The other party gave a cold chuckle, "A mere eighteen million? What's that? When we gain control of the supply line behind her, we'll have as much money as we want. Comparing eighteen million to the profits from that supply line is like comparing a drop in the ocean. Understand?"
"Okay, okay, I understand," Peerless_CucumberX responded repeatedly.
After ending the call, he immediately found Amalia and said, "Shop owner, I've seen the information about the artifacts you posted. They are exactly what I want, but someone has taken one of the artifacts."
[ I still have more ] she replied.
"That's great. How many artifacts do you have left? I want all of them," Peerless_CucumberX assumed it wouldn't be more than three, and having four intermediate level artifacts was already excellent.
The driver reminded Amalia that they had arrived at the airport.
Amalia read the message and paused before responding, "I have seven."
Peerless_CucumberX nearly fell out of his chair, greedily fixating on the word "seven." Seven artifacts at her selling price meant 42 million. No wonder Francisco had set his sights on this person.
They immediately offered eight artifacts for supply. The scale was definitely not small. Just as Francisco had said, if they could secure this supply line, earning a hundred million a day would be no issue.
The more Peerless_CucumberX thought about it, the more excited he became. He wanted to say he would take all seven, but he was afraid they might not have enough funds. With reluctance, he said, "I'll take three artifacts."
[ No, three is not possible ] she responded with a chime.
Peerless_CucumberX was taken aback. "Why not?"
[ I can only offer a maximum of two artifacts, no more ] she explained.
Peerless_CucumberX gritted his teeth, thinking that whether it was two or three artifacts, it would still serve their purpose. He agreed, saying, "Alright, I accept that condition. But here's one more condition."
[ What is it? ] she inquired.
"I request that the two artifacts not be shipped by courier. They are very valuable, and I'm afraid they might get lost. Instead, I'd like to specify an address. You can leave the artifacts there, and I'll pick them up. What do you think?" he proposed.
Upon reading this, Amalia raised an eyebrow, not giving an immediate response.
Worried he might decline, Peerless_CucumberX sent another message, "As someone in this business, I'm sure you understand the value of these artifacts. I hope you can understand my concern."
Amalia opened her private messages and left a message for Carlos, inquiring about Peerless_CucumberX's reputation.
Carlos replied promptly, "I know this person. He's a longtime user of the Red Espiritual Net, and his reputation for buying and selling is decent. If he were to engage in any shady business or tamper with transactions, it would tarnish his reputation on the Red Espiritual Net. The Red Espiritual Net also doesn't allow users to have multiple accounts or aliases unless they're family members."
"I see. Thanks," she replied.
Amalia then responded to Peerless_CucumberX, agreeing to his request, "Alright, we'll still finalize the transaction on the Red Espiritual Net. Please place your order."
Peerless_CucumberX cursed the merchant under his breath but reluctantly accepted. He really didn't want to part with this 12 million, and he still hoped to recover this money.
Having convinced the other party to agree to a real life transaction was a challenge. He couldn't afford to mess this up, or Francisco wouldn't forgive him.
Ask for Power Stone, Commend, and Review!
On the second day of Amalia's return to Apple City, she sent out the first requested Artifact in the morning and rushed to the Rodriguez family's residence in the afternoon. It was the day she had agreed upon with Arthur.
The whole Rodriguez family, including Grace, was present. Surprisingly, Grace didn't make things difficult for Amalia as she usually did. Instead, she greeted her at the door with a smile.
Amalia immediately sensed something amiss. She wondered what scheme Arthur had in mind. It wasn't until they were seated that she discovered the cards Arthur was holding.
"Amalia, a year ago, your uncle brought you to Apple City and didn't allow you to contact your foster parents. You don't resent your uncle for that, do you? After all, i was doing it for your own good," Arthur said with a smiling face.
"You are my uncle. How could I resent you?" Amalia lowered her gaze, understanding Arthur's intentions and concealing a hint of killing intent in her eyes.
"That's good to hear. In this past year, I've realized I owe you a lot. To make it up to you, I've brought your foster parents here. They should be at the hotel by now. After we finish this meal, you can go see them. It's been a year since you last saw them, and I'm sure you miss them," Arthur said as he served a dish that the original host didn't like. "Over the next few days, eat more of this and take your foster parents out to have some fun."
A dual approach of persuasion and threat, Amalia squinted her eyes. Arthur calling her back couldn't be good news, especially if he had brought the original host's foster parents.
Everyone in the Rodriguez family, except Amalia, enjoyed the meal.
Before seeing Amalia off, Arthur patted her shoulder and said, "After spending time with your foster parents, let's meet again, niece. We can have a heart-to-heart talk. Tonight, let the driver take you back."
Amalia nodded compliantly, keenly feeling the pressure Arthur was exerting on her. It wasn't just physical, but also emotional. "I'll be leaving then, Uncle."
Arthur smiled and nodded as he watched the floating car take Amalia away. His smile gradually faded, replaced by an icy demeanor.
The pressure he applied tonight seemed to have worked, but if it hadn't, he would need to resort to more ruthless measures. After all, Amalia was his niece, and he didn't want to escalate the situation if it could be avoided.
The Rodriguez family's driver dropped Amalia off at her apartment building. As he left, Amalia's expression became as calm as water.
...
The original host's foster parents had been arranged by Arthur to stay in a luxury presidential suite at a hotel invested in by the Rodriguez family. Although they had lived in comfortable conditions before, they had never felt as uncomfortable as they did now.
"Esmeralda, why do you think Arthur suddenly brought us here? Has something happened to Amalia at his place? And didn't he forbid us from contacting Amalia? Changing his mind so suddenly at this time, is he coming up with something?"
Amalia's father, who still had a kind, simple face even in his middle age, kept pestering his wife, not displaying any signs of the businessman who had experienced the ups and downs of the business world for decades.
"Don't you felt tired asking the same question again and again?"
Amalia's mother, who still exuded charm in her forties and looked like she was in her thirties, was visibly annoyed. She was tired of her husband's constant questioning and gave him a sharp look.
Amalia's father chuckled and, shamelessly, moved closer to his wife, patting her back gently. "Don't get angry, dear. Getting worked up is bad for your health, and it could lead to wrinkles. See, there's already a wrinkle at the corner of your eye. When we get back, you must take good care of your skin."
Just as Amalia's mother was about to scold him, she suddenly froze and stared at the entrance, her eyes quickly welling up with a faint glint of tears.
She pushed Amalia's father aside, walked up to the suddenly appearing Amalia, and embraced her directly. "My child, you've lost weight. Those bunch of jerks at the Rodriguez family promised to take good care of you when they brought you back. Look at how skinny they've made you. If it weren't for... I wouldn't spare them."
Amalia felt her whole body stiffen. Apart from the gradually fading childhood memories, she had seldom been this close to anyone, let alone being hugged by someone.
The warmth emanating from her mother, along with her words, her hot breath as she spoke, tightly enveloped her.
It felt both strange and uncomfortable, yet it was also a warm sensation that made her feel like she was returning to the womb.
Amalia let out a sigh in her heart. Was this the feeling of someone caring for you?
"Child, my dear child," Amalia's father stood behind his wife, grinning foolishly as he watched Amalia, who was practically leaning against her mother's shoulder, causing him to laugh so hard that he spat saliva on Amalia's face. "You look so funny now."
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