Chapter 579:
During that tense moment, she smiled directly at him while articulating his elaborate scheme with perfect accuracy and insight.
He craved the satisfaction of observing their faces when the victims realized they had been thoroughly manipulated. Without witnessing their devastation personally, where would the pleasure reside?
“Therefore…” Her expression maintained that perfectly calibrated smile, betraying not the slightest hint of panic or distress. She continued with maddening composure, “Mr. Perez, let’s establish a wager between us.”
This unexpected turn caught him completely off guard, as he had always been the one to initiate such dangerous propositions.
His standard procedure followed a predictable pattern—the opposing party would engage in lengthy negotiations with him, and then depart with jubilant expressions to finalize the contract printing. They would then return to discover they had been thoroughly deceived, their faces contorting with raw fury. At that precise moment, Egbert would extend what appeared to be a lifeline through a high-stakes wager, rekindling their desperate hope. They would inevitably accept his gambling challenge.
Subsequently, when they lost the wager, he would cast them out like mangy dogs without ceremony. However, if they somehow managed to win, the entertainment reached even more exquisite heights—Egbert would tear the contract to shreds directly before their eyes, declaring with mock surprise, “What a delightful twist, wouldn’t you agree?”
Witnessing their expressions during that crushing moment of revelation brought him pure, intoxicating pleasure.
The aftermath proved equally satisfying—after banishing them from his presence and later hearing others recount tales of his “legendary exploits,” Egbert found even deeper gratification in his reputation.
But this encounter had shattered his carefully orchestrated routine entirely. He studied her with renewed interest before asking, “Indeed? What manner of wager captures your imagination?”
𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙜ⱥ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀﹒ⅽ𝗼𝗺
Her smile remained unwavering as she responded, “This represents your territory, Mr. Perez. Since I’ve initiated this proposal, you have the authority to establish the terms. I can only express that, should I emerge victorious, I hope you would honor the cooperation agreement we’ve just completed.”
His eyebrow arched upward as a malevolent grin spread across his features, and he declared, “Then let’s wager our very lives. Do you possess such courage?” He elevated his right hand with deliberate menace, raising the—
The weapon was clutched tightly in his grip, its obsidian barrel aimed directly at her chest. Around him, a dozen of his most ruthless enforcers—seasoned criminals, each one—simultaneously raised their firearms, targeting her vulnerable form.
This was Flesta, a region notorious for its permissive weapon regulations, and these were genuine military-grade firearms, their metal surfaces carrying the acrid tang of fresh gunpowder.
If he or any of his subordinates applied pressure to their triggers, her skull would explode like a ripe melon.
“Consider your options very carefully,” he said. “If you stop right here, the worst outcome is an unsigned contract. But if you go on and lose this gamble, you forfeit your life. Precisely like this…”
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