Clutching the golden land deed, Liam's expression was resolute.
Chen Yu looked at him for a long while, then pushed all the deeds into his hands.
"As long as you handle this beautifully, you will be free," Chen Yu said, his gaze gentle as he whispered, "I can also give you a half-percent profit, consider it the reward you deserve for your efforts in this matter."
"I don't need it."
Liam, holding the deeds, shook his head.
"To serve you, sir, what further reward could I ask for? This is what I should do."
Liam smiled brightly.
However—
"No, you need it."
Chen Yu's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable weight of finality.
"This half-percent is yours to take, isn't it?"
As Chen Yu's whispered words echoed in his ears, Liam's hand, gripping the golden deeds, trembled inexplicably, freezing for a long moment.
After a full half-minute,
Liam slowly raised his head, the same bright smile still gracing his face.
"Since you honor me so, sir, I shall not decline."
"That's right. Working for me, I never mistreat anyone," Chen Yu said, his eyes narrowing into a smile as he whispered, "As for the Elderton family you mentioned, I'll give you an opportunity to deal with them harshly."
"Please, tell me, sir," Liam asked with great earnestness.
"The Elderton family exchanged all their assets with me for their family's safety," Chen Yu whispered, tapping his fingers on the table. "I agreed to his request, but I don't really want them to live."
Chen Yu's words were light, but these few understated sentences carried a suffocating ruthlessness.
"You..."
Liam slightly parted his lips, and Chen Yu offered him a smile.
"Could you do me a favor?"
"What do you need me to do?" Faced with Chen Yu's ruthlessness, Liam seemed unfazed. In a brief moment, he composed himself. "Although the Elderton family is no longer as favored in the kingdom, this is, after all, the royal city, and the Elderton family resides above the Floating City. Even as the son of the Chief Financial Officer, it's unlikely I can openly deal with the Elderton family."
"I don't need you to act."
Chen Yu's fingers tapped lightly on the desktop as he gazed thoughtfully.
"I heard there are high-level mages guarding the vicinity of the Elderton family. Is that true?"
"You... you want me to lure away the high-ranking mage guarding the Elderton family." Liam instantly understood. Chen Yu nodded slightly. "How about it, can you do it? You just need to lure the mage away."
"It's a bit tricky."
Liam clenched his fist, gazing thoughtfully.
"That mage of the Six-Colored realm is directly under the royal family, and he's quite arrogant. He doesn't show much respect to the dignitaries of the kingdom. Even my father might not be able to get his attention, let alone me, a mere prodigal son with no accomplishments."
Chen Yu remained silent. During this time, Liam's mind was working furiously.
"No one is perfect," Chen Yu murmured after a moment of silence. "You say he is arrogant, yet he is in the kingdom's city, serving the royal family. Can you still call such a person arrogant? If he is here, it's because he has something to gain. If he isn't unburdened, he must have something he cares about, understand?"
Quietly listening to Chen Yu's soft words, Liam gritted his teeth.
"I'll try."
"At the third watch of the night, I will make my move. Don't keep my people waiting too long," Chen Yu looked up at Liam. "Don't worry, this matter will absolutely not involve you. You just need to do what you are supposed to do."
"Understood."
Liam nodded heavily, and clutching the golden deeds, he left the private room. His followers also disappeared from the restaurant with Liam.
"You're entrusting the Elderton family's assets to him. Aren't you afraid he'll run off?" the little demon, who had been silent all along, asked. Chen Yu, however, took a sip of the wine in his cup. "You worry too much. He absolutely will not run."
"So confident?"
"Yes, that confident."
Chen Yu stretched lazily, looking in the direction Liam had departed.
"Perhaps others would be tempted by such a large fortune and harbor ill intentions, but Liam certainly won't be."
"Why?" Nuo Yi, with her mouth full, mumbled indistinctly. "The Elderton family is said to be very wealthy and well-known in our River Town. Earlier, that kid Su Zhan said the Elderton family's wealth was enough to rival a kingdom. So even if Liam is rich, he shouldn't be unmoved by the Elderton family's fortune, right?"
"When a person has a certain goal in their heart, all external things become mere smoke,"
Chen Yu said with a smile, "Liam's ambition does not lie here. This wealth cannot help him realize his own value, so naturally, he won't be moved by it. Let's wait for the results from his end. No matter how fast he moves, it shouldn't yield results in a short period."
"Are we leaving tonight?"
"Why would we leave?"
Chen Yu looked at the little demon with great confusion for a long while.
"The matter concerning the Elderton family is already settled. As long as Liam can successfully lure away the high-ranking mage guarding outside, the members of the Elderton family can use the teleportation scrolls you provided to go to your free city-state, and then people from River Town will escort them to Fuhua Elderton. Your mission is already complete."
"The certification?" Chen Yu spread his hands.
Instantly, the little demon's eyebrows furrowed.
"You're still thinking about certification?"
"Since I'm here, I can't just leave without certification," Chen Yu spread his hands. "If I don't enter the Floating City, the Tatu Kingdom's royal family will think I'm afraid of them. Even if I can't get certified, I want to see their expressions when they personally refuse me."
"You're really strange."
The little demon pouted. Chen Yu just smiled at her without speaking.
"Brother Chen Yu, there's something I don't quite understand," Nuo Yi mumbled for a long time, finally swallowing the food in her mouth. "You say Liam's ambition isn't here, and you say Liam is this and that. It feels like you have a very high opinion of him. Does that mean everything about Liam now is just an act? I don't believe you would think highly of someone who only indulges in debauchery. So, if he's actually a very intelligent person behind the scenes, wouldn't he find your actions peculiar?"
"No, he wouldn't."
Chen Yu whispered gently with a smile. Nuo Yi frowned in confusion.
"Ah?! He wouldn't find it peculiar? Even I think there's something a bit off here. If he were a suspicious person, he might think even more. Brother Chen Yu, don't blame me, but I genuinely feel that your handling of the situation just now wasn't entirely reasonable."
"It's very simple. As long as he knows who I am, then everything becomes reasonable."
"Is that so... Huh?"
In an instant, Nuo Yi froze, her eyes widening in astonishment.
"He knows who you are?"
"Yes, perhaps... he knows everything."
Chen Yu looked up at the window, watching the sky gradually darken outside, and said no more.