Chapter 5: Black Gold, Section 8

“Do you know me?”
The sound of heels hitting the ground echoed coldly in the empty square. A figure with black hair gradually emerged from the dark entrance of the elevator. Walking among over thirty magic mechs that resembled ancient wonders, the man who had unsettled Karei finally faced him formally for the first time.
“Yes, Mr. Black Hair. I’m sorry for not paying you enough attention at first and neglecting you. But after learning a proper lesson, I’ve deeply reflected on my mistakes. Today, allow me to welcome you—with the highest respect—with the greatest honor for the craziest sand bandit in Berin’s history!” Standing tall before the throne, dressed in fine attire, Karei was extremely enthusiastic, his face, full of the charm of a mature man, now bearing the kindest smile.
Yet his words made Xue Tong and Sulei, who were closely following Black Hair, tremble violently; they even stopped in shock.
He knew? He knew!!
Sulei’s face turned pale; she dared not think any further. Could Black Hair’s meticulous plans and ruthless methods still not prevent all information from leaking? The cargo from the puppet insects had been personally reprocessed by her—except by using the most advanced instruments to directly read the codes in their cores, there was no way to uncover their true nature.
So, where exactly was the problem?
The sound of footsteps remained steady and rhythmic as Black Hair’s slightly thin figure slowly approached Karei. On his unattractive face now appeared an identical smile to Karei’s.
“From the moment I saw you, I knew I couldn’t hide anything from you. That little act of kindness from you let you know my name in advance. If I had known, I should have killed all those workers.”
“But you didn’t do that,” Karei replied cheerfully, stepping down from the throne steps and stopping about a hundred meters in front of Black Hair. At the same time, two mechs in front of Black Hair stepped forward, blocking his path.
“What’s this?” Black Hair raised an eyebrow.
“That’s another thing I need to apologize for,” Karei laughed. “Ever since I learned about your background, I’ve gathered all your information in detail. It really surprised me. Mr. Black Hair, this is the first time I’ve heard of someone who can destroy an entire stronghold of the Warriors’ Association alone.”

“So, I’m sorry. Allowing such a dangerous person to get close to me is undoubtedly a terrifying thing. Mr. Blackhair, I think this is a good start to our conversation.”
With a slight bow, Kare expressed his apologies.
“Oh?” Blackhair stopped in his tracks. He raised his head and examined Kare carefully once more, sighing inwardly.
Although he had already held this steady middle-aged man in high regard, he had still underestimated him. While such caution was often seen as cowardice, it was far more likely to ensure safety and keep one from being defeated.
Many of his plans might not work anymore… Blackhair waved for Bloodpupil and Sulei to come over. Then he lowered his head in thought for a moment before suddenly looking up, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.
“Since you already know everything, then Mr. Kare, give me an answer here. How exactly do you plan to account for Sulei?”
What? Account for her?
Blackhair’s reckless question stunned everyone present. The guards, who had been on high alert inside the magic mecha, could hardly believe their ears.
Was he insane? To dare make such a challenge in such a desperate situation was undoubtedly the most unbelievable thing they had ever heard. Under normal circumstances, he should be afraid, trembling, terrified, begging for mercy…
Just as they thought, Kare was also stunned by Blackhair’s sudden and reckless question. His mouth opened slightly, but he forgot how to respond for a while before regaining his composure and shaking his head repeatedly.
“I originally thought you were a partner worth talking to and collaborating with closely. But I was wrong. Mr. Blackhair, your question has ruined the good impression you had of me—it’s extremely disappointing. Now I can answer you.” He paused abruptly, his kind smile vanishing instantly. At this moment, Kare was radiating a fierce and deadly aura.
“Sulei is Belin’s best accountant. We, the Black Gold, paid a huge price to get her. I absolutely won’t let her go. If her debts can’t be repaid, she must pay with her own life.”

An attitude of extreme change, a tone that took a sudden sharp turn. It instantly brought a sense of immense pressure to everyone in the square. Kare’s inherent aura as a ruler was fully unleashed at this moment. It was so heavy as if it were a boulder; even the guards inside the magic mechs felt unable to breathe, with drops of hot sweat seeping from their foreheads unnoticed.

No one doubted that with just one order from Kare, that arrogant young man with black hair and his companions would be instantly reduced to powder by the overwhelming power of thirty mechs. Apart from that little girl, Sulei, there was no hope at all.

But at that very moment, they were surprised to find that the oppressed young man with black hair showed no change at all—his expression remained calm, his hands steady, and he didn’t even blink once. The assassin behind him, named Blood Eyes, also quietly moved behind him, a small controller lying peacefully in his palm.

“Black-haired…” Sulei whispered softly, slowly walking up to him, her face pale. It seemed she wanted to say something, but before she could speak, a large hand with a faint metallic glow stopped her. Immediately afterward, the young man’s gentle yet resolute voice rang out.

“I’ve already said it—Sulei is my companion. Her debts are naturally my responsibility to repay.” He raised his head and sneered.

“Using the black gold resources you stole from us?” Kare followed up, sneering as well. “Don’t you think that’s too childish?”

Although he always claimed to be a gentleman, he was still so enraged by the young man’s insane idea that he almost lost his senses. His fancy clothes fluttered in an invisible wind, and his heated body trembled from uncontrollable anger.

Unfortunately, he still underestimated the young man’s madness.

“You’re wrong,” the young man said coldly, each word like ice in winter.

“I never had any intention of using those resources to repay debts, Kare. The price I propose now is…”
“Your life!!”