Chapter 98: Karisha

Stanley nodded gratefully toward Chen Cao, took a drag on his cigarette, and said, “It’s simple. My fiancée is beautiful, and the son of the Elder had liked her for a long time. You know, in Odoru, an elder’s son is usually rich and well connected. At that time, the Allied Forces had labeled the Odoru Holy War Organization a terrorist group and begun moving troops; war seemed about to erupt. In truth, except for the extremists, many fighters and officers—even the Elder—were deeply pessimistic. Some were even transferring assets abroad in secret, ready to flee, and when the elder’s son came to me, he told me he had always liked my fiancée. He promised he could treat her and take her abroad, but only on one condition: I had to find a reason to leave her behind.”

Chen Cao leaned back slightly. In his heart, he recognized this as a bitterly familiar melodramatic ethics plot, the kind you’d see on old dramas. He lit his own cigarette. He no longer needed to know the rest. If Stanley were telling the truth, then all his hard pursuit of money, his risk of selling information to Mainz, could be understood. Like him and Mei Mei, he too had to take chances no matter what.

After lighting a cigarette, Chen Cao said, “In other words, that captain of yours was also a lovesick fool. Then perhaps it could benefit us both. I understand, Stanley, but I still have one question: why would you choose me?”

Stanley’s expression cleared into a smile. “Honestly, boss, I’m a man reaching for any lifeboat, any remedy. Finding you was pure chance. I’d assumed you were Matsumoto, the cult elder’s son, and wanted to milk you for a payout. But the power you showed all at once made me admit I’d been wrong, and it only strengthened my decision to work with you. It works better this way. And… I have to earn enough money to go to Mainz and redeem my fiancée!”

Chen Cao laughed softly. “I see. You’re brave, all right. If I’d been a little less alert, I might have let you drag me into blackmailing the Gabon cult. So this is a relationship of interests, then?”

Stanley grew serious. “That was before. Not now. I think your rush for money is because of that girl too. I think your state of mind is like mine, and no matter what purpose you have, I respect it.”

Chen Cao smiled faintly and held up his middle finger. “Don’t bother flattering me. Since our purposes are alike, I’m glad to make money with you. At least that point we agree.”

“Boss!” Stanley grinned, running his fingers through his curly hair.

“Wait—shh…” Chen Cao suddenly pressed a finger to his lips. The pistol was already in his hand. Stanley’s expression tightened; he pulled his own pistol from his chest and stood up.

Chen Cao had just reached the door when it began pounding with a heavy thud.

He nodded at Stanley. Stanley moved to the door with practiced ease and called out, “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” a woman answered, in standard Mainz speech, anxious in both tone and breath.

In this cheap little inn, the owner had even saved money by not installing a peephole.

Stanley gave a low laugh and, ignoring her, said, “Sorry. I didn’t call for special service.”

Chen Cao frowned slightly. That voice was familiar.

“I know you’re in there. Please, let me in. I know what you want, everything,” the woman said, her voice quieter now.

“Boss,” Stanley asked for instruction. He knew this kind of thing Chen handled far better than he did, and in this moment Chen was still the one better suited to decide.

Chen Cao nodded to Stanley, slid back, then gave his hand a quick shake and raised the gun. At that moment, a gun was more trustworthy than a man, and he was certain he could fire the instant the door was opened.

Stanley, almost as practiced, released the door bolt and eased it open.

“Thank you!” the woman cried, then rushed in as soon as a sliver remained open, as if she feared it might close.

“Golden-haired girl, so the story checks out,” Chen Cao muttered as the blue-eyed blonde stepped inside. Stanley, in perfect coordination, pinned the cold barrel of his gun against her forehead.

Chen Cao propped the door with his shoulder, probed the hallway by turning his head out several times, then, finding nothing amiss, snapped the door shut quickly. He saw Stanley had already clamped a hand around the girl’s throat, held her to the floor, and pressed the gun mercilessly to her temple. Satisfied, he nodded once.

The girl’s face had lost all color. She didn’t move, but shivered all the same.

“Stanley, let go of her,” Chen Cao ordered, lowering his own gun.

Heard.

Stanley released the blonde, who only then dared to glance around in fear. The room was bare and small: a mattress by the bed, and at the bedside a girl lay unconscious, a fluid bottle hanging beside her.

“Ha! White girl, stop staring around like that,” Stanley grumbled, shaking the barrel toward her.

“Stanley, don’t swing that muzzle around. You know these black-market guns are prone to accidental discharge,” Chen Cao said, dark-faced. He really could not endure Stanley’s guerrilla habits.

“Right,” Stanley said, holstering the gun, though he remained on edge, standing apart.

Chen Cao checked the time. There was just over an hour before departure, and since the blonde had somehow gotten in now, there was no way to let her walk free. It would be safer to squeeze out some intelligence from her first.

“Good evening, sir. My name is Karisa,” the blonde said, bowing slightly to Chen Cao. She didn’t look like a typical Western girl at all—more like a woman from Gabon.

Chen Cao put the pistol away but drew a knife, holding it up to Karisa as it flashed in the dim light. “No nonsense. I want to know why you came, why you know I’m here, and how you tracked me.”

Karisa kept her eyes on the knife, her bright blue eyes flickering wildly. She stood frozen, barely daring to move. “Sir, do not misunderstand me. I had no choice. When you were wounded, I came out and then followed you. Forgive me for that. I don’t know why you and they have enmity, but I believe whoever came after you did so out of deep hatred. Then they are our common enemies, are they not?”

Chen Cao interrupted, “Wait. Common enemies? I don’t quite understand.”

When Chen spoke, Stanley stepped forward and kept a hand on his waist.

“Correct,” Karisa said, now calm. Even the pure and untouched look in her eyes had turned to fierce heat. “Because he killed my father. If I’m not mistaken, this girl lying there is connected to them somehow, isn’t she?”

“But even so,” said Chen Cao, “I still need to know why I should believe you’ll help me.”

“Because my father was Dr. Ruan. I believe what belongs to him is on your person.”

Karisa gave a faint smile. To Chen, it looked like contempt mixed with endless sorrow.

Chen Cao was startled. He had not expected all this to line up so neatly. The blonde before him was in fact the daughter of Dr. Ruan, whose skin had a warm, tawny tone.

Karisa’s expression eased slightly as she saw that shock. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll tell you the secret of that chest, and you help me kill the people who killed my father.”

Chen Cao toyed with the dagger, staring coldly. “Why should I trust you?”

“You have a bag of gems in your chest, don’t you? And a map. The gems have already been sold by my father, and that map…” She hesitated. “I don’t know this part either, but my father told me: if one could find that location, he would rise and prosper.”

Stanley’s eyes lit up at the word “prosper.” He leaned toward Karisa. “My little darling, then tell me the secret inside that chest.”

Karisa ignored the slobbering entreaty and fixed her large eyes on Chen Cao, as if waiting for his answer.

Chen Cao said coldly, “Everything you’ve said has holes in it, yet every one is a tempting condition. Fine. Then we have a deal. Tell me the secret now. We don’t have much time.”

“Of course,” said Karisa, “but only once the matter is accomplished.”

Chen Cao turned away and slipped the dagger into his belt. “All right. Since we cannot trust each other, the transaction is off. Stanley, pack up. We’re pulling out.”

Stanley, not the most polite man, flicked a crude sign with his middle finger toward the beautiful girl and began packing his bags.

Chen Cao moved in front of Karisa. A mark from the Six-Wings Queen’s blow was still on his temple from earlier, dirt clung to his face, and dark circles marked his eyes. His handsome face still held things together and hid the worst of his fatigue.

Chen Cao looked at Karisa and said, “We are both fugitives. You’re trying to look calm, but your terrified eyes give you away. Let me tell you plainly: this is not a game for a girl like you. Go inherit your father’s legacy and leave this place. Live quietly.”

“No—no,” Karisa said, biting her lip, nearly unhinged. “My father was not wrong. He was a good father. He only took possession of one wrong thing. I must see to the bottom of his death.”

Flame King, Chapter 98: Karisa — Update completed.