Note: ok what the hell.. my fingers are having cramps with this copy paste bonanza lol I'll be back in 30 minutes for the remaining lol
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Chapter 260: Professor Ratio, You Truly Are My Good Brother!
[ Several system hours ago, The Oak Family Manor ]
"Since you have arrived as promised, learned Professor… does this mean you are willing to stand with the Family in this farce?"
After speaking, Sunday turned to look at the figure behind him.
It was none other than the cold and detached Dr. Ratio!
Seeing this scene, the company employees in the cinema felt their hearts sink!
Dr. Ratio had actually met with Sunday in private before the opening!
What did this mean?
It was already self-evident!
Sure enough!
Dr. Ratio's next question immediately revealed the purpose of this private meeting.
He asked: "What makes you think you can win me over?"
"I have heard that your relationship with Mr. Aventurine is not pleasant. I also know that you are a true scholar, and your pursuit of knowledge outweighs everything else."
"If you agree to assist the Family, I will present our research results on the Stellaron to you in full. You should know very well that no other faction, besides the Family, is willing to share such knowledge."
Stellaron!
It was actually research on a Stellaron!
The Family was actually willing to pay such a price to make Dr. Ratio betray the IPC!
Dr. Ratio closed his eyes.
He sighed: "Tell me, what do you need me to do?"
"I need Mr. Aventurine's entire plan."
The employees felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave!
For a moment, all kinds of wails and sighs echoed through the cinema—
"Dr. Ratio, you're too cold-blooded!"
"You betrayed the company for just this little benefit?!"
"At least hesitate a bit! At least try to decline!"
"That's Director Aventurine, you should've asked for more!"
However, what was even more despairing was yet to come!
Sunday said in a suspicious tone: "Does the Cornerstone submitted by Mr. Aventurine—truly belong to him?"
"You suspect he would hand over someone else's Cornerstone to you? You think too highly of the unity among the Ten Stonehearts—that thing is far more important than their lives."
"But you also know he is a reckless gambler. The more ostentatious he is, the more carefully one must guard against him."
Dr. Ratio's gaze darkened: "I never thought anyone would think the same way he does. Seriously, you'd better go see a psychiatrist."
When saying this, Dr. Ratio's tone even softened.
It didn't sound like teasing, but a sincere suggestion!
"Bring it here. The box storing the Cornerstone is specially made; no one except high-ranking company officials and relevant personnel can open it—but I happen to be among them."
Click—
As the box was opened, a golden jade stone was exposed to the air.
"—Unfortunately, you guessed right."
Sunday sighed: "Heh, a golden stone. Its luster is identical to the radiance of Qlipoth's holy body."
"This is exactly the excuse he prepared to deceive you. He won't tell you: the Ten Stonehearts must carve their own Cornerstone with their own will, allowing it to bloom with a unique radiance."
"And this golden stone belongs to Topaz [ a member of the Ten Stonehearts ]; its alias is Topaz—not Aventurine."
"Well, do you want to confront him?"
Sunday shook his head: "Not yet. I want to know where his own Cornerstone is."
"In the safest place, a place you would never think of. Because he never intended to hide it—from the very beginning, that Cornerstone has already been in your hands."
Dr. Ratio's gaze turned to the luggage bag under the table.
That was the gift Aventurine had offered to the Family.
Essentially, they were just some worthless jewelry.
Yet, Dr. Ratio pulled a green Cornerstone out of the luggage bag.
"So that's how it is, this luggage bag… mixing a Cornerstone more precious than life into a pile of cheap jewelry, disguised as a gift waiting to be confiscated, it certainly fits the style of that gambler, Mr. Aventurine." Sunday revealed a look of realization.
"Then just make up an excuse, downplay the importance, and find you to get the gift back. This is a gamble; he is too familiar with it. He is betting that if you are careless, you will lose everything."
"Learned Professor, thank you for your help. The Family will naturally reward the righteous."
"As for the villain… may he step back and suffer disgrace."
...
"It's over! Aventurine has been backstabbed by Dr. Ratio!"
"Poor Aventurine has been completely seen through by the Doctor!"
"So that's where the foreshadowing for Topaz's plot was…"
"Topaz lent her Cornerstone to Aventurine, what a pity, if it weren't for the Professor's backstabbing, maybe he would have really had a chance!"
"It's over, this is the worst defeat for poor Aventurine!"
"A moment of silence for Aventurine."
...
The Reverie Hotel.
On-site.
Sunday smiled lightly.
He turned to look at Aventurine beside him.
"A nice tactic, Mr. Aventurine."
"At first, I only guessed whether you would use some means to swap the Cornerstone, or forge one."
"I didn't expect you to truly be a real gambler."
"To actually not hesitate to use two Cornerstones as a bet."
"It's a pity, your trick still failed."
Aventurine immediately crossed his arms.
A flash of annoyance appeared in his eyes.
"What should I say?"
"Backstabbed by the Professor in the game…"
"Backstabbed by the Feathered Spirit in reality!"
"Seriously, this is frustrating."
"Before even sitting at the card table, the bets have already been overturned… I hope you never experience this feeling."
A flash of mockery crossed Sunday's eyes.
In his opinion, Aventurine had already lost everything.
Just like the line in the game—[ As for the villain… may he step back and suffer disgrace. ]
However, what Sunday didn't know was…
Aventurine was currently frantically suppressing the upward curve of his mouth.
And,
Trying his best to put on an annoyed expression.
As the mastermind,
He naturally had also discovered the secret of the Cornerstone!
He had predicted Sunday's prediction!
The two Cornerstones being discovered… was still part of the trick!
"Thanks to you having a friend with such keen eyes, I was able to add a complete failure to your career," said Sunday.
"Ratio, you bastard…"
Dr. Ratio, on the other hand, closed his eyes.
He revealed an unruly expression.
Looking at Dr. Ratio in the plot,
Aventurine scolded him on the surface.
But internally, he was sighing—
Professor Ratio!
You really are my good brother!
This acting is superb!
If I hadn't seen the shape of the two Cornerstones, I would have almost believed it!
"No… it seems like everything the Professor said in the plot was also the truth."
"It's just that the content spoken was on the second layer."
"And the real trick was on the fourth layer…"
However,
Although the trick succeeded.
But his situation in the plot was still not optimistic.
According to Sunday.
He only had seventeen system hours of life left.
The Harmony's holy baptism was equivalent to a poison.
Once the time was up,
Either merge into the Harmony, becoming a puppet assimilated by the Family.
Or bear the wrath of the Harmony's avatar—the Infinite Overlord.
"Shameless hypocrite, you confiscated all my things, and you still want me to give you the truth? This is unfair. In this amusement park of yours filled with the stench of copper, nothing can be done without money."
"This should be your own righteous act, no need for the Family's assistance. Your luggage bag is there, please help yourself. I believe you can trade this bag of cheap jewelry for everything. This is what gamblers are best at, isn't it?"
"Go on, Mr. Aventurine, you are free. I will wait here for your good news."
The meeting between the Company and the Family.
Seemingly ended with Aventurine's total defeat.
The players in the live stream couldn't help but express their sighs.
...
"As expected of the Head of the Family, such deep schemes!"
"Sunday must be very angry about his sister's death, so he really isn't too polite to Aventurine."
"The betrayal of the Godfather is too fatal, woo woo woo!"
"Maybe this is Dr. Ratio, he can give up everything for knowledge…"
"Dr. Ratio: He offered too much."
"Wait! Didn't I see Aventurine transform into a boss form and flip the table in the trailer? How does he have the strength to flip the table in this state?"
"Could it be… there is still a hidden master?"
"Is there another twist?"