aircannonsinc Chapter 358 "Old Man" Ian
Chapter 358 "Old Man" Ian
Chapter 358 "Old Man" Ian
After parting ways with Hugh and lawyer Jürgen, Lorne went to the Brave Ones Bar alone.
Before entering the bar, he skillfully adjusted his facial muscles and walking posture, shedding the already well-known disguise of "James Scott".
"It's been a while since I've been here —"
Looking at the bar sign, which was blackened by smoke, Lorne couldn't help but sigh.
He hadn't come back since he'd specifically come here to warn Kaspass. Sharon and Marich had also temporarily ended their regular stint at the bar due to the licentious faction's manhunt.
Lately, their contact has consisted either of Sharon showing up at his office or warehouse to teach, or Lorne going to one of their residences to find them using the agreed-upon code.
Sharon mentioned it to me the other day; Marich seems to have gone back to the bar to handle some things. I don't know if he's inside now.
"I always feel that compared to its social and informational functions, the function of drinking is actually the least noticeable attribute of a bar —"
Lorne muttered to himself as he pushed open the creaking wooden door.
In the evening, the bar wasn't crowded yet, with only a few scattered customers occupying their own corners and quietly drinking their half-full glasses of beer.
Having had some snacks at the café that afternoon, Lorne wasn't very hungry. He walked to the bar, ordered a Southvale beer, took a small sip of the malty liquid, and then slowly asked the bartender, "Is Kasperas Kanlinin here?"
The bartender paused slightly as he wiped the glasses, glanced at Lorne, and said in a flat tone, "It seems like you haven't been here in a while?"
"It's something personal," Lorne said vaguely.
"Kaspass isn't here." The bartender lowered his head and continued wiping the glasses. "He's gone. He suddenly and hurriedly left Backlund a few weeks ago, and we haven't heard from him since. I guess—he doesn't plan to come back."
"So—he retired honorably?" Lorne smirked and joked.
It was I who persuaded Kaspas to leave, but I never expected him to carry it out so thoroughly, never to return.
"Who knows," the bartender shrugged. "Anyway, he's made enough money over the years to keep him drinking for the rest of his life."
"Then, is anyone else here?" Lorne asked in a low voice, his tone suggestive.
The bartender shook his head, making a very small gesture.
"So, who should I contact if I want to get some information?"
"Old man," the bartender said without looking up, "he's in pool room number three."
"He succeeded Kaspersky."
"Old man?" That nickname—Lorne's heart stirred slightly. He nodded, picked up his glass, and left the bar, walking towards the familiar billiard room from his memory. He gently knocked on the slightly ajar door.
"Come in."
A slightly immature voice, deliberately lowered, came from the room.
"Very young," Lorne raised an eyebrow and pushed open the door.
Standing beside the pool table was a boy who didn't look very old. He wore an obviously ill-fitting old overcoat and a brown bowler hat, but what was most striking were his ruby-red eyes.
And the two obviously odd-looking whiskers on his cheeks.
Uh—about fifteen or sixteen years old? Is he wearing a fake beard to make himself look older? He's a bit taller than Hugh, and he has a maturity that's completely out of character for his age—En's gaze swept over him quickly, instantly completing his initial assessment of this "old man."
"Who are you?" The big boy named Ian was also observing Lorne as he pushed the door open and entered.
"I heard you took over Caspas's business. I'm here to buy information." Lorne walked into the room, closing the door behind him to block out outside noise, his tone calm.
"That's right. I'm an old man." "What do you need?" Ian leaned his cue stick against the table, his hands in his coat pockets, behaving quite expertly and trying to dictate the pace of the conversation.
The fact that this kid was able to take over Caspas's intelligence and some of the shady deals in the Eastern District means he either has a powerful background or he's really capable and has guts.
Moreover, those scarlet eyes suggested vampire blood—the other person's red eyes reminded Lorne of the arrogant and unlucky Emlyn White. However, the other person's spiritual response was quite ordinary, suggesting they were most likely not an extraordinary being.
"Did those two agree to you doing business here?" Lorne didn't answer immediately but lowered his voice and asked in the tone of someone in the know.
Upon hearing this, Ian's expression changed slightly. His crimson eyes stared warily at Lorne for a moment before he finally nodded slowly.
"Yes. They know, and they agree."
He hadn't lied—Lorne nodded slightly, feeling somewhat relieved.
"call----"
"I've heard that recently, in the eastern district, especially near the factory area, there's been a kind of 'medicine' with miraculous effects? It's said to cure all ailments. Do you have any information about it?"
"One pound." Ian pondered for a moment before stating a figure. "This is a recent rumor. I can tell you that such a drug does exist, and its effects—according to some users—are somewhat miraculous, but not as exaggerated as the rumors suggest. If you'd like to buy it, I can help you contact the seller. But I can't guarantee the price or its safety."
Very skillful rhetoric. First, throw out the bait, then lower expectations, and finally offer extended services while disclaiming responsibility—Lorne secretly praised him, this kid was more cunning than he had imagined.
Without saying a word, he simply pulled a pound note from his wallet and handed it over.
"Tell me everything you know first."
Ian took the banknotes, glanced at them briefly, and then put them directly into his pocket.
He then recounted all the information he had gathered about the "panacea" in detail.
"The medicine was packaged in a small, opaque glass bottle. The liquid was pale green, and the taste was said to be very strange."
It first appeared in two worker settlements in the eastern district, and spread privately among some workers who drank it after falling ill and felt better.
It does provide relatively quick relief for common colds, fevers, and fatigue, and it also helps minor wound infections heal faster after application.
Some gangs have also set their sights on these drugs—in addition, two or three small groups in the dock area are inquiring about them, but so far they haven't found the real source, and the amount of drugs circulating in the market seems to be small, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
Just as I expected, Lorne listened silently.
As he had predicted, gangs had indeed gotten involved and were beginning to try to control the distribution of the drug.
"Is there any official investigation into this?" Lorne asked.
"No. At least I haven't heard anything about it. They won't interfere with these small-scale 'folk remedies' as long as no one dies or there's no large-scale riot," Ian replied.
"That's good, things haven't gotten out of control yet," Lorne breathed a sigh of relief.
"Speaking of which, do you sell weapons here?" He remembered that Kaspass had previously had a similar business, and since this young man had taken over Kaspass's business, he should have inherited it as well.
"Sell it. What do you need?" Ian's answer was straightforward.
"A revolver? A shotgun? Or—something more unusual?"
"Still intelligence—I've heard that the arms market in Backlund is in chaos lately." He wanted to see if he could get any information about his fellow arms smuggler from them.
"Uh, sir, I feel you're acting strange." Ian's tone turned serious upon hearing this. Arms selling was one of his most profitable businesses, which forced him to be cautious.
"You are completely different from the average guest."
"What do you mean by that?" Lorne raised an eyebrow.
"First, the fact that you directly asked about those two people shows that you know this bar is shady and not just a place for ordinary thugs looking for fun or drowning their sorrows. Second, your interest in the green potion doesn't seem like it's because a family member is sick and urgently needs it—"
"You're not an ordinary bounty hunter or gang member, and you don't seem like a detective either—what's your purpose?"
'
"Hmph—" Lorne was about to speak, but looking at the wary and precocious Ian in front of him, he suddenly changed his mind.
This kid is clear-headed, and with Sharon and the others indirectly endorsing him, his background is relatively clean. More importantly, as an information broker, he must have a wide network of contacts and information channels—who knows, they might be useful for other purposes.
Thinking of this, he changed his tune, a mysterious smile appearing on his face: "Actually, I'm here to discuss cooperation with you."
"cooperate?"
"Hmm." Lorne nodded, walked to the billiard table, picked up a ball and weighed it in his hand. "Weapons have always been a highly profitable industry. Although the price of weapons has dropped a lot recently due to the financial crisis, the entire industry has become quite chaotic as a result. All sorts of shoddy products are flooding the market."
"You've taken over Kaspass's business and want to do it long-term. I imagine you also hope to have a stable and reliable supplier, right?"
"I can provide you with a stable supply of goods, and I can also help you deal with some troubles related to the police."
Upon hearing this, Ian rested his chin on his hand and fell into deep thought.
"You're right, a stable supplier is exactly what I need right now. But—"
Why should I believe you? We've only just met today.
"Because I admire you," Lorne said honestly. "As for why you should trust me—I think the person behind you can vouch for me."
"Behind you?" Ian was taken aback at first, then turned around abruptly.
In the dimly lit corner of the billiard hall, a figure dressed in a black Gothic court dress and wearing a black soft hat silently emerged from the shadows.