I! Cleaner!
Chapter 155 - 155: 0134 Looking for Someone_1

"No wonder you were once the Kingdom's twin pillars, you really know how to name a price."

After reviewing the "offer sheet" handed to her, the middle-aged woman in a brown robe chuckled and said to the old man with a rose emblem on his chest,

"Earl Sam, if you don't mind, could you tell me how much the Ryan Family paid you to help deliver this letter?"

"Well…"

"Haha, never mind if you don't want to say, I was just asking casually."

Looking at the embarrassed old man, the woman in the brown robe smiled and said,

"Being able to draw money from the Ryan Family is your own skill. Our Scales Gold Sect's doctrine doesn't oppose such matters; it even encourages them.

But without my help, you wouldn't have earned this money, so as the crucial link, I request to share a portion of your earnings. Do you agree?"

"I agree, of course, I agree!"

Cursing inwardly about her greed, and realizing he didn't hold the upper hand, the old man named Sam nodded repeatedly while gritting his teeth, handing over a new offer.

Seeing the satisfied expression finally appearing in the eyes of the woman in the brown robe, the old man, despite feeling pained, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed slightly, saying respectfully,

"Your Excellency Bishop, the people from the Ryan Family are right outside. If now is convenient for you…"

"Convenient, of course, convenient!"

Mimicking the old man's tone, the woman in the brown robe, who looked to be around forty, laughed heartily and said,

"It's just helping to find someone, and I can earn such a generous income, how could it not be convenient? Let's go, take me to meet the guests of the Ryan Family."

"Sure, this way, please."

Leading the woman in the brown robe through the corridors of the estate, they arrived at a rather secluded reception room, and facing those who hurriedly stood up to greet her, the old man from the Rose family took the initiative to introduce both parties,

"Your Excellency Bishop, these are the last remaining elders of the Ryan Family, the new head of the Ryan Family, and the most trusted butler of the late Duke.

Everyone, this is a bishop from the wealth-attracting branch of the Scales Gold Sect, you can call her…"

"No need for names, just call me 'Brown'."

Interrupting the old man's introduction, the middle-aged woman in the brown robe stepped forward quickly, shook hands with the few people, and then said with a pleasant smile,

"I heard from Earl Sam that you contacted our Scales Gold Sect because the designated heir of the Ryan Family has gone missing, and you want me to find his whereabouts, correct?"

"Yes, yes!"

Hearing the inquiry of the woman in the brown robe, the youngest among the three, the new head of the family, nodded eagerly with his head full of golden hair and said with slight excitement,

"Brown… Your Excellency Bishop! To be honest, we have no choice now.

In just over two days, the rite of succession will take place, and the invitations have already been sent out, but the heir designated by the late Duke ran off from the hospital this morning!

Truth be told, if you can find him for us within two days, we're willing to add fifty percent more to what we've already offered you!"

?!!!

Are you crazy? How can you reveal everything at the first meeting?

Hearing the young man's words, the other two members of the Ryan Family were shocked, then looked at him with surprise and anger, their eyes filled with indignation and blame.

The young man seemed to realize it too, hastily covering his mouth and saying with a panicked expression, "I… I didn't mean to say that! I didn't!"

"Haha, don't blame him, please. The head of the family didn't mean to say these things. I personally don't like deception, so I used some little tricks earlier, hoping to make our communication more honest."

After briefly explaining what she had done, seeing the growing apprehension in the eyes of the three from the Ryan Family, the woman in the brown robe smiled nonchalantly and suggested,

"As for the extra fifty percent, let's forget about that. The gifts you offered earlier are already quite generous. Although our Scales Gold Sect loves wealth, we are not insatiable, and taking only what we deserve is enough."

Seeing the noticeable relief on their faces at not needing to add more, the woman in the brown robe slightly curled her lips and added,

"However… even though I'm quite confident in finding the new Duke, our method might be somewhat unconventional. I'm wondering if you all can accept it?"

Somewhat unconventional?

Hearing the woman's words, the three from the Ryan Family exchanged glances before the eldest elder asked,

"Brown, may I ask what you mean by unconventional?"

"Joining our Scales Gold Sect is required, but not for you, instead for the new Duke of the Ryan Family."

With a slight smirk, the woman in the brown robe displayed a rather peculiar grin, like a large brown cat that had spotted a plump rat.

"I serve the Cat Spirit, one of the three Holy Spirits; anyone who has used money or even slightly engaged with it, cannot escape its detection and summoning.

Thus, finding the new Duke's location is very simple. If the Cat Spirit is willing, it can even bring him directly to you, even if he has already left the Capital City. The rite of succession in two days won't be delayed.

However, as the cost, after being locked on by the Cat Spirit's power, the new Duke will be influenced by it, carrying the scent of our Scales Gold Sect, making it almost impossible to affiliate with another sect.

Are you willing to accept this cost?"

To be forced into the Scales Gold Sect? Never able to join another sect?

After hearing the woman's words, the three from the Ryan Family once again exchanged meaningful glances.

Let him join then. It's just a puppet Duke anyway' as long as he can appear at the rite of succession two days from now and stabilize' the situation for the Ryan Family; it doesn't matter what sect he joins, even if he comes back missing an arm or a leg.

However… what if the Scales Gold Sect has ulterior motives?

The family was eager for the rite of succession to at least retain some of the Ryan Family's assets, and if not, they hoped to capitalize on the Duke of Lionheart's reputation for their kin.

If the new Duke joined the Scales Gold Sect, there would be another contender for the title. What if the Scales Gold Sect secretly joined the fray, vying for the Ryan Family's inheritance?

...

"Your Excellency Bishop, please first locate his position."

After some intense eye exchanges, the Ryan Family finally reached a consensus. The old Duke's butler bowed slightly and said,

"If the new Duke hasn't gone far and is just hiding temporarily, we can find him ourselves. But if he has left the Capital City, we'll trouble you to bring him back."

"Alright then, please give me something he has used."

Unconcerned with the Ryan Family's little schemes, she accepted two bandages still sticky with ointment from the old butler, sniffed them, her dark brown lips moving slightly, silently chanting two lines.

Suddenly, a lazy cat's meow resounded in the reception room. The pupils in the woman's eyes quickly contracted and seemed to slice sideways as if slashed, her eyeballs swelling rapidly, transforming into bizarre cat's eyes.

"I see him."

After blinking uncomfortably, seeing the "trail" extending from the bandages, the woman whose eyes had expanded threefold, laughed and said,

"The trail is strong. It seems the Duke didn't run far. Let me check his surroundings… Hmm… He carried something, climbed over a wall, and jumped into a large patch of red roses; not far away is a six-story magenta building…"

Wait! Isn't that building a bit familiar?