Chapter 238 We Cannot Waste Our Efforts
Madelyn’s eyes lit up in an instant. “Really?”
That said, she also knew there was no such thing as a free lunch, so she quickly composed herself before continuing. “State your terms, then. Don’t worry, I won’t take your information for nothing.”
To her surprise, Septimus laughed and casually tossed his cards onto the table. “Terms? You’re not even qualified to negotiate with me.”
“So, what do you want?”
“I’ve never said I wanted anything in particular,” the man said smilingly. “I’m simply interested in you and want to lend a hand. As for the terms and conditions, I’ll let you know when I’ve thought of them.”
Upon hearing that, Septimus’ subordinates displayed subtle changes in their expressions.
Their boss had never treated a woman like that before, so there was no doubt that Madelyn had truly piqued his interest!
“That won’t do," Madelyn retorted, throwing her cards down defiantly. “You need to lay out the terms first. What if you wanted me to do something heinous like murder? There’s no way I’ll be a part of that.”
“Do you honestly think I’d do such a thing?” Septimus scoffed, his tone full of disdain.
“Well, who knows? You can’t judge a book by its cover. Some people may appear kind and respectable, only to reveal themselves as wolves in sheep’s clothing,” Madelyn answered. Despite the smile tugging at her lips, there was no mistaking the distrust in her eyes.
“Hey woman, you’d better watch your words when speaking to Mr. Septimus!” one of Septimus’ loyal subordinates bellowed, ready to charge at Madelyn.
Fortunately, Septimus shouted at him just in time to stop him in his tracks.
With that, Septimus had no choice but to clear his throat and continue, “Miss, I assure you that I have no ulterior motives. My only wish is to befriend you. Isn’t it perfectly normal for friends to help each other? Moreover, I promise I’ll never ask you to do anything immoral.”
His words were undoubtedly sincere and added an inexplicable sense of credibility.
Needless to say, Madelyn seemed somewhat swayed. She exchanged a knowing glance with Josiah, only to see the man shake his head, clearly wanting her to stay out of the mess.
However, how could she expose Eunice’s true colors if she didn’t get herself involved?
She knew she had to take risks to achieve her goals, and since they had already made so much progress, she couldn’t possibly let their efforts go to waste!
Moreover, aside from the fact that Septimus had been tailing her, which was rather off-putting, he hadn’t done anything excessive. At the very least, he had given her a choice instead of resorting to force.
After weighing the various reasons and feeling that she could somewhat trust the man before her, Madelyn finally conceded. “All right. I’ll have to trouble you then.”
Since she had already agreed, Madelyn didn’t hesitate any longer. She opened her bag and promptly took out the medicine Eunice usually gave Deterk.
“Mr. Septimus, I’d like you to help me see if you recognize this medicine,” she said before placing the brown medication packet on the table and sliding it toward the man opposite her.
Septimus casually took the brown packet of medicine and opened it. A flash of astonishment instantly flickered in his eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Nevertheless, Madelyn caught his fleeting look of surprise and had a pretty good idea of what the man knew. The medicine must have originated from the casino!
Seconds later, Septimus closed the medicine packet and narrowed his eyes. “Why are you investigating this?” he asked. “Does it have anything to do with you?"
One thing was for sure – he had become noticeably more cautious, as though he were guarding against Madelyn from learning about the medicine.
Upon seeing his reaction, Madelyn couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh, it has everything to do with me. If I’m not mistaken, you’re also aware that this is an illegal drug, right? The reason I’m investigating it is because someone obtained this drug from the black market and harmed my loved one! I believe anyone in my position wouldn’t just stand by and watch their loved ones being slowly poisoned by others. Therefore, I truly hope you can assist me with this matter, Mr. Septimus.”
After hearing that, Septimus looked visibly relieved.
He had thought Madelyn was an investigator sent by the police, but it seemed he had been overthinking. Then again, he also realized that with her dressed like a female bandit, it would be strange if she were from the police.
“So that’s how it is, huh?” he replied with a smile. “Okay I can help you, but…”
“But what?”
“But the agreement we had earlier was for me to provide you with information. You now want me to go out of my way for you, which wasn’t part of our deal. Even though we’re friends, I’m not one to lend a hand easily, especially when I know nothing about you. It wouldn’t be right for me to help you like this unless you have something equivalent to offer in exchange…” Septimus explained before grinning and sizing Madelyn up.
Although she was taken aback, Madelyn smiled calmly. She had always known that the man would never help her without expecting something in return.
After seemingly contemplating for a moment, she spoke up. “I heard that someone sabotaged the security system of the black market a few days ago. Isn’t that right?”
Upon hearing that, Septimus felt a chill run down his spine.
The security system in the black market had always been exceptionally stringent because any inadvertent leak would instantly draw the attention of the police. If that happened, the chances of the entire operation getting shut down would be high.
As it turned out, the security system had indeed been under attack a few days ago, but that information was known only to the senior executives in the black market. Thankfully, they resolved the issue and even went to great lengths to suppress the news.
How, then, did Madelyn know about it?
Despite all the thoughts running through his head, Septimus maintained a perfect appearance of poise. “Who exactly are you, miss? How did you come to know about this matter?”
Josiah, however, was visibly astonished as he looked at Madelyn. Oh my. Not even I have heard about this…. Where on earth did she get her information from?
Madelyn smiled nonchalantly. She distinctly remembered that after the security system came under attack in her previous life, it didn’t take long before it was completely obliterated.
Naturally, she had no intention of explaining anything, so she calmly replied, “Mr. Septimus, your technical team may have resolved the issue, but you guys know this doesn’t solve the root of the problem, right?”
Septimus instantly stiffened.
“If my prediction is correct, the same group of people will launch another attack on your security system,” she continued. “When that happens, you’ll be caught off guard and might even be completely wiped out. However, I have something that can help prevent all of this from happening. Would you be interested in learning more, Mr. Septimus?”