saving him from embarrassment.
The inspection group was busy moving items onto the vehicle, not much was happening.
Jared Oliveira steadied himself, glanced at the two of them, kept his expression neutral, and assured in a low voice, "I didn’t! Really didn’t!"
Nora furrowed her brow, glanced behind.
Jared Oliveira and April Thomason looked into the inn, noticing the pale-faced, worn-out Annabelle Pinto. She glanced outward, avoided Jared Oliveira’s gaze, lowered her head slightly, then walked out the door, her demeanor clearly indicating something was off.
She walked away.
April Thomason kicked Jared Oliveira, "This is called ’didn’t’?!
"I really only with her—" Jared Oliveira hurriedly wanted to explain.
Nora Scott glanced at him calmly and advised, "Watch your image." Then she said, "You guys get in the car first."
"I—"
Jared felt like his neck was on the chopping block and didn’t dare to move.
He stood his ground awkwardly.
April Thomason rolled her eyes at him and dragged him away.
In Miss Thomason’s hands, this guy was like a little chicken.
Nora watched them leave, looking relaxed and unconcerned about the events of last night between Jared and Annabelle Pinto.
"Sis!" Frank Ford was the last one down, rubbing his ears as he asked Nora, "Have they all left?"
"Yeah."
Frank yawned, "I don’t know who was playing the flute, it was so awful it nearly killed me—" Just as he finished saying that, Frank caught sight of the bamboo flute in Nora’s hand and his expression froze.
Oops.
He forgot, Nora is a bamboo flute killer.
"No, it was great," three seconds later, Frank quickly changed his tune, "Anyway, I woke right up. So, it was very effective. Really good."
He spoke stiffly, retreating back into the inn.
Nora chuckled.
She truly didn’t care too much.
...
After half an hour, the front desk bought all the things Nora requested.
Frank took advantage of the situation and freeloaded a breakfast from Nora.
"Starting today, there will be action tasks on the road." After finishing his breakfast, Frank said to Nora, "Sis, you should drive later, or we’ll be late and the seniors will complain again."
"Not scared anymore?" Nora smirked.
"Scared."
"I can drive."
"Just state your terms." Frank promptly replied.
"Stop tattling to Pedro Langley." Nora said slowly, then dangerously narrowed her eyes, "I have a mouth, don’t I?"
"..."
Frank wiped his mouth, oddly hearing a hint of jealousy in Nora’s tone.
He raised his hand to scratch his nose, thought it over, and agreed, "Hey! On the road, I’ll listen to you!"
Nora was satisfied.
...
After breakfast, Nora checked the car, making sure everything was in order, then drove off with Frank, catching up to the research group and the sister group who had left an hour earlier.
The action of the sister group was to follow the lead of the research group, so when the research group conducted survey work, the sister group had to stand by idly.
Nora stayed in the car to rest.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of Frank’s meeting with the research group, she got in touch with Jared Oliveira.
"Sis, I swear, I really didn’t betray you!" After Jared finished speaking, he paused and then emphasized his promise, "I didn’t betray myself either, or my future partner!"
Nora opened a pack of snacks, not wanting to hear his nonsense, her tone slightly annoyed, "Get to the point."
In fact, Nora wasn’t foolish enough to hinge everything on Jared.
Even if Jared sold her out, it didn’t really matter—after all, Jared didn’t know much about her. In other words, his understanding of her mainly came from the internet, even less than the Durant Sisters.
Annabelle Pinto and the Durant Sisters were already on the road and couldn’t give up halfway.
If they knew Jared was fake... then they’d have to consider how to cozy up to Nora.
After all, Nora was the real Master Sliver, holding multiple blueprints, most likely to approach the Loulanel Plan and enter Mechanism City.
Annabelle and the Durant Sisters wanted to use the Living Map to find locations and entrances, merely wishing to use this information to make deals with Nora, thereby securing negotiation leverage. However, they didn’t realize, from the start, they had no chance to turn the tables, only to be led by Nora.
Nora only wanted to use this opportunity to get their blueprints.
"Oh."
Jared obediently responded.
After a brief pause, Jared organized his thoughts and said, "She did try to seduce me last night, but I resisted—"
Nora laughed, "Someone like that deliberately seduces you, and you can resist?"
"..." Silence hung for a moment, then Jared came clean, "Sis, I’m gay."
"..."
Nora was so shocked she almost forgot to eat her snacks.
She stuffed a chip in her mouth, paused and said unhurriedly, "Go on."
"I had a few drinks with her, then she tried to... you know..."
"I’ve only got basic skills, couldn’t win against her, in a pinch, I used the silver needle you gave me for self-defense, poked her once, she passed out for two hours... Would’ve been embarrassing to move her myself, so I just left her on the sofa."
"After she woke up, I told her to leave, she didn’t go, drank a few more, tried to trick me. As if I could be easily tricked, I turned the tables on her."
"All in all, I got most of her past life story and why she came."
Nora: "..."
This kid’s got skills.
