Chapter 405 Negotiations between Lucius and Old Batty

"Point B is a small base where a five-member team lives. They are responsible for collecting and transmitting intelligence from our surrounding areas, and then sending it to another small town eighty kilometers away from here... The one in contact with them is also a gang. According to information obtained by Mad Dog, this gang is also owned by the Ulrich family." Drunkard reported to Yang Tian in detail.

"Very good, let them continue to monitor, especially the newly discovered gang. I want to see how deeply the Ulrich family is involved." Yang Tian murmured in a low voice: "If the Ulrich family is really a branch of Salok, I don't mind fighting a tough battle with them..." Although the voice was small, it was extremely firm.......

The events in Russia have not yet ended, but the struggle in Britain is still going on. On the 22nd night after Yang Tian and his group left, the night was deep and quiet. Suddenly, a knock on the door broke the silence.

"I didn't expect that Mr. Malfoy would take the initiative to visit me. This is really strange." After opening the door, old Barty Crouch expressed his surprise and sarcasm to the visitor without disguising it.

The person standing outside the door was Lucius Malfoy, and his appearance surprised old Barty.

"Mr. Crouch, please don't say that. After all, we are old acquaintances. Although our previous contacts were not that close, our friendship is still there, isn't it?" Lucius said with a smile, a shrewd light in his eyes.

"Oh? This is the first time I've discovered that Mr. Malfoy is a person who values ​​friendship so much." Old Barty replied with a smile, a hint of imperceptible cunning in his eyes.

"Look at what you said. After all, I have contributed a lot to your control of the Ministry of Magic and donated a lot of gold Galleons." Lucius' tone was flattering and fawning, completely different from his previous arrogance.

"Mr. Malfoy still cares about the Ministry of Magic as always. Not only does he provide a lot of financial support to various departments, but he also provides political help to the best of his ability for the Minister's proposals. You are really working hard." Old Barty was unmoved, and instead retorted with a sly retort.

"Mr. Crouch, I am only speaking the truth." Lucius's expression turned a little ugly, but he still tried to explain: "This is mainly due to Minister Fudge's position. It has nothing to do with anything else. After all, I am just a businessman."

"Merchant? More than that, right? Now some news has reached certain departments of the Ministry of Magic, and the rumors are very unfavorable to you." Crouch said with a malicious smile.

Hearing this, Lucius was shocked. He didn't expect the news to spread so quickly. The development of the matter seemed to be far beyond his imagination. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "I came here today to visit you, in fact, to talk to you about these rumors. I know that your position in the Ministry of Magic is very important, so I need to be the first to explain it to you."

Old Batty immediately understood what the other party meant, but at the same time he was a little confused. After all, Lucius had never been a member of his line, and he could even be described as an outcast; but now that something was wrong, he didn't think of contacting his allies, didn't think of contacting those who were more deeply involved with him, but instead came to him, an acquaintance? Wasn't this sinister guy afraid that he would expose all these things about him?

Lucius was not panicked at all when he saw the suspicious look of old Batty. He raised his mouth slightly and continued, "I know what you think, but what I want to say is that whether you believe it or not, I am really just a person who stays out of the world. Those things are just business to me, and everything I do is just to make money." Lucius's tone was calm and firm, as if he was making his position clear to old Batty. Then, he began to describe in detail his relationship with several other organizations and the transactions between them.

Old Barty listened quietly, his expression still serious. When Lucius finished speaking, he was silent for a moment, and asked coldly: "Mr. Malfoy, what you just said may have some truth. But as I said before, our relationship is not close. In this case, why should I believe what you say? After all, trust is not something that can be easily established."

"This is the result I had expected." There was a hint of bitterness in Lucius' tone, but he still said firmly: "But since I can come, I am sure that I can get your help."

As he spoke, he slowly took out a small and exquisite family emblem from his pocket and handed it over carefully: "This is a token of our family. As long as you can endorse me on this matter, I promise that the Malfoy family will do our best to help you three times. I mean to do our best, even if it means helping you ascend to the high position of Minister of Magic."

Old Barty narrowed his eyes slightly and examined the man in front of him. The next moment, he laughed, and there was even a hint of sarcasm in his laughter: "Oh? Is this your sincerity, Mr. Malfoy?"

If it were his former self, faced with such tempting conditions, he might have agreed to it with great joy, right? But now, with the change in his status and the advantages in various information, he could clearly feel the hypocrisy in it.

The Malfoy family has never been an honest family. They are good at taking advantage of every opportunity to seek the greatest benefits for themselves. As long as the conditions are not set too tightly, they may find an excuse at any time to cancel their previous promises.

Lucius Malfoy, once the most loyal Death Eater and known as Voldemort's right-hand man, was able to cleverly escape the blame after his master disappeared, and took over Voldemort's network resources and subordinates to seek huge benefits for himself. Is this the loyalty and commitment that the Malfoy family advocates?

"Mr. Malfoy, I have to say that your proposal is indeed very attractive, but the risks involved are too great. The three promises you mentioned sound vague and lack practical significance. You claim to support me to become the Minister of Magic, but who knows whether you will secretly support other candidates to restrain me? Or, while helping me to ascend to the throne of Minister of Magic, secretly place your confidants or members of evil organizations around me?" Old Barty showed a half-smile on his face, and continued, "I know you quite well, Mr. Malfoy. Perhaps some people will believe such promises easily, but I know very well that you are not the kind of person who makes promises easily and sticks to them. On the contrary, you will use these promises to seek more benefits for yourself."

Lucius stood up suddenly, with a very complicated look on his face...