Arthur handed Joe a folder containing important files. After successfully persuading Eve, he was able to use her more freely, including using her as a tool to steal important information related to the Great Food Company. As a result, he now had an ace up his sleeve that could leave Dave reeling in the future.
"What's this?" asked Joe as he received the file Arthur handed him.
"It's important information about the school-wide lunch procurement tender. And also the tender price submitted by the Great Food Company." Arthur explained.
"What?" Joe looked incredulous at what he had just heard.
"Please check for yourself," Arthur said.
Without being asked twice, Joe immediately opened the folder in front of him, then read one by one the files in the folder. Joe's mouth dropped open in disbelief at the information in the file.
"This is all original information?" Joe asked convincingly.
"Of course it's genuine. What do I have to gain by giving you false information?" Arthur asked back.
Joe was silent for a moment. He was so excited that he didn't know what to say. With all the information in his hands right now, it would be very easy for him to beat Great Food Company in this tender.
"Thank you, this information will definitely make me beat Great Food Company. But where did you get all this important information from? Isn't this a company secret that only certain people know about?" Joe gave Arthur a probing look.
"It doesn't matter where I got all the information from. What's important is that it's all valid and reliable," Arthur said.
Joe seemed to pause for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. Arthur knew that the man was very wary and did not easily trust others, especially people he had only known for a short time. At the moment, of course Joe was still a little doubtful, but after it was proven that the information Arthur was currently providing was genuine, the man's trust would definitely appear.
"In addition, this is a list of Great Food Company's potential business partners. All the projects targeted are big projects. If you can also seize these projects one by one, then the fall of the company will not wait long." Arthur put down another folder.
Joe was even more speechless. He grabbed the folder and read the files inside carefully. All the information about the Great Food Company's long-term plan was clearly written there. For this one piece of information, Arthur didn't need any help from Eve because he used to be the one who made all the plans himself.
"What reward do you want for all this?" Joe asked then after a long silence.
Arthur smiled as he looked closely at his new ally. Now was not the time to tell him what he wanted. Not yet.
"I'll tell you after what I've given you now has come to fruition," Arthur said.
Joe frowned slightly.
"No need to worry too much, Mr. Philips. Just focus on your strategy to win the tender. If everything has indeed gone according to what you wanted, that's when I will come to ask for a reward." Arthur said casually as he reached for the drink in front of him and took a sip.
Joe's face softened slightly. The man's wariness towards Arthur had decreased slightly without him realizing it. That of course Arthur could see through the system window. That was why he didn't want to ask anything from Joe at the moment.
"Then, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Philips. Hope everything turns out well for you." Arthur got up and straightened his suit.
Joe got up as well.
"Thank you very much. I'll never forget your help," Joe said as he invited Arthur to shake hands.
Arthur welcomed the handshake and instantly Joe's trust value in Arthur became even higher.
The system screen lit up and immediately showed congratulations for Arthur.
'SUCCESSFULLY USED TARGET 1 AS A TOOL FOR REVENGE. SUCCESSFULLY COOPERATED WITH THE ENEMY OF TARGET 2 AND GAINED A HIGH TRUST SCORE.'
"CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE EARNED AN EXTRA BONUS FROM THE SYSTEM, AN ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT BALANCE OF 1,000,000 DOLLARS.
Arthur left his meeting place with Joe laughing happily. It had been several days since he had carried out his revenge mission without asking the system for help. Maybe that's why now he got a hefty bonus after successfully completing the mission.
"One million dollars, huh? Fantastic." Arthur muttered with a chuckle. He got into his car, then drove the vehicle to his apartment.
Along the way, Arthur drove while listening to a song on the local radio. Attention-getting sessions from radio listeners interspersed the song playback. Arthur smiled, remembering that in the past he often received greetings from his younger classmates through this kind of reading of radio listener attention.
"Well, Guys, this time we get some pretty touching attention. A mother's longing greeting to her son." The radio announcer started reading the attention.
Arthur gasped at that. He was instantly reminded of Liliana, his mother. Sadness instantly seized every corner of his heart when he remembered the person he missed the most.
"Dear son, please don't hide from me anymore. I know that I have disappointed you a lot. I forced you too much to see the way I see. I realize that it was a very fatal mistake. Our point of view is different, of course we can't see everything by getting the same judgment. I'm too childish when I'm the more mature person here. I'm sorry, dear. From now on, I will learn to respect your judgment more. Go back and hug your mom here. I really regret everything. Please come out of hiding." The radio announcer read out a long and heartfelt message.
Arthur's tears fell unconsciously. He immediately turned off the radio broadcast and parked his car on the side of the road. The man was unable to hold back the turmoil that was currently filling his chest. He buried his face in the steering wheel and sobbed like a child.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm sorry...." Arthur sobbed. His longing for his mother was overwhelming and unbearable. Although the message read by the radio announcer might have been from another mother to her son, Arthur felt that it was his mother's voice right now. Liliana must be very sad because until this moment Arthur Greens' fate was still unknown.
After winning himself over, Arthur finally returned to driving his car. But this time his destination was not back to the apartment, but to another place, his biological mother's residence.
Liliana's residence was a simple house located in the suburbs with a beautiful and comfortable environment. It is a one-story house with a large yard planted with various plants. Liliana has always loved gardening. Perhaps it was her salvation when her household with her father Arthur was torn apart.
After a while of driving, Arthur arrived in front of a house painted white. He immediately got out of the car, but could only stand outside the cage at chest height, without having the courage to go inside.
"Who are you looking for, son?" A middle-aged female voice broke Arthur's reverie.
Slightly startled, Arthur turned around and found the figure he missed so much standing not far from him carrying a bag of groceries. It was Liliana, Arthur's biological mother.
"Mom ...." Arthur unconsciously muttered.
"Yes?" Liliana looked surprised to be called mother by a young man she didn't recognize.
"Sorry, I mean, you look a lot like my mother," Arthur said as he bowed respectfully to Liliana in apology.
"Ah, alright. What's the need for you to stand in front of my house?" asked Liliana.
"Oh, this is your house? Sorry to disturb you. I just happened to be passing by and saw that the garden in your yard is very nice," said Arthur, looking for an excuse.
Liliana paused, not quite believing what Arthur was saying. But a moment later, she smiled sweetly.
"Please come in if you want to have a closer look," she invited Arthur.