Chapter 430 Chapter431-The Meeting
"I can offer you much. Power, wealth, fame; these are things everyone desires."
The woman's gaze did not waver, meeting Sorovo's eye to eye.
Both were searching for a vulnerability in the other, whether psychological or physical.
This was the beginning of negotiations, and the first to reveal a flaw would find themselves at a disadvantage.
Such a position is almost invariably irreversible, directly impacting the outcome and benefits of the negotiation.
Yet, until the commander spoke again, Sorovo found no such flaw.
The commander, veiled behind her mask, was like an ancient fortress, concealing all sensitive information behind the thick walls of her mask.
However, through those eyes as beautiful as glass beads, Sorovo could glean very limited information.
Extending the time might have allowed Sorovo to uncover something, but conversely, the likelihood of his vulnerabilities being exposed would also increase.
The commander, evidently, did not plan to do so.
"No one can remain unmoved in the face of these temptations unless, of course, the stakes are not high enough."
The commander's voice seemed to carry a hint of amusement, like a leopard silently observing fools passing below from the canopy, her laughter scornful and cold.
"I have some information about Red Eye. I wonder if Lord Knight Commander might be interested?"
News about Red Eye!
Sorovo's expression remained unchanged, but internally his interest was piqued.
His greatest frustration currently was the scarcity of intelligence on Red Eye.
To eliminate Red Eye, finding him or his hideout was the first step, but at this moment, he couldn't even accomplish that!
"Where did you obtain this intelligence? Information that cannot be verified is no different from waste paper."
Regardless of whether the commander's words were true or false, Sorovo did not wish to be constrained by her.
Securing the source of her information was what Sorovo truly intended to do.
"The veracity of the information? Mr. Knight Commander, intelligence is not like anything else that loses its value after one glance. You ask me to confirm its truth? Or would you prefer to do it yourself?"
The commander shook her head, a sigh emanating from beneath the mask.
"If you did not wish to conduct this transaction, Mr. Knight Commander, you should have said so earlier. Why invite me in? For amusement?"
Sorovo did not pick up on the commander's hint of dissatisfaction.
Although her words were laced with discontent, the commander did not seem inclined to leave.
He signaled the centurion with his eyes to leave, and the city guards tucked in the corners of the courtyard followed suit.
Now, only he and the commander remained in the courtyard.
Sorovo finished cleaning his long sword and sheathed it over his shoulder.
"I have not given up on the intelligence you possess," Sorovo stated flatly.
"Tell me, what do you desire? Gold coins? Real estate? Or perhaps a position of authority? As long as it's within my power, I will try to accommodate you."
"Within your power?" The commander's voice carried a hint of icy amusement.
"The discovery of Red Eye's whereabouts benefits more than just you. You are not the biggest beneficiary here, Mr. Knight Commander."
Hearing the commander speak to this extent, Sorovo's gaze shifted slightly.
The person before him knew much more about him, or rather, had investigated him far more deeply than he had anticipated!
It wasn't just himself; even the person he represented might have been thoroughly scrutinized by her!
"Madam commander, let's get two things straight. First, the information you possess may not be accurate, and second, even if it is, it may not necessarily lead us directly to Red Eye."
Despite his internal astonishment, Sorovo's expression remained impassive.
"There's no need for Lord Knight Commander to worry about these points. It would be better for you to consider the proposal I've put forth," the commander said with a slight chuckle, then added, "I want Red Eye's head!"
"I have information on Red Eye, and you have the manpower. Together, we don't need to wait for negotiations to begin to take him down!"
Sorovo's gaze shifted away from the commander, settling instead on the flowers and plants in the courtyard.
This small building, clearly arranged with care by the quartet, including the attached courtyard, represented considerable value.
By Sorovo's estimate, considering the furnishings inside the building and the landscaping outside, this property was worth as much as two prime storefronts in Breeze City's commercial district.
Two prime storefronts, if managed well, could easily support two families in comfort for the rest of their lives.
Leveraging Lorinda's special products and geographic position, the quartet had accumulated substantial wealth over the years, and this small building was just a minor part of their assets.
"That's impossible!" Sorovo shook his head.
"If you're after the three thousand gold coin bounty, I can give that to you directly. Of course, you could also turn to the quartet. They might even offer you this building, which is worth more than three thousand gold coins."
Red Eye was essential for uncovering that Old Noble's descendant; he couldn't possibly let him fall into someone else's hands.
Without any other leads, Red Eye's existence was unique and irreplaceable.
Of course, the commander was well aware of the value of the small building and its courtyard, but this was not what she desired.
"What if I told you that someone, in their communications with Red Eye, mentioned the words 'Old Nobles'?"
Like a depth charge, this statement shattered the calm facade on Sorovo's face.
Others knew about the Old Noble descendant behind Red Eye, and some had even made contact with Red Eye!
Who was this person?
Whom did they represent?
What did they want?
Their existence could change or is about to change everything! This was a significant variable!
"Who is he?"
Sorovo's gaze locked onto the commander's eyes, his resolve firm to obtain information about Red Eye from her.
If possible, he also wanted information on that unidentified individual.
Although this was an unpredictable variable, if things went awry on his watch, those who had sent him here would certainly not let him off easy.
Torturing someone didn't necessarily involve a knife; there were far more methods to make someone wish for death without shedding blood.
"This information is not part of my trade proposal. Moreover, I don't have any more information about him," the commander shook her head, her words delicately yet firmly shattering Sorovo's pursuit.
"I'll take the information on Red Eye, but Red Eye must be killed by us. You'll need to ask for something else," Sorovo said with a hint of urgency, resorting to threats in the end.
"If you're considering refusal, I suggest you think carefully about the consequences. This is Breeze City's territory."
Even the descendant of the Old Nobles wouldn't dare show their face here and must act through Red Eye.
"You might have some vendetta against Red Eye. I assure you, Red Eye will not survive, but I must be the first to get to him."
"You could try finding someone else. It might even be easier," the commander retorted with a cold laugh.
Sorovo didn't reply, just looked into her eyes.
He had expressed everything he wanted to; if the commander still chose to refuse, he wouldn't mind testing whether her will was stronger or his blade was sharper.
He had done all he could in good conscience.
"My people will join the fight. Red Eye is our common target," the commander eventually chose to compromise.
"I'll claim the bounty on Red Eye, and you won't have to contribute anything to that. But in addition, I want two thousand gold coins. In return, my people will lead the attack on Red Eye, ensuring he cannot escape. The final blow will be yours to deal with, and we won't be involved in the aftermath."
They must safely rescue Lilianne; that was the adventure group's promise.
"Agreed," Sorovo nodded, accepting the commander's terms.
Although the commander asked for five thousand gold coins, of which three thousand would not come from him but from the bounty on Red Eye, paid by the adventurers' association.
So, his actual outlay was only two thousand gold coins.
Plus, dealing with the aftermath might be bothersome, but it was better than betting everything on negotiations.
"I already have a complete plan in place. You don't need to worry about me colluding with Red Eye because worrying won't help. You only have two options: trust me or kill me."
The commander continued in her emotionless, icy tone: "I can also tell you that the person you should be most suspicious of is close by."
"Why do you think the search these past two days has yielded nothing?"
"The answer isn't hard to guess: someone knew about the search area in advance and warned Red Eye to stay away. It's not a difficult operation, especially when you don't even know what Red Eye looks like. Just one loyal mole to Red Eye can ruin all your plans."
"Are you suggesting Harry?"
Sorovo recalled what Howard had mentioned, clearly, the commander had some connection to Howard.
"A mole isn't necessarily singular. I hope the news of our meeting won't be known by more people; otherwise, I might just disappear. After all, I am quite cowardly and don't wish to die at Red Eye's hands."
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