Chapter 433: If You Want to Die, Don't Drag Me Along
Under Old Master Wu's arrangements, the other Night Watchers returned to their posts, while Yang Haoran led the dishevelled man into the villa.
The area outside the villa was now a ruin, a fact Yang Haoran didn't inquire about, knowing Old Master Wu would arrange for its cleanup and he needn't worry.
What truly concerned him now was the dishevelled man's request.
A pre-existing grudge lay between the two. To be blunt, in Yang Haoran's mind, the dishevelled man was his enemy, and his usual attitude towards enemies was singular: find a way to eliminate them and prevent future troubles.
Yet, today, his attitude towards the dishevelled man diverged from his usual conduct. While there was an element of teasing, he hadn't moved to kill the dishevelled man. The primary reason was the man's generosity, directly offering a Great Demon-level Demon Pill as a sign of his sincerity for cooperation. Furthermore, Yang Haoran was genuinely interested in the dishevelled man's proposed "transaction."
As for why he didn't directly agree to the dishevelled man's request and instead chose to toy with him, it was because he wanted to test the dishevelled man's limits through such means.
At the same time, he also wanted to reconfirm whether his judgment was correct: was the dishevelled man genuinely seeking his help, or did he have ulterior motives?
Whether it was the former or the latter, it was hard to tell from ordinary conversation. Pressing the other party a few more times, and offering a few more provocations, would make discerning the truth much easier.
Through this method, Yang Haoran once again confirmed that the dishevelled man truly needed his help, and that the matter was likely significant. Otherwise, the dishevelled man wouldn't be so forbearing, nor would he so generously produce a Great Demon's Demon Pill. It was well known that Demon Pills were equally precious to Demon Hunters.
As they entered the villa, Yang Haoran wore a smile, uttering no words, but deep in thought.
Bai Xue walked beside Yang Haoran. Because she wore a mask, it was impossible to tell what expression she wore or what she was thinking.
The dishevelled man, meanwhile, trailed behind Yang Haoran, his longsword gripped tightly in his hand, his brow furrowed, and his expression wary, maintaining a safe distance from Yang Haoran.
As for Old Master Wu and Xiujuan, they followed behind the dishevelled man, to prevent him from pulling any tricks from the rear.
Upon entering the villa, Yang Haoran led the dishevelled man to the living room. His face wore its usual smile as he gestured politely, then spoke with utmost courtesy, "Please, have a seat."
From Yang Haoran's expression, it seemed he had completely forgotten his previous attitude towards the dishevelled man. At this moment, he was both courteous and warm, as if entertaining a close friend in his own home.
The dishevelled man's expression didn't improve due to Yang Haoran's apparent hypocrisy. He remained stony-faced and, without ceremony, plopped down onto the sofa.
"Xiujuan, my apologies, would you mind brewing a pot of tea? " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Yes, Lord Emissary."
Xiujuan bowed respectfully to Yang Haoran, then turned to leave. However, at that moment, the dishevelled man spoke nonchalantly.
"No need. I don't drink tea."
With that, the dishevelled man retrieved a bottle of beer from his personal space, opened it, and began to drink, completely disregardful of their presence.
"Just because you don't drink tea doesn't mean we don't, does it? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
The dishevelled man didn't answer Yang Haoran's question, continuing to drink his beer. Yang Haoran shot a glance at Xiujuan, who understood his meaning and swiftly departed.
Yang Haoran paid no mind to the dishevelled man's words or actions. He chuckled, motioned for Old Master Wu and Bai Xue to sit, and then turned his gaze back to the dishevelled man.
"Drinking that much beer, don't you need to use the restroom? " Yang Haoran asked with a laugh.
The dishevelled man truly hadn't expected Yang Haoran to ask such a pointless question in this situation.
"Don't beat around the bush. Let's get straight to the point," the dishevelled man said to Yang Haoran after taking another swig of beer.
"No problem. Speak, I'm listening," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
"I came to you this time hoping you can help me save someone. I know there's a grudge between us, but I'm willing to pay a high price for your assistance. The Demon Pill from before was a deposit; once the task is complete, I'll give you another Great Demon-level Demon Pill," the dishevelled man stated.
Yang Haoran chuckled. He didn't respond immediately. After mulling over the dishevelled man's words, he finally spoke with a smile, "Didn't you say I'd get a significant number of Demon Pills afterwards? How has it now dwindled to just one?"
Whether it was about saving someone or not, Yang Haoran wasn't particularly concerned at the moment. What he cared more about, by comparison, was the remuneration for his intervention.
Thus, he didn't ask who the dishevelled man wanted to save, nor where they needed to go. Instead, he pointed out that the current compensation the dishevelled man offered differed from what he had promised earlier.
"Two Great Demon-level Demon Pills are just my personal remuneration. As for other gains, I didn't include them in that figure," the dishevelled man explained.
"Other gains? Heh heh, could you be clearer? The vaguer you are, the more time I'll spend guessing and analyzing. It's no matter to me; I have plenty of time. As for whether your time is sufficient, I wouldn't know. " Yang Haoran spoke unhurriedly, his smile unwavering.
As Yang Haoran's words fell, Xiujuan delivered the tea. Yang Haoran politely declined her service, invited her to sit, then picked up the teapot and poured several cups. He first handed one each to Bai Xue and the other two, then placed a cup before the dishevelled man.
Although the dishevelled man had just declared he didn't drink tea, Yang Haoran hadn't overlooked him for it.
The dishevelled man took a swig of beer, then glanced at the tea Yang Haoran had set down. He said faintly, "I just told you, I don't drink tea."
"Whether you drink or not is your business. Whether I pour or not is mine. I wouldn't want you to think I was neglecting you; that would be quite impolite of me."
Yang Haoran explained with a smile, while pouring himself a cup of tea. He took a small sip, then quietly awaited the dishevelled man's next words.
The dishevelled man very much wanted to ask Yang Haoran if such hypocrisy wasn't tiresome, but considering he still needed Yang Haoran's help, he kept the words unspoken.
"I'll be joining you on this operation. There will undoubtedly be battles against opponents, and the 'other gains' I mentioned are the spoils of war acquired from these adversaries. All spoils, including those from targets I personally slay, will belong to you."
Hearing the dishevelled man's explanation, Yang Haoran didn't immediately respond. He maintained his smile, and from his unchanging expression, no one could discern his true thoughts.
With Yang Haoran remaining silent, the dishevelled man didn't press him. However, from his continuous gulps of beer, it was clear his heart was far from calm.
After a moment of silence, Yang Haoran spoke again.
"You previously stated that this transaction would allow me to obtain a considerable number of Demon Pills. But currently, you've only given me one, and even if you give me another afterwards, that's still just two. The other gains are to be acquired by slaying opponents. Can you guarantee that I will indeed obtain a significant number of Demon Pills from these opponents? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
The dishevelled man frowned, then hesitated for a moment before nodding assuredly at Yang Haoran.
"Heh heh, your hesitation tells me you're not so certain. You're lying to me, aren't you? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
The dishevelled man's expression subtly shifted, then he quickly began to explain, "I'm not lying to you. From them, we can at least acquire a few more Demon Pills."
"A few Demon Pills? " Yang Haoran murmured with a smile, then continued, "While there isn't a definite number, it should be at least three Demon Pills. Add that to the two from you, and that makes five Demon Pills. Five Demon Pills is indeed a big deal, but this kind of deal could very well be a death trap. If you want to die, why must you drag me along?"
Comments