chapter 144 A Calculated gamble

The candlelight flickered in the dimly lit tavern, casting long shadows over the wooden walls. Frost Eye leaned back lazily against the wooden post, his golden eyes sharp as he observed Brainless Girl across the table. She sat with her fingers drumming against the worn wood, lost in thought.

The gold coin spun effortlessly between her fingers, a quiet rhythm to her calculations. Her eyes, usually blank when dealing with others, held a rare sharpness now. She was analyzing—breaking apart his plan, scanning for weaknesses, piecing together solutions.

She'll find the loopholes.

He already knew that.

Because he had left them there on purpose.

A Deliberate Risk—One He Had Taken Before

This wasn't the first time Frost Eye had trusted someone with a flaw-filled plan.

Back in his past life, when he was still part of Dark Solution, he had learned the hard way what happened when you trusted the wrong people.

He remembered it vividly—sitting in a similar dimly lit room, surrounded by so-called "allies" who promised they had his back.

"You're the brains, Raven," they used to say, clapping him on the back. "We'll handle the work, just keep feeding us your genius plans!"

And he had believed them.

He had handed them a strategy—a perfect one. A setup that would have secured Dark Solution as the strongest guild for years to come. He had given them control over an entire city's economy, controlling both PvE and PvP markets.

It should have been unstoppable.

Until the betrayals started.

The moment some of them saw a way to profit faster without him, they took it.

They cut corners, ignored his warnings, got greedy. The ones he trusted the most were the first to sell him out. They didn't hesitate when the chance to replace him appeared.

And in the end?

They lost everything.

The city he built? Gone.

The empire he planned? Crumbled.

His so-called allies? Fighting among themselves like rabid dogs, tearing each other apart the moment he was out of the picture.

It was then that he truly understood:

A friend who gets benefits every day—if, one day, they don't receive them, they will betray you.

Why He Trusted Brainless Girl

But Brainless Girl wasn't one of them.

She wasn't someone who followed him just because she was gaining something. She wasn't loyal because it was easy or profitable.

She was here because he had recognized her when no one else did.

When everyone had called her useless, when they had laughed at her, when they had discarded her—he was the only one who saw her potential.

And that was a debt that could never be repaid.

He watched her now, the way her brows furrowed slightly as she thought through his plan. She wasn't just following orders blindly. She was invested in making it work.

Because this was her plan too, now.

Brainless Girl's Thoughts—Understanding the Gamble

Brainless Girl could feel Frost Eye's gaze on her, but she didn't look up.

Her mind was racing.

At first, she had thought he had overlooked something. That there were unintentional loopholes in his plan.

But now, she realized something.

He left them for me.

It was a test. A challenge. A signal of trust.

Most people underestimated her. They thought she was just a manipulator, a schemer who only latched onto stronger people. But Frost Eye was different.

He saw past that.

He knew she was sharp enough to notice the gaps. He trusted her to cover them.

And for the first time in her life… someone had expected her to be capable.

Not out of pity. Not out of kindness.

But because he believed she was worth trusting.

Her fingers curled around the coin, gripping it tighter.

I won't betray him.

Not because she had to. Not because she owed him.

But because she wanted to.

When everyone else had mocked her, called her dead weight—he had recognized her.

She had never cared about loyalty before. But for some reason, she found herself wanting to protect his trust.

I don't know what this feeling is… but I don't want to lose it.

Frost Eye's Smirk—A Gamble Won

Frost Eye tilted his head, watching her reaction. He saw the moment her expression shifted—the subtle change in her grip, the quiet determination settling into her posture.

And he knew.

She understood.

She would patch up the holes in the plan, not because she was ordered to, but because she chose to.

He smirked, flipping his coin once more, catching it effortlessly.

I chose the right person.

Brainless Girl finally lifted her eyes from the table, her fingers still curled around the coin. Her gaze met Frost Eye's golden eyes, unwavering and sharp.

"I'll cover the loopholes," she said, her voice steady. "But I'll do it my way."

Frost Eye didn't hesitate. He flicked his wrist, and a pouch of 30 gold coins landed neatly in front of her.

Not a question.

Not a condition.

Just trust.

Brainless Girl stared at the pouch for a moment. Most people would have demanded an explanation, maybe even negotiated for control. But Frost Eye? He simply handed it over—because he knew she wouldn't betray him.

She picked up the pouch, weighing it in her palm.

"You're not even going to ask what I plan to do?" she asked, an amused tilt to her lips.

Frost Eye leaned back, smirking. "If I had to ask, you wouldn't be worth giving it to."

Brainless Girl let out a soft chuckle.

Smart bastard.

Frost Eye always held the upper hand, always manipulated situations to his advantage. Yet, here he was, handing over a huge sum of money without hesitation.

That was how much he trusted her.

Still, she noticed he kept 10 gold for emergencies.

Practical. Cautious.

She liked that about him.

"Fine," she said, slipping the pouch into her inventory. "I'll make sure your money isn't wasted."

Frost Eye watched her, his smirk widening. "I never doubted it, darling."

Brainless Girl rolled her eyes at the nickname, but she didn't argue.

After all, this was their game now.