Chapter 13: Scheming and Intrigue
"The monsters near Yorkshin City shouldn't be underestimated. It's better to release the information so we can make a clear judgment on whether to stay or leave."
A thin, withered old man spoke up.
"That's right, release it."
"Since we're cooperating, we should show some sincerity."
The contractors echoed the old man's words one after another. The smile on Mr. A's face faded.
"Everyone, the fact that I'm willing to release general information is a form of sincerity in itself. What have you all contributed? Don't tell me you think I'm a pushover, someone you can trick into giving away something for nothing?"
Hearing Mr. A's words, the old man curled his lips. He had done this intentionally, stirring up discord between Mr. A and the other contractors. By acting as a spokesperson for the group, he deliberately isolated Mr. A as a selfish person with ulterior motives.
Isolating and replacing Mr. A to become the representative of this small group—in the old man's view, this group was bound to form, and the benefits were right there.
"Trick you into giving away something for nothing? Mr. A, the fact that we came here is already a sign of trust in you. Isn't that sincerity enough?"
The old man's words made the other contractors nod. This concerned their interests, and the old man happened to be speaking on their behalf.
"Tch, a bunch of rabble. With this kind of coordination, you want to challenge a Lord-tier creature? Dream on!"
The burly man holding the war hammer stood up, walked to the door, and forced it open with brute strength.
The burly man walked out of the restaurant, and the iron door clattered shut behind him.
His departure made Mr. A shake his head. The man had a point.
"Everyone, may I have a word?"
Mr. A raised his voice. The contractors present all looked at him. The old man narrowed his eyes—this was now a contest between him and Mr. A.
"As for me, I do have a selfish motive. If we successfully kill the Cyclops Giant, I want 30% of the value of the items in the treasure chest."
As soon as these words were spoken, sneers and snickers filled the air. The old man's eyes showed a hint of disappointment and self-mockery—disappointment because the small group couldn't form, and self-mockery because he had considered Mr. A a worthy opponent.
"Looks like this was a wasted trip."
"No kidding. 30%? That's way too greedy."
"Insatiable greed. Let's go."
The contractors began to file out, and this yet-to-be-formed small team was about to disband.
"I haven't finished speaking. What's the rush?"
Mr. A remained composed. Some contractors who had already taken a few steps stopped. Since they had already come, a little more time wouldn't hurt.
"I've drafted a temporary team contract. As long as you sign it, I'll release all the information on the Cyclops Giant to everyone. Not just the information—I'll also provide a detailed explanation of its weaknesses."
The contractors shook their heads one after another. These two points weren't enough to attract them.
"One more thing: the temporary team already has a main tank. Of that 30% benefit, 20% goes to the main tank. I only take 10% myself. Whether it's obtaining the information or covering the costs of finding the Cyclops Giant's weaknesses, ask yourselves honestly—is 10% really too greedy?"
Mr. A's words made the contractors present fall into thoughtful silence.
"What rank is the main tank?"
Hearing this question, Mr. A smiled.
"Rank 1591 in the second-tier arena, with over 60 points in stamina attribute. I can only disclose this much—it's personal privacy after all."
Hearing the ranking and stamina attribute, the contractors were surprised.
"A main tank of that level can only be trained by a large adventure group, right? How could someone like that appear in such a small team?"
"If there really is a main tank with that kind of strength, then we might have a chance."
"'Might have a chance'? It's highly likely. Anyone in the second tier knows that a main tank's status is no lower than a mage lord's. Without a main tank blocking the front, a mage lord is just a glass cannon. And main tanks rarely survive the first tier—second-tier main tanks are all extraordinary."
The situation took a dramatic turn. The contractors who had been about to leave now pulled up chairs and sat back down.
Seeing this, the old man's expression soured. His 'opponent' was stronger than he had imagined.
"Mr. A, what are the rules of the temporary team? Or what conditions are needed to join?"
"It would be best if the main tank showed up. That way, we can feel more at ease."
Mr. A nodded.
"Brother Stone, come on out."
The sound of steady footsteps approached. A burly man about two meters tall walked out from the back kitchen. His expression was downcast, as if burdened by heavy thoughts.
"Stone? Could it be...?"
"The second main tank of the Mantian Adventure Group? Why is he showing up like this?"
This main tank named Stone was clearly a well-known figure. As soon as he appeared, several contractors recognized him.
"Mr. A, if the Mantian Adventure Group is involved in this, then small fry like us should just step aside."
Mr. A waved his hand.
"Everyone, don't get excited..."
Before Mr. A could finish, Stone suddenly spoke.
"There... is no more Mantian. I'm just a lone man now."
Stone grabbed a chair and sat down. He picked up a bottle of strong liquor on the table and chugged several gulps, looking very dejected.
"Was the Mantian Adventure Group wiped out?"
"Maybe. Even large adventure groups can't guarantee safety in Reincarnation Paradise."
"I did hear some rumors before, but I thought they were false. Word has it they were wiped out in the Naruto World."
The appearance of the main tank, Stone, boosted the confidence of the contractors present.
"I'll send the details of the temporary contract to everyone. Consider whether you want to join. But not just anyone can join. Killing the Cyclops Giant is extremely dangerous. If your strength is insufficient..."
Mr. A didn't finish his sentence. He simply released the contents of the temporary contract.
The restaurant fell silent. Only the faint sound of chewing could be heard.
Mr. A and the old man both looked toward the source of the chewing. When they saw a person and a dog eating heartily, Mr. A narrowed his eyes, while the old man turned away and stopped paying attention.
In the old man's view, someone with such a lack of vigilance wouldn't last long in Reincarnation Paradise.
Bubu Wang let out a burp, then used his furry front paw to nudge Su Xiao. His gaze seemed to say, "Master, we need to get involved in more things like this. These scheming contractors are way too entertaining."
Su Xiao smiled but said nothing. Based on the current situation, this small group had a chance to kill the Cyclops Giant.
However, there was one issue: Mr. A had recruited contractors through the derivative world contact platform. Other contractors who hadn't joined the small group might lie in ambush near the battlefield, waiting to reap the rewards after the group's battle with the Cyclops Giant.
Even if no one tried to reap the rewards, the small group itself was unstable—like the old man, Mr. A, and others.
These two were just the obvious unstable factors. Including Su Xiao, there were 15 contractors present. Among them, there were bound to be others with ill intentions.
Cooperation would be ideal, of course. But what if infighting broke out after successfully killing the Cyclops Giant? Su Xiao didn't really care. If someone provoked him, he would just kill them outright—simple and brutal. Dealing with contractors was something he was very good at.
As he pondered, a temporary contract appeared. It was drafted by Mr. A. The main content was: after signing the contract, everyone present would form a small group. This group would last until the Cyclops Giant was killed and the spoils were successfully divided.
During this time, they could not attack each other, could not do anything harmful to group members, and could not leak information. Violations would result in a penalty of 500,000 Paradise Coins plus a -10 to all attributes.
The penalty was harsh enough, but it was a necessary condition for forming the small group.