Liquidation: From Big Boss to Bloody Demon Sauce Chapter 23: Chapter 23: A Deadline

Read chapter 23 of Liquidation: From Big Boss to Bloody Demon Sauce by Magic on NovelPedia.

"I apologize for my outburst," the dragon murmured. Its voice was significantly softer now, though it still vibrated with enough bass to echo in the hollows of the colossal cave. I was taken aback. The mighty dragon was apologizing? This was... unexpected. In the corporate world, an apology from a titan of industry was unheard of. It usually meant they either realized you had a piece of leverage they needed, or they had profoundly miscalculated your value. "You do not deserve to suffer for the sins of your creator," it rumbled again, its single, massive orb scrutinizing me. This was a first. No other creature in Xeenar had extended such sympathy to me. Even Grimora had tried to kill me before I talked her down. I appreciated the giant creature for this unexpected shift in tone. The sheer, overwhelming fear I had held for the dragon was slowly being replaced with confusion, and much to my surprise, a calculated adulation. "You are... different. Unlike anything I've ever come across," the dragon continued, a note of genuine intrigue evident in his rumbling words. I hazarded a guess that among all the peculiar, terrifying characters in Xeenar, I was the only sentient lump of anthropomorphic semen that the dragon had ever negotiated with. "Well, I do have a certain texture that makes me quite exotic around these parts, but we are straying from the topic at hand," I said, not wanting to waste this slight advantage of not being incinerated. You never let a negotiation stall when the other party is reconsidering your worth. "As I said before, I want to make a deal with you." The dragon's eye studied me thoughtfully. "Interesting," it murmured, a low rumble that sent physical shivers across my gelatinous form. "I don't recall the last time someone proposed a deal in my lair without brandishing an enchanted sword or offering a shiny gem." I laughed—still unsure of the exact biological mechanics of how my fluid form produced the sound—and replied, "Luckily for both of us, I have neither. My offer, should you choose to accept it, involves the steady delivery and procurement of treasure." The dragon cocked one highly armored, spiked brow, clearly trying to understand the logistics. "Explain," it commanded. "Naturally," I nodded, using this opportunity to channel my past life's prowess in high-stakes negotiation. "As I have observed, leaving your lair to acquire new assets could pose a... challenge for you, strictly due to your immense size and the narrow tunnels leading out. Hence, your portfolio of hoarded treasures has likely stagnated. You have no active revenue stream." The dragon rumbled in confirmation, its giant head shifting slightly in what seemed like a slow nod. The ambient temperature in the cavern rose by a few degrees at the mere mention of its hoard. "While I clearly am not going to gather up any large transport of treasure in my current form, I possess a unique set of skills that will allow me to find, recruit, and manage trusted subordinates who can," I explained. I was still perched on top of a quivering Grimjaw. It wasn't worth noting aloud to the giant lizard, but Grimora still had her face planted firmly on the stone floor in pure terror. However, her back end was stuck up in the air in a way that distinctly reminded me I was still very much a man deep down inside. Seeing the dragon’s molten eye narrow slightly at my bold claims, I quickly added the terms of the contract. "Of course, in return for this favor—this steady supply chain of wealth—I would be granted a safe haven within your cavernous abode. Absolute protection from certain hostile parties in the Dark Glade that would rather see me liquidated." The dragon blinked slowly, resting its heavy, armored head on a claw the size of a city bus. Flames flickered deep in the back of its throat, shaping and reshaping brilliant, dancing shadows on the cave wall. It was a living furnace, capable of unimaginable destruction, yet it was actually considering my pitch. "I se