Chapter 414: Phantom Circle

Everything Dean said might have some truth to it. People might’ve had a reason to be against Zoren. Perhaps Zoren was actually the problem. However, it wasn’t always like that. If it was, then what had Penny done in her previous life to be hated by everyone?

What had she done so wrong, growing up without her real family? What did that pitiful Penelope do to be born hated, live hated, and die hated?

No matter how insignificant Dean’s existence was to Penny, their brief conversation lingered in her mind. It left a bitter aftertaste, affecting her mood for the rest of the day.

Ring!

Snapping her vacant eyes from the document in her hands, Penny checked her phone. Deep lines appeared between her brows as she answered it.

"Uncle Wild?" she called as soon as she picked up. "Is something wrong?"

The first thing she heard from the other end was a man’s scoff. "Is that the first thing you’d say to me when I call?"

"Uncle... ha ha..." Penny laughed awkwardly, correcting herself. "How are you, Uncle?"

"Hmph! I’m fine! And you?"

Penny pressed her lips together, telling herself these pleasantries were the last thing she wanted at the moment. "I’m okay, Uncle Wild."

"I heard about the orders you’ve sent to HQ. Brat, what’s going on over there?"

"It’s business," she answered vaguely. "I need it."

"Tch." He clicked his tongue. "You want us to rush and transfer all business to Anteca, but with all your orders, it feels like you don’t want us there at all!"

’In a way, I don’t want you here,’ was what she wanted to say, biting her tongue to stop herself. "Uncle, the transfer is a lot of work. Even though Yugi prepared for a year before entering this market, there are still a ton of things to handle. However, we can’t just stop everything altogether because we have people relying on us."

"Tell Haines to help you!" Wild harrumphed. "How come he gets to retire, and I can’t?"

"Uncle Wild, you don’t have a limp."

"But I have two missing fingers! I’m handicapped!"

"..." Penny propped her jaw against her knuckles, ignoring Wild’s lamentations. "Uncle, did you find anything about the person I’m looking for?"

"Hah! This brat. Why did you even save me if you’re going to make me your slave?" Wild sighed heavily. "Back then, it was fine because you were cute. Now, you’re no longer cute. I’m going to visit a shrine later and pray they turn you into a dwarf."

Her face contorted. ’Seriously?’ Penny was already lacking in height. "Uncle, you don’t love me at all, do you?"

"Why would I love you, brat?" Wild scoffed. "Why didn’t you tell me about the Ito family?"

"How did you hear about that?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Their big mouths kept running until they reached my ears! Those bastards. They better not show up in front of me, or I’ll beat them up. Might as well take a finger or two."

Penny sighed, shaking her head. "There’s no need for that, Uncle Wild. I already settled matters with Ito Motors with the help of my First Brother."

"Those miscreants... they really have the nerve to dream, huh!"

Penny shook her head. Even though she couldn’t see Wild’s face, she could already imagine his angry expression. Well, she couldn’t blame him. One of the reasons she didn’t want to accept any requests from the Ito family was because of Wild. He had a history with them, and it wasn’t a good one for either him or Ito Motors.

’Uncle Wild’s always been a troublemaker,’ she thought. ’I’m glad he managed to change for the better.’

Penny listened to Wild’s continuous blabbering, knowing it was his way of keeping her on the line. When she found an opening, she spoke.

"I’m glad to hear you’re doing well, Uncle Wild. However, I presume you didn’t call just to rile yourself up," she remarked, leaning back in her chair. "About my orders... have you found anything yet?"

Wild cleared his throat. "Ahem! Of course! Why do you think your company became a leading security firm if we’re not reliable?"

Penny smiled. "Did you find him?"

"No." His quick answer made her frown. "Penny, that guy you’re talking about... he’s been abducted."

"Huh?" Deep lines appeared between Penny’s brows. "What do you mean, Uncle Wild?"

"Our men were on it and found his location, but then some unknown men took him. By the time they arrived, he was gone."

"Do you know who they were?"

"No, but we’re still investigating," Wild said. "Though, I have a suspicion."

Silence fell between them as neither spoke for a moment. She waited for Wild to share his guess, and when she heard it, she drew a deep breath and shook her head.

"The Phantom Circle," Wild remarked. "You’ve heard of them before, haven’t you?"

"Yes, I have."

The Phantom Circle was an underground organization. Just like their name suggested, they were like ghosts—no one knew anything about them. None of their members had ever been arrested or identified. They simply moved and disappeared without a trace.

Even Prime Group or the military had little knowledge of them.

The only mark this group left behind was a signature smiley face at the places they’d been. That was the only lead they ever left—nothing more.

"Anyway, that’s all we’ve got." Wild shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The smiley face was left in his stinky apartment. That guy is gone forever!"

Wild waited for Penny’s response, guessing what she might say. However, she didn’t speak for a long time, as if she had forgotten he was still on the line and had dug deep into her thoughts.

"Hey, I’m still here!" he yelled, snapping Penny out of her trance. "Did you hear me?"

Penny blinked as she instinctively moved her phone away, then weakly put it back to her ear. "Yes, Uncle Wild, I heard you. I’m still here. Anyway, it seems that guy, Nathaniel, offended someone. Though I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not."

However, a part of her couldn’t shake the unease she felt at this news.