The living room was very quiet. Leo leaned back on the sofa with his eyes closed, while Tsezgala sat opposite him. Neither of them spoke.
After a long time, footsteps were heard from the end of the hallway.
Battera walked out, his eyes red, clearly having been crying.
He walked quickly to Leo and bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much! I—"
Leo raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone flat.
"That's enough, there's no need for words of thanks. It was just a transaction."
He paused and added.
"She has been lying in bed for too long, and her bodily functions need time to recover. After a few more days of recuperation, she should be able to get out of bed and walk around."
Battera straightened up and nodded vigorously, his eyes still red.
"Tomorrow, I will have my lawyers come over to transfer all my property to you as soon as possible. This includes this castle, and I will also disband the security team as quickly as I can. As for cash, I still have 600 billion; the rest is in real estate and fixed assets. It will take about three days to process everything."
Leo nodded with satisfaction.
"Mhm, you decide. I'll find someone to coordinate with you."
Battera hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words.
"In the basement, there are the Greed Island consoles I've bought over the years, all of which are still running. This part..."
Leo smiled.
"Leave them to me. These are just burdens to you now; I'll take over."
Battera nodded in relief, his shoulders relaxing.
Leo turned to look at Tsezgala, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"You're unemployed, Tsezgala."
Tsezgala smiled helplessly.
He had originally only temporarily exited the game to screen the next batch of people for Battera, never expecting to be dismissed in the blink of an eye.
He opened his mouth to say something but didn't know what to say.
Leo changed the subject.
"However, I'm willing to renew your contract. Continue doing what Battera asked of you. Once the game is cleared, I will pay the 50 billion. But the rewards for clearing the game will belong to me."
Tsezgala was stunned; he hadn't expected Leo to say this.
His eyes widened slightly before he quickly regained his composure.
"What, are you unwilling?"
Leo looked at him.
Tsezgala took a deep breath, his gaze becoming serious.
"Since you are willing to continue fulfilling the contract, we naturally won't refuse."
He and his team had already spent a year in the game Greed Island, and their progress in collecting cards was already halfway through.
He certainly didn't want to give up just like that.
It wasn't just about the money; it also involved his pride and reputation.
Leo nodded.
"Mhm, then it's settled."
He turned to Battera.
"How many vacant consoles are there here now?"
Battera thought for a moment and replied.
"Including the one just bought at auction, there are two consoles in total. One console has a maximum capacity of eight players, so a total of sixteen people can enter the game."
Leo's fingers tapped twice on the armrest as he pondered for a moment.
"How about this: continue attending the auction tomorrow and buy four more consoles. After the auction ends, your screening and Selection Meeting will proceed as scheduled, and Tsezgala will continue to serve as the examiner. The money spent will be counted as part of that two-thirds of the property."
Tsezgala nodded without any objection.
Now that Leo was his boss, he would do as he was told.
Battera didn't understand why Leo wanted so many consoles, but he didn't ask further.
He just nodded.
"If you need them, I will do so."
Leo didn't explain.
He was very interested in the items within Greed Island, but he didn't want to waste time on clearing the game.
Making players work for him was a better choice.
He knew how to obtain some of the high-difficulty cards; he could just let Tsezgala collect them.
He stood up and stretched his shoulders.
"It's getting late, let's get some rest. I've never lived in such a large castle before, so I'll experience it for a night."
Battera quickly called the butler and instructed.
"Take Mr. Leo to the master bedroom. That room has been vacant for a long time; I've never stayed in it."
The butler nodded respectfully, led Leo through the long corridor, up to the fourth floor, and pushed open a carved wooden door.
The room was large with a high ceiling. In the center was a four-poster bed, its curtains hanging down like a blooming dark flower.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was the castle garden. Moonlight spilled over the neatly trimmed shrubs, and silvery-white spots of light danced on the stone path.
The butler stood at the door and bowed slightly.
"Sir, if you have any needs, please feel free to instruct me."
Leo waved his hand, the butler withdrew, and the door closed softly.
He walked to the window and stood for a long time, looking at the silent garden outside.
Battera did not go to rest.
He returned to that room on the third floor, sat by the bed, and held Elena's hand.
Her breathing was steady, and her complexion looked even better than before.
He looked at her without blinking, afraid that if he closed his eyes, all of this would disappear.
The two of them just stayed there quietly, without words.
Early the next morning, Leo, Battera, and Tsezgala returned to Yorknew City.
Four days passed in succession.
Battera bought four more consoles at the auction, which, together with the previous one, made five in total.
Milluki also contentedly spent his entire fortune to win one, so excited he almost jumped up in the venue.
Holding the console, he boarded an Airship and returned directly to Kukuroo Mountain.
The Southernpiece Auction concluded perfectly.
Outside the venue, reporters set up cameras and held microphones, speaking rapidly to the lens as they reported on the grand occasion of the auction.
"...'Greed Island's' secrets have sparked a feverish pursuit, with prices soaring! In the end, four sets of consoles fell into Battera's hands! Meanwhile, his audition to recruit players to clear the game is happening today, right here! Within this building, experts from all over will gather, and a struggle for a path to the dream game is about to unfold!"
At exactly twelve o'clock noon, at the Southernpiece Hall A venue.
The seats were full, and an oppressive aura permeated the air.
Some people sat with their arms crossed, resting their eyes; some had burning gazes, looking around; others kept their heads down, flipping through the materials in their hands.
Gon and Killua also arrived at the scene, sitting in the back. Gon watched with a serious expression, while Killua had a lollipop in his mouth, his eyes half-closed, but his peripheral vision was constantly scanning the surroundings.
On the platform ahead, the host held a microphone, his voice loud and echoing in every corner of the venue.
"Everyone, thank you for waiting! The G.I Player Selection Meeting begins now! Of the five sets of games Mr. Battera won, four will be put forward to select players to clear the game!"
Someone below asked in a low voice.
"Four sets? What about the other one?"
No one answered him.
The host continued.
"Everyone here is a screened expert, so I presume you won't care about the 12 million jenny entry fee. Participants must master Nen Ability! I believe everyone is already clear on this point. The selection method is to examine your Nen Ability level, and our side will determine if you are qualified. Serving as the judge is—"
The host's voice paused as he stepped aside to make room.
"Professional Hunter, Mr. Tsezgala!"
Dressed in sturdy attire, Tsezgala walked calmly to the front of the stage, stood with his arms crossed, and swept his cold gaze across the room.
His posture was upright, and his eyes swept over everyone's faces, neither fast nor slow, yet it caused many people to lower their heads involuntarily.
An oppressive wave of exclamations and discussions immediately broke out below the stage.
"Tsezgala! It's that Bounty Hunter!"
"Although he claims to only work for money, based on his past achievements, he has already obtained the one-star title..."
"Having him judge... it seems the authenticity and danger of this game are even higher than imagined!"
Cold sweat broke out on many people's foreheads as an invisible pressure spread out.
Those who had originally carried a bit of disdain now withdrew the smiles from their faces.
As a heavy iron gate dropped, sealing off the platform, the host pointed to the thick curtains hanging nearby.
"Will all challengers please come here in order to receive their evaluation."
The crowd immediately became restless, and many people couldn't wait to stand up and walk toward the curtain entrance, forming a long queue.