Chapter 798 Making a Deal
Rylan waited long, but Catherine didnât show up. One of his men informed him that she had returned to the school. Based on Catherineâs personality, she was unlikely to be in the laboratory.
âCould she still be in the dormitory?â Rylan wondered, not wanting to wait. He decided to go and check the situation in the dormitory. Before he could leave, his phone buzzed. He took out his phone, stepped aside, and answered the call. âSpeak,â he said, his tone devoid of any emotion.
The person on the other end said something to Rylan, and his eyes instantly darkened, his previously gentle demeanor totally gone. âWait for me. Iâll be there soon,â he said before hanging up.
The sparsely decorated room contained only a bed and a chair. Ronin sat in the chair, enjoying a delicious meal specially prepared for him. Ever since he shared the special means of contact with Catherine, his life here had been much better. What Catherine said was indeed true-one should learn to look after oneself. Although he had lost his freedom, he lived quite comfortably here.
Ronin wasnât originally supposed to stay here. He had been transferred to this place the day before. With his keen intuition, he was certain that something had happened.
As Ronin heard footsteps approaching, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. Then, he continued to eat his food, looking completely at ease.
When the man in the mask entered the room and saw what Ronin was doing, he suppressed his anger, walked towards Ronin, and looked at the food on the table. âIâve fulfilled what I owe you. Now itâs time for you to pay something back to me,â the man in the mask said. âOr perhaps you want to return to your previous life. But I assure you, it will only be more painful.â His voice was menacing, each word a threat.
Roninâs expression remained relaxed, as if he didnât take the threats seriously. He lifted his head and pointed his chin at the man in the mask. âStop with the tough talk. Iâm not easily scared. If youâve got the guts, just kill me,â he said, causing the man in the mask to feel somewhat at a loss.
He currently had no way to kill Ronin, and there were orders from his immediate superior-under no circumstances could Ronin be killed unless absolutely necessary.
âRonin Oconnor, just because I spared your life doesnât mean you can do whatever you want. I can make your life a living hell. Do you believe me?
âHumph!â Ronin sneered. âI surely believe you. But you donât have to keep threatening me. Just tell me what you want, and Iâll do my best. I will keep my promise. And you, state your purpose. You keep beating around the bush like an old woman. How do you even get anything done?â
The man in the mask hadnât expected Ronin to scold him. It irritated him to no end, but he had no way to deal with Ronin. Their original plan was for Ronin to come begging for them to let him go. But Ronin seemed unconcerned about his freedom, willingly cooperating with them, which seemed very strange. âDo you know what experiments Catherine Swann is conducting?â he finally asked.
Ronin looked up at the man in the mask with disdain. âIâm just a cybercafe manager who barely finished a few years of schooling. I know a bit about computers, but that doesnât mean I understand such complex experiments!
Ronin had once worked as a cybercafe manager just to use the computers. He always addressed himself as a cybercafe manager. However, his story might deceive the ignorant but not the man in the mask. He was well aware of Roninâs abilities, knowing that Roninâs computer skills were second only to Catherineâs.
âRonin, you donât need to beat around the bush with us. We know your capabilities better than you do. Our condition is simple. We want the results of Catherineâs experiments. If you can make it happen, weâll meet any of your demands,â the man said.
His words piqued Roninâs interest. He looked eagerly at the man in the mask and laughed out loud. âHah, I want you dead. How about that?â
The man in the mask froze, his eyes blazing with anger.
Ronin noticed his expression. He knew how furious the man was. âYou said youâll meet any of my demands, didnât you? Well, donât make empty promises, âRonin said disdainfully.
The eyes of the man in the mask darkened. Just as Ronin thought the man was about to lose his temper, the man said coldly, âFine, I promise you!â
Ronin was shocked, looking at him with a look of disbelief on his face.
The man in the mask thought that Ronin didnât believe him and emphasized once again, âAs long as you can get the experimental results, you can take my life at any time!â
Realizing the man wasnât joking, Ronin couldnât help but applaud. âWow, youâre really a tough guy! Canât believe youâll agree to such conditions. Well, I admire you! But then again, I was just kidding earlier. Even if you give me your life, I donât want it.â
âYouâ¦â Upon hearing Roninâs words, the man in the mask couldnât control himself any longer.
Just as the man was about to lose his temper, Ronin quickly patted his shoulder, signaling for him to calm down. âDonât get so worked up. Can you just listen to my explanation?â
Under Roninâs soothing words, the man in the maskâs emotions calmed down a bit.
Ronin looked at him helplessly and said, âSince you know enough about us, then you should know Catherine hasnât yet completed her experiment. In that case, how can I get the results for you? Even if you gave me a second life, I still couldnât give you the experimental results.â
The man in the mask remained silent, gesturing for Ronin to continue speaking.
âYou only want the experimental results, right?â Ronin asked.
Faced with Roninâs question, the man in the mask silently nodded.
Ronin then proposed a relatively feasible suggestion to him. âIf the experiment could easily succeed, the whole world wouldnât be focusing on Catherine. I canât guarantee that I can get the experimental results for you, but I can promise that I will do everything I can to get the experimental data. Is that okay?â
Before the man in the mask could respond, Ronin issued a warning. âThis is my biggest concession. Donât push your luck, okay?â
Hearing this, the man in the mask voiced his doubts. âThen tell me, the laboratory is heavily guarded. And Catherineâs data is top-secret. How will you get it?â They had considered breaking into the laboratory to steal the data, but it was simply impossible on a technical level.
Ronin looked arrogantly at the man. Donât forget what my specialty is.
Besides, Catherine canât guard against me. I know her too well. Iâll agree to your condition if youâre willing to set me free. This is the only condition Iâll accept. Nothing else.â Roninâs attitude was firm, not at all like someone being coerced. It was more like they were the ones seeking Roninâs help.
The man in the mask knew that they couldnât currently negotiate a new outcome and could only proceed according to Roninâs demand for the time being.