Conflux System: I Can Merge Anything

Chapter 143: A Leader Learns To Accept

Dirty hands are a sign of clean money.

And the hand that was raised in the basement wasn’t dirty. Hardened, yes. But not dirty.

It was Hena’s hand as she put herself forward to solve the issue of money.

She wasn’t talkative and yet, she went out of the way to speak among so many people.

She went out of her comfort zone only to hear:

"I don’t want your money."

Zane outright refused her offer.

Her ever so stone face found expressions and they were of anger.

Xavier and the others dropped their shoulders as they really wanted Zane to accept the money.

They didn’t know why the man refused it in the first place.

Hena stepped forward.

"Why?" She asked.

She stood close to Zane and this time, he didn’t avert his eyes.

He looked at her straight.

"You saved Milo’s life. I am grateful for it. But I can’t take your money."

"Why?" Hena asked again. "I know you want it."

"Yes. I want it very badly," Zane said. "But I can’t take this money. It wouldn’t belong to me, I would belong to it. It would expect me to do things, and I would have to do them. Sit on the lid of the mess of Halocrats, the way others do, until dry rot sets in."

Hena frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

"My lady is offering you money and you have the guts to refuse it?" Draxus strided towards Zane as well.

He stood beside Hena.

Zane’s words went over the heads of everyone present in the basement.

He took a deep breath and ended up saying:

"I don’t know."

"There are no conditions for it." Hena pressed. "I don’t use the money. If your male ego is refusing to accept money from a girl, then take it as a loan. Return it to me when you have it."

Zane shook his head.

"It’s not about that. It’s just.."

Zane hesitated to say it.

He had a clear reason but he didn’t know how to say it.

Hena saved his life.

She was different but...

"I know why he is refusing." Jammy chimed in.

He stood beside Zane and held his shoulder.

"Come with me." He said.

Zane thought for a second but considering the seriousness of Jammy’s face, the gutterborn accepted.

Both men went to the corner of the room and Jammy whispered:

"Let me guess, you don’t want her money because she is a Halocrat?"

Zane gave a slow nod.

Jammy rolled his eyes.

"Kid, do you think it’s dirty money?"

"If it’s not, then what else?"

Jammy held both of Zane’s shoulders.

"Listen to me," He shook the young man.

"All money is dirty. If it were clean, nobody would want it."

"But she is a Halocrat."

"She used to be more than that, kid. If you knew about her you wouldn’t think twice before helping her."

"Then tell me about it."

"I don’t share the past of someone without them willing to. If she is comfortable, she will tell you herself. But let’s forget even that, she is a Halocrat and if we use her money then that’s even better."

"How?"

"Your fight is against them. So what could be the better way to fight them by using their own money? And you also know that she is different. She is hated by her own kind. She saved your life. She went against the Emberlord of all people for a gutterborn. Don’t downplay her sacrifice by refusing her money like this."

Zane held his head.

"But I don’t want her to owe me. She will bite me back."

"You already owe her, kid. Your life. Just like Xavier, Tesla and me saved you. She and her friend saved you as well. If not for her, you would be dead by that Enforcer’s flaming sword and Milo would be killed for being a demon.

Taking her money is nothing compared to the favor she did for you. And if she does bite you in future, I will make sure her teeth graze my skin first."

Jammy patted Zane’s head.

"Now come back. You are a leader. So act like one. If I keep pampering you every time, they will give your position to me."

The Janitor laughed and Zane ended up smiling as well.

Both of them came back to the center and Zane stood in front of Hena.

He looked in her big black eyes and without wasting any more time, he said:

"I accept."

Smiles erupted in the basement.

Draxus and Hena’s gaze softened.

"What did you do?" Xavier asked Jammy.

Jammy shrugged. "It seems only I have the brains to understand what he meant."

"Whatever."

Xavier was satisfied nevertheless.

He went to Hena.

"Alright. Give it."

Hena turned around and went to stand where she was standing before.

Xavier was left with his hand extended forward.

"Did she just ignore me?"

Draxus placed his hand on Xavier’s hand.

"No. She just exhausted her social interaction capacity for the day. And she doesn’t roam around with money. She can’t just give it like that. It’s in her house."

Xavier parted his lips.

He was about to curse Draxus for placing his hand on Xavier’s but Zane clapped his hands.

Attention came to him and Zane revealed the next steps.

"Me, Hena, Draxus, Xavier, and Jammy will go to Hena’s house, take money, buy weapons and other essentials, we will confirm if there is really rising corruption in Grey Bloom and after that, we will come back here."

"I want to go too." Milo came to Zane.

She held his fingers.

Zane sat on one knee.

"You already walked too much today. You need to rest. Stay with Tesla uncle. I will be back very soon. Don’t worry. I will bring you some candies. Okay?"

The corners of Milo’s lips dropped but the girl still said:

"Okay."

She couldn’t refuse Zane. And if she insisted then Zane would spend all his time looking out for her. She didn’t want that.

Her brother was in trouble and she would hate it to come in his way.

She went to Tesla and Tesla gave a nod to Zane.

Zane wanted to stop Tesla from spewing various noises in Milo’s ears but if it makes her laugh, Zane would allow it for a few more days.

The other followers also accepted Zane’s orders and now that everything was done, all of them faced the stairs.

"Let’s go."

Zane took the first step.

"Yeah."

Xavier followed closely and with a smile, he rubbed his hands

"Let’s get rich."

" ... "