The conference room door closed.
The hallway was quiet.
Just moments ago,
I had been met with the stares of over thirty people brimming with murderous intent,
but now there were only Mateo and myself.
Only the sound of our footsteps.
We went down the stairs, passed through the lobby, and got in the car.
The moment the door closed, strength drained from my shoulders and the tension eased.
Only then did it feel like fresh air was entering my lungs.
We didn't say a word.
Mateo was looking out the window.
A slightly dazed,
somewhat hollow gaze.
His mind seemed preoccupied.
I praised Mateo.
"Good job."
Mateo looked at me, as if surprised.
"You too."
It was a short reply,
but not empty words.
We both knew.
That this was only the beginning.
When Mateo had accessed Paradox last time,
Tian Zihao and I had been watching what Mateo was doing.
Without missing anything, we watched everything he did and saw.
Afraid he might do something else,
we watched with fire in our eyes, but he didn't do anything reckless.
The only thing Mateo did
was gather information.
Checking what new issues Paradox had during that time,
and how things were being run now that Adrian had disappeared,
meticulously, for a long time,
he made sure there was nothing he was missing.
I was truly relieved.
If Mateo had thought differently,
we would have had no choice but to eliminate him,
and taking over Paradox would have been all the more difficult.
We would have had to keep fighting pointless battles.
Because Mateo is with us, we can at least attempt something like this.
Of course, I know full well he's not doing this because he likes me.
Countless scenarios must have crossed Mateo's mind as well.
Mateo had chosen not based on vague notions like loyalty, justice, or honor,
but simply the most rational method with the greatest profit, one that would preserve his life. That was all.
Only for now.
We don't know how he'll change as more time passes.
We don't know how he'll change if the situation changes.
There is nothing to do but keep watching.
I asked, slightly teasing.
"Did you see Rodrigo's eyes?"
"I saw."
Mateo said with a slight smile.
The situation in the conference room seemed to come back to him.
"I thought Rodrigo was going to pull out a gun and shoot you right then and there. His eyes were terrifying."
"I flinched too."
I feigned thought for a moment before asking.
"But why didn't he? Wouldn't that have been the easiest way? He could've just shot you and taken the Signet Ring."
Mateo laughed out loud.
"Kukuk. He probably wanted to. But do that in a conference room full of people? Ridiculous. Even if it's the same deed, doing it in secret and doing it in plain sight are completely different. Suppose Rodrigo killed me and took the ring in the conference room—wouldn't everyone show up armed to the next meeting? He'd have nothing to say if someone pressed a gun to his head. If that happened, the organization would be finished. Rodrigo would have to tremble with anxiety too. Even if he took the ring, he'd want to take it secretly where no one else was around."
"That's true. Even an obvious lie needs a pretext. Like us."
"Right."
Mateo nodded.
I could relate to Mateo's words too.
And thinking that way, while I understood Rodrigo's actions, something made me curious.
"Then this means Rodrigo hasn't given up. He might be thinking something else?"
"Probably? I suspect he might have another scheme. Knowing Rodrigo's personality, there's no way he'll just sit still."
"That's how he looked to me too. Full of greed."
"And even if it was brief, he got a taste of being Paradox's chairman while Adrian was gone. He won't want to let go. No matter how much it's a coordinator's role, he holds tremendous power."
"Yeah."
"And Alex, the Asian market you hold. You dangled that bait right in front of his eyes—would he stay still? He'd never just leave it be."
"So?"
"We don't know what he'll do. I'm just saying there's no way he'll let this slide. Maybe right now he's gathered somewhere plotting."
"Well... he's definitely the type who would."
"You need to be careful. It's not for nothing he got the nickname 'Butcher.' If something doesn't sit right with him, he cuts you down first."
"Don't worry. I'll handle that."
"You have to hold out well. Without you, I die too."
Mateo looked at me and spoke with a somewhat grim resolve.
Those words alone felt sincere.
"I'll hold out well. I won't die."
I answered with sincerity as well.
"I'm counting on you."
Perhaps pleased with my answer,
Mateo smiled slightly, opened the car door, and stepped out.
The car had already arrived at its destination.
*****
The outskirts of Zurich.
Where the city's lights didn't reach,
the underground of an old winery deeply steeped in the scent of grapes.
A wine cellar for storing wine.
In one corner of the cellar where oak barrels stretched endlessly.
There was a small door hidden away from sight.
If you opened that door and went in,
a completely different space unfolded.
Thick concrete walls.
Lead plates wrapped around them once more.
External signals were completely blocked.
Cell phones were useless,
a space where bugging and tracing were impossible.
It was a completely isolated room.
There, the core figures of the South American cartels sat.
And at their center, Rodrigo held his ground.
There was one bottle of wine on the table, but
no one touched it.
"You all saw?"
Rodrigo asked about today's meeting.
"We saw."
One of them opened his mouth.
It was Carlos, Rodrigo's right-hand man.
He possessed excellent situational judgment,
and was a man with outstanding ability to formulate strategies accordingly.
"What do you think?"
"Mateo was more prepared than expected. Bringing in the Alex Group was completely unexpected."
"Yeah... I didn't expect it either. Guess he did learn a thing or two following Adrian around."
He spoke lightly,
but his eyes weren't smiling in the least.
Rodrigo rubbed his chin with one hand, as if frustrated.
Another voice was heard.
It was the head of the Brazilian Cartel.
"The Signet Ring is also a problem. There's no way to know how Mateo got his hands on it. If Adrian really handed it over..."
"Kwahahaha. Adrian just handed it over? You believe that? You still don't know Adrian?"
Rodrigo answered in a voice brimming with conviction.
"We can't believe it. But circumstances being what they are..."
"He must have stolen it."
"Then what happened to Adrian?"
"He's probably dead. Or locked up somewhere."
At Rodrigo's indifferent answer, the people's expressions hardened.
It was a time to accept reality.
That the era of Adrian, the absolute ruler of Paradox, had ended.
That a new era was about to begin.
But Rodrigo thought differently.
He spoke as if he had no interest in such things.
"That's not what's important now. What are we going to do going forward?"
"Wouldn't killing Mateo and taking the Signet Ring be the fastest and easiest way?"
The head of the Brazilian Cartel spoke proudly, as if it were obvious.
Rodrigo shook his head.
"That won't do."
The head of the Brazilian Cartel couldn't understand.
Kill Mateo and it all ends simply.
But Rodrigo refused.
The Butcher, Rodrigo.
"Might I ask why?"
The head of the Brazilian Cartel asked.
"Without Mateo, we can't establish a cooperative relationship with the Alex Group. We can't abandon the Asian market."
"Then what do we do?"
Rodrigo smiled slowly.
Very slowly.
He opened the bottle sitting on the table.
Pouring it slowly into a wine glass, he spoke.
"That's what we're here to figure out from now on."
.
.
.
Before long, Carlos was the first to speak up.
"If we can't take the Signet Ring from Mateo, how about pulling Mateo over to our side instead?"
The gazes in the room naturally focused on Rodrigo.
He stayed silent for a moment, thinking.
"Mateo?"
"Yes. Wouldn't that make everything easier?"
"I don't think that will work."
"Might the reason be...?"
"It's not that I dislike the idea, but would Mateo, who already holds the Alex Group, cooperate with us willingly? When he holds the table in his hands? He'd probably try to kick us out instead."
It was a remark that hit the nail on the head.
Mateo had the Signet Ring,
and the Alex Group.
He could do everything on his own,
so there was no need to cooperate with Rodrigo and share the pie.
"Then... how about creating something like a standing board of directors to paralyze Mateo, making it so resolutions have to pass through it, turning Mateo into a figurehead?"
It was a realistic proposal.
But Rodrigo refused.
"I don't like that."
"Pardon?"
"If we create that... wouldn't it be a nuisance even after I become chairman?"
Rodrigo spoke honestly.
Rodrigo wanted to wield full authority.
He didn't want to share the sweetness of power with anyone.
But if they created a standing board of directors,
it would obviously shackle not only Mateo but Rodrigo as well.
So he couldn't agree.
Nor should he.
A Brazilian executive spoke.
"Then... how about shaking up the inside of the Alex Group?"
"The Alex Group?"
"There must be people with grievances on that side anyway, right? We could somehow align with those guys..."
"Shake up the Alex Group's internals?"
Rodrigo slowly asked the Brazilian executive.
The Brazilian executive answered confidently.
"Yes. Pay them enough and wouldn't they switch sides?"
"But, do you know where the Alex Group is?"
At the sudden question, the Brazilian executive was flustered.
"What?"
"Until the meeting earlier, you didn't even know the Alex Group existed."
"..."
The Brazilian executive stiffened.
"How long would it take to find, investigate, and figure out the internal power structure of the Alex Group? A year? Two years? Maybe five?"
"My apologies."
The Brazilian executive bowed his head.
Then Carlos spoke up.
"Then how about just opening a direct line with the Alex Group?"
"Directly?"
This time Rodrigo's reaction was different.
He sat up a little straighter.
A little more proactive.
"The man who came to the meeting room as a representative earlier. Don't we just need to recruit that man?"
"Oho..."
Rodrigo was intrigued.
"We go straight to the core without going through all the trouble. What man doesn't like money and women? Or we could scare him a bit."
"Kwahahaha. Good. Move on that."
Rodrigo gave an okay with a satisfied expression.
They thought that would be the end of it.
But Carlos had more ideas left.
"At the same time..."
"At the same time?"
"We eliminate Mateo. If we can't make him our man, don't we have to eliminate him?"
"I'm telling you we can't get rid of Mateo."
Rodrigo's brightened expression darkened.
But Carlos didn't mind and continued.
"I'm not saying kill him and take the Signet Ring. Mateo can't do everything himself anyway. Let's bring over to our side those executives close to us, and the field operatives. We bind Mateo's hands and feet."
"Bind the operatives?"
"No matter what great contract Mateo secures. Even if he collaborates with the Alex Group, wouldn't he need people to move on the ground? If that doesn't work properly? Mateo can't do anything. Is he going to bring weapons and deliver them by himself? Absolutely not. That's when we step in. When we step in, everything gets solved. We imprint this image. On Mateo, and on the Alex Group."
"Kwahahahaha. Good. I like it."
Rodrigo laughed loudly at Carlos's words.
Was it because the mood had lightened?
Opinions poured out from everywhere.
"Let's find Mateo's weakness. That guy must have something dirty. We blackmail him with that."
"We hide our technology and assets. Act uncooperatively. Paradox is just a name. They won't be able to do anything."
"We monopolize the trade routes too. Otherwise make trade itself impossible."
"That's right. Without us, Paradox is nothing."
They all spoke eagerly,
and Rodrigo listened quietly.
Then Pablo, who had been sitting without a word, opened his mouth.
"How about looking for Adrian?"
At those words, the mood dropped again.
"Huh? Adrian?"
Rodrigo too checked Pablo's words once more.
"If we just find Adrian, both Mateo and the Signet Ring he holds become null and void. It gives us the justification to execute Mateo."
"Hmm..."
Rodrigo rubbed his chin again.
Pablo continued.
"If Adrian is alive, if only we can rescue him... Adrian will owe us a great debt. One cannot act recklessly toward a benefactor who saved one's life."
"Do you know where Adrian is?"
Rodrigo asked with a perhaps hopeful heart.
Pablo had spent quite a long time with Adrian.
Thinking that perhaps he might know.
"I don't know. But if we search, traces will appear. Aren't we experts at finding those traces?"
Rodrigo thought for a moment and made a decision.
"Move on it immediately. Start the search for Adrian right now."
"And prepare to recruit the Alex Group's representative."
"Pull a list of Paradox operatives we can bring to our side."
At Rodrigo's words, everyone nodded.
Rodrigo raised the wine glass in front of him.
As Rodrigo raised his glass, the others followed suit.
"No need to rush. No one will know we're moving. So proceed quietly and surely."
"Yes."
"Then, to our Paradox."
"To our Paradox."
Clink.
The sound of glasses clinking filled the small room.