Chapter 159: The Man Who Wants Everything

nside a luxurious office on the uppermost floor of a private residence in Zenith City, a man sat behind an enormous mahogany desk, examining several documents spread across its polished surface.

The office was spacious and elegantly furnished, with expensive paintings decorating the walls, towering bookshelves filled with neatly arranged volumes, and enormous floor-to-ceiling windows offering an unobstructed view of the wealthy district below.

A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, while two comfortable leather sofas occupied one side of the room, separated by a glass table displaying an assortment of refreshments.

The man appeared to be in his early twenties, with neatly styled dark hair and an exceptionally handsome face.

He wore an expensive black suit, and a silver wristwatch rested against his left wrist. His posture was relaxed as he examined the documents, occasionally reaching for the cup of coffee beside him.

However, the increasingly unpleasant expression on his face suggested that whatever he was reading was far from satisfactory.

Standing several feet away from the desk was a middle-aged man dressed in a dark business suit. His hands were clasped respectfully before him, and he remained silent while waiting for his employer to finish examining the report.

After several minutes, the seated man finally placed the documents on the desk and raised his eyes toward his subordinate.

"Is this everything?" the man asked, his voice calm despite the irritation visible on his face.

"Yes, sir," the subordinate answered, lowering his head slightly. "Those are the latest reports concerning the operation and the ongoing search for the Palladium Tree."

The man leaned backward in his chair, tapping his fingers against the armrest as he considered the response.

"Then explain something to me," he said, looking directly at his subordinate. "How is it that I’ve invested so much money, provided so many resources, and employed so many capable individuals, yet none of you has managed to accomplish the one thing I actually requested?"

The subordinate hesitated before answering. "We’ve encountered several unexpected complications, sir. The surviving expedition members have gathered together, and their combined strength has made further operations considerably more difficult."

"That wasn’t my question," the man interrupted, his expression darkening. "I asked why you haven’t found the Palladium Tree."

"Unfortunately, we still haven’t established its precise location," the subordinate admitted. "The information obtained from Odhran was incomplete, and the search teams haven’t discovered anything that would allow us to narrow down the possibilities."

The man’s fingers stopped moving.

Of everything contained within the report, that particular failure irritated him the most.

Ever since learning about the Palladium Tree, he had devoted an extraordinary amount of money and resources toward securing it.

The Palladium Fruits themselves were already valuable enough to attract the attention of powerful Awakener organizations, wealthy families, and influential individuals throughout the world.

Odhran’s transaction through the Black Exchange had demonstrated their extraordinary value.

One hundred and twenty million Union Dollars for a single Grade Three Palladium Fruit.

The expedition had recovered fifty-seven fruits, meaning their combined market value could exceed six billion Union Dollars. However, the man considered those fruits insignificant compared to the tree that produced them.

A Palladium Fruit was a treasure that could be consumed, sold, or exchanged.

The Palladium Tree was something entirely different.

If he could secure the tree and establish exclusive control over it, he would possess a source of extraordinary wealth that could potentially continue producing valuable treasures for decades.

Nobody knew how frequently the tree bore fruit, how many fruits it could produce, or whether specialized cultivation methods could increase its yield.

Those uncertainties had done nothing to diminish his interest.

He had already imagined constructing a heavily guarded cultivation facility around the tree, employing specialists to study its growth, and establishing a private distribution network through which every harvested fruit would pass.

With such an asset, he could negotiate directly with powerful Awakener organizations, influence important commercial agreements, and establish relationships with individuals who ordinarily wouldn’t consider dealing with him.

More importantly, he could determine who received the fruits and who didn’t.

The thought alone was enough to make him unwilling to abandon the opportunity.

"What about the Beyond expeditions?" the man asked, picking up another document. "I authorized four separate search teams. Surely one of them has discovered something useful."

The subordinate shook his head cautiously. "Three teams are still operating, sir. The fourth returned after encountering powerful Beyond Monsters. They suffered several casualties and were forced to abandon their equipment."

"Then replace their losses and send them back," the man ordered, placing the document aside. "I didn’t spend millions assembling those teams so they could return whenever they encountered something dangerous."

"Sir, without more precise information, continuing the search could become extremely expensive," the subordinate replied. "The wilderness regions involved are enormous, and there are countless locations where the tree might be concealed."

The man stared at him coldly.

"Then we need better information," he answered. "Which brings us back to the failure of our interrogation."

The subordinate immediately lowered his gaze.

The man reached for a separate folder containing the information recovered from Odhran.

The interrogation had provided valuable details about the Palladium Fruit expedition, including the identities of its participants and the existence of the tree itself.

However, the most important information had remained inaccessible.

Its exact location.

Despite Lucien Veyr’s involvement, the restrictions protecting certain memories had proven impossible to overcome through the methods employed.

The man found that particularly infuriating because he had paid an extraordinary amount for Veyr’s services.

"Has Lucien contacted us again?" he asked, opening the folder.

"His representatives have requested the remaining payment," the subordinate answered. "They insist that the agreed services were completed and that the inaccessible memories were protected by restrictions beyond the scope of their agreement."

The man released a humorless chuckle.

"Completed? He failed to obtain the one piece of information I actually needed," he replied, closing the folder. "Tell his representatives that I’ll consider the remaining payment when they provide something useful."

"Understood, sir," the subordinate answered, making a note.

The man rose from his chair and approached the windows, looking down at the expensive vehicles moving through the streets below.

His problems extended beyond the failed interrogation.

The operation against the surviving expedition participants had begun attracting unwanted attention.

Several safehouses had been compromised, numerous operatives had disappeared, and Corvin’s capture had deprived the organization of an experienced Awakener.

Worse, Adesewa and the other survivors had begun investigating the financial arrangements supporting the assassination attempts.

He had expected the expedition participants to scatter once the attacks began, allowing his people to isolate them individually.

Instead, they had gathered together and organized a counteroffensive.

"What about Adesewa’s group?" the man asked, turning away from the windows.

"They remain together, sir," the subordinate answered. "Their security arrangements have improved considerably, and our surveillance teams have encountered difficulties monitoring their movements."

"And the younger Awakener? Jethro Saint-Clair?"

"He’s still in Zenith, sir," the subordinate replied. "However, our previous attempts involving him have failed, and further operations would require a different approach."

The man returned to his desk, his expression thoughtful.

He disliked how much trouble the survivors had caused, particularly considering the resources already committed to eliminating them.

One participant had sold a fruit and exposed himself through the Black Exchange. Others had survived attacks that should have killed them. And now the remaining members were becoming increasingly difficult to approach.

The entire operation was taking considerably longer than anticipated.

"Perhaps we should reconsider our immediate objectives," the subordinate suggested cautiously. "If we concentrated on recovering the Palladium Fruits already harvested, we could obtain substantial returns without continuing these expensive searches."

The man slowly raised his head.

"Recovering the fruits?" he repeated.

"Yes, sir," the subordinate answered. "Even a small number would provide enough capital to strengthen our organization. We could resume searching for the tree once the situation becomes more favorable."

For several moments, the man simply stared at him.

Then he laughed.

It wasn’t a particularly pleasant sound.

"Tell me something," the man said, rising from his chair again. "If someone offered you the choice between purchasing several gold bars and acquiring ownership of the mine that produces them, which would you choose?"

"The mine, naturally," the subordinate answered.

"Then why are you suggesting that I settle for a few Palladium Fruits when an entire Palladium Tree exists somewhere in the Beyond?" the man demanded, his expression hardening. "Those fifty-seven fruits are valuable, certainly. But they’re finite. Once they’re consumed or sold, they’re gone. The tree is the source."

He approached the subordinate, stopping directly before him.

"I already have money," the man continued, gesturing toward the luxurious office. "I have properties, businesses, investments, and enough connections to live comfortably for the rest of my life. Do you seriously believe I’m doing all this because I want another few billion Union Dollars?"

The subordinate shook his head. "No, sir."

"Then understand this," the man said firmly. "I want the tree itself. I want complete control over its fruits, its cultivation, and everything it produces. I want powerful organizations to come to me whenever they need Palladium Fruits, and I want the authority to decide whether they receive them."

The subordinate remained silent.

"That’s what we’re pursuing," the man continued. "Not a temporary fortune, but something capable of giving us influence that ordinary money cannot purchase."

He returned to his chair and opened a secure communication terminal.

"Contact our higher-level contractors," he instructed. "Find out who’s available and what they’ll require to accept a new assignment."

The subordinate’s expression changed. "Sir, those individuals are considerably more expensive than the operatives we’ve employed so far."

"I’m aware," the man answered impatiently.

"And their objectives?" the subordinate asked.

The man considered the question before responding.

Killing the remaining expedition participants would remove potential threats, but it would also eliminate people who might still possess information concerning the tree’s location.

He couldn’t afford to lose every possible source.

"Capture is the priority," he decided. "I want at least one expedition participant brought to me alive. Someone who can withstand an extended interrogation."

The subordinate nodded. "Understood, sir."

"Also, prepare a complete assessment of their associates and family members," the man added, returning his attention to the terminal. "I want to know who they’re protecting, where those people live, and how closely they’re guarded."

The subordinate hesitated briefly before bowing. "I’ll have the information prepared."

After dismissing him, the man remained seated behind his desk, examining a photograph of a Palladium Fruit displayed on the terminal.

He had already invested too much to withdraw now.

The survivors could strengthen their defenses, investigate his intermediaries, and eliminate as many operatives as they pleased.

None of it would change what he wanted.

Somewhere in the Beyond, a Palladium Tree remained hidden, and until he possessed it, the operation would continue.

The man closed the photograph and reached for his coffee, already considering how much more he was willing to spend.