Chapter 420 - 287: Parting Ways (2)

Su Mo asked worriedly, "What should we do?"

The Future shook his head, "There’s no good solution, we can only inject drugs daily for slow recuperation. Once the snake venom that’s penetrated the cells is expelled, her body can recover."

Su Mo: "How long? Approximately?"

The Future: "At least a week."

Su Mo involuntarily clenched his fist.

A week...

Nuobai has been publicly offered five hundred million, who knows how many assassins and mercenaries are on their way to New Moon City.

A day or two might be bearable...

A week...

Can I really secure that much time...

Nuobai now is like a piece of fragile glass, too weak to withstand any turmoil...

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "For the next couple of days, I’ll order the medical layer to be sealed off, only you and Dongdong, along with other core members, can enter, everyone else is prohibited from entering or leaving."

"Nuobai will be your responsibility to care for, all the medicine used, the nutrients injected, you must check them thoroughly. Even if taken directly from the warehouse, you must conduct toxicology tests first."

The Future frowned and asked softly, "Are you worried there’s an insider?"

Su Mo sighed sadly, "Five billion... the greed of human nature, I dare not gamble on it."

The Future nodded gravely and said, "I understand, I’ll take care of Nuobai’s side. You need to think carefully about what to do next."

"With Nuobai staying with us right now, the whole Edge Mansion is likely a piece of fat meat, who knows how many people are watching outside."

...

On the day Su Mo rescued Nuobai back to Edge Mansion, he immediately made emergency adjustments to the activities of the whole mercenary corps.

Except for a small number of mercenaries executing commissions outside, the rest were called back to Edge Mansion, and the defense system was activated comprehensively to ensure the safety of the mansion around the clock.

At the same time, the medical district where Nuobai was located was completely sealed off together with the three layers above and below, only Future and other core members were allowed near.

Edge Mercenary Corps, as the rising star in the latter half of last year, was already drawing the attention of the mercenary realm of New Moon City.

Coupled with yesterday’s commotion being too massive, the news of Su Mo bringing Nuobai back to Edge Mansion was impossible to keep a secret, intelligence quickly leaked, and undercurrents became more turbulent.

Su Mo had just finished arranging the defense work of the mansion when he received a call from the front desk staff, "Leader, Mr. Dress is downstairs, there’s been a small conflict with the security personnel, could you come down?"

Su Mo clicked his tongue, "Right at this moment..."

He took the elevator downstairs, arrived at the hall.

At the entrance of Edge Mansion, several mercenaries guarded the place.

Dress was stopped outside, arguing with Edge Mercenaries.

The Edge Mercenary advised kindly, "Sorry, Mr. Dress, you cannot enter, Edge Mansion has been sealed off, it’s the leader’s order."

Dress shoved him, pointed at his nose and swore, "Kid, I advise you to speak carefully. I’ve known your leader before he made his fortune, we’re buddies! Who do you think you are to stop me?"

Just as Edge Mercenary was in a dilemma, sweating profusely, Su Mo arrived just in time, walking out from behind the door, "Old D, what’s the matter?"

Upon seeing Su Mo, Dress quickly put on a smile, "Old Su, you finally came. Frankly, you should properly manage these clueless subordinates of yours."

"Come come come, it’s cold outside, let’s talk inside." Dress said as he tried to squeeze past Su Mo.

Su Mo extended a hand to the door frame, blocking Dress there, calmly saying, "Sorry, Old D, it’s a time of emergency recently, really inconvenient, if there’s anything, just say it here."

Dress was taken aback, his expression turned into displeasure, "Are you showing me an attitude?"

Su Mo didn’t beat around the bush, he got straight to the point, "Under normal circumstances, I’d definitely welcome you with good food and drinks. But right now what you want, fifty million, is upstairs, how could I let you in?"

Dress pursed his dry lips, swung his arms heavily, "Fine, since you’re being direct, I won’t be subtle either."

"Tell me, how do you plan to deal with that Nuobai fellow? Just keep her safe here in Edge Mansion? No one gets to touch?"

Su Mo: "What then?"

Dress rolled his eyes, said sarcastically, "Old Su, people grow up after the new year, but you’re getting more immature as you live?"

"That’s five billion! Five billion! What a concept is that? Your Edge doesn’t even earn that much in a year, with a single swing of the knife, a snap, several years’ profits are gained!"

"Even if we ignore the money, have you thought about the fame killing her will bring you? Half the world’s mercenaries and assassins fighting over it, but in the end, the prize lands in your hands."

"If this gets out, your fame will rise, build on it for another decade or so, once Zhou Hanyan steps down, you might be the next King of Mercenaries!"

"King of Mercenaries! Old Su, don’t you want to be the King of Mercenaries?"

Su Mo chuckled briefly, mocked, "If a King of Mercenaries has to rely on assassinating a friend to rise, then that king is shamefully unworthy."

Dress shook his head, his expression helpless, "That’s why I say your mentality is too childish...do you think such things are rare? Surely you don’t think those Great Mercenaries have clean hands?"

"Mercenaries are businessmen, not idealists. We’re all out here earning a living, be real, don’t treat it like a kiddie playing house."

Su Mo pointed outward, "If you’ve come just to tell me this nonsense, you can leave. You’re a big intermediary, usually very busy, I don’t wish to waste your precious time."

Dress gestured to pause, his tone turned meaningful, "Old Su, let me put it this way, I’m here this time on behalf of the Iron Blood Alliance, they’re also paying attention to this matter."

"You should know, Zhou Hanyan was supported by Iron Blood to his position, Iron Blood has always thought highly of you, many voices support you taking over for Zhou Hanyan in the future."

"But there’s a precondition, you must be obedient."

"Nuobai, as a mercenary, has been long disliked by Iron Blood. This person had an unstable position before, didn’t have a fixed intermediary, got paid by three parties simultaneously."

"When Elder Tang finally managed to bring her over to work for Iron Blood, suddenly she went missing without notice, retired without a signal, causing major displeasure at Iron Blood."

"Thus, you can see, when she got into trouble this time, Iron Blood, her old employer didn’t step in to help her, on the contrary, welcomed her demise."

At this point, Dress’s tone turned profound, "Old Su, this serves as a warning for you."

"Both Audiana and I work for Iron Blood, your rise was backed by us, even if you haven’t visibly sided, you’re already considered part of Iron Blood."

"If you wholly commit to Iron Blood, do everything according to their instructions, you’ll have everything you want."

"But if your stance is unstable, if you muddle your head, failing to recognize who your benefactor is, you’ll fall hard."

"So, Old Su, follow my advice, ignore those so-called friends, kill her, take the money, enjoy the fame, then leverage Iron Blood’s admiration to climb higher, ascend to greater heights, and establish your name."

"Someday in the future, maybe Old D will need your protection, hahaha."

Su Mo quietly looked at this "old friend" standing before him, without speaking.

"Dress." Suddenly, Su Mo called his name.

This was the first time in Su Mo’s life he directly addressed Dress by his real name.

"Back when I was still on my way to the top, you helped me multiple times, I’ve always kept that in my heart, and will surely repay it when I can."

"But I ask you to go back and tell those people, I, Su Mo, am not some great person, but neither will I become an ungrateful scum."

After finishing, he extended a hand towards Dress, "Thanks for making a trip, I wish you a prosperous future."

The grin on Dress’s face disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented chill.

"Snap."

He swatted away Su Mo’s hand, pointed at his nose before leaving, "You’ll regret this, Su Mo."