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Nonai wore a round-neck top with a blue printed long skirt underneath. The handmade silk fabric was shimmering and radiant. Two pink and blue flowers were tucked behind her ear. Her makeup was very simple and elegant, making her look quite different from usual.
Nonai stepped forward and reached out to touch Milo's face. When Milo turned his head away, Nonai laughed. She took off Milo's sunglasses and pointed at them, saying, "The more you do this, the more eye-catching you become. Those female students are treating you like a celebrity."
Milo looked up.
The rising TV drama actor on the poster has a bright smile, is delicate and handsome, and looks very young. At first glance, he looks a bit like him.
“But you’re better looking than him, and smarter too. This guy, he’s about the same as Steven, he’ll get used to it eventually, it’s not interesting, not fun.” Nona said with a smile. “To be honest, I was surprised you contacted me. But I have to make it clear beforehand, I’m not Blaze, I won’t be blinded by your good looks. If you betray me, I’ll definitely get my revenge.”
"I'm asking you to collaborate because, compared to Blaise, you're clearly more capable in this area."
"Then I must thank you for your appreciation."
Milo calmly accepted the sarcasm in Nona's words: "You're welcome, after all, you grew up with Suma Natawa."
Nonai narrowed his eyes slightly, and the smile on his face suddenly faded a little: "Don't you want to ask how Blaise is doing? The old man has kept the news very tight, and you can't get any information out of him, can you? Don't you want to know at all how he is doing?"
Milo didn't say anything.
Nonai deliberately softened his tone: "He was seriously injured this time. Although there was no bleeding, he got an infection. The conditions in Gan Valley were not good enough, so he was sent out for surgery. He won't die, but he needs time to be observed, so he can't come out to bother you for a while."
“I didn’t say I wanted to know.”
"If you really don't want to know, why are you patiently listening to me finish?"
Milo frowned: "Let's get down to business."
"Did you bring everything I told you to prepare?" Seeing Milo nod, Nona continued, "Although I can't directly introduce you to Pomlason, it's not entirely impossible. If you want to see Pomlason, you can start with Angto, the director of the Tengbang Chamber of Commerce. He has a good personal relationship with Pomlason and they often discuss business together."
There was something Milo had wanted to ask before he arrived, but he wanted to avoid offending anyone. However, no matter how tactfully he phrased it, it still seemed somewhat uncomfortable: "Anto has a wife, doesn't he?"
"What do you mean?" Nona raised an eyebrow. "You think I arranged for you to meet Angto because we got a relationship through sleeping together?"
“That’s not what I meant.” Milo frowned. “I heard his wife is the daughter of a prominent political figure. Isn’t it dangerous for you to be in contact with Ento like this?”
“Who said I’m hooking up with Angto himself?” Nonai’s eyes flashed with disdain. “Angto has kept countless women in Tengbang. I don’t need to sell myself to him. Besides, if I’m going to play around, I’ll play with the young ones. I don’t look down on these old guys.”
Milo is often speechless because of Nona's bluntness, but she always seems to have a point.
Nonai pointed to the school across the street and said, "Look, Onto's son is studying at Taran National High School. Don't let Onto's womanizing ways fool you; because of his wife's influence, he only dares to have this one precious son. That old man is a womanizer, but his son is unusually innocent and easy to approach."
"Still in middle school?"
Nonai finally couldn't help but laugh: "If I became Angto's mistress, or got involved with his son, would you no longer be planning to cooperate with me?"
Milo remained silent.
Nonai pouted: "I didn't expect you to have such high moral standards."
There was one more thing Nona didn't say. "You're so morally upright, yet you still ended up with both of the Dale brothers." But despite these thoughts, she was also a little intimidated by Milo and didn't dare say it aloud. Milo looked frail, but he was capable of murder and blackmail, and dared to do business with Pomlason. This kind of person, somewhere between right and wrong, was the least likely to be provoked; otherwise, it might really drive him insane.
Although Steven died at his hands, as long as Milo adheres to moral boundaries, it proves he's not a madman. As long as he acts with principle and acts with humanity, it means cooperating with him is safe for the time being.
“That kid is a bit simple-minded. I only got in touch with him by giving him gifts to Angto’s wife. I just give him a little something to coax him occasionally. I wouldn’t go so far as to harm a child.” Nonai smiled. “Let me make this clear first: I’ll help you make the connection, but you have to let me be in charge of pushing this matter forward.”
Milo was a little surprised: "You don't want money?"
Nonai blinked: "Don't you have enough money? But if you want to get things done, you still need power to pave the way. Compared to money, I'd rather get this done in a practical way."
Milo understood: for this matter to proceed, interpersonal negotiations were indispensable. Nona meant that he would cover all the financial expenses, but she would be responsible for navigating the negotiations and building connections. Through this process, Nona could weave her own network of relationships.
Everyone has their own desires, and Milo was able to accept this condition.
"Okay, I promise you."
Nonai raised an eyebrow and looked into the distance.
As the school bell rang, students in their school uniforms poured out of the school gate, where luxury cars lined up to greet them. Nonai's gaze quickly locked onto a certain direction, and he began to wave.
One of the handsome and tall high school students was looking around when he saw Nona and immediately ran over, followed by two bodyguards.
The boy blushed as soon as he saw Nonai. He had grown taller and was indeed still a teenager.
"Sister Nonai," the boy called softly. Upon seeing Milo beside Nonai, he looked her up and down, then his face paled slightly. He asked hesitantly, "Is this your boyfriend?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Nonai patted the boy's head. "I made an appointment with your mother. I'm here to deliver something to her."
The boy nodded: "So, are you coming to my house?"
Nonai glanced at Milo and left the decision to him.
Although Angto may not be as powerful as Pomlasong, he is still a notorious local tyrant, and it takes courage to visit his home.
*
Madame Angto was a gentle middle-aged woman, also dressed in traditional Tengban attire, who warmly welcomed Nonai inside as soon as she saw her.
Milo waited patiently at the door until Nonay and Madame Ento explained things softly before he stepped inside.
“Madam, last time you asked me to keep an eye on things, a beautiful ruby was found in the mining area next to Gan Valley. It’s a pity that the Tengbang government took it, and I couldn’t stop it. But thankfully, gemstones have a spirit, and you are destined to have one.”
Madame Ento’s gaze fell on Milo.
Milo took out a gift box, pushed it over, and said in English, "Full cut pigeon blood red, Madam can design it herself."
Nonai translated it into Tengban and relayed it to Madame Angto, who smiled and nodded.
The box was opened, revealing a top-quality gemstone, dazzling and magnificent. The young foreigner before them was clearly generous, presenting a thoughtful gift, and obviously had something to ask of them.
Mrs. Angto glanced at Nona, who patted her hand: "Don't worry, he's just doing business with Lanman. You know Arian Thornton, right? He even has to call Arian 'Uncle'."
Mrs. Ento understood perfectly, so she got up to make a phone call.
Milo silently observed Nonai. Such a smart and capable person, and Sigon had only assigned her the task of being Dale Chongtai's lover—it was a complete waste.
"How did you become acquainted with Madame Ento?"
“What else could there be between women? Helping her catch her cheating mistress, don’t deny it, that’s what you were guessing just now, right?” Seeing Milo’s silence, Nona smiled mischievously. “They got married because one wanted political capital and the other wanted business power, but do you think she would tolerate Angto’s infidelity? It would be foolish to tear apart their relationship at this point; making money is the right thing to do. So, I’m secretly making money for Mrs. Angto. Once Angto’s assets are emptied, she can kick that useless old man out.”
Milo understood. Because Madame Ento didn't care about Ento's life or death at all, she was happy to see him approach Ento with ulterior motives.
Sometimes, women are more ambitious and powerful than men. For example, in places like this, while it's said that Angto is using this opportunity to get close to Pomlasson, the real decision-makers are the two ladies.
A moment later, Madame Angto walked over with graceful steps, a satisfied smile on her lips: "Madame Pomlason has agreed to my request; they will be attending the banquet tonight."
As dusk settled, the hall was bathed in a soft, yellowish light.
Milo stood in the inner room, gazing intently at the acacia tree in the courtyard. Its gnarled branches were tinged with bronze, and crimson vines cascaded from between the leaves, their tips adorned with white, bell-shaped flower buds. This tree originally symbolized marital harmony, but it also had a rather ominous name: the Ghost Tree.
The silence inside was broken by the sound of guards' footsteps approaching in unison, followed by the voices of two men talking.
Milo turned slightly to the side, no longer looking at the tree.
Nonai immediately put down his teacup and smiled at Madame Angto. Madame Angto understood, rose to greet him, and exchanged a few pleasantries with Madame Pomrasson, who had entered first.
Immediately afterwards, Madame Ento moved very naturally toward her husband, covered her mouth with her hand, and whispered something quickly in his ear.
Angto's eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. Then, the couple tacitly greeted Madame Pomlason, excused themselves, and disappeared into the corridor leading to the inner hall.
After watching the Anto couple leave, Madame Pomlason turned to her husband and said gently, “My dear, this is Mr. Milo, whom I mentioned to you before we came.”
Milo was somewhat surprised: "Is Madam a Lanman?"
Pomlason's gaze then fell on Milo, and he smiled: "My wife's father is a Lanman."
Milo nodded: "That's quite a coincidence."
Nonai stepped forward with a smile, took Madame Pomrasong's hand, and whispered something, eliciting a smile from the lady. Nonai gave Milo a look, then led Madame Pomrasong out.
Only Milo and Pomlason remained in the private room separated by the sliding wooden door.
Pomlason extended his hand to Milo, his handshake firm and direct, his eyes carrying a profound meaning: "Mr. Milo... I know you, someone specifically mentioned you to me."
Milo thought for a moment and guessed, "Arien?"
“That’s right. He said you were very likely to come to Tengbang during this period, and asked me to be tolerant of you here. It seems he was right, because you came after only a week.”
Milo frowned. His uncle-nephew relationship with Arian was only possible because of Steven; aside from any exchange of benefits, Arian had no reason to give such a instruction. Milo could only think of one reason for Arian's actions—Aoi Tai. But would someone like Arian really go out of his way to please Aoi Tai?
While Milo was lost in thought, Pomlason had already calmly observed and thoroughly examined him.
"Why is Mr. Milo so eager to see me?"
“I would like you to grant me armed escort rights for logistics routes within Taran.”
After a long silence, Pomlasong suddenly laughed: "You dare to say that. Do you know that just that one sentence you uttered could cost you your life?"
Milo composed himself and slowly began, “Tengbang experienced another large-scale outbreak this August, which has caused partisan strife within the country. I am willing to fully fund the construction of two internationally certified mobile testing laboratories and donate 200,000 doses of malaria-specific drugs, which will be exclusively transported to the Taran epidemic area by your logistics company. This donation will be carried out under the name of the Tengbang Public Health Cooperation Project, and ASEAN disease control officials and local media will be present. This method will not only earn you considerable prestige but also allow you to legitimately label the transport convoy as international aid. Even if it passes through border checkpoints or local territories, no one will dare to stop a UN-certified convoy.”
Pomlason raised an eyebrow slightly: "That's interesting. But if I agree to your request and this gets out, I'll be branded as a spy who colluded with the enemy. Why should I take that risk?"
Milo calmly replied, "Of course I won't let you take this risk for nothing. I will use Frosttraven Trading Company as a middleman to acquire five percent of your logistics company's shares through the cleanest process. This will not trigger any SEC review and will also help boost your stock price. All the escort vehicles and personnel will be affiliated with the International Red Cross's cooperation list, and the legal risks will be covered by Frosttraven's top law firm."
Pomlason nodded: "The offer is very tempting, and I don't seem to have a reason to refuse. But, if I may be frank, this isn't how business is done, is it? Sure, you're very rich and have a knack for making money. Just look at the assets under your name, you probably couldn't spend them all in ten lifetimes, right? But at this rate of spending money, no amount of assets will be enough to sustain you. You're too hasty. This is completely different from your previous patient and dormant demeanor."
Milo was slightly surprised.
While it's not exactly a secret that he set up Miles at the Lanman Negotiation Conference and kicked Glenn out of Green Contract Company, and it's not surprising that Pom La Song knew about it, his subsequent purchase of real estate in the country and his investment in Kevin's stock were private matters. How could Pom La Song know so much about his affairs?
“Mr. Milo, the terms you’ve offered are indeed very good, but have you considered something?” Pomrasong leaned forward slightly. “Today, it’s not you who wants to see me, but me who wants to see you. It is I who have given you the opportunity to see me.”
"What do you mean?" Milo suddenly had a vague sense of unease.
The sliding door was smoothly pushed open, and a person walked in from the outside.
Milo's body suddenly froze.
An indescribable panic slowly crept up from his back; he hadn't felt this suffocating oppression and fear in a long time. It was a suffocating feeling that everything was out of control, everything was in chaos.
Milo mechanically rolled his eyes, his gaze settling on the man's hand holding the door.
Her ten fingers were clean and slender, a silver metal watch wrapped around her wrist, and a plain ring on her ring finger.
Ponglasong stood up, his smiling voice coming from behind him: "I forgot to introduce you, I brought a guest with me this time."
Milo clenched his fingers, gripping his palms tightly.
Miles entered the room, his gaze falling calmly on Milo's face.
Pom Rasong stood up with a smile: "Then let's do it this way, you two take your time and have a good talk."
The wooden door closed, and the space became sealed off once again.
Milo suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe, and half of his body went numb. He couldn't calm down, couldn't think, couldn't speak. The successive victories against Miles had made him complacent, forgetting that there are big wins and narrow victories. He had spent four years, only to gain a narrow victory from Miles when he was off guard; he had never actually witnessed Miles's full-force counterattack.
Was Kevin a weakness deliberately planted in Miles's head? Or was Miles planning to use Kevin to kill someone who knew too much? Will the plane bound for Frosttraven still be able to land?
Sometimes, Milo even forgets that part of his skills were learned from Miles, and that his thinking logic and methods of doing things have already merged with Miles's.
There is no absolute truth in this world that the student surpasses the teacher.
Miles sat down, looking Milo in the eye, and observed up close Milo's barely concealed but still uncontrollable panic and...fear.
"Forty-six days have passed, and you haven't replied to my messages." As soon as the words left his mouth, Miles realized with a start that his words carried a subtle hint of disappointment. "You're incredibly cruel when it comes to relationships. Or perhaps, you truly hate me?"
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