Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1378: Chapter 105: A Trace

She had to make herself think more about the club… after escaping the living room.

Maybe she should ask Dazzle something, about all the things from a hundred years ago that the Unhuman Domain fought against the club… surely they still keep all the records from that time, maybe some clues could be discovered.

Since the previous one could be replaced by the current traitor… replaced by him, that is.

“What exactly is that little rascal Dazzle up to…”

It seemed like something flashed outside the window.

China’s true dragon instinctively looked outside the corridor window, then frowned, “This is…”

…

…

Inside the living room, watching Miss Witch hurriedly pulling things out from her collar and throwing them out, as if desperately searching for something, like ants on a hot pan, gave Luo Qiu a strong sense of déjà vu, so he quietly snapped his fingers.

“Miss Maria, your headpiece seems to be over there.” He continued, pointing to a table not far away.

“Thank God!”

She almost lunged over afterward, and without saying another word, she put the brown paper bag directly on her head, “Luckily, Master Qi Cai Jin didn’t see it, otherwise it would have been terrible… By the way, where is the master? Why isn’t she with you?”

“She’s preparing a midnight snack… should be ready soon.” Luo Qiu smiled.

Maria sighed and calmed herself before planning to sit back, but then she noticed Teacher Miro-chan lying in the corner like a corpse, with limbs strangely twisted, and was momentarily stunned before hurriedly running over… as the only one willing to help him up, she laboriously moved him onto the sofa.

“Looks like a lot indeed happened.” Maria wiped the sweat from her neck.

Later, she briefly learned from Boss Luo about the events during her slumber, “So… we’re still not completely out of danger, right? And Teresa was even bitten by an unknown bloodsucker…”

“Can’t Miss Maria ascertain the specific situation or the appearance of the culprit from Teresa?” Luo Qiu suddenly asked.

Maria shook her head, “Our memories aren’t shared, only through communication can we know each other’s thoughts and experiences… but my sister hasn’t suffered much harm, it’s probably just a bit of blood loss, which can be replenished later.”

Luo Qiu thought for a moment, “Can you tell me, when did you and Miss Teresa become like this?”

Maria thought for a moment: “It’s probably been two years or so? One day, this child suddenly appeared on me.”

“Didn’t you grow up together?”

Maria shook her head: “No… in fact, in my past memories, there is simply no existence of Teresa. I can very confidently say that I am an only child, and there was no situation where my father or mother secretly had an affair and fathered a sister for me outside my knowledge—she truly just appeared one day inside my body, or more accurately, became me.”

“Then, before she appeared, did Miss Maria do anything or encounter anything special?” Boss Luo thought for a moment, then asked.

“Did anything…” Maria recalled, “If you put it that way, I’ve always been wondering if it was because of that expedition… but in fact, when I contacted the participants of that expedition later, it seemed that only I experienced this situation.”

“What kind of expedition?”

“It was just exploring an ancient Pharaoh King’s tomb.” Miss Witch shrugged, “That tomb was impoverished, devoid of anything valuable. At the end, we only found a ring, and the companions said it was the God with the Head of a Hawk’s ring. Later, I found someone to appraise it, and that person said it was just a replica and of no value.”

“The ring of a God with the Head of a Hawk…” Boss Luo’s heart stirred, “Is it the Eye of Horus?”

“There is indeed such a name.” Maria was not surprised that Luo Qiu knew about this… After all, in her view, this healing-type young magician who could be Master Qi Cai Jin’s partner was probably not some idle pretty boy…

“And what happened to that ring later?”

“I already told you it was just a replica.” Miss Witch casually said, “Later, I sold it to someone from an expedition team also exploring nearby, some… what was it again? Seems to be the descendant of a very famous musician, can’t recall right now.”

Luo Qiu asked: “Did this happen after the ring was sold, before Seaweed Silk sold the ring?”

“Shortly after it was sold, right?” Maria thought carefully, “It should have been not long after I left Ancient Egypt and returned to Britain… In fact, after this incident happened, I went back alone to the ancient Pharaoh King’s tomb once more, but still found nothing… I’ve wondered if the ring had some mysterious power unknown at the time. Yet by then, the person who bought the ring couldn’t be found.”

“I see…”

Boss Luo nodded… when he met that Miss Joanne in the airport, holding the Eye of Horus, now it turns out that was how it came to be, “Then, has Miss Teresa ever mentioned where she’s from?”

“She says she forgot.” Maria said rather helplessly, “This child seems to have forgotten many things… even her name. Teresa was a name I gave her. Thinking back over the past two years, it was really inconvenient, she was like a blank slate… To teach her, I even cancelled quite a few dates. And before I knew it, I’ve reached this age…”

“But it seems Miss Maria really cares about Miss Teresa.” Boss Luo smiled, “Otherwise, you wouldn’t constantly allow her to share time with you… it’s apparent Miss Teresa is quite content with her current life in this world.”

“Perhaps.” She seemed a bit despondent.

“Miss Maria, can you tell me specifically where the Pharaoh King’s tomb was?”

“I suppose it’s not impossible.” Maria blinked and said, “But that tomb has been emptied, there’s nothing left?”

Luo Qiu chuckled, “If there’s a chance, it can be considered archaeology.”

Miss Witch shrugged, pulled out paper and pen from her collar, and casually wrote down a set of numbers, “Coordinates, is that okay?”

Luo Qiu nodded, “Couldn’t be better.”

At that moment, the living room door opened, and the little butterfly monster walked in first, holding a tray with both hands, as the aroma of food slowly spread, “Boss! Time to eat… huh, this big sister is awake? What’s that on her face?”

If only Master Qi Cai Jin entered, Maria wouldn’t be surprised—but the one entering is… huh? Why is there an extra one?

“A familiar face encountered on the road.” Boss Luo gave this explanation.

Looking at the sweet young girl with childlike features and… um, Maria opened her mouth, and only a while later looked at Boss Luo, quietly said: “Though I wasn’t planning to ask much, I really couldn’t resist… why do you always meet people you know?”

Just like the two female bloodsuckers encountered at the castle.

“Perhaps it’s just luck?”

Luck… like romantic luck?

Inwardly she muttered a bit… Miss Witch eventually shook her head, then ran off enthusiastically to ingratiate herself with Master Qi Cai Jin, “Master, thank you for your hard work! Let me help you.”

The maid just smiled faintly, handed the food to Maria, then gracefully approached her own master.

Just getting close, she already heard the maid’s soft voice saying: “Master, it seems you have the scent of Miss Long on you.”

Boss Luo chuckled and said: “Purchased a confidentiality agreement.”

The maid’s gaze shifted, her face not showing much surprise, she only smiled faintly and said: “Looks like someone’s targeting you.”

“What goodies did you make?” Boss Luo sidestepped the topic.

You Ye’s temperament has always been like this… whether you call it generous or say she naturally has a strong self-confidence doesn’t matter.

He and she understand… if they don’t engage in some couple interaction games, nothing like a disagreement would arise.

The level of trust between them… only if an even stronger power can change his and her memories would it be broken.

Clearly… such power does not exist.

The maid said, “Since this is a night feast, I prepared something light and made some flower-based dishes… Miss Pianqian also helped quite a bit.”

She carefully introduced those dishes that looked like artwork… Luo Qiu, as usual, listened with great enjoyment—while stealthily reconnecting with the altar.

—Judgment.

This time, life was not lost.

It seems the predecessor did not tamper with the maid.

Would he know… that some restrictions have already been lifted?

Boss Luo couldn’t help but think to himself… but regardless, he still couldn’t perceive any potential threat, not even a hint of unease.

This made him somewhat uncomfortable… wondering whether absolutes truly exist.

At this moment, some noisy sounds came from outside the house… seemingly from within Farm Town… It seemed that some disturbance was happening in the town.

“Wha… What’s happening?” Miss Witch suddenly became tense.

Boss Luo casually waved his hand— the gigantic Curved Screen, once criticized by the true dragon, unfolded directly… revealing everything that was happening in the town clearly.

“Wow, this magic technique is quite well-executed!” Maria paused for a moment but was unable to discern exactly which magic technique this was— evidently, in the world of magicians, similar techniques are not rare.

When this young healer instantly extracted all the magic power from her high-density mithril, Maria knew this young man’s strength was far stronger than imagined, so when the Curved Screen appeared, she wasn’t too surprised.

“What… is that they’re doing?”

In the display within the town, it seemed the vampires of the Torrido Clan were experiencing some sort of internal conflict… currently, both sides were facing off.

…

…

…

…

Present world, Oth Continent.

Within a mountain close to the holy place, a violent storm was unfolding— the distant lights of the holy place seemed ready to be extinguished at any moment amidst the wind and rain.

Suddenly, thunder roared in the sky— followed by several thick bolts of lightning interwoven— space twisted as a figure slowly emerged.

Fiery red, muscular upper body… hind legs like those of a black goat, and flapping black wings… resembling the demon described in all literature.

As the thunder dissipated, it stood amidst the storm, allowing the gale and rain to wash over its body… its gem-like dark red eyes gazed at the holy place, not far away, and it stretched out its palm, gently clenching it.

“Legend… barren land.”

Demon language.

Suddenly, it swooped down, crashing into a cavern within the mountain.

Walking along the muddy path leading further into the cavern, the moisture on its body quickly receded— before long, it had reached the deepest area.

An elder was present here.

He seemed healthy enough… but his gray-white hair had already fallen to mid-waist.

The elder appeared to reside here— with only a simple stone bed, a few pieces of dry straw, and an ancient music box on the bed… at this moment, the elder stood before the rock wall.

Additionally, the surroundings were lined with candlesticks— making the place quite bright.

It observed what the elder was doing— he was painting murals on the rock wall with ink made from some plant.

“Master.”

In the cave, the demon lowered its head, kneeling with one knee on the ground, and murmured, “The blockade of the Sub-world is now too strong, I’ve spent quite a while using this demon’s body to evade the Araiye System’s surveillance to descend here.”

The elder did not respond, just continued painting the mural.

The demon then spoke again, “The arrangement… is almost complete.”

The elder suddenly stopped his hand, dropped it, and stared blankly at what he had just painted on the rock wall, then said after a while, “Another part of my memory has disappeared… It’s hard to remember your name anymore.”

“Has it… become this severe?” The demon quickly raised its head.

The elder said slowly, “It… won’t support me for long. Furthermore, it appears that the restrictions I set when leaving have already been noticed by the successor.”

“Unexpected… so fast!” The demon was slightly surprised.

The elder shook his head and said, “It’s nothing to be shocked about… It’s something known from the start. All I can do is minimize the successor’s interest in me, which has almost exhausted half of the accumulation.”

“Master, wouldn’t that make you very dangerous…”

“No, it would be relatively safer.”

The elder shook his head and slowly walked back to the stone bed, “Even if most of these restrictions have been lifted, it doesn’t matter, I’m unable to inflict any substantial harm on the successor anyway… or say, within this entire dimension, there isn’t any. But precisely because of this… I’m relatively safer.”

“You mean…?”

The elder slightly smiled and said, “Because of no harm, standing in absoluteness, it’s impossible to see what’s truly behind, nor can the extent of what the thing behind can do be determined… causing suspicion, questioning if something countering it exists… Even if the thing behind has proven time and again, it never has an opponent. Being suspicious, it’s always a natural trait… So no matter how much the successor understands, no matter how secure he feels, he’ll still involuntarily ponder, hypothesize… doing all sorts of things because of non-existent threats. When he comes back to his senses, he’ll realize it was just himself fighting against air. Relatively speaking, we’ve already secured ample time…”

With a bitter smile, the elder suddenly continued, “We lack means to counter the origin, apparently only able to resort to such unspectacular psychological manipulations.”

“Is the time… truly enough?” The demon whispered.

The elder was silent for a moment before saying, “To prevent… a repeat, we can only do this. This time will be your last meeting with me… you should not see me next time. After I vanish, begin.”

“Master…” murmured the demon.

The elder slowly waved his hand, “Go now… the Araiye System already has antibodies against you, you cannot linger too long.”

Turning around… the demon understood it genuinely couldn’t linger too long, having expended a nearly unimaginable cost to intrude here and meet the master.

“I will surely complete the final arrangement…”

The cavern was left with him alone again.

The elder once again stood up, returned to the rock wall, and began painting anew, he chuckled and said, “If time permits, perhaps we may meet once… Prince.”

What he painted this time was a small blue bird.