novelraw Chapter 186: Operation Liquidation
Chapter 186: Operation Liquidation
A little later, precisely at the time when it was about to get dark, in front of the Healing House with its lights lit up, Fisher drove the carriage, slowly following the carriage in front, following its every move while leaning toward the parking location.
Fisher had already washed his body and incidentally changed his suit. He had made full preparations to welcome tonight's battle.
A thing like a carriage was indeed somewhat inconvenient; a situation like the current one was precisely so.
When the carriage in front and the carriage behind gathered together, it was especially difficult to control. What was more, because the horses pulling the carriages stood for too long, they would also leave fresh excrement on the road, making the people driving the carriages behind cover their mouths and noses, unable to endure it.
People who were powerful and influential all sat inside the carriages. Upon arriving at the location, they directly tidied their suits, alighted, and entered the venue. If they didn't have a coachman, at worst there would still be reception staff from the Healing House helping them move the carriages to the adjacent parking venue.
But because there was still a marine demi-human contained within his carriage compartment, Fisher still decided to drive it to the adjacent parking venue himself.
At this time, Fisher had changed into a rather handsome dark brown suit on his body. A gentleman's hat remained as usual on his head; placed beside his seat was that walking stick completely inscribed with magic.
"Jasmine, the walking stick has to be handed over to you first."
"Eh?"
"Today's occasion is extremely grand, and moreover there are people from the Golden Palace coming over. I have already seen magicians at the entrance detecting magic fluctuations..."Fisher drove the carriage, following closely behind the buttocks of the vehicle in front. Watching the two black-robed men standing at the entrance exactly like door gods, he handed all the magic playing cards in his embrace alongside the walking stick to Jasmine within the carriage compartment. After observing the surroundings, Fisher confirmed the distance from the parking venue to the Healing House.
Originally he wanted to bring [The Undoer's Veil], but thinking about how he had to fight, he still didn't bring that burden that constantly drained his magic. Looking at it now, it was indeed an extremely correct decision, because when that thing took effect there would still be faint magic fluctuations, which would be discovered by the people checking for magic fluctuations at the entrance.
Right now the best opportunity was exactly to wait until Dexter took action before letting Jasmine enter the interior of the Healing House, while he himself first went to find the entrance leading to the [Inner Layer]. This way, even if their people reacted, they wouldn't have any way to catch up.
After giving Jasmine a few sentences of exhortation, Fisher turned his head and locked the door of the carriage compartment. Jasmine inside hugged Fisher's items quietly, listening to Fisher's footsteps slowly distance themselves.
Fisher drew the invitation letter to Petrie Bank given to him by Keken from his embrace, and walked behind the numerous gentlemen. He lowered his gentleman's hat, looking at the crowd lining up in front. The ones currently together with Fisher were already all guests toward the very end.
The royal family, Petrie Bank, and wealthy merchants with abundant assets at the very front had already lined up and entered. Only Saint-Nazareth's newly promoted upstarts and gentlemen coming here to speculate, exactly like Fisher, were lined up at the rearmost position. Fisher also didn't recognize many of them, and wasn't worried about someone suddenly calling out his name.
"Please show your invitation letter."
Walking to the entrance of the stairs of the Healing House, an elder wearing a monocle performed a courtesy toward Fisher. Behind him still stood a burly man with folded arms; conversely, Katerina had gone back after welcoming the two most distinguished batches of guests.
Those eyes of Fisher hidden beneath the gentleman's hat sized up the two people in front of him. Strange to say, Fisher's intuition kept telling him these two people in front of him gave him an extremely weird feeling; unclear and indescribable, but just very weird.
He handed over the invitation letter from his embrace. That elder wearing a monocle squinted his eyes, looking at the invitation letter for a long time before only then looking toward the Fisher in front of him.
"Welcome to attending tonight's banquet. Please step forward a bit further to undergo magic fluctuation detection, lest there be guests carrying extremely dangerous magical items. You must know, the identities and statuses of tonight's guests are in no way simple..."
"I understand."
Fisher bypassed the two people standing at the entrance checking invitation letters, and walked to the front of the black-robed men checking magic fluctuations behind them, waiting for them to use instruments to detect himself. But in reality, his gaze had always remained on those two people behind him.
He didn't know if it was an illusion; illuminated by the lights beside the road at night, he suddenly saw that there seemed to be small granulations squirming one after another on the nape of that elder's neck. He merely wanted to size it up carefully, yet discovered that burly man with folded arms beside him was constantly staring at himself...
Fisher calmly retracted his line of sight, pretending exactly as if nothing had happened. Waiting after the magic detection was completed, he expressed thanks to the staff, and slowly paced into the venue of the Healing House.
Yet behind him, exactly like a falcon, that burly man's gaze constantly stared at Fisher's back, not retracting it until he had entirely and thoroughly disappeared completely.
"Kraken, bring this guest to find Petrie Bank... Huh, where is he?"
Yet in the next second, waiting as that elder wearing a monocle had a little problem with his inspection work and was just about to turn his head to call his companion, he surprisingly discovered that the burly man beside him was missing a figure since exactly when.
He opened his mouth and sized up the surroundings but gained nothing, leaving him no choice but to instruct another staff member to help the guest anew.
Fisher's pace was very fast. The venue of the banquet was half open-air and half indoor. The indoor part was of course the surface layer of the Healing House, but because the princes and wealthy merchants were all entirely staying indoors to converse now, the gentlemen who arrived later desperately wanted to squeeze in exactly like fighting for their lives. Fisher looked at the situation of "blocking people" at the entrance, raised his eyebrows, and didn't act rashly.
"Everyone, there are still fifteen minutes before the charity gala officially begins. Gentlemen and ladies, please enter the venue in an orderly manner..."
"Sir, would you like drinks?"
"Oh, Mr. Leo, long time no see. What business are you doing now?"
"Southern Continent? Hahaha, pardon me for speaking bluntly, now is exactly a good opportunity to go pan for gold in the Southern Continent. I have already purchased a boat ticket to Kret Port next week to go pan for gold in the territory to the south. The most dangerous dragon-kin tribe over there has already been driven away... Shh, don't tell anyone else. This is inside information."
Fisher gently pressed the gentleman's hat on his head, walking toward the middle of the venue extremely low-profile.
Although it was said to be walking, with his sturdy body, he effortlessly squeezed open a small path through the crowd. Precisely when others had just reacted to someone squeezing past them and went to look for who it was, Fisher had already walked very far away.
Only after entering the surface layer did Fisher discover the main hall of the Healing House was actually extremely spacious. At this exact moment, above the hall, several gigantic golden lamps cascaded several gentle golden rays of light downward from the ceiling, illuminating the main venue of the gala.
And at the rear of the venue, two spiral staircases extended toward the depths of the second floor of the Healing House. One could still vaguely see recovery rooms arranged uniformly and orderly at the end of that second floor. That was exactly the place where ladies were received and recovery treatments were conducted in the ordinary Healing House. The clue to the entrance of the [Inner Layer] Anna spoke of was also roughly in that direction.
"Beautiful ladies, it has been precisely two years since the Healing House officially began operating commercial activities. Upholding the research tenet of extending human lifespan, it has provided advanced beauty and recovery services for ladies and misses to the greatest extent... Telling the truth, we have earned quite a few Narios. After all, ladies are still extremely willing to invest in themselves..."
Right as Fisher was sizing up the surroundings, a female voice abruptly attracted Fisher's attention. His gaze followed the sound and looked over, only to see a lady wearing an elegant formal dress surrounded by madams and ladies holding a glass of champagne. That lady's facial features were extremely beautiful, yet she likewise gave Fisher an extremely strange feeling, whereby he also placed even more attention upon her body.
The sentence just now was exactly spoken by her.
"Hahaha, Madam Katerina is truly humorous."
"Yes indeed! We also want to ask Madam Katerina how such fair and smooth skin is maintained?"
"Is there some sort of secret? Share it amongst us ladies ah..."
Katerina?
Fisher suddenly thought of the intelligence Anna once told him, knowing in his heart this was exactly the manager of the Healing House, Katerina. If he remembered correctly, didn't Anna say this fellow was a lady who loved ladies?
Hearing the inquiries of the ladies beside her, Katerina smiled slightly and held the soft hand of the lady next to her. Her fair fingers slid continuously upward along the back of her hand, all the way to the position of the elbow. That crisp and numb feeling caused that lady's complexion to turn slightly red, subconsciously wanting to retract her palm, but Katerina didn't let her succeed.
"Ah my, beautiful Madam Surina... let me tell you, a lady's beauty is nothing more than two kinds: being naturally beautiful and acquired maintenance. You have already occupied being naturally beautiful, why not come to the Healing House to try maintenance as adding beauty to beauty?"
Following this sentence of praise, it made Madam Surina's complexion also gradually blush red quite a bit. She covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, even shaking her head to be modest a bit, saying something about how she of course couldn't be called naturally beautiful or whatever; in reality, the corners of her mouth were about to fly away from being praised.
Watching that Katerina's appearance, Fisher cautiously retained the weird feeling generated subconsciously in his heart. Afterwards, he reached out, stopped a waiter and inquired.
"Excuse me, in which direction is the restroom?"
"Ah, sir, please walk this way."
Fisher roughly glanced at the direction this waiter pointed out for him. Surprisingly, it was not the same direction as the recovery rooms seen just now. Could it be there were also some above, but they weren't open to outside guests?
Fisher roughly expressed his thanks and walked toward the restroom. Deep within a corridor in the corner of the hall, Fisher saw the sign pointing to the restroom.
The space of the restroom here wasn't large. When Fisher went there, exactly one gentleman walked out flicking his hands. The inside could roughly only fit three to four people standing.
He pushed the door and entered, discovering the walls of the restroom were covered in the Healing House's wave-like symbol. A wisp of faint deodorizing fragrance drifted over, yet it wasn't very strong either. It seemed the ventilation system of the Healing House was still very excellent.
Fisher looked at his watch; it was already almost half past seven. Which meant, the charity gala was about to start immediately.
The magic sound equipment outside buzzed twice first; this was the symbol of the [Sound] main ring establishing a connection pathway. And after one or two seconds of silence, Katerina's charming voice rang out once again; even in the restroom, it could be heard truly clearly.
"Everyone, welcome to visiting my Healing House to attend the charity banquet led and funded by the royal family and Petrie Bank, also hoping to thereby continue the Healing House's tradition of caring about social issues... Here, the Healing House also takes this opportunity to express heartfelt gratitude to the generous gentlemen and ladies present. Thank you everyone for caring so much about the children in Saint-Nazareth city who have lost family care. Thank you."
Fisher leaned against the wall of the restroom, gently lit a cigarette, and listened to Katerina's speech outside.
"Next, the esteemed His Highness Prince Lensis Godolin will give the opening speech for our charity gala. The royal family has always deeply cared about the subjects, especially the living conditions of the children... Prince Lensis, please."
Fisher was currently waiting for Dexter to take action. Only after Dexter started his operation could he seize the chaos to let Jasmine enter the venue of the Healing House; this was agreed upon with Jasmine prior to entering.
But exactly during the time he was waiting, the large door of the restroom abruptly opened. Standing outside the door was that burly man Fisher had seen at the entrance just now.
"Pardon the interruption..."
"No problem, I merely also borrowed the place to relieve myself a bit."
He still folded his arms, casting a sidelong glance at Fisher leaning against the wall. Fisher hadn't taken off his gentleman's hat. He nodded slightly at him, watching him slowly stand in front of the urinal.
"The gentleman didn't come here to attend the charity banquet, right?"
That man didn't turn his head, just standing in front of the urinal like this, nor did any sound of water transmit over, merely opening his mouth to inquire as such.
Fisher shook his head, continuing to lean against the wall, replying.
"Speculation, well... The mindset of wanting to earn money is possessed by all Saint-Nazareth gentlemen..."
"Would Professor Fischer Benavides, who possesses immense fame at Saint-Nazareth University, also lack money to spend? If it wasn't because of the [Son of the Sea], you could completely stay in Saint-Nazareth University and continue being a distinguished professor, couldn't you?"
That man's body didn't move. While speaking, the head on top of him surprisingly twisted a full one hundred and eighty degrees softly to look at Fisher behind him. That head also disassembled bit by bit exactly like building blocks, revealing a large hole inside exactly like mouthparts and exactly like a meat grinder.
And simultaneously, those muscles that originally composed the face also dispersed exactly like blades, facing toward Fisher.
"Mr. Fisher, that day the person who controlled insects to go to Saint-Nazareth University was exactly me ah... The Son of the Sea is right by your side. You are here, so could you tell me where the Son of the Sea is?"
Fisher's gaze narrowed slightly. He didn't answer but gently tilted his head. That face exactly like blades violently stabbed toward the original location of his head. Waiting after he dodged, the revolving eyeballs on that face were still死死 staring at Fisher.
The wall behind him was pierced through by that rapid stabbing attack. Fisher didn't leave him any opportunity to continue striking. His wrist violently flicked, and a pitch-black sword hilt appeared in his palm. A blade exactly like quicksilver cut toward that man exactly like high-speed flowing water, slicing his body into two halves along the wall of the restroom in a single sweep.
"Buzz buzz buzz~"
That man's body was sliced open, yet not the slightest trace of blood gushed out from inside. On the contrary, his human skin spread open along the wall of the restroom exactly like a smear of unfurled oil painting, while simultaneously emitting a sound exactly like a wild beast, looking for an excellent opportunity to attack Fisher.
He had been discovered, but it already didn't matter. He had already waited until around half past seven; Dexter's people would arrive immediately.
His wrist moved slightly. And exactly at this moment, far outside within a pitch-black carriage inside the parking venue, the walking stick in the embrace of a girl wearing a cloak also began to slowly emit light. She immediately raised her head, kicking the locked carriage door open with one foot. Afterwards, hugging the items, she jumped down from the carriage compartment with a "heave-ho", and again ran rapidly toward the direction of the Healing House.
This considerable commotion startled the coachmen lying down resting not far away biting on smoking pipes. They were just about to sit up and call their companions, but the scene they saw next interrupted their thoughts of wanting to open their mouths.
"Old Buck, there's people there... That, that is..."
Amidst a stretch of darkness, uniform and orderly footsteps gradually transmitted over from afar. Silhouettes exactly like glowing gold in the darkness slowly appeared one after another in their field of vision sequentially.
That tall and straight posture, the weaponry and equipment carried with them all indicated they were not simple Naris police, but the Royal Guard.
"Arrived at the designated location; commence locking down the scene, prohibiting the entry and exit of any personnel."
"Yes!"
One by one, the soldiers moved rapidly, hammering nails covered in complex magic patterns into the ground. In the darkness, in an instant, light screens exactly like tangible gold slowly rose from the nails one by one, and again converged slowly in mid-air, completely sealing off the front of the Healing House not far away. And the back of the Healing House was exactly the surging Klein River; on the opposite side of the riverbank, there was also another squad of the Royal Guard locking down that side.
Beneath the shroud of golden light, a middle-aged man wearing a formal dress with a royal rapier on his waist walked out from the Royal Guard. Gazing deeply at that charity banquet singing and dancing in peace, it was exactly His Highness the Eldest Prince Dexter.
He waved his hand at the commander of the Royal Guard next to him, and facing the Healing House in front of him, calmly opened his mouth to say.
"Act now. Capture Lensis, and thoroughly investigate every single corner of the Healing House."
"Yes, Your Highness Dexter!"
Beneath the shroud of that pale golden light screen, the Royal Guards hollered crisply, raising their blades and firearms, and marched toward the main direction of the banquet.
Looking carefully, the clothing on the bodies of those soldiers seemed to be enveloped by illusory golden halos one after another. Even both their eyes emitted faint golden light, exactly like warriors who had received god's blessing.
This was a nine-ring barrier-type magic, the blessing effect brought by the [Song of Praising Gold].
The specific efficacy was conferring an extremely strong buff blessing to designated targets within the barrier magic, including magic resistance, highly toxic poison resistance, physical resistance, biological activity, stimulating activity, and so on... over a hundred types. Moreover, the construction of this kind of magic was extremely rapid; after training it into a habit, enemies basically couldn't react.
Although the method to destroy the barrier was also comparatively simple, evidently tonight's Healing House and Lensis wouldn't have this kind of opportunity...
Operation Liquidation had already begun.