Chapter 174 - 173: The Most Venomous Man’s Heart

Yvonne Lowell glanced at the six big, pleading Kazran eyes across from her and smiled teasingly.

"If you want to pet him, you’ll need his permission. Asking me won’t help. But I should warn you, he won’t even let Old Man Jennings and his crew touch him these days. The fact that a pretty girl like me got to touch him this time is already a miracle."

Ian Lynch and Warren Lynch’s hearts sank. If the beast wouldn’t even let Miss Jennings or Young Master Jacobs touch him, they had absolutely no chance.

But Nolan Crawford, ever persistent, called out to it anyway.

"Leogryph, can... can your uncle pet you?"

"Get lost!"

Leo Grant and Yvonne Lowell cursed in unison. ’Shameless bastards, every one of them, trying to pull the family card, huh?!’

Nolan Crawford paid them no mind. Getting yelled at was his life’s destiny, anyway.

His eyes remained glued to the Leogryph. "Leogryph?"

But the Leogryph completely ignored him, not even bothering to turn its head. All anyone could hear was the heavy sound of its breathing.

’What should I do?! This big kitty is so cool and aloof, it just makes me want to pet him even more!!!’

’And that fluffy lion head looks so perfect for squishing!!!’

Nolan Crawford took a tentative step in its direction, slowly extending his hand.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, the Leogryph whipped its head around and fixed him with a death stare.

Yvonne Lowell leaned back on the sofa, crossed her legs, and watched the scene with casual amusement.

’Some people never learn until they hit a wall. Fine, let him try. One false move and he’ll be silenced for good.’

Nolan Crawford gritted his teeth and forced his trembling legs to take another step forward.

The Leogryph rose to its feet, baring its massive fangs as if sizing up its next meal.

It looked as if it would lunge and rip his throat out if he dared take another step.

A sudden chill ran down Nolan Crawford’s spine. He snatched his hand back and flopped onto the nearest sofa with a THUMP.

"I... I wasn’t planning on touching you! It’s just too crowded over there. I was just, uh, looking for a new spot to sit. Heh heh... A new spot..."

"BWAHAHAHAHA..."

Seeing Nolan Crawford’s pathetic retreat, Yvonne Lowell burst into merciless laughter.

Leo Grant shot him a weary look. ’All talk, no game, but loves to cause trouble.’ He suddenly wondered how he’d ever ended up friends with this guy.

Nolan Crawford shot Yvonne Lowell a wounded look. "Stop laughing. Your happiness is noisy."

"Oh, my apologies. My vocal cords malfunctioned for a second."

Yvonne Lowell instantly stifled her laughter, but her grin still stretched from ear to ear. She gave an innocent shrug.

’If your "apology" had been even a tiny bit more sincere, I might have believed it. And what the hell does "vocal cords malfunctioned" even mean?! Just look at that grin!! Do you take me for a fool?!’

Her expression screamed back: ’I absolutely do~’

Whatever. Nolan Crawford decided not to dwell on it.

As the saying goes, persistence wears down resistance. And a good nephew, he figured, couldn’t resist a persistent uncle.

He was confident that one day, his dear grand-nephew would accept him!

The Leogryph’s thought: ’Before you get a chance to pester me, I’ll kill you and use your bones as a toothpick!’

Nolan Crawford cycled through despair, sorrow, and renewed determination, finally managing to talk himself back into a good mood.

He turned to gossiping with Yvonne Lowell. "Yvonne, I didn’t realize you had business ventures here in Continent N. With LY based in Continent Q, I figured that’s where you’d focus your efforts."

Yvonne Lowell knew he wasn’t talking about her legitimate businesses like Pluto. She regarded him with an enigmatic smile.

"I do have a few minor ventures here in Continent N."

’She wondered if he’d still worship his never-met idol once he learned the truth.’

Leo Grant’s gaze flickered. ’Felt like there was more to that statement than she was letting on.’

Nolan Crawford was a bit baffled by her look but didn’t overthink it. He pouted.

"Oh, give me a break. This is an underground auction house! ’Minor ventures’ my ass! You can’t keep a place like this in line without some serious muscle. Are you treating me like an idiot?"

"You saw right through me? Was I that obvious?" Yvonne Lowell feigned surprise, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Damn it!"

Ignoring Nolan Crawford’s twisted, wounded expression, Yvonne Lowell nudged Leo Grant.

"You didn’t come all the way to Continent N just for an auction, did you?"

"Mm. The Grants have a partner here, so I came mainly to discuss business. The auction was just a coincidence, so I thought I’d come see what the fuss was about."

Leo Grant squeezed her palm, his tone teasing. "I never expected to have the honor of meeting the owner of this underground auction—and an old acquaintance, no less."

’He’d been planning to invite her over to Continent R for a visit once he got back to the Shadow Pavilion. Instead, she’d been the one to surprise him.’

Yvonne Lowell rolled her eyes. "Give me a break. It’s just a small auction house. Is it really worthy of the great Pavilion Master of the Shadow Pavilion’s notice?"

The peanut gallery couldn’t help but twitch their lips. ’Does she have a skewed definition of ’small’?! Could she please stop with the humblebragging!?’

Leo Grant nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "Of course. It means my future as a kept man is that much more secure."

The peanut gallery: ’You’re not allowed to humblebrag either!!!’

’Although... compared to her, you really do look like you’re the one mooching. Fine... ^_^’

Leo Grant: ’You wish you could be a kept man, but you can’t. ^_^’

"Don’t worry," Yvonne said. "I can support you even without this auction house."

Suddenly, something occurred to her. Yvonne Lowell’s eyes gleamed as she added, "Oh, right. I heard you took care of Lawrence and turned over the X Alliance’s main headquarters to Interpol?"

’Yvonne Lowell had only heard about it yesterday. She hadn’t taken things that far herself—she’d only had Moonshadow’s people hijack a few X Alliance shipments and blow up their drug manufacturing plants.’

’Leo Grant, on the other hand, was far more ruthless. He’d had Lawrence killed, left the rest for dead, seized more than half their territory, and then sold out all the stragglers who were barely hanging on.’

’The most venomous heart belongs to a man, indeed. The ancients were right all along!’

"I’m a law-abiding citizen," Leo said. "My people just so happened to stumble upon Lawrence’s body by the roadside."

Leo Grant shrugged. "And as for the X Alliance, isn’t it our civic duty to expose criminals and cooperate with the police? They even gave me a commendation banner for it."

Yvonne Lowell’s lips twitched. ’Fine. Whatever you say, Mr. Law-Abiding Citizen.’

"Well then, congratulations, President Grant. Your underground empire has expanded yet again."

"It was all thanks to Miss Lowell for saving my life and for her interrogation skills. I was merely riding on your coattails," Leo Grant replied, matching her formal tone.

Ignoring his playful antics, Yvonne Lowell turned to look down at the now-concluded auction and the dispersing crowd.

she asked, "When are you leaving? Don’t you have to get back to the Shadow Pavilion?"

"The business meeting is tomorrow at noon. Barring any surprises, I’ll leave the day after."

Yvonne Lowell nodded, understanding. She fell silent, lost in her own thoughts.

Leo Grant turned to her, his eyes full of unconcealed hope. "Are you finished with your business here? Want to come with me?"