The negotiation concluded, and Yueshan Guanmu quickly departed with Yue Shan Xi, leaving only the accompanying butler.
He Xi Qian Yu looked at him with a hint of confusion, "You're not leaving yet?"
The butler bowed respectfully, offering a black card with a cold texture, "Tsuruki-xiansheng, this is a small token of our master's appreciation. Please accept it."
He Xi Qian Yu did not refuse, calmly taking it. Seeing him accept, the butler bowed slightly again, then turned and left.
...
"Phew... I'm exhausted." Only after confirming that the person had left did He Xi Qian Yu let out a long breath, slumping heavily onto the sofa. The expensive leather sagged slightly, bearing his entire weight.
Despite the inhuman strength bestowed by the Slaughter residing within him, he was, at his core, just an ordinary university student. Naturally, he couldn't be compared to an old fox like Yueshan Guanmu, who had been in the business world for decades.
During the negotiation just now, he was almost entirely led by the nose by the other party. Rhythm, momentum, bargaining chips... he was at a disadvantage in every aspect of control. The only thing that made the other party's eyes flicker was when he mentioned the surname "Washu," but that ripple was quickly suppressed by the other party without a trace.
This feeling of being completely controlled brought an immense sense of powerlessness and an indescribable frustration.
"Qianyu-ge..." Jin Mu Ken cautiously spoke from the side, his voice filled with obvious worry and guilt, "Are you... alright?"
"Not so good, Jin Mu." He Xi Qian Yu turned on his side, burying his face in the sofa back, his voice thick with weariness, "The work at the Anteiku Coffee Shop today... I might have to ask you to handle more..."
He really couldn't muster any energy.
Jin Mu Ken nodded vigorously, his eyes complex, "Understood, leave it to me."
He knew that the root of all this lay with him.
"...Tsk... Useless..." Slaughter's hoarse voice echoed in He Xi Qian Yu's mind, his disdain undisguised, "...From beginning to end... you only said a few words..."
"What do you know?" He Xi Qian Yu rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Do you know how much pressure there is negotiating with an old fox like that?"
"...Then stop talking nonsense... Act... Eat him..." Slaughter's voice was filled with a bloodthirsty desire, "...End it all..."
"And then?" He Xi Qian Yu scoffed, "Besides getting into a lot of trouble, what do we gain?"
"...A... delicious lunch..." Slaughter's answer was simple and crude.
Just then, Dong Xiang had quietly walked to the sofa.
She looked at He Xi Qian Yu, who was buried in the sofa. Her purple eyes, usually distant and cold, now clearly reflected sincere gratitude.
"...Thank you." Her voice was very soft, but much gentler than usual, clearly reaching He Xi Qian Yu's ears.
He Xi Qian Yu then lifted his face from the sofa, looked at Dong Xiang, and gently waved his hand, forcing a somewhat tired smile, "No need to thank me, it was just a small matter."
"Why..." Dong Xiang pursed her lips, seeming a little confused and unable to understand, "Why help me so much? This... is very dangerous."
Actually, it wasn't dangerous. He Xi Qian Yu thought to himself.
He Xi Qian Yu sat up, leaning against the back of the sofa, his gaze sweeping across the quiet Anteiku Coffee Shop. "Any one of the people in the Anteiku Coffee Shop, as long as they had the ability, would be willing to help you. It's just..." He paused, his tone carrying a helpless smile, "They're just not as good at fighting as I am, for now."
The existence of "Slaughter" within him was his greatest confidence. This almost unreasonable power allowed him to cast aside many concerns.
Even when facing the legendary "White Reaper," Arima Kishou, he was confident he could contend with him.
This power gave him the right to smooth over some regrets for his friends.
Transmigrating here, he had no family or relatives in this world. The peaceful daily life at Anteiku Coffee Shop, and these companions with their varied yet warm and inclusive personalities, had long given him a sense of belonging, a feeling of "home."
He was naturally willing to resolve some regrets for his friends.
He looked up, meeting Dong Xiang's eyes, which still held complex emotions, and smiled gently, "After all, we're friends, aren't we?"
If he remembered the plot progression correctly, soon, the Bronze Tree would launch an attack on the Ghoul detention center—Kukulia.
With the precise intelligence provided by Yueshan Guanmu, that chaos would be the best time to rescue Kirishima Arata.
Of course, he could also let Slaughter have a good meal then.
...
Dong Xiang looked at He Xi Qian Yu's candid and gentle smile, her lips moving slightly. In the end, she only nodded more forcefully, giving a soft "Mm." She turned and walked towards the bar, her steps seemingly a fraction lighter than usual, silently wiping cups, though her fingertips held a barely perceptible tremor.
On the sofa, He Xi Qian Yu closed his eyes, his fingers unconsciously toying with the cold black card. The edge of the card left a subtle sensation on his fingertips, reminding him that the weight of this "token of appreciation" was not light.
Just then—
Ding-a-ling.
The Anteiku Coffee Shop door opened.
"We're back." Fangcun Gongshan wore his usual gentle smile, followed by Koma Enji and Ru Jian Xuan.
He Xi Qian Yu remembered that the Manager and the others had gone to resolve the supplier issue.
"Manager, did you find a new supplier?" Dong Xiang looked up and asked.
"Of course, the new supplier was very accommodating," Fangcun Gongshan nodded, "I still have some things to deal with, so I won't disturb you."
With that, he walked straight to the second floor.
Ru Jian Xuan's gaze lingered on He Xi Qian Yu for a moment, a meaningful smile on her face, before she also followed upstairs.
"Not bad, Little Brother Qianyu!" Koma Enji walked over to He Xi Qian Yu in a few steps and slapped him boisterously on the shoulder, his tone full of teasing, "Kidnapping Yue Shan Xi and demanding money from his father, this style of action is quite like your Uncle Koma's back in the day!"
"Ha—?!" He Xi Qian Yu instantly shot up, his face full of shock, "Wha... what are you talking about?!"
He had calculated that Fangcun Gongshan would be out dealing with supply issues before daring to kidnap Yue Shan Xi to the Anteiku Coffee Shop. Otherwise, with Fangcun Gongshan's personality, he would definitely tell him to release the person if he knew.
How could they know?
"Oh, come on, don't pretend, Little Brother Qianyu." Koma Enji chuckled, then as if suddenly remembering something, he slapped his forehead exaggeratedly, "Oh right! You weren't at the Anteiku Coffee Shop that day, I forgot to tell you about this."
"See that? There, a camera is installed."
"—?!"
He Xi Qian Yu's pupils suddenly contracted. He snapped his head in the direction Koma Enji was pointing—a dark camera lens was coldly focused on him.
"Relax, relax," Koma Enji patted his shoulder again, this time with a hint of comfort, "The Manager found out right away. I originally thought he would immediately call to stop it."
He shrugged, his tone relaxed, "Now it seems, the Manager... he must have tacitly approved."
"Now it seems, the Manager must have tacitly approved."
He Xi Qian Yu stood frozen, the old man's always gentle and calm face involuntarily appearing before his eyes.
He had to admit... Fangcun Gongshan was indeed a person who was gentle to the point of contradiction.