Chapter 119: Let’s Go!
Abyss was surprised. “Hmm? Could she have been killed by her own bombs? That might actually be more convenient…”
“Her eccentric behavior is unpredictable,” Titus said, sighing. “You know what she was doing when I contacted her? She had bought a pile of magic crystals and was blowing them up with potions. Her house was littered with shards.”
“Did she tell you why?” Abyss asked.
“I did ask her what she was doing, but she said it was none of my business. I wasn’t really concerned, just curious, so I didn’t press her,” Titus said, shaking his head. “After that, I offered her the job of destroying the Goat Eyes Gang’s warehouses. She agreed readily, without any haggling. I gave her half the payment upfront, and she started preparing immediately.”
This Lannis was an intriguing character. Although finding her might be difficult, Abyss had a hunch about her whereabouts.
She disappeared after bombing the Goat Eyes Gang’s warehouses. Perhaps she had been captured by them. Destroying all their warehouses in one go was a significant blow. The Goat Eyes Gang’s leader must be furious.
Gangs weren’t known for their transparency. They wouldn’t necessarily announce her capture.
“Alright, I suspect Lannis might be held by the Goat Eyes Gang. I’ll try to find her while we’re stealing their machine,” Abyss said. “You can instruct your men to arrange accommodations for my companions. I need to give them some instructions.”
“Of course. I look forward to a successful collaboration, Mr. Abyss,” Titus said with a smile, leaving the basement.
Givia exhaled, relieved. “Thank you, Abyss. Without you, we might be imprisoned by the Black Hats Gang right now. And we wouldn’t have secured these potions at such a reasonable price.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re friends,” Abyss said, smiling, his teeth gleaming white. “Besides, our goals align. Helping you is helping myself.”
“I won’t forget your kindness,” Givia said sincerely. “I’ll repay you when I have the opportunity. If you wish, once I reclaim my throne, I’ll record your name in the Ossi Kingdom’s history books, so everyone will remember your contributions.”
“That’s a bit embarrassing…” Abyss said, waving his hand dismissively. “If you must record something, don’t use my name. I’m rather introverted…”
He didn’t care about the potential inconvenience of having his name etched in history. Fame and fortune were trivial matters to him. He focused on the task at hand.
“Oh, right, Leona, Flora, I have a task for you. Leona, accompany Flora to a clothing store and buy her some new clothes. Any style will do, casual or fancy. And if you need anything, buy yourselves some clothes as well.”
“Eh? Buy me clothes? I don’t need new clothes. This mage robe is fine…” Flora said, waving her hands.
“It’s not for you to wear. I have another use for them,” Abyss said, smiling mysteriously. “But as for the specific purpose, I’ll keep it a secret for now. You’ll find out when the time comes.”
“Where’s the money coming from? Are we supposed to rob a clothing store?” Leona asked, standing up, her hands on her hips. “We don’t have any money.”
“Your Highness, could you lend them some? I’ll repay you the exact amount when I return,” Abyss asked Givia apologetically.
Givia wouldn’t be stingy over a few clothes. “No, Mr. Abyss, I’ll cover the expenses. You don’t need to worry about it,” she said, shaking her head.
“No, no, the Restoration Army needs money more than I do. You should use those funds for supplies. I insist on repaying you,” Abyss said, refusing to take advantage of her generosity. “It’s settled then. I’ll be back later.”
“You really trust that gang leader?” Leona asked, still unconvinced.
“Honestly, as a gang member, I wouldn’t trust him either. But I agreed to his proposal for two reasons. First, I didn’t detect any deception in his words. Titus might seem rough around the edges, but he’s sincere,” Abyss said, patting Leona’s head. “Second, you and Flora are here. Even if he’s an exceptional liar, capable of deceiving my senses, he wouldn’t dare try anything with you two present, would he?”
Leona blushed, flattered by his trust. She tried to maintain a stoic expression, but a smile broke through. “Hmph… Since you trust me so much… I guess I have no choice. Go ahead and rob them. Flora and I will handle things here.”
“I knew I could count on you two,” Abyss said, nodding at Flora as well. “We should be back tomorrow. I’ll try my best to find Lannis. You two just relax and wait for us.”
Flora smiled, nodding silently. “Come back soon.”
…
The Black Hats gang members, following Titus’s orders, went about their tasks. Some woke up the Ossi guards, others arranged accommodations for Givia’s party. A few remained, staring at the corpse with the broken neck.
“Who’s his friend? We need to inform his family. Maybe even deliver the body,” one gang member said, looking at the corpse with a troubled expression. “Ugh, I don’t know him. I don’t want to do this.”
The short gang member who had carried away the previous corpse stepped forward. “I’ll do it. He was a good friend of mine. I’ll take care of his funeral arrangements.”
“Alright, thanks. We’ll leave it to you then,” the other gang members said, relieved, dispersing quickly.
The short gang member picked up the corpse effortlessly and carried it out of the tavern. He entered a dark, deserted alley and dropped the body on the ground.
“Say… Elton, could you fix my neck? It’s quite uncomfortable being twisted like this,” the “corpse” suddenly said.
“Of course, Fallon, my good friend,” the short gang member, Elton, said with a mysterious smile. He crouched down, grabbed the “corpse’s” hair, and pulled. A satisfying crack echoed through the alley as the broken neck snapped back into place.
“Ah, much better,” Fallon, who was supposed to be dead, said, sitting up and rotating his neck. “We successfully intimidated that gang leader. But Master is truly perceptive. He instantly knew what to do when he saw us infiltrating their group.”
“Hehe, that’s Master Abyss for you,” Elton said with a proud grin. “Your transformation magic is impressive. They didn’t even recognize us after you altered our clothes into their uniforms.”
“I was a renowned con artist when I was alive. This is child’s play,” Fallon said, chuckling, his appearance and clothes shifting instantly, transforming him into a completely different person. “You can return to the others. I’ll continue to observe the city, see if there’s anything else I can do. Master Abyss rarely summons us. We can’t just sit around and do nothing.”
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