Chapter 659

Chapter 44 The Cuckoo in the Rear

This was something that happened in an instant, leaving Emil somewhat bewildered.

He had been a notorious member of the Nadinglin gang, whose criminal activities included smuggling drugs and aphrodisiacs, trafficking women, and making exorbitant profits. In the Eastern Continent, they had always operated with impunity. Most of the members were hardened criminals who would be avoided by anyone when recognized on the streets. Due to their deep-seated interests with the Federation, even the highest-ranking officials were unwilling to provoke them.

However, the gang also had its rules. A few months ago, Emil had violated some taboos in Kobimoss Town over trivial matters and received internal punishment, being sent to Wester, a barren place where he no longer had the opportunity to engage in his most profitable dealings. He spent his days with other outcasts who rarely ventured beyond this area, kidnapping women and children and selling them to brothels.

Despite the chaos and banditry in this region, almost devoid of law and order, travelers would never dare to venture here without several strong guards.

But this small town was filled with widowed women or homeless children who lost their families and homes. Their figures could be seen everywhere along the streets. The church’s holy light did not reach this place, which allowed Emil’s life to become more reckless. They could capture some common goods every few days, and occasionally, like today, they might come across fresh ones.

However, in this desolate place of white grass and yellow sand, these goods were generally of poor quality.

Skin like a knife’s edge, faces like wax paper, bodies like skeletons, elderly, ugly, and sickly—these were the kinds of women Emil encountered here, none of whom were worth much money. Although he wouldn’t starve, his life was far from comfortable. Often, the money earned from a transaction would be squandered in one night, no longer as luxurious as before.

Today, he had planned to keep the two little girls for himself.

Afterward, he didn’t intend to stay here anymore.

Initially searching for prey near the market, seeing these two pitiful-looking girls, Emil thought to himself — although these girls were dirty, as if they had fled here from somewhere, their clothes were still relatively intact, and it was clear at first glance that they weren’t those perennially wandering and diseased street urchins. Even though he couldn’t see their faces, they seemed healthy. Most importantly, they were very young, with a high probability of being novices.

These were truly valuable goods.

He intended to take them all for himself. Once he caught them, he would eliminate the other two companions, then sell the two girls and leave this place.

Emil calculated his plan, remaining outwardly calm. Following the girls into a dark alley, he was glad that these two foolish girls actually dared to come to such a deserted place. They were incredibly naive…

They clearly lacked street survival experience. Such goods were often more valuable. Despite not seeing their faces, Emil noticed their hands and the skin on their necks. The younger one didn’t matter, but the slightly older one…

It was as if it was a gift from heaven.

He became even more determined to take these two girls for himself, perhaps an unimaginable fortune. He must act quickly and cleanly. The knockout drug he had thrown earlier was meant to incapacitate the two girls as quickly and safely as possible, then deal with the other two one by one.

Unexpectedly, the girl did not fall under the influence of the drug. Emil was stunned, but he quickly realized that it didn’t matter whether she was affected or not. They were cornered in the alley, and there was no way to escape. They were already his, and they were quite stubborn. Soon, they would cry…

He stepped forward, pulling out his dagger. It wasn’t to scare the two girls; dealing with them didn’t require such measures. Emil deliberately slowed down, letting his companion charge ahead, exposing his back to him—Emil raised his dagger, intending to slit his companion’s throat in one swift motion.

As for the other person, he had deliberately sent him to block the other end of the alley to prevent the girls from escaping. In reality, Emil just wanted to get rid of him so he could act alone.

But…

In the next instant, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

Emil couldn’t see the girl’s face, but he could see her eyes — those beautiful eyes, like shining stars in the night sky. Those eyes curved like a bright moon in his vision. Emil realized that the girl was smiling. He didn’t understand why she could still smile. Initially, he thought they weren’t running because they were stubbornly holding on, but seeing that smile, Emil suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

Something was wrong…

Emil was smart. He immediately sensed the danger. Even though the two girls were just unarmed children, he had faced great storms before. He could tell that the girl wasn’t pretending; she was genuinely composed and fearless.

In that moment, various speculations flashed through his mind — were these girls bait? Was someone seeking revenge? Was someone trying to kill him…

Emil realized something was amiss. For someone like him, who lived by the sword, survival depended on keen intuition, precise judgment, and quick responses to emergencies. Emil always trusted his instincts. He quickly decided to put away his dagger and turn to leave.

But the sudden change came faster than he anticipated.

Before Emil could put away his dagger, before he could even stop his feet, his intended victim, the companion he planned to eliminate, was struck by the girl’s backhand and flew up amidst the spraying blood. With a dull thud, he landed in a pile of filthy garbage, motionless.

A broken basket rolled to his feet, and Emil froze in place. Time seemed to stand still. His mind went blank, unable to comprehend what was happening before him. A sense of absurdity rose in his heart.

The feeling was overwhelming, his vision began to tremble. Then, he saw the young girl slowly turn her head and look at him again. Her gaze was cold, devoid of any emotion.

“Um, I… do you have money on you?”

Her voice was like a heavenly melody, but at this moment, it sounded terrifying to Emil.

“Ahhh—”

He wanted to run, this girl was too strange, definitely not an ordinary prey. Emil saw the blue, eerie light flash in her eyes, and he felt the cold wind blowing towards him, realizing that this might be the power of order… Damn it, why would such a monster appear here?

Rationality told him he must escape quickly if he wanted to survive, but the intangible intimidation emanating from the girl made Emil’s body react instinctively first. He shouted and swung the dagger towards the girl’s head!

It’s over…

The moment Emil swung the dagger, he felt almost hopeless. His upper body was tense, but his legs were nearly limp, completely numb. He swung with all his might, veins bulging on his neck, but he knew that this move was futile; it would only make him die faster.

In that instant, before he could see how the girl reacted, the dagger stopped steadily on her forehead. With just two slender fingers, she clamped down on the sharp blade, preventing Emil from moving it no matter how hard he tried, his face turning red with effort.

“The dagger… not bad…”

He heard her comment, her tone playful, then she slightly twisted her wrist. Emil felt a tremendous force in his hand, and with a “clank,” the dagger was snapped in two by the girl’s fingers!

It’s over… it’s really over…

The broken dagger fell to the ground with a clatter, and Emil felt an urge to urinate. He realized he might not get past this today. Trying to turn and run, his legs were too weak to move. Thinking about the girl’s question, he knelt down with a thump, trembling as he unfastened the cloth pouch from his waist and handed it over with both hands.

“Don’t… don’t kill me, here’s money… I have more money, plenty of it, all yours… let me live…”

This was likely the most cowardly moment of Emil’s life.

He was a tough man, a violent thug who enjoyed being feared, who liked hearing people talk about his notorious reputation. In the relatively prosperous towns he had seen many high-ranking families, but he had never bowed down to them. He was a fierce wolf, one who did not bow to anyone, or else he would become a dog.

But at this moment, he knelt before a little girl. Fear overpowered dignity and reason, just to preserve his life.

Emil wanted to live…

He didn’t dare to lift his head, not wanting to look into the girl’s bright eyes. At this moment, begging for mercy was the only thing he could think of. A moment later, he felt the weight of his money bag lighten as the girl took it, weighing it in her hand, making a rustling sound.

“Hmm? Quite a bit.”

The girl spoke softly, seemingly to the little girl behind her. Her voice was soft, and her tone sounded rather happy, suggesting she was in a good mood. Emil felt a glimmer of hope, swallowed a few times, still not daring to look up, and cautiously said, “I have quite a bit of Valen gold coins, some… hidden at my place… another part elsewhere… I can give them all to you, if you spare me…”

“Who are you?”

The girl suddenly interrupted him, her previous gentle tone gone, her soft voice now icy.

Emil’s heart sank again because he sensed that this girl wasn’t particularly interested in money. He heard a hint of killing intent in her words.

“I’m… a member of the Naidelin Gang… my name is Eris…”

Since offering money didn’t work, Emil originally wanted to use the gang’s name to threaten her, telling her that killing a member of the Naidelin Gang would surely lead to retaliation… but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Because he faintly felt that this girl might not care about the Naidelin Gang’s name at all.

“Naidelin Gang… what’s that, a black gang?”

The girl scoffed, and from her casual tone, Emil didn’t believe she was an innocent, sheltered lady. The girl looked down on them, considering them beneath contempt as an underground force.

What kind of background does she have…

“You’re the ones who kidnap girls and sell them, right?”

“…”

Emil dared not speak anymore, cold sweat pouring down his face.

“Where did the Mandala flower seeds come from?”

“They… came from the Naidelin Gang’s research…”

“…Oh.”

The girl seemed to understand something.

“Betty.”

“…Huh? Ah! Sister, I’m here…”

“Close your eyes.”

“Ah?… Oh.”

Emil heard the brief exchange and froze, suddenly understanding what the girl intended. He shivered and crawled over, grabbing the girl’s pant leg, lifting his head and shouting hoarsely, “No! Please, don’t! Don’t kill me, keep me alive! I’m useful, I’m useful—”

“Keep you around to harm others?”

The girl looked down at him, her eyes cold, leaving no room for negotiation. Emil saw her raise her hand. Her originally dark eyes suddenly flashed a sinister red.

…I’m done for.

Seeing the pale hand about to strike, the hand that belonged to the prey, Emil saw swirling black fog in her palm. His mind went blank, unable to think, the shadow of death so close, he trembled in fear.

But in the next instant, the girl’s eyes suddenly hardened, her hand retracted, and she turned her head, shouting loudly towards the wall behind the alley: “Who? Who’s there!”

“Get out of Ne—”

She was a bit flustered, even accidentally stumbling over her tongue.