Chapter 28: Words of Filth

Chapter Twenty-EightWords of Filth

Inside the sitting room illuminated by only a single candle, the atmosphere grew silent, as though it had solidified.

Several seconds later, the man suspected of being an Apothecary muttered, “Why not leave your address? That way, I can at least get something from your corpse.”

It seems like a curse, but it is actually advice…

Klein pretended not to understand and looked toward Black Snake.

“If I do not gamble, I have no chance of surviving. If I do, at least there is some tiny hope.

“I will not sit there waiting for death to descend.”

Hearing this, Mr. Eye of Wisdom, who had been about to speak, closed his mouth, because he could not offer any other hope.

“I admire that character of yours!” Black Snake laughed loudly.

“I admire it too. Several friends I had in the past were all like that. Now, every year, I visit their graves and place a bouquet of flowers,” the suspected Apothecary muttered, openly agreeing, secretly mocking, and in truth trying to persuade him otherwise.

He did not care in the least that Black Snake could fight better than him. He said whatever he wanted to say.

Mr. Apothecary has surely suffered losses because of that temper…

Klein gave him a silent word of gratitude.

He handed the iron cigarette case containing the Hunter Beyonder characteristic to the attendant who had led him inside and watched the man walk to Mr. Eye of Wisdom.

The old gentleman counted out four hundred pounds in cash from the leather case beside him and asked the attendant to bring it to Black Snake.

Black Snake casually glanced over it and said, “I trust Mr. Eye of Wisdom.”

He took a small wooden box from his chest, bent down, placed it on the floor, and pushed it hard, letting the item slide directly to Klein without passing through the attendant.

The moment Klein’s fingers touched the surface of the box, faint auditory hallucinations appeared beside his ears, and he experienced dizziness similar to that caused by violent jolting.

To him, this was not unbearable. Its degree was not even comparable to the illusory voices produced when Justice and the others prayed.

After sitting straight again, Klein cautiously opened the wooden box and saw an “ear” inside.

The ear looked almost real, except that the skin was blackened, and several places had rotted open, leaking green fluid.

“How do I use it?” Klein asked.

Black Snake replied casually, “If you hold it without gloves, that counts as using it. Heh. You had best try after returning home, when you are alone.”

Klein did not ask further. He closed the box, put it into his pocket, and deliberately smiled bitterly.

“This makes me feel dizzy.”

After a brief silence, the man suspected of being an Apothecary suddenly shouted loudly, “I want to buy pith crystals from the Elven Spring. Who has them?”

His voice echoed, but no one answered.

The Apothecary clicked his tongue and muttered, “Really. Every time I ask, there is none.”

“Perhaps you can book a ship ticket to Sonia Island,” Mr. Eye of Wisdom teased with a smile.

The Elven Spring was also known as the Sonia Golden Spring. Its place of origin was evident from its name alone. The spring water itself was a common spirituality-rich material, but its pith crystals belonged to Beyonder materials and were not so easy to buy.

After that, several more transactions at the gathering failed. Mr. Eye of Wisdom clapped his hands.

“That is all for today. As usual, leave one by one, with three minutes between each person.”

Leave one by one… separated by three minutes… This is to prevent someone from immediately following or even robbing other gathering members after leaving?

Receiving Eye of Wisdom’s hint, Klein stood. Under the attendant’s guidance, he left the sitting room and arrived near the front door.

He took off the hooded robe and returned it to the other party. Then, following the road in his memory, he returned to the back door of Bravehearts Bar, removed the iron mask, passed…