Chapter 443: Smokescreen

The twin moons, Selene and Luna, cast an ethereal glow over the city of Ravenfell. While most of the city slept, a certain area in the slums of Corvid witnessed a scene of sudden commotion.

From the dilapidated building that served as the secret hideout of the Children of the Red God, dozens of people scrambled out of it, their faces riddled with fear, anxiousness, and panic.

They had just witnessed a very gory scene, after all. The man they believed to be the herald of the Red God was found dead and branded a swindler.

These people's minds were a mess at the moment. All they could think of was to escape the place.

They didn't know if the entire thing was a scam, or if the Red God was a legit entity and punished Khali for using his name. All they cared about was thier lives.

Adam and Daneli stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, watching this spectacle unfold with calm eyes.

"What are we waiting for?" Daneli asked, his expression that of discomfort. "Let's leave already. I can't stand the stench in this place."

"One moment..." said Adam as he watched the crowd frantically depart from the building.

Finally, his gaze landed on Rowan who had just made it out. He looked around in panic before choosing a safe path and running away from this mess.

After ensuring that the man had safely left the place, Adam glanced at Daneli and stated, "Rowan is a very useful man."

"And? What about him?" Daneli asked with a raised eyebrow.

"When I'm away from Ravenfell, you can instruct him to gather intel from around Corvid and deliver it to you," said Adam with a meaningful smile.

"Ah, I see." Daneli nodded. Suddenly, he asked, "You seem to hold that human in high regard. Why is that so?"

Adam chuckled, "He's a man who's trying his best to navigate the ups and downs of life with a clear conscience. I admire that about him. Such people are hard to come by."

He paused for a moment before adding, "Besides, he's quite well-educated. I'm guessing he used to be a wealthy merchant or even an aristocrat in the past, but due to various reasons, he's been reduced to what he is today. If guided properly, he could become a valuable asset."

Daneli deeply looked at the raven-haired youth for a few moments. He then sighed, "Adam, you shouldn't get too attached to mortals. They are fragile creatures with short lifespans. A blink of an eye for us is decades for them."

Adam remained silent for a long time before nodding, "Yeah... you're right."

"Good that you understand," Daneli faintly smiled. "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

Suddenly he recalled something and added, "By the way, I'm holding a soiree at my house this coming weekend. A lot of prominent nobles and Magi of Ravenfell will be attending—"

Before he could even finish, Adam waved his hand and cut him off, "Get lost. You know I'm not interested in socializing and all that crap."

Veins bulged on the side of Daneli's forehead and he spat through gritted teeth, "You ugly bastard, you don't wish to network with other Magi in the city? Do you just want to spend the rest of your life cooped up in your laboratory and brew potions?"

"Tsk!" Adam made an annoyed face. "Must I really come?"

"Hmph!" Daneli snorted. "You don't have an option. I'll have someone send the official invitation to your dorm room in the coming days. One more thing, you have to be in proper attire."

With that said, he turned around and vaulted across rooftops, gradually leaving the slums.

Seeing the elf's departing back, Adam couldn't help but sigh, "A formal party? What a drag..."

Now that all the people had evacuated from the building, the place suddenly quieted down. Adam then gazed in a particular direction. It was the territory of the Red Fists.

This was a small-time gang before, but now it seemed that it was under the management of a Rank 1 Magus. Currently, there was a turf war going on between the Red Fists and the Black Blades.

Hmm, the Red Fists, huh? Adam thought to himself. I doubt there's a chance of this gang being connected to the Cult of the Bones. Should I check them out as well?

He stood at the top of the building for a long time thinking of his next decision. A gust of wind blew, causing his cape to gently flutter behind him.

With the twin moons in the backdrop, the lone figure of Adam standing on the rooftop looked very mysterious.

Finally, he shook his head and sighed, Forget it, I've already caused such a ruckus by killing that fake priest today. Dealing with the Red Fists will be a little too much.

If the Cult of Bones really does have a presence in Corvid, they might be alarmed by my actions. It will become more difficult to track them in the future.

I shouldn't recklessly rush into things, I'll be patient with this one. Besides, I don't have to stick my nose in every little crime that happens in Corvid.

He cast one final glance in the direction of the Red Fist's territory before turning around and disappearing into the night.

...

In a certain alley in Corvid, the members of the gang, Black Blades, lay dead on the cobblestoned asphalt. Blood formed into streams and flowed through the alley, making for a very grotesque and horrifying scene.

The gang members of the Red Fist triumphantly stood over the corpses of thier rival gang. With the deaths of these last few gang members, the Bosky neighborhood was fully under their control now.

A middle-aged man with a scar running diagonally across his face walked toward the depth of this shadowy alley. This was the leader of the Red Fists, a Rank 1 Magus, Hardy Clay.

This muscular man with brown hair and a thick brown beard walked toward the end of the alley and suddenly knelt down, his eyes flashing with great terror.

"My Lord, thanks to your support, the Bosky Neighborhood is now under our control."

The following moment, a black hooded figure materialized before Hardy. This figure's face was concealed in the shadows of his hood.

Moreover, there was the stench of rot and decay naturally emanating from him, making Hardy feel like he was in the presence of a living corpse.

The figure eerily muttered in a raspy and guttural voice. "Good... good..."

Hardy nervously gulped. "My lord, what are your next orders?"

The hooded figure cackled ominously before speaking, "Souls must be harvested. Begin abducting the slum-dwellers, but don't be too conspicuous... Or else, you will face the consequences."

Hardy's body shuddered in fear and he solemnly nodded. "By your will."

"Leave," the hooded figure ordered.

After the gang leader left, only the hooded figure was left alone in the darkness of the alley. Suddenly, he turned his head and looked into the far distance in a particular direction.

This was exactly the place where Adam had been a few minutes before!

The figure's lips parted and he coldly chuckled, "Although it was a gamble...

"The smokescreen worked in the end."