Chapter 52
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Chapter 52: The Pact of Light and Shadows
Luo Di’s expression abruptly changed!
She didn’t know what this mask symbolized, but the mention of Paradise in the bottom right corner, along with the VR headset icon, immediately revealed to her who the caller was!
Bran noticed her unusual reaction and asked, “What’s wrong? Who’s calling you?”
“N-nothing, just a notice about overdue utility bills for the apartment.” Luo Di dimmed the screen, swiftly crossed the storage room, and entered a small adjacent chamber. After Confirming that the call hadn’t been disconnected, she gritted her teeth and pressed the accept button. “Hello?”
“It’s me, Chao—”
“Demon, how did you find this number?! And what’s up with this contact picture? when exactly did you secretly corrupt my phone?”
“Wait, it’s one thing if you accuse me of corrupting people, but isn’t claiming I’d corrupt electronics going too far?” Chaoyang’s voice rose even higher than hers as he retorted. “Besides, why should only you be allowed to track me while I can’t do the same? Since you accessed the Paradise world through the channel I created, naturally there would be traces left behind here. Isn’t it perfectly normal for me to reach out to you in return?”
“You—” Luo Di froze momentarily beforr exclaiming, “Our contract should be limited to that world alone. Don’t interfere with my life here!”
“Life and freedom are paramount, right?” Chaoyang responded dismissively. “Don’t worry, I have no intention of letting the contract cross boundaries. However, it doesn’t mean we should sever all contact here. This way, I can conveniently inform you that a new round of Paradise games is about to begin—it’s also time for you to fulfill your obligations.”
“Now? But I still have many urgent matters to attend to…”
“For instance, Wayne Jenkins—the hot potato situation? Let me see… Ah, his condition seems quite dire. Surely you haven’t neglected to provide even basic sustenance for him? The guard watching over him… appears to have beaten him up.”
Luo Di’s heart sank abruptly.
Jenkins was imprisoned in the basement of the warehouse, with the entrance securely chained shut. To observe inside, the demon’s only means was through the surveillance camera.
Could it be that not just the phone, but the entire warehouse, has been compromised by the demon?
This would imply that all members of Skull’s Hand are now exposed under its watchful eye!
“Yes, I can see,” Chaoyang directly addressed her fear. “Do you think demons solely rely on deceiving hearts? It’s 3202; demons surf the internet too.”
No… it should be 2023 now…
Before Luo Di could respond, Chaoyang continued, “Don’t be so tense; I have no interest in taking down your entire organization. In fact, I’m here to assist you.”
“Assist… us?”
“Yes, regarding Joe James—also known as Wayne Jenkins, whom you’ve captured—I’ve found a place for you to hand him over. Simply put, tomorrow at noon, deliver him to this address—” Chaoyang paused briefly before providing the location details—”and someone will take charge of him. The process is straightforward: there’ll be a parked van with its rear door unlocked. Place Jenkins inside, then collect your reward from the passenger seat. That completes the handover.”
“Who will take charge? I doubt it’s his criminal associates?”
“Certainly not. You should trust me more.” Seeing her reluctance, Chaoyang had no choice but to reveal, “Alright, the International Criminal Police Department has significant interest in him, far greater than the L City police. The evidence you possess barely scratches the surface of his crimes.”
“Why would you… care about this?” Luo Di asked, somewhat incredulous.
“How can I protect those criminals who have committed heinous crimes? Besides, this benefits me too; it’s not much effort to give him a little push.”
“I knew you had something up your sleeve…” she muttered. “How much is the bounty?”
“It’s £100,000. I thought money wouldn’t concern you,” Chaoyang said, slightly surprised. In truth, it was only after overhearing Zhang Zhiyuan and Gao Wei’s conversation that he became aware of the numerous bounties on Wayne Jenkins’ head. These included rewards from both the International Criminal Police Department headquarters and separate offers from various regions where Jenkins had committed his crimes. Since Luo Di captured Jenkins, Chaoyang decided to leverage the British island’s bounty as part of their negotiation.
“I don’t need the money personally, but our organization does. Without funds, we can’t carry out our operations,” she explained. “In fact, initially, we planned to claim a bounty for Jenkins from his competitors. £100,000 is more than I anticipated… Thank you.” The last few words were barely audible, almost like a mosquito’s buzz.
“If you need money, I could simply reveal Jenkins’ personal account details to you—it likely holds tens of millions…”
“And then have me under police scrutiny due to this suspicious wealth, ultimately leaving me vulnerable to your leverage? Don’t think you can entice me with such schemes, demon!” Luo Di’s tone reverted to its icy state. “Besides, how is this any different from simply giving me money?”
“Is it not acceptable to give money?”
“Certainly not!” she declared firmly. “If an organization cannot earn its funding through its own operations, it will lose its independence. I absolutely refuse to let demons control Skull’s…”
“Skull what?” Chaoyang intentionally asked.
Luo Di blushed. “Enough! Noon tomorrow, right? I’ll go personally. When exactly does the Paradise game that you mentioned start?”
“Let me calculate… accounting for the time difference, it should be at 8:30 AM the day after tomorrow,” Chaoyang responded without pressing her further . “No need to be perfectly punctual; arriving slightly earlier or later won’t matter. I won’t send you VR headset—you already know how to access the game.”
“The energy consumption…”
“Will be replenished after the game concludes, alright?” Chaoyang assured her, somewhat exasperated.
The call promptly ended.
As Luo Di stepped out of the small cabin, she noticed everyone watching her with concerned looks.
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly; her companions weren’t fools, and such a flimsy excuse could never deceive them. “Actually…”
“Wow, your face is so red.” Hill wrapped his arms around Luo Di, teasing, “Luo Di, don’t tell me you have a boyfriend now?!”
“Eh—” The group erupted with playful exclamations.
Now it was Luo Di’s turn to be speechless, stammering, “O-of course not! what are you talking about?!”
“But why are your cheeks flushed after that phone call?” Shirley persisted, not letting up.
“Luo Di’s all grown up, I understand…”
“After all, she comes from the city of romance.”
The embarrassment swiftly faded away, leaving only a calm indifference within Luo Di—these guys were indeed quite troublesome, and she had been too lenient with them!
However, she couldn’t quite comprehend why speaking “Skull’s Hand” a hundred times wouldn’t faze her in front of these friends, yet mentioning it to the demon left her tongue-tied.
Could it be that without realizing, she had already fallen victim to the demon’s psychological influence?
She shook her head, forcefully suppressing these thoughts. The adversary might still be monitoring their every move through the cameras. She couldn’t show any sign of weakness. “I’ve already contacted Wayne Jenkins’ new handler, it will be the International Criminal Police Department. Naturally, we should also prepare at least two contingency plans to handle any unexpected changes during the transfer.”
After detailing the transaction plan, Luo Di added, “Once this is completed, I intend to retreat and focus on cultivation for a while, aiming to recover more of my strength.”
This revelation greatly surprised everyone.
“You’ve never shown us cultivation before! How long will it take?”
“Will it be similar to ninja training?”
“No way, fool! An angel’s practice must primarily involve meditation!” they exclaimed.
“It may be quick, or it could take several days,” Luo Di replied slowly. After all, she wasn’t certain about the nature of Paradise’s game mechanics. Although Chaoyang had assured her that time wouldn’t be an issue and the previous incident was merely an accident, she couldn’t let down her guard. “Don’t worry, this is essential post-awakening practice. As my power increases, Skull’s Hand capabilities will expand as well.”
Even if it meant drawing strength from the demon itself.
Even if the path ahead was fraught with challenges.
To achieve her heart’s desire, she would not falter.
