Chapter 924: Chapter 924 by Chestnut

Chapter 924 Put On a Show

Since the last time Ronin saw Catherine, he had been pondering what she really meant. Determined to figure it out, he decided to personally visit Zobber.

Before meeting Zobber, he sought out Withal, hoping for a heart-to-heart conversation. They agreed to meet at an internet café, but as soon as Withal entered, he punched Ronin in the face.

Stunned, Ronin clutched his swelling cheek and glared at Withal. “Are you out of your mind?” he exclaimed.

Withal grabbed Ronin by the collar, seething, “You little punk, how dare you show your face in front of me again? I’ll ask you one more time. Are you a traitor?”

As Withal questioned Ronin, he made a gesture, a secret code within their alliance known to only a few. It was originally invented by Wantel, and everyone found it amusing, so they all learned it.

Understanding Withal’s meaning, Ronin feigned a look of distress and pleaded, “Withal, I’ve always treated you like a brother. I’ve been an orphan since I was young. Are you really going to treat me like this too?”

“Brother…” Ronin’s plea almost brought tears to Withal’s eyes. He pulled Ronin up, pressed him into a chair, and sternly gazed at him. “Tell me the truth, did you betray the Hacker Alliance?”

Looking pitiful, Ronin hesitated for a while before speaking. “Withal, I had no choice. Do you really want to see me dead?”

With a furious roar, Withal punched Ronin in the chest. “Considering our past friendship, I’ll let you off this time. But I won’t show mercy next time.

With that, Withal left in a rage. Ronin slowly stood up, holding his aching chest, his brow furrowed in frustration. “Damn it! Did he have to hit so hard? My ribs are broken!” With that, he picked up his backpack and prepared to leave. Before he departed, he glanced disdainfully at a nearby surveillance camera.

“Captain, here’s the video copy you wanted,” Finn received the video data from his subordinate and then went to Black Robe.

“Sir, Ronin contacted Withal, hoping to use him as a breakthrough, but it didn’t work. He even got beaten up by Withal and is currently hospitalized. Withal beat him up,” Finn reported.

They not only monitored the internet café but also secretly tracked Ronin. After leaving the internet café, Ronin went to the hospital. The results showed that he had indeed broken two ribs.

Finn reported this after seeing the CT scan report. He initially didn’t believe Ronin, but witnessing the private meeting and the subsequent beating by Withal made him believe that Ronin had truly betrayed Catherine and the others.

No wonder his boss was willing to exchange Flash for Zobber. If it were him, he might have agreed as well. After all, a useless person couldn’t compare to Zobber in terms of importance.

Black Robe looked at the video of the two men in an angry confrontation with a hint of a smile in his eyes. ” Ronin, you’re quite the asset to me.”

Recently, good news kept coming in. He arranged for a professional research team to study the data given by Catherine. Based on her information, they replicated an experiment in just three days. Catherine had spent nearly a year on this experiment. Even a genius like her needed a year to overcome various obstacles and technical barriers to achieve the current results.

All of this relied on the core data provided by Catherine, allowing them to successfully get the answers and quickly establish the experiment. Those in higher positions didn’t understand why he had spent a fortune to set up a laboratory despite already controlling Catherine and working with her lab. Only he understood that no one in this world was always trustworthy; friends could turn into enemies. People’s hearts were unpredictable, and he only wanted to trust himself.

Catherine was temporarily in his hands, but he knew she wasn’t someone who could be easily controlled. If she were to strike back one day, he realized that he wouldn’t even know how he’d meet his end unless he was fully prepared. He needed to ensure he had everything firmly in his control to guarantee a lasting victory.

Branden found a quaint restaurant in Loxton and brought Catherine and Thomas there for a meal. The chef was particularly special, an elderly man similar in age to Thomas. He was short and had a peculiar personality, not fond of meeting guests.

The restaurant only opened for dining once a day, and if the old man was in a bad mood, it wouldn’t open for days. This rule, despite being customer- unfriendly, led to a three-year waiting list.

Thomas was pleased with the authentic feel of the restaurant. “You can tell the owner of this place has quite the taste. It’s a marvelous restaurant,” he remarked.

Seeing Thomas’s delight, Catherine lightly tugged on Branden’s sleeve and whispered, “Good job!”

Branden responded in a low voice, “Mr. Theo is your elder and a guest at our future wedding. I must treat him well.”

Catherine was taken aback and gave Branden a puzzled look. “Is he getting bolder?” she thought. “Future wedding? Have I agreed to marry him?

Why is he talking about the wedding already?”

“What are you two whispering about? Mind your manners in public.”

Thomas’s stern voice interrupted their conversation. He had just finished touring the restaurant when he saw Catherine and Branden whispering closely, and his expression soured.

Although the two were in a normal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, she hadn’t married him yet, and Thomas needed to keep a close eye on her; her reputation must not be tarnished.

Branden, the usually ruthless president of the Duncan Corporation, who had even disregarded Karl’s orders, immediately straightened up and didn’t even attempt to argue back when Thomas called out.

If it weren’t for the young servant coming out, the awkward atmosphere wouldn’t have been easily broken. ” Everyone, please come inside and take your seats!”

“Let’s go. It’s time to eat!” Thomas gave the order, and they followed him into the private room.

As soon as they entered, they were drawn in by the delightful aroma filling the room.

Thomas looked at the table full of delicious dishes and said to the young servant nearby, “Your chef is really talented. When can we meet him?”

The young servant, accustomed to such questions, respectfully replied, “I’m sorry, Sir. Our chef doesn’t meet with guests. Please understand.”

Paxton knew that Branden was trying to please Thomas, so when he heard about Thomas’s desire to meet the chef, he intended to make it happen.

However, Thomas noticed and quickly stopped him. “No need. Everyone has their own rules, and we should respect that.”

Thomas had his own rules when it came to medical treatment, and anyone who broke them would face his wrath. He expected respect from others, and in turn, he respected them.

“If the dishes get cold, they become less tasty. Please enjoy your meal, everyone!” Not only was the place decorated in an old-fashioned style, but even the servants here were dressed in a refined manner. Thomas loved this, and Branden was also pleased with it.

After a few dishes, everyone felt satisfied with the food. It was no wonder that despite the many rules, the business was still thriving. The chef’s skills were truly remarkable.

As Thomas savored the food, he introduced Catherine and the others, ” Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this soup. It may only have a few ingredients, but it’s a true test of skill. And the most important thing is the soup itself. Its freshness depends entirely on the chef’s skills.”

Thomas spoke with authority, and Catherine and the others listened with great interest as if they were hearing a captivating story.

“Exactly!”

An abrupt voice, accompanied by enthusiastic applause, drew everyone’s attention. Upon seeing the newcomer, Paxton quietly reminded Branden on the side. “Boss, that’s the owner of the restaurant.”

Branden nodded, and Thomas, who was sitting nearby, also heard and stood up to greet the newcomer. ” Hello, my name is Thomas Theo.”

The old chef, puffing on a pipe, glanced at Thomas and bluntly said, “My name is Aaron, Aaron Melton. Seems like you’re quite the foodie, and you know a lot about cooking. Interesting.”

Aaron, whose ancestors were imperial chefs, has always adhered to traditional recipes, making the flavors very authentic, but also maintaining many rules.

Aaron was a bit arrogant, but Thomas wasn’t offended. He smiled and said, ” Aaron, considering we’re about the same age, here’s a piece of advice for you. When you’re chopping vegetables, wrap the handle of the knife with a cloth as much as possible. As you get older, your joints won’t be as nimble.”

Aaron, who was about to light his pipe, paused and carefully examined Thomas. Although he was a cook, he had seen too many people over the years, and his eyes were sharper than anyone else. He had long noticed that the guests at this table were not ordinary, but he didn’t care. However, this old man called Thomas was not as easy as he seemed.

“Are you a doctor, Mr. Theo?” Aaron asked.