Chapter 180 Chapter 181 A Clash of Similar Odors
Ten minutes later.
The cold-faced witch hunter sat in the carriage, facing Master Is.
The door of the carriage was askew, and Master Is reached out to touch a crack on his golden mask.
He never imagined he would have such a day. Not only did he lose all his money, along with a ring, but he also ended up in a conflict with a witch hunter.
What was worse, he had no dignified way to end this dispute, and even invoking the title of the local Sigma Church’s Grand Praying Master would not be of any use; he could only brawl with the other like a street thug.
Outside the carriage, a wall of people pointed at the family-marked carriage. It is human nature to watch the fun; a carriage that had lost four fine horses had become a hot topic of conversation.
Master Is snapped the window open forcefully, causing his waist injury to sting slightly, and he frowned.
That witch hunter’s methods were truly despicable, aiming for the kidneys.
“Mr. Van Helsing.” Master Is tried to forget the gruesome sight of the dead horses and attempted a polite smile towards the witch hunter who had killed his horses. “I’ve heard that seeing is believing. The Grand Praying Master often mentions you, describing you as a steadfast and ruthless purger. He once told me you battled with a great swordsman in a village corrupted by the God of Plagues for three days and nights, until there was a pile of bodies, and only after burning them did you finally close your eyes for rest.”
“Two days and three nights,” the witch hunter named Van Helsing corrected. He set down an empty healing potion, his dark eyes warily fixed on Master Is, with a war hammer stained with horse brain within arm’s reach.
A vigilant, fervent, and resolute witch hunter could be useful to me.
Master Is said, “I think there has been some misunderstanding between us. I heard you mention purging evil?”
Van Helsing’s hand reached for the blood-stained war hammer.
Master Is waved his hand, saying:
“I’m not here to probe for information, but I suspect that our misunderstanding is filled with too many coincidences. As a legitimate businessman, I have always operated honestly, but recently an old rival of mine has been squeezing me out in the marketplace. He has spread rumors and hired people to steal my caravans; these are common occurrences in business. But when I prepared to fight back, too many coincidences occurred.”
“The racehorses at the racetrack suddenly fell ill, a merchant ship that was supposed to return sank silently at the port, and the stock exchange was clearly manipulated and plummeted. I’ve investigated, and they’re all coincidences, but if all these coincidences only target me, then they are no longer coincidences.”
“I just returned from the Sigma Church, and the Grand Praying Master believes that my old rival may have sought help from evil, and it might be a succubus.”
At that moment, the coachman and the male servant returned with the horses, and the carriage, now fitted with new horses, finally set off.
Van Helsing squinted and said, “A succubus? I’ve seen a succubus destroy a city with my own eyes; that night is unforgettable, flames everywhere. Who is your old rival? I will go confront him right now.”
“Don’t rush, don’t rush; it’s only a possibility,” Master Is said. “As a businessman, I value honest methods and do not wish for others to think I resort to despicable means against my competitors.”
“All the noble merchants I’ve seen say they are honest,” Van Helsing said. “Burn them if they’re wronged. Hang them one by one, and there are sure to be some who slip through the cracks.”
Master Is asked, “Don’t you think it was a coincidence that you and I had a conflict?”
Van Helsing took out a piece of paper and said, “I’m tracking a woman with black hair; she is very likely a succubus. This is the address someone gave me.”
Master Is looked at the note, which had a shaky line of writing that looked like the hand of a beginner, and it was indeed his home address.
“Who gave this to you?”
“The Gold Rolling Apothecary,” Van Helsing said. “A mixed-blood wrote it to me; although she wore a straw hat, I could tell she had beast ears growing from her head; she is a hybrid.”
Master Is sighed, “Mr. Witch Hunter, that hybrid is named Lianxi, and her master is Xiao Qiao, the black-haired girl. The potions sold at the Gold Rolling Apothecary are all made by her.”
“No wonder she also gifted me two bottles of money luck potion.”
Upon hearing “money luck potion,” Master Is felt a pang in his temples.
No wonder the carriage crashed into the witch hunter.
When the carriage returned to Master Is’s residence, and he heard the familiar sound of the wheels rolling on the stone path, he relaxed; surely they wouldn’t crash into anyone again.
“Since the matter is clear,” Master Is gracefully invited, “would you be willing to spare some time to have dinner with my family? There are some matters to discuss, as my old rival is a local power figure, and if you need to investigate, I would be fortunate to provide assistance.”
“No need,” Van Helsing said. “I am the blade of Sigma, not some noble’s hired hand, besides, who can guarantee your innocence?”
The carriage came to a stop.
“If you’re not at ease, you can search my residence as much as you like.”
“I’m afraid if I go in, I might not come out,” Van Helsing said. “I’ll report to the Grand Praying Master and seek some men to investigate your residence.”
“I’m very sorry about today’s events,” Master Is said. “I am willing to sponsor you some gold coins to assist in your investigation.”
“I think I may have been too harsh on the devout believers of Sigma at times,” Van Helsing’s demeanor softened. “You should have cash; I won’t stay for dinner for now.”
Not surprisingly, another witch hunter looking for a free meal.
Master Is suppressed the contempt in his heart and said, “I’m glad you can consider my faith, Mr. Witch Hunter. Should you encounter any difficulties in the future, I would be very willing to provide some necessary assistance.”
“Sure, sure.”
A smile appeared on Master Is’s face.
As long as I receive his money, I will have a weapon against the succubus.
Van Helsing and Master Is descended from the carriage. Master Is instructed a servant to bring over a bag of gold tickets; Van Helsing opened the bag and counted, and upon seeing ten tickets of one hundred gold coins each, he held tightly onto the Sigma emblem on his chest and exclaimed:
“By Sigma, many evil beings will be purified.”
Master Is couldn’t help but sneer inwardly, but he maintained a polite facade, saying, “Mr. Van Helsing, won’t you really consider staying for dinner?”
Van Helsing tucked away the money bag and was about to respond when—
A graceful noblewoman hurried over, exclaiming, “Darling, you’re back? Come, give mommy a hug; I haven’t seen you in three days.”
Saying this, she directly embraced Master Is.
Master Is sighed, “Mother, there’s a guest here.”
Master Is’s mother appeared to be in her early thirties, a mature beauty. She must have been a stunningly attractive woman in her youth; time hadn’t stolen her beauty but had instead deepened it.
Her skin was well cared for, with glossy chestnut-red hair, a warm smile on her face, and she wore a proper evening gown that revealed a fair expanse at the chest, with the heavily patterned skirt almost grazing the ground.
She reached out her hand, adorned with long white gloves, and gently touched the crack on Master Is’s golden mask, saying, “What happened today, dear?”
“Nothing much.”
Van Helsing removed his hat, respectfully bowed his chest to Master Is’s mother, and said, “I had a minor conflict with your son. It is a pleasure to dine with you.”
Master Is’s mother’s smile faded significantly as she asked, “And who are you?”
Master Is replied, “My friend.”
Van Helsing didn’t confirm nor deny, putting his hat back on.
“Oh,” Master Is’s mother said. “Darling, we haven’t had a proper chat in a week. We agreed to talk for half an hour each week.”
“Mom, I’m very busy right now.”
“What about your fiancée? How old are you now? Others get married as soon as they come of age. You’ve had so many lovers, why haven’t you found one that satisfies you yet?”
Van Helsing, feeling overlooked, adjusted his hat and stood back, his gaze fixed intently on Master Is’s mother’s back.
…
…
The next day, early in the morning.
In the mansion of Kaslan.
“Dad! You stole the potion again!”
Dressed in a nightgown, Jenna stood with her hands on her hips, furious.
It was the third time they caught him red-handed. Kaslan nearly shipped out the “money luck potion,” which had all been made by Gima. He had planned to leave them to sit until the potions lost their potency before discarding them.
Originally, he could have sold the surplus “money luck potions” in batches daily. However, Jenna opposed selling these inferior potions; otherwise, she couldn’t bring herself to accept it. Gima agreed as well, because this way she could use the funds for practicing potion-making and refining her skills to deal with the extraordinary materials from the green dragon.
Yet, seeing the “gold mountain” about to vanish, Kaslan was too pained to breathe, constantly thinking of ways to get this batch out.
One by one, boxes emblazoned with golden light were neatly stacked in a pile.
Gima yawned and said, “It’s just about to be boxed; should we just burn them instead? If they’re contaminated, they’re contaminated, as long as no one sees.”
Jenna was about to object when Kaslan quickly raised his hand and shouted:
“Don’t! These are treasures!”
“No, we can’t sell inferior potions to customers,” Jenna said. “Over time, that would do Malin City no good. Just bury them in the basement, block the doors, and once their effects wear off, we’ll reopen.”
“Oh my dear daughter,” Kaslan said, anxiously patting his leg, “it’s a free market; one party is willing to sell, another is willing to buy. The Is family once sold black lotus flowers. Once someone started, they couldn’t stop; there were smoking addicts everywhere on the streets. The mayor’s council planned to restrict black lotus flowers, and they insisted on a free market, and it dragged on for three or four years, during which they made enough money before reining it in. The black lotus flowers still aren’t entirely banned; the two legal black lotus shops in the city are owned by them.”
“But that’s a legal stipulation.”
“We aren’t breaking the law either! Besides, those are their family’s rules; they have a large family and a strong background. The laws were set by people like them.” Kaslan said. “I heard recently that they plan to ban the money luck potions; should we sell them off quickly?”
“We can’t become evil just because others are evil,” Jenna shook her head. “The green skins even enjoy slaughter and murder, which is worse.”
“Miss Xiao Qiao, could you persuade my daughter?”
After all, the money was almost paid off, and in a few days, my investment would be returned.
Gima stretched, “Sister Jenna is right; we need to have boundaries. Besides, the debts are almost settled, what are you worried about?”
“I’ve lost too much this year, and there are many places to spend money.” Kaslan finger-counted, addressing Jenna: “Your second sister went to a noble family in Aldao to study with their daughter every year; tuition and tribute couldn’t be overlooked. And I need money for my position as a council member too. Your third brother finally entered the Imperial University, and he needs money for equipment and a warhorse; his usual socializing also costs money. They are my children too, yet they don’t have extraordinary abilities like you; the future isn’t guaranteed for them.”
“This is also why I came home,” Jenna said. “But I cannot accept selling inferior goods.”
Thus, as Kaslan continued to sigh, Jenna personally lifted a large stone to block the door of the basement.
Just as the stone hit the ground and Jenna clapped her hands—
A frantic servant rushed over and said, “Master, the Extraordinary Committee requests Miss Jenna and Miss Xiao Qiao to attend a meeting immediately.”
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