Leo was standing before the Zebrodia Branch of the Lionel Family's Bank. It was said to be the most important branch of the Lionel Bank, even though it wasn't the main Headquarters.

Above this was only the Main Branch. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to reach that place. That was the place where only the most important clients of the Lionel Bank were taken.

To get there, one had to know the precise coordinates of the branch as it was created in a special dimension of its own.

Even the Galactic Union didn't know the co-ordinates, which were kept by the Head of the Lionel Family who personally escorted the important clients there.

So if one was important enough to be greeted by the Lionel Family Head, they would be taken to that place.

That was the core of the Lionel Family where that family's main treasures were kept, including most of their valuable artefacts and even rare resources.

It was also the place where the collaterals taken from the Warlords in exchange for their loans were kept.

Leo could destroy the Lionel Family, but he wanted more. He wanted to infiltrate the Main Branch of the Lionel Family, take the collateral, blow up that place and watch the Lionel Family fall apart.

The Lionel Family that gave loans to everyone... He wanted to see the day where that family was running from the people it gave loans to... The day where that family would have to beg for loans...

The day when he would finally take the main culprit from that family to Picollo and make them ask for forgiveness, only to receive none.

Unfortunately, there was only one problem. He couldn't find the main headquarters since only one person knew how to reach that place, and that person rarely left his home.

"It's a long term project. But before I get to that point, shall I take some interest from that family?"

Leo walked towards the entrance of the Zebrodia Branch, even as there were drones flying all over the sky, measuring every activity in the surroundings.

Fortunately, the bank wasn't closed today. So he could easily enter the place, pretending to be a potential client.

Instead of stopping him, the guards of Zebrodia Branch even opened the door for him, allowing him to enter comfortably.

"Hello Sir, how may I help you today?"

Inside the branch, Leo was greeted by a service representative who was acting extremely professionally even before confirming Leo's identity, or if he was even wealthy enough to afford services of the Lionel Bank.

"I am here to take a loan, on a collateral," Leo told the woman, acting like he really didn't want to do this if he didn't have to.

"Ah, I understand. Please follow me. I will take you to our loan department."

The woman escorted Leo, inwardly laughing at Leo's conditions that he was so broke that he even had to put his precious things as collateral.

Although the Zebrodia Branch dealt with many high quality clients that did the same to take a loan, they rarely looked that hesitant.

Leo was brought to the Plan Department. And before he could even step through the door, he felt a scanning device come out of the wall to scan his face.

Despite knowing that something like this was going to be here, Leo didn't care. He didn't even use any disguise, and came with his real looks. It was as if he wanted the world to know that he was here.

That was true as well. It was because he wanted Fiona to know that he was behind it. She would know that he did it, but she couldn't prove how he did it, just like every other time.

And this time, he wasn't going into hiding. He wanted the people that had caused a massacre at the Alpha Labs to come out.

Unfortunately, finding those people was hard. They had probably already gone into hiding, leaving no traces that could help him find them.

That's why, there was only one solution. He had to make Fiona send them to him. He had to create the same conditions again where she would be forced to send them to finish what they started.

And this time, the target would be him. He was placing himself as bait, a bait that Fiona could never refuse after what he was going to do now.

Instead of finding the killers, he would bring the killers to himself. That was the answer he had come up with after thinking for long and hard.

"Mr. Leo Vanderlen, if I'm not wrong, didn't you already apply for a loan with us? The loan application was being handled by Lady Fiona personally. So what brought you here today?"

As soon as the scanning was completed, the door opened and a man's voice came.

"That was for a different loan. This is for a different loan. Since it's a small loan, which isn't connected to the Alpha Corp, I didn't want to trouble Lady Fiona."

Leo stepped inside the office, which was freezing for some reason.

"Oh, Please take a seat then." The man, whose skin was glistening like snow flecks, gestured.

Leo, without hesitation took a seat.

"I need only fifty thousand credits as a loan. That's why I felt a little embarrassed to go to Lady Fiona. As I was nearby, I thought it was much better to approach this place."

Leo pulled the emerald ring from his finger and placed it on the table before the manager.

"I am even willing to put this as collateral. I need those credits urgently."

"Hmm..." The manager picked up the ring from the table. He was a little suspicious. Why would someone like Leo need only fifty thousand credits?

"As you know, there was an accident at my lab. And my Lead Researcher is in a hospital, fighting between life and death. I don't have any free credits at hand, and selling more stocks will take time."

"I urgently need some credits to pay for the hospital fee. After I sell my stocks, I will pay you back as well."

"Why don't you just place a few stocks as collateral then? That would make things much easier," the Manager said, not even trying to hide his grin.

'That greedy bastard,' Leo scoffed, but he had already expected this question. He even had an answer prepared.

"I would if I could. But as per our equity structure, I can't sell any shares without approval of all board members. That would take time, since I will have to call for a board meeting. That's why I could only put my personal belongings as collateral for now."

"Tch," The Manager clicked his tongue, but he couldn't find any flaws in these words. In some companies, there were clauses like that, which were made to protect the company balance structure from outsiders.

He picked up a device and tapped the gem on the ring to find out which gem it had, or if it was even worth it.

However, as soon as the device tip touched the ring, a loud deafening noise came from the device which in the end started showing error, as it failed to detect the gem.

'Hmm? Strange. It should be able to recognise every gem that has been discovered and recorded. Could it be that this gem is undiscovered. In that case, wouldn't it be worth a lot...?'

The Manager thought, the greed on his face beyond something that could be hidden.

"Cough, it looks like a very useless gem. It's barely worth anything, but since you're in urgent need, I will help you this one time. But as I said, this ring isn't worth fifty thousand credits. So if you do want that loan, I'll have to charge a really high interest rate besides the ring."

"H-how high?" Leo asked.

"Fifty percent interest rate every hour! And it's incremental!" The Manager said without even the slightest of hesitation.

In his eyes, Leo was a fool who didn't know the value of this ring.

If he could take this ring as collateral for the bank with a high interest rate, this fool would never come back to take the collateral since the interest and even the loan would be beyond the worth of this ring in his eyes.

That way, the Zebrodia Branch can legally own this ring, and if he told this to the superiors, he might even be promoted! He was already counting the money and increment he would get with his promotion

"So, do you want the loan? Or do you want your employee to die?!" He exclaimed, trying to scare Leo even more.

"I-i want the loan! If I can save his life, I'll do anything." Leo exclaimed after hesitating for a long time, as he signed the documents with absurdly high interest rates.

And just like that, the deal was completed. The Manager was left laughing alone in his room, playing with the ring.

He personally went to keep the ring in the treasury with other valuables.

Meanwhile, there was one other person who was smiling as he walked out of the Zebrodia Branch.

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