As Rice parked the vehicle and stepped out, the stub of his cigar was nearly burnt out. He took several deep drags before flicking the glowing ember to the ground. From a distance, he spotted Glass waving at him with an exaggerated expression.
He approached the arms dealer in silence, his gaze cold and unwavering as he stared at Glass.
"Captain Rice, what can I get for you today? Bullets? Grenades? I just got in a fresh shipment of rockets—should I send some over to your camp?" Glass still hoped to strike a deal.
Rice's voice was indifferent, almost icy. "It surprises me I never saw it before."
Now it was Glass's turn to look puzzled. He forced a sycophantic smile. "Captain, you have such a sense of humor. What is it you think you missed?"
"I never realized," Rice said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter, "that you had ties with KILL. You've grown quite bold, haven't you?"
Glass's eyes flickered with a trace of alarm, but he quickly masked it with a grin. "I'm not sure I follow, Captain. What are you implying?"
Unbothered by the cold winter air, Rice stretched lazily, his bare torso drawing curious glances from nearby merchants. "I don't care who you are or how deep your ties to KILL go. What I want is simple. Find Lin. Tell him he has until tomorrow—same time—to report to my camp. If I don't see him by then, I'll make sure your business vanishes from Godo City."
At the mention of Lin's name, Glass's smile froze on his face. He cleared his throat uneasily. "Captain Rice… how did you find out?"
"That's irrelevant. Figure it out yourself. I'm leaving."
Glass watched Rice's retreating figure, his brow tightly furrowed. He couldn't comprehend how Rice had uncovered the connection between him and Lin—but that no longer mattered. What mattered now was what to do next.
If he sought Lin out, the X Mercenary Group might target him. He knew they had several espers in their ranks—powerful enough to pose a genuine threat to Lin.
But if he didn't… his black market empire in Godo City would be finished. Rice's strength, and that of his mercenaries, was no idle threat. They didn't even respect the Alliance's soldiers, let alone a mere arms dealer like him.
In the back seat of Charles's off-road vehicle, Xiao Feng slowly regained consciousness. Charles's blow had knocked him out for nearly two hours. He sat up groggily, his head throbbing, only to discover his hands had been shackled.
From the driver's seat, Charles turned and sneered. "Awake, you little bastard?"
Xiao Feng glanced outside the window. The landscape was unfamiliar. The vehicle sped along a desolate highway, and he appeared to be the only prisoner onboard. His voice dropped low. "What did you do to Old White?"
Chuckling, Charles replied, "Still worrying about him? Don't worry. I only broke a few of his ribs. He's not dead."
Xiao Feng exhaled in relief. Knowing White had survived meant a lot—especially since White had regenerative abilities.
His head still heavy and dazed, Xiao Feng leaned against the seat and smirked bitterly. "So, what now? Am I under arrest? Where are you taking me?"
"Delivering you to collect my reward. We're headed to Black Whale City, to the First Division of the Alliance's Esper Administration Bureau. Looks like I'll be earning myself a fat bonus. Tell me, Xiao Feng—should I be thanking you?"
"Oh?" Xiao Feng arched a brow. "And how much am I worth?"
"For a Level One Esper—10,000 Alliance credits. Level Two—50,000. I can't quite tell your exact level, but you're definitely above Level Three. That means at least 100,000 credits. So tell me, have I hit the jackpot or what?" Charles laughed heartily.
"I'm flattered. That much, huh? So what are you going to do with all that money? Want me to help you spend it?"
"Hah! You've got jokes. Sure, I'll let you spend it—if you live long enough. But something tells me you won't. The Bureau's not going to go easy on you. Lifetime imprisonment, if you're lucky. And you even dragged poor Kelly down with you. Last I heard, she's still being detained."
Hearing Kelly's name, Xiao Feng's mind drifted to that night—the night he crossed the line with her. Her flawless figure appeared vividly in his memory. His voice turned sharp. "Why is Kelly locked up?"
"Oh, you care about her, huh?" Charles snorted. "She failed her mission. Consequences come with failure. Not that knowing helps you—worry about yourself."
Xiao Feng said no more, leaning back again as he silently strategized his escape. He knew that if he didn't act on the road, once inside Black Whale City, his chances would vanish completely.
Just then, Charles opened the glove compartment with his one good hand and pulled out a strange-looking pistol. He aimed it squarely at Xiao Feng.
"Don't even think about running. You won't make it. If I let you escape, I'd be a laughingstock." He pulled the trigger.
A strange "pfft" sound escaped the gun.
Xiao Feng felt a sudden numbness in his chest. Looking down, he saw a small dart embedded there. A heavy drowsiness overcame him almost immediately, and he collapsed into the back seat once more—unconscious.
Charles chuckled. "Gotta love tranquilizer guns." He set the weapon down on the passenger seat, took one last look at the unconscious Xiao Feng, and cracked open a beer, sipping it contentedly.
Hours later, the off-road vehicle rolled into Black Whale City. After a few turns, it came to a halt in the parking lot outside the First Division of the Alliance Esper Administration Bureau. Charles got out, hefted Xiao Feng's limp body over his shoulder, and strode inside.
Inside Henry's office, the director stretched wearily. He was just about to clock out, plans for a boisterous dinner with old friends already on his mind—when suddenly, the door burst open.
One-armed Charles entered, carrying the unconscious Xiao Feng.
"Director Henry," he said, grinning, "Here's the man you ordered me to catch."
Let me know if you'd like to refine this style further or translate the next chapter.