Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 874: Worry-Free, Three Lives (2)

It seems no woman can resist the beauty of jewelry—whether one has the means to purchase it or can only admire from afar.

Even women who aren't particularly materialistic won't hesitate to appreciate something beautiful.

During her studies, Zhong Luoyue worked as a jewelry auctioneer, largely to engage with and learn about the aristocracy. Another reason was her love for jewelry, which embodies ideals of beauty.

So when Lady Eve removed her "Forest Light" necklace and offered it to Zhong Luoyue to try on, the noblewoman did not decline.

Firstly, she genuinely admired it; secondly, she wouldn’t want to create an unpleasant atmosphere with Lady Eve. As someone who navigates the business world, she recognized that Lady Eve, despite her somewhat mysterious background, radiated a true noble aura. Who knew if they would have more interactions in the future?

Connections accumulate unnoticed. In a society reliant on relationships, connections are the greatest wealth. Those from prominent families understand this best.

In an elegant room lit by scented candles, in front of a full-length mirror, Lady Eve was placing the "Forest Light" around Zhong Luoyue's neck.

The brilliant gemstones shone with a luster that only truly valuable gems possess. As a former jewelry auctioneer, Zhong Luoyue could roughly estimate the value of this "Forest Light."

In the mirror, after fastening the necklace, Lady Eve leaned in closer, gently resting her hands on Zhong Luoyue's arms, and softly remarked, "Look at you, it suits you perfectly."

"You're overpraising me," Zhong Luoyue smiled slightly.However, Lady Eve then reached out to caress Zhong Luoyue’s cheek, a gesture that made Zhong Luoyue feel somewhat uncomfortable… but she refrained from reacting too much.

"Young, confident, beautiful." Lady Eve closed her eyes, as if savoring the moment, inhaling the scent near Zhong Luoyue's ear, "Miss Zhong, your fragrance is something I rarely get to experience."

Lady Eve's nose occasionally brushed against Zhong Luoyue's neck, creating a feeling that she might kiss her at any moment.

"Lady Eve?" Zhong Luoyue frowned, allowing her physiological discomfort to overcome her psychological calm. She turned away, managing to free herself from Lady Eve’s light touch.

Yet, Lady Eve quickly composed herself, hands clasped in front of her abdomen, smiling gracefully. She addressed Zhong Luoyue, whose gaze seemed a bit unusual, "Is there something wrong, Miss Zhong?"

Unexpectedly, Zhong Luoyue's eyes widened, and a hint of panic crossed her face. She stepped back, uncertainly exclaiming, "You..."

"I?" Lady Eve smiled slightly, but it seemed she sensed something was amiss.

She tilted her head and glanced at the nearby mirror. In the reflection, Lady Eve's graceful figure and enchanting demeanor were intact, yet something about her lips disrupted that beauty.

"I accidentally revealed too much," Lady Eve said, covering her mouth and chuckling lightly.

Fangs emerged between her lips.

"What… what are you?" Zhong Luoyue forced herself to calm down, probing, "Or is this just a prank? Lady Eve?"

She struggled to believe such things existed in the world. However, ever since she employed some tricks to swap a mysterious black card from her second brother, she felt she had stumbled upon some unconventional matters.

Especially after no one could identify the material of that black card, she privately visited an elderly man from her grandfather's generation, a senior from another prominent family. Learning a hidden truth only deepened her suspicions.

Yet, she still found it hard to believe… She leaned towards thinking that Lady Eve was merely disguised, perhaps wearing a pair of fake vampire fangs due to some peculiar hobby.

But it was evident that this gathering was not some masquerade.

"A prank?" Lady Eve laughed lightly, her demeanor both alluring and menacing, "Miss Zhong, is this based on fear? A form of self-defense?"

She stepped closer to Zhong Luoyue, causing her to instinctively retreat.

Simultaneously, Zhong Luoyue's fear intensified… Within just a few steps, Lady Eve transformed from a vision of beauty in a man's eyes to an old woman.

Her face was lined with wrinkles like the bark of a withered tree, her previously lustrous complexion faded to gray, her body rapidly emaciated… She was nearly beyond description.

Lady Eve's laughter now sounded like dry leaves scraping against cement, sending chills down one’s spine, "I really despise having mirrors around at this moment."

With a wave of her hand, the full-length mirror shattered instantly.

Zhong Luoyue didn’t have time to be shocked by this scene because, at the moment the mirror broke, Lady Eve lunged at her.

Lady Eve's withered hand had strength far beyond that of a large man, and when she grabbed Zhong Luoyue, it felt as if her shoulder might be crushed.

But Zhong Luoyue wasn't paralyzed by fear... The Zhong family had trained their three children in the military since childhood.

Though Zhong Luoyue spent less time there than her brothers, she had learned some real self-defense skills.

Faced with danger, she quickly regained her composure and struck at Lady Eve’s neck. While her chop might not rival the expertise of martial arts masters breaking bricks, it would certainly be painful for an ordinary person.

However, Lady Eve remained unfazed, barely moving, simply chuckling, "They actually fought back before... No, they struggled. But you're the first like this. I initially preferred that younger one I met in the vineyard, but your performance is impressive too. I think I’ll enjoy making you my blood servant."

Zhong Luoyue had no idea who Lady Eve's "they" referred to, but it was clear that "they" were likely victims in Lady Eve's hands, possibly already dead!

With no time to seek further information, Zhong Luoyue just wanted to escape this immense danger. She quickly withdrew her hand from Lady Eve's neck and struck at her arm where she gripped Zhong Luoyue's shoulder.

The impact caused Lady Eve's arm to bend slightly, freeing Zhong Luoyue's shoulder… seizing the moment, she didn’t hesitate to execute a side kick aimed at Lady Eve's head.

However, Lady Eve caught Zhong Luoyue's ankle in an instant, coldly laughing as she violently swung Zhong Luoyue around!

Zhong Luoyue was flung against the corner, hitting the wall hard… She let out a pained groan.

Such monstrous strength… Zhong Luoyue realized that Lady Eve was not an enemy that could be subdued by mere fighting skills.

She hurriedly crawled up, pressing her hand against her shoulder... It had been grabbed, and she had fallen against the wall, injuring it.

At this moment, Lady Eve walked over leisurely... Her sense of superiority came from facing a creature far weaker than herself... Oh, no, that’s not right; it’s food, indeed.

Zhong Luoyue was now sweating coldly, breathing quickly as she watched Lady Eve approach her with an ominous intent... Finally, Lady Eve was only an arm’s length away.

“Have you given up resisting?” Lady Eve smiled with a sinister grin, slightly opening her mouth.

In an instant, Zhong Luoyue’s expression turned fierce, and her uninjured arm shot out like lightning, at the same time, a loud bang echoed.

Lady Eve widened her eyes, her body going stiff... Her eyeballs rolled back, not in a blank stare, but trying to see her forehead.

But clearly, she couldn't see it.

At that moment, right in the center of Lady Eve's forehead, there was a small blood hole... And in Zhong Luoyue's hand was indeed a long lipstick.

Or rather... it was a disguised killing weapon that looked like lipstick.

The last means of survival... Zhong Luoyue glanced at her ‘lipstick’. It was made of ceramic, and even the bullet was made of ceramic, allowing it to pass through the metal detector before the banquet.

But it could only fire one bullet, its power was inferior to that of a real handgun, but it was enough to kill.

After being shot in the forehead, Lady Eve's body slowly slumped down... However, she clearly hadn’t died!

Under Zhong Luoyue’s incredulous gaze, the wound on Lady Eve’s forehead began to twitch, the bullet that had entered her brain was slowly being pushed out!

This kind of monster is unbeatable by human strength!

Once this thought emerged, fear surged like a tide, and Zhong Luoyue suddenly jolted, seizing the moment before Lady Eve fully regained her ability to move, she dashed for the door.

However, what she didn’t know was that an even greater danger, a more terrifying entity, and the abyss of fear were waiting just behind that door!

As she opened the door, she saw the scene of the wine tasting event packed with guests, and at that moment, a real ‘monster’ appeared!

It had both hands and feet on the ground, hair growing wildly... Its facial features were no longer those of a human!

A round mouth that occupied almost half of its face, lined with sharp teeth, and at the same time, its tongue was unbelievably thick and long!

At this moment, a tongue that resembled a tentacle was coiling around a woman, lifting her high into the air... At the end of that tongue was an organ!

It was biting into the neck of the woman it had ensnared.

In midair, the long tongue acted like a straw, and the woman’s body was quickly being drained... All around were more dried-up corpses, their faces twisted with fear and despair.

But many of the guests, in shock, cowered under ridiculous tables or curled up in corners.

This hellish scene... Zhong Luoyue felt as if she had plunged into an ice cellar.

“What kind of... abyss have I fallen into…”

Zhong Luoyue looked back in horror, only to see Lady Eve’s body twitching as she slowly stood up... She was shocked but had no time to think, wanting only to escape this place.

While Lady Eve had not completely regained her strength, and while that blood-sucking monster, resembling a giant leech, had not noticed her... escape!

---

Ten minutes earlier.

The wine tasting had been underway for a while. As many guests discussed how this new batch of wine compared to previous ones, the much-anticipated event finally arrived.

Rumors had spread from somewhere... It was said that at this wine event, the master brewer Tu Shenyi would take out the legendary bottle of ‘Worry-Free, River of Forgetfulness’ to share with a lucky person.

The same series of ‘Worry-Free’ wine had fetched sky-high prices at an auction, making it feel like a dream wine for many wine enthusiasts.

With everyone waiting in anticipation, a man slowly stepped out, pushing a large roulette wheel ahead of him.

He was the man who had taken out the mysterious ‘magic ball’ in the banquet hall earlier—the portly man who wanted to buy that ‘magic ball’ immediately recognized him.

The man pushing the roulette was Takizawa.

He placed the wheel in front of everyone’s gaze and then smiled, clearing his throat, “Ladies and gentlemen, an exciting moment is about to happen. Do you know what I’m going to do next?”

Everyone held their breath, each with a smile, looking at Takizawa's face.

Takizawa then said loudly, “I believe everyone received a crystal ball with a number before entering the venue, right? Now, please show me the crystal balls in your hands, shall we?”

The ladies promptly took out their crystal balls and held them high.

At this moment, Takizawa elegantly turned around before the crowd, placing his hands on the edge of the massive wheel. His eyes sparkled with a strange light as he continued to speak loudly, “Do you see this wheel? Do you see the numbers on this wheel? Gentlemen and ladies, have you guessed what I’m going to do next? Answer me! Have you guessed?”

“I have guessed!” The women’s voices stood out.

Takizawa suddenly exerted force, spinning the gigantic wheel, which whirled rapidly like a vortex.

Finally, amid the guests’ tense anticipation, the wheel gradually came to a stop.

The pointer finally settled on the section representing the number ‘18’. Takizawa opened his arms wide and shouted, “Please tell me, where is the lucky person!”

“It’s me! It’s me!”

It was the portly man who had previously wanted to buy the ‘magic ball’!

He proudly raised his crystal ball, eagerly pushing through the crowd to stand before Takizawa, “It’s me! We meet again!”

“Yes, we meet again.” Takizawa smiled slightly, “Lucky Sir.”

Suddenly, it opened its mouth wide, and a long, thick tongue shot out instantly!