Lord of Mysteries: The New Black Emperor

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: An Insider



Bonus 2: Chapter 107: An Insider

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Hobert waited outside the herbal shop for more than half an hour before Gal finally returned. He opened the door of his carriage and called out, "Gal!"

The recently dismounted Gal was clearly surprised. "Mr. Hobert?"

Hobert smiled and pointed to a nearby coffee shop. "Let me treat you to a cup of coffee."

Naturally, Gal was happy to strengthen his relationship with a client. "Sure, please give me a moment."

He went back into the shop to drop off his box, then quickly returned and entered the coffee shop with Hobert, chatting amicably.

The coffee shop was of mid-tier quality, with dividers separating each table, making it a suitable place for private conversations.

After some casual chit-chat, Hobert finally said, "Gal, after a few transactions, we could be considered friends, right?"

"Of course."

"Now, I have a small favor to ask of you. As a friend, I hope you won't refuse."

Gal responded cautiously, "What can I do for you?"

Hobert cut to the chase. "What did Mr. Kate buy from your shop?"

Gal hesitated. "Mr. Hobert, every mysticism enthusiast loves a bit of mystery. My herbal shop thrives because I keep my clients' secrets safe."

"How about this then," Hobert said, "I'm impressed by your integrity. Here's 10 pounds in cash as a token of appreciation."

As he said this, he pushed 10 pounds toward Gal.

Seeing the cash, Gal hesitated for a moment but ultimately replied, "I'm sorry, I can't betray my client's trust."

Hobert retrieved the cash. "Your professional ethics are admirable. I won't make things difficult for you."

Gal sighed in relief and took a sip of his coffee.

However, Hobert continued, "How about I make a guess? Mr. Kate requested some occult materials, including hemlock juice and the blood of a Feraldo fish, didn't he?"

These two ingredients were auxiliary materials in the potion formula for a Secrets Supplicant.

Gal's hand, holding his coffee, visibly trembled.

Hobert smiled. "I see."

He added, "Your character has passed the test. I'll be sure to recommend your herbal shop to more friends in the future."

Gal forced a bitter smile. Although he didn't know how Hobert had guessed what Mr. Kate needed, he understood that Hobert had certainly figured out the purpose behind Kate's purchase of these occult materials.

After paying for the coffee, Hobert dismissed his office's carriage and took a hired one to the Obsidian Bar in the North Borough.

This had been his plan all along. Once he confirmed that Mr. Kate was buying materials for a Secrets Supplicant potion, he would report him immediately.

As for whether Kate was a member of the Aurora Order, Hobert would leave that to Daly and her team to investigate. Now that he was officially employed, there was no need for him to risk investigating on his own.

Logically speaking, even if Mr. Kate wasn't a member of the Aurora Order, the source of his potion formula was likely connected to the group.

Either way, for the sake of his own safety, it was best to report these lunatics as soon as they surfaced.

Upon arriving at the Obsidian Bar, Hobert, as usual, ordered a beer and tipped the bartender to have Daly come over.

Ten minutes later, Daly walked into the bar unhurriedly. By now, the bar had become busier, and the two were led to the back storeroom by the bartender.

Daly smiled. "If you had come ten minutes later, I would have been off work."

She joked, "Ever since becoming your contact, my workload seems to have doubled overnight."

"This also means your chances for promotion and a raise have doubled," Hobert replied. "I've discovered a Secrets Supplicant."

Daly's expression immediately turned serious. "Where did you find one? How did you discover it?"

"This afternoon, I went to visit the plaintiff..." Hobert recounted the afternoon's events briefly, though he didn't reveal where he had learned the Secrets Supplicant potion formula or who had unwittingly confirmed the auxiliary materials Mr. Kate had needed.

Understanding the unspoken agreement between them, Daly didn't press for those details. "We'll begin an investigation immediately. If the situation is as you say, we won't forget your contribution."

Hobert asked, "Is there any specific reward?"

"There is, such as gold pounds," Daly replied. "This information is worth around 10 pounds, and if we make significant discoveries based on your lead, the reward could be doubled."

Hobert continued, "Are there any other forms of rewards?"

"You can accumulate merit points, which can be exchanged for things or assistance you might need," Daly said. "For example, the Briber's Beyonder characteristics, or permission to access certain confidential documents, or even our assistance."

"I'll opt to accumulate merit points then," Hobert decided.

At the moment, he wasn't short of money.

"A wise choice." Daly smiled. "Many times, our help is priceless."

On his way back, Hobert suddenly wondered whether this could be considered "unfair competition." Since the plaintiff wouldn't cooperate, he would simply remove the plaintiff.

At the thought of this, he chuckled. This approach was somewhat in line with that of a Barbarian.

He then silently wished Mr. Kate a good night.

As his thoughts wandered, Hobert found himself thinking of Dunn Smith from Tingen City, through his connection with Daly.

Dunn's death had always been a regret for Hobert. Now, with the "Teleportation Statue" and the "Wood of Order" in his possession, Hobert was contemplating whether to save Dunn.

As for Klein, well, death was just death. After all, he could always come back to life. Besides, this death would not only help him digest his potion, but it also opened up even greater possibilities for his future.

Just as Hobert was considering this, he suddenly felt a spiritual prompting. He turned his head to look out of the carriage window.

Outside, there was a beautiful woman, seemingly in her thirties, wearing a complex long dress and a small veil hat. She managed to combine elegance and avant-garde style flawlessly in her attire.

Noticing Hobert's gaze, she smiled warmly at him. However, there was a certain madness in her eyes that made her smile seem unsettling, mismatched with her appearance.

Hobert blinked in surprise and smiled back.

The carriage wheels continued to turn, and the woman disappeared from Hobert's view.

Hobert found it strange that his spirituality had urged him to look out the window, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

At dinner, Christian seemed preoccupied, which made the atmosphere at the table rather tense. After the meal, there was no idle chatter; everyone returned to their rooms.

Christian was the last to leave the dining room. He suddenly had a feeling and slowly made his way to the study.

In the chair behind the desk sat the same woman Hobert had seen that afternoon from his carriage.

She smiled. "Christian, long time no see. You've matured quite a bit over the past twenty years, but the magical barriers in your study are still as terrible as ever."


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