Bully Lord

Part-156

The shopkeeper's laughter echoed through the small shop, a sound that grated on James's nerves. "Is that supposed to be funny?" James asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Oh, come on, kid," the shopkeeper replied, his tone dismissive. "Do you really think I'm afraid of the police? I've been running this shop for years. I know how to play the game."

James's smile turned cold. "Maybe you should think twice about that," he said, his voice low and menacing. "If I find out you're involved in those scams, I'll make sure you end up behind bars, no matter what."

The shopkeeper's expression hardened. "Is that a threat?" he asked, his voice rising.

"It's a promise," James replied, his eyes boring into the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper laughed again, his eyes filled with contempt. "Oh, please," he scoffed. "You think you can take me down? You're just a kid."

James's anger was boiling over. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. But he knew he couldn't lose his temper. He had to stay calm and focused.

He took a deep breath and looked the shopkeeper in the eye. "We'll see about that," he said, his voice a cold steel.

The shopkeeper shrugged, his arrogance undeterred. "Whatever you say," he replied.

James's eyes narrowed as he assessed the shopkeeper. The man's aura radiated a sense of hidden power, a strength that seemed to emanate from within. His status, a staggering 566, confirmed James's suspicions. This was no ordinary shopkeeper; he was a formidable opponent.

However, James knew he didn't need to confront him directly. He had a plan. If he could gather more information about Arad or any of his accomplices, he could build a case and bring them down with the help of the police.

James turned to Ryan and Sourov, who were watching the exchange with growing concern. "Let's go," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

As they left the shop, James couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The shopkeeper's behavior was suspicious. He seemed too confident, too arrogant. And there was something about his eyes, a glint of malice that hinted at something sinister.

James knew they had to be careful. The shopkeeper was clearly involved in something shady, and he was not afraid to use force.

As they walked away from the shop, James turned to his friends. "We need to be careful," he said. "This guy is dangerous."

Ryan and Sourov nodded in agreement. They knew they were facing a formidable opponent. But they were also determined to see this through. They had come too far to give up now.

On the other hand, James was focused on a different matter—the system window.

[Congratulations: You have completed Mission 20!]

[Reward: +5 WIS]

[Mission 21: Conclude the investigation.]

[Reward: +10 in all stats.]

James was surprised by the reward for Mission 21. It would result in a significant boost across all his stats if he could complete it.

James thought to himself that he was nearing the level where he could be considered an average fighter. But then he questioned his own thinking—he was just a student, not a battle fanatic, and he wasn’t supposed to be fighting so much.

James muttered to himself, “Am I getting too absorbed in this detective role? Should I start adding ‘Bond’ to my last name?”