Chapter 57 Transactions
Zhou Jiu sat down and said to himself, "I thought you were in a crisis, and I promised to help my friend find you, but I didn't expect you to be so free."
“Oh? You’re afraid to answer me? Do you know that your military membership is between two different parties?” Gela Baird brought the topic back.
Zhou Jiu was slightly puzzled that Gela Baird had brought the topic back to the present. Someone who could be an undercover agent should be able to tell that she didn't want to answer the question.
This time, however, she did reply, and said, preparing to observe the situation, "You jest, sir. How could such an impossible thing happen? If I were registered, I would not have passed the political review when I entered the First Military Academy. Are you perhaps making fun of me again?"
“Haha, you’re quite an interesting child,” Graham Baird said with a slightly uninhibited smile.
Zhou Jiu also forced a smile and cooperated.
But soon after, Gela Baird asked, "If I'm not mistaken, you should still be at the arena, so how did you manage to sneak here without StarNet knowing?"
Zhou Jiu continued with a smile, "In the world of martial arts, one must have a few skills to rely on. Please don't make things difficult for this junior."
A few more soft chuckles escaped his lips. Graham Baird didn't dwell on Zhou Jiu's answer, as if it were just a casual question.
Zhou Jiu calmed herself down and, as she adjusted her glasses, it suddenly dawned on her: with a virtual mask, how did the other person recognize her?
"All electronic devices are disabled here, so feel free to say whatever you want. I can't record it to report you, and besides, I don't need to report you at all."
Zhou Jiu blinked, her gaze flickering slightly beneath her eyelids. Was her mind so easily understood? Was it so easy for others to see what she was thinking?
"Let's get down to business. What brings you here? And who told you that my people would be at the Masquerade Bar?" Grae Baird's voice was refined and amiable, yet his questioning tone was anything but unpleasant.
Zhou Jiu pursed his lips. No wonder he could be an undercover agent; his voice and face were so deceptive.
“If you have my information, you will know that I have another way of making a living,” Zhou Jiu said.
"Divination?" Graham Baird's smile held a hint of surprise.
"I came to seek you out because I foresaw that we are destined to meet. This destiny will help me overcome a calamity. As for going to the Masked Bar, it's the same. My destiny lies there."
When asked about Zhou Jiu's words, Gela Baird neither said whether he believed them nor not, and his smile faded slightly.
“Since you say we are destined to meet, I feel the same way. I wasn’t waiting for you, but since you’re here, Zhou Jiu, let’s make a deal.” Gra Baird said directly.
"What kind of deal?" Zhou Jiu asked, his eyelids twitching.
“Let me show you something first.” Graham Baird clapped his hands and had one of his men take Zhou Jiu to the next room.
Zhou Jiu's gaze lingered on Grae Baird, who hadn't moved for a moment, before he followed Baird's hand into the next room.
When Zhou Jiu returned from the room, her face was pale and tinged with seriousness. She looked at Gela Baird with a complicated expression and a hint of inner conflict. "Is this your reason for staying here instead of going back?"
With such enormous profits at stake, could Gela Baird really resist such temptation? Zhou Jiu never wanted to test human nature.
"You saw it. If you were in that situation, what would you do?"
Zhou Jiu twitched the corners of his mouth, but there was no curve or smile in his eyes. "You overestimate me. I am an extremely selfish person. This matter has nothing to do with me. Why did you have to show me these secrets?"
She only wanted to wait for the various armies to clear the passage to Ancient Blue Star, and then return home. She had no interest in, nor the ability to, get involved with the various forces; being involved would only be playing with fire and getting burned, and Zhou Jiu was well aware of this.
"So, it's a transaction."
Gela Baird made no secret of this, saying, "Perhaps selfishness is more effective in achieving the ultimate goal than a more righteous person."
Zhou Jiu didn't think Gela Baird had anything to do with her, except...
Zhou Jiu suddenly remembered the military rank that Gela Baird had initially revealed to her. Her eyes flickered; perhaps that revelation was not unintentional.
"Tell me your terms; perhaps I cannot meet them."
Graham Baird had his men bring out a document. Zhou Jiu looked through the document; the task he was asked to complete was very simple. She was somewhat puzzled, "Your Excellency, why not do it yourself?"
Gela Baird gestured for Zhou Jiu to look at the transparent glass room and said, "If there's still a way, I won't need to bring anyone else here. You know my weakness, so what about you? What have you thought about it?"
Zhou Jiu looked carefully at the glass room, his gaze catching sight of the hidden nutrient tubes connecting to Grabeld's feet. It turned out to be a large medical pod.
Staring for too long is very impolite, so Zhou Jiu immediately looked away after seeing what Gela Baird wanted her to see.
Continuing to look at the documents that Gela Baird had her sign, Zhou Jiu asked her question, "I'm just an ordinary student at the military academy. Even if it's a case that could lead to a military court, how could I possibly end up in one? Wouldn't it be better to just secretly kill me to settle things once and for all?"
"You do know a lot about those in power, but your understanding is somewhat negative," Graham Baird commented casually.
"You were able to get into the top military unit because there were powerful forces behind you."
Volunteer Army? Zhou Jiu lifted his eyelids slightly and continued reading the follow-up to the document.
"Of course, this isn't directed at you, but at the genius Ye Yang. Ye Qing from the military will be able to retire in a few years, and some forces don't want Ye Qing to hand over all his connections to Ye Yang, nor do they want another Ye Qing to emerge in the military."
"So it's me? But why me?" As someone who only wanted to return to Ancient Blue Star and was working hard for it, Zhou Jiu felt surprised.
“It was a coincidence and a matter of timing; you just happened to show up, and your performance was unexpectedly good.” Graham Baird’s voice was gentle.
“Okay, let’s just say I’ll be in a military court. Are you sure you can help me find rebuttal materials? I don’t want to be tricked into spending several years in jail,” Zhou Jiu said. But actually, it wasn’t a big deal. At most, it would be considered espionage, and she would only be charged with a minor offense, maybe three years. If it were a serious offense, it would probably be ten years. Zhou Jiu wasn’t worried about it at all.
"Relax and keep watching."
As Zhou Jiu continued reading, his expression gradually became serious. Finally, he turned to the last page, picked up a pen from the table, and signed his name.
"I hope we have a pleasant working relationship. I should be going now." Zhou Jiu stood up, nodded slightly, signed the only copy of the document and left it behind, without asking for a copy.
"I won't see you off."
"Yes, I hope this isn't the last time I see you."
Zhou Jiu looked at Grae Baird with a hint of respect, and then smiled with a touch of teasing: "Your Excellency, I once calculated your birth date and time for little Baird and told him that you would return safely. I hope you won't make me look like someone who makes a mistake in divination, as that would damage my reputation as a divination master."
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