Chapter 307

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[Translator – Seraph]

[Proofreader – Draxx]

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Chapter 307

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"Arrived."

"Prepare for landing. I'll check the condition of the cargo."

"Sure."

The transport ship, carrying two slaves, landed on the sand. While one of them checked the control panel, the other inspected the container loaded in the back of the vessel.

"We come here every day, but I still don't get why we have to leave this stuff here."

"Don't ask questions. It's the master's orders. Just focus on your work."

"Aren't you curious? Why are we leaving containers in that abandoned building?"

The human slave in the cockpit pointed toward the reinforced glass at the front. Beyond the glass was a hover-bus terminal, half-buried in the sand.

For the past three weeks, they had been coming to this deserted street every three days to drop off frozen containers filled with living creatures in front of the bus terminal.

"Hey. Curiosity kills. Just help move the container already."

"Tch."

The insectoid slave clicked its sharp mandibles in irritation, signaling the human to get to work. Complying, the human opened the rear hatch of the transport.

Together, they operated the control panel to prepare the container for unloading.

The heat outside was extreme, as expected under the midday sun. Even wearing protective suits, the sweat wouldn't stop dripping.

Although the transport's machinery handled the heavy lifting, the scorching winds still hit them as they unloaded the container in front of the bus terminal.

As they finished, the human slave spoke again.

"Do you know how much those creatures we're bringing here are worth?"

"..."

"I checked. They're some of the most expensive items sold in the shops. Some of them were even pets the master personally raised."

"So what?"

Frustrated by the insectoid's dismissive attitude, the human continued.

"Listen by the day after tomorrow, these containers will be empty. Those expensive creatures we brought will be gone. Doesn't that strike you as strange?"

"Just get to the point already."

"I think the master is working with the Cult."

"The Cult?"

The insectoid tilted its head in confusion.

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

"I'm serious. Other planets are in chaos because of them."

"Think about it. Why would someone as rich as the master need to get involved with the Cult?"

"You never know. Maybe the master's wealth comes from their support. In exchange, he hands over rare creatures."

"Idiot. The master's brother is a fleet captain in the Empire. If he tried something like that, he'd get obliterated by a purification beam immediately."

"Maybe the brother's in on it too."

The insectoid's annoyance grew as the human's wild theories dragged on. The heat was unbearable, and this pointless chatter only made it worse.

"If you're so curious, why don't you go in and check yourself?"

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah. Go in and hand over the cargo personally."

Until now, they had only ever left the containers in front of the terminal without checking who picked them up. Their orders were to drop the cargo and return immediately.

The human hesitated at the suggestion. Actually going in seemed dangerous.

If the Cult really was inside, there was no telling what might happen. He could end up captured and sacrificed in some bizarre ritual.

"If you're not going to do that, then shut up already."

"...Fine. I'll go in."

"What?"

"Wait here."

"Are you insane? Hey!"

However, the man’s curiosity outweighed his fear of the Cult, prompting an impulsive decision. Leaving the insectoid slave outside, he stepped through the entrance of the bus terminal.

Despite it being midday, the interior was shrouded in darkness. Steel beams and pipes were fully exposed along the walls and ceiling, while the floor was covered in sand that had blown in from outside.

It was the quintessential image of a neglected ruin. It seemed unlikely that anyone lived here.

"Hey, the cargo’s here!"

The man called out loudly, unsure if anyone was present. His voice echoed through the empty terminal, bouncing off the walls.

No reply came.

‘Is this just an intermediary drop-off point?’

Perhaps this was where the cargo was left for someone else to collect at their convenience. If so, mercenaries hired by criminals might be hiding and watching him even now.

‘Ugh, are we really tangled up with criminals?’

He wasn’t the type of person who thrived on adventure. Today, for some reason, his curiosity had gotten the better of him, pushing him into uncharacteristic behavior.

The man began to back away slowly toward the entrance, ready to bolt back to the transport ship at any moment.

Then, a sound emerged from the darkness.

"Is the cargo here?"

"Ahh!"

Startled, the man froze in place. The cold sweat running down his back wasn’t just from the heat anymore.

As he stood there, rooted to the spot, the voice came again.

"Is the cargo here?"

‘...I’ve heard that voice before.’

The exact same tone, repeated twice in quick succession, stirred a memory.

It resembled the voice of one of the slaves who handled the dirty work for his master, Arcadi acts like sabotage against rivals. The familiarity was clear because the speaker, like him, had once been human.

"Geez, you scared me! If you’re inside, why not just answer?"

"Sorry!"

Relieved at the thought of encountering someone familiar, the tension in the man’s body eased.

It seemed obvious now his master must be orchestrating another scheme. This secluded location was chosen to discreetly gather the cargo, away from prying eyes.

"Is the cargo here?"

"Yeah! I left it out front!"

"Got it!"

After that confirmation, the terminal returned to silence. Despite the response, no one appeared. There were no signs of movement, as if whoever spoke was still deep inside and busy with other tasks.

‘I guess they’re occupied with work back there.’

Still, the man was curious enough to try again.

"Hey, you seem pretty busy, huh?"

"Sorry!"

"No need to apologize. I just wanted to catch a glimpse of your face."

"Sorry!"

The repeated apologies gave the man a strange feeling.

When people speak, their tone and inflection naturally vary, however slightly. But this voice didn’t. It was exactly the same every time, like a recording played on a loop.

"...I said I left the cargo. Aren’t you going to check it?"

“Haha, Monzan customs are notoriously intricate. Quite impressive.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

Kisos’s crescent-shaped smile widened as he listened to her modest reply.

The truth was that Si-Hyun’s familiarity with Cult manners stemmed from her shadowy past.

As a shadow operative of the Yujin family, her hands were stained with blood plenty of it belonging to Cult nobles. Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to mention such things here.

Once seated again, Kisos looked intrigued as he spoke.

“So, Si-Hyun of the Yujin family. What brings you to me today?”

“I wish to propose a transaction, Kisos.”

“A transaction? That is certainly my area of expertise. Do elaborate.”

“Yes, I wish to purchase Cult weaponry and equipment.”

At this, Kisos tilted his head slightly.

“The Yujin family has access to Megacorp’s resources, does it not? Why approach me instead?”

“I am building a private force without relying on the Yujin family’s support. I aim to stand independently, rather than leaning solely on my family’s prestige.”

“Hmm, a bold ambition. Not an easy path.”

“If you were to invest in me, Kisos, I promise to repay you handsomely.”

“An investment, you say.”

Kisos tapped the armrest of his chair thoughtfully with a finger.

“I usually conduct business with Garmelda of Megacorp. Their leader often says that investments must be transparent.”

“A wise perspective.”

“In that case, shouldn’t you also explain why you’ve been buying up slaves so aggressively on Verzan-02?”

Si-Hyun’s gaze flickered briefly toward Alshas, who was seated beside Kisos. Alshas’s widened eyes made it clear she hadn’t shared that information, meaning Kisos had investigated Si-Hyun independently.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but the Empire’s security has been rather tenuous lately. Even as someone who advocates for disarmament, I can’t deny this truth.”

“...”

“I know nothing about you, Si-Hyun. For all I know, you could be a cultist, a pirate, or worse. I have no intention of enriching myself at the expense of the Empire’s security.”

Si-Hyun hesitated, considering her options.

‘No point in lying further.’

Kisos was a seasoned senator and the head of the Empire’s reformist faction a political survivor who had weathered countless schemes. Deceiving someone like him was nearly impossible. Worse, failure would mean abandoning Verzan-02 altogether, as he wielded more influence than the governor himself.

‘A direct approach may be my only option.’

Resolving herself, Si-Hyun maintained a gentle smile as she shifted to her main argument.

“You are correct to suspect that I might be a threat to security.”

“Oh? You admit it?”

“Yes, though my target is not the Empire.”

“Is that so?”

"My goal is to reclaim the position of Family Head of Yujin. To achieve that, I must eliminate the current head, Akira."

It seemed Alshas hadn't expected such a statement her eyes darted nervously.

Unlike her, Kisos wore a faint smile, as if finding Si-hyun's words entertaining.

"As far as I know, the Family Head of Yujin also serves as the emperor of the Megacorp that is, the CEO."

"That’s correct."

"And the Garmelda family, with whom I primarily deal, is on friendly terms with the CEO. Am I wrong?"

"You are correct."

"Then do you really think I would invest in someone who threatens the CEO?"

"Don’t you hold a negative view of Akira’s governance, Kisos?"

"Do I?"

Kisos narrowed his eyes at the question.

"Akira Yujin doesn’t antagonize the empire but also refuses deeper ties. That contrasts with your vision of a world order where major powers align under the empire’s leadership."

"..."

"If someone aligned with the Empire’s interests were to become CEO, the situation would change, wouldn’t it? From what I’ve heard, you’ve already made substantial 'investments' toward that goal."

Indeed, as Si-hyun stated, Kisos had invested heavily in influencing the selection of the Megacorp’s CEO. This included providing advanced equipment acquired from the Garmelda family to Akira’s rival, T&C.

However, all these efforts were conducted in absolute secrecy. Even within the reformist faction, very few were aware of this, so hearing it from a complete stranger was startling.

"Are you saying you can align with 'the empire’s interests'?"

"To be precise, I intend to ensure that someone mindful of the empire’s interests becomes CEO, for example, someone like T&C."

"..."

As Si-hyun finished speaking, silence filled the drawing room.

Kisos stared at her for a long time before a smile spread across his lips.

"An intriguing human. You’re someone with 'investment value.' I’d like to continue working with you."

"The feeling is mutual. I look forward to it."

"Alshas, where on earth did you find such a person?"

"Ah, well... I’m sorry."

"Sorry? Thanks to you, I’ve met Si-hyun Yujin. I should be thanking you."

With that, Kisos stood up from his seat.

"Weapons and ships will be provided as much as you need. Ah, and one more thing."

"?"

"I’d like to introduce you to some people I know. It’ll help secure continued investments for you."

Si-hyun was startled by this unexpected generosity. Merely securing a deal for weapons was already a success, but establishing a steady supply route was beyond her expectations.

"A party will be held here in this mansion in four days. Come. We’ll discuss the details then."

"Thank you, Kisos. I’ll see you again soon."

Bowing politely, Si-hyun left the drawing room.

As Kisos moved to see Alshas off, she suddenly spoke.

"Sir."

"Yes?"

"About the party in four days... There are two people I’d like to bring. Would that be acceptable?"

"Two? Who are they this time?"

"One is someone I can’t disclose right now. The other is my older brother."

"That rascal Alcadi, you mean? Hmm."

As Alshas hesitated to bring up the topic, Kisos stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I’ve heard Arcadi has a knack for business."

"That’s correct, sir."

"The governor is considering redeveloping the ruined districts recently places like Glory Street."

"Yes. There’s talk of demolishing it and building a new fortress there."

"Since Arcadi has influence in that region, employing him might not be a bad idea. I’ll see what I can do. Bring him to the party."

"Thank you so much, sir!"

With Kisos's favorable response, Alshas bowed deeply.

Si-hyun Yujin, Kisos, and Alshas.

In the end, the negotiations concluded with everyone getting what they wanted.

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[Translator – Seraph]

[Proofreader – Draxx]

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