Chapter 113 - 3.53 Cooperation
Ryan looked around the abandoned factory. It used to be one that produced the best chocolate in the entire kingdom. He recalled that the Emperor was quite fond of it and he even ordered for it to be served as a dessert for the envoys from other kingdoms. And then somehow the owner messed up. There’s something mixed in with the chocolate — it wasn’t told explicitly in the news but Ryan guessed that it was poison, judging by how the related envoy was brought into the hospital as soon as possible — and the cooperation fell through. Enraged, Emperor Bernard ordered for the factory to be shut down and its owner to be sentenced into life imprisonment for capital offense.
Now that Peter asked him to meet in this place, Ryan started to wonder whether the situation wasn’t as simple as the news made it out to be and whether the rebels had something to do with it.
"You’re here?"
He turned to the source of the sound and found a tall, muscular middle aged man sitting atop of the piles of broken pipes. Peter was close to how Ryan had imagined him to be. Rough, disheveled, weathered. There was a long scar on his right cheek that ran through his right eye which was covered by a black eyepatch. His remaining eye which fell onto Ryan was calculating, measuring and Ryan realized that he had naively underestimated this Beta. He had an air of heaviness and gravity around him and the way his eyes gleamed in a wicked light made Ryan feel like the man could see through him, peer into the deepest secret in his heart.
Ryan’s heart sank. It was only a few minutes and he was already regretting his decision. This Beta was unlike someone whom he could mess with. Nevertheless, he tried not to show it on his face. "You’re Peter?"
"The one and only." Peter jumped and landed on the ground agilely, his footsteps made completely no sound as he walked. He was a Beta yet ironically, he carried himself like an Alpha did. "Starting to rethink your decision, kiddo?"
Ryan sucked in cold air. Was he that easy to read? Or was it Peter who was too adept in reading people? Foreboding arose in his heart. His instinct told him that this was a bad idea. He should think of a way out. He should pretend that he never came, that he never met this person.
"I am not a bad guy, if that’s what you are scared of." Peter chuckled briefly. Funny, coming from the member of the organization which was on top of the wanted list. "At least I have never actively tried to hurt a civilian. I also told my subordinates not to harm anyone unrelated." The Beta’s black pupil hardened in determination. "Our goal is only one: to overthrow the current government and create new rules where Betas and Omegas can voice their opinion, especially in politics."
Ryan swallowed thickly. There was no reason for him not to believe the offer now that he was standing in front of the leader of the rebels. What were you thinking, idiot?! He must have been too muddled by his own grievance to agree with this. He should back out now, no one could force him to do anything but before that, there’s something he wanted to ask.