*Chapter 71: The Gathering!

Up to this point, which of the many extraordinary individuals had left the deepest impression on Goethe?

The wealthy owner of the Matsuko Hotel?

The far-reaching schemer of the "Flesh Church"?

No!

None of them!

The one who left the deepest impression on him was the "Foggy Killer," whom he had already eliminated.

This was naturally because that person was his first extraordinary enemy.

But the madness of the "Foggy Killer" was also a significant factor.

So, when Andy Nan suggested making those possible extraordinary individuals submit, Goethe almost instinctively thought of the "Foggy Killer."

What is scarier than a madman?

A madman with power!

When Goethe made this suggestion, Andy Nan's eyes lit up.

The clever young man immediately grasped Goethe's idea.

Moreover, Andy Nan had great faith in Goethe's professional judgment.

Mystery and madness were like twins, enough to convince anyone.

If not convinced?

Then it would cost them their lives!

“I understand!” the young man nodded vigorously.

The two then began to meticulously discuss the details.

Soon, night fell.

Carriage after carriage made their way to No. 6 Castle Street.

Compared to Kimmel Street, which was near the core of Hessetins, Castle Street was at the very heart of the city, just a step away from the royal castle and palace.

At night, No. 6 Castle Street had its gates wide open for the gathering, revealing a fountain spraying water, and well-trained attendants waiting to guide the well-dressed guests into the gathering hall.

Goethe, hidden in the shadows, observed these guests.

There were a total of four people, each looking quite wealthy.

Their carriages were no less luxurious than Goethe’s, and their accessories were adorned with gold and silver. One even wore a gemstone brooch.

Goethe wasn’t surprised.

Though not always the case, those who could access "extraordinary knowledge" generally came from affluent backgrounds.

After all, books in this era weren’t cheap.

Moreover, those who had the time and ability to read were mostly people who didn’t worry about making ends meet.

As for ordinary people gaining access to "extraordinary knowledge"?

It was possible but very rare.

Back in his hometown, a Master Lu once said, “All roads lead to Rome, but some are born in Rome.” Goethe couldn’t remember exactly who said it, so he attributed it to Master Lu.

It was a harsh and ironic truth.

Or rather, it was reality precisely because it was ironic.

In the slums of Hessetins, many people would die from a lack of money for treatment during an illness, while the middle class nearby would be pondering what to eat to appear respectable, or which salon to attend over the weekend to elevate their social status. Meanwhile, the truly wealthy would be thinking about how to exploit the middle class, making them willingly serve as fodder.

The poor strive for food.

The middle class for respectability.

The wealthy for stability.

Thus, the sorrows of humanity do not intersect.

Goethe looked toward the bustling hall.

As the guests continued to arrive, Andy Nan’s performance began—

After signaling the attendants to leave and the bodyguards to stand guard outside, the young man invited the four guests to sit on the sofas. The hall, already cleared of furniture, was so spacious that it felt somewhat eerie.

Moreover, the few remaining candles made the entire hall dim and shadowy.

“I’m glad you all could make it,” Andy Nan said, his voice filled with delight.

Then, his tone grew deeper.

“And I hope none of you disappoint me.”

The flickering candlelight made Andy Nan’s face appear and disappear in the shadows.

A sense of unease naturally arose.

This was all intentional on Andy Nan’s part.

After Goethe suggested he act mad, Andy Nan had put a lot of thought into it.

He wasn't a professional actor, so he couldn't possibly convey such a wide range of facial expressions or make a single glance seem insane.

Therefore, Antinan chose to use variations in his voice and the atmosphere to set the tone.

And from what he could see, it was working.

The four guests in front of him were already a bit tense.

"Of course not."

"We, who share common ground, can be considered friends and partners."

"How could there be any deception?"

An elderly man with gray hair, resting his hands on a cane, spoke firmly.

As he spoke, the old man discreetly glanced at the person next to him.

This person was a middle-aged man, burly, with a somewhat fierce expression.

Upon receiving the old man's look, he quickly said, "Yes!"

"As friends and partners, the most important thing is trust!"

As he spoke, he sat up straight, trying to project a sense of security with his strong physique.

The remaining man and woman nodded in agreement with the middle-aged man's words. The man remained silent, while the woman opened her fan, holding it in front of her face as she softly said, "Mr. Antinan, the fact that we haven't hidden our presence here is already a show of our utmost sincerity, isn't it?"

"You must know, gatherings like ours would have been burned at the stake decades ago!"

"Of course! Of course!" Antinan nodded repeatedly, his speech quickening.

"I originally prepared cloaks and masks, hoping everyone would keep something back because everyone has their own secrets, but... some secrets are meant to be shared!"

His pace of speech accelerated, growing more intense. Antinan, who had been sitting, now stood up, raising his arms as if welcoming something.

This scene startled the four guests.

They exchanged uneasy glances.

Almost instinctively, the burly middle-aged man and the woman turned their gaze toward the old man.

The old man remained impassive.

"Secrets?"

"What kind of secrets?" the old man asked.

"Of course, I'm talking about some special powers!" Antinan lowered his head, staring intently at the old man.

The intense gaze made the old man uncomfortable, causing him to instinctively avert his eyes.

Only after the old man looked away did the young man continue.

"I'll share such secrets with everyone, but..."

"There's a test!"

Upon hearing about sharing secrets, the four guests' breaths quickened, but when they heard about the test, they all frowned.

"Is this your idea of how to treat friends?"

"If that's the case..."

"I'm out!"

The woman with the fan stood up, ready to leave.

Antinan laughed, softly at first, then louder, until it became a maniacal laugh.

"None of you can leave!"

"There's 500 kilograms of explosives buried under the hall floor. I've set a timer, and unless I deactivate it, the explosives will detonate in about five minutes!"

As the laughter stopped, the young man surveyed the four guests.

Their bodies trembled, and the woman even growled, "You're insane!"

She then quickly rushed to the door, trying to leave.

However, no matter how hard she pulled, the door wouldn't open.

"The door is locked by my men."

"Maybe you could try the windows, but I can't guarantee you won't encounter any accidents... Or you might have a better option: touch this crystal ball."

Antinan continued speaking. The burly middle-aged man, who had been close to the windows, recoiled as if avoiding a snake and returned to the group, joining the other three in looking at the corner the young man had pointed to.

There, on a wooden stand, sat a crystal ball.

The four had originally thought it was just a decoration.

But they hadn't expected it to be a testing tool.

Antinan's gaze swept over the four, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Who wants to go first?" the young man asked, his gaze subtly shifting to the silent man.

Antinan wasn't a fool. He had clearly seen the "interaction" between the burly middle-aged man, the woman, and the old man. There was no doubt that the three were frauds.

This left the young man somewhat disappointed. He recalled how, after first meeting the old man, he had encountered one extraordinary person after another. At the time, he had marveled at his own luck, but now it seemed it was all just part of the old man's scheme.

"How foolish!"

"If I hadn't met Lord Mapple..."

"I would have been completely duped!"

The young man, full of gratitude, realized how fortunate he was.

Not only had he encountered one extraordinary person.

But two!

The silent man was also an extraordinary individual!

But as the young man was contemplating how to cooperate with him, the silent man suddenly drew a revolver from behind his back and aimed it directly at him.

Antinan was stunned.

Then he saw—

The burly middle-aged man, the woman, and the old man all moved to stand behind the silent man.

(End of the Chapter)