Chapter 186 The Great Betrayal (IV)
Without being invited to sit, Klaus took a seat. He propped his feet up on the table, causing Richard to twist his face, a mixture of confusion and surprise.
"Klaus? What's going on?" Governor Richard politely inquired.
Instead of providing an explanation, Klaus busied himself with cleaning his nails. He was deliberately rude in front of the governor, while his subordinates dropped their jaws in disbelief at their boss's behavior.
A guest should always be respectful in the presence of the host, especially when the host is a governor. But what Klaus did was the opposite. It was like spitting the host in the face.
"Have you ever seen him like this before?" Akio whispered discreetly.
Olivia shook her head.
"I've seen it once," Sheila replied, satisfying Akio's curiosity.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor. Shortly after, dozens of men in black suits filled the governor's office. Akio and Olivia swallowed hard when they found themselves surrounded by security guards. Unlike before, they were armed with tonfas. The seriousness was written all over their faces.
"Fuck! We're screwed!" Akio muttered, clenching his fists.
"I hope Klaus has a plan for this," Olivia muttered, her throat dry.
The guards meant business. These weren't low-class Awakeners like in the lobby; they were high-ranking ones. Akio could sense the mana overflowing from them.
Despite the tension in the room, Klaus remained unfazed. He was entirely relaxed in the face of such a situation. Meanwhile, his subordinates prepared for the worst-case scenario.
"Protect the governor!" one guard shouted. Some guards quickly moved to the governor's side, while others aimed their weapons at Klaus. The situation escalated further, and Akio quietly accumulated mana in his hands, ready for battle if a clash couldn't be avoided.
"That's enough!"
The guards were taken aback. They looked at Richard with furrowed brows.
"What are you doing?!" Richard scolded. "How dare you point your weapons at my guest."
Naturally, the guards twisted their faces in confusion. It was clear that Klaus had forcefully entered the Capitol. They didn't understand why the governor was defending him.
"But sir, they intruded without permission and made a scene. Several guards were injured because of them."
Governor Richard raised his eyebrows. "What!? You attacked my guest?"
The guards looked even more bewildered. They tried to explain, but the governor continued to defend Klaus. They could do nothing but remain silent, lowering their heads as Richard berated them in front of the intruders.
"What the actual fuck is going on?" Akio muttered. He was as confused as the guards.
"I don't know," Olivia whispered.
"That's why I love my boss," Sheila chimed in admiration.
Naturally, Olivia and Richard turned their heads simultaneously. Astonishment painted their faces.
"Get out of here!" Richard snapped at his men.
"Yes sir!"
The guards filed out in droves. Whispers of grumbling echoed through the air as they left the governor's office. At the same time, Olivia and Akio sighed. They were relieved that the clash hadn't happened.
"You wait outside. I want to speak with the governor personally." Klaus also instructed his subordinates.
"Okay, boss!" Sheila replied enthusiastically. The short-haired woman promptly pushed Akio and Olivia out.
Now, silence filled the room with only Klaus and Richard remaining.
"You're quite skilled at making decisions," Klaus initiated the conversation.
"Thank you. We should always stay level-headed in every situation anyway. If I had let them attack you, worse things would have happened."
Klaus chuckled. "That's not what I meant. But never mind."
Richard raised an eyebrow in response.
Klaus knew that Richard scolded his men to vent his frustration. Richard was a governor who had a high sense of pride, after all. What Klaus did hurt his pride. However, Richard was not willing to risk their relationship because of his ego.
Klaus was intentionally being rude, and Richard knew it. He didn't want to fall into Klaus's game.
"So, what do we want to talk about?" Richard asked. He tidied his shirt before sitting down. "I believe there's a misunderstanding between us. Let's sit down and talk like reasonable human beings."
However, Klaus stood up instead, leaving Richard frowning.
"No, thank you. But I'm done with my business. Goodbye," Klaus said. He then turned his body and walked away.
"What!?"
Confusion, anger, frustration—all of these were written on Richard's face.
While the governor looked exasperated, Klaus continued to ignore him without a second glance.
Bam!
Richard slammed his fist on the table, making everything on it scatter. Blood rushed to his head, and his face turned red with anger.
Naturally, Klaus stopped. A sly grin appeared on his face.
Richard controlled his breathing, attempting to contain the anger that had already erupted. In a soft tone, he said, "Come on, Klaus. Don't be like this."
Turning his body, Klaus looked at Richard, giving a mocking grin. "Finally, calm Richard loses his composure."
"Tell me what I did wrong?"
"You already know."
Richard gritted his teeth. He knew what Klaus meant, giving orders to Rays of Hope without his knowledge. Richard knew Klaus would come to him because of this, and he had a plan in mind. nov,elu)Sb-c.0)M
This man intended to trap Klaus in a new deal. He just needed to get Klaus to sit down and talk to him.
"It was my mistake to assign tasks to your guild without consent. But I did it for our sake. Come on, sit down," Richard smiled, trying to persuade Klaus.
However, Klaus knew the hidden agenda of this man.
"No. You're the one who did it. I didn't come here to ask for an explanation or listen to your nonsense. I'm here to give you a warning. After I leave this room, your career as governor will be over."
"We both know you can't do that."
"I can. I'm the one who got you elected as governor, and I'm the one who will bring you down."
Richard was taken aback. He looked into Klaus's eyes and found no bluff there at all. He needed to change his approach.
"Okay, okay. I give up. Let's sit down and clear the misunderstanding," Richard said in frustration.
"There's no misunderstanding. I know you planned everything."
Richard swallowed hard.
"You're playing with fire, governor," Klaus continued. "And now your hand is burnt."
Clutching his hand tightly, Richard fell into frustration.
"Okay! Okay! I give up. You win. Just tell me, what do I need to do to make amends?"
Klaus smirked. "Seems like the governor really loves his position, huh."
Richard couldn't help but grit his teeth. He really needed the governor position for Edward's sake. He had followed the plan meticulously, but who would have thought Klaus would take such an unexpected action.
This man always thought of Klaus as a diplomat. Klaus would never act this aggressively.
"If you really want me to forgive you, you must take down Morning Star immediately."
Naturally, Richard's eyes widened. "What? It's too hasty. We are currently pressuring them; if we take action now, Vincent will destroy all the evidence."
"I don't care. It's your job," Klaus replied. He raised his hand. "Five days. If within five days I don't hear that you've taken action, I will end your career. Remember, I hold all your secrets from the election."
"Wait a minute. If you leak my secrets—"
Before Richard could finish his sentence, Klaus stepped out the door. He didn't give his enemy a chance.
"That's what you get for messing with me," he muttered.
Klaus grinned with triumph. As he left the governor's office, his subordinates quickly approached him. Their faces were filled with deep curiosity.
"I don't know what you discussed there. But that was intense, boss. You have to teach Olivia how to pick a fight properly," Akio joked.
Olivia punched Akio on the shoulder.
"Boss, what did you talk about in there?" Sheila asked. This woman was genuinely curious.
"You'll find out later," Klaus replied.
Klaus then walked away, while his subordinates furrowed their brows in curiosity. Not long after, an angry shout could be heard from the governor's office. They froze.
"Did you hear that?" Olivia asked, sweat forming on her forehead.
"Yeah. It explains a lot," Sheila said.
...
The dark, quiet night air flowed in through the large windows facing the glittering city skyline. Governor Richard Dickson sat at a large, gleaming mahogany table.
A black smartphone was placed on the table. Richard reached for it, dialing a number with trembling hands and waiting for the call to connect.
The calm and authoritative voice of the person on the other end was soon heard, "Richard, what's happening?"
Richard swallowed hard, trying to overcome his anxiety. "Mr. Edward, we're in trouble."
Edward listened attentively, "Tell me the details."
Richard briefly outlined the situation he was facing, explaining how he failed to trap Klaus and ended up falling into his trap.
After listening carefully, the boss spoke firmly, "Do what he asks. Sooner or later, we'll bring down Vincent too."
"Alright."
The conversation ended, and Richard hung up with a heavy heart. The once beautiful and elegant office now felt like a prison to him. He then dialed another number.
