The Cothor Group's logo is an uppercase letter "X" with a square surrounding it on all sides. At the entrance, the security guard stood at attention and saluted the two individuals. They entered the lobby, and Drake led Irumi towards the direction of the elevator. There was a security gate in front of the elevator that required an employee card from the Cothor Group to gain access. However, Drake simply asked the receptionist for an employee card.
*Beep!*
The security gate lit up with a green light as Drake stepped aside, gesturing for Irumi to enter first.
"After you, guest."
Irumi calmly passed through the security gate, while Drake took out his own employee card and swiped it on the gate after passing through. He then returned the card to the receptionist.
"Thanks, Arthene. I'll treat you to dinner tonight."
Drake blew a kiss to the receptionist, but she remained expressionless, not even looking at him.
"So cold."
Drake shrugged, feeling disappointed, and followed Irumi's footsteps to the elevator. Once inside the elevator, Drake pressed the button for the 50th floor. Irumi thought that the 50th floor was likely where the chairman's office was located. The elevator was a high-speed one, moving at an extremely fast pace. As they stood inside, Irumi could hear a buzzing sound in his ears.
Soon, after approximately a minute, the elevator "dinged" and came to a stop. The doors opened.
"Follow me."
Drake stepped out of the elevator first, and Irumi followed closely behind. They passed through several spacious conference rooms and finally arrived in front of a solid wood door with a sign indicating the chairman's office.
Drake casually knocked on the door twice, and without waiting for a response from inside, he pushed the door open.
"We're coming in~."
After entering, he found a sofa and lay down on it without a care. The office's decor was not luxurious or extravagant but rather simple. However, the few pieces of office furniture and decorations inside were clearly expensive. Facing Irumi as he entered the office was a majestic solid wood desk situated in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. Behind the desk was a chair with its back turned towards Irumi.
"Mr Drake, you were quite rude in front of the chairman."
Next to the desk, a secretary-like blonde woman pushed her gold-rimmed glasses up and looked at Drake, her expression serious.
"Oh, don't say that, Cristina-chan~"
"I don't need those cumbersome formalities between me and the chairman."
Drake sat up and looked at the blonde secretary with a mischievous smile.
"Don't be too impolite in front of guests, Drake."
At this moment, the person sitting on the office chair with their back towards the door spoke up and slowly turned around.
"Nice to meet you. I am Eddison Cothor, Chairman of the Cothor Group."
Irumi looked at the middle-aged man's face, which was covered in wrinkles. He had black hair and a large pompadour, a cigar in his mouth, and wore a high-end watch and a suit jacket. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be around forty years old and exuded a domineering aura. There was also a layer of light blue smoke, representing calmness, composure, rationality, and caution.
"Apologies for inviting you amidst your busy schedule… Mr Irumi Zoldyck."
Eddison tapped his cigar on the ashtray with his index and middle fingers, placed it on top, and clasped his hands together in front of his chest.
"You are well aware of my identity, Mr. Chairman."
Irumi took measured steps towards Eddison and stopped in front of the desk, his expression neutral.
While the Zoldyck family was well-known, that knowledge was limited to people who had reached a certain social status. Ordinary people didn't have the qualifications to know; even if they did, they probably wouldn't believe it.
"Killing, or being killed?"
Eddison chuckled lightly in response.
Then, he focused his gaze on Irumi, and his expression gradually became serious.
"Conflict."
"Mr. Irumi, in your opinion, what is the best way to resolve conflicts?"
"To kill."
Irumi Zoldyck spoke up straightforwardly.
"Hahaha, you truly live up to being a member of the Zoldyck family known for their combat skills. You really embrace the style of an assassin," Eddison chuckled and laughed heartily. Then he became serious again and continued.
"In short, there are countless methods to resolve conflicts. Mediation, negotiation, persuasion, and among these methods, especially effective is..."
"Violence. To directly suppress opposing forces with superior violence."
"In this world, though it may seem prosperous on the surface, conflicts of blood debts and vengeance repeat day and night in the dark corners of the world. And the source of all this is nothing more than self-interest."
"Mutual coercion, deceit, hiring assassins, exhausting all means to kick competitors off the stage."
Eddison stared directly at Irumi with his eyes, his voice low.
"A month ago, the Cothor Group's sure-win project was snatched away by another company."
After Irumi listened to him talk for a while, he finally brought the conversation back on track, and he smiled.
"Understood."
"Hahaha... Mr Irumi, you truly are straightforward."
Eddison laughed out loud again and picked up the cigar that was resting on the ashtray.
"But as far as I know, Mr Irumi, you haven't achieved anything in the field of assassinations yet."
"I can kill Drake in a second."
Irumi's lips curved slightly, and Drake, who was lying on the sofa, looked surprised and came angrily to stand in front of Irumi.
"Don't think that just because you beat that waste Ivan Douglas, you can be so cocky..."
Before Drake finished his sentence, Irumi disappeared before his eyes with a swoosh.
*Bang!*
With a loud noise, when he realized it, he was already lying on the ground.
*Clap, clap, clap...*
Eddison applauded as he watched Irumi, who had effortlessly brought down Drake, in an instant.
"Truly deserving of the Zoldyck family known for their assassinations. Even as a young person, you're not someone ordinary can rival."
"Hey, I haven't even shown my true abilities yet!"
Drake was unwilling to accept it and stood up, challenging Irumi again. But Irumi paid him no attention, took out a piece of paper, and threw it towards Eddison.
"Transfer the money to this account."
"Also, give me the target's information."
The paper landed on the desk, and Eddison picked it up, glanced at it, and handed it to his secretary, nodding.
"No problem. The money and information have been prepared long ago."
The blonde secretary, Cristina, handed the target's information, already prepared in her arms, to Irumi, who stood in place and flipped through it for a while.
"In three days, you will receive news of his death."
"By then, transfer the money to my account."
After finishing speaking, Irumi walked towards the office door and disappeared from the sight of the three individuals.
"Is everything really okay?"
"Chairman."
Secretary Cristina looked at Eddison with a worried expression.
"Even if he is from the Zoldyck family, he's still just a young person."
Eddison didn't reply, took a deep breath of the cigar, exhaled a smoke ring, and smiled at the corner of his mouth.