Chapter 73 – Seeking the Big Shot
In the chaotic market district, near a place resembling the Roman Colosseum, there was a row of mansions.
Some local wealthy merchants preferred to settle down here, as they weren’t qualified to live in the noble area and couldn’t always stay in luxurious gardens in the outskirts. The market district was their best choice.
After George came ashore, he pulled Jima along the crowded market district a few times. Only when he was sure no flower boat or persistent servants were following behind did he let out a sigh of relief.
The tone suggested he had just gone through a bloody battle.
Jima, soothing her hungry little belly, said, “Sir, why can’t I have apple pie?”
“She will think I accepted her gift,” George replied. “When I have no good feelings for someone pursuing me, I must be clear in rejecting them and not accept any gifts.”
“Then let’s buy something to eat.”
Jima cast her gaze toward the noisy streets. Outside the large market, there were usually small stalls selling various goods, and no one was selling slaves.
They bought some bread filled with fish scraps and a mildly sour beer.
Jima had just taken a few bites when George tugged at her, “They’ve come.”
With her mouth full, Jima looked up and indeed saw a group of four-hundred-pound servants not far away, asking around.
The four-hundred-pounders were even more enthusiastic than Jima had imagined. After getting a response, Jima felt she had made a step forward on the path of leveling up. However, she was still far from fully mastering the Nightmare ability.
Although she could feel herself getting stronger, Jima still opened her “personal information panel” and saw in the information section:
“DM: Your grasp of the Nightmare ability has advanced further.”
Just like her body sensing, the feedback effect could be described as average. It hadn’t reached its best, but it indicated she had initially grasped the leveling up requirements.
It was like being a puppet master. Undetected, controlling the emotions of others through dreams to achieve one’s goals? It seemed that if I could successfully persuade George to pretend to be my boyfriend, I could get even closer.
Jima speculated and summarized the leveling up demands of the Nightmare ability.
Influencing others through dreams to achieve personal goals.
Following the address, George found the mansion of Big Shot Fulis in a residential area along the original intersection of the market district.
It was a mansion surrounded by red brick walls over three meters high. Three stories tall, with a small garden, a stable, and a creek leading directly to the market; aside from that, the main building was only slightly larger than the inn where Jima was staying.
Jima swallowed the last bite of bread mixed with fish scraps and burped.
“Sir, it’s strange. As someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the great benefactor, he should be living in the noble district, not here.”
“A nouveau riche,” George replied.
“He’s not an ordinary merchant.”
George agreed.
They stood before the black iron gate of the mansion. They submitted the letter personally delivered by Big Shot Fulis.
A male servant took the letter and politely said they would have to wait a little longer.
Despite his gentle manners and the snug black formal attire, Jima noticed a corner of a tattoo peeking from his collar, likely a tiger shark.
Among the citizens of the underground kingdom of Shalin City, eight out of ten loved tattooed tiger sharks.
After the servant left, the street quieted down a bit.
George, a little nervously, glanced around and handed an envelope to Jima, saying, “This is my plan.”
Jima opened the envelope and took out the laborious results of George’s ruminations from the night before.
She looked it over and noted George chose a more cautious but time-consuming route.
He didn’t plan to seek out someone named “New Delhi” directly but intended to first inquire about a mage familiar with slave contracts, and then search alone for the mage named New Delhi. Furthermore, he planned to conceal George’s intention to dissolve the “slave contract.”
After all, the rumors of the brave George possessing succubus nature had already spread far and wide, making it too easy to expose him.
Jima nodded while looking through. The more time wasted, the happier she became. This way, she had ample time to seek opportunities and helpers to protect her treasure.
As for the slave contract, anyways, the dead virgin was just like a protagonist in an online novel—more of a spiritual monk. She really wasn’t worried at all.
“Watch me shine.”
Jima returned the letter to George.
More than ten minutes later, the male servant came back and opened the iron gate, beaming, “It’s a good brother of the boss, please come in.”
The servant led them, but instead of going inside the house, they headed toward the small creek within the mansion.
George looked at him.
The servant explained, “Guests, the boss is busy in the office area, please let us take you by boat.”
Jima thought she must play the role of a servant well, a servant unaware of Fulis’s true identity.
“Boss?” Jima asked, “Is this a unique title in Shalin City?”
“Don’t you know?” The servant seemed surprised, “Big Shot Fulis is just Big Shot Fulis.”
“He’s not a superficial merchant, is he?”
The servant replied, “If it wasn’t for the boss’s prior instruction, I might think you were spies. Yes, he is a merchant merely to avoid scaring off guests. The upper-class folks usually have very small guts.”
George asked, “What does he do?”
The servant said, “He likes to encourage his subordinates, responsible for supervising upright individuals and making them work hard.”
Jima said, “This euphemism, is he a slave overseer?”
The servant laughed heartily, “Little girl, I like your sense of humor.”
Jima warned, “On account of the hidden dagger, be careful with your address. You’re now a merchant’s servant.”
“Oh, I know, I know. I hope you don’t sink in the water later.”
As they spoke, they descended the stairs. The stairs led down to the small creek, where a small boat was tied up.
They took the small boat, setting off from the creek to the busy waterway, passing through some inconspicuous narrow channels.
After about twenty minutes, the small boat entered the waterway close to the dock area and the fire district.
The streets along the waterway were poor yet vibrant, with a group of gangsters in black cloth masks blocking a few people in the street.
As the boat passed, Jima remarked, “They’re really diligent, getting up to work so early.”
“Rainbow Festival is the peak season.”
The people on the shore noticed the beautiful Jima, and the servant made a few gestures, causing the gangsters to turn their heads and continue working.
This was a waterway nearing the dock, where various cargo boats were sailing. Triangular sails, oars, all kinds of small boats moved back and forth between the large ships, a scene of prosperity.
Several small boats were docked by the shore. An old man lying on one gestured to the servant. The servant waved his hand impatiently.
“What’s up? Did he ask you to indulge—get something to eat?”
The servant looked at Jima’s pretty and innocent face and deliberately scared her, “Do you know about wolf packs? He’s a lookout, keeping an eye on that boat that is easy to target. Once there’s a signal, our upright people will rush in and take everything away—men killed, women too; only those as beautiful as you get taken to the brothel.”
Jima replied with a straight face, “I’m so scared.”
George cut in, “Lies.”
The servant chuckled, “You don’t know yet, dear guest. Well, I admit, we just do a little petty theft here and there.”
The small boat entered a narrow channel, and Jima asked, “So, the upright people refer to the gang members, while Big Shot Fulis is the boss?”
“Your little brain is really clever.”
“Then how do gangs compete for territory?”
“Just like that. Whoever is the most ruthless gets the most lucrative territory. Do you know how farmers scare those crows? Once a crow is caught, they hang the dead one up as a warning. Competing for territory is the same; the loser ends up disemboweled and hung up on a tree or eaves. I’ve even seen some people who were cut open but still lived. You know what they say?”
The servant said this with dramatic flair, looking at Jima, hoping to frighten the beautiful girl.
Jima merely raised her finger and pointed behind the servant, “Just like the corpse hanging behind you?”
“Hahaha.” The servant laughed heartily. “You little girl are quite clever. Don’t think you can scare me. Ever since Big Shot Fulis took over, we haven’t needed to do such bloody deeds anymore.”
George piped up, “You’re about to bump into a corpse.”
Before the servant could react, something cold and soft brushed across his scalp. George and Jima both ducked.
Only then did the servant see a disemboweled man hanging above him. Bald, with a fishhook stuck in his chin, lifted by the hook. His pale feet dangled, and the toes that had brushed the servant’s scalp were those of the dead man.
Instantly, the servant felt a chill run down his spine, and he nearly dropped the paddle into the water. After catching his breath, he asked, “By the gods! You—you all didn’t say anything!”
Jima said, “I thought it was normal decoration for the upright people.”
The servant felt extremely embarrassed, “Aren’t you all scared at all? I had no warning whatsoever.”
“Not scared,” the former hero and former demon lord answered in unison.
“I believe you are good brothers of the boss.”
While paddling, the servant carefully examined the victim’s face, “Now who is so bold? The boss said to preserve the city’s appearance, forbidding any more hangings. Anyone who dares to ignore the boss will be sunk in the water.”
Suddenly, he felt as if an invisible hand had choked his neck, his face turned pale, and he looked like he was gasping for air.
Jima kindly kicked him, “What’s wrong?”
The servant suddenly came back to his senses and shouted, “This is the leader of the Sweet Food Gang! Who killed him?”
Jima was quite curious about his reaction.
“What happened?”
“He’s a good brother of the boss.” Saying this, the servant paddled furiously, murmuring, “I hope the boss is in a better mood today.”
Unfortunately, his small wish would be disappointed today.
The small boat finally reached an entrance to an underground waterway.
Inside had been developed into a secret underground kingdom. They passed through numerous obstacles, incredibly narrow corridors, flanked by shooting ports, and a suspension bridge only wide enough for one person to pass, with a slippery abyss below.
Finally, in a large water cavern, they reached the office location of Big Shot Fulis.
A large ship had run aground in the cavern, secured with iron chains to avoid being swept away by the underground water, and the only path was a suspension bridge.
Jima complained, “He must spend a lot of commuting time to get to work.”
