Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1465: Chapter 192: [Former] and [Current]

Within the grand gate, as the mist gradually descended, three figures appeared — one of them sat upon a throne of lava, exuding a deathly aura so dense it seemed tangible.

Nero, upon seeing the figure, had the name [Hades] immediately flash through her mind…[Nether King], [Grim Reaper]… such titles surged into her consciousness at that very moment.

Seeing and instantly knowing the name, understanding the nature of its existence… such unity of legend can be called [God]— [Hades] is such a God.

But what about the other two?

That male, although not seated upon the throne, stood equal with [Hades]… not possessing as much as this legendary [Nether King] — was he the Club Owner?

But wasn’t the Club Owner her master?

Nero’s mind went blank at this moment, as for the conversation between [Hades] and the [Club Owner], she seemed to not catch it clearly… or rather, she actually heard it but could not comprehend its content… she suddenly fell into a kind of identity crisis.

Until the beautiful figure also dressed in a maid’s attire slowly approached — coming to stand in front of her, Nero suddenly stirred, her awareness released from a certain freeze… she finally came back to her senses.

But simultaneously, she was taken outside the grand gate by the female named [Eleanor]… as the gate began to close once more, at the very last moment of closure, Nero seemed to hear something of the dialogue between the Nether King [Hades] and the [Club Owner] inside.

That seemed to be the voice of [Hades]… like a kind of negotiation.

“…the revenue of this [Underworld] is not very good, regarding the rent on the contract, I wonder if we could…”

As for what could, Nero could no longer hear — for the gate had now completely closed, and what was in front of her was the maid named [Eleanor].

[Eleanor] was looking at Nero expressionlessly, as if pondering something.

Nero, skilled at diffusing tension, blinked and smiled slightly, “I know someone who resembles you very much, also a maid… perhaps you know each other?”

[Eleanor] still did not speak, her flickering gaze seemed to see through Nero entirely — but then she suddenly furrowed her brow, reaching out to grab Nero in front of her.

Nero suddenly exclaimed, “The maid I know isn’t this rough… cough, cough!!”

Only to hear [Eleanor] say in a puzzled voice, “Your body composition is indeed the Heteromorphic Origin… according to the usage, it is of the next high level… what’s your name?”

“Ni… Nero.”

[Eleanor] replied indifferently, “I think you wouldn’t have the courage to deceive me, would you, madam. But indeed, for all creations of Black soul envoys at the next high level or above, I have recorded them here… Why then, can I not find your record here?”

“But indeed, my soul is truly stored in the Covenant Chest… if you could also open the Covenant Chest.” Nero vigorously grasped [Eleanor]’s hand — her neck was being held by the other at this moment.

Moreover, this contact made her feel the agony of suffocation… Nero couldn’t feel at ease at all now.

“You’re talking about this.” [Eleanor] waved her hand casually, and from the gray floor, a massive black chest slowly floated up in front of Nero.

The Covenant Chest — the box that contains the Life Lamps of all Black soul envoys!

“Unfortunately, your Life Lamp isn’t in the Covenant Chest… is it, Ms. Nero?” [Eleanor] said indifferently.

“This is really… the Covenant Chest!”

Nero was startled, sensing an underlying terror, but at the same time, her thoughts were jumping swiftly, allowing her to conceive a shocking answer amidst the apparent confusion before her, “Is this… really the past? Were you… the former boss and maid?”

“The past?” [Eleanor]’s expression showed a slight change, the first time she furrowed her brows, “Madam, are you sure you used [the past] in a lucid state?”

“Actually, I also wish I was not lucid right now.” Nero couldn’t help but give a wry smile… she felt quite desperate, but the fact remained.

“It seems there is some cognitive dissonance between us.” [Eleanor] quickly calmed down from her confusion, “But it doesn’t matter, I will soon correct it… You are indeed a Black soul envoy. However, if you are a Black soul envoy, how can your Life Lamp not be stored in the Covenant Chest?”

“Again?” Nero suddenly became agitated — she already felt the pain of her soul beginning to split!

She was indeed a Black soul envoy, transformed personally by Boss Luo, and had once split her soul to store it into the Covenant Chest — she didn’t want to go through such pain again!

However, the Covenant Chest’s absorption of a Black soul envoy’s soul is like an irreversible process, she had no room for resistance — even having quickly activated the remote, she was now clearly at her weakest state, otherwise, just one Hell’s three-headed dog would not have been able to easily capture her — in fact, it’s uncertain who would bully whom!

But the painful splitting memory did not occur… soon, Nero no longer felt the tugging sensation of the Covenant Chest — the Covenant Chest slowly sank back into the floor.

She looked incredulously at [Eleanor], only to see no expression on her face, who then said calmly, “Master said to temporarily postpone your handling, he has some questions to ask you personally… after finishing the discussion with [Hades]. So, before that, please wait quietly.”

Nero sighed in relief, immediately sitting down — any reprieve from splitting the soul was good news.

“This is really too ungraceful.”

Unexpectedly, [Eleanor] shook her head suddenly… her plain expression turned disdainful — this suddenly gave Nero a bad premonition.

Soon, her premonition came true — her body stood up under an irresistible force.

After this, the place where she was standing split open, leaving only enough space for half a foot to stand on — she had to maintain a perfectly straight posture to keep her balance.

Below the crack flowed bright red magma — just kidding, how could a Black soul envoy’s body be afraid of magma?

“Below isn’t magma, it’s an incinerator.” [Eleanor] said indifferently, “It’s used to refine the Heteromorphic Origin… of course, occasionally also used for reclaiming disobedient Black soul envoys.”

Alright… a Black soul envoy would still fear magma, Nero shivered — how could this maid be worse than the one at her house, starting off with such a threat?

“Stand properly, don’t let this dictionary fall.” [Eleanor] turned a palm to place a dictionary as thick as a brick on Nero’s head, “If the dictionary falls, the pillar you stand on will break too.”

Nero widened her eyes, looking at the maid [Eleanor] in front of her, unable to help but twitch her lips.

— Boss, I’m done playing! I want to go home!! Come save me!! Boss!!

But no matter how she called out in her heart… she could not establish a clear connection with her master. As a Black soul envoy, her connection with her master had become intermittent, faint and uncertain…

…

The grand gate finally opened slowly… Nero, who had been meticulously maintaining her balance every second, upon seeing the opening gate, nearly let the dictionary on her head fall out of surprise, quickly regaining her composure and desperately keeping her balance.

When the gate opened, [Eleanor] stepped slowly to the door, bending down, waiting for her master to emerge.

“Thank you for your generosity, Club Owner… Anyway, I’ll repay the lacking part as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Hades’ voice carried a slight hint of pallor—a moment as he accompanied the Club Owner out, or rather, a personal send-off.

When Hades and the Club Owner came out, they naturally saw the scene before them.

“Club Owner, this envoy exactly?” Hades couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

The Club Owner smiled faintly, calmly saying, “Some employees in the store were a bit unruly, so they were administered a slight punishment, no need to mind… Well then, at the next deadline, we will visit again, Hades.”

“Sure, you’ve always been the most punctual one.” Hades’ expression was slightly tense, yet he ultimately sent them off with a smile.

Afterward, the Club Owner and maid Eleanor didn’t linger. After Eleanor lifted the temporary ‘guidance’ on Nero, she directly grabbed her and left the Palace of the Underworld together with the Club Owner.

Not long after, Cerberus hastily arrived from Hell, just in time to encounter Hades, whose mood was clearly not good… But this gatekeeper from Hell seemed unaware of it. He immediately raised his voice sternly, “Great Master! While patrolling the Underworld, I came across a few creatures daring to desecrate you — truly outrageous, I have already… ah—!”

The mighty divine power of death instantly transformed into black lightning, striking Cerberus directly and even blasting it out of the Palace of the Underworld.

Cerberus, struck by the black lightning, immediately saw stars. It hurriedly raised its three heads, seeing the Palace of the Underworld above; dark clouds gathered, transforming into the likeness of Hades, “If you dare to leave your post without permission next time, I wouldn’t mind replacing you as the guardian of the Underworld gate! Get out—!”

Cerberus, who arrived full of spirit, dared not utter a word this time.

Facing the anger of Hades, it could only skulk away with its tail between its legs, not daring to say anything, leaving the Palace of the Underworld dejectedly.

As for the human child it had captured… Cerberus indicated it wouldn’t dare keep him now.

The life or death of that human child… anyway, he’d naturally die within a few days. This is the Underworld, after all!

…

Even after striking lightning, Hades’ mood didn’t improve. Instead, he became more irritable—who says gods have no worries?

They are, in fact, only gods in the eyes of humans… but they’re quite aware that they’re nothing more than a species slightly more advanced than humans, claiming to be gods is merely self-deception.

“God…”

Hades looked up at the gloomy sky of the Underworld, “…What are we, really? At most, we’re just pseudo-gods. My Underworld probably won’t hold up much longer, and you… you can sit on the Throne of Olympus for how long? Haha, not daring to venture out, we are ultimately…”

Shaking his head, the king commanding the Underworld walked slowly in the empty Palace of the Underworld with his hands behind his back.

He has long been accustomed to this dead silence… after all, in the Underworld, only death can be a companion—humans view this place as the eternal resting place.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Hades stopped—because he discovered a living being that shouldn’t be here… saying ‘living being’ seems inappropriate, as he could tell at a glance this entity should have been dead.

Hades furrowed his brow, sizing up this… roughly five-year-old child before him.

Joe… he looked around bewildered—since waking up, he found himself in a strange place, the big sister gone, leaving only himself.

Everything here was so enormous—huge pillars, vast floors, giant doors… dreary, and the air filled with a sulfuric scent.

“What’s your name?”

“Joe…”

“From now on, stay here and accompany me…” Hades suddenly conceived an idea, “Remember my name… Hades!”

Joe… still bewildered.

…

…

Finally, they stopped—at a void place on a giant floating wilderness.

Nero saw above her, swarms of creatures passing by like a grand matrix, instinctively opening her mouth slightly, “Is this the dimensional rift… these are Void Primordial Demons?”

Since leaving the Palace of the Underworld, the Club Owner and maid Eleanor had sliced through space, entering this void place.

“Oh? You also know about the dimensional rift and Void Primordial Demons.” The Club Owner looked at Nero, “Eleanor, if I’m not mistaken, matters of the dimensional rift should only be accessible to the highest Black soul envoys, right?”

Maid Eleanor nodded, “Master, she claims to be Nero, according to the amount of Heteromorphic Origin her body constitutes, she ranks as the second-highest Black Soul level. By regulation, she indeed does not have the qualification to learn about dimensional rift matters.”

“I never came here before; I only heard it from Brother Da Zhe.” Nero shrugged, “Previously, he fought monsters in the dimensional rift under compulsion to gain levels. Only out of boredom did he mention it to me, then I came to know.”

“Da Zhe?” The Club Owner was slightly taken aback, instinctively glancing at maid Eleanor beside him, who gently shook her head.

“Brother Da Zhe is really powerful! He’s the bearer of the Zhan Lu Sword! I can’t beat him no matter what.”

“Zhan Lu Sword?” Maid Eleanor was slightly surprised, turning a palm to reveal an ancient bronze longsword slowly emerging.

Nero’s eyes widened in an instant, “Zhan… Zhan Lu Sword? Are you… are you really?”

Eleanor couldn’t help but furrow her brows and instinctively looked toward her Master, the Club Owner.

Seeing the Club Owner at that moment deeply puzzled—but soon, he relaxed his brows and stretched out a finger, lightly beckoning to Nero.

At that moment, the remote control hidden in Nero’s body suddenly rushed out, landing in the Club Owner’s hand… the Club Owner held the remote, examining it for a moment.

“Master, what is this?”

The Club Owner softly remarked, “Seems like, it’s a small gift from the next one…”

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PS: According to statistics from Bigwig Wutong… the specific number is 54.