Chapter 25: Information Trade

"What do you want?"

Sur Tan had prompted a change of topic.

Yoshino Aruven gestured if he could take a seat. But the mayor denied his request. He apparently had to remain standing. So he said,

"I want to trade information."

"Hoh? What kind?"

"Regarding the Book of N."

Yoshino had obtained a hint when he read the clue for the first time. But he was surprised that he was able to obtain another hint when he scanned the clue again. And then another one when he read it the third time.

Sadly, no new hints were found when he scanned the clue further.

In short, he now had three hints that he could work on to search for the phantasmal treasure. But to be honest, he neither had the resources nor the time to venture all of them.

He decided to focus on only one clue and exchange the others for information that could help him in the more foreseeable future.

However Sur Tan sneered upon hearing his aim.

"You think I want that information?"

"Of course you do."

"Hmph, explain."

Really? Why does he had to do that?

Yoshino wondered why he had to explain himself. Could the mayor just dismiss the issue of he did not want to trade? This was bothersome!

Nonetheless Yoshino began to elaborate.

"The feat of deflecting a lightning strike. It would imply that you have a set of eyes during the incident at Anira that day."

"Too trivial. Circumstantial if you do want to pursue that angle."

Sur Tan replied. He seemed disappointed upon hearing the reasoning.

Yoshino tried a different approach. He said,

"You have given me the chance to make my preparations for two years. You have invested too much on this."

"Please. That was just an act of pity. If I really wanted to, I could have sent my people to search for the clue before you could do anything."

Yoshino could not deny the sound point the mayor had given. The young man tried another.

"It's because everything was too convenient."

"Hoh?"

"Obtaining hints, earning ample amounts of proficiency, and then gaining a new skill. One that is not just compatible with me but can also serve as a key for a breakthrough. Too many 'rewards' for clearing a single dungeon."

Yoshino paused as he observed the man sitting on the desk. He seemed to have gotten the attention of the mayor. He continued,

"This would only be possible if I am an MC of some kind of novel. Or, if there was someone pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Yoshino was not that bizarre-minded to think that everything happening here was a novel. Although the idea would have been awesome, he had to be real here. Thus he leaned more on believing the latter reason. He then added,

"At first I thought it was the Hyugans. That perhaps they were trying to mess with the operation of the Trogan Militia that day. But then there was you."

"?"

Sur Tan raised an eyebrow. Yoshino was convinced that the reaction proved he was on the right track. He pressed further,

"You are actually the one who would gain the most from this incident. Since the Magans would probably benefit more if the two guilds ended up in a conflict."

The mayor grinned. He even chuckled a little. He then said,

"Hmph, a divination had told me that something fruitful may happen during that day. But enough of that. Take a seat. Tell me the hints you found. And yes, I heard you say it in plural."

Sur Tan did not deny nor admit that he was involved. He simply gestured at the young man to sit down.

Yoshino had already gotten the qualifications for an information trade. He did not try to pursue the issue of the mayor's involvement. He was sure that the man was definitely involved anyway.

As for how much of the incident was his doing, there would be another time for that.

He revealed the information he had obtained,

"The first hint is in Antarica."

"Really? I never considered that."

Sur Tan answered in a sarcastic tone. Yoshino was puzzled by this reaction. The mayor then added,

"Have you read the papers?"

He pulled out an issue of a newspaper from his desk drawer. He threw it towards the other edge of his table. Yoshino had to reach out to check what was written.

"The Hyugans… are planning to explore Antarica?"

The news pertains to the expedition plans of the Hyugan Nation. They were recruiting adventurers to join their cause of journeying to the said location.

Humans had lost parts of their territories when the world transmigrated. Creatures from the compendium of [Roku Shiki Online] had taken over these locations. Monsters could either spawn inside the dungeons or roam outside the world. The latter were the ones who were responsible for toppling the food chain.

And Antarica was one of these lost territories. The frozen domain had become a no man's land.

And now the Hyugans were planning on exploring this lost land?

Just when someone found out that the Book of N could be located there?

Yoshino could not accept such a coincidence. He stated his suspicions,

"They obtained this hint as well?"

"Obviously."

The mayor had confirmed his thoughts. Yoshino furrowed,

"How?"

"You are not the only one who had read the clue that time."

"?"

Yoshino was confused. But then he recalled the events that happened that day. He then arrived at the answer,

"Klein! He was caught by the Hyugans!"

This would explain why the officer was nowhere to be found when Yoshino and Soura had exited the dungeon. But that would also imply that ths Hyugans were lurking iutside the dungeon. Waiting for an opportune moment to grab the information.

"You barely dodged a bullet. Too bad your 'information' is outdated now."

The mayor mocked the young man. Yoshino read the newspaper again. Perhaps he had missed a detail there.

True enough,

"Wait a minute. This paper is dated for tomorrow!"

"Advantages of holding a high position. But so what? Whether today or tomorrow your 'information' is useless regardless."

"No it's not. If this news is still for tomorrow then what I will be trading 'now' is still valuable."

"Trivialities."

"Suit yourself. But Antarica is a vast place. On the other hand, I can offer you a rough sketch on which location to search exactly."

Yoshino argued back. The mayor seemed to ponder whether to accept the deal or not. He then said,

"Hmph, what do you want in return?"

"A background check of these people."

Yoshino pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. This was the list he had received from the female lieutenant. He placed it on the desk table then pushed it towards the other side.

The mayor picked it up. He raised an eyebrow upon reading the contents. He sighed,

"This… Why?"

"I had a feeling that there were more factors involved during that incident."

"You had already failed this quest. There is no more reason to pursue this."

"What was that supposed to mean?"

Yoshino was confused again. Did something happen? Why was the mayor speaking as if the future was already determined?

He began to feel worried for the female lieutenant. But then the mayor interrupted his thoughts,

"Worry not. It's not as bad as you think. Well not yet."

Why does he had to be so cryptic?

Yoshino wanted to yell at the man. But he remembered that the man could probably tear him apart in a blink of an eye. So he said instead,

"Still I want to have the names checked."

"Fine. But the sketch had to be traded now. You said it yourself, the information you have is only valuable 'today'."

"Alright, deal."

Yoshino readily accepted the terms. He then pulled out a small tracing tube from his bag. This contained the rough sketch he was trading.

Yoshino had prepared the item earlier this morning. He had contacted the person who helped him get pass a blockade. He then requested for drafting materials and prepared the sketch until noon.

That was when he was pestered by that person about the lightning deflection by the way.

"Hmph, the files will be sent to your rented apartment as fast as possible."

Sur Tan grabbed the tracing tube and threw it down his desk drawer. He would obviously not check the draft while Yoshino was looking. Perhaps he did not want to reveal his excited expression in front of the young man?

Nevertheless the contents of the tracing tube was the genuine article. Not even Yoshino would dare to scam a peaked Tier 4.

The mayor then stared at him as if nothing had happened. He then asked,

"What is the second hint?"

"...It was you."

"?"

"The second hint was you, great mayor."

The man narrowed his eyes. Yoshino had to correct the issue before a misunderstanding occurred. He repeated the hint he obtained word per word,

"Sur Tan holds the key for finding the treasure."

Now that he said the words out loud, Yoshino began to doubt them. How could such a hint be that specific yet vague at the same time?

Even the mayor seemed dumbstruck upon hearing it.

Until,

"Hoooh!"

Sur Tan laughed in delight. He seemed to have realized something. He then said,

"Well played! You could have just started with that statement but you chose to withheld it until the very end. Raising its value to the maximum! Well played indeed!"

"?!"

"You did plan this right?"

"Yes... But I was not expecting it to end up like this."

Yoshino wanted to reveal this hint last because he still did not know what to make out of it. But Sur Tan laughing in delight had only made things worse. Why did such a powerful person react like that?

What was happening exactly?