"That's good," said Anom.

"Huh?"

Selvo looked at him with an expression that said, "Have you lost it too?"

But Anom didn't care for his thoughts as he said solemnly, "Now I want you to listen to a proposal I have with your utmost attention, Selvo."

Selvo grew confused as he didn't catch Anom's tone for a moment. His change of address also surprised him, as he had never seen the guy dare to be rude to him.

"Don't worry. You've heard it right." Anom chuckled.

"And let me restate my words," he said. “My proposal is for you only; not the Handler family.”

"What do you mean?" Selvo's confusion grew as he didn’t know what the gang leader in front of him was trying to say. Given the grave situation they were in, they should be thinking about ways to save their asses. Not talk about some random proposal—

"Wait," Selvo spoke abruptly and asked, "Don't tell me you have a solution to deal with this mess."

Anom smiled. "Of course."

"Otherwise, shouldn't it have been better if I had already run away, leaving your family to deal with it all?"

Selvo's lips twitched as he heard these brazen words. But he couldn't muster any response because the guy was right. More importantly, he might also be his only chance at getting out of this problem.

Shouldn’t you have said that sooner? Was what Selvo wanted to say, but he didn't dare to complain right now when his situation was already precarious. He could not afford to mess with what seemed like his only reliance.

So he calmed his emotions and asked the gang leader in front of him, "What do I have to do?" His expression was serious as he realized it was his first time doing this type of negotiation. All along, it has been his father or other family members who took care of the bothersome stuff.

"Now, now, Selvo." Seeing his expression, Anom smiled. "Don't look like you have to suffer or something." He paused and added in an amused tone, "If my plan is successful, then you might even have to thank me for giving you this great opportunity."

"Will you stop talking in riddles already?" Selvo's impatient character was showing once again as he was eager to know about the best way to live through this situation.

"It's quite easy, actually," Anom said. "Since the situation we have encountered is without any solutions, we just have to change the situation itself."

Before Selvo could urge him again, Anom explained, "That girl and her colleagues still don't know the identity of the culprit. So we can make use of the time before they do. Then we'll be able to convert the great disaster into a great opportunity instead."

"You mean we can place the blame on someone else?" Selvo's eyes brightened. At the same time, he chided himself for thinking of this simple plan himself.

"No." But Anom's reply dampened his enthusiasm.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Anom said, "Looks like your easy life in this city has clouded your intelligence." He looked at him like he was observing an idiot before adding, "Not to mention whether blaming someone else will be enough to fool the Lance family or not. Can't you see the brilliant chance that has been presented to you?"

Selvo once again realized that planning and scheming were not his strong suits. Hearing the gang leader's words, he could only ask dumbly, "What chance?"

Anom didn’t reply immediately. Following a brief moment of silence, he began speaking in a low voice, almost as if muttering to himself, "Imagine you are a girl from a great family, going to a small city to have some fun." His tone was a bit dramatic, as if he was already imagining the scenario.

Selvo also didn't interrupt, as he understood that the gang leader was finally revealing his idea.

"You have a status that is above all in the small city you are in." Anom continued speaking theatrically: "None can enter your eyes; no force is worthy enough for you to have your guards up."

"But then," taking a suspenseful pause, he continued, "someone among these unworthy people dared to infringe upon your authority. Someone was bold enough to ignore your esteemed position and, uh, kidnapped you!" As he spoke, Anom also realized that he was not very good at hypothetical narration. So he decided to keep it short and continue on with his plan.

He continued, “Imagine the rage that will boil within you!”

"Think about what you will want to do to the unfortunate soul who dared to go against you."

Selvo imagined, but he couldn't muster any rage, only endless horror. Thinking from the gang leader's perspective, he had already begun to imagine what would happen should the abducted girl come to know about his identity as the leader of this act.

"But," looking at Selvo, who was hooked on his words, Anom was satisfied as he continued, “also imagine the despair you would feel while being in the darkness.”

"However noble you might be, no authority will help you if the kidnapper decides to violate you in any way he so desires."

Suddenly, Selvo's eyes shone with a peculiar light, leaving Anom speechless. This guy sure is amazing. He can think with his lower body even in such a situation.

"It was when," ignoring the weird glow in the hopeless person's eyes, Anom continued, "amidst your despair, a ray of light appeared to dispel the darkness." His tone grew excited. "A person suddenly appeared who, while also belonging to the ranks of the unworthy, still decided to help you out of your dilemma. A hero! If someone saved your honour and rescued you from a situation that might have cost you your innocence, wouldn't you be endlessly grateful to such a person?" He emphasized, "Maybe even develop a liking if the saviour turned out to be a handsome young man?"

Selvo's eyes shone, this time with ambition.

"Well, maybe not." But Anom once again dealt him a blow as he said, "Given how high and mighty those people from the capital are, it'll be blessing enough if they remain grateful."

Selvo opened his mouth but didn't speak, as what the gang leader said was also a possibility. But that didn't douse his spirits as he hurriedly asked, "But there's still a chance for us to get in their good graces, right?"

"Absolutely." Anom spoke with certainty. "If you do it exactly the way I have planned, there's a chance for you to obtain a benefit greater than what your family might be getting in their deal with the Sorneo house."

Selvo's eyes widened as he looked at the gang leader, who seemed to be speaking nonsense. "Do you even have any idea how much my family will benefit from this cooperation?" he asked. "How can getting friendly with just a direct descendent of another great family compare to that?" It was true that he agreed with the gang leader's idea. But he only considered it a way to get out of the mess he had unknowingly created. As for the potential gain?

… He didn't have enough experience to estimate that.

"Selvo, oh Selvo." Anom sighed in disappointment. "How can you even underestimate the golden chance I had brainstormed while losing my sleep?"

"Tell me something," he asked. "Do you really think that your family is the only one within the whole kingdom to have formed a contract with the Sorneo house?"

"No." The question was simple enough, and even Selvo was not stupid enough to think like that.

"They also seemed to have sent some guys over to handle the deal here, didn't they?" Anom asked again.

Selvo didn't know where the gang leader was going with his words, but he decided to comply with him for now. He also didn't think much of Nedar knowing about it, as it was probably his father who informed him.

"Yes," he answered concisely.

"Then does that team carry any direct members from their family?"

"No." Selvo suddenly felt a little gloomy.

Anom fell silent for a moment before he said, "Now think about it carefully; does your family really carry enough importance to be considered a real partner of the Sorneo house?"

"I don't think so," he scoffed. "They are here only to occupy certain resources that might be necessary for their development. Your family just happens to be a convenient medium for them to gather all the resources."

"So what?" Selvo retorted. "Isn't that how all trade works? Merchants buy from the source and sell somewhere else at a higher price. Our relationship with them is similar to that." Although he spoke like that, hearing the gang leader's words somehow made him feel extremely depressed.

"They are." Anom nodded.

He continued, “But you are only seeing the benefits.”

"What about the risks?" Anom asked.

"How can there be only profits in business? You have to bear some risks too." Selvo could provide a standard answer.

"That's right." Anom agreed with his point once again. But he quickly posed another question: "But are you sure that your risk assessment is accurate?"

Selvo suddenly turned nervous. He asked in a hesitant tone, "What does that mean?"

Anom didn't keep him in suspense and explained, "While I was questioning that blonde girl, I casually asked a bit about the Sorneo house." He paused, which caused Selvo's nerves to tense.

Finally, he said, "They're one of the major players, with a say in the major matters of the capital." He paused before adding, "They are quite powerful, to be honest."

"Isn't that a good thing then?" Selvo asked in confusion.

"Yes. They are quite resourceful." Anom nodded before finally saying, "Resourceful enough to not get destroyed after offending every other major family in the capital."

“Wha—What?”

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