novelraw Chapter 218: You’re absolutely right. You know Alexander better than I do.
Chapter 218: You’re absolutely right. You know Alexander better than I do.
"Wait a moment, everyone. I’m going to have a chat with Anlan. The faction battle should start soon, so be prepared!" Moved by the fearless spirit of the chosen ones around him, Alexander spoke.
After saying that, he walked towards Anlan. Initially, no one dared to stop him. That was because, although he wore a cat mask, his aura mimicked that of a ghost king.
His attire was so iconic that he might as well have had Edward’s name plastered on his forehead. Naturally, no one dared to interfere.
But now, Alexander had removed his deceptive mask, reverting to his normal appearance and making no effort to conceal his true aura. Just a Fierce-level chosen one! Instantly, the glares from a crowd of ghosts turned menacing.
"Think you can just waltz in here, insect? Get out!" A ghost creature, with a right arm covered in white scales,and a face tinged with sickness, sneered at Alexander as he withdrew his hand from under the short skirt of a voluptuous ghosts beside him.
However, he did not act, clearly following instructions from Anlan.
"You’ve got quite the arm there," Alexander responded, a derisive smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Some people are above your pay grade. Scram."
"You’ve got some nerve, bug!" The scale-covered ghost clenched his fist, glaring furiously at Alexander.
"Have you forgotten your place? This is Miss Anlan’s gathering. Not one person here is someone a chosen one like you can afford to offend! I’m sparing you today only for Miss Anlan’s sake."
"Exactly," Alexander nodded. "You’re sparing me for Miss Anlan’s sake? All of you ghosts, I’m sorry, but as far as I’m concerned, each and every one of you is nothing but trash."
As he spoke, Alexander’s gaze contemptuously swept across everyone at the table.
Crash!
A loud sound echoed as the sultry ghost in the short skirt violently slapped the table, her eyes icy as they met Alexander’s. "Who are you calling trash? Are you looking for death?"
"How about we make a bet?" Alexander deftly pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, flicked it open, and a cigarette fell into his mouth with practiced ease.
"Doesn’t this scene seem eerily familiar?" The voluptuous female ghost hesitated for a moment before asking, "What are you wagering?"
"I bet that I’ll survive, while you... may not be so fortunate," Alexander retorted.
"Heh, you’re quite bold. Do you know who I am?" The female ghost sneered, revealing her identity. "I’m Barbie, and the Shadow Butcher of Ghost Street is my husband!"
"Shadow Butcher?" Alexander chuckled lightly, "Hardly worth my attention."
"Who are you?" Barbie asked, her tone tinged with suspicion.
"My name is Charles. Ever heard of it?" Alexander replied with a smile.
"Charles? Which Charles? I’ve never heard of that name!" Barbie was taken aback at first but then fumed, "You’re messing with me, you little bug. You dare deceive me?"
"Mess with you? Sorry, you’re not worth it," Alexander shook his head and chuckled, oozing self-assurance. "Do you know who really calls the shots on Ghost Street? The Shadow Butcher counts for nothing!"
"Arrogant fool! I will kill you--" Barbie’s eyes turned blood-red, and an ominous aura began to exude from her, as if she was about to unleash her fury.
"Enough, Barbie. Stop!" A figure materialized before her like a wraith.
"Miss Anlan! But this guy is just a chosen one—" Barbie continued to fume, unwilling to back down.
"But he’s right!" Anlan cut her off, "He is the boss of Ghost Street. Even if the Shadow Butcher has reached the level of a Ghost King, and even if your brother is the most trusted by the Flame King, it doesn’t matter! Because he is chosen one number 44011, the honorary vice-president of the Fierce Ghost Association and the brother of Louis!"
Number 44011! The honorary vice-president of the Fierce Ghost Association! Louis’s brother!
Suddenly, the room was abuzz with chatter from the gathered ghosts. Barbie’s face flushed with embarrassment.
Number 44011 had recently gained a lot of fame, and news about that mysterious notebook had already spread.
In the dark hell, ghosts have taken to warning their mischievous children, "Behave, or Su Rong will write your name in her notebook." This threat is reportedly very effective.
In the Ghost Apartment, a weeping baby ghost has abstained from crying for a whole week, fearing her name would be penned in that dreaded notebook.
As for Alexander’s reputation, it needs no further explanation.
The Fierce Ghost Association has grown into a significant force and already has far-reaching plans. Starting from the day Tony became a Ghost King, he initiated an aggressive expansion, apparently stimulated by some unknown factor, to the point where he barely had time for rest.
Everyone knows that Louis has significant prestige in the dark hell and even possesses forbidden powers. Yet, he has no interest in becoming a city lord.
Even if his current abilities are not top-tier, should he decide to run for office, those supporting him might well outnumber Alice’s fans.
Moreover, as the sister of Captain Howard, who is a confidant to the Flame King, Barbie is more in the know than most. That Alexander has sworn brotherhood with the Flame King and is considered his equal is no secret on Happy Street.
"Mr. Alexander, I had no idea you’d come yourself! How rude of me, especially since one of my brothers is a member of the Fierce Ghost Association," Barbie said, sensually brushing her body against Alexander.
"Your younger brother? A member of the Ghost Association? Who is he?" Alexander inquired, a slight frown creasing his forehead.
The Ghost Association had originally incorporated many members from Happy Street, something Alexander found unsurprising. However, Barbie was no saint—judging by her scantily clad appearance at this gathering and the male ghost’s arm emerging from beneath her dress.
"My younger brother is useless, a former novelist with no prospects. His pen name is JUWEL—so unimaginative! Even after joining the Fierce Ghost Association, he’s still a nobody you wouldn’t know.
However, my two older brothers serve under the Flame King and have reached the rank of Ghost King. Given your relationship with the Flame King, we should get better acquainted," Barbie continued, pressing her chest against Alexander as she spoke.
Clearly, she had little regard for her younger brother. Her mention of him earlier was merely an anxious attempt to ingratiate herself.
Now, realizing her mistake, she sought to leverage the more influential status of her older brothers to gain Alexander’s attention.
Alexander frowned at the mention of the name JUWEL. Wasn’t this a former client of his?
Alexander valued gratitude. JUWEL had been a conscientious writer, whose imaginative ideas, such as the concept of Alexander adding extra arms for him, ultimately drew the attention of the Flame King and led to their sworn brotherhood.
Without JUWEL’s creative influence, even if the Fierce Ghost Association had prevailed in the street wars, the losses would have been considerable.
Thinking of the good-natured heads-up JUWEL had given him back in the Motorbike Instance, Alexander couldn’t stand to see such a responsible and benevolent writer slighted.
"Treat your younger brother better," he said flatly, "or believe me, I’ll kill your husband. Do you understand what I mean?"
Barbie’s eyes suddenly sparkled. "I understand! My husband is trash; he’s nothing compared to you. I’ll divorce him after the party; from now on, I belong only to you."
Only God knows how peculiar Barbie’s mind truly is. With a lascivious look on her face, she promptly removed her bra and lunged toward Alexander.
Suddenly, a hand blocked her path. Anlan’s icy voice chimed in, "I have business with him. Save your lewdness for later." Although miffed, Barbie hesitated and backed off at Anlan’s stern appearance.
Anlan glanced disdainfully at the other female ghosts who were eager to curry favor, took Alexander by the arm, and led him towards the back hall. The whispers started as soon as Anlan left.
"It’s always like this. Just because she’s the foster daughter of the city lord. A foster daughter nobody likes, yet she acts like she’s some great presence like Louis."
"Exactly, first it was Edward and now it’s Alexander. This despicable woman once see a good man she want to tuck under her skirt!"
Barbie, however, stood pensive, wondering what Alexander’s words had meant. She had never considered that he might be defending JUWEL.
To Barbie, JUWEL was just a family embarrassment. Once a popular novelist, his earnings were dwarfed by the meteoric rise of her two elder brothers under the Flame King.
As they ascended, so did Barbie, who began to mingle with the upper echelons of the dark hell. To her, the world was suddenly full of glamour and excitement, making JUWEL, who could only write novels, look utterly worthless.
In her mind, there was no way JUWEL could know someone like Alexander. Little did she know that her dismissive attitude towards her own brother had put her at odds with someone who actually appreciated JUWEL’s virtues.
If Barbie could kill her husband and hook up with the highly famous Alexander, then she might just catapult herself into the upper echelons of the dark hell.
Perhaps, she could even seize this opportunity to develop an illicit, thrilling affair with Louis. Lost in this intoxicating fantasy, Barbie grew increasingly excited.
....
On the other hand, Anlan took Alexander to a secluded corner, looking at him sternly, "Mr. Edward, your acting is dreadfully unconvincing!"
Acting? Busted?
Alexander’s heart skipped a beat, rapidly reviewing his recent behavior. He didn’t think he’d slipped up. Had something gone wrong when he was impersonating Edward?
Or had Anlan gotten wind of something? It couldn’t be! If the instance had assigned him this identity, how could outside information interfere?
Masking his internal tumult with a look of bewilderment, Alexander asked, "Miss Anlan, what are you talking about? What acting? I don’t understand."
"Still pretending? Your performance is riddled with holes," Anlan said contemptuously, giving Alexander an ominous feeling. The children of the City Lord’s mansion weren’t as simple as they seemed.
But he was also curious—where had he gone wrong? Even if he hadn’t given an extraordinary performance, it should’ve been passable.
Feeling slightly indignant, Alexander prepared to summon Annie and Su Rong while asking, "Miss Anlan, do tell where exactly my performance falls short?"
"Still in denial? Fine, I’ll tell you. Mr. Edward, you may be powerful, and even as a new Ghost King, you’d crush other Ghost Kings. But when it comes to acting, you’re sorely lacking," a smug Anlan declared.
Mr. Edward? Ghost King? Upon hearing these titles, Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed he had overcomplicated matters.
Indeed, a smug smile adorned Anlan’s face as she spoke, "Mr. Edward, your ability to impersonate is truly remarkable. Even I couldn’t spot a flaw, almost believing you were Alexander himself. But you forgot one major issue."
"What issue?" At this point, assured of his safety, Alexander feigned curiosity.
"Attitude! The attitude of a Chosen One. Even if a Chosen One like you has some friendly rapport with my second brother, you’re just an bug of the Fierce level at the end of the day.
How could you possibly appear so nonchalant in front of me and all these general-level evil ghosts? Moreover, Mr. Edward, your unique demeanor is overwhelmingly... gentlemanly."
Alexander felt a bit awkward. What Anlan probably wanted to say was that he was showing off.
But this revelation assured Alexander; it wasn’t that his acting was bad, but rather, it was too good. However, this was a fine opportunity. After all, Alexander preferred to keep a low profile and was not skilled at grandstanding.
Quickly adopting a humble, willing-to-learn attitude, Alexander inquired, "Miss Anlan, you are indeed incredibly insightful. How should I play Alexander to make it more convincing?"
"Ah, you’ve asked the right person! I used to be an actress in my previous life," Anlan said, her face glowing with arrogance. "To impersonate Alexander, you need to be low-key first and foremost."
"Yes, yes, yes! Alexander is indeed low-key," Alexander hastily agreed.
"Secondly, you need to appear greedy. Rumor has it that Alexander is extremely fond of wealth."
"Greedy? Really? He seems quite upright to me," Alexander said, a bit uncomfortable.
"That’s the point. You’ve interacted with Alexander a few times but don’t truly know him. How can you impersonate him?" Anlan scoffed. "There’s a saying in the streets of the Fierce Ghosts that perfectly describes him: ’The Zero-Dollar Kingpin of Fierce Ghost Street.’"
Defamation!
This was utter defamation!
Alexander had plans for his development in the dark hell. His ’zero-dollar acquisitions’ had reasons.
If those Ghost Lords didn’t voluntarily blacklist Alexander, he wouldn’t have done this. He was maintaining order, for god’s sake!
Caught in this awkward position, Alexander couldn’t defend himself as he was playing the role of Edward.
All he could do was grimace and nod, "Yes, yes, yes! You’re absolutely right. You know Alexander better than I do."