Mystery: My Encounters with the Celestial God

Chapter 554 The Most Basic Business Warfare

Lady Catherine, arm in arm with Earl Hall, chuckled as she looked at her somewhat flustered daughter. She first gave Ron a scrutinizing look, then said in a strange tone:

"It seems my child has grown up. She doesn't want to tell her mother about her new friends anymore. I remember when you were little, you were like a wild child, and..."

"Mother!"

Audrey's pupils dilated slightly, and she suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

To be honest, as a noblewoman who received a good education from a young age, she rarely experienced the embarrassment of being nervous or unable to answer questions.

This is especially true for a Sequence Six "Hypnotist".

Of course, the above only applies to outsiders. However, it is a completely different situation when facing one's own parents, the people closest to one in the world.

In any case, being caught in a relationship by one's parents is quite shameful, especially when they are holding hands.

"Goddess, aren't Mom and Dad upstairs? Why are they here?"

"It's over, it's over, it's over!"

"Maybe I could... I could pretend to faint... No, no, no, that's too embarrassing. Even if I faint, my parents will still question me when I wake up. It's all Mr. Ron's fault. Why did he have to hold my hand? He's so handsome, yet he's so cunning."

Wait, she's good-looking!?

The noblewoman's eyes suddenly lit up. Forcing herself to calm down, she gave a graceful smile and introduced Ron in a coquettish manner:

"Dad, Mom, she's my new friend, a beautiful girl!"

Her tone was resolute, and her expression was as serious as if she were practicing playing the piano.

Girl?

The count and countess were taken aback for a moment, then looked at Ron with surprise, and began to scan his face, which appealed to both men and women, from head to toe.

After a long while, Earl Hall smiled and said gently:

"I'm sorry to bother you. As a guest, I shouldn't ask too much about this, but as a father, I still want to inquire."

He started with a nonsensical remark, then asked seriously and with a hint of sternness:

"I don't recall ever seeing you at any of Backlund's noble and wealthy banquets, especially someone as outstanding as you. Uh, miss, where do you come from?"

No sooner had Earl Hall finished speaking than the Countess tugged at his arm and said in a reproachful tone:

"Why are you being so harsh? This is Audrey's friend. Do you want your daughter to ignore you for three days and three nights like she did when she was little?"

She took two steps forward, took Ron's hand with the air of an elder, and asked with great curiosity:

"Are you really a girl?"

Ron, who looked even younger than Audrey, coughed lightly and spoke in a deliberately masculine voice:

"It is possible."

"Is that possible?"

The Count and Countess exchanged a glance, then their eyes turned to Audrey, who was almost in tears.

The noble lady looked betrayed, her emerald eyes seeming to question as she stared incredulously at the boy who was pretending to be ignorant.

As an extraordinary observer, she didn't believe that someone as intelligent as Ron couldn't understand the underlying meaning of her words.

"You two were working so well together just now, and you're usually so cunning, so why are you being so honest now?!"

The girl puffed out her cheeks slightly, took a deep breath, and spoke first:

"Mom, I was just kidding. I meant, uh, he looks a lot like a girl, yes, that's what I meant!"

Upon hearing this, the Count and Countess exchanged another glance, seemingly realizing the seriousness of the situation.

It's only been a short time, they haven't even exchanged a few words, and they're already starting to maintain the status quo?

There's definitely something wrong here!

However, just then, before Earl Hall could continue to question and probe Ron, the boy suddenly became dramatic, his expression turning melancholy.

What's wrong with you again?

Audrey's eye twitched; she suddenly realized she'd been acting a bit silly, completely fooled by Ron's tactful way of speaking.

As a spectator, and as an extraordinary individual who only guided from behind the scenes, she experienced for the first time what it meant to be powerless.

"Audrey, that's not what you said when you bought me clothes and gave me money. You clearly said I was beautiful and that you would support me forever!"

Are you going to abandon me now?

What kind of nonsense is this?!

The noblewoman's face flushed crimson, and she choked, unable to speak. Her elegant smile vanished, leaving only a look of shock, confusion, astonishment, and disbelief as if she had been betrayed.

What kind of mental state do you have to say something like that?

How can you say such icy things with your 37° lips?!

Pay them? Keep them as a sugar daddy? Abandon them?

Earl and Countess Hall were even more shocked, their bewildered, complicated, and suspicious gazes turning to their youngest daughter standing to the side.

Feeling these gazes, Audrey felt a sense of powerlessness, as if she were experiencing the same helplessness that Mr. Fool felt at the Tarot meeting.

To avoid worrying her parents, Audrey didn't care about anything else and immediately explained:

"Dad, Mom, don't believe him. He's the president of World Peace Corporation, richer than me. Why would he need me to support him?"

As she spoke, she stepped forward and covered the boy's mouth with her hand before he could say anything more, her intimate behavior completely abandoning the persona of a normal friend that she had just established.

Ron did not resist, but simply shrugged and squeezed out a sentence from between the girl's fingers.

"Don't be so nervous, it's just a joke~"

You bastard!

Audrey was furious and wished she could kick Ron's butt hard.

However, in order to maintain the dignity of a noble, she gritted her teeth, then quickly released her hand, stepped aside, and stood with her head down.

As a spectator, she understood the purpose behind Ron's words.

People prefer compromise. Between a gigolo who only wants money and a thriving business empire that's not much worse than the Hall family's, everyone knows which one to compromise on.

"This will allow Mom and Dad to accept it quickly and avoid some troublesome assessments. But this is too sudden, isn't it? No, Mr. Ron wouldn't be so simple. It seems he's using me to help himself understand my father and mother."

"That bastard, he was actually using me? No, but he also solved my 'identity problem'—a 'World Peace Corporation' spanning the north and south continents, backed by a nation. If I can use my connections to elevate the Hall family further, my father's title might really fall into my lap."

"If it's just about ordinary interests, marriage is the best solution. If it's about something that transcends eras, like what happened with Emperor Roselle, and could bring the family back to prominence, Father might not hesitate to take the gamble, provided Mr. Ron can persuade him. And as a god, He certainly doesn't lack similar methods."

At that moment, Audrey felt intellectually crushed and realized what it truly meant to plan a hundred steps ahead with a single step.

A few playful jokes and banter can set such a huge tone, and only I am foolishly getting angry.

She stood to the side with her head down, not saying a word, quietly waiting for Mr. Ron's next performance.

"Earl Hall, Lady Catherine, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the president of the World Peace Corporation, the messenger of the God of Time and Space, and the one who truly brought life to this stagnant water."

"Please remember my name, Ron Sothos. And I must first thank you, Earl; I recall we collaborated on the bicycle project!"

Ron did not bow, but simply placed his right hand on his chest to show his humility.

Earl Hall was slightly surprised when he heard the first half of the sentence, not expecting that the boss of the famous "World Peace Company" was so young. However, when he heard the second half of the sentence, his face suddenly darkened.

He remembered that more than half a year ago, he seemed to have asked his daughter to negotiate the bicycle business. Given the size of the Hall family, this profit was not the main purpose. The main purpose was to get in touch with the mysterious guy mentioned by the archbishop of the "Church of the Night".

Since the Church of the Night tends to be friendly, the Hall family, who have worshipped the Goddess of Night for generations, naturally have to show their support as well.

However, this time he seems to have lost a lot of money.

Investing, investing, and ended up investing in my daughter.

Thinking of this, the old father immediately gave a bitter smile and said:

"I've heard of you from Archbishop Anthony, but I never imagined you were so young, nor did I expect..."

Earl Hall hesitated, glancing first at his daughter who was blushing and silent, but ultimately decided against bringing their relationship into the open.

You and I will keep this to ourselves. He was genuinely afraid that Ron might accidentally slip up and give him a grandson.

Upon hearing this, the blond boy revealed a genuine smile and raised his palm, saying:

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Count."

No, I'm not happy at all to have met you.

Earl Hall shook his head inwardly, but finally extended his hand and awkwardly gave Ron a high five, then asked with a strange expression:

"Is this a custom from the Southern Continent?"

The blond boy shook his head: "It's just etiquette for young people."

The count was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant and said with a smile:

"It seems you're well-suited to Ruen's social occasions. I almost didn't realize it, but I'm no longer young, of course, I mean in terms of my appearance."

People are willing to listen to nice words, especially those that are said indirectly. Even Earl Hall, who has a lot of experience in business and politics, found Ron much more agreeable at this moment.

Beside him, Lady Catherine, who was holding Audrey's arm, was in the same boat, but compared to Earl Hall's "magnanimity," she cared more about her daughter's future happiness.

She pondered for a moment, seemingly considering how to subtly and discreetly obtain as much information as possible from the blond boy.

Lady Catherine pondered for a moment and suddenly had an idea. She then flashed the same elegant smile as Audrey and, in the tone of an elder, praised her with a smile:

"Ron, you seem to be about the same age as Audrey. You've started out on your own at such a young age and achieved what others can't in a lifetime. I'm sure your father will be very proud of you."

To be honest, the Countess's statement is correct, however...

"I have no father."

Ron's words were startling, freezing the Countess's smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, Ron, I didn't mean to bring it up. Your mother must be very proud of you."

Upon hearing this, the blond boy shook his head and said coldly, "I don't have a mother either."

Seeing the handsome young man utter these words without a trace of emotion in his voice, Lady Catherine felt as if her heart was breaking.

I'm so damn stupid!

"I'm sorry, Ron, I didn't know."

"It's alright, madam."

The young man readily accepted the situation, and with Audrey's complex gaze that seemed to regard him as a scumbag, he gained even more favorability.

"What an understanding child! Even more well-behaved than Audrey!"

The Countess looked at her youngest daughter with affection, then took her arm and said gently:

"It's alright, child. From now on, the Hall family will be your home. You can come and visit often. Audrey and I won't bother you two gentlemen any longer."

"Yes, madam, I will visit from time to time."

The Countess and the Count's youngest daughter gradually walked away, leaving only Ron and his future father-in-law standing there staring at each other.

After this brief chat, the relationship between the two had eased considerably. However, the count, naturally not as sentimental as the countess, sighed with considerable embarrassment upon seeing that only the two of them remained:

"You've really given me a lot of trouble."

The blond boy shrugged and said:

"When the storm comes, no one is spared."

Although he couldn't understand the real reasons behind this series of events, Earl Hall could still see the recent business competition in Backlund.

This is an economic and trade war waged by the Southern Continent against Rune, and no matter what Rune does, it will ultimately suffer huge losses.

After all, the "World Peace Company" is based in Ruen, and all its businesses are located there. If they don't want other industries in their country to be held hostage, the best way is to shut it down.

However, the Ruen royal family acted as if they didn't see it, and they didn't even care that the World Peace Company didn't pay taxes.

"What is the royal family afraid of? Could it be that newly emerged deity from the Southern Continent? Surely not? Even if they were to impose a ban, that deity's church wouldn't directly target the royal family, would it?"

Looking at Ron and reflecting on the boy's behavior just now, the Earl felt that the royal family's concerns were justified.

If Ron, who claims to be a messenger of God, is already like this, it's indeed hard to say what the God of Time and Space in the Southern Continent is like.

"And the three major churches, etc."

Upon thinking of this, Earl Hall's lips twitched, because he suddenly realized that the "Church of the Night" seemed to have some unclear and ambiguous relationship with this guy.

Looking at the boy before him again, the count probed in a stern tone:

"I don't want to delve into your relationship with Audrey right now; that's a matter between you young people. But I must assure you that my daughter has made the right choice; that's a father's responsibility."

According to Count Bernard, you didn't seem to own much when you first arrived in Backlund. The only property you personally purchased was Honest Man Steel Company, and all your other properties were gifts from Baron Sindras?

He emphasized the word "gift".

Upon hearing this, the blond boy made no attempt to hide anything and honestly replied:

"My lord, everyone makes mistakes, and mistakes must be admitted. If you continue to investigate, you will find that Baron Sindras has been playing dirty tricks ever since I bought the steel mill."

"For this reason, I specifically reported it to the Church of the Night, and then I received the compensation that was rightfully mine."

"Wealth, power, and status are insignificant before the gods. Even the Loen royal family was merely a second-rate family in the Fourth Epoch. In the end, they only managed to secure their throne through the 'Church of Storms.' And what this world has in abundance is people without opportunities."

At this point, the young man fell silent, smiling as he looked at his father-in-law.

"You really dare to say that, you cunning little fellow. You're spouting plausible statements that everyone understands. Is he hinting at something?"

It seems I'll have to go back and ask Archbishop Anthony.

After a moment's hesitation, the Earl nodded, neither saying that Ron was right nor wrong. His expression remained unchanged, but his tone softened considerably.

"I have a question. Although those industries were huge under Baron Syndras's control, they were nowhere near the size they are now."

"You've achieved this in just a few months."

"Ron, how did you do that?"

This is what puzzled the Earl the most. No matter how good a person's business acumen is, it's impossible for them to be this good.

Even a messenger of the gods cannot be considered less than human, can they?

Upon hearing this, the boy's eyelids twitched involuntarily.

After all, you can't exactly tell the other person that he keeps a Sequence 1 "Mercury Serpent" at home, can you?

Ron allows his men to allocate funds, but in return, you have to make a contribution. As for Will Oncetin, needless to say, he can make a fortune just by staying at home doing nothing all day.

"Ahem, this is the will of the gods, Earl."

Your answer is the same as saying nothing at all.

"."

The count fell silent, which was unusual for him, but Ron had no intention of letting him off the hook. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a file folder.

"Count, I know you have many thoughts on your mind, but this is not what I want to see. You need to calm down, think things through, and consider this carefully."

"This file contains some information about the Royal Family of Ruen. As I just said, if you make a mistake, you have to admit it, and if you admit it, you have to accept the punishment."

"Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. Emperor Roselle is a good example. As for the gods, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter who gets more or less. As long as the world is stable and peaceful, nothing is a problem."

"Some of the evidence here is from Audrey's own investigation. I have high hopes for her; she's a kind girl, and I can truly feel her heart."

Ron handed over the file folder, still smiling broadly, like a golden sunflower.

Ignoring the count, who stood frozen in place, he simply waved his hand and left.

"What a dangerous fellow. Aren't you afraid I'll tell the royal family about those things you're implying?"

Staring at Ron's retreating figure, Earl Hall suddenly felt a pang of regret, regretting that he had come over to greet his daughter when he saw her holding hands with Ron.

"This has really given me a lot of trouble."

"The most critical problem is solved!"

The boy hummed softly, feeling slightly relieved.

Ron didn't bother thinking about the throne; after all, it was as meaningless to him as time itself.

All he wanted was a stable order, an anchor that could offer him even the smallest bit of help.

As for the rest, of course, it's about helping his girlfriend fulfill her wish.

What the gods promise cannot be changed; once spoken, it will surely come to pass.

I'm such a good person!

The ball continued, and Ron took in everything. When he saw the second floor, a knowing look flashed in his eyes.

Since Count Bernard has invited so many social celebrities and wants to communicate with so many people, it is impossible for him to come in person or invite everyone to a meeting.

Limited by human communication methods, public speaking was the only method Ron could anticipate.

When Ron saw the count, whose black hair was streaked with white, come down from the third floor, he knew that the time he had been waiting for had come.

So he took two quick steps, and under Count Bernard's astonished gaze, kicked the old man aside, shouting:

"All eyes are on me, I have an announcement to make!"

"Bernard Valentino is a believer in demons and is suspected of murder. I have found evidence, and the contact has reported him—no, I've called the police. Please maintain order at the scene!"

!! ?

By the time Count Bernard realized the problem, it was already too late.

He stared blankly at Ron, momentarily bewildered.

What happened to my kidneys?

As for whether Bernard Valentino actually killed someone or worshipped demons, Ron didn't care at all. In any case, he couldn't defend himself, and the matter had already been muddied by him.

Reporting him isn't illegal. By the time this guy is taken away for investigation, Ron will have already won over even more people.

High-level business battles often employ the simplest methods.

(End of this chapter)