She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 813

He was certain that this proposal would be irresistibly tempting to any ambitious arms dealer.

Any talk of merchants having their own rules, or codes against meddling in political strife, was pure garbage in the face of astronomical profit! A single poke would burst those fragile bubbles.

Two major arms syndicates bypassing direct conflict to exploit the world as their chessboard, using humanity's desperate desire for peace as fuel for their profit margins!

Wasn't that just embracing endless mountains of gold?

Yale nodded slightly, chiming in, "Mr. Ares shares this sentiment. There are no irreconcilable differences between us. Our past friction was purely a misunderstanding, and the incident with Luna was just an accident. Once we reach a consensus, release Luna, and we can wipe the slate clean. Moving forward, Ares Global and the X Syndicate can form an even tighter alliance, jointly controlling the pulse of the global defense market."

The two played off each other flawlessly—one painting a grand illusion while the other offered an easy way out. They kept their attitudes humble and their offers seductive, desperately trying to spin a hostage situation into the dawn of a strategic partnership.

A heavy silence fell over the cavern. The only sound was the rhythmic dripping of water striking stone somewhere in the dark.

Just as Yale and Baldwin thought X was mulling over their highly "constructive" proposal, the cold electronic voice echoed again. But it asked a question entirely out of left field:

"I recall you are the Secretary of Defense," X said, confirming with him. "Correct?"

How many times had Yale's face been plastered across military programs and official media? Since X was preparing to collaborate deeply with the government, it made sense they would recognize him.

He nodded naturally. "I imagine my position can help you achieve whatever you desire within the country. Our goals align. Mutual benefit is the ultimate supply chain, wouldn't you agree?"

X asked again, "How many years were you a spy?"

A look of confusion washed over Yale's face.

"Just curious." Noting his apprehension, X added, "We’ve had too much serious talk. Why not lighten the mood?"

Yale fell silent. He found the question offensive and utterly baffling.

But Baldwin answered for him. "To my knowledge, Mr. Nash served in the military for over a decade before taking up the mantle of Secretary of Defense for even longer."

"Oh?" X's tone dripped with amusement. "You seem to know a lot. Aren't you from a military family yourself? Yet you ended up as a strategist for Ares?"

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