Chapter 19: A Brief Crisis

Chapter 19: A Brief Crisis

On the top floor of the small building, a man in dark clothes, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with black hair and brown eyes, looked down at the arms transaction not far away for a while before finally being unable to hold himself back.

“He actually went to Mesanyes? Oh, Storms above, Alfred, if I’d known this earlier, we might as well have taken this mission ourselves. Even after deducting all kinds of expenses, we could have earned at least twenty thousand pounds!”

Beside this man stood a young man in a black windbreaker, twenty-three or twenty-four years old. His blond hair was radiant, his blue eyes were like a lake, and his looks were rather outstanding.

The man addressed as Alfred shook his head when he heard this.

“No. That would be too conspicuous. Mesanyes’s position has always been ambiguous. Before we clarify his attitude, rashly approaching him to discuss an arms transaction is an extremely dangerous matter. Dwayne Dantès can earn these twenty thousand pounds precisely because he dares take the risk.”

The black-haired, brown-eyed man immediately let out a “heh.”

“Alfred Hall, who dared lead a few dozen people to attack an army of over a thousand, is actually saying he doesn’t dare take a risk!”

Alfred glanced at him.

“Pagani, this isn’t the same thing. That time, it was because I was confident I could take out their command center. Once they lost organization, a thousand routed soldiers might not even be as formidable as a thousand pigs.

“In addition, this transaction itself is a kind of probe. It is part of establishing contact and laying down a ‘pipeline.’ If we complete it ourselves, then who do we find next time? And the time after that? If we keep doing this, our identity will eventually be exposed. That would put diplomacy in a passive position. Moreover, as the transactions deepen and expand, they might attract the attention of demigods from certain factions. That would be dangerous.”

“Haha.” Pagani laughed. “What demigod would have so much free time that they’d pay attention to such a small-scale arms transaction? Every faction only has so many demigods, and there are far too many things waiting for them to handle!”

“I know. I was only giving an example,” Alfred replied steadily.

Pagani no longer entangled himself in that matter. He shifted his gaze back toward Dwayne Dantès outside the warehouse.

“This gentleman is said to be very generous. Not long after arriving in Backlund, he donated shares worth over ten thousand pounds to the Church of Evernight. Is this what you often call an early-stage investment?

“Also, he seems to work at the same charity foundation as your sister. Tsk. Men like that are very popular with young ladies. Good-looking, outstanding bearing, brains, experience, methods—he has seen more women than can be counted, yet has reached the age where he should settle down. Alfred, you need to tell Audrey more often that a playboy will always be a playboy, and that poor character is a flaw that cannot be corrected in a lifetime. You cannot let Backlund’s most dazzling jewel be stolen away by such a fellow.”

Alfred turned his head and glared at Pagani.

“I do not need to worry about that kind of thing. Audrey is not an ignorant young girl. Her understanding of the world is far more mature than you imagine. Besides, my father and mother are both in Backlund. They have sufficient ability to prevent certain bad things from happening.”

At this point, Alfred looked toward the arms warehouse not far away, paused, and said,

“The person Mesanyes sent is actually Haggis. I’ll go greet him.”

This doesn’t seem like the right time to meet… Pagani was just about to speak when Alfred had already turned and gone down the stairs.

…

Klein, in the appearance of Dwayne Dantès, had brought no servant. Holding his gold-inlaid cane himself, he stood with Mesanyes’s representative, Haggis, outside the warehouse, watching crate after crate of arms being carried out and loaded onto carriages.

At this moment, he seemed to sense something. He half turned and cast his gaze toward the other side.

What entered his eyes was a young man without a hat, wearing a windbreaker. His golden hair was combed diagonally back, and his blue eyes were like a lake beneath a clear sky. His figure was tall, slender, and well-proportioned. Every movement naturally emitted an indescribable sense of authority. Even without soldiers surrounding him, the meaning of power was presented directly.

“Alfred!” Haggis also noticed this gentleman and called out in slight surprise.

Alfred… Miss Justice’s second brother… This feeling is very much like the Arbiter pathway… Klein raised his right hand, removed the top hat from his head, and pressed it to his chest in greeting.

After Alfred Hall greeted Haggis, he turned to Dwayne Dantès.

“Your character is widely praised in Backlund. Even I, who am in East Balam, have heard of it.”

Character? The character of an arms dealer? Klein muttered inwardly, then chuckled.

“I merely did what I believed should be done.”

Alfred nodded.

“I don’t think I need to introduce myself. Haggis should have told you about me.”

“Yes, Colonel Hall.” Klein smiled in response. “Only after coming here did I learn that Miss Audrey has an elder brother stationed on the Southern Continent, serving in the army and establishing no small number of merits.”

Alfred’s gaze swept over Dwayne Dantès’s face. He changed the subject.

“I originally thought you would take the opportunity to work at the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation. I didn’t expect you to choose to come to the Southern Continent.”

Klein maintained his smile.

“For an outsider, if one wants to truly enter the original circles, relying solely on donations, charity, banquets, and dancing is very difficult.”

Alfred gave a soft “mm.”

“Very rational.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he turned to Haggis and asked,

“What happened in Kukwa City recently? It seemed rather serious.”

Haggis piled on a smile.

“I’m not clear on the details. At the time, all of us hid underground beneath the general’s residence. Only afterward did I hear people say that there had been a thunderstorm in the area around Resurrection Square.”

“A thunderstorm?” Alfred’s gaze shifted to Dwayne Dantès once more.

Klein nodded.

“Indeed. The hotel where I stayed was not too far from Resurrection Square. I saw continuous lightning striking that place. All of it happened in broad daylight.”

Alfred’s gaze moved back to Haggis.

“What was the final scene like?”

“Most of the area had collapsed and shattered. Traces of lightning strikes were everywhere.” Haggis made no attempt to conceal anything.

Alfred nodded lightly, pointed to the side, and said to Haggis and Dwayne Dantès,

“I still have some matters. We can speak again if there is another chance.”

“Until next time,” Klein replied politely, as if he were at a social occasion rather than outside an arms warehouse.

He was about to watch Alfred Hall leave when his body moved slightly, and his head suddenly turned to the other side.

…

Inside a primeval jungle found everywhere across East and West Balam, a figure slowly outlined itself, bending at the waist and back.

He had a fleshy face, brownish skin, loose clothing, a rapier at his waist, and a silver-white mask in his hand.

After looking left and right, the figure slowly straightened. It was none other than Hell Admiral Ludwell, who had previously entered the Underworld.

However, at this moment, two balls of blood-red flame burned inside his eye sockets, completely different from before.

“So hungry…” Ludwell’s mouth opened, releasing a sigh that seemed to come from within his chest.

He then cast his gaze in a particular direction and muttered to himself,

“Over there is the owner of this marionette. Fate has made them meet again.

“He has an item of the Hunter pathway on him. It can provide replenishment at just the right time.”

Before his voice faded, a bloody mouth suddenly split open on Ludwell’s left cheek. It opened and closed as it spoke:

“Medici, what we need to solve first is the problem of existence! After this marionette completely lost contact with its owner, it has essentially truly died. The remaining spirit will soon return to the Underworld and will no longer be able to maintain the body. Without the support of the Underworld inside him, we will inevitably begin weakening until we dissipate!”

“Right. The most important thing right now is to find another Gatekeeper.” A mouth also appeared on Ludwell’s right cheek.

Red Angel Medici immediately gave a “heh.”

“Sauron, Einhorn, were the two of you women in the past? You’ve flushed the dignity of angels down the toilet! That fellow could resist 0-08’s arrangements several times, which proves he is by no means simple. Now that we have a chance to lock onto him, how can we let it go? Once this marionette fully perishes, there will be no such easy opportunity again!

“And the Hunter pathway item on him can effectively increase the time of our existence. It won’t be too late to find a new Gatekeeper after dealing with him.”

The bloody slit on Ludwell’s left cheek immediately let out a mocking laugh.

“Medici, did you sacrifice your brain to the True Creator? That fellow has clearly already advanced. In our current state, defeating a Bizarro Sorcerer is not difficult, but killing him is almost impossible!”

Medici was not angered. He chuckled deeply.

“That isn’t impossible to solve. As long as you let me recite the Lord’s honorific name, helpers will immediately come over. They might even bring a Gatekeeper of their own.”

The mouth on Ludwell’s right cheek instantly opened and closed.

“Sauron, let’s join forces against him and go search for a Gatekeeper.”

“Good.” The mouth on Ludwell’s left side answered without hesitation.

Seeing this, Red Angel Medici laughed aloud.

“You two really did fall for it! My plan has already succeeded. I am certain now that the two of you used to be women!”

The mouths on Ludwell’s left and right cheeks growled separately:

“Shut up!”

“Hmph. We’ve been fused together for two thousand years. Do you think we still don’t understand your tricks? Stop struggling!”

Amid the voices, the colors around Hell Admiral Ludwell instantly deepened and layered over one another.

He had entered the spirit world and begun traveling through it.

…

Outside the arms warehouse, Klein finally withdrew his gaze. The sense of danger had already vanished.

For that instant just now, his heart had inexplicably pounded with alarm, yet he had been unable to form any corresponding image in his mind.

“What happened?” Klein muttered soundlessly to himself. He stopped waiting, tossed the suitcase in his hand to the officer handling the transfer, and said to Haggis beside him, “The rest is your own matter. You can give me the balance now.”

He was referring to a heavy box filled with gold bars and gold coins.

Haggis had originally planned to drink a glass with Dwayne Dantès after the handover was complete, celebrating the successful conclusion of the matter and discussing possible transactions in the future. He had not expected the other party to be in such a rush to leave.

“All right. It’s on that carriage.” He pointed.

Alfred, who had already walked some distance away, also turned back in slight surprise. He did not understand why Dwayne Dantès had suddenly stopped following the original process.