Chapter 299 Chapter 296 Do Not Abandon

At noon on September 7, Zhuang Xuteng waited for a call from his introducer: the person in charge of the casino group in Peicheng was willing to give him fifteen minutes to explain the situation.

Arranging this conversation wasn't easy - Lucy's words. The casino group's focus was entirely on the stolen train, and they were not concerned about local affairs in Peicheng. Although Lucy could definitely lead Zhuang Xuteng directly to her door if she came forward directly, it would make it appear that the whole thing was an operation arranged by a middleman.

If she wants to trick the Viper into a trap, then Lucy can't move lightly, and the matter must be disguised as a mercenary seeking personal revenge. Lucy could only operate in secret, find more connections through connections, and find this introducer called "Pukat" step by step, so that he could build a communication bridge between Zhuang Xuteng and the casino group. At this point, Pukat had no idea that the person who was really looking for him was Lucy. He really thought that the person who paid for it was Zhuang Xuteng.

Pukat is a slightly fat middle-aged man with a bald head that always needs to be wiped with a handkerchief. He wore a silk blouse in this autumn when the heat had not yet dissipated, and from time to time he would use a folding fan to cool himself down. At this time, those silk clothes would spread ripples on his body.

"Gulu gulu..." Pukat sucked the iced drink in the cup hard, and the strong air flow caused the remaining ice cubes inside to roll and collide. He shook the cup and then complained to Zhuang Xuteng: "Why isn't it cool in this damn weather? It's impossible to stay outside."

"There happens to be no shadows around, otherwise you can hide." Zhuang Xuteng stood under the scorching sun, his body upright, as if he was ignoring the surrounding temperature. He used dormant martial arts to control his body's state and transfer the risk of heatstroke to the mice he carried with him. "Just hold on, who wants to arrange it in this square? It's open enough here, the buildings are far away, and there are no shadows at this time."

"Well, it would be nice if we could make time for them to meet. Those people are very busy after all." Pukat fanned quickly, like a bee flapping its wings, and the airflow formed even blew his few hair upwards. "Naike, you must not cause any trouble. There is my guarantee here. I can tell them that you are a mercenary who is willing to be reasonable and has credibility."

"Didn't you tell them that I was capable?" Zhuang Xuteng put on an unpredictable expression, and his faint smile exuded a faint coercion derived from self-confidence. "In front of the casino group, only ability can keep you safe."

"Can I not tell you? You are a mercenary with a nickname, and the nickname comes from the middleman war. Dexter was chased and killed by you, right?"

"Don't ask me." Zhuang Xuteng still smiled lightly.

"I understand, you won't admit it, but there is a story about you in the mercenary industry." Pucat patted his belly with a folding fan and said, "This is our first time doing something, so there are some things that need to be said upfront: Don't use me to get close. The people from the casino group then committed the murder. I vouched for the safety and sincerity of the meeting, which is the foundation of my career."

"I'm not here to kill, I just want to talk to them and get a pass." Zhuang Xuteng asked: "I don't think you can fight. If there is a conflict, you probably won't survive, right?"

"I definitely won't fight. Not to mention fighting, look at this square, no matter which direction, even if I want to hide in any building, I don't have the strength to run there." Pukat laughed twice and said: "Only if I am weak, I will not pose a threat; only if I am weak, I will die at the first touch. I am a hostage. If either of you breaks the promise, I will die, and then the powerful characters in my family will fight to the death. Avenge me."

Zhuang Xuteng touched his chin and asked: "If they are so powerful, why haven't I heard of them? And if you directly become a mercenary, especially an assassin mercenary, your income should be higher, right?"

"Assassins, there are new people coming out every generation, and new people replace old ones. It is difficult to stay at the top of the industry level. And in this world, there are always conflicts that need to be resolved, and there are always deals that need to be negotiated. This is a business that will never be eliminated. "Pukat said with a smile: "To put it bluntly, we have been doing this business for generations and have a lot of experience in this industry."

"But there are always people who need to be killed..." Zhuang Xuteng cast his gaze into the distance, where two black cars were approaching quickly. "It seems that the person who invited us has arrived."

Pukat squinted at the car and looked down at his watch. "They came early. Well, I have a feeling this is not the last place to meet."

"Yes, they may take us to the real meeting place, or a few people may get out of the car and shoot at us. There is not even a bunker around here, maybe I will use you as a shield." Zhuang Xuteng said half-jokingly: "It's no loss to you: if you're lucky, I can drag you to a place with a building, which is much better than if you die of exhaustion or get killed here."

Puckat rolled his eyes. He didn't answer, just silently took out his mobile phone, dialed a number, then turned on the speakerphone and stayed on the phone.

Two cars rushed up the steps, ran over the granite square, and rushed in front of the two men. The car door opened, and a total of six guys in sunglasses and military tactical uniforms got out of the two cars. Each of them was equipped with a shadow follower gun ring. They all looked unhappy and very nervous. "Nike and Pukat? You two want to talk?"

"It's us. Our appointment is with Mr. Tice. Where is he?"

"We will take you there, it's not far away, but before we go there, we need to check if you are dangerous." The gunman with sunglasses said, "You need to take off your weapons, and then we will search for explosives. You can only get on the car after passing the inspection."

Zhuang Xuteng smiled and asked, "Did Mr. Tess also abide by the same restrictions and not carry any weapons?"

"Yes, we have checked." The gunman with sunglasses chuckled. They are in the same group, and the so-called inspection is simply a way of saying it. "If you don't want to be inspected, then let's not talk."

"Okay, I understand your concerns. Where should I put my weapons? Let Pukat take them?"

The gunman with sunglasses shook his head, took out a covered iron box from the car, and said, "Put it in here. We will have someone hold it and keep it within your sight. In other words, if there is an explosive, you are definitely closer to the center of the explosion."

"I see. It seems that you are very experienced." Zhuang Xuteng took off the bone spear gun, untied the belt with various grenades, and then took off the waistcoat with palm fire, and put it together with the dagger hidden in the boots and cuffs in the box. The armored coat and inner armored vest do not need to be taken off, and the pockets containing "pet" mice can also be carried with you. Zhuang Xuteng put down most of the weapons, only the armor-breaking hammer disguised as a tactical pen was still on him.

Pukat had completed the inspection early. He really didn't bring any weapons, not even a protective suit, which made people wonder if he was here to make trouble. While watching Zhuang Xuteng take off his weapons, he kept picking up a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. Shadow guns, daggers, and flying knives are easy to understand, but what about those grenades and palm fire? Is this a mobile ammunition depot?

"Aren't you afraid that these things will explode if touched by mistake?" Pukat asked.

"Like you, if something happens, you will die, and it won't hurt." Zhuang Xuteng opened his hands and said to the sunglasses gunman: "Come and check it!"

"You have expressed enough sincerity, so that's enough." The sunglasses gunman just covered the box, and no one came up to search him. "The danger is you, and the combat shadow implant cannot be removed, so the inspection is just a formality. Now please get in the car."

Zhuang Xuteng nodded calmly, and got in the car with Pukat one after another. A sunglasses gunman sat opposite them holding a box, and the other two were in front and behind, forming a pincer attack. The car started again, they left the square and entered the city, suddenly turned around outside the four intersections, and then circled twice and returned to the square.

The meeting place was between two office buildings on the edge of the square. There was a stall selling hot dogs and coffee, with four tables and a dozen chairs nearby. The gunman with sunglasses asked Zhuang Xuteng and Pukat to go forward, and then dispersed to control the surroundings. The poor stall owner was destined to have no business today: no one else was allowed to come, and the only guy sitting inside drinking coffee and eating croissants probably wouldn't pay.

"That's Mr. Tess." Pukat said to Zhuang Xuteng, "He is the manager of the casino group in Peicheng, be polite."

Zhuang Xuteng smiled slightly and walked straight forward. With the help of the vengeful spirit, the rattan chair moved to the side so that it would not block his steps. When he sat down directly, the chair also "automatically" moved forward and just cushioned his buttocks.

"A rare control implant." Tess was attracted by the moving chair and became interested in Zhuang Xuteng. "Although I don't need to tell you, please take a seat. The situation is quite tense recently, and I need more security."

Because the loss of the treasure carriage made the casino group lose face, they pay more attention to their personal image. This can be said to be a way of mending the fold after the sheep have been lost, or it can be explained as covering one's ears and stealing the bell, depending on the mentality of the person who is looking at this matter.

To be fair, Mr. Tess has handsome and capable appearance conditions, and his face and clothes are also very clean. He wears a pressed and smooth blue shirt, only unbuttoning the collar to reveal the armored skin implant on his neck. His black trousers and leather shoes are armored with anti-cutting function, and the same style of top is draped on the back of the chair.

It is impossible to tell what brand his clothes are. They may be custom-made, or they may be real high-end brands. Zhuang Xuteng always pays attention to practicality when looking at things. His appreciation of high-end products and luxury goods is all Gegongdaoism. In addition to practicality and comfort, the simplest criterion is whether the name is printed on the thing. Things printed with slogans like "Designed by Old Man Lu" or "Welcome to Riverside Avenue" are not considered high-end, no matter how well made or how expensive they are.

Tess is also a practical person, and it is also because he is in his thirties when his ambition and ability are at their peak. He did not expect Nike to explain to him the problem of moving the chair, and there was no extra courtesy. He got straight to the point and said, "You have always wanted to meet us, just for Viper?"

"Yes. He once betrayed my partner, which is a personal grudge; he also violated the rules of mercenaries not colluding with gangs, so there is also official business." Zhuang Xuteng controlled his expression and said, "I heard that he was working for you, so I came here to ask for an explanation, and also to report."

"Report? Whether I agree or not, you will do it anyway, is that what you mean?"

Zhuang Xuteng did not answer this question. He still had the same indifferent expression as before, and asked back, "Will the casino group provide him with protection services, or are they not going to intervene in this matter?"

"We can't not intervene, because he is indeed working for us. From my personal point of view, I suggest that you should go to the Blood Bat Gang. Viper is a member of the gang. If the gang doesn't protect him, we won't worry about him. You are looking in the wrong direction." Mr. Tess stared at Zhuang Xuteng's expression while speaking. Obviously, he was observing his words and expressions.

"Going to the gang is a waste of time, and coming here is to try to make an effort." Zhuang Xuteng said calmly without changing his face: "Since Viper's reputation in the mercenary industry has been stinking, cooperating with him will affect your reputation. I think in addition to one's own ability, what kind of people to work with is also an important criterion. Viper betrayed his friends and missions, and then killed his superiors and middlemen, and was driven out of Peicheng. Such a triple loser..."

"He is useful now." Tess said.

"Can I understand it this way: Viper already knows who robbed your train?" Zhuang Xuteng frowned slightly - under his active control - and then muttered in a low voice: "In Peicheng? Who could it be?"

"Anyway, it's a middleman or a mercenary, and it's very likely you." Tess suddenly pointed at Zhuang Xuteng and said.

"Maybe it's me? So, although Viper is useful, he's not useful enough to tell you the identity of the train thief." Zhuang Xuteng regained his calm expression and said, "Well... maybe it was a mistake to come to you. You can even be controlled by Viper. It seems that I need to re-evaluate the situation."

"What do you mean by re-evaluate?"

"We believe that even if you don't agree with my proposal, you will definitely not shamelessly come up to Viper to provide protection. If you ask him for help, the situation will certainly be different, and you may end up in trouble. This makes me think about how much loss you have suffered, how much strength you have left, and how you are worse than Viper? Sorry, it's not that bad anyway. So there is also the factor of the Blood Bat Gang in this?"

Zhuang Xuteng showed a caring attitude. The more friendly his attitude was, the more contempt he showed for the casino group. It can be seen that Tess is also a master. He was not angry. His smiling attitude showed that he just thought this conversation was interesting. He did not admit or deny anything, and did not agree or reject any of Zhuang Xuteng's proposals. He just clapped his hands twice and said, "I think you should talk face to face! Go, call Viper over and let this young man who thinks I'm being held captive see how big his mistake is."

Viper is coming? This is really unexpected. Zhuang Xuteng smiled slightly, thinking that things were getting more and more interesting.