Chapter 109: Paying to Listen to a Murderer’s Explanation
After meditating for a while, Chi Yu recovered somewhat.
“Alas, I truly have bad luck to come across such shit.”
“I planned on selling soul crystals on the black market, now that is impossible.”
“That necromancer, don’t let me find you. If I do, I will give you a stern lesson!”
Chi Yu had sold soul crystals on the black market several times and had earned a huge profit.
“I don’t know why, but things feel a little off.”
“My own safety comes first!”
“Think prudently, first I must refine the pale bone wings.”
After cursing Cang Xu, Chi Yu once again immersed himself in the painstaking refinement of the flying magic item.
The fishman Xi Dai Zi was groping his way forward.
He was well acquainted with the coral ball cage tree’s topography, including most of the secret paths and hidden chambers.
This was what he relied on to sneak into Two Eyes Island.
The coral ball cage tree had been grown by the Blue Green Coral Fishman Clan.
Humanity was the invader who had expelled the fishman clan. Although Hun Tong and humanity occupied the surface of the coral ball cage tree and renamed it Two Eyes Island, none of them had a deep understanding of its internal structure.
Because Two Eyes Island was a living being.
Inside the coral ball cage tree, there were secret paths and hidden chambers among the small cracks in its branches.
The growing vines and branches meant that these secret paths and hidden chambers were constantly disappearing, appearing, or relocating.
The coral ball cage tree’s life level was also high and could resist many detection methods.
Of course, the longer Hun Tong reigned here, the greater humanity’s control of Two Eyes Island became.
The secret path was dark, for Xi Dai Zi didn’t create a light.
He was a deep sea fishman, and his big fish eyes could catch deep sea prey, thus, he had dark vision.
He wasn’t in a good state.
After being ambushed by the ghost Lan Lu, his soul had been injured. This injury was very troublesome to deal with, far more difficult to heal than flesh wounds.
“If I could get a soul crystal, I would have the right medicine for this.”
“Otherwise, the standard method of healing is simply waiting for my soul to restore itself.”
“That takes too long. The clan will soon launch its counteroffensive, and I will be in a terrible state when it happens.”
“What should I do.” Xi Dai Zi bitterly laughed, “The entire island is searching for the necromancer, and the Blood Light Punishment Institution will also dispatch a cultivator here. The clan’s plan to recapture our home will be run aground!”
“I must find a chance to leave this place and tell the captain and clan what happened here.”
Xi Dai Zi grew ever more impatient.
Suddenly, he stopped walking.
He faintly sensed an abnormality ahead.
Thus, Xi Dai Zi reached out to touch the secret path and joined his spirit with the coral ball cage tree.
He closed his eyes, and an image of the scene ahead gradually appeared in his mind.
Ahead of this secret path, there was a relatively hidden chamber.
Upon leaving the hidden chamber, one could go to the old island’s slums on the surface.
But now, this hidden chamber concealed a single person.
Xi Dai Zi detected this person, causing both alarm and anger to suddenly flare as his eyes unconsciously flew open.
My God!
It’s that damned necromancer!!
He had been hidden here and was doing alchemy!
“Good, very good.” Xi Dai Zi tenaciously bit his jaw, blood filling his eyes.
“So, you were hiding here!”
“Let me run across you.”
“Hehe.”
“Hehehe.”
The alchemy engrossed Chi Yu sensed an inexplicable nip of chillness.
“That feeling again.”
“It’s been having a lot recently.”
“Am I fussing about nothing?”
Under a bridge, a masked Cang Xu was hiding in the darkness.
Footsteps could be heard.
The city guard commander and the Wealth God priest were walking together.
“Stop, don’t go any further.” Cang Xu’s voice came from the darkness.
He had deliberately lowered the tone of his voice.
The city guard commander’s eyes flashed, “We have come to trade in information. Come then, won’t you tell us what you know?”
“Did the Feudal Lord come?” Cang Xu asked.
The city guard commander coldly snorted, “Did the Feudal Lord say he would come? He is a gold level cultivator and has many affairs to attend to every day. This type of thing falls to me to authenticate first.”
Cang Xu was silent for a bit, then suddenly threw a scroll, “This is a contract scroll, please look at the clauses, and if there aren’t any problems, please sign the contract first, then we’ll talk.”
The city guard commander caught the scroll and after carefully unrolling it, he and the priest attentively studied its clauses.
The clauses were very open and transparent. It mainly guaranteed that both parties would deal in good faith and prevent either side from acting against each other.
“Fine, I will sign this contract.” Said the city guard commander.
But Cang Xu stressed, “Lord Priest, please sign the contract too. After all, you are a silver level caster.”
The priest nodded, “I can.”
“No need!” AT that moment, Hun Tong’s voice came from behind Cang Xu.
Cang Xu turned pale with fright, he didn’t sense Hun Tong approaching at all.
By the time he turned around, it was already too late.
Hun Tong seized him by the neck.
“Don’t do it!” Cang Xu said at once, “I sincerely want to work with you. I have real information. I guarantee it!”
“Lord Hun Tong, Lord Priest.”
“You were the ones who issued the bounty, I also considered the needs of all the humans on Two Eyes Island, I am on your side.”
Hun Tong dragged Cang Xu by the scruff out of the shadow of the bridge.
Before Hun Tong tore off Cang Xu’s mask, he coldly snorted, “You think I don’t know anything? You are the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ magician, Lao Zhong!”
Cang Xu went stiff, “You, what do you know? No, how much do you know?”
Hun Tong sneered, and upon believing that he had intimidated Cang Xu, let him go.
Cang Xu regained his freedom but seemed dazed.
He bowed his head in a moment of pondering, then took off his mask to reveal his agonized “true face”, “Lord Hun Tong, Lord Priest, and Lord City Guard Commander, good afternoon to you all.”
“Please forgive me, three Lords. We really offended you inadvertently, there have been many misunderstandings. Lord Hun Tong, you are a gold level cultivator, this place is your domain. We were really worried about our safety, but this information is really important and hiding it will have grave consequences.”
“Therefore, after we negotiated, we decided to do this. Please believe us, we have no relation with that necromancer!”
“Whether or not you have our trust depends on your explanation. Old magician, you will value this chance to explain yourself properly. “Hun Tong pressured.
But Cang Xu shook his head slowly, “I have come on a mission. I can guarantee to your Lordships that this information is extremely valuable. If you overlook it, Two Eyes Island might suffer catastrophic damage. This is no alarmist talk. Before I saw this information, can we discuss the matter of remuneration?”
Hun Tong wanted to slap Cang Xu down.
What information?
He didn’t know.
Isn’t this about the fishman pirate group attacking Two Eyes Island?
Hun Tong looked forward to the fishman pirate group and fishman clan attacking the island.
But this enticement plan had been conspired by him and the imperial secret spy, neither’s underlings knew about it.
The city guard commander was the same. The Wealth Church’s priest even more so.
Hun Tong endured the indisposed feeling, “You won’t lack the pertinent reward.”
Cang Xu replied, “No, your esteemed Lordship. Compared to the generous monetary reward, we would rather purchase some rare materials. We are also very interested in what will be on offer at the auction. Is it possible to purchase some surreptitiously ahead of time?”
Hun Tong’s eyes narrowed as he suppressed his rage, “It seems your Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps has some ideas. As for you, Lao Zhong, you are very loyal to your mercenary corps. You do know that your life lies in my hands. You came alone this time, where are Long Fu and Shi Qi?”
Cang Xu shook his head and forced a smile, “It is precisely because I just joined that I need to work even harder.”
“As for the commander and auxiliary commander, they trust your Lordship’s reputation and stayed behind on the ship, waiting for news of me.”
Hun Tong coldly snorted.
Long Fu and Shi Qi staying behind on the ship was a secondary preparation.
If they noticed the situation went amiss, they might force their way through the custom ships and out to sea.
Hun Tong didn’t despite the other party’s determination.
To him it seemed that the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps were arms smugglers, dangerous people who took risks out of desperation. If they were forced to, they would fire their gold level cannon and shell Two Eyes Island!
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps only dispatching Cang Xu did seem irresponsible, but in actuality it was the greatest deterrent to Hun Tong and the others.
Two Eyes Island was Hun Tong’s foundation. It was also his weak spot.
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ strategy had come from Cang Xu.
Hun Tong gradually curbed his grandeur and waved to Cang Xu, “Follow me, this is not the place to speak in detail.”
Cang Xu relaxed, most of his plan had already succeeded.
He followed Hun Tong and returned to the city government building.
The feudal lord sent back the city guard commander and had the priest use the Detect Lie divine spell before letting Cang Xu into his study for a private discussion,
Hun Tong did not want information on the fishman’s attack on the island to get out to the priest and the others.
He and Cang Xu carried out a negotiation in the study.
Even faced with a gold level cultivator, Cang Xu still strived for the most benefits.
After a spell of wrangling, the two had come to a final proposal.
Hun Tong would give some rare resources and permit the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps to purchase some things from the auction early. But the selection was restricted, and they were to be sold at 30% above market price.
Hun Tong found it hard to breathe.
He obviously knew the fishmen were going to attack the island, but he had to purchase the information.
He just had to.
Because he pretended not to know about it and through this transaction, he sealed the lips of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps and prevented them from divulging this information.
Of course, Xu Ma knew the facts and had personally witnessed what the necromancer looked like. This important clue was also an important bargaining chip to Hun Tong.
Hun Tong did not know that the one before him, Cang Xu, was the real murderer, the necromancer he should hack into pieces.
This necromancer was not standing in front of him, explaining himself.
Hun Tong, nevertheless, focused and earnestly listened.
Because he had bought this opportunity with money.