chapter 143 scam

Just as the tension lingered between them, Frost Eye's interface beeped.

A call.

He flicked his wrist lazily, answering it without a second thought. But before he could speak, a playful voice rang through.

"Raven, my dear friend! Are we doing the dungeon now or tomorrow?"

Mist Low.

Frost Eye smirked, twirling his coin between his fingers. "That depends," he said smoothly. "Did you finally stop flirting with every female NPC you came across?"

Mist Low let out an exaggerated, offended gasp. "Raven! How could you? I am merely spreading joy and appreciation to the charming ladies of this world!"

Brainless Girl, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow at the dramatic tone, watching as Frost Eye's smirk grew.

Mist Low continued, his voice full of amusement. "Unlike Daniel, who, I swear, is like a dead fish when it comes to socializing. Ana and Liz, though? Now, they know how to have fun. They're quite happy with me."

Frost Eye chuckled, leaning lazily against the wooden post. "So Daniel's miserable, and you're thriving. As expected."

"Of course!" Mist Low declared proudly. "It's the natural order of things, Raven."

Frost Eye rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "The dungeon," he said, bringing the conversation back on track. "We'll do it—"

He paused, his golden gaze flicking toward Brainless Girl, who was watching him with a knowing smirk.

A glint of amusement flashed in his eyes.

"We'll do it tomorrow," he finally said, dragging out the words deliberately. "There's still… business to handle tonight."

Mist Low hummed in interest. "Oh? Business? That sounds fun. Should I be jealous?"

Frost Eye smirked. "You? Jealous? Please."

Mist Low laughed. "Fair enough. But don't keep me waiting, Raven. You know how I hate being bored."

The call ended.

Frost Eye slipped his interface away, turning back to Brainless Girl. She arched an eyebrow, arms crossed.

"Business, huh?" she echoed.

His smirk deepened. "Of course, darling. And you? You're part of it."

The dim candlelight flickered across the wooden walls of the inn, casting shifting shadows as Brainless Girl spun a gold coin between her fingers. She leaned against the railing, her smirk teasing but curious. "So, what's your brilliant idea this time, darling?"

Frost Eye lounged against the opposite side, his golden eyes half-lidded with amusement. He was always like this—calm, confident, and just unpredictable enough to keep even her on edge.

"Simple," he drawled, flipping his own gold coin in the air. "Buy an NPC at the bank."

Brainless Girl arched an eyebrow. "An NPC?"

Frost Eye smirked. "Not just any NPC." He pushed off the railing, walking toward her in slow, deliberate steps. "One that looks trustworthy. One that gives people a sense of security." His voice dropped lower, smooth and deadly. "We make players think they're storing their items in the bank… when in reality, they're keeping them in our warehouse."

Brainless Girl's fingers stilled on the coin mid-spin. Then she let out a soft, appreciative laugh. "That's… diabolical."

Frost Eye grinned. "Isn't it?"

She turned the idea over in her mind, her smirk widening. "It's brilliant. Players are already hoarding loot but can't afford bigger bags. And no one trusts low-level guilds to hold their items for them." She flicked the coin up, catching it with a snap of her wrist. "But an official-looking NPC? That, they'll trust."

Frost Eye's eyes gleamed. "Exactly. We give them 'secure storage' for free. Let them believe their items are safe. And when the time comes…" He tilted his head, voice dripping with amusement. "We decide who gets their stuff back."

Brainless Girl let out a quiet chuckle. "And if they figure it out?"

Frost Eye shrugged lazily. "By the time they do, we'll already be too powerful for them to do anything about it."

Brainless Girl crossed her arms, tapping a finger against her elbow in thought. "We'll need the right NPC. Someone obedient, someone who won't cause trouble."

Frost Eye leaned in slightly, his voice teasing. "Oh, darling. That's your job."

Brainless Girl's smirk sharpened. "Consider it done."

Frost Eye stepped back, flipping his coin into the air once more. As he caught it, he grinned. "Then let's start robbing people without them even realizing it."

As Frost Eye flipped his coin effortlessly, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement, Brainless Girl remained silent, watching him. Her smirk stayed in place, but beneath it, her mind was running calculations at lightning speed.

I didn't expect him to think this far ahead…

She had met many manipulators before—smooth talkers, schemers, those who thought they were playing 4D chess when they were just making obvious moves. But Frost Eye? He was different.

He wasn't just playing for short-term profit. He was building something. A system of control. One where players would willingly walk into their trap, believing it was for their own good.

He thinks he can control the players.

And honestly? He wasn't wrong. Players were greedy, reckless, and desperate for security. Give them something for free, something that seemed like a good deal, and they'd throw themselves into the palm of his hand.

He had a good plan. A damn good one.

But…

Her fingers drummed lightly against her arm. There were loopholes.

No scam was perfect. Someone, somewhere, would start questioning things. The paranoid types, the players who double-checked everything, the ones who hoarded information as much as they hoarded loot.

And if even one of them realized the truth too early…

The entire operation could fall apart.

But that's where I come in.

She wasn't just going to follow his plan blindly. She would cover the holes. Strengthen the weak points. Ensure that by the time anyone figured it out, they'd already be too deep to fight back.

That's what I do. I take something messy and turn it into something flawless.

But…

Her fingers tightened slightly around the gold coin in her palm.

I will not betray him.

She knew it in her bones. The idea of double-crossing Frost Eye? It never even crossed her mind.

I like him.

She didn't know why. It wasn't logical. It wasn't calculated. She wasn't the kind of person to form attachments easily. She had been called useless, dead weight, a burden. Tossed aside by the very people she had once trusted.

But he recognized me.

Before anyone else did. Before even she realized her own potential.

Frost Eye never saw her as dead weight. He saw her.

And that…

That was dangerous.

Brainless Girl clenched her jaw slightly, annoyed at the unfamiliar emotions bubbling inside her.

I don't understand these feelings.

She thrived on logic, manipulation, strategy. But this? This wasn't something she could plan for. It wasn't something she could control.

And yet… I trust him.

She let out a quiet exhale, flicking the coin in the air before catching it effortlessly.

Fine.

If she was going to follow someone, it would be him.