“Got it!” The man respectfully responded and then turned to walk out the door.
Ninja watched Leo through the window, his eyes shimmering with a strange light, and whispered in confusion, “When did Bangkora get such a skilled fighter?”
This kind of fight that lacked any challenge left Leo indifferent. After two matches, he felt there was nothing interesting about it and decided to stop. Otherwise, it would just be a waste of time.
Sonpa was happily collecting the money he had won when he saw his cash cow, Leo, about to leave. He quickly grabbed the remaining money and ran over to him.
Leo looked at Sonpa running towards him with a smile, knowing what he had just done, but he ignored him and walked towards the exit.
Seeing Leo’s displeasure, Sonpa smiled mysteriously. “You will know later. This can not only help you get into Shalien Company smoothly but also make a fortune for me. It’s a win-win deal. You shouldn’t mind, right?”
Watching Sonpa’s confident expression, Leo couldn’t help but feel skeptical. Without Cauldron Yu’s information, he didn’t want to waste time in Taplesh and couldn’t play along with this informant for long.
“What’s your plan?”
“No plan at all.”
Sonpa finished speaking, and Leo’s eyes widened. Sonpa quickly added, “Since you won against Jack and Lisi, if everything goes as expected, the people from Shalien Company will definitely come to me to inquire about you. When the time comes, just have a good story ready.”
“How do you plan to tell the story?”
Sonpa put the money in his pocket and replied, “It’s simple. I will say you are my cousin from Atraria, got into trouble there, and escaped to Taplesh. If they believe it, then you can easily enter Shalien Company without any issues.”
Leo nodded, and both of them left the underground boxing circle.
Once outside, they found a small shop, had some food, and then parted ways.
Sonpa naturally went back to his own place. He originally wanted Leo to follow him, but Leo couldn’t stand his shabby home and refused to go. Sonpa had to give up on that idea.
Leo found a hotel nearby and stayed there, waiting for Sonpa’s message.
At five minutes past five in the afternoon, Sonpa called, “Mr. Bloomer, I have good news for you.”
“Did Shalien Company inquire about me through you?”
“Yes, shortly after I went back, the head of the north hall, Koert, came to ask about you. He wants to meet you.”
“Where should we meet?” Leo knew it was game on.
“I’ll come and take you there.”
At six o’clock, Sonpa brought Leo to a restaurant and gestured for Leo to go in.
As Leo entered, a male waiter approached him, speaking a mix of Taplesh and Atrarian, “Are you Mr. Leo?”
Leo nodded, and the waiter smiled, “Mr. Bloomer, please follow me. A gentleman has reserved a seat for you.”
With that, Leo followed him inside.
The waiter took Leo to a private room on the second floor and then left.
Leo knocked on the door, and from inside came the words “Please come in” in Mheffada.
Entering the room, Leo saw a middle-aged man sitting beside a large round table with a white tablecloth, appearing to be around forty years old.
Behind the middle-aged man, on both sides, stood two burly men in black suits.
“Are you Leo?” The middle-aged man asked in relatively standard Mheffada.
Leo nodded.
“Don’t stand, please have a seat.” The man’s expression was sincere, “In the boxing world, you are famous for winning against Jack and Lisi.”
Leo smiled and said, “Just making a living.”
“What a living.” The man appreciated, “I invited you here today to invite you to join Shalien Company. Sonpa must have mentioned Shalien Company to you. I am Koert, the head of the north hall of Shalien Company.”
Koert directly extended an invitation to Leo.
Leo didn’t immediately respond but remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.
Seeing this, Koert’s face showed a hint of dissatisfaction, thinking, “Could this kid not want to join?”
However, he dismissed his own thoughts because if the kid didn’t want to join, he wouldn’t have come.
“I can throw a few punches, but I’m just a nobody. It’s unnecessary for the head to treat me like this,” Leo knew there must be another reason for Koert’s actions.
Koert heard this and paused for a moment before smiling, “You are right. I don’t need to go to all these lengths for a nobody, but you are different. You are worth it.”
“What makes me different?” Leo looked at Koert with interest.
“Because I want you to have a fight before joining Shalien Company.”
“A fight!?” Leo was puzzled.
“Since this involves you helping, I won’t hide it from you,” Koert was candid, “Our leader and a guest are going to fight for a wager of five million. After seeing your record, that guest specifically requested you to fight. Do you understand what I mean?”
“You want me to stage a fake fight!?”
Koert nodded.
“Isn’t that inappropriate?”
“In the face of interests, nothing is inappropriate,” Koert chuckled, “How about it? As long as you help us with this staged fight, you will become a member of Shalien Company, and I can guarantee you a decent treatment.”
Leo pretended to think for a moment and then solemnly nodded.
Seeing his agreement, Koert’s smile grew wider, “Good, now that business is done, let’s enjoy. From now on, we are family. Don’t waste the delicious food on this table.”
With good food before him, Leo naturally didn’t hold back.
“Tomorrow, that guest will find you and ask you to fight for him,” Koert finished his drink in one go, “You should know what to do then, right?”
“Of course, I will not disappoint the head and the leader,” Leo assured, patting his chest.
“Very well, come, have another drink!”
The next day at noon, as expected, two men came to find Leo, inviting him to fight as Koert had mentioned, with a pay of one million. Leo accepted their invitation.
Leo now knew for sure that the guest of Shalien Company that Koert had mentioned, also the two men who invited him to fight, must be related to the stolen Cauldron Yu.