“Chapter 22”

"Chapter 22"

"Amos had left, but the task was now in the hands of Black Poker's boss, Joel. Joel sighed deeply and picked up the phone to instruct his subordinates to compensate the families of the three missing men."

"At the same time, he avoided Kalens’s men and directed another faction of Black Poker to search."

"Kalens and Lann were too deeply involved, and he wasn’t sure if this subordinate had been influenced by that unknown entity. Ever since he had been coerced by the mysterious young man to attack Lann's apartment, he knew there was no turning back for him and Black Poker."

"Now, the only way forward was to embrace the darkness, hoping to find a glimmer of hope in its deepest shadows."

……

"Elsewhere."

"The three players met Edmund at the entrance of Lann’s psychology clinic and went to a café together. After a brief introduction, they exchanged information."

"It was then that Edmund realized what the strange entity pursuing him actually was and secretly marveled at Lann’s extensive network of information."

"The Soul-Eating Butterfly, a recorded anomaly in the Inspection Bureau, is one of the well-known high-risk anomalies. The protocol is immediate retreat upon sighting one, regardless of the mission's progress, but no one knew this anomaly could also be used in medicine."

"Also, what is this Dream-Entering Potion? He had never come across such information in the Inspection Bureau."

"Indeed..."

"He lowered his head to hide the emotions in his eyes."

"Only Lann could save him, and now the opportunity had presented itself before him."

"Thus, Edmund started to work with the three players. In exchange, he disclosed the anomaly that was haunting him and the location where it had latched onto him."

"After revealing his own strange experiences, Edmund felt a bit anxious, fearing cold responses. He had faced too much indifference in the past few days, and if this newfound hope also shattered, he might truly break down."

"'A villa... I think some players have been there before. They indeed discovered a murder case, but according to the forum records, nothing bizarre happened,' Shu Hushao commented while browsing the forum."

"Their words reached Edmund’s ears as 'other companions' instead of 'players', and 'forum' as 'chat room'. His lips quivered: 'I really, I saw...'"

"'Exactly! It must be an important mission that can only be triggered by high spiritual sensitivity!' Shu Hushao confidently concluded, his gaze burning with admiration at Edmund, 'Brother, you have such high sensitivity, I'm so envious!'"

"Edmund opened his mouth hesitantly: '...You guys, don't you doubt me?'"

"'Doubt? Doubt what??' The others looked puzzled."

"What? Only one person in the team saw the ghost, and the others didn't? Hmph, that must mean the others lack sensitivity or are just oblivious (deaf and blind)."

"It's impossible for me to have seen it wrong," he declared confidently, a rose held in his mouth.

Ye Ye faintly grasped the hidden longing and anxiety beneath Edmund's usual demeanor and said, "Of course not, especially since you came from Lord Lan's abode. He must have given you some hints, right?"

"Like mission clues, mission clues, and, well, more mission clues..."

Edmund, thinking that must count as a hint, nodded.

"Brother!"

Three hands quickly grabbed him, and Edmund looked bewildered at their suddenly fervent behavior.

"No more words," Ye Ye said passionately, "From today onwards, your problems are our problems. Let's uncover the truth behind this and find a way to rid you of the evil spirits haunting you."

"Uh, okay, sure."

Edmund was a bit dazed. Carefully observing the trio, recalling their intent to find Lan, and the change in their attitude, he roughly understood the situation.

"These must be Lan's followers."

He remembered the training at headquarters; the followers of the evil gods were a group of ruthless and cold-blooded desperados, stopping at nothing to serve their deity.

But now, it seemed not entirely true?

Edmund thought hesitantly.

Soon, the three drove to the location where Edmund had been previously haunted, intending to look for clues. On the way, Uncle Hao shared the mission clues he found on the forum.

"The player who took on this mission before was called Black Cat. I contacted him, and he sent me the details of the mission. Firstly, a murder did occur in that villa, and the victim was the owner of the villa. Since he was a reclusive millionaire, no one inherited the villa after his death, so as you saw, the villa has become a famous haunted house in the area," explained Uncle Hao.

Standing in front of the desolate, dilapidated villa, Uncle Hao shrugged and said.

"The victim was the owner of the villa? Huh... So, it was a murder," Ye Ye mused, recalling what Lan had shared about the characteristics of the Soul-Eating Butterfly, "Could it be the butterfly specimens attracted someone to commit the crime?"

"It's highly likely," Baba said, holding his phone and speaking mysteriously, "I just asked a friend who's good with computers to investigate online. Guess what he found out?"

"What, don't keep us in suspense."

"Actually, this butterfly specimen has been rumored online for a while now. It's known as the 'Cursed Specimen' because whoever owns it is bound to meet with misfortune soon," Baba explained.

"And the strangest part is, every time the owner dies, the specimen mysteriously vanishes and reappears on the market."

"The specimen moves on its own?" Ye Ye was astonished.

"No, think about it carefully. Didn't we also encounter something similar last time?"

The other two players had a flash of insight: "Someone is stealing the butterfly specimens, using humans to nourish them, and then retrieving the specimens just before the hosts die, to prevent the butterflies from being destroyed."

"That's highly probable," Ye Ye murmured. They searched the villa again and finally stood in the master bedroom on the second floor, the scene of the crime.

Of course, since a long time had passed, any bloodstains had long dried up, leaving hardly any evidence or traces.

"According to Black Cat's investigation," Uncle Hao said, "the scene of death showed clear signs of struggle and significant bloodstains. There were marks of forced entry on the second-floor window, and witnesses outside the villa reported seeing a suspicious figure lurking around a month before the incident. It seems like a premeditated home invasion murder, but the motive is still unclear."

"Thinking about it now, is it possible that if someone was bewitched by the butterfly specimen, and this was their first act, they intended to leave with the specimen as the villa owner was nearing death? But, being inexperienced, they misjudged the timing of the owner's death, leading to resistance. This theory seems to make sense."

The other two also found this reasoning very plausible, though it was all speculation at this point.

The way to verify it was simple. The three exchanged glances and immediately decided to upload their theory to the bounty pool task.

[Mission Clue Submission Successful, Current Progress: 90%]

The trio were overjoyed. The bounty for this task had accumulated to a whopping thirty thousand Western Yuan, and now they held 80% of it. Divided among them, each would receive nearly eight thousand Western Yuan – they were suddenly rich!

Meanwhile, as they theorized, Edmund suddenly clutched his arms, feeling unwell.

That sensation emerged again, as if a voice in his head incessantly urged him to find the butterfly, to find the butterfly.

Shut up! Just shut up!

Edmund gasped for air and looked up to find the three players looking at him with concern, not knowing when they had started.

"Brother, are you okay? You suddenly screamed, scared us to death."

"'I-I'm okay.' Edmund tried to calm himself, 'You're right, but how should we...'"

"'Shh—wait a second!'"

"Suddenly, Yeyeyoru’s expression turned serious. He pointed to his ear, and everyone except the bewildered Edmund passed a listening check."

[Listening: Failed]

[Listening: Successful]

Baba and YeYe exchanged glances, silently looking in one direction. The end of the villa's corridor remained empty, but they saw a shadow flickering under the candlelight.

Edmund's expression grew solemn as well. The voices in his head that had been constant suddenly ceased, as if foreshadowing something. YeYe signaled with his eyes, and Uncle Hao quietly moved in another direction.

"Ah, you're saying, Ye?"

"What about Ba... cough, Hao."

"Will the culprit return to the scene of the crime?"

"Some psychopaths do. They return to either cover up clues they missed before or to erase their own traces," YeYe wasn't foolish. As soon as Baba brought it up, he discreetly drew out his dagger, his nerves on edge, ready for battle.

"So this one," Baba said slowly, moving closer to that spot while confidently requesting an investigation from the system, "must be the murderer!"

[Investigation: Successful]

[You've detected danger. The enemy's surprise attack fails, and you get an extra bonus die for dodging.]

Baba, realizing she was the target, dodged without hesitation. With the system's bonus die, her evasion was a resounding success. She not only avoided the enemy's attack but also managed to save the stunned Edmund by pulling him down with her.

The assailant, failing to hit, immediately fled downstairs but was tripped by Uncle Hao, who had ambushed him from the other side. The black mask fell off, revealing an extremely aged face, oddly paired with a robust body like that of a middle-aged man.

The man stood up grim-faced, and as two players and Edmund arrived behind him, he promptly pulled out a dagger and seized Uncle Hao.

Uncle Hao, having failed in the brawl: …

"Uncle, can't you do anything right? You're embarrassing us players," YeYe teased without hesitation.

"Shut up, I'm just unlucky!" Uncle Hao yelled, while the middle-aged man also shouted, "Back off! All of you, back off, or I'll finish this kid off!"

YeYe and Baba exchanged a glance and took a step forward.

[Hahaha, I'm going to die laughing in this livestream one day!]

[Is this what friendship among cunning players looks like? Love it.]

"You think I won't dare? Take one more step and see!"

Yeye and Baba took two more steps forward.

Shu Huohao: "..."

Edmund: "..."

These two completely baffled the middle-aged man, interrupting the emotions he had been brewing. His eyes showed a fierce determination as he was about to act, but suddenly a bullet hole appeared in his arm.

Then, two gunshots followed.

The middle-aged man collapsed on the ground in confusion, a bullet having pierced through his forehead and throat. Shu Huohao stood there bewildered as several men in black suits appeared, quickly walking over to the middle-aged man to search his body.

This series of sudden reversals left everyone stunned.

"What's happening, are they enemies or allies?"

"Looking at their style, why does it feel so familiar to me?"

Soon, the barrage and the players no longer needed to puzzle over this.

This was because, after the men in black searched the middle-aged man and found a butterfly specimen wrapped in black cloth, they quickly took it and left.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Yeye hurriedly tried to intervene, but found the men in black pointing their guns at him. Fearing for his safety, he immediately... raised his hands and stepped back.

"Boss, as you wish, as you wish."

The man in black glanced at him expressionlessly, then stepped back to his companions, pressing an earpiece:

"Boss, we've encountered some people investigating this matter, how should we handle them?"

"Bring the specimen to me. Don't bother with them; someone else will deal with it," came the voice from the earpiece.

The voice spoke through the earpiece.

"Understood," the man in black responded, maintaining his gun aimed at Yeye and the others as he gradually retreated.

As the figures of the men in black were about to vanish from sight, Edmund grew anxious to follow, with Yeye and Baba also stepping forward towards their retreating backs.

But at that moment, Baba suddenly heard the system's cold alert in her ear.

[Evasion: Successful]

The next instant, a cold, fishy wind swept past her, and Baba clearly saw a hairless figure, resembling someone in a leather suit, brush past her. Its overall shape was humanoid, but anyone who saw it in full would not consider it a kin.

The exposed skin had a rubbery texture, with sparse hair, sharp ears, cracks all over its body, pure black eyes, and a mouth full of sharp fangs when opened.

The ground where it pounced immediately cracked, hinting at the devastating impact it would have had on a human.

The three players and Edmund inhaled sharply.

If Lann were here, he might recognize this creature from the adjacent room in the hospital at night, a common type of monster in the game.

A D-class Ghoul, known for feasting on corpses.

"My A-level item," Yeye lamented, watching the fading silhouette of the men in black.

Edmund, in despair, voiced out, "I don't think now is the time to worry about that?"

There's a Ghoul right in front of us!

Edmund had clearly recognized the creature before them. In the Bureau of Investigation, there was a public list of known anomalies, which included the Ghoul.

It's a relatively common anomaly, but common doesn't mean easy to handle. On the contrary, they possess invincible skin, nearly impervious to blades and bullets. The effectiveness of cold weapons is extremely poor, and their speed is comparable to a cheetah's full sprint, with strength two to three times that of a normal man.

According to the Bureau's reports, a fully armed squad can only hope to escape unscathed when facing such a creature.

And now, they were...

Edmund pulled out the handgun issued by the Inspection Bureau, which he always carried with him. Seeing the knives and brass knuckles in the hands of Ye Ye and Baba, he felt a sense of utter despair.

To this, the players expressed their own sense of helplessness.

"This darn game is too realistic; we really can't get our hands on guns! Where would normal people find a way to get guns?" they lamented.

The moment Edmund drew his firearm, the ghoul instantly targeted him as the greatest threat. Edmund's vision darkened as he hastily raised his gun and fired three shots.

Two shots missed, and the last bullet struck the ghoul's shoulder, sparking on impact.

A shadow of gloom instantly fell over Edmund's heart.

"Damn it, what kind of monster is this?"

……

Seeing that it was about time, Lann left the psychotherapy room and headed to the location specified in the invitation.

"If it's a banquet, should I change into a suit?"

However, Lann's money was all in the bank, saved for a hasty departure from the city before disaster struck. He didn't want to waste it on a one-time banquet. Considering his image in the eyes of the mafia, he decided to just wear his white lab coat to the event.

Fortunately, Black Poker had thoughtfully arranged a sedan to wait at the door to take him to the banquet. Moreover, Clarence himself was the driver, leaving Lann without any excuse to refuse.

Clarence was also dressed for the occasion today, in a tailored black suit that perfectly accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. He looked dapper stepping out of the black Phantom series car, drawing many eyes on the street.

He was naturally handsome and maintained a great physique. His aura, honed in a world of danger and bloodshed, was starkly different from ordinary people: dangerous yet alluring. Even knowing the perils of being with him, people were continuously drawn to him.

Especially when such a man took the driver's seat, stepped out with the utmost courtesy like a dedicated chauffeur, and walked towards the arrival, women on the street couldn't help but wonder who was worthy enough to have this captivating gentleman as their driver.

Then, they saw Lann.

"Oh, never mind then. That gentleman is one lucky fellow."

"Do you need me to prepare a suit for you?"

Lann settled into the back seat, and Clarence asked.

Lann glanced at his white lab coat, which was quite clean. Feeling lazy, he replied, "No need, I don't require such things."

Mainly because he was short on money and too lazy.

Clarence seemed to misunderstand something and glanced up through the rearview mirror, "That makes sense."

For a being like him, why would he bother too much about the mortal shell he walks in? Besides, even without any adornment, he was already dazzling enough, surpassing all those deemed 'beautiful' he had encountered before.

Even Clarence couldn't deny a momentary fascination with such beauty that seemed to transcend human limits. However, his rational fear of Lann's mysterious identity suppressed his admiration for that stunning appearance.

The vehicle started moving. Both men sat in silence, with Lann gazing out at the passing scenery, thinking the banquet's location was quite remote, almost leaving the city area.

Sensing Lann's confusion, Clarence finally found a topic to break the silence, "This banquet has invited big figures from Arkham's underworld. Nobody feels comfortable hosting it on their turf, so it's set a bit farther away."

That did make some sense.

Lann, gazing out of the car window, said playfully, "It's not for the convenience of murder and burial, is it?"

Clarence laughed dryly, "Haha, you're quite the humorist."

At that moment, he didn't take Lann's words seriously.

……

"Isn't that Dalton? Did you receive an invitation too?"

"Of course, how could I miss it when you're all here?"

Inside the banquet, the powerful figures who stirred up storms in Arkham's underworld donned respectable suits, sipping champagne like true elites, forming circles to exchange information.

Only the calluses on their hands and the fierce, cruel, or indifferent looks in their eyes betrayed that they were not the pampered elite in the conventional sense.

No matter how well wolves disguise themselves, they can't hide their bloodthirsty nature.

"What exactly did Joel invite us here for?"

Joel was the name of the Black Poker's leader.

"Not sure, but it's been a while since we've had a gathering like this."

As they conversed, they suddenly noticed the atmosphere around them quieting down.

Every guest seemed to freeze, staring intently in one direction, their necks craned. This anomaly quickly drew the attention of the group in conversation, and they naturally turned to look in the same direction.

Then, they too became transfixed.

Standing at the entrance was Black Poker's Clarence. The big shots present had heard more or less about this competent young man. However, at that moment, Clarence's presence failed to capture their attention, as everyone's eyes were drawn to the person beside him.

What kind of eyes were those?

Even the most exquisite emeralds paled in comparison to the beauty of those eyes, not to mention the person they belonged to.

At this highly formal occasion, he simply wore a casual white lab coat, looking exceedingly young, perhaps fresh out of college. Yet, facing this setting, he showed no hint of the timidity typical of a green university student. As he walked in composedly and looked around, the underworld bosses who met his gaze became unexpectedly flustered, almost reverting to awkward youths.

His mere presence effortlessly turned him into the focus of everyone's attention.

"Sss... Dalton," those who had been talking earlier regained their composure, eyes wide with astonishment, "Who is he?"

But when he turned to his companions, he keenly noticed a startlingly similar greed flicker in their eyes.

"Who knows? Maybe Clarence will give us an answer."

His companion, holding a glass of wine, started walking towards Clarence.

Clearly, he wasn't the only one with that idea. He had only taken a few steps when he realized that the bosses, usually in their own small groups, were subtly converging towards Clarence, with only a few observing coldly from the sidelines.

And these few, upon closer inspection, were actually the highest-ranking individuals present.

Some astute observers, sensing something from the attitude of this group, hesitated in their steps forward, while many, already enchanted by Lann's beauty, eagerly moved closer to Clarence with their wine glasses.

"Hey, Clarence, what's the big idea of Black Poker calling us all here in such a grand manner?"

A gang leader greeted Clarence verbally, but his eyes were intensely fixed on Lann, a burning desire almost spilling from his gaze: "Could it be that you want to introduce us to this..."

Just as he was about to utter something inappropriate, Clarence quickly splashed wine on him, preventing words that might anger Lann.

Cold sweat instantly soaked Clarence's back; he swore he hadn't sweated this much even in the heat of gunfire.

"Watch your language, and you all," Clarence emphasized the word 'guest' sharply, his gaze icily fixed on the man with unscrupulous intentions, "this person is a 'distinguished guest' of Black Poker."

Clarence's respectful demeanor finally awakened the rationality of the infatuated underworld bosses around him. They promptly retracted their greedy gazes, at least not daring to openly stare at Lann.

Unnoticed by them, several gang members acting as attendants near the champagne tower, had their mouths agape ever since they saw Lann.

"It's Lann! How is he here?"

The few players present almost immediately realized something and excitedly opened the forum to post.

"Brothers, luck has finally smiled on me! Lann has appeared, is this a prelude to a new instance?"

It wasn’t strange for players to be here.

Initially, when entering the game, the developers didn’t conceal the players, and a large influx of people into Arkham City was bound to attract the attention of the local powers.

Later, it wasn’t surprising that players were drawn to the underground forces and joined gangs, given that each player had their own style of playing the game.

And now, with the underworld hosting a rare grand banquet, these gang members transformed into waiters and security for the event.

Player Forum

"Brothers, luck has finally smiled on me! Lann has appeared, is this a prelude to a new instance?"

Original Poster: "Am I finally going to be lucky, haha? I'm at an underground banquet, seems like a lot of big shots are here, and Lann has come too!"

1st Reply: "Bro, start a live stream! Even a text stream will do!"

Original Poster: "Wait for it!"

The player with the game ID 'Ah Long' was aware of the surge in popularity when Ye Ye live-streamed before. With the rising popularity of 'Fate's Spiral', many game streamers were attracted, and he, harboring some aspirations in this field, didn't hesitate to start a live stream in the game.

As soon as the live stream started, countless players flooded in.

Last time Lann left his house, he initiated a bounty task involving all players. What would happen now with his reappearance? Many players were curious.

With the lingering popularity from before, coupled with the influence of the NPC Lann, Ah Long's live stream attracted a significant number of players as soon as it started.

Fortunately, he was the first to start streaming, so the attention wasn't yet dispersed.

[First! I'm here! Wherever Lann's wife is, I am too!]

[Geez, you guys are so quick. Do you live on the forum or what??]

[Let me see, wow, a villa, a banquet, and they didn't invite me!]

[Are all these people around mafia bosses? They look pretty high-class.]

[Streamer, focus the camera on Lann! Who wants to see you!]

Ah Long rolled his eyes but obediently turned the camera towards Lann, who still wore the same outfit as in the psychotherapy room, a white lab coat. Yet, even so, he remained the center of attention.

From Clarence's attitude, other powers had recognized the young man's importance. They also changed their approach, though they couldn’t bring themselves to leave, circling around him, trying to establish a good relationship. This made Lann and Clarence the center of the largest group at the banquet, as if Lann was the main character of the event.

[Sss, I saw many people toasting to Lann, feels like he's a mafia godfather.]

[What's Lann doing here? He seems to have a high status among these underworld bosses.]

[Didn't someone uncover that Clarence has a high position in Black Poker? And Clarence is Lann's follower. So, does that mean Black Poker is under Lann's influence?]

The chat in the live stream was filled with various speculations. Ah Long was also curious about what was happening and tried to get closer by offering champagne.

Just then, a commotion arose from another direction of the banquet.

The crowd parted, and a man in his fifties emerged, his temples graying but looking spirited, smiling warmly, "It's quite lively here."

The man was Joel, the organizer of this banquet and also the leader of Black Poker.

"Joel, what exactly did you call us here for?"

"No rush," Joel chuckled, then, to everyone's astonishment, he walked over and greeted Lann respectfully, even inquiring about his well-being with great consideration.

This deferential attitude caused many around to involuntarily twitch their eyelids.

Considering Black Poker now occupied the top seat of Arkham's underground forces, albeit precariously, they were essentially the underground kings of Arkham. Who could warrant such humility from them?

Initially, people speculated that Lann might be an important figure from outside or a relative of the Black Poker leader, but now it seemed his identity was far more complex.

Had the leaders of the major organizations observing from afar received some prior information?

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Dr. Lann, a very capable psychologist."

Just that?

The crowd was somewhat shocked. Wasn't this introduction too brief?

But Joel, turning a deaf ear, continued, "Recently, a bunch of ignorant newcomers entered Arkham City, causing quite a stir, I hear."

Someone, after a moment of reflection, answered somewhat irritably, "Yes, that's true. These rule-breaking outsiders are really bothersome, like reckless plovers in nature!"

The crowd shared a knowing laugh or sighed in annoyance.

"Honestly, I've been thinking of giving them a lesson, teaching them the rules of Arkham!"

Joel also chuckled, "Indeed, a lively bunch. But I hope everyone can show leniency towards these adorable newcomers, as they are 'friends' of Dr. Lann."

His ambiguous wording didn't hinder the attendees from sensing the implication of protection, and they turned towards Lann with surprised looks.

Those oddballs are his power?

So, the absurd actions of these 'Huskies' recently in Arkham were all instigated by him?

The gazes of others suddenly took on a peculiar quality.

Lann awkwardly curled his toes.

Even though I don't know what you all are thinking, please don't jump to conclusions.

Clearly, Lann was aware of the crazy antics the players could pull off in the game, and he really didn't want to be the scapegoat for the players.

However, Lann clearly dared not clarify his position among these true bigwigs, opting to remain silent, merely smiling without speaking.

This attitude was undoubtedly perceived as acquiescence, prompting the underworld bosses present to become more thoughtful.

Unseen by Lann, Ah Long, approaching with champagne, turned red as if he had heard some incredible news.

The chat in the live stream started to pick up.

[Wow, is this game so realistic that even local NPCs are disgruntled with players' bizarre behavior?]

[I remember stripping in front of an NPC once, hmm... now I'm deep in thought.]

[Ah, I once bathed in the park's wishing well, quite fun actually.]

[What have you all been doing in the game?! (dog head emoji)]

[Seriously, isn't anyone concerned about Lann's high status? Plus, he seems to be defending players.]

[He cares about me, I'm in his heart (feeling blissful)]

Unnoticed, the leader of Black Poker quietly left the banquet. He moved to the back and asked in a low voice, “Have they arrived?”

The person guarding the back door nodded, and soon a group in black appeared at the door, respectfully presenting a butterfly specimen retrieved from their coat.

Coincidentally, the villa was not far from the location of the Black Poker's banquet. A straight line through the forest wouldn't take long. Joel had worried about finding the butterfly specimen mentioned before the banquet, but fortunately, everything fell into place, as if by fate's design.

After a few days of settling, the butterfly specimen underwent a new change. The colors on its wings grew darker and more vivid, with strands of vibrant red resembling the ceaseless flow of blood vessels in a human body, as if it were about to take flight at any moment.

Joel couldn't help but step back, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes. He waved his hand dismissively, his face clouded with unease: "Quickly take it inside to the banquet, I need to leave!"

With that, he hurried towards the back door, where a sedan had been waiting for some time.

He had no desire to get involved in the disputes of the mysterious world. Now that he had done what the enigmatic person instructed, luring Lann to the banquet, he would let these creatures fight it out.

As for those remaining at the banquet.

Sadly, they had been chosen as the sacrificial offerings for tonight’s feast.

Joel settled into the sedan, lighting a cigar as the car started. He quietly savored the satisfaction and relief of surviving the ordeal.

Then, a surge of greedy ambition rose within him. After tonight, with the disappearance of the top dogs of Arkham’s underworld, chaos would reign, and his Black Poker would solidify its position amidst the turmoil. This was his deserved reward for offending the unknowable Lann on behalf of that damned mysterious individual. He needed Lann to die in this banquet to be at ease.

With this in mind, he made an anonymous call.

As the leader of Black Poker, he wasn’t completely ignorant of that other world, having heard of organizations like the Inspection Bureau, dedicated to investigating bizarre incidents.

That so-called mysterious person and Lann, seemingly a demigod...

Let them tear each other apart and then be swept up by the Inspection Bureau.

After making the call, Joel visibly relaxed. It was then he realized the sedan had been stationary just after almost leaving the estate.

"Hey, what's going on, you..."

His words were cut off mid-sentence.

The driver was yanked out of the window before he could even scream, as a rubbery monster poked its head through the window next to the driver's seat, looking at him.