Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 992: Heaven’s Tears

"Fellow Daoist, have you seen a peculiar and shameless female thief?"

...

"Fellow Daoist, have you seen a very adorable shameless female thief?"

...

"Brother Daoist, have you seen a cute young boy thief?"

"Oh… so it’s a boy now?" Mo Mo instinctively glanced at the flamboyantly dressed Daoist before him—this was already the third person he had encountered who reported being robbed since realizing his own small brocade box was missing.

It seemed that a thief had somehow infiltrated Hidden Dragon Estate, disguised in a harmless guise, stealing from people left and right, and had already succeeded several times.

Unbelievable! Hidden Dragon Estate, where nearly half of the Daoist world's elite had gathered, was being ransacked by this thief!

Some Daoist practitioners speculated that this mysterious female thief might be a descendant of the legendary "Star Plucking Pavilion," which had vanished nearly a hundred years ago.

Who knew if the "Star Plucking Pavilion" was real or not? Mo Mo’s only concern was his anxiety—after all, the stolen item wasn’t his but something entrusted to him by Yang Taizi. If it had been his own, he might have been annoyed, but not as agitated as he was now.He dreaded disappointing others and failing to fulfill promises.

Fortunately, this was Hidden Dragon Estate, populated by fellow Daoists, so using spells wouldn’t risk exposure to ordinary people. In fact, many Daoists had already begun using various techniques to locate the thief.

"Paper crane, go!"

A yellow paper crane gently took flight from Mo Mo’s palm. The Heavenly Master Dao had methods for tracking people, but Mo Mo felt that the other Daoists seeking the thief might have ulterior motives, so he chose to act discreetly.

"Thinking back…"

While watching the paper crane float down the hallway, Mo Mo muttered to himself. For ordinary people to fall victim to pickpockets was common enough, but for Daoists, with their heightened senses and magical powers, to be robbed? That was odd.

Could it be that the thief also possessed some extraordinary abilities? After all, daring to steal in a place like Hidden Dragon Estate was unlikely to be mere mischief—it must be the work of a seasoned professional.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, the paper crane suddenly stopped before a heavy door. Mo Mo paused—it had been destroyed, and a stern voice called out to him. The speaker was none other than Captain Ling Feng, who had greeted him at the train station.

"You’re… Mister Mo Mo?" Ling Feng frowned. "Mister Mo Mo, is there something you need? This area is off-limits for now; representatives from the Daoist Association and the Demon Alliance are in a meeting."

The Demon Alliance… so it does exist.

Suppressing his urge to comment, Mo Mo explained the situation, and Ling Feng’s frown deepened. As the one responsible for security at Hidden Dragon Estate, any issues that arose here were his responsibility.

"White hair, around eighteen or nineteen years old?" Ling Feng thought for a moment. "Most of the guests were received by our staff. I don’t recall anyone matching that description."

"Could she have arrived alone or just today?" Mo Mo asked.

Ling Feng shook his head. "Impossible. We have records of all participants, including disciples and leaders. Even Zhan'er, who came with you, was later confirmed with Yang Taizi."

Mo Mo rubbed his chin. "So she’s unregistered... Could she not even be human?"

"You mean from the Demon Realm?" Ling Feng frowned. "I’ll need to confirm that. The Kunpeng Estate is overseen by another captain."

"Please hurry." Mo Mo nodded. "The thief has already succeeded multiple times, demonstrating exceptional skill. Delaying further may lead to more victims."

"Understood. Wait here, Mister Mo Mo." Ling Feng nodded.

At that moment, the meeting room door opened, and a dignified woman in formal attire, her hair neatly tied up, stepped out. "Captain Ling, is something the matter? I sensed a magical disturbance outside. And this is…?"

"This is Mister Mo Mo," Ling Feng introduced. "He’s a representative of the Heavenly Master Dao of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, attending the Penglai Conference on behalf of Daoist Changhe."

"I see. Mister Mo Mo, do you have time?"

"Uh… What for?" Mo Mo asked cautiously.

The woman smiled. "We need a volunteer, preferably someone skilled in protective techniques. The Heavenly Dao Master's skills would be ideal... Of course, it’s entirely voluntary."

Mo Mo hesitated, then asked, "Is the Plain-Clothed Dao representative inside?"

"Representative Lai?" The woman blinked, then nodded. "Yes, he’s here."

"I’ll volunteer, but may I speak privately with Representative Lai first?" Mo Mo requested.

The woman nodded. "Wait a moment." She re-entered the meeting room.

...

"Mister Mo Mo, Representative Lai has agreed to meet you. Please follow me."

Relieved, Mo Mo turned to Ling Feng. "Captain Ling, please take care of the issue I mentioned earlier."

"Of course." Ling Feng nodded, grateful that Mo Mo hadn’t brought up the theft in front of the woman, sparing his department from embarrassment.

The woman, meanwhile, glanced curiously at the two men but said nothing, leading Mo Mo into the meeting room.

As Mo Mo stepped inside, he immediately felt several sharp gazes fix on him, exuding an oppressive and commanding aura.

Taking a deep breath, he scanned the room.

The Daoist representatives and the guests from the Demon Realm were seated on opposite sides of a long conference table. At first glance, Mo Mo noticed Lai Caisheng, seated in the third position on the left side.

Generally, seating at such meetings was arranged according to status, indicating Lai Caisheng held a significant position within the Daoist Association.

The two individuals ranked above him emanated an immense aura of power, far surpassing even Mo Mo’s master, Daoist Changhe.

On the right side sat the representatives of the Demon Alliance, whose demeanor was far more relaxed. Their attire was varied and colorful, and some were even quite young.

Mo Mo’s eyes fell on the nameplate in front of a young girl, seated fifth on the right: Zi Xing, Young Lord of the Greedy Wolf Clan.

At that moment, Lai Caisheng stood up. “Everyone, please wait a moment. I need to speak with this volunteer.”

No one objected, so Mo Mo was quickly led to a small room within the conference hall.

Lai Caisheng smiled faintly and asked, “Mister Mo Mo, how can I help you?”

For some reason, Mo Mo felt that Lai Caisheng already knew the answer. Awkwardly, he replied, “Well, Senior Yang Taizi entrusted me with something to deliver to you. But on my way here, it was stolen... I’m terribly sorry.”

“I already know.” Lai Caisheng nodded. “Thank you for your trouble. It wasn’t anything important, and it will find its way back to me soon. You don’t need to worry.”

“Did you… calculate that?” Mo Mo asked, surprised by Lai Caisheng’s certainty.

Lai Caisheng smiled. “As practitioners of the Plain-Clothed Dao, we have a few tricks up our sleeves. But let’s set that aside for now and discuss the experiment. Miss Gong mentioned you’ve already agreed to participate?”

Mo Mo nodded.

“Then let me explain the background.” Lai Caisheng continued, “This experiment involves testing a peculiar drug called Heaven’s Tears. The developer is a secret organization from the Western world.”

“A secret organization?” Mo Mo was intrigued. “I’ve heard from my master that the Western world also has its own extraordinary organizations, such as the Magician’s Guild, the Church, and the Thirteen Clans.”

“Exactly,” Lai Caisheng confirmed. “These ancient organizations exist, and the group behind Heaven’s Tears is called the ‘Michael Society.’”

“The Michael Society?”

“Yes.” Lai Caisheng explained, “The society can be traced back to a century ago. After a great war in the Western world, their extraordinary individuals were nearly wiped out, suffering devastating losses. Over the past hundred years, their strength has slowly recovered. The Michael Society emerged during this time.”

Mo Mo listened intently as Lai Caisheng continued, “Over the past century, the Michael Society has been recruiting talent from various fields and gathering powerful extraordinary individuals. According to our intelligence, they have a group called the ‘Twelve Divine Generals.’ Each member is incredibly powerful yet also highly dangerous due to their personality flaws. The Michael Society has infiltrated various fields—technology, economics, medicine, and even politics. No organization in history has extended its influence as widely as they have.”

“A group that vast?” Mo Mo was astonished.

“Indeed.” Lai Caisheng’s tone turned serious. “Initially, their activities were confined to the Western world. But in recent years, we’ve discovered traces of their influence reaching into our borders, which is a matter of great concern.”

Mo Mo nodded. “And what is Heaven’s Tears?”

“It’s a drug developed by the Michael Society,” Lai Caisheng explained. “Strictly speaking, it’s a stimulant that induces a berserk state. When consumed, it rapidly depletes the user’s vitality and lifespan in exchange for a temporary surge of power. This surge allows an ordinary person to rival low-tier demons in strength.”

The idea that a drug could bridge the gap between humans and demons left Mo Mo speechless.

“We’re here to discuss this matter,” Lai Caisheng said with a hint of frustration. “But the Demon Alliance seems skeptical. They’ve even suggested we test the drug by having someone from our side take it and spar with one of their representatives.”

Mo Mo frowned. “Isn’t that request excessive?”

Lai Caisheng sighed. “Though agreements were made under the leadership of a great figure seventy years ago, tensions remain. The demon clans have faced increasing challenges in recent years, and some Daoist factions have a history of oppressing them. Consider this their way of venting frustration. That said, Heaven’s Tears carries inherent risks, and I must make that clear to you. But rest assured, with so many experts here, your safety is guaranteed.”

After a moment of thought, Mo Mo nodded firmly. “As a member of the Daoist world, I cannot shirk this responsibility if it’s so significant. I will do it!”

Lai Caisheng smiled and narrowed his eyes. “Thank you, Mister Mo Mo. We are deeply grateful.”

(End of Chapter)

(Note: If anyone has a book they'd like translated and it happens to be something I enjoy, I'll consider translating it.)