Anya took a deep breath before spitting out the name, “The master of the Blackmoon Merchant Group, Shadow Hound Gloff!”
“Shadow Hound? What an interesting nickname…” Barbara began to laugh.
“He’s always hidden in the shadows, like a hungry wolf not letting go of even rotten meat. Even the savages fear his greed and violence…” Anya’s shoulders trembled, as if she had thought up something terrifying.
“How interesting!” the smile on Barbara’s face grew, “Help me make an appointment with him…”
Dark businesses like the Neon Merchant Group and the Blackmoon Merchant Group had channels to transmit information in secret despite the surface ban on the Bane Family. It didn’t take long for Anya to receive news that Gloff had agreed to meet.
The venue for the meeting was an underground bar. The owner was an intelligent person, and they’d avoided using a place where paladins could find them here. The smell of cheap wine permeated the place, mixing with tobacco and cheap perfume to cause Anya to cringe.
Once they saw Gloff’s true appearance, however, even Barbara looked slightly surprised. Anya just cried out in shock.
The Shadow Hound just looked far too powerful. Canines protruded from his mount, and he had a spotted black nose that complimented red, bestial eyes. His skin was bunched together and wrinkly, full of fat and flesh.
‘A mixed-blood with a Shar Pei? It’s a rare combination too…’ Anya thought to herself. Such beings were normally exterminated at birth, and those who even survived were rare, let alone someone growing to such heights of power. There was perhaps less than one in ten thousand who could do so.
“Please sit, beauties!” The rumbling voice coming from Gloff’s throat made it seem like he was speaking with his tongue stuck out. Anya needed to spend a great amount of effort to understand what he was saying.
“Many thanks!” she said as she bowed sincerely, but as she sat down she soon felt a disgusting gaze scanning across her. The feeling of greed and lust immediately caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. ‘Shadow Hound, the king of rotting meat… This nickname really was created aptly…’
“What is it, ladies? You don’t seem quite satisfied with how I’m attending to you…” Gloff gulped down a fried quail stuffed with little mushrooms and spices, the sickly crimson-yellow tongue that was wagging out causing Anya to feel nauseous.
“It’s about communication with the Moonwood…” She went straight to the point, forcing down the discomfort.
“So it’s about that…” Gloff was still stuffing food into his mouth, and a servant took a large black notebook and began to flip through it in front of him.
“We don’t really have any needs in this area now, so the noble merchants will have to wait a while…”
“Are there no other ways? Do you think we could discuss the allocation of profits here?” Anya asked, sounding him out.
“It’s not about profits.” Gloff seemed rather resolute. He had already finished off all the food in front of him, and a few female fox servants were using white serviettes to wipe his mouth for him.
“But… If Miss Anya insists, we could continue this conversation in private… haha…” The red glint in Gloff’s eyes brightened.
……
“Damn it… That stupid hound, swine…” Anya began to complain once they reached the street.
“I do find him rather intelligent…” Barbara pushed at her black cloak, revealing her charming face.
“Saintess, do you mean I should…” Anya immediately felt bitter, but she nodded with difficulty, “If it’s for the church, I’m willing to do it…”
Chapter 1142 – Scheme
Scheme
“Hehe… where has your mind gone to, my little Anya… “ Barbara lifted Anya’s chin, “The church isn’t doing so badly that you’ll have to make sacrifices for it yet…”
Anya heaved a sigh of relief after hearing those words. Although she didn’t mind such things, it also depended on who the other party was.
“What does the Saintess mean?”
“Though I didn’t state my position, doesn’t the fact that he didn’t seem to care enough to ask say something?” Barbara gazed at Anya with a half-smile, “News of the Bane Family siding with the Giant Serpent Church surely must have spread throughout the north, and he must be unwilling to enter such muddy waters… Besides, their thought process is far more complicated than you’d think. I even suspect that…”
Anya immediately turned solemn. Only now did she realise that, even in terms of the refined war of business, Barbara was no less competent than her.
……
Within the hidden meeting room in the underground bar, the Shadow Hound stood up respectfully to bow to a figure in the shadows.
“Things are as you instructed, my lord, I’ve let them know it isn’t possible and had them leave.”
“Mm,” a young noble walked out of the darkness. He was dressed in tailcoat and tie, with not even a strand of fiber out of place. He had silver hair and dark green pupils, the arrogance, reservation, and slyness that only nobles possessed shining forth from his eyes.
“You did well. Even if it isn’t enough to fool them, we’ve clarified our stance…” Every movement of the youth was filled with grace, as if he was hosting an important wine reception.
“They have dealings with a church… It’s not quite appropriate for us to get involved in this…” Gloff began, but an explosive sound rang out as a cane hit Gloff’s forehead. The man began to bleed profusely.
“What a disgrace!” The youth’s expression had changed. The smile was gone, replaced by a brewing storm.
“I was wrong, Master! Please forgive me!” How was Gloff anything like the Shadow Hound he was said to be? All he could do was shake his tail and look pitiful while kneeling in front of his master.
“Do not forget your position… you’re just a lowly mixed-blood slave. How would you have the right to suggest something to me, the noble Eric?” The youth’s expression was full of malice, but he quickly concealed it. Still, Gloff could only crawl in front of him in fear, his body trembling.
“Just remember. Your power, your status; your everything… it all comes from me. I gave you the world, but I can also destroy everything in an instant…” Eric patted Gloff’s head in reminder, a noble smile surfacing on his face.
“I will remember it well, Master! You are my everything…” The only thing Gloff wasn’t doing to express his loyalty was wagging a tail.
“The Neon Merchant Group is far from enough to fill my appetite. However, what do you think about that saintess? She isn’t too bad…” The young man’s eyes flashed wildly, and he burst into laughter. His shadow in the wall swayed around, like a demon dancing freely.
……
After following Barbara back to the residence, Anya perked up.
“Here’s the information you wanted, Saintess!” She saw the legendary devil hunter that had left such a deep impression on her arrive. He stood respectfully at the side, hellfire sparking atop the surface of the chains in his hands to give him a unique, blazing aura.
“Mm,” Barbara nodded as she took a gold crystal from him. Her brows suddenly wrinkled, “You had to attack someone just now?”
“A few high-ranked shadow thieves who were fearless enough to spy on us. So foolish…” The devil hunter sneered, and a few translucent faces showed themselves amidst the distorted hellfire.
‘He’s profaning souls! That’s something only devils and demons do!’ Anya’s pupils shrank as she shrieked in her mind, but she managed to hide her expression well.
However, Barbara seemed to have sensed her uneasiness. “He’s imprisoned them for now. These people will be sent to the Lord for punishment,” she consoled, though her words were suspicious.
The devil hunter shot an indifferent glance at Anya, that gaze that deemed her a little bug causing her soul to tremble in fear. She understood well that this was the imposing aura that came from legendary might. If he wished to destroy her, it wouldn’t be much different to stomping an ant to death.
Only now did Anya realise how amazing Barbara’s kindness was.
“Take note of your own actions. You’ve frightened my communications officer!” Barbara frowned.
“My apologies, Saintess. I’ll be on my way then.” Space rippled, and the devil hunter’s figure disappeared. He’d served the purpose of demonstrating his strength, making it fully clear to Anya that her family was just paper in front of legendary might.
“If this place was found out and there’s people watching us, should we…” Anya cautiously asked Barbara.
“There’s no need to move… After all, finding another stronghold will be difficult. With him around, everything will be taken care of.” Barbara’s tone displayed her absolute confidence. All too casually, she passed the information she’d received to Anya.
Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 1051-Chapter 1200)
Wen Chao Gong's books
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 1-Chapter 150)
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 151-Chapter 300)
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 301-Chapter 450)
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 451-Chapter 600)
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 601-Chapter 750)
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 751-Chapter 900)
- Warlock of the Magus World (Chapter 901-Chapter 1050)