Threat

Deal

"..."

The voice coming through the phone made Demville suddenly tremble.

This rhythm is seriously wrong!

From Dongying to Huaxia, then from Huaxia to France, and now to the shadowy black organization "Aladdin"—why was this young man everywhere? Whether in the white or black world, he was practically omnipresent.

Once he connected the dots, the hairs on Demville's back rose one by one without his realizing it.

"Hello! Hello! What big deal? I'm Akyol, the Western European liaison for 'Aladdin.' I'm honest and reliable, and the price is negotiable..."

Diligent Akyol continued enthusiastically peddling himself on the other end of the phone, practically wishing he could plaster his huge pockmarked, long horse-face all over little advertisement slips proclaiming "Honest and Reliable Old Gentleman."

Li Bai really hadn't lied to him. He had introduced business to Akyol before. Although it had only been a bridge job, even a mosquito's leg was still meat, and he had earned a little one way or another. In any case, it was a good start.

The "Aladdin" organization had always mainly handled shady black-market business, but it likewise wouldn't reject legitimate white-market work that came knocking.

They weren't crime-art enthusiasts. Since there was honest money to be made, who would deliberately refuse it?

Demville's face went pale as he abruptly hung up, carefully placed Li Bai's phone on the small table, then leaned back in his chair and gasped for breath. The other party's influence was simply too great. He seemed to be someone Demville couldn't afford to provoke.

On the eastern coast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, at the other end of the call, wave after wave tirelessly battered the golden beach.

What happened to the big deal?

Why did he hang up?

Akyol, with his long horse-face, stared blankly at his