"Tell me everything that happened."
While Max and Yu'er were having fun in their room, a high rise building on the other side of the city, two people were busy having a discussion.
A calm and composed middle-aged man was sitting in his office. He has black hair and a pair of emotionless eyes.
Standing behind him was another black-haired man. He was stationary, but one look at him would give someone chills down their backs.
There was something different from this person. He gives out a sinister aura, and his eyes were like a snake's ready to strike at someone any time.
From their surroundings, they were at the top level of a building. Their background overlooked the whole city, showing the magnificent night lights and the peaceful sea on the faraway side.
A silent yet oppressive atmosphere filled the spacious room. The middle-aged man leaned on his chair as he stared at the person before him.
In front of them, was a familiar figure, looking unkempt, nervously standing on the center of their vision.
That person was Xiao Ming. When his father heard of the news, Xiao Ming was immediately called to explain himself.
Though the damages Xiao Ming did weren't enough to hit their businesses, a loss was still a loss, and failure was still a failure. Xiao Ming knew he would be in trouble now.
Xiao Ming had been confident in everything he does. He was born with a silver spoon, having everything he needed.
Even until now, Xiao Ming could still get anything he wants. Money, expensive clothes, cars, or even women. No one would dare to offend him in this city, except for some distinguished individuals that he was cautious of.
Other than that, Xiao Ming wasn't scared of anyone. However, one look from his father makes him tremendously uncomfortable.
Xiao Ming got most of his traits from his father. The only key difference was his father was many more times worse in every way.
Now that he was standing before him, sweat poured down his back despite the cold temperature filling the room.
Xiao Ming doesn't know where to begin. He wouldn't dare lie in front of his father. He knows fully well that his father hates people tricking him the most.
Like an animal waiting to be slaughtered, that was how Xiao Ming looks right now. He was in serious trouble. This might have been the worst day of his life.
"Are you not gonna speak?"
"U-Uh, the items were stolen."
"All of them."
Xiao Ming could only clench his fist and look down in nervousness. For all he knows, he would get a severe punishment. He might even lose everything if his father became genuinely pissed.
He had already prepared lines in his head to plead for another chance. Xiao Ming doesn't want to live a peasant's life. He wanted to live in luxury and pleasure, and he could only do that if his father gives him money.
"Tell me more."
Xiao Ming shook each time he hears the voice of his father. This was it. Either he can convince his father that it wasn't his fault or his life was going to get ruined.
"We told the public that we would have stricter security this night and the percentage cut will be lowered only for today."
"A lot of people came. We got more than double the amount of items that we usually get."
"I-I asked Xue to guard those items. I also added two of my guards on the entrance of the door to properly secure it."
"But then we heard a loud noise inside. We quickly checked on it and then it was already like that. All the items were gone. Not a single one was left except a broken vase."
"The vault was also swept clean. The vault we had wasn't ordinary, but it still got opened that fast without anyone noticing so we couldn't do anything about it. It was... We have no way of explaining what happened."
"We also..."
Xiao Ming used his talents in lying, exaggerating a few things here and there. Pushing the blame to the thieves and other people on the location, not planning to take responsibility for what happened.
"Who is this Xue?"
"My strongest guard. I just met him, but he easily beat two of my best guards, so I hired him when he asked me to."
Xiao Ming answered honestly this time. There was no point for lying about this when his father could ask his two guards about it.
For a few moments, his father didn't speak. He only looked at Xiao Ming, almost making him faint in fear of his punishment.
"Bring the Xue here next time. I want to meet him."
"Y-Yes!"
"..."
No one spoke a word after that. Xiao Ming could hear his breathing as he waited for his judgment, hoping that it wouldn't be the worst.
"You can go now."
"Fix this mess yourself."
Xiao Ming's finger shook from the words he heard. He repeatedly nodded before proceeding to walk out of the office at a fast pace.
His father never said anything about him being punished. This was great news for him! When he got out, he couldn't keep the smile off his face.
'Haha. Nothing happened to me. That was close! It's those thieves fault that I almost got f*cked!'
Xiao Ming sprinted away to the elevator, and out of the building in case, his father changed his mind.
He was thought about whether he should play with that arrogant host now that he was over with this problem.
As for the remuneration of the stolen items, Xiao Ming can leave them for some of his people to handle.
Xiao Ming didn't know that his only Awakened left will also never come back.
...
Back in the office, right after Xiao Ming got out.
Xiao Ming's father turned his seat to face the city skyline. He seemed to have no problem with his entire body relaxed and a small smile on his face.
He took a sip from the wine glass, still watching the colorful and busy city.
"What do you think?"
"Was it someone like you?"
"Hehehe, who knows. Maybe."
For the first time, the man standing behind him spoke. He sounded like everything that happens around him doesn't matter to him.
"Shadow Thieves? Never heard of them."
"I've been in this city for so long that I know a lot of things in this place. I know every person that was the same as me. They could be from other cities."
"How do we find them then."
"We don't."
"We'll wait for them to show up again. If they did it once, they would do it again somewhere else."
"At that time, we will have to invite them to chat."
"Hehehe, these idiots don't know who they are dealing with.
"And that Xue, catch him. We have some questions for him."
Max was unlucky that his plan for Xiao Ming didn't work, having got away from all the mess that he created unscathed and that someone was already eyeing his slave, not even a day passed after he got her for himself.