Important Meeting outside Tokyo [Wang Ba | Saga]

"Que'er." A soft voice called out, causing a dozing girl to sit up straight. <<Yes, boss!?>> The reply came in the native language of the two. While she was capable of learning Japanese... Or so she swore, she was naturally not going to use it in private! Nor was the man she called boss, for that matter. Flesh twisted disturbingly as the toadlike man curved his lips upwards in a smile. <<"Focus. You're the one who invited this... Who was it, again?">> He asked, although it was doubtful that he had actually forgotten. Rather, it seemed as though he was enjoying the simplemindedness of his assistant... The girl he had pulled from the filth, and transformed into a beauty. A shame that no matter what was done to her body, her mind was like this...

"<<Yes! She refers to herself as an>> informant, <<which I guess should be something like an information broker? Well, she was influential enough to get invited to that creepy group, so she's gotta be good!>>" The blonde's impression of the bizarre app which had become installed on her boss's phone one day was... Much higher than her bosses own. While he eventually had come to the conclusion that this chat server was not, in fact, a trap... Well, the behavior of it's average user proved that it was no platform for attempting to make serious connections. He had largely left browsing to the girl standing behind him, just in case something of interest came up.

However, to Zhu Que, while she may not know where the app came from- No app that had acknowledged her boss could be bad! To have been added no later than the day he had entered this country, was proof of acknowledgement! And therefore, anyone else acknowledged by it should be worthwhile! Or so went her thought process... It was enough to make her boss wonder if he had perhaps fed her too much as a child. Perhaps some strife would have firmed up that mass of jello... No, generic brand gelatin dessert, which she called a brain. Wang Ba chuckled at the thought. Perhaps when he found a replacement, he would try out this theory.

But for now, Zhu Que wasn't as bad as his jests made her out to be. Certainly, she was popular among his audience... As long as she had that, combined with her unwavering faith, there was no call to replace her. Or rather, if he were to so callously replace his closest confidant... Who would expect job security from working with him? The costs outweighed the benefits, and therefore, the idea was discarded. Coincidentally, as the intercom buzzed from the front desk. Given the timing, the crime boss would be surprised if the message was not-

"Boss, Miss Daffodil has arrived." came the voice he had been expecting. Smiling, the large man twisted a ring on his grotesquely swollen finger. "Send her in." came the curt response. Well, his distaste for that bizarre program of unknown origin aside... As a guest of his cute Zhu Que, it wouldn't do to make her wait. Otherwise, it wouldn't be unusual to make a person wait until the edge of their patience... Ahaha.

As the masked woman entered the room, it would become clear that it belonged to a man of wealth... Or a man determined to appear wealthy. The sheer amount of decorations was... Almost blinding. Paintings of unknown origin, framed in mahogany inlaid with gold. Some of which, the visitor may feel look familiar... But nothing so famous as to actually be recognized. It was difficult enough to import these ones, after all. In the center of the room, a large man sat on a lavish chair. Even at a glance, he was decorated no less lavishly than his parlour- Rings hid his fingers, to the point where one might question how healthy it was to wear so many. Even his clothing seemed to be sewn with gold, a complete and utter vision of wasteful spending. It was as though if he did not tell those around him, 'I am rich,' his money might up and vanish.

However despite his appearance which would offput any save for the woman standing behind him, Wang Ba would smile cordially. "Welcome... Daffodil, was it? My dear Que'er has such praise for you." As if on queue, the girl behind him would act. Her red dress rippling as she bowed down silently- A far cry from the impression she would have given online. "I understand you are an... Informant? Do pardon my Japanese, you must understand, I have only recently arrived in this country." The man spoke in fluent Japanese, as though to mock his own words. "Ah, but where are my manners. Before business comes pleasure." Saying such words, the man would clap his hands twice, flesh rippling from the impact with a sickening sound. Immediately, a door would open, several men wheeling in a cart. Within moments, a lavish feast would be laid about before the guest- Including a glass of wine, which... Was it her imagination, or were they trying to pour it in a way that she could not miss the label? "Please, do help yourself." The man spoke, taking his own advice and cutting into a slab of warm beef.

The large man would smile pleasantly. He surely didn't seem like the awful person the rumours about him would claim- A devil who would sell his own mother. He would wave dismissively at her apology- "Ah, there is no harm, there is no foul. Is that not what they say?" He seemed like an entirely different person than when negotiating with fellow underlords. Which one was the true Wang Ba? Was it both of them? Or perhaps it was neither of them. If one person was qualified to say, it was the winged woman who stood attentively behind his seat, hanging onto his every word as gospel truth... Okay, perhaps she would be the worst possible person to judge the character of her beloved boss.

She wasted no time in explaining her purpose, but the large man simply half closed his eyes as he sipped at his fine vintage. "So quick to get to business." He murmured, as though it was a shame. But the upturned lips showed that his complaint was more for show than an actual issue. "But then, I do appreciate a direct attitude. Do they not say that time is money?" He offered the exact opposite of his attitude when the local italian mafia branch had met with him. Unlike then, it served him no purpose to delay this meeting. Compared to what he could learn from this informant... The things he risked allowing her to learn were far greater. His glass set gently on the table, and his eyes once more opened fully.

"They do say that knowledge is power. While I naturally have my own ways of gathering information... One can never have enough." In short, he has his own sources. Naturally, this devalues what she can offer- Even in what seem to be casual words, the triad lord has already begun the negotiation process. "Different people will learn different things, after all. And no matter what the information is, independent verification is a must. I once knew a man who put too much faith in his informants... Alas, they were discovered, and fed false information. May he rest in peace." Of course, this story left out that Wang Ba had been the one to feed said false information. Whether or not he would reveal that fact... Would entirely depend on her reaction to the idea. Some informants rejected the idea of spreading false information more vehemently than others.

Having made the other's argument for her, Wang Ba looked upon her with even eyes. His words showed that he knew full well the value of her work- As well as its value to him. "I believe we can come to a deal, miss Daffodil. However, while Que'er's recommendation is enough to earn you a meeting... I mean no rudeness when I say, the exact value of your work has yet to be seen." He met with her on the recommendation of his closest assistant. However, aside from the lady's word, he had no proof of this network which she claimed to have. "I am sure you understand." He had done his own investigation, naturally. Daffodil was a relatively new name on the scene. She lacked the credit score of other information brokers. If she wanted his patronage, she would have to prove her value.

The serial time-waster who sat across from her merely smiled. There was a time and a place for everything- And waste was no exception. However, in this specific case, he lacked the need for such a thing. Another slab of beef entered his mouth, swallowed with littel appreciation for the fine flavor which earned its price. For Wang Ba, the enjoyment came from the display of wealth- The meat of swans was destined to be wasted on this toad. Was that not amusing? "It is always a pleasure to meet a kindred spirit." He confirmed her statement, lying as smoothly as he lived. If Zhu Que looked a little strange- Well, who wouldn't feel bad with such a boss? Not knowing her true thoughts, it would be easy to mistake her skepticism as being at the kindness of her boss, who was hardly known for such a thing.

In truth, in the eyes of Zhu Que, such rumours were nothing but lies. The rose tinted glasses are strong with this one.

While he would prefer she remove this mask, allowing him to read her expressions... Well, that would simply be rude. One who does not wish to be seen needs not reveal themself. Besides, at the very least, this was kinder than his own mask. Carefully crafted not by hand, but by experience- A mask that showed the emotions he wished to be seen. To be uncertain was always better than certainty of the wrong thing, after all. A mask confined one's identity and thoughts- But also showed a lack of confidence. As for himself- Let alone hiding his feelings, he dared falsify them! And with regards to his identity... Naturally, he had the confidence to clean up the mess if it was revealed. What's more, showing his face was the most basic implication of trust to a potential ally- Whether or not he actually trusted them. It gave the impression that he did.

And there were things not even a mask could hide. Eyes. Tone of voice. As he spoke, her eyes rested squarely on his- She was interested. And not just in his deal, he could tell it. Eyes narrowed into malicious slits, as the man's voice softly whispered. "Indeed it does. A weapon is only as strong as the hands it lays in." In short, if he were to spread information through an incompetent vendor, it would be found out in a moment. Would she prove herself worth entrusting this portion of his schemes? That remained to be seen. "But of course, if the weapon is powerful, even an amateur may use it. Such a weapon in the hands of an expert... What wonders could it bring?" A slight grin. Naturally, Daffodil would consider herself an expert- Someone without that much confidence would never sit before him. By his words, it was clear he had such a weapon- But what kind of lie could have that much power? "As they say... The best lies, have a grain of truth."

Behind him, it took a great amount of self control not to sigh. Would the boss die if he did not speak in riddles? Came the complaints of a person who clearly didn't get it.

But words were cheap, of course. Self-assessment was one thing, but in this case... It was the assessment of the one paying that mattered. The large man smiled- Even if they did not make a deal, a free piece of information had value. Although he was quite satisfied, it did not show on his face. But what would he ask? There were so many options... Information on rivals, on allies... On market trends, on government scandals. But of course, if it was unverifiable information, he would find himself cut short. For a test, the best option is- "Plutocracy." One word. And of course, too broad a topic for a freebie- Smiling pleasantly as though he found the name amusing, Wang Ba would continue. "Quite the large name, are they not? And yet, a failure to take even the most basic of security precautions at their flagship event. Even their partners have fallen under scrutiny as a result." Truly amusing. Misfortune for a competitor was fortune for himself.

"My question is not difficult. I desire to know of Plutocracy's actions in Yokohama. Oh, don't worry, I do not intend to do anything that will implicate you-" Yet, was the word that lay unspoken. He was not ready for an actual war with Plutocracy- Not yet. Despite their failure, they were still too strong, and he too weak. Yet, when it came time to make his move- Forcing them from his home base was merely common sense. Moreover, this close to home- How could he have not looked into this himself? It was not a topic he could be lied to on.

Contrary to the woman's understanding, Wang Ba had not yet concluded whether she was the amateur or the expert. Rather, he hoped she would prove to be the latter- As a newcomer on the scene, she would naturally be beholden to the first people to place their faith in her. Whether she was skilled or not, that would remain true- But, the value of an expert's favor was worth far more than that of an amateur. However, her attitude was shown by her words- This informant had no intention of being considered an amateur. Good, good. As he had said before, pride in her skills was the first sign of true talent. The second sign, naturally, was results.

"Very astute, Daffodil. Which is why it is important to give them the weapon that cannot miss... However, that same weapon in the hands of an expert... Would be pointless, would it not? To the unskilled, give a weapon that cannot miss. To the expert, give the most deadly. And yet, if you were to be targeted- Which are you more afraid of? The amateur, or the expert?" It was a question that seemed so simple as to be a trick- And yet, for once in Wang Ba's career, it was not? "Naturally, one would be more on guard for the expert, no? After all, the amateur... Even with an invincible weapon, will one day screw up." It was besides his original point, but as long as she had misunderstood... How would she feel about feigning being an amateur, in order to cause others to let their guard down? Of course, that was under the premise that she was not one already.

Her next line caused him to become interested. "Oh? Is that so?" He asked with feigned feigned interest. To actually show his interest was to give her power over him. He had to pretend that his interest was only pretended, thus if she were to explain further, it would be by her own choice- Not his request. A small distinction, but an important one. "But you misunderstand me, my dear. I am no hunter." He smiled the smile of a predator. He wasn't lying, though. Being a hunter implied doing something himself- He would much rather leave that to others. It was enough for him to spread the word he wished to spread, and let his tendrils sink in until his roots were too deep to overturn. However, his words hid an insinuation- That if he was not a hunter, then the hunter she had mentioned must be? Who is it that you hunt, Daffodil? The man stared into the eyes behind that mask, the question unspoken- Yet hanging in the air.

Her response to his request was roughly as expected. "Aye, and yet- It would not be much of a test were it easy, no?" Came the nail in the coffin. Her request for clarification on what he desired of her was to be summarily ignored. With a dismissive wave, "Find out what you can, tell me what you will. If you believe that what you have found is enough to prove your merit..." His words trailed off. It was a tactic- To make her question how much information he would request to prove her skills. However, the carrot must come alongside the stick. "However, trust is the basis of any agreement. Should you bring me information of such value, I will have no choice but to pay you what it is worth. If I did not, how could we ever work together in the future?" If she gave to little, she would prove an amateur, yet if she gave too much, she would be paid for it. Certainly, that would be enough to motivate the informant.

Of course, the one to determine the value of said information, sat here. More unspoken words lay hanging in the air- The reward he promised was no mere reward. It would reflect his interest in her work. Should he say that what she brought was of little value- It meant that regardless of the quality, he had no interest in working with her. After all, she knew well the value of what she brought. On the other hand, if he paid above the value of what she had brought- Was that not an enticement? Many stories spread of the black market underlord Wang Ba- Of his cruelty, his cold heart, his love of money. But one story that was easier than any to find- He was a man who habitually treated those under him well, lest they be tempted into the service of another.

The other's frustration lingered in the air. It was a careful balance, that he sensed himself to be on the losing side of. Although antagonizing her was enough to stoke her pride, do too much, and he would receive an enemy in return. And yet, his own reputation worked against him in that aspect- His own attempts to assuage her would be turned on him. If he suggested that her being an amateur was yet in question, she heard it has her being a professional being yet in question. And with her expression so guarded, although the tension in the room was so palpable that Wang Ba could cut it with the knife he held in his hand, it made it no easier to read her thoughts.

Rather, if he truly expected her to be an amateur, he would not be so careful with his words. What he wanted, as he said, was a professional. But a professional, would raise too many guards. He did not want his opponents to be on guard. That would make many things more complicated in the future. He wished to have his cake, and eat it too. "In that regard," He added, following up on his previous statement. That people would be more on guard against the expert. "Would not the most valuable one of all, be the expert who appears to be the amateur?" It was relatively direct for him to say so. But would this be enough to push his point across? He did not wish for her to be an amateur. he wished for the professional to seem as an inexperienced amateur, in order to prevent others from feeling threatened.

That is to say, the only reason to send in a true professional, would be if he was preparing a move against them. Sending in an amateur, would be seen as the general reconnaissance work expected of any organization- And in fact, would be more troublesome if it was not found out. It was expected that he would be looking into such things- If he were to be conspicuously silent... Was that not the same as suggesting he was up to something? The most important part of being up to something, was to not be caught until you were far enough along that it was too late to interfere.

At the other's request for clarification, he would smile and nod. Such an open request truly was greedy- However, it was the simplest of negotiation tactics to start high. Which was why he had started with Plutocracy on the whole, before generously limiting it to Plutocracy's actions in Yokohama. In contrast, what he actually wanted... Would look simple, lowering the other's guard towards it. "Very well. If you wish for a specific target... I understand Pluto's representative in this city is Saturn? I much desire to know the range of her operations. So as to avoid stepping on toes, you understand."

He doubted she would believe him, but she didn't need to. He merely needed a plausible explanation, with which he could turn away Pluto's eyes should they wander in his direction. And for his part, it would be true- At the moment, he had no desire to start a fight he could not win. By any way of looking at it, he would be staying out of the larger group's business, and merely wished to know that business so he could avoid it. "Naturally, her identity, location, and goals... Are of interest to me as well. But the eyes which look too deeply, often find eyes looking back." In short, he'd very much so like to know these things. But in line with his earlier talk of professionalism- Trying too hard would only raise the opponent's guard.

"Indeed, once you have finished your work, please do contact my Que'er. She will arrange for your findings to be reviewed." Naturally, he would not do so himself. He may be the boss, but that did not mean he knew everything. He had others to know for him- And rather than poring over the reports from other sources, he may as well let those who compiled the in-house reports be the ones to check the validity of hers. "I do look forward to a fruitful cooperation, Miss Daffodil."

In the end, this daffodil never did look behind his words for their meaning. He was no hunter, because he had others to hunt for him. He did not need to personally set the traps, he merely needed to tell others where traps were needed. And then those who worked for him would bring him these fresh cuts from the flanks of his targets, whether or not he left this chair. That was the bearing of a 'boss.' Daffodil, on the other hand. Daffodil was the hunter. The one sought out those tracks of information, luring her targets... And then striking. Although he failed to bait her into revealing her motivations- That prey she sought, not for her employers, but for herself. The one he was certain she had. Knowledge is power. While the boss may not need to know everything... He was certainly responsible for finding out what he could.

The woman's silence was... Telling. For once, it was not a stifled silence. It was the silence of a predator stalking prey- It seemed his casual words had given her thoughts on how to proceed. In a rare moment of anticipation, the Chinese crime lord looked forward what this flower would bring him when next she contacted them. The difference between going in with a plan, and without one... Was that of heaven and earth. And when it came to the Goliath that was Plutocracy, this David could use every stone he could fit in his sling. Who knew which bit would be the one which fell the giant? It could even be this new informant on the scene... But that was assuming she survived her investigation into Pluto's aims. Naturally, Pluto would not take kindly to such a thing... Which was why he had taken great pains to separate himself from the investigations. Even if his spies were caught, they would not be traced back to him.

But until she had proven herself in this dangerous assignment, there was no need to speak of further matters. Of his desires to spread certain tidbits of great damage to Pluto's reputation. If Daffodil fell here, there would yet be other flowers to offer his water to. "Que'er, see our guest out." Would be the man's closing words. "Yes, boss!" Came the finally speaking voice of his shadow. After all, as the one who invited Daffodil, she surely had some faith in the informant! The winged girl swiftly stepped forward to accompany the other woman up the elevator to the entrance. Or was it to make sure that the informant did not see anything she shouldn't? Perhaps it was both.

Until next time, Daffodil.