CHAPTER 23: PRS 23

To get to know Isabella Clark better, as information about her remained elusive, Alesio Xander finally requested a face-to-face meeting. The chosen venue was a café owned by Isabella on Jalan Pahlawan, Kota XX.

And here they were now, sitting face to face, discussing a major collaboration that had yet to reach a compromise.

The aura of intimidation Alesio exuded was strong. Even Alexo and Siva, who were also present in the room, felt incredibly oppressed. It was as if the air had suddenly thinned, making it almost impossible for them to breathe. They both remained silent, trying not to get caught up in the growing tension.

But Isabella was different. The 22-year-old looked calm. There wasn’t a hint of fear on her face.

Alesio glared at her. "You’re quite brave to sit so casually in front of me, Miss Clark. Do you know who I am? Do you know how many people tremble when faced with me? Even big businessmen don’t dare speak as frankly as you are now. But you... you seem so calm. Aren’t you afraid at all?"

Isabella smiled faintly. "Of course I know. Everyone in XX City knows the great name of Alesio Xander. But why should I be afraid? Aren’t we talking about cooperation, not threats? Besides, if I were afraid, why would I invite you to my place? This is my territory, Mr. Alesio. I’ve considered everything before deciding to meet with you. And I’m sure you’re a rational person too. You wouldn’t do something stupid that would harm yourself, right?"

Alexo swallowed, unable to believe Isabella dared to answer so firmly. Normally, anyone would have trembled in front of their boss.

Phoenix System Interrupted

Isabella was grateful. The Phoenix System accompanying her gave her a great boost to control her fear.

[Of course, Host. If I hadn’t upgraded your mental state earlier, you might be shivering by now. Remember, the Phoenix System’s survival rests entirely on you.] As long as you survive, I will survive.]

Isabella stared blankly for a moment, then muttered softly, "So my life depends on you, Phoenix? You mean, if I fail, you’ll disappear too? What will happen to you if I can’t complete this mission well?"

[That’s right. If Host continues to improve, the Phoenix System will also level up. Conversely, if Host fails to improve, I will weaken and eventually disappear. So, our interests are the same, Host. We must support each other to survive and thrive together.]

"What do I need for you to improve?" Isabella whispered, looking at Alesio to make it seem like a casual conversation. "How long will it take to reach the next level?"

[Host must upgrade your skills to 100 percent and accumulate 1,000 points. If that is achieved, I will advance to level 2. That way, there will be additional features to make your life easier. Those features will be very useful, Host. You can gain sharper analytical skills, stronger business intuition, and perhaps even the ability to read a person’s character with just a glance. All of that will help you deal with people like Alesio Xander more easily.]

Isabella took a deep breath. "A thousand points isn’t a small amount if you only rely on daily check-ins. That would take months. Isn’t there a faster way?"

[Calm down. If this special mission is successful, there’s a mysterious reward that could be a large amount of points... or even a fantastic sum of cash. It could be hundreds of millions, or even billions of rupiah. But of course, the bigger the reward, the greater the challenge. The Host must be prepared for any eventuality.]

Isabella’s eyes glinted, determined.

Negotiations Begin

"The problem," Isabella thought, "is that this man in front of me is very difficult to convince. His mindset is stubborn, as if the world must follow his rules."

As if in response, Isabella’s phone, lying on the table, suddenly rang. She picked it up, listening to the voice on the other end.

"This is from Lulass Corporation. All decisions are Mr. Alesio’s. If he agrees to cooperate, not only in City XX, but also the land in the City of Heroes and the City of Students will automatically become the company’s property. However, if this opportunity is missed, we will hand over the land in the City of Students to the MGS Group. If that happens... you know the consequences. Lulass Corporation will never be able to set foot there. We are not playing around with this threat. We have prepared a contract with the MGS Group as a backup. Just wait for Mr. Alesio’s decision. We give him until this afternoon. After that, this opportunity will never come again."

Isabella hung up the phone and looked at Alesio. "You heard it yourself, right? I’m just an intermediary.

It all depends on your decision, Mr. Alesio. I’m not forcing anything. This is purely business. You decide whether to take this opportunity or let it fall into the hands of your competitors."

Alesio’s eyebrows rose, a sneer curling into his lips. "You’re quite cunning, Miss Clark. But you should know, I never accept pressure from anyone. If you want to cooperate, first change the percentages you’re proposing. The 30-70 ratio you’re offering is too disadvantageous for me. I’m not someone who likes being disadvantaged, especially by a young woman new to the business world like you."

Isabella was just as quick to chime in, "Very well. 35-65, final. If it still fails, I’ll decide to partner with the MGS Group. They might even give me a 50-50 split, especially if they know you’re also after it. They’d be thrilled to get their hands on this strategic piece of land. So... choose now. Time is ticking, Mr. Alesio." Every second you waste thinking is an advantage for your competitors."

Alexo stared at his boss with cold sweat. He couldn’t believe a young girl could pressure Alesio to such an extent.

Inwardly, Alesio snorted. "Damn! I never thought I’d be defeated so easily by this girl. But I have to admit, she’s a master strategist. She knows my weaknesses. She knows I don’t want to lose that strategic ground to the MGS Group."

Finally, with a heavy voice, he nodded. "Okay. Alexo, prepare a draft of the cooperation agreement. Make sure all the important points are clearly stated. I don’t want any problems later."

Alexo stood up hastily. "Yes... yes, sir!" He immediately turned on the printer and printed the prepared draft.

Digging Up Old Wounds

Alesio looked at Isabella once more, trying to regain his dignity. "Besides your tempting offer, there’s another reason I accepted this partnership. My grandfather. Think of it as a thank you for saving his life. Without your help back then, I might have lost the most precious person in my life."

Isabella frowned. "Grandpa? Whose grandfather are you referring to, Mr. Alesio?"

"Yes. The old man who was trapped in a car on the XX City highway a few days ago, before the car exploded. That’s my grandfather," Alesio explained. "You helped him out of the car just before the explosion. I owe you a great debt."

Isabella’s eyes widened, her memory returning. "Oh... so it was that old man. Poor man, he was almost out of breath. His face was pale, his lips bluish. I even thought he was beyond help. But thankfully, I managed to get him out just in time. A few seconds later, it would have been too late."

Her tone was sincere, making Alesio pause for a moment.

"You should have been more considerate, Mr. Alesio," Isabella continued softly but firmly. "At that age, driving alone on long trips is dangerous. At least provide a driver and a bodyguard. Money can’t replace a life." No matter how much wealth you have, nothing can buy back a life that’s already been lost. I know your grandfather was probably independent and didn’t like to depend on others. But safety is far more important than ego or the desire for independence."

Alesio sighed heavily. "My grandfather was stubborn. He didn’t like company. He always said he was still strong and didn’t need anyone’s help. Every time I offered him a driver or bodyguard, he always vehemently refused. He said he didn’t want to feel old and weak."

"Even so, you’re still his grandson. You have responsibilities. Watching over him from afar is fine. I always carry a bodyguard myself. The world isn’t always safe. At least with a guard, bad things can be prevented before it’s too late. You don’t have to wait until something fatal happens to regret it. Prevention is always better than regret, Mr. Alesio."

Alesio’s eyes narrowed, his tone rising. "Are you blaming me? Do you think I don’t care about my grandfather? Do you think I’m an irresponsible grandson?"

Isabella quickly shook her head. "No. "I don’t dare blame, Your Honor, Mr. Alesio. I’m simply offering a suggestion. If it’s accepted, I’ll be grateful. If not, it’s no problem. But remember, prevention is better than regret. I just don’t want you to experience deep regret if something happens to your grandfather. Believe me, losing someone we love is a pain that never goes away."

Those words struck Alesio right in the heart.

Alexo and Siva, who had been waiting in the corner of the room, were stunned. They hadn’t expected Isabella to have the courage to reprimand their boss so harshly.

Usually, even Alexa—Alesio’s own mother—never dared to reprimand him directly like that.

Siva whispered to Alexo, "Isn’t he afraid of being destroyed by Mr. Alesio? He’s truly brave. I would never dare speak to the boss like that."

Alexo shrugged, his face pale. "I don’t even know why the boss is still silent and not angry. Usually, anyone who dares to reprimand him like that gets a full-on beating. But now... he’s just keeping quiet. How strange."

Meanwhile, Isabella remained sitting upright. Her face was calm, even though her heart was beating rapidly. The Phoenix System whispered in her ear again:

[Good job, Host. You’ve managed to pressure the enemy without losing your authority. This is a good start to winning more points. Keep going like this. Don’t let him dominate the conversation. You must remain in control of the situation. Remember, in negotiations, whoever is calmer wins.]

Isabella smiled faintly. "I will keep going. Because behind every agreement, there is a great power that will change my life. I won’t stop here. This is just the beginning. I have so much more to achieve."