The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 159

Chapter 160
Alistair’s Torture

Eiv’s first target was Lawyer York, and there was a reason for that.
In truth, to make a big fuss, it would have been best to kill Vice President Boka. That would have been the most advantageous way to frame someone… as many people would want to kill a morally bankrupt lawyer like York, but only President Lloyd would want to kill Boka.
However, Eiv worried that this would instead help President Lloyd directly take over Boka’s faction.
The conflict would indeed escalate, but if President Lloyd was ruthless and decisive enough to accept the blame for this “pie in the sky,” Eiv would end up looking like a fool. Besides clearing the president’s obstacles, he wouldn’t have accomplished anything else.
Ultimately, within the Lloyd Society, only Vice President Boka had the ability to contend with President Lloyd, and only Vice President Boka was someone President Lloyd feared. Boka, however, had never made up his mind to openly confront him.
“Then I’ll make that decision for you,” Eiv said.
Eiv’s lips curled slightly as he looked up at his destination.
This was Lawyer York’s law firm in the Metropolitan Area.
According to Eivass’s Investigation, Lawyer York was not currently living in Hermes Manor in the White Queen District.
Because Mycroft, Sherlock’s brother, was an intelligent man, York worried about showing any flaws. Therefore, he chose to live far from the White Queen District… The Metropolitan Area was a commercial district with high foot traffic, so it was normal for him, as a lawyer, to live there for an extended period.
Normally, Lawyer York lived in an apartment he rented.
The apartment and the law firm were directly opposite each other, allowing them to monitor and observe each other.
This was precisely York’s cunning – he had specifically hired someone to set up a ritual. If anyone infiltrated the premises for investigation, theft, or ambush, an alarm would immediately sound from the other building.
His law firm was staffed by his male servant, who handled his documents and also guarded the property within the firm.
Lawyer York’s personal maid also lived in the apartment building, responsible for his meals and living arrangements, ensuring that someone was always present on both sides, constantly monitoring the alarm.
His own wife and children lived in a villa in the White Queen District, and his butler was also there.
As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows.
Since the alarm sounded from the other building, it wouldn’t alert the intruder here. He couldn’t report to the Inspection Bureau to handle a theft case; he would always handle it himself. After all, he was a Fiend Host, confident in his own strength.
This was partly because the Inspection Bureau usually arrived late, making it impossible to catch anyone at the scene, and they would likely fail to catch the thief or recover the stolen goods. On the other hand, if related information or items from the Lloyd Society and the Noble Red Society were lost, he might die – not on the gallows, but at the hands of an assassin dispatched by the Gray Green Madam.
However, conversely, it could be considered a method specifically designed to lure him out.

When Eiv and Lily infiltrated, they acted as if they hadn’t seen the ritual lines, deliberately triggering all the alarms, and headed straight for the archive room.
He had Lily carry an oil lamp and pretend to be searching for information on a bookshelf. From this angle, combined with the semi-transparent curtains York deliberately used, York could see a vague silhouette from the second floor of his apartment and judge it to be a young woman, but without being able to discern her features clearly.
Normally, youth implied weakness. This would further lower Lawyer York’s guard.
As expected.
Less than ten minutes after the bait was cast, Lawyer York came rushing over in a rage.
He quietly pushed open the archive room door and took a deep breath.
But before he could get a clear look at Lily’s face.
A hand suddenly struck from the side and grabbed Lawyer York by the throat!
At that moment, York was startled. He was terrified to the point of losing his soul –
This was a damn trap!
He instantly realized that the woman searching for documents was merely a decoy, meant to lure him out! Fortunately, the other party seemed to want to ask him some questions. He only gently gripped his throat, without twisting it or making him feel suffocated.
“Friend, friend… let go of your hand, we can talk.”
York said repeatedly in a trembling voice, “What do you want? What do you want to ask? Or do you want money? I can give you anything, but don’t get agitated…”
As he spoke, he spread his hands to show he was not hostile.
But in the blind spot the other party couldn’t see, several snake-like eyes suddenly opened on the back of York’s hands.
These were weak demons called “Lizard Eyes,” naturally born demons. Their only ability was to induce paralysis in others through gaze. As a Fiend Host, York also possessed this trait. As long as his hands were seen, it would cause others to lose their strength.
“Tempter Demon,” York commanded inwardly, “Give me your power!”
The Tempter Demon residing within him had its power continuously drained.
York’s pupils began to shine with a pink glow, mixed with a co-occurring purple halo – these were demon eyes that could control others’ will and tempt them to fall with just one glance.
“If I were you, I’d give up resisting.”
But unexpectedly, the demon within him merely scoffed.
…”What?”
A gloomy and cold voice echoed, “So easy to catch, Mr. Fish.”
Counting the previous time, this was the second time he had been caught by Eiv.
Eiv kindly added:
“—And these petty tricks are useless against me.”
As his voice fell, the shadows beneath his feet spread out.
The entire room was covered in shadows, and the light source was completely engulfed. York immediately plunged into an abyss where he couldn’t see his fingers.
His “Tempter’s Gaze” ability relied on eye contact… but now he was completely swallowed by the shadows, and hadn’t even seen the other party’s eyes the entire time!
This is…
“…Shadow Demon?”
York’s voice trembled slightly.
This couldn’t be a Shadow Demon contracted by a Demon Scholar—even in the Star Antimony Kingdom, there were fewer than ten Demon Scholars who could barely contract a Shadow Demon. Such a prominent figure wouldn’t go to the trouble of finding him. If he wanted to interrogate him, he could simply set up a ritual and his soul would be captured. Therefore, this could only be a Fiend possessed by a Shadow Demon.
But he was a formal member of the Noble Red Society. He had never heard of any Fiends possessed by Shadow Demons in Avalon… so this was likely a wild Fiend.
York himself had once been a Fiend, and he understood the plight of Fiends.
Before he broke free from demonic control and became a Fiend Host, he would also lose control from time to time, his body manipulated by demons. The more he used the power of demons, the deeper he fell under their control. And the more powerful the demon, the harder it was to resist. His ability to overcome the Tempter Demon was the result of both willpower and coincidence.
Being possessed by a Shadow Demon generally meant little of one’s own will remained. In other words, the person talking to him wasn’t the Fiend at all, but the Shadow Demon controlling his body!
As fellow professionals in the Fiend class, despite York’s higher level, he couldn’t defeat the opponent.
It was simply because the combat power of the Tempter Demon was on a completely different level from that of the Shadow Demon…
“Although I’ve been shaking for a long time, this is the real deal now,” the other party commented. “Your acting is terrible, Mr. Lawyer.”
“What exactly do you want! We are both Transcenders, shouldn’t we be allies in Avalon!”
The power from the Tempter Demon surged again, and York’s voice became persuasive: “You didn’t kill me immediately, you must have something to do!
“I’m considered high-ranking in the Lloyd Society. I’m also a member of the Noble Red Society… Do you want to join? Or seek revenge? Or are you short on money? I can help you with all of it.
“Sir, whatever you need me to do, please tell me. We are all fellow sufferers… I was also a Fiend once!”
He was afraid of provoking the other party and directly calling them a Shadow Demon. If the human consciousness was controlling the body at this moment, they might get angry and strangle him. If he directly said, “I have a way to help you suppress the Shadow Demon,” he might be killed by the Shadow Demon.
His voice was subtly altering the other party’s subconscious, a most undetectable form of mental manipulation, just to avoid being discovered: “No matter what, we are at least not enemies… aren’t we?”
“I do have something to ask,” came the reply from within the shadows, agreeing.
“Alright, communication is good!”
“Ask me anything, I’ll answer everything!”
York’s face lit up with joy, and he even began to imagine how much Vice President Boka’s faction’s power would grow after he introduced this powerful Transcender to the society. Even if he couldn’t become a Fiend Host, as long as he could normally grow to the Third Tier, he would essentially be able to unleash half of the Shadow Demon’s power. That would become their trump card!
York always had a grand perspective. Being schemed against and ambushed was a minor matter, insignificant compared to profit. Losing face was just a matter of brushing it off – even if he were slapped twice, he wouldn’t be angry. At least, not outwardly.
However, the other party’s question plunged York into silence.
“Where does Vice President Boka of the Lloyd Society live? What is his true identity? Does his family have any influence?”
The other party said plainly: “What skills is he good at?”
York’s pupils contracted slightly, and his mouth fell open.
“…Who exactly are you?”
“Incorrect answer.”
A cold voice sounded.
An shadow needle, less than a pinky in thickness, emerged from behind him and instantly burst the demon eye on the back of his left hand!
It wasn’t the pain of his hand being pierced, but the feeling of his eye being burst –
The excruciating pain made York instinctively want to cry out.
But the hand around his neck tightened, stifling his cry.
“I said, I said—Vice President Boka lives at 113 Green Vine Avenue in the White Queen District. He is a Fourth Tier Law Master and a Fourth Tier Demon Scholar. His contracted demon is an Ice Demon, and his best skill is the ‘Law Command’ from the Law Master faction… He is a judge in a mid-level court, and is currently a knight who can enter the Round Table Hall… He is not from a Knight family; his father was a dentist, and his mother was a wealthy businesswoman, and his father was her former kept lover…”
In just one interrogation, York revealed all the information. This was because he was very pragmatic – he was a good judge of character. This person before him was clearly not someone he could fool. Since he had an enemy with the Vice President, let him go find the Vice President!
—What’s it to me!
“Thank you for the information,” the other party responded in a friendly manner and released his hand from his neck.
Lawyer York breathed a sigh of relief, and his face once again filled with a smile: “Ah, it’s good that we’ve cleared things up. We are of the same kind…”
“I believe you have told me the truth. I am also very grateful that you could provide critical information…”
The low, eerie voice fell: “But my mentor has given an order, and I am very sorry.
“Eivass Moriarty is not qualified to join the Lloyd Society. This is why you must die.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a shadow spear pierced Lawyer York’s heart.
For a Fiend, this kind of injury was not enough to kill him.
But Lawyer York immediately closed his eyes and stopped breathing.
Not even a moment! The update is complete!