novel bin Chapter 430 A Gift That Is Honest and Fair
Chapter 430 A Gift That Is Honest and Fair
Chapter 432 A Gift That Is Honest and Fair
Amidst a whirlwind of thoughts, Akromar's gaze lingered for a moment on the ribcage's sturdy, turtle-like shell. She took a deep breath, then spoke with feigned calmness, "I don't have any so-called 'secret research institutes set up around the world.' At most, there are just a few temporary residences, containing neither noteworthy research materials nor any other superfluous valuables. Is such trivial intelligence what you need?"
"Whether it's up to me to decide or not," the "information broker" said coldly. "You just need to tell me everything you know truthfully."
The mysterious visitor, cloaked in gray, emphasized the word "truth": "The reason I'm bringing up the secret research institute here is because I already have relevant intelligence. I believe the essence of human nature is greed, and I take this as my life motto—wanting to see the whole picture from a glimpse, wanting to cut down the forest from a single branch. So-called information brokers only need to engage in this hoarding-like behavior. The more you collect, the more likely you are to find a suitable buyer—just like now."
His gaze, hidden beneath the cloak, was directed at the scholar with a meaningful look.
"Compared to your precious life, those few temporary residences in the past shouldn't amount to much. Not to mention, you seem to have found a completely new research direction now." The 'information broker' pointedly tapped the ice beneath his feet. "Therefore, when you intend to fabricate information, never tell a lie that's easy to spot."
The intelligence disadvantage is too obvious!
Despite the cold sweat beading on her back, Akroma forced herself to remain calm and narrowed her eyes slightly behind her glasses. "In the end, what do I actually get out of this deal? Giving Akroma a nickname is a task you have to complete yourself, it's meaningless to me—I have no obligation to play along with your criminal slang games."
"You're still haggling even when you're at your wit's end. You're quite brave."
The "information broker" sized up Akromma.
"Alright then. As a gift, besides telling you 'your name,' I'll also provide you with some insignificant intelligence services. By the way, the police in the cave are probably about to realize what's happening, and we can't afford to linger here any longer."
The figure in the gray cloak raised its hand again, and as the gesture fell, the ribbed sea turtle slowly retracted its giant paw, its massive body sinking back into the water.
As the obstruction disappeared, driven by the "consciousness overwriting device," the underwater Genesis immediately restarted its "engine," and the blue light of the "high-tech light cannon" once again illuminated the dark waterway, propelling the giant ice block forward.
"What exactly is this so-called 'intelligence service'?" Akromma pressed.
"It's news that concerns your life or death." The 'information broker's' hoarse voice carried a mocking smile.
"Once you leave the sewers, your hiding place, which direction should you head in to avoid the next wave of searches sent by Hugo? I think you'd really like some advice, wouldn't you? That detective seems to have used his unique connections to find a Wailord with a keen sense of smell, who's currently tracking down any straggling members of the Plasma Sphere along the river."
"Please tell me this information, and I'll agree to the deal!"
Akroma's response was so quick it almost interrupted the other person.
Although the other party acted strangely and had an astonishingly large appetite, their reputation preceded them, and the authenticity of the information they provided as an "information broker" was absolutely beyond doubt. The fact that they were able to intercept me precisely at this time and place was the best proof of that—
Wait a minute! Time? Place?
As if a lightning bolt had struck his mind, Akroma, who was receiving paper and pen from the "information broker," suddenly became alert.
He looked up abruptly, the light from behind his glasses probing the shadowy figure beneath the cloak.
"What? Is there anything else you want to say?" the hoarse voice asked. Ultimately, why did this person hide their appearance and voice?
In the blink of an eye, the instructions from the "Consciousness Overwriting Device" were simultaneously transmitted into Da Yu Guai's mind.
"Light Wall" removed!
As the barrier dissipated, a sudden gust of wind swept in.
The "information broker" quickly adjusted the cloak that concealed his face, while Akromma's lips curled into a knowing smile. "It seems you are quite keen to hide your female identity."
He took a step forward, looking at the other person.
"What an interesting discovery! The mastermind behind 'Special Projects' and the supposedly omnipresent information broker 'Information House' are actually the same person—I wonder what the hush money for this information should be?"
"It's just a bluff, you didn't actually see anything at all, did you?"
P
A laugh came from inside the cloak, but the other party did not deny it immediately, which Akromah considered to be close to tacit agreement.
"Since I haven't seen anything, why are you still unwilling to show your face? Besides, even now, a simple process of elimination based on the selection criteria is enough to deduce your identity."
"Oh? How did you guess that?"
The hoarse disguise suddenly disappeared, revealing a clear female voice.
"Even if you followed the police's actions beforehand, there's absolutely no way you could have known about this waterway beforehand—it's a major secret known even to a select few within Team Plasma. And not long ago, an outsider entered and exited Team Plasma's castle—it was the phantom thief 'Special Project,' who made a deal with Asura!"
Akromah quickly made a deduction -
"Besides, the 'Special Project' operates without regard to any region, which is similar to the practices of information brokers called 'Intelligence Agencies.' The secret laboratory you extorted from me, apart from the data in the question, is probably also intended to be used as a base or safe house during the theft operation, right?"
"How I handle my prey is my own business. However, I advise you not to flaunt this information around."
"Why not?" Akroma raised an eyebrow, gripping the chip again. "Am I supposed to keep quiet about a highway robber?"
"As residents of the underworld, titles carry absolute weight. A fitting nickname might save someone's life, or conversely, lead to their demise. As an 'information broker,' criminals across the world have benefited from my favors, including my friends and partners, as well as desperate outlaws struggling to repay debts—guess how these people would react if they knew you were spreading rumors about me?"
"The 'information broker,' or rather, the 'special project,'" the voice said unhurriedly, tapping the ice with the tip of his shoe beneath his cloak. "I probably don't need to remind you; our positions remain unchanged—you've reached a dead end. You either accept the deal or wait to be arrested by the police. If you insist on showing hostility towards me, although I don't have much of a relationship with the United States police, I wouldn't mind helping them arrest a dangerous mad scientist as a concerned citizen."
"No, please pretend I never said those things before."
The cold sweat had disappeared without her noticing. Akroma raised the paper in her hand, on which five lines of writing were clearly visible.
Accepting the other party's conditions in a completely passive situation is ultimately different from achieving a balance through negotiation—although such a balance is as fragile as a Poké Ball thrown at a wild Pokémon without weakening its stamina.
"I did go to the Alola region, but I don't have a base there. I did collaborate with Carlos's Vladali Institute, and the research apartment they sponsored for me should still be there. As for the other regions, I do have a few rented warehouses used as storage rooms, but they're full of outdated research materials. As for the truly important stuff—."
The scholar tapped his forehead. "They're all stored in here."
"Well, at least he's been honest enough." 'Special Project' didn't react to the scholar's arrogant remarks. He simply glanced at the paper Akromma handed back, nodded, and quickly stuffed the notebook into his cloak.
"After you leave the cave, remember to walk against the current in the northeast direction—this is your only way out," she said.
"That Wailord swam from Flying Cloud City downstream. The villages and bridges to the west have all been blocked by the Alliance Police. With such a large piece of ice, it's impossible for you to pass through undetected. The only place you might be able to get help from the Marines is the northeast coast."
"Are the Navy Fleet's ships hiding over there? Is this intelligence reliable?"
Akromar frowned thoughtfully. It was true that the Navy Fleet had crossed the ocean to come to Unova, so they must have their own means of transportation, but how could the "information agency" guarantee that those people's ships were still parked there?
"Of course I can guarantee that," the woman's voice inside the cloak replied confidently.
"Just two days ago, Archie, the leader of Team Aqua, contacted me at that location and traded information about a certain detective in Unova. This should have been a secret, but as hush money, I'll make an exception and give it to you this time. As an information broker, I've really bleed today."
So that's how it is; now everything connects.
Akromar finally pieced together the cause and effect of the incident: the "information broker," through Archie's request, learned of the detective's movements and the location of Team Aqua's ships; and because he himself, as a thief involved in the "Special Project," had overheard information about the Giant's Cave from Team Plasma headquarters, he followed Interpol to this place, only to find himself in a desperate situation—
This woman wove a web of information like Ariadne, finally closing it at the perfect moment, exchanging this insignificant intelligence for the research base he had accumulated over the years. Whether as an intelligence dealer or a thief, her courage and methods were beyond the reach of ordinary people.
"You've gotten distracted, haven't you? Is it because you're too grateful for the information I provided? Oh well, it's just a small favor that saved my life, there's no need to be so touched."
When Akroma opened her eyes, she felt as if the gray cloak was smiling at her.
"Although I'd love to continue this enjoyable journey, I have other important work to do. The ancient royal artifacts from the Galar region need to be sold in the United States, and there are also a few 'information broker' deals. It's not just evil organizations like yours who are busy committing crimes in the world. It seems it's time to say goodbye."
"I hope I'll never meet you again in this lifetime."
"That's hard to say, 'information brokers' are everywhere."
Looking at the rambling, irrelevant information revealed by the "special project," Akroma could roughly guess the other party's intention—this was an intelligence marker.
By deliberately exposing insignificant weaknesses to attract attacks from adversaries—for example, if Akromma or Team Plasma still harbor resentment towards the thief after this incident, they would inevitably hinder the so-called fencing of stolen goods or intelligence trading—the thief could thus roughly determine the presence or absence of hostility simply by observing these harmless activities. It was truly a clever calculation.
Of course, we cannot completely rule out the possibility that the thief simply let slip the secret in his excitement. The thief opposite him flicked his wrist and threw out a yellow and black striped ball.
Under the red glow of the Poké Ball, a valiant eagle, distinctly from the Unova region, spread its wings and emerged from the ball. Its powerful talons gripped the trainer's shoulder beneath his cape, and with a flourish of its wings, it was about to take flight.
Akromar was startled to realize that he had already left the dark underground waterways of the Giant's Cave and was now traveling along the wide riverbed outside the cave towards Highway 13.
It was already past midnight outside, and in the pitch black, it was impossible to tell whether the environment was open or closed.
He looked up and saw stars, like rubber shavings, scattered across the dark dome, twisted into an elongated normal distribution curve. A clear eagle's cry rang in his ears—"Special Project!"—and he had already detached from the ice beneath his feet, hovering in mid-air.
"Then see you later!"
"etc."
As if suddenly feeling some unknown stirring in her heart, Akromma abruptly called out to the 'Special Project' that had just taken to the sky.
The female thief turned around, puzzled. "What is it?"
"You came here to find me for what purpose in the first place?" the scholar raised his voice, asking the soaring phantom thief, "What title will the underworld bestow upon me?"
"Even without me saying it, you'll find out soon enough."
The figure in the cloak shrugged, then waved her hand, the night wind carrying her reply to Akromma's ears: "On the wasteland of truth, only the torch of 'personal interest' can illuminate the paths obscured by taboos, and behind the pioneers, there are already piles of burnt-out remains."
Akroma repeated the comments from the 'Special Project', shook his head with a smile, and watched as the Warrior Eagle's wings transformed into a black shadow in the night sky.
In the unseen night sky, the thief removed his grey cloak.
If Akromar were to see the other person's face at this moment, he would be absolutely shocked, because it was a face he had seen before—this was the real reason why the 'Special Project' always concealed its identity in the transaction.
"There's still some time before the auction starts. While the detective is distracted by Team Plasma, what should we steal from Unova this time?"
The murmured words dissipated in the wind, and under the night sky, the greedy smile on the thief's lips shone as brightly as a new moon.