Chapter 171: Street Wise
Delon's eyes squinted as he tried to get a read on Reign, closely observing his movements, the sudden changes in his demeanor, and any other subtle cues.
Normally, a person would show some hint on the way they carried themselves, but Reign's face was devoid of any emotion because it was fake from the start.
However —
Delon couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration but he did not show it on his face.
'This guy is a master at hiding his emotions,' he thought to himself, finally giving up.
Here he was, thinking he had a knack for reading people, only to be completely blindsided by Reign's impenetrable poker face.
It was a humbling realization, one that left him both frustrated and impressed at the same time.
He assumed that Reign was not just powerful in terms of fighting, but also very intelligent to be able to hide his thoughts like this.
The funny part was that Reign wasn't even trying. It would be strange for Delon to read anything from a synthetic mask in the first place.
"So why did you want to meet me?" he asked, his fingers tapping on the wooden desk.
"Let's cut to the chase. If you have my record, then you know how strong I am. Sooner or later, I will become a high-ranking member in this organization. How about you invest on me while I'm still cheap?"
Reign replied, his tone confident, but did not come across as arrogant because he had the ability and track record to back it up.
"Oh" Delon's eyebrows raised slightly at this proposition.
It was not unusual for Gold Rank members to receive added benefits through branch sponsorship, but the problem was that Reign had not registered first at this branch.
Therefore, the commission would not kick in, and all his future achievements could not be attributed to them.
No matter how he looked at it, it was a one-sided deal that would only benefit one party.
Delon was on the verge of rejecting the offer when a sudden thought struck him.
Casually, he opened his PC and accessed Reign's information again.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard.
As he navigated through the data, each click of the mouse echoed in the room.
Thoughts raced through his mind as he scanned through the information. He hadn't done an in depth reading before because he had been in the middle of something urgent when the clear called him.
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Code Name: Rain
Rank: Gold Rank
Type: Combat/Stealth/Scout/Intelligence
Status: Eligible for Promotion
Mission Completed : 9/9
Mission Rate : 100%
Potential Rating : 5 Stars
Origin Branch: Summit City
Special Notes: Reign had shown exceptional talent as a Divergent. He was able to complete missions quickly and demonstrated diverse expertise, handling all assignments cleanly.
In a short span of time, he was evaluated as someone with the potential to reach at least Diamond Rank in the future.
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'At least Diamond Rank?' Delon nearly stood up from his desk after reading the special Note.
Fortunately, he managed to calm himself down, avoiding looking like a fool.
But that wasn't the only thing that caught his attention.
"You're from Summit City?" he asked, realizing the implications.
This changed everything.
The Summit City branch was gone, which meant any members from there were now free agents and could sign up with any branch.
This was a rare case, but it was there to allow other branches to continually benefit from a strong hunter.
And If the reports were true and Reign had indeed achieved as much for short period of time as they claimed, then it was inevitable that he would reached even higher status in the future.
The temptation to align himself with someone with such potential was strong, especially considering the benefits it could bring.
However, Delon's curiosity remained, wondering why Reign had come here in this city on the first place .
"Tell me first about this partnership," Delon replied cautiously.
It was better to play it safe. He needed to hear Reign's offer before making any decisions.
While the benefits sounded appealing, he couldn't ignore the potential risks.
If Reign did something foolish in the future, it would be him and his branch that would suffer the backslash.
The person in question, on the other hand, was smiling crazily in his mind after seeing that Delon was now willing to talk.
His reason for going to all this trouble in the first place was because he wanted to access some information that only the Branch Leader would know, and also used him in the future.
Without mind-controlling abilities, he had to resort to roundabout methods to extract the information he needed.
While he could have used violence, there was a high chance that Delon would lie to protect sensitive information.
So—
Instead of immediately resorting to force, he decided for a more strategic approach.
He compared it to feeding a chicken before attempting to catch it; by building trust and rapport, he could increase the likelihood of obtaining the information he wanted without resistance.
This was the result of him adjusting to this corrupt world.
If before he was just book smart, now he had also become streetwise after experiencing many new things.
"It's not a big deal, all I'm asking for is some points, a house, a car, and access to information while I'm staying here," Reign responded casually.
Asking for something huge right away would be a wrong move, so he decided to bait him first with a reasonable requests.
Delon raised his eyebrows.
Those demands were surprisingly easy to fulfill and could be granted by him right away, which made him now sure that Reign came to this city with a specific goal in mind.
"I'm willing to accept that offer, but I want to get something clear. Why are you in this city in the first place?" he asked, seeking clarification.
Reign paused, already prepared with an answer. "I'm looking for someone. He killed my family, and I've got news that he's here. Until that bastard is dealt with, I can't move on to Green Valley City." He added , there was a hint of disgust in his voice.
"Revenge, huh? That makes sense."Delon accepted the explanation.
He had been in this line of work for a long time, so he knew how people sometimes did impulsive things for revenge.
If his family were killed, he would also do the same if he had the capability. Losing a family member was not a pleasant experience, after all.
"Do you want me to help you find his whereabouts ?" Delon asked.
If it was information he needed, then the Veiled Nights was second to none in the underground criminal world.
"Not right now, but I will contact you when I need it," Reign replied, not rejecting the offer outright. "So, do we have a deal?"
Delon raised his hand and extended it for a handshake. "For our partnership," he said.
Reign shook his hand firmly. "For our partnership," he confirmed.
As they finalized their agreement, both men knew this was just the beginning.
Reign had his own dark agenda, and Delon and the Veiled Nights was just a stepping stone to him .
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