Sentence:  When he, at Neergard's <WSD>cynical</WSD> suggestion, had consented to exploit his own club...and had consented to resign from it to do so, he had every reason to believe that Neergard meant to either mulct them heavily or buy them out. In either case, having been useful to Neergard, his profits from the transaction would have been considerable. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.