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Chapter 282: Billion’s Mask

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20 minutes, thousands of whips, and uncountable amounts of desperate cries for mercy and help, an empty shell of a Mage fell on the floor with eyes with only the whites in it.

The sight frightened the female knight —no, even before that….

Even while ‘Vassal of Lord Malory’ was in the middle of the beating session, while Siva enjoyed the activity and never once stopped laughing and never even once stopped moving his body, Lady Brea, Platoon Leader and King Candidate from the Knight Order of the Wall of Jeremiah… had been forced to watch and endure the scene by her captor.

Only when the Mage had lost consciousness and the brainwashing-level continuous screaming stopped did she felt that she saved.

But she also realized what grave mistake of a wish that was as she saw Siva’s wide evil grin slowly turned to face her way.

City Lord Billion was forced to endure all that as Siva refused to listen to his pleading and also did not even bat an eye when he tried to help the guy down and save him.

Alas, Siva even hit him and he was thrown off the floor while Siva continued to punish the person who tried to issue threats to him despite being a mere ant. His title as ‘Vassal of Lord Malory’ has always been a big joke to Siva right from the start.

“Eeeeeeekkkkk… please don’t hurt me!”

She wailed and cried like a child, as her eyes are only focused on the smile that Siva wore.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I won’t ever come in front of you again!”

Lady Brea was pleading as she could imagine the mental suffering and pain that piled up with the endless beating of his own staff that that the Mage had experienced.

Yes, 30% pain from a full swing can be neglected, adding that to the fact that they are in a neutral Zone so it can be said that the pain was even lesser… but since he can’t even move and dodge, protect himself, or even log out to save himself, he was punished thoroughly that it was scary to imagine just how much piled up suffering he had experienced.

It was like punching the wall with your most minimal of strength.

Although it may not mean much and your fist may not hurt but when you pile that up with time, the muscles will become damaged and the pain will increase the more you do it.

In this case, the ‘Vassal of Lord Malory’ had been put into a 20minute cycle of endless suffering and it was even a surprise for him to have endured a full 20minute of that punishment.

“What was that you told me earlier?” Siva’s voice with coolness of dread mixed in with rang on her ears like a storm, “That I will be reported to the Wall of Jeremiah after you come back?”

Brea shut her mouth and didn’t dare to speak but Siva knelt down, slowly, and his eyes locked on to hers as he leaned closer.

Then, he whispered, “What will you report then?”

“N,n,n,nothing. I won’t report anything.” Her voice was trembling and she was genuinely scared right now because she doesn’t want to be tortured.

In the end, she was still a woman… a tall woman.

Siva’s sinister gaze turned into a delighted laugh as he stood up and wore his skull mask set again.

Volt FLASHED away to his former position then Thorn pulled out his swords and stored them all back to his inventory.

Billion, who was bitterly slumped on his chair, his hands on his head, glared at Siva.

“Do you really have to damage the man?”

Lade Brea tried to stand up and pulled her sword towards herself. Volt wasn’t really minding her, despite being pretty, as she was a brute in his eyes, and egotistical as well.

Just because you’ve passed the strict qualification in the Knight Training to be part of the Knight Order of the Wall of Jeremiah that you will get the rights to intimidate and suppress others by stating that fact.

Arrogance without real strength is just plain idiocy and a moronic conduct. It will only invite doom to those who provoke people using only their name.

She understood it now, Billion also understood it.

Despite this place being his own office and on his own ground, he was thrown off his feet with just a random swing of Siva’ arm… that, now that he think about it, wasn’t even that powerful and yet felt heavy just because Siva was really scary.

Siva coldly replied to him, “I don’t know why you had to put bodyguards to suppress us but being a City Lord, you’ve seen me singlehandedly defeat a Colossus Monster and survive the ordeal (A/N: lies, LOL), then stop an invasion with our meager numbers, so you, trying to suppress us despite knowing that you don’t have a military force to support that, is just simply stupid. I came here with honest and pure business intentions… and you just had to fucking tick me off.”

Midway as he spoke, Siva glanced over Brea who shuddered and did not even dare to look at his direction and only hugged her large sword as if it was going to save her in any way. (A/N: Not literally hug but depended on it. Metaphors, urgh)

“Do you think I am afraid of your people or even any kind of organization at that? Do you think I can’t rob this whole city and take away anything? Do you think I won’t dare to burn this city just because I saved this once? You’re looking down on me, Billion. That’s not wise.”

Whether Siva was acting or not is up to the four still whole people in this room.

Siva came to him with a compensation proposal, and it wasn’t even a price that is high, although it wasn’t low as well.

But now, Billion’s assets, an acquaintance he got to meet some time ago who became a Platoon Leader in the Knight Order of The Wall that also happens to be a King Candidate who had not only passed the strict qualifications of being a member of the Knight Order but also passed the more harsher and stricter requirements of being a King Candidate… and a Vassal of the House of Malory, one of the leading Mage Houses in Alexandria… has both been trampled upon without mercy in a mere 20 minute by Siva.

If this wasn’t ability, then what is?

This was supposed to be a business talk but it turned into a mess just because he had requested the wrong person for help.

Who would have thought that Siva won’t even get intimidated by the House of Malory?

Or even the Enchantment Temple as a whole?

Perhaps it was this guy’s fault for letting his ego eat his reasoning when he tried to use his name and his background to suppress Siva, but the fact that Siva won’t even glance a second time to a King Candidate and the name of The Wall…

It was either Siva is a fool for not realizing who he was against with, or he’s just really fearless and is not afraid of anyone inside the game.

Well, figuratively speaking, if one does not care for his career inside the game at all, then yes, why would you fear anybody?

No matter the reason was, Billion had made a very big mistake by getting on the bad side of Siva.

“I really wanted to make this easy for you City Lord Billion, but you just forced my hand…”

But Billion, having lived in the corporate world and had faced a few other kinds of translation of these kinds of situations before, sighed heavily and wore a face of dignity as he nodded at Siva.

“I do apologize for having you experience such a disgusting sight.” Billion glanced back and double checked if the foolish guy was really offline and then faced Siva again. “But I assure you that I never planned on this to happen. These two are my visitors and it just so happens that… this guy chose to let his ego eat his rationality. Please, I wish to conduct business with you so why don’t we try to talk things through again?”

Siva, seated on his chair again, leaned back and put on his former leisurely sitting position before the punishment session.

While he was facing Billion who chose to wear the subservient cape, Siva was silent for the next few moments after hearing him that made Billion sweat on his chair as he leaned closer to his desk.

“You said you wanted a district-sized Hangar Bay area, five million pieces of NanoCubes, a million vials of Red and Blue Potions each and at least two mega-crates of Black-Ironwood Alloy… am I correct?”

“Wrong.”

Faced with the unexpected fast reply, Billion felt his brain cells rupturing and his wit was once again choked in his throat.

“Th-Then do you have a…. d-different proposal?”

“I do.”

Siva’s tone and current demeanor sounded cold and indifferent, and as he calmly stared at Billion on the other side of the table, the man in question was sweating cold fluids as he cleared his throat down to regain himself a bit of composure.

“Mister Siva, The Union does not wish to wage a meaningless struggle and forget this favor. We do really appreciate you saving our city which The Union had poured large resources to develop and I also am not saying that my words are a threat but… well, as a sign of my great appreciation to your favor to our city, albeit the fact that the resources I can give away are limited to at least double your initial proposal, I will still add my own stash of resources and triple the amounts that you are requesting. Just please, don’t let the news of this transaction and everything that had happened inside this room to leak to anybody else. You might not care about the House of Malory which is a premiere faction in the Temple Council, or even the whole organization of Enchantment Temple as a whole, but this city does. And not only that, the woman behind me is an important personage in The Wall of Jeremiah… not only me but perhaps even The Wall will chase you down if something happened to her.”

“Oh?” Siva felt amuse to Billion’s cleverness.

Using passive background building but then he denounces himself as just a poor guy caught in the middle… isn’t this cute? It was practically a low uppercut but it was still an effective punch.

Siva was secretly amused at his way with words.

Billion isn’t someone who had survived the harsh battlefield of the corporate world for nothing if he can’t at least throw a good counter like this.

Siva smiled and was truly impressed by Billion as he let out a short laugh. Billion also felt that it was not a laugh where he was being mocked but a laughter that meant Siva was amused by his spine.

Billion was indeed worthy of being a City Lord.

Siva was already ready to plunder this city down if he had continued to be defiant but who would’ve thought that Billion would still be able to throw a punch and parry Siva’s aggressive advance?

“Well, I wouldn’t be saying no if you’re that very eager to keep these matters secret but since I am also a man who does not wish to beat up an already down opponent, let me just state that I am already satisfied with double my offered amount.”

Billion inwardly sighed as he discovered that Siva was a sensible man worthy to be treated as equal but just as he was about to open his mouth to add more sauce to coat the dish, Siva’s next words rattled his being.

“You can make sure that I will not divulge any of the things that happened in this room to anyone else after we get out of that door but in return… you will have to do a job for me.”

“A job?” Billion’s heart was pounding wilder than before and he could feel from Siva’s deep tone, solid enunciations and strong diction that it was a job with ‘grave’ implications.

“Yes. A job…. a very…. Important… job.”

Billion was silent for a few moments before he spent a slight glance behind to check on Lady Brea who was also creasing her brows as if she was also confused and surprisedly curious about what was this ‘job’ that Siva wanted Billion to do.

Billion also didn’t delay his answer as he gave him a nod, “Alright, if it’s within my power, I will do my best to accomplish this task.”

“Alright.” Siva nodded. “You can just treat this as a personal commission from me.”

Pulling his player window, Siva pulled out a piece of paper and then handed the paper to Billion.

In this piece of paper is a picture and a few details that greatly surprised Billion.

He frowned. He frowned deeply.

But before his chaotic emotions could surface on his expression, Billion did his best to control how he looked and then tilted his head, looked at Siva, and then wore a “?” expression on his face.

“Who is this?” Billion asked, as if confused.

“I’m sorry I cannot tell you. Concerning yourself in this matter will affect many things. I only need you to find that kid in your city. It is very important that you find him as soon as possible. And if you do, you can consider me and The Company under my command as subordinates for a single, no, TWO missions’ completion.”

‘So this is none of my concern…?’ Billion wanted to ask him that question but with Siva’s tone and imposing aura at the moment foretold him that this kid that Jack had picked up was connected to some sort of underground organization. ‘Shit. What did I get myself into?!!’

Billion wanted to curse at himself.

Of course!

For people to easily subject a poor kid into DNI Therapy and throw that kid into a city full of adults whose minds are working only for money through either violence or monster hunting, it’s no wonder that the people who put that kid in that situation aren’t good people at all.

And basing on how Siva conducted himself earlier especially when he beat that man up like a pro-gangster who did not care about the laws at all…

Billion’s mind told him that Siva might just be one of those evil kinds of people that kidnap children, extort money from their parents, and then dump those children somewhere that will drive the police away from their scents.

What solidified this notion on his mind is Siva’s act of not caring about The Union or any of the large and premiere organizations of Terroa earlier.

He himself spoke of it…

……that he wasn’t afraid of anything.

This is just a classic example of a Mafia Agent!

‘Shit. SHIT! All I wanted is to live a happy life here in The North but I still get entangled in the real world’s underground evil…’

Apparently, if only Siva could read Billion’s mind right now, he would have beaten him now like how he beat up that Vassal of Lord Malory earlier.

Because of Siva’s secretiveness on not divulging any leads to Baron’s identity, adding to that his act of aggressiveness and calmness in the face of this very important matter, Billion misunderstood it all and even created a negative notion in his mind regarding his intentions on searching for Baron.

Everything meshed together, and the result is Siva almost being this close to getting a lead to his brother’s location.

In the end, fate…. just had to pull a fast one.

Billion’s years of experience in trade negotiations led to his splendid emotional control at that crucial moment, and was able to deceive even Siva who was secretly been very attentive to Billion’s facial expressions.

“Finding this kid… in this situation… it’s…”

Billion’s expression showed pity and hesitation.

“I see.” Hearing and seeing the helplessness on the man’s voice, Siva thought that Billion was not finding this mission having an optimistic result.

Siva understood where he was coming from.

Siva thought that that explosion of emotion earlier was because Billion knew the kid.

But Siva dismissed that idea since he didn’t see a ripple of a chaotic emotion to his face, and that he was also not that quite proficient on detecting these small facial changes.

If this was in the real world, then perhaps the game would incline to his advantage. But this is in Terroa where facial expressions and chaotic and ill-intentions can be hidden with an avatar’s slick and handsome smile.

Siva thought that the reason why Billion creased his expression earlier is because he might have understood the implications of the picture.

Of course, this commission was a Search Mission.

But in a city decimated by a Colossus?

He could only wish that Baron wasn’t in the southern quadrant when the Colossus rampaged.

Or even better, it would be rather good if the kid was in the underground shelter where Siva is now aware of.

At least that way, the search would be a lot easier.

“I know that you have your citizens evacuated in the underground shelter. I would really appreciate it if you could do this job so we could become partners in the future.”

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Billion kept his discovery of Baron a secret…

Where is he heading with it?!!

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