Chapter 113 Chapter 112 Betrayers
As soon as Jima finished speaking, the two strong women beside her pulled hard on her wrists, which were bound behind her back, causing her to arch her head back slightly in pain and bend her knees.
“Mind your manners!” they warned.
“Be gentle with my guest,” the benevolent master Bransi smiled, “She’s the girl who will save our city, but before that, she needs some thorough education. Politeness needs to be taught with emphasis.”
The two strong women relaxed their grip slightly, and Jima straightened up again. She remained silent, internally pondering the benevolent master’s words.
She had not guessed wrong. The big shot, Flouris, had gone so far as to break the contract and capture her, all for the sake of presenting her as a gift to the benevolent master.
What could be more suitable as the flower of Shalin City than a virgin succubus, to be the highlight of the auction at the Rainbow Festival?
Life is unpredictable; who would have thought that as the largest buyer of the flower of Shalin City, she would one day be sold as the flower of Shalin City herself?
Faced with such a sarcastic fate, Jima felt a bit lucky. For the time being, she didn’t have to worry about what kind of narrative would unfold around her. To ensure her value, the benevolent master would concern himself with her chastity more than anyone else.
A succubus alone was not the biggest selling point; it was a virgin succubus that was the biggest selling point. She could imagine the uproar that would arise when news of the auctioning of a virgin succubus from Shalin City was released.
The benevolent master Bransi smiled as he looked at the big shot, Flouris.
This underground ruler approached like a dog seeing a bone, shrinking his neck and wearing a face full of flattering smiles.
“Don’t be polite, sit down, my friend.”
The big shot, Flouris, gladly sat in the chair, which suited his build, and his smile brightened considerably.
The benevolent master Bransi also sat down and said, “How about we toast a few drinks to today’s good fortune?”
“Esteemed lord, I only hope you will like the gift I present.”
“Too courteous, too courteous,” the benevolent master Bransi waved his hand lightly, as if he could brush the words away from the air, “My requests are always very realistic, and you have already helped me solve two of them. I should be thanking you properly.”
At that moment, an old maid came forward to open a pale-colored small wine barrel, pouring out a light red liquid. On the side of the barrel was a simple black label that read:
“White Sand Wine 910.”
The big shot, Flouris, gasped, his nostrils appearing somewhat widened. Meanwhile, the benevolent master Bransi maintained his polite demeanor.
“By the gods,” Flouris said, “910 years old, I… I truly don’t know how to express my excitement at this moment.”
He knew that such a precious vintage was only brought out by the benevolent master when entertaining the great demon lord Jima.
“Oh, there’s no need, no need,” the benevolent master Bransi took up his glass, “Let’s toast to your gift; this is just a trivial little thing.”
“Cheers.”
The two drank it down together. Whether it was the alcohol or the thirst for power and status, the big shot Flouris blushed like a monkey’s backside. He showered compliments on the benevolent master Bransi, who, despite the pleasantries, showed a faint weariness on his face.
Jima, as the gift, stood behind and watched as the two men drank.
As they grew jovial, the benevolent master waved his hand and said, “Bring that gift here.”
The previously intoxicated eyes of the big shot, Flouris, suddenly sharpened. Jima understood that this guy was not as easy to fool as he seemed.
Another old maid approached, holding a silver tray which held another wine barrel.
Bransi said, “902 years, my return gift.”
The big shot, Flouris, trembled as he stood up and personally took the wine barrel, saying, “I’ve never heard of anyone in Shalin City having a 902-year-old wine.”
“This is the last barrel. My subordinate won it from a peculiar old noble, spending two hundred gold coins for it. Afterwards, he spent several times that amount to escape from assassins on the way,” the benevolent master Bransi said, “Please accept this gift to decorate your wine cellar.”
“But I don’t have a wine cellar.”
“Now you do.” As soon as the benevolent master Bransi finished speaking, the second old maid brought in a deed and a set of keys, handing them over to the big shot, Flouris, with a smile and saying, “I’m glad to be your neighbor.”
Flouris dropped the silver cup from his hand.
“My lord, you aren’t joking, are you?”
“I never joke, my friend.”
Seeing a grassroots person achieve a significant class leap, Jima felt an immense sense of honor in having played a crucial role.
She spoke up, “Aren’t you afraid of death?”
“I will live well, girl,” the big shot said, “Under Lord Bransi’s protection, could the brave George really die and resurrect to take revenge on me?”
Jima’s eyelid twitched, but she soon thought, that dead virgin could pierce this demon lord with a sword, how could he possibly die at the hands of you petty fish? I think if he focuses on escaping, he wouldn’t even need a teleportation scroll.
Jima said, “Then we’ll see.”
“I know you’re placing your hope on that shadow king. But he is not someone bound by feelings of loyalty; I know him very well.” Saying this, the big shot, Flouris, turned his head with a face full of remorse to the benevolent master Bransi and said, “Esteemed lord, there’s a dark secret I’ve harbored in my heart for a long time, torturing my conscience. I’ve been too afraid to admit it to you.”
“I know,” the benevolent master Bransi said, gently brushing his neatly groomed beard with his fingers, “You were brothers with the shadow king Arcanis, growing up together and mingling with gangs.”
The big shot, Flouris, widened his small eyes in disbelief, saying, “You already knew? That I was good friends with the one who murdered your wife?”
“I knew from the start,” the benevolent master Bransi said, “But this has nothing to do with you.”
The fat on Flouris’s face trembled with excitement.
“I haven’t been able to sleep well these days, thinking that I had once called such a cold-blooded and twisted murderer my brother brings me a deep sense of guilt towards you.”
With that, the big shot, Flouris, emotionally wiped away his tears.
“As long as I can help Shalin City, I do not mind.”
“Thank you, thank you.”
He continued to express endless gratitude, while Jima stood to the side, bored and yawning.
Finally, the big shot, Flouris, contentedly left with the wine barrel in his hands.
As the two strong women were about to take Jima away, leaving the benevolent master Bransi alone to sit, he waved his hand, saying, “Release her, I want to talk to her.”
“But my lord, she’s a succubus; she might enchant you.”
“I’m not worried,” the benevolent master Bransi said, “I have always been confident in my love for my wife.”
The benevolent master Bransi was very loyal to his wife, which is an exceedingly rare virtue in Shalin City. None of the maids in his residence were young. The young and beautiful maids of his “human museum” were merely for show.
Jima knew that the benevolent master Bransi was indeed as loyal as the rumors claimed; when she suggested that he enjoy himself with her in the past, Bransi had firmly opposed it.
The two strong women released their grip and untied the ropes from Jima’s wrists before stepping outside.
The benevolent master Bransi gestured for Jima to come to his side. However, Jima stretched her wrist and directly sat down in the spot that the big shot, Flouris, had just warmed, showing no awareness of being a “gift.”
“Aren’t you afraid at all?”
“I would like to be afraid,” Jima replied, “but I truly can’t be afraid of you.”
“Seeing the big shot flattering me all the time, do you think I’m foolish?”
Jima nodded.
After drinking a bit, the benevolent master Bransi’s face was slightly flushed, and he was evidently in a good mood, “But if I don’t accept his flattery, he will be restless; I have to do this, even though I look down on him from the bottom of my heart; I must still be polite.”
Jima couldn’t help but remember the past. She’d once been on the balcony with the young benevolent master, who, like the big shot, was subservient and humble, trying hard to flatter her.
She looked around at the familiar environment, wanting to lean back comfortably in her chair, but her tail got in the way, so she had to sit up straight. She replied, “I only see two fools.” Jima said directly, then felt it was too arrogant, fearing the upcoming lesson would be difficult, “Apologies, after spending so much time with George, I unknowingly picked up the habit of speaking directly from the Hall of Saints.”
“Hehe.”
“The round-bellied big shot, as someone with only silver rank, dares to exploit loopholes in the contract watched by the true gods for the sake of power and status. Even the demon lord must think twice,” Jima said, “He will certainly be punished by the gods. Of course, the God of Dawn is a deity who strictly observes rules, so he won’t die. But he has given the Shadow King an opportunity; he won’t live past today.”
The benevolent master Bransi shook his head, smiling, as if watching a young person talking big, saying, “You’re too young; the big shot is not as simple as he looks. Not only will he not die today, but he might even give me another surprise.”
Young.
Jima sneered inwardly.
…
…
In the underground cavern, a stranded ship.
The big shot, Flouris, walked past the eye hanging on the door and into his familiar room, letting out a breath of relief.
The thing he had yearned for was finally in his hands. He was so excited he felt he could fly.
In the room, there was another person. The old man with a goatee still wore a kind smile; upon seeing his gentle smile, everyone in the gang would tremble. He was the big shot, Flouris’s confidant, his favorite executioner.
The old man with the goatee brought over a chair, next to a small black hole leading to the tiger shark, where blood waters surged and hungry tiger sharks were gnawing on corpses.
“Who did we execute today?” Flouris asked while maintaining a safe distance.
The old man with the goatee pointed at himself and said, “Him.”
“Him?”
“Yes,” the old man with the goatee said, “Good friend, good brother, I’m here to kill you.”
With that, he stood up, his figure blurring, and transformed into a silver-haired half-elf clad in a gray cloak and gray-black leather armor—Shadow King Arcanis.
The big shot, Flouris, not surprised but laughing said, “You really are something; you can infiltrate this place too.”
“Didn’t used to be able to; now I can.”
“The demon lord’s treasury has benefited you greatly.”
“What are your last words?”
“I’m very grateful that back in the fire zone, you shared a moldy piece of bread with me to keep me alive.”
“That doesn’t sound sincere.”
“Hah, you think I’m an idiot? Chatting about old times with you?” The big shot, Flouris suddenly grinned. Just then, he heard footsteps coming from the door. He lifted his silk robe to reveal soft armor underneath, saying, “Can you kill me before the reinforcements come? There’s not a single shadow in this room; what can you do?”
“To kill a silver trash with diminished power, I just need two moves.”
After saying this, Arcanis charged at the big shot, but Flouris was even more agile than he looked, dodging his thrust with a swift side step, with only a slight scratch on his neck.
Flouris glowed with a strange white light, moving astonishingly fast, darting to the other side of the room, exclaiming, “Three seconds left.”
In ten seconds, reinforcements would breach the door.
Arcanis lunged at the big shot. Flouris displayed a confident smile, but suddenly, the tiny bloodstain on his neck expanded, blood spraying from his throat.
Flouris froze in place, his eyes widening as Arcanis rushed in, the shadow blade piercing through the white light, brutally slicing his throat.
Flouris lost his strength and fell to the ground. He stared wide-eyed as Arcanis reached over him and pulled out a blood-stained gold coin, engraved with “AD1357.”
Injured coin… when did this…
The Shadow King, Arcanis, saw through his thoughts and said, “Jima.”
It was actually her…
As big shot, Flouris, sank into total darkness, he saw Arcanis thrust the shadow blade into his hand and viciously stab it toward him.
