“Grandpa, the game is over, let’s go.”
As Dylan gestured with a gloomy countenance, robust security personnel emerged swiftly from the cars encircling Vincent.
The ambiance immediately grew fraught, yet the expressions on the faces of Lennok and Vincent, who locked eyes, remained entirely composed.
Vincent might not be aware, but Lennok had a rough idea of the implications of his appearance at this juncture.
As Mila reached for the shotgun slung across her back, Vincent resumed speaking.
“Well, it seems like your young friends are not in a good mood, so let me get straight to the point.”
“……….”
“Considering the situation, you must have been in the VIP section of the Tayna auction house as well. You must know that I was the one who won the bid for the Compassion of Archangel at the end.”
“So?”
Is he intending to assert his ownership of that artifact now?
Just as Dylan and Mila were becoming irritated and preparing to gather their strength, Vincent, who had maintained a courteous demeanor, spoke with a smile.
“I want to formally transfer the ownership and sponsor you in return. How does that sound?”
“This audacious old man now wants to… huh?”
Mila, on the verge of exclaiming, widened her eyes as she belatedly grasped his meaning.
“You want to sponsor the team?”
“Of course. Miss, did you really think I would covet that precious artifact now?”
Vincent chuckled in response.
“I roughly know what kind of person that friend is. It wouldn’t be surprising if I got caught in the crossfire for eliminating a nuisance someday.”
He stated so while casually folding his arms and nodding.
“I’m here to prevent all that from happening in advance.”
Even upon learning Vincent Mayblack’s true intentions, Lennok remained unfazed.
If Vincent had genuinely intended to assist Irina, he would have intervened during the expedition’s confrontation.
His absence until this moment indicated that he had, from the outset, assessed the expedition’s chances of success as slim.
Instead, he offered sponsorship to Lennok as a means of eliminating the nuisance and resolving the grudge, taking the initiative.
After observing the course of the battle, his prompt move to solidify his position was remarkably astute.
Lennok chuckled and shook his head.
“It would be better to discuss the details with Jenny. She’s much better at negotiating than me.”
“……….”
“Well, I get what you want to say. Let’s agree to cleanly forget what happened with the expedition team after today.”
What could it signify when the Irina-led Arasha expedition team had met its demise?
Essentially, what Lennok conveyed was that he had no intention of implicating even the sponsors who had supported her, and Vincent grasped this immediately.
“You’re quick to understand. I’m also pleased to send you off.”
With Vincent’s words, the bodyguards quietly cleared a path through the forest.
The three of them then walked past the elderly man and proceeded toward the street.
As Lennok walked past him, Vincent spoke in a hushed tone.
“Meyer wanted me to send his regards to you. He’s looking forward to the day we meet again.”
“……….”
Meyer.
It had been a while since he had heard that name, but Lennok hadn’t forgotten it.
A connection forged during entanglements with a pharmaceutical company.
Starting as a district council member and even holding a seat on the city government’s inspection committee at one point, Meyer was an elderly man brimming with avarice.
Lennok had remembered him for his extraordinary greed, and it appeared Meyer hadn’t forgotten about Lennok either.
Never did he expect to hear Meyer’s name in a place like this.
Will their paths cross again someday?
No, surely Meyer must have left this message to convey his regards through a mutual acquaintance.
As always, he was quite the unique individual.
Lennok continued on without offering a response, and Vincent didn’t detain him either.
Only the faint scent of blood lingering in the fallen forest marked the conclusion of the brief yet intense expedition.
******
“Alright, raise your posture a little more. Lift your legs higher!”
“Hu, ugh..!!”
“You’re still far from done. More, more!!”
“Ugh..!!”
Observing sweat drops falling onto the polished floor, Lennok pondered.
Can he endure more here, or should he simply give up and return home?
As he contemplated, the stern commands from above persisted without respite.
“One more set!!”
“Ugh!!”
Even during life-and-death encounters, trading bullets with formidable foes, he had never felt mentally cornered as he did now.
Yet, his adversary pushed him relentlessly, heedless of his circumstances.
Outside, the bustling streets, beyond the impeccably cleaned glass windows, were still teeming with people at midday.
Lennok was drenched in sweat within a high-rise building at the heart of that bustling area.
“Done! We’ll rest for 10 minutes.”
“Haaa…..”
With his overheated head resting against the floor, he lay down.
Above his elevated gaze, he noticed a sign on the building’s exterior wall.
Pilates.
Lennok was confronting a fresh challenge, an attempt to restore his deteriorated body.
“No lying down. Get up quickly.”
“………”
It’s only the first day; can he truly endure this?
With a profound sense of doubt, Lennok sat up and took a shallow breath.
No matter how fatigued and feeble his body felt, he had no intention of giving up.
Considering the health benefits of exercise, it seemed like a rather belated decision.
Despite the looming conflicts with the expedition team and the impending raid on the drug lord’s vault, Lennok found himself in an unexpectedly idle moment.
Jenny was taking longer than anticipated to secure the drug lord’s data, leaving him with an undefined period of free time. This lack of a specific deadline made it awkward to take on additional commissioned tasks.
In this unintentional lull, Lennok decided to embark on a pursuit he had neglected due to his hectic schedule—exercise.
Less than 30 minutes into his session at the Pilates studio, he was already regretting his decision.
‘I made the wrong choice from the start…’
Weight training was out of the question, as attempting strength exercises with his current physique was futile.
In a gym, Lennok could have adjusted his workout intensity and trained at his own pace. However, in this one-on-one Pilates session, he couldn’t afford to divert his attention for even a moment.
The training was grueling, relying entirely on the instructor’s expertise to wring out every ounce of effort from Lennok’s body.
Who would have thought Pilates could be this demanding? Or perhaps, was Pilates in this world inherently challenging?
Judging from the martial arts uniform worn by the instructor before him, that notion didn’t seem entirely unfounded.
Observing Lennok, who was gazing blankly at the ceiling, the instructor chuckled and took a seat beside him.
“You’re having a hard time, aren’t you?”
She was a striking woman with a thick mane of white hair pulled into a bun.
Her stern demeanor, stable aura, and disciplined demeanor suggested a background in martial arts.
The woman introduced herself as Lancia and handed Lennok a water bottle.
Lennok nodded in acknowledgment and took a sip from the bottle.
As he drank, Lancia observed him intently and spoke.
“People who are new to this usually struggle. It’s mainly used for rehabilitation or correction, so the fatigue comes from using muscles you don’t normally use.”
“I see.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem like that’s your issue though.”
“……..”
Lennok turned his head at Lancia’s direct and candid words.
“Overall, your body’s balance is severely distorted. Even if your skin looks healthy, I can tell you have a constitution where nutrients are not well-absorbed.”
Had she noticed this while instructing him?
Lost in thought, Lennok listened as Lancia continued.
“It’s not just a matter of muscle strength, but also flexibility, reflexes, and sweating more than the given amount of exercise. These are not issues that can be easily fixed overnight.”
This perspective was more aligned with someone who had a martial arts background rather than merely studying Pilates.
She dusted off her knees and stood up, extending her hand toward Lennok.
“But if you trust and follow me, I guarantee you’ll improve significantly.”
It was a confident assertion, but not delivered with arrogance.
Lennok chuckled and accepted her hand, pulling himself up.
“Judging by your sales skills, I can guess how successful this studio must be.”
Despite his casual tone, his eyes held a keen intensity, and there was an unexpected warmth in his demeanor.
Considering Lennok’s usual caution around people, one could surmise how others might feel about her.
“Well, I make enough to get by.”
She replied casually and immediately began a stretching routine.
“Next time you come, I’ll teach you exercises with equipment. I do like doing mat exercises, but equipment is also good for correcting posture and strengthening core muscles.”
“……….”
“I can offer you one free session. It’s a secret from other customers.”
Lennok chuckled in disbelief.
“Is that how you do business? Or is that your secret to success?”
“You can tell just by looking at the customers who come here.”
Lancia spoke with an impassive expression.
“Based on the state of your muscles, I can see you’re at least managing your diet well. I like that you’re not someone who comes here without making any effort at all.”
“……….”
“I prefer people who are sincere when they exercise.”
“…..Let’s continue.”
Lennok slowly eased the tension from his body as he replied.
“Please go easy on me so I don’t get muscle soreness.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Now, follow me.”
“……….”
That day, Lennok could only head home after finally releasing a sigh of relief.
******
“It took some time, but we finally did it.”
Jenny, her eyes marked by dark circles, made this statement while fixated on her laptop.
Clearly, she had been exhausted from her day job as a broker, coupled with her relentless scouring of the deep web. The deep web was a more accessible resource for brokers like her, making it an integral part of her work.
“It was exhausting to run around collecting information about the safe that the drug lord hid, but once we started digging into the information we have, the answers started to come.”
Jenny said this and sneakily glanced up at Lennok’s face, looking surprised.
“……Your face doesn’t look so good either. Are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m feeling great right now.”
Lennok responded, his cheeks sunken and his complexion pallid.
“Do you expect me to believe that?”
It wasn’t an entirely inaccurate statement.
Following that day, Lennok diligently attended Lancia’s Pilates studio three more times, and his muscle soreness vanished within two days.
While he appeared worse due to exerting himself more than usual, the revitalized energy in his body was considerable.
They say a sound mind dwells in a sound body.
For the first time in a long while, Lennok maintained a decent mental state even without smoking.
Jordan, who approached him, examined Lennok’s complexion and displayed a mildly surprised expression.
“It’s not a lie. Your heartbeat has become quite regular. Did you receive treatment from Yakson?”
“No, I’ve recently started exercising.”
As he turned his stiff neck, it emitted a satisfying crack, and his joints moved fluidly.
“It’s more effective than I thought.”
“…If it’s effective for you, it must surely be beneficial. Jenny should also start taking care of herself…”
“Jordan, I will never exercise. I’d rather die than move my body.”
“See?”
“……….”
Amidst their conversation, Lennok shook his head leisurely.
Regardless of how carelessly Jenny led her life, she would still be in better health than Lennok, so there was little to worry about.
Even Jordan, with his acute medical intuition, likely discreetly attended to her well-being.
It wasn’t a matter that necessitated Lennok’s intervention.
“Both of you, stop it. Let’s go up to the office. This isn’t the place to discuss it.”
If Jenny had summoned Lennok directly to make such comments, it undoubtedly meant that significant progress had been achieved.
After navigating through the intricacies of the auction house, Yakson, the expedition team, and the sponsors, the plan to breach the drug lord’s secure vault had finally commenced in earnest.
