That evening, Lex, disguised as 'Duke', arrived at his rented house with a large leather suitcase.
He opened the door and entered, checking the simple mechanisms he had set up before leaving last time. He found no signs of disturbance, indicating that the security in this neighborhood was quite good.
Lex lit the lights in the house, trying to create a lived-in atmosphere to avoid attracting suspicion.
He carried the large leather suitcase into the bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and placed the various clothes he had bought from the suitcase into it one by one.
To be safe, he had chosen inexpensive clothes. After these items filled the wardrobe, the house finally had some semblance of life.
Lex also deliberately took out a few pieces of loungewear and threw them on the bed, which fit the persona of a bachelor. He also planned to hire a housekeeper once a week to clean, to prevent the safe house from becoming covered in dust.
Before leaving, Lex also bought a bouquet of fresh flowers from a nearby florist, then arranged them in the vase in the living room. Finally, without turning off the lights, he left through the back alley of the house.
Elk Bar.
Walking into the club hall, Lex immediately saw the three of them, Grizzly, and Nafi even stood up, waving her arms and excitedly shouting.
"Duke, over here."
Lex had changed his mask tonight. It only covered the area above his nose, revealing his mouth and two fake small mustaches.
This way, when facing enemies, his Provocation would not be limited to words; even a smile could make his opponent lose their mind.
Furthermore, Lex had designed a habitual gesture for himself to reinforce the 'Duke' persona.
Just like now, hearing Nafi's shout, he smiled subtly and gently stroked his mustache before walking over.
As soon as he sat down, he saw Mole take out a small wooden box, open it, and inside were ten money bags.
"This is?"
Lex looked at the short, thin man with prominent front teeth.
Mole chuckled, "Duke, I sold those jewels. They sold for a total of 1200 pounds. Here's the receipt."
He handed Lex a receipt to show that he hadn't pocketed any of the money.
Lex didn't look at it, directly tossing it aside, indicating his trust in Mole.
Mole's eyes flickered, and he continued, "Along with the original 300 pounds in gold coins, I've divided the money into ten portions, 150 pounds each."
So, it was 'dividing the spoils'.
Lex nodded, "Then according to our previous agreement, I'll take four portions, and you all can divide the rest."
He unceremoniously took out four money bags from the box. Feeling them slightly heavy and hearing the clinking of gold coins, Lex was a little surprised, "You converted it all into gold coins?"
Grizzly laughed heartily, "Paper money is convenient to carry, but gold coins are more alluring, especially when they jingle. It's simply the most beautiful sound in the world."
Lex chuckled and took out three envelopes from his pocket, handing them to them respectively, "This is your payment for the operation. I won't give you any extra rewards."
Nafi took the envelope and then picked up two money bags, her eyes actually turning red, "This is the first time I've earned so much money since I came to Loen."
"Of course, the last time the boss gave a lot too."
"In just two missions, I've earned 700 pounds. I can finally rent a house for myself and eat white bread and milk every day!"
Oh my, girl, how bad must your life have been before.
Lex put away the money bags, "You'll earn even more in the future."
Grizzly nodded vigorously, "Following Duke, maybe next year, we'll all be rich!"
The other two also joined in the cheering, and the lively atmosphere immediately made them the center of attention in the hall.
At this moment, Lex felt something and looked up, seeing Arbiter Cromwell.
He hadn't seen this man much recently. Appearing tonight, he looked a bit haggard, his light golden hair dull, and the area around his eyes slightly dark.
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
He got straight to the point.
Lex didn't immediately agree, "That depends on what it is."
"Let's talk over there. I'll buy you a drink." Cromwell looked towards the bar.
Lex nodded and stood up.
At the bar, Cromwell gently tapped the counter, "Mr. Parker, a drink for me and Duke, hmm, a strong one."
The old man glanced at them, said nothing, and took out several bottles of liquor from the cabinet, starting to mix them.
Cromwell seemed to be organizing his words, and Lex didn't rush him. The two just sat there quietly.
After a while, the Arbiter finally said, "I used to be an official. At that time, I was full of vigor, thinking I had caught the tail of fate and would have a bright and desirable future."
"I had a fiancée named Mia. We were planning to get married the following summer and then go on vacation to Desi Bay."
"But soon after, I participated in an operation. That operation went wrong, allowing several important criminals to escape capture."
"Then, in less than a week, everyone who had participated in that operation died one after another, in a bizarre manner."
"Although I didn't die, my fiancée…"
Cromwell stopped here. Just then, Mr. Parker placed two mixed drinks in front of them. The Arbiter grabbed a glass and drank it in one gulp.
Lex softly said, "Another one for him, Mr. Parker."
After a moment of silence, Cromwell continued, "That incident completely changed my life. I abandoned my original identity. I became a hunter, and also an avenger."
"I continued to investigate this matter, and recently, I finally found a clue. I found the person who killed Mia, but I'm not strong enough, so I wanted to ask for your help."
Cromwell suddenly looked at Lex, his eyes seemingly burning with fire, "As long as that guy can be eliminated, I'm willing to pay any price! I can give you all my property, which includes two properties and 300 pounds in savings!"
Lex slowly drank the strong liquor in his glass, feeling a fiery line extend from his throat all the way into his body.
He exhaled a breath of liquor and shook his head, "You don't need to pay that much."
"It's enough if you can lend a hand when I'm in trouble."
Cromwell's breathing became heavy. He said with a serious expression and solemn tone, "If that day ever comes, and you need my help. No matter where you are, no matter who your opponent is. As long as you tell me, I will be there!"
Looking into the Arbiter's eyes, Lex knew that this man would uphold this promise for his entire life.
He firmly believed this.
Patting Cromwell's shoulder, Lex said, "Now you can tell me, who is our opponent?"