Dark King

Old Fulin was startled a bit as he heard the voice. He slowly turned towards the dark corner of the room. There was thin figure by the safe.

"I'm afraid you will be disappointed if you want to steal it." Fulin's eyes turned cold as he slowly put down the magnifying glass.

"No need to call the guards. I assume patriarch is smart enough for that." Thin figure laughed.

Fulin replied: "Your skills should be no less than a regular knight if you were able to sneak into my castle without a notice. I keep the dogs and I'm aware of their capabilities. Even if I called them over, you will have sufficient time to kill an old man like me and go away. Well, since you are here then there is something that you want to talk about?"

The person came out from the shadow with a shallow smile on his face.: "Three years have gone by. Does patriarch still remember me?"

Old Fulin's saw Dudian face and was surprised as he didn't think that the intruder would be so young. He said: "I'm too old and the memories fade away easily. Introduce yourself, young man."

Dudian faintly smile: "Three years ago at the party arranged by the Mellon consortium you invited a scavenger youth to be your family knight. Do you remember now?"

Fulin thought for a moment but suddenly his eyes went wide and he was speechless for a moment: "YOU!"

"It's me."

Old Fulin was perplexed: "You, weren't you ... ..." His hairs stood erect as he was surprised.: "Did you escape?"

Dudian smiled: "I don't have a background nor an identity. So there didn't seem to be another way out."

"I remember that I haven't offended you. I heard about you going to jail three years ago. But if you want revenge then you should find Burong or Milan family!"

Dudian pulled over a chair and sat down: "Patriarch no need to be so nervous. I have no malice towards you or your family. I came so late to find you to talk about a cooperation."

"We are a small family. We only own the small town outside the castle. The money we earn each year is not enough to cover the expenses for the clothing of the family's youth. I cant help you out."

Dudian gently smiled: "I didn't come here for money. I'm naturally aware about your family's financial situation. However, even though Ryan family is in decline but after all you are a noble family. I want you to bail me out."

"If you were in jail, I would be able to bail you out. But now you are a wanted man. Unless you are willing to be caught and put into the prison again, there is no way for me to bail for you."

Dudian smiled: "Only a small problem. As long as there is enough money a mere arrest warrant could be taken care of and withdrawn."

"You overestimate me too much." Old Fulin shook his head: "Ryan family has no savings. All the expensive antique and the other valuable things handed down from the ancestors have been sold out. We barely maintain the daily expenses. There is no extra money to help you out."

"Patriarch you should know that I am a hunter. If you bail me out, Ryan family won't be short of money later on."

Fulin replied: "But, I really do not have the money to help you."

"If I'm not mistaken Ryan family has a mine in Red Leaf Hill." Dudian whispered.

Old Fulin's face changed: "You want me to sell the mine? That's impossible. It's the last lifeblood of Ryan family. I will not sell it out even if you will kill me!"

"Patriarch, hopefuly time has not eroded your brain and eyes. Can't you differentiate between real treasure and a waste mine!"

"What do you mean?" Old Fulin asked.

"After you will bail me out, I'll naturally be part of Ryan family. " Dudian slowly said: "If my guesses aren't wrong the mine has long been barren. Otherwise, your Ryan family wouldn't have declined to this level. I am different. You should be aware that what kind of wealth a hunter can create. It's the push the Ryan family needs in this distressing situation."

Old Fulin shook his head: "No, I can not do this."

"I know what you are worried about," Dudian said indifferently. "The Burong and Milan family are going to take a stand against me and that will bring a devastating blow to the weakened Ryan family. But the reality is that in another ten years would your Ryan family be able to hire a knight?"

Old Fulin's face turned ugly. He knew what Dudian was talking about. It was the root of all his troubles and worries.

"But working with me is different." Dudian smiled, "I can improve the conditions of your Ryan family. You may even go back to the glorious days."

"You may have been a hunter for a while. But how can I believe that after I bail you out you won't betray me? Moreover, you are just a junior hunter. I know better than you the capabilities of hunters and their potential returns. How could I put the fate of my family and bet on a junior hunter who could die outside the wall anytime?" Old Fulin asked furiously.

Dudian gently smiled: "It should be lame to bet on a primary hunter. But what about an intermediate hunter?"

Old patriarch was confused: "What do you mean?

"Do you remember the Linda's squad from three years ago?" Dudian asked.

Fulin naturally was aware of the hunters under the command of Mellon consortium. They were getting shares from everything that hunters had brought back. Moreover everytime a hunter was damaged, the news would spread around. Not to mention when the whole team of hunters were annihilated. At that time it had caused a great sensation. A number of teams were sent out to investigate the case. But there were no definite clues whether it was a man-made or beasts had killed the team.

"I killed all of them." Dudian smiled.