Chapter 65: None of My Business
Kal'tsit wasn't actually looking for Steven. What she hadn't expected, though, was that upon opening the door to the trading post, she would find Steven standing alongside Closure.
How did this guy find his way here? Is he here to trade for something?
With these thoughts in mind, Kal'tsit's small, delicate nose twitched slightly, and then her brows furrowed tightly.
"Closure, did you smuggle alcohol in again? How many times have I told you that Rhodes Island's resources are not abundant enough to support this kind of extravagance? Instead of purchasing these things, why not stock up on more supplies and energy?"
She stopped the Sarkaz girl, who was trying to sneak away unnoticed, and reprimanded her coldly.
"You should talk to those guys about this…" Closure, intending to drag the elite operators down with her, pointed at the group of elite operators who had just been sleeping like the dead.
However, they were nowhere to be seen, leaving only the wreckage of the gathering behind.
The shrewd elite operators had long since disappeared, leaving Steven as the only one still standing there, arms crossed, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
"Talk to whom? Mr. Steve? He's not a Rhodes Island operator, and he certainly wouldn't waste his time buying this Ursus-produced subpar alcohol."
Kal'tsit glanced at the chaotic aftermath. She had a general idea of what had happened, but with only Steven and Closure left at the scene, she had no choice but to focus her frustration on them.
To be precise, she could only direct her frustration toward Closure. As for Steven, well, she didn't quite know how to deal with him.
Now that she knew Steven might possess the ability to cure Oripathy, she was one step away from treating him like a god. How could she dare criticize him for anything?
It was safe to say that as long as Steven didn't commit murder, arson, or do anything to cross Kal'tsit or other operators' bottom lines, no one would say a word about whatever else he chose to do.
"Exactly, exactly. I'm innocent. But this Closure lady here says I'm responsible for the cost of the alcohol and cleaning up the mess. I'm just a lone traveler. How am I supposed to come up with such a large sum?" Steven added fuel to the fire, perfectly aligning with Kal'tsit's intention to make Closure suffer. It wouldn't be easy for anyone to trick him into parting with his money.
"Oh, and she also said, 'Kal'tsit is so petty.' I think that's the most reasonable thing she's said all day."
Steven delivered the line without even trying to hide the fact that he was stirring the pot, even adding his approval to it.
"—I didn't! I wasn't! I said Kal'tsit is kind and wouldn't stoop to the level of her subordinates, right?" Closure forced a somewhat awkward smile on her cute, delicate face, which still carried a hint of baby fat, as she tried to explain herself pitifully to Kal'tsit.
"I probably don't match your imagination, or rather, I don't believe I can let a Rhodes Island member off so easily after committing such a serious mistake, don't you agree, Miss Closure?"
Kal'tsit's expression darkened as she reverted to the cryptic tone that Steven despised.
However, this time, Steven didn't find it difficult to comprehend her words—on the contrary, he found it highly entertaining, given that Kal'tsit's target wasn't him.
"Fine, I was wrong."
Covering her ears, Closure made a break for it, running faster than a rabbit, as if terrified that Kal'tsit might actually chase her down. If it was just punishment, she could bear it, but if Kal'tsit were to dock her salary, that would be worse than death.
Fortunately, Kal'tsit didn't seem intent on settling accounts with her immediately—at least for now.
The gloomy expression on her face eased slightly when she turned to Steven. Knowing he disliked her cold demeanor, Kal'tsit forced a smile, but it looked so awkward that it only made her seem more stiff.
"Aren't you going to chase her down and give her a good punishment? At least dock a few months' salary or throw her in confinement for a while?" Steven asked, amused by Kal'tsit's conflicted expression. It was genuinely amusing to see the normally cold and stoic "BBA" (Big Bad Auntie) struggling to put on a friendly front.
"I will, but I'm more curious about something else right now—how did you manage to get so familiar with those guys so quickly? The elite operators of Rhodes Island usually don't trust people easily."
Kal'tsit calmly pointed out that she was well aware of the elite operators' occasional private gatherings. What surprised her was how Steven had managed to integrate himself into their circle so effortlessly. Given his peculiar personality, how did he even make friends?
"You might not believe it, but it's probably because I'm too charming. Resisting my charisma is… well, quite difficult." Steven, looking a bit smug, adjusted his hair. He certainly couldn't say he had no idea how he became so close with them, could he?
"Of course, if you'd like to experience it firsthand, I suggest you sit down, and we can have a drink together. Who knows, we might end up as good friends."
Steven pulled out a half-empty bottle of alcohol from a nearby box. After wiping the rim and downing more than half of what remained, he offered the bottle to Kal'tsit.
"No need, I'm not good with alcohol."
Rejecting the bottle with a stern expression, Kal'tsit couldn't help but frown.
"See? That's exactly why I get along with them better than I do with you. It's your choice."
Shrugging, Steven finished off the rest of the alcohol and reclined comfortably on a pile of boxes, looking completely at ease, as if enjoying the pleasures of a hedonistic lifestyle.
"I just think that if you really consider them friends, maybe you should learn what they're fighting for."
"Do you know why they were hosting a welcome party for Outcast here? It's because not every elite operator mission ends perfectly. Sometimes, they can't wait for their old friends to return."
"This is the curse that hangs over this land. As long as Oripathy isn't eradicated and infected individuals exist, the Rhodes Island operators who joined to save them are always at risk of sacrificing themselves."
This time, Kal'tsit wasn't speaking in riddles, but her words were harsher than any riddle.
However, Steven, who listened to her calmly from start to finish, remained sprawled on the boxes. Sipping the harsh, subpar alcohol, he displayed an indifferent expression.
"So what? None of my business. Did I ask them to do this? Or did I bring Oripathy here?"
"If neither, then what's the point of telling me this?"
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind spending $5 monthly to see till the latest chapter, please go to my
Latest Chapter in Patreon:
Link to the latest chapter: