Chapter 16: Adding Money (Patreon)

Cross had been waiting outside for a while. He had come to Ginny out of necessity.

Since Ginny had left the Assassin Brotherhood about a year ago, they had a good relationship. If it weren't for Sloane targeting his son, he wouldn't have bothered Ginny.

When his phone rang and he heard the words "come in," Cross felt relieved. It seemed that they were ready to discuss this matter.

Entering Charles's office, Cross looked at the three people in the room – an Asian man with a scar on his face, a handsome young man, and Ginny. He wasn't sure who to talk to about the mission, so he looked at Ginny.

Ginny introduced, "BOSS, this is Cross. He's the one who needs our help."

"Cross, this is my boss, Charles Doyle. He can help you with your situation."

Hearing Ginny's introduction and looking at the middle-aged man before him, Charles's mental image of Cross from movie started to align with the image of the man in front of him.

Charles then recalled that the Assassin Brotherhood seemed to have a certain treasure, as well as an enigmatic item.

The treasure referred to the ointment used by the Assassin Brotherhood – injuries like bruises, cuts, and fractures would heal within a few hours. For Charles, who currently didn't have medical ninjas or medical ninjutsu, this secret formula was a valuable asset.

The other enigmatic item was the Loom of Fate. After weaving fabric, this loom would leave behind special numbers. Decrypting these binary numbers would reveal names, and then the Assassin Brotherhood would send assassins to kill those individuals.

The Loom of Fate determined the life and morality of certain people. The people whose names appeared were all wrongdoers, destined to be killed, even if they hadn't committed any crimes yet.

Fox's childhood experience was a testament to the authenticity of the Loom of Fate.

The Assassin Brotherhood existed for centuries because of this loom.

This might sound quite absurd – in a modern society, a group of skilled assassins obeying the commands of a loom to carry out killings.

But Charles considered that this wasn't a simple modern society; it was a Marvel world where technology, magic, and divine powers coexisted. Perhaps this Loom of Fate was truly exceptional?

Who knows, it could be a treasure related to fate?

All these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Charles warmly said, "Iruka, please take our guest to the meeting room."

Seeing Charles so enthusiastic, Ginny also smiled and led Cross into the meeting room. Iruka then came over and asked, "What would you all like to drink? Coffee, whiskey, or iced water?"

Charles smiled and said, "Give me a glass of whiskey."

Ginny smiled and said, "I'll have a cup of coffee."

Cross said, "Iced water."

"Please wait a moment, I'll be back soon," Iruka said and quickly left to fulfill the requests.

Charles then said, "Mr. Cross, please tell us about your mission."

Cross straightened his posture, took out a photo from his pocket, placed it on the table, and began, "I need you to send someone to protect my son.”

“He's been targeted by Sloane of the Assassin Brotherhood. I'm afraid I can't take him away, so I have to trouble you to provide protection."

Charles picked up the photo and took a look.

Yes, it was that unfortunate kid who had been watched by his father, betrayed by his girlfriend, and ultimately deceived by Sloane and others, leading to him killing his own father.

"Mr. Cross, I've heard that you recently left this organization. I presume you have some understanding of their strength."

"An organization that has existed for centuries won't easily give up on targeting someone!"

Cross hesitated for a moment and asked, "What do you mean?"

Charles's face lit up with a smile, and he said, "It's about adding money!"

Just as Cross was about to speak, a knock on the door interrupted him. Iruka walked in with their beverages, placed them on the table, and then left. He needed to stay outside in case more guests arrived for reception.

Charles picked up the whiskey on the table, took a sip, and gestured for Cross to continue the topic.

Cross picked up the glass of iced water and drank it all in one gulp before speaking slowly, "3 million! I'll pay three million US dollars, and I hope you can ensure the safety of my son."

Charles calmly spoke two words, "The duration?"

"Why?"

Seeing Cross still somewhat perplexed, Charles explained, "Mr. Cross, although I haven't investigated in detail yet, if I'm not mistaken, you've had conflicts with the Assassin Brotherhood."

"It's no problem for us to protect your son, but for how long?"

"Is it one week, two weeks, a month, or even longer?"

"Or are we supposed to wait until your situation with the Assassin Brotherhood is completely resolved?"

Hearing Charles's words, Cross was also taken aback. Indeed, how long should they protect his son?

While three million wasn't a small amount, protecting his son from the Assassin Brotherhood would require top-tier strength. Just like a sheep couldn't protect its young from a pack of wolves, how could Cross expect his son to be safe from the Brotherhood?

However, trying to hire a top-tier assassin like Charles to protect someone, especially for an extended period, wasn't feasible with just three million dollars.

After some contemplation, Cross said, "5 million, for a month."

If he couldn't resolve the situation with Sloane within a month, then his own demise wasn't far off. After all, Sloane wouldn't let him go.

Regardless of the outcome, there would eventually be a conclusion to this matter. If he won, there wouldn't be much to say. If he lost, Sloane wouldn't even spare a thought for his ordinary son.

Hearing Cross raise the price to 5 million dollars for a month of protection, Charles offered a suggestion, "Sir, I have a proposal – let's split this mission into two parts."

"For the first task, you pay 3 million dollars, and our agency will provide comprehensive protection for your son, ensuring his safety."

"For the second task, you pay for my services to eliminate the Assassin Brotherhood."

Upon hearing Charles's words, not only Cross but even Ginny widened her eyes. Ginny had left the Assassin Brotherhood because she no longer believed in Sloane or the Loom of Fate.

Hearing the suggestion to eliminate the Assassin Brotherhood caught her off guard.

Cross took a moment to compose himself, thought it over, and said, "Sir, I don't have that much money. I can't afford the price to have you eliminate the Assassin Brotherhood."

After all, the Assassin Brotherhood wasn't just a handful of people; it was an organization that had been passed down for thousands of years, with a substantial number of members.