Talent Awakening: Draconic Overlord Of The Apocalypse-Chapter 444: • Business as Usual

Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the hospital, Alister stood with a cold breeze tugging at his clothes and hair.

He pulled out his device, typing in a number. The screen flickered ringing for a few seconds before a voice responded.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Master Spade? Oh, or was it Alister?" The voice was familiar, teasing.

Alister chuckled. "I knew you'd figure out my identity sooner or later. But I'm curious—why haven't you called lately? Did you give up on trying to win my favor?"

She laughed. "You know, you're sounding awfully full of yourself. I wonder how your guild master girlfriend, Anya, would feel if she found out her dragon-summoning boyfriend was the one that beat her up all those months ago."

Alister laughed softly, shaking his head. "I see news travels fast."

Lian's voice turned playful again. "You two kissed out in the street, didn't you? Even the cameras in the area would have caught that. Talk less of the people who were there. And we all know how much people love gossip."

"I see," Alister said with a smirk. "But I don't think the fact that my new girlfriend also knows my secret identity has become public yet."

Lian chuckled. "I see you leave no loose ends."

"Hardly," Alister replied, his tone shifting. "But let's get to the reason I called you."

He looked up at the sky, the moon visible above the megacity's dome, and a serious expression crossed his face.

"In your family's estate," he began, "there's a certain item that once belonged to dragons of old. A broken piece of a golden sword. I need you to retrieve it for me."

Lian's voice faltered for a moment, a faint splash of water echoing in the background.

"Wait... Did you just say a piece of a golden sword?" There was a pause on the other end, and then a soft, amused chuckle. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

"You always manage to find a way to make the strangest requests, Alister. A glowing dragon artifact? You can't be serious."

Alister's patience was wearing thin, the irritation in his tone rising.

"I'm dead serious, Lian. It's not a joke, and I don't have time for these games. There's a broken piece of a golden sword within your family estate. It glows and gives off a warm aura. It's a dragon artifact, and I want it. I don't care how you get it, just get it."

On the other end, Lian was silent for a moment, the soft sounds of water continuing in the background.

A clear giveaway that she was in a bath.

Alister could almost picture her lounging there, the cool calmness of her voice barely masking the intrigue behind her words.

"Why do you want it, though? A broken piece of an old sword doesn't exactly sound like something worth going through all that trouble." Her tone was still playful, though it carried a trace of curiosity now.

Alister's eyes narrowed as he listened to Lian's response. The casual tone she took, despite the matter at hand, only added to his frustration.

He could feel the distance in her voice, the cold practicality of a businesswoman who had learned long ago how to play the game.

For some reason, it seemed to stir up memories from a timeline where he hated how shrewd humans could be.

"I'm not fond of revealing my plans to strangers."

Lian's laugh echoed across the line, and he could almost imagine the playful gleam in her eyes.

"You wound me, Alister. A stranger? Even if that were true, you can't just demand something from me and expect I'd hand it over without so much as a 'thank you.' Yes, what you're looking for is here—though I'm curious how you found out. But I'll keep that question aside for now." Her voice shifted, taking on a more businesslike tone. "As a businesswoman, I must ask: What's in it for me?"

Alister took a slow breath, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Don't you want help with that building project?"

Lian's chuckle this time was laced with amusement. "That's been ages ago," she replied, her voice almost airy. "And besides, my grandfather has made sure I have nothing to do with it. He gave me a completely different objective, one I honestly find insulting." There was a brief pause, the sounds of water splashing faintly in the background. "So no, I don't need yours or his favor. And if you want that sword, Alister, you're going to have to put something of importance on the table. I'm honestly curious to find out how the 'Dragon lord handles business.'"

Alister gritted his teeth, remembering the words of his future self. He had been told to do whatever it took to get Lian on his side, no matter how much it would cost his pride.

He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it seemed there was no other choice.

He sighed, trying to keep his tone steady as he spoke.

"Okay. Since this is a business transaction, let me make it clear what I want. I don't only want that sword fragment, but any clue you have regarding the others. As for what I can offer… let me say protection."

Lian burst into laughter on the other end.

"You can't be serious. I'm a city elite, a VIP, a member of a major family. Protection is the least of my worries. Hiring bodyguards takes the snap of a finger—"

"I'm pretty sure you've heard about the Red Mist." Alister's patience was wearing thin, so he cut her off with an edge to his voice.

Lian's laughter ceased instantly. Her tone turned serious.

"What about it?"

Alister leaned against the edge of the rooftop, looking down as hover cars drove by, his eyes narrowing as he spoke.

"I'm sure you've heard—it pops up anywhere. A gate of SSS rank spewing out S-ranked monsters. The major guilds are suffering major casualties, losing their best awakened, and none of them have been able to clear a single gate."