“If I divine these people, you’ll send ho?” Neon took the docunts from Qin Lun, her voice full of doubt.
“Yeah, I promise!” Qin Lun smiled, raising one hand.
“You lied! You lied!” Neon rolled around on the bed clutching her doll, shouting irritably, “We could do the divination at the hotel! Why did you have to bring here?”
“Alright, my mistake!” Qin Lun awkwardly rubbed his nose. Seeing Neon’s spoiled behavior last ti had made him treat her like a child, but he didn’t expect his lie to be exposed so quickly.
“Miss Neon, we did this for your safety,” Qin Lun sighed. “Did you know Captain Dalzollene and the other guards are all dead?”
“… You’re lying to again!” Neon stopped her tantrum, sitting up on the bed and shaking her small, pink fist at Qin Lun with anger.
“Not this ti!” Qin Lun looked at Neon seriously. “The Auction was attacked. Ivanov and the others who went to bid on the ‘Princess Mummy’ for you were the first to sacrifice. Later, during the pursuit of the thieves, Captain Dalzollene and his team also t misfortune. The only guards left alive now are Kurapika and lody.”
“The docunts in your hand…” Neon fell silent.
“They are partial profiles of mbers of that thieves’ organization!” Qin Lun replied, narrowing his eyes.
“My divination is to help people avoid misfortune, not for…” Neon hugged her doll tightly, speaking sadly.
“Miss Neon, please don’t let Dalzollene and the others sacrifice in vain. This is to prevent misfortune for more innocent people.” Qin Lun interrupted Neon, placing the docunts beside the bed. “I won’t force you. Do whatever you feel is right. Dalzollene and the others are watching you from above!”
Qin Lun stood up, pushed the door open, and left the room.
“Qin Lun, you are truly cruel. She’s just an innocent little girl,” Liza said, looking at Qin Lun with a complex expression.
“Then let her grow up faster!” Qin Lun said flatly. “By her age, I had already started killing. Since she possesses such an outstanding Nen Ability, she should learn to protect herself.”
“Do as you wish!” Yin sighed gravely. “By the way, Shadow Beasts headquarters has called off the mission. They’re ordering us back imdiately.”
“Oh? Why?” Qin Lun was slightly taken aback. For a rcenary assassin organization, this order seed extrely weak. Even though the Shadow Beasts killed were directly under the Mafia and not closely tied to Shadow Beasts organization, it was still a disgrace.
“You know, the organization has deep cooperative ties with teor Street. The Phantom Troupe hails from teor Street, and the higher-ups don’t want a fallout over this,” Yin shrugged indifferently. “Besides, you’ve already killed Uvogin. That should be enough to satisfy the Mafia’s demands.”
“What if I’m not ready to stop?” A cold glint flashed in Qin Lun’s eyes.
“Figured you’d say that.” Yin and Liza exchanged bitter smiles. “We’ll try to stall for a few days, but…”
“Thank you. This will be over very soon, I promise!” Qin Lun bowed slightly to them with a smile. “Don’t worry, you won’t be implicated. Just help keep an eye on Neon for .”
Qin Lun chatted casually with Yin in the living room for a while. Eventually, Neon pushed the door open, her face dim and sorrowful. She held several sheets of paper. Unable to withstand the psychological pressure, she had finally written the Divination Poems for Qin Lun concerning several Troupe mbers.
“So of the information you gave was inaccurate. Only three people could be divined into a poem.” Neon coldly handed the papers to Qin Lun. “I’ve done what you asked. I need to rest. Don’t disturb again.”
Qin Lun nodded, taking the papers and reading the three poems. The first poem was about Troupe mber Shizuku. For this dazed-looking girl with glasses, the poem clearly wasn’t good news.
[An important calendar has pages missing. A forgotten month shall be mourned grandly.]
[To prevent Frost Moon’s loneliness, you’ll soon bleed in front of the gravestone beside your comrades.]
[In a storage place filled entirely with dark rchandise, you shall be forced into eternal slumber.]
[Solitude is the most fearso, for nothing is more dreadful than two alone together.]
The second poem divined the sunshine boy Shalnark:
[An important calendar has pages missing. A forgotten month shall be mourned grandly.]
[Do not make calls, for the phone won’t connect when you need it most.]
[Nor should you answer, for one call out of three cos from the God of Death.]
The final poem was about the swordsman Nobunaga:
[An important calendar has pages missing. A forgotten month shall be mourned grandly.]
[Nobunaga follows Frost Moon, forgetting the added Mutsuki.]
[Chrysanthemums wither with their leaves, lying beside blood-stained Scarlet Eyes.]
[Even if only half your comrades remain, the spider does not stop its advance.]
My guess was right. The Troupe won’t rest! Qin Lun thought. All three poems shared the sa opening; the “missing calendar” and “Frost Month” likely referred to Uvogin.
As for the “grand mourning”… So they are planning a huge spectacle? Reading the poems, Qin Lun stroked his chin, a cold smile appearing. This was actually excellent news for his plans.
Should I inform Kurapika? Qin Lun pondered. No… he never truly trusted . Even doing him another favor wouldn’t change his mind. Better to let reality shatter his beliefs. Only when he finds himself utterly alone will he rember .
A montary haze clouded Qin Lun’s eyes, but it swiftly cleared. He tossed the three poems into the fireplace. The roaring flas cast flickering shadows on his face, making his expression unreadable.
…
“Leader, Pakunoda obtained intelligence on the enemy from that Dalzollene,” Shalnark entered the dilapidated church hall, addressing his companions inside. “The Chain User who captured Uvogin is called Kurapika. He’s a bodyguard for the Nostrade Family.”
“And this Kurapika is the one who killed Uvogin?” Nobunaga asked expressionlessly.
“No. The killer of Uvogin wasn’t witnessed by Dalzollene. But he deduced it was a Shadow Beast called Qin Lun who killed him behind their backs,” Shalnark replied calmly.
“Shadow Beasts? Didn’t we completely exterminate the Ten Dons’ Shadow Beast troops?” Shizuku asked in surprise.
“No, not the Mafia’s direct Shadow Beasts.” The sophisticated beauty Pakunoda, dressed in a blazer and miniskirt, explained coolly beside them. “This Shadow Beast called Qin Lun cos from Shadow Beasts headquarters. He was only temporarily hired by the Mafia.”
“Before the Auction began, three Shadow Beasts from headquarters approached the young lady of the Nostrade Family, Neon Nostrade, for a divination. It’s highly probable our plan for the first Auction attack was exposed then.”
“So there really was no traitor among us. Our intelligence ca from that Prophetess?” Nobunaga gritted his teeth, turning to Shalnark. “Shalnark, did you reach Feitan and the others?”
“Yeah, got through. They reached empty rooms at the hotel where the Nostrade Family stayed. Neon is gone. According to her maid, she was likely kidnapped, probably by those three Shadow Beasts,” Shalnark sighed before continuing, “We’ll get the full details from Feitan when they return.”
“Hired guns from Shadow Beasts headquarters? Neon taken hostage?” Kuroro closed the book in his hand, his eyes gleaming. “The opponents, via Neon’s Divination Poems, have consistently stayed one step ahead of us. No wonder every move we made fell into traps those three Shadow Beasts prepared in advance!”
Shalnark offered a puppet-like smile, speaking slowly. “Leader, what should we do next?”
“Pakunoda, what are you thinking?” Kurolo didn’t answer Shalnark directly, instead turning to the tall, thoughtful beauty.
“Hmm. I was thinking… based on the Divination Poem Dalzollene saw, they couldn’t get overly specific details,” Pakunoda said contemplatively. “The Auction bombing, and the ti with Uvogin… both prove that.”
“Furthermore, those three Shadow Beasts likely weren’t all involved fully. Dalzollene’s mories indicate two of them disappeared after the divination. Only this Qin Lun stayed with them constantly.”
“The Chain User… and three Shadow Beasts…” Kuroro picked up ten pebbles from the floor, arranging them before him, deep in thought. “Among these four, there must be one extrely cunning foe orchestrating things – the Auction bombing, the explosive in Uvogin, kidnapping Prophetess Neon… he’s been leading us by the nose all along.”
“Leader, you give them too much credit. Isn’t this all the doing of the Divination Poems?” Nobunaga disagreed dismissively.
“No. Since the poems lack specifics, their threat shouldn’t be feared too much. We needn’t even fear the hidden mastermind. To harm us, he must step into the open and fight us face to face. Since he hasn’t… why?” A cold gleam flashed in Kuroro’s eyes.
“Leader, you an…” Shalnark stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Mm-hmm,” Kuroro nodded. “He laid one trap after another, successfully provoking our fury. Yet, aside from Uvogin’s capture by carelessness, he hasn’t hard any others. This proves his strength is insufficient; he can’t face us alone. He’s nothing but a venomless snake, lacking fangs.”
Kuroro frowned, adding, “What worries is, if this drags on, other powerful forces might join his side. Then, that venomless snake might sprout real fangs.”
“Leader, then let’s force their hand soon!” Nobunaga said grimly, radiating killing intent. “The Mafia leaked news they’re holding the Auction tonight as originally planned, still at the Graveyard Building.”
“Oh? Right, you remind !” Kuroro’s eyes lit up suddenly. He turned to Pakunoda. “Earlier you said that Shadow Beast Qin Lun was in Yorknew City for the Auction under a temporary Mafia contract, correct?”
“Mm-hmm, yes,” Pakunoda nodded.
“Then that ans…” Kuroro leaned forward, his voice sharpening. “He will absolutely show up at the new Auction venue – the Graveyard Building – tonight?”
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