I! Cleaner!
Chapter 154 - 154: 0133 FLAG has been established_1

*If things go wrong again this time, should I check if my luck is off?*

After hearing the Black Goat's suggestion, Leon thought it over and nodded in agreement.

The bureau had received the anomalous object sent by old Charl, so they had Jerry keep an eye on the person involved. This mission to rescue someone from Rose Manor should be as easy as going downstairs to pick up a package.

Sneak in, grab the person, return, and hand in the task—that's the entire procedure.

If everything went smoothly with the mission, there would be nothing more to say. But if even something this simple ended up having issues, then it would prove he had an "Easy Mission Body," and he should seriously consider checking it out.

"Makes sense, let's go!"

Agreeing to the suggestion made by the Black Goat, Leon decided not to wait for the public carriage anymore. After counting the money in his wallet, he gritted his teeth and waved down a taxi carriage waiting by the roadside.

"Passenger, where are you headed?"

"Redwood Avenue, are you going there?"

"Sure, definitely going!"

When the coachman saw Leon's dust-covered old coat, he hesitated a bit, worried Leon would dirty the cushions in the carriage. But when he heard Leon was planning to cross half the Capital City from the Old Town directly to Redwood Avenue, his face broke into a grin.

Why worry about dirtying the cushions? It can always be cleaned. After finishing this ride for such a "big client," he could relax for the rest of the day and have plenty of time to clean the carriage later!

"Neigh~"

After Leon bent down with his shopping bag and climbed into the carriage, accompanied by the neighing of the horse and the creaking of the boiler valves, the small carriage that could hold at most two people set off eagerly.

The coachman, who had just received a big order, was evidently in a good mood, half-leaning against the small window at the front of the carriage, and initiated a friendly conversation:

"Passenger, a lot of people on Redwood Avenue!"

"..."

Hearing the somewhat familiar opening from the coachman, Leon in the carriage shivered involuntarily, and the Black Goat seemed to remember something as well, shivering almost simultaneously.

*Oh my God, if I remember correctly, when this kid ran into the toad from the Scales Gold Sect, wasn't the coachman on the road saying the exact same thing? Could it be...*

"My cousin is a public carriage ticket inspector. After completing her first run this morning, she told me that some important personage had gone missing. Over there on Redwood Street, it's packed with people right now!"

After sharing this piece of fresh gossip he just heard, the coachman glanced in the rearview mirror, noticing Leon's expression was a bit stiff, and suddenly paused.

*This big client seems like someone who doesn't enjoy chatting? Perhaps I should stop talking, lest he changes car in the middle of the ride.*

Just as the coachman was about to cease the conversation, Leon, having realized something, asked with a slightly odd expression:

"The important person you mentioned who went missing...is it from the Ryan Family?"

"Yes, yes, from the Ryan Family!"

Seeing the "big client" finally engage, the coachman relaxed and, with a broad smile, said:

"Have you seen the newspapers these days? The Ryan Family, those... ahem... those gentlemen, lost over two hundred people overnight, and they're all that kind of... um..."

"Scumbags who do nothing good."

"Exactly! All the dead ones were scumbags who did no good! Haha, you're right on point."

Seeing that Leon seemed to associate himself with ordinary folk and given his worn-out clothes and the dust from when the dungeon collapsed, not at all resembling someone who could be related to high nobility, the coachman felt completely at ease, launching into a tirade against the Ryan Family:

"Anyway, that damn family lost a lot of people overnight, even the first heir was killed. Although the old Duke of Lionheart is still alive, he probably got frightened and will not last many days.

According to The Sun News, that old rascal picked another little rascal to succeed the Ryan Family just before he died. But that little rascal vanished before sunrise today, only leaving a note saying he'd be back in a few days.

The Ryan Family and their in-law nobles are going crazy looking for that little rascal. If anyone can provide information, once confirmed, they'll give five Gold Wheels directly!"

"..."

After hearing the coachman's words, Leon, the "little rascal," couldn't help but scowl and decided to change cars after this street to avoid more insults and maybe save some fare when the meter resets.

However, though he'd been insulted for no reason, realizing the trouble was with the Ryan Family and not his target, the Marzini Family, Leon felt quite relieved.

*For now, everything still seems stable. As long as I sneak into Rose Manor, grab the target, and leave, nothing should go wrong...right?*

...

"The Ryan Family wants to connect with me to reach the Scales Gold Sect? To buy the whereabouts of the new Duke with money?"

After hearing the butler's report, the elder with a rose emblem embroidered on his chest set down the financial report and frowned:

"Ignore them. The Scales Gold Sect doesn't take this kind of job, and there's no one left in the Ryan Family who can make decisions! Especially after Thomas, who signed the contract on behalf of Bobby Layne, died, our three-family alliance is essentially dissolved. Refuse any such matters in the future, and don't bother me with them!"

"Yes, I've noted it."

Hearing the elder's instructions, the butler, holding a bunch of letters in his left hand, nodded quickly in agreement, tossing a letter with a lion emblem into the nearby wastepaper basket, then opened the next letter and briefly glanced over it before reporting:

"The next one is from Lord Simon. After you kidnapped old Charl's only daughter, Charl Department Store has been quiet for a few days. But recently, they've started dumping their stocks at a low price again, and it appears they've shifted their inventory, focusing on discounting products that Rose Department Store mainly sells.

Lord Simon wants to know how much longer it will take to deal with old Charl. If this continues, even if we swallow the Ryan Family's shares, Rose Department Store will suffer severe losses; he's about to give up and withdraw his investment."

"Hold on, you must!"

Slightly annoyed, the elder replied upon hearing the butler's words:

"When we discovered the benefits, everyone fought tooth and nail to gain a share. Now, realizing there could be losses, they all want to back out. How can there be such an easy out? Tell him to stick it out for me!"

"..."

"What's wrong? Speak!"

"Lord Simon...he might really be at his limit..."

Extracting the report sandwiched in the letter and handing it cautiously to the elder, the butler carefully said:

"I've just briefly reviewed it. If no one continues to invest, based on Rose Department Store's financial condition, it can sustain itself for at most 15 days.

If it goes any longer, I'm afraid not just Lord Simon, but even some within our family, including some of your in-laws, might not be able to resist pulling their investments."

"..."

15 days…

Looking at the stark deficit in the report, the elder's eyebrows twitched rapidly, his expression shifting uncertainly. It seemed as if he wanted to get angry, but ultimately, he slumped back into his chair helplessly.

"Fetch the Ryan Family's letter from the trash and see how much they are willing to offer..."