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By now, he knew that no matter how much he denied ever seeing those bonds, nobody would believe him anymore.

Since that was the case, Orlando decided to confess outright and prepared to make a big hit out of it!

His opening line immediately left the bosses gasping for air.

No one could remain calm faced with such immense wealth.

Orlando’s eyes slowly swept over everyone’s faces as he calculated his next move.

“So, do you all want me to hand over the bonds to Capen?” he continued.

After a moment of silence, someone stepped forward and asked, “Orlando, what do you want?”

Orlando gave a faint smile. A trace of madness flashed in his eyes as he stirred up the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen, why should we work ourselves to the bone for that little punk Capen? He’s only been in Alfalfa City for a few years. As you all know, he’s nothing but a dog for the Easterners!

“Since these bonds have fallen into Alfalfa City, they are our wealth! But this old dog Capen wants to snatch away this wealth to please his master!

“Can you really bear such humiliation?”

Whether Orlando was just not good at instigating or he was dealing with a bunch of seasoned experts, his impassioned speech was met with some awkward silence.

After a moment of discomfort, someone finally broke the silence.

“Orlando, cut the crap. As long as you distribute those bonds among us, we will naturally help you deal with Capen.”

Of course, Orlando couldn’t produce the bonds, but at this point, he had no other option.

So, his tone became particularly tough, and he immediately snorted, saying, “You wish! If I distribute the bonds now, would you continue to help me? I bet you’d all disappear once you step out of this door.”

“At least give us half first.”

“Not even half!” Orlando shot back without hesitation, “You want a piece of the action without lifting a finger? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Orlando’s insistence was misconstrued as firm resolve.

However, Orlando was also worried that he might have gone too far and angered these people. After all, none of them were pushovers.

So, he quickly added, “You don’t have to worry about me going back on my word. If I do, you can gang up on me just like you would on Capen.”

“You’re a lot easier to deal with than Capen,” a boss joked.

There was also a hint of threat and warning in his tone.

Orlando, of course, got the hint. Despite his inner fear, he showed no sign of it and instead urged impatiently:

“Well, gentlemen, have you made up your minds? Will you continue to be Capen’s lapdogs? Or will you join me to drive this outsider out of Alfalfa City?”

The bosses of Alfalfa City’s underground force exchanged glances and finally reached a consensus.

“Alright! Orlando, let’s give Alfalfa City a new leader together!”

…

City Lord’s Mansion.

Quietly listening to the report of his son who had rushed back from the Red Maple Manor, Ron’s heart was sinking.

Indeed, even a smuggled caravan and a pile of priceless bonds could not change Count Angler’s mind.

Ron paced anxiously around the room. A feeling of spiteful resentment that he had no way to vent accumulated in his chest, making him feel like a beast cornered into a dead-end.

Seeing his father’s loss of composure, Jason hastily opened his mouth again, “Father, on my way back, I had a sudden realization. Count Angler seems to have known that Alfalfa City would be in chaos.”

“What?” Ron stopped pacing, his gaze was fixed intently on his son.

Jason reorganized his thoughts, “When I was reporting to Count Angler about what happened in Alfalfa City at Red Maple Manor, he didn’t look surprised at all. It was as if he knew it all along.

“So, I am guessing that maybe the North Wind Business Association, and those priceless bonds, were all baits thrown out by Count Angler. He wanted to prompt the members of the Alfalfa Brotherhood to fight and even kill each other?”

Ron’s eyes lit up, immediately realizing that his son’s guess could be very likely.

Excited, he paced back and forth in the room again, muttering to himself, “It’s possible… indeed, it’s possible!

What a clever move by the Count!

If the Alfalfa brotherhood is to self-destruct over those bonds, we’ll get a chance to breathe, and even push things further…”

Knock, knock, knock.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

“What is it?”

“My lord, a gentleman from the North Wind Business Association wishes to see you.”

Ron furrowed his brows, then a thought struck him and his face lit up, hastily he said, “Let him in.”

Jason caught on too, saying, “Father, if our earlier suspicion is correct, this North Wind Business Association could also be a pawn of Count Angler!”

Ron nodded but warned, “Stay quiet later. I’ll handle this person from the North Wind Business Association. After all, we’re only speculating right now. Perhaps they are only here to urge us to find the lost bonds.”

“Yes, father.”

Not long after, a dignified middle-aged man was ushered in by the butler in front of Ron.

Looking at this man, Ron felt a flicker of recognition.

But this man was not the one who had filed a report with the North Wind Business Association a few days ago.

After the merchant respectfully performed his rites, Ron asked, “What is your name?”

“Honorable city lord, my name is Orlando.”

“Orlando?” Ron frowned, about to say how similar this name was to the infamous thief overlord in Alfalfa City, when he noticed that the merchant in front of him had removed his hat.

Then, he took off his own beard and the two moles on his left face.

“Orlando!” Ron’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword at the waist, and he exclaimed in alarm.

Standing before him was not a businessman from the North Wind Business Association at all, but the overlord of thieves in Alfalfa City – Orlando!

“Sorry, my lord, in order to meet you smoothly, I had to disguise myself,” Orlando said politely.

Long sword in hand, Jason held it to Orlando’s throat.

But Orlando simply ignored it.

Ron squinted his eyes and studied his opponent for a while before he said to his son, “Jason, don’t be rude. This is not the Lute Clan’s hospitality.”

Only then did Jason sheath his sword, but he remained alert, watching Orlando closely.

“Mr. Orlando, how did you deceive my butler?” Ron suddenly asked curiously.

Orlando chuckled lightly, pulled out a metal badge from his robe, and said, “With my skills, stealing an identity badge of the North Wind Business Association is not difficult.”

“Indeed.” Ron nodded, “After all, you’ve already stolen the most valuable thing from that caravan.”

However, this time Orlando slowly shook his head, his tone sincere, “My lord, you’re wronging me. Stealing an identity badge is simple, but to pilfer the highly prized bonds from the merchant, heh, even I can’t do that.”

“Oh? Really?” Ron raised his eyebrows in disbelief at Orlando’s words.

“Yes, my lord. If I indeed had those bonds, do you think I’d risk coming to see you?”

Ron fell silent, clearly contemplating the veracity of Orlando’s statement.

After a while, he laughed noncommittally, and asked, “So, Mr. Orlando, why did you come to see me?”

“My lord, I came to warn you of something.”

“What?”

Orlando took a deep breath and said solemnly:

“The Lute Clan is in grave danger!”